The Message of Exodus by Alec Motyer

I am always drawn to women in the bible! In Exodus chapters 1 and 2 there are 5 who stand out for their attitude, compassion and faith. First there are the 2 named midwives Shiphrah and Puah. "But the midwives feared God ...therefore God dealt well with the midwives." Then there was Jochebed Moses mother. She was resolute and recognised something special in her son. Next is Miriam, Moses sister who was very resourceful. Finally we see Pharaoh's daughter. Out of the genocide her father proposed came thus precious person. A tender hearted princess, she had not inherited her fathers personality, had a maternal heart, was moved easily to tears and felt for others.

All from different walks of life but each had a role to play. Each worked in the plan and purpose of God. My prayer? To see my God work things in his own way in my life.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8 verse 28

Moses' first reaction to the knowledge that he had found favour with God - "if you are pleased with me, teach me your ways."

Think about this for a moment and put yourself in Moses' shoes.  Moses is handed on a silver platter a knowledge that is more extraordinary than any knowledge that could be wished for here below - namely, that God was pleased with him.  Exodus 33 verse 13 tells us how Moses handled this sublime information: "if you Lord, are truly pleased with me, teach me your ways."

Would you have responded that way?  Would I?  I doubt it!

What was it Moses asked for?  He did not hesitate : "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways."  Moses asked for this, "so I may know you and continue to find favour with you.".  Moses' reply shows how well he knew God already, and my own wish suggests I have a long way to go.

The most important thing prayer does for us, then, is to help us to know God and his ways.

Last night I was looking again at the Passover story in Exodus chapters 12 and 13 and in particular the word "remember". The specific instructions given for the feast ensured that in future the Israelites would not just remember their deliverance but their redemption. They were to continually tell their children about this night. That word "remember" appears again in the New Testament in relation to the Lord's Supper when we remember our own redemption through Jesus' shed blood on Calvary. We can know deliverance from our sins today  if we accept our redemption. What an amazing thought. We can never or rather should never stop thanking God for what he has done through Jesus yet so many don't even consider the cost. Today as we enter God's house look again at the reason for Jesus' death, make it personal but apply the blood just like the Israelites did on that night in Egypt.

Considering that the first chapter of Exodus up to verse 11 of chapter 2 covers 40 years of Moses' life then a further 40 years in the rest of chapter 2 before Moses returns to Egypt, it is hard to believe that there are only 2 months covered in chapter 13 verse 17 to chapter 18.

There are 6 notable events in this section:

The Red Sea crossing

The waters of Marah

The manna

Water from the rock

The defeat of the Amalekites

The arrival of Jethro, Moses father in law

In chapter 13 Pharaoh immediately regrets his decision to let the Israelites go and sets out to bring them back. This episode speaks of ownership - who was in charge, Pharaoh or God. This spoke to me of how there is a war when a person commits themselves to Christ. Who has ownership of our lives? Christ or the devil? There will always be a strong pull to go back to what is "comfortable" but a couple of verses stood out for me today. Look carefully at the words:

Fear ye not

Stand still

See the salvation of the Lord

The Lord will fight for you

Ye shall hold your peace

Go forward

Later in chapter 17 we see the Amalekites come to fight with Israel to stop them going on to the Promised Land. In thu8s situation Moses took over the leadership. This battle went on in the valley but the real victory was won on the mountaintop by Moses praying.

How amazing is this. Have been spending time today reading Exodus chapters 13 to 18 and journalling as went along. Then I open my Day by Day by Charles Swindoll and it is based on Exodus 18! Is God trying to tell me something?

This is the story of Jethro Moses father in law coming to see Moses in action. Jethro watched as the people came to Moses for advice and judgment. He realised that everyone was dependant on him and something or rather someone was going to have to give!  He told Moses that he couldn't continue to do it all by himself, he needed a system! He needed help or rather helpers, others to help carry the load.

Too often we rush around trying to do everything by ourselves. Perhaps today we need to hear God saying "slow down". Just sit awhile in God's presence and listen to what he has to say.

I have read a lot today from God's word and a bible commentary. I wonder did I take it all in? Possibly not but what I did hear has been full of truth and and just what I needed right now. That's the wonder of prayer - not just rushing in with a list of things to pray for but also listening to what God has to say. It reminds me of the words I heard this morning when I started to read these verses in Exodus - stand still!

I am back reading in Exodus this afternoon. I always used to get to chapter 18 in previous attempts and then would give up. It was like the adventure has ended they are out of Egypt now comes the boring bit where the children of Israel wander round and round for 40 years never doing much but you know what ... that's not actually true because there is so much of the detail needs now to be looked at.

What I never realised was that there were 7 ascents up the mountain for Moses. Imagine climbing that mountain and coming down it 7 times. It was at the top that Moses had his most intimate conversations with God but when he came back down he had to convey it all to the people what God said.

That got me thinking about how God really wants us to ascend into his hill in prayer. He longs to talk with us and tell us what is on his mind but do we take time to listen and hear what he is saying? 

I love the words of verses 5 and 6. Did you know that you are a "peculiar treasure" today? God wants to give us his blessing. What's the condition -"if ye will obey my voice ... and keep my covenant". The promise is ours if only we will listen today!

7 ascents of Moses into God's presence on Mount Sinai.

Number 1 centres on call to obedience - developed through the giving of the 10 Commandments and elaborted application of the Lord's law revealed during 4th ascent

Number 2 calls people to holiness and respect for the Lord's holiness. This matches in with instructions for the tabernacle and its regulations revealed through 5th ascent.

Number 3 makes Moses face a seriousness of divine holiness which not even he had previously contemplated and is matched by the unexpected barring of Moses from entering the completed tabernacle at the end of Exodus.

Only one year is covered from chapter 19 to chapter 40 of Exodus! Do you see how in each of these ascents God gave the instruction then gave a real life example of application? Such detail in each of these is truly amazing!

Obedience and holiness are the 2 key words I have taken from the above. We can be so flippant in our approach to God, rushing in and out of his presence without listening and hearing God's word for us personally. It is so important to adjust our hearing today. What is God saying through his word? Is there something that I have not been obedient to God today to do or say?

Nearing the end of reading this book and am now looking at the Tabernacle and a choice that had to be made. God wanted to dwell with the Israelites but it was their choice if they wanted him to. 

Today we have the means of grace such as the ministry of God's word as well as time apart with God for prayer and bible reading. We can choose to live at a distance neglecting those things which would bring God near to us and us near to him.

Do we take advantage of this means of grace?