Exodus 19:1-8 comments: a kingdom of priests, a holy nation

Exodus 19:1 ¶  In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2  For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. 3  And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. 5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7  And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8  And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

Now, we’re back in the main narrative after the interlude about Jethro’s visit. We pick up where we left off as the Hebrews into the Sinai desert where they encamped before Horeb in Sinai, the mount of God.

As God calls Moses from the mountain, he uses the typology of eagles’ wings as the means by which He brought the Hebrews to Him. However, we know that they did not fly on eagles’ wings. This is symbolic speech. It will be used again.

Revelation 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Either the verse in Revelation refers to God’s supernatural deliverance imposed on a physical world or it is a reference to some country delivering the Jews from danger or, judging by how such a symbology is used in Exodus it is both. God uses human and natural agents to cause His supernatural deliverance, perhaps, as He did here by crushing the Egyptian army and delivering the Hebrews. God saved them but it is their own legs that are hiking them to the mountain.

We’ve seen all through Genesis and Exodus how God uses things and people in our reality to accomplish His purposes. When these are mixed with great events He causes we can understand how He moves things forward in His ministry of reconciling man to Himself.

Moses adds to this symbolic usage of eagles’ wings in a later reference.

Deuteronomy 32:11  As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12  So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

Verses 5 and 6 contain an important set of references.

1 Peter 2:4 ¶  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

The followers of Christ are called an holy priesthood who deliver up spiritual sacrifices.

Romans 12:1 ¶  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The children of Israel were called out to be something special for God. The Christian is called to a purpose, as well.

Deuteronomy 33:2  And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Isaiah 61:6  But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

Revelation 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Revelation 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

In verse 8 the children of Israel make a promise to God that they will break time and again.

All that the LORD hath spoken we will do…

The writings of Luke the physician starting with his version of the gospel - Luke 7:19-23 comments: a declaration of who Jesus is

Luke 7:19 ¶  And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20  When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21  And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22  Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

John is seeking confirmation that there is no one to come after Jesus. This seems rather odd for us as John the Baptist is the one who announced Jesus first to the people. However, I read in a book entitled A History of Messianic Speculation in Israel from the First through the Seventeenth Centuries by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver that there was an expectation of two messiahs at times, one; Messiah ben Joseph and, two; Messiah ben David. One is a conqueror and one suffers for the people of Israel and dies fighting the enemies of God and Israel. Jewish tradition also refers to, “The Four Craftsmen.”  Whether these rabbinic teachings of multiple messiahs are later interpolations or not it is clear that John is wondering if all of the prophecies will be fulfilled in one man; Jesus Christ. The Dead Sea Scrolls also speak of something like a war-messiah from the tribe of Ephraim dated to the first century before Christ, a suffering Messiah, and a priestly Messiah figure.

Jesus implies that there is no need to look for anyone else to come after Him. All is being fulfilled and will be fulfilled in Him. Just as Jesus quoted Isaiah in chapter 4 stopping at a point in the prophecy where what comes next signified His second coming to earth at the end to take control so here is another example of a prophecy in Isaiah where by Jesus alluding to it He is saying He is fulfilling and will fulfill in Himself the prophecies concerning the Messiah. Read the entire chapters of Isaiah 34 and 35 to see examples of what I mean. In these passages we have the return of the Jews supernaturally to Israel at the end as well as the judgment of God.

Isaiah 35:3  Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

    5 ¶  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. 7  And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. 8  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

And again, review Isaiah 61;

Isaiah 61:1 ¶  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Compare the break after the comma in verse 2 of Isaiah 61 with where Jesus stops reading in Luke 4.

Luke 4:17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20  And he closed

the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

It is a person’s own hard heart that would prevent them from seeing that He is the Messiah, God walking on earth in the flesh, the Redeemer of all mankind. It is your own sinful nature that prevents you from receiving Christ as your Saviour, to be offended in Him.

Isaiah 8:13  Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14  And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15  And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

1Peter 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Jesus declares Himself to be the Messiah that the Jews are waiting for and God, our Creator, the Saviour of all mankind. This is clear.

John 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

John 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Luke 23:42  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

In the interaction with Peter in Matthew Jesus lets Peter make this declaration of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God or God walking in the flesh, and it is upon that belief, that rock of faith, that He will build His church, a called-out assembly, His body walking on earth after His physical departure.

Matthew 16:13 ¶  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20  Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

There are no other messiahs to come and Christ is the only way to approach God the Father as He was Him walking in the flesh.

Isaiah 43:11  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

He is the Saviour of the world.

John 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Exodus 18:13-27 comments: Jethro encourages Moses to delegate authority

Exodus 18:13 ¶  And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. 14  And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? 15  And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16  When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. 17  And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18  Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19  Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 20  And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22  And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23  If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. 24  So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. 25  And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26  And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27  And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Here is a passage whose application is much disputed. Some will say that Moses was given good advice by Jethro and was wise in following it. Some will say that Moses should not have listened as he was the man God had placed the authority upon and the advice was from a man and not from God Himself. However, God confirmed that Moses delegating authority was truly a good idea.

Numbers 11:16 ¶  And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 17  And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

In any event, without taking the time to make this study on Exodus a harmonization with the other books Moses wrote regarding when different events took place in relation to each other, Jethro has made it so that Moses is not spending all of his time judging petty disputes. When the Apostles of Christ were getting bogged down in administrative needs they elected Deacons to carry out those necessary things so they could devote themselves to the ministry of the word of God.

Acts 6:1 ¶  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

An ability and a willingness to delegate responsibility and authority is the sign of a successful leader. The Bible seems to make that quite clear. To say that Moses’ following Jethro’s advice is the cause of all the later problems is to deny the wickedness of the human heart and say that people just need good, competent human leadership and they won’t go wrong, which is a denial of the reality, the truth, the Bible lays out for us to learn. That kind of thinking justifies every dictator and human tyrant that ever existed. No, the children of Israel went wrong because they did not trust God, nor fear Him, as they should have. It was their own wicked hearts that caused their problems, not a lack of leadership on Moses’ part.

The writings of Luke the physician starting with his version of the gospel - Luke 7:1-18 comments: the centurion's servant

Luke 7:1 ¶  Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 2  And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 3  And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 4  And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 5  For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 6  Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 7  Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 8  For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 9  When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10  And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

Here is a Gentile, a member of the ruling establishment of Roman imperialism, who understands that Christ has authority, with just a word, to command a thing to be done and that it will be done. He acknowledges that the material world and the spiritual are under Christ’s control. With just a word the centurion’s servant will be healed.

One thing of note is that this centurion is a supporter of the Jewish nation and people and has even built a synagogue. There are several conditions here that this Gentile meets. He acknowledges the power of Christ, that he himself is not worthy to be in Christ’s presence, and that Christ’s authority extends to having His will accomplished with just a word. This is the kind of worship that we would do well to consider.

    Luke 7:11 ¶  And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17  And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. 18  And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

This second miracle after His ‘Sermon on the Plain’ Jesus accomplishes without faith of the one suffering. He tells the women to weep not and then raises her son from his funeral bier. So, there are two immediate instances where Christ’s authority is manifested. The first as a response of great faith on the part of a Gentile who humbles himself before Christ. The other is Christ reaching out to someone who is suffering grief and restoring their loved one to them, who in this culture was not only a beloved son but probably the only source of livelihood for the woman, without any faith being expressed.

I think these are two important points. God can heal as a response to faith and He can heal without any faith being expressed. His power is absolute. He has healed a sick person and raised a dead person to life.

John the Baptist’s disciples report to him what is happening.

Exodus 18:7-12 comments: Jethro honors God

Exodus 18:7 ¶  And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. 8  And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them. 9  And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10  And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11  Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. 12  And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God.

Here we have some Near Eastern customs. Moses honors his father-in-law with honor and a kiss and polite conversation. There are cultures on earth today where it is not uncommon for men to great each other with a kiss on the cheek. Paul references such a greeting even though it is not customary in America, as we prefer a handshake. A chaste and non-sexual kiss is a form of greeting.

Romans 16:16  Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

1Corinthians 16:20  All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

2Corinthians 13:12  Greet one another with an holy kiss.

1Thessalonians 5:26  Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

Let that be a warning to you not to let cultural customs in the Bible become spiritual dogma. I doubt a young man would ever get married if he insisted on waiting for a young woman to water his camels, as in Genesis 24, as a sign that God had sent her to him. Nor does a hair-style determine a woman’s relationship to God as an out-of-context reading of 1Corinthians 11 might suggest to the fundamentalist of today.

Moses did something for his father-in-law that the children of Israel failed to do for their children. He related what God had done for the children of Israel. This was something that the children of Israel did not do.

Judges 2:10  And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

Here Jethro worships and honors Jehovah God as greater than all gods. This is the key element of Hebrew and Christian worship and understanding, and all of the monotheistic religions. It is a belief that the adherent is worshipping the supreme God of all. Then, the difference comes to arguments over His nature, His revelation of Himself, and His expectations of the obedient man or woman. But, here, even the pagan Jethro acknowledges that the God of the Hebrews is actually THE God. He has vanquished the gods of the Egyptians who had no power to withstand Him. In fact, He conquered not only any efforts they could have made, if they really existed, but He conquered the idea of gods, the concept of unseen theoretical entities that allow things to have mass or substitute dead particles such as photons for God’s Light, and all the vain imaginations of mankind.

Jehovah, the LORD, all capitals, whom Strong’s translates as, “the existing one,” is greater than all spiritual beings and all things real or imagined by men and women.

 1Kings 8:60  That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.

Isaiah 45:5  I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

We learned earlier that God simply is, and that is His name, I AM THAT I AM, or simply I AM. Science requires that if you put forth a proposition, a statement of presumed fact, that you should be able to make certain predictions from it. Genesis 1:1 says that God created the universe. So, one could logically assume that since an intelligent entity created everything that a certain degree of design and order must be present in it as in our experience order does not come from disorder without intelligent guidance. This is, indeed, the case. Physicists are looking for a unifying “theory of everything.” Well, it is right here in front of us. He is the God of the Bible. His existence explains everything.

Who is God? He is the uncreated person and entity who created all that is. He simply is, as He said Himself, I AM THAT I AM.

Exodus 3:13  And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

It is a nonsensical question to ask who created God. Such a question is a philosophical absurdity. It is like asking; could God create a rock so heavy He could not lift it? Such questions are the pure gibberish of the skeptic whose mind is blinded by the god of this world, Satan.

God is the source of all reality; seen and unseen. In Job God states that everything from dust forming into a clod of dirt in a farmer’s field to lions catching their prey, with the movements of distant galaxies to rain happening in places on earth where there is no man are all direct results of His direct actions. Read Job, chapter 38. God is not a watchmaker winding up the clock and walking away or standing to admire His work. He makes the hands move and the tick-tock sound is part of His second-by-second control of all events. So, Modernism, even with Christians since Isaac Newton, by reducing God to the ultimate first cause without an active role in every moment of our existence, is just simply one of the things that is in error about man’s thinking. Nothing happens by itself without direction, meaningless and pointless, a result of blind chance. Absolutely nothing.

The writings of Luke the physician starting with his version of the gospel - Luke 6:37-49 comments: judge not, and ye shall not be judged

Luke 6:37 ¶  Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. 39  And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both

fall into the ditch? 40  The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42  Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye. 43  For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44  For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Verses 37 and 38 show us something of the nature of the judgment awaiting the followers of Christ, who it appears shall be judged by the same leniency or severity, mercy or self-righteousness, that they judged others by. We are warned elsewhere.

James 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

To render benevolence to others is an important trait that Christ commands we are to express.

Proverbs 19:17  He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

The person who does not understand or accept the basic fundamentals of Christ’s will for the believer is like a blind person trying to lead someone who is blind. Both will stumble. We are to be like Christ, He says.

In keeping with these thoughts the question arises of why, when we have our own glaring faults and transgressions are we so intent on nitpicking other people’s faults? Be concerned with your own sins first before you go off on others about theirs.

Before we can examine the sins of someone else we must look to our own. I mentioned Galatians 5 in the last passage and a born-again person produces that fruit. How can we hope, with a bitter, self-righteous, and judgmental heart to produce the fruit that Christ wants for us?

Christ finishes in this passage with an analogy to building a house with a foundation on solid ground or on soft soil. These passages have been ripped out of context and misused so many times to justify a pastor’s desire for control or a political agenda that it is sickening. Look at the context of the entire passage and see what Christ is trying to get across to His followers as to what He expects from them. This is the solid rock on which Christ’s Christian religion is based. It is not about the respect you think you deserve, your desire for vengeance, a pathological fear of not having your manhood affirmed, or any other selfish desire you feel. It is about Christ. Would it be so that more conservative Christians would put self, paranoia, bigotry, and fear aside and trust and obey the one who created them.

Exodus 18:1-6 comments: Jethro brings Zipporah and Moses' sons to him

Exodus 18:1 ¶  When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; 2  Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, 3  And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: 4  And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: 5  And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God: 6  And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

Again, we get a bearing on where the Hebrews might be at this point. If you recall I suggested that Midian partly lay in what is now Tabuk province in Saudi Arabia, bordering the Gulf of Aqaba arm of the Red Sea. Eziongeber was on that arm of the Red Sea.

1Kings 9:26  And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.

            Jethro, Moses father-in-law, takes Moses’ wife and two sons, who had been sent home earlier apparently, to meet Moses and this vast assembly.

Jethro is not only the priest of Midian but he is a Kenite in tribal ethnicity.

Judges 1:16  And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.

            He is considered the spiritual leader and chief prophet of the Druze religion of the Middle East and the Druze claim ancestry from him. The Druze religion is sort of a mixture of Islam, Greek philosophy, Hinduism, and Gnostic Christianity, which was a sort of occultic Christian philosophy. Of course, this definition oversimplifies it. They believe in reincarnation and the transmigration of the soul. They do not revere Christ as God in the flesh or believe in His resurrection so they are not Christians. However, Druze in Israel have been great supporters of the country and have risen to top positions in politics and public service. Many of them are known as Druze Zionists.

They come to Moses who is encamped at the mount of God. This is Horeb or Sinai.

1Kings 19:8  And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Sinai was the name of the area.

Exodus 19:1  In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2  For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

So, Sinai and Horeb will be used interchangeably for the name of this mountain.

1Kings 8:9  There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

Exodus 31:18  And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God…32:4  And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Psalm 106:19  They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.

Malachi 4:4 ¶  Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.