Exodus 18

“Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good” (v17). Moses’ limitations were obvious in the battle against Amalek, when he needed Aaron and Hur to hold up his arms (ch 17). Yet, he was still overestimating his strength, serving as the only judge/counselor/spiritual advisor for thousands of people. Jethro told him bluntly that this was “too heavy” a task and it would wear him out (v18). Jethro directed him to delegate authority to trustworthy men who c

Exodus 17

“Why do you test the Lord?” (v2). The Israelites were understandably worried when they camped at Rephidim and found no water nearby. However, their natural thirst and concern quickly turned into grumbling, quarreling, and demanding water from Moses. They had forgotten the power of the God who had sent terrible plagues to make Pharaoh release them and had parted the Red Sea for them to cross. They panicked and attacked Moses: “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill u

Matthew 19:16-30

“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (v21). The young man with “great possessions” was willing to live an upright life and seemed eager to do even more to gain eternal life (v16). Yet he “went away sorrowful” when Jesus asked him to give up his wealth. The rich man wanted to keep his self-security (his wealth) and do good things, but Jesus asked him to surrender his whole life f

Matthew 19:1-15

“Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (v4-5). The Pharisees came to Jesus with a tricky question about the legalities of divorce. But Jesus directed them to “the beginning” – God’s purpose for men and women before sin entered the world. Rather than focus on what was ‘permitted’, Jesus wanted th

Psalm 13

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” (v1). Like many people, the psalmist’s experience of suffering made him feel as if the Lord had forgotten him, or as if the Lord had turned his attention away. Even so, his faith caused him to cry out to the Lord and ask “how long” his difficult times would last. His desire was for victory; he wanted the Lord to show up and bring life, rather than the death and despair of the enemy (v3-4).

 “But I have trusted in your steadfas

Exodus 15-16

“The people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not” (16:4). After the miraculous escape through the sea, the Israelites found themselves without resources and panicked again. The text mentions their “grumblings” eight times! God’s answer was to provide manna from heaven, but they could not store it up; they had to gather it daily. The Lord wanted them to grow in trust and faith, not just be satisfied

Exodus 14

“For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness” (v12). When the last terrible plague convinced Pharaoh to release the Israelites, they marched out into freedom in the wilderness. But when they realized the sea blocked their path and the army was pursuing them, they panicked, thinking that their previous slavery was better than death. However, Moses told the people to “go forward” (v15), because “the Lord will fight for you, and y

Exodus 13

“Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out” (13:3). The rescue from Egypt was Israel’s formative event, and they remembered it by a week-long festival as well as how they treated first-borns. These actions reminded subsequent generations that they owed their freedom to the Lord’s saving power. Later, they were given the Law and a home in Canaan, but it all started with God’s gracious rescu

Exodus 11-12

“At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt” (41:12). After four centuries in Egypt, the Israelites were accustomed to being the minority slaves; they knew little about the Lord (3:13). But the God of Abraham, source of life and death (12:33), interrupted history to save them. By faith, those who put the blood of a slain lamb on their doorposts, even “a mixed multitude”, were set free from the bondage of Egypt (12:3

Matthew 18

“Pay what you owe” (v28). The disciples asked Jesus “how often” they should forgive others, and Jesus answered with a parable. In it, even though an employer had forgiven his servant a large sum, the servant went on to violently demand what was owed him by someone else (v28-30). The servant refused to step out of the cycle of debt/blame/anger, even though he had been given mercy, Jesus warned his followers about thinking they could “get” forgiveness without repentance. Rec

Matthew 17

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (v5). Peter, James, and John saw Jesus “transfigured”, bright as light; Elijah and Moses appeared and talked to him, and God the Father spoke from heaven. They struggled to understand how this glorious Messiah, beloved Son, was destined to “certainly suffer” at the hands of men (v12, 22). The disciples were “greatly distressed” (v23) at the thought of their Master – who had power over demons (v18) – being

Psalm 12

“Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man” (v1). The psalmist was weary of the sinful ways promoted by his world: people lying to and manipulating one another, boasting about their own power, and declaring that no one was “master” over them (v2-4). This prideful, winner-take-all world caused the needy to “groan”, and the Lord responded: “I will now arise” to rescue them (v5).

“The words of the Lord are pure words

Exodus 10

“That you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson ... I am the LORD” (v2). God told Moses to demand the release of the Israelite slaves, not just for their own sakes, but for the sake of future generations. Pharaoh himself understood that the Israelites wanted a different future for their families – thus he refused to release their “little ones” (v10). But Moses repeated that the Lord wanted them to leave, adults, children, and even livestock for offerings

Exodus 9

“So that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth” (9:14). As long as Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, the Egyptians experienced ever-increasing plagues. More than just punishment for Pharaoh’s hard heart, the plagues demonstrated that God was mightier than even the Egyptian empire. Some heeded the message, like those who hid their livestock when Moses said hail was coming (9:21). But Pharaoh kept “exalting” himself above God and God’s people (9:16

Exodus 7-8

“There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts” (8:21). At first, the powers of Egypt seemed to match whatever was done by Moses and Aaron in their confrontation with Pharaoh. The magicians made their staffs turn into serpents (7:10), and they also imitated the plagues of blood and frogs (7:22; 8:7). Eventually the magicians admitted God’s power was greater (8:19), but Pharaoh refused to relent. His biggest c