Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, but he found that once they were in the wilderness, it wasn’t so easy to take Egypt out of the Israelites. Even with the many miracles and signs the people had witnessed, they still wanted to return to a life of slavery with every hardship they encountered. If the Israelites were to be the Lord’s chosen people, this could not be.
“Holiness to the Lord” Read More »
How did Moses prepare the Israelites to make covenants with the Lord? We read in Exodus 25 that God gave commandments to His people to help them be ready for greater covenant blessings when He would “dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Even though the Israelites struggled to keep these commandments, they were eventually blessed as they remained true to the Lord. We will also receive all promised blessings as we live our lives in faithfulness.
“All that the Lord Hath Spoken We Will Do” Read More »
Following the 10 Plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea, you would think that the Israelites were in a powerful place spiritually. They had seen incredible miracles and had sure witnesses that the Lord was with them. Yet, upon facing a shortage of food and water, the people were willing to abandon everything God had done for them and return to slavery: “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt… when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness” (Exodus 16:3).
“Stand Still, and See the Salvation of the Lord” Read More »
Pharaoh resisted the call of the Lord’s prophet to let the Israelite’s leave Egypt. Signs were given as evidence of the Lord’s willingness to do whatever was necessary to free His people. The consequences of not following the prophet were very real.
“Remember This Day, in Which Ye Came Out from Egypt” Read More »
We have already read several references to Jesus Christ’s atonement and resurrection in the Old Testament: the Flood that cleansed the world of wickedness, Abraham’s sacrifice of his son, and Joseph saving his family from the famine, just to name a few. These stories help us understand that the world has been readying for the Savior’s mortal ministry thousands of years before He would be born. It all leads to Him.
“He will swallow up death in victory” Read More »
Moses grew from a helpless Hebrew infant to Egyptian royalty. Yet that wasn’t where God needed him. As a refugee, Moses was called to be the most significant prophet of the Old Testament. Through Moses, the Lord redeemed His people, established His covenant, and reminded the world that God will not forget those who follow Him.
“I Have Remembered My Covenant” Read More »
Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers did not come after they had paid restitution or offered an apology. He forgave them the moment he realized they had changed from their jealous ways when they offered themselves in place of Benjamin for punishment. How overwhelming it must have been for Joseph to see such love amongst his brothers. His forgiveness came with no strings attached: “be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves” (Genesis 45:5).
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In every moment of Joseph’s story, God was with him. From his brothers’ betrayal and serving Potiphar, to a friend of Pharaoh and the savior of his family, at no time was Joseph forgotten by God. Through the good and the bad, he trusted that God knew who he was and had faith that everything would be all right.
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Abraham’s posterity was promised many blessings of eternal significance, but that didn’t mean everything would be perfect. His grandsons, Jacob and Esau, fought over who should inherit their father’s birthright. Relatives lied to and tricked each other. The prophet’s very own family was dysfunctional, yet that didn’t stop those who were righteous from striving to follow Jesus Christ.
Abraham and Sarah had a lot to worry about. From infertility and famine to war and the safety of their family, it could have been easy to forget their covenants while focusing on their daily concerns. Yet they showed faith by putting the Lord first each day. As a result of keeping their covenants, they knew the Lord would help them throughout their lives. As Abraham told his son, Isaac, “God will provide” (Genesis 22:8). We should follow Abraham’s example of faith and always put the Lord first.
“Is Any Thing Too Hard for the Lord?” Read More »