Building the House of God

November 27, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Building the Tabernacle

Book of Exodus Chapters 36 through Chapter 40

We love our freedoms here in the USA but we are slowly giving up our freedoms to corruptness.

There is one freedom we had better be willing to fight for!

Of all the freedoms we must maintain, it is the freedom to Worship that we had better cling to the most!

When we have this freedom, then we need to build places to gather and worship!

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
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 see that this is a command of the Lord who is to be the object of our worship!

It is those who are going to worship who should make donations to the construction of this worship center and these donations are to be given willingly with no strings attached.

The key to our worship of the Lord Jesus Christ is the setting aside of our own desires of the flesh.

If we go into a worship service thinking only of what Jehovah can provide for us, then we have gone for the wrong reason!

Only as we give heed to the Word of God and “rest” in our Savior, can it be said we came to worship our Holy God!

Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

It is only when we can ignore our flesh, that we can be free to enjoy the worship of our Awesome God.

We begin with something that is never heard in the modern Church Era.

*Exo 36:4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;
Exo 36:5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

Today in every place of worship we only hear that we could do more if we had more.

People need a place to worship much more than they need to figure out how to spend or in many cases to save that donation!

These people finally began to realize they were becoming a part of something incredibly special, at least most of them did.

Today we raise money to see what we can do with it, when we should make better plans for the ministry and raise what it would take to accomplish that ministry.

I have found that most Christians are generous, but these same Christians do not like to see waste!

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Sometimes too much can cause corruption in the spending of these offerings!

Remember we are not talking about tithes. The tithes are commanded, and they too are to be spent wisely and for the upkeep of the Church buildings and Church ministries, those key ministries of the Church, such as making disciples.

After salvation must come discipleship!

Most of the modern-day Church has forgotten about sacrificial giving and refuse to give even the tithe.

Most modern Churches have strayed from these two key issues!

Maybe then we could hear our pastors say as Moses said.

*Exo 36:6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.

We should understand this principle!

From last weeks lesson we must remember that too much that the Lord has provided is spent on false worship!

If the Lord has given us a work to do, He will lay the financing of that work on the hearts of the people to contribute what is necessary.

Where many a Church fail today is acting upon their own thoughts and undertaking projects before the provision of that project has been made.

I am not speaking of a work of “faith” here.

We should clearly understand the gifts that come by human means can seldom be used to gain a Heavenly Blessing!

We seem to forget that Jehovah knows what He is doing, and He uses the Holy Spirit to accomplish His wishes.

If God is not in it, it will surely not succeed!

The giving to the work of the Lord is a privilege and is not intended to ever become a burden!

This is not to say we are not to give sacrificially!

Whenever all these things are met according to the ways of the Lord, the Holy Spirit will also raise up qualified people in which this work will be assigned.

*Exo 37:1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
Exo 37:2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

We should understand that the Ark symbolized the throne of God and His presence among the believers.

We must keep in the forefront of our minds, that all those who are ignorant of the truth of our Savior are bound for Hell!

All those who cannot relate to the truth of Jehovah, just do not know about Holiness.
They do not know how merciful and loving He is.
They cannot explain the loneliness and emptiness they feel in their heart.
They have no direction and fall into the traps of Satan, and they cannot understand why.
They have no power outside themselves.
They have no hope as they see the end of the world before them, no matter what the world does or says in trying to stop it.
They have no assurance in this life.

God has provided a sure, but straightforward way to approach Him, but it is a narrow path!

The Ark was made of shittim wood and over laid with gold.

Shittim wood is sometimes referred to as iron wood and is considered almost indestructible.

This wood symbolizes the human side of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also His sinlessness.

Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Act 13:35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

The Ark was completely over laid with gold within and without.

This reminds us that our Lord Jesus retained His full deity in union with His fullness of humanity!

Our Lord voluntarily emptied Himself of some unique things to come to our world and be that salvation plan of our Holy God.

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

We should keep in mind that there was never a time that our Lord Jesus was not God, the Creator of this world!

*Exo 37:17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:

The candlestick was actually a lampstand.

It symbolized the Lord Jesus Christ as the Light in this dark world!

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

He was not only the Light in this dark world, but He is the Light 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.

Without the Light that Our Lord has provided, all the world would be lost in darkness.

No one could see a way out of this darkness! Most are still blind to it today!

No one could see a purpose, or have meaning, or know the significance of what life is all about.

Life is not about these few years we live in these aging worthless bodies!

Life is about living eternally with the God of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ!

This first Lampstand was hammered out from one piece of gold. I cannot even fathom how this was accomplished.

This Lampstand illuminated the persons who came into the Holy of Holies. Remember God can see at all times.

This Light is for each believer! As each believer enters into the presence of God, the Light of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, will shine upon them.

Each believer then becomes Jehovah’s light to this world!

Joh 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

We must become children of the Light of Christ!

Psa 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

As darkness approaches, we must let our little light shine even brighter!

Joh 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Joh 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

*Exo 37:25 And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.

The Altar of Incense was about 18 inches square and was covered with pure gold.

The Altar of Incense symbolized our prayers reaching into Heaven!

Our Prayers are the most powerful tool we have in our relationship with our Heavenly Father!

We really do not pray enough, and we always seem to forget about prayer when we are in need of something that only Jehovah can provide.

The Apostle Paul said we should stay in prayer mode all the time!

Many Christians have forgotten how to approach our Savior and our Heavenly Father, and it is through prayer!

God loves to hear our prayers! Our prayers are like a sweet aroma ascending up to our Heavenly Father.

Our prayers are so special to our Heavenly Father that He bottles them up so He can hear them again whenever He has not heard from us!

Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

We must seek the Lord continuously, if we ever want to make things better in our nation!

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

*Exo 38:24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
Exo 38:25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

Moses kept inventory of all the materials used to construct the Tabernacle.

We must remember God caused the Egyptians, through Holy Ghost conviction to provide all these things to the Children of Israel.

Of the gold and silver given freely and willingly for the work on the Tabernacle all was accounted for.

Jehovah makes us aware that all the gifts given to the Church, must be accounted for and nothing is to be wasted!

We do not think much about an old tent as a worship center, but there was in fact many precious metals and jewels used with the best of wood in God’s design for this House of God!

We must understand that everything, “everything” in the design of the Tabernacle was intended to lead these people to the Messiah.

Gold reminds us of the Deity and the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is all we need!

Silver reminds us of the Atonement!

Exo 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
Exo 30:14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
Exo 30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

Our “Atonement” is being reconciled to Jehovah, but not by silver and gold, but something much more precious!

It is by the precious blood of Jesus Christ!

1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

It all goes back to obedience to the Word of God and those He calls to do the work!

*Exo 39:32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

It seems that in about five months all the work for the Tabernacle was completed.

We can say this was an amazing feat, but when the plan of God is followed by people that He has personally called, things happen accordingly.

It all begins with a great plan.

God’s plan is perfect.
God’s plan is precise.
God’s plan cannot fail.

All the work was done. We have no need to present to God work that is not complete!

God entrusted this work to specific people!

Exo 31:2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

Exo 31:6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: “and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee”;

God did not trust this work to unbelievers!

These workmen were taught of Jehovah, God the Holy Spirit. There was no room for error!

God did not trust this plan to be man-made. It was God’s plan! There was no human input in this plan and no human was allowed to make changes to this plan!

All the work was done! There was none of the work on the Tabernacle left undone!

There is very little if any work that is done by the world that can be said to be completely done!

Something will always be lacking in man-made worship!

Once this work was done then there was a need of an inspection.

Exo 39:42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.
Exo 39:43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

We must understand that no matter what task the Lord calls us to do. No matter our profession. We are to work hard to accomplish what God has called us to do.

God does not call us just to see us fail!

We are to be faithful to the work God has called us to do!

We must understand that if we do our best, the results are in the hands of the Holy Spirit who called us!

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

When the Lord is pleased with our work, He will show up when we worship Him!

*Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

The Tabernacle implies that Jehovah requires a specific worship!

The Tabernacle also implies Jehovah’s sovereign rule over the Jews and having said this, it also implies complete Authority over the Church as everything about the Tabernacle will lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ!

1) Having only one gate to enter into the Tabernacle offers Jehovah’s invitation to humanity.

Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

2) The burnt offering at the Altar shows our need for atonement.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

3) The Brazen Laver shows our need for sanctification.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

4) The Lampstand shows our need to walk with the Lord.

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

5) The table of shewbread shows our need for the Lord’s nourishment.

Joh 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
Joh 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

6) The Altar of incense shows our need for a continuous prayer life.

Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

7) The Inner Veil, the Ark, the Mercy Seat shows our need for personal fellowship with Jehovah.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

If we love the Lord Jesus Christ, it will show, and the Tabernacle of God will lead us to Him!

Amen

The Lord Seeks a Personal Relationship

November 20, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Rebellion and Renewal

Book of Exodus Chapter 32

Rebellion and Renewal

Book of Exodus Chapter 32

Rebellion is the attempt to have things your way.

We should keep in mind that never before this, had any people been so privileged, as the Children of Israel!

Never before had Jehovah so blessed any people as He did these people.

Remember Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden of Eden for far less than what these children of Israel had done!

Jehovah had only been known to them as Elohim, the true God.

His name Jehovah was being much more personal with them.

We should completely understand that our LORD wants a personal relationship.

Even then, they chose to call Him Adonai saying His name was too sacred to pronounce.

We do not have to have so much fear to not call our Lord by His name, but we must not ever take His name in vain!

We must respect Jehovah at all times! He is a Mighty Awesome God!

It should be noticeable that it was Elohim as Jehovah, who made first contact with humanity.

He had watched, only speaking to a few men such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and I believe Job since the time of the flood that covered this entire world.

Remember we hear almost nothing from Noah after the flood.

Now through Moses, Jehovah wanted to speak to all His creation and offer His Testimony.

This nation of Israel had been chosen to be witnesses of God’s testimony to all the other nations in this world.

Their first message was that there was only One True God and He had spoken to them and given His Testimony.

Moses had now in His possession the words that God had written with His own finger.

Exo_31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Deu_9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

It is human nature to rebel when we think we can get away with it!

Even babies will do this.

In fact, the worst of our enemies is our own flesh!

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

This is not saying our good side is fighting with our bad side. This is saying our flesh is fighting against God’s Holy Spirit who abides in every believer.

We do not have a good side!

Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

So let us see what Jehovah thinks of rebellion.

1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Samuel was speaking to King Saul here in this passage.

We could say God does not like any rebellion against His Words.

Chapter 32 verse 1

*Exo 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

We should keep in mind that these people had already agreed to do everything that Jehovah had told them to do.

They had made a Covenant with Jehovah.

But this obedience did not last very long!

Most of the people on this earth do not believe there is a God, and you can add to that, all those that do not believe that God keeps a watchful eye upon us.

It is a fact that Moses had been in contact with Jehovah for forty days continuously and these people had all sort of imaginations about what might have happened to him.

Mount Sinai was a rough old mountain, but these mountains cannot be compared to high mountains.

So, we see these people had no patience and we can see that this was Jehovah’s first test.

We can be sure the Lord will test our sincerity and our faith from time to time!

They may have been anxious to get to the Promised Land, but they would have been slaughtered if they even made it there without God.

So they decided they needed some gods and they had seen the Egyptian make their own gods for centuries.

All a false god had to do was to ride in a wagon in the front and go wherever the driver went and then get the driver to wipe the dust off occasionally.

This is all the power a false god has.

To worship false gods is to have Spiritual ignorance and a willful turning away from the Spiritual knowledge and worship of Jehovah.

A group of these people gathered unto Aaron.

The next Scripture has confounded many people.

*Exo 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Exo 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

These same people wore earrings because they had seen the Egyptians wear them.

It is a sad thing that if a few people do something stupid and ridiculous, it is not long before many others will do the same thing.

In a sense they wanted to be like the free Egyptians.

Reminds me of our government today who at one time were bound to the Constitution, but who now want to be like the European Union and use those laws. How foolish can we be!

The EU is the most liberal group of nations on the face of the earth and who is foolish enough to be like them, many of our own politicians. Fools.

We have to understand that our hearts are full of sin!

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

What makes them so foolish?

Psalms 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

These Israelites were proud of their gold, but they wanted a false god the more.

There are some who believe that Aaron asked for their gold thinking they would not give it up, but they did willingly.

Exo 3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

So what did they do?

*Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

So, silver and gold and idols became the gods of the children of Israel!

The Book of Psalms, the song book of the children of Israel had this song in it:

Psa 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
Psa 106:20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
Psa 106:21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;
Psa 106:22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

There can be no doubt that Satan was involved in these things.

We see that Jehovah made them sing about it when they gathered together in the Tabernacle and Temple.

There can be little doubt that this calf was similar to the false god Apis, of the Egyptians.

We know that the Holy Ghost caused Moses to write all these things down because Jehovah does not hide anything from us.

I am sure Moses was ashamed to write these things as instructed.

These things were written for us here today!

Many Christians today want to see a visible God.

It is a fact that I am sure that Jehovah has shown up at many to our services at Gethsemane where I attend.

If you worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, the Lord will show up.

I do not need to see some object that tells me what God would look like!

These people had worshipped the false gods of Egypt.

Jos 24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

Aaron had been one of those who had worshipped this false god.

We may not know who made the mold in the earth, it does not point out individuals because they were all guilty.

It does point out that Aaron took a graving tool and finished the work when the work of the mold was complete.

In reality we again see a type of Christ!

Just as Moses was away and upon the Mount; so Christ is away from this earth.

Before Christ went away, He told His disciples these words.

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

The Lord Jesus Christ is to be the only “object” of our faith!

Even after we have studied and seen all the things in the Scriptures including future prophecies, the Lord Jesus Christ says, “let not your heart be troubled”.

In other words, we have no reason to worry about anything!

The Lord Jesus has all this world under His direct control!

He has been gone much more than forty days, but it is not time to make some idol resembling Him to worship.

We do not worship the cross we worship our Lord Jesus who took our place on the cross.
We do not worship the virgin, Mary; we worship her son Jesus as named by Jehovah and whose Father is the Holy Ghost.
We do not worship the Bible, we worship the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ.

These children of Israel had been taught to do the same thing by Moses before he went upon on Mount Sinai and these people should have patiently waited on him just as we are to patiently wait on the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Aaron made another mistake which was even worse.

*Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

What is the cause of terrible sin?

We have seen that these Children of Israel: They were not patient enough to wait on God.

1) They lost “Faith” in God.
2) They turned away from God.
3) They chose to do things their own way.

They broke the Commandments of God, the same commandments that were explained to them by Moses and that they had agreed were good commandments and they had agreed to follow.

These children of Israel were already on their way to the Promised Land.

They had only stopped at Mount Sinai under direction of the same God, Jehovah who had released them from bondage.

Moses had stopped under the direction of Jehovah because the Pillar of Cloud had stopped at this location and Moses and the elders of Israel could receive the laws that would guide and govern their nation.

It had been nearly six weeks that Moses had gone up onto the Mountain and neither he nor Joshua nor those elders had been heard from though Moses had been with Jehovah all this time.

Again we can see “in type” that is what we are seeing today. The Lord Jesus Christ has not yet returned to take us to the true Promised Land.

What is patience?

1) We can learn patience by studying these Old Testament teachings!

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2) We can learn patience by keeping our faith.

Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Terrible sin can also be influenced by weak leaders as we see today in our own government.

Aaron was a weak leader who should never have been left in charge!
Aaron did not have enough backbone to stand up for God nor even for his brother Moses.

Terrible sin is believing in false gods!

We can say that none of these things have changed today.

Our world has not gotten any smarter in fact, we could say our world has gotten dumber, still seeking false gods.

Still placing weak leaders in place, leaders that have no fear of Jehovah God.

We do not know why Aaron built an altar, but to build an altar before an idol is a terrible sin.

Aaron had heard his own brother teach the Word of God and he too had agreed to it.

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

It did not take much time for these children of Israel to sink in sin and immorality.

Guess what, God was watching all these things even as He was speaking with Moses.

*Exo 32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
Exo 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

We must clearly understand that Jehovah sees everything that goes on in this world at all times.

You can say that this is impossible, and I will tell you that I serve the God that does impossible things, and His name is Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jehovah is not blind to the things of this world!

Jehovah saw terrible sin and He became angry.

We should also understand that even though Jehovah knows what will take place before it takes place, He still can be angry to show us His feelings.

The purpose of the Bible is to teach us about our Heavenly Father and His Savior!

People need to understand that we cannot hide corruptness!

We cannot hide wickedness!

Our own government thinks we are blind to corruptness, but we are not, nor are we blind to their wickedness!

Jehovah states “they have corrupted themselves”.

Gen 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
Gen 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

People think our world has changed, but in reality, nothing really ever changes!

The entire world is corrupt before God today in fact, more corrupt than it has ever been because this world has denied God’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

People are always quick to turn away from the commandments of God because the Word of God exposes their sin in fact, all of our sin.

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

They still think that the Word of God is a book of suggestions and not a book of commandments!

These children of Israel had in fact become children of false worship!

They had bowed themselves before a manufactured piece of metal that resembled a cow.

They were making the statement that salvation and deliverance are manufactured! How foolish.

The only thing this home-made cow could do was shine if someone took the time to keep it clean.

How many times have we seen lost souls go to the altar and be led in the sinner’s prayer and never change their ways?

They say yes to committing to the ways of the Lord Jesus and then, return to their old ways.

How does the Word of God compare this?

Pro 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

We cannot deliver ourselves!
We have no goodness within us!
We cannot reach the Heavenly Father without the Lord Jesus Christ!
We cannot please the Heavenly Father without “Faith” in His Holy Words!

We are certainly fools to sacrifice to manufactured gods!

Jehovah pointed all these things out to Moses because these children of Israel needed a true leader, one who would also be their “Intercessor”.

Again, Moses would become a “type” of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Exo 32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

Exo 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

We must all be “Intercessors” for our family, for our friends, for the lost, and sometimes even for our brothers and sisters in Christ!

*Exo 32:15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
Exo 32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
Exo 32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
Exo 32:18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

Does Jehovah have the right to be angry with us? You better believe He does!

Anger against sin is justified!
Anger against sin can even be said to be righteous!

Joshua did not know what Jehovah had said and he thought his brothers and sisters of Israel were being attacked, but Moses knowing what Jehovah had said, told him that the noise was not that of war but of singing and partying.

They were indeed dancing and drinking, some intoxicated and even immoral conduct and Moses was indeed angry, so angry that he cast the Word of God to the ground, breaking those tablets.

These are the same tablets that would be placed inside the Ark of the Covenant. The broken laws.

We all have broken the Commandments of God just as these children of Israel!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We always see pictures of these two tablets showing the Ten Commandments and that may have been all they contained.

They could not have been exceptionally large for one man to tote them both.

We see in verse fifteen that these tablets were written on both sides and that they were the work of Jehovah in verse sixteen.

What does God teach us about anger?

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

The Devil will take advantage of our anger if that anger lingers.

Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ecc 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Psa 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

Pro 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

We need to get rid of our anger as quickly as we can and work toward presenting the truth of a “loving God”!

*Exo 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

These children of Israel had served the false gods of Egypt and the government of Egypt gave them little choice, but we must keep in mind that we always have a choice, and that choice must always be to serve and worship our Creator, the One True God!

The vast majority of these same children of Israel had little or no faith!

Deu 32:19 And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.
Deu 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

We should understand that just like Moses, our Lord Jesus is going to come down from the mountain and right now if He came, He would see little faith even in His own house and the people would be playing around false gods being full of immorality and wickedness.

Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

We are warned as the Apostle Paul writes to the Church.

1Co 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
1Co 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
1Co 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
1Co 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

The Book of Revelation:

After destroying the two prophets of God who came with God’s message of repentance.

Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

They tormented them with the truth of a Holy God!

If we read our lesson Chapters, then we know that Moses returned to the Mountain to meet Jehovah and again as a type of Christ he returned to the people.

In type we know that our Lord Jesus will return in two stages. First to get His Church and take them home and a second time seven years later He will return in wrath!

And Moses saw the calf.

*Exo 32:20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

What is an idol, something that can be beaten into dust?
Something that be burnt into nothingness!

Deu 9:19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also.
Deu 9:20 And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.
**Deu 9:21 And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.

What is Jehovah’s commandment to Christians?

1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Idol worship is sowing to our flesh!

Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Moses then turns to Aaron.

Aaron was allowed to become the High Priest, but he lost two of his sons who also did not listen to the Word of God and Aaron was not allowed into the Promised land.

Our Preachers and Pastors need to take heed. God makes these men responsible for many things of the Church Age!

Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Notice who are those held responsible:

Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Rev 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

Rev 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Rev 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

It was time for these children of Israel to decide if they were on the Lord’s side or not!

This is the same message we have today. When the Holy Spirit comes calling it is our time to decide if we are on the Lord’s side or not!

Amen

The Tabernacle

November 6, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

A New Place To Worship

Book of Exodus Chapter 25

The Tabernacle.

We know that all Scripture is given to us by Holy Ghost inspiration.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

We might ask ourselves, why would the Holy Ghost go through such a detailed account of the materials and the building of the Tabernacle?

There is more space devoted to the Tabernacle than any other object in the Bible.

For instance, only two chapters record God’s work of creation and fitting this earth for human habitation yet, it takes ten chapters to teach us about the Tabernacle.

As Christians we are not to neglect any portion of the Word of God, which we tend to do.

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime “were written for our learning”, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

In reality, the Book of Hebrews cannot be fully understood without a working knowledge of the Book of Exodus and the Book of Leviticus.

1) The Tabernacle is a physical place upon this earth that gives us an idea of God’s dwelling place.
2) The Tabernacle is a “type” of Jesus Christ who is the Mediator between Jehovah and Mankind.
3) The Tabernacle is again a “type” of Jesus Christ in the Church in communion with all true believers.

The Tabernacle was the worship center in the wilderness for the children of Israel, but it was a splendid example to teach the Church many different ‘types”, many different pictures, and many different spiritual truths for those who are true believers.

The greatest tool we have in understanding our Savior and Redeemer, is the Words He has given to us! Praise His Holy name.

In respect of Him, then we need to let the Word of God speak for itself and teach us what the Lord God Jehovah wants us to know and what He wants us to understand!

Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
Heb 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

The Tabernacle would begin with an offering.

*Exo 25:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

The word Tabernacle actually means “dwelling place”.

So to be clear, the message of the Tabernacle is simple:

1) The Lord’s appearance to humanity in “Grace”.
2) Humanity’s approach to the Lord in “Faith”.

Though many deny it, we need the presence and the assurance of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout our lifetime!

As Jehovah calls for the materials for the construction of the Tabernacle, it is a call for “Stewardship”, to give with a willing heart.

Just as the “creation” of this world we live in, the Tabernacle had a need for an architect.

The architect of the Tabernacle was Jehovah God.

It is the architect who is responsible for the construction of any building, and it is the architect who determines whether a building stands or falls.

Jehovah would not leave the design of the Tabernacle in the hands of man.

The Tabernacle was to be Jehovah’s dwelling place, the place of His presence.
The Tabernacle was to be a special place where people could come to worship Jehovah.
The Tabernacle was to be a place where His people could learn about Him.

Heb 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Heb 3:2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
Heb 3:3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
Heb 3:4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
Heb 3:5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Jehovah supplied the design of the Tabernacle, but the people supplied the materials.

*Exo 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

We must understand that the greatest thing we can give to our Savior is a willing heart!

The children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt for near four hundred years.

We know that slaves do not have the opportunity to accumulate wealth, but now they traveled with the LORD with great wealth.

Just before the children of Israel had been run out of Egypt, Jehovah caused the Egyptians to have a great desire to share their wealth with them.

So, in fact it was the Gentiles (heathen) who provided the material things to build the Tabernacle.

You will find that this holds true not only for the Tabernacle but also for each of the Temples.

Jehovah caused the Gentiles to provide the material things to build these places of worship.

So, in fact God provided these things so His children would be able to give a portion of that wealth back to Him.

This has never changed in all the Bible! God provides for His people, and He only asks for a portion of it to be given back to Him!

Today, to most people this is the tithe, but it can also be said of freewill offerings.

Remember the tithe is commanded, the freewill offering comes from the heart!

The purpose of these offerings was to build a sanctuary to meet with God.

Jehovah God gave to Moses a list of the materials He required to build this first Tabernacle.

*Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Each of the materials used for this Tabernacle had their own purpose.

It should be very obvious that our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, wants to live with us or in fact He wants us to live with Him because He can have no part of sin and our world is full of sin.

Jehovah designed this Tabernacle so He could be with them in a unique way.

It is the same for the true Church today.

This “Sanctuary” here on Highway 81, is a place we can meet with Jehovah God.

It was to be a place set apart from the things of the world, for God.
It was a place that was to be seen as a place where God dwelt.
It was to be a place where the people could meet with God and He to meet with them.
It was to be a place of worship.

The Lord Jesus said it was to be a House of Prayer! Prayer is worship when we pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

Any so-called prayer to any other so-called deity and not in the name of Jesus Christ is not then worship!!!!!!!

We should understand that it was Jehovah who took the initiative to build a relationship with His people!

It is Jehovah that desires fellowship with all His creation!

Today, by the receiving of the truth of Jesus Christ and being “Born Again”, it is the body of each believer that has become a sanctuary for Jehovah God.

Jehovah is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

Our bodies are to sanctuaries, holy places, in which the Holy Spirit of Jehovah can live permanently!

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

As the Apostle Paul reminded these Corinthians, we need to remind ourselves that God does live within us as soon as we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and we are Born Again when the Holy Spirit comes into us!

So, it must be Jehovah who sets the rules for our relationship with Him!

*Exo 25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

Jehovah designed “every part” of this Tabernacle!

There was no input from anyone on this earth!

There was no meeting to decided what would work and what would not work!

There was no gathering to see what colors would be used!

There was no meeting to produce a budget!

When God designs it and we build it according to His design, then it will work, and He will meet with us in His place!

Jehovah alone determines how we are to approach Him!

It could be said that the Tabernacle was a tent “pitched” by Jehovah to live amongst His people in an incredibly special way!

It was the Tabernacle where any of these children of Israel could approach Jehovah to worship.

The Tabernacle was to be only a place for worship!

It is our Heavenly Father who made a way to approach Him, and it is by the Lord Jesus Christ.

So we see that in typology, this Tabernacle was to be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

It is by God’s rules that we can meet with Him and can live with Him!

Notice, that Jehovah had to come from Heaven down to this earth to live in that Tabernacle.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who laid aside the riches of Heaven, to come to where we are, so He could lead us to salvation!

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Joh 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Again we see that this Tabernacle was in fact a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*Exo 25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

As we look at this “Ark” we again will see a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We know of two more arks:

1) The ark of Noah, in which he and his family found shelter from that world-wide flood. (A type of Christ)
2) The ark of Moses, in which baby Moses was preserved to lead his people and write the first five books of the Bible. (Also a type of Christ)

The Ark of the covenant was constructed of only two materials, wood, and gold, pointing to the two natures of Christ Jesus, the human side and the Divine side.

The two tablets of stone preserved within the Ark were the words of Jehovah.

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

And then there is the Mercy Seat. The throne of God.

*Exo 25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
Exo 25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Exo 25:19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
Exo 25:20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

The importance of the “Mercy Seat” should be clearly seen.

It was not those self-righteous people who were welcome to the Mercy Seat, it was those who are sinners, but were washed in the blood of Jesus who are welcome to the Mercy Seat of Jehovah God!

1Pe_2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Jud_1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

The Ark speaks of the person of Jesus Christ, and each of the sacred vessels will also point to the work of Jesus Christ!

What we must understand is that there is “Mercy” at the seat of “Atonement”!

At the “Mercy Seat”:

It is God’s mercy that covers our sins.
It is God’s mercy that gives and pardons.
It is God’s mercy that makes atonement.
It is God’s mercy that appeases and cancels His wrath.

That Mercy is of course is by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Psa 130:1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psa 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

*Exo 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

We can be sure our sin had separated us from Jehovah, but if His plan of salvation is followed as He intended, then that separation is eliminated!

Sin is a wide gulf between us and Jehovah, but the gulf is eliminated by the cross at Mount Calvary.

The “Mercy Seat” demands repentance, and this is where so many fail.

This “Mercy” is poured out upon those who fear Him and obey Him!

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

It is by the “Mercy” of God that we can have peace in our lives every day!

Lam 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The great God Jehovah has more “Mercy” than He has wrath!

Psa 108:3 I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
Psa 108:4 For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
Psa 108:5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;
Psa 108:6 That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.

The Ark was to hold the testimony of Jehovah.
The Ark was to be that special place for Jehovah to meet His people.
The Ark was to be place of Mercy.

The Tabernacle gives us just a little taste of Heaven.

The work of the Jewish Priests was never done and never could be.

When our Lord Jesus Christ offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, His work was complete!

Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

It is at the Ark where Jehovah would instruct His people.

You can feel the presence of Jehovah in the Tabernacle of God!

*Exo 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

It must be truly clear to each child of God; it is only by the Pattern of the things of Heaven, that we can be saved and made free from sin.

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.

This is unchangeable, and it does not matter what the Muslim say, nor the Hindu say, or any other false religion preaches or teaches, it is only by the pattern Jehovah has given to us, that we will ever see the face of God.

If you do not have “faith” in the “soul saving” work of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will never see the face of God which can only be seen in the New Heaven!

If you do not want to see the face of God, then Jehovah has a place for you whether you believe or not!

Hell is a real place!

You cannot believe in Heaven without believing in that place called Hell!

You cannot believe in Angels if you do not believe in Demons!

You cannot believe in the Lord Jesus Christ without believing that Satan is the Antichrist!

These are all written in the same, but true Word of God!

Amen

A New Way To Worship

November 6, 2021November 9, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Book of Exodus Chapter 31

We should ask ourselves, what is obedient devotion?

To be obedient means to be submissive to authority and abstaining from what is forbidden.
To be devoted is to be dedicated. A yielding of the heart and affections to that authority.

How did Our Lord Jesus Christ put obedience?

Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

How did the Holy Spirit put disobedience?

Heb 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Heb 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

What is devotion in the Word of God?

Gal 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again “until Christ be formed in you”,

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
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 was Jehovah who began to instruct these children of Israel about devotion and obedience so, the Word of God could reach the entire world.

The key to being called of God is to realize that Jehovah will provide the needs of that person in the task He has called them to do!

*Exo 31:6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

Even given exact dimensions, it would take some qualified individuals to make all the things Jehovah required for the Tabernacle.

The first five verses tell us about Bezaleel of the tribe of Judah and this man Aholiab in this verse would join him making these things.

That name Bezaleel means; “in the shadow of God”.

This man Bezaleel from the tribe of Judah is one of just a few men who is said to be filled with the Jehovah’s Holy Spirit!

We can be sure why Jehovah chose this man.

How are these men described? Wise hearted. Remember what Jesus said of the wise builder. They would build their house on a Rock, and we know that Rock is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Notice that when Jehovah called these men, He called them by name.

God’s call is a personal call!

God knows what we will be, and He has a purpose for us, before we leave the womb of our mothers!

Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

We know that God is impartial, what He does for one He will do for another!

Keep in mind we all have different requirements.

God begins by equipping us with the Holy Spirit and then the Holy Spirit provides the tools necessary to fulfill God’s calling!

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

When God calls us for some special event, He will then surround us with others to provide support for that event.

We should understand that Jehovah left nothing to chance, everything was to be made according to His exact specifications!

*Exo 31:7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,
Exo 31:8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,
Exo 31:9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,
Exo 31:10 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office,
Exo 31:11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

The greatest mistake made in the modern Church is to make changes in what God has said!

God has His own purpose, and this purpose is far greater than we think we are.

Jehovah cautioned Moses to obey His commandments.

We must never “add to” nor “take away” from the commandments of God nor any part of the Word of God.

This Book we call the Bible is not a book of suggestions, it is a book of commandments.

There is a reason and a purpose behind everything that God teaches us!

As a true Father, Jehovah wants us to be like Him.

He wants us to be as “forgiving” as He is forgiving. He did not have to forgive our sins!
He wants us to know that there is only one way to Heaven, not many ways.
He wants us to deny ourselves, our rights, our own ideas, and our own personal agenda, and obey His ways and His agenda.
He wants us to give back in proportion as He has given to us, which includes our tithes, as a show of “faith”.
He says what He means, and He means what He says, and we need to get this clear in our own minds.

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

God specifically says we need our rest, and we must worship Him

*Exo 31:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

These Children of Israel were excited to be doing a work for Jehovah, but this did not mean that should work around the clock.

Every seventh day was still to be a day of rest.

The work on the Tabernacle was particularly important, but not so important to break the other laws of God.

We should understand that Jehovah will never go against His own Words!

He expects the same from us!

He will never give a law and then allow us to break that law, just because we think we are doing something for the good of God!

The Sabbath had been set aside for a day of rest and worship because it was a sign of God’s covenant with “all humanity”.

The Sabbath day was the first of the laws given to Israel and it would be incorporated into this worship system design by Jehovah.

Israel chose to do this on Saturday. The Church chose the Lord’s Day Sunday.

The Sabbath reminds us all, that Jehovah is the One True and Living God!

It is on the Sabbath that we can surround ourselves with others who also have the mind of Christ, and all keep the covenant we made with Him when we said, “Save me Lord, I am a dirty rotten sinner”.

Yes, a salvation request is making a covenant with God, and He will answer with redemption when we are sincere!

This relationship can never change, but we can improve on our relationship by being obedient to the Word of God and answer His calling with a “yes Lord”.

It is by the forgiveness of God that we can be made Holy!

*Exo 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

The Sabbath was not to be some temporary commandment made to Israel alone!

The Sabbath is a commandment given to this world we live in!

The Sabbath was made for all humanity and for every generation of humanity, for every man, every woman, and every child upon this earth!

We cannot pick and choose what we believe and what we reject in the Word of God!

Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is LORD of the Sabbath!

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.

This is the day the Lord is speaking of!

We may ask ourselves, what about those who are required by their employer to work seven days each week.

The Lord said that the Sabbath was made for man so, it seems it would be wise for the Church to offer services to meet that schedule.

This is the main purpose for the Sunday evening services and the Wednesday services, so everyone has an opportunity to worship.

These people have to work out their own time to rest.

Things we must remember:

1) We must attend our worship services!

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.

2) We must work out our own salvation plan.

Php_2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

3) The Lord rewards effort much more that accomplishments!

1Co_3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Now the Lord speaks specifically to Moses and the Children of Israel.

*Exo 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

We should ask ourselves just what is Divine Rest?

Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Heb 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8 For if Jesus(Joshua) had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

We should clearly understand that Israel’s fulfillment of the Sabbath pointed them to the Millennial Kingdom.

For the Church, the fulfillment of the Sabbath points to the “Rapture” of the Church and our permanent rest in the New Heaven.

The Sabbath is a Holy day and everyone that defiles the Sabbath would be put to death.

This may sound harsh, but Jehovah was teaching these rebellious children of Israel how to worship!

Everything that Jehovah did was showing them the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ yet, they are still blind to it.

Jehovah proved to these children of Israel that He meant what He says.

Num 15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
Num 15:33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
Num 15:34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
Num 15:35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

We must not mock Jehovah nor should we attempt to change what the Lord has said.

Some will say we do not see such a thing today and I say are you sure!

Many people die by unknown causes though all these may not be tied to God’s wrath.

He is still the giver and the taker of life, but I also say all unbelievers are already condemned to spend eternity in a burning Hell.

The keeping of the Sabbath was a sign to the children of Israel for them to be more like Jehovah.

*Exo 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Jehovah is serious about worship!

We need to rest at least every seven days.

The truth is, if we will honor the Lord God Jehovah at least once a week then, we are more likely to obey the other laws of God.

Do you want to see “climate change”? Then live according to the written word of God, which is actually His own voice, and maybe, we can see the harmony that existed before sin entered into this world, this earth will be restored as it was in the days of Adam.

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

This world is aging and dying, and it is this death that is bringing about what is now called climate change, yet the world still worships sin!

The Sabbath day was not just for Israel alone, but it was to be continued.

It is a perpetual commandment.

This still does not mean it was to be every Saturday.

Sunday the “Lord’s Day is much better for the Church, but there are places where this cannot take place and so those believers must choose some other day still teaching the truth of Jehovah.

In some places where the governments are so cruel, believers must gather and worship as they are able, and they will still receive a just reward, but as we are able we are to follow all the Word of God.

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.

In some cases where someone has decided that places of employment must run seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, the Church must provide a means for these people to worship.

In most cases, these things came about because of tax codes but few will admit this.

But the Church needs this fellowship with one another!

We must always keep in mind that the Word of God is not a book of suggestions, but is a Book of Commandments!

It was at this time that God gave to Moses those two tablets of stone written with the finger of God.

*Exo 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Moses had been with God for 40 days and 40 nights and it was at this time that Moses was given two tablets of stone that had written upon them the moral law the 10 Commandments.

These laws were great gifts because we all need some direction in our lives!

What is going on in the USA today? People have lost their direction and they have chosen to live in any manner they so choose, and they expect all the rest of us to bow down to their way of living or be called all kind of names and many will be threatening us.

These 10 Commandments are the foundation of the laws of God, and they should be the basis of the laws in every nation.

They were in many nations for years, but now if any nation chooses to go by these ten commandments, then the rest of the world will penalize them.

Just look at what the EU is doing to some nations today. The EU screams to us about “climate change” yet the EU is the main buyer of the illegal lumber that is harvested in the rain forest of Brazil.

We are to live righteous and pure lives as best we can, but instead this world has chosen immorality and wickedness.

The fact that the Bible is accurate in all matters in which it deals, scientific and historical as well as Spiritual and Theological, makes it a danger to this immoral world we live in today.

Even some the Church have begun to compromise, and our world just gets more-darker.

This too is written in the Scriptures.

Many look back today and ask what happened to our nation and all we need do is look back when immoral and unjust persons were allowed to destroy the Ten Commandments, just because they did not want to hear what God had to say.

As God’s creation we are to obey the voice of God and He made us a copy and gave it to Moses.

Notice God gave these commandments at the same time He gave Moses the pattern of the Tabernacle and the correct method of worship!

God is leading those who love Him to the Promised Land (the New Heaven) and there is no other way to get there, but by obeying the Laws of God!

Jesus said it like this:

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Joh 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
Joh 5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Joh 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

I choose to believe the Lord and you can call me all the names you want to, and it will not change my destination, but you on the other hand, will find yourself in Hell whether you believe there is a place called Hell or not!

Amen

There Must Be Limits To Our Freedom

October 29, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

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.
Al 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

Rules To Live By

October 23, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

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.

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

Being Free Has Its Challenges

October 16, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

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 is:

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.

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

Freedom to Follow the Lord Jesus

October 9, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

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 pillare 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 14:21 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 Noth 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!
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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 jell 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

Freedom Comes At A High Price

October 2, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

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.

The Power of the Living God

September 24, 2021 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Power of God

Book of Exodus Chapters 7 through Chapter 10

It is in these Chapters we begin to see the awesomeness of the great “I AM” in the fact that “He can control nature” and does.

Though the word “nature” has no exact meaning to those writers of the Old Testament who were inspired by the Holy Spirit, to give us the information that He deemed we needed, so the word “nature” does not exist.

In the Old Testament, Jehovah alone, is seen in all things, through all things, and over all things!

We have no reason to question the Holy Spirit!

In the New Testament the term “nature” is used as the force, the laws, and the order, of this world, including all humanity.

In this sense, it is still Jehovah who has absolute control of, given the circumstances, of all things called nature or natural!

Psalms 104 gives us the best understanding of nature.

We can understand the workings of nature as the things that God has put in place to keep this world livable.

Listen as the Holy Spirit describes some of the things of our Messiah.

Pro 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Pro 8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
Pro 8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Pro 8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
Pro 8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
Pro 8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
Pro 8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
Pro 8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
Pro 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Pro 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

As Moses begins to confront this Pharaoh, God shows His power over the natural world.

*Exo 7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
Exo 7:2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.

What we see here is that Moses is authorized to speak and act in the name of Jehovah.

Moses has in fact been given some divine power to do things that are above the ordinary course of nature.

The Lord Jesus speaks of these things.

Joh 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Joh 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Joh 10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
Joh 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
Joh 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Aaron would act in the true sense of a prophet.

Remember a true prophet could only speak the words God had given them to speak, when speaking of Jehovah!

We should understand that this power given of God, was not to be abused.

In today’s meaning of the word, our own Pastor would fit this description as he too is to teach us the message given to Him by God Himself.

He is to teach us, to awaken us, and to enable us, to fulfil the will of God!

The true Pastor has a lot of responsibility to his people and to the Lord!

Our job is to pay attention and apply these things to our everyday life.

As Jehovah told Moses, in the end this Pharaoh would send the children of Israel out of his land.

In doing so he would recognize that he was no god but only a puny human being.

All these things being true we all question the next verse until we understand why.

*Exo 7:3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
Exo 7:4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
Exo 7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

We can understand the hardening of the heart when we realize that the “mercy” and the “grace” will lead to the softening of many hearts to the reality of a loving God, but there will always be those who reject the Word of God, and that same Word of God will harden those hearts in their rejection.

We see this in the Atheists of today who will get incredibly angry at those who have the message of God, such as Moses, and make attempts to close the mouths of all Christians.

This Pharaoh was not an atheist, but he considered himself a god which is not far from being the same as an atheist who denies the truth of the One God Jehovah.

It is the Word of God that hardened this Pharaohs heart as it does so many today. To deny the Word of God is to make yourself a little god just as this Pharaoh had done for himself.

People just hate the truth of the Word of God because it points out their sin and it is a sin to treat people as slaves and above that, your personal slaves!

Jehovah already knew what was going to happen and this Pharaoh was making the choice to destroy himself, just as all those who reject the Word of God today!

This is the reason Jehovah made Moses to be a god in the eyes of Pharaoh because this Pharaoh had no concept of a Supreme God.

When we serve Jehovah, He has already given us the words to say, His Words. We are His messengers just as the angels are His messengers.

Moses would then give Aaron the words to say which were the same words God had given to Moses.

If it had been really easy for the children of Israel to leave Egypt, they would never have recognized that Jehovah had made them free from this tyranny.

We should keep this in mind as we see Christian persecution today!

Those who reject the word of God are then requesting to see the wrath of God, this will be His final judgment upon them, but they could also see many things against them in this world.

Jehovah told Moses all of Israel will leave Egypt and notice that God already states that these children of Israel would be used as His armies to take the Promised Land from those wicked evil nations that we have already mentioned.

There is a purpose behind everything that God does. He does not ever second guess Himself!

All of Egypt would know that there was a God who had more power than any presumed power of all their false gods.

All of Canaan Land would know that the God of the Children of Israel was much more powerful than their own false gods!

It would be the plagues that would prove this fact.

There is no science behind what God does!

What was Moses and Aaron supposed to do?

The same thing we are to do today. It is called “faith”. We are to trust that what God says He will do He will certainly do!

God has not changed His methods today and He has not lost any of His power!

*Exo 7:6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
Exo 7:7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

We should remember that it is “disobedience” where Adam failed, and it is still disobedience where we all fail today.

We sin because we are sinners and not sinners because sin.

We see here that we are never too old to serve God!

He will keep our health until our purpose has been fulfilled and then He will take us home to a mansion prepared for us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isa 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Isa 46:5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

There is no one like Jehovah God!

God will meet the needs of all His children, especially those He has called for specific purposes!

We must allow God to be our strength because we are just puny weak humans who truly need our God!

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Then God showed to Pharaoh the “rod of power”.

We know the “rod of power” for the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ!

*Exo 7:17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

To the Egyptians the Nile River was the great god and the river of life.

God will now show His power by making the Nile River to be a river of death.

Now we should not understand that the Nile would just change to a red color as many false believers and some scientists have stated.

The Nile from the border of Egypt and throughout Egypt turned to real blood just as God said!

The Nile, after its three main sources runs northerly for about 1150 miles.

There are none of these sources that feed the Nile in all of Egypt and Egypt gets little or better said, no rain.

The nation of Egypt receives on average three inches of rain and most of that is along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Nile River has not changed its course for six thousand years the only river to do so.

The Egyptians have said all these years that they did not need the rain because they had the Nile River.

There was blood throughout all of Egypt on this day the Lord turned the Nile into blood and the creatures in the river began to die.

For seven days the River Nile remained this way and all other sources of drinking water.

“Hopi” the Egyptian god of the Nile could do nothing about it.

Pride was a great enemy of this Pharaoh.

So, God was not yet finished.

Exo 8:6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

God proved that the elements of nature are under the control of Jehovah God.

God will now prove that the animal world is also under His direct control.

“Heket” the Egyptian god had the head of the frog, but he could not stop Jehovah!

The first plague proved that God is the only Living God, the God of the Redeemed.

The second plague will prove that God has no equal in all the gods of Egypt and not in all the world.

This swarm of frogs ruined most all property and left the threat of disease everywhere.

God loves all His creation, but He could not allow this puny Pharaoh to have a victory.

The Word of God is not just the command to go forth as God’s messengers.

The Word of God gives clear and precise guidance every day of our lives!

God told Moses exactly what to do and this is all Moses had to do.

Moses did not have to add anything to the Word of God nor does anyone today!

We will see that Jehovah gave this Pharaoh chance after chance to stop his foolishness and Jehovah does this for every national ruler no matter who they are.

The false god “Heket” was powerless!

As servants we need to know our God in a personal relationship, and we need to know His Word.

Nothing in this world is as important as these two things!

The Egyptians had another false god, and he was “Geb” the god of the dust of the earth.

Egypt had plenty of dust because there was no rain.

*Exo 8:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

There is this place called the United Nations and they should have only one agenda.

To stop the oppression of the people of this world but they try to interfere in all levels of society with an agenda.

This is so far down their lists of things to do they, just like the rest of the world just overlook all the nations that do this and now have one agenda of Climate Change in which man can do nothing to stop.

Our world is dying!

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

We must never forget who is in charge of this world He has created for us!

Jer_31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:

There should be no slavery anywhere in this world!
There should be no oppression of any people anywhere in this world, but all the world governments are leaning in this direction!

These things are opposite to the Word of God!

Can you just imagine all the dust of Egypt becoming lice!

Lice are parasitic insects that can be found on people’s heads and bodies, including the pubic area.
Human lice survive by feeding on human blood. Lice found on each area of the body are different from each other.
The three types of lice that live on humans are:
Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse),
Pediculus humanus corporis (body louse, clothes louse), and
Pthirus pubis (“crab” louse, pubic louse).

Only the body louse is known to spread disease.

Ole “Geb” the Egyptian god of the dust could not answer the prayers of the Egyptians who were suffering.

They had another false god named “Khepri” who they thought as the god of all creation.

*Exo 8:21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

Again Pharaoh rejected Jehovah the One True God.

There are few insects that are a more a nuisance creature than the fly!

On this day in Egypt the skies were no heavy with flies it was like clouds blocking the Sun.

They were so heavy that the things they landed on were covered beyond recognition.

Every place a person tried to stand, or sit, or lie down was covered with flies.

They covered everyone.
They filled all the houses.
They blackened the ground.

They too could cause disease and did.

Judgement is coming to those who reject the Lord today, but there is still time to repent.

It was too late for this Pharaoh, and he was witnessing the wrath of God and ole “Khepri”, the Egyptian god of creation could not do anything to stop it.

It is at this point where Jehovah began to separate the Children of Israel, so we should note that they, the Children of Israel now believed Jehovah to be the One True God.

This Pharaoh began to play his silly games with God, but God, will not be mocked!

*Exo 9:3 Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

The Egyptians had a goddess of love and protection, and they loved this goddess, but she could not stop this plague. Her name was “Hothu”.

As Pharaoh continued to defy Jehovah, God continued to show this Pharaoh his gods were useless against Him.

We should understand that as Moses spoke to Pharaoh of the next judgment, this Pharaoh was always given space to repent before that judgment occurred.

Jehovah will never change from this even during all the things of the Book of Revelation!

The Egyptian economy was destroyed after this plague, and it was already suffering dearly.

Animals in this age each had a part in the daily way of life of all people. For transportation, for work, for food, for skins, for clothing, and for trade.

This would have been a wonderful time for this Pharaoh to repent but he still chose to defy the Living God.

It makes no sense at all to bring the “Judgment” of God down upon us!

The Lord Jesus judges by what He sees, and He can see into our heart. Nothing can be hidden from Him.

This Pharaoh was daring the Lord to bring His judgment with no concern for his nation, nor its people!

The word “murrain” means a great mortality would come because of this plague and remember God had isolated the children of Israel from these next plagues but one. The last one.

Most everyone has heard of the Egyptian goddess “Isis”, but her powers were also non-existent.

She was known as the goddess of medicine and peace, but she is just another idol with no powers at all.

*Exo 9:8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.
Exo 9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
Exo 9:10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

A boil, also rendered as the botch, is a burning sore like an inflamed ulcer with blains meaning violent ulcerous inflammations.

These things were not just upon the human but also upon the animals.

There was nothing the false goddess “Isis” could do to help her believers.

Now they might have wiped the dust oof of her, but this did not change anything.

There was another Egyptian goddess name “Nut” who was the goddess of the sky, let’s see if she faired any better.

*Exo 9:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
Exo 9:23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

As we know the nourishment of all crops come from God’s life-giving rain.

The sky is another part of God’s creation, and He has complete control of all the things that come by what we call nature!

We should understand that the “Judgment” of God is coming to this place called earth and you cannot run from it nor can you hide from it and your personal gods will be of no help to you!

According to the climate war mongers, the storms are getting more severe.

I personally cannot say that things are much different where I live than they have been all my life.

I can remember hotter days and colder weather, long dry summers, and wet winters.

This storm the Lord is referring to here will be the second greatest of all storms. The storms of the final judgement will be even worse than this one!

There will be no true peace until the Lord of all peace returns to cause peace on this earth.

The goddess “Nut” herself could do nothing to help Egypt except to sit upon her shelf and give that blank gaze.

This storm was catastrophic to the Egyptian people. Remember God had isolated the Children of Israel.

But Pharaoh was a stubborn man.

There were still some green twigs and trees that had not been destroyed and the goddess of the sky could do nothing because she could not hear the plight of the Egyptian people.

There was another Egyptian god who is said to control storms and disorders and his name was “Seth” but he was just another idol.

*Exo 10:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
Exo 10:13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
Exo 10:14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

If there were any food source left these locusts would devour it.

What have seen so far?

You can claim to be a Christian but not saved, but it will not stop the “Judgment of God”.
You can be an Atheist, but it will not stop the “Judgment of God”.
You can be a Religionist and ignore the truth of God, but it will not stop the “Judgment of God”.
You can just a skeptic, but it will not stop the “Judgment of God”.
You can believe you can manage all the things of this life yourself but there are things out there that only Jehovah can stop!

Believing there is no such thing as a Loving God, will not stop the Judgment of God!

There is only one way to avoid the “Judgment of God” and this is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and not be here when “God’s Judgment” comes for it is coming!

Jud 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
Jud 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

And God was not through yet because this Pharaoh was a fool!

*Exo 10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
Exo 10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
Exo 10:23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Of all the things that God has done now God would show the world that “Light” is a creation, in fact we could say God’s very first creation!

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Gen 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

In the act of Creation God had separated the Light from the Darkness and God would show this Pharaoh that His power to do so had not diminished.

It was so dark no one could see their hand in front of their face as we would say.

Even in this this Pharaoh had too much pride to give in to the “Lord of all Power”!

Nah_1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Everyone who lives knows a little about the Egyptian God “Ra” but no one could see “Ra” to wipe the dust off of him for even he was only an idol who had no power at all.

All these things just made this Pharaoh angrier, and he just threatened the messengers of God.

Remember the Pharaohs of Egypt were said to be the gods of all power, but they could not control their own destiny every one of them died and none of them have returned!

*Exo 10:27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
Exo 10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
Exo 10:29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

All these things had happened to the people of Egypt.

This Pharaoh was rich enough that they were only a nuisance to him and to his person and his family.

It would take something that hit this Pharaoh that he actually loved to ever break him and even this would not last exceedingly long.

Why are we as Christians hated in this world, especially today?

We are seeing a world grow more into Socialism and Communism.

The leaders of these nations are tyrants, or they will soon be acting the part of tyrants as we see in our own nation today.

Look even at France and Canada and you will see these things taking place.

They do not truly know the One True God, the Lord Jesus Christ but are idolaters or even Atheists which are an abomination to God.

Christians who are true to the Lord Jesus Christ, are seen to be weak, and meek, but they are also the object of God’s favor.

We could say Christians true to the Lord Jesus are the complete opposite of the national leaders of this Age and we will live in conflict with each other.

Just as this Pharaoh and to him Moses, who was just a messenger of God.

We will never agree with each other on the raising of families.
We will never agree with each other in what to teach in our schools.
We will never agree with each other in politics.
We will never agree with each other in any of the social circles.

This separation cannot be overcome without first there being a close personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the God that they have all rejected!

We cannot compromise with these who reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

They belong to Satan whether they know it or not!

God will humble this Pharaoh!
God will humble his nation!
God will humble the Children of Israel!

Amen

LESSONS IN GOD'S WORD

Taking time to read the Bible

Book of Exodus

Building the House of God

The Lord Seeks a Personal Relationship

The Tabernacle

A New Way To Worship

There Must Be Limits To Our Freedom

Rules To Live By

Being Free Has Its Challenges

Freedom to Follow the Lord Jesus

Freedom Comes At A High Price

The Power of the Living God

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