It’s good to be with you today as we take another look at God’s Word together. This program is produced by Heralds of Hope, where our goal is to use media to make disciples of Jesus. This program is the media. We are studying in Colossians, and Lord willing, all of us are becoming like Jesus; we are being His disciples.  

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, we are nearing the end of the book of Colossians. After this lesson, we have one more, and that will complete our teaching from Paul’s fantastic book. As you may recall from last week, our title is “Getting the Word Heard,” and last week we explored how vital communion with God is in spreading the Word. Today marks the second part of this teaching, and the main points will be clarity, conduct, and conversation, each an essential element in allowing the Word to be heard.  

If you can turn with us to Colossians 4:2-6. 

²Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 

³meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 

⁴that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 

⁵Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.  

⁶Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each one. 

This text contains several ELEMENTS we must consider if we want to be effective in “Getting the Word Heard.”  

The Next ELEMENT (in getting the Word heard) is, 

Clarity 

If people can listen to our words but don’t understand them, the Word isn’t being truly heard. Genuine hearing involves the intellect and the heart. I recall my mentor, Dr. J. Otis Yoder, speaking about the importance of clarity in teaching and preaching. He said, “If you’re going to feed the sheep, you have to put the food where they can reach it.” To do that, you need to know your audience. Paul asked the Colossian Believers to pray that he would be able to proclaim the Word clearly, to put the food where the sheep could reach it. 

Sometimes we Christ-followers use language that is familiar to us but foreign to non-believers. Several decades ago, people understood what it meant to be “born-again.” Today, many people are like Nicodemus. When Jesus talked with him about being born again, he couldn’t see how that was possible. Many people today have little or no exposure to God’s Word and biblical truth. So, the Word must be conveyed in language they can understand and relate to.  

  Paul emphasizes the importance of clarity in 1 Corinthians 14. The context is his teaching about speaking in tongues, but his conclusion applies just as well to this essential element of clarity. In verse 8, he says, “If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So, it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.” 

 Here again, prayer is part of the process because we can ask God, through His Holy Spirit, to help us share His truth in ways that people can understand, and to enable them, by His Spirit, to understand what we’re saying. That’s what Paul was asking the Colossian Believers to pray for him. He knew his effectiveness in getting the Word heard depended, at least in part, on his clarity. The same is true for you and me today.  

The Next ELEMENT (in getting the Word heard) is, 

Conduct 

In the English language, we have a saying: “What you DO speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.” A person’s conduct and character have much to do with whether people listen to what they say.  

When I was a younger man, there was a popular bumper sticker that said, “Honk if you love Jesus.” A lady was driving on a busy street and pulled up behind a car at the traffic light. She read the bumper sticker and tapped the horn. An angry man jumped out of the car and yelled, “Lady, what’s the matter with you, can’t you see the light is red?” I cringe sometimes when I see how people drive and then have a Christian message of some kind on their vehicle.  

Paul says we are to walk wisely before those who are outside of the family of God. So, he makes a distinction between believers and unbelievers. Jesus did the same thing in Mark 4:11. He made a distinction between His disciples and those who weren’t disciples. We who are born again are “spiritual insiders” because we belong to God’s family, and we share His life.  

But we must never become proud of our position in Christ. We must never give those outside God’s family the impression that we are superior to them. We were just like them before God rescued us from the slave-market of sin at the cost of Jesus’ blood. We are sinners saved by grace. The primary purpose of this text is to share with others how they can experience the same transformation we have through Jesus.  

What does it mean to walk wisely before unbelievers? Walking refers to our conduct. Many unbelievers seem to know instinctively how a Christ-follower should live. So, when a high-profile Christian leader is caught in major moral failure, the unbelievers mock. Here was someone who claimed to speak for God, and he was discovered to be doing the same thing the unbelievers were doing, or worse! That jeopardizes the testimony of all Believers.  

Walking in wisdom means being careful in what we say and do. It means consciously trying to avoid actions that will hinder others from hearing the message we proclaim. In Acts 24:16, Paul defended himself before the Roman governor, Felix, against the charges brought by the Jewish leaders. In response to their accusations, he said, “I always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.”  

Paul didn’t want anything he did or said to give others a reason to disregard the message he was preaching. We know that his detractors falsely accused him, and we may experience the same thing. But we should strive to live a life that is above reproach. 

Another area of conduct that we, as Christ-followers, need to work on is being more loving in our presentation of the truth. We know God doesn’t hate sinners. God doesn’t approve of any sin, regardless of its form, but He loves all people. John 3:16-18 leaves no doubt about this fact. In getting the Word heard, we need to learn how to use God’s love to guide our conduct.  

I learned about a woman who was a professor of English and women’s studies at Syracuse University in New York, and a practicing lesbian. She wrote a book, “The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert.” In it, she recounts the story of her journey to faith in Jesus in the year 1999. She shares how God used a humble couple’s simple invitation to dinner to draw her, a radical and committed unbeliever, to Himself. That couple reached out to her as a human being loved by God. That helped to break down her perception that Christ-followers were hate-filled bigots.  

The message of the Gospel is offensive; Jesus and the apostles said it would be so. But we don’t need to make it more offensive by our un-Christian responses to the sins of others. We must learn to see past the sometimes-repulsive exterior of a person to see the deeper needs of the soul. We must surely keep in mind that “except for the grace of God, there go I.” 

Paul further reminds us that this walking in wisdom includes redeeming the time. That means “buying up” the opportunities that come our way for personal witnessing. Here, Paul uses a commercial term. Just as a businessman seizes a bargain when he sees one, so a Christ follower seizes the opportunity to share the message of Christ’s love with the lost. He knows that both his time and the person he’s witnessing to are limited.  

I’m sure there’s more we could discuss about how important this element of conduct is in getting the Word heard. But let’s move on to… 

The Final ELEMENT (in getting the Word heard) is, 

Conversation 

While our conduct is vital as we walk before unbelievers, it’s not a substitute for sharing the Gospel message with them verbally.  

I read about a man who got saved as a young adult. He was so excited about Christ for the first couple of weeks that he told everybody the difference Jesus had made in his life. One Sunday night, he was at his church, and they sang the song, “Rescue the Perishing.” He heard that song and he got so excited that as soon as the service was over, he rushed to the pastor, and said, “Pastor, I’m ready.” The pastor said, “Ready for what?” He said, “Man, I’m ready to go rescue the perishing–let’s do it!” 

The pastor looked at him and said, “Well, that’s not something we do; that’s just a song we sing.” Sadly, the pastor’s response is all too common today. In this context, Paul addresses the importance of how we do that. He writes, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Our speech will only be gracious if we have grace in our hearts.  

And then, metaphorically, Paul says that our speech should be seasoned with salt. What does that mean? Salt has been used for thousands of years as a preservative and to enhance flavor. It seems the second use is primarily in view here.  

As Christ-followers, we can hold firmly to our biblical convictions without being rude or obnoxious. How willing are you to listen to someone whose language is rude? We must model the speech of Jesus as He delivered it in the synagogue of his hometown, Nazareth. “So, all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.”  

Our walk and our talk are both critical. Our conduct and our conversation are mutually supportive. They must agree. Add to this the two earlier elements of getting the Word heard: communion, that is, prayer, and clarity, which makes the message plain and understandable so that all can truly hear.  

I must confess that this portion of Scripture has convicted me. By God’s grace and enabling, I will be more faithful in communion with my Heavenly Father in intercession for the lost. I will continue working to bring clarity to the message of the Gospel as I proclaim it.  

By His grace and enabling, I will strive to conduct myself in a way that will not bring reproach on the name of Christ and will not hinder my witness for Him. And I will be more diligent in taking advantage of the opportunities to give verbal witness to the Gospel. Will you join me in those commitments? 

Good question, J Mark. If we don’t care and don’t do our part to get the Word heard, then who will? This is a sobering question.  J. Mark just did a good job of summarizing the lesson. Now, the challenge is for us: will we do our part to spread the word? May we, God’s servants, be faithful in telling others about him and shining His light into the darkness.   

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or would like to contact us, please reach out to us using one of the following methods. A good way is by email; our email address is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Alternatively, you can visit our website at heraldsofhope.org and send us a message online. There, click on the “contact us” link, which is on the top right. And of course, there is always a pen and paper. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. We look forward to hearing from you.  

Reflecting on the importance of letting His Word be heard, I conclude this program with the words of Jesus. He said, “You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  We bless you as you shine His light!  

The Bible is a valuable resource for learning about God and His will for humanity. Last time, in Colossians 3, we examined two imperatives for living life to the fullest. They let the peace of Christ officiate and allow the Word of Christ to educate. Today is a continuation of this teaching, and the third one is to let the name of Christ motivate all we do.   

As you can see, Christ is central to each point, and we, here at Heralds of Hope, believe that everyone who wants to live life to the fullest will have Jesus Christ at the center of everything. Make Jesus your king, become His servant, and you will be well on your way to living life to the fullest.  

Let’s go now to Colossians 3 for the rest of our lesson.    

Today, we are resuming our study, and our text is Colossians 3:15-17.  

¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  

¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  

¹⁷And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. 

This text provides several IMPERATIVES that, if obeyed, will enable us to “Live Life to the Fullest.”  

The Next IMPERATIVE (that will enable us to live life to the fullest) is, 

Let the Word of Christ Educate 

In the contemporary church, many people are woefully uninformed about biblical truth. I saw a recent poll of 1,000 professing Christ-followers. 60% of these folks believe that Jesus is not the only way to acceptance with the Father. That’s nearly two-thirds; to me, that’s incredible! Jesus Himself pointedly told us in John 14:6 that “no one comes to the Father except by Me.” So, either they don’t know what Jesus said, or they don’t believe it.  

For Christ-followers in the developed world, there’s no excuse for not knowing the truth about Christ or about the things He taught. We have more ways to access the Word of God than any previous generation, but, as a rule, we have a lot less Bible knowledge. And too often, even the Bible knowledge we have remains theoretical; it’s in our heads.  

HOW is this word of Christ to dwell in us–richly, in all wisdom? The word richly is plousios (ploo-see’-ose). It means abundantly plentiful, a bountiful yield, like a mountain spring gushing continually from its source without diminishing. We’re not just to have a small portion of the Word of Christ, but an abundance of it, an overflowing of it from our lives in every kind of wisdom. 

The Colossian false teachers were promising their followers a kind of wisdom available only to a select group of people, especially those initiated into their group. But Paul says, no, this wisdom contained in the Word of Christ is a resource of infinite riches for ALL genuine Believers.   

What is the context in which this bountiful richness of wisdom is to be exercised? In the Body of Christ, to which you and I have been called. Do you notice the pattern here? In the preceding verse, the peace of Christ is also to be exercised in the context of the Body.  

The New Testament teaching on the Church knows nothing of a Christ-follower who is, by their choice, detached from a local body of Believers. The prevailing idea today is that the Church exists to serve me, rather than that I’m called, as a Christ-follower, to serve the Church.  

The richness of the Word of Christ dwelling in us and educating us will produce a specific effect. That wisdom will result in teaching and admonishing one another in various ways. Teaching embodies the idea of instruction and learning. Admonishing is to caution someone or to reprove them gently. It carries the idea of warning.  

Next, the apostle provides specific ways in which this teaching of the Word and this admonition can be put into practice. Interestingly, he uses music as a tool to do this. The logical flow of thought in this text and throughout the entire teaching of the New Testament reveals that the teaching and preaching of the Word must take priority. Music is used as reinforcement, not the other way around, as is often seen in many churches today. 

Paul mentions the Psalms, the original music of Israel. We should be familiar with these because they express a wide range of emotions: joy, sorrow, thanksgiving, complaint, trust, questioning, and more. However, there is also teaching about God, His character, His sovereignty, His love and mercy, His wrath, and more. The psalms are theological and practical, not mindless repetitions of exact phrases. God is primarily the focus of the Psalms; they call us to worship Him. 

Next is hymns. Hymns are praises to God composed by Christ-followers. They are often rooted in the Scriptures. Hymns encompass a whole range of issues. And then, Paul mentions spiritual songs. This is a general description of all godly songs. These and many more have their place in our worship services, our homes, and our times of fellowship with the Lord. They can all be helpful in teaching and admonishing one another in the Lord.  

Next, Paul provides us with critical guidance on the source of our singing and how we should utilize music. He writes “…singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” How do we do that? Greek scholars tell me that the definite article is present in this phrase. So, we should read it like this: “…singing with THE grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The motivation for our singing is the grace of God, His unmerited favor that has provided our salvation and rescued us from destruction. I can sing because I am redeemed!  

Then, look where this use of music begins – it begins in the heart. Anyone can sing a song, we know that. But if the singing isn’t an expression of what is in the heart, it’s only a performance. 

I have good memories of hearing my mom sing as she went about her daily work. Like every wife and mother, she faced her share of difficulties. When money was tight, she had to be creative in running the household. But she usually had a song in her heart and on her lips.  

Growing up on a small dairy farm, I can still hear my dad singing in the milk house. Since that environment was mainly concrete and steel, he didn’t need an amplifier! He was born with such poor vision that he was classified as legally blind. Life was hard, yet he persevered in providing for and raising our family of 5 siblings. And through it all, he never lost his song. In his final months of life, when his mental faculties began to fail, the songs he had loved and sung for all those years remained in his memory. That reality still blesses me today!    

Is the Word of Christ dwelling in you? Is it educating you in the things of the Lord? Are you expressing what you learn from Him in a life of obedience? Are you encouraging your brothers and sisters in the Lord with the overflow of that Word from your life? Are you rejoicing in the unmerited favor of God through the medium of music? I hope and pray you can answer all those questions with a resounding, yes! And that leads us to the final imperative…  

The Final IMPERATIVE (that will enable us to live life to the fullest) is, 

Let the Name of Christ Motivate 

“Let everything you do, whether in word or deed, be done in the name of the Lord Jesus.” In other words, let the name of Christ motivate all you do.  

In the minds of some commentators, Paul is shifting the focus from worship to daily life. But I disagree. As I see it, Paul is simply continuing to show us what living life to the fullest looks like. Too often, we view worship as an event that occurs on specific days or adheres to certain time limits, rather than a way of life. That’s a mistake. 

I believe this last verse is like what we discussed in verse 14 during our study on pursuing perfection. Much like love is the crowning accessory of our spiritual clothing, doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus ties together this whole concept of living life to the fullest.  

In our time, we often make distinctions between the sacred and the secular. This idea doesn’t come from the Word of God. Saint Francis of Assisi was once cultivating a row of beans in his garden when a pilgrim approached and asked, “What would you be doing if you knew this was the last day of your earthly life?” Saint Francis smiled and replied: “I would keep on hoeing.” He understood that our work is an expression of our worship! 

What does this command, to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,” look like in daily life? First, doing things in His name means doing them under His authority, with His blessing, and second, doing all things with the keen awareness of my dependence on Him. If we could live out these two principles, it would dramatically change the whole character of our actions.  

Whether the task is great or small, exciting or monotonous, easy or hard, public or private, isn’t the point. If we are IN Christ and Christ is IN us, then any task is imbued with meaning and value that is eternal. But too often we ask, “What’s in it for me? What benefit do I get?” Instead, we should be asking how this task, no matter how menial, can bring glory to God.  

Notice that Paul closes this imperative in the same way he did each of the previous ones, with instructions for us to be thankful. Each of these three verses in our text contains this counsel. Why is this characteristic so important that the Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, would mention it three times in three verses? 

One reason is that a lack of gratefulness is the first step on the path that leads away from God. Romans 1 describes those who once knew God but are now His enemies. And verse 21 tells us that, “…because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, neither were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”    

When you and I forget who we are without God, and what we’d have without Him, and when we forget where we’d be without Him, we’re in trouble. We will become, as Paul wrote, proud and foolish in our thinking and ultimately our living. And that is the path to destruction.  

Is there anyone you know whom you consider to be living life to the fullest who isn’t thankful? Unthankful people can’t live life to the fullest because they’re never satisfied. They’re always looking for something more. But thankful people are grateful for the smallest of God’s daily gifts; they express their gratitude to Him, and their lives demonstrate it to others.  

Are you living life to the fullest today? Perhaps, before, you weren’t quite sure how you could do that. However, you now know from this portion of Scripture. And now that you know, what will you do with what you’ve learned? I believe God’s desire is for every human being to live life to the fullest. But that will only happen if we let the peace of Christ officiate, the Word of Christ educate, and the name of Christ motivate in all we do.  

I desire to live life to the fullest for the glory of God; will you join me in this desire?  

Thanks, J Mark, for this challenge. I appreciate your emphasis at the end to make this teaching practical and live it out. Some view Christianity as a head religion, believing in right and having the correct doctrine. While this is important, it doesn’t stop there; our Christian faith must also affect the way we live. When J Mark encourages us to be thankful, that is more than just a thought; let’s verbalize our thankfulness to others and God.      

If you have any response to today’s teaching or would like to contact us for any reason, here are a few ways you can reach us. The best way to contact us is by email; our email address is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Alternatively, you can message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. Once there, click on the “contact us” link, which is on the top right. And of course, you can write to us. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533.  We would love to hear from you, so please get in touch with us in the way that is easiest for you.  

Thank you again for being with us today. We wish you God’s best as you live your life to the fullest, just as God intended. As you think about these great things, David discovered with God. “You show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Go with God and serve Him with all you have right where you are.  

It is good to be here with you for part two of “Pursuing Perfection.” This teaching is from the middle of Colossians 3. Last time, we had the first part of this teaching: discarding the old. We looked at several specific actions that we must get rid of.  Today, we will look at putting on the new man and the steps we can take in this area. We will end by focusing on verse 14, “above all put on love.” This is what sets Christianity apart: from top to bottom, inside to out, and through and through, love makes a difference. 

Turn to Colossians 3 and follow along with J Mark as he teaches from this passage.  

⁸But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 

 ⁹Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 

¹⁰and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,  

¹¹where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 

¹²Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;  

¹³bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  

¹⁴But above all these things put on love, the bond of perfection.  

The Next Part of the Metaphor is, 

Put on the New 

Another reason to put away lying is that we have put on Christ. Christ makes us different; we’re not who we used to be. In other words, our practice must square with our profession! 

Paul says that this new man is renewed in knowledge because we are created in the likeness of God. Unlike the former, corrupt life, we are continually being refreshed and changed into a new kind of living. It’s not an event, it’s a process. As we pursue a relationship with Him, the old man’s characteristics are flushed out, and the characteristics of the new man are welcomed and embraced. 

Paul then made a revolutionary statement for his day. He says that in this new man, “…there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” In other words, the former distinctions of religion, ethnicity, and social status are not to be a part of the life of a person who is being renewed daily in God’s image. Paul insists that these distinctions cannot be; they’re impossible in the life of one who is living is putting on Christ.  

Now, because we’re being renewed in the knowledge of God, that God chooses us, that we are holy and beloved, we are also to put on the following things that Paul highlights. The verb tense at the beginning of verse 12 indicates that this command must be obeyed immediately.  

First, we are to clothe ourselves with tender mercies. Some of the older translations use the words “bowels of mercy.” In the Hebrew mind, the bowels were the place of the tenderest affections. In Philippians 1:8, Paul wrote: “For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” Other versions read “I long after you in the affection of Jesus Christ.”  

Paul commands us as new creatures in Christ to put on a heart of compassion. Does the suffering of others move you? Organizations and ministries that provide material aid for those in need often use pictures to arouse our emotions and create a feeling of compassion for the less fortunate. That’s wonderful and commendable, but if we only improve the physical circumstances of people in need, what have we and they gained?  

Compassion was one of Jesus’ identifying characteristics. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” That’s Matthew 9:36.  

The lostness of His people touched Jesus’ heart. He was concerned about their poverty and the harsh government they lived under during His time on earth. However, His primary focus was on people’s spiritual needs. Immediately following Matthew 9:36, which I quoted earlier, He tells the disciples to “…pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest field.” This compassion for the lost is an area I need to be more intentional about putting on.  

And then Paul mentions kindness. Are you a kind person? Kind people are gentle instead of harsh and gracious in relating to others. Jesus exemplified kindness in His interactions with little children, with immoral women, and with the untouchables of His day. He saw each person as a unique expression of God’s creativity and deserving of respect.  

Next on the list is humility, the opposite of pride. It’s a modest and humble opinion of oneself and one’s achievements. It puts others before self. Can you imagine how different our homes, churches, and world would be if we cultivated this character quality?  

Humility is willing to admit wrong or to confess a lack of knowledge. It says, “I don’t know.” Humility doesn’t deny God-given gifts; it just recognizes that what I have has been given by the grace of God and according to His purpose for me. Humility acknowledges the giftings of others and isn’t jealous of them or intimidated by them. 

Next is meekness. This quality is one Jesus assigned to Himself. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [meek]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” That’s Matthew 11:29. Humility and meekness are very closely related. Meekness is the mild temperament that doesn’t fight against God or other people. But it is not weakness!  

Have you noticed that these things we’re to put on are becoming progressively more difficult for us? As new creatures in Christ, we must put on long-suffering or patience. Notice that suffering is part of this word. How do we respond when we’ve been mistreated, falsely accused, or when our good name has been slandered, when our achievements gain no recognition?  

Paul says in First Corinthians 13:4 that “love suffers long… and is not easily provoked.” To be patient, particularly under ill-treatment by others, is to be long-suffering. Everything in us cries out for justice, or vindication, or vengeance. Jesus’ responses to His mistreatment clearly show us what long-suffering looks like in the most challenging circumstances.  

Next, we are to bear with one another and forgive each other. These concepts are captured for us in Matthew 18:21 and 22. “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus told him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Peter thought he was generous, but Jesus raised the bar even higher as He told the parable of the unmerciful servant.  

Galatians 6:2 commands us, “Bear one another’s burdens, and fulfill the law of Christ.” We are to endure, to sustain, to bear with each other, to stand with and support each other. We will not become discouraged or stooped with despair. We will stand firm, ready to support the weak and to help the weary on their journey. We won’t allow disagreements to damage our relationships with others, and we will refuse to be quarrelsome ourselves.  

Further, Paul says we are to completely forgive others to the same extent that Christ has forgiven us! Christ in us will enable us to readily forgive by recognizing how much we have been forgiven. And by the way, forgiveness isn’t deserved. The root word of forgiveness is charis, which is grace. Forgiveness is unmerited, unearned, and given as a favor.  

After putting on all these metaphorical articles of clothing, Paul says, there’s just one more thing. And that leads us to the final part of the metaphor. 

The Final Part of the Metaphor is, 

The Ultimate Accessory 

The apostle ends this list by adding, “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” In the world of apparel, an accessory is that final item that completes the outfit. It might be just the right pair of shoes, purse, or neck scarf for a woman. For a man, it may be a special shirt, a tie, or a handkerchief folded just right in the breast pocket of the sports coat. The accessory doesn’t draw attention to itself. Instead, it just makes the whole outfit complete. You may not even notice its presence, but if it were missing, you would surely notice.  

What does it look like to “put on love”? There is a lot of confusion in our world, and even among the people of God, about what love is. In some people’s minds, love never says anything negative about anyone, it never corrects, it never provides accountability, and love always takes precedence over truth.  

But that’s not real, genuine love. Truth matters, and those who reject it will pay a high price. To others, love is a feeling, an emotion, a desire. Love is all those things, but so much more.  

Paul is commanding us to put on agape. It’s sacrificial love; love that denies itself for the benefit of the one being loved. It is a love based on the will; we choose to love, even the unlovely. It’s Jesus’ love for you, me, and every human being ever born or yet to be born. A love that motivated Him to give His life for us, even when we hated Him. He willingly took your place and mine, bearing the penalty of our sin in His own body on the Cross.  

Paul writes that this kind of love is the bond of perfection. It brings a state of completeness to the whole wardrobe of the Christ-follower. It is the uniting principle that binds all the other characteristics together. Divine love is fused with all the other virtues as it binds them together. They become one harmonious whole and are made usable by love’s presence.  

What a challenge this portion of Scripture is to me! So often, I fail to discard the old and put on the new. I say or do things, and I immediately know it wasn’t Christlike. But then I remember, I am IN Christ, the Father accepts me because of Jesus and His righteousness. I am forgiven! And that motivates me to renew my commitment to Him, not because I’m trying to earn His favor, but because I’m grateful for what He’s done for me.   

So, I urge you to focus on Jesus, who He is, and what He’s done for you. His Spirit, living in you, will show you the things you need to put off and the things you need to put on. Positionally, you are perfect in Christ; His righteousness is yours. Now, you need to start living that out practically. And when you do, the world will notice. Because Jesus said, “By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for each other.”  

Let’s strive together to pursue perfection to the glory of Jesus!  

What a way to end this lesson on pursuing perfection. Those are great things to think about and put into practice. His definition of love challenged me: “love denies itself for the benefit of the one being loved.” This is true love, and it is attractive to people everywhere. I also see this as an area in which I need to grow. May God help us discard the old, put on the new, and grow in genuine love.  

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or want to contact us, here are a few ways to reach us. An easy way is to email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. Once there, click on the “contact us” link on the top right.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Thanks again for being with us today. We look forward to being with you next time. In closing, I leave you with the verse you heard before. Jesus did a fantastic job summarizing the power of love; He said, “By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for each other.” God bless you as you live this.    

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for joining us as we study God’s Word together. No matter where you are or what you are going through, we are confident the Bible has good principles for you right where you are. The Holy Spirit through God’s Word can speak to and guide you, it is up to us to have a heart that is in tune with God and ears that are listening for Him. With his help, this will happen today as we study Colossians. 

Today’s lesson is “Pursuing Perfection.” This is the first of a two-part teaching. We are looking at Paul’s metaphor of “changing clothes” and applying that to our relationship with Jesus. Let’s go now with Bible teacher J Mark to Colossians 3.  

In 2019, people worldwide spent nearly 2 trillion dollars on clothing. Clothing is often used as a fashion statement, but also as a means of identification. Police officers, EMTs, firefighters, and military personnel have recognizable uniforms. Many corporations require their employees to wear uniforms, from the front office to the janitorial staff.  

In the book of Zechariah, there’s an interesting scene involving clothing. In his vision, Zechariah sees Joshua, the High Priest, wearing filthy garments, standing before God and the angel of the Lord. And Satan is standing at Joshua’s right hand to accuse him. 

Then the LORD speaks. “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” The Lord speaks again, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him. And to [Joshua], He said, ‘See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.’ And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So, they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.” This powerful act of forgiveness and transformation should fill us with hope and inspiration. 

In this vision, God takes away the sin of Joshua, typified by the filthy clothing, and gives him a pure robe of righteousness. In other words, when forgiveness of sin is accepted, the heart is changed, and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. This act of embracing Christ’s righteousness should reassure and comfort us in our journey of spiritual growth.  

In our previous study, from the opening verses of Colossians chapter 3, we looked at what it means to be risen with Christ. We talked about the changes that take place when we, by faith, enter into His death and resurrection. One of those changes was our focus. We constantly seek the things above, the things of Christ—our way of thinking shifts from earthly to heavenly things.  

As a result of our being in Christ, certain practices cannot be a part of our lives. Verse 5 lists a series of sexual sins, including covetousness. Paul told us these things must be put to death within us personally and among us corporately.  

Today, we begin a study from Colossians 3:8-14 titled, “Pursuing Perfection.” This section builds on the preceding verses and reminds us that when we place Christ first, that choice will dramatically impact our lives. I’ll begin by reading the text. 

⁸But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 

 ⁹Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 

¹⁰and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,  

¹¹where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 

¹²Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;  

¹³bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  

¹⁴But above all these things put on love, the bond of perfection.  

In this text, Paul uses the metaphor of “a change of clothing” to show us how our relationship with the risen Christ will motivate our pursuit of perfection.  

The First Part of the Metaphor is, 

Discard the Old 

Paul uses the metaphor of clothing several times in this text. He begins by saying that since you have embraced Christ, made Him preeminent in your life, and passed from that old life of sinful conduct, here’s what you need to do next. Strip yourself of the following sinful vices and cast them aside. The previous list of sins, from verse 5, focuses on sins of the body. In our text, Paul focuses on sins of the spirit. Remember, Paul is writing to Christ-followers.  

The life of a Christ-follower is a destination and a journey. Our embrace of salvation through faith in the shed blood of Jesus is just the first step on the journey; it makes us righteous in the sight of God. However, salvation is not the destination; Christlikeness is. The destination will be reached when we conform entirely to His image, which won’t happen until we are in His presence. In the meantime, we journey toward the goal, “…for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” This ongoing journey of spiritual growth should motivate and commit us to discipleship.  

And what are those things we must discard? Anger. Anger is a violent emotion, a desire for punishment or vengeance. Paul recognizes it in Ephesians 4:26, saying, “be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” He implies that unresolved anger allows Satan to make inroads into your life.  

What arouses my anger? It’s often one of two things: my rights have been violated, or my expectations aren’t met. I think I have a right to quiet in my home. So, when the teenage neighbor practices drumming when I’m trying to read or concentrate on a task, I feel that right has been violated. The natural response is to get angry at someone violating my right to quietness.  

And then, expectations. I am a punctual person. I despise being late, so I plan to be early for appointments and meetings. When someone sets up an appointment with me and arrives late, my unmet expectations can easily arouse anger. You have things that trigger your anger. I must continually allow the Holy Spirit to enable me to discard unrighteous anger.  

Next is wrath; wrath often develops as people brood over their anger. They turn the offense over and over in their mind. It’s like a boiling pot. Wrath is passion, fierceness, and indignation. It indicates the agitation of the spirit and the physical effects, such as elevated blood pressure, heavy breathing, and a flushed face. Eventually, it results in angry outbursts. James reminds us that “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Paul agrees; take this off and discard it!   

Next on Paul’s list of things to discard is malice. It is ill-will, especially the desire to injure another person, to rejoice in their misfortune. The malice among those who profess to follow Christ is distressing. It must’ve been a problem in Colossae too; otherwise, Paul wouldn’t have mentioned it. All of us experience hurts in life. Jesus told us in Luke 17:1 that offenses are inevitable. But when they come, God, through the Holy Spirit, gives us grace to respond with meekness and forgiveness; to return good for evil.   

However, if we fail to accept God’s grace in times of hurt and pain, we will become bitter and seek revenge. I am deeply grieved by the amount of bitterness in churches today. So many congregations have been torn apart because people are unwilling to forgive.  

As professing Christ-followers, we must confront the seriousness of malice. God hates it! Proverbs 6 reminds us that there are six things the Lord hates, and seven are an abomination; they are detestable to Him. The last one mentioned is “one who sows discord among brothers.”  

Paul gave this advice to Titus: “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” We have ignored this exhortation to our hurt.  

The feelings of malice and bitterness we too often overlook breed a desire for revenge, leading us to the next level of things we’re to put off.  

Paul says, “Put off blasphemy.” Often, this word makes us think about taking God’s name in vain or attributing evil to Him. No Christ-follower should engage in that. But blasphemy isn’t limited to that. It is slander, speech that injures another person’s good name and reputation. Today, with the widespread use of social media, it can be spread around the community and the world in seconds, making it almost impossible to withdraw it. Be careful what you post on social media because you can’t take it back once it’s out there, and it will live on forever in infamy!  

Next on the list is filthy language. There’s plenty of crude and vulgar speech in our world today. There was a time when some words weren’t used when women or children were present. Not anymore! That’s sad, but it’s not what Paul talks about here.  

This isn’t just shameful language but rather foul-mouthed abuse. This is the only place in the New Testament where this word is used. If you notice, there’s a progression in this list of sins. This language reveals what is in men’s hearts and should not be in our speech.  

As he wraps up this list of things to put off, Paul writes, “stop lying to each other…” Here was a practice from their past that the Colossian Believers had carried with them. We should not have a habit of lying. We are warned not to speak deliberate falsehoods.  

The reason Paul gives for putting away lying is twofold: you have put off the old self with its corresponding behaviors. Putting off means to wholly divest oneself of something. And, it denotes a separation from what is put off! Using the clothing analogy, remove the old garment, use it for a rag, or burn it! It no longer fits who you are in Christ. Paul wrote in Romans 6:6, “…knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with (or rendered inoperative), that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” 

In the time Paul lived, a slave was easily identified by the clothing he wore. Imagine if that enslaved person could purchase his freedom or was voluntarily set free. What would be one of the first things he would do? He would get some different clothing! It might not be new, but it would let everyone know he was no longer a slave. What does your clothing tell others about you and your relationship to the Father? What is the Holy Spirit asking you to put off? 

This brings us to the next part of the metaphor of a change of clothing. But that will need to wait until next time.  

Thanks for sharing these thoughts with us about discarding the old. To put on the “new man,” we must discard the old; both cannot exist in the same person simultaneously. J Mark explained each one, and with God’s help, we can put off these actions from the old man. Some may be more challenging, but don’t quit pursuing perfection.      

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or want to contact us for any reason, here are a few ways to reach us. An easy way is to email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Or you can message online, our website is heraldsofhope.org. Once there, click on the “contact us” link on the top right, and you can message us directly there. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Thanks for being with us this week. Please join us next week as we continue this teaching and look at the second part, putting on the new. Philippians Paul says, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” May this also be said of you and me.     

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for joining us in studying the Bible together. It doesn’t matter if you’ve read the Bible many times or just recently started following Jesus; there is something here for everyone, and with God’s help, you will hear what He is saying to you.   

Last time, we started Colossians 3. This is the part in Colossians where Paul switches from teaching us how to believe to living right. Since Jesus is the Messiah who saved you, it will affect how you live. It is more than a nice thought; it comes out in our lifestyle. 

Again, our title is “Risen with Christ.” We will finish verses 1-7. We had the first two changes resulting from being risen with Christ, a change in desires and our deliberation, and today is the final two changes, our destiny and our discipline.  J Mark will begin by reading Colossians 3:1-7, so please turn there if you can.    

¹If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 

 ²Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  

³For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

 ⁴When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 

⁵Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 

 ⁶Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 

 ⁷which you once walked when you lived in them. 

In verse 2, Paul urges us to set our minds on heavenly things. Psalm 1:2 gives us a picture of what this looks like. “[the godly man’s] delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night.” That means we should be filling our minds with Scripture, turning it over and over in our thoughts, savoring its richness. Think on heavenly things instead of things limited to earth and this life.  

We must think consciously about how we can use earthly things to advance heavenly things. How can I lay up treasure in Heaven? How can I use the resources God has given me, whatever those are, to bless others and bring Him glory?  

The reason for the command to think on heavenly things is that you have died. A dead person has no consciousness of – or connection to – the things of earth. They cannot be tempted by their favorite food, a get-rich-quick scheme, or a pornographic picture. They can’t desire an easier life or extravagant wealth. As Believers, you and I are to be separated from the things of the world by our death and resurrection with Christ. That’s not a popular message in today’s world. Many false teachers loudly proclaim that following Jesus will bring you health, wealth, and a life of ease. Usually, they are the only ones who become wealthy.  

Furthermore, Paul says, your life is hidden, or concealed, with Christ in God. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says, “With Christ in God asserts Christ’s union with God and emphasizes our union with God in Him.”¹ This verse is another refutation of the Gnostic denial of Jesus’ deity. He is with God, He is God, and we are in Him.  

So, what is it that dominates your daily thoughts? Things from above or things from the earth? Again, reviewing my thoughts of recent weeks and months leaves me feeling convicted and realizing the need to refocus on what matters.  

The Next CHANGE (that results from our being risen with Christ) is, 

Our Destiny 

“When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Is Christ your life? Christ indeed sustains our physical life; we can’t do that alone. But that’s not what Paul has in mind here. He’s talking about resurrection life, eternal life. The life that Christ has given us is the motivating energy and directive agent of our new life. 

And notice with me that this eternal life is not merely something we share with Christ, our life is “in” Him. When you are “in” something, you are surrounded by it, such as being in your house, the water, or the light. Jesus is the essence, the nature, the core of this new life. Paul is fond of using this concept of being in Christ. In Second Corinthians 5:17, he writes, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  

When Christ appears, because He is our life, we will also appear with Him in glory. This is a reference to the anticipated Second Coming of Christ. Then, our real life, our true, redeemed self, will appear without the taint of sin. So, we live in a state of ‘already but not yet.’ We’re already counted as fully redeemed, but we’re waiting for the ultimate fulfilment of that reality.  

The apostle John writes about this in First John 3:1 to 6 and connects our future destiny and how it affects our current discipline. He sets the stage for the final change resulting from our rising with Christ. Listen.  

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone with this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.Whoever practices sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and there is no sin in Him. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.”  

Being raised with Christ changes our destiny, leading us to the final change.  

The Final CHANGE (that results from our being risen with Christ) is, 

Our Discipline 

“Put to death, therefore, what is earthly within you…” As you can see, there’s tension here. Earlier, Paul said that we have already died with Christ, and the dominating power of sin has been broken. Yet, we continue to live in our mortal bodies with their desires and minds not entirely focused on the things of heaven. So, there’s a continued striving to live out the results of rising with Christ. And this “putting to death what is earthly” is painful.  

“To put something to death is never pleasant. It’s not the same as practicing asceticism. Self-denial says that by my will, I can subdue the flesh by denying its desires. Christian self-control says that I can subdue the flesh by relying on the Holy Spirit to empower me to deny its desires.”² 

Because of this, Paul says we are to account the members of our body as dead, that is, we are to deprive them of power. This instruction is given as an imperative, a command. In Romans 6:13, he states the principle like this. “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”   

The list of sins in verse 5 deals with sexual practices. Sexual desires are among the strongest drives we humans have. They are NOT sinful – God gave them to us! However, they are to be used only in the context of marriage. Paul states emphatically that the perversion of these desires and the practices they birth must be cut off.  

Fornication is illicit sexual intercourse. Uncleanness is a broad term, but it’s used almost exclusively in the New Testament in the context of sexual sin and all kinds of moral impurity. “Passion” means uncontrolled, illegitimate desire, “like an inward fire that is kindled in the heart.”³ Evil desire is the result of the diseased condition of the soul. All these sins dishonor those who indulge in them. And finally, covetousness.  

When we think about covetousness, we often think about material possessions. How does covetousness fit with sexual sins? At its root, covetousness is simply a desire for more, frequently leading to greed and injustice in pursuing what’s desired. Someone has said that covetousness is the arrogant assumption that all other people and things exist for my benefit.  

“Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming.” The wrath of God is often used in an eschatological sense, that is, referring to the final judgment. In Revelation 22:14 and 15, John writes, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.” The time is coming when all will face a holy and righteous judge.  

Sadly, too many churches allow these things to flourish among their congregants. That is contrary to the instructions and commands of Scripture. And make no mistake, the church is paying a price for this. The apostle Paul says in First Corinthians 11:30 that because sin is ignored, many are spiritually weak, and many have died. The church lacks power because it is becoming so much like the world that it has little to offer those seeking true meaning and purpose.  

Paul reminds the Colossian Believers and you and me that while these sexual sins were the natural outgrowth of our past lives without Christ, that must now change. These sinful behaviors once circumscribed our path, but now those things must be put to death.   

Have you been raised with Christ? Are you finding that the things that were once attractive to your sensual passions are losing some of that appeal? They should be.  

Are you noticing a change in your thought patterns? Do you respond differently to temptation? Are you pursuing the command to think about the things that are from above?  

What about your destiny? Do you find yourself thinking more about heaven and things that are eternal? Is Jesus sitting, as it were, on the throne of your heart? Are you looking for the return of Christ? Are you anticipating your eventual release from the bondage of sin into the glorious liberty of the children of God?  

Finally, has being raised with Christ brought about a change in your lifestyle? Are you living a disciplined life in the power of the Holy Spirit? What conscious choices are you making each day to give evidence that you are truly risen with Christ? 

I invite you to join me today in asking God through the Holy Spirit’s power to continue developing these changes in my life. Will you join me?   

This lesson ended with many practical questions; if you are risen with Christ, none of these questions will seem strange. Our risen Messiah demands total surrender; dying to self is needed as we walk with Him. This changes our desires and our deliberations, and, thank God, destiny and discipline are changed. Thanks for being with us for this teaching.  

If you missed the first part of this teaching, or would like to hear this one again. Here are a few other ways you can get our teaching. You could email us and ask for it, our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Or go to our website, which is heraldsofhope.org. You can contact us or go to the listen tab to hear any teaching you would like. Use any method you choose, we would love to hear from you and help you with your request.  

Thanks again for being with us today. Till next time, I hope you have a chance to think about what it means to be risen with Christ. This powerful truth is built on Jesus Christ, who died and returned to life. As Jesus tells us in Revelation 1:18, “I am the Living One, I was dead and behold I am alive forever and ever.” 

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

We are honored to be with you today. Thanks so much for being here. The Bible is always relevant; we study it to become more like Jesus. He is our Savior, and like we have learned from Colossians, He is the preeminent one. Today’s lesson is the first of two parts, and the title is “Risen with Christ.” The passage is Colossians 3, the first seven verses.  

This is the part of Colossians where Paul switches from what we think and believe to how we live. Many of his books follow a similar pattern. First, he builds the foundation for what we believe, teaching us the why behind our actions. Here in Colossians, the first two chapters teach that Christ is God and He is over all and above all. Then Paul switches and shows how this teaching affects our actions. So today, we look at how this preeminent Jesus wants us to live. Christianity isn’t just right thinking; it has to include right living.  

The next time you read a book by Paul, see if you can find this switch. Where he goes from teaching doctrine and theology, correct thinking, to right living. How believing in Jesus affects daily life. Now let’s turn to Colossians 3, and we will go with J Mark for the rest of our lesson.  

In Romans 12:2, the apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” The word, transformed, is from the Greek metamorphoo, from which we get our English word, metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is the developmental change in the form or structure of a creature (like a butterfly or a frog) that occurs after birth or hatching. Most insect larvae are not very appealing to look at. Yet, the beauty of a butterfly emerging from a cocoon is a powerful reminder of the beauty that can come from transformation through Christ.  

While Paul doesn’t use the word metamorphoo in the Colossian letter, he does use the cycle of death and resurrection to show the changes that take place in one who embraces Christ.  

I’ve repeatedly said that this letter emphasizes the preeminence of Christ. In chapters 1 and 2, Paul addresses the doctrinal and theological aspects of Christ’s preeminence. He deals with the nature of Jesus’ person, His deity, His provision for our salvation, and more. In chapter 3, he shifts to the practical application of Christ’s preeminence in the lives of individual Believers, providing us with a roadmap for living a Christ-centered life.   

In my teaching from chapter two, I stated emphatically that you and I can add nothing to Christ to secure our salvation. The Scripture is clear that our salvation is not by any good works we’ve done, but the mercy of God gives it, Titus 3:5. I used the term Solus Christus – Christ alone!  

Some Bible teachers have concluded from this vital truth that you and I have no choice or responsibility in our salvation. I respectfully disagree. The offer of salvation is not just a possibility but a reality available to all. So, while we can’t do anything to earn or merit our salvation, we can accept or reject the offer. And remember, while salvation is essential, it is just the beginning. Jesus is calling each of us to be His disciples, His followers. That’s a life-long commitment, a commitment that begins with the acceptance of His offer of salvation.  

In addition, some say that once a person is saved, they can never lose their salvation. I agree! No one can take my relationship with the Lord away from me, whether it’s another human being or a demonic spirit. And I can’t mistakenly lay down that relationship somewhere and forget where I put it. However, I can turn my back on God and walk away from Him. I can harden my heart to His voice and refuse to obey His commands.  

Am I still saved? I don’t know the limits of God’s mercy, but I don’t want to test them. The Bible is clear that those who practice sin, as a lifestyle, will NOT inherit the kingdom. I don’t want to be anywhere near that dividing line. Many portions of Scripture warn us about exercising unbelief or turning away from following Christ. 

As we begin studying chapter 3, Paul teaches us what the preeminence of Christ looks like in the lives of individual Believers. As we start, I will read Colossians 3:1 to 7. Then, we will explore it under the title “Risen with Christ.”  

This passage explores the concept of being ‘Risen with Christ’, a transformative experience central to our Christian faith, and has profound implications for our lives. 

¹If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 

 ²Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  

³For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

 ⁴When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 

⁵Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 

 ⁶Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 

 ⁷which you once walked when you lived in them. 

This text reveals the significant CHANGES that result from our being “Risen with Christ.”  

The First Significant CHANGE is, 

Our Desires 

Verse one begins with the word, if. In our minds, if is a word of possibility. But that isn’t what Paul is saying. What we have here is called a condition of the first class, assumed as true. We have a similar construction in Colossians 2:20 and the other half of the picture of baptism, being buried with Christ, in Colossians 2:12.  

So, a more literal translation of this first phrase is “since you have been raised with Christ…” There’s no doubt or question here. Chapter 2, verse 12 speaks of being buried with Christ in baptism, and this verse speaks of the second part of baptism, being raised with Christ in newness of life. Jesus’ resurrection was physical; His body came out of the grave. Ours is a spiritual resurrection, a metamorphosis, a transformation of our core being.  

The result of our being raised with Christ is that we are called to seek heavenly things. This means we should focus on the things present where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. This resurrection gives us new life and a new focus on heavenly things. This new life in Christ is potential based on Jesus’ death and resurrection; it becomes actual when we embrace Christ as Savior and Master. It’s a call to prioritize our spiritual growth and focus on the things of God.  

I found some interesting details in this text. For example, the word, things, is emphatic in the original. It contrasts the above things, the heavenly things, with the things of earth, the things the false teachers emphasized. This is direct pushback against their error. In addition, the idea expressed here is that “the THINGS above we are to be constantly seeking.” This is not an individual act, but rather a continual process of making proper choices moment by moment.  

This illustrates the practical striving of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. This focus on the things above is not a prerequisite or a requirement for salvation. Instead, Paul says, it proves that one is genuinely born again! It is a cause-and-effect situation. You will desire the heavenly things if you are truly risen with Christ. Paul states in Romans 6:7 that our death with Christ, symbolized in baptism, sets us free from sinful desire as a controlling force in our lives.  

Now that we understand what Paul is saying, what heavenly things will we seek? What’s the environment where Christ is seated at God’s right hand? (Incidentally, Paul’s statement that Christ is sitting at God’s right hand refutes the Gnostic denial of Christ’s deity.) Sitting at someone’s right hand is a place of privilege, responsibility, and authority. But it’s also a place of submission; it is not sitting on the throne.  

Jesus’ earthly ministry was designed to show us how to seek heavenly things. He spurned the honor of the religious world and the enticements of the secular world in pursuit of His Father’s will and His Father’s glory. He taught us to be content with just the necessities of life. He gave freely of His time and energy to others, never seeking personal reward.  

Seeking heavenly things motivated Him to spend significant time in prayer and communion with His Heavenly Father. He used the natural things of the world to point others to the Father, things like water, bread, fish, sheep, coins, and so on. In none of His actions was He striving to accumulate earthly wealth or position. His sole desire was the glory of the Father.  

This text is deeply challenging and convicting to me. I must admit that too often my desires are more earth-focused than heaven-focused. I have been buried with Christ. I have been raised in the newness of life, but I still live in the flesh with its desires and appetites. Spending significant amounts of time in prayer is a struggle because I allow other choices to crowd it out. I want the Spirit of God to continue changing my desires to reflect the risen Christ more clearly. 

The Second Significant CHANGE (that results from our being risen with Christ) is, 

Our Deliberations 

Deliberation is another word for our thoughts. What are you thinking about? Where does it go when your mind isn’t occupied with your daily responsibilities? What are the things you’re passionate about? Being raised with Christ should impact our thoughts.   

Notice that there’s some overlap between this change and the previous one. That’s natural because separating our thoughts and actions is difficult. However, Paul does seem to emphasize the action of seeking in verse one and the thought processes that motivate those actions here in verse two. Someone has said, “You must not only seek heaven, but you must think heaven too.”  

The word affection speaks not only of the ability to think but also of the moral considerations that are part of the process. The impact of the will is also part of the picture. Sometimes, we talk about a person’s “mindset.” We mean how they process the information they receive—the deliberations they use to reach conclusions. The Scriptures use a different word when referring to the mind as the organ of perception.  

We are to keep setting our thoughts on things above, not things on the earth. In other words, keep on thinking about the things that are above. This is the inward impulse and disposition of the mind. The emphasis in verse one is on the practical results of being risen with Christ. Here, the emphasis is on how being raised with Christ changes our thinking processes. 

In Jesus’ interaction with His disciples in Mark 8:31 to 33. He told them about the things he was going to suffer, how He would be crucified and then rise again. Peter took Him aside and rebuked Him, protesting that these things wouldn’t happen to Him. Jesus responded by saying, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Like Peter, you and I need to focus on the things above rather than those that belong only to this life.  

Thanks, J Mark, for sharing the first part of this teaching. Our desires and deliberations are the first two changes from being raised with Christ. Lord willing, you can join us next time as we look at the last two changes in our destiny and discipline. This is a big one, and we look forward to being with you soon.  

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or want to contact us, here are a few ways to reach us. An easy way is to email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Lord willing, we can be together next time as we study the rest of what it means to be “Risen with Christ.” Until then, go with God and practice verse two from this lesson: “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” 

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for joining us as we study God’s Word together. No matter where you come from or what you have been through, we are confident the Bible speaks to you right where you are. The Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, can speak to you and guide you. It is on us to have a heart that is in tune with God’s heart, and with God’s help, this will happen as we study Colossians today.  

Bible teacher J Mark Horst will teach from Colossians 2 on “Don’t Be Disqualified.”  

Rules or qualifications constrain many things in life. Failure to observe and obey the rules leads to disqualification. Many things have varying degrees of importance, but one area of life where you and I must be sure we’re not disqualified is our faith journey with Jesus Christ. Disqualification in our spiritual journey has eternal consequences!  

Our previous message focused on our being “Complete in Christ.” In Colossians 2:8 to 15, Paul explained the essential reasons that reassure us of this completeness: the person of Christ, the power of Christ, and the provision of Christ.   

However, some did not agree with Paul’s teaching. They established their qualifications for what was required of Christ’s followers, including extra-biblical requirements. Because of his love for them, Paul clearly warns about the false teachers and their influence. So, let us study together Colossians 2:16 to 23 under the title “Don’t Be Disqualified.”  

¹⁶So let no one judge you in food or drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,  

¹⁷which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.  

¹⁸Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  

¹⁹and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase from God. 

²⁰Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—  

²¹“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”  

²² which all concern things that perish with the use—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?  

²³These things indeed appear as wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. 

In these verses, Paul sets forth several possible WAYS in which we could be disqualified from our relationship with Christ and His church.  

The First WAY is, 

By Deception 

Paul begins verse eighteen, saying, “don’t let anyone deceive you and cheat you out of your reward.” These false teachers said, “If you don’t follow our guidelines, then you are unworthy of your reward.” They said, “You need Christ – plus – what we’re telling you.”  

But Paul had stated earlier in verses 13 to 15 that the Mosaic law had been completely fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The record of debt that stood against us with its formal decrees had been cancelled! It was a judicial act. Jesus nailed it to His cross.  

Paul begins this section by reminding us that since the handwriting of ordinances has been cancelled, we mustn’t let anyone belittle our position in Christ. Food, feast days, and keeping the Sabbath were no longer the criteria by which one measured their devotion to God.  

Those dietary and ceremonial guidelines of the law were only a shadow, pointing toward Christ. Now that Christ has come, we have the substance; we see exactly what God is like and His intentions. He is our holiness because we are in Him!  

These false teachers were sitting in judgment over those who rejected their additions to the Gospel. Verse 18 gives us some of the things they were promoting. The first thing Paul mentions is “a false humility” or asceticism.  

There’s nothing wrong with a Christ-follower practicing self-denial in pursuing a holy life. But when self-denial is made a requirement for salvation, for acceptance with God, that is unbiblical. So, these false teachers wanted people to be impressed with their piety and false reverence for God.  

In addition, they worshipped angels. Their reasoning went something like this: Because human beings are made of matter, and matter is evil, human beings couldn’t approach God directly because He is perfect. They rejected Christ as the Son of God, so they invented a need for angelic mediators to reach God.  

Paul says these additions to the Gospel were conceived in minds still controlled by their sinful natures. They were “puffed up” or proud of the things they created. Their goal was not to bring people to freedom in Christ but to bind them to their belief system. So, don’t let anyone deceive you into believing there are things you must add to Christ to be saved.  

Before leaving this warning about adding things to Christ for salvation, let’s not think our choices and behavior as reborn Christ-followers aren’t necessary. One may fall into two ditches here: first, adding requirements for salvation, and second, promoting the mistaken teaching that once you are saved, it doesn’t matter how you live.  

The Next WAY (we could be disqualified from our relationship with Christ) is, 

By Desertion 

The false teachers were deserting Christ as the Head of His Church. Paul warns the church not to fall for this teaching. They praised Christ as a good person but rejected Him as God’s Son.  

What is the consequence of deserting Christ as the Head? When you think about the human body, how important is the head? The head is the control center for the rest of the body. Without the head, the other body parts aren’t able to function.  

Paul says the whole body is “nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, [so that it] grows with a growth from God.” This is true in human biology and the Church. Paul reminded them they would be disqualified as genuine believers if they deserted Christ as the Head. When you remove Christ as the Head, the Body has no cohesion or direction.  

These false teachers prevented genuine spiritual growth by substituting angels for Christ, the Head. Removing Christ from His exalted position left them without spiritual direction and discernment. All they had left was their imagination and the reasoning of their fleshly minds. Scripture is very clear about where the unconverted mind will take you. 

We see this in the church today, with leaders embracing and promoting philosophies and behaviors that God calls an abomination. All the while, they tout their superior spiritual knowledge and all-inclusive love. I tremble because it will not end well for them personally or for those under their supposed spiritual care.  

So, remember, if you desert Christ as the Head, you disqualify yourself from a relationship with Him and the true Church. He is the only source of salvation and the Head of the Church. 

The Final WAY (we could be disqualified from our relationship with Christ) is, 

By Digression 

To digress is “to step or turn aside; to swerve; especially, to turn aside from the main subject of attention.” In Paul’s argument, Christ is the main subject of attention.  

In verse 20, Paul begins a question that spans the following three verses. The fundamental question is this: “In light of what Christ has done for you, why are you turning aside from Him to pursue the very things from which you were set free?”  

Paul states that their death with Christ has occurred in the past. Since we have, figuratively, come out of the grave with Christ from His death, we must not live as though this never happened! We must not turn aside to pursue the things Christ has set us free from.  

In verse 21, Paul mentions that the ordinances, or the Law, contained prohibitions. But those prohibitions were all concerning things that disappear with use: foods, drink, the ceremonial washing of hands, etc. All of those things were done away with in Christ. Now, he asks why you would return to those prohibitions, “handle not, taste not, don’t even touch?”  

Notice the progression here. Handling, as it is used here, is superficial and mainly sensory. Taste is self-explanatory. As used here, touch means to fasten oneself to something or cling to it.  All these prohibitions perish with use because the things themselves are consumed. 

The false teachers at Colossae were trying to distract the people from Christ. Their regulations appeared to be wisdom, but man’s wisdom, not God’s. They rejected God’s guidelines for worship and substituted the things created by their unregenerated minds.  

Paul closes this section by saying that these prohibitions, while they appeal to men as indications of superior wisdom and piety, have no value as remedies against sensual indulgence. Denying oneself the legitimate pleasures of life without a corresponding change of heart doesn’t bring about a life that brings forth fruit to the glory of God.  

I pray that you will not allow yourself to be disqualified from your relationship with Christ and His church. Don’t be deceived by the many smooth talkers who claim to follow Christ today. Don’t let anyone fool you into believing there are things you must add to Christ to be saved. Embrace the substance, not the shadow. 

Further, don’t desert Christ as the Head. Christ’s headship is the keynote of this letter to the Colossians and the heart of the Gospel. Deserting Christ as the Head will leave a leaderless and out-of-control church, and we’re seeing that today. 

Finally, don’t turn aside from Christ to return to the bondage of the things from which you were set free. You have died with Christ and been raised with Him into glorious freedom. Don’t allow anyone or anything to disqualify you from your relationship with Him!  

We just heard J Mark explain three ways we could be disqualified. It is a sobering reminder to take life seriously; our choices have consequences. Thinking about the first deception, I was struck again with how insidious deception is. If we knew it was happening, we would correct it, but it typically happens gradually. In Thessalonians, Paul gives us what I believe is the best way to guard against deception. He tells us to love the truth. Truth is in Jesus, hearing directly from Him and others who know Him. Then I realized this is also a great guard against desertion and digression, and I love the truth. If you love Jesus, you won’t turn away or turn aside from following Him, and you will hear His truth spoken to you through His Word and His people.   

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or want to contact us for any reason, here are a few ways to reach us. An easy way is email; our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. Once there, click “Contact Us” on the top right.  And of course, there is always a pen and paper. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Thanks again for being with us today. In closing, I leave you with the verse I mentioned from II Thessalonians 4, “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.For this reason,  God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.” Let’s go now and love the truth.   

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

I am so glad to be with you for part two of “Complete in Christ.” If you missed the first part of this teaching, please take the time to look it up; it is worthwhile. The first reason we are complete in Christ is because of His person. The following two reasons are His power and His provision. Notice the three “P” words: His person, power, and provision. Each of these comes through knowing Jesus. He is the real focus; we are here to learn about Him.  

Turn to Colossians 2:8, and J Mark will read these verses before we look at Christ’s power and provision.   

Last week, we began exploring Paul’s teaching in Colossians 2:8 to 15, “Complete in Christ.” As we resume our study, here is the Scripture text. 

⁸Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  

⁹For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;  

¹⁰and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 

¹¹In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,  

¹²buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  

¹³And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,  

¹⁴having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  

¹⁵Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 

The Next REASON (that reassures us that we are complete in Christ) is, 

Because of His Power 

  An attack on Jesus’ person is an attack on His power. If He is not who He said He is, then He doesn’t have the power He claims. Christ’s sufficiency is evident in three things that God has done for us through Him: He has spiritually circumcised us (vv. 11-12), He has forgiven our sins (vv. 13-14), and He has given us victory over the forces of evil (v. 15). 

In stark contrast to the teachings of the Gnostics, Paul emphatically states that the Colossian Believers were complete in Christ! Completeness means being filled up, crammed, and fully furnished, like a net crammed with fish when the miraculous catch broke the nets of Peter, James, and John.  

As he did earlier, Paul reasserts Christ’s preeminence. He is first in both time and rank. He is the head of ALL powers, whatever their source. They are ALL subject to His control. Not only is His power absolute, but it’s also transformational.  

Paul speaks of a circumcision performed without human hands, a spiritual circumcision. Circumcision was given to Abraham and his descendants to signify their separation from the world. Romans 2:28 and 29 state “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”   

That circumcision of the heart enables us to put off the indwelling power of sin. “The body that was put off when the Colossian saints were saved was the physical body as dominated by the depraved nature. This body, while still the temporary dwelling of the believer, was put off because it was rendered inoperative so far as the constant control of the evil nature was concerned.”¹ Sin was no longer the controlling influence.  

This putting off is likened to stripping off clothing or armor. An added prefix suggests that you are not only getting out of those garments but also distancing yourself from them. You are rejecting them, disowning them. You won’t return later and put them on again! Paul’s concept of putting off the controlling passions of the flesh is only possible through the power of Christ.  

The Final REASON (that reassures us that we are complete in Christ) is, 

Because of His Provision 

Paul further illustrates our completeness in Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection. In verse 12, he states that we have been buried with Christ in baptism. Water baptism is a vivid analogy of having our old, sinful self put to death and buried.  

The believing sinner’s identification with Christ in His death broke the power of indwelling sin. His identification with Him in His resurrection resulted in the impartation of the divine nature. The baptism (introduction into) is the one that the Holy Spirit affects. The baptism in our Colossian passage is the same. Thus, “risen with Him” does not refer to our future physical resurrection but to that spiritual resurrection from a sinful state into divine life.  

According to I Corinthians 10:2, it was a baptism when the children of Israel went through the Red Sea with Moses. It signified their cleansing from Egypt, which, biblically, is a type of sin. It also signified that they were exchanging a state of bondage for freedom.  

Baptism also declares that we accept Christ’s sacrifice as the only adequate payment for our past, present, and future sins. Emerging from the waters of baptism signifies being raised in the power of Christ’s resurrection so that we can walk in newness of life. We access these provisions through faith in the effective working of God, who raised Christ from the dead.  

Paul begins verse 13 with the words “and YOU.” YOU (the word is emphatic) Gentiles were dead (spiritually) in your trespasses and your alienation from God. The sinful nature possesses all people in their unsaved state. Our uncircumcision is a symbol of that separation from God because of the controlling impulses of the flesh. Your carnal nature hasn’t yet been “cut away.” Your heart is uncircumcised.  

But now, God has made you alive through Christ since ALL (note this word again) your sins have been forgiven. Further, Christ’s sacrifice blotted out, erased, rubbed out, and wiped off the handwriting of requirements against us.  

The handwriting of requirements was a legal certificate of debt. In other words, it showed the amount you owed to someone and was legally enforceable. Paul is most likely referring to the Mosaic Law, but it can also include God’s law in general. It was against Jews and Gentiles in the sense that neither of them could keep it!  

Paul says this handwriting of requirements was contrary to us. One writer said, “Law is against us because it comes like a taskmaster, bidding us do, but neither putting the inclination into our hearts nor the power in our hands. It is against us because it comes with threats and foretastes of penalty and pain. Thus, as standard, accuser, and avenger, it is against us.”² Praise God this handwriting can be erased and something else can take its place.  

In addition, “the law with its decrees was abolished in Christ’s death, as if crucified with Him. It was no longer in the foreground, as a debtor’s obligation is perpetually before him…”³ John the Baptist said about Jesus in John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus nailed that document of guilt and condemnation to His cross. Hallelujah!  

This brings us to verse 15. First, who is the subject of this verse, God or Christ? I believe God accomplished these things through Christ, consistent with the earlier verses.  

But who are the principalities and powers? Are they good or evil? Several Scripture portions refer to the role of angels in giving the Law, such as Acts 7:38 and 53, Galatians 3:19, and Hebrews 2:2. These must be good angels, so why would they need to be “triumphed over?” One possible explanation is that their subjugation declares Christ’s superiority over the Law.  

A second plausible idea connected to the former view is that these powers are the “angels” the Gnostics worshipped. This angel worship shows up in verse 18 of this chapter.  

Another idea is that it could be evil angels, as Paul references in Ephesians 6:12. The powers of darkness facilitated Jesus’ death on the cross. In responding to the Jewish leaders who came to arrest Him, Jesus said, “This is your hour, and the power of darkness.”   

In this view, Christ needed to pass through the kingdoms of Satan in the air (Ephesians 2:2) to reach the heavenly Holy of Holies and present His blood on the Mercy Seat. When the demons offered opposition, He boldly stripped them off, signifying His power over them. 

I’m not convinced we must restrict this verse to a single idea. However, what is clearly expressed in all of these views is Christ’s supremacy! Paul paints a word picture of the Roman military victory parades. The conquering general would lead his chained captives in a triumphal procession. God won a complete victory over all angelic spirits. He alone emerges as supreme!  

What does all this mean to you and me today? I return to the words I used at the beginning. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”  

If you have acknowledged the fact that you are a sinner, and confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and have believed in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead – you are complete in Christ! There is nothing you can add to the sacrifice of Christ; it is full, complete, and sufficient.  

And when you confess Christ, you will receive the circumcision of the heart and mind. The fleshly mind that is in opposition to Christ is put to death, and you are raised to newness of life in Him. That new heart will bring forth new patterns of living in harmony with the commands of Jesus, whether He spoke them or other inspired writers of Scripture. You will be made alive in Christ. You will demonstrate that you are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works.  

For these REASONS, you will stand “Complete in Christ” in His person, His power, and His provision. I urge you to enter into that assurance today!  

Wow, this is encouraging teaching. It is just good for us to think about Jesus and meditate on what he has done for us. Thanks, J Mark, for this teaching. His one line near the end was an excellent summary of the lesson. He said, “There is nothing you can add to the sacrifice of Christ; it is full, complete, and sufficient.” Imagine all of that being yours! Jesus has done this for you, for me. He has given us access. He has opened up the way, and it’s through Him that we can come to God. Don’t hesitate; move toward completeness in Christ.     

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or want to contact us for any reason, here are a few ways to reach us. An easy way is email; our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. Once there, click “Contact Us” on the top right. And of course, there is always a pen and paper. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Thanks for being with us this week, and blessings as you grow in Christ and are completed in Him. Paul also taught this principle to the church at Ephesus. He wrote, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” May all of us be more like Jesus.  

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for joining us. Whether you’ve read the Bible many times or just recently started following Jesus, there is something here for all of us, and with God’s help, we will learn together.  

Think back to the first week of creation. God created the earth, and then each day, he created things to fill the earth. On day six, he created the land, animals, and man. Sometime after the first week, God saw that man was alone, and this was not good. So, God put Adam to sleep, and from his rib, God made a woman. This story is familiar, but it is incredible. Now, Adam has a wife; he is no longer alone.  

We would say Eve completed Adam. Before her, there was something missing; with her, he was now complete. This idea of being complete is the topic of today’s lesson. If you can, turn to Colossians 2, and we will learn how to be “Complete in Christ.” 

In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” That statement has frustrated many people.  

It’s hard for proud people to accept the Gospel because it is simple. It’s hard for them to admit that their knowledge, efforts, or whatever, are of no help in acquiring salvation.  

One author discusses her epiphany while reading the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas during graduate school. The passage was: “If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you.” She says, “The strength of this saying is that it does not tell us what to believe but challenges us to discover what lies hidden within ourselves….” This Gnostic perspective essentially says that salvation is within us and that it is in a process of self-discovery that we find redemption. Many prominent people, past and present, in organized religion, academia, and the arts, embrace this false gospel.  

But, German Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer had a different perspective. He wrote, “The fact that Jesus Christ died is more important than the fact that I shall die, and the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead is the sole ground of my hope that I, too, shall be raised on the Last Day. Our salvation is “external to us.” I find no salvation in my life history, but only in the history of Jesus Christ. Only he who allows himself to be found in Jesus Christ, in his incarnation, cross, and resurrection, is with God and God with him.” Bonhoeffer understood that we can add nothing to our salvation; it is all of Christ, and we are complete in Him.  

As we continue our study in the book of Colossians, we are brought face-to-face once again with Christ’s preeminence. The Gnostics at Colossae promoted the idea that you had to embrace their philosophy to be a genuine Believer. The Judaizers said you had to keep certain parts of the Law to be accepted by God. People today are still trying to add things they say we need to be genuinely saved.  

In our text, Paul attacks both groups and refutes their errors, clearly teaching that we are “Complete in Christ.” That’s the title of our study today: “Complete in Christ.” Now, listen carefully as I read Colossians 2:8 to 15.  

⁸Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  

⁹For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;  

¹⁰and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 

¹¹In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,  

¹²buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  

¹³And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,  

¹⁴having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  

¹⁵Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 

In this text, Paul sets forth the essential REASONS that reassure us that we are complete in Christ.  

The First REASON (that reassures us that we are complete in Christ) is, 

Because of His Person 

The importance of Christ’s person can’t be overemphasized. If you look at the cults, at all false religions, the one main similarity they share is – they don’t give Jesus His proper place. It is clear that what these false teachers wanted was for the Colossian Believers to accept what can only be called “additions to Christ.”  

And so, Paul begins this teaching section with a strong imperative – BEWARE! The sense of the warning is to watch out, pay attention, and always be on your guard because some are actively trying to lead you astray. They are trying to plunder you, that is, to steal what you have, your completeness in Christ. They try to take you captive with their smooth talking; they want to show you off as a trophy of their success. 

How many times have we seen this in our world today? A man with charisma and good speaking skills comes on the scene with a “new revelation, a new word from God.” He’s smooth, convincing, and even quotes Scripture, but generally, he’s out of context.  

I recall watching one teacher on YouTube talk about how, for 1900 years, the church has missed that whole sections of the New Testament don’t apply to the Church. I couldn’t watch the entire thing because of his arrogance, proof-texting, and twisting of the Scripture. And yet, the person hosting the video was convinced that this guy had the answers! I’ve said it before, but I’ll repeat it: just because someone quotes the Scriptures doesn’t mean they’re not a false teacher.  

One interesting note in this warning is that “man” is singular. One influential teacher in Colossae did most of the damage by leading people away from understanding and embracing their completeness in Christ. A charismatic, persuasive teacher can do immense damage, especially to those not grounded in their understanding of Scripture. 

Paul explains how this deception is attempted – through his philosophy, the philosophy of the false teacher. We don’t see that important detail in our English translations, but it’s in the original. This is the only time this word for philosophy is used in the New Testament. Perhaps Paul used it here because the Gnostics were so fond of it.  

As we learned in our previous study, Paul was not anti-knowledge. He encouraged his readers to reach for full knowledge in Christ. But he was opposed to false teaching. He refers to this philosophy as vain deceit, hollow, and deceptive teaching. In 1 Timothy 6:20 and 21, he warned, “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge –by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.” Paul was using the terminology of the Gnostics to refute their heretical teachings and point out that their philosophy was falsely called knowledge.   

Paul goes on to outline the specifics of this false teaching. It relies on the tradition of men. The word, tradition, by itself can refer to either good or bad tradition. The context gives us the sense of meaning, so, here, it is negative. It is used in the same way in Mark 7:3 when Jesus speaks to the Pharisees about their traditions. Paul uses it in the positive sense in Second Thessalonians 2:15, where he tells the Believers to “hold fast to the traditions they have been taught.”  

Paul further identifies this false teaching as having its source in “the rudiments, or basic principles of the world.” We can understand those principles because Paul said they were the opposite of Christ’s person.  

The traditions of the Judaizers and the Gnostics measured spirituality by things of the flesh, particularly asceticism, in Colossae. They emphasized their esoteric spiritual understanding, which means something confined to a small group of people who are especially initiated into certain understandings. They saw themselves as the spiritual elite!  

One scholar said, “Christ is the yardstick to measure philosophy and all phases of human knowledge. The Gnostics measured Christ by their philosophy, as many men do today. They have it backward. Christ is the measure for all human knowledge since he is the universe’s Creator and Sustainer.”¹  

In verse nine, Paul gets to the heart of the matter regarding our completeness in Christ because of His person. The reality of Christ’s person is why we shouldn’t listen to those who teach that He is insufficient. The false teachers at Colossae acknowledged Christ but said, “You need these other things, too.”  

Paul’s reasoning about why Christ is sufficient is that, in Him and His physical body, lives the very fullness of God’s essence. That fullness existed before Jesus came to earth in human form and continued throughout His time here on earth. By His testimony and the affirmation of the biblical writers, He was God in the flesh.  

Here, Paul shows the fallacy of two theories the Gnostic false teachers promoted. Because Gnostics taught that matter was evil, one theory said that if Jesus was God, he couldn’t have had a human body. They argued that He only seemed to have a human body; it was an illusion. He wore his humanity like an actor wearing a costume or role-playing.  

The other heresy was that “the Christ” was actually a spirit being that came upon Jesus at His baptism and then left Him just before the crucifixion. So, in this view, Christ and Jesus were two different persons. The perpetrator of this heresy claimed that Jesus wasn’t born of a virgin but was conceived just like all human beings.  

Both of these falsehoods leave us with a Jesus who is unable to be our Savior. The writer of Hebrews 2:14 to 18 specifically refutes these falsehoods. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things, He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” 

In our text, the verses I just read, and many other places, we clearly state that Jesus’s deity and humanity were present and visible in His person. Therefore, He alone can satisfy God’s wrath against humanity’s sins; Solus Christus! 

Agreed! I 100 percent agree that being complete in Christ starts with who He is. Thanks, J Mark, for sharing the first part of this teaching. This is a great place to start, and there is so much we could say about Jesus’s person. As the centerpiece of history, the more we meditate on him and understand how His life impacts ours, the better off we will be. If you can, please join us next time for the rest of this lesson.  

If you miss next week, no worries. Here are a few other ways you can get our teaching. You could email us and ask for it—our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Or go to our website, which is heraldsofhope.org. There, you can contact us or go straight to the listen tab and hear just the teaching you want to hear. Use any method you choose. We would love to hear from you and help you.  

Thanks again for being with us today. Until next time, I hope you have a chance to meditate on the majesty of Jesus Christ. In Hebrews, it says this about Him: “God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, through whom also He made the worlds;who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.” Jesus is God.  

Let’s go with Pastor J Mark to Colossians 2 for today’s lesson.  

Last week, we began exploring Paul’s teaching in Colossians 2:1 to 7, “God’s Treasure Chest.” As we resume our study, here is the Scripture text. 

¹For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,  

²that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 

  ³in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.  

⁴I say this so that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.  

⁵For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. 

⁶Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,  

⁷rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 

The Next Priceless TREASURE (found in God’s Treasure Chest) is, 

Full Knowledge 

Paul warns his son in the faith, Timothy, about intellectual knowledge in 1 Timothy 6:20, 21. “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge – by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.” 

 Grasping the great mystery of Christ in you calls for the complete and balanced exercise of all your mental powers. As I said earlier in this series, knowledge and faith are presumed by unbelievers to be mutually exclusive, but that just isn’t so. We have Scripture after Scripture that tells us to pursue knowledge and understanding in both the Old and New Testaments. Yet those same Scriptures alert us that some things can only be grasped by faith.  

The knowledge Paul wants his readers to embrace is experiential; it results in a changed lifestyle, a different way of living than the way of the ungodly. Then, he makes a statement that many people react to. He says, “ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ!” Not a few, not some, but ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. So, any search for these things outside Christ is doomed to fail. 

That is not to say that Jesus and the Scriptures address every possible subject. If you pursue knowledge without having Christ as the focal point, you will discover and learn many things, but they will have no eternal value.    

Paul said these treasures are hidden in Christ. That means they can only be uncovered by diligent search. I once read a book on the Klondike gold rush that took place in the closing years of the 1800s. Tens of thousands in North America sold everything they owned, left their homes, and flocked to the Yukon territory of northwestern Canada in search of gold. The hardships and trials some of them endured were almost beyond imagination. Many died, either on the way or searching for the elusive gold. Many more returned home, physically broken and penniless. Are you and I willing to be that devoted in our pursuit of the knowledge of Christ?  

Paul wants his readers to experience this fullness of assurance and knowledge so they are not deceived by false reasoning that sounds believable. Someone once said, “The art of persuasion is the height of oratory, but it easily degenerates into trickery and momentary and flashy deceit.”  

But there’s a more dangerous form of deceit; it comes from those who profess to know Christ yet twist Scripture to make it mean what they want. One author I read said that his method for healing people’s physical ailments would only work if you used the King James Version of the Bible. I have no disrespect for the KJV; I’ve used it for many years, but that comment is ridiculous.  

Paul told his readers that truth is knowable. He wanted them to use their powers of reasoning and intellect to understand and apply it to life. Genuine love and full knowledge lead to the final item in God’s treasure chest.  

The Final Priceless TREASURE (found in God’s Treasure Chest) is, 

Growing Stability 

Maybe you question whether growing stability is a treasure. If you do, I can only say that you need to be more alert to what is happening in our world and the church. The very foundations of our faith are under concerted assault from forces outside the Church and forces within, much like Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts chapter 20.  

Even though Paul had never met these Believers personally, they were never far from his pastoral heart. He rejoiced in their “good order and the steadfastness of [their] faith in Christ.” Paul is fond of military analogies, and he uses two right here. Good order is a military term that means to “close ranks” around Jesus Christ. This term is used for troops moving closer to each other in formation, closing up any gaps in the line. They are united in purpose.  

Steadfastness is another military term meaning “the massing of the line.” This presented a formidable obstacle to the enemy. There were no gaps in the line, no weak points for them to exploit. Faith is pictured as an armed host, drawn up in full array. Strange doctrines do not readily carry away Christ’s followers who embrace the treasures of genuine love and knowledge. They are unyielding in their allegiance to Him and engage false ideas before they enter the ranks!  

Notice how, once again, in verse 6, Paul emphasizes being IN Christ as part of this growing stability. In the same way you embraced Christ for your initial salvation, continue in Him. In other words, you must continue to appropriate the truth personally through faith.  

That reality of making the truth personal leads Paul to change the analogy from military order to walking. Being a Christ-follower is a walk of faith. So, Paul counsels his readers to walk in the teaching they had received and apply it to their lifestyle choices. Romans 8:1 speaks to this very idea. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not [continue walking] according to the flesh, but [continue walking] according to the Spirit.”  

As we move to the final verse of our text, Paul has another analogy. He moves from walking to being rooted and then to a building. Let’s examine how these add to our understanding of this treasure of growing stability.  

First, rootedness implies that a tree, or person, is rooted so that the rootedness will remain. In other words, “having been rooted (past tense) with the present result that you are firmly anchored.” In Ephesians 3:17, Paul uses this same analogy. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love…may be able to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge…” 

A pastor once visited an orange grove where an irrigation pump had broken down. The season was parched, and some of the trees were beginning to die from lack of water. The man giving the tour then took the pastor to his orchard, where irrigation was used sparingly. 

“These trees could go without rain for another 2 weeks,” he said. “I frequently kept water from them when they were young. This hardship caused them to send their roots deeper into the soil for moisture. Now, mine are the deepest-rooted trees in the area. While others are being scorched by the sun, these are finding moisture at a greater depth.” Being firmly rooted in Christ will contribute to the treasure of growing stability.  

The final analogy is that of a building under construction; the process is ongoing. This house is made of stone, with each layer continually growing until the building is complete. In his writings, Paul uses this metaphor numerous times to refer to individual believers and the church.  

Peter encourages us to “[Come] to Him [Christ] as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”  

Paul ends with a final admonition to the Colossian Believers to continue being established in the faith as they had been taught. The exercise of faith strengthens both belief and practice. As someone has so succinctly stated, “Right doctrine must result in right living.”  

Finally, pursuing all these treasures is to be done with a spirit of profound and overflowing gratefulness. You and I have no right to these treasures. As Paul writes in chapter one, verse 21, we “were alienated and enemies in [our] mind by wicked works…” Our right, if you want to call it that, was eternal death! God, in His grace, has given us Life! 

Have you discovered these treasures and taken the appropriate steps to make them your possession? Are you discovering the treasure of genuine love in your relationship with Jesus and others? That will only happen if you have accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as the only acceptable payment for your sin. Genuine love is impossible to experience outside of Jesus Christ! 

And then, are you growing in the treasure of complete knowledge, the knowledge of experience? Are you seeking wisdom for hidden treasures like those Klondike gold-seekers I mentioned earlier? Are you meditating regularly on the Word of God? Are you daily living out what you learn so that others may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven?  

Finally, does your life give evidence of a growing stability? By the grace of God and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, can you detect and reject the false teachings so prevalent in our world today – and, sadly, in the church, too? Can you continue building up your faith and the faith of those around you one stone at a time?  

To experience all that and do it with the overflow of a thankful heart is a measure of how deeply you and I have dug into the richness of “God’s Treasure Chest.”  

Thanks, J Mark, for sharing these thoughts from Colossians 2. I had to think about the things I value. What are my treasures? As J Mark explained these things from God’s treasure chest, I see I have some work to do. So quickly, my heart is drawn away by temporal things, and then I value those way more than I should. Since you are human, I am guessing you also are familiar with this struggle. May we ask God to give us a heart like His, so we value the things he values.  

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or want to contact us, here are a few ways to reach us. An easy way is email; our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. Once there, click on “Contact Us,” which is on the top right. And of course, there is always a pen and paper. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Lord willing, we can be together next time as we study the rest of Colossians 2 and learn how we can be complete in Christ. Let’s love the things God loves and allow our hearts to be broken by those that break His. Paul said it well in Ephesians 5: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.And walk in love, as Christ has also loved us and given Himself for us.” 

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for joining us as we study God’s Word together. No matter where you come from or what has happened to you, the Holy Spirit can speak to you through God’s Word and show you the next step to being more like Jesus. We pray this program will disciple you in your walk with Christ and help you be like Him.  

For our study today, we will look at the first seven verses of Colossians 2. The title is “God’s Treasure Chest,” and we will look at a few treasures that can be ours when we live for Jesus. These treasures are not gold, silver, or money, which is usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think about treasures. However, they are every bit as valuable.  

Please give your attention to Bible teacher J Mark as we consider God’s treasure together.   

Many years ago, an old man searched for gold in a riverbed in South Africa. He’d been at it for many years. Now and then, he found a little bit of gold, not enough to make him rich – but just enough to keep him alive and maintain his interest. 

The part of the river in which he was prospecting was relatively new to him – and there were more signs than usual of the presence of gold. He was pretty excited – gripped by the gold fever, but he didn’t find much gold again. 

As his dig neared its end, he found himself exhausted and discouraged. He was just about to go home one evening when he saw some unusual pebbles. He liked the look of them, so he slipped about a dozen of them into his pocket.  

At home, he got out a tin and put the pebbles into it. This tin was unique and filled with personal items: letters from his son, a photo of his wife, who had died some years before, the collar from his old dog, who had died 18 months earlier, and more. Dropping the pebbles into the tin, he slowly closed it, put it back into the cupboard, and forgot about the pebbles. 

Another ten years passed, and he still hadn’t made that gold strike he longed for. By now, he was ancient and ill, too. With no ready money to pay for a doctor, he died. 

A few days later, the police came to his house. They looked through his belongings to see if there was anything they could sell to pay for his funeral, but they found nothing of value. Even his house was just an old wooden shack falling to pieces. 

And then they found THE TIN. As one of the officers looked through it, he gasped with surprise. “Look at this,” he said to his partner, pointing to the pebbles the old man had placed in that tin 10 years earlier. “They`re uncut diamonds!” he said. “They’re worth a fortune!” 

The old man had, INDEED, been very rich but had died thinking that he was penniless – because he hadn’t looked closely enough at what he thought were just pretty pebbles. He’d spent the whole of his life searching for riches but had missed the FACT that those pebbles were the answer to his longings. ¹ 

He had access to extravagant riches, but because he didn’t know what he had and failed to ask anyone else, those riches didn’t do him any good. That old tin of largely sentimental items was indeed a treasure chest!  

Too often, you and I are like the old prospector; we have treasure at our fingertips, yet we fail to recognize what we have. And so, today, I want to talk with you about “God’s Treasure Chest.” We’ll be studying Colossians 2:1 to 7.  

¹For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,  

²that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 

  ³in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  

⁴I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.  

⁵For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. 

⁶Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,  

⁷rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 

Our text reveals several priceless TREASURES found in God’s Treasure Chest.” 

The First Priceless TREASURE (found in God’s Treasure Chest) is, 

Genuine Love 

Paul begins chapter two by speaking of his great love for the Believers. How do we know of his great love for them? Look at the action words: labor, striving, conflict. They all indicate the apostle’s deep and abiding love for the saints. You don’t expend that kind of effort without love, even if it’s love for yourself.  

The word, striving ” in verse 29 of chapter one is connected to the word, conflict, in verse one of our text. It’s a word that comes to us from the arena of Paul’s day, with its grueling physical competition and mortal combat. It’s also the root of our English word agonize. In Second Corinthians chapter 11, after listing a series of trials and suffering he endured as part of his ministry, Paul says, “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my deep concern for all the churches.” Paul loved people deeply.  

Sacrificial love was a defining characteristic of Paul’s ministry, even when he had hard things to say or had to administer discipline. And yes, sacrificial love is the defining characteristic of all true Believers, according to John 13:35, First John 3:14, and other Scriptures.  

Colossae was one of the churches beginning to experience the harmful effects of Gnosticism. Paul wanted them to know that his deep concern for them flowed from his passion for Christ and his love for them. He then further expanded the circle of his audience by adding, “and all who haven’t seen me face to face.” 

So, here are people Paul has never personally met, yet he has this deep, committed, self-sacrificing love for them. How can that be? Because he had heard from Epaphras about their faith in Christ and their love for all the saints, in chapter one, verse four. That fact made them Paul’s brothers and sisters in the Lord, and he gladly accepted them into his heart and life. That, my friend, is what the love of Jesus does. Genuine love is a priceless treasure in God’s treasure chest. It is a love that flows out of His very being. We love because He first loved us. 

This genuine love is agape. It motivated Jesus to tell those who crucified Him, “Father, forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing.” Recently, a friend who grew up in another country told a story about his father demonstrating this kind of love.  

A neighbor who owned property that adjoined his dad’s land was replacing the fence. As he rebuilt the fence, he intentionally moved it several feet onto my friend’s dad’s property. Instead of getting angry and calling the authorities, my friend’s dad helped the neighbor build the fence! As a Christ-follower, he was more concerned with the man’s spiritual condition than he was about the loss of his land.  

I confess that I fall far short of the example of Jesus, Paul, and my friend’s dad in embracing this treasure of genuine love. 

Paul wants the Colossian Believers to experience this same kind of love. Several of our English translations of Scripture use the words “being knit together” to describe this relationship of love. Think of that analogy: Separate strands of thread or yarn are integrated to create a functional object or an article of clothing. Not only does this weaving together produce something useful, but it can also be lovely. 

While studying this concept of being knit together in love, one writer used the word “coalesce.” One definition of coalesce is “to grow together,” like the edges of a wound. That’s something we can all understand. We’ve accidentally cut ourselves and observe how the layers of skin and tissue grow together and become one again. Paul says that’s the kind of love he wants to see for those who follow Christ. The body of Christ cares for itself and others.   

For more than 15 years, my wife has been on a cancer journey. We have experienced an incredible outpouring of genuine love from the people of God. People we have little contact with or don’t even know are praying for her and us. And they showed their love in various tangible ways: volunteering to drive her to treatments, giving meals, sharing financial gifts to help cover increased expenses, and more. Those expressions of love bring us joy and encouragement, as Paul mentions in this text.  

The only way to experience this genuine love Paul is talking about is to have a personal relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (verse 27, chapter 1) is the only source of this kind of love. Most love that people experience is conditional; it is based on feelings. If you treat me well, I’ll do the same for you. However, as the apostle Paul discusses in our text, genuine love is sacrificial. It is willing to love the unlovely and even those who offend us.  

Genuine love for Christ results in genuine love for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. And that love is, at least in part, a result of discovering… 

The Next Priceless TREASURE (found in God’s Treasure Chest) is, 

Full Knowledge 

The apostle Paul wants his readers to “[attain] to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and Christ.” The message just before this one explained Christ’s mystery in you. Notice the adjectives here: “all riches” and “the full assurance.” We’ll talk more about these in a few moments. And notice, too, this full knowledge isn’t for a select few, as the Gnostics taught, it’s for all Believers. 

The kind of knowledge and understanding Paul talks about here is not simply the knowledge of intellect. According to First Corinthians 8:1, the type of knowledge and understanding the Gnostics had made people proud, and they looked down on those who didn’t share their supposedly enlightened positions. We see that in the academic world today. You’re seen as ignorant if you have less than a college education. But I know many people who’ve never been to college and are significantly contributing to society. They are often more settled and happier than those with a series of letters behind their name.  

The Gnostics derived their name from the Greek word gnosis, which refers to knowledge yet is present and fragmentary. Paul calls Believers to have full knowledge, or epignosis, the knowledge of experience informed by the intellect but fleshed out in the practical decisions of daily living.  

Here are the first two treasures: genuine love and full knowledge. Yes, these are not things you normally think of as treasures, but they are God’s treasures, not ours. We need His help to value the things He values. Thanks, J Mark, for sharing these with us. This was part one of the lesson. Please join us next week to hear about the rest of God’s treasure chest if you can.     

If you miss next week, no worries. Here are a few other ways you can get our teaching. You could email us and ask for it; our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Or go to our website, which is heraldsofhope.org. You can contact us or go straight to the listen tab and hear just the teaching you want to hear. And of course you can write to us. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. Use any method you choose. We would love to hear from you and help you with your request.  

Thanks again for being with us today for the first part of this teaching. Discussing God’s treasure reminded me of what Jesus taught us about our treasures. He said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” God help us treasure the things He treasures.   

I am so glad to be with you for part two of “The Mystery of Christ in You.” Take some time to put yourself back to when Colossians was written. How would you share this unusual message of Jesus who died, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven? Would the people of Colosse think you were crazy for talking about God who will live in you? This teaching was new and unusual, and as Paul mentions, it was hidden for a long time. This was a significant change from the Old Testament way of living; this was a considerable shift in thinking, and Paul is doing his best to explain it clearly.  

Please turn to Colossians 1 if you can, and J Mark will help us understand the processes by which we can understand the mystery of Christ in us.  

Last week, we began exploring Paul’s teaching in Colossians 1:15 to 20, “The Mystery of Christ In You.” As we resume our study, here is the Scripture text. 

²¹And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 

²²he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 

²³if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. 

²⁴Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 

²⁵of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 

 ²⁶the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 

 ²⁷To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

²⁸Him, we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 

 ²⁹For this, I toil, struggling with all his energy, which he powerfully works within me.  

The Second PROCESS (in understanding the mystery of Christ in us) is, 

Sanctification 

As I said earlier, reconciliation (through the blood of Jesus) makes us holy and unblameable in God’s sight. That is positional holiness. It gives us standing before the Father. In His eyes, we are sinless.  

At the same time, our practical holiness and daily choices are a journey. Our desires and choices hinder our attempts to let Christ live His life through us. Christ is on the throne of my heart and life, but I still allow myself to become irritated with my children. I still get frustrated by people who are habitually late for meetings or appointments. But those incidents will enable me to grow in sanctification and practical holiness.  

We are indeed new creatures in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17), and our lives’ trajectory is different than before reconciliation. But the sinful nature with which we were born is not automatically eradicated at conversion. Later, in chapter 3 of this same letter, Paul tells us as followers of Christ to put those evil desires to death.   

Let’s look more closely at verses 23 to 25 in exploring this process of sanctification. In several translations of the Scripture, verse 23 begins with the word if. In our minds, the word if conveys something conditional. “If it rains, the picnic tomorrow will be cancelled.” But Paul doesn’t use the word like that; he uses it as an assumption. We could read it like this: “…assuming that you continue in the faith…” Paul is focusing on their possession of genuine reconciliation. “Since you are continuing in the faith…” 

He’s talking about persisting in or abiding in the initial faith mentioned in verse 4. He had heard of their faith and urged them to remain grounded and settled. Continuing, grounded, settled, and not moving away reinforce this emphasis on staying put. And what were they not to move away from? The hope given to them by the Gospel and by the Gospel alone. You and I are called to the same kind of steadfast faith. 

And then Paul engages in a bit of hyperbole. He says that this Gospel has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. Really?  

One of the most common temptations Satan uses to discourage followers of Jesus is the feeling of being alone: alone in my struggle against my flesh, alone in my suffering for the sake of Jesus, alone in my _______, you fill in the blank. But Paul says, no, the Gospel has spread more widely over the Roman Empire than you can imagine. There are lots of people standing with you and sharing your experience.  

The next part of the process of sanctification is one most of us want to avoid – suffering. Paul has his sufferings in view as he writes to these Believers. He rejoices in what his sufferings have accomplished for them. Suffering provides us with many opportunities to progress in sanctification and to grow in Christlikeness.  

Some may wonder what Paul means by his statement, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church…” One thing it cannot mean is that Christ’s suffering was not sufficient. That would fly in the face of many other portions of Scripture.  

The word Paul uses here is never used of Christ’s vicarious sufferings, the things He suffered on our behalf to secure our reconciliation. It refers to the trials Jesus underwent during His earthly life and the same kinds of trials that all His faithful followers will experience.  

Paul understood that his sufferings were for his sanctification and the sake of the Church. We should cultivate that same understanding. Without suffering, there will be little sanctification. Suffering is the fire that refines the gold and removes the dross. 

The Final PROCESS is, 

Glorification 

 Here, in verse 26, is Paul’s use of the word mystery. The original word implies something obscure or hidden in the past. But now it’s being revealed. In light of this meaning, it’s often used with words that denote revelation or knowledge.  

And what was the reason for the unveiling of this mystery? So that His saints, including you and me, would know God’s personal, indwelling presence through the Holy Spirit! “Christ in you; the hope of glory.” 

Under the Old Covenant, God lived among His people in the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle or Temple. But the purpose of the New Covenant was to make our bodies a Most Holy Place where God’s presence could live within us! If we could fully grasp the magnitude of this reality, there would be no more half-hearted religion.   

This indwelling presence of God through Jesus is our hope of glory for the present. Second Corinthians 3:18 states, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” That’s happening right now as we allow the Holy Spirit to continue the process of sanctification in our lives. This is something in which we can rejoice!  

The indwelling presence of Christ is also our hope for the future. Paul writes in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” In the current limitations of an earthbound body and a world dominated by evil, we cannot fully fathom what that future glory will be like. But we can get a glimpse of what it will be like.  

One more Scripture yet before we move on; I John 3:2. “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM! In our future state, we will be able to gaze upon the full glory of God and Christ with unveiled faces. Imagine! 

Even as Paul spoke to the Colossian believers about this mystery of Christ in them, he warned them about proper doctrine and practice. His teaching was filled with God’s wisdom as he refuted the heresies of both the Gnostics and the Judaizers. Much like the elite of our day, these people had their own vocabulary and projected an attitude of intellectual and religious superiority. But they were lost, and without repentance, there would be no glory for them! 

Paul’s greatest desire in his teaching and preaching was to “present every person perfect (mature, complete) in Christ Jesus.” He exerted all his efforts, using the energy given him by the Holy Spirit, to ensure that those to whom he preached would fully experience the mystery of Christ in them.  

He put it like this in Ephesians 4:14 to 16. “That we should no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” 

Have you experienced the mystery of Christ in you? Have you experienced the process of reconciliation? Have you accepted by faith the sacrifice of Jesus as the only acceptable payment for your sin so that your estrangement from God is ended? Do you still marvel that the all holy, all powerful Creator God would offer you His forgiveness, even when you were still in your sins?  

Are you experiencing the daily process of sanctification as God, through His Holy Spirit and your obedience, brings your practice into line with your position in Christ? Are you becoming, in the words of the apostle, “complete in Christ Jesus?”  

Are you being changed into His image from glory to glory, “Christ in you, the hope of glory?” Are you rejoicing in the present glory of Christ working in your life each day? And are you anticipating the future glory when you and I will enter His presence fully redeemed, wholly sanctified, and able with unveiled faces to gaze on His glorious majesty and holiness? What a day that will be! And I want you to be there with me. But that is your choice.  

So, I urge you today to begin the journey to understanding the mystery of Christ in you! 

Thanks, J Mark, for this explanation of Christ in you. He brought this teaching to an end with a lot of good questions to think about. You know our journey with Christ is a relationship. In this relationship, Christ has done His part, and our response is on us. This is a sobering reality, and we encourage you to consider your choice carefully.  

If you have any questions or if you want to contact us for any reason, here are a few ways you can reach us. An easy way is email; our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Or you can message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. Once there, click “Contact Us” at the top right. And of course, you can write to us. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Thanks again for being with us today. Till next time, we hope you will grow in your understanding of the mystery of Christ in you. I leave you with this encouraging thought from I Peter 1, “Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” God Bless.  

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for joining us. It is good to have you here for another look at the Preeminent Christ. Last time was the first part of the lesson, and today we will finish looking at the three relationships that prove His preeminence. Paul packs a lot in a very short space, and this powerful paragraph is crucial to the rest of the book of Colossians. Your life cannot stay the same after understanding Christ for who He is, like Paul describes Him. Paul goes on to show how our understanding of Christ will impact many practical areas of life.  

However, before we go on to those areas, let’s spend some more time thinking about Christ and building our doctrine on Him. Last time, we looked at two proofs of His preeminence, His relationship to Deity and His relationship to creation. Today, we finish His relationship to creation and look at the last one, His relationship to the church. Let’s go now with Pastor J Mark to Colossians 1:15-19. 

Last week, we began exploring Paul’s teaching in Colossians 1:15 to 20, “The Preeminent Christ.” As we resume our study, here is the Scripture text.  

¹⁵He [Jesus]is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  

¹⁶For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  

¹⁷And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  

¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that He may have the preeminence in all things. 

¹⁹For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,  

²⁰and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 

In this text, the apostle Paul produces several PROOFS confirming Christ’s preeminence.  

In verse 16, Paul ascribes the creation of ALL THINGS to Christ. In Him resides both the creative will (authority) and the creative energy (power). He is the initial creative force that brings the worlds into existence and the sustaining force that balances the whole universe.  

What keeps our earth in its proper orbit? What keeps Earth at the appropriate distance from the sun to sustain life? These and many other things are impossible by chance. Jesus created everything and sustains everything, including earthly rulers and heavenly powers. 

In the New World Translation of the Bible of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, you will find added words in verses 16 and 17. Their translation reads like this. “For by Him all other things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All other things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all other things, and in Him, all other things consist.” They add the word, other, (in 4 different places) because they claim Jesus is a created being. That robs Him of His deity and preeminence. The addition is entirely unwarranted; it appears nowhere in our many manuscripts.    

Paul proclaims Jesus as Lord over the invisible spirit world and the visible created world. He rejects the idea of separating the spiritual and the material. Too many professing Christ-followers fall into this trap. For the genuine Believer, all of life is sacred. 

As a Christ-follower, your employment isn’t the same as your vocation. Your vocation, or calling, as the Scriptures explain it, is to know Christ and make Him known. Your job is simply a tool to live out that calling. But so often, we separate them. That’s why many people attend weekly worship services but neglect God and His commands the rest of the week.  

“Paul’s point is that such dichotomies between the visible and invisible, public and private, external and internal are false. His confession of Christ’s lordship over all things shows his confidence that Christ’s death establishes God’s grace in every [part] of God’s creation.”¹ A dichotomy says that two things are contradictory or mutually exclusive. Christ’s lordship eliminates those, and our relationship with Him impacts every facet of life.  

Verse 17 continues with this theme. The opening words, “He is,” are emphatic. They emphasize Jesus’ personality. He is not some mystical force or some nameless energy field. He is a person! Even secular history acknowledges the fact of His human existence.  

The word “is” emphasizes His preexistence. He preceded all things in time and infused them with His presence. He provides continuous stability and productivity for His creation. By Him, and NO other, all things hold together. One example of this is gravity. It keeps stationary stuff in its place and also regulates moving things. It does this consistently. It functions just as well in the workplace as in a Sunday morning worship service!  

If Jesus is the exact image of God, and He is, and if He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, which He is, then the only logical thing you and I can do with these proofs is to line up under His lordship and enter into His salvation, which leads us to our final proof.  

The Final PROOF (of the preeminence of Christ) is, 

His Relationship to the Church 

Again, notice the emphasis at the beginning of verse 18. “He Himself is the head of the body, the church…” Jesus is proclaimed the Head of the spiritual realm, the realm of grace, just as He is the head of the natural realm of creation. He is this because He existed before the world’s creation and the church. He holds the first place among all things, both spiritual and material.  

Here, Paul highlights God’s ultimate goal for fallen creation: the restoration of all things. Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross has already brought this about. The effects of sin are still evident in our world and our relationships, but Paul claims the Creator’s goal has already been realized through Christ. That goal is being demonstrated in the life of a new creation, the church.  

The church is the Ekklesia, the called-out ones. The focus here is Christ as the head of the realm of spirit and grace, not so much the local congregation. As the firstborn from the dead, Jesus is the beginning or foundation of the Church. The church is Christ’s new creation, the people of God whom He has redeemed. He is the source of the Church’s power and spiritual life. He became the head of the church through His incarnation and His passion, just as He is the head of the universe by His absolute and eternal existence.  

Paul is fond of the head-and-body metaphor when speaking about the relationship between Christ and the church. Christ is the Lord of the Church, just as the head governs the human body. The head supplies both authority and direction. This illustration also shows the organic unity between Christ and His Church. Each is necessary for the other; a head without a body and a body without a head are equally useless.  

 How is Christ identified as the Head of the Church? Verses 13 and 14 give us the answer. He became the Head of this called-out group of people by purchasing our redemption at the price of His lifeblood. Through that atoning sacrifice, He provided for our forgiveness of sin. But that sacrifice in itself didn’t give the power to live in victory over sin, the flesh, and Satan. 

No, that power for victorious living came because Jesus rose from the grave. As Paul says here, “He is the firstborn from the dead.” Jesus wasn’t the first person ever raised from the dead. We have records of resurrections in both the Old and the New Testaments. But He was the first and only one to rise from the dead, never to die again, and the first to rise by His power!  

According to Hebrews 2:15, Jesus’ resurrection broke death’s stranglehold of fear on the human race. That sets His resurrection apart from all other resurrections. It makes Him preeminent over all things. No one else has the power to do that! 

In verse 19, Paul writes that the Father was pleased that all the fullness should dwell in Jesus. The death and resurrection of Jesus ushered in the beginning of Jesus’ cosmic lordship. It inaugurated a new age of salvation history, something the Old Testament prophets and even the angels desired to understand but could not, according to 1 Peter 1:10 to 12.  

The new era initiated by Christ’s death and resurrection constitutes nothing less than a new order of human life in Christ, the essential ingredient of which is victory over death in its various expressions. Eventually, every creature, every kingdom, all creation, and even death will bow in submission before Jesus. When He has brought all things under His authority, He will give that authority to His Father. That will be the final consummation of all things!  

Paul speaks of the fullness of God dwelling in Christ. That fullness enables Christ to reconcile all things to God the Father, whether those things are on earth or in heaven. Paul’s use of the word “reconcile” has the force of looking back. In other words, it hints at restoring the original unity that Adam and Eve enjoyed with God before sin entered the human family. He secured our peace through the blood of His cross. Our reconciliation and peace were provided simultaneously by His sacrificial death. 

Ultimately, “The whole universe of things, material and spiritual, will be restored to harmony with God.”² What a wonderful reality to anticipate!  

So why is Christ’s preeminence so important? If He is not deity, we have no mediator between God and man. If He is not deity, He cannot represent God the Father. If He is not deity, He cannot reveal the Father to us and has no power to forgive sins.  

If He is a created being, He certainly is not part of the deity. If He’s not who the Scriptures assert, our faith is in vain. If He is not Lord over all creation, then you, I, and all other parts of creation are random accidents of chance, as Darwinian evolution falsely proclaims. Therefore, our actions, whether good or bad, are ultimately meaningless.  

If He is not the Head of the Church, then there is no church. There might be religion, but there’s no true church of Jesus Christ. And if there’s no church, then there are no people of God to display His love and power to a desperately needy world. And if there is no church, there is no anticipated future restoration of all things.  

I believe Paul lays out convincing proofs for the preeminence of Christ. You can accept those proofs and participate in eternal blessing. Or you can reject them and suffer the eternal consequences. The choice is yours. 

Thanks, J Mark, for ending this lesson by stressing Christ’s deity. Think about those last few paragraphs. Can you see now why a proper understanding of these verses is so important to the rest of Colossians? J Mark taught on Christ’s preeminence, and Paul clearly presented Christ with authority and majesty. Now, it is up to us to exalt Him and honor Him wherever we go.  

If you have any questions or if you want to contact us for any reason, here are a few ways you can do so. An easy way is email; our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Or you can message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. Once there, click “Contact Us,” at the top right. And of course, you can write to us. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. 

Thanks again for joining. Lord willing, we can be together next time as we move into the rest of Colossians and see how we can serve our risen preeminent Savior. Till then, may Peter’s description of Jesus be ours: “You have the words of eternal life. We believe and are sure you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” God Bless 

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for being with us today. This teaching is brought to you by Heralds of Hope; we are a small ministry using media to make disciples. We recently started working our way through Paul’s book to the Colossians. In chapter one, there is a remarkable passage about our Messiah. These five incredible verses will be the focus of our teaching today and the next lesson.  

In this lesson and the next, we will discuss the Preeminent Christ. J Mark will explain this passage by looking at three proofs of His preeminence. The three proofs are relationships: one to His deity, another to creation, and the last to the church. Let’s go to Colossians one and grow our understanding of Jesus.  

Our world is filled with deception. Dishonest people prey on others’ ignorance or carelessness to cheat them out of their money or possessions. This problem isn’t new; it has existed since sin entered the human family.  

When I was in my late teens, I traveled to a big city with my brother, who was a truck driver. On the street, a man approached me wearing a dozen or more watches on his arm. He claimed he would sell me a brand-name watch at a very low price. So, I bought one. 

Later, when I showed it to my brother, he said, “It’s either fake or stolen.” He was right. We looked at the watch closely, and it wasn’t a brand I knew. It was a piece of junk.  

Once, when I was visiting an Asian country, my host told me that he didn’t think the country had a properly licensed copy of Microsoft Windows! It was all pirated or bootleg. The same was true in the myriad shops along the streets of the capital selling brand-name footwear and clothing. He told me that the vast majority of it was knock-offs from China.  

Watches, software, clothing, and other things aren’t of much enduring value. If a dishonest or shrewd salesman takes advantage of me, the consequences usually aren’t that great. I may lose some money or end up with a worthless product.  

But what if I believe things about myself and about the world that aren’t accurate? What if my beliefs about God and Jesus aren’t correct? What are the consequences of that? Deception in these areas can lead me to eternal ruin!  

The people in Colossae struggled to understand who Jesus was adequately. Gnosticism was making inroads into the church. Gnosticism embraced a Jesus but not the Jesus of divine revelation in the Holy Scripture. Paul knew that unless the Believers in Colossae truly understood who Jesus was according to Scripture, they were headed for eternal ruin. Similarly, many people today have a distorted view of Jesus. They create a Jesus out of their imagination.  

In Colossians 1:15 to 20, Paul emphatically proclaims Christ as preeminent. That means He is supreme over everything and everyone. Paul emphasizes Christ’s relationship to three specific things to prove his assertion. To learn those particular things, let’s read Colossians 1:15 to 20. After I read the Scripture, I’ll share my teaching on “The Preeminent Christ.”  

¹⁵He [Jesus]is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  

¹⁶For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  

¹⁷And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  

¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that He may have the preeminence in all things. 

¹⁹For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,  

²⁰and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 

In this text, the apostle Paul produces several PROOFS confirming Christ’s preeminence.  

The First PROOF is, 

His Relationship to Deity 

In the verses just before our text, Paul reminded the Colossian Believers how Christ had purchased their redemption and forgiveness of sin through His blood. As a result of that transaction, they had been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God’s dear Son with the full rights and privileges as citizens of that kingdom. 

In our text, Paul lays out the proofs that support Christ’s ability to make this transfer. And, as I said, he begins by explaining who Jesus is in relation to deity.  

He states that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God…” Let’s clarify one thing right here at the beginning of our study. Human beings are made IN the image of God, but only Jesus IS the image of God.  

Paul’s use of the word “image” involves three things: likeness, or mirror image; representation, that is, Jesus represents God to us; and manifestation, that is, Jesus reveals God to us. Let’s look at each of these. 

First, likeness. In Hebrews 1:1 to 3, we read, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…”  

Jesus is the express image or the mirror image of the invisible God! He is an exact reproduction of the Father. John chapter 1 tells us that Jesus, the Word, was present with God at the beginning of time, and indeed He was God. He preexisted with God in eternity past.  

Philippians chapter 2 tells us that Jesus was and is equal to the Father. There is equality of being in the Godhead, but there is a difference in roles. Jesus didn’t selfishly hold on to His equality but voluntarily submitted Himself to the will of the Father in becoming the sacrifice for our sins. In reality, God took on human form and allowed human beings to abuse Him and put Him to death. There is no separation between God and Jesus. Jesus IS God in the flesh. 

What about representation? Jesus portrays the Father to us. He shows us what the Father is like. That doesn’t mean Jesus’ physical appearance was like His Father’s because God is a spirit. But His character and attributes accurately represent who God is. That’s why Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” If you’ve seen Jesus, you’ve seen the Father. If you haven’t seen Jesus, I urge you to read the Gospels. 

 Paul teaches us that Jesus is the substance of God’s purposes and intentions for His creation. “He is God’s pattern for all of life; through him, God will restore a broken and fallen creation in his likeness. I think Paul uses the word image to echo the biblical story of creation when God created male and female in God’s own image. Christ brings to historical expression the ultimate purpose of God’s creation of all human life.  

On the one hand, Jesus exemplifies humanity’s faithful response to God; on the other hand, he also discloses God’s faithfulness to mankind. God’s good intent [or purpose] in creating human life is to enjoy a faithful relationship with every person. Because of Christ, this intent can now be realized for those who are in him.”¹  

And then there’s manifestation; Jesus reveals God to us. That’s what John wrote. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life —the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us…” I John 1:1 and 2. 

We could change the word manifested in these verses to reveal. I believe that helps us understand the meaning better. Later in John’s Gospel, when Jesus turned the water into wine, it says, “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested [or revealed] His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”  

Later on, in John 14 and verse 21, Jesus said, He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest [reveal] Myself to him.”  

So, Jesus being the exact image of God involves likeness, representation, and revelation. This affirms and proves His deity and His preeminence.    

The Next PROOF (of the preeminence of Christ) is, 

His Relationship to Creation 

Paul goes on to say that Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. In Hebrews 1:1 to 4 and other Scriptures, Jesus is clearly stated to be the Creator of all things. John 1:3 says, “Without Him, nothing was made that has been made.” This must mean that He existed before creation.  

The firstborn of creation cannot mean He was created first. He would have had to develop Himself. How can something that doesn’t exist create something? That makes no sense! He is not part of the creation. This fact gives Him both priority and sovereignty over all that is created.   

This is Paul’s refutation of the Gnostic idea that Jesus was just one of the many emanations radiating from the Godhead. These emanations were supposedly various orders or ranks of spirit beings of greater or lesser degree. These are the thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers that Paul mentions in verse sixteen. But he says Jesus is over all these. He is God’s first and only representation and has no equal.  

As I said earlier, the false teachers maintained that the universe proceeded from God indirectly, through a succession of emanations or releases of energy (Big Bang theory, anyone?). Christ, at best, was only one of these emanations. As such, the universe could not find its consummation in Him. But Paul emphatically states that Christ is the beginning and the end of all creation. As such, He is the sole mediator between God and humanity.  

What an ending! Our time is up, and we are left thinking about Christ and His relationship with His creation. It struck me again how inexplicable and mystifying it is that Christ entered His creation. What if you build a city with Legos or any other toy? Then, you choose to enter the town you just built and be subjected to what you designed. This explains what Jesus did, and it is no wonder we have difficulty grasping this. Why would God do this? What kind of God is He? Good questions. Please join us next time we discuss the rest of this lesson.   

If you have any questions or want to contact us, here are a few ways to reach us. An easy way is email; our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Thank you so much for listening. Please join us again next time as we continue our teaching of Christ’s preeminence. We leave you with this verse from Philippians 2, which emphasizes what we just heard: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.” 

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you so much for joining us for the last lesson from James. As we now expect, the lessons from James have been very practical in dealing with the things life is made of. So many areas of life were addressed in these five chapters, and many of them deal with how we live and think daily. And this lesson may be the most practical of them all. James ends the book writing about prayer. This incredible tool gives all of us access to where we can connect and communicate with God anytime and anywhere.  

You may have prayed many times today or communicated with God regularly and can’t “count” your prayers; this is good. Communicating with God is good for us, and we benefit from it. Today, Pastor J Mark will share three good things that can happen when we pray. Let’s join him for today’s teaching.  

Our study from the book of James has been intensely practical. We have much to work on as we live out a “Faith That Works.” James does not suggest that we earn our salvation by works. However, he argues that if salvation is genuine, we will think differently, act differently, and look differently than the unbelievers. He also gives clear instructions on how to do it. 

Our text for today, the final verses of James chapter five, deal with prayer. Prayer is a vital part of a working faith. John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”  

In our study today, James discusses “The Prayer of Faith.” I’ve taken that phrase for the title of the message. Our text is James 5:13-20.  

¹³Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 

¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the church’s elders, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 

¹⁵And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 

¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. A righteous man’s effective, fervent prayer avails much. 

¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 

 ¹⁸He prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 

¹⁹Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 

²⁰let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover many sins. 

Prayer allows us to connect with and communicate with God Himself. As we examine this text, we observe several RESULTS that follow “The Prayer of Faith.” 

The First RESULT is, 

Prayer Brings Comfort 

Prayer brings comfort to those suffering hardship or trouble. If you believe the Bible, you accept the doctrine of God’s sovereignty. He controls the physical universe and the circumstances of our lives. Nothing comes to us without His approval or permission. Job is an undeniable example of God’s sovereignty in the affairs of men. 

Since God controls the events of our lives and knows all about us, one might ask, “Why bother to pray?” Yet, James instructs us to pray in times of trouble. Prayer acknowledges that we’re not in control of the situation, which helps to eliminate pride.  

Finding ourselves in a position where we can do nothing is often a motivation to evaluate our lives. Many people have thanked God for an experience that put them flat on their backs and gave them time to pray and seek God’s face.  During that time, significant life changes occurred.  

Prayer also gives us access to God’s resources. Hebrews 4:15 and 16 tell us that we have a representative, Jesus Christ, who has suffered everything we have suffered. Yet in all His sufferings, He did not sin. Because of that, we are invited to come confidently to His throne.  

In addition, prayer comforts those who are physically ill. James instructs those who are sick to call for the elders of the church. Do the prayers of the elders carry special weight with God? They are not better than the church members or even more spiritual. However, the Scriptures clearly show how God works through divinely established authority structures.  

Involving the elders highlights the often-ignored spiritual dimensions of physical sickness. I am not saying that all illness is a result of personal sin. Jesus’ disciples made that mistake in John chapter nine. And Jesus promptly told them that this man’s blindness was not a result of anyone’s sin. However, James notes this possibility by saying, “…and IF he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” There are physical consequences to both the sins of the body and the spirit.  

In our praying, we must acknowledge the possibility that God will not heal the sick one. While that fact is not explicitly stated in this text, we must keep the larger context of Scripture in view. Even in the event of death, there is comfort in prayer as we are reminded of the blessedness of those who die in the Lord.  

The prayer of faith also assures us that we are pure before God. The Holy Spirit is faithful and will confirm our good relationship with God. But, if there’s sin in our lives, a prayer of repentance brings rejoicing as we experience cleansing by the blood of Christ and the restoration of peace in our spirits. Experiencing the unconditional love of the Father is a tremendous comfort.  

The prayer of faith comforts us in our spiritual, emotional, and physical afflictions.  

The Second RESULT is, 

Prayer Brings Strength 

In verse 16, James exhorts us to confess our faults and pray for each other. “Confess… and pray… that you may be healed.” Can we infer from this statement that healing depends on our confession and prayers? Confessing our faults [our sins] to each other and praying for each other brings the brotherhood’s strength and comfort along with the Lord’s blessing. The healing can be both physical and spiritual.  

I sincerely appreciate the brothers and sisters God has given to me in our local congregation. I greatly enjoy and benefit from our times of worship and fellowship together. And yet I have told them, “If in a week, I must miss a service, I would rather miss a Sunday service than our mid-week prayer meeting.” Do you know why I feel that way? I know my brothers are praying for me, and they aren’t going to take my confessions and use them against me. There is great strength in united prayer.  

During World War II, Hitler ordered all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Half of the Brethren assemblies complied, and half refused. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups.  

Finally, they decided that the situation had to be resolved. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. Each person examined their heart for several days in the light of Christ’s commands. Then they came together.  

As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred. They confessed their faults, prayed for each other, and were healed.  

James caps off verse sixteen with this declaration; “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” To illustrate his statement, he points us to Elijah’s life. We often see the patriarchs, the prophets, and even the apostles as super-saints. But James reminds us that Elijah was a man who had feelings and desires just like we do.  

If you read through the account of Elijah’s life, he had ups and downs. Because of the wickedness of King Ahab, God instructed Elijah to pray earnestly that it would not rain; it didn’t rain for three and a half years! Then, after his showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he prayed again, and God sent rain. What a marvelous answer to prayer, what a tremendous victory for the God of heaven. But the next scene finds Elijah huddled in a cave in fear for his life because of the threats of wicked queen Jezebel.  

The active, earnest supplication of a person in right standing with God has incredible power. There is nothing that can stand against it. Mary, Queen of Scotland, said of the Scottish Protestant Reformer, John Knox, “I fear [his] prayers more than an army of ten thousand men.” Prayer brings strength. 

The Final RESULT is, 

Prayer Brings Repentance 

Several times in this epistle, we’re reminded of our tendency to revert to our sinful lifestyle. This issue surfaces again in the last verses of our text. James reminds us that within our hearts are desires that can easily lead us astray. He also shows how we can guard against that. 

I see a connection back to verse sixteen. As we walk in unity with our brothers and sisters in the Lord, we will see when one of them is getting off-track. Or they will be able to see when we are drifting. There is a need for mutual accountability. Faithful prayers and loving confrontations are a necessary part of our local congregations. 

As a leader in the early church, James saw the need for Christians to pray for each other. He said that if anyone goes astray from the path of truth, and someone comes after you, turns you around, and brings you back, be assured they have done you an excellent service. That one rescues a soul from death and hides a multitude of sins.  

Often, when someone walks away from God, they’ve been deceived. They do not see clearly where the road they are on is taking them. And if Satan has his way, they will never see it until it’s too late. But if you faithfully pray for them, you lovingly come alongside them and say, “Brother, do you realize where the road you’re on is taking you?” Through your prayers and concern, God can use you to bring them to repentance.  

You may rescue them not only from spiritual death but from physical and emotional death, too. This is particularly true of sexual sins, which have devastating spiritual, emotional, and physical consequences. And they have a far-reaching impact on relationships.  

Not only is this person rescued from destruction, but many sins they would have committed are now covered. They’re not going to take place. They have repented. Now, they’re walking again in obedience to God’s Word and finding joy and blessing in that obedience.  

The prayer of faith is a powerful tool in securing a faith that works. Let’s exercise that prayer of faith right now as we recommit ourselves to faithfully living for the Lord.  

Thank you, J Mark, for this encouraging teaching on the results of prayer. All are good things that I want more of in my life. Comfort, strength, and repentance may each be found in growing measures in your life. You know the only thing limiting our prayers is me. For myself, I get busy or become distracted, and my prayer life suffers. So many things are vying for my time and attention; I must protect my prayer life and keep it healthy. Your struggles are similar wherever you are, and our encouragement is to fight for them, pray more, and pray fervently.  

Thanks a lot for being with us today. Please let us know if you want to contact us for any reason or to hear our other teaching from James. You can email us at hope@heraldsofhope.org, visit our website at heraldsofhope.org, or write to us at Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Hopefully, we will hear from you soon.

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

It is so good to be here; thank you for being with us. We look forward to another powerful and practical lesson in James. Today, we begin James 5, titled “Payday is coming.” The lesson teaches us to think long-term and realize that this life is not all there is. Most of us know what payday is, but have you considered a “payday” for your life?  

“Who could do that?” you ask. Well, it would have to be someone who knows everything you have ever done and understands all the reasons behind your actions. God is the only one able to do this, and we know he will get it right. As Abraham said, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Since God knows everything, it won’t be difficult for Him to be fair and give everyone the “payday” we deserve.  

Paydays are coming, but think about what this means in the long term, not just weekly or monthly. J Mark is here to share the rest of today’s lesson, so let’s go with him to James 5.  

Payday!  The word has a welcome sound. Most likely, every worker in every culture and country worldwide knows that word in their native language. The toil, the sweat, and the exercise of brawn or brains finally produce a reward. Now, you and I can provide for our needs and the needs of our families. Our labor has been rewarded, the necessities of life can be bought or bartered, and physical life will be sustained. 

Just for a moment, suppose you worked all week at your job, and at the end of the week, you DID NOT receive the paycheck you were promised. How would you feel? At the very least, you would feel cheated, all that labor and no reward.  

Interestingly, many who rise in indignation at withholding a person’s wages somehow think they can live their entire lives in self-gratification and not expect a proportionate reward. In today’s study, we want to examine such a group.  

Our text today is James 5:1-6. In this passage of Scripture, James speaks about a group of people with the problem I mentioned a moment ago. Because of their position in life and they’re accustomed to having their way, they are blissfully ignorant of the payday approaching. It will come on them unexpectedly. 

Again, our text is James 5:1-6.  

¹ Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!  

²Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.  

³Your gold and silver are corroded; their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last few days.  

⁴Indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 

 ⁵You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.  

⁶You have condemned; you have murdered the just; he does not resist you. 

James reveals the promised WAGES that will come to unjust employers.  

The First Part of the Promised Wages 

Your Wealth Becomes a Curse 

James begins chapter five with his words in 4:13, “Go to now.” As I said last time, the modern equivalent would be to say something like, “Oh, come on,” or “Now wait a minute.” Both times are in a context where the result is different than expected.  

According to verse four, the wealthy men (employers) are told to weep and howl because misery is about to overtake them. Here are men accustomed to a life of ease, laughter, mirth, and celebration. They dress in expensive clothing and boast about their accumulated wealth. James says they should lament and wail in their wretchedness because of the calamities coming their way. Hardship and trouble are just ahead because, like those we talked about last week, they forgot the God factor.  

Many are like them today; sadly, some are in the church. This message probably came as a shock to them. They forgot the words in Ecclesiastes 5:13, “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun; namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.  

The riches James in verse two are not monetary; those come later in verse three. He speaks of things that spoil or rot. If you look at verse four, you learn that their wealth was in their harvests, their agricultural produce. That makes sense. Produce from the soil, because it is organic, even if stored very carefully, will tend to spoil or rot. Their grain would get infested with bugs or exposure to moisture. The wine would sour and become worthless, and the olive oil would turn rancid. Their many changes of fine clothing would become moth-eaten.  

In verse three, the silver and gold of these wealthy men become a liability—their gold and silver, whether plate or coin, would become tarnished. I want you to see the connection between agricultural produce, clothing, silver, and gold. Why were all these things moving into a state of decay? Because these wealthy men were hoarding them!  

And God said that those things they’d hoarded up would become the evidence that would convict them in His court of justice. They were not sharing with people experiencing poverty because they didn’t have the resources. No, it was because they were selfish and greedy!  

They refused to honor God with the wealth He had given. If their crops had been used appropriately, they would have less spoilage. Silver and gold, passed from hand to hand during commerce, would not have tarnished as quickly as when hoarded in secret storage. 

The very thing they had set their hearts on as a source of blessing, comfort, security, and satisfaction would now become a curse to them. James becomes very graphic. He says the rust or corrosion of their riches would “eat their flesh as fire.” There is an obvious connection to the word cankered, which he used to describe what would happen to their riches. The modern term for canker is gangrene! It is a dreaded word today, how much more dreaded at the time James is writing. It struck fear into the stoutest heart, much like the word cancer does for us today. 

The last part of verse three is challenging to decipher, but here’s my understanding. When we began this study of the book of James, I pointed out my belief that this book was one of the earliest writings of the New Testament. Keeping that point in mind makes me suggest that the fiery judgment coming was the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.  

If you read the Old Testament prophets and their messages of judgment, one of the issues for which God judged His people most harshly was the oppression of the poor. That sin was taking place here in this text. According to Scripture, the sins of materialism and greed will also characterize the final days of history.  

If you are a person of wealth, especially an employer, take these words to heart. In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles repeatedly warn about the danger of using riches selfishly. Neither you nor I want to receive the wages spoken of here. 

The Next Part of the Promised Wages, 

Your Workers Cry for Justice 

As a young man, I read “The Jungle,” a novel that detailed the horrible working conditions in the meat packing plants in Chicago, Illinois, at the beginning of the 20^th century. I do not support the author’s conclusion that socialism cured these problems. However, the book gives a glimpse into the rampant abuses of the workers employed in the slaughterhouses. Those abuses were partly responsible for establishing labor unions to protect the workers.  

Verse four introduces this part of the wages. James accuses the wealthy landowners of withholding the wages of their laborers. God had given clear instructions to his people regarding the treatment of employees. Leviticus 19:13 and Deuteronomy 24:15 contain a similar message. “At his day, you shall give him his hire; neither shall the sun go down upon it —lest he cry against you unto the Lord and it be sin unto you.”  

These landowners violated God’s clear commands, and the cries of the laborers would become evidence against them in God’s court of justice. They assumed they could be oppressed with impunity because the laborers had no earthly court to hear their case. But once again, these wealthy men forgot God.  

The cries for justice had come into the ears of the Lord of the Sabbath. Lord of hosts, or Lord of armies, is a frequent appellation of God in the Old Testament. It signifies his uncontrollable power and the infinitely numerous means for governing the world, defending his followers, and punishing the wicked. 

These verses warn all employers, especially those who call themselves Christians. There is no cause for oppressing employees. Proverbs 14:31 warns, “He that oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker: but he that honors him has mercy on the poor.”  

Many businesses today are bought and sold by speculators who have no compassion for their employees. Their only goal is to enrich themselves. If the employees suffer, these greedy men could care less. But they’ve made the same mistake as the wealthy men James wrote about, forgetting the God factor. The cries of the disenfranchised workers will ultimately come into the ears of the Lord of hosts. And payday for them will bring a curse instead of a blessing. 

The Final Part of the Promised Wages, 

Your Wantonness Comes to an End 

The things James mentions here outline a lifestyle based on consumption. Today, many church members live in luxury while church mission programs go begging. Many people pile up possessions, hoard financial resources, and have lavish wardrobes. While professing Christ, their lifestyle choices show they’ve given themselves to sensuality and gratification of their fleshly appetites. This is the very thing the Holy Spirit inspired James to condemn strongly. 

Many Christians are addicted to entertainment and pleasure. Sporting events draw huge crowds, but prayer meetings are poorly attended. Part of the indictment in these verses deals with uncontrolled eating. Obesity, heart disease, and other ailments make these verses especially relevant today.  People are literally killing themselves by their out-of-control appetites. 

And do you know what happens to people who become controlled by their appetites?  Though they may once have embraced Christ and the principles of His Word, now the end justifies the means if it leads to their sensual pleasure.  

But James warns those who live controlled by their passions that God will not permit this to continue forever. A day of reckoning is near, and the promised payday is coming. We will need to give an account of ourselves before God and then receive the just wages we have earned. 

What a sobering thought to end on. Thanks, J Mark, for this teaching. It is sobering, but it is by no means negative. If we live open, honest lives serving Christ with all we have, the “day of reckoning” will be like a payday—a good one, a really good one. The challenge is to stay focused and give God our all.  

Thank you so much for being with us. If you want to contact us for any reason or to hear more about our teaching, here is how you can do so. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also find us online at heraldsofhope.org. You can also write to us; our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Use any method you choose. We would love to hear from you. 

Thanks again for being there. Today reminded me of Jesus’ parable about the wise and foolish man. The wise man was wise because he heard and put Jesus’ words into practice. The foolish man didn’t, and his “payday” was destruction. Go and build on THE rock.  

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

It is so good to be with you again. Thank you for being there. We are glad to be here and listen to what God is teaching us through His Word. Again, today’s lesson has an evident and practical takeaway.  

Years ago, I was part of a large group that had scheduled a trip together. We all came from different areas and met in New York City for our flight. As our flight time approached, so did the predictions of a big snowstorm. The snowstorm won, and our flight was canceled. Someone in our group said, “Man plans, and God laughs.”  

We did our best to prepare and plan, but we know things like snowstorms and other circumstances may change our plans. Knowing this, we hold our plans loosely, prefacing them with the word “Lord willing.”  Christians continue committing our future to God, knowing He controls everything. This is precisely what James reminds us of in today’s lesson. You see, we tend to forget. We tend to get in the rhythm of life, making our plans and executing them month after month, year after year. This isn’t bad, but we quickly forget to acknowledge God in our plans. This lesson reminds us to consider our future and keep God in it.  

Let’s give our attention to J Mark as he teaches from James 4.       

When the luxury oceanliner Titanic was launched near the beginning of the 20th century, many people believed in new science and technology. They believed that science in the twentieth century could and would provide answers to all their problems. The loss of the Titanic was a tremendous blow to their confidence. It’s too bad we haven’t learned much from their experience. In this 21^st century, many are making the same mistake. 

In our text for today, James warns us about the danger of making plans that exclude God. Our study today is from James 4:13-17. The message’s title is “You’re Going to Do What?”  

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;  

¹⁴whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  

¹⁵Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”  

¹⁶But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 

¹⁷Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. 

Our text reveals four WARNINGS related to our plans for the future.  

The First WARNING is, 

Unrealistic Expectation 

I find the beginning words of verse thirteen quite interesting: “Go to now.” The modern equivalent would be something like, “Oh, come on,” or, “Now wait a minute.” These are expressions of disbelief. What is it that calls these expressions of disbelief?  It is people who make plans without considering God.  

Don’t you find it easy to make plans without thinking about God’s plans? Too often, I find myself in this mode of thinking. Someone asks me, “Will you be at the meeting on such and such a date?” And I respond, “I sure will.” But who decides whether I’ll be there or not? God does. Some of my expectations may be unrealistic. I don’t know if I’ll be there or not. Lots can happen between now and then.  

Does that mean it’s wrong to make plans? In Proverbs chapter six, God tells us to take a lesson from the ants. They plan by gathering in the harvest in preparation for the time when gathering is impossible. In Luke fourteen, Jesus talks about the importance of planning when he illustrates the man who started to build a tower and then discovers he doesn’t have enough money to finish it. Scripture is clear; there is nothing wrong with planning ahead. 

Making plans without considering our expectations, which may be unrealistic, is wrong. The verb tense expresses repeated or continued activity. So, we could read, “You who are saying, today or tomorrow… we’ll do this or that.” This isn’t a mistake or a moment of forgetfulness. This is a deliberate mindset that excludes God from the plan.  

What are your expectations for the future?  Have you considered God’s plans? Psalm 10:4 informs us, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” This could be read, “God is not in his thoughts at all.” That’s the wicked man. But what about the righteous? How does he make his plans?  Psalm 90:12 tells us how the righteous make their plans. “So, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” 

This first warning is clear: don’t plan without considering God, or your expectations may be unrealistic! You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. 

The Second WARNING is, 

Unexpected Condensation  

There’s a bit of a play on words here. James likens our physical existence to vapor. What is vapor? It is condensation. As water is heated, the molecules’ arrangement changes and becomes vapor or steam. Water droplets become suspended in mid-air. The visible evidence of the vapor is very short-lived. That’s how James describes the length and the durability of our lives. Just like a breath of air on a cold day. It’s gone almost as soon as it is out of your mouth!  

That’s how we, as followers of Christ, are to view life. But that’s not how the unbelieving person views life. “Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their names. This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approves their sayings,” Psalm 49:11-13. They don’t see their lives from God’s perspective. 

There’s another meaning for condensation. It means to shorten or compress. I have read something called condensed books. They removed “nonessential” parts of the story to make a shortened version of those books.  

James’ reminder in verse fourteen is very pertinent to this discussion. We have no promise of tomorrow. Jesus reminded us that our lives, compared to eternity, are like the grass in the field: here today, gone tomorrow. That is why we must always consider His plans when making our plans. He knows things we have no access to.   

How quickly our lives can change! “The days of our years are seventy years; and if by reason of strength, they are eighty years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away,” Psalm 90:10. We don’t know if our “book” will be the condensed version or the unabridged. Only God knows that.   

Someone has said, “You can tie your shoes in the morning, but the undertaker may untie them tonight.” How true that is for every one of us. It is a warning not to forget the brevity of life as we make our plans.  

The Next WARNING is, 

Unqualified Approbation 

In verse fifteen, James uses this warning to explain a fundamental principle. But let me explain what I mean by unqualified approbation. The word approbation implies approval. And using the word unqualified in this context means unrestricted. In other words, we can’t do anything without God’s approval. Sometimes, that approval is explicit. We know what God wants us to do. Other times, that approval may be tacit, but God allows us to do what we want.  

In contrast to those in verse one who says, “This is what we will do,” James says we ought to say, “If God permits, we will do this or that.” As a child, I recall seeing announcements for special meetings at our church. Somewhere on that announcement were the capital letters D and V. As I got older, I learned that those letters stood for the Latin words Deo Volente, which means God Willing.  

The program planners acknowledged that they needed God’s approval for this meeting to occur. They made plans, but God decided whether or not those plans would come to reality. Proverbs 16:33 reminds us, ^“The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.” 

As in all other areas of life, Jesus is our perfect example in this one, too. He lived his life so that he could say, “I do only those things which please the Father.” He moved only within the sphere of his Father’s unqualified approbation. We must be surrendered to God to say, “If the Lord wills, we will do this or accomplish that.” 

The Final WARNING is, 

Unfaithful Deviation 

Have you ever been warned not to do something but went ahead and did it anyway? Those who ignore God during their planning are doing just that. The previous verses explicitly warn us not to make the mistake of leaving God out of the picture. But in this case, God was left out, and those making the plans were boasting in their humanly devised plans. Like the sailor on the Titanic who reportedly said, “Not even God could sink this ship.” Those were foolish words. James reminds us that this kind of boasting is grievous to God.  

Where does that kind of arrogant attitude lead us? Verse seventeen says it leads to unfaithful deviation. Deviation means to turn aside from an established way, principle, or standard, in this case, God’s way and His standard. This deviation is not the result of negligence or deception. It is disobedience! It is knowing what is proper and expected, then refusing to do it. It reminds me of the unfaithful servant Jesus told us about in Luke chapter twelve.  

He knew what was right and was held to a higher standard than those who did not know better. James says that the one who knows what is right yet refuses to do it misses the mark and turns away from the path of righteousness. When a person turns away from the path of righteousness, what are their other options? There is only one: the path of wickedness, which leads to destruction.  

Unfaithful deviation leads a person away from God. And for those who don’t want God in their plans for the future, He will oblige them. When life is over, they will not be in His plans. They will have cast their lot with the enemy, Satan. They will join him in the lake of fire for eternity. 

That’s a sobering thought. I urge you to consider carefully consider these warnings in any plans. Be sure God is included in those plans. Remember that life is short. Seek not only His permission but His unqualified approval. And do not refuse His direction. If you heed these warnings, you can be assured your plans will not end tragically like the Titanic’s. 

Thanks, J Mark, for sharing. He is right. It is so good for us to remember that life is so short. To make the most of our lives, we must follow God and surrender our lives and plans to Him. Looking back on my life, I can clearly see God’s guiding hand. It is harder at times, but when I remember His faithfulness in the past, my trust in the present grows. He is faithful, and we can trust Him.     

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or want to contact us, here is how to reach us. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also message us online at heraldsofhope.org. And there is always the paper option. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. We would love to hear from you. Please use the method that is easiest for you. 

Thanks so much for joining us for today’s teaching. Before we leave, think about what Paul told Timothy, “If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown himself.” Our God is good; let’s honor Him in all things.  

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for being here; it is good to be with you as we continue our study in James. Today, we start chapter 4. The title is a question, “Are You Getting What You Want?” Think about that, are you? What do you really want? We are very good at justifying ourselves and making Scripture say what we want it to say so we can have our way. Here is one example of the gymnastics someone used to “get what he wanted.” In Matthew 18:19 Jesus said, “If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.”  He said all you have to do is get someone else to pray with you for what you want, and it’s done; God will answer. Imagine if that was the way it worked! That would be chaos real soon.  

He should have balanced this verse with today’s passage. Listen carefully to today’s teaching, and you will discover why his way of thinking doesn’t work. Bible teacher J Mark is here to give us three observations that help us determine what is best for us.  

Before the days of firearms, the native people of that time had a unique way of killing a wolf. First, they would coat a knife blade with animal blood and allow it to freeze. Then, they’d add another layer of blood and another until the frozen blood completely concealed the blade. Next, they secured the handle of his knife in the ground with the blade up.  

When a wolf followed his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovered the bait, he licked it, tasting the frozen blood. He began to lick faster and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge was bare. Feverishly now, the wolf licks the blade. So great becomes his craving for blood that he does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked knife blade on his tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his warm blood. His carnivorous appetite craves more–until dawn finds him dead in the snow!” 

Only God’s grace keeps us from the wolf’s fate. Our text today alerts us to the danger our sensual appetites pose for us. Let’s read that text now, James 4:1-6. 

¹ Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?  

²You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.  

³You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.  

⁴Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  

⁵Or do you think the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 

⁶But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 

Our text provides three OBSERVATIONS that help us determine whether or not what we want is best for us.  

The First OBSERVATION is, 

Carnal Distraction 

The previous chapter closes with a discussion of how divine wisdom brings peace into the life and relationships of the Believer. Chapter four begins with wars and fighting! 

So, James raises the obvious question: where do these battles and aggressive behavior come from? His follow-up question is rhetorical. “Isn’t it true that this kind of behavior springs from lusts battling each other in your body?” The word lust is translated from the Greek word hay-don-ay, the root of the English phrase hedonism: the concept that sensual pleasure is the primary reason for our human existence.  

 James is writing to Christians, so we must conclude that we’re not immune to the distraction of sensual pleasures. I would be dishonest if I did not admit this is an ongoing struggle for me. But, praise God, I can be victorious by His grace; so can you. 

The Bible teaches that humans comprise spirit, soul, and body. Our body is our connection with the physical world. It functions to a large degree in response to our five senses. Even as babies, we learn how to acquire those things that bring pleasure to our senses and how to avoid pain. However, we will not shrink from a certain amount of pain if we think we can achieve pleasure. We have competing desires that struggle for gratification. 

As we noted, verse one begins with images of the battlefield. What is the goal of an army on the battlefield? It is dominance followed by control. The enemy must be driven from the field so we can control his territory. But we often find that we’ve gained more enemies in the process. And the very thing we fought to secure for ourselves becomes the means of our defeat. We can become so enslaved to our fleshly appetites that we can’t accept temporary discomfort for long-term gain.  

 The first three verses of our text make one very clear: the more we gratify our carnal appetites, the more demanding they become. Gratifying sensual desires can never bring lasting satisfaction or fulfillment because these desires, separated from God’s guidelines for their use and enjoyment, are only temporal.  

Our desires are not wrong. God gave us our senses to help us not only to survive but to enjoy life. He made us sexual beings, male and female. He gave us taste buds to enjoy the food He provides. He gave us eyes to enjoy the physical beauty He’s placed all around us. But when we refuse to follow God’s guidelines and do not control our appetites, they become the master, and we become their servant. Lust is to our physical appetites what cancer is to a normal cell.  

Following our fleshly desires will only lead us to the kinds of behavior James speaks about – quarrels and fighting. Once we give ourselves over to fulfilling our desires and are controlled by them, we will find ourselves moving farther away from absolute satisfaction. Carnal pleasures become a distraction that will take us away from God and from satisfying human relationships. Many people controlled by their passions find out (like the wolf) that the things they thought would satisfy them have become the means of their destruction.  

The Second OBSERVATION is, 

Fatal Attraction 

Notice the strong language James uses in verse four. He’s writing to Christians, yet he says to them, “You adulterers and adulteresses…” That makes you sit up and take notice. What is an adulterer or an adulteress? It is someone who has left their first love. They’ve been attracted to someone else, so they abandon the one they’ve made a lifetime covenant with. They’ve been deceived into believing that what they don’t have is better than what they do have! 

That’s precisely what happens when a child of God becomes attracted to the world and turns away from his covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. They become guilty of spiritual adultery. And this can become a fatal attraction unless there’s repentance and forsaking of sin. If you think language is too strong, just read the book of Hosea. Israel, the people of God, had forsaken their covenant relationship with Him and were pursuing other gods and other attractions. They abandoned their relationship with God to their destruction.  

James states a fundamental principle in this verse. “Having a fondness for the things of the world puts me in opposition to God.” When a person tries to serve Christ and love the world, eventually, one will win. I’ve watched this repeatedly. People who try that eventually choose the way of the world. 

The verse ends with this statement: “Whoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” This shows that the action is continuous or repeated. Those who follow the ways of the world are considered enemies of God. Their choices prove beyond the shadow of a doubt what or who they truly love. 

Too many professing Christians are pursuing this fatal attraction. They watch the same movies, listen to the same music, read the same books, live immorally, and chase after wealth just like their unbelieving neighbors. Many don’t realize, and many don’t seem to care, that playing around with sensuality will lead to spiritual and perhaps even physical, death.  

Like the wolf I mentioned at the beginning of this message, people rush to satisfy their sensual desires but don’t understand this fatal attraction to the things of the world. 

The Final OBSERVATION is, 

Mutual Satisfaction 

The final verses of our text give us some positive instructions. James reminds us that God watches over our relationship with Him with a holy jealousy. He wants our undivided love. Interestingly, the word that is translated, lusts, in verse five is used fifteen times in other Scriptures, and every time it’s used, it is in the positive sense. So, I believe we have sufficient basis to see this desire in a positive light.  

Just like a wife watches her husband’s eyes when another woman is present, the Spirit of the Lord watches the eyes of our hearts when a worldly attraction comes before us. If our eyes light up with lustful delight, His Spirit is grieved.” That is the truth of verse five as I understand it: the Holy Spirit within us yearns jealously for our undivided affection.  

Verse six sets up a comparison. In our humanity, we tend to be attracted to worldly things that are not satisfying. However, the Spirit of God living in us knows our weakness. So, he gives us more grace. And what is grace? “The desire and power to do what I know is right.” The only way we will have a satisfying relationship with the Lord is when we learn how to find our total delight in Him. And while our attempts to love Him this way will be imperfect, the promise of His grace is sufficient.  

The verse closes by saying, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Are you and I willing to live in a way that proves our delight in the Lord? In a sense, we are married to Him in a covenant relationship, joined through the sacrifice of Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.  

We have a choice to make. Will we reject carnal distractions, love the Lord with undivided devotion, and receive His blessings? Or, will we delight in those sensual desires, those fatal attractions, that compete for our attention and experience His discipline?  

We must search our hearts to identify and reject any affection that competes for the loyalty that belongs to God alone. Let us purpose anew to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds and ask Him for grace. Only then will we discover what will provide our mutual satisfaction. And we will indeed have what we want.  

Three observations: two negative and one positive. Isn’t that the way it always seems? And it looks much easier to go in the direction of the bad thing. It’s true: To do good and live right, you will have to be intentional and stay focused. As J Mark said, let’s ask God to help us keep all our affection on Him.  

Thanks a lot for being with us today. If you want to contact us for any reason or to hear more teaching from us, here is how you can reach us. You could send an email to hope@heraldsofhope.org. You can also contact us on our website, heraldsofhope.org. And of course you can write to us, our mailbox is always open. The address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. Use any method you choose. We would love to hear from you. 

God bless you with wisdom as you think about your desires, and may His Spirit fill you as you search your heart, considering whether your affections are from Him or not. In Hebrews, it says, ^“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” May all of us allow His Word to speak to our hearts.  

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for listening to Hope for Today. We are honored that you have chosen to be with us for today’s lesson. Today our title is “Moses as God’s Man,” and our passage is the next section of Exodus 34. Before we get into today’s lesson think about that title. “Moses as God’s Man” there was a big job to do, and God used Moses to accomplish it. What about today, is God still using people for specific jobs? Does God need us to accomplish certain tasks?   

This question is a bit tricky, there are indeed lots of things we can do for God, and it’s good when we want to serve Him in big ways. However, we are foolish if we think God needs us. God doesn’t need us, but He does want us to partner with Him and be His servant. So yes, God is using people for specific tasks and no God doesn’t need us, but He wants you. Are you willing? Am I willing?   

I like the mindset Mordecai had in the story of Esther and it’s a good example for us. He heard about Haman’s plan to destroy the Jews and he persuaded Esther to go before the king on behalf of her people. Mordecai was convinced God would save the Jews, if Esther was going to be silent deliverance would come from another place. Then he asked, “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”  

The first thing for us to notice and copy, Mordecai had total confidence in God and did all he could. He knew the Jewish people would not be destroyed, but it didn’t look good. He didn’t know how God would deliver them, so He did all he could with what he had. God still is trustworthy, but that doesn’t mean we sit around and do nothing. Let’s be like Mordecai and use our abilities, our resources, and the connections we have to serve God.     

Second is the famous phrase, maybe you have been put here for such a time as this. The attitude behind this phrase is an attitude we should have. He knew he was part of a bigger plan, someone greater than Haman or Xerxes was in control and that power had him there for a reason. The same is true for you and me, maybe God put us right where we are for a reason. Not maybe, God has a reason and God has a plan, He is in control. It is our responsibility to see the big picture. So, let’s use all we have and contribute to His plan, right where you are, right now, for such a time as this.     

So yes, Moses was God’s man for that moment. Will you be God’s man or woman for this moment? Do you have total confidence in Him and make decisions from His perspective, from the big picture? God doesn’t need us, but He wants us, and it is up to us to allow God to use us, be willing and be available.   

If you can turn to Exodus 34:10-17 and let’s listen to Bible teacher J Mark Horst as he teaches the rest of today’s lesson.     

Moses was the great leader of the children of Israel many years ago when they traveled from Egypt to Canaan. God chose Moses for that distinctive work. 

I believe God has a special work for each person and for each work God has His person. That means God has a work for me and a work for you to do. In this specific place and time in Israel’s history, God chose Moses for this special work. He had a work for His man, Moses. 

Moses had grown up, you may remember, in the court of Pharaoh and was heir to the throne of Egypt. But God had to humble him, so He sent Him out on the back side of the desert as a shepherd. He went from being a “somebody” to being a “nobody.” Then, God called him to be the leader of His people. Moses was reluctant to serve, he felt he was unqualified. But Moses as God’s man was especially qualified and trained by the LORD for the task which God called him now to perform. 

In Exodus 34:10-17 God confirmed His call to Moses that he was indeed His man for this special task and work. 

10. He said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD for it is a terrible thing that will do with thee. 

11.  Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 

12.  Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: 

13.  But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: 

14.  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: 

15.  Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a-whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice. 

16.  And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a-whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a-whoring after their gods. 

17.   Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. 

Here then in this text God gave final DIRECTIVES to His man for His work. 

The First DIRECTIVE is, 

To Observe God’s Outstanding Works 

The LORD said, “I’m going to do marvels.” That means He was going to do outstanding works. He said, “Marvels, such as had not been done in all the earth or in any nation.” Moses was going to have the opportunity to observe God at work in a particular, special, marvelous, way before all the people of Israel. The LORD said He had not done this in any other nation or among any other people. 

We may wonder, why would God do such outstanding works among a particular people called Israel. There is a reason for that, a special reason. God was going to bring forth His Word and His will to all the people of the earth through the people of Israel and by the hand of His man, Moses. God chose this particular man and this particular people to bring His revelation to all the world and that is an outstanding work. 

We may not know all God wills to do, even as Moses did not know all God was going to do, but we should be ready to behold His marvelous works whatever He does. This was preparation for Moses, God’s man, to observe His outstanding works. 

The Second DIRECTIVE is, 

To Obey God’s Commanding Word 

God gave Moses, His man, an especially careful command. It had to do with other people. He named several different ancient people in verse 11; the Amorite, Canaanite, Hittite, Perizzite, Hivite, and Jebusite. These were six neighboring nations to the people of Israel. God said to Moses that he was to be very careful regarding these people because they were not worshipping the true God. 

God had a special command regarding their religion. Israel was to have nothing to do with their religions at all. God was giving Moses a commanding word regarding their situation and religion. He said Moses must be careful in every way not to become ensnared in the heathen religions of these neighboring peoples. He said Israel should destroy all their altars, images, and idols. 

Moses as God’s man was to obey His commanding word. We must also be sure to follow the commandments of the LORD carefully. We should never presume upon the mercy and grace of God. Like Moses as God’s man, we should carefully obey His word. 

The Third DIRECTIVE is, 

To Order God’s Demanding Worship. 

This is an enlargement of the second directive. Notice verse 14, “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” God will allow no rival, no other worship for His people. Moses, as God’s man, was to order the worship of God by concentrating on the one and only God, the LORD who is a jealous God. 

To accomplish this, all others would need to be excluded. There could be no compromise. They could not make a covenant with the other inhabitants of the land to participate in their worship services when they sacrificed unto idols. They could not compromise by taking the daughters of foreigners as wives for their sons, lest their sons be ensnared in heathen idolatry. 

God concluded His demands about worship by saying they were to make no kind of molten gods. This is what the ancient Canaanite tribes were known for – casting gods out of gold, silver, or some other molten metal. God was warning Moses, especially against this. 

Moses as God’s man was to order Israel’s worship according to God’s demanding way. We too must make certain we are worshipping the true God in His way without compromise. That is what Moses as God’s man was expected to do. 

Moses as God’s man received these directives: observe God’s outstanding works, obey God’s commanding word, and order God’s demanding worship. God gave these directives to Moses as His man so that He would be real in Moses’ life. There can be no rivalry with the presence of God in anyone’s life. 

I wonder how God comes to you. How do you come to God? Is He real to you? Are you God’s man or woman?  

Thanks, J Mark for sharing this lesson with us. Those are good questions. The answers are on us, no other person can answer them for us. I encourage you to think about how you know God, and then put effort into your relationship with Him. If we just let it go nothing will happen, so don’t do that.   

As you have also noticed we are coming to the end of Exodus. We have been in Exodus just over a year and now we have three more lessons left. After Exodus is finished, we plan to go through the New Testament book of II Corinthians. We look forward to this change and hope you will join us for this study.    

However, if you have questions about today’s lesson or want a copy of this teaching, feel free to contact us. Here is how you can contact us. The best way is by email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have an email, please write to us, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. On our website you can listen to other programs like this and find more helpful resources, so please look around while you are there. If you go to the connect tab you can even message us directly from our website. Which again is, heraldsofhope.org.   

Thanks again for joining us this week. This brings us to the end of our program. Lord willing, we will be together again next week, till then Go with God and I leave you with the question I asked at the beginning. Will you be God’s man or woman for this moment? You are where you are for a reason. Allow Him to work in and through you.   

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

It is good to be with you this week, thanks so much for joining us on Hope for Today. There is absolutely no other book like the Bible, and we believe every part of the Bible is beneficial for us. As you know, we are studying in Exodus, but this is not the only book of the Bible we have teaching from.

Here is a testimony from Macedonia, and at the time we were airing our teaching from one of the Gospels.   

“I listen to Radio 7 daily because it is different from all the other radio stations in our country. The music and the radio programs give me a lot of inner peace and have helped me practically with a few relationship problems I have had this year. I want to thank you for the program, Heralds of Hope. I am a Russian orthodox believer and though I always had a Bible in my home, I never opened it. I always was told that only the priests can understand the Bible and we do what we are told. Through the program Heralds of Hope, I was encouraged to read the Bible myself for the first time. This radio program has helped me a lot to understand the Gospels. I like that the teacher studies every chapter of the Gospel. Nothing is left out. I never thought that the Gospels had so many teachings about everyday life. I learned from the program how to forgive others and since then my relationships have improved greatly.” 

Isn’t this testimony amazing? Notice how the listener was impacted when they read the Bible on their own. Have you had an experience like this with God’s Word? I have and those who are involved with Heralds of Hope have also experienced the life in this wonderful book. This is the life and hope we share with you.  

With that introduction let’s go with Bible teacher, J Mark Horst to the Old Testament book of Exodus. If you can, follow along in your Bible and get ready to see God and be changed by Him.    

Every religion has certain forms, certain liturgy, we might say, certain ways that the worshippers perform to meet God. Some have mandated times for prayer. At different times of the day, they stop what they’re doing and pray. Some have certain postures in prayer such as folded hands or kneeling on the ground or bowing low. Some have special places for prayer where they enter only after cleansing certain parts of their bodies. Some go to temples, shrines, or other locations to offer their prayers. 

These forms may be good, but they also may take the first place rather than God. When form becomes the most important part, worshipers forget that there must be more to religion than merely form or else it is empty. Some worshippers have form, but they make no contact with God. It is just a matter of going through the motions. But God wants to be real to you in your spirit, just as real as He was to Moses and the people of Israel. 

In ancient days it was also true that the how could be more important than the whom. So, the true God came to Israel and told them how to pray so He would be real to them. 

Moses received instructions from God for THE ALTAR OF PRAYER in Exodus 30:1-10. As we meditate on this, we will find some beautiful insights on prayer as worship. 

1.  And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of acacia wood shalt thou make it. 

2.  A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same. 

3.  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. 

4.  And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. 

5.  And thou shalt make the staves of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 

6.  And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. 

7.  And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresses the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 

8.  And when Aaron lights the lamps in the evening, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. 

9.  Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. 

10.  And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD. 

In these verses are set forth the SPECIFICS which defined the altar of prayer, here called the altar of incense, for the ancient people of Israel. 

The First Specific is,  

The Production of the Altar 

The materials of which it was made were accurately described. They were to make it of acacia wood. This was the main kind of wood that was available in the Sinai Peninsula at that time. But in any case, God made it clear that it was to be made of a specific kind of wood and it was to be overlaid with pure gold. 

God was very specific about this altar of incense. The material was carefully described. The shape was carefully designed. It was to be a cubit, about one-half meters square, as long as broad. It was to be two cubits or one meter high. The horns on it were made of the same material. God was specific about the production of the altar. 

There were golden rings fastened to the corners so it could be carried with staves. They were made of the same kind of wood and also overlaid with gold. This altar was meant to be moveable. The altar of incense was to be carried wherever they took the tabernacle. I see a beautiful application here. Everyone needs some particular place for prayer and for the people of Israel it was this altar of incense, made of wood and gold, made square and moveable. It was available to them no matter where they went. Prayer works the same way for us today. We can pray and meet with God no matter where we are.  

My wife and I have our daily family prayers in the morning along with a cup of coffee. We have a specific place for prayer in our home and in our schedule. It seems only right after these many years that we should continue having this altar for prayer.  

The Next Specific is,  

The Position of the Altar 

Moses was instructed that the altar should be put in front of the veil. The veil divided the tabernacle into two parts. The first part was the Holy Place, and the other part was the Most Holy Place. They were separated by a curtain or veil. This altar of incense was to be near the veil in the Holy Place. It was near the ark of the testimony which was on the other side of the veil in the Most Holy Place. 

We know that the mercy seat covered the ark of the testimony. The divine Law of God on the two tablets of stone was in that ark. The altar of incense, representing the prayers of God’s people, was to be placed near the ark of the testimony. The mercy seat was the meeting place between man and God. This altar of incense and prayer was to be placed close to the ark of the testimony, as near as possible, yet separated by the veil which divided the tabernacle. 

God had a specific position for that altar of incense. It was near His Word: the divine revelation on the tablets of the Law. I believe that everyone in prayer time needs to include God’s Word. It is a working principle: always season your prayers with God’s Word.  

The Final Specific is,  

The Purpose of the Altar 

God instructed Moses that Aaron should burn sweet incense on that altar every morning and every evening. There was to be a regular time for burning incense on this altar. In fact, God said there was to be a never-ending burning of incense before the LORD throughout their generations. There was to be a regularity about this worship form. It was not to be occasional or offered haphazardly. There was to be incense burning continually on this altar. The sweet fragrance of the incense rising up to God represents the prayer of God’s people. 

There was also to be a specific kind of incense. God gave them the recipe of ingredients they were to use. No strange incense, no offering of any other kind was to be brought to this particular altar. God is specific about what He says. So, He said this altar was to be reserved only for the burning of incense of a proper kind, that it should be regular and never-ending. 

I believe everyone needs a regular prayer time just like this incense burning every morning and every evening.  My wife and I have our regular prayer times. Besides those morning prayers we have prayer at every meal. It is only proper that we should thank the LORD for the food He provides for us. 

Let us learn the lessons we can from the experiences of ancient Israel. God gave them instruction regarding this altar of incense. I found several lessons here. One, we need a specific prayer time, and we need to be there at that specific time and place. We need to be near God’s Word, to anchor our prayers in the Scripture. And we need a regular and perpetual time for prayer. I get this from the altar of incense for Israel. There was the production, the position, and the purpose of this altar. 

God gave them this altar of incense to cultivate worship that was real. Is God real in your times of worship? God desires the pleasure of your wholehearted worship. 

Thanks J Mark for this teaching on prayer. Today’s title was “Who Will Pray for Us?” When I heard this title, it made me think of another question. I had to wonder, who do I pray for? Who are the people we pray for regularly? Do you take the time to bring them before God and pray for them. Yes, I know this takes effort but our time with God must be fought for and protected. Satan does not like to see you wake up early or stay up late so you can spend time with God. This is where our power lies, and Satan loves to see us get busy or distracted so we shorten our prayer time. I challenge you, don’t let it happen. 

God tells us the fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man avails much or makes a big difference. If you are like me, it is a struggle against my flesh to keep my prayers fervent and effectual. When I am praying is when I am tempted to think about so many other things, or I feel hungry or thirsty. The truth is Satan does not care how he distracts us or keeps us from prayer, anything will work as long as our time with God is less. This is not an unusual struggle. It is a battle we are all in.  So, let’s be good soldiers of Christ and defend our time with God.  

If you have any questions or if you’d like a copy of today’s teaching, here is how you can contact us. The best way is email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, you could write to us, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. On our website you can listen to our other programs and find helpful resources, so please look around while you are there. If you go to the connect tab you can message us directly. Again, the website is heraldsofhope.org.  

Thank you so much for being with us. We look forward to next week and hope you will join us for more teaching from Exodus. I leave you with this verse from Hebrews that reminds us of where the power of our prayers comes from. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 30:1-10 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

It is good to be with you this week, thanks so much for joining us on Hope for Today. There is absolutely no other book like the Bible, and we believe every part of the Bible is beneficial for us. As you know, we are studying in Exodus, but this is not the only book of the Bible we have teaching from.

Here is a testimony from Macedonia, and at the time we were airing our teaching from one of the Gospels.   

“I listen to Radio 7 daily because it is different from all the other radio stations in our country. The music and the radio programs give me a lot of inner peace and have helped me practically with a few relationship problems I have had this year. I want to thank you for the program, Heralds of Hope. I am a Russian orthodox believer and though I always had a Bible in my home, I never opened it. I always was told that only the priests can understand the Bible and we do what we are told. Through the program Heralds of Hope, I was encouraged to read the Bible myself for the first time. This radio program has helped me a lot to understand the Gospels. I like that the teacher studies every chapter of the Gospel. Nothing is left out. I never thought that the Gospels had so many teachings about everyday life. I learned from the program how to forgive others and since then my relationships have improved greatly.” 

Isn’t this testimony amazing? Notice how the listener was impacted when they read the Bible on their own. Have you had an experience like this with God’s Word? I have and those who are involved with Heralds of Hope have also experienced the life in this wonderful book. This is the life and hope we share with you.  

With that introduction let’s go with Bible teacher, J Mark Horst to the Old Testament book of Exodus. If you can, follow along in your Bible and get ready to see God and be changed by Him.    

Do you think there is value in prayer? What is the point of praying to a God whom you cannot see? It all depends to whom you pray. The eternal, Creator God of the Bible promises to answer our prayers. We have prayed to Him and received direct answers to our prayers. If you pray to a different god, does he or she answer your prayers? 

Sometimes in life we get discouraged, and we reach out for help to someone who will pray for us. I’m so thankful that my mother prayed for me as long as she lived. She went to be with the LORD in 2009. Then the LORD raised up another dear elderly lady who volunteered to take her place. She prayed for me as long as she lived. Praise the LORD! Many other dear Christians pray for me for which I am grateful. 

Who prays for you? In Exodus 29:1-9 the question was WHO WILL PRAY FOR US? God instructed Moses how to take care of this need for His people. 

1.  And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, 

2.  And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. 

3.  And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. 

4.  And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. 

5.  And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the [skillfully woven band] of the ephod: 

6.  And thou shalt put the turban upon his head and put the holy crown upon the turban. 

7.  Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. 

8.  And thou shalt bring his sons and put coats upon them. 

9.  And thou shalt gird them with [sashes], Aaron, and his sons, and put the [caps] on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. 

In Israel’s worship God chose the family of Aaron to be priests who would pray for the people. God gave Moses several DIRECTIVES for this choice. 

The First Directive was, 

The Preparation.  

The LORD told Moses to take his brother Aaron’s family and hallow them to minister unto the LORD in the priest’s office. To hallow them means to make them holy, to set them apart for a holy work.  

Moses was to offer a bullock and two young rams. When these were sacrificed, Aaron and his sons would lay their hands on these animals signifying that these animals were taking their place. It was a bloody sacrifice. The animal’s blood was substitution for their blood which would have been shed because sin brings death. In this way Aaron and His sons were consecrated, set apart, and prepared to be ministers unto the LORD. 

The bread they ate with the sacrifice was to be unleavened cakes or wafers. Leaven is a type of sin in the Bible and so this bread was to be unleavened. It symbolized that Aaron, and his sons, were cleansed from sin to stand before God as holy men. 

Who will pray for us? The Psalmist David said, “He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” So, this was the preparation commanded by God. By this Moses set apart Aaron and his sons for the priesthood, to stand in the place of prayer. 

The Next Directive was, 

The Presentation.  

God told Moses to take Aaron and his sons and bring them to the door of the tabernacle. There he was to wash them with water. This cleansing was a very important part of the consecration of these men to stand as priests for the people. Then they were to be clothed with special garments. Moses was instructed to clothe Aaron with the coat, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, the breastplate, and the sash or belt. Exodus chapter 28 gives us the description of these beautiful garments. 

The ephod was like a vest of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet. Two onyx stones were placed on the shoulders with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved upon them. The breastplate over the ephod had four rows of three stones, all precious stones. They were to symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel. The miter, or turban, that Aaron was to wear on his head had engraved in it “Holiness to the LORD.” 

In the presentation of Aaron and his sons to serve in the office of priest, Moses anointed them with oil. “Then shalt thou take the anointing oil and pour it upon his head and anoint him.” 

So, there was a presentation of these men who were to minister in the priesthood. All God’s commands were carefully carried out with the cleansing and the clothing. Both of them are very important. Please remember that the cleansing needs to come first before the clothing can be put on. 

It must have been a beautiful sight to see Aaron so clothed in the holy garments of his office. He was to serve then as the one who would I pray for the people of Israel. 

The Final Directive was, 

The Preservation 

There was the preparation, the presentation, and the preservation. God planned that Aaron’s sons were to succeed him. They were to share with him in this office of the priesthood. They were to be the ones who would then minister after Aaron died. So, they were consecrated, they were presented at the same time as Aaron was. They were separated for this particular office and ministry.  Moses was instructed to bring them and put coats upon them and clothe them with sashes and prepare them for the same kind of service that their father Aaron was to engage in. It was the office of the priest. 

The choice of Aaron’s family was a never-ending statute or command. In other words, no other families, only this one, God had chosen to be the holy family to pray. 

It must be clear that it was necessary to have a holy family to pray, to intercede for God’s people. So, God chose Aaron’s family to be His priest. There work is finished. They are not functioning as priests today. So, who will pray for us now? The Psalmist David tells us in the 110th Psalm, speaking of Jesus, the Messiah, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” 

David predicted that there would be a priest of another order beside the order of Aaron’s family. We understand that He came. He is Jesus, the God man. Now He prays for us because He is seated at the right hand of God, as our high priest. 

In Hebrews 1 we read, “Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” The One who prays for us is the sacrificed, resurrected, and ascended Jesus. He prays for us. If you are willing to come to Him, He will pray for you, too. 

Thanks J Mark for this teaching on prayer. Today’s title was “Who Will Pray for Us?” When I heard this title, it made me think of another question. I had to wonder, who do I pray for? Who are the people we pray for regularly? Do you take the time to bring them before God and pray for them. Yes, I know this takes effort but our time with God must be fought for and protected. Satan does not like to see you wake up early or stay up late so you can spend time with God. This is where our power lies, and Satan loves to see us get busy or distracted so we shorten our prayer time. I challenge you, don’t let it happen. 

God tells us the fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man avails much, or makes a big difference. If you are like me, it is a struggle against my flesh to keep my prayers fervent and effectual. When I am praying is when I am tempted to think about so many other things, or I feel hungry or thirsty. The truth is Satan does not care how he distracts us or keeps us from prayer, anything will work as long as our time with God is less. This is not an unusual struggle. It is a battle we are all in.  So, let’s be good soldiers of Christ and defend our time with God.  

If you have any questions or if you’d like a copy of today’s teaching, here is how you can contact us. The best way is email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, you could write to us, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. On our website you can listen to our other programs and find helpful resources, so please look around while you are there. If you go to the connect tab you can message us directly. Again, the website is heraldsofhope.org.  

Thank you so much for being with us. We look forward to next week and hope you will join us for more teaching from Exodus. I leave you with this verse from Hebrews that reminds us of where the power of our prayers comes from. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 29:1-9 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Genuine hope can only be experienced when we are in the right relationship with God. Our greatest need is to hear what the LORD has said. The text for the teaching that follows is important because, in it, God commands Israel to make a dwelling place for Him.

Perhaps that sounds strange to you because King Solomon said to God, “the heaven of heavens cannot contain You.” The Prophet Isaiah, speaking for the LORD, said, “The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” How then could God dwell in a structure made by man?

God planned to live among His people, Israel. We cannot question that the LORD chose a particular people to whom He related in a special way. He is sovereign, He makes His choices, and He doesn’t need to give us the reasons for His choices.

From earlier chapters in Exodus, we saw how the LORD led Israel out of Egypt and brought them to Mt. Sinai. There God led them into a covenant relationship with Him. He needed a people through whom He could reveal Himself to all of humanity. So, Moses on the mountain, in the presence of the LORD, received the instructions for all the details of a place for God to dwell among His people. This place would be called the Tabernacle.

God’s relationship with Israel was to be visible. He commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle with all of its furniture and various vessels as visible proof that God was, in fact, “living” among His people.

Moses received from God the patterns and detailed instructions to present to the people in PREPARING FOR GOD’S DWELLING. In Exodus 25:1-9 we are introduced to the materials.

1.  And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

2.  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

3.  And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,

4.  And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,

5.  And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and      shittim wood,

6.  Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

7.  Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.

8.  And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

9.           According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

In this text we find the several CONDITIONS which are necessary for any people who desire to prepare a dwelling for God.

First is,

The Condition of the Offeror.

In God’s request for an offering, He included everyone even though He knew only some would respond. However, the heart of the offeror, each one who would give, must be in a proper condition. God appealed to person’s choice and requested the offeror to “give it willingly.” Such a word quickly takes it out of the realm of any kind of taxation. The amount is not stated. The amount is completely decided in the heart of the offeror.

Let’s probe a little farther. At first by referring to “the children of Israel” we might consider the whole assembly for, so it was intended. They were to be the covenant people. Consequently, God was expecting a corporate or group response from the covenant community.

However, another truth comes immediately to the surface when God added “of every man.” The community is made up of individuals, and the final responsibility rests on each person. God understood this most critical situation. Without the cooperation of every person in Israel the preparation for the dwelling would not be complete.

The individual is never lost in the community. God wants a personal response from everyone. In fact, we can go a bit farther, God wants a personal response from you! He wants to be your personal God. For too many people, God is only an idea. From this portion of God’s Word, we should gather the clear truth that God wants a willing-hearted, personal offeror to give. It is important that we see this condition of the offeror clearly, not only for Israel, but for us.

Next is,

      The Condition of the Offering.

While God left the amount up to the willing heart to determine, He did say what to give, not how much but what kind, not quantity but quality. Let us examine what they were to include in the offering.

1.  The metals: God specified the metals: gold, silver, and brass (bronze). The first two are precious metals, valuable even in those days. The bronze most likely was an alloy whose base was copper.

2.  The cloth and skins: Here we find the colors requested: blue, purple, and scarlet. Certain types of cloth were needed: fine linen, goats’ hair, rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins.

3.  The wood: acacia or shittim.

4.  The oil and spices: oil for light, spices for ointment and sweet incense.

5.  The stones: precious stones to be set in the ephod and breast plate.

From this list we conclude that God had a definite plan for the tabernacle and its furniture. The metals did not include iron, which is a metal associated with warfare. The offerings were limited to the metals which would enrich the dwelling of God. They would remind Israel of the glory and beauty of their God. It may be that the metals were to tell a story to the people: gold to tell of divine glory; silver to tell of divine redemption; brass to tell of divine justice.

Each kind of cloth had a particular function. We noticed that color was specified. Blue may tell of the heavenly, the color of the sky; purple may tell of royalty, God, their King; scarlet may tell of sacrifice, a necessity for anyone to approach God in His holiness.

The fine linen may tell of the need for divine righteousness for the prophet Isaiah referred to our own righteousness as filthy rags. The rams’ skins dyed red surely tell of the required blood sacrifice. Goats’ hair and badgers’ skins tell of protection.

The oil and precious stones further tell of the glory of God. He wanted the best for His people, and He wanted them to know He required the best, which in reality was still not enough.

Where did all this offering come from? Remember the LORD instructed Moses to tell the people to ask the Egyptians for jewels of silver and jewels of gold. And when that final hour came for the children of Israel to leave, the Egyptians gave them jewels and raiment in abundance.

The treasure they carried out of Egypt made it possible for them to give an offering to God. God asked for it. It made them aware of the relation they had with God. It is so today. The LORD desires the best. Our gain demands we give to God willingly.

And Finally,

The Condition of the Offer.

The willingness of the offeror is now transferred to the offer in these words, “Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” What condescension! The God who cannot be housed in the heavens said He wanted to dwell among His people in the barren land of Sinai.

He reduced His dwelling to a tent like theirs and yet not completely like theirs. Meditate on what the tent idea meant. It meant God would be travelling with His people as long as they travelled, that wherever they went He would be with them.

Further, notice that the plans for the sanctuary were not left to be drawn up by anyone among them. The complete plans were given to Moses by God. The sanctuary was to be exactly like the pattern Moses received from the LORD in the mountain. No generalities or modifications would be permitted. It was to be exactly and accurately done.

Consider the actions of God. He is particular about how men approach Him, every detail carefully described is to be carefully followed. He is a God of order to the finest points, and nothing is left to chance.

Now consider what it meant to Israel to have God’s dwelling among them. It was a unique and awesome situation.  With no other people has God chosen so to dwell. The awesomeness goes beyond Israel. To Israel it meant they will live with God’s presence among them. To the nations around them it was awesome in that it marked out Israel as a people of a different level.

Surely this should teach us that God is a personal God. It is not enough that He dwells in the heaven of heavens, He wants to dwell with His people, even today.

From these verses we must conclude that God wants willing service from the offeror; He wants the best in our offering; and He wants to dwell with His people by the offer. Have you found Him as your personal God?

        Thanks J Mark for this teaching and thank you for being here for this teaching. It is neat to see God’s heart for His people here in Exodus 20. He shows the children of Israel more of Himself. They were terrified but as we just learned God guided them through their fears.

It is incredible to realize the Lord of the universe wants a relationship with people. He wants your heart.  Way back here at Mt Sinai, God came close. Again, many years after this, God came closer. This time he came as a baby. God came in the flesh and limited Himself to a body. His desire was and is the same. He desires a relationship with you, He wants to be the object of your worship, after all, He alone is worthy. We see God going to extreme measures to make this possible. Today we saw a small part of the story and thankfully Jesus has completed it. Through what Christ has done on the cross, we can come into the presence of our Holy God and be in relationship with Him. This is worth thinking about.  

If you’d like a copy of today’s teaching, or if you’d like to contact us for any reason here are a few ways you can reach us. The best way is through email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, just write to us, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. On our website you will find some resources and under the listen tab there is other teaching similar to what you just heard. If you go to the connect tab you can message us directly. Again, our website is heraldsofhope.org.

Thank you so much for joining us. We look forward to being with you next week and till then go with God and grow in your connection with Him. He is an amazing God to love and serve.

After Israel came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership they camped at Mt. Sinai. This is an outstanding moment in human history because God came down on Mt. Sinai to meet with His people. No other gods have ever met with their followers in this way.

There on the mountain, God gave them the Law so they would know how to live. That Law is good for all people everywhere. It was intended to be the Law of God and people everywhere are expected to pay attention to it, respect it and obey what the LORD has spoken. It is this Law that shows us our need for Christ.

The Bible tells us “No one has seen God at any time.” In this Scripture from Exodus, Moses and the elders of Israel did not see God face to face, but they saw that under His feet was a pavement of brilliant stone. I believe they were seeing a reflection of God’s Shekinah glory.              

When God spoke from Mt. Sinai the people of Israel trembled with fear and stood at the further end of the camp. They were afraid of God’s presence. Now, on this occasion, the leaders are APPROACHING GOD’S PRESENCE as recorded in Exodus 24:9-18.

9.  Then went up Moses, and 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 a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.     

11.  And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also, they saw God, and did eat and drink.

12.  And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

13.  And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

14.  And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

l5.  And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

16.  And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17.  And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was on the mount forty days and forty nights.

On this occasion God disclosed several direct MANIFESTATIONS as His people approached His presence.

The First MANIFESTATION was,

He Disclosed His Divine Splendor.

These men saw some representation of God. We are not given details. We are simply told they saw the God of Israel. But what they described wasn’t a person. Instead, they saw under His feet was a paved work of sapphire stone. Sapphire is a precious stone that is a rich blue color. The next clause says it was like the body of heaven, or as blue as the sky of heaven. They saw this as a sapphire stone under the feet of God, a pavement that was as blue as the bluest sky.

Then we are told that the LORD did not lay His hand upon the nobles of Israel. I take that to mean that God didn’t discipline or punish them, He accepted them in His presence. They saw God and ate and drank together. They enjoyed a meal together. Someone once said, “the crown of fellowship is eating together.” Sharing a meal shows welcome, hospitality, and friendship.

Later on, in the book of Leviticus, God told them how to present the peace offerings that they would bring to the tabernacle. With this offering they would eat part of it in the presence of the LORD and in this way have fellowship with Him.

Not many descriptions like this are given to us in the Bible but whenever God is depicted, He is revealed in much splendor. This manifestation led those leaders to worship and to stand in awe before the Almighty God in His divine splendor.

The Next MANIFESTATION was,

He Disclosed His Divine Speech.

First, God spoke to Moses and said, “Come up to me in this mountain and remain there. I will give you the tablets of stone and the law and the commandments that I have written so that you may teach them.” We must understand that this is an invitation to receive direct revelation. God is breaking the silence with the Word and breaking the darkness with the light of revelation. God wanted His people to understand this revelation, and Moses was given the responsibility of teaching it to them.

I am impressed with the careful way God provided for His people. If He had only spoken to Moses and the elders, it could have been lost in passing it on from generation to generation. But the LORD said, “I will give you tablets of stone and the law and commandments which I have written.” The written Word remains unchanged, and God meant that this message, this speech, should be unchanged. So, He spoke first to Moses and told him to come up and get the Law. And Moses went up along with Joshua. Aaron and Hur stayed down to keep order in the camp. If anyone needed any help, these two men were there to offer the help they might need.

Only a few people have ever talked with God. No other person talked with Him like Moses did. You cannot go to Mt. Sinai today and go up the mountain and have the same kind of conversation with God that Moses had. No. That is a matter of history, and it is recorded here for us in the book of Exodus.

We should never, by any means, attempt to change that record. The apostle John, in Revelation 22:18 and 19, warns us not to add to or subtract from the Word of God. We must be very diligent to transmit it and to understand it just like it has been given to us. God disclosed His divine speech first to Moses and then from him to the rest of the people so he could teach them. This is his manifestation by divine speech.

So, we have the manifestation of His divine splendor and the manifestation of His divine speech.

The Final MANIFESTATION was,

He Disclosed His Divine Spectacle.

I have especially chosen that word because a spectacle is something very unusual. It is so unusual that it only happens once. That is exactly the situation here on Mt. Sinai. God came down in this way only once. The glory of the LORD rested on Mt. Sinai and the shekinah glory cloud covered it for six days.

It was the shekinah cloud, not an ordinary moisture cloud, but radiating from the presence of God. He came there in that shekinah glory cloud and rested over the mountain for six complete days. We are told that the spectacle was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. Imagine yourself there at the foot of the mountain, looking up and seeing the azure blue sky, the sapphire blue sky, and over the mountain a devouring fire: the presence of God. That must have been an awesome experience.

On the seventh day God called to Moses out of the midst of that shekinah glory cloud. Moses disappeared from view as he went into the cloud and up into the mountain. He stayed there forty days and forty nights. God disclosed His divine spectacle. It happened only once. No one has ever matched Moses’ experience.

In our present bodily existence, we cannot see the glory of God, it would be fatal. His glorious brightness would consume us because of our sinfulness. Moses was the only one who was permitted such close intimacy with God. While we cannot repeat the experience of Moses, we can have fellowship with the same God Moses saw. We do that through receiving the truth of the Bible and the presence of God’s Holy Spirit.

The people of Israel were called to be God’s people in a special way. Moses in particular was chosen to receive the Law from God. Remember that God disclosed His divine splendor, God disclosed His divine speech, and God showed His glorious spectacle so that we might know who He is and experience His presence.

Thanks J Mark for this teaching and thank you for being here with us. It is neat to see God’s heart for His people. He shows the children of Israel more of Himself. They were terrified but as we just learned God guided them through their fears.

It is incredible to realize the Lord of the universe wants a relationship with people. He wants your heart.  Way back here at Mt Sinai, God came close. Again, many years after this, God came closer. This time he came as a baby. God came in the flesh and limited Himself to a body. His desire was and is the same. He desires a relationship with you, He wants to be the object of your worship, after all, He alone is worthy. We see God going to extreme measures to make this possible. Today we saw a small part of the story and thankfully Jesus has completed it. Through what Christ has done on the cross, we can come into the presence of our Holy God and be in relationship with Him. This is worth thinking about.  

If you’d like a copy of today’s teaching, or if you’d like to contact us for any reason here are a few ways you can reach us. The best way is through email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, just write to us, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. On our website you will find some resources and under the listen tab there is other teaching similar to what you just heard. If you go to the connect tab you can message us directly. Again, our website is heraldsofhope.org.

Thank you so much for joining us. We look forward to being with you next week and till then go with God and grow in your connection with Him. He is an amazing God to love and serve.

For most people, religion is something of a mystery. It’s hard for them to understand. It sometimes produces deep fears. For some, it is a matter of satisfying their god in some way, often at great cost of time or possessions. Some people make their gods so they can control them.

The God revealed in the Bible is different. He wants the love and presence of His people. The book of Exodus reveals that God talked with His people at Mt. Sinai when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. As they were HEARING GOD SPEAK, their hearts were filled with fear.

In Exodus 20:18-26 we read how God dealt with their fear.

18.  And all the people saw the thundering, and the lightning, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19.  And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20.  And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21.  And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

22.  And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

23.  Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.           

24.  An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

25.  And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

26.  Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

I want to help you get rid of your fear in the same way that Israel got rid of their fears. God led them by certain STEPS to deal with their fears.

In the first step

Their Fear Was Experienced.

They saw the sights. The Bible says they saw the lightnings and the mountain smoking. I have never been to Mt. Sinai, but I understand it to be an imposing mountain. To see the lightning flashing, to hear the thunder rumbling and the trumpet sounding, and the smoke rising from this tremendous granite mountain must have been an awesome experience.

I can imagine that the thunder rolled out across the land where they were, and the trumpet sounds amidst the thundering must have given them an awesome sound. It made them very afraid. I can understand why it would have terrified them and why they were fearful.

Then they spoke to Moses and said, “We cannot stand it anymore. You speak to us, and we will hear, but let not God speak to us lest we die.” After seeing the lightning and smoke and hearing the thunder and the trumpet, the people of Israel were greatly distressed. They were frightened at the sights and sounds they had witnessed and experienced. This awesome display of God’s holiness and glory shook them to the core of their being.

An experience like this would strike fear in most people’s hearts. To be exposed to the mighty God of heaven in revelation would strike fear in the heart of anyone. Their fear was experienced; it was real.

In the second step

Their Fear Was Explained.

Moses began to explain to them what was happening. He said that God wanted their fellowship, so He came down to meet with them. Moses said, “Do not fear Him.” That should have been comforting to the people standing there. They were in this open barren land right next to the tremendous granite mountain of Mt. Sinai. God had come to put them to the test so they would not need to fear anymore. In fact, Moses specifically said, “Do not fear, for God has come to prove you.” He also said that in His testing, He brought them to this place so that the fear of God may be in front of their faces, so they do not sin. That is the proper place for God to be.

In the presence of God, one should be fearful lest he violate the commandments of God and bring down His wrath. That kind of fear is different from the fear they were experiencing at Mt. Sinai. That kind of fear is the fear of restraint, not the fear of trembling in the presence of God. I believe everyone who really loves the LORD has that kind of restraining fear.

Then Moses drew near. I was impressed as I read how he drew near to the thick darkness where God was. Moses did not have the fear that the people had. He was unafraid. There may be a proper reason for this. He had experienced God in a way the people should have experienced Him but had not. So, Moses could come to the LORD without fear. He drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

They needed to know that God intended only good for them, but they could not seem to get this in their minds, so they were afraid.

Then in the third step

Their Fear Was Expiated.

I want to explain that for you, because here, God instructed Moses that they were to build an altar. This altar would be a place where atonement could be made for their sin. That’s the meaning of expiate. They were not to form other gods of silver, gods of gold, or any other gods in any way for themselves. God required singleness of heart. It was important for God to talk to His people, the people of Israel. By talking with them, He demonstrated their worth. He valued them, so He came to talk with them.

But He also expected them to value Him, to engage in proper worship, and not to do as other people around them. So, He restrained them in this area. He required a singleness of heart. He said, “You shall not build gods of silver, nor gods of gold. You shall not make any other gods.”

Then He instructed them to make altars. The externals are important. If they follow God’s instructions in the proper way, their fear could be expiated, atoned for, taken away. He said, “You are to make an altar of earth to me – not of gold or silver but of earth.” You shall sacrifice on that altar your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep, and your oxen.

God showed them how to worship Him so their fear would be taken away. He said, “If you build an altar of stone, then you build it without the use of a tool. You make it of unhewn rock. You lay it up in a simple way; you shall not go up to it by steps.” God was very jealous, and He wanted to be sure that the people did exactly what He instructed them to do. They needed to do what God asked them to do. Then their fear would be completely expiated! It would be taken care of. It would be removed.

Perhaps you also have certain fears when you think about God and about the spirit world. Hearing God speak would be a terrifying experience for anyone, and yet God wants us to take time to come and listen to Him. He wants to remove our fears.

It is a reality that our fears are experienced. We know what they are. Our fears can also be explained as Moses explained the fears of the people of Israel. God wants to come to us and speak to us through the Word. He wants your fears to be expiated, taken away, when you follow God’s way. This can be your experience when you have a personal relationship with the God revealed in the Bible.

The LORD said to the Children of Israel that they should not make any gods of silver or gold, or any graven image of any kind. When you come to the God of the Bible, then you come His way, not your way. He can be a personal God to you as you follow His way, and you will hear Him speak.

Thanks, J. Mark, for this teaching, and thank you for being here for this teaching. It is neat to see God’s heart for His people here in Exodus 20. He shows the children of Israel more of Himself. They were terrified, but as we just learned, God guided them through their fears.

It is incredible to realize the Lord of the universe wants a relationship with people. He wants your heart. Way back here at Mt Sinai, God came close. Again, many years after this, God came closer. This time He came as a baby. God came in the flesh and limited Himself to a body. His desire was and is the same. He desires a relationship with you; He wants to be the object of your worship. After all, He alone is worthy. We see God going to extreme measures to make this possible. Today we saw a small part of the story, and thankfully, Jesus has completed it. Through what Christ has done on the cross, we can come into the presence of our Holy God and be in a relationship with Him. This is worth thinking about.  

If you’d like a copy of today’s teaching, or if you’d like to contact us for any reason, here are a few ways you can reach us. The best way is through email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem; just write to us. Our address is: Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. On our website, you will find some resources, and under the “Listen” tab, there is other teaching similar to what you just heard. If you go to the “Connect” tab, you can message us directly. Again, our website is heraldsofhope.org.

Thank you so much for joining us. We look forward to being with you next week, and till then, go with God and grow in your connection with Him. He is an amazing God to love and serve.

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 20:18-26 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Time is interesting to think about; we have the past, present, and future. We believe God created the world about 6,000 years ago; everything from now back to then is history. It is important for us to understand and learn from the past. Now, we have a very short moment called the present; this moment is very precious, and what we do now has consequences. The future lies out before us, unknown. We don’t know if we have 2 days, 2 years, or 200 years. Only God knows, and He also knows exactly what will happen in the future. Three simple words: past, present, and future, and they each play a part in God’s story. 

You see, God Overrules History. Think of history as His story. God is the author, and He knows what is happening at every moment in every place.  We can’t grasp how this can be done, and we are astounded by our powerful God. With God, the past, present, and future are sure; they will happen exactly as He planned.

Today’s story is one example from history of how God was involved and helped the children of Israel win one of their first battles. Turn to Exodus 17, and we will hear more about this great God.  

Earthly rulers make big promises. They have big plans, but they find them hard to carry out and the promises hard to keep. They rise and fall. They come and go. They are somewhat like the ebb and flow of the sea. Behind all of history is the God of the universe, but most rulers of the kingdoms of the world pay no attention to Him.

In our world today, governments rise and fall regularly. Some change by elections, some by military coup, and some by conquest by a foreign power. Even the greatest empires of the world had a limited lifetime. They lasted hundreds of years, but today they are gone, relegated to the ash heap of history.

In their day, they thought they were invincible. But they didn’t understand that God had raised them up to accomplish His purposes. He was moving in the kingdoms of men to prepare the world for the fulfillment of His plans. The Bible tells us that God rules in the kingdoms of men.

Many years ago, in the country of Babylon, there was a proud king named Nebuchadnezzar. He felt what had been accomplished in his kingdom was of his own doing. He was a rather smart man, to be sure, but he gave God no credit. Because he was so proud and gave God no credit, the Lord sent him out with the beasts of the field for seven years. He lost his reason; he couldn’t think like a rational human being. He was out there with the oxen in the field eating grass until he learned, the Bible says, that God rules. When he came back to his throne, and his reason returned to him, he made a decree throughout all his kingdom that men should honor the God of heaven because He rules in the kingdoms of men. 

God rules in the kingdoms of men whether they acknowledge Him or not. We will find some help in understanding how GOD OVERRULES HISTORY in Exodus 17:8-16.

8.  Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9.  And Moses said unto Joshua, choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

10.  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11.  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12.  But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13.  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14.  And the LORD said unto Moses, write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

15.  And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it, Jehovah-nissi:  

16.  For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

From this text, we gain several INSIGHTS into how God rules in the kingdoms of men.  They emerge from this particular battle between Amalek and Israel.

The first INSIGHT comes from

The Call to Battle.

Amalek had attacked Israel and fought with them in Rephidim. Amalek was a descendant of Esau. The Bible tells us there had been conflict between Esau and Jacob ever since the boys were born, while their father Isaac still lived. So, this was an old problem which surfaced again.

In order to meet this provocation by the Amalekites, Moses ordered Joshua to set up a military organization and mobilize the army. This is the first mention in the Bible that the men of Israel were to engage in battle. They had no experience in warfare and probably had little, if any, military equipment. But God told Moses to get the men ready for battle.

There is the account of how Abraham armed the servants of his household and fought the Canaanite kings to rescue his nephew Lot. But that was a very small group of men compared to this experience. Here, Joshua was commanded by Moses to choose out men, organize them to battle, and fight with Amalek.

Then Moses said he would go up to the top of the hill. Notice what he was going to take with him to the hilltop. He said, “I will go up on top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.” The rod of God symbolized the authority of God that had been delegated to Moses and the fact that God rules and overrules in history.

There was careful administration. Joshua did exactly what Moses asked him to do. Moses did what he had promised Joshua he would do; the orders were carried out, and the cooperation was complete. The call to battle had been given.

The next INSIGHT comes from

The Conquest in the Battle.

Moses took his position on the hill and lifted his hands in intercession to God. When he did that, Israel prevailed; they were defeating the Amalekites. But when Moses’ hands got heavy, and he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.

Most likely, the men on the battlefield never knew what Moses was doing up on the hill. They may have thought the battle ebbed and flowed by the ability of the soldiers on the field. But what Moses did on the hill was more important than what Joshua did on the battlefield. Now there was a cooperation which was necessary, but when Moses prayed and lifted his hands to God, the forces of Israel were successful.

But he got weary. His arms got tired. If you’ve ever stood for a long time with your arms in the air, you know how heavy they become. Moses was interceding, and intercession is work. He got weary and was exhausted. So, they turned up a stone for him to sit on. This elevated him so Aaron could stand on one side and Hur on the other, holding up his hands until the sun went down for that day. And as long as they held up his hands, Israel prevailed.

What happened on the hill was more important in many respects than what happened on the battlefield. Because Moses was faithful in his prayer, because Moses’ hands were held up in intercession to the God of the universe, Joshua’s forces on the battlefield were successful. That should convince us that God overrules in history. It should also convince us of the power of intercessory prayer in winning the spiritual battles we face.

The Final INSIGHT naturally follows:

The Memorial of the Battle.

The Lord said, “Write this for a memorial, so the succeeding generations might understand how God rules and overrules in history.” I am sure that Moses put in that document that he was up on the hill praying when the forces were on the battlefield with Amalek.

When you and I fight major battles in life, and the Lord delivers us, it is good for us to have some kind of memorial of that event. That memorial serves as a reminder to us of God’s provision. It also can be a conversation starter for our children and grandchildren. When they ask, “What’s the reason for that memorial?” we can then share with them the experience of how God delivered us in our time of difficulty. 

Furthermore, there was a prediction in that memorial document. The Lord told Moses, “I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” Now please understand that God doesn’t act by whims and fancies. God knows everything, and He operates by a certain divine law. He is merciful to those who seek Him, but He renders just judgment to those who turn against Him. That is the reason for His pronouncement against Amalek. Amalek did not worship the true God. That is why this prediction was included in the memorial record of this battle.

Moses wrote a memorial and built a praise altar. He named it Jehovah-nissi, which means “the Lord is my banner.” Moses echoed what God said when he made this remark, “Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” That banner was important. It was a symbol of God’s victory to both Israel and the Amalekites. Every time it was lifted up, people would remember the great victory that God had provided for them.

Don’t ever forget that God is against those who are against Him. This is important. God is merciful toward those who seek His face. But with those who turn against Him and go their own way, He has constant conflict. This same truth is contained in the New Testament. Listen to the words of Jesus in John 3:16, 17 and 18.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” See, that’s God’s mercy being extended to those who believe on Him.

 But listen to verse 18, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” There is the promise of judgment for those who turn against God or reject His love.

As you read the Bible, you should see how God overrules history, shaping and preparing the world for His plans as human history moves toward its end.

Since God is the ruler of history, He certainly is concerned about all people. Be assured, without Him, we fail; with Him, we triumph.

Thanks, J. Mark, for teaching us, and thank you for joining us. We trust our time together has been a blessing. If you would like this teaching or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

Here are a few ways you can contact us. The best way is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. On our website, you will find more teaching like this and other helpful resources; please look around while you are there. Again, our website is heraldsofhope.org.

Thank you so much for being with us. We look forward to next week and hope you will join us then as we continue our study in Exodus. I will part with an encouraging thought from Joel chapter 2, “Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other.” Blessings as you serve our great King! 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 17:8-16 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Seven years ago, there was a new baby in our house. We were thankful God blessed us with a healthy baby boy. My wife and I were excited to have another child, and we did our best to care for him. Like all babies, there were many things he needed, and as a baby, he could do very little for himself. We fed him, bathed him, changed him, and at first, we really did everything for him. Yes, he had ways of letting us know what he needed, but as soon as we knew, we would do our best to help him.

As new parents, we were thrilled to help our son; we wanted to provide for him and help him in everything we could. This example gives us a glimpse of God’s heart. Just like we wanted to provide and care for our child, God wants to provide and care for His children.

II Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” The prophet Hanani said this to King Asa; however, this has always been God’s heart. This verse gives me the idea that God is looking, searching for those who trust Him, then when He finds someone, He is right there to help. Just like the first few days our son was home, we were there as soon as we heard the smallest noise. I am sure God is a much better parent than we were, but just like we as parents wanted to provide and care for our son, so God loves to provide and care for His children.

If you can, turn to Exodus 16. Today we will see God’s unique provision for the children of Israel. We are so glad you joined us; now, let’s go with Bible teacher J. Mark Horst to Exodus 16. 

Too many of us take undue pride in our own achievements. We give too little credit to God. We somehow feel that, given our own abilities, we can make it. We forget that God is the one Who gave us our abilities, our power to earn a living, even the very breath we breathe. Our pride makes us reluctant to give God any kind of credit.

We forget that God’s open hand of mercy is what feeds every living creature, as the Psalmist very clearly tells us. Were it not for His mercy, we would be consumed. The end would be upon us if God did not continue to extend His mercy to all living creatures everywhere. It is important to recognize God’s gracious provision for us.

In Exodus 16:13-21 there is the account of how GOD DOES PROVIDE. He does it beautifully, faithfully, effectively, and abundantly. Listen as I read that text.

13.  And it came to pass, that in the evening the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.

14.  And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.

15.  And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they knew not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.

16.  This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.

17.  And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

18.  And when they measured it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

19.  And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

20. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

21.  And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

In this text from Exodus, we find the PROOFS that God does provide. While this experience has to do with the children of Israel, it has a personal application for every child of God.

Adequate proof of God’s provision was shown in

The Heavenly Bread

This was a special provision God made for the people of Israel. There was no grain available. Wheat and barley did not grow in that wilderness. There were no vineyards or olive groves. Only palm trees and a bit of grass can be seen today at the oases in the wilderness, and they are far apart. So, food has to be a miracle from the LORD, especially for such a multitude.

We are told that the dew came down. In the morning, when the dew evaporated, it left behind small seed-like things on the ground, like hoarfrost. It came by a miracle. It came from the clouds as though the people of Israel were living on air. There was no evidence of where it came from, but God was providing this special food for them. It was heavenly bread.

It was simple bread. It came down from heaven, but it was nothing complex. It looked like frost balls on the ground. There were no fancies or luxuries about this. This was not a multi-course meal or a sweet dessert. This was a necessary staple of life. It would supply their need daily. It provided their total nutritional need. It was the kind of thing that people could live on. It gave them the energy they needed to perform their work and continue their journey to Canaan. It met their needs, nothing more and nothing less.

They called this heavenly bread manna because they didn’t know what it was. But they recognized that it was sent by the gracious provision of God. He does provide! He provides for the ordinary with simple things. The manna was His simple way of providing for their needs at this particular time.

God means for us to have the basic necessities of life. So, He provides, and sometimes He does it in miraculous ways. He helps us to see how He takes care of our needs.

Adequate proof of God’s provision was also shown in

The Daily Bread.

We are taught in the New Testament to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” That is how God provided for His people. They would go out in the morning and gather what they needed. They were not to gather more than they needed or less than they needed. The people who needed more gathered more, and the people who needed less gathered less because they were instructed to gather according to the number of people in their families. An omer was the quantity prescribed for each person, about a liter or a liter and a half. Here we have the daily bread according to need, not according to their wants.

They could not provide for tomorrow. It was the daily experience, to gather each day. They gathered it, and they measured it on a daily basis. That was to teach them trust in the LORD. Isn’t it beautiful to see how the LORD provided for them on a daily basis? What the LORD provided they were to gather.

God didn’t do all the work for them. He gave them the manna in a form that they could prepare for eating. So, what the LORD provided, they were to gather. This left some responsibility to them. The LORD still does it that way. He does not provide completely, but He provides sufficiently so that each one can have what he needs on a daily basis.

It was that way back in the Garden of Eden when Adam was first created. The LORD told him that he was to keep and dress the garden. As the result of his labor, he could eat all the fruit of the trees in the garden except that one tree that was forbidden to him.

God provided for the children of Israel, but they needed to gather it and prepare it. This teaches us that God intends for us to work for our daily food. We cannot simply depend upon Him. We have a certain responsibility. When God provides for us, He expects us to be actively responsible to gather together what we may need. The problem with many of us is that we think our needs are greater than they are, and we begin to pursue wants instead of real needs.

So, let’s remember that God expects us to be diligent in gathering what He provides. Our existence is to be a daily walk of faith, believing that God will provide for every need in every circumstance.

We must therefore trust Him every day so that He can provide us with those necessary things of life, even if it is only the common things such as daily bread. But God does provide, and we thank and praise Him for it.

Adequate proof of God’s provision was also shown in

The Sufficient Bread.

Let me emphasize again that the manna they gathered was only for one day. Moses instructed them, “Let no one leave any of it until the morning.” What was left could not be eaten. Some of them did not listen to Moses; they didn’t think that Moses knew what he was talking about. They kept some over until the morning, and it became wormy and stank. Moses was very angry with them because they did not listen to him. But one lesson was enough. They didn’t try that again.

God prepared it that way to teach them that every day had its sufficient bread. It was sufficient for that day and that day only. When the sun came up in the morning, what was left on the ground that had not been gathered, and wasn’t needed, melted. It was a miracle that came to His people daily. God was providing for them in a beautiful way. They needed to recognize His sufficiency. God was able day by day to provide for their needs.

There is a delicate balance between recognizing God’s daily and sufficient care and our responsibility to look ahead into the future for possible unforeseen needs. In this particular case, God wanted the children of Israel to learn that He had sufficient quantity for every day. They didn’t need to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow would take care of itself. God would be there again the next morning to provide sufficiently for their daily needs.

There is a precious lesson here for us. God provides and supplies the needs of all His creatures. But our problem so often is that we do not recognize God’s hand of provision. We think so much of our own achievements and do not give God enough credit for what He is doing.

I appeal to you to make God truly personal in your life so that His daily care becomes your sufficient provision. He will not come to us with manna raining it down from heaven, but He has provided for us in such a way that we can gather a sufficient quantity to meet our needs. God means for us to be responsible, to do the thing we ought to do in providing for ourselves from the abundance that He has given us. It is wonderful how the LORD provides in such a sufficient way for all our needs.

So here we have the proofs that God does provide heavenly bread, daily bread, and sufficient bread. He gave them all they needed, but no more. I urge you to come and trust in the One Who still provides in such abundant and appropriate ways.

Thanks, J. Mark, for teaching us, and thank you for joining us. We trust our time together has been a blessing. If you would like this teaching or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

Here are a few ways you can contact us. The best way is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. On our website, you will find more teaching like this and other helpful resources; please look around while you are there. Again, our website is heraldsofhope.org.

Thank you so much for being with us. We look forward to next week and hope you will join us then as we continue our study in Exodus. I will part with an encouraging thought from Joel chapter 2, “Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other.” Blessings as you serve our great King! 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 16:13-21 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Have you ever experienced the provision of the LORD in the ordinary things of life like clothing, food, and water? Some people never think about thanking the LORD for these ordinary things. Yet life is made up of common things. Most of us do not have spectacular happenings in our lives. We are not where the great things happen. We are just where the routine, ordinary, mundane things of life happen.

But we know that God cares about the ordinary things of life. The Bible tells us that in God, we live and move and have our being. In other words, if God withdrew His hand of blessing, everything would go to pieces. So, we can say with confidence, GOD LEADS IN THE COMMON THINGS. One very good illustration of God meeting the common needs of His people is found in Exodus 15:22-27.

22. So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

23. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore, the name of it was called Marah.

24. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”      

25. And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

26. And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

27. And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

From this text, I will show you the WAYS in which God leads in the common things of life. They are just little phrases taken right out of the Scripture.

First, Moses Brought Israel from the Red Sea.

The people of Israel were moving from Egypt to Canaan. They were on the way, and God was leading them. God couldn’t have led them if they weren’t moving. Moses was God’s man for that hour and for this move. God had put Moses in charge. So, Moses was leading the people of Israel as they moved from Egypt to Canaan.

They went on a three-day journey into the wilderness. Remember how Moses had asked Pharaoh to let them go three days journey into the wilderness to worship God? They had gone on a three-day journey into the wilderness, and they faced a predicament; they were not able to find any water to drink. That’s pretty serious. You are traveling through an arid, semi-desert area, and there is no water that is suitable for drinking.

The route they were taking was unknown to them. They had never gone this way before. They didn’t know where the wells or the oases were. Yet God was leading them as He had promised He would. The pillar of cloud was guiding them in the daytime, and the pillar of fire at night was a light to them. God was keeping His promises that He made to them for this journey.

So, the LORD led them from the Red Sea three days into the wilderness, and there was no water. That must have been distressing because water is the second element for survival. The elements of survival are air, water, and then food. Under normal conditions, you can survive about 3 days without water. But without water, they wouldn’t survive very long in the heat of the Sinai Desert, especially if it were summertime.

I have found that God leads in the common things of life in this 22nd verse. He leads when you are ready and moving, not before. God never forces anyone to follow His will. But if you are moving, God will lead you. There is no way He can lead you if you are standing still. So, Moses brought the children of Israel from the Red Sea. They were on the move from Egypt to Canaan; therefore, God could lead them, using the common things of life like water.

The second way in which the LORD leads in the common things in life is told in verse 25,

Moses Cried unto the Lord

Here’s the point I want you to remember: God was close enough to hear. Moses could cry unto the LORD, and the LORD heard him. Well, I don’t know how loud Moses cried. Maybe he didn’t cry very loud at all. I believe the Hebrew word chahal means to speak, to call, but not necessarily to shout. But Moses cried to the LORD.

I remember the words of a song that speak of God’s ability to hear. The songwriter wrote, “He’s as close as the mention of His name.” You don’t have to shout or scream to get God’s attention. He’s not sleeping, or hard of hearing, He’s not inattentive to your needs. You don’t even have to speak aloud. You can just call out to Him in your heart and mind. He’ll hear you!

Because the water was bitter, the people complained. They had walked three days into the wilderness and hadn’t found any water. Now the water they found was bitter. It was water they couldn’t drink. So, they said, “What shall we drink?” I’m sure that when they tasted that water and realized it was undrinkable, that was extremely frustrating to them.

God provided an answer for Moses. When Moses cried to the LORD, the LORD led him to a tree. He told Moses to cut down that tree and put it into the water. Miraculously, the tree sweetened the water and made it drinkable.

Many times, the answer to our prayers is close by, even though we may not see it. Many times, right beside us is the way God is leading. He doesn’t necessarily lead us in spectacular ways. He just leads us by using the common, everyday things of life.

So, Moses cried unto the LORD, the LORD heard him and showed him the tree. He put the tree in the water, and the water became sweet. Then the LORD made a proposal to the people of Israel with a special relationship. I want you to pay very close attention to what He said in verse 26: “If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God and will do that which is right in his sight and will listen to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you which I have brought upon the Egyptians.”

Here is a proposal, here is a covenant that God is entering into with the people of Israel. He is simply asking them to listen, to pay attention, to do, and to keep. To keep His statutes, to observe to do them. To walk in love before Him in loving obedience. In response, God would show His love by keeping them healthy. “I am the LORD that heals you.

Well, He had healed the water, and He said I am the One Who heals you. That is beautiful, isn’t it? The healing ministry of the LORD. Because we live in a world that is affected by sin, even those who follow the true God get sick. But when we live life in obedience to God’s commands, we are spared some of the diseases that come to those who violate His commands. For example, I don’t worry about getting sexually transmitted diseases because I understand that God’s commands regarding moral purity are for my protection. There is safety in obedience.

I want you to notice something more. God’s love flows out when we respond in love to Him, in loving obedience to Him. You see, we can’t expect to experience the LORD to lead or direct us if we are rebellious, if we do not want to listen; if we do not want to follow; if we do not want to walk in the way where He leads.           

So, when Moses cried unto the LORD, the LORD heard him and then said, “I am going to talk with you, and I want you to listen to me.” It’s that kind of mutual relationship that makes life so meaningful when you are walking with the LORD, when you know Him as your own personal God. This experience illustrates the way God leads in the common things of life. Moses brought the children of Israel from the Red Sea, and Moses cried unto the LORD, and the LORD heard him.

Then in verse 27, there are these three common but interesting words:

And They Came

They were led by the LORD, and so we would expect them to go from one place to another. This is exactly what happened. They first of all went three days journey into the wilderness and came to Marah, where the water was bitter. First, there was no water, and then there was bitter water. Now they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and three score and ten palm trees. Here was good water. So, no water, bitter water, and then, plenty of water.

You know, the LORD often deals like that with us. He takes us to the place of extremity so that He might be able to provide for our needs. This is what He did with the people of Israel. No water, bitter water, and then plenty of water. Now if they had not followed the LORD, they would never have come to the place of abundant water.

So, God leads in the common things of life, providing you will follow Him. That is the important part you must catch. I can say all I want to about God’s leading, but then if He doesn’t have any followers, He can’t be a leader, can He?

God will lead you in the common things, but you must be willing to follow Him. You must be willing to acknowledge Him that He is leading and directing. Thank God, He does lead in the common ordinary things of life. God does lead and provide when we cry unto Him. He is close enough to hear us, and He will answer. He will show us what to do like He showed Moses.

Thanks, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus. The Bible is incredible, and each generation can learn from all that is written in this wonderful book. For example, people everywhere want to be free. In Exodus, the children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians. You know the story Moses led them to “freedom.” But were they really free? Why did they want to go back to Egypt? What does it mean to actually be free?

The common answer to that question is doing what I want to do when I want to do it. This is a nice thought, but is this what it means to be free? We have the freedom to make many choices, despite the fact that there are many people who are not living freely. They are not slaves to the government or to other people, but they are slaves.

II Peter 2:19 calls us slaves to what has mastered us. You see, instead of being in slavery like the children of Israel, many people are slaves to their own desires. With their free choice, a small choice was made. That one small choice grew into an addiction.

Thankfully this does not have to be the end of the story. Jesus tells us that if “He sets us free, then we will be free indeed.” This, my friend, is real freedom.

If you would like today’s program or if you have any questions, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our mailing address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please click on the listen tab and listen to our other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program, thanks again for being with us. We look forward to being with you next week. I will leave you with the words of Jesus from John 8. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Go and live in that freedom.

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 15:22-27 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Various people groups around the world worship different gods. Which one is the right one, which one is the true God? Is your God personal? Does He love you and help you? There are many religions in the world. I was just reading in the encyclopedia about some of them. Each claims to be superior in one way or another. So how can we know which is the right one with so many different religions? I believe there is only one true God. I believe He can be known.

The most outstanding facts in Christianity are the claims the Bible makes about God. The Bible says He is above all other gods. He has revealed Himself to us by a written record which we call the Bible. Although the acts in which He engaged are recorded as historical acts, they are, at the same time, acts of revelation. And in those acts of history, He tells us who He is and what His person is like. This teaching will answer the question, WHO IS LIKE GOD?

In Exodus 15:1-19 we have a song of victory. It is probably the first recorded song. In it, we will find the answer to our question, who is like God?

1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

3. The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name

4. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

5. The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

6. Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

7. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

8. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

10. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11. Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful praises, doing wonders?

12. Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

13. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

14. The people shall hear and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestine.

15. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

16. Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.          

17. Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.

18. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.

19. For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

Moses and the children of Israel sang this song at the time of their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. In it, I have discovered several basic QUALITIES about God which set Him apart as the one above all others.

My first discovery reveals a basic quality of God in

His Glorious Triumph

In the very beginning of the song, they said, “I will sing unto the LORD for he has triumphed gloriously.” What the LORD did for the children of Israel at the Red Sea was a tremendous victory. It looked as though they were going to be captured by Pharaoh and his army. They were trapped between the mountains and the Red Sea, but God opened the sea, and His people went through. The water stood up on either side, and the people went through between the walls of water.

When Pharaoh attempted to follow them with his army, he was caught in the middle by a triumphant, glorious act of God. The song brings this to our attention: “The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

In their song, there are more ideas regarding the glorious triumph of the LORD: “He is my strength and my song, and he is become my salvation,” Ye-ho-shua, the Hebrew for my salvation. He has become my strength and my song. Because of this, they said, “I will prepare him a habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” Because of His glorious triumph, He is worthy of exaltation.

Imagine being one of the people of Israel at this time when it seemed as though they would need to give up and go back into the bondage of slavery, and then the LORD delivered them in such a glorious, triumphant fashion. No wonder they would say, “He triumphed gloriously.” This is the God Who transcends all others. I am sure that Pharaoh and his army expected to be successful in their pursuit of Israel. Most likely, they had invoked the blessing of their gods. The God, Who is above all other gods, triumphed gloriously by throwing the horse and his rider into the sea.

The second quality which I discover in this song is found in verse 6, “Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power.” Let us meditate on

His Glorious Power

Six different expressions are listed in the next few verses that show us how God exercises His power against the enemy. He is described as a man of war. “The LORD is a man of war” against Pharaoh, for the LORD dashed in pieces the enemy. He overthrew them. They became as stubble burned with the consuming fire of His wrath. He consumed them as stubble.

He gathered the waters together with the blast of His nostrils. The wind blew, and the waters returning covered those who were pursuing after them. They sank as lead to the bottom of the waters.

God’s glorious power had control of the elements: the wind and the water, as expressed in these various descriptive words. God’s glorious power has control of men. God, in His power, always opposes evil: He never sides with evil. This is important for us to remember. He is glorious in power, but His power is always against evil, and in this particular case, it was against Pharaoh and his army. God’s glorious power puts Him above all other gods.

Then the third quality I discover in this song is found in verse 11, “Who is like thee, glorious in holiness.”

His Glorious Holiness

That thought is difficult for us to understand because we have so little with which we can compare holiness. The Bible makes it very clear that no man is holy. No, we are all polluted by sin and unclean, and our righteous acts are as filthy rags said the Prophet Isaiah.

But the glorious holiness of God is expressed in two different ways and revealed in two different areas. In the first area of mercy, the song describes how God redeemed His people. “In mercy you led forth the people which you have redeemed.” They further say He is going to plant them in the mountain of His inheritance: “In the place, O LORD, which you made for you to dwell in, in the Sanctuary.” They conclude that God the LORD shall reign forever and ever. His glorious holiness expresses itself in the area of mercy toward them whom He has redeemed.

It also expresses itself in the area of justice to those who do not respond to the LORD. They will fear, but it will be different. Fear and dread will fall upon those who do not know the LORD. Particular geographical areas are named: Palestine, Edom, Moab, and the inhabitants of Canaan. Fear shall grip those who do not know the God of holiness and mercy. They will have no strength left in them. They will be as still as a stone. They will not be able to move until the LORD’s own people are passed by – the ones whom He purchased.

Egypt was greatly distressed because the horses of Pharaoh went down in the sea while the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea. God’s glorious holiness expresses itself on the one hand in mercy and on the other hand in justice. None of us can escape this glorious holiness, for we are either in one area or the other. We need to respect the mercy and justice of our gloriously holy God. We dare not override or presume upon His mercy, for then the only result can be His justice.

These qualities place God above all other gods, and we may rightly ask the question, who is like God? The answer is no one is like God. There is no other god like Him. This is so beautifully expressed in this song.

 The personal question comes like this to you, do you know Him as that superior God? Do you know Him in a personal way? Can you speak with Him? Do you understand when He speaks to you by His Word? You can know Him in a personal way. He is seeking to show in and through you His glorious triumph, power, and holiness to answer the question, “who is like God?”

Thanks, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus. The Bible is incredible, and each generation can learn from all that is written in this wonderful book. For example, people everywhere want to be free. In Exodus, the children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians. You know the story Moses led them to “freedom.” But were they really free? Why did they want to go back to Egypt? What does it mean to actually be free?

Jesus tells us that if “He sets us free, then we will be free indeed.” This, my friend, is real freedom. Praise Jesus, this freedom knows no boundaries, it does not matter which country you are in, or who you are working for, this freedom is for everyone. 

If you would like today’s program or if you have any questions, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our mailing address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please click on the listen tab and listen to our other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program, thanks again for being with us. We look forward to being with you next week. I will leave you with the words of Jesus from John 8. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Go and live in that freedom.

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 15:1-19 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thanks for joining us on Hope for Today. This program is brought to you by Heralds of Hope; we are a small radio ministry serving a great big God. Let’s go with Bible teacher J. Mark to Exodus for today’s teaching.

In the difficult experiences of life, we sometimes wonder, is there any way out? For those who trust only in themselves, the situation is hopeless because mankind does not have enough inner strength to get himself out of trouble. But for those who trust in the Lord, there is hope and help because God can deliver, and He is faithful to those who call upon Him. His knowledge of the situation is total, and His resources to help are unlimited.

Sometimes you may face a situation where the future seems totally impossible. In fact, even the present seems so terribly difficult that there is no way out. I want to tell you GOD CAN DELIVER. He delights in doing the impossible and getting glory to Himself in the process. This assurance comes as we study the account of the deliverance of the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt many, many years ago. The account is given in Exodus 14:13-31.

13. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more forever.

14. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

16. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

19. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed, and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

20. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

23. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

25. And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

26. And the LORD said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

27. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

28. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

29. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

30. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.

31. And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

From this experience of Israel, I want to lift out several brief statements which demonstrate the ACTIONS God employed to deliver His distressed people.

The first action statement is in verse 14: “The Lord shall fight for you.”

He Defended His Own

In their experience there was no other help available. There was no other way. They were hemmed in. The sea was ahead, the mountains on each side, and Pharaoh’s army was rapidly approaching them from behind. Their doom seemed certain. There wasn’t any help available except the LORD. And He defended His own.

Few people have such difficulties as Israel had in this experience, but no matter what kind of trouble you have, even as difficult as this, God can deliver you, for He will defend His own. This statement you can apply to your life. The LORD shall fight for you, providing you are one of His.

The second statement comes in verse 21: “the LORD caused the sea to go back.”

He Divided the Sea

The statement tells us the LORD was active with respect to His people. There was no other way for them except to go forward. In fact, that is what the LORD told them to do. He told Moses to tell them to go forward. But the sea was in front of them, so the LORD opened the way through the sea. Not over it but through it, so they could escape.

Now I believe this was a miracle of God. The LORD caused a strong east wind to blow all night. It divided the Red Sea, piled up the water on both sides, and the people of Israel walked through on dry land. It was a miracle. God performed this miracle to divide the sea. Some will scoff, claiming this is wishful thinking, a made-up fairy tale. But really, is it hard for the Creator to control His creation in ways that benefit His people? The answer is obvious.

It may easily be that in our difficult situations, we do not see the hand of God. Perhaps we don’t have eyes or faith to see Him, or we ignore Him. We too often don’t give God credit for helping us out of our difficult places, we wrongly take the credit for ourselves. But God can open a way for you, too. It may not be like the Red Sea, but whatever your difficulty is, the LORD can deliver. For Israel, He divided the sea.

A third action of God is in verse 24: “The LORD looked upon the host of the Egyptians.”

He Destroyed the Enemy

He did this from the pillar of fire and cloud. He looked upon the host of the Egyptians because He had designed to destroy them. Earlier in this record, the LORD announced He was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart and cause him to pursue after the children of Israel into the Red Sea so that He might teach Egypt that He is God.

The LORD must oppose the enemy of His people. If He does not, He is not God. In this case, it was Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He distressed them severely. He took the wheels off their chariots and made them drag heavily in the soft seabed. God looked upon the hosts of the Egyptians as His enemies because they had set themselves against Him.

It is a great comfort to know that the enemy is never greater than God. No matter how much he may bring together in terms of his army and resources, he is never bigger than God. So, the LORD looked upon the hosts of the Egyptians and destroyed the enemy.

The fourth action statement in this passage is in verse 30: “The LORD saved Israel.”

He Delivered His People

Once in a while, some listener will ask, “Why did the LORD treat the Jews like He did?” ‘Why did He choose the Jews?” Well, the answer is very simple. He chose the Jews because He wanted to use them to bring the Messiah into the world and to demonstrate to all people of the world what it means to be the people of God.

You must always remember that the LORD is not accountable to us. He does not need to tell us why He does things a certain way. He operates within the choice of His sovereignty. So, your understanding of why God chose the Jews instead of some other people is not that important. It is important to acknowledge that what He does is according to His own sovereign right. So, the LORD saved Israel.

After Pharaoh and his chariots and horsemen were all in the sea, Moses was instructed by the LORD to stretch out his hand over the waters, and they were completely destroyed, and God saved Israel. He acted on behalf of His people. He delivered His people.

      If you are one of God’s children, it will be that way with you. But you can’t go against what God has said and expect Him to deliver you. You must do what He has said in full and honest obedience if you want the deliverance God has for you. I urge you to trust in the LORD at all times because GOD CAN DELIVER!

Thanks, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus. The Bible is incredible, and each generation can learn from all that is written in this wonderful book. For example, people everywhere want to be free. In Exodus, the children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians. You know the story Moses led them to “freedom.” But were they really free? What does it mean to actually be free?

The common answer to that question is, doing what I want to do when I want to do it. This is a nice thought, but is this what it means to be free? We have the freedom to make many choices, despite the fact that there are many people who are not living free. They are not slaves to the government or to other people, but they are slaves.

II Peter 2:19 calls us slaves to what has mastered us. You see, instead of being in slavery like the children of Israel, many people are slaves to their own desires. With their free choice, a small choice was made. That one small choice grew into an addiction. They would like to quit, and many try, but too many times, a life of freedom leads to a life of slavery.

Thankfully this does not have to be the end of the story. Jesus tells us that if “He sets us free, then we will be free indeed.” This, my friend, is real freedom. Praise Jesus, this freedom knows no boundaries, it does not matter which country you are in, or who you are working for, this freedom is for everyone. 

If you would like today’s program or if you have any questions, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our mailing address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please click on the listen tab and listen to our other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program, thanks again for being with us. We look forward to being with you next week. I will leave you with the words of Jesus from John 8. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Go and live in that freedom. 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 14:13-31 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

From our experiences in life, we know that we all need help to keep our hope alive and vibrant. And faith and hope are closely linked together.

The Bible puts it this way in I Corinthians 13, “Now these three remain, faith, hope, and love.” In life, faith is the foundation of hope; we rest our hope on our faith. All of us have uncertainties which put us into places similar to Israel’s situation, and at those times, we must work to KEEP FAITH IN GOD.

In Exodus 14:1-12 Israel faced a test of faith.

1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

2. Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

3. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, they are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

4. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

5. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

6. And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:

7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

8. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

9. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

10. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

11. And they said unto Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

12. Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

In this text, three WORDS stand out, which all of us need to keep our faith in God alive.

First is the word,

Precaution

A precaution is a warning beforehand. The LORD told Moses that certain things were going to happen. He based His precaution on His foreknowledge. The LORD knew what was going to happen before it happened. The information He gave Moses enabled him to prepare the people. We don’t know exactly how God spoke to Moses, but we see in this account that Moses understood God. He was instructed by the LORD exactly what to do. It was a precaution.

God wanted Moses and the people to know beforehand what was going to happen, so He instructed Moses where to camp, and He told them what to expect. He told them that Pharaoh was going to chase after them and try to overcome them. But the LORD said to Moses that He was going to be victorious over Pharaoh and over all his hosts. He was going to show His power over Pharaoh. Pharaoh did not know his plan was not going to work. He thought he had an easy victory ahead of him. But by this word of precaution from the LORD, Israel was prepared. Pharaoh’s actions did not come as a surprise.

There are four words at the end of verse 4 which are of highest importance: “And they did so.” What God told them to do, they did. God gave them a forewarning of what was going to happen. He told them how to get ready for it. They got ready exactly the way the LORD told them. This precaution came to them, and they accepted it. We know they accepted it because they acted upon God’s command. That’s how you know if someone really believes; it moves to action.

My friend, the LORD has told us also in His Word what is going to happen in time to come. He has warned us to look for certain signs that will signal the end of time as we know it. He has told us beforehand what is going to happen to alert us to prepare. You can keep your faith in God if you will accept that word of precaution.

The second word is,

Pursuit

Pharaoh did exactly what the LORD said he would do, even though his pursuit was based on false information. The people told the king that Israel had fled when in fact, as we can read earlier in Exodus, he and his people had told them to “get out!” They did not want them to stay any longer after the firstborn in all the Egyptian homes had met death. But now, apparently, the urgency of the moment had vanished. Pharaoh began to reflect upon what had happened. His servants came to him and said, “Why have we done this that we have let Israel go from serving us?” They questioned their wisdom in releasing their workforce.

So, Pharaoh gathered together his best men, six hundred chosen chariots, all the chariots of Egypt, and the captains over them. He gathered together his best army to overtake the children of Israel. I can see it in my mind. I can almost see Pharaoh’s army glisten with golden shields and the horses’ plumes waving in the wind while the charioteers crack their whips as they approach the children of Israel. It must have been a fearful and awe-inspiring sight.

How did these children look who were departing? Certainly not like an army. They were a large crowd. Carrying their dough troughs, walking along having perhaps a few wagons to carry the heavier goods. Men, women, and children of all ages were walking in an orderly march. But there wasn’t one weapon among them. And Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is pursuing them with a large well-ordered and well-equipped army.

In life, we all come to difficult places, too, when the future is unsure, and the opposition is closing in. The question is, what are we to do under those circumstances? The descriptive word is pursuit. Pharaoh was in pursuit of the enemy. The children of Israel were in pursuit of God’s promise. Through faith in God, we don’t need to fear the pursuit of the oppressor.

The third word is,

Protest

The protest was based on fear. When the children of Israel looked back and saw Pharaoh’s army approaching with the chariots, there was nothing they could do. They foresaw being captured and taken back to their slavery. So, they cried out to God. Well, that’s a good thing to do when you are in trouble. Cry out to the LORD. Lift your heart and voice in prayer to Him. He is there to hear and to help.

But then they complained to Moses. They cried to God and complained to Moses. They said, “Were there no graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die in the wilderness? Why didn’t you let us alone that we could serve the Egyptians?” But you know, God had something else in mind for these people of Israel. He had another purpose for them. They said they would have served the Egyptians, but God wanted them to serve Him. So, this is the word of protest.

When times are hard, we are inclined to cry out to God and then blame someone else. It is part of our human nature to look for others to blame when we are in trouble. But the LORD is working out His purposes, His own purposes, and we can’t always see those purposes because we have made up our own minds. Well, the word is protest. It wasn’t all in vain. When they cried unto God, the LORD heard them.

Out of this very difficult condition, God was developing faith in Israel. Out of your very difficult condition, faith can develop. In fact, it will develop if you keep looking to God. I urge you to hold fast when there seems to be no way out. It’s ok to protest, but be assured, God knows what He’s doing.

You know, these three words we looked at can help keep your faith alive too. Precaution: God warns us that following His plan will not always be easy. Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Pursuit: if you pursue a relationship with God and learn to rely on Him, then you will have courage when you are facing pursuit by your enemies. You will have the assurance that God has some bigger plan in mind than you can see at the moment.

Protest: fear is a natural reaction to unexpected circumstances. But we must not let our fear control us. We can cry out to God in protest, He understands and will show us what to do.

All of these will help you keep your faith in God alive!

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God, Who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know why this is happening or why You are allowing this, but I trust You and pray that Your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 14:1-12 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

There are many voices in the world today, so many that we are sometimes confused. Maybe you feel that way. So many voices, and they all claim to be true. Let me assure you that there is only one source for truth. True truth is found in the Book of God. It is important that we pay attention to God. In order to get to our eternal home, the promised land of the soul, we must GO WHERE GOD LEADS.            

Many years ago, the founder of Heralds of Hope, Dr. J. Otis Yoder, told me a story about when he was traveling through Turkey with his wife. They came to a place on their way to Isparta when they weren’t sure which way to go. They had been traveling through mountainous country when they came out to an intersection, and they did not know which way to turn. So, he said to his wife, Isabelle, “Let’s stop and pray.” So, they prayed and asked the LORD to give them some kind of direction. After they prayed, he said, “I believe we ought to go left.” They turned left and soon came to their Isparta. Then they praised the LORD for His guidance. They went the way He led them.

If you’ve ever been lost, you know it’s not a very pleasant experience. It is much nicer if you have directions that show you where you’re going. Directions are so helpful, and especially those mileposts and signposts along the road to guide you.

God knew His people would need someone to lead them. Several generations had never been out of Egypt. In Exodus 13:17-22, God begins to lead His people on an untried way.

17. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

18. But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

19. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

20. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

21. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

22. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

In this text, I find certain DIRECTIVES to help them, and us, go where God leads.

The first directive, which is very important, is to

Follow in His Path

God knew His people needed to be led, and He knew the best way for them to go. He did not take them the closest way, the nearer way to the land He had promised them. The shortest route would’ve only been about 200 kilometers or 125 miles. Even with children and animals, that would’ve taken less than a month. But God had a different path.

He did not lead them through the land of the Philistines because He was sure that they would give up and go back to Egypt. He knew the Philistines were fierce warriors and the people of Israel had no experience in warfare. The sight of such an army would fill them with fear. So, He chose a different path, a different route.

It made a difference which way they went because only one way was God’s best way, and the other way would have been less than the best. It was very important for them to follow in His path because needed His help. They needed His directive. God determined the way. It was much farther to go by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, but God knew that was the best way.

Sometimes, you and I think we know better than God knows. We want to choose our own way. I can tell you from experience, I’ve tried that. Perhaps you have too. But then we find out that our way isn’t as good as God’s way. That’s because we can’t see everything like He does. So, if we really want to arrive at the place God has promised to us, then we’ll need to follow in His path and let Him choose because He knows best.

Another important directive is to

Carry Out His Prophecy

This is reflected in Joseph’s faith because we are told here that Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. In Genesis 50:24 and 25, we see what kind of faith Joseph had when he was about to die. “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am dying, and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.”

What faith Joseph had to be rewarded so many, many years later. Joseph’s faith had prophesied about the time when the people of Israel would be leaving Egypt, so they were charged under oath to take his bones with them to bury in this new land. Actually, it was the land of his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God’s faithfulness is shown here, too, because Joseph had said, “God will surely visit you,” and He did. He had finally released them, emancipated them from the bondage of Egypt. He had brought them out, and so it was important that the faith of Joseph be honored by the faithfulness of God. Moses carried out the prophecy and took the bones of Joseph along. Today you can visit the tomb of Joseph in Israel near Shechem. Moses carried out the prophecy.   

If you want to go where God leads, then you will need to carry out this directive. In other words, when you do what God wants you to do, you honor His promises.

The third directive brings joy and security,

Delight in His Presence

These are beautiful words. They set forth a beautiful symbol. “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”

Those beautiful symbols assured them of the presence of God. His presence was their delight. He went before them. He did not thrust them out like Pharaoh did. Instead, He led them out, and He always does that. The Psalmist David said, “He leads me beside the still waters.”

Further, David wrote these words in Psalm 1. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law, he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

A pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, so by day and night they could be assured of and delight in the presence of God. It was a constant presence because He never took away the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire. They were always there, always reminding the people that the presence of God was right there with them. They could be confident in His presence because He was there by day and by night.

You, too, can delight in His presence. He will be with you. He will be by your side. He will go before you. Praise the LORD!

If you sincerely want to go where God leads, then here are the directives: follow in His path, He has a way for you to go; carry out His prophecy, what you know to be His Word and will; delight in His presence and make Him your chief joy.

If you really want to go where He leads, you will find His presence your delight.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God, Who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know why this is happening or why You are allowing this, but I trust You and pray that Your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 13:17-22 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Everyone has certain special days in their life: a birthday, a baptism, a graduation, a wedding, or perhaps some other day that has been marked on your calendar as a special day for you. Did you know that the practice of honoring special events on certain days comes from the Bible? Yes, it does. One such day to remember is recorded for us in Exodus 13:1-16.

1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

2. Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

3. And Moses said unto the people, remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

4. This day came ye out in the month Abib.

5. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

6. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.

7. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

8. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, this is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

9. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

10. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

11. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,

12. That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that opens the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S.

13. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the first born of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

14. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, what is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

15. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD all that open the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

16. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

In this Bible text, we have a word from the Lord regarding a very special day for the people of Israel, in the past and the present. In that special day, the Lord emphasized several REMEMBRANCES so they would never forget what He had done.

These remembrances can be helpful to us also, to remember our day, just as the children of Israel were instructed to REMEMBER YOUR DAY. So, let’s look at them.

Moses gave them this remembrance:

Remember the Day of Deliverance

He spoke of how they were brought out of the house of bondage. You can read about that bondage in the earlier chapters of this book of Exodus. They were very much oppressed and suppressed, held down. They were not even citizens of the country. They were slaves. They had no legal rights, no freedom. They were in bondage, and Moses said, “Remember the day of deliverance when the LORD brought you out of the house of bondage.” Moses reminded them that it was not their strength that brought them out of the house of bondage. No! It was the hand of the Lord, “For by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place.”

Yes, by all considerations, Israel needed to ascribe their deliverance to the Lord–the strength of the LORD God. He brought them out of bondage into freedom. He spoke about the new land to which they were going; land possessed by different nations: the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

A new land and a new relationship were to be theirs, for the LORD said it was to be a land flowing with milk and honey. Even so, they were to keep this remembrance in this month, seven days of eating unleavened bread instead of normal bread. It was to be a joyous, seven-day feast because it reminded them of that day of deliverance and symbolized a complete newness.

There can be a deliverance for everybody because the LORD’s hand is still strong enough to deliver. The prophet Isaiah speaking for God, once said, “The hand of the LORD is not shortened that it cannot save, nor the LORD’s ear heavy that it cannot hear.” The reason people are not saved and the reason the LORD doesn’t seem to hear them is their sin.

Yes, there can be a day of deliverance for everybody because God, in the strength of His hand, will deliver you as He delivered those people in ancient days.

Moses gave them a second remembrance:

Remember the Law of the LORD

I am so thankful that God has given us His Book, the Bible. How awful it would be if we did not have some word, some revelation from the LORD. But when you have a word from the LORD, you carry a certain responsibility. That responsibility is to remember the word of the LORD and tell it to your children and grandchildren.

I find in Moses’ counsel to the children of Israel a very important emphasis: family religion. You can never expect your son to be any more religious than you are. The LORD laid a responsibility on the father here in this message: remember the law of the LORD because when your son asks you, you are to tell him what happened. You are to relate what God did. You are to say, “The LORD did this unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.”

But there is more than just telling. There is also doing, setting an example. So, the LORD said, “This shall be a sign unto you upon your hand.” If you are so controlled by the Word of God as having it on your hand, then that will sanctify your daily toil. It will change the way you look at your work; it will set it apart, it will sanctify your labor, and give it greater purpose.

He also says you are to have this as a memorial between your eyes to screen your vision. The eye is a marvelous member of your body. And when you have the law of the LORD between your eyes, it will screen your vision. Look at the world and life through God’s Law. And the law of the LORD shall be in your mouth. If you have the law of the LORD in your mouth, it will affect your speech. It will make it better.

So, remember the law of the LORD, tell your son about it, and show him by having the law of the LORD prominent in your own life. Then He said, “This ordinance shall be to you from year to year. “An ordinance carries with it the idea of an inscription, something like an engraving in stone. This ordinance is to be inscribed in your heart: “Remember the law of the LORD.”

Moses expressed a third remembrance:

Remember the Saving of the Firstborn

In God’s program for Israel, the firstborn was sacred. He put it this way, “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn.” That means to set them apart. When you sanctify some object, you take it out of its ordinary setting, and you put it aside for holy use. You set it apart.

Notice in verse 12 that they were instructed by Moses, “You shalt set apart unto the LORD all that opens the womb.” The firstborn is not like the secondborn or the thirdborn. According to the word of the LORD, to remember the salvation of the firstborn means to acknowledge that the firstborn is sacred to God.

It is a sacred responsibility to communicate this to your son, to your family, because the prophet Moses said, “And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, what is this? that then you will tell him that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt when we were about to come out. Therefore, the firstborn of beasts we must sacrifice and the firstborn of our children we shall redeem.”

To redeem them means that something else must die in their place. In fact, Moses instructed them to redeem an ass with a lamb. In other words, sacrifice a lamb that the ass might live. The saving of the firstborn: remember it, Moses instructed the people of Israel. There is saving for the firstborn. God has set him apart as special, separated for holy use.

The remembrances then may also come to you: the day of your deliverance, the law of the LORD, the saving of the firstborn. You can make all this real and meaningful in your life and family. God wants you to enter into this by faith in Him.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God, Who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know why this is happening or why You are allowing this, but I trust You and pray that Your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 13:1-16 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Hello and welcome; thanks for joining us as we continue our study in Exodus. It is encouraging to hear from God and learn more about Him in the Bible. This happens no matter which book of the Bible we are focusing on. This is an amazing aspect of the Bible, and it is one of the things that sets the Bible above all other books. This is not just a book. It is alive, and in every section of the Bible, there is more for us to learn.

Looking at the children of Israel, we can see how God directed and led them from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. And really, that is what God longs to do for each of us. He has provided the way for us to go from slavery to freedom. We can be free from the slavery of sin and experience true freedom by following Jesus and living according to the commands Christ gave.

And think about Pharoah. He is an example of someone who, despite all the evidence and proof for God, rejects God and continues in his own way. Time after time, God reveals His power, and each time Pharoah’s heart becomes harder and harder. This pattern has been repeated by many men down through the ages. God, in His mercy, shows Himself alive and real in many incredible ways. This turns some hard hearts even harder, which is exactly what Pharoah was doing.

We look forward to what J Mark Horst will teach us from Exodus and how these truths will teach us more about God and how we can live for Him. Let’s give him our attention now. 

People all over the world long for freedom, for independence. They hope someday to throw off the yoke of bondage. They want to be free!

Bondage comes in various forms. Many people are bound by some physical illness. Many are bound by political situations. Others feel bound by economic conditions, and many are bound in their spirit; they are controlled by their selfish desires and appetites.

To be under the bondage of the spirit is the most serious. But I am happy to tell you that you can be like the people of ancient Israel: FREE AT LAST! Yes, there is freedom for you and me, but there is only one way to achieve it. God’s Word gives us the path to freedom.

Exodus 12:29-42 is the basis of our meditation on freedom.

29. And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

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 there was not one dead.

31. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.

32. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

33. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, we be all dead men.

34. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

35. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:

36. And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

37. And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.

38. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very many cattle.

39. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

40. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

41. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

42. It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

The STAGES to achieve freedom are demonstrated in this Scripture and are available to you. Let me point to them.

The first stage was for Egypt:

Judgment

In previous chapters of Exodus, we have emphasized the judgment of God upon the land of Egypt. Here it is again. The Bible tells us that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. That was total involvement. The firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, died, as did the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of cattle died. The judgment of Egypt was complete. It was total. A great cry went up throughout the land of Egypt because there was not a house where there was not one dead.

Freedom demands the judgment of the oppressor. In this case, Egypt was the oppressor. Because God was concerned about the oppressed, He judged the people of Egypt. The stages to achieve freedom are demonstrated in this experience.

In the first stage, there must be judgment of the oppressor, and God has done that. Judgment to achieve freedom is in the hand of God. It must come from the LORD. He has exercised judgment upon the oppressor of the spirit, that great archenemy of God, the devil. God has exercised a judgment against him, and you and I can be free if we accept the judgment God has made.

The second stage was for Israel:

Emancipation

Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and issued an emancipation proclamation for the people of Israel. It was Pharaoh’s command. Before, he always said, “No, I will not let you go.” Now in the middle of the night, he called these Israelite leaders, Moses, and Aaron, and issued a command to them. He said, “Rise up and get you forth. Go and serve the LORD. And take your flocks and your herds and be gone.” He issued this demand for departure, an emancipation of deliverance to freedom.

The Egyptians urged the people of Israel and said, “Go, for we are all dead men.” You can try to imagine what the conditions must have been like in the land where every house had at least one dead person and one dead among the beasts. No wonder they were insistent that the people of Israel get out.

Freedom demands emancipation of the oppressed. The people of Israel were the slaves, the oppressed. They were forced to serve with harshness. They were beaten by their taskmasters. But God brought them emancipation or freedom by this proclamation of Pharaoh.

Emancipation, true emancipation from the bondage of the spirit, must come from the LORD. He has promised you and me that He will free us from the bondage of the spirit. Only when the LORD takes over can you have emancipation and freedom from the bondage of the spirit.

When Jesus was here on this earth, He made this statement; “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Satan wants to keep us in bondage, so he tells us lies, and he urges us to believe those lies. But Jesus wants you and me to be free to serve Him. We can do that when we embrace the truth.

In our text, the LORD moved Pharaoh, the oppressor, to issue a command of emancipation for these oppressed people of Israel. It is no secret what God can do. He can emancipate your soul and your spirit right now if you will follow Him.

There is a third stage which is:

Emigration

So, the children of Israel left Egypt. They left behind the land of bondage. There were 600,000 men on foot beside women, children, and a mixed multitude. It must have been quite a large number, well over a million people. Besides, they took all their flocks and herds along, and they had very many cattle. They took along the bowls or troughs in which they mixed the ingredients for their bread. They did not have time to properly mix the bread and wait for the dough to rise. So, they were prepared to eat unleavened bread as they were on the move.

That is what emigration means: get out, separate, move on, away from the land of bondage. There was a certain time element here. The Bible tells us that they had sojourned in Egypt 430 years. And then, on the very day that completed those 430 years, they came out.

But now they have been delivered. Freedom at last! And they are on their way. They are emigrating. They are moving out. Freedom demands emigration to separate from the former condition of slavery. But this freedom must be of the LORD because the separation from bondage and oppression must be complete.

The stages for freedom come in this way: judgment, emancipation, and emigration. The judgment must be brought by the LORD on the oppressor. The emancipation of the oppressed must be of the LORD. Emigration, and separation, must be under the direction of the LORD. Then there will be freedom at last.

We know from history that Egypt was a real country; in fact, it still exists today. But Egypt is also used as a symbol of sin or a symbol of the world. Those who live under the control of the world and sin are slaves, they are not free to do as they choose.

Listen to these words from Romans 6:16 to 18. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

Are you still a slave in Egypt? Are you still a slave of sin? Are you powerless to escape the bondage of sin? I have good news for you; Jesus Christ can set you free! He can and will change you from the inside out if you will only come to Him in believing and obedient faith.

Ancient Israel was delivered from physical slavery, and that was wonderful. But we discover quickly that they didn’t experience spiritual freedom. You can be different; you can experience complete deliverance through Jesus Christ. You can be FREE AT LAST.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God, Who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know why this is happening or why You are allowing this, but I trust You and pray that Your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 12:29-42 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

With our modern electronic devices, we can keep watch constantly all over the world. The nations of the world have their satellites in low-earth orbit by which they scan the earth’s surface constantly. Video and facial recognition technology can track us almost anywhere we go. We know more fully the meaning of the saying, “you can run, but you can’t hide.”

We sometimes wonder, with modern electronic devices and all the progress in communication of the last several decades, how can there be any place of safety? It seems as though an ever-watchful eye is over us constantly. I am glad to say that God watches over us but with a quite different intention. God watches over us in love when we turn our hearts to Him.

While there are various means of protection, this Scripture in Exodus 12:1-14, sets forth PROTECTION UNDER THE BLOOD. This protection is vital to your eternal well-being.

1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 

2. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 

3. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a house: 

4. And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 

5. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 

6. And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 

7. And they shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 

8. And they shall eat the flesh that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 

9. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 

10. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remains of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 

11. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S Passover. 

12. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 

13. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

14. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever. 

From this scene in the Bible, I find several ENCOURAGEMENTS to seek protection under the blood. These encouragements, which came first to Israel speak to us today as well. 

The first encouragement is: 

The Careful Outline of Details. 

Moses told the people of Israel that this time in their history would be the beginning of months to them. In other words, it was to be the new year, the time when everything else started, “the first month of the year to you.” He explained how they were to select a lamb from the flock on the tenth day of this first month. Every detail was carefully outlined. It was to be a lamb for a household. This was to be done by the size of the family. If the family was too small to eat all of the meat from the lamb, then two families, neighbors, should join together.

The lamb was to be without blemish, a male of the first year. It could be a sheep or a goat. Then from the tenth day of the month until the fourteenth day, the lamb was to be kept separate from the flock. All the families of the congregation were to kill them at the same time. All the details were carefully outlined for a mass observance. 

The blood of the lamb was to be caught in a basin. Then they were to take the blood and strike it on the two side posts and lintel of their doors. They were to roast the flesh of the lamb–never to boil it or eat it raw–but to roast it and eat it with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs. If anything was left until the morning, it was to be burned with fire. 

Even the clothing they wore for this event is specified. They were to have their clothes on, ready to move. They were to have their shoes on and a staff in their hands. They were to eat in haste because it is the LORD’S Passover. The LORD outlined the details very carefully, to come out right. The encouragement comes that in the carefully outlined details for the people of Israel, God brought them under the protection of the blood. 

Another encouragement I find is: 

The Complete Outcome of Deliverance. 

In verse 12, the LORD executed a final judgment. He said, “I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment.” This was the final judgment. 

In the earlier chapters of Exodus, God had spoken to Moses that He was going to exercise judgment against all the gods of Egypt. The various plagues, the water to blood, the frogs, the boils, the flies, the darkness, the sickness of cattle, and so on, were actually God’s judgments on the various gods of Egypt. 

In this final judgment, the LORD said He was going to smite all Egypt. All the firstborn in the land of Egypt were to be affected, from Pharaoh the king to the slave. In this final judgment, there would be no exclusions; even the beasts, the cattle, would be affected similarly.

At the same time, there was a complete outcome of deliverance. To Israel, the LORD said, “The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” There was full protection, absolutely full protection when the blood was properly applied on the two side posts and the lintels of the houses according to the detailed instructions. The LORD said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”

And He said, “because the blood is on your doorposts the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” There was full protection. It was complete outcome of deliverance as a final judgment on the people of Egypt and a full protection for the people of Israel. What was? The blood on the doorposts. 

Yes, God does what He promises to do. When those come to Him in full trust, do what He has said there is protection. But you must understand that the protection is only possible when you follow through with the details that God has outlined. In this experience, He said it was the blood on the doorposts that made the difference. 

In the third place, we find encouragement in: 

The Commemorative Outset of Directives. 

The last verse is a short verse but so full of meaning. “And this day shall be unto you for a memorial.” What is a memorial? A memorial is a day which is set aside to remember. It is a day to be kept in mind. It is a particular day. I suspect in every country, in your country, you have certain memorial days. We have certain days in the country where I live. We have days that we have set aside to keep alive the memories of special events. So, the LORD said to the people of Israel that this day, this Passover day, was to be kept in mind as a memorial, a day of memory. 

Further, He said it was to be kept as “a feast to the LORD throughout your generations.” It was not the kind of memory day that would pass with the years and be forgotten with time. It was to be an annual feast. It was to be a feast that was to be kept throughout all their generations. That means that the parents would tell the children, and the children would tell their children, and those children would tell their children, and so on. 

The final instruction from the LORD was, “you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” I was especially impressed by this word ordinance. In the Hebrew Bible, it comes from the Hebrew word chaqaq, which means to inscribe or engrave. This was to be a never-to-be-forgotten experience, somehow laid down so that it would never pass from memory. It was to be a commemorative memorial, the kind of memorial that would never be forgotten. It was engraved forever. The people of Israel keep it today. 

We do well to remember the goodness of God. This day was to tell the people of Israel to remember the goodness of God. For He had brought them complete deliverance from judgment and protected them under the blood. 

These encouragements I bring to you from the experience of Israel in ancient days. God still acts the very same way. He has given careful details to complete your deliverance so you might remember His mercy forever. Every heart covered by the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is safe from death. Make sure the blood of Jesus is applied by faith to your heart and life today.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know what this happening or why you are allowing this, but I trust you and pray that your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program. Thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 12:1-14 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

In the beginning of the Creation, God made Adam with a will. He was given the ability and the freedom to choose. From the very beginning, man was able to exercise that will. God knew when He made man with a free will that man would be able to exercise that will against his Creator. But because mankind was made in the image of God, he had to be able to have the capacity to choose, to make moral distinctions. He was not a preprogrammed robot.

To be a creature of choice is a wonderful privilege because we have the whole area of good from which we can choose. It is beautiful. There is so much in our world that is good and beautiful, so much that is fulfilling and satisfying. God has created so much for our enjoyment and for our blessing.

But we can also choose evil. We can choose to serve ourselves and our desires. That’s what makes the exercise of our will so very, very serious.

I have regrets about the times I have made wrong choices: times when I allowed my desires to control me instead of my will. Times when I was selfish instead of serving others. Times when I was harsh and unloving. When I think back on those experiences, I feel sorry, and I have regrets. I am so grateful for God’s willingness to forgive me and to restore my joy.

But I also have joyful moments when I think of my good choices. I chose the right way, and those right choices still bring me joy today. I hope you have joy in your choices too.

Self-will is the result of the abuse of freedom of choice. Self-will is when you and I set up our own will against the will of God. THE HIGH-PRICE OF SELF-WILL stands out clearly when we do not choose right. In Exodus 11:1-10, this high price of self-will is clearly shown. 

1. And the LORD said unto Moses, yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 

2. Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 

3. And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people. 

4. And Moses said, thus saith the LORD, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 

5. And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sits upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 

6. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it anymore.

7. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 

8. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in great anger. 

9. And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. 

10. And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land. 

In these verses from Exodus, I bring you three EVIDENCES of that high price of self-will. 

The first evidence is:

The Last Plague. 

God said, “This is the last time I am going to deal with Pharaoh. I will come once more. Just one more plague upon Pharaoh. That’s all. It will be the last time that I deal this way with him.” I am thinking what a tremendous price that was to Pharaoh. Moses was instructed by the LORD to tell the people of Israel to ask of their neighbors for silver and gold. This was a part of the last plague, the last time God would deal with Pharaoh. 

I notice also that God’s man, Moses, stood very high in the eyes of the Egyptians. This is not at all surprising. Think of all that Moses did in the eyes of the people as God instructed him. Through all these judgments, God showed He was superior to the pagan gods of the Egyptians. And so, when the people of God asked their Egyptian neighbors for their gold and silver, they readily gave it to them.

But self-will must meet its decisive moment. There is a time when the battle is finally joined between God’s will and self-will. Try to grasp the awfulness of this word from God: “Yet will I bring one more plague upon Pharaoh.” Think of what it means to come to the end of dealing with God. When it is all over, what is the cost? That is the high price of self-will, the last plague, the last word from God. 

There is a second evidence of the high price of self-will: 

The First-Born. 

Moses went on to tell Pharaoh how this last plague was going to happen. It would be aimed at the first-born. All other judgments had dealt with things: the cattle, the elements, the vegetation. There were boils, lice, flies, the water turned to blood, sickness upon the cattle, hail, and darkness. This one was to be different. This one was to affect the first-born of every Egyptian household, from Pharaoh upon the throne to the maid servant behind the mill. And Moses further added, it also would affect the beasts of the field.

This was a very extensive judgment. There was no mercy. All would be affected. I learn a rather striking lesson from this. Self-will leads to decisions that affect our most treasured possessions. And the consequences of our choices are not restricted to us personally. Once our choices are made and the consequences set in motion, they cannot be changed.

Pharaoh insisted upon having his own way, and it led to the destruction of his most treasured possession—his first-born son. This was his heir, the one who was to follow him on the throne of Egypt. But his self-will affected his entire country, all of his people. Do you follow me? Evidence of the high price of self-will is found in that God leveled His judgment against the first-born of man and beast. This man on the throne, Pharaoh, was responsible for judgment throughout his kingdom by his self-will. Those under your authority will be affected by your choices – for good or for ill.

The third evidence of the high price of self-will is: 

The Final Difference. 

Moses said that the children of Israel would not be affected by this last plague. He said not so much as the tongue of a dog would be moved against them and their cattle. In other words, not even a dog would bark against the children of Israel. In previous occasions, God protected and preserved His people at the time of these plagues. But this one Moses said would be final, “That you may know how that the LORD has put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” 

This difference had nothing to do with the ethnic background of the people. It wasn’t because some were Egyptians, and some were Israelites. God is the Creator of all, and He shows no partiality based on nationality or ethnicity. He loves all people equally.

The difference was that the Israelites worshipped the true God, and the Egyptians worshipped idols. This would be a great humbling of the Egyptians and their gods because God would magnify His name in all the earth by these acts. We are told that the wonders of God would be multiplied in the land of Egypt. God did all this to vindicate His High and Holy Name. 

But there was a real difference between Israel and Egypt. The reason why this difference was so sharp and so broad was that the Egyptians refused to hear God, especially Pharaoh, their king. They would not listen to the voice of the LORD as it came from the prophet Moses. And now they would suffer the consequences of not listening to God.

God has made us free moral agents. We can make our own choices. We have both the ability and the privilege. But He has also made us that we must live with the consequences of those choices, and that’s where the price often becomes rather high. That’s what happened with Pharaoh. He made his own choice, but he paid the high price of living with the consequences he had not figured on. He didn’t think carefully enough about the consequences of his choices. And there are many people just like him today. I hope you are not one of them.

Here are the evidences which we gather from Pharaoh to show how high a price one pays for self-will: the last plague showed that God was not going to deal with this man again in any measure of mercy. Pharaoh had made his choices, and now there was no turning away from the consequences of those choices.

Then, the first-born of every family all across the land would be slain. From the first-born of the king to the first-born of the slave, to the first-born of the cattle and other beasts. And that final difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites could never be erased. Those who reject God will face His divine wrath.

My friend, I want you to consider where you are. Turn to God, the God who holds your life and breath in His hands. Don’t hold out against Him, or you will learn to your regret, the high price of self-will. 

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know what this happening or why you are allowing this, but I trust you and pray that your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program. Thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 11:1-10 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

The Niagara River in the United States joins two of the five Great Lakes in the northern part of the country. I’ve seen the water pouring over these huge falls, millions of gallons of water every minute! I’m told that on the Niagara River, there is a certain point above the waterfall that marks the point of no return. If you are in the water or on it and you get beyond that point, there is no hope of escape. You will go over the falls. But as long as you stay above that point, there is still a possibility of returning. Very few people have gone over the falls and survived.

In a sense, life is like that; there is also a point of no return. After you have gone beyond that point, it is impossible to return. The choices you have made cannot be changed. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, demonstrates that for us. His repeated refusal to let God’s people go and the continual hardening of his heart led him unwaveringly to that point of no return. Eventually, it would cost him his family, his armies, and his kingdom.

In the contest between Moses and Pharaoh, the battle of the gods is about over. It is the battle between the true God, Jehovah, and the idols of Egypt. Moses was speaking for the true God, and Pharaoh was speaking for the idols. We’ve been tracing these events from the book of Exodus, and it has been thrilling to see how the hand of God was upon this pagan king and his people. We must learn the lessons recorded, or we are doomed to make the same mistakes.

Pharaoh learned that THERE IS A POINT OF NO RETURN. There is a point beyond which change is impossible. Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get away from me, take heed to yourself, see my face no more; for if you see my face, you shall die.” This was the outcome of a continual refusal on Pharaoh’s part found in Exodus 10:21-29.

21. And the LORD said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

22. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

23. They saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

24. And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let you little ones also go with you.

25. And Moses said, thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

26. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.

27. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.

28. And Pharaoh said unto him, get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

29. And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

In this text, we find the INDICATORS which should help us locate that point of no return.

The first indicator was:

The Darkness in the Land.

The Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand toward heaven, and a deep darkness would cover the land of Egypt. It would be so dense it could be felt. I have never been in that kind of darkness. Years ago, I visited an old coal mine with my family. We went down hundreds of meters into the mine. At one point, the tour guide turned out all the lights, and it was dark. It was so dark that when I put my finger on my nose, I still couldn’t see my hand. We would say it was “pitch black.” But that darkness was nothing like this.

Here was a dense darkness which the Bible says could be felt, and the oppressive darkness spread over the land of Egypt. Nothing like it had ever happened like this before. This thick darkness over the land of Egypt lasted for three days. The Bible tells us that for 72 hours, nobody was able to move. No one rose from his place. This was not natural darkness. No way. This was an act of God. This was an indicator that Pharaoh was approaching the point of no return.

Notice that this darkness engulfed the Egyptians but that the Israelites had light in their dwellings. There was a clear division between the people of Egypt and the people of God. This division shouldn’t surprise us. Remember, at creation, God separated the light from the darkness. So, there’s no reason why He couldn’t do it again; and He did.

God’s miracle of darkness for Egypt must have been symbolic. I have been impressed in my travels in various parts of the world to feel the spiritual darkness, not physical darkness. It is oppressive; it is very uncomfortable. This was real physical darkness by a miracle of God, but it was also a symbolic darkness. The land of the rebellious ones was covered with darkness. Rejection of the truth always leads to spiritual darkness, so God brought this physical darkness to cover the land of Egypt as an indicator that there is a point of no return.

The next indicator was:

The Darkness of the Mind.

So, this intense darkness came. After it had lifted, Pharaoh said to Moses, “All of you can go now, but you leave your flocks behind.” He had offered several previous compromises, which Moses refused to accept. So, this is now the darkness of his mind showing again. ‘Do a partial obedience.’ This is often the counsel of a darkened mind. “All the people may go,” Pharaoh said, “just leave your flocks behind.” Don’t go quite all the way in obeying your God.

But Moses’ response was this: he said, “Our cattle shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind.” All of us will go, and we will go all the way; we will obey God’s command completely. Moses said we are not going to leave anything behind. Furthermore, we are going because we must go.

Pharaoh couldn’t understand that because there was darkness in his mind. Pharaoh’s mind lacked spiritual understanding. The Bible tells us in First Corinthians 2:14, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The fleshly mind cannot understand the things of God. The proud mind is shrouded or veiled in darkness. Pharaoh’s mind simply couldn’t see the light because his mind was clouded with darkness.

It is the same today. Some very intelligent people in positions of leadership and responsibility are in spiritual darkness. Many of them are highly educated, but they are not wise. They reject the reality of God, His Word, and His authority. They think they know better than God does. Pharaoh is an indicator of this. His response to Moses is an indicator that you can get to the place where it is impossible for you to think clearly.

The final indicator was:

The Darkness of the Heart.

That is an awful truth, an unyielding truth. Pharaoh’s constant refusal left him with only darkness. He kept hardening his heart. He kept saying, “No, I don’t know the Lord, and I will not listen to Him,” until the time came when God hardened his heart. You read it in verse 27, “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.

Oh, the darkness of the heart. There is a point of no return, and Pharaoh spoke it out when he said, “Get away from me, take heed to yourself, see my face no more; for if you see my face you shall die.” He said, “I am through with you, and I will not let the people go.” Moses said, “As you say, I will never come back to you.” Mark it. Mark it well. Pharaoh sealed his fate by his own decision. God left it up to him and he made the decision. The darkness of his heart brought him to the point of no return. He sealed the door of his return.

Many a person has turned away at a time which affected his future most seriously and sealed the door of return.

In Romans chapter one, we read these words; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting…” They reach a point of no return.

As I have told you, there is a point of no return. How different life would have been for Pharaoh and the Egyptians if had he listened to the Lord. But he refused to hear God. We can talk about Pharaoh all we want. That’s been centuries ago. But how is it with you? Have you listened to God in the past? Are you still listening to Him today? Or have you turned a deaf ear to His voice? Learn the lesson from Pharaoh. Listen to the Lord now, or I assure you, you will one day regret your refusal to listen.

These are the indicators we find in Pharaoh’s experience. God made it plain. There was the darkness of the land, the darkness of the mind, and the darkness of the heart, which led to the point of no return. My friend, I am speaking to you right there where you are. Refuse the LORD no longer. It is time now for you to listen to God. Don’t pass the point of no return.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know what this happening or why you are allowing this, but I trust you and pray that your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program. Thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 10:21-29 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Some people think you can deal with God. They believe that if you do an evil deed, then you can do a good deed to offset it. They reason like this: at least make sure that the good you do outweighs the evil you do. Make sure that your life balance is tilted at least a little toward the good side. No, no. That won’t work. It never has worked, and it never will work.

YOU CAN’T BARGAIN WITH GOD. When you begin dealing with God, you are not in the marketplace. You are not in the place to negotiate with God. He has set the terms. Yet many think they can change those terms. They think they will be able to bargain with God. We are considering the Scripture in Exodus 10:1-20 to understand this great principle.

1. And the LORD said unto Moses, go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:

2. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.

3. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

4. Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:             

5. And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remains unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.

6. And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself and went out from Pharaoh.

7. And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, how long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

8. And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?

9. And Moses said, we will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.

10. And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.

11. Not so: go now ye that are men and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

12. And the LORD said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.

13. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

14. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

15. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.

17. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

18. And he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD.

19. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

20. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

It is of first importance that we learn this great truth: you can’t bargain with God. He has set the terms. This Scripture contains three great and sober QUESTIONS, which we shall examine to see that you can’t bargain with God.

The first question is found in verse three,

I. How Long Will You Refuse to Humble Yourself Before Me?

This question tells us that there is an absolute God. When any man faces Him, he better remember this great truth: you can’t bargain with God. This question probes where it hurts because it strikes at the pride of the heart. God stands over and above all men. He stood over and above Pharaoh, but Pharaoh refused to humble himself before God.

The question comes to you and me today, “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?” That’s the question God asks of you this very moment. That’s the question He asks of every man because He stands over and above every man in the world. Those who raise themselves up against God face this question and its awful consequences. How long will you refuse to humble yourself before God?

There is only one true God. Some people think there are many gods, and you can choose which ever one you want. But I tell you, there is only one true God, and He is asking you the question He asked Pharaoh many years ago: “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?’ Yes, it is a very important question, and it tells us clearly that you cannot bargain with God.

There comes then the second question which is found in verse seven.

II. How Long Shall This Man Be a Snare unto Us?

There is a truth imbedded in this question as well. It comes out very sharply. Evil men often blame the wrong persons. Moses was being blamed for all the problems of Egypt. Pharaoh’s servants said, “He is a snare unto us.” Moses was the target of their question. They did not realize or would not admit that Moses was not to blame at all. Moses was only trying to help them recognize the God of heaven, but they refused to recognize Him.             

Instead of laying the responsibility where it belonged, they laid the responsibility on the man who was not to blame. Even today there are people who blame the wrong person. Evil men today often blame good people for the trials and troubles and conflicts of life. Really, they ought to be searching within themselves.

So, these servants of Pharaoh came to him and said, “How long will this man be a snare unto us?” They should have said, “How long are you going to resist the LORD?” But they did not place the responsibility where it should have been. They laid it on Moses. They thought they would be able, somehow, to make a bargain here.

But listen, you can’t bargain with God. There is no point in blaming the good man or your neighbor for your ills and troubles. You had better examine yourself and carry the responsibility which really is yours. You are, after all, responsible for your own troubles. When you turn your heart to God, you will find that out.

There is a third question located in verse eight.

III. How Many Will Go?

The Bible puts it in these words, “who are they that shall go?” And Moses said we’ll all go! “We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go.” Moses was no compromiser. He stood right there and told Pharaoh exactly what he was going to do. He didn’t shift positions. He said, “We are all going.” Pharaoh said, “How many will go?” and Moses said, “We are all going. Everything we have is going along because we are going to hold a feast unto the LORD. We are not making any compromises at all. We are not in a bargaining position, sir.”

Then Pharaoh became angry and retorted, “You are not all going. Only the men will go. That’s all. I’ll let the men go, but I will not let the rest of you go.” And he drove them out of his presence. What a fearful price he paid for his arrogance! He thought he could bargain with the LORD, but he couldn’t. Immediately after his angry response, the locusts came as predicted. Moses went out and stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt. A strong east wind came, and it blew all day and all night, and by morning those locusts had covered the entire land of Egypt and devoured every green shoot that was left.

Wasn’t that an awful price to pay because Pharaoh thought he could bargain with God? When he saw his awful mistake, he called in Moses and Aaron and confessed that he had sinned. But it didn’t last. No, it didn’t last because just as soon as the LORD took those locusts away, Pharaoh turned his heart against God again.

You see, you can’t bargain with God. It is far better not to try. It is far better to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and acknowledge Him as the true God and the only God. When you do, He will be merciful.

He will be merciful right now if you humble yourself. Don’t blame your good neighbor for your problems. Look into your own heart and see your own needs, and don’t try for any compromises. Just come right straight to the LORD God, the God of Israel, the God of Moses, the Father of our LORD Jesus Christ.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know what this happening or why you are allowing this, but I trust you and pray that your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program. Thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 10:1-20 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

How many gods do you think there are in the world? One, fifty, one hundred, or more? Every religion has its own god, and some have many gods. My friend from Nepal told me that Hinduism has millions of gods and goddesses. The Bible also tells us there are many gods, but more importantly, it tells us there is only ONE true God. The rest are the creations of men.

How does the true God operate? Does He do anything in the world today? Is He concerned about what is going on? Does it make any difference to God what happens here on earth, or can men just go on their own way fashioning their own lives, forging history according to their own whims and fancy, or does God have something to do with the world and its history?

Do you have a problem with the way evil is spreading in the world? Have you ever pondered why this is? Have you wondered why God lets it go on and on? Some people say, “Why doesn’t God do something?”

The subject of my teaching is – GOD USES THE WICKED TO GLORIFY HIM. Do you believe that? Is there any question in your mind about that? A most exciting and interesting portion of God’s Word is Exodus 9:13-35 where we find that God used wicked men to glorify Him.

13. And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

14. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

15. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

16. And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

17. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

18. Behold, to-morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

19. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

20. He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:

21. And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.

22. And the LORD said unto Moses, stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

23. And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

24. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

25. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field and brake every tree of the field.

26. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

27. And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

28. Entreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

29. And Moses said unto him, as soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD’S.

30. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.

31. And the flax and the barley were smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.

32. But the wheat and the rye were not smitten: for they were not grown up.

33. And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunder and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.

34. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he, and his servants.

35. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

From this text from the Bible, we discover the CONTROLS God placed upon wicked men to bring out His glory. God uses wicked men to glorify Him.

In the First CONTROL you Find

The Intent of God

Notice in verse fourteen what God said. “For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart…that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.” God’s intention was that Pharaoh would be forced to confess that there was no one like God. Many people in the world today believe that they can go on their own way without paying any attention at all to God. But this text tells us that God has a certain intent, and He is working it out.

God said to Pharaoh that He had raised him up so that His power and Name would be declared throughout all the earth. Now that may seem a bit strange to you, but God is in such complete control that even a wicked man like Pharaoh a tool for God’s Name to be declared throughout all the earth. Some people think that God doesn’t know what’s going on. But every person, in some sense, is God’s showcase. God demonstrates His power and glory to and through every person in some way. It may not be clear to us at the moment, but God said that He had raised up Pharaoh in order to declare His Name in all the earth. This teaches us that God is in control, and He has a certain intent that He is working out.

The Second CONTROL I have Called,

The Extent of the Plague

We call this a plague because the Lord said He was going to bring a pestilence upon the people, and it would be worse than any other had been. He said it was going to rain grievous hail – worse than it had ever been before. He said, “such as has not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.”      

There is something else in this text which I believe is very important to our understanding of God’s control—He controls the elements. The God who made the world and separated the earth from the sea and the cloud from the dry land is still in charge. In this particular case, He said He was going to make it rain grievous hail. So, God controls the elements. Certainly, He does!

God warned them to take special precautions because this was going to be worse than it had ever been. This hail would kill people and the cattle in the field. So, God urged them to bring the cattle in. Those who feared the LORD did it, and those who did not fear the LORD didn’t do it. Those who obeyed saved their servants and their cattle, and those who didn’t obey lost them.

Then Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and the hail came. The description is rather awesome. “The LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt…very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.” We are also told, “And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field and brake every tree of the field.”

Now it would certainly appear that God goes to the full extent to lead men to Himself so that they might voluntarily glorify Him. It is their free choice whether they want to glorify Him, or not. And here you have the extent of the plague as another control that God has in the affairs of men.

The Final CONTROL I have Called,

The Contempt of Pharaoh

When Pharaoh saw what had happened, he called for Moses and Aaron and acted as though he had repented. I mean, he mocked it. He said, “I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.” And so, he pled that somehow the hail might cease. He said he would let them go, but we have learned that he didn’t mean it.

Moses gave him a futile warning. He said, “Look, I’ll do what you asked me to do. I’ll go out and spread out my hands before heaven, and God will stop the thunder and the rain and the hail. But I know you. I know that you will not yet fear the LORD God. You will not let the people go.” Moses knew that this was really contempt and not really the intention of Pharaoh.

And he made that fearful reversal. Once the hail ceased, the Bible tells us that he sinned yet more and hardened his heart, he, and his servants. Oh, that is very, very serious. But in it all, God was in control. Even this contempt of Pharaoh God would turn to His glory.

Pharaoh had the freedom to stand against God and not accept Him as the true God. He had the right and freedom to do that. But, oh, the result is frightening.

Wicked men glorify God because God is in control. All men someday will acknowledge Him. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess to the glory of God. Some refuse now. Some have refused. Some keep on refusing until terrible judgments are poured out, and others keep on their rebellious way.

I urge you to turn to the true God now. Acknowledge His authority and rule. Don’t be rebellious like Pharaoh. Worship and serve the God of Moses. He is my God and wants to be your God too.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching, and thank you for joining us today; we trust that you have been blessed. It is a blessing to serve a God who is personal and with us; He is Emmanuel.

It reminds me of a line of poetry by Elizabeth Browning. She said, “Earth is crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes; the rest sit round and pluck blackberries.” Do we look for and see God? Can you see Him in normal routine life? He certainly is present, but not everyone sees Him; we must have eyes for Him. Let’s be like Moses and see God. When we do, we will worship Him and share this good news with others, so others see our great God.

As I mentioned before, we would love to hear from you; here are some ways you can connect with us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is mail@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, our mailing address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. If you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching from Heralds of Hope. On our website, you will also find other resources, and we hope you find these beneficial. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks for being there. Please join us next week as we continue our journey through Exodus. Go with God this week, and we hope you will see Him and respond like the cherubim in Isaiah. “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.” May we Praise His great Name.

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 9:13-35 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

With conditions as they are in the world, we often wish for assurances. Will things continue as they have in the past, or are there major changes coming? Sometimes when you and I look around us and see all the wars and violence and famines and pestilence, we feel greatly exposed and insecure. Many people all over the world felt that way during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But I am glad to tell you that GOD PRESERVES HIS PEOPLE. Perhaps it does not always appear that way, but it is really true. The Bible gives us this great consolation and truth.

God has not chosen to always keep His people from harm. Some have gone through much suffering for their faith or suffering from some terrible disease. Even now, you may be going through great distress and physical hardship. We believe that God’s love and goodness motivate Him to preserve His own. Even though we may pass through the valley of the shadow of death, we can walk without fear because God is with us. He promised to never leave or forsake us! And He promised to accomplish His work in us through our suffering. That makes the difference, because God will go with you and me through all of our trials and troubles as we trust Him.

The reality of God preserving His people is well demonstrated in the experiences of ancient Israel and ancient Egypt. We are following through the Book of Exodus in these meditations. This message is based on Exodus 9:1-12.

1. Then the LORD said unto Moses, go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, let my people go, that they may serve me.

2. For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,

3. Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

4. And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children of Israel’s.

5. And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.

6. And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

7. And Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

8. And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, take to yourself handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.

9. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

10. And they took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

11. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

12. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.

In this Scripture, we see the ACTIONS God took to preserve His people in the land of Egypt.

The First ACTION God Took Was,

The Description of the Coming Event

He sent Moses to Pharaoh to tell him exactly what was going to happen. Once again, Pharaoh was given a chance to choose the way he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. The description is very clear. The LORD said, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still, Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon your cattle.”

When Pharaoh was given the choice, he was also told the outcome. God gave Pharaoh the opportunity to choose. He described for him what was going to happen. If he chose properly, he would have the blessing of God. If he chose improperly, he would have the judgment of God. The outcome was clearly set forth.

He was also told there would be a distinction between the children of Israel and the people of Egypt. God laid it out carefully. Pharaoh could not mistake what God was going to do because it was clearly stated. God was going to make a separation between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt. No cattle that belonged to the children of Israel would die.

Isn’t God gracious? He took the time to make a description so clear to this ancient ruler, Pharaoh. But you know, God does that today in His Book, the Bible. I keep reading from the Bible each week. Yes, God has given a careful description of how we ought to live, and if we don’t live that way, we’ll have to suffer the consequences just like Pharaoh did. He has told us how we can escape the coming judgment, how we can be preserved unto eternal life. So, there is a description here of a coming event. God acts this way to preserve His people.

The Next ACTION God Took Was,

The Infliction of the Promised Event

This action came with exact timing because the LORD appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.” God doesn’t have to say, “sometimes I’ll do this, and for certain areas, I’ll do this.” No, He controls all time, so He said exactly the time – tomorrow. Then the LORD did that thing on the next day. The infliction of the promised event came to pass exactly like it was described, exactly like it was predicted. There it was.

The exact territory was stated too. He said He was going to save the cattle of the Israelites from getting the same kind of sickness as the Egyptian cattle. We know that disease under normal conditions does not bother with geographic or political borders. It goes wherever it wants to. But God said He was going to make a distinction. He was going to make a difference. He was going to inflict the promised event upon the people of Egypt but not the children of Israel. Pharaoh didn’t really believe God until he had sent and checked that none of the cattle of the Israelites died.

Be sure you understand that God carries out with exact timing and exact territory the promised event which He said would come to pass. This is the action of God – the infliction of the promised event.

The Final ACTION God Took Was,

The Affliction Upon the Particular People

God had made a specific promise in connection with the disease that was going to strike the cattle. Following that, God made the same promise regarding the people. So, you have an affliction upon the particular people. What was that affliction?

Moses was told to go and get some handfuls of ashes from the furnace and sprinkle them toward heaven, causing boils and ulcers to break out upon man and beast all over the land of Egypt. That is exactly what happened. If you know anything about boils or ulcers, they are extremely painful. They are not something you want to experience.

When Moses did what God had asked him to do, the LORD brought the affliction upon the particular people whom He said would suffer that affliction. Notice that the magicians of Pharaoh’s court were singled out in their particular way, and the boils were upon them and upon all the Egyptians. The magicians and counselors apparently tried to persuade Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go, but Pharaoh would not do it. He would not listen to the LORD. He would not listen to his counselors. Instead, he only hardened his heart more.

Apparently, the affliction should have been worse in order for him to be persuaded. He saw the action of God in the preservation of His people, but Pharaoh still refused to let them go. He would not hearken unto his own men of faith, those whom he had gathered around him for counsel. When they gave him their counsel, he rejected it; he refused to listen.

Pharaoh’s rejection of God’s demands reminds me of the words of Solomon in Proverbs 29:1. “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Pharaoh’s arrogance and pride were going to end in personal tragedy for him and national tragedy for his people. God will humble those who walk in pride!

Throughout the millennia of time, God has always preserved His people, those who truly trust in Him. Today, He does that through their acceptance of the shed blood of Jesus as the only acceptable payment for their sin. By virtue of that faith transaction, they are adopted into His family and become His sons and daughters. By virtue of that same faith, they are kept by the power of God until they ultimately enter His presence and see Him face to face.

Are you one of God’s children? Do you know Him, and does He know you? If so, you can be fully confident in His ability to preserve you to the very end. But what is the key to preservation? The key to preservation is listening carefully to what God says and walking in obedience to His commands. God will demonstrate His power through you to a skeptical and an unbelieving world.

Thank you, Pastor J. Mark, for sharing this with us. Isn’t our God incredible? I like how Isaiah put it, “Behold, the nations are like a drop in the bucket, and are counted as dust on the scales.” In our eyes, nations and politics look big and very important, but to God, kingdoms and nations are very small. And if we look at the big picture, we can understand this.

What happened to Pharoah? Where is Babylon? What about the Greeks and the Romans? Governments come and go; they are “a drop in the bucket.” God’s plan is not threatened by them; He actually uses each of them to accomplish His purposes, He did it with Pharoah, and He does it today. He is the great one, and we humble ourselves in worship before His greatness. 

Blessings to you as you walk with our great God. If you have any questions or if you would like today’s teaching, just ask for it by title or passage. We also have a study guide available designed to help you learn more from each of these lessons in Exodus. It is called the Hope Herald, and if you would like one, we would be happy to send you one.

If you want to contact us for this or for any other reason, here are a few ways you can reach us. Email is a quick and easy way to contact us; our email is mail@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, feel free to send us a letter. You can send it to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Another way you can contact us is on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out our website for this teaching and other similar teaching. There you will also find other resources we hope you will find helpful. Again, the website is heraldsofhope.org.

Thank you for staying with us till the end; we look forward to being with you again next week as we continue this study in Exodus. Till next time as Paul told the Philippians, “May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 9:1-12 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

We are honored to be with you today. Each moment we have is a gift from God, and we trust He will bless you as you spend these moments with us. We are Heralds of Hope, and our goal is to use media, like literature, radio, and internet, to make disciples of Jesus Christ to accomplish the great commission in our lifetime. We know this is a big goal, but we believe if God’s people will stay focused, we can do this. 

A listener recently shared this testimony with us. “Your teachings are all inspiring, but this week was very inspiring. Since my wife and I have decided to follow Jesus, we have had to give up our house and job. We are in the process of moving for the second time in four months. Your teachings have helped us to see Jesus as He is in this time of great deception.”

Praise God, Jesus is with this couple, and they are growing in their understanding of Him; this is our goal for every listener. If you would like to share your testimony with us, we would love to hear it. We will share a few ways you can contact us at the end of the program.

Now turn to Exodus, and we will continue our journey through this wonderful book. We hope you will be blessed by this teaching; now, here is Bible teacher J. Mark Horst.

Can you tell the difference between a cow and a horse? What about the difference between a sheep and a goat, or between a camel and a donkey? You say those are stupid questions; of course, there is a difference between a cow and a horse, a sheep and a goat, and a camel and a donkey. Anybody should know that.

People from around the world contact us at Heralds of Hope. They ask questions like these: Tell me how to believe; Tell me more about God; I want you to help me because I am searching for God. Well, if you are searching for God, I want to help you see the difference between the people of God and other people.

Do you think there are no differences in religions? Some people think that. Hopefully, you are not one of them. There are very marked differences in religions, and I want to talk with you about that. From Exodus 8:16-32, we will see THERE IS A DIFFERENCE in religions.

16. And the LORD said unto Moses, say unto Aaron, stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

17. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

18. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.

19. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, this is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said.

20. And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh: lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, thus saith the LORD, let my people go, that they may serve me.

21. Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

22. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.

23. And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be.

24. And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

25. And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.

26. And Moses said, it is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?

27. We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.

28. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.

29. And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.

30. And Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD.

31. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.

32. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

This Scripture shows us there are certain PROOFS of difference among religions. This proof may help to answer some of your questions.

The First Proof is,

The Verdict of the Magician’s Power

The power of the magicians was limited. Up to this point, the magicians of Egypt were able to imitate the things that Moses had done when changing water into blood and bringing up frogs from the river. But this time, when Aaron struck the dust of the earth with his rod, it became crawling lice, and they could not do it. They soberly said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” They admitted that this was beyond their abilities.

Mankind can go only so far with his enchantments or with his sleight of hand tricks. This was beyond the power of the magicians. They were not able to do what Aaron had done in smiting the dust of the earth with his rod and turning it all into crawling lice.

So, they confessed they were not able to go any further. Their verdict was that this was beyond their power. There was a difference between their false religion and the true religion of Jehovah God. It was demonstrated there. Here was proof enough that there was a difference because they could not duplicate God’s power.

Here is the second proof:

The Vindication of God’s People

We learn that God sets His people apart. God does not treat His own people like He treats the wicked. God deals differently with those who trust in Him than He does with others. Here it is so clear that it is difficult for me to see how anybody could be mistaken about it, because He said, “I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell…And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be.”

I believe that God still operates that way. There is a difference between those who trust in the Lord and those who do not. I sometimes explain it like this: there is a certain area where the justice of God must operate because in order to be righteous, He must also be just.

Then there is another area where the mercy of God operates because God is merciful and gracious. He could not be just if He were not merciful, you see. He could not be merciful if He were not just. The difference comes in this consideration: you make the choice into which area you come. The people of God were trusting in Him, and He said, “I am going to make a division.” He had purpose in the proof. He said furthermore, “This is the reason I am doing this to the end, that thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.”

Some people think of God as being way out there, unreachable. He is the God out there. But we know He is also the God who is present with His people. Moses showed Pharaoh that God makes a difference between His people and other people because He is in the midst of the earth.

Now you have the third proof that there is a difference:

The Violation of Pharaoh’s Promise

He said, “I will let you go…entreat the Lord for me that these flies leave.” Imagine! All the horrid swarms of flies just simply crawling all over. Now the Bible says the land was corrupted by reason of these swarms of flies everywhere. Flies are filthy disease carriers. So, when the situation got intolerable, then Pharaoh said, “Entreat the LORD, and I will let you go.”

But he did not follow through; he didn’t keep his promise. He hardened his heart again and would not let the people go. I’ve met people like that; they make promises to the Lord when life is difficult and when the situation is hard, but as soon as it is relieved, they forget. Men cannot be trusted. Like Pharaoh, they’re prone to change their mind. But God can be trusted.

There is a difference between unfaithful men and the faithful God. There is a difference, I tell you. There is a difference between the power of the magicians and the power of God. There is a difference between the people of God and the people who are not.

So, the proof is here for you. There is a difference. Human power has its limitations. Man can go so far and no farther. There is a difference between the power of God and the power of men. This is well demonstrated and proven in this text by the magicians who said, “This is the finger of God.” They could go no farther.

Further proof is that God makes a difference between those who belong to Him and those who do not. He put a distinct line between His people and Pharaoh’s people. It reminds me of the words of Abraham when he was pleading for the Lord to spare Sodom. He said, “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Remember, too, there is a difference between the unfaithfulness of men and the faithfulness of God. Pharaoh demonstrated and proved it beyond doubt. At one time, he said, “Yes, I’ll let you go,” and as soon as the situation was relieved, he refused to keep his promise. But God doesn’t operate that way. When God makes a promise, He keeps it. Yes, He keeps all of His promises. God can be trusted.

Yes, there is a difference. All religions are not the same. The proof is here for you. Check it out for yourself. Trust in the God who makes the difference.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching, and thank you for joining us today; we trust that you have been blessed. If you have been, we would love to hear how. Our contact information is coming. If you have any questions or comments, we would also love to hear from you. 

It is a blessing to serve a God who is personal and with us; He is Emmanuel. It reminds me of a line of poetry by Elizabeth Browning. She said, “Earth is crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes; the rest sit round and pluck blackberries.” Do we look for and see God? Can you see Him in normal routine life? He certainly is present, but not everyone sees Him; we must have eyes for Him. Let’s be like Moses and see God. When we do, we will worship Him and share this good news with others, so others see our great God.

As I mentioned before, we would love to hear from you; here are some ways you can connect with us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is mail@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, our mailing address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. If you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching from Heralds of Hope. On our website, you will also find other resources, and we hope you find these beneficial. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks for being there. Please join us next week as we continue our journey through Exodus. Go with God this week, and we hope you will see Him and respond like the cherubim in Isaiah. “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.” May we Praise His great Name. 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 8:16-32 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

It is good to have you join us for today’s teaching from Exodus. We hope our study in Exodus will remind you that there is no God like our God. Our God is at work during every time period. I am sure the Hebrew slaves at the beginning of Exodus were wondering, “Where are you, God? Can you hear us? Do our prayers make a difference?” We ask the same questions. “God, do you see? Do my prayers matter?”

The answer for the Israelites is the same as God’s answer to you, which is the answer He always gives His children. It’s a resounding YES. God knows, and God sees. He is involved in the details of His creation. He doesn’t sleep, He’s never on vacation, and His people are special to Him; He cares about us and is with us. It might not seem like it, but the story isn’t over. Just like God showed up for the Israelites in Egypt, we trust Him with our story. We don’t know how it’s going to end, but He does, so we trust Him. 

Thanks again for joining us on Hope for Today. This program is brought to you by Heralds of Hope. We are a small radio ministry serving a great big God. Let’s go with Bible teacher J. Mark to Exodus for today’s teaching.

There are many religions in the world. Are they all the same? The obvious answer is NO. They are too different in their beliefs and practices to be the same or even to originate from the same God.

I believe God has revealed Himself in His Holy Book. I believe there is, in fact, only one Holy Book: the Bible of the Old and New Testaments. And I believe that there is only one true God: the God of the Bible. He is the One who has revealed Himself in His Holy Book.

Do you know God? Have you had any conversation or communion with Him? I want to show you that there is NONE LIKE GOD. That truth is clearly set forth in Exodus 8:1-15.

1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, thus saith the LORD, let my people go, that they may serve me.

2. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:

3. And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs:

4. And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.

5. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, say unto Aaron, stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.

6. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.

7. And the magicians did so with their enchantments and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

8. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.

9. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?

10. And he said, tomorrow. And he said, be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.

11. And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.

12. And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.

13. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.

14. And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.

15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said.

In this text, we see how God provided OPPORTUNITIES to demonstrate the fact that there is none like God. You can’t find any other religion quite like this in the world. Christianity stands in a unique position among all religions. God provides us in this brief Scripture the opportunities to see how He demonstrated that He is the only true God.

In the first opportunity He gave Pharaoh

The Choice of Obedience

Moses went to Pharaoh and said, “The Lord has said, let my people go that they may serve me.” Then Moses went a bit further and added, “And if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your borders with frogs,” God put before Pharaoh the opportunity to make the choice of obedience. His free will was not violated. This way, God proves that He is the only true God.

Moses set before Pharaoh the choice of obedience: you can let God’s people go that they may serve me; or, if you do not let them go, then I will bring frogs upon your land. They will come out of the river in such abundance that they will be in your house; they will be in your bedroom; they will be on your bed; they will be in the house of your servants; they will be in your ovens; they will be in the troughs where you knead your bread dough. They will be everywhere.

The Nile River was normally a source of blessing to the Egyptian people. But if Pharaoh refused to make the choice of obedience, this river would become a curse to them.

God operates that way even today. He provides the choice of obedience to every person because God has made us with the free will to choose. In this message, you are being presented with a choice: the choice of obeying the God who is the true God. No other god is like Him. Just as Pharaoh faced this opportunity with the choice of obedience many years ago, so you are facing that choice now.

Another opportunity that is demonstrated in this Scripture is

The Desire of Entreaty

The frogs came because Moses instructed Aaron to stretch out the rod of God over the streams, rivers, and ponds. Try to imagine how this must have been because frogs are cold-blooded and slimy. Picture throwing back the covers to get into bed, and there are several frogs. You walk out into the next room, and there are frogs. Frogs everywhere. They were in the house, in the bedchamber, in the bed, in the house of his servants and upon the people, in the ovens, and in the kneading troughs.

Suppose you are mixing up bread dough and PLUNK! here comes a frog right in the middle of it. Or you are ready to put the bread in the oven, and OOPS! there goes a frog right into your oven. What a disgusting time it must have been!

It is not surprising that after this, Pharaoh called for Moses and said, “Intreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.”

Then Moses made a bargain with Pharaoh. He said, “You choose the time.” Notice, the magicians were able to bring up frogs unto the land of Egypt, but they were not able to make them go away. The magicians imitated the miracle, but they could not control the frogs. So, when Pharaoh wanted relief from the frogs, he asked Moses to entreat the LORD.

Moses replied, “Well, when do you want this to happen? You choose the time.” And Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” You would have thought he would have said, “Immediately!” But, no, he was willing to wait overnight, so he said, “Tomorrow is the time.”

Moses answered, “It will be exactly as you have said. The LORD will hear and do exactly like you have spoken. Then you will know that there is none like the Lord our God.” God is able to act within a split second of the exact time which has been set. And He will. Now you have the first two opportunities – the choice of obedience and the desire of entreaty.

The third opportunity is seen in

The Prayer of Moses

“Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the Lord because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.” There was a beautiful opportunity for prayer by the man of God. God hears the prayers of His servants. If you want answers to your prayers, then you must first be in touch and communion with God and serve Him like Moses served Him.

Notice that Moses cried “And the Lord did according to the word of Moses.” I can bear testimony to the fact that when you cry unto the Lord, if you are in touch with Him, He does answer your prayers.

Is there another God like Jehovah God? No, there is not. There is none like Him. That is the point and purpose of this entire experience because Moses said, “You are going to know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.” There are plenty of gods who claim deity and supernatural powers, but they do not perform. They make their proclamations, but they cannot carry them out. So let us praise the Lord that we have the opportunity of praying to a God who hears when we pray in sincerity and in truth.

The incident closes with the picture of what happened when God acted to control the frogs. The frogs died out of the houses and out of the villages and out of the fields, and they gathered them into heaps, and the land really stank. There must have been thousands, perhaps millions, of these frogs everywhere.

Unfortunately, when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, when there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to Moses and Aaron, as the Lord had said he would do. But this experience was to demonstrate that there is no God like the Lord God of the Bible. God gave them opportunities to prove that there is none like Him.

Let me remind you that today you have the choice of obedience, the desire of entreaty, and the opportunity of prayer. These opportunities should convince you to trust in the God of the Bible. He is the God who is above all. There is none like God.

Thank you, Pastor J. Mark, for sharing this with us. Isn’t our God incredible? I like how Isaiah put it, “Behold, the nations are like a drop in the bucket, and are counted as dust on the scales.” In our eyes, nations and politics look big and very important, but to God, kingdoms and nations are very small. And if we look at the big picture, we can understand this.

What happened to Pharoah? Where is Babylon? What about the Greeks and the Romans? Governments come and go; they are “a drop in the bucket.” God’s plan is not threatened by them; He actually uses each of them to accomplish His purposes, He did it with Pharoah, and He does it today. He is the great one, and we humble ourselves in worship before His greatness. 

Blessings to you as you walk with our great God. If you have any questions or if you would like today’s teaching, just ask for it by title or passage. We also have a study guide available designed to help you learn more from each of these lessons in Exodus. It is called the Hope Herald, and if you would like one, we would be happy to send you one.

If you want to contact us for this or for any other reason, here are a few ways you can reach us. Email is a quick and easy way to contact us; our email is mail@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, feel free to send us a letter. You can send it to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Another way you can contact us is on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out our website for this teaching and other similar teaching. There you will also find other resources we hope you will find helpful. Again, the website is heraldsofhope.org.

Thank you for staying with us till the end; we look forward to being with you again next week as we continue this study in Exodus. Till next time as Paul told the Philippians, “May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 8:1-15 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

**Read more about The Plague of Frogs.

One great truth of our times we need to keep before us is this, there will be a time of judgment. God has promised and predicted a definite time of judgment. We must remember this as we see the events in our world today. Let me help you grasp this truth as we review an event in the life of the children of Israel. When they were in the land of Egypt many, many years ago, God was preparing to bring them out.

Let us turn to Exodus 7:14-25 to learn some valuable truths regarding the judgment of God when water turned to blood.

14. And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.

15. Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.

16. And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

17. Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

18. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.

19. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.

20. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

21. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

22. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

23. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.

24. And all the Egyptians digged round a bout the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.

25. And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.

This is a very interesting and informative Scripture. I want you to see that the Lord said that Pharaoh was to learn ‘who is God’ by what He was going to do. This account should teach us several valuable TRUTHS regarding the judgment of God when water turned to blood.

First there is,

The Prediction of Judgment.

When God gave us the Bible, He departed from what all other religions do. He spoke to us about impending judgment but also showed us the way to secure mercy. Because God is not willing that any should perish, He always gives a warning. In this case, He was very specific when He sent Moses to Pharaoh and told him exactly what would happen if he did not listen and obey Him. The Bible has many other passages in which this same truth is brought forth.

God sent Moses to Pharaoh to tell him precisely what He was going to do and why. In this way, God is just and also merciful because He does not pour out judgment without first warning people. Here you have the prediction of judgment. And notice the LORD always works toward the goal of all men knowing that He is God. The Bible tells us in other places that the world of nature around us is constantly witnessing to the fact of God. David, in Psalm 19, said that the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament makes manifest (shows forth) His creativity. In other words, everywhere we look, there is evidence of God.

Here He is moving to bring Pharaoh to the point where he would confess that the LORD is God. That is the purpose of God in the revelation He has given us in nature and in His Word. That’s why the LORD sent Moses to Pharaoh with a word: a word which He gave him. It is the prediction of judgment. We can take comfort from this because God has told us also of other times of judgment yet to come. For example, “It is appointed unto man once to die; and after that the judgment.” But He has also told us how to escape that coming judgment.

There is another truth which we gather from this text:

The Execution of Judgment.

When God predicts that judgment will come, He carries it out. He does not waver or hesitate. He carries out what He has predicted and what He has assured men He will do. The LORD spoke to Moses and told him that Aaron was to take the rod in his hand and to stretch it out upon the waters of Egypt. God told him what the result would be, and it came to pass. All the waters that were in the river were turned to blood, so the fish that were in the river died, and the river stank. The Egyptians could not drink of the water because it was blood. That would have been an awful experience indeed.

The Nile River normally flows its peaceful way from the south to the north and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River is vital to the life in Egypt today, just as it was in the time of Moses. Farmers irrigate their fields from the waters of the Nile, and ships transport their goods from place to place along its banks.

        The Nile was likewise very important in ancient times. We are informed by historians that since the Egyptians in ancient times did not know the source of the Nile, they had felt it was sacred and made it a god. It overflowed its banks every spring. Every time the snows began to melt, and the heavy rains of the wintertime came, the overflow of the Nile provided food and sustenance for the people of Egypt as indeed it does today.

However, God executed judgment upon the people of Egypt, and He turned the water of the Nile into blood. The fish in the river died, and the river stank. The fish were a source of food for them, but God was executing a judgment upon that which they had placed above Him. They had made the Nile a god when only God has the right to occupy a sacred place in the thoughts and hearts of people.

Pharaoh’s response to the prediction of divine judgment forced God to carry it out. Pharaoh would not listen and, therefore, God must do what He said He would do. And He did.

There is a third truth we get from this tremendous experience:

The Imitation of Judgment.

It seems strange to us, perhaps, that the Lord would permit the magicians, the wisemen, the astrologers of Egypt to do with their enchantments exactly as Aaron had done with the rod of God. But sometimes God permits wicked men certain liberties to carry out His purposes. In this case, it was for the express purpose that the final end might be accomplished. In other words, by letting the magicians carry out the same kind of action and turn water into blood, God prepared the heart of Pharaoh even more for His divine judgment.

Notice in this text in verse 25 that the LORD continued this judgment upon the River Nile for seven days so that the people nearly died of thirst because they couldn’t drink the water of the Nile. So they began digging along the banks of the river to find some water fit to drink.

Let us remember the particular reason behind this judgment. God was about to deliver His people, the people of Israel, from Egypt though they had been there for four hundred years. He had promised to the patriarch Abraham that He would do this in due time, and He was now carrying it out.

As we reflect upon this experience in the life of the Children of Israel, we learn some valuable truths regarding the judgment of God. When God predicts judgment, it is a fair warning. Second, God must execute judgment. He must carry out what He has promised in accordance with man’s response to Him. Third, God may permit men to imitate His judgments so that their judgment may be just. Remember, since God has spoken absolutely in His Holy Word, it is of utmost importance that you turn in simple faith and trust to Him and escape His judgment.

Thanks, J. Mark, for teaching us more from Exodus, and thank you for being there. If you would like this teaching or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us; I’ll give you our contact information shortly.

I love how Exodus teaches us that God is in control and He’s at work, He always has been, and He always will be. We can trust Him right now, no matter what we are experiencing. We won’t always understand Him, but we can trust Him. His timing might be different than ours; think about Moses. And He may not do what we think He should be doing; remember what happened to Joseph. However, we have the benefit of looking back at many years of history, and we can see God is Sovereign: His purposes will be accomplished. This is His story, and He is the author.

If you are interested, we have a study guide for Exodus available. It is a small booklet designed to help you learn more from each of these lessons. We call it the Hope Herald, and if you would like one, all you have to do is ask.

Here is how you can connect with us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please look around for more teaching like this. On our website, you will also find other resources available from Heralds of Hope. Again, the website is www.Heraldsofhope.org.

Thanks again for joining us for today’s program. I encourage you to join us again next week as we continue our study in Exodus. We look forward to being with you then and will leave you with a verse from I Corinthians 10, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, Do it all for the glory of God!” Blessings to you as you glorify Him.

This episode is an exposition of Exodus 7:14-25 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Hope does not mean we ignore the conditions around us. Hope means we rise above them. It means to trust in One who controls all the conditions. It was King David who once said, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee.” That’s why I often say there is no hope except in God’s Word and through faith in God.

Moses, preparing to go before Pharaoh, received his final instructions from the Lord in this way, “Do what I tell you.” The Lord had spoken to Moses several times and said to him, “I am the Lord. Speak thou unto Pharoah, king of Egypt, all that I say unto thee.” The final instructions for Moses were to do what God told him.

Let me draw some lessons from that for you. When God has spoken, we have no other recourse than to do what He said, especially if we want the blessing of the LORD. Moses, it seems, needed to learn that truth over and over. Somehow, he was not only slow of speech and slow of tongue, but a bit slow of learning. So are we. It seems we are so slow in learning the great Bible truths, but God is patient. He keeps working with us as He did with Moses.

Exodus 7:1-13 is a very interesting Scripture. It demonstrates to us that YOU CAN’T STOP GOD.

1. And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

2. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he sends the children of Israel out of his land.

3. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

4. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

5. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

6. And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.

7. And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spoke unto Pharaoh.            

8. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

9. When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

10. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

11. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

12. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.

13. And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said.

In this text, we find several different VIEWPOINTS which must bring us to the absolute conclusion that you can’t stop God.

The first viewpoint we have is,

The Promise.

Observe how carefully God arranged everything. I am impressed that God does not leave anything to chance. He knew exactly how He was going to work this out, and so He laid out the arrangement. He said to Moses, “I have made thee a god, and Aaron thy brother is thy prophet. Now then, this is the way it is going to work. I will speak to you; you will speak to Aaron; Aaron will speak to Pharaoh.” Do you get the point? Very clearly and carefully, the Lord had set up what we call “the chain of command.” There could be no variation from this. It was: God Almighty, Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh.

I want you to notice in verse 2 that God said, “You will speak all that I command you. You’ll say everything I tell you to say.” That is so important. Many people today take exception to some of the things the Lord has said and reason around them. But Moses was instructed by the LORD that there was no way that he could leave anything out. “You shall speak all that I have spoken.”

Notice also that the LORD promised that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart so that He would be able to multiply His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. We’ll see in a minute why God did that. But there is a promise. He had it all arranged for them so that there would be complete assurance that it would work. You can’t stop God. When He steps out to do this or that, He will do what He has promised. He will do it.

As we look further, we see,

The Plan.

First, He was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not listen. He said He was going to do that so that He could lay His hand upon Egypt and bring forth His people. God outlined this very carefully so that there could be no question about what the purpose was. We must remember that God didn’t violate Pharaoh’s choices. God only hardened Pharaoh’s heart after Pharaoh had already done that by his own will.

God didn’t harden Pharaoh just for the sake of hardening his heart, but He hardened him so He could judge him, and finally, all the Egyptians would know who God is. Look at the first clause in verse 5, “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” The actions of God always have Divine purpose undergirding them.

God’s purpose is to honor His Name and to display His glory so there can be no question about who He is and the extent of His power. He said, “They are going to know when I have stretched forth my hand and brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.” There will be no question as to who God is.

No, you can’t stop God when His promise is so clearly set forth and when His plan is so carefully laid out. Sadly, too many people have yet to learn this lesson. They think they can be successful in frustrating or defeating God’s plans. They will find out to their own hurt, just like Pharaoh did, that they are powerless before Almighty God.

This leads to the third viewpoint:

The Promotion.

How was God going to carry out His purpose? He made the promise; He laid out the plan; now, how is He going to promote this? God said to Moses and Aaron, “When you go to speak to Pharaoh, and he asks you to show a miracle, then you will take the rod and cast it down before Pharaoh.” Moses would use the rod of God as a tool in God’s promotion of His power.

Earlier in the book of Exodus, when God first came to Moses there in the desert of Mt. Sinai, He asked him, “What is in your hand?” It was a rod. The LORD had said, “You are going to do great and marvelous and wonderful things with this rod.” Then he was to say to Aaron, “Take this rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a snake.” He did what God said, and immediately, it became a snake.

So, Pharaoh called in all his magicians, and they duplicated the miracle. They threw their rods on the ground, and their rods became snakes, too. I’m not sure how helpful that was, but keep in mind that the LORD was hardening Pharaoh’s heart. In this way, God could stretch out His hand with many signs and wonders. The magicians most likely did not have this power in themselves, but God, in keeping with His plan, purpose, and promotion, permitted their rods to become snakes.

What happened? Aaron’s snake swallowed all the other snakes. That implied a greater power was at work in this unusual miracle. Now you would think in that situation, Pharaoh should have believed – but he refused.

There are similar evidences all about us. We can see the hand of God in history. Men have tried to stop God but to no avail. We also see the hand of God in the present. Just like He did with Pharaoh, He sometimes uses the vilest of leaders to accomplish His purposes. And they are now aware of what is happening. We sometimes wonder how much more proof God would have to bring in order for everybody everywhere to accept Him.

God said, “They shall know that I am the LORD.” Do you know Him? I know, it’s easy to think about your neighbor, or about some other person, but the question comes to you. Do you know the LORD? If you don’t, reach out to Him today! He wants you to know Him.

Thanks, J. Mark, for teaching us more from Exodus, and thank you for being there. If you would like this teaching or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us; I’ll give you our contact information shortly.

I love how Exodus teaches us that God is in control and He’s at work, He always has been, and He always will be. We can trust Him right now, no matter what we are experiencing. We won’t always understand Him, but we can trust Him. His timing might be different than ours; think about Moses. And He may not do what we think He should be doing; remember what happened to Joseph. However, we have the benefit of looking back at many years of history, and we can see God is Sovereign: His purposes will be accomplished. This is His story, and He is the author.

If you are interested, we have a study guide for Exodus available. It is a small booklet designed to help you learn more from each of these lessons. We call it the Hope Herald, and if you would like one, all you have to do is ask.

Here is how you can connect with us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please look around for more teaching like this. On our website, you will also find other resources available from Heralds of Hope. Again, the website is www.Heraldsofhope.org.

Thanks again for joining us for today’s program. I encourage you to join us again next week as we continue our study in Exodus. We look forward to being with you then and will leave you with a verse from I Corinthians 10, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, Do it all for the glory of God!” Blessings to you as you glorify Him.

This episode is an exposition of Exodus 7:1-13 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.