Bible Reading Reflection from Exodus 1-10

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (LRAU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟙:𝟙𝟘

"Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land."

It was fear, distrust, love of power that let the Egyptian oppressed Israelites. What else? Think!

Why don't you help people? Why don't you guide others? Why don't you encourage your friends?

You are an Egyptian if . . . And remember, there will be deliverance for the oppressed someday, and even now, they will not be suppressed, they will continue to grow!

Bullies and Oppressors are actually timid, weak, and low self-esteem people!

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟚:𝟙𝟡

"So they said, "An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew the water for us and watered the flock."

Moses is a good man! He has a heart of gold.

Moses is a great man. He has a mind of steel.

Moses is an exceptional leader. He has compassion and patience with people.

He stood up in Egypt against the Egyptian. And he stood up against those Israelites who were contentious.

Even when he was forced out for doing what was just, he wasn't discouraged or giving up. He continued to stand up for the Mediante women. And he even watered their flock.

And he did deliver the Israelites from Egypt.

Do we stand up for people who are less privileged than us when they are oppressed and looked down?

Or do we try to join the club of the elites? Whom would we identify with? Moses always took the side of the lowly, poor, oppressed people. And no wonder what he became!

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟛:𝟚𝟚

"But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians."

God has an interesting way of revenge! Indeed, vengeance is His!

Another interesting concept is “Asking.” It’s different from stealing, borrowing, or even borrowing. A few years ago, I watched a documentary on how to solve poverty. The economists, experts, and philosophers talked of many theories and concluded that poor people should ask and rich people should be generous. Simple as that, Ask.

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟜:𝟙𝟘-𝟙𝟙

"Then Moses said to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."   The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?"

Everyone is perfect for God. He made us perfectly for His perfect glory. While we see our imperfection and ask God to help us, we don't need to wail like those who don't know God, but weep like those who desire God.

As Matthew Henry said, (paraphrase): In trouble, sinners bark like dogs, and saints mourn like doves!

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟝:𝟚𝟛

"Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all."

Moses hadn't expected that. God moves in a mysterious way! William Cowper [Hymn] is right!

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟞:𝟙

"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land."

Who can resist God? God's power is still over even the most stubborn one.

The stubbornness of Pharaoh is a blessing for us because we have seen that God can even work against it!

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟟:𝟙𝟜

"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go.""

Is there anything we refuse to let go? Our dream, desire, sin, habit, friendship, comfort, the pleasure of life?

God wants His people to worship Him especially when they are suffering. The Israelites were enslaved, killed, their children murdered, their possessions robbed, their rights ignored, mercilessly forced to work. Yet, God sent Moses to tell them to worship God in the wilderness [not even in Egypt].

And God, even caused them to suffer much more than before.

BTW, Letting Israelites go was difficult for Pharaoh too. Who will serve him now and work for him now?

We have many reasons why we stick to what we should let go, right? Let it go!

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟠:𝟙𝟘

"Then he said, "Tomorrow." So he said, "May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God."

“Tomorrow.” Is it not flabbergasting that Pharaoh wanted the frogs to go away the next day? Not today, not now?

Imagine, what was he thinking? Imagine, what was he planning?

Why this procrastination? Why this doubting? Why this state of mind?

And think how human often does that? What about you and me?

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟡:𝟚𝟘-𝟚𝟙

"The one among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses; but he who paid no regard to the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field."

Not only the Pharaoh, but the Egyptians were stubborn.

There were some who feared God, but the narrative presented them to be those who were not paying attention to the work of God. And the Israelites as those who listen to Moses.

Same message, same plague, same country, but different group of people: those who listened to and those who didn't listen to Moses, no matter the ethnicity!

 

𝔼𝕏𝕆𝔻𝕌𝕊 𝟙𝟘:𝟚𝟠

"Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Beware, do not see my face again, for in the day you see my face you shall die!"

So, Pharaoh couldn't bear the torture of Moses anymore. But he was a fool, he would be calling back Moses as a loser and finally perish in the Red Sea! “It's hard to kick against the goads” Saul of Tarsus will learn a millennium after.

It's stupid to get angry with God. Job was right, his wife was a fool!