Godward Thoughts » Egypt http://jacklamb.name musings on the Bible, ministry, and family Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:26:00 +0000 en hourly 1 2 Chronicles 10-13: The Divided Kingdom http://jacklamb.name/2007/05/23/2-chronicles-10-13-the-divided-kingdom/ http://jacklamb.name/2007/05/23/2-chronicles-10-13-the-divided-kingdom/#comments Wed, 23 May 2007 13:55:59 +0000 Jack Lamb http://www.rediscovergodsword.com/2007/05/23/2-chronicles-10-13-the-divided-kingdom/ The chronicler does not mention Solomon’s apostasy or God’s warning (1 Kings 11–13), but he does record Rehoboam’s folly. You would think younger men would recommend easier lives for the people, for youth is generally a carefree time. But the king’s friends did not have to bear any of the burdens, and their decision made them appear strong. They used the people to advance their authority instead of using their authority to help the people. (See Matthew 23:4; Galatians 6:2).

Some divisions are of God (2 Chronicles 11:4), even though they create problems and cause hurts. For one thing, divisions force people to make decisions, and the decisions they make reveal the kind of people they are. The priests and Levites left Israel and came to Judah because they wanted to serve in the true temple and be ruled by a king from David’s line.

Rehoboam refused to serve the Lord or the people, so he ended up serving Egypt. God wanted him to learn the difference between His easy yoke and the heavy yoke of sin (2 Chronicles 12:8 ; Deuteronomy 28:47–48). Some people must learn the hard way. Are you one of them?

No matter how strong you think you are, your strength becomes weakness if you forsake the Lord. Rehoboam relied on his fortified cities for protection, and the Egyptians took every one of them. His son Abijah would rely on the Lord and win a great victory (2 Chronicles 13:18). Where is your faith today?

Solomon’s treasures became Egypt’s spoils because the king turned away from God. The king and the elders humbled themselves before God, but they could not escape the consequences of their sin. God spared them from wrath, but He permitted them to suffer. Alexander Maclaren stated, “Every sin is a mistake, as well as a wrong; and the epitaph for the sinner is, ‘Thou fool!’”

]]> http://jacklamb.name/2007/05/23/2-chronicles-10-13-the-divided-kingdom/feed/ 0 Exodus 11-13: The Passover Lamb http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/21/exodus-11-13-the-passover-lamb/ http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/21/exodus-11-13-the-passover-lamb/#comments Sun, 21 Jan 2007 08:26:56 +0000 Jack Lamb http://www.rediscovergodsword.com/2007/01/21/exodus-11-13-the-passover-lamb/ Observe the sequence: “a lamb” (Exodus 12:3), “the lamb” (Exodus 12:4), “your lamb” (Exodus 12:5). The Passover lamb is a picture of Jesus Christ who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:6–7 ). Do you call Him “a Savior,” “the Savior,” or “my Savior” (Luke 1:47)? Jesus is the Perfect Lamb (1 Peter 1:18–19) who had to die to save us. We are saved not by admiring His example or by studying His teaching, but by applying His blood to our own hearts by faith.

God wanted Israel to remember what His hand had done for them (Exodus 13:3,9,14,16), lest in the future they forget to trust Him and serve Him. The setting apart of the firstborn would remind them that the firstborn sons of Israel had been redeemed by the Lord. The annual Passover would remind them to keep their lives pure. When you consider that Jesus Christ has redeemed us by His blood, surely we should give ourselves to Him and obey His Word.

The younger generation cannot know the works of the Lord unless the older generation tells them. The Word of God must control our lips (Exodus 13:9), our eyes, and our hands (Exodus 13:16), and we must share it with others. The Jews took this literally and wore portions of the Law on the forehead and hand, but the Lord was surely speaking in a metaphorical way.

God frees us from bondage, and He also guides us to the inheritance He has prepared for us. His Word is like that pillar of cloud and fire, and He will show us the way if we will trust Him.

]]> http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/21/exodus-11-13-the-passover-lamb/feed/ 0 Exodus 5-7: Problems Doing God’s Will http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/19/exodus-5-7-problems-doing-gods-will/ http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/19/exodus-5-7-problems-doing-gods-will/#comments Fri, 19 Jan 2007 08:15:36 +0000 Jack Lamb http://www.rediscovergodsword.com/2007/01/19/exodus-5-7-problems-doing-gods-will/ When Moses and Aaron began their work in Egypt, their first problem was with Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1–9). Not only did Pharaoh refuse to let the people leave Egypt, but he made their work more difficult. That gave Moses a second problem—his own people, who blamed him for their plight (Exodus 5:20–21). He had a foretaste of the criticism and rebellion he would experience for the next forty years. Moses’ third problem was with the Lord Himself (Exodus 5:22–23)! God had promised success but Moses had failed. Even the Jews didn’t believe him!

But God gave Moses the assurance that He needed (Exodus 6:1–8) and told him to return to his job and stay with it. God doesn’t solve every problem immediately, nor does He follow your schedule. When you think you have failed, even when you have obeyed God’s will, ponder Isaiah 55:8–9 and Jeremiah 29:11.

]]> http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/19/exodus-5-7-problems-doing-gods-will/feed/ 0 Exodus 2-4: The Faithful God of Israel http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/17/exodus-2-4-the-faithful-god-of-israel/ http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/17/exodus-2-4-the-faithful-god-of-israel/#comments Thu, 18 Jan 2007 06:44:10 +0000 Jack Lamb http://www.rediscovergodsword.com/2007/01/17/exodus-2-4-the-faithful-god-of-israel/ God promised that the descendants of Abraham would multiply greatly, and they did (Genesis 13:16; Genesis 15:5). The new Pharaoh was more concerned about national security than human decency. Enslaving the men and killing the baby boys were Egypt’s solution to “the Jewish problem.” The midwives believed in obeying God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Moses’ parents, Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20), knew that the times were difficult, but they had faith

]]> http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/17/exodus-2-4-the-faithful-god-of-israel/feed/ 0 Genesis 46-48: Journey to Egypt http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/16/genesis-46-48-journey-to-egypt/ http://jacklamb.name/2007/01/16/genesis-46-48-journey-to-egypt/#comments Tue, 16 Jan 2007 13:19:37 +0000 Jack Lamb http://www.rediscovergodsword.com/2007/01/16/genesis-46-48-journey-to-egypt/ It would not be easy for Jacob, now 130 years old, to leave the land God gave him and go to Egypt. Moving to a new home is usually a difficult experience, and the older we are, the more difficult it is. Furthermore, Abraham got into trouble in Egypt (Genesis 12:10), and God had stopped Isaac from going there (Genesis 26:2).

But Jacob was able to go with confidence and peace because he was sure of God’s promise and presence (Genesis 46:1–4). In the crisis hours of life, God speaks to us and assures us when we take time to worship. Furthermore, Jacob knew that God had gone before him and that Joseph was there making everything ready for him. The future is your friend when Jesus is your Lord and you follow Him.

Egypt was a haven for Jacob and his family, and there God protected them and built of them a great people. But Jacob knew that Egypt was not his home, Canaan was; and he wanted to be buried there with the others who had made the same pilgrimage of faith. He was a testimony in life, and he wanted to be a testimony in death. Despite his mistakes and failures in life, Jacob ended well.

What should believers do for their family before God takes them in death? Just what Jacob did. He praised God for the past. He told his family what God had done for him and how God had blessed him. God had redeemed him and shepherded him all his life (Genesis 48:15–16).

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