Day 40, February 9, 2021
Scriptures: Exodus 21-22, 1 Peter 3 We have made it to day 40 in our journey though scripture. Thank you for joining in the journey so far! In today’s reading we see in Exodus, “But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Exodus 21:23-24) This law was revolutionary in it’s time. I asked a group of 6th graders who were studying ancient law, their opinion over the "eye for eye and tooth for tooth" law. Every single one of them determined that it was an unfair law. 6th graders, probably aren’t the best people to weigh in on matters of good laws and bad ones. But for the ancient Israelites, this law would separate them from other nations. What seems harsh to us, is in actuality a merciful law that restricted retaliation. Instead of elevating the response to wrongs, this restricted violence from growing beyond those who were originally harmed. As we look at the rest of 21-22, we see a theme develop. God is interested in protecting life and keeping the dignity for all of life. Slaves, they are set free in the 7th year. And women and children are not forgotten in God’s economy. Everyone matters and has a quality of life. In 1 Peter, we see the trajectory the mercy of God displayed in Exodus, now expands here to Christianity and how we treat everyone. “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing…. Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? …But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. (1 Peter 3:8-9,13, 15) While the way the Israelites were called to live became a blessing to the world, we see that the church, in its love for one another is an even greater blessing. The law of Christ, shapes us to be a loving people who share with the world the blessings of God. You are blessed to be a blessing! Jordan
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Day 39, February 8, 2021
Scripture: Exodus 19-20, 1 Peter 2 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10) The Israelite’s are out of Egypt, Pharaoh and his army are now an afterthought. Now, this people can be who God has called them to be. A holy a3nd set apart nation for the purposes of God. Moses receives word of the Ten Commandments. These commandments will be the foundation for which the rest of the Israelites lives are lived. The Words of the Commandment will be a guide to live as a set apart people, distinct from the other nations. They are in special relationship with God. They will learn to love God with all that they are and love their neighbors as themselves. In 1 Peter, we see this important idea come to fold as well. You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation… Peter views the church as a set apart people, used for the purposes of God. The connection here is the priesthood. The special possession that declares the glory of God throughout the world. We are a distinct and set apart people with the purpose of glorifying and praising God. You are blessed to be a blessing. Jordan Day 38, February 7, 2021
Scriptures: Exodus 16-18, 1 Peter 1 In our Exodus reading, we see the continued journey of the Israelites learning to trust in the presence and provision of God. Will he allow them to die of starvation and dehydration? Will he win battles for them, or allow them to be harmed? These tests are being used by God to help the Israelites see that he is with them, and cares for them. Our reading in 1 Peter, pulls us back to the previous chapters of Exodus. With mention of the blood of the lamb, sprinkled by the blood of Christ, we know “…that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21) We are the redeemed, set apart for God’s purposes. More will come. But just as the Israelites are set apart as God’s holy people, so we are as well. Just as the Israelites were rescued by the blood of lambs, delivered, we too live a new life because of the blood of the Lamb. We too will find that we can have our life and strength sustained by God. He is our provision and our life. His presence goes with us, in him we live! Jordan Day 37, February 6, 2021
Scriptures: Exodus 13-15, Psalm 114 “The sea looked and fled” (Psalm 114:3a) “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’” (Exodus 14:13-14) The Israelites are showing just how difficult the journey is going to be for Moses. They are already complaining. “Wouldn’t we have been better off in Egypt?” “Were there no graves there? We could have died there, just as well as out here!” Psalm 114 recounts the mighty power of God. It tells, in part, the story of the Israelites and the mighty acts of God to deliver the people. It provides this simple connection to the power of God, parting the sea so the Israelites could cross the sea safely. God was right, he will fight for them. He will lead them and care for them. Today’s a simple reminder that as we face challenges each day, sometimes we just need to stand still, and watch how God parts the problems and helps us to pass through. More than that, the difficult circumstances we face from time to time, we are wise to consider Christ parting the sea of death, and leading us through to Life. When we follow him, we might be tempted to fall back to the old life. We will no doubt, face great challenges in walking with Christ, but we take comfort in knowing that the death we left behind is no more. In Him, Jordan Day 36, February 5, 2021
Scriptures: Exodus 11-12, Psalm 91 Passover and Exodus Today’ text will play an important part of the scriptures for the rest of the Bible. All the way to the very end. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Behold the Lamb, who is worthy to open the scroll. It’s the Passover lamb, and the Exodus story that will frame for the Israelites an understanding of the mighty power of God. This story will impact their life forever. It will be the story they tell their children’s, children. The Lord God Almighty delivered His people and set them free from Egypt. God’s power is on display in the Exodus story, it is plainly clear, that no other god can possibly compare to the Israelite’s Lord. We are given great comfort in Psalm 91, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. They say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” The Israelites are now out of the snare of Egypt. They will learn what it means to take refuge in the Lord their God. They are out of Egypt. Now they must learn to trust in the Lord. God is still moving us out of slavery and into life. Today is a day to trust in the Lord, and take our refuge in Him. We have moved from death, to life. Jordan Day 35, February 4, 2021
Scriptures: Exodus 9-10 & Psalm 105 I don’t know why we bothered reading all of Genesis and Exodus, when we have Psalm 105 as the cliff notes version of the story! Obviously, I’m just kidding around. The reason why we have Psalm 105 is for the Israelite’s to have a concise story to tell of God’s faithfulness. Israelites are a storytelling people, and they will need to remind themselves often of God’s faithfulness and Promise keeping. To hear the message of Psalm 105, is to hear the good news of the Old Testament. God has redeemed and saved His people Israel, He rescued them out of Egypt. Psalm 105, is comparable to what we say and remember around our communion at the Lord’s Supper. We remember the Lord breaking bread, and drinking the cup, teaching us that this is his body broken and blood shed for us. We remember the story, we remember God’s faithfulness at the cross. We remember Him delivering us from death, to life. A lot is happening in our Exodus passage today. Pharaoh’s heart is hardened on his own, and also by God. It seems like at some point, Moses could compromise and say, “Alright, we won’t go out with our animals for worship.” But there was no compromise when it came to worshiping God. It’s a difficult story to read, for sure. All of the death and destruction is hard to understand. But God is working in it all, to bring His people out of Egypt, and to display His mighty power. So that when they do finally get out of Egypt, they will say of their God, “Give praise to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 2 Sing of him, sing his praises; tell of all his wonderful acts. 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 4 Look to the Lordand his strength; seek his face always. 5 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced… 8 He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations” (Psalm 105:1-5,8). Sing His Praises, Jordan Day 34
Scripture: Exodus 7-8, Matthew 28 and Psalm 67 Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. Every step of the way, the heart of this man become increasingly hardened to what God was doing. All Moses wanted to do was have a place and time for his fellow Israelites to go into the wilderness and worship their Lord. I sat through a lecture a long time ago, that argued that the Exodus plague account was God doing battle with Pharaoh, proving himself greater than all the Egyptian gods. The presenter went through each god in great detail and explained how each plague sought to undermine the Egyptian gods. I’d love to tell you who was saying it to give proper credit. But I don’t remember that! The important thing here is the connection to the Gospel of Matthew as well as the psalm. It’s all about worship. When Jesus is raised from the dead, follow where they worship. Everywhere the risen Jesus is becomes a place and time for worship. The final god has been defeated. Sin and death are defeated in one great act of God and the result is worship. The praise of God and the extension of this good news to every nation. Everywhere the risen Jesus is, is a time and place for worship. Jordan Day 33, February 2, 2021
Scriptures: Exodus 6, Matthew 27 “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.” God said those words to Moses. God hears the groaning of the Israelites, and He remembers His covenant with them. God hears our cries, and remembers us. What an important encouragement to us, as we face trials and struggles. Our turn to the New Testament, and the connecting passage of Matthew 27, brings us to the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus. Moses struggles to find the words to Pharaoh. Jesus, he certainly could speak to Pilate, but chooses very little words at all. He could try to defend himself, talk his way out, release himself from captivity. But he doesn’t advocate for himself. Instead of talking His way out of it, Jesus will enter into captivity. He will become a servant, obedient all the way to death. God will tell Moses, “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.” Jesus, with outstretched arm, and with the mighty acts of taking on the judgment of all sin, will take us as His own people, and He will be our God. He will bring us out from the yoke of slavery to sin and death, and set us free. He will bring us into His family, under His reign, and we will enter in His Kingdom. Moses shared the hope of God with the Israelites, “they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.” Jesus is standing in front of us, sharing the same encouragement of Moses. He is ready to set us free, and like the sower in the field, we struggle to have ears to hear. The discouragement of today, leads us to struggled to properly hear of the hope of life in the kingdom. It’s choked out of us, one worry, one struggle at a time. The hope of the message of God, brought to us in Jesus struggles to take root. Hear the Gospel today, and believe and know that Jesus is one to set us free. Like all Egypt would soon realize, that the Lord God of Moses and Israel is Lord over all. The soldiers who participated in the crucifixion, following the earthquake, they realized and testified, “Surely, he was the Son of God!” Discouragement, harsh labor, worries of our life, they all have a way of choking out the seed of God’s Word, the Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom. Cultivate a heart of listening and gratitude today, so we can once again hear the Good News. There is freedom from sin and death in Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus himself says to each of us, “I will be your God and you will be my people.” You have a place in the family of God. He hears your grumbling and hurt, and he remembers his covenant with you. Jordan |
AuthorJordan Ickes, Minister of Etna Green Church of Christ. Archives
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