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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Saturday, October 15, 2022
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Israel Defeats Amalek [2] Bible Verse:Exodus 17:13-16 (ESV) "And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” Exodus Map - Hammond Exodus Map 2" Message:
One of the most difficult concepts for a modern Christian to grasp is the distinction between the value of human life, as presented in the Bible, and the value of human life as accepted by contemporary liberal humanism. The feeling that human life is the highest and greatest good derives from Christian doctrine, but it is subtly different from Christian truth.
Christianity teaches us not to kill other people because Christ, the human manifestation of God, told us to love and forgive one another for all things. But we do not revere other people because human life is intrinsically sacred; we revere it because God has commanded us to do so. The secular humanist makes man into his god. He has absorbed the teaching of Christ, but then taken Christ out of the equation.
The reason for making this distinction at this point is that, in today's lesson, God instructs the Israelites to destroy the Amalek. The battle itself is one of self-defense; but the subsequent instruction to the Hebrews is one of holy war. This will become clearer and more pronounced as the Old Testament unfolds. We must always remember that God creates His covenant with us, and for the Hebrews. "The Lord is a man of war." (Exodus 15:1-4)
Ikon of Joshua, Russian
Russian icon
of Joshua
The battle at Rephidim is a major turning point, for although God destroyed a huge Egyptian army in the Red Sea, the Hebrews were passive observers; in fact, they were running away. Here, however, it is Hebrew men fighting under God's standard who defeat the Amalek. The Amaleks do not drown; they are slain by Jewish swords.
Moses builds an altar and gives it a name that refers directly to his staff, the staff of Yahweh, which had been held over his head throughout the battle. The ESV calls it "The Lord is my Banner", but "Standard" might be a better word; it refers to the flag or pole representing an army. And unlike, say, the standards of a Roman legion, Moses' staff is a "hand upon the throne of the Lord."
God instructs Moses to perform two other notable acts. First, to write down the events in a book. That humanity is expected to read this book is self-evident although, unlike the Passover instructions, the duty to read is not stated.
Secondly, Moses is to recite into the ears of Joshua that "I will utterly blot out the memory of the Amalek . . . ." This is where it becomes important to understand why we value human life; for Joshua, with God's instruction, will slay entire tribes.
At this point, it is not at all clear how important Joshua is. Unlike the extensive background on Moses, we know nothing about Joshua. That God singles him out for Moses' prophesy is our first indication of Joshua's greatness. He has, in fact, been chosen by God, just as Moses was, but for a different purpose.
Meditation : Prayer : Lord, pour your love into my heart, that I may love you above all things, and my neighbors as myself. Through Christ our Lord.......Amen |
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