55_Thus_says_Jehovah_Thus_says_Pharaoh Ex 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 10, 11 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” We have all seen a policeman raising his hand to stop a massive 32-tire truck speeding toward him. The scene seems implausible—what could stop such immense power? Yet the truck halts, not because of the policeman’s physical strength, but because of the authority he represents. The weight of the government stands behind his gesture. Authority triumphs over brute power. This image is reflected in the confrontation between Pharaoh’s earthly power and Moses’ divinely given authority in Exodus 5:1-10. Moses and Aaron, the representatives of the enslaved Israelites, enter the grand court of Pharaoh. Moses, once a prince of Egypt, now returns as the voice of God to demand freedom for his people. They deliver the message with crisp authority: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.” These words are a direct command from God, underscoring the source of Moses’ authority. Pharaoh’s response is a defiant question: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Pharaoh’s ignorance reflects his hardened heart and the arrogance of power unchecked by reverence for God. He refuses to acknowledge Israel’s God and obey the divine command because then he would have to acknowledge his sin in oppressing the children of Israel unjustly. This question—“Who is the Lord?”—becomes the crux of the plagues that follow. Through them, God answers Pharaoh emphatically: “That you may know that I am the Lord.” Moses and Aaron repeat their request, giving Pharaoh good reasons for his acquiescence: “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” Their tone is humble, their argument reasonable. They request only a temporary reprieve, not a permanent departure, and point to the impossibility of disobeying the instructions of their God. Yet Pharaoh remains unmoved. To him, the Israelites are mere laborers, valuable only for the wealth they produce. He views their request as a sign of idleness and responds with cruelty. In response to their request, Pharaoh increases their burden, no longer allowing his people to provide the Israelites with straw. Straw being an essential component in brick-making, it would be impossible for the Israelites to both gather enough of it by themselves and still meet their daily quota. The world attempts to stifle the spirit’s cry for freedom by piling on more work. When

56_Which “I” do we listen to Ex 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Ex 5:22,23 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” Ex 6:6-8 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’” Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Listen in silence because if your heart is full of other things you cannot hear the voice of God.” This is a timeless truth: the voices we listen to shape our faith, our decisions, and ultimately our destiny. In Exodus 6:6-8, Moses finds himself caught in a cacophony of voices. On the one hand, God’s voice proclaimed His promises: “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians…” On the other hand was the defiant voice of Pharaoh, declaring, “I will not let Israel go.” There was Moses’ own voice, filled with despair: “Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people.” These three voices are representative of our own experiences in life. There is the voice of opposition from the world, the voice of doubt within ourselves, and the voice of assurance from God. The question is, which “I” do we listen to? Pharaoh’s voice is the voice of rebellion. It represents resistance to the will of God, a refusal to follow His plans. This voice can come from those around us—friends, adversaries, or those in power. It seeks to intimidate us, breed fear, and discourage us from obeying God. We need to expect this, so that we do not become discouraged. The Lord has warned us, “In the world you will have tribulation.” We should not expect the world, which is in rebellion against God, to encourage us in doing His will. Then there is our own voice—the voice of self-doubt. Like Moses, we can easily become disheartened when our efforts seem to make things worse. “Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name,” Moses lamented, “he has done evil to this people.” When we focus on our limitations or the immediate outcome of our

57_Dangers of procrastination Ex 8:5-10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt!’” 6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt. 8 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” 9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” 10 And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. J.C. Ryle, the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool, once said, "Tomorrow is the devil's day, but today is God's. Satan does not care how spiritual your intentions are, or how holy your resolutions, if only they are determined to be done tomorrow." These words reveal one of the most dangerous spiritual pitfalls—procrastination. We may have the best intentions. Our desire may be to obey God. But the depth and sincerity of that desire are suspect if we delay. Delay can cause us to miss the opportunities He places before us. Procrastination is more than poor time management; it often indicates unbelief, fear, or laziness, which has eternal consequences. In Exodus 8:5-10, we encounter a striking example of procrastination. Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt, was in the middle of a national crisis. Frogs had invaded the land. His palace, his officials' homes, and even the very beds of his people were infested. This was no minor inconvenience but a severe disruption of daily life. Convinced that this was a divine plague in retaliation for his deliberate disobedience to God’s command, Pharaoh summoned Moses and begged him to pray that God would remove the frogs. But when Moses asked Pharaoh to specify the timing for this deliverance, the astonishing answer was “Tomorrow.” Why would Pharaoh wait another day to be freed from such torment? It is baffling, yet this reflects a deeply ingrained human tendency. Pharaoh’s procrastination demonstrates the deceptive power of sin. Often, the evil one does not urge us to outright reject God but subtly persuades us to delay our obedience. “Tomorrow” becomes our default answer. As day follows day, our hearts grow harder, and our opportunities to respond diminish. Procrastination is no new phenomenon. In Acts 24, we read of the procrastination of Felix, the Roman governor of Judea. Felix was familiar with the ways of the Jews and convinced of Paul's innocence. Yet, instead of freeing Paul, Felix postponed the decision initially. Later, Felix and his wife Drusilla

58_Beware of half-measures Ex 8:24,25 And the Lord did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies. 25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” Picture a bird in a cage. Imagine the captor taking the cage outside and leaving the door wide open, knowing that there is a string attached to the bird’s leg. The bird feels the call of freedom, hops out of the cage, spreads its wings, and tries to fly towards the open sky. But the cruel string abruptly halts its flight. The door is open, but it is still bound to the cage. This vivid picture reflects Pharaoh's behavior when God commanded him to let Israel go. Moses carried a clear command from God as he stood before Pharaoh: "Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness." This command is layered with divine truths. First, the Israelites did not belong to Pharaoh, for they were bound by covenant to the Lord. Second, their release was a divine decree from the King of Heaven to the king of Egypt. Third, everything the Israelites possessed—family, livestock, and lives—was wholly devoted to God, and could not be left behind. Lastly, they could not worship God in Egypt, where cattle were looked down upon. Only outside it, in the wilderness, could they sacrifice freely to the Lord. At first, Pharaoh refused point-blank to let them go. After the plague of flies, Pharaoh conceded their claim slightly: "You may go, but don’t go very far." Later, as hail destroyed the land, he made another false promise to let them go. The next concession in the face of God’s power was to let the Israelites worship God but only within Egypt’s borders. Still later, when locusts threatened to consume Egypt, Pharaoh’s servants begged him to relent. His response was permission for only the men to leave. Later, he offered to let the men go, while the women, children, and livestock remained in Egypt. By the time darkness engulfed Egypt, Pharaoh grudgingly agreed to let the families go but demanded the livestock stay behind. God’s claim over His people was absolute. He had a right to their worship, their separation, and their service. But Pharaoh, a man entrenched in pride and power, sought to bargain with God. Each compromise was Pharaoh’s attempt to retain control, even as God displayed His unmatched power. Pharaoh cunningly designed an illusion of freedom while keeping the Israelites tethered to his bondage. Pharaoh's half-measures reflect our enemy’s mode of operation. Satan doesn’t always block us outright from worshiping God; instead, he offers compromises. He persuades us that we can truly worship God with strings attached. Like Pharaoh holding back the livestock, the enemy tempts us to hold something back from God. He reassures us that we can be enslaved in some areas while professing freedom in Christ. He whispers, “Go ahead and serve God, but stay tied

59_Vessels of wrath or Vessels of mercy Ex 9:15-17 For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. 16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. 17 You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go. Rom 9: 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory? Both diamonds and coal are formed from carbon, but their outcomes are determined by the difference in pressure and time. Pharaoh, like coal, chose the path that was easier for his flesh. He resisted repentance and remained in his natural state—hardened, fuel for the fire. In contrast, Moses submitted his dearest dreams of being Israel’s deliverer to God, and remained a humble and unknown shepherd in the back of the desert for forty long years. He came out as a raw diamond. Truly, those who submit to God's refining process, like carbon under intense pressure, are his chosen vessels of mercy. They are precious and become radiant jewels for God’s glory. The parable of carbon shows that the very same material is transformed into very different forms depending on the process it undergoes. The story of Pharaoh, as recounted in Exodus 7–10, serves as a sobering example of a vessel of wrath, a man who deliberately chose not to submit to God’s known will and express commandment. Ultimately, he became an example of God’s judgment to the world, like one set apart to demonstrate His power and justice. The question that many people ask at once is: If God hardens the hearts of some, how can they be held accountable? How can He justly condemn them? Against the context of God’s goodness and love, already set forth plainly in the previous chapters, Romans 9:18-21 asserts God's sovereign right to do as he wishes, as long as he does no injustice. “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?” God cannot do anything unjust or wrong. The right of the just and good Creator to create everything according to his plan is indisputable, and to be reverently acknowledged by all creation without murmuring and rebellion. It is crucial to note the distinction between the preparation of vessels for wrath and vessels for mercy. In Romans 9:22, the phrase "vessels of wrath fitted to destruction" is in the passive voice, implying that these vessels are prepared for destruction, not directly by God, but through their own choices and actions. In contrast, Romans 9:23 speaks of "vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory," using the active voice, where God is the one actively working. While God is sovereign,

60_Understanding the Passover Exodus 12:3-11 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. 7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover. A 19th-century Jewish Rabbi, Morris Joseph, declared, “Passover affirms the great truth that liberty is the inalienable right of every human being.” He encapsulated the essence of the Passover—a pivotal event that echoes throughout history, transcending its immediate context in Egypt to resonate with our lives today. The Passover is not merely an ancient story of deliverance; it is a declaration of freedom and redemption that points us to a deeper, eternal truth. From the beginning of the plagues, God made it clear that Israel was His chosen people by his sovereign choice, and that he would shield them from all harm. In Exodus 4:22, God declares, "Israel is my son, my firstborn." This divine claim was not rooted in any worth of the Israelites but in God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Up to the ninth plague, therefore, the Israelites played a largely passive role in their deliverance. Circumcision, the sign of this covenant, symbolized their unique relationship with God. It was an outward mark of an inward trust, a declaration of faith in the God who had called them to be His people. Moses brought out the true symbolism of circumcision when he exhorted them (Deuteronomy 10:16), saying, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.” This was a call to get rid of their self-will and yield fully to God. But even circumcision, the mark of the covenant, could not shield them from the judgment of the final plague. Yet, by the time of Moses, many Israelites had strayed. As Joshua 24:14 reveals, they had turned to the gods

61_My refuge and my fortress Ps 78:4-8 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; 8 and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. Ps 78:72 With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. In the desert, shade is life. A traveler caught in the scorching sun finds relief under the wide branches of a tree. The tree doesn’t move the sun away, but it provides a refuge from its burning rays. When God took the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness of Sinai, he didn’t take away the harsh realities. But he was their shelter and protection. When the children of Israel came to Egypt, their men were only 72 in number. At the time of their departure, their number had risen to 600,000. This was also the fulfillment of God’s promises to their fathers. Gen 17:2 God told Abraham, "I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." To Isaac he said, Gen 26:4, "And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” To Jacob Gen 35:11, the promise came: "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.” Pharaoh did everything in his power to keep the Israelites down, but to no avail. Hostility and opposition and downright persecution all failed to thwart God’s plan or prevent the power of his blessing. Balaam realized that too late. Numbers 23:8 “But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned?” Knowing the power of God, and our calling to his blessing, we should live without fear. We have been given the spirit of love, power and a sound mind by the living God who does whatever is pleasing to him, in heaven and on earth. We need only to serve him faithfully in love, growing in our knowledge of him through obedience, without being dismayed by our outward circumstances. Joseph sent wagons to carry his father Jacob and his family into Egypt. But at their departure, the great multitude went out on foot. Ex 12:37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and

62_Fear not, stand firm Exodus 14:10-14 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Fear not, stand firm. These words echo across the centuries, strengthening those who face trials and tribulations. They summon us to trust, not in our circumstances or strength, but in the Lord’s unshakable promises. Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who endured the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, often shared an exchange she had with her father as a young girl. One day, as a young girl, she expressed her worry that she would not have the courage to be a martyr. Her father, a wise and faithful man, asked her a simple question: "Corrie, when you are about to take a train, when do I give you the ticket?" She thought for a moment and replied, "Just before I get on the train." Her father nodded and said, "Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things too. Don’t run ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need – just in time." This was one of the truths that anchored Corrie through terrible trials. God’s strength and provision met her at the exact moment of need—not before, but never late. It’s a lesson as old as the story of the Israelites at the Red Sea. The Israelites, newly freed from the chains of Egyptian bondage, find themselves standing before the mighty flow of the Red Sea. Behind them is the deafening thunder of hooves and the clatter of Pharaoh’s chariots. The same Pharaoh who had grudgingly released them after the devastating plagues is now in furious pursuit. The people are trapped and terrified. Understandably, they scream at Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?” Fear has a way of making us forget. Just hours earlier, they had witnessed God’s mighty hand against the firstborn of Egypt. It produced an instantaneous turnaround in Pharaoh’s stance, paving the way for their immediate departure from Egypt. They had watched as the Lord spared their firstborn while Egypt mourned

63_The song of the redeemed Ex 15:1-3 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. 2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. 3 The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name. Philip Bliss was one of the most gifted hymn writers of the 19th century. His legacy, is one of triumph through tragedy. On December 29, 1876, at the age of 38, Bliss and his wife Lucy were aboard the Pacific Express train, traveling to Chicago for a ministry engagement. As the train attempted to cross a trestle bridge, the structure collapsed, and all seven carriages plunged into the icy ravine below. Bliss survived the fall but returned to the burning carriages to rescue his wife. Despite warnings to stay away, he resolved, “If I cannot save her, I will perish with her.” Tragically, neither survived, and no trace of their bodies was ever found. The disaster claimed the lives of 92 of the 159 passengers. Amid the debris, a poignant discovery was made. Bliss’s trunk was recovered, still intact. It contained the words of a song he had written recently but not yet set to music. This was done by his friend James McGranahan. Titled "My Redeemer," this hymn became a cherished anthem of faith. The lyrics echo the themes of redemption and eternal hope: I will sing of my Redeemer, And His wondrous love to me; On the cruel cross He suffered, From the curse to set me free. This song aligns with the first song recorded in scripture, in Exodus 15. This song was sung by the Israelites as they rejoiced over their miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea. Songs hold a unique place in worship and human expression. James writes, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” (James 5:13). Singing is the language of emotion, and joyful songs help us exalt the Creator who rescues and restores. Songs shape thoughts and influence cultures, and can carry spiritual truths deep within the hearer. Andrew Fletcher, an 18th-century Scottish writer, observed, “Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.” Gordon Wenham, author of The Psalter Reclaimed, notes, “The words hymn writers and liturgists put on our lips in worship affect us profoundly: they teach us what to think and feel, the more effectively as they are put to music so we can hum them to ourselves whenever we are inclined.” But this makes it all the more necessary that we do not sing without understanding, or allow familiarity to make the words empty of meaning. We must not sing of what we do not experience in our lives. Paul exhorts the Ephesians: “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the

64_The deadly sin of grumbling Ex 15:22-25 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. Phil 2:14-16 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. In a certain city lived a wealthy businessman who seemed to have it all—wealth, power, and prestige. Yet he was plagued by constant dissatisfaction, always finding something to complain about. One day, his pastor came to visit him. As they conversed, the pastor led the man to a large window overlooking the bustling city below. “What do you see?” the pastor asked. The businessman replied, “I see people, cars, and buildings.” The pastor then handed him a small mirror. “Now, what do you see?” The man said, “I see myself.” The pastor smiled and explained, “Both the window and the mirror are made of glass. The only difference is that the mirror has a thin silver coating. Sometimes, even a little wealth or comfort can blind us from seeing what God has already provided.” This story fits in with the journey of the Israelites in Exodus 15:22-25. Despite their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, their joy turned quickly to grumbling when faced with a challenge. They had just seen, and rejoiced loudly with song and dance, at the marvelous deliverance at the Red Sea and their final deliverance from the slavery of Egypt. But the moment they faced difficulty at Marah, where the water was bitter, they began to question God’s plans, his goodness, and his power. Just a little selfishness hides the face of God from us. The Israelites’ journey reveals a mindset that is all too familiar in our own lives. After the victory at the Red Sea, they assumed that God would take them directly to the Promised Land without any hitches or troubles. However, God’s wisdom and goodness was deeper than they could guess. They went through trials so that they could learn to trust and obey him in small things, relating to their food and drink, before they were faced with larger issues. Their time in the wilderness was not meant to be just a journey to Canaan but a journey of growing faith and dependence on Him. The challenges and troubles in our lives are not interruptions to His plan but essential to it. Grumbling often stems from

65_Bread from heaven Ex 16:4-16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and 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. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” George Müller, a man of extraordinary faith, built and ran multiple orphanages in England without asking anyone for financial support. He recounted the story of one morning when there was no food for breakfast. As the children sat at the breakfast table, Müller prayed as usual, thanking God for what He was about to provide. Moments later, a baker knocked on the door, saying he had felt led to bake bread for the orphanage. Shortly after, a milkman’s cart broke down outside, and he offered the milk to the orphanage to avoid wastage. The children happily had a good breakfast. Once again, God’s provision was evident. This incident shows that the God who provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness lives and provides for his people even today. After halting at Elim, where they enjoyed an abundance of water and shade from its twelve springs and seventy palm trees, the Israelites followed the pillar of cloud and fire into the wilderness of Sin. Comfort quickly gave way to hardship. Immediately, they began to murmur and to complain. The hidden unbelief in their hearts came to the surface. How soon they forgot the Lord’s instructions and provision at Marah! And how often we act just like them, praising God when all is well but grumbling and faltering when faced with adversity! When our lives feel like a wilderness, it is easy for us to succumb to our old and natural temptations to forget that our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Moses, on the other hand, when confronted by the people’s grumbling, turned to God. Instead of devising human strategies, he sought divine intervention. God’s response was clear and miraculous: “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you…” (Exodus 16:4). This heavenly bread, manna, was a daily visible reminder of God’s presence, faithfulness and power to meet their needs no matter what.

66_That rock was Christ Ex 17:1-7 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” In his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis writes, “God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself.” This states the spiritual truth that Christ is our Rock who sustains us beyond our physical needs. Just as an engine depends on the right fuel to function, we are designed to depend on God for our being. Without Him, our lives falter, just like a car sputtering without petrol. The story of the Israelites in Exodus 17:1-7 is one of numerous illustrations of this truth. Fresh from witnessing God’s miraculous provision at Marah, where He turned bitter water sweet, and in the wilderness of Sin, where He rained manna from heaven, the Israelites journeyed to Rephidim. But there was no water there for them to drink. Their response to this trial reveals much about the tendency of our sinful hearts to doubt God’s faithfulness in the face of repeated evidence. This incident is echoed repeatedly in Scripture as a solemn warning, summarized in the words of Psalm 95: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness.” God’s leading does not guarantee a smooth path. The Israelites’ journey through the wilderness was not a purposeless wandering. God intentionally led them away from the land of the Philistines to evade the possibility of war, knowing they were not ready for battle. Yet, He allowed them to hunger and thirst. This was obviously

67_The battle belongs to the Lord Ex 17:8-16 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, 16 saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation There is an old painting titled Checkmate, which depicts a young man locked in a chess game with the devil. The expression on the young man’s face conveys despair as he appears to be losing. Yet a chess master studying the painting declared, "The game is not over; the king has one more move." This story reminds us that no matter how dire the situation appears, when God is in control, He always has the final move. This truth anchors Exodus 17:8-16, where the Israelites learned firsthand that the battle belongs to the Lord. The Israelites camped at Rephidim, following the commandment of the Lord. But here they experienced necessity and vulnerability. First, there was no water. When that was solved by the water springing from the rock of Horeb, they were attacked unawares by the Amalekites. God leads us into challenging situations to teach us dependence on Him. The Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In Deuteronomy 32, Moses reflects on how God guided Israel: “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions, the Lord alone guided him…” (Deuteronomy 32:10-12). This vivid image of an eagle stirring its nest shows how God pushes His children out of their comfort zones to grow, but He never abandons them to their fate. Instead, He spreads His wings to catch them. At Rephidim, the Israelites faced their first battle. They had to learn to

68_Joining God’s plan Ex 18: 1-9 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, 3 along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), 4 and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). 5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. 6 And when he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” 7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. 8 Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. A man was hiking through the wilderness. He had mapped his path carefully, but as he neared the summit, he veered slightly off course. Though the detour seemed insignificant, when he finally stopped to take in the view, the mountaintop was nowhere in sight. He was almost there, but that did not take him to his goal. This story mirrors a crucial truth in our spiritual journey: almost right is not enough. It is not enough to understand God’s truth without fully committing to it. This can be just as perilous as being far away. This principle comes alive in the story of Jethro in Exodus 18:1-9—a story of wisdom, faith, and, ultimately, decisions that had lasting consequences for his family. Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law, was a good and wise man. He had long supported Moses, sheltering him during his exile and entrusting his daughter to him in marriage. Jethro likely knew Moses’ story—the circumstances under which he fled Egypt, his faith in God, and the extraordinary call on his life. As Hebrews 11:26-27 describes, Moses considered the reproach of Christ greater than Egypt's treasures and endured as though seeing the invisible God. When Moses returned to Egypt on God’s command, Jethro graciously let him go. At some point, Moses sent his wife and sons back to Jethro. Now, in Exodus 18, Jethro brings Moses' family back to the camp of Israel. Sitting with the elders, Jethro had heard about all the Lord had done for Israel—how God delivered them from Egypt’s bondage and led them safely through the Red Sea. Jethro rejoiced, exclaiming, “Blessed be the Lord,

69_Prepare to meet the Lord thy God Exodus 19:1-12 On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3 while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ There is an ancient story about a beloved king who set out to tour the distant parts of his dominion. The realm buzzed with the news. Evildoers were terrified lest he punish their misdeeds. His loyal subjects were excited at the prospect of seeing their king at last. All alike prepared day and night for the momentous occasion when their sovereign would meet them. This story mirrors what we see in Exodus 19, where God fulfills His promise to Moses and the Israelites. He brings them to Mount Sinai, where they would come face-to-face with the reality of His presence. This history brings us a powerful message about our relationship with God—a call to prepare our hearts, lives, and priorities to meet the Lord. God had set His love upon the Israelites before they even knew Him. He remembered the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Enslaved in Egypt, the Israelites themselves had forgotten him. Many of them had been serving other gods. Yet God heard their cries, saw their affliction, and came down to deliver them. It was His initiative, His love, and His faithfulness that brought them out of bondage and into freedom. Moses’ own life also reflected this divine initiative. From his birth and preservation to his calling in the wilderness of Midian, God’s hand was evident. Moses did not seek God; God sought Moses. He patiently revealed Himself, encouraged Moses, and equipped him to lead His people. God’s pursuit of those He calls is a repeated pattern in scripture, that testifies to His grace. At Mount Sinai, God first reminded Israel of his love and grace. God declared, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” (Exodus 19:4). The journey to this point had been nothing short of miraculous. God had displayed His unmatched power and might in Egypt, humbling Pharaoh and delivering His people with a strong hand. The plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the provision in the wilderness were not mere displays of divine power; they were acts of deep, unshakable love. God carried His people swiftly and securely, bringing them not just to a new place but to Himself. The

70_No other gods Ex 20: 1-3 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. William Temple, a pious servant of God, once said, “Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of the mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose—all this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.” These words capture the essence of what God desires in our relationship with Him. Yet, as we look at the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” we realize how often our lives fall short of this calling. God had just delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. Exodus 20:1-2 declares, “And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.’” Before giving the law, God reminded them of His faithfulness, deliverance, and power. Their obedience was not a means of earning His favor but simply the response of faith to their redeeming God. He had demonstrated himself to be worthy of their worship, loyalty, and trust. God is omniscient. This sets Him apart as the only one worthy of our worship. Scripture reveals that He knows all things: “God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything.” (1 John 3:20). Nothing escapes His knowledge. He knows our words before we think them (Psalm 139:4) and knew us before we were formed (Psalm 139:15-16). Such knowledge calls us to stand in awe of his constant presence and complete knowledge. God is omnipresent. There is no place without Him. David asks, in Psalm 139:7-10: “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” We can never be hidden from His care, but neither are our sins hidden from his sight. God is omnipotent. He directs all things and does all that he wants to do. Job humbly acknowledged this, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2). From creation to redemption, God’s unmatched power is on display. Revelation 19:6 declares, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns.” The God of such limitless power and sovereignty deserves to reign over us. Even as we affirm these truths, we fail to live by them. The law of God reveals our sinful and rebellious nature, which refuses to submit to God’s good will. Paul writes in Romans 3:20, “Through the law comes the knowledge of sin.” The vague awareness of our shortcomings intensifies and condenses when faced with the clarity and breadth of God’s law. It

71_Taking the Lord’s name in vain Ex 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” Words cannot capture the majesty of the view when one is standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, gazing into its breathtaking expanse. Yet how easily we can trivialize one of nature’s most awe-inspiring wonders by snapping a photo and moving on, with a casual remark. This is a faint reflection of how we often treat the name of the Lord indifferently—a name more majestic, holy, and awe-inspiring than any earthly wonder. Many interpret this command simply as a prohibition against using God’s name as a swear word. While true, this command goes far deeper, addressing the heart of how we treat the revelation of God’s character and presence. Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself through His name. After healing the bitter waters of Marah, He declares Himself as Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord our Healer. Following Israel’s victory over the Amalekites, Moses calls him Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our Banner. To Moses, the Lord proclaims, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” (Exodus 34:6). His name is Holy (Isaiah 57:15), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). And in Jesus Christ, he revealed himself in all his fulness: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21). He is “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:16). Psalm 79:9 pleads, “Deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!”—a reminder that God’s actions are consistent with His name, flowing from His unchanging nature. To take His name in vain is not merely about speech. It is an empty appeal to a God that the speaker does not acknowledge as worthy of reverence, trust, and obedience. When our lives contradict the character of the God we profess to serve, we take his name in vain. The Israelites boasted of the temple of the Lord in their midst. Yet they ignored His commands to practice righteousness, by living with mercy and justice towards men, and humility before God. We also use his name in vain when we call Him Jehovah-Jireh yet doubt his provision and live in constant anxiety. We blaspheme his name when we declare him to be the Holy One, yet defer to human approval more than to the will of God. Psalm 111:9 reminds us, “Holy and awesome is his name,” yet our actions betray this acknowledgment all too often. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Matthew 15:8–9, quoting Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” The two key failures of the Pharisees were their tendency to offer prayers and praises to God, though their hearts were devoid of love, reverence, and devotion to him. Second, when we replace God’s truth with human traditions, even our religious acts become

72_The true meaning of Sabbath Ex 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. A traveler once came across a woodcutter cutting down a massive tree. The woodcutter was drenched in sweat, his face etched with exhaustion. His axe blade was no longer as sharp as it had been. The traveler paused and asked, “Why don’t you stop for a few minutes and sharpen your saw?” The woodcutter replied, “I can’t stop! I’m too busy cutting this tree!” The traveler shook his head and walked on, marveling at the irony. The woodcutter was so afraid to rest that he sacrificed his own wellbeing and compromised his ability to complete his task. This story reminds us of how often we neglect the importance of renewal through rest. The concept of Sabbath, instituted by God, is not just about ceasing work, but about living to His divine rhythm—a rhythm that brings us into line with his true purpose. The Sabbath first appears in Genesis 2 when God rested, having completed his work. This does not imply fatigue, for God neither slumbers nor sleeps. Instead, His rest signifies the satisfaction of a perfectly completed work. God ceased from His creative activity, not because He was weary, but because nothing more needed to be done. Creation was complete, flawless, and reflective of His divine intent. The Sabbath, therefore, is a symbol of accomplished perfection and abundant provision. The second mention of the Sabbath is found in Exodus 16, along with the appearance of manna. God commanded the people to gather double their daily portion on the sixth day so that they could eat it on the seventh day without having to work for it. The Sabbath was their day of rest, when they ceased all work. “On the seventh day, you will not find it in the field,” God declared. The Sabbath was not merely a day off work. It was an invitation to trust in God’s provision and enter His rest. It was a call to cease striving and affirm that in Him lay their true sustenance. In Exodus 20, the fourth commandment proclaims the necessity of the Sabbath: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The Sabbath was to be set apart as a day distinct from the other six. Six days were allotted for work—specifically, “your work,” emphasizing personal labor and effort for their survival, enjoyment, and profit. But on the seventh day, the people were to rest, remembering that all they had and did was from the Lord’s bounty. The holiness of the Sabbath comes

73_Honour your father and mother Ex 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Deut 5:16 “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. A traveler stood at the edge of a deep, rushing river. He couldn’t cross it alone, and there was no bridge in sight. A local villager offered to carry him across on his back. Halfway through the journey, as the waters grew deeper and stronger, the traveler began to complain about his discomfort. He attempted to shift himself into a better position. The sturdy villager stopped and said, “I’m carrying you because you cannot cross on your own. If you forget your need and think only about how uncomfortable you are, you may fall into the river!” This story mirrors our relationship with our parents. They carry us, often at great cost, through the waters of life until we are strong enough to walk on our own. Yet, how often do we forget their sacrifices and focus instead on the problems and issues in our relationship? None of us choose our parentage. It is of God. Ps 68:6 “God settles the solitary in families.” Ps 139:13, the Psalmist says “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.” God made that choice in his sovereignty and in his wisdom. For this reason, when we honour our parents, with love and care, we honour the sovereignty and wisdom of God. It is God’s plan that we find our immediate identity in our family, as much as by the position or achievements that come later. A lot of ground in the Bible is earmarked for genealogies, as God shows where people belong. Acts 17:26 “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.” David was a man after God’s own heart, a great and good king, prophet, and sweet psalmist of Israel. Yet when the Holy Spirit spoke of him centuries later, he was described as the son of Jesse. Compared to the fame of David, Jesse was obscure. Jesse does not shine even on the occasion when David was anointed as king. It was only when Samuel prodded Jesse that David was hastily brought home. Yet David’s primary identity was as Jesse’s son. Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ ” God’s people were known only as the children of Israel, or Jacob. Individualism is not part of the plan of God. We did not come into this world by our own efforts, but through our parents. For that very

74_You shall not murder Ex 20:13 “You shall not murder. Gen 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. The ruins of an old battlefield, scattered with the remnants of weapons and speaking of shattered lives, tell a haunting story of human conflict. In that solemn place, the question arises: what drives us to take a life? The sixth commandment, "You shall not murder," assumes immense significance in the stillness. Through the ages, this word challenged humanity to value man’s life as sacred since it is created in the very image of God. Genesis 9:6 declares, "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image." This unique biblical truth reveals the divine imprint on every human being. Unlike animals formed from the dust, humans bear God’s likeness. This distinction makes murder not only an irreparable offense against the life of another person, but an act of rebellion against God Himself, the giver of life. Moreover, as Job stated, "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away" (Job 1:21). Life is His to give and His alone to take. Revelation 22:15 warns that murderers—those who disregard and destroy God’s possession—will not inherit the kingdom of God. Societies have long upheld the principle that unjust or illegal killing is a criminal act. Yet, in today’s world, moral boundaries have blurred. For example, while society often frames induced abortion as a matter of personal liberty, Scripture paints a different picture. The Bible clearly identifies life in the womb as sacred, formed by God’s hands and fully known by Him. Samson acknowledged his divine calling from the time of his conception, saying, "I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb." (Judges 16:17). David marveled at God’s craftsmanship: "You knitted me together in my mother’s womb… Your eyes saw my unformed substance." (Psalm 139:13, 16). Similarly, God’s words to Jeremiah reveal the existence of his people in God’s mind before they ever came into being: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you." (Jeremiah 1:5). These verses leave no doubt that human life begins with God, and He knows each person before they are conceived. This wonderful truth makes abortion a grave transgression against God. Moreover, even viewed as murder, it is a peculiarly cruel act, because it deliberately terminates a defenseless life. No matter how society normalizes it or legalizes it, God’s law is unchanging. Proverbs 31:8-9 calls us to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves" and "defend the rights of the poor and needy." This includes the unborn, who are utterly voiceless and powerless. But the holiness of human life extends beyond the unborn. Suicide is another way in which man raises violent hands against human life. Such decisions are often rooted in real and deeply painful experiences. However, it is God’s prerogative to give or take life. Failing to recognize this means that we deny God’s sovereignty. As finite mortal

75_You shall not commit adultery Ex 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery. A veteran carpenter was crafting a beautiful dining table as a wedding anniversary gift for his daughter and her husband. He used rare and costly wood, and put in months of painstaking effort to bring out its beauty in every detail. When the table was finally complete, it became the centerpiece of their home—a tribute to his love and dedication. After some months, he visited them. He found the table covered with an old sheet. Lifting it, he saw that the surface was scratched and stained. Its beauty was marred by carelessness and neglect. Heartbroken, he said, “It was meant to last generations, but it wasn’t cared for.” This story mirrors God’s design for marriage—a holy and intentional union crafted with love, meant to reflect God’s glorious love for his people. When we fail to honor and nurture this precious gift, the consequences are devastating for families and for human society. In the beginning, God looked at his creation and declared it good. Since it was not good for man to be alone, he created a partner comparable and complementary to him, yet unlike him. No suitable companion was found for Adam among the animals, even though pets offer solace to the lonely today through their presence to listen, without criticism or advice. Instead, God’s plan was that the woman would complete and strengthen the man. When he fashioned Eve and brought her to Adam, the man was overwhelmed with joy. Seeing Eve, Adam broke into the Bible’s first recorded song: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man.” In this union, God established marriage, a covenantal, lifelong, all-encompassing relationship between a man and a woman. Genesis 2:24 declares, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Matthew 19:6 reaffirms this: “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Marriage is God’s design and work—a relationship of immense value, created to be held in honor and holiness. Hebrews 13:4 exhorts, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Because of the fundamental importance of marriage, it has been under attack since the fall of humanity. When sin entered the world, Adam, who once rejoiced over Eve, turned on her, saying, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12). Instead of being together in serving God, they cooperated in sin and were hurled apart ever after. From that moment, the enemy has sought to corrupt and destroy God’s design for marriage. God created humans with natural needs—hunger, thirst, the desire for love and companionship, and the longing for physical pleasure. These needs are legitimate, and God’s creation is designed to fill each one. The temptation is to meet these needs independent of God’s will. In the wilderness,

76_You shall not steal Ex 20:15 Thou shalt not steal A young boy stumbled upon a farmer’s wallet lying on the dusty road. The wallet was stuffed with more money than he had ever seen in his life. The boy’s family was poor, But instead of keeping the money, he walked miles to return the wallet to the farmer. The farmer, overwhelmed with gratitude, not only rewarded him with some of the money, but offered him a steady job on the farm. That boy’s honesty opened a door to blessings he could never have anticipated. This simple story reminds us of the commandment, “You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15). It emphasizes that integrity of life brings far greater rewards than the short-lived gains of dishonesty. This commandment tests the truth of our faith in God. Many people do not steal because they fear being caught or punished. Others are conscious of societal pressure, or fear to tarnish their reputation. But God’s commandment goes far beyond such superficial obedience. It challenges us to examine how we live in every area of life. Stealing may take many forms: cheating, underpaying workers, evading taxes, gambling with what is not ours to lose or win, pilfering items from the workplace, borrowing without making an honest attempt to return goods, or even keeping something we find when the rightful owner could be located. Each of these actions reveals a heart that seeks unjust gain, taking what has not been given or earned. At its core, this commandment demands that we respect the rights of others and trust God to provide for our needs through honest means. But God does not merely command us to avoid stealing; He calls us to replace dishonesty with integrity and generosity. In Ephesians 4:28, Paul writes, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” Honest work reflects our obedience to God, our acknowledgment of all he has given us to earn our way, and the desire to provide for those who are helpless. By doing so, we confess that all good things come from him, and are for us to enjoy along with those whom he sends into our lives. Through work, we not only provide for ourselves and our families but also position ourselves to be a blessing to others. Paul’s exhortation to slaves in Ephesians 6:5-8 emphasizes sincerity and diligence at our work, for it is Christ who is our Master. When we fail to give our best efforts or waste time at our workplace, we are essentially stealing from our employers. True integrity means working faithfully, though no one may be watching, because it is God whom we serve, and it is he who sees and rewards our labor. Repentance in this area involves restitution. Zacchaeus, the tax collector, is a bright example. After welcoming the Lord to his home and listening to him, he declared, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything,

77_You shall not bear false witness Ex 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. It was a sunny afternoon in a small-town courtroom when Ms. Martha, a kind and gentle schoolteacher, was accused of stealing money from a community fundraiser. The evidence seemed overwhelming—witnesses claimed they had seen her near the cash box just before it disappeared. As the trial unfolded, one witness stood out. He confidently recounted seeing her take the money, his words dripping with certainty. But when the defense lawyer presented a security video from that day, the courtroom gasped. The footage clearly showed Mrs. Martha helping a student far away from the cash box during the alleged time of theft. The "witness" had lied, hoping to tarnish her reputation for personal gain. Mrs. Martha was acquitted. However, doubts about her trustworthiness, and the damage to her reputation, lingered in the minds of some people. This is the power of bearing false witness. It’s not just about courtrooms or legal testimonies—it’s about the harm caused when truth is twisted, even in casual settings. The ripple effect of lies and misrepresentation extends far beyond what we can see. Exodus 20:16 commands: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” For many, this is about speaking the truth when testifying in court. While that’s certainly part of it, the commandment encompasses much more. Some translations put it as, “Do not tell lies about others.” This expands the scope to include any false representation of others, whether by withholding part of the truth or embellishing a story with untruths. Most of us are guilty of breaking this commandment, often during casual conversations, gossip, or passing on rumors. The impact of bearing false witness in a court of law is profound. When truth is distorted, justice is denied. The guilty may go free while the innocent suffer punishment. Truth and justice go hand in hand. In Israel’s society, reflecting the righteousness of God was crucial, and the people were to avoid any falsehood that perverted justice. Exodus 23:1-3 elaborates on this, saying, “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil…” Even if the majority followed the path of falsehood, God’s people were called to stand apart. The seriousness of this commandment is highlighted in Deuteronomy 19:16-20, where God commanded that a false witness bear the same penalty he sought for his victim. This ensured that evil would be purged from the community and served as a deterrent. Proverbs also offers strong warnings: “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.” (Proverbs 19:5). Another striking image comes from Proverbs 25:18: “A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.” False testimony wounds deeply and leaves scars that are slow to heal. False witness also includes slander, exaggeration, and even editing that distorts the truth. Often, the root of false witness lies in our desire

78_You shall not covet Ex 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” Imagine a young boy walking into a toy store. With wide-eyed wonder, his eyes dart from shelf to shelf, taking in the dazzling array of brightly colored boxes. A shiny red race car catches his eye. His mother gently reminds him, "You have so many toys at home." He insists on having it. It’s not about the car itself; it’s the longing to have more, the acquisitive instinct. As adults, our desires look different. We hanker for bigger and better houses, higher salaries, or enviable lifestyles. Yet the essence of the struggle remains the same. Covetousness, the unchecked desire for what isn’t ours, has plagued the human heart since the Garden of Eden. Therefore, God, in His infinite wisdom, commanded, "You shall not covet." This commandment goes beyond actions and addresses the desires of the heart. No human government can enforce such a law because it is impossible to monitor the hidden inclinations of the human heart. But this commandment reminds us that nothing escapes His notice. In Jeremiah 6:13, God rebukes Israel, saying, “From the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain.” Their outward religiosity could not conceal the greed lurking in their hearts. In Ezekiel 33:31, where He exposes the hypocrisy of those who came to listen to His prophet: “They come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them, for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.” The people’s outward devotion was a pretence; they were loyal to their selfish desires. Covetousness is incompatible with the love of God. A greedy heart has no room for God, as its affections are already pledged elsewhere. The Lord sharply rebuked the religious leaders of His day. In Matthew 23:25, He spoke, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” Greed and self-indulgence are the twin pillars of covetousness. They promise fulfillment in things and sensations apart from God, leading us to idolatry. Paul reiterates this truth in Colossians 3:5, where he admonishes believers to “put to death... covetousness, which is idolatry.” The insidious nature of covetousness is its chief danger. It begins with desire, hidden in the heart, but quickly grows into destructive action. James 1:14-15 explains this: “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.” Covetous thoughts seem harmless at first, but if we harbour them, they shape our thoughts, words, actions, and character. Ultimately, we will prioritize our own will over God’s, moving away from Him. Scripture provides many illustrations of the consequences of

79_The heart of worship Ex 20:22-26 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. 26 And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’ In a small village church, the offering platter was being passed around. As it neared the row where a young girl sat, she longed desperately to give to the Lord. But she had not a single coin in her pocket. Suddenly her face brightened. She placed the platter on the floor as it came to her, and stood on it. In her eyes, she was offering herself to God. The congregation looked on in awe at the simple yet powerful expression of true worship. In Exodus 20:22–26, God instructed Moses about the altar immediately after giving him the Ten Commandments. At first glance, this sequence may seem unusual. The commandments reveal the holiness of God and are a representation of His glorious character. Why then does God shift focus to something earthy and tangible—the altar? God knows that humans often struggle to relate to abstractions. Therefore, he commanded his people to build him an altar, a physical means to express spiritual worship. Yet, in doing so, God warned Israel not to imagine His form in any material or finite terms. Even the most precious elements on earth, like gold and silver, are unworthy of representing His majesty. To equate God with anything earthly is to insult His greatness. Yet God directs his worshipers to the altar—a simple, unadorned place of sacrifice. The altar had no splendid outward appearance or intricate human craftsmanship. In fact, God forbade the use of shaped stones in the altar, emphasizing that worship is not about human effort or embellishment. Why then the emphasis on the altar? The answer lies in what the altar represents. Offerings and sacrifices are the heart of worship, where God comes to man and blesses him. True worship comes from the spirit, and is marked by heartfelt faith, love, and obedience. It is not about how much we give, or how great the gift appears. Worship pleases God when it comes from a heart of humble faith. Noah built the first recorded altar after the flood, to thank God and acknowledge his deliverance through the devastating flood that destroyed the old world. (Genesis 8:20). Abram, Isaac, Jacob, David, and many others built altars to commemorate sacrifices of thanksgiving, to call upon the Lord,

80_I love my master Exodus 21: 1-6 “Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. 2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out alone. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. Adoniram Judson, a missionary to Burma, endured unimaginable hardships: years of imprisonment, terrible diseases, the heartbreak of losing his children and his wife, and the unrelenting challenges of ministering in a tropical country. Yet, when asked why he didn’t abandon his mission for the comfort of a life back home, his response was simple yet profound: “I love my Savior, and I love these people He has called me to serve.” Judson’s life paints a powerful picture of what it means to serve out of love—a life mirroring the heart of a devoted servant who voluntarily lives out his life serving his master. In Exodus 21:1-6, we find a remarkable framework that illuminates this idea of voluntary, love-driven service. These verses are set within a larger passage where God provides Israel with instructions for living as His covenant people. These are not just societal rules. God is crafting a picture of a just and compassionate community, where even the institution of slavery—so often associated with oppression—is transformed into something humane and redemptive. The Israelites had survived decades of bitter slavery in Egypt, from which they were delivered only by the mighty hand of God. They knew what it meant to be powerless, to toil under harsh taskmasters. Unlike the harsh slavery of the ancient world, God’s order brought transformation. In God’s land, slavery was not an institution of exploitation. Instead, it was a provision whereby the poor could earn their living. If a Hebrew man had no other recourse, he could sign away his liberty to another Hebrew, becoming a servant until he paid off his debts or until six years were past. In the seventh year, he was to be set free—with a generous gift of flocks, grain, and wine. These instructions reminded the people of Israel that they were themselves redeemed by God’s mighty hand and outstretched arm. This law taught the Israelites to treat others with compassion and dignity. More than that, it underscored a fundamental truth: God’s redemption brings freedom. No debt, however large, could bind a Hebrew slave indefinitely because God had already claimed the Hebrew people as His own. They belonged to Him, and no human master could override

81_The value of human life Ex 21:12-14 “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. 13 But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14 But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die. Gen 9:5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. After a storm, a young boy was walking along a beach littered with thousands of stranded starfish. One by one, he picked them up and tossed them back into the ocean. An older man approached him, pointing out the futility of the boy’s efforts. “You know, there are tens of thousands stranded like this on beaches all along this coast. You can’t save them all. You aren’t really making much difference.” Undeterred, the boy picks up another starfish and replies, “But it makes a difference for this one,” before throwing it back into the sea. This simple, heartwarming story reflects the value God places on each human life. This truth permeates Scripture, as in Exodus 21:12-14, where God’s laws emphasize the preciousness of human life and how seriously he regards murder. The regulations in Exodus 21 address personal injury of three kinds: injuries resulting in capital punishment, injuries not resulting in capital punishment, and injuries caused by or to an animal. These laws reveal God’s justice and mercy, His respect for human dignity, and His high regard for life as a reflection of His image. Unlike all other living creatures, man and woman are made in God’s image, a truth that survived the Fall and the Flood. In Genesis 9, God underscores this in his emphatic declaration that those who take human life will lose their own lives, because they have destroyed God’s image. This is the foundation of all human dignity. This is the reason why we were created, to bear his image. And this is the reason why we were redeemed by the blood of Christ our Lord, that we might reflect his image and glory. This foundational truth must inform how we view ourselves and others. It is a truth that gives worth and dignity to the lowest and vilest, the poorest and most ignorant. Exodus 21:12-14 begins with the gravest offense: premeditated murder. The deliberate destruction of life to please oneself forfeits the murderer’s own life. The value of a man’s life is so great that even the holy sanctuary offers him no shelter from justice. Nobody who has shed innocent blood may claim refuge at the altar of God. In a world increasingly numb to violence, where murder is often reduced to a statistic, this divine viewpoint is startlingly relevant. All premeditated

82_A God of justice Ex 22:1-4 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, 3 but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double. A young man once broke into a small bakery late at night. He found only a few dollars in the till, since the shop was struggling. As he turned to escape, he knocked over a set of shelves, tripped and fell. The noise was heard by the owner, who called the police. The thief was caught. In court, the bakery owner refused to press for a jail sentence, but asked that the young man work in the shop for six months as restitution. This is the heart of God’s principles in dealing with theft and swindling, in Exodus 22:1-4. The foundational commandment, "You shall not steal," is expanded upon in these verses. Firstly, the law acknowledges that human life is more valuable than property. A thief breaking in at night may be met with force, even lethal force, because the darkness obscures his intentions, and the homeowner has no other recourse. However, if the theft happens in daylight, the thief's life is to be spared. This principle stands in sharp contrast to a world where people are often treated as expendable in the pursuit of wealth. Corporates prioritize profit over safety, and financial gain over health or life itself. God's justice emphasizes the opposite priorities, reminding us that people cannot be sacrificed on the altar of greed. Secondly, theft is a crime against property but also a violation of trust and a burden on the community that has to provide justice. It threatens society and harms the victim. God commands that stolen goods be repaid multiple times over, depending on the nature of the theft. This principle of restitution goes beyond punishment—it is meant to restore justice and deter wrongdoing. This highlights God's concern for character rather than just outward actions. The punishment must set things right and not just acknowledge sin. This standard of justice reflects God's own righteousness, where sin carries consequences, but grace provides abundant restoration. Another key principle is the responsibility of stewardship. People are held accountable for anything that they borrow or are entrusted with. Carelessness and negligence are punishable. God is a faithful caretaker who neither neglects nor wastes what has been place in his care. Psalm 121:4 declares that the Lord neither slumbers nor sleeps; He is always watching over His people. In contrast, when King Ahab allowed his enemy, Ben-hadad, to go free, God rebuked him for his negligence, for it would harm his people in the future.

83_Love your neighbour as yourself Ex 23:1-9 “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit. 4 “If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him. 6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. 7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. 8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. 9 “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. A young boy once found a wounded bird on the roadside. It had been caught in a thorny bush, and its wing was injured. He gently picked it up, took it home, and cared for it until it regained strength. One day, as the bird took flight again, the boy felt immense joy—not because he had gained anything, but because he had done what was right. His father, watching from the porch, smiled and said, "Son, you have learned the meaning of loving your neighbor." Loving our neighbor is a principle deeply embedded in God's law, culminating in the commandment Jesus declared as the second greatest: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). This command, along with the first—to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind—encompasses the essence of all Scripture. Love is not an abstract feeling but a call to action, shaping our interactions with those around us. Exodus 23:1-9 presents the practical outworking of this command. First, love for our neighbor means we must do them no harm—not by physical violence, not by stealing from them, and not by harming their reputation. Slander and false accusations are grievous sins in God's eyes. Leviticus 19:16 warns, "You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord." Spreading falsehoods can destroy lives, reputations, and families. Malicious testimony in court, whether out of self-interest or to align with the crowd, can bring about injustice that God will hold us accountable for. When we speak, our words should be truthful and seasoned with grace, reflecting God's character. Justice and fairness are also at the heart of loving our neighbor. In a world where the rich and powerful often manipulate the system to their advantage, the Bible speaks strongly against partiality in judgment. Proverbs 22:22-23 warns, "Do not rob the

84_The Sabbath year - living in faith Exodus 23:10-13 “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, 11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard. 12 “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed. 13 “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips. Imagine a farmer, standing in his fields at sunset, watching scattered heads of grain growing among plumes of wild grasses. For six years, he has toiled—plowing, planting, watering, and harvesting. Moving in the rhythm of the seasons, his diligence, and the fruitfulness of the land, have brought him profit. Now, in the seventh year, he has put down his tools. The land is at rest. He neither sows nor reaps. He neither prunes his vines nor stores up grain in his barns. He simply trusts. The idea of a hardworking farmer leaving a field fallow for a whole year seems impractical, even reckless. Yet it was part of God’s law for Israel. As an agrarian society, Israel relied entirely on the land for survival. The weekly Sabbath reminded them of God’s provision. He gave them strength to labor and made the earth yield fruit. He provided manna in the wilderness. Daily they received their share, but twice the portion on the sixth day to honour the sabbath rest of the seventh. On any other day the stored manna would rot, but not on the sixth day. Yet, some went out looking for manna on the sabbath, and were rebuked for their unbelief and disobedience. Exodus 23:10-13 introduces the concept of the sabbath year, or "shmita," the year of release. The land was to be allowed to rejuvenate itself, free from cultivation. Whatever grew of itself - the volunteer grain - was available for everyone, rich or poor, without cost. Even the animals benefited from this unrestricted provision. The land, for that year, belonged to no one and to everyone. This radical command defied human logic. How could an entire nation survive a whole year without sowing and reaping? God anticipated this question. In Leviticus 25:20-22, He promised, "If you say, 'What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?' I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years." Those who trusted God would never be left wanting. The sixth-year harvest would more than sustain them well into the eighth year, when the next crop was ready. Deuteronomy 15 expands the sabbath year to include the forgiveness of debts and the release of Hebrew servants. Every

85_Gathering before the Lord Ex 23:14-17 “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. 16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 17 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God.” A certain man spent years working tirelessly, never taking a break, never pausing to reflect or celebrate life. His self-worth was measured solely by his productivity. One day, exhausted and disillusioned, he realized that he had lost touch with himself, his family, his faith, and his purpose in life. Surrounded by constant demands for our time and energy, we may easily forget to step out and rejoice in God who gives rest. The trap of endless toil ignores the set times for rest, recollection, and rejoicing in the presence of God who gives us life and happiness. In Egypt, the Israelites moved to the crushing rhythm of Pharaoh’s slavery. They had no seasons, no feasts, and no days of rest. Under Pharaoh’s rule, every day was the same relentless cycle of labor, devoid of worship and divine communion. When Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh and declared, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness'" (Exodus 5:1), Pharaoh scoffed. "They are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’" Pharaoh saw no value in worship, no purpose in rest. To him, the Israelites existed only to serve his agenda. "Why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens!" (Exodus 5:4). The world demands that we never pause, never cease striving, never turn our attention to the One who truly matters. But God’s program for his people was always different. Man’s life on earth began with a day of rest, amid a feast of plenty, provided by the bounteous hand of God. Here, too, God appointed sacred times—holy gatherings that marked their journey through each year. These reminded them of redemption and encouraged communion with Him. These were not elaborate meals; they were divine appointments, opportunities to step away from daily toil and enter into God’s purposes. The seven feasts of the Lord—Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles—formed a prophetic calendar, revealing His plan of salvation, culminating in Christ’s work. But among them, three stood out, where every Israelite male was required to present himself before the Lord: the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Tabernacles. The Passover feast and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were the first of these.

86_Commands for the conquest Exodus 23:20-33 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. 22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 “When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, 24 you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. 25 You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. 26 None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. 31 And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates, for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32 You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” In the early 1800s, Adoniram Judson, one of the first American missionaries to Burma, faced huge challenges in his mission field. The tropical climate, dangerous travel routes, language barriers, and local hostility, were huge obstacles. Yet Judson pressed on, relying on God’s promises, and trusting that the Lord would prepare the way ahead. Years of toil, imprisonment, and personal loss yielded few converts, but Judson’s unwavering faith in God’s presence and purpose ultimately bore fruit. By the time of his death, Judson had translated the Bible into Burmese, established churches, and planted seeds of faith that transformed the spiritual landscape of Burma. His story testifies to the power of faith in God’s promises to overcome the forces of evil, even when the path is unclear and the opposition overwhelming. This same theme permeates Exodus 23:20–33. These verses, part of the “Book of the Covenant”

87_The covenant confirmed Ex 24: 1-8 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. 2 Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.” 3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” 4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. 6 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” 8 And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” In a small village nestled in the mountains, a father once promised his son that he would build him a house by the river—a place where the boy could grow up surrounded by beauty and peace. The father worked tirelessly for two years, cutting wood, shaping stones, and building the home piece by piece. When it was finally complete, he brought his son to the house and said, “This is my covenant with you. I built this house so you can live here, grow, and enjoy all I’ve prepared for you. All I ask is that you cherish it and follow the ways I’ve taught you.” The son, overwhelmed with gratitude, promised his father he would. But over the years, the boy grew restless. He forgot his father’s sacrifice and sought his own path, neglecting the home that had been lovingly built for him. This story echoes the covenant God made with Israel—a covenant born out of love and sacrifice, calling His people into a life of blessing and obedience. In Exodus 24, we find the nation of Israel at a pivotal moment in their journey. They have been encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, where God revealed His laws and His plans for them. This chapter marks the sealing of the covenant that was given through Moses, a sacred agreement confirming Israel as God’s chosen people. It is not just a legal document; it is a divine relationship, binding the Creator to His creation in love and purpose. Centuries before this moment, God made a covenant with Abraham, promising him descendants as numerous as the stars, a land of their

88_The dwelling place of God Ex 25:1-9 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. 3 And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, 5 tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. Imagine a family planning their dream home. Every detail reflects their lifestyle, values, and vision. The design is not just about structure—it’s about identity. The God who created the universe also designed a dwelling place to reveal His character and teach His people how to enjoy a deep relationship with Him. This is the tabernacle - not just a structure but a blueprint with eternal significance. Exodus 25:1-9 introduces us to God’s command to Moses to build a tabernacle—a sanctuary where He would dwell among His people. The Creator of heaven and earth is enthroned in the heavens and the earth is his footstool. Why does he choose to put his name on a tent made by human hands? The answer lies not in His need but in ours. God, the master teacher, was revealing lessons about relationships, worship, and redemption in a tangible, experiential way. The Israelites were no strangers to God’s power. They had witnessed His might as He redeemed them from slavery in Egypt. The ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud and fire—all were dramatic displays of His sovereignty. But redemption was not the end of their story; it was the beginning. God’s purpose was not merely to free them but to form them into a holy people who would live in communion with Him. “Let my people go, so that they may serve me,” He declared to Pharaoh. Redemption was always meant to lead to a relationship. After their exodus, God brought the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where He revealed His law through Moses and established a covenant with them. This covenant, dedicated through blood, was sealed with a fellowship meal, symbolizing their relationship with Him. God wanted to dwell among them as they journeyed through the wilderness. He was their leader and fellow traveler on their long and weary journey. The tabernacle would be the visible representation of His presence. Its structure, furnishings, and ceremonies were rich with meaning, teaching the Israelites about His holiness, their sinfulness, and the way into his presence. However, the Tabernacle was not God’s literal dwelling place. The Apostle Paul, in Acts 17:24-25, reminded the Athenians that “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and

 89_Ark- A meeting place of God and man Ex 25:10-22 “They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you. 17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold on the two ends of the mercy seat. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another. 21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel. If you were a builder, tasked with constructing a magnificent building, you would naturally begin with a strong and secure foundation and build upwards. The house would be up before the furnishings were specified. However, the building of the Tabernacle began with the Ark of the Covenant, the innermost object in the structure, and the most holy. This was not an oversight or a random decision. It reveals God's priorities and represents his way of bringing his people near. The Ark was not just another piece of furniture; it was the very heart of the Tabernacle, the place where God met with the Israelites in the person of their high priest. If we are to understand what it means to be in fellowship with God, we must start where He started: with the Ark, the meeting place of God and man. The Ark was placed in the Most Holy Place, a room with three walls of wood overlaid with gold. On the fourth side was the thick veil that separated it from the Holy Place. This veil was woven with images of cherubim, who guarded the way to paradise from fallen man and woman. They reminded everyone of the fall, and of man’s separation from God. Sin had created this barrier

90_A table of fellowship Ex 25:23-30 “You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 24 You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. 25 And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and a molding of gold around the rim. 26 And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 27 Close to the frame the rings shall lie, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. 29 And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30 And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly. Lev 24:5-9 “You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. 6 And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before the Lord. 7 And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion as a food offering to the Lord. 8 Every Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange it before the Lord regularly; it is from the people of Israel as a covenant forever. 9 And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place, since it is for him a most holy portion out of the Lord's food offerings, a perpetual due.” One winter evening, in a small town, a group of strangers was stranded at a train station due to an unexpected snowstorm. With no place to go, they gathered around a small table in the waiting area, sharing the food they had. At first, they ate in silence, but as the hours passed, conversations began to flow, and barriers of age, background, and nationality melted away. By the time the train arrived, they were no longer strangers but a close-knit group, bound by the fellowship of the table. This scene reminds us of what God intends for His people—a table of fellowship where unity, provision, and communion are found in His presence. Like the ark of the covenant, the table of shewbread was made of acacia wood covered with gold. Though smaller and narrower, it stood as high as the ark, signifying its importance. This table was not just a piece of furniture in the Tabernacle; it signified our relationship with God. Throughout Scripture, a table represents fellowship and communion. Man was created in the image of God, enjoying unbroken fellowship with Him in the Garden of Eden. However, when Adam and Eve refused to trust God, and disobeyed him as a result, their relationship with him was shattered. They were