Saturday, January 26, 2013

Hard Hearts And Stiff Necks


Mo. 1/28/13: Exodus 8:13 – 15                   What did Pharaoh do?
So the Lord did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields. They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
What did Pharaoh do? Pharaoh hardened his heart in better times.
Tu. 1/29/13: Ex. 8:31 – 32                   What did Pharaoh’s servants do?
And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.
What did Pharaoh’s servants do? They followed Pharaoh’s example.
We. 1/30/13: Exodus 10:1 – 2                   What did God do?
Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”
What did God do? God then hardened Pharaoh’s heart with pride.
Th. 1/31/13: 2 Chronicles 36:11 – 13                   What did Zedekiah do?
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel.
What did Zedekiah do? He became stiff necked and hard hearted.
Fr. 2/1/13: 1 John 3:18 – 21                  Why should we love?
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
Why should we love? If we don’t, our soft hearts will condemn us.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Firstborn


Mo. 1/21/13: Exodus 4:22 – 23                  What was God’s word through Moses?
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’
What was God’s word through Moses? “Let my firstborn son go!”
Tu. 1/22/13: Exodus 12:12 – 13                  What was God’s sign?
‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
What was God’s sign?
We. 1/23/13: Exodus 12:29                  What happened at midnight?
And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.
What happened at midnight?
Th. 1/24/13: Hebrews 11:27 – 28                  What was Moses’ belief?
By faith (Moses) forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
What was Moses’ belief? Moses believed that the blood of the lamb would save Israel’s firstborn.
Fr. 1/25/13: Colossians 1:15, 18                  Who is firstborn?
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Who is firstborn? Jesus Christ, over all creation, firstborn from the dead.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Promised Land


Mo. 1/14/13: Exodus 3:6                  Who made the promise?
Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
Who made the promise? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob made the promise.
Tu. 1/15/13: Exodus 3:8                  What was the promise?
So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
What was the promise? Land was promised as an inheritance
We. 1/16/13: Hebrews 11:13, 16                  What happened to the promise?
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
What happened to the promise? The promise was for eternity. We, too, might die in faith.
Th. 1/17/13: Revelation 21:2 – 3                  Will the promise be fulfilled?
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
Will the promise be fulfilled? Heavenly Jerusalem fulfills the promise
Fr. 1/18/13: Revelation 22:5 – 6                  Who was the promise told to?
There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
Who was the promise told to? The promise was to Abraham, etc.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Jacob's history or Joseph's history?


Mo. 1/7/13: Genesis 37:2a, 5 – 7                  Could Jacob’s history begin with Joseph?
This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers… Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
Could Jacob’s history begin with Joseph? Yes, the son would save the line.
Tu. 1/8/13: Genesis 45:2 – 3                  Why did Joseph wail?
And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
Why did Joseph wail? Joseph could not contain himself any longer.
We. 1/9/13: Genesis 45:5 – 6                  What was Joseph’s revelation?
But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
What was Joseph’s revelation? The famine would last five more years!
Th. 1/10/13: Genesis 45:8                  Did his brothers sell Joseph into slavery?
So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Did his brothers sell Joseph into slavery? Yes, but no: it was God’s plan.
Fr. 1/11/13: Genesis 46:2 – 4                  Did Jacob’s history begin with Joseph?
Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.” So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”
Did Jacob’s history begin with Joseph? God revealed to Jacob that He wanted Jacob in Egypt through Joseph. God would bring Jacob’s (Israel’s) people out of bondage as a nation.