EXODUS  -- In Genesis we saw how God formed the world; in Exodus, we will see how He formed the nation of Israel, and in type, how He would one day form His spiritual nation, the church. Exodus is rich in types of Christ and His church. Indeed, Moses is a type of Christ, a lawgiver and a mediator. Look for these types and other connections as you read. For example, note how the world was formed out of water, humankind was saved by water, the Israelite nation was brought to life through water, and today we are also born of water. Even Moses’ life is due to water. I hope I have said enough to pique your interest and that you will enjoy your study of this second book of the Bible!

February 20 – Exodus 1

Exo 1:21  And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them.

The tender compassion of a woman, coupled with the fear of God, is a mighty tool in the hand of the Lord. Shiprah and Puah were just ordinary women like you and I, but their courage to stand up against the shedding of innocent blood is something we need today.

Dear Father of compassion and Creator of life, I bring before you all the wonderful women who, because of their fear of You, choose not to destroy the innocent life within them, no matter how that life was conceived or what may be wrong with their child medically. Help us to encourage and support these women. As You blessed Shiprah and Puah, please bless these women and their children and all in the medical profession who fear You and work to preserve life and heal.

February 21 – Exodus 2

Heb 11:23  By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.

Without doubt, Moses is one of the greatest men who ever lived. But where would he be without the courage and faith of Jochebed, the sisterly love and wisdom of Miriam, and the tender-heartedness of Pharaoh’s daughter? Is there any greater joy in life than to bring up and/or stand beside godly men who have the faith and love to spread the gospel to those around them and the wisdom to shepherd God’s people? To a large extent, the future of our families, the church, and the nation, depends on women like us.

Dear Lord, thank You for the special way You have designed me as a woman and the work You have given me in helping to make the world a better place and to impact souls for eternity. Lord, please give me wisdom to fulfil this role in a way that glorifies You.

February 22 – Exodus 3

Exo 3:7  …I know their sorrows. 8  So I have come down to deliver them … 11  But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" 12  So He said, "I will certainly be with you….”

God knows and God cares about the sorrow that I go through -- and the sorrow that is all around me in the world. But who am I, that God could help me, not only to endure my pain, but even use me in my weaknesses, physical, emotional and spiritual, to help someone else? I am no one, but I am able to be what I need to be if God is with me!

May all blessing and honor be to You, O Lord, for we live each day only by Your grace; and the joy we have in Your deli-verance from sin more than compensates for the sorrows and pain we experience. Please be with each of us, especially those who are suffering, so that through casting our cares on You, we will find strength to bear our burdens and be used by You to help others.

February 23 – Exodus 4

Exo 4:24  And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him.

Moses has a monumental task ahead of him – to confront one of the most powerful men in the world, establish a new nation, and lead that nation for the next 40 years. BUT he has a problem in his own house. Zipporah knew what to do to keep the Lord from killing Moses – so Moses had obviously told her of the sign of the covenant; she just evidently rebelled – after all, the commandment probably did not make sense from a worldly perspective. Moses evidently did not exercise due leadership in the matter, and God held him accountable! I wonder if Zipporah’s grudging obedience was indicative of a general bad attitude towards God, and is in any way connected to the fact that Moses sent her back to her father? (Ex.18:2)

O righteous God, please bless each of us to give our whole-hearted support to all godly leaders who encourage us to obey Your commands: husbands, fathers, and elders; for they are accountable to You, O Lord.

February 24 – Exodus 5

Exo 5:22  So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? …    23  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all."

We live in an age of instant cereal, instant access to information, and almost instant delivery of anything we wish to buy on-line with instant credit. It is no surprise then that we tend to focus on asking God for things that have to do with our short-term well-being. And none of us like it when, after prayer, things get worse in our lives instead of better! Today I challenge each of us to think of some spiritual goals that have eternal impact, write them down, and spend some time praying about them.

O Lord, You are the One who knows the future and who knows the big picture. Help us to fully trust that You, in Your omniscience and in Your unfailing and abundant love, are going to do what is best for us and our loved ones eternally.

February 25 – Exodus 6

Exo 6:6  Therefore say to the children of Israel: 'I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7  I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8  And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.' "

Reread verses 6-8, noticing the seven I will’s. With what phrase does verse 6 begin and verse 8 end – and is also found in the middle of verse 7? God is telling them that He is going to manifest His Name, who He IS, by the things that He does. It’s not that the Patriarchs didn’t know the literal name JHWH, but God did not fully reveal to them what His Name, His essence, was going to accomplish for their descendants. However, the people did not listen to Moses because their present circumstances blinded them to who the LORD really IS. Now re-read verses 6-8, meditating on the corresponding blessings of God’s Name that we have in the new covenant. Then, offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Him for all these blessings and make a determination in your heart that you will never allow the circumstances of life, good or evil, to cause you to doubt God’s love, power and promises.

February 26 – Exodus 7

Exo 7:22  Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said. (Exo 7:3  And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, …)

Exo 7:23  And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.

A reference is made to “Pharaoh’s heart” five times in this chapter, and thirteen more times in subsequent chapters. The very events that would melt a soft heart, only hardened Pharaoh’s heart – and God, who knew his heart, knew how he would react to the plagues, using them to harden his heart so that “the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,” v.5. Notice in verse 22 that the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was a process. It is frightening to think that in some way my heart too could be slowly and imperceptibly hardened by events or “small sins” in my life so that I grow blinded to my own sin by pride, stubbornness or complacency.

Today Lord, I pray as did Your servant David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps.139:23-24)

February 27 – Exodus 8

Exo 8:9  And Moses said to Pharaoh, "Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only." 10  So he said, "Tomorrow."

I once heard a sermon titled “One More Night with the Frogs.” The sermon was directed towards those who needed to obey the gospel, but I think that all of us have some “frogs” that need to be exterminated ASAP. Maybe there is a task that I have been procrastinating or a character flaw I have been excusing or something I need to make right with someone I am at odds with. Why spend another night with the frogs? Besides, we are not promised tomorrow.

Dear Lord, Help me to realize that today may be the day that Your Son descends from heaven with a shout, and I and my loved ones must be ready to meet Him. Or maybe He will come tonight while I am sleeping. May this realization create a sense of urgency in me to do live each day as though it were my last.

February 28 – Exodus 9

Exo 9:4  And the LORD will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.

God did not always make a difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians. It seems that the Israelites experienced the first three plagues along with the Egyptians. I wonder how they felt about that? Throughout history the righteous have suffered because of evil, and how do I feel about that when it happens to me or my loved ones?

O God of wisdom and righteousness, we bring before You all of Your children who are suffering this day due to the actions of evil men, or due to the circumstances of life because our world was broken by the sin of Adam and Eve. You, Lord, are our only hope, and we cling to Your promise that in the life to come You will make a difference between Your children and the world.

March 1 – Exodus 10

Exo 10:1  Now the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him,

Exo 10:2  and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD."

In Exodus 9:16 we read that God raised Pharaoh up and demonstrated His power in the plagues to show the whole earth who He is. In chapter 10 we see that another reason for the plagues is to engender faith in His own people that He is the LORD. The faith of the nation in the future will depend on these eyewitnesses passing down to their descendants this account of God’s mighty works. The Israelites will need this faith to get through the wilderness, their children will need it to conquer Canaan, and the following generations will need it to keep from losing the land through sin.

O mighty God, in this day of mind-boggling, time-invasive media, may we prioritize time for our descendants (physical and spiritual) to hear our lips praising Your greatness and our tongues recounting the history of Your dealings with mankind. They need such strong faith to overcome the world; we beg You today to bless our efforts to help them.

March 2 – Exodus 11

Exo 11:8  And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, 'Get out, and all the people who follow you!' After that I will go out." Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.

The Holy Spirit does not reveal to us why Moses was filled with such anger, but since God does tell us that Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth, Num.12:3, I conclude that Moses’ anger was not about the trouble Pharaoh’s hard heart had brought on Moses and the Israelites, but because of what was going to happen to the Egyptians in the final plague, a plague that would cause a cry of anguish such was never heard before nor since, a plague Pharaoh was warned about from the very beginning, Ex.4:23.

Lord, today I humbly bring before you my self-centered heart and ask that You help me to be less upset because of hurt done to me, and more upset because of harm done to others and especially because of sin done against You. I pray that I will use my emotions in a good way to be motivated to help the hurting, pray more fervently, and stand for truth.

March 3 – Exodus 12

Exo 12:13  Now 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 the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Exo 12:26  And it shall be, when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?'

Exo 12:27  that you shall say, 'It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.' " So the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Here we have a most significant type in Exodus: the Passover lamb, which, as we all know, finds its antitype in Jesus Christ. This first day of the week is an appropriate time to meditate on all the symbolism of the original Paschal lamb: a year-old male lamb, without blemish, no bones broken, to be slain at twilight  – whose blood allowed them to have deliverance from death. It was eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread in surroundings containing no leaven, and was to be eaten only by those who were circumcised (and their families). But their children were going to want to know what the commemoration of the Passover meant to the Israelites! And our children will want to know what the Lord’s Supper means to us personally – what great deliverance the Lord has wrought in our lives!

Dear Father, on Sunday as I participate in the commemoration of what our Passover Lamb did for us, help me to focus on what the sacrifice of Jesus means to me. Then, during this next week, help me to convey to others how much it means to me to have a relationship with You, something only possible because of the blood of Jesus! May all blessing and praise,  glory, honor and dominion be to You and Your Son forever and ever, Amen.

March 4 – Exodus 13

Exo 13:2  "Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine."

Here is another beautiful shadow found in Exodus. All the “firstborn” sons are specially “consecrated” or set apart from all other people as belonging to God. Hebrews 12:23 speaks of the “church of the firstborn.” The word “firstborn” is not singular (prototokos), but plural (prototokoi). All of us who are part of the church are the firstborn ones, the ones who, in a special sense, belong to GOD. As I meditate on what that means, scriptures come to my mind like, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” Heb.13:5; “let us come boldly to the throne of grace,” Heb.4:16; “Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ,” Gal.4:7.

Today, meditate on what it means to belong to God. Then take time to praise and thank Him for being the perfect Father described for us in Psalm 103.

March 5 – Exodus 14

I once came across a booklet by Robert Morgan called The Red Sea Rules – 10 God-given strategies for difficult times. I think you would enjoy reading the strategies and re-reading the applicable verses, so I will list them: 1) Realize that God means for you to be where you are, 14:1-2.  2) Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief, 14:3-4.   3) Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord, 14:5-9.  4) Pray! 14:10.   5) Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work, 14:13-14.  6) When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith, 14:15.  7) Envision God’s enveloping presence, 14:19-20.  8) Trust God to deliver in His own way, 14:21-22.  9) View your current crisis as a faith-builder for the future, 14:30-31.  10) Don’t forget to praise Him, 15:1-2.

O mighty God, no problem is too big for you. Today I pray especially for all who face seemingly insurmountable problems as well as those of us who face problems we think we can handle on our own. Help us all to confidently place our hands in Your hand, obediently trusting Your instructions, and allow You to lead us through sinking sand to higher ground.

March 6 – Exodus 15

Exo 15:11  "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Skim the song of Moses, looking for words that set God apart from all other gods – made Him glorious in holiness, (holy = set apart): “triumph gloriously,” “strength,” “salvation,” “exalt,” “power,” “greatness,” “excellence,” etc. And then He provided such an awesome deliverance! However, in just three days they were back to their old complaining habits. How many times have I been delivered from a great threat or sorrow, thinking how much more I will focus on the Lord in my gratitude – but then soon fall back into my old complaining or complacent ways, my comfort zone?

O holy God, there is no one like You. Help me to meditate on that truth each and every day so that the fires of gratitude and awe in my heart will burn ever stronger so that I will joyfully sacrifice my time and energy to work for you, despite any trials that may come my way.

March 7 – Exodus 16

Psa 78:23  Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven, 24  Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven. 25  Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full.

Maybe you have never had to worry where your next meal is coming from – but I know brethren who have. How would I react under such circumstances? Please note the role of angels in delivering the manna. And what does God say to us about angels? “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb.1:14) God IS providentially at work in our lives. The One who gave His Son, the true Bread of Heaven, as a sacrifice for our sins, CAN and WILL provide what He, in His divine wisdom knows that we NEED.

O Lord, we praise You today for all the wonderful ways You have provided for us. Lord, as we consider the things we fear for ourselves and our loved ones – the future of our country, financial insecurity, old age, sickness, death – today we commit ourselves to rooting worry out of our lives and replacing it with faith in You, the Commander of innumerable hosts of angels. (Heb.12:22) Lord, “give me grace for every trial, feed me with the living Bread.”

March 8 – Exodus 17

Exo 17:4  So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do …?"

Why did God listen to Moses, but not to the people? James says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”  But, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”  Also, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let Him ask of God,” but, “Let not that man suppose that he will receive…a double-minded man,” James 4:2-3; 1:5-8. Moses didn’t complain, he asked. He single-mindedly served the Lord, not for His own pleasure but for the good everyone and to the glory of God.

Lord, I come to You today, humbly acknowledging that I cannot direct my own steps; thus I pray for wisdom, committing myself to searching out the wisdom You have already given us in Your word. I pray with a sincere heart, acknowledging and accepting that sometimes You give us wisdom in the school of hard knocks. I pray, not for my ease but for Your glory.

March 9 – Exodus 18

Exo 18:16  When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws."

Just imagine how difficult it must have been to trek and tent-camp in close proximity to literally over million others! Even for us, circumstances and relationships certainly can prove difficult at times. When I seek solutions to my problems from the word of God, am I seeking God’s laws, or something to validate my own desires? If I speak to someone about a problem I have, do I really want to know what God wants me to do, or do I only want sympathy? If someone asks me for advice, Do I reply with “I think…,” or give them the statutes and laws of God that pertain to their particular problem? Modern psychology tells us not to give advice – that the person just needs a listening post because he really has the solution within himself. Moses wasn’t a listening post, he was directive – he helped them by making known to them the solutions found in God’s statutes and laws!

Lord, Your ways and thoughts are so superior to ours! Please help me to seek solutions to all of life’s problems by first honestly examining my heart to see if there is any wicked way in me, and then humbly and penitently seeking Your statutes and laws that apply to my problem.

March 10 – Exodus 19

Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6  And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'

Israel was a special nation with a special responsibility. Their value in God’s plan to bring the Messiah to the world is without equal. The word kingdom in the Hebrew does not merely imply citizenship but royal citizenship, 1 Pet.2:9. A priest is someone who facilitates someone’s relationship to God, Eg. the offering of sacrifices, the high priest’s duties on the Day of Atonement, and Jesus’ mediation when we pray to the Father. And so, among the nations, God wanted Israel to be looked up to as a prince of nations, a nation that would facilitate the Gentile nations’ relationship with God. And the responsibility was for them to be holy so that they could accomplish God’s purpose for them by being a beacon of light to draw the whole world to the true God. Now, with a fuller understanding of this “shadow,” read 1 Peter 2:9-12 to see our specialness, our purpose, and the resultant responsibility we have. (Exodus is such a rich book, isn’t it?)

O Lord, of all the millions on earth, I was one of the relatively few who was fortunate enough to hear your true gospel and be a part of Your chosen nation. I am not worthy of the honor of being part of this royal priesthood, but I thank You for Your mercy and pray that, with Your help, I can by my good works bring glory to You among the Gentiles.

March 11 – Exodus 20                                             

Exo 20:19  Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." 20  And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin."

How much do I fear God? “Fear” is used twice by Moses in this verse, and it is the same word in Hebrew, just as it is in English. What is it they are not to fear? Death. Who is it they are to fear? God! Why do we fear death? Is it because we know we have not feared God as we should? Because the midwives “feared” God, Ex.1:21, they did not fear Pharaoh or death – they did not sin by killing innocent babies. Because Isaac “feared” Abimelech more than he feared God, he sinned – he lied about his marriage to Rebekah, Ex.26:7. Fear is more than respect, it is fear. Think about the times we fail to stand up for what is right because we fear losing a friendship or upsetting the person we are with. Think about the times we sin. Who or what do we fear more than God?

Awesome God, I cannot thank You and praise You enough today because, even when we sin because we fail to fear You as we should, through Jesus Christ You have provided a way for us to have confidence to come before Your throne of grace and receive forgiveness. Help me to rely on You as my Helper so that I do not fear what man can do to me. (Heb.13:6) Help me to perfect my love for You, thereby casting out fear of Your judgment. (1Jn.4:17-18)

March 12 – Exodus 21

Exo 21:29  But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death.

I find these laws very fascinating: the respect for human life, the respect for women, and the responsibility imposed on each person to do everything in his power to prevent harm befalling his neighbor. Today the ox has been replaced by machinery, and careless handling of that machinery can also cause harm to befall my neighbor. Perhaps each time, when getting into our cars, we should stop for a moment and utter a prayer to God that we drive in such a way so as never to cause harm to others.

March 13 – Exodus 22

Exo 22:31  "And you shall be holy men to Me: you shall not eat meat torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

Some of the laws God gave His people seem strange to us. Was this law perhaps a safeguard against possible contamination by the animal who killed it? Possibly, but that is not the reason God gave. God said the purpose of this law was to make them holy. No other nation had such dietary laws as did the Jews. These laws were a daily reminder of their uniqueness before God, just as today God’s moral code is a constant reminder of our uniqueness in an increasingly wicked world.

O holy God, we come to You today, recognizing that You want us to be holy. I pray that today, and every day, we will not be ashamed to dress, speak and act in a way that shows our aim is to please You, not the world around us.

March 14 – Exodus 23

Exo 23:20  "Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21  Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.

This was not an ordinary angel, but an Angel with the name (essence) of God in Him: an Angel who had the authority to forgive, or not forgive transgressions – an Angel with the power to bring them to the promised land, preserve them from illness and overthrow their enemies. Who is this Angel? 1Co 10:4  … For they [Israelites] drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Did they listen to this Angel? 1Co 10:5  But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. How incredibly sad that they did not listen to the One who had promised to do so much for them – and who had already proved to them His power to provide for them by giving them food and water in the wilderness.

All praise, honor and glory be to Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who has assured us that He will safely bring us through the wilderness of this world to a home that He is now preparing for us. Lord, we look around us and see that some of your children are fainting in this wilderness. Today please open a way for me to encourage someone to hold fast to You and Your Son.

March 15 – Exodus 24

Exo 24:9  Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10  and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. 11  But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank.

We understand, of course, from Exodus 33:20, that they saw a manifestation of God, not God in all His glory. Nonetheless, it was an experience that should have made such an impression on them that they would from that moment and forever more be absolutely faithful to Him. Up to this point they had seen the terrifying power of God in the way He had appeared in fire and smoke. Now they see an awesome beauty that draws them close. Why can they now draw near to eat and drink in the very presence of God – to have fellowship with Him? Because they had chosen to make a covenant with God and had been cleansed by the blood of the covenant.

Today as I meditate on Your word, O God, my heart overflows with gratitude for the sprinkling of the blood of Your Son, the seal of the New Covenant through which I can have fellowship with You each day, and in a special way as I eat and drink together with Your Son each Lord’s day. Most of all, I want to be ready for that day when You will call all Your holy ones to the marriage supper of the Lamb!

March 16 – Exodus 25

Exo 25:8  And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 9  According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.

A sanctuary: a sacred, pure, clean, holy, specially set-apart place. Dwell: abide, reside permanently. Tabernacle: a residence, dwelling place. From the same Hebrew root as “dwell.” God wants to abide with His children at all times – but He can’t abide just anywhere! It was very laborious, but absolutely crucial, to get all the tabernacle’s specifications exactly according to the pattern. How much more should we be willing to labour to prepare a sanctuary wherein God can dwell, patterned on the law and life of Christ! The enemy of God’s presence is apathy. To the lukewarm Christians, Jesus says, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me,” Rev.3:19-20.

O holy and righteous God, I want to be zealous to prepare my heart to be a sanctuary for you, a temple of the Holy Spirit, because I was bought with a price. I want to glorify You in my body and in my spirit which are Yours.

March 17 – Exodus 26

Exo 26:34  You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy.

Exo 25:22  And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

“Mercy seat” -- what a fitting name for the place where God and man could meet! In Hebrews 4:16, the word for “mercy,” is the same word Greek word translated “mercy seat,” in Heb.9:5. Because of our great High Priest we can come boldly to the throne of grace to find “mercy” in time of need. Hugh Stowell expressed the wonder of the mercy seat so much better than I can in his beautiful hymn, “From every stormy wind that blows, from every swelling tide of woes, there is a calm, a sure retreat – ‘Tis found beneath the mercy seat.” There is another verse to this song I had never heard before: “Ah! Whither could we flee for aid, When tempted, desolate, dismayed? Or how the hosts of hell defeat, Had suff’ring saints no mercy seat?”

Father, I need your mercy so much! I thank You more than words can express for the privilege of coming into Your very throne room, where You are surrounded by the cherubim and all the heavenly hosts who do Your bidding – and that You hear me, and not only hear me, but give me grace.

March 18 – Exodus 27

Exo 27:1  "You shall make an altar of acacia wood, … Exo 27:2  You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with bronze.

The horns of the altar served a very important purpose. Whenever someone came with a sin offering, it was not only the sacrifice itself that made atonement for the sin, but also the blood of the offering that was sprinkled on the horns of the altar, Lev.4:27-31. The Hebrew word for atonement comes from a root that means “to cover.” Because the blood of the sacrifice “covers” the sin, God is pacified and is willing to pardon. The cost of sacrificing the kid of a goat when you sinned was surely a deterrent. How much more of a deterrent should the cost of the blood of Jesus be to us!

O merciful God, today our hearts are filled with praise and thanksgiving that the blood of Your Son continually provides the atonement we need to be accepted by You. Help us not to take this price for granted!

March 19 – Exodus 28

Exo 28:30  And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.

The Hebrew word for “judgment” means verdict or privilege. The NIV translates it “the breastplate of making decisions.” In Numbers 27:21 Joshua was given the authority (or privilege) by Moses to stand before the high priest to “inquire before the Lord for him by the judgment (verdict) of the Urim. At his word they [Israelites] shall go out, and at his word they shall come in.” “Urim” (lights) and “Thummim” (perfections) were evidently objects carried by the high priest in his breastplate through which the Lord would illuminate His perfect will for how they were to “go out” to battle. Many times in subsequent scriptures we read of the kings, particularly David, inquiring of the high priest when and how they were to proceed in battle, 1 Sam.22:10, 1 Sam.28:6, etc.

All-powerful God, we know that today the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in the perfect and illuminating words You have given us, so that by Your power we can go forward into battle, casting down the arguments of those who are proud, and bringing every wayward thought of our own into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Bless us as we study Your word this year. Help us to discover and add Your mighty weapons to the arsenal of our minds. (2Cor.10:3-5)

March 20 – Exodus 29

Exo 29:4  "And Aaron and his sons you shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water. … 21  And you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and on his garments, on his sons and on the garments of his sons with him; and he and his garments shall be hallowed, and his sons and his sons' garments with him.

According to Strong’s, there are two Greek words used for washing the body: louo, to wash the whole body, and nipto, to wash a part of the body. The Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Hebrew OT uses the word louo to describe what Moses did to Aaron and his sons. Every part of them needed to be washed. However, notice that water was not enough: blood was also to be sprinkled on them before they could become priests privileged to come before God. And so we have Hebrews 10:21-22: -- and having a High Priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed [louo] with pure water.

As we come before You today, O Lord, our hearts are filled with wonder and praise to think that You planned from before the foundation of the world how You would save us, and to think how You proved Your wisdom, omniscience and omnipotence by giving these shadow-pictures, hundreds of years before they were fulfilled. Help us to help our friends and family understand how vital the blood of Your Son and baptism are to our salvation.

March 21 – Exodus 30

Exo 30:7  "Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it.         8  And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.

In Revelation 9:1-3 we see that this altar is a replica of a golden altar that stands before the throne of God. On the heavenly altar an angel burned incense with the prayers of the saints. Perhaps our prayers are pictured as very sweet in the eyes of the Lord (Ps.141:2), or perhaps the incense is a picture of the intercession of Jesus and the Holy Spirit as we pray (Rom.8:26,34). From Luke 1:9-10 & Acts 3:1 we see that people came to the temple to pray during the time of the morning and/or evening sacrifice and the burning of the incense. One of our mighty weapons in our arsenal of spiritual warfare is prayer, Eph.6:18. Great men of old had three set times of prayer per day, Ps.55:17, Dan.6:10. Today let us make a commitment to spend more time specifically devoted to prayer.

Father, may our prayers today be offered with humble hearts so that they will be a sweet aroma to You. May our times of prayer be sweet to us as well as we come to realize that all the things with which we fill our days are nothing unless we have sought Your will and Your blessing.

March 22 – Exodus 31

Exo 31:13  "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. …

Exo 31:17  It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.' "

No other nation had a day of rest. The Sabbath set the Israelites apart from all other people of the earth. As we have often seen, the instructions given to Israel often have counterparts that apply to us today in a more spiritual sense. We who are of spiritual Israel have no day of rest in this life! However, “There remains therefore a rest [Greek: “Sabbatismos”] for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his,” Heb.4:9-10. This Sabbath also, is not for all people, but only for the people of God.

Lord, I pray that I will fight the good fight of faith as long as I draw breath, looking forward to the time when I will have Rest from Satan and will be able to experience the joy of worshipping and serving You, freed from all fleshly struggles and hindrances. I also pray for those who do not have this wonderful promise of Rest. May I never be at rest or complacent when it comes to seeking ways and opportunities to help or influence them to come to You.

March 23 – Exodus 32

Exo 32:26  Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side—come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27  And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let … every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' "

Exo 32:29  Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother."

Imagine how difficult it must have been to kill each person that you happened to meet, no matter how much you loved them. Even so today there are times when we are tested to the limits of our faith in God when called upon to treat our loved ones the way God says to treat them, Eg. withdrawing from them or forgiving them 70x7 when they say, “I repent.” This incident and the resultant blessing given to the Levites is reiterated in Deut.33:8-10: “Nor did he acknowledge his brother, or know his own children; … They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, and Israel Your law.”  Is there any greater blessing than to have the privilege of being able to teach God’s law? And is there any better way for us to determine who should be leaders among us than by looking to see if their allegiance to God is greater than their allegiance to their loved ones?

O most high and holy God, may we, and all those who teach Your word, exalt you in our hearts above all others, loving You more and more each day!

March 24 – Exodus 33

Exo 33:14  And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Exo 33:15  Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.

God’s presence was seen in a tangible way when the pillar of cloud stood at the door of Moses’ tent. To Moses, the Presence of God assured him that he and God’s people had found grace in God’s sight -- and Moses did not want to go anywhere without it! God’s presence today, though not visible, is just as much with us as He “dwells” in each of His people, (1 Cor.6:19), and in His church, (Eph.2:21-22).

O Father, may I find grace in Your sight; I dare not take one step alone. Knowing the surpassing greatness of Your love for me, may I live with contentment and without fear, for You have promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” Heb.13:5-6.

March 25 – Exodus 34

Exo 34:5  Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6  And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7  keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."

When Moses asked to “see” God, it seems as though he was requesting some physical manifestation of God. How much more wonderful it was to have God “proclaim the name of the Lord” – the essence of His Being, which is His character. Today, let us meditate on each of these qualities, trying to form an accurate picture in our hearts of the awesome God we worship, and then lift our hearts in praise to Him and thanksgiving that He has revealed Himself to us!

 March 26 – Exodus 35

Exo 35:4  And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, "This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying: 5  'Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze;

Where did the Israelite slaves get all those precious metals? They were a free-will offering from the Egyptians because THE LORD gave the Israelites favor in their sight, Ex.11:2-3. Now God is asking the Israelites to give HIM favour in their sight! How much “favor” does God have in MY sight?

O great Lord, giver of every good thing I possess, thank You for all the riches You have, in Your favor, blessed me with – especially the spiritual richness we have in Christ. May all my giving to You – whether it be time or effort or the Sunday collection, or even the taxes that I pay at Your command – may I do all of this with a willing heart overflowing with gratitude for all You have done for me.

March 27 – Exodus 36

In this chapter we have a detailed description of the covering of the tabernacle. There was a “tent” over the tabernacle, made of three layers: 1. Goat’s hair curtains, 2 . A covering for the “tent” of ram’s skins dyed red, and 3. Another covering of badger/seal/dolphin skins (no one knows for sure) – something waterproof. Under these three layers was the “roof” of the tabernacle, considered to be part of the tabernacle itself: fine linen curtains with “artistic designs of cherubim,” made with blue, purple and scarlet thread, woven into the linen. When the priests were in the tabernacle and looked up, this is what they saw. In Scripture, cherubim are called “the chariot of God,” (See 1 Chr.28:18 & Ezek.1:14ff, 10:20). Since God “dwelt between the cherubim,” (Isa, 37:6), and the mercy seat was considered the footstool of God’s throne, (1 Chr.28:2), it is fitting that the wings of two cherubim covered the mercy seat (Ex.37:9) and that others “flew” above it. (See also Rev.4:6-8).

“Holy, holy, holy” are You, O God! Let us come before You today and every day with the reverence and awe due to Your holy Name. What is man, that You are mindful of him, and of even me? May Your praises be continually on my lips!

March 28 – Exodus 37

Exo 37:10  He made the table of acacia wood; two cubits was its length, a cubit its width, and a cubit and a half its height. 11  And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold all around it. [Possibly so the showbread & dishes mentioned in verse 16 would not fall off when it was transported, Num.4:7ff.]

There were only three pieces of furniture in the Holy Place, and each was made of gold to symbolize how precious its function was in the sight of God. The bread put on this table is described in Ex.24:5-9. It was to be on the table at all times, replaced each Sabbath, and then the old bread was to be eaten by the “priests” “in a holy place,” “before the Lord.” The word “showbread” is literally “bread of the face/presence,” and it was to be “a memorial…to the Lord.” It was to be made of “fine” flour, donated by the children of Israel, and, from what we read in Lev.6:16 and 2:11, we assume it was unleavened. Although there is no verse that specifically states that the showbread is a shadow of the Lord’s Supper, the connections are too numerous to doubt this. Please take a moment to re-read the paragraph, meditate & be awed.

Father, how precious to us is our fellowship with Your Son around His table each Lord’s day, being assured of His presence! How holy is the place where we eat it and how our hearts are touched at this memorial of life Your Son gave that we could have fellowship with You and with Him! As the bread was continually before Your face, so we are blessed to have continual fellowship with You as the blood of Your Son cleanses our penitent hearts. Thank You Lord, for this indescribable gift!

March 29 – Exodus 38

Exo 38:8  He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

The word “assembled” in Ex.38:8 is a Hebrew word that implies a large number of people, like army troops. Certainly, a lot of women had to donate a lot of mirrors to make a bronze laver and its foot. (Commentators reckon that the laver was up on a pedestal and held quite a bit of water that ran through spouts over the hands of feet of the priests and was caught in a large dish, the “base,” or “foot” – the Hebrew word can also mean “well.”) These women who “assembled,” did so to “serve.” They are mentioned again in 1 Sam.12:22, and perhaps Anna was one of them, Lk.2:37. In 1 Corinthians 14:34, Paul commands women to be submissive in the church “as the law also says.” Except for the husband-wife relationship (Gen.3:16), there is no direct command for women to be submissive in the law of Moses – but there is this example. There were many set jobs for the priests and Levites to do at the tabernacle, just as there are many set jobs for men to do in the church. However, there were then, and are now, myriads of ways to serve “behind the scenes,” and that is exactly what these women did!

Lord, my heart is touched by these women who considered Your work more important than their physical appearance or the money they could get by selling the mirrors, and who were happy to sacrifice, not only things of worldly value, but their very lives to You, being humbly and submissively willing to do menial tasks of service with no recognition – except by You. Please bless us women today to have the same attitude of humble service to You and Your leaders – and thank You for the blessed opportunities you have given us to serve You.

March 30 – Exodus 39

Exo 39:30  Then they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

The significance of this engraved plate is given to us in Exodus 28:36-38: “That Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts…that they may be accepted before the Lord.” Whatever gift any person decided to “hallow,” or set apart for God could not be accepted by God because the one who offered it was sinful. So God provided that Aaron could take upon himself the iniquity of the people so that they, and their gifts, could be “Holiness to the Lord.” Of course, Aaron could not have fulfilled this purpose if he were not simply a shadow of our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1Pe 2:24. And… Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

O merciful God, what a privilege it is for faltering people such as we are, offering imperfect gifts such as we do, to be accepted by You. We know it is only because Jesus died to make us holy that we can even approach You. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

 March 31 – Exodus 40

Exo 40:34  Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

I hope you have been as amazed as I have by the beauty and significance of the many shadows of this book that are fulfilled in Jesus and His church. The book ends with the most amazing shadow of all – God dwelling with His people. Exo 25:8  And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. This is the theme of Exodus – why God made them into a nation – a shadow of why God made us, His spiritual Israel into a nation! However, the tabernacle built for God’s dwelling place in Exodus eventually wore out and was replaced by Solomon’s temple -- which was destroyed by the Babylonians. Zerubbabel’s temple was replaced by Herod’s temple – which was destroyed by Titus. And now, as we saw in our Exodus 33 study, we have our very own bodies as the temple of God! However, one day our body-temple will also be destroyed. So… 2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. And… Rev 21:3  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Father, we look forward to the day when we will be forever “at home” with You!

If you would like to receive these messages as a daily email, please click the button below.