Limits To Freedom

 The Limits of Freedom

Book of Exodus Chapters 23 and 24

We should understand that our freedom is a gift from Jehovah! The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall "make" you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Remember our Lord is also our Creator!

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

By nature we are in bondage to sin.

By "Grace" through "Faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are made free from sin!

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

So, there must be limits to our freedom.

We must understand Jehovah will exalt any nation that diligently listens to His voice.

We can understand that voice as the words that Jehovah gave to all the writers of the Scriptures of which we have a copy.

Deu 28:1  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 

Deu 28:2  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

It is the blessings of Jehovah that become reality when we love the Lord Jesus Christ!

Psa 33:12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. 

We are foolish if we cannot see that Jehovah has removed His hand of blessing from the United States of America, because so many have rejected the voice of the Lord.

You see it does not matter what national laws that exist if those laws are not written according to the voice of God, what we call the Bible.

Not just any book called a Bible, but a Bible that is written according to the received text, the true Greek, and Hebrew Scriptures.

Our freedom must be limited according to the laws of Jehovah!

It is critical to our eternal life that we follow the voice of God! 

False religion, false gods, false worship, will cause us to miss the benefits of living with the Almighty Living God!

*****Exo 23:10  And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: 

Exo 23:11  But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard. 

Exo 23:12  Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. 

We hear so much about climate change today. It is mentioned in every conversation and every news broadcast.

We should have listened to the voice of Jehovah on how to take care of our lands.

In our last lesson we talked about a Sabbath Day so now let us see as our God talks about a Sabbath Year.

We all certainly know that without farmers there would be no real food for anyone. Few of us own enough land to grow food to meet all our needs.

Jehovah told the children of Israel that once they entered into the Promised Land, the land promised to the descendants of Abraham, that every seventh year was to be a Sabbath Year and the land was to rest.

Before Israel was allowed to reclaim that land in 1948, we know there was nothing more than a piece of desert where no crops could grow.

Today we see just how fertile that land truly is.

Every seventh year the land was to be unplowed and unused.

This is where crop rotation had its beginning.

That same land left untouched would still feed the poor and the animals.

Why would Jehovah do such a thing? No other nation did such a thing.

Many a farmer today have learned the hard way of the problems of overusing the land.

They plowed too deeply.

They destroyed soil nutrients:

They failed to rotate crops.

The children of Israel did not know about such things, so they had to be taught and their teacher was Jehovah.

This lesson for the land was not the only lesson that was taught.

They had a need to learn compassion because Jehovah is a compassionate God.

Whatever this land produced in the Sabbatical Year was to be shared!

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord of life!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and "the life": no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

So, this was not just a time to allow the land to rest, it was also a time to get closer to the Lord.

Deu 31:10  And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 

Deu 31:11  When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 

Deu 31:12  Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 

Deu 31:13  And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. 

There was to be a special time of worship.

There was to be a time of reading and studying the Word of God.

Remember Moses had written down everything that Jehovah had said.

The key to this worship was learning how to follow the Lord and to live as He commanded!

What do we know? We know that Israel failed to keep this Sabbatical Year for at least 490 years and God allowed Babylon to remove Israel from that land and the land laid at rest for 70 years.

2Ch 36:21  To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

We can see that the Word of God is to be obeyed including to allow the land to have her rest every Sabbath Year.

We must understand that God knows what He is doing all the time, and nothing ever surprises Jehovah!

Joshua reminded these children of Israel the importance of the Word of God as they entered the Promised Land.

Jos 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

And according to the Word of God, we must never turn our backs on those who are poor in worldly things and also those who are poor in the knowledge of Jehovah God.

And again we see that a day of rest is emphasized.

And there was to be no talk about false gods.

*****Exo 23:13  And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. 

To be circumspect is to reverence the Word of God, guard it as the truth, be obedient.

That word circumspect means to be cautious, carefully examining all the circumstances that affect our lives.

These children of Israel would have to admit they had seen some of the awesome power of God and those false gods of Egypt had done nothing for them except to place them in bondage.

God decided that they needed a law concerning false gods.

1) They must obey Jehovah.

2) They must not call on false gods.

In fact the names of false gods must never be heard from their lips.

It is no different for us today. We are to obey all the Word of God, rightly divided.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Today we should lean on that phrase "What Would Jesus Do" being cautious in every situation that we face in this world.

We must be fully awake to the importance of the Word of God!

We should give no thought to false gods they are fantasies that deserve no mention. By the way this includes Allah, and Budha and all others!

We must be careful to remember the commandments of God and do them!

Eph 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 

Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 

We must spend time with our Lord!

*****Exo 23:14  Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. 

Exo 23:15  Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) 

Exo 23:16  And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

Exo 23:17  Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. 

Three times each year each male of a certain age was to make the journey to the Tabernacle. 

No matter where they were nor how far away, they were, they were commanded to appear before Jehovah.

By reading the Scriptures we know that most of them took their families with them as they traveled to the Tabernacle and later to the Temple.

They were to thank the Lord for their bountiful harvest.

They were to praise the Lord for His deliverance.

They were to never come before the Lord empty handed.

**The "Feast of Unleavened Bread" began with the Passover.

The Passover commemorates God's deliverance of Israel out of Egypt.

The Passover meal commemorates the deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery.

The annual Passover was a memorial to these truths, but they were also symbolic.

A memorial in memory of that first Passover night in Egypt.

Symbolic because its ultimate fulfillment was at Mount Calvary, where the lamb of God (Jesus Christ) took away the sin of this entire world in all its Ages.

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 

1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 

On that first Passover Jehovah revised the Hebrew calendar.

On Mount Calvary the Lord Jesus Christ revised the calendar that the world still uses today.

Today the Jews use two calendars:

Their legal documents are dated by the Civil Calendar.

All religious events are dated by the Sacred Calendar.

This first feast began with Passover, but it continued for seven days.

They worshipped Jehovah on the first day and again on the last day. 

The unleavened bread reminded then to flee from slavery not even taking the time for the leaven to cause the bread to rise.

Notice also that Jehovah said no man was to appear before Him empty handed, but this offering was to still be a freewill offering.

Jehovah had done far too much for this people for them to offer nothing!

Deu 16:17  Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. 

**There was then the Feast of the Harvest:

This Feast is also called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, or the Latter First fruits.

This Feast commemorates the "Giving of the Law" to the children of Israel and these laws were given to the Children of Israel.

We need to rightly divide the Scriptures to know which laws affect which people.

The three groups in the world are the Jews, the Church, and those who are Lost and without the Lord Jesus.

It was a time to present an offering of the new grain of the summer harvest to the Lord.

This Feast is tied to the Ten Commandments.

We are always to thank Jehovah for the harvest He gives to us, for the income and blessings He pours out upon us, and the offerings due to Him!

Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 

**There was the Feast of Ingathering:

Also called the Feast of Tabernacles because the people were commanded to make small booths or lean-toos to live in during the time of this feast.

This feast was to remind them of that 40-year journey to the Promised Land.

This Feast celebrated the harvest of the grape vines and orchards and lasted for seven or eight days.

Neh 8:17  And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. 

Neh 8:18  Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner. 

We can see that the Children of Israel were lax at keeping these feasts.

Jehovah demanded the observance of these feasts:

1) To bring these people together in the spirit of unity and oneness to build a strong, unified nation.

2) To show the people the great blessings of Jehovah, His deliverance, and His guidance day by day.

3) To cause this people to give thanks, to praise Jehovah and to give their tithes and offerings to Him.

Today, the Church can grow through our association with other true believers.

When we surround ourselves with other Christian believers we benefit from their wisdom and counsel.

Pro 11:14  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 

We benefit from encouragement and edification.

We benefit from encouragement and edification.

Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

We benefit from safety and protection.

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

We benefit from unity and a common purpose.

Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 

We benefit from worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ with like-minded people!

Php 2:1  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 

Php 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 

Jehovah had these same intentions for these Children of Israel!

*****Exo 24:3  And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. 

Exo 24:4  And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 

You see, the Lord genuinely wants us to know about Him!

The Lord wants us to understand why His Word involves commandments and not suggestions!

This group of people did not think the Word of God was too harsh and they all agreed they needed to be obedient to the Word of God.

Jehovah is seeking a people committed to being obedient to all the things He says, and it is really not that hard.

We must overcome the pull of our own flesh to do terrible things that go against the Word of God!

Moses declared all the things of Chapter 19 and all the things of Chapters 21 through 23 and these people agreed that they needed to be obedient to all the Word of God.

These were the laws that were to govern their nation and they agreed that these were good laws.

This is the one thing that Jehovah wants from us all, "obedience"!

Deu 5:29  O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! 

For a brief period of time all of Israel was in one mind and one accord with Jehovah God.

*****Exo 24:5  And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 

Exo 24:6  And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 

Exo 24:7  And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. 

Moses sealed this agreement with Jehovah and now the Mosaic Covenant was made.

Remember a covenant is a mutual agreement between two parties with each bound to fulfill certain agreements.

Moses wrote down all the words of this covenant so everyone could see what this agreement consisted of.

It was then that all people needed to study the Word of God so we could know this agreement.

2Ti 2:14  Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Moses sealed this agreement by making it public.

Moses built an altar to sacrifice unto the Lord, a blood sacrifice.

In the Old Testament, to approach God required a sacrifice.

The burnt offering was a freewill offering.

The animal had to be a clean animal. Free from defects.

The blood of that animal was a substitute.

So we know all these sacrifices pointed these children of Israel to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Rom 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

When Moses read all the Word of God to the people, he was giving them the words they had committed themselves to, so there would be no confusion.

We know that in order to keep the Laws of God, we need to hear God's Word over and over again!

These children of Israel needed to learn those Ten Commandments.

They needed to base their civil laws upon that Word of God.

Moses then sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice upon the people saying this blood confirms this covenant between them and Jehovah God.

Lev 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

Jehovah is very serious concerning the covenants He makes with any and all people!

We have come to understand the Laws of Moses as a symbol of a schoolmaster who brings us to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen

Held Accountable for Our Actions

 Rules For Living

Book of Exodus Chapters 19 and 20

As most of us understand, especially those that love the Lord Jesus, we must be held accountable to one another for our actions and God will hold us accountable for going against His commandments.

If we hold to the Word of God, this should solve most transactions with each other, but it will solve all our transactions with our Heavenly Father!

God does not make up rules as He goes, and neither should we!

It is in our best interest to know how we will deal with situations before they come up.

God told Moses that if the children of Israel would obey His voice and keep His commandments, they could become a nation that was distinct from all other nations in the world.

It is the same today.

I do not understand our government who want to model America according to the European Union.

The EU is the most liberal organization in the world and governed by Socialism.

I want an America that is distinct from other nations, especially the EU and all those Communist and Socialists nations. 

This is where we first started. Settlers came to America to escape Europe.

I do not like the immigration situation we are in, but many of them come to America for an opportunity. 

It is handouts that have caused our problems with immigration!

We can only be a better nation if we are obedient to the Word of God!

God wanted these children of Israel to take the Word of God to all the world and the best way was to live according to His Word.

This is the one of most important steps for the Church, to live according to the knowledge and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The next most important thing is to be living disciples, to reach out to this wicked world in the direction God sends us.

Remember the Lord knows, and we need only know what the Lord knows, anything else is from this wicked world.

God commands our obedience, and He has done so from the time of Adam. 

Adam failed and his failure has been passed down through the Ages when the Word of God should have been passed down through the Ages.

*****Exo 19:17  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 

Notice a couple of things.

1) The people were to sanctify themselves. To sanctify is to cleanse yourself.

Sin is that soil of this world that we need to cleanse ourselves from! 

The Lord Jesus Christ has paid our sin debt and we must acknowledge that He has done this and accept Him as our Savior.

The words that have the greatest reaction in Heaven are those words "Lord Save Me".

For these children of Israel, Jehovah gave them at first ten simple commands:

Deu 5:22  These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me. 

Deu 5:23  And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. 

These ten simple commands should be the basis of all laws in every nation as they once were here in America.

Jehovah did reveal His awesomeness, so there would be no confusion as to who was speaking to them.

As Christians, we are cleansed with the Blood of Jesus Christ and the water of the Holy Spirit.

Rev_1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

1Co_6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Heb_10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

*****Exo 19:18  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 

Exo 19:19  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 

2) The next thing we see is the need for a Mediator.

Moses was the mediator for the children of Israel all His days as they became afraid of the Lord God Jehovah.

Exo 19:25  So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

We may speak to our Holy God, but we cannot stand before Him until we are pure.

By His eminence as the third part of the Holy Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ is our Mediator between us and God. He is our divine Intercessor!

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 

Jesus Christ is also our Mediator by nature!

He is divine in His Heavenly nature!

He was pure and innocent and sin free in His human nature!

Sitting at the right hand of God, the Lord Jesus is Mediator by office transacting all matters between Jehovah and all humanity.

Moses could only perform an earthly function assigned to Him by the Lord.

We should mention the fear of the Lord here.

In most cases when we say the fear of the Lord we are talking about respect, but we had be very clear, we should have fear as in afraid also.

Jehovah is an awesome powerful God, who does as He pleases, whenever He pleases!

Psa 33:8  Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 

This world we live in moves along as the Lord has designed it to  move.

Remember God has already declared the end which He knew from the beginning, and nothing can ever change that ending.

Isa_46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

We must understand we can change some things in our prayers and prayer still works, but we cannot change the outcome that is presented to us in the Book of Revelation or any part of the Word of God!

God loves to appear before us, and He does not always come in a show of strength and power.

If we congregate according to the reality of Lord Jesus Christ, we will always find the doors to the throne room of Jehovah open!

In fact, no one can approach Him except through and by the Lord Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son.

When God speaks, we need to listen!

*****Exo 20:1  And God spake all these words, saying, 

Exo 20:2  I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

Exo 20:3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

We should understand that the basis of the Ten Commandments is the fact of the existence of Jehovah God!

Notice God will always speak in the language of those who stand before Him.

This is the gift He shared with the Apostles when they first received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and after His ascension back to Heaven.

We should understand the supreme test of love is, the desire and the effort to please that One we say we love.

This can be measured by how we conform to His known wishes!

The love of God is expressed by obedience to His Will and His ways!

What did the Lord Jesus teach?

Mar_3:35  For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

So what is the will of God for my life?

Doing the will of God should be my greatest goal!

Paul wrote:

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

It is the will of God that we be delivered from this evil world, "to be saved"!

Gal_1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

It was the will of God that the Lord Jesus Christ died so that we could do the will of God.

Who are all those that will live with the Lord forever?

1Jn_2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

So we need to know the will of God and the will of God is bound up in His commandments!

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

We cannot be in the will of God if we do not trust the Word of God!

Psa 40:8  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 

God knows that there are no other Gods.

There are only gods that we make up ourselves and it is these false gods, these gods made up in our minds, that we place on a level equal to the true and only God Jehovah.

When we ignore the Word of God and take the word of this world, we have placed these words above the Word of God, and we have made the things of this world a god.

Today many make money to be their god but there many other things of this world that people call their god.

Since the beginning of time many have made their own gods.

*****Exo 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 

Exo 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

No one except those who are in Heaven have ever seen God!

So no one could possibly know what God looks like.

No one could possibly know what the Lord Jesus Christ would have looked like so the pictures we see of Him cannot be accurate!

I will not have one hanging on my wall.

I will also not display a cross that has the figure of a man on it. 

My Lord Jesus is no longer on a cross! He died and He arose from that death!

Certainly, no star, no moon or nothing in the heavens can I make my God because my God made all these things.

God forbids the making of idols.

God wanted these children of Israel to believe that He is Spirit.

Joh_4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

We cannot properly worship the Lord if we have some idol presented as God.

A Spirit is unseen. Jehovah has no physical representation. There are no pictures of Jehovah that could possibly be accurate!

Deu 4:12  And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. 

The pure fact is that if Jehovah had not revealed Himself to Moses, we would not know anything about our God.

Rom 16:25  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 

Rom 16:26  "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith": 

3800 times the Bible declares "God said" or "Thus sayeth the Lord".

Moses knew when he began writing that he was writing the commandments of the Lord God our Maker!

Peter wrote:

2Pe 1:16  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 

2Pe 1:17  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 

2Pe 1:18  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 

2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 

God said He was a Spirit, and this is all I need to know about what He looks like, so how could there be an idol, or a picture that would reveal to me the looks of my God.

I will get to see Him as His Son Jesus Christ one day in my future, this is all I need to know!

1Jn_3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

He is the God of Mercy!

*****Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 

Exo 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

There are so many ways we take God's name in vain.

We take God's name in vain when we make a profession of "faith" and then do not live up to that profession.

We take God's name in vain when we make a covenant with God and break that covenant.

When we make promises to God and then not keep those promises, we have taken His name in vain.

When we swear while using the name of God, we have taken His name in vain.

When we use the name of God lightly and carelessly especially in profanity, we have taken His name in vain.

These things include what we call cursing but there are more things than just cursing.

God will never hold us guiltless when we do these things whether we are saved or not!

Remember these first four commandments are about worship and our worship must be in "Spirit and in Truth"!

God will never go against His own Word anywhere throughout the Scriptures!

The Sabbath.

*****Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 

Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 

Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 

1) We first see that we should work 6 days in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament we have these words.

1Th 4:11  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 

1Th 4:12  That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 

There is no doubt that the Lord wants us to work, but the Lord does not want us to work more than a six day work week!

2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 

This goes against what is going on today where a certain class of people are told that they do not have to work. 

God says then they should not eat!

2) We next see a day of rest.

God says we need a day of rest after those six days of work.

Work calls for rest, rest calls for work.

We do not see that the Sabbath is to be the seventh day of the week.

The Bible just says a man should work six days and rest on the seventh day.

As far as what is written in the Old Testament, any day that was followed by six days of work would be a Sabbath!

There is nothing in the Bible that says that the Sabbath is to be on a Saturday.

As we look at verse eleven, we see that we should reflect on God's creation on that day of rest and then on all the Word of God.

Deu 5:15  And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. 

We should attempt to be more like God!

In Egypt, the children of Israel did not get a day off because bondage does not allow for rest!

God did not rest because He was tired, He never gets tired.

God rested to give us an example of what He expected from us!

It is a command to rest after we have worked six days, but this is not all.

Jehovah hallowed this seventh day.

Isa 58:13  If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 

Isa 58:14  Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. 

Deu 5:12  Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. 

It is Jehovah God that named this day a Sabbath.

It is the Jews that chose to use Saturday, but they did not always keep it holy especially during the time of the Pharisee in the time of Jesus.

The Lord Jesus kept the Jewish Sabbath, but He used this day to do the work of God.

Mar 1:20  And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. 

Mar 1:21  And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 

Jesus also kept this day Holy.

We are never to forsake the appointed times of worship!

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

We must give some time to our Lord and Savior!

Why did the Church choose Sunday as the seventh day?

It was the day our Lord Jesus rose from the grave and then called the Lord's Day.

Joh 20:1  The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 

It was on Sunday when our Lord Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection.

Joh 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 

It was Sunday when the Holy Spirit came to the beginning of the Church.

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 

Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 

Pentecost was fifty days after the Passover and was on Sunday.

It was on Sunday that the early Church met for worship.

Act 20:6  And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. 

Act 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 

1Co 16:1  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 

1Co 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 

The early Church chose Sunday to be that day of rest after six days of work and sanctified it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself chose Sunday to show us an empty grave.

*****Exo 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

It should be obvious that this commandment is given to us that we do not abuse or mistreat our parents.

That word honor means much more than just to obey.

The almost total disregard for this commandment is also a sign that we are in the end times.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, "disobedient to parents", unthankful, unholy, 

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

*****Exo 20:13  Thou shalt not kill.

This commandment is given that we respect and reverence life.

Life is too precious for us to take it so carelessly.

Jehovah attached the death penalty for breaking this commandment.

Gen 9:5  And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 

Gen 9:6  Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 

There are those who teach that to kill the killer violates God's commandment, but then what do you do with Genesis 9:6?

It amazes me that these same people who reject the death penalty, are the same ones who would kill innocent babies in the womb and just as they come out of the womb.

Such people we need to avoid and reject any of their leadership because they are Satan's children.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 

These things apply to those who intentionally take the life of some other person, be it an unborn child or a man or woman.

God made arrangements for those killings that happened unintentionally.

*****Exo 20:14  Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

This commandment came about with respect to the marriage relationship.

Marriage began with Adam and Eve.

Gen 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 

The marriage is to be superior to all other human relationships!

A man is more responsible to love and care for his wife, than he is to remain in the home of his parents and take care of them.

The Lord Jesus Christ said this was a profoundly serious thing!

Mat 5:27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 

Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 

When the Lord Jesus talked about divorce, He said only one thing could be used to dissolve a marriage and this was unfaithfulness on the part of the husband or the wife.

Mat 19:9  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 

*****Exo 20:15  Thou shalt not steal. 

We must in fact deal honestly in all our dealings with other people.

Rom 13:8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 

2Co 8:21  Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

When I keep anything that does not belong to me, I am a thief!

This may be something that parents allow their young children to get away with far to often, and the young child may think nothing of it if they do it again.

*****Exo 20:16  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 

When we slander our neighbors.

When we invent a lie about our neighbors.

When we gossip about our neighbor not knowing the truth.

When we spread rumors just to make our neighbors to look bad.

Anytime we repeat something about our neighbors without a careful investigation, then we have made an evil report.

When we leave a false impression in the minds of other people about our neighbors, this is also included.

Even when we make unjustified criticisms against someone in the hearing of a third party, we have broken this commandment.

Some would say that this may be the commandment that is broken most often.

*****Exo 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Look closely and you can see that this commandment prohibits the desire to act.

It could just as easily have just said "do not covet".

When we have a desire to have anything that belongs to someone else, we have sinned breaking this commandment.

No earthly law has ever been written with this in mind because it could not be enforced, but God knows what goes on in our minds.

Now we can desire to have a thing just like what our neighbor has, but we cannot desire to have that one that our neighbor has.

This commandment reveals the wickedness within us, as we always want what our neighbor has. 

This is proven by phrases such as "keeping up with the Jones".

We are told many times in the Bible to beware of covetousness.

Luk 12:15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 

As we have seen these Ten Commandments and they are Commandments and not suggestions, are really simple, but there has no one been able to truthfully say they have always kept these commandments.

To the Jews were given 619 commandments.

We only have to break one to become a sinner in need of a Savior and that One and Only Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is why before Covid 19 came about we saw many instances of lost people tearing down any place that displayed these Ten Commandments.

God still knows what we have done, and it is He to whom we will answer.

Amen

The Challenges of Freedom

 The Challenges Of Being Free

Book of Exodus Chapter 17

We should understand that having freedom has its own high costs.

When we are totally free, then we realize that we face the responsibility of providing for ourselves.

In our nation today, far too many want to avoid this responsibility and depend on our government to provide their needs.

As a Christian, the Lord my God has promised to do this for me.

Freedom has its price, but when we are dependent upon a loving God, He makes certain promises.

Luk 12:29  And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 

Luk 12:30  For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 

Luk 12:31  But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

These children of Israel never went without in all their travels!

The key is in this scripture. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God".

God had already sent the Manna which gave them daily bread and He would continue to do this until they reached the Promised Land.

Exo 16:35  And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

There was never a day that Jehovah did not provide food for these rebellious people.

Notice that word "AND" and we can see Chapter 17 is linked to Chapter 16 as Chapter 16 is linked to Chapter 15 by that word “and”.

This word "and" is an important word that is used in the Word of God!

Even with food provided, there is another item even more necessary. Water.

*****Exo 17:1  And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 

Exo 17:2  Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 

Remember Moses and this people were being led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

It was not Moses that stopped in Rephidim it was that Angel of the Lord we know to be Jehovah, the LORD.

What is God doing, but just testing their faith!

As the children of God, He will test our faith many times all our days.

It can be said the path of "Faith" is a trial itself!

If we follow the Lord Jesus Christ as He has requested, we will encounter many things that are unpleasant and displeasing to the flesh.

Paul wrote:

Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 

Rom 7:15  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 

Rom 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 

Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 

Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 

It can be said that our flesh is our greatest enemy, as we strive to follow the lead of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The same flesh was the greatest enemy of these children of Israel!

God wants us to rely on Him and not upon this world for those things we need!

This is a painfully slow lesson for most all of us!

These people should have understood that it was just as easy for the Lord to provide water as it was for Him to part the Red Sea and to provide their daily food, that Heavenly Manna.

We should keep in mind there were two million or more of these people.

That word "pitched" meant that they would stay in this place more than a day.

The problem with every society is the fact that we all have needs for us to survive.

What does the Word of God teach?

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Notice it is the lust of the flesh that comes first.

We are always wanting something, in fact lusting for those things and this is a sin.

These children of Israel fell into whining and dissatisfaction and rebellion, and this is how we bring the "judgment" of God upon ourselves.

It is a serious lack of "faith"!

*****Exo 17:3  And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

To be honest, it is a terrible thing to suffer from thirst. We cannot go very long without water.

Surely the same God who could part the Red Sea could provide water for His people.

Moses was just a man; the messenger Jehovah had chosen to lead these people.

It was actually Jehovah who was leading this people, a pillar of cloud by day a pillar of fire by night.

There was a reason Jehovah stopped at Rephidim.

You see, it is these things we learn from the Books of Moses that show us how we all are.

Satan begins his processes and brainwashing at such and early age, that people just do not trust the Lord.

People trust in a world of people who have not changed very much since its beginning.

When this people came to Moses, Moses then turned to God.

As people, we are always looking for some other person to blame our troubles on.

We must understand that Jehovah does what Jehovah does anytime Jehovah wants to do it!

But we must never tempt the Lord!

Deu 6:16  Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

Mat 4:7  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Luk 4:12  And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

When we complain and moan about every little thing, we are tempting the Lord!

*****Exo 17:4  And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 

Exo 17:5  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 

Exo 17:6  Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 

What is an "intercessor"?

Moses was the man chosen by Jehovah to lead these people. This is never an easy task for anyone!

As their thirst increased, they became more impatient and enraged and they took it out on Moses.

We must first understand that God is going to test us from time to time.

The journey to the true Promised Land (the New Heaven) will seem to be a long one, when we are down in the valley.

As we witness this forty-year journey of the children of Israel, there will be many great lessons we can learn from and use in our own journey.

The descendants of Abraham were going to the Promised Land because it was promised to Abraham.

As Christians we are going to the New Heaven because it was promised by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Most of these that left Egypt would not be among those who actually crossed the River Jordan with Joshua.

We will see why as we study the great Book of Exodus.

The things we learn the most are:

1) That we can trust Jehovah "to keep His promises".

2) That we can depend on Jehovah "to provide our needs".

3) That we can depend upon Jehovah "to go with us".

Moses shows us that an "intercessor" will cry out to the Lord for others.

The greatest Intercessor of all is the Lord Jesus Christ!

The only way we can lose our salvation is for Jesus Christ to be a liar, in His role as our Intercessor!

Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 

Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

It is Moses who teaches us about being an "intercessor" in the Old Testament.

Without our Intercessor, the Lord Jesus Christ, we could never be free!

These children of Israel needed Moses much more than they realized.

As Moses did as was commanded by the Lord, we see another type in the Scriptures, the Rock.

1Co 10:1  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 

1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 

1Co 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 

1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 

We see without a doubt that Jehovah and the Lord Jesus Christ are One and the Same.

Jesus said, "My Father and I are One".

This Rock was to be "smitten" and this speaks to us of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What do we know? We know that the Lord Jesus Christ had to descend from Heaven just as the "Manna" did if He was to be the Bread of Life to all His people!

We must also know that our Lord must be smitten by "Divine Judgment" if He was to become the Water of Life!

Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

Out of that smitten Rock came the water and we know that water can represent the Holy Spirit.

Act 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 

Act 2:18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 

Jesus said to those who thirst for the Holy Spirit must come to Him.

Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 

Joh 7:39  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

You see Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ always keeps His promises!

Psa 105:41  He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. 

Psa 105:42  For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. 

We should be able to see that as we study the Old Testament Book of Exodus, we get to learn more

about the truth of our Savior.

We must have "faith" in the promises of God, and we must not tempt Him with our complaining and our foolish pride.

*****Exo 17:7  And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not? 

That word Massah means temptation.

That word Meribah means to quarrel and dispute.

We must never ask if the Lord is among us, after He promised to never leave us and to never forsake us!

Life brings its good things and its dreadful things, but no matter what we are going through, we can believe that the Lord is always with those who love Him!

We should understand that those who are empty of the Holy Spirit still have a desperate need to quench their thirst, but they simply do not know where they can satisfy that thirst, unless we tell them about "the Rock" (the Lord Jesus), the only source of "Living Water".

Isa 12:2  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 

Isa 12:3  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 

Isa 12:4  And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 

This is the truth we have for those who are lost! 

They must drink of that "Living Water", Jesus Christ our Lord.

Another thing we must understand is that when we are disobedient and tempt the Lord, then  we will fall under Divine Judgment.

When we are tested by the Lord, we must cling to our "faith" and believe in His promises.

We should understand without "tests" we will never have a "testimony"!

The Israelites were murmuring.

They were ready to stone to death God's servant Moses.

They were filled with unbelief, lacking faith, saying to Moses, "is the Lord with us or not".

Here we see a people who were always looking for the arm of God "without faith", rather than seeking the face of God.

They were a foolish people at this time, forgetting they were free and released for their bondage of slavery.

Another thing we should realize is, that what the Holy Spirit recorded in the Book of Numbers Chapter 20 is far different from what we have here in this Chapter of Exodus.

*****Exo 17:8  Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 

Water was a great commodity in the wilderness then, and it still is in this area.

We also see that the Devil always has his spies watching the children of God.

Amalek decided it would be easy pickings to take this water away from Israel.

The meaning of Amalek is "warlike" because they lusted for war with anyone, they thought they could defeat.

It is our lust and our covetousness that causes us the most problems!

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 

Remember Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright to Jacob.

Amalek were cousins to Esau.

Amalek had no fear of Jehovah with fear meaning respect.

Deu 25:17  Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; 

Deu 25:18  How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. 

Amalek was another of those group of terrorists who attack the feeblest and women and children or hide behind them.

Amalek came to fight with Israel because Amalek knew Israel had never been in war and were not equipped for war.

The Devil delights in robbing the joy of God's people.

God said to Israel that Amalek was to be destroyed.

Deu 25:17  Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; 

Deu 25:18  How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. 

Deu 25:19  Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it. 

This goes against most modern day thinking of people who think they can negotiate with terrorist, and this is never true.

We next see the great General Joshua and this same Joshua will be seen to be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*****Exo 17:9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 

Exo 17:10  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 

Moses chose a General to lead the new army of Israel. 

There can be little doubt that at every opportunity Israel had been preparing an army. 

Moses had been trained in military tactics while he grew up as an Egyptian.

At that time, Egypt had the mightiest army in the world.

We can believe that Moses had sought out a man to lead this army and what better man than Joshua which meant (savior or whose help is Jehovah).

In Hebrew Joshua would be Jeshua.

In Greek Joshua would be Jesus.

While Joshua was in the battle, Moses would take the rod of God and seek to intercede for the army of Israel.

It was not just Joshua that needed to be encouraged. 

When the army of Israel could see the "rod of God" raised up into the air they knew there was a God because they had seen Moses raise this rod many times and they had seen the results. 

This is the same rod that Moses lifted up and the Red Sea was opened to allow them to escape from Pharaoh's army.

They knew that Moses was crying out to the Lord.

No matter what blocks our path we need to take it to the Lord!

As Christians freed from the bondage of Satan, he will still attempt to block our path from serving the Lord.

Amalek in typology is a type of our own flesh that we battle with every day.

Our flesh in reality is our greatest enemy.

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

In reality those who pray for us are our greatest friends!

2Th 3:1  Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: 

2Th 3:2  And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. 

Remember Job:

Job 42:10  And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 

Our greatest intercessor is the Lord Jesus Christ who constantly prays for us.

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

Joshua went to war and Moses went high on the mountain so he could be seen and at 80 years old Moses took two men with him, Aaron and a man named Hur.

Tradition says that this Hur was the husband of Miriam which does make sense, but this could be another Hur.

*****Exo 17:11  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 

Exo 17:12  But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 

Exo 17:13  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 

Moses prayed while the battle was taking place.

We should pray before the enemy attacks because the enemy Satan is just waiting for some sign of weakness.

We must pray while we are under attack because Satan will always be watching the children of God.

The attack may be temptation, our wicked thoughts.

The attack may be an urge to steal from someone.

The attack may be the compulsion to lie to someone.

Whatever the attack, the first thing we must do is to pray.

The attack may actually be war or the threat of bodily harm or the threat of death.

These things are under direct control of the Lord, so we need to pray immediately, and we must prevail.

The Holy Spirit keenly makes us aware of the power of prayer!

As long as the hands of Moses were reaching for God, Israel prevailed.

When his hands dropped Amalek prevailed.

Aaron and Hur with him saw to it that the hands of Moses would not fall.

A great lesson for us all.

Psa 28:2  Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. 

1Ti 2:8  I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 

We are in the last days according to the Bible, we have been since the Lord Jesus came to pay our sin debt.

The enemies we face are not much stronger, but they are more determined.

We have seen this in our last election.

These enemies are more dangerous than they ever have been.

It is not time to quit on God, and it is certainly not time to get slack in our prayer life.

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The children of Israel won this first battle, but in fact the victory was the Lord’s, and this is the way we need to see all our battles in life.

The Lord will never do things we have in our own power to do!

Alone we are no match for Satan, but if we stand on the Word of God and pray, we will see the awesome power of God!

Judgment was pronounced on Amalek and one day there will be no Amalek in this world and surely none in Heaven.

In verse thirteen we see the phrase "with the edge of the sword".

The "sword" here points us to the Word of God.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

We need the Word of God to accompany our prayers. 

Psa 119:11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 

It is the Word of God that teaches us about sin.

It is the Word of God that teaches us about a Savior and our Deliverer.

It is the Word of God that the Holy Spirit uses when we do not know what to pray.

It is the Word of God that teaches us how to pray!

Just as "judgment" was pronounced upon Amalek, "judgment" has been pronounced upon our own flesh.

There is nothing good about our flesh and our flesh cannot defeat us if we walk in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isa 40:28  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 

Isa 40:29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 

Isa 40:30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 

***Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

Our strength is in the Lord!

When the Lord makes us free, we are free indeed!

Joh_8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Amen

Traveling to the Promised Land

 Freedom To Follow

Book of Exodus Chapters 13 through 14

What do we know for sure? Before any humans appeared on this planet called earth, the Almighty God was preparing it as a place of life. 

God has created a temporary dwelling place for all those who would call Him their Heavenly Father. 

Jehovah did not just cause this Pharaoh of Egypt to release His people to the world, but He would travel with them to the Promised Land.

Today when we accept the lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, He will be with us forever!

We should be incredibly careful where we take the Holy Spirit who lives within us!

Just as sheep in this created pasture, we need our God Jehovah, every moment of our life!

Because of sin we were wandering this world in disbelief, but once the "Gospel" became a reality to us, we returned to our true Shepherd.

1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

We always give far too much importance to our flesh, when it is nothing more than a place our soul

resides.

It is the soul that is the jewel in the eyes of God!

From the day we are born, this flesh we live in begins to die when our soul will never die in the manner of our flesh!

When we were lost, we traveled in the unknown, but once we give our heart to Jesus we repent of our wickedness, we know where we are headed and we know we will never be alone again!

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

As we witness the travels of the children of Israel, we should keep in mind that we travel with our Heavenly Father who always has His eyes upon us!

Psa 139:1  O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 

Psa 139:2  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 

Psa 139:3  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 

Psa 139:4  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 

Psa 139:5  Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 

Psa 139:6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 

We must understand that our freedom comes through following the Lord Jesus Christ!

How does that song go? "Where He leads me, I will follow".

Joh 12:26  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Much of our future is unknown to us though our ending is known, but nothing about our lives is unknown to our Savior!

We live in a world that is so full of design that many say we live in an accident, but we also should know that there is no such thing as an accident. 

All things come about according to the plan of our Heavenly Father!

From that first scratch, bruise, or broken bone, we begin to see that life is precious!

It is life that is God given!

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 

For the children of Israel their journey to the land promised to Abraham has begun.

*****Exo 13:21  And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 

Exo 13:22  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. 

Israel began their journey in peril.

They were pursued by the Egyptian Army.

They had the Red Sea before them.

They were moving toward an unknown and dangerous wilderness.

We must always realize that God has a plan for us, and God had a plan for these people who had been freed from bondage.

How did God lead these people?

By a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

The wilderness was hot and dry, but the shade of that cloud provided some comfort if they would just follow it. 

This cloud never went too fast nor too slow but at just the right pace.

We never have to live in a panic when Jesus the Messiah is our Savior!

We can understand this cloud to represent a type of the Bible we have today.

The Bible that is written according to those ancient Hebrew and Greek Scriptures will make our way clear into the Kingdom of God.

It is the same for that pillar of fire.

Psa_119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

It is the Word of God that will guide us through the wilderness of this world.

It is the Word of God that will show us the path of life.

It is the Word of God that is the armor for our soul to keep us safe from the likes of Satan.

It is also the Word of God that gives us the conditions for a personal relationship with our own Redeemer and Maker!

The Lord Jesus is our "faithful" Guide to the true Promised Land!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 

We must understand that God will always lead us in the path of righteousness. He will never lead us astray of the Word of God.

Human rights never come before the truth of the Word of God!

We must be willing to die while taking our stand on the Word of God!

That witch Pelosi has this thing backwards, and so do all demoncrats who stand on abortion and the so-called homosexual movement.

She and her cohorts need to actually read about the God they say they believe!

God will never condone disobedience by any human! Just ask Adam.

God will lead those who love Him to their promised destiny, the New Heaven.

We must understand without the Divine guidance of the Word of God, we would remain lost in this dying world that unbelievers now call "climate change".

We do not have to fear anyone or anything if we are truly following the Lord!

Pharaoh had decided he still needed these who were slaves to rebuild Egypt, as if God would allow it.

Government leaders forget the past too quickly, but nothing takes God by surprise as this man was leading his army to its death, just as his arrogance had destroyed his nation.

*****Exo 14:10  And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

The children of Israel knew this was the mightiest army on the face of the earth at that time.

The children of Israel knew they did not have it in their own power to stop this enemy.

The children of Israel felt that there was no direction safe for them, but all they needed to do was to follow that pillar of cloud by day and that pillar of fire by night.

It is the same for us today!

When it seems as if every direction is a bad direction, we must simply just follow the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God.

They had no weapons of the world, but they had the Living God.

They had no military training, but they had the Almighty God.

They knew nothing about war, but they were on the winning side!

They cried out in a lack of faith.

We should understand there are no words that speak as loud in Heaven as those words "Lord Save Me"!

Satan may be powerful, surely more powerful than we are.

Satan has great resources from the world.

Satan has many followers.

Satan will strive off of corruption.

But Satan is a loser!

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

We must understand we will not make it to the Promise Land without having much resistance from that same Devil!

When we think we must flee, God simply says to stand still:

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

When we are facing a sure death, we must remember through death comes eternal life in the Glory World, if you have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Fear is something we do not need in our lives!

Fear is useless and it is destructive to our character!

*****Exo 14:11  And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 

Exo 14:12  Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 

The biggest reason the strength of the Church is fading today is that same lack of "faith".

We believe that so-called scientist and so-called professionals have gotten so smart that they can prove God to be wrong. 

What fools we are to trust in this world!

We may have more comforts than these children of Israel had, but the world has not changed or improved at all!

We know more how to destroy each other!

We allow hatred and foolishness to rule our ways when we need to lean on our Redeemer!

Once we know the Lord Jesus Christ, we must have no fear of death!

If these children of Israel had the faith of Abraham their father, they would have believed the promises that Jehovah made to Abraham.

Those four hundred years were over, it was time to go to the Promised Land.

Gen_15:13  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years

Exo_12:41  And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

This being true, just where was their faith? Most of them had none and they could only think about one day at a time.

Believe me when I say it, it does not really matter where a Christian is located when we die!

2Co_5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

We must not fear death!

We just need to stand still and watch the Lord fulfill His promises.

*****Exo 14:13  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

We must understand that no matter what problem we face, God has the same response. Fear not!

Sixty-two times God uses this exact phrase.

Luke 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

We should also understand that God does not do things He does not want to do.

Sure He may give us some things we do not need to teach us a lesson just as he gave all those riches to Solomon.

We are to learn from our mistakes! We are not to repeat the same mistake over and over again!

"Stand still" is another challenge from the Lord.

We are going to face problems that there will not be a solution for, but we must not just run away from such things. 

To know the Lord Jesus Christ is to know the Problem Solver!

This army was no obstacle for Jehovah God. 

In fact Jehovah knew what this Pharaoh would do, and Jehovah would just rid the world of this evil and wicked man.

What were those words of Moses? "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today".

These same words will work even today!

We do not have to worry at what this world can do to us!

We must just stand still in the salvation of the Lord.

What is wrong with our nation today? Christians cower down in fear of the things of this world.

Many are convinced that they should not go to Church because of Covid, where is their faith.

Many are convinced that God is not in control.

The Word of God has told us these things would happen in the latter days so look around and you will see these things are happening according to the Word of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ is never caught off guard! Just read Matthew 24.

If there was ever a time, we need to take our stand on the Word of God (that pillar of cloud by day) then today is that day.

If we do not stand and stand firm, we will see our freedom to worship erode away.

We are the enemies of the world because the Word of God is against what is happening in our world.

Abortion is pushed down our throats all the way to the day of birth.

We are to cower down to the homosexual movement which to God is an abomination. Sodom and Gomorrah have taken over our societies.

Socialism is becoming a reality. Communism will follow if we do not stop it now.

People once came to America for freedom now they are enticed to come for their vote towards an evil agenda.

If the Church remains on the outside and allows these things to continue without taking a stand and let God do what God does.

If Israel had not stood still, they would have never seen the Red Sea part to allow their escape to freedom and the destruction of this Pharaoh who was in fact a type of the Antichrist.

These lessons in the Old Testament were put there by the Holy Spirit for us to learn from and we had better do just that because God does not ever change.

We preach it, we teach it, we had better believe it!

All that Egyptian army including that Pharaoh died that day and Egypt has never been a great power in this world again.

The Egyptian people suffered because of an arrogant Pharoah and because they put their faith in false gods.

It is the same for China today.

It is the same for North Korea.

It is the same for most all oppressed people.

Another thing we must quit doing is crying out and complaining to God when we are not willing to show the "faith" that is so dear to our relationship with Him.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is never pleased with our lack of "Faith" and He is God!

Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one.

*****Exo 14:21  And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 

Exo 14:22  And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

We must forever understand that God is not bound by the laws of nature which He put in place Himself.

God can push aside the laws of nature as He pleases for His own purposes!

The Red Sea became "the gateway" to the Promised Land.

The Red Sea became "an instrument of judgment" upon Pharaoh and his army. 

We may understand what is called "climate change" as the beginning of the "judgement" of God on this sinful world!

We understand as Christians that we may see the beginning of these things before the "Rapture" of the Church.

Those waters that were like jello as the Children of Israel passed over the dry sea bed.

Exo 15:8  And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. 

CONGEALED means Converted into ice, or a solid mass, by the loss of heat or other process; concreted.

This was not just a happening but a miracle and could not have happened any other way!

Only God could have done this thing!

Isa 63:11  Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him? 

Isa 63:12  That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? 

Isa 63:13  That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? 

It was Jehovah God who delivered the Children of Israel!

It was Jehovah who brought "Judgment" on Pharaoh and his army.

*****Exo 14:23  And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 

No doubt the Pharaoh witnessed something he did not understand but he still commanded his army to follow.

It was blind rage that cause Pharaoh to act. Remember what Jehovah had told Moses.

Exo 6:1  Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 

Exo_14:8  And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

Psa 77:14  Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. 

Psa 77:15  Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. 

Psa 77:16  The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. 

Psa 77:17  The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. 

Psa 77:18  The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. 

Psa 77:19  Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. 

Psa 77:20  Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. 

Once this mighty army was within those walls of water the Lord was not about to allow them to escape.

*****Exo 14:24  And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 

Exo 14:25  And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians. 

While trying to stop these children of Israel from escaping him, he found that he could not escape the hand of God himself.

God looks down from Heaven for two reasons. Either for "mercy" or for "judgment".

This mighty army became confused.

This mighty army became afraid and wanted to retreat.

This is a similar scene from all those armies of the antichrist that will attack Israel during Armageddon.

God offers "mercy" but when "mercy" is refused then comes the "Judgment" of God!

The Lord never breaks a promise!

The Lord always delivers His people, no matter the problem, no matter how difficult it may seem!

What is God's promise to me and to each Christian?

2Ti 4:18  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

This army felt so useless they quit on their commander in chief!

This is also a scene that will be seen in the wars of Armageddon!

For these Egyptians they believed that the thunder and lightning and the fire and the hailstones to be Heaven's artillery turned against them and this was true.

God had this army where He wanted them with no means to escape and God then spoke to Moses.

*****Exo 14:26  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 

Exo 14:27  And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

Jehovah wanted these children of Israel to understand that it was He behind the arm of Moses and the gods of Egypt were nothing but idols of falseness.

God also wanted these people to follow Moses.

At a signal from Moses those waters that were congealed immediately returned to their place and overwhelmed Pharaohs mighty army and even Pharaoh was a victim of his own anger.

Not one escaped!

It is even said that Pharaoh’s magicians Jannes and Jambres perished with the rest.

2Ti_3:8  Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

We see a description of all those that oppose the truth of God. They are reprobate concerning the faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is no better description of most of those in Washington D C today who are trying to destroy our nation.

Tit_1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

God will not claim them unless they repent.

Rom_1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

The Children of Israel could now begin their journey to the Promised Land without the fear of this Pharaoh and his mighty army.

But they were still a rebellious bunch.

Amen

The High Cost of Freedom

Freedom Through the Blood

Book of Exodus Chapter 12

Those ten plagues had crippled the economy of Egypt and had God stopped at this point those children of Israel would have remained as slaves of Egypt.

All those ten plagues had affected the Egyptian people much more than this rich king who was full of pride and arrogance.

There would be one more plague, but this one would be vastly different from the others.

The Passover deals with the "Judgment" of God, but also the Deliverance of God!

God began a principle in the Book of Genesis that will be followed throughout all the Bible.

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 

In the Book of Genesis we know that the sin of Adam and Eve brought the curse of destruction to this world we live in.

We are seeing the results of this curse increasingly today, in what many call climate change which is the reality of that curse upon this world.

Before Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, God made clothes for them from the skins of animals.

This demonstrated the principle of forgiveness through the shedding of blood.

Later we saw that it was Abel's sacrifice that was accepted by the Almighty God.

Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 

This principle of "Freedom" through sacrifice is repeated throughout the Bible. 

We see it here in the Book of Exodus as the "freedom" of the children of Israel would require a Blood Sacrifice.

Before these children of Israel could be set free, they had to pave the way for a new beginning.

This thing of escape from the tyranny of the world would be documented on a new calendar which the Jews still use today.

What do we know now that we have accepted the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation? Sin has an extremely high cost!

*****Exo 12:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 

Exo 12:2  This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 

The Passover deals with the "Judgment" of God but also the "Deliverance" of God.

This "Judgment" will be upon all those who cannot accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This "Judgment" will be upon all those who are evil oppressors, those who are ungodly, and those who are unrighteous in this world.

The "Deliverance" will take place to all who believe in and diligently follow the Word of God and the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We should notice that the beginning of this new calendar for the children of Israel did not begin on the day of the Passover but fourteen days before the Passover.

We should understand this gap as a type of "grace".

My new calendar began when the day I was "Born Again" to a "New Life", and regenerated by the Holy Spirit coming to live within me.

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Notice I have no righteousness of myself, but now because the Holy Spirit lives within me I have the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

All the sins of my past are forgiven! My new life had its beginning when I realized I was a sinner and in need of a Savior.

For the children of Israel, their new life would begin from the month in which the Passover occurred not the day of the Passover.

The Passover was the most significant event in the history of Israel and is still celebrated today.

Those who practice true Judaism still observe the Passover today, but they have no place to offer their sacrifice.

The Passover marked the very night that God "delivered" the children of Israel from the tyranny of Egypt, which is a type of the world we live in today, where we see persecution increasing and the taskmasters still delivering their slave tactics.

This first new month was called Abib which corresponds to March and April on the Roman Calendar.

The word "Abib" means "a young head of grain", "an ear of corn".

The beginning of a new life for the nation of Israel was marked by a new calendar.

The life of Jesus Christ was also marked by a new calendar.

When the Lord Jesus arose to New Life and left that borrowed tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, to a life to live eternally in a New Heaven it astounded the world so much that the world measures its seasons and its history from the date of the Birth of Jesus Christ.

This should be enough proof for all the world that the Lord Jesus Christ is a real Savior, a real "Deliverer"!

****Exo 12:3  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 

Exo 12:4  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 

We next see that Israel is now called a congregation, a Holy Community by the Lord God Himself.

A congregation is the people of God who gather to worship Him or to hear the Word of God!

We also see that each household, each family, was to celebrate the feast of the Passover. 

Each family or group of people were to secure one lamb on the tenth day of the month of Abib.

This lamb was to be singled out from the flock and appointed to death four days before it was to be sacrificed.

For four days they were to keep this Lamb separate and feed and care for this lamb.

When the Lord Jesus was beginning His ministry John the Baptist said:

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Joh 1:36  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Notice also each person was to eat the Passover meal for them self.

This is the same way we take Jesus today, individually, then the family, and then all the congregation.

This describes the worship of the Church, the Body of Christ. 

We then share what we learned in the Congregation, take it home to our families and then as individuals we become Ambassadors for Christ.

This lamb was to be without blemish, or we would say perfect.

*****Exo 12:5  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 

Any animal less than perfect offered for sin would be an abomination to the Lord.

An animal that had no reason for their life to end so abruptly, which represents pure innocence.

Each sinner represents one who is guilty of breaking all the laws of God.

Jas 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

The acceptance of the yearling goat was allowed for those who were poor, who might have an animal more for its milk rather than its market value of wool for clothing.

A male animal would be considered superior to the female animal in this sacrifice for sin and therefore more appropriate for a sin offering!

Lev 1:10  And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. 

This Lamb was to be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Lev 21:21  No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. 

The Lord Jesus Christ would be both High Priest and King of Kings.

This lamb was to die in the fulness of its strength!

Before we move on let us see another important thing.

Verse three said "a lamb".

Verse four said "the lamb".

Verse five says "your lamb"

If you do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, then He is not your lamb!

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

*****Exo 12:6  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 

A few things we should note here is the things of this fourteenth day.

1) When we read the whole congregation, we should think there was some great gathering of the people.

We should understand this as the head of each household. 

In type we know the whole nation is seen as a nation of priests, just as each Christian is to be a priest to his own family.

Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

It is the family that was begun first in the Book of Genesis with Adam and Eve being the first family and Adam being the first head of that family and the priest to his own family.

2) We should also understand that it was not just the chief priest and the elders and not just the scribes and the Pharisees who put Jesus to death, but also by the vote of the people.

Mar 15:9  But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 

Mar 15:10  For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 

Mar 15:11  But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 

Mar 15:12  And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 

Mar 15:13  And they cried out again, Crucify him. 

Mar 15:14  Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. 

Mar 15:15  And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 

In fact, I also have to take my own responsibility for the death of Christ Jesus, because it was because of my sin and the sin of everyone that caused our Savior to be put to death.

3) On this fourteenth day the Lord Jesus died between the evenings.

Between the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month of Abib (Nisan)

If we study the Scriptures, we will see that the Lord Jesus died at the exact time that the lambs at the Temple were being slain which would be at our three o'clock, or the nineth hour.

This would have been just before that soldier pierced the Lord with his spear because the Lord Jesus gave His life, no one took it from Him.

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 

Joh 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

Joh 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When we consider this and then add to it all the things that happened.

It was finished: No more would lambs need to be destroyed for the forgiveness of sin.

It was finished: The veil was rent we can go before the Lord at any time without the assistance of some priest.

It was finished: The earthquake declared the power of God.

It was finished: It was the end of His suffering for our sin.

It was finished: The Lord Jesus was forsaken by His Father and that was now over, and His fellowship was restored.

It was finished: Satan was forever defeated.

It was finished: It was finished, Jesus had made "atonement" for all our sins.

One man wrote: Though millions of sacrifices had been offered; yet nothing was done to purchase redemption before Christ’s incarnation… so nothing was done after His resurrection, to purchase redemption for men. Nor will there be anything more done to all eternity.

Like our lesson states "Freedom Through the Blood".

It is all about the blood of the Lamb!

*****Exo 12:7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 

In the twelfth chapter of Exodus we never see lamb in the plural because there was only one Lamb that could accomplish what God required!

As the blood is to life, it is also the essence of sacrifice! Essence meaning the nature of our being that distinguishes it from all others.

God did not make any of us alike! Until the sin of Adam and Eve, we all became sinners.

It was the blood applied on the outside of the house that kept those saved on the inside of the house!

Notice the blood was applied in the shape of the bloody cross of our Savior.

It was an act of "faith". If you believed God would save you behind the blood applied to your house, then you would be saved.

If you did not have this "faith" and did not apply the blood, then you would see the death of your first-born child and the first born of your animals.

Heb 11:28  Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 

The Lord Jesus Christ was our substitute:

Lev 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

So many things we see in this passage from the Book of Exodus.

Once the blood was applied it was safe to eat the Passover meal!

We must make sure that we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure our families are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure our homes are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure the place we gather to worship is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

When the Blood of Jesus is applied to our homes it becomes a public profession of faith!

Our "faith" is to be in the promises of God just as He promised the Children of Israel at this first Passover.

*****Exo 12:8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 

Exo 12:9  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 

This lamb sacrificed for freedom was to be eaten.

It was to be roasted and not boiled and eaten by those inside the house.

A journey lay before these of God's people and this food would give them strength.

Jesus said:

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 

It was to be eaten with unleavened bread.

The Leven represented sin and there was no sin in the house that is washed in the Blood of Jesus.

Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life. 

Joh 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 

Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The "bitter herbs" would forever remind them of the bitter days of their slavery in Egypt,

This is a picture of our own slavery to sin.

Our hearts are always to be broken over sin.

Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 

Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 

For the children of Israel this lamb was to be prepared in a peculiar way and this way was never to be deviated. These are God-given instructions!

God given instructions are never to be changed!

One of the many things we see in these things is that the Church is to be family-centered!

Few are today.

Most of the Churches of today try to please those sitting in the pews when God instructs them to preach the entire Word of God.

We must accept the Lord Jesus Christ exactly as He was prepared and offered by Jehovah God!

There is no other way to be saved, Jesus said so Himself!

Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 

None of this food was to remain in the morning.

*****Exo 12:10  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 

What we see is that the "death" of this sacrificial lamb has become the food for life!

That lamb was to be eaten the same night it was slain.

The rising sun was to see no part of the slain lamb.

No part of Christ is to be left out! We accept Him as He is, the truth of eternal salvation!

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

In like manner the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ is complete, it is not a progressive thing over the period of our lives!

Our salvation is not in the process of being accomplished, it has been accomplished.

It is accomplished immediately upon accepting the work of Christ for our salvation!

One man wrote, "For God's suffering Lamb the dark night of "Judgment" is no more, and He lives on High eternal sunshine of Divine favor and love".

And how shall we eat the Lamb of God?

*****Exo 12:11  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. 

We must clearly understand that today, not tomorrow, but today is the day of salvation!

2Co 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 

Upon hearing the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ we are to immediately accept Him, repent and rush away from this world and begin our New "Born Again" life.

Our new life marching toward the Promised Land of the New Heaven!

We must wear the right clothes and not get entangled in this world again, this world has no benefits!

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

We must wear the right shoes.

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

We must lean on our Savior for we cannot travel alone. Just as Moses had the staff of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is our staff.

Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

We are only pilgrims passing through this wicked land.

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 

We are always to know that the Lord Jesus could return at any moment, and we must expect it!

We must understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is the substitute for our own  "Judgment"

*****Exo 12:12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 

Exo 12:13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

As we have studied this Pharaoh understood when Moses laid down the staff, he carried it was in defiance of the false gods of Egypt and Pharaoh accepted that challenge and Pharaoh chose the wrong side.

Pharaoh finally accepts the defeat of his gods when he said, "Go then, serve Jehovah; and bless me also".

The children of Israel gave the glory to Jehovah at this time, but they were a rebellious bunch. 

They did not behave as if they owed any gratitude to Moses or Aaron.

Deu 32:16  They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. 

Deu 32:17  They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. 

Deu 32:18  Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

The "Judgment" of God is harsh on those who reject Him!

God was speaking to the children of Israel through Moses and God said:

1) I will pass through the land of Egypt as a destroyer in "Judgment".

I will enter every house of the Egyptians and kill the first-born child of both man and beast.

2) God said: "I will do the same to your houses and if I do not see the blood on the door posts of your houses, I will do the same to you.

You will escape this plague if I see the blood.

3) God said again: Against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute "Judgment".

Animal worship was an important part of the religion of the Egyptians and some of these Jews never forgot this and it caused problems all the days of Israel till God dispersed them through all the nations of the earth.

The blood that was placed on the door post and over the door should remind us of a bloody cross.

This blood was not a token to the Children of Israel, but to God for them!

The Destroyer would Passover each home where the blood could be seen!

This method of deliverance involved the sacrifice of innocent life.

This is the only method for complete deliverance!

This method requires faith in the Almighty Covenant Keeping God!

Mar 14:22  And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 

Mar 14:23  And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 

Mar 14:24  And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 

Mar 14:25  Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is that Lamb of God who was sacrificed for each and every sinner and will save each and every believer!

Amen.