In this passage we come to the last of the seven I am statements. Jesus says, “I am the true Vine.” Jesus uses this illustration to teach his disciples what the only way of bearing fruit comes from. Here are two things to notice....
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now I am found, WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE. In December of 1772 John Newton started to write the song that is so well known, Amazing Grace. I am not aware of every verse that inspired John Newton to write this song, but I do suspect that John 9 could have been used. If it wasn’t, it is still a very fitting line for the chapter we are studying today. Here are some points....
Today we come to one of the celebrations of Israel that holds much significance for us today. Let’s dive in....
There is perhaps no event more iconic in the Old Testament than the parting of the Red Sea. It is the final nail in the coffin as the Lord was completing the absolute humiliation of the Egyptians. There have been many attempts throughout history to claim that the Israelites did not actually walk through what we think of the Red Sea today. Skeptics instead believe that Mose...
Keep ReadingMy devotional thought for this chapter is simple but has proven to be of great encouragement to me. The Israelites had been living in Egypt for 400 years. No living Israelite had likely ever traveled in the wilderness where the Lord had led them. There was no GPS or Google Maps....
Keep ReadingWe have come to the end of this theologically rich book, what I will do today is start with the last verses of the chapter and work my way back to the beginning from the end....
Keep ReadingChapter 10 closed with the infuriated Pharaoh crying out, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.” He is so aggressive in his rejection of God’s command to let His people go that He literally threatened the life of God’s messenger. Moses responded, “As you say! I will not see your face again.” But, ...
Keep ReadingThe plagues found in Exodus 10 were devastating blows to the Egyptian people. There is a mysterious switch in the mind of locusts that causes them to shift from solitary bugs to swarming armies. Hundreds of locust generations will go by without a swarm. Then, for reasons that are often weather related, they will molt, change colors, and begin multiplying feverishly. ...
Keep ReadingWhat we will see in Romans 13 are three exhortations that Paul gives to the Roman church and for all Christians. This is a continuation of the marks of a Christian that Paul started in chapter 12. The three exhortations are as follows....
Keep ReadingChristian Sacrifice and Service...
Keep ReadingToday is a good time to examine one of the underlying themes that is taking place in the Exodus narrative: Pharaoh’s heart being hardened. Below I am going to list all of the occasions that this pops up, and conclude with three important truths....
Keep ReadingNo Longer Slaves to Sin, Slaves to Righteousness...
Keep ReadingLife According to the Spirit, Heris with Christ, Ordo Salutus...
Keep ReadingThe Ignorance of the Jews, The Nearness of Christ, and the Importance of Preaching...
Keep ReadingToday we see ongoing and relentless evidence of God’s power manifested in the plagues sent against the Egyptians. This chapter is overflowing with fascinating detail, but for today let's zone in on three important truths. ...
Keep ReadingWe have now arrived at the incredible period of the plagues. I would like to draw your attention to three truths from this chapter....
Keep ReadingThe Doxology...
Keep ReadingWhen we read through the Old Testament, there are often occasions when many years pass by between chapters or between events. For that reason, it can sometimes be easily overlooked just how rare it is that the Lord God actually communicates verbally with people. When we were reading through Genesis, there were seven conversations between the Lord and Abraham, but they took...
Keep ReadingWhen Moses and Aaron arrive back in Egypt, they don’t waste any time getting to the point. At the very outset of the chapter we see that they have gained an appointment with Pharaoh and made the Lord’s demands clear....
Keep ReadingTo this day, the ancient Egyptians are viewed by most people as an intriguing, mysterious culture. They receive more attention than any other ancient civilization of that time period in academia and entertainment alike. Part of the reason is due to their mythological and supernatural beliefs that are etched into practically every surface that they left behind. They were a ...
Keep ReadingNames are highly significant in the Bible. They are descriptive of the character of the individual to whom the name represents. Exodus 3 is one of the most impactful chapters in the entire Old Testament. God has not verbally communicated to anyone at this point for over 500 years. ...
Keep ReadingMoses and the Ark Moses was born during the time that a genocidal order was in effect that required all Egyptians to throw any Israelite baby boy they found into the river. Moses’ parents saw the beauty and intrinsic value of their son’s life, so they hid him. Eventually they did place Moses in the river, but not in the way Pharaoh demanded. He was placed into a bas...
Keep ReadingThe final piece of Joseph’s story does not happen in Genesis. Exodus is a continuation of the book of Genesis. In fact, in the original Hebrew, the first word of the book of Exodus is “and.” At the front end of Exodus, we see that Joseph died. One of the important facts that we missed in Genesis 50 is that “Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, ‘God ...
Keep Reading