One Year Bible for Wednesday, January 26th Moses Flees to Midian and Meets God in the Burning Bush Jesus Teaches the Disciples About Faith and Why They Should Pay the Temple Tax

Click Here to Listen to the Readings

Click Here To Listen to Exodus 2:11-3:22

Moses Flees to Midian

When Moses saw a fellow Jew being mistreated by an Egyptian, he killed him and hid him in the sand. Soon the Pharoah found about this and Moses fled to Midian. Midian was a son of Abraham. Midian was south of Canaan. Moses saw some local shepherds mistreating the women who had come to water their flocks, so he rescued them. When the women went home, they reported it to their father. The father, Reuel, took Moses in and evenually Moses married his daughter, Zipporah. Moses and Zipporah had a son Gershom. During this period the Israelites were still being mistreated by the Egyptians, and their cry for freedom was heard by God. God remembered the covenant he had made with Abraham, Issac and Jacob, and he would use Moses to be a messenger for that plan. Though Moses acted rashly by killing the Egyptian who was mistreating his fellow Jewish brother, God saw he could use his passion for Israel. 

Moses and the Burning Bush  

As Moses is tending Jethro's flock, he sees a burning bush, but the problem was this bush never was consumed by the fire. This got Moses' attention. God called for Moses and Moses answered. When God revealed himself as the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, Moses hid his face because he realized he was in the presence of God. 

God then shared with Moses His plan to rescue the Israelites from the Egyptian and to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey.  The land He had promised to their ancestors. He told Moses he was sending him to be his messenger, and Moses wondered why He was chosen and how he would accomplish such a feat to which God replied, "I will be with you!' And a sign would be that they would worship God on this mountain. This mountain is called Mt. Sinai, or Mt. Horeb. 

Moses then asked God for a name that he could use to tell the Israelites who God was. God gave him His name, "I am who I am". 

"It might seem nonsensical to refer to one’s self with the phrase, “I AM WHO I AM.” Yet it reveals something important about God – that He has no equal." (Guzik)

Then God sends Moses to the elders to request them to go to Pharaoh and ask him to allow the Israelites to go for a three day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to to Him. Though Pharaoh will not listen to them, God has a way to make the king favorably disposed to them. 

Click Here to Read Matthew 17:10-27

Jesus Heals a Demon Possessed Boy

A man brought his son to the disciples, who was possessed by a demon that threw the boy into seizures, but the disciples could not deliver the boy. After Jesus cast out the demon, the disciples ask Jesus why they couldn't cast the demon out.  Jesus attributed it to their lack of faith. And he added, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can say to this mountain from here it would move."  

Apparently the disicples were praying but not really believing. They may have been going through the motions hoping something would happen. When you pray do you have the faith to believe God will answer your prayer? Jesus says your faith may start out small, but if it is true faith it will grow as you exercise it. 

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

Jesus again predicts his death at the hands of his enemies, which makes his disciples sad even though he says he will rise from the dead in three days. It surprises me that they only focused on his prediction of his death, not his resurrection. Their view of Jesus and what he came for was different than what God had in mind. 

Payment of the Temple Tax

The temple leaders accuse Jesus about not paying the temple tax. Peter tells them Jesus pays the tax. When Peter gets back, Jesus already knows what Peter was going ask him. On principle Jesus doesn't think it is right for the Jewish leaders to tax their own people, but he doesn't feel this is a battle they need to fight right now. Jesus knew he still had work to do, so he wanted to keep the conflict with them at a minimum. Instead he tells Peter to go fishing and when he catches a fish, the coin in the fish's mouth will pay for both of them. It is almost as if Jesus is saying, "Don't worry Peter I am still in charge here!" 

Click Here to Read Psalm 22:1-18

As you read these words you will see David is prophesying about the scene of the crucifixion some 1,000 years before Jesus is born. The words describe Jesus' actual crucifixion accurately. 

ClicK here to read PROVERBS 5:7-14


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why are you persecuting me!"  Paul thought he was serving the Lord, but he was persecuting him b
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in
Read more