day no. 14,373: a kingdom of priests

Exodus 19:6

You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

God here tips His hand. His desire is to build a kingdom of priests.  A place where everyone worships their God - from the peasant to the priest to the prince: a people set apart.

day no. 14,372: flattery

Psalm 36

The wicked flatter themselves. Flattery is saying things that are untrue or saying true things in an excessive way in order to persuade or gain favor. So the wicked either convince themselves of their goodness by complimenting themselves in ways that aren't true or by congratulating themselves excessively over things they've actually done.

The righteous cannot flatter God. No matter how hard they try, they cannot say enough good things about Him. There are always new mercies to applaud. And the old mercies cannot be overstated. You cannot flatter God. He is beyond your ability to praise too much. The righteous delight in throwing their backs into praising Him as much as they can knowing it cannot ever be condemned as too much.

day no. 14,371: taking good advice... no matter from where it's coming

Exodus 18:13-14, 17-19, 21-23, 24

The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. 14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” 17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. 19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! 21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” 24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

So Jethro has been a believer in Yahweh for ONE DAY and jumps right in. He is watching how this operation works and immediately has one thought, "This isn't good!" And not only that, but he tells the head guy, his son-in-law, exactly what he is thinking. At this point, I can imagine Moses being all like, "Hey, new guy! Hit the showers, man. I've been doing this a while. You have to earn your stripes before you come at me with that kind of heat, etc…" But Moses doesn't do that. Not even close. He listens to advice from a new convert, who is also his father-in-law. He listens and puts into practice Jethro's advice. He not only gives him the opportunity to speak into his life, but he takes advice… from a brand new believer… who is his wife's dad. Moses for the WIN! This is a lesson to be teachable and to listen regardless of the positional disparity between you and the person with the advice. 

day no. 14,370: simply repeating what God has done won

Exodus 18:11-12

Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” 12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.

Jethro heard about what God had done and was converted. The hearing of God's wonderful acts of judgment changed Jethro's heart and head. He set aside his gods and set Yahweh apart in his heart as the one, true God. He also set himself apart for serving Yahweh alone. Christians are called to be heralds, proclaiming the good news of what God has done in Christ, telling all of the great and wonderful act of God's judgment on sin. This news alone is sufficient to convert hardened hearts and the headstrong. Simply repeating what God has done in the past produces fruit in the present and continued works going forward for which God receives all the credit.

day no. 14,369: empty threats?

Psalm 35

This is an imprecatory prayer: praying not for something for ourselves, but praying against something for others. Here David calls God to fight with those who are fighting with him. He asks Heaven to send it's armies to fight on his behalf. He asks God to make good on His promise to bring vengeance. "Vengeance is Mine," sayeth the Lord! Let's take Him at His Word. Or do we suppose He only makes empty threats in order to keep us in line? Is He merely asking us to be more friendly to our enemies or is there actual justice waiting for those who do wickedness without repentance? God sees all those who wink their eyes. He knows the deception of their sickly, smooth tongues. And He will repay! We will celebrate more loudly on the day that God extinguishes the wicked than we do on the day our team wins the big game. Watching the complete vindication of those who faithfully follow God will be a moment of enormous joy. Evil will be defeated under the foot of the Serpent crusher!

day no. 14,368: bringing a sword to a staff fight

Exodus 17:8-9

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.”

Moses entrusted Joshua to form an army for God's glory and Joshua entrusted his life to the prayers of Moses. Both had their jobs to do and without the other would fail. Moses held up his staff to intercede on behalf of those engaged in battle. He didn't tell Joshua to gather everyone into caves so that he could fend off Amalek with his staff. He didn't tell Joshua to go and fight so that he could hide and hope for the best. They both engaged in the battle. Joshua fought the good fight with weapons and sweat, Moses fought the good fight with prayer and intercession. Moses' staff and Joshua's sword together prevailed over Amalek.

Exodus 17:10-13

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.

day no. 14,367: one who seeks refuge

Psalm 34

David acted like a madman an Abimelech bought it. David's heart leapt for joy. That plan should not have prospered, but David's God is better than David's plan. What follows is the overflow of a grateful heart loudly proclaiming that all the credit for David's life goes to God.

I particularly like how this song ends... "The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned." No one who seeks refuge in Him will be harmed. Put another way, everyone who takes their shelter in Him is safe. Conversely, everyone who looks for safe harbor anywhere else will find their faith shipwrecked.

day no. 14,366: standards and measures

Exodus 16:17-18

They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.

God gives standards and measures. His people know what to do and how to do it. The measure meant some gathered more and some less. Some had more work to do and some had less, but no one had too much or too little as long as they worked according to God's measure.

day no. 14,365: never more disappointed

Exodus 16:8

What are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.

All bitterness is bitterness against God. We are never more disappointed in other people than when we place on them expectations only God can meet.  

day no. 14,364: creative creations

Psalm 33

It is only fitting that people who love the Lord would sing and shout for joy. Who has more reason to be celebratory than those who are loved by their Maker? We should be as creative in finding new ways to sing of His praise as we are in finding new ways to spend money. It is natural for those made in the image of their Creator to be creative for His glory. There is so much to sing about. For example, the fact that God's Word is living and powerful, capable of building and sustaining whole worlds by His breath. The more we meditate on Who He is, the more we will have to sing about. There is not a boring fact about Him. He is worthy of our praise and we do not have to search hard to find something to sing about when we take a moment to turn our thoughts toward Him.

day no. 14,363: no artificial sweetener

Exodus 15:25

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.

God can turn our bitterness to sweetness. He doesn't do this by calling bitter sweet, that would be a categorical sin (Isaiah 5:20).  He does so by converting our current bitterness to the presence of sweetness. He doesn't remove the memory of bitter years or pretend that they never were bitter. He doesn't ask you to act like life wasn't bitter. It's not sleight of hand, making things appear differently though they're still the same underneath the candy coating. No, God acknowledges fully your former bitterness by contrasting it in the celebration of the current sweetness of it all. God removes the bitter taste from our mouths and replaces it with sugar. He doesn't use sugar substitute. He provides actual sweetness… just as real as the bitterness was.

day no. 14,362: twice as nice

Exodus 15:16

the people pass by whom you have purchased.

I heard a story once of a boy who built a small wooden boat. He delighted in watching his boat float until a current took it away from him beyond his reach. The boy watched his boat disappear down the stream and despaired that his precious little boat was gone forever. Months later the boy, walking by a local store, saw his boat behind the glass looking worse for wear. The boy recognized his boat by the faded markings he had specifically made. The boy entered the store and discovered the price was more than he had. He gave himself to honest, hard labor diligently working to earn the purchase price. Upon receiving his wages, he ran to the store, praying that no one else had purchased his boat. He joyfully discovered it still there in the window of the store. He gladly put his hard-earned wages on the counter and gathered back to himself his little toy wooden boat. He delighted in his boat because it was now twice his. He had made it and now he had purchased it. So too God made His people and so now they were twice His: they were His by creation and now they were His by purchase. He double owned them to His joy and their good.

day no. 14,361: don't sleep on Jesus

Exodus 15:3

The Lord is a man of war;

the Lord is his name.

Before you intellectually take a nap on the fact that this is what you'd expect from the Old Testament God, remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus is a member of the Triune God named Yahweh, here referred to as The Lord. So do not read, "The Father is a man of war;" but insert in your mind, "But Jesus is a sweetie pie." Jesus is a man of war. If you believe the OT is about war and blood and the NT is about sheep and casseroles, flip all the way back to the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Don't sleep on Jesus. He has a white robe splattered by the blood of the enemies He tramples under His own foot. God will defeat all His enemies. Some He will defeat by converting them into His friends, the rest He will trod under foot.

day no. 14,360: dutiful

"It is ill to offer God one duty stained with the blood of another." - C. H. Spurgeon

It would be foolish to offer God our courage at the sake of our mercy. It is not wise to offer God our meditation at the sake of our charity. It is never wise to slaughter one duty in order to fulfill another duty. If they are both duties, for both you shall give an account. We may be more greatly disposed or gifted in accomplishing particular duties than others, but that does not remove the weight of the duties of which we are not particularly fond. Duty is duty and doing one extremely well to the abandonment of another is not permissible. We must attend to our duties, leaning in to those we have been gifted to champion and taking measures to attend to those we must complete despite our lack of zeal or aptitude.

day no. 14,359: the blessed man is a forgiven man

Psalm 32

The blessed person is a forgiven person. This runs contrary to the commonly held understanding that blessed people are those who never sin. The general underestimation of sin and overestimation of goodness lends itself to this understanding. But it is a wrong assessment of our situation. Sin is more real and more deadly than most imagine, yet it is at the same time not as irreversible as most would assume. We keep sin secret either in order to maintain a reputation of righteousness or because we fear that true forgiveness is beyond hope. But David affirms ferociously here that the blessed man is a real, solid sinner… a sinner, however, who has been forgiven by God. He no longer plays games in order to manipulate his brand. He is confessional and the first to admit he was wrong, because his hope is no longer in being thought of as right, but being known as a man who is wrong, but forgiven for his wrongdoings.

day no. 14,358: the same water

Exodus 14:28-31

The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

The same waters that welcomed Israel crushed Egypt. The same hand that held back wrath from His chosen people executed judgment on their pursuers. Israel lived and Egypt died at the desire of the same God. He saves His beloved and crushes her enemies. The same ground that was dry, sure footing for Israel was the muddy shackles of death for Egypt. The same water that baptized Israel devoured Egypt. The same water that ushered Israel into glory, rushed to execute the glory of Egypt.

The narrow path cannot be safely trod without faith.

day no. 14,357: the raised hand of the victorious Christ

Exodus 14:13-14

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.”

Salvation is from the Lord. He alone saves. He alone can save and He alone does. Our salvation is a work entirely of His doing. Jesus' perfect life, sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection were all performed by Him without our help and on our behalf. They are the finished foundation upon which salvation relies. When it comes to our justification, we have only to be silent and trust in the raised hand of the victorious Christ. Salvation is something we witness, believe and testify about. It is accomplished entirely outside of us. Welcome it in and you become a living stone in the firm foundation that alone holds up under holy scrutiny. 

day no. 14,356: weak as we are weak

Psalm 31

If you just read this song without knowing who the man was who wrote it, you might be convinced that he was a timid man. The sentiment that springs from the page is one of dependence and fear. In our culture where independence and self-reliance reign supreme, listening to someone offer such deep, exhaustive neediness and lack of confidence in one's own abilities can read wimpy. But that's why knowing who is writing is helpful.

David was no slouch. As a young man he killed bears and lions with his bare hands. He slayed a giant and carried his huge head around with him to prove it. He was a mighty warrior responsible for upwards of 10,000 men's deaths. This was not someone who quickly resorted to cowardice or uncertainty. So we must read this psalm in the context of the whole man.

This man of faith was not unlike us in his frailty. He too wrestled with pride and fear and patience, but he wasn't paralyzed into inactivity or catapulted into reckless activity. He sought God's help and kept his eyes toward the plow. He felt the strain in his muscles like we do, he felt his patience wearing out like ours does, he felt his heart sink in the face of adversity as ours does, but he stayed the course of faith as we now can. He was weak as we are weak, but he was strong as God is strong. In David, we find a sympathetic friend for our weakness, but we also find a tenacious exhortation for finding strength for today from God.

day no. 14,355: bag of bones

Exodus 13:19

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him

Dying wishes of faithful men should not be quickly disregarded. Joseph believed this day would come. Moses became the means by which Joseph's prayer was answered. Moses did not forget Joseph's bones in the hullabaloo of skipping town. He took the bones with him, not because Joseph's bones needed rescuing, but because his bones belonged with those who appreciate men of faith like him. 

day no. 14,354: efficacy over efficiency

Exodus 13:17-18

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.

God does not consider efficiency a higher law than efficacy. There is no reason to think that God likes being inefficient, but when efficacy clashes with efficiency, He chooses the way that produces the results He desires. There are quicker ways to do things for sure, but God's not in a hurry and cares more about the quality of the product He is making than the quantity of time that process requires.

Also, see here that God is protecting His people from fleeing from battle. We see in 18 that they were equipped for battle, but they weren't ready for battle yet. They had everything they needed in terms of equipment, but they lacked what they needed in terms on character. So too, many young Christians, having been given everything in Christ, are in possession of all that they need to face the enemy except the peace of their inner man to stay the course. God is merciful in every way - from His work of salvation to His work of sanctification. 

day no. 14,353: all the firstborn of my sons I redeem

Exodus 13:16

…all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.

All the firstborn of men and animals belong to God, but men are redeemed. Jesus is described as the firstborn from the dead, the first man to be resurrected in the manner that all who follow Him will one day experience. Jesus was redeemed from death. He is bringing many sons to glory and all those who are found in the firstborn Son will be redeemed.

day no. 14,352: God alone never ends

Psalm 30

Some people are only as good as the dust to which they will return. The worship of God will be no less whether they live or decompose. David is determined to make his a Doxology. Lord, if I live, I live for You, and if I die, I die for You. Let me live to the increase of Your fame. All troubles have their end. God alone never ends. Only God never changes. Nothing stays exactly the same except Him. Heartache cannot triumph against His chosen forever.

day no. 14,351: a mixed multitude

Exodus 12:38

A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.

Israel was not alone in fleeing Egypt this evening. A multitude of others witnessed God's mighty hand and threw their lots in with Him -- their false idols abandoned and the one, true God embraced.

day no. 14,350: everywhere something dead

Exodus 12:29-30

At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead.

Jesus is a member of the Trinity. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is here and actively involved in the striking down of the firstborn of Egypt. Do not delegate this to the Father alone. Every home came face to face with death on this evening. Either the sign of the slaughtered Lamb on the doorposts or the lifeless bodies of firstborn sons were seen in each and every house.

day no. 14,349: what the fuss is all about

Exodus 12:26-27

And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

A home where the blood of the Lamb is honored will ultimately beg certain questions from those who pass through. Children need to see Jesus worshiped so that they inquire as to what the fuss is all about. Point being, there ought to be a fuss in the first place.  

day no. 14,348: no other sign can suffice

Exodus 12:12-13

On all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

The Potter is at war with the potters the pots have imagined. The Creator is executing the gods His creation have created. Nothing saves except the blood. The sign chosen by God will secure salvation, but only His sign. Nothing but the blood will due. No other god can withstand, no other sign can suffice to restrain the awful presence of Yahweh.

day no. 14,347: deep, rich, thick red.... everywhere

Exodus 12:4-7

…a lamb for a household… without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats… 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

Every house had to participate. No one was excused. No soccer practice or football games. No vacation or family reunions. Every household was obligated to procure a spotless, one year old male lamb, sheep or goat, take your pick. Then as the last light of the day was tip-toeing into darkness, the lambs were to be slain. The last color everyone who believed saw that evening was red - deep, rich, thick red… everywhere: on your hands, clothes, feet, floor, doors, etc… Imagine the smell of a hundred thousand entrails and sticky, blood-covered hands in every yard where Yahweh was believed. A night without equal.

day no. 14,346: much obliged

Romans 15:1

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

If you count yourself among the strong, then you owe the weak your patience. If you count yourself too weak to endure them, you owe the strong a humble ear.