Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: moses

  • Looking Back – Chronicles of the Years

    “So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. – 2 Chronicles 15:6 NKJV

    Chronicles is more than just recording the history of the hebrew people. Kings and other historical books of the Bible record the events of a nation. Why would someone write out a history of events which will only be read by generations to come? God knows.

    In Looking Back – Nations in the eyes of the LORD we examined history from the perspective of God. Why would the LORD allow His chosen people to fall into captivity? In fact, the Lord had warned Israel to keep her covenants since the time of Moses. 

    We observed that events predicted by Prophets would be like someone in pre-colonial days accurately predicting the amazing power of the United States today.

    The Lord knows what will happen, revealing future events to Prophets. Surely the Lord holds power over the nations and reveals events impacting His chosen people Israel.

    The Lord had a hand in the fall of Jerusalem many times and also in the rebirth of Israel in the 20th century.

    Two Perspectives – Looking Ahead and Looking Back

    Looking back on the nations by the Lord always comes from an all-knowing perspective of everlasting to everlasting. ‘God only knows,’ would be man’s best expression.

    Human perspectives of mankind measured in years can look ahead in speculation or back in retrospection. The chronicles of years of mortal men record history as it happened or as events take place presently. Some Prophets with longevity like Daniel reveal the future from the Lord, then live to record some fulfillment. Even the Psalmists reveal prophesy from the Lord in songs of present praise or lament.

    Moses chronicles the journey of the Hebrew people to and from slavery in Egypt. Yet the Lord reveals not only the Law through Moses, but also prophesy as Moses records history.

    Do the warnings of Deuteronomy not reveal precisely how Israel would turn away from the Lord? 

    The book of Kings records the history of a United Israel and division into the kings of Judah and kings of Israel. Kings reveals which kings ‘did evil in the sight of the Lord’ or what good they accomplished. It continues with defeats, captivity and restoration in an account nearly parallel to Chronicles.

    So what’s the difference in these two books? (One scroll practically reads like the other.)

    1 & 2 CHRONICLES
    The ACTS of the Old Testament

    I want to attribute the apt description above and following explanation of this historical book [a single scroll in Hebrew] to Dr. J. Vernon McGee.

    WRITER: Probably Ezra. There is a striking resemblance in style and language to the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Evidently Chronicles was written during the Babylonian captivity… probably between 450 and 435 B.C.

    Ezra records events which go back to and before the chart above, again, like you or I might do to record historic events for centuries preceding us. Again, Dr. McGee observes:

    COMMENT: Many treat Chronicles and Kings as if they were “Cabbages and Kings.” Are the Chronicles a duplication of Kings? Although they cover the same ground from Saul to Zedekiah, they are not duplications…

    In Kings, the history of the nation is given from the throne; in Chronicles, it is given from the altar. The palace is the center in Kings; the temple is the center in Chronicles. Kings records the political history; Chronicles records the religious history…

    Kings gives us man’s viewpoint; Chronicles gives us God’s viewpoint (note this well as you read Chronicles; it will surprise you).

    To be continued…

     

  • Times of Difficulty – 4

    Times of Difficulty – 4

    Who will you believe?

    “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

    The Lord commissions the prophet Jeremiah, who must warn nations of their sins against God. Like any true prophet, Jeremiah has nothing to gain by the Lord’s choice to make him a messenger. Who will believe the Lord’s message and messenger?

    Jeremiah 1:

    And the Lord said to me,

    “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

    Generations Earlier

    The Lord saved Noah and his family from a great flood.

    Ark Encounter

    Do you suppose Noah’s neighbors had questions of why this crazy old man was building a huge ark? Yet did any return to the Lord rather than embrace their sins?

    Even today man refuses to believe God would condemn the whole earth, saving only a righteous man. We deny judgment, refuse the warnings of the Lord’s true messengers and dismiss scripture.

    In Times Long Ago

    Egyptians worshiped Pharaoh as a god. The Lord worked mighty miracles by the hand of Moses allowing an enslaved Hebrew people to migrate to Canaan. Powerful middle east princes practiced ritual evil worshiping idols which are no god. 

    Why would such self-serving men as Pharaoh or a middle east prince believe that Moses spoke for the Lord? For that matter, why would this self-serving generation believe that the Lord has spoken to any?

    9th c. B.C.

    1 Kings 18:

    21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

    We prefer to worship gods of our making rather than Almighty God. Mortal man revolts against any authority other than our own.

    7th-6th c. B.C.

    Jeremiah 2:

    5 Thus says the Lord:

    “What wrong did your fathers find in me
    that they went far from me,
    and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?

    6 They did not say,

    ‘Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’

    7 And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things.

    But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.

    8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’

    Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit.

    The rule of righteousness set by the Lord means nothing to men who define their own sin. False prophets and war-like men lead multitudes to lives of destruction and evil. Is anything new under the sun?

    People will believe or disbelieve whatever they want.

    Jesus Messiah

    1st c. A.D.

    Into an era dominated by Rome, a nominal jewish leadership asks their Messiah Jesus to perform more miracles.

    Show us a sign.

    Did first century jews want to bow down to a king any more than we do? Even if Almighty God appears to us in the flesh, will we believe and obey?

    Instead, the Son of Man warns believers to be on guard.

    Jesus is not a King who would conquer land. Neither is He a conquering mortal prince whose claim of the sword comes from God’s angels.

    Jesus IS! He is a King above all kings, Creator of men from dust. And to dust we will return!

    The Lord commands the sea, sun and stars. He IS Creator of men and women who will return to dust, Creator of these souls which live in the bounds of flesh and will be judged in the court of the Almighty King of all creation.

    God is a righteous judge,
    and a God who feels indignation every day. – Psalm 7:11

    Grace for Sinful Man

    The Lord came to man in the flesh and became a willing sacrifice for our sins. In light of the love of God our heavenly Father, in light of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus and in light of the eternal life breathed into the dust of your soul by the Holy Spirit; what is your response to these times of difficulty?

    Who do you believe?

    And what must you do in these last days, hastening times which began on a Cross?

    To be continued…

     

  • The Curse of Disease and Death – 3

    The Curse of Disease and Death – 3

    Moses & Joseph, Two Paths to the Palace

    Joseph suffered prior to his blessing more like Job than Moses. He had no choice in his suffering, except his choice of response. Isn’t that how our suffering most impacts others, by our godly response? Blessed be the Lord!

    In part two of this series about our attitude toward disease and death we examined Moses’ story from Exodus. Unlike Job, Moses chose to leave the riches of the palace of Pharaoh where he was raised. Moses could have followed a royal path which may have made him Pharaoh. He chose instead to identify himself with his people and his God.

    You may be familiar with how Moses came to live with the daughter of Pharaoh to be raised as her son.

    Exodus 1:

    15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him…

    22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

    Moses’ birth story begins in Exodus 2 with a baby protected in an ark of wicker retrieved from the bullrushes by none other than Pharaoh’s own daughter. As stated previously. Moses was raised in a palace only to leave at age forty then return again at age eighty to challenge Pharaoh on behalf of the Lord. Moses would live out the remainder of his 120 years in the wilderness.

    A careful reading of Exodus 2 will reveal that the Hebrews were persecuted by the Egyptians because they were afraid of them, for they had been blessed by the Lord. A look back into Genesis will reveal a much different path to Pharaoh’s palace by a man the Lord used to bless the Hebrew nation in Egypt, Joseph.

    Jacob (Israel) From Canaan to Egypt

    Genesis 37:

    Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan…

    .. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers..

    So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

    18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits…

    26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

    Joseph Sold

    The whole story contains many more exciting details for the reader (or listener). Most of us first heard of Joseph during our childhood instruction in the Bible. As for Joseph, the hopelessness of the situation would seem to be insurmountable, that is, except that the Lord redeems Joseph for His own purpose.

    Death had seemed certain more than once. Even in survival as a slave, Joseph would suffer injustice yet be redeemed by the Lord.

    Genesis 39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there…

    20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.

    Genesis 41:

    After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed.. seven other cows, ugly and thin.. seven ears of grain.. he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

    An official who remembered Joseph’s interpretation of a dream now tells Pharaoh of Joseph. The Lord showed Joseph the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream. (You don’t think you could have guessed from visions of cows eating other cows and random pictures of grain, do you?)

    The Lord brings famine to both Canaan, home of Jacob and Joseph’s brothers. Jacob’s son Joseph prepares Egypt for the same seven years of severe famine ahead and manages stored resources for the people to whom he was sold.

    a 2017 famine FYI

    Mandari fishermen on Nile River in South Sudan

    I mentioned in Part 2 the importance of the 4160 mile long (6670 km) Nile River basin to life in Egypt. (The Jordan river valley was also important to Canaan and the small countries bordering the Jordan to a lesser extent.) Both crops and herds of animals must have both the water and the grain which grows in these fertile areas. Yet when drought comes and the rivers dry up many suffer. Many die, both animals and people die due to lack of water and too little food.

    Did you know:

    UN: World facing greatest humanitarian crisis since 1945

    [ctt title=”Millions suffering in famine and war. Many will die in 2017. Why does the world ignore it?” tweet=”https://ctt.ec/dNle1+” coverup=”dNle1″]

    Humanitarian groups fear this could be just the beginning: a lack of water – blamed partially on the El Nino weather phenomenon – has killed off livestock and crops, leaving 6.2 million people in urgent need of help.

    The greater causes of suffering relate to war, civil war, greed, oil, extremism, religious differences which cause one sect (of several) to oppose other sects to the death (so to speak) and in fact starve them out.

    Is genocide of African terror so different in 21st c. S. Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and so many other shoreline divided rich and poor so different from ancient Pharaohs ordering deaths of opponents?

    [ctt title=”http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-39238808” tweet=”Genocide by starvation and war. The terrors of extreme local and religious hatreds.” coverup=”1UNA2″]

    The Lord Prevails

    Returning to Joseph’s story, let us recall how we do not know or understand the ways of the Lord. Not until the end of the story of Job do we learn that the Lord brings Job double blessing. Job didn’t know why he suddenly suffered. We knew from the beginning that satan was behind Job’s suffering.

    Pharaoh caused the great suffering of the Hebrew people in Moses’ time. The Lord brought suffering to Egypt. Pharaoh opposed the Lord; not as a man, but as if a man or a leader could be a god to his own people suffering though plagues and death.

    A Nero, Hitler or Muhammed murdering innocents is no less opposed to the Lord! Even kings of Israel and kings of Judah “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

    Yet Joseph, a slave in Egypt promoted to the palace, becomes a type of redeemer for the people of the lands he loved. Yes, the lands Joseph loved – both Goshen, a state of Egypt where the Lord would multiply the Hebrew people, and a promised land along the Jordan from which he unwillingly emigrated.

    Forgiveness and Redemption

    Joseph’s story reveals first a reunion of forgiveness with his brothers who sold him into captivity.

    But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. – Genesis 50:19-20

    Joseph’s reply to his brothers from his own position and power:  “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?”[ctt title=” A redeemer does not judge his enemies, but leaves judgment to the Lord.” tweet=”Neither Moses nor Joseph redeemed Israel, but the LORD.” coverup=”367rc”]

    The curse of sin: War, Disease, Famine, Suffering & Death

    From Adam to this very day: many hurt, many suffer, many will die.

    Who is your Redeemer, dear brother, beloved sister – who will redeem you from the enemy of your sin?

    Christ Jesus, He IS! For our Lord shed His Blood of Sacrifice for us while we were yet sinners, enemies of the Lord.

    Like Israel, a man with twelve sons and like a people enslaved by injustice, the Lord has passed over a sinful flesh condemned to die in our sin.

    Christ Jesus IS risen to eternal life and as our Redeemer and Judge the Lord pours over us the Blood of His own righteous and immeasurable outpouring of His own love for our eternal soul.

    Joseph’s brothers eventually bowed down before their brother, humble before the Lord.

    Won’t you bow down before Christ Jesus, loving Lord and Savior of the Hebrews and of the Nations?