Pastor Billington's Blog

Exodus 8

How do you show the difference between miracles and magic? You do something magic can’t duplicate, and you make it do something completely unnatural: “I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen.”

Pharoah does what so many do. He’s willing to lie to get concessions, but then he goes back on his promise. Does he harden his heart, or does God, or is it a combination of both? We know that God does (7:3), and it states here repeatedly that Pharoah does. It could be that Pharoah hardened his heart, and God in His sovereignty allowed it, effectively hardening Pharoah’s heart. But it seems to be more than that:

Romans 9:17-18 (WEB) “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.”

Pharoah was a petulant king. I’m sure that he hardened his own heart. But, when he was wavering, God hardened his heart for him. After all, God had a purpose behind it all!

Thought for the day: Unlike Pharoah, we should make sure that we are truthful and honest in our dealings.

Matthew 5:37 (WEB) “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.”

Exodus 7

Exodus 7:5 (WEB)“The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring the children of Israel out from amongst them.“

Perhaps we should understand this to mean ‘the one and only Lord.’ After all, one of the points of God’s miraculous acts was to prove His sovereignty.

Exodus 12:12 (WEB)“I will execute judgements against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.”

The Nile was supposed to be the bloodstream of Osiris. Apis was depicted as a sacred bull. Sekhmet was the goddess of medicine. Nut was the sky goddess; Set, the storm god; and Ra was the sun god. It’s possible that, by each of the plagues, God is showing His power and authority over specific realms that the Egyptians had assigned to different gods. That would also explain why God hardens Pharaoh’s heart (7:3). He has a point to prove!

Thought for the day: The Egyptian priests were able to mimic some of the signs. That should be a reminder to us that we need to be discerning about what we believe and who we listen to.

Matthew 24:24 (WEB) “For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.”

Exodus 6

This comes right after Moses cries out to God to find out why his people are experiencing so much trouble. God uses the opportunity to remind Moses that He is “I am,” He is “Lord,” and that He is “God Almighty.” He is sovereign, He is Savior, and He is eternal and all-powerful. He has a plan, and Moses is supposed to be His prophet. Moses still balks however, and God reminds him that Aaron will be his mouthpiece. The genealogy shows how Moses and Aaron are in the lineage of the promise, as well as foreshadowing the future priestly line.

Exodus 6:26-27 (WEB) “These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, ‘Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.’ These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron.”

Thought for the day: Sometimes we need a reminder of who God is in order to fully trust Him.

Job 42:1-6 (WEB) “Then Job answered the LORD: ‘I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained. You asked, “Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?” therefore I have uttered that which I didn’t understand, things too wonderful for me, which I didn’t know. You said, “Listen, now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.” I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’ “

Exodus 5

How quickly the people go from worship (4:31), to fear and anger. They were just told that God had remembered them. It’s quite likely that Moses revealed (through Aaron) that God was going to deliver them from bondage. They were probably excited about the chance to worship God, but they instead received additional work and were accused of laziness. They get upset with Moses, and Moses gets upset with God!

The key word here is expectations. We get into trouble when we expect things to happen, or things to happen in a particular way, and then they don’t. It can make us angry! But things happen, good and bad, and God uses all those things to work in our lives. And His promises always come to pass, but not necessarily according to our timing.

Thought for the day: When things don’t go the way we want, do we get mad, or do we trust?

Isaiah 55:8 (WEB) ” ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,’ says the LORD.”

Exodus 4

Was it surprising that Moses was reluctant to serve God, even after God showed him miraculous deeds. God even got angry with him! I find it interesting that, as time goes on, Moses seems to end up speaking for himself. I think this happens a lot. Once we get over our own individual reluctance to serve, we become more comfortable as time goes on. Sometimes it just takes that first step of faith.

Some people still find circumcision to be distasteful and horrid. When God gave it to his people it was to physically show that they were different from the other nations and to mark them as his special people. It was also a sign of obedience and devotion. It was supposed to remind them that their hearts were to be as committed to God as their bodies! Physical or outward signs of our devotion to God are only good if they are accurate. They need to be a representation of hearts that are wholly devoted to God and that want to serve Him.

Romans 2:28-29 (WEB) “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.”

“The people believed…” After those signs, who wouldn’t! But that doesn’t mean smooth sailing. There are still rough patches ahead for both the people and Moses.

Thought for the day: Serving God is a day-by-day commitment. It requires diligence, devotion, and dedication.

Matthew 16:24 (WEB) “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.’ “

Exodus 3

God has not forgotten His people, and Moses is a big part of His plans for them. Moses is concerned. Why would Pharoah listen to him? Why would the Israelites listen to him? How should he reveal who God is to them? God says, “I AM WHO I AM.” It could mean one or, more likely, all of the following: 1) that He is self-existent (He was not created), 2) that He is the creator and sustainer of all that exists, 3) that He is the same “yesterday, today, and forever” (which means that His character doesn’t ever change), or 4) that He is eternal.

What is amazing is that Jesus identifies Himself in the same way: “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM” (John 8:58, WEB). After that declaration, the religious leaders immediately try to stone Him! Why? Because they understood what He was saying – He was making Himself God. And this is one of the reasons why we believe that God is triune, or three in one: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Thought for the day: If we are ever concerned about our ability to serve God, we should remember that the creator and sustainer of the universe who is all powerful, eternal, and doesn’t change, is working for us and in us!

Philippians 2:13 (WEB) “For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Exodus 2

“God remembered” is just another way of saying that God works according to His timing! Don’t forget that God is never caught by surprise.

Genesis 15:13-16 (WEB) “He said to Abram, ‘Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years. I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth; but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.’ “

Look at the bravery of Moses’ family here. They find a way to hide him, they put him by the riverbank, and his sister watches over him. Were they just being caring, or was there more to it? Did they understand that God had a plan for him?

Acts 7:20 (WEB) “At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome to God. He was nourished three months in his father’s house.”

Their faith and love are rewarded. Pharoah’s daughter finds him, raises him, and his mother ends up being his nurse. However, he is still a Hebrew, and his defense of one of his brethren ends up with him committing murder. Pharoah ends up hearing about it, and he has to run for his life. While in Midian he protects some young women at a waterhole and ends up marrying one of them and having a family!

Thought for the day: Pharoah’s fear and racism led to this, but Moses plays right into his hand. I can just hear the accusations: “The Hebrew’s are dangerous! I even raised one and he turned into a monster!” We may want to defend Moses for protecting his countryman, but there’s a difference between protection and murder. And his own brethren don’t see him as one of them because he was raised in Pharoah’s household. How often do we allow our own prejudices to affect our thoughts and behavior?

1 Samuel 16:7 (WEB) “But the LORD said to Samuel…’for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’ “

Exodus 1

Exodus means “to go out,” and is the record of Israel escaping from Egypt. I say escaping because “there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph” (WEB). He worried about the Israelites increasing in number and it being a possible safety concern if the nation of Egypt was ever attacked. He made them slaves and worked them mercilessly, but they still became stronger and multiplied. The king then instructed the midwives to kill the sons as they were being born to the Hebrew mothers, but the midwives didn’t. They protected themselves by claiming that the children were born before they could get there. Ultimately the king decreed that any male child born was to be thrown into the river and drowned.

Thought for the day: “But the midwives feared God, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive” (Exodus 1:17, WEB). They understood that life is precious, and that children are to be protected. Do we?

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (WEB) “There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. Because of these abominations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you.”