Exodus 6:26-27 By their divisions!

26It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their divisions.” 27Moses and Aaron were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

The Lord wanted the exodus performed orderly, by their divisions, by their tribes. 

If you think about it, it’s a great plan because the tribes had been tasked with certain duties as assigned later by the Lord and Moses.

Can you imagine two million people traveling without order, without being divided by their divisions?

It would be utter chaos! 

The Lord brings order to our lives.

Is He Lord over you?

Blessings, David 

Exodus 6:14-25 Your Clans!

14These were the heads of their fathers’ houses:

The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.

15The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clans of Simeon.

16These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.

17The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, by their clans.

18The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.

19The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.

These were the clans of the Levites according to their records.

20And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

21The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

22The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

23And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon. She bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

24The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the clans of the Korahites.

25Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas.

These were the heads of the Levite families by their clans.

I don’t know about you but when I read the names of clans (descendants), I immediately think, blah blah blah.......

BUT it is important to know the clans (descendants) of Aaron because his line became the priesthood in Numbers and it’s was important for his sons to know their lineage.

I know my clans (descendants) back to my fifth great grandfather. My fourth great grandfather fought in the American Revolution and if I wanted to I could join the “Sons of the American Revolution” because I have written proof of my clans (descendants).

Do you know your clans (descendants)? If not remember who your Father is, HE adopted you the moment you accepted His Son, Jesus Christ!

Ephesians 1:5 NLT God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Blessings, from your brother in Christ!

Exodus 6:10-13 Endurance to try, try again!

10So the LORD said to Moses, 11“Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his land.”

12But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?”

13Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.

“since I am unskilled in speech?” Other versions say, “for I am of uncircumcised lips?”

“That inability was now born of a sense, not as before of his lack of eloquence, but of his uncleanness.” (Morgan)

So which version is it, lack of eloquence (unskilled in speech) or uncleanness (uncircumcised lips)?

I don’t know, I guess we will have to ask Moses when we meet him.

Gave them a charge, a command. God was building endurance in Moses just like He needs to do with us. 

Remember the old motto, at first if you don’t succeed, try, try again. Originally a maxim used to encourage American schoolchildren to do their homework. Thomas H. Palmer (1782-1861)

Actually it was a poem.

Try Try Again

by T. H. Palmer

'Tis a lesson you should heed,

If at first you don't succeed,

Try, try again; 

Then your courage should appear,

For if you will persevere,

You will conquer, never fear

Try, try again;

Once or twice, though you should fail,

If you would at last prevail,

Try, try again; 

If we strive, 'tis no disgrace

Though we do not win the race;

What should you do in the case?

Try, try again

If you find your task is hard,

Time will bring you your reward,

Try, try again 

All that other folks can do,

Why, with patience, should not you?

Only keep this rule in view:

Try, try again.

It would seem Moses wasn’t the only one with this problem, all of us have it. 

God knew it and this is why He was building endurance in Moses.

How is He building endurance in you?

Endurance to try, try again!

Blessings, David 

Exodus 6:9 Broken Spirit

9Moses relayed this message to the Israelites, but on account of their broken spirit and cruel bondage, they did not listen to him.

I remember one time my spirit was broken and someone I didn’t know walked up to me at church and said the Lord spoke to him concerning me. He said that everything was going to be ok and my spirit will be restored.

They (Israelites) did not listen to him. 

In my case it had the opposite effect, It had a wow factor, I was still down but the message gave me hope.

Maybe the difference was the messenger? .... the Israelites knew Moses but I didn’t know this person?

Has the Lord spoken to you about someone, to give them a message of hope?

If so did you follow through? Just maybe, you were their last hope!

I still think about the time we were eating lunch and we saw a homeless man walking down the street. Our son asked if we could buy the homeless man lunch. We did and then drove down the street to find him. Our son went to hand it to him and he yelled NO!

I said to our son, don’t worry we will find someone else. We drove down the street and turn a corner when my wife yelled, stop!

I pulled into the parking lot and it was like a scene from the Good Samaritan! 

A woman was sitting on the curb, beaten to a pulp and everyone was just stepping around her and staring as they walked by. My wife said, let me handle this, wait in the car. She got out and knelt down and started talking with the woman, offered her assistance, prayed with her and giver her a meal. 

There are times the Lord speaks to us and we hear him in our heart but we don’t act on it because we are afraid of what others might think.

In this case our son heard the Lord and He used a homeless man to send us to a woman in need, a woman who needed to hear His message of hope.

Do you listen to Him? 

Blessings, David 

Exodus 6:6-8 A great deliverance!

6Therefore tell the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7I will take you as My own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8And I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD!’”

Look at all the promises, all the “I will”....

I will bring you out from under the yoke

I will deliver you from their bondage 

I will redeem you with an outstretched arm

I will take you as My own people 

I will be your God!

I will bring you into the land

I will give it to you as a possession 

“Each of these verbs are in the Hebrew past (i.e., perfect) tense instead of the future tense, for so certain was God of their accomplishment that they were viewed as having been completed.” (Kaiser)

“A great deliverance; but nothing to that which Christ hath wrought for us from the tyranny of sin and terror of hell.” (Trapp)

A great deliverance!

Jesus promises us a great deliverance from the tyranny of sin and the terror of hell!

Have you accepted His great deliverance (salvation)?

Blessings, David 

Exodus 6:1-5 I am the LORD.

1But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for because of My mighty hand he will let them go; because of My strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

2God also told Moses, “I am the LORD. 3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty,a but I did not reveal Myself to them by My name, ‘the LORD.’ 4I also established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land where they lived as foreigners. 5Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant.

“because of My strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

“This was the divine declaration made in answer to the statement of human difficulty… Everything began with a solemn charge to Moses. It is first and answer to the complaint which God’s servant uttered in His presence. It was a message of divine self-assertion and, therefore, necessarily a message of grace.” (Morgan)

““I am the LORD.”

“When all human help has failed, and the soul, exhausted and despairing, has given up hope from man, God draws near, and says, I AM.” (Meyer)

“Furthermore....I have remembered My covenant.”

I will keep...

I am well aware....

From different translations we see remembered, keep and aware. 

It doesn’t mean He forgot, we need to remember that His timing is not our timing!

When our world is broken and all human help has failed, and your soul is exhausted and despairing, draw near to the LORD and lay your head in His hands. He will comfort you and give you rest!

Blessings, David 

Exodus 5:22-23 He died to his self-esteem!

22So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me? 23Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.”

Our attention span is low!

Moses forgot....

What did the Lord say?

Exodus 4:21The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

22Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son, 23and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But you have refused to let him go, so I will kill your firstborn son!’”

“Happy is the man who when he cannot understand the divine movement and, indeed, doubts it has yet faith enough in God Himself to tell Him all his doubt. Those who face men, having the right to say to them, ‘Thus saith Jehovah’ have also the right to return to Jehovah and state the difficulties, and expose openly their own doubts and fears.” (Morgan)

“The agony of soul through which Moses passed must have been as death to him. He died to his self-esteem, to his castle-building, to pride in his miracles, to the enthusiasm of his people, to everything that a popular leader loves. As he lay there on the ground alone before God, wishing himself back in Midian, and thinking himself hardly used, he was falling as a grain of wheat into the ground to die, no longer to abide alone, but to bear much fruit.” (Meyer)

This is exactly where God wants us!

Have you died to your self-esteem? “...no longer to abide alone, but to bear much fruit.”

Blessings, David 

Exodus 5:19-21 The deep hole in the sidewalk!

19The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.” 20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.

21“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

God had a plan, Moses knew the plan and everything was going according to plan.

The Israelis couldnt handle freedom if God Himself released them. They needed to be prepared, to be hardened for battle so to speak.

Exodus 4:31 and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD had attended to the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.

How quickly they turned from belief to unbelief!

How are we any different? When we are being sifted like wheat do we praise God and say to Satan, thanks for sifting me? I needed that, sift me some more!

Let’s face it, we hate change! We gladly walk the path of affliction, addiction and slavery because we become comfortable in our hole in the sidewalk, but when someone wants to free us and lowers down a ladder we lash out like the foreman did!

“I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost... I am helpless.

It isn't my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend I don't see it.

I fall in again.

I can't believe I am in the same place.

But, it isn't my fault.

It still takes me a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in. It's a habit.

My eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault. I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

I walk down another street.”

―Portia Nelson

Are you lost, helpless or a slave to hurts, hang ups or habits?

Blessings, David 

Exodus 5:15-18 Slackers!

15So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? 16No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

17“You are slackers,” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ 18Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”

Slacker and Lazy are translated as similar in meaning.

Proverbs 10:26 BSB Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the slacker to those who send him.

Proverbs 13:4 BSB The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.

Romans 12:11 GNT Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion. 

Romans 12:11 ISV  Never be lazy in showing such devotion. Be on fire with the Spirit. Serve the Lord.

This verse caught my eye and I had a difficult time locating the version. It’s interesting how different translations affect the reader. I often use BSB because I’m a technically oriented person and it’s said BSB is the most up to date and correctly translated version. 

But when studying the Bible it’s good to look at the same verse in all translations and see where the Spirit leads.

I have to admit I’ve been lazy in serving the Lord other than writing and sharing my devotional. I got burned out serving at my church on the Serve Team, Security Team, Stage Design Team and Nursery. The Nursery was the heaviest load as I couldn’t attend service very often and wasn’t able to attend worship in over a year.

I’m recuperating, refilling my fuel tank and I am led to work with the Stage Design Team when the need arises.

Are you lazy in serving the Lord?

Blessings, David 

Exodus 5:6-14 Gather their own straw!

6That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen: 7“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw. 8But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”

10So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw. 11Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”

12So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”

14Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”

“Bricks of all sorts have been found in Egypt, some with regularly chopped straw, some with rough roots and oddments, some without straw at all.” (Cole)

“Things commonly go backward with the saints before they come forward, so the corn growth downward ere it grow upward.” (Trapp)

Freedom from slavery is not an easy thing, the taskmasters and slave owners like the free labor and the slaves want to be freed from forced labor.

The Lords chosen people will groan heavily before their freedom is granted.

Saints, are you groaning while laboring for the Lord?

Blessings, David 

Exodus 5:1-5 Who is the Lord?

1After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”

2But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”

3“The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”

4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your work!” 5Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.”

‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” 

A simple request 

Exodus 3:18The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ 

Was pharaoh a god?

An inscription by a Pharaoh on an ancient Egyptian temple, “I am that which was, and is, and shall be, and no man has lifted my veil.” (Meyer)

The pharaoh knew the many gods of Egypt but...

“Who is the LORD”? 

The pharaoh didn’t know the Lord so he didn’t honor the simple and appealing request. Thus began the hardening of his heart, his response, get back to your work!

Who is the Lord to you?

Blessings, David 

Exodus 4:27-31 Aaron, Anxiety and Pain!

27Meanwhile, the LORD had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28And Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and all the signs He had commanded him to perform.

29Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites, 30and Aaron relayed everything that the LORD had said to Moses.

And Moses performed the signs before the people, 31and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD had attended to the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.

I don’t know why but every time I read about Moses and signs I think of that stupid song by Five Man Electrical Band, “Signs”.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign....LOL

“Aaron, who came to meet Moses, could speak well; but he was a weak man, whose alliance with Moses caused his nobler younger brother much anxiety and pain.” (Meyer)

13But Moses replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else.”

14Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well,...

The Bible doesn’t say this but maybe the Lord gave Aaron to Moses for two reasons,

he (Aaron) speaks well and he would be a source of much anxiety and pain!

Be careful of what you wish for!

I recall praying and asking the Lord for patience..... Can you guess what happened?

Blessings, David