Exodus 19 & 20: Will You Keep God’s Commandments?
Verse of the Day: (20:6) And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
1. Call (19:1-25)
And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; (19:3)
It is not we who first call God, but it is God who first calls us, because He truly loves and cares for us. (Matthew 11:28-30). Time and again, God called Moses and gave him commandments so that he could lead Israel in God’s perfect will. This time, God called Moses and commanded him to tell Israel that if they would obey Him, and tell the rest of the world that He is the one and true and living God, then shall God make them His peculiar treasure and holy nation. Indeed, God shall make us His peculiar treasure and holy people, and bless and keep us with everlasting life with Him in glorious heaven when we believe in and receive Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord. (John 3:16)
2. Commandments (20:1-23)
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. (20:20)
While Moses was at Mount Sinai, God gave him His Ten Commandments that he would teach Israel when he returned to them. The Ten Commandments are still applicable today and they are – (1) Believe in and worship only one God. (2) Do not believe in and worship other gods or idols. (3) Do not take the name of God in vain. (4) Remember the sabbath and keep it holy – today most of us keep Sunday (our rest day) as the sabbath as we attend God’s church and worship Him. (5) God shall bless us with longevity as we honour our parents. (6) Kill not. (7) Do not commit adultery. (8) Steal not. (9) Do not bear false witness. (10) Covet not. Let us therefore obey and fear God and keep His commandments, and He shall bless and keep us, our family and church now and forever!
3. Come (20:24-26)
An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. (20:24)
God shall bless the altar of sacrifice whenever and wherever Israel built it to offer their burnt and peace sacrifices to Him. The altar prophesied the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, who shall be the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Let us come boldly to the throne of God, through Jesus Christ, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in all our troubles and trials. (Hebrews 4:16)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to obey and fear You and keep Your commandments.
Exodus 17 & 18: Will You Rejoice In God’s Goodness?
Verse of the Day: (18:9) And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
1. Rock (17:1-16)
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. (17:6)
God can do anything and everything except fail! Though time and again, Israel murmured and complained against Moses, yet God in His goodness always provide for them, and this time, He provided water for them from the rock. When Amalek, Israel’s enemy, attacked them, God gave them victory over Amalek only when Moses held his hand with His rod. However, when Moses let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. Subsequently, Aaron and Hur went to Moses, their leader, and each kept holding one of his hands, until God gave them the final victory. Like Aaron and Hur, let us be supportive of our leaders by praying for them, and helping them, so that God’s work be victoriously accomplished!
2. Rejoice (18:1-12)
Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. (18:11)
Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, believed that the God of Moses and Israel was the one and true God, and he rejoiced in God’s goodness after he heard from Moses all that God had done for Israel in delivering them out of the Egyptians. Indeed, let us trust God and rejoice in His goodness, as He shall deliver us from all our troubles and trials, and one day, He shall deliver us from fiery hell and promote us to glorious heaven.
3. Ruler (18:13-27)
Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: (18:21)
The most important criterion of a leader or ruler is to fear God or to do what is right and honest before God. When Jethro saw Moses spending all his time and energy alone teaching and ruling Israel, he advised him to choose rulers to assist him. The criteria for these rulers were that they must fear God and be men of truth who hated covetousness. Moses listened to Jethro, and chose his rulers and delegated them to teach and rule Israel - some led thousands, others hundreds, others fifties, and others tens. Only the difficult issues did Moses handle them while the routine issues were handled by his rulers. Indeed, there is nothing new under the sun, as everything, including leadership and management theories, such as delegation and empowerment, came from God’s holy Word, the Bible.
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to fully trust You, and rejoice in Your goodness.
Exodus 15 & 16: Will You Sing To The Lord?
Verse of the Day: (15:1) Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
1. Sing (15:1-21)
The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. (15:2)
Singing to God and giving thanks to Him is a wonderful expression of our love and worship to Him, for who He is, and what He has done for us. Moses and the people of Israel sang and gave thanks to God for His great deliverance of them from the Egyptians as He miraculously opened the deep Red sea for them to cross dry, and then closed it and drown the Egyptians and their chariots and horses while they crossed it. Indeed, God is our strength and song, as we believe and trust in Him, and everything including “bad” things like death, work for our good - as death is absent from our physical bodies, but our precious souls are present with God in His home in glorious heaven. (2 Corinthians 5:8).
2. Sweet (15:22-27)
And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them. (15:25)
God can do anything and everything including making bitter things sweet. God provided the people of Israel with water but it was bitter, and the people complained against Moses. Moses cried to God, and God answered him and commanded him to cast a tree into the water and miraculously the bitter water became sweet. Indeed, God shall provide all our needs according to His riches in glory as we fully trust and obey Him. (Philippians 4:19)
3. Sabbath (16:1-36)
And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD; bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. (16:23)
God always provide for His people, but it is on a daily basis, so that we shall not take Him for granted. God provided for the children of Israel with everything including water and the best food from heaven – manna - as they travelled for forty years in the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land. God taught them to trust Him daily for their manna as He only provided for them daily. On the sixth day, God commanded them to collect twice as much for the seventh or sabbath day which He shall not provide as it was the day of rest. Indeed, let us pray to God to give us daily our provision. (Luke 11:3)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to sing to You and give thanks to You for everything.
Exodus 13 & 14: Will You Stand Still?
Verse of the Day: (14:13) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
1. Sanctify (13:1-22)
Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. (13:2)
God commanded Moses to sanctify the firstborn of both men and beasts for His service, as they were spared from death, while all the firstborn of the Egyptians were killed because of their disobedience. However, even after the death of his firstborn, Pharaoh continued to harden his heart, and refused to repent, and even went on to lead his army to pursue and kill the Hebrews whom they had freed earlier. However, God was with the Hebrews as a pillar of cloud by day to lead them the way, and a pillar of fire by night to give them light. Indeed, God is always with His people because He truly loves them.
2. Stand (14:1-14)
And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. (14:22)
God will make a way when there seems no way. Moses and the Hebrews were desperately trapped as in front of them was the Red sea, while behind them were the pursuing Egyptians. The Hebrews began to cry out to God, and then blamed Moses, their leader, that he was the one who had led them into this mess, and that they shall surely die in the wilderness as if there was no grave in Egypt. They regretted following Moses, and wished that they were back in Egypt serving the Egyptians. However, by faith, Moses commanded Israel to fear not, and stand still, and see the salvation of God upon them. God then promised Moses that He shall open the Red sea when he lift up his rod, and stretch out his hand over it. Indeed as Moses stretched out his hand, God opened the Red sea by a strong east wind all that night, and Israel miraculously crossed it to the other side as if it was dry land, while witnessing the wall of waters on both sides of their way.
3. Save (14:15-31)
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. (14:30)
God miraculously saved Israel because of His everlasting mercy and amazing grace as well as the faith of Moses and Israel. (Hebrews 11:29). However, God destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians as He closed the Red sea and drowned them because they rebelled and rejected Him. On that day, Israel feared God, and believed in Him, as well as his servant Moses, and knew that their God, the God of Israel, was indeed the one and true God.
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to stand still and fully trust and obey You.
Exodus 11 & 12: Will The Lord Pass Over You?
Verse of the Day: (12:13) And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
1. Pharaoh (11:1-10)
And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. (11:1)
God told Moses that Pharaoh shall finally thrust the Hebrews out of Egypt when He sent the last plague, the tenth plague, which was the death of every firstborn of the Egyptians including their beasts. Indeed, the God of the Hebrews is the one and only true God.
2. Pass (12:1-20)
And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s passover. (12:11)
God commanded the Hebrews through Moses that on the tenth day of the first month of the year that they shall take a male lamb without blemish for each family, and shall keep it until the evening of the fourteenth day when they shall kill the lamb and sprinkled the blood of the lamb on the two side posts and the upper doorposts of the house. God shall then pass over all the houses of the Hebrews that had the blood of the lamb on them, while He slayed all the firstborns of the Egyptians and their beasts whose houses had no blood of the lamb on them. This great deliverance when God passed over the Hebrews and spared their firstborns was known as the LORD’s passover. Today, the Jews celebrate the LORD’s passover as a festival for seven days with a feast of unleavened bread thanking God for His great deliverance. Indeed, Moses and the Hebrews, by faith kept the passover, shed the blood of the lamb and sprinkled it on the doorposts of their houses signifying their belief in the great prophesy that one day, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, shall die on the cruel cross and shed His precious blood for the sins of the whole world. Indeed, whoever therefore believes in Jesus shall never perish in fiery hell, but have everlasting life with Him in glorious heaven. (Hebrews 11:28).
3. Promise (12:21-51)
And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. (12:25)
God delivers what He promises. At midnight, when God slayed all the firstborn of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, Pharaoh finally commanded Moses and Aaron to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt, and eventually to the Promised land, so that they could serve their God. Pharaoh realised that the God of Hebrews was indeed the one and only true God.
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that You pass over me, and grant me salvation in Christ.
Exodus 9 & 10: Will You Humble Before God?
Verse of the Day: (10:3) And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
1. Hebrews (9:1-35)
Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. (9:1)
Pharaoh never believed and trusted in the God of the Hebrews as time and again he hardened his heart, and refused to let the Hebrews go. God then sent the fifth plague, which was a grievous murrain that caused the death of all the cattle of the Egyptians, while the cattle of the Hebrews survived the murrain. Pharaoh again hardened his heart, and God sent the sixth plague, which was boils upon man and beast, throughout Egypt. This time Pharaoh was physically hurt as the boils were upon him and the Egyptians, while there was no boil upon the Hebrews. Again Pharaoh hardened his heart and God sent the seventh plague, which was thunder and hail throughout Egypt, while there was no thunder and hail in the land of Goshen where the Hebrews stayed. Indeed, God always protects and preserves His people and those who trust in Him. Let us therefore keep trusting God as He shall protect and preserve us on earth and in heaven now and forever.
2. Humble (10:1-20)
And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD. (10:2)
God told Moses that His ten plagues, that were sent to humble Pharaoh and the Egyptians, was to tell the whole world, and in particular, the Hebrews, throughout the ages to come, that their God, the God of the Hebrews, is indeed the true and living God. As God explained to Moses, Pharaoh again hardened his heart, and God then sent the eight plague, which were swarms of locusts, to destroy all the vegetation throughout Egypt. Pharaoh then pleaded with Moses that he had sinned against God, and he would release the Hebrews provided God removed the locusts from Egypt. God removed the locusts, but Pharaoh did not keep his promise, and God sent the ninth plague, which was complete darkness, throughout Egypt, and the only light was in the land where the Hebrews stayed.
3. Harden (10:21-29)
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. (10:27)
It was not that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, but that God allowed Pharaoh to choose to harden his heart. Though God’s desire was for Pharaoh to humble his heart, yet He allowed him to have choices, and he chose to harden his heart and sinned against Him.
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to humble before You, and to love and serve You.
Exodus 7 & 8: Will You Let Go?
Verse of the Day: (7:14) And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.
1. Go (7:1-25)
And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. (7:16)
Though God appointed Moses to be His representative, and Aaron, His spokesman, to command Pharaoh to let the Hebrews depart from Egypt and possess the land of Canaan, yet He knew that Pharaoh had hardened his heart to rebel against Him. However, all things worked together in God’s purpose as He punished Pharaoh and the Egyptians with ten deadly plagues before they finally let the Hebrews depart from Egypt. God sent the first plague by turning all the waters of Egypt to blood causing widespread death of all fishes and creatures in the waters, and making the Egyptians unable to drink their waters.
2. God (8:1-19)
Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. (8:19)
Even with the first plague destroying the waters of Egypt, Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let the Hebrews depart from Egypt. God then punished Egypt with the second plague by sending multitudes of frogs to Egypt. Pharaoh then pleaded with Moses that he would let go the Hebrews provided God stopped the plague. However, Pharaoh lied to Moses, and did not keep his words. God then punished Egypt with the third plague by sending multitude of lice. The magicians by this time knew that the plagues were from the finger of God, and there was absolutely nothing they could do to stop these deadly plagues.
3. Goshen (8:20-32)
And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. (8:22)
However, Pharaoh again hardened his heart, and God then punished Egypt with the fourth plague by sending swarms of flies to Egypt. However, God loved and protected the Hebrews as there was no swarm of flies in Goshen, the place where the Hebrews stayed in Egypt. Again, Pharaoh promised Moses that he would let the Hebrews go provided God removed the flies from Egypt. Again, Pharaoh lied and did not keep his words. Finally, God severely punished Pharaoh for his unbelief, and Pharaoh eventually let the Hebrews depart from Egypt. Let us let go everything and everyone in our lives, and let God be in full control of our lives knowing that He is indeed the living and loving God.
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to let go, and let You take full control of my life.
Exodus 5 & 6: Who Is The LORD?
Verse of the Day: (5:2) And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
1. LORD (5:1-23)
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. (5:1)
Instead of agreeing with Moses and Aaron to let the people of Israel go and hold a feast in the wilderness, Pharaoh hardened his heart and ordered his taskmasters to oppress them even more by not giving them straws to make bricks for their building works. The people of Israel then blamed Moses and Aaron for making their lives worse after they had approached Pharaoh to let the people go. Indeed, until God opened the spiritual eyes of Pharaoh, he would never know and believe the LORD, the Creator and Maker of the entire universe, including mankind, because of his sins and pride. However, God was testing the faith of Moses, Aaron and the people of Israel, that through all the sufferings would they still trust and obey Him, and believed that He is their LORD, the true God.
2. Land (6:1-8)
And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. (6:8)
Though God through Moses time and again reminded the people of Israel that He shall give them the land of Canaan as He had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, yet they refused to believe in Him. However, Moses by faith believe in God and His promises, and he persevered, and eventually God fulfilled His promises. (Hebrews 11:23-29). Indeed, let us persevere in our faith and know that what God promises He shall fulfil.
3. Lips (6:9-30)
And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? (6:12)
Moses cried before God that he was a “nobody” with uncleaned lips, that not only Pharaoh, but even the people of Israel, refused to believe that He was God-sent. In the end, through much fiery storms, the LORD through Moses delivered the people of Israel to the Promised Land. Indeed, like Moses and the people of Israel, time and again, God shall send fiery trials to our lives to test our faith, and sometimes we are delivered from them but sometimes the trials stay with us but let us remember that God is always with us amid our trials until the day He calls us to His glorious home in heaven. (1 Peter 4:12-13).
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that You are my LORD and my Saviour, the true God.
Exodus 3 & 4: Who Am I?
Verse of the Day: (3:11) And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
1. Who (3:1-22)
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (3:14)
When the holy God appeared to Moses at the burning bush - where the bush never really got burnt - and commanded him that he shall be the one delivering the people of Israel out of the bondage of the Egyptians, and bringing them to the Promised Land, Moses’s reply was, Who am I? Moses was shocked as he was a murderer running away from Pharaoh who was after his life for killing an Egyptian, and the last thing he expected from God was that he would be appointed as the deliverer of Israel. Moses was now 80 years old, and he had spent 40 years of his life as the prince of Egypt - a Somebody - and another 40 years as a fugitive - a Nobody - and now God had appointed him to be the deliverer of Israel - God’s body - for the next 40 years, before God took him home to glory at the good old age of 120. (Deuteronomy 34:7). Indeed, God is I AM THAT I AM, and He can do anything and everything for us, and with Him, there is nothing impossible!
2. Words (4:1-17)
And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. (4:15)
Moses confessed to God that he lacked eloquence, and feared most to confront Pharaoh, the powerful king of Egypt. God reprimanded Moses, and then enlisted Aaron, Moses’ brother, who was eloquent, to help him speak to Pharaoh. God assured Moses that He shall be with him and Aaron, and shall give them His words to speak to Pharaoh to release the people of Israel from slavery as well as Egypt so that they shall go and possess the Promised Land. Indeed, we may think that we have not much confidence and skills, but let us fully commit to God, and let Him use us in His works and for His glory.
3. Wonders (4:18-31)
And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand, but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. (4:21)
God knows the end from the beginning – God knows everything! God told Moses and Aaron that even with all the wonders and miracles that He shall perform through them, Pharaoh would continue to harden his heart. However, the day shall come when God shall send the angel of death to destroy the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, then shall Pharaoh beg God for His mercy, and immediately release the people of Israel from Egypt.
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that You are my everything, and without You I am nothing.
Exodus 1 & 2: Will You Fear God?
Verse of the Day: (1:17) But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
1. Fight (1:1-14)
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. (1:10)
Only one life, and so soon it will pass, and only what is done for God shall last forever. Joseph, the Hebrew, died, and soon his great works of saving the world from starvation were forgotten. As the Hebrews began to multiply in numbers in Egypt, the Egyptians saw them as a potential threat to join their enemies to fight against them during wartime, and therefore they began to make them their slaves and clipped their freedom and power.
2. Fear (1:15-22)
And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. (1:21)
As the Hebrews multiplied in number, the new king of Egypt who knew not Joseph, ordered the Hebrew midwives - Shiphrah and Puah - to kill all baby boys born by the Hebrews. However, Shiphrah and Puah feared God than the king of Egypt as they secretly spared the lives of the baby boys, and gave the reason that the Hebrews unlike the Egyptians were quick in delivering their babies way before they came by. Though they lied to the king and God chastised them, yet they feared God, and God subsequently bless them with many children! Indeed, let us fear God than man, as God is our Creator!
3. Flee (2:1-25)
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. (2:15)
What God promises, He delivers. God protected His chosen people, the Hebrews, as He preserved Moses who shall lead the Hebrews out of the bondage of the Egyptians. As Moses’ mother hid baby Moses by putting him on a small ark, and letting it flowed by the river that Pharaoh’s daughter spotted it, and took him to be her adopted son. By God’s providence, Pharaoh’s daughter appointed Moses’ mother as Moses’ nurse. Moses grew up, and was perturbed that his people, the Hebrews, were slaves under the Egyptians. One day, Moses killed an Egyptian who mistreated a Hebrew as he could no longer tolerate the fact that his people were oppressed by the Egyptians. When Moses heard that Pharaoh issued a warrant of arrest for him, he fled to Midian. However, it was during the time in Midian as a fugitive that God humbled and trained him to be the deliverer of the Hebrews!
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to fear You, and not men, as You are the Almighty God.
