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


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