Bible Pathways 01/20/2002
January 20
Read Exodus 8 -- 10
In Today's Reading:
With frogs everywhere, including his bed, the stubborn Pharaoh told Moses to wait until tomorrow to remove them (8:10). The plagues grew in severity, setting the stage for God's "GrandFinale." Today's reading completes the nine plagues -- can you name them?
Verse for Today:
Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away: entreat for me (Exodus 8:28).
Highlights:
Plagues of frogs, lice, flies, death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness.
Egypt was the most powerful kingdom on earth at the time the Israelites were in bondage. Her idols and gods were considered equally powerful. Consequently, when Moses requested that the Israelites be permitted to worship the One True God, it was taken as an insult to Pharaoh, who was considered one of their gods.
Pharaoh did not refuse Moses' request to let the people worship Jehovah God, but he disagreed with the way they should worship. He wanted them to compromise what God had told them to do.
Pharaoh's three efforts to cause Moses to compromise the Word of God illustrate why some people today experience spiritual defeat.
First: Sacrifice to your God in the land (Exodus 8:25). Worship your God, but do not leave Egypt; be one of us. Some Christians are tempted to become involved in worldly activities and fail to live a separated life. This is typical of some who think they can accept Jesus as their Savior and thereby escape hell, but who have no intention of forsaking their sins.
Second: You shall not go very far (8:28). Satan tempts some to not get too involved in serving the Lord. Lukewarm Christians want to worship God, but on their own terms, and to avoid any service for Christ that conflicts with their own personal lives. They pride themselves on being broad-minded and cooperate with the world.
Third: Go . . . only let your flocks and your herds remain here (10:24). Today the secular crowd, influenced by Satan, seeks to deceive us into believing that we must keep our convictions separate from our work, our schools, and our government affairs. Being faithfully involved in your Church or giving your tithe to the Lord sets you apart from your daily associations.
In contrast, Daniel, the young Hebrew prince, and his friends would not defile themselves by eating the king's food, nor drinking the king's wines (Daniel 1:8). They remained faithful to God in their captivity, even when it was reported to the king: They serve not your gods, nor worship the golden image (3:12). They faced death in a fiery furnace (3:21); but they let the world know there is but one God to worship.
When men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).
A Thought from Proverbs: Why will you, my son, be ravished (seduced) with a strange (adulterous) woman? . . . He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray (5:20,23).
Christ Revealed:
As a Light to His people. There was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt . . . but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings (Exodus 10:22-23). Jesus said: I am the Light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness (John 8:12). The Lord will lighten my darkness (2 Samuel 22:29).
Word Studies:
8:8 entreat = pray to; 8:9 Glory over me = The honor is yours to tell me; 8:15 respite = an interval of delay; 8:22 sever = set apart; 8:23 put a division = establish a redemption; 8:24 corrupted = offensive, threatened with ruin; 9:3 grievous murrain = severe pestilence or disease; 9:31 in the ear = ripening; bolled = in the bud; 10:7 snare = endanger.
Prayer Needs:
Government Official: Rep. Shelley Berkley (NV) · Pray for your Church · Country: Panama (3 million) in southern Central America · Major languages: Spanish and English · Limited religious freedom · 78% Roman Catholic; 12% Protestant; 5% Muslim; .1% Eastern Orthodox · Prayer Suggestion: Pray for understanding of His will as you read the Word of God (Psalms 25:5).
Optional Reading: Matthew 20
Memory Verse for the Week: Matthew 5:5
