There Was the Glory

God revealed His mercy and provision in many ways during the Israelites’ extended journey from Egypt to Canaan. Even the cloud that remained with them was a visible sign of His glory. It not only led the people; it revealed something about God’s nature. During the dark desert nights, fire from the cloud provided light. During hot days, the cloud provided shade from the hot desert sun. Some say the cloud provided an image of the blessings we receive through Jesus.

At one time, when the people grumbled because they were hungry, Moses and Aaron brought the people into a position where they would listen. Then, While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud. (Ex. 16:10 NIV)

The glory of God demonstrated God’s ability to be God. The people hadn’t remembered that He could take care of them. Instead of asking Him to provide food, they grumbled against Moses. But God surprised them by revealing His nature. He wowed them with a visual image of His glory. That night he sent meat in the form of birds, and in the morning the people discovered manna.

Originally published July 22, 1988.

The Lord Brought You Out

Before the Exodus, during preparations for the Passover meal, Moses told the Israelites, Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. (Ex. 13:2a NKJV)

By definition, bondage involves servitude or slavery—subjection to force. The Israelites wanted to escape—sort of. People do not walk away from slavery easily. God knew that once the Israelites passed through the sea—had actually left the land of Egypt—they would suffer withdrawal pangs when struggling alone in the desert without familiar surroundings and familiar foods.

If deliverance was to be complete, the people needed to cooperate. God’s words through Moses looked ahead to tough times. Because the Israelites could not get out alone—nor stay out alone—God wanted them to remember the great miracle of their escape—and then remember that He could also provide the strength and provision they would need to go further and further into His plan for them.

Originally published March 12, 1993.

Hard-hearted Pharaoh

Hard-hearted people are not impressed by others. Pharaoh remained untouched when God performed miracle after miracle through Moses. When plagues of blood, frogs, and gnats threatened to destroy the land, magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen. . . . (Ex. 8:19a NIV)

Plagues of flies, dead livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness deepened the threat of destruction. Pain and hardship extended throughout Pharaoh’s kingdom, but Pharaoh remained unmoved. Not until the Lord struck down all the first born in Egypt, . . . (12:29a) did he finally respond. He hadn’t suddenly become tender or open to God—he was afraid. He called for Moses during the night, imploring Moses to take the Israelites and leave.

The Bible tells us God actually caused Pharaoh’s heart to harden. That’s a frightening thought. Hardness of heart can creep in with little warning.

The psalmist prayed, Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Ps. 51:10) May the psalmist’s prayer be our prayer.

Originally published July 15, 1988.
Picture: Commercial landscape, Fargo, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

Too Much to Grasp

Although the Hebrew slaves in Egypt knew something about God, they didn’t walk with Him or live in relationship with Him, and they had no understanding of His nature. God instructed Moses, say to the children of Israel: I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burden of the Egyptians . . . I will redeem you with an outstretched arm. . . . (Ex. 6:6 NKJV)

This was too much for the people of slavery to grasp, so they didn’t listen to Moses. Their pain was too deep to understand thoughts about a future and a hope.

It’s possible to live this way today. We might know something about God. But if we don’t have a vital connection with Him we cannot overcome our problems. When that happens, we are unable to hear God’s Word. We might even live in bondage.

While we struggle, God waits to reveal Himself. John the Baptist said to the people of Jesus’ time, There stands One among you whom you do not know. (Jn. 1:26b) The same is true today. The Spirit of Jesus is real. Ask Him to reveal Himself and move for you.

Originally published June 28, 1991.

God's Mountain

Moses, a Hebrew slave by birth, became an Egyptian prince through his adoptive mother. As a young man, he tried to help his fellow Hebrews, but he botched it by killing one of the Egyptian oppressors. Then he fled for his life to the Sinai peninsula.

While in the desert regions of the Sinai, Moses probably gave up all ideas of saving oppressed people. I doubt if he worried about whether or not people were of Hebrew descent. He built a new life for himself—married, fathered a son, and became a shepherd by working for his father-in-law.

But God still had his eye of Moses. Without sensing anything unusual, Moses led the flock to the back side of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. (Ex. 3:1b NKJV)

Think of it. God’s mountain. For Moses, this was a literal place. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush . . . God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” (v. 2a,4b)

But God’s mountains was and is more than a literal place. It is where God's people encounter God’s presence. Throughout history God has continued to keep His eye on His people. As we wander around, living our lives, we might stumble into a time and place where God speaks to us and calls us by name. We've come to God's mountain.

Originally published January 30, 1987.