The most dangerous thing we can do is worship according to our own desires. SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Exodus 25–31 For forty days Moses had been on the mountain with the LORD, receiving detailed instructions for the tabernacle that showed God intended to dwell among His redeemed people on His holy terms. Exodus 32:1–20 (NIV) 32 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” 2   Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3   So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4   He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,  Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 5  When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the L ORD .” 6   So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. 7  Then the L ORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8   They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’ 9   “I have seen these people,” the L ORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10  Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” 11  But Moses sought the favor of the L ORD his God. “L ORD ,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12  Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13  Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’ ” 14  Then the L ORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. 15  Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16  The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17  When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.” 18  Moses replied: “It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.” 19  When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20  And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 96 Q. What is God’s will for us in the second commandment? A. That we in no way make any image of God nor worship him in any other way than he has commanded in his Word. Summary Forty days. That's all it took for the people to give up on God. These people, who'd seen the ten plagues devastate the mightiest empire on earth, who'd seen the Red Sea open up so they could escape, who'd heard God's voice thunder down from Sinai, who'd tasted the manna and quail God had provided and drank the water He caused to spring up out of a rock, didn't know what had happened to this fellow Moses, so they assumed that both Moses and the LORD had ditched them. Aaron was quick to offer a solution, telling the people to fork over their gold jewelry - the same gold God had caused the Egyptians to hand over to them. From this, Aaron forged a golden calf, just like the religious icons their neighbors used to symbolize their gods' power and fertility - power that could be domesticated like a mighty ox. Aaron confirms that the calf wasn't meant to replace the LORD, but to merely repackage Him. Some of the Israelites immediately referred to the calf as their gods who'd brought them up out of Egypt, but Aaron did his best to redirect their efforts into a festival to the LORD, whose image they had now created and harnessed. Once the requisite sacrifices had been quickly offered, they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. The King James and other versions translate this a bit more euphemistically: they rose up to play. Anytime religion deviates from God's truth, it doesn't take long before it takes on sexual elements.   Dig Deeper   The massive irony to this account is its setting. Moses is on the mountain with the LORD, being given the exact instructions for how the people are to worship Him, while the very people who'd been rescued to worship were drunkenly prancing around a gilded calf playing with each other. It's no wonder the LORD's anger burned against them and that He wanted to destroy them. But God's sinful people had a mediator - one who stood between them and Him. Moses clung to the the covenant promises that God had made as he implored for the rebellious Hebrews he represented. And then once again, we have to work through the difficult language describing how God relented (alternate translation: repented ). We don't have the space to dig into that today, but you can go back to Genesis 6 for a brief explanation. What follows is one of the saddest events in scripture. Moses went back down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands - the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. These tablets - one copy for the people, the other for God, to be kept in the Holy of Holies - documented and sealed God's covenant relationship with the people. As Moses saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. It wasn't just that Moses' fierce temper got the best of him again, but that he realized that his people had already broken their brand new agreement with the LORD. Sinful humanity is totally incapable of ever keeping it. God's people would not just need a new and better Mediator than Moses, they'd need a whole new covenant. We find both in Christ (Hebrews 8). AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our covenant God and Father, whom we must not worship in any other way than he has commanded in his Word; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Confess how it is that you forge God into your own image and pray that you will cling to your new and better Mediator, Jesus Christ for salvation; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God's Call to Worship is an all consuming command. To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain - Exodus 24:27 SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Exodus 20:18–23:33 After God spoke the Ten Commandments, the people saw the thunder and smoke on Sinai, feared death, and asked Moses to mediate. God then taught them obedient worship, applied His holiness to daily life, and promised to lead them into the land without compromise. Exodus 24:1–18 (NIV) 24 Then the L ORD said to Moses, “Come up to the L ORD , you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, 2  but Moses alone is to approach the L ORD ; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.” 3   When Moses went and told the people all the L ORD's words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the L ORD has said we will do.” 4  Moses then wrote down everything the L ORD had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5  Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the L ORD . 6  Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. 7   Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the L ORD has said; we will obey.” 8   Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the L ORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” 9  Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10  and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. 11  But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank. 12  The L ORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.” 13  Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. 14  He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.” 15  When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16  and the glory of the L ORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the L ORD called to Moses from within the cloud. 17  To the Israelites the glory of the L ORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18  Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 96 Q. What is God’s will for us in the second commandment? A. That we in no way make any image of God nor worship him in any other way than he has commanded in his Word. Summary Chances are you responded to God's call to worship yesterday. For most of us, going to church on Sunday is as much a part of our regular routine as brushing our teeth before going to bed. We roll into the sanctuary at the appointed time, read the bulletin, sing a few songs, pray a few prayers, listen to the minister, drink some coffee and then go home. Some of us still go back in the evening and do the same thing all over again... except with less coffee. God extends a call to worship to Israel in today's chapter, but not to everyone. The Israelites had made it quite clear that they didn't want to be anywhere near God, for they were terrified of Him. They had unanimously voted for Moses to mediate on their behalf - to stand between them and the LORD. So the LORD called Moses alone to approach Him, but He also ordered Aaron and his sons and seventy elders of Israel to worship at a distance. And what they saw was indescribable. All the text even attempts to explain is the pavement God walked upon... it was something like precious stones as bright blue as the sky. The LORD immediately made clear His purpose for this glorious worship service: to give the tablets of stone with the law and commandments He had written for our instruction. This service wasn't over in an hour, or even two. Moses went up on the mountain while the elders waited. Then for six days the cloud covered the mountain - a cloud that to the Israelites looked like a consuming fire. It wasn't until the seventh day that the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. And that was just the prelude... Moses stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Think of yesterday's service(s). How did you experience even a glimpse of God's holiness as you worshipped? How do passages like today's change your understanding and attitude toward the worship God still calls us to?   Dig Deeper   Old Testament worship was a bloody affair. We're not told here exactly how many bulls were sacrificed as fellowship offerings to the LORD, but there were many. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. Blood is so significant because it represents life. Hebrews 9:22 explains that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. But the blood in this chapter represents even more. This blood, Moses explains, is the blood of the covenant. Remember, a covenant is " a bond in blood, sovereignly administered ." The blood here represented the blood that would be spilled by the party that broke the covenant. As the LORD once again confirmed His covenant faithfulness to His people, the people eagerly affirmed their intent in the midst of this blood. Twice they proclaim, we will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey. But you already know the rest of the story. You know that before this forty day worship service is even over, the Israelites will be dancing around golden calves. They would still need a mediator between them and God to give the blood sacrifice they (and we) would owe, but that Mediator will need to be One better than Moses. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our covenant God and Father, whose holiness and glory is a consuming fire; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will keep the law and commandments God gave for our instruction, even as you trust in the perfect blood of Christ that satisfies God's covenant; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

You may feel far from God, but He is never far from you. The Bible App Psalm 22 For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David. 1   My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? 2   My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. 3   Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.  4  In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5  To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6  But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. 7   All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 8   “He trusts in the L ORD ,” they say, “let the L ORD  rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” 9   Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. 10  From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. 11  Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12  Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13  Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. 15  My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16  Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce  my hands and my feet. 17  All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. 18  They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. 19  But you, L ORD , do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. 20  Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. 21  Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. 22  I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. 23  You who fear the L ORD , praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24  For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. 25  From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows. 26  The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the L ORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever! 27  All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the L ORD , and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28  for dominion belongs to the L ORD and he rules over the nations. 29  All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30  Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the L ORD . 31  They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 37 Q. What do you understand by the word “suffered”? A. That during his whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul the anger of God against the sin of the whole human race. This he did in order that, by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice, he might set us free, body and soul, from eternal condemnation, and gain for us God’s grace, righteousness, and eternal life. Summary Psalm 22 opens with those famous words “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” These words gained fame when Jesus quoted Psalm 22 while suffering on the Cross. This is a psalm of lament expressing the pain of unanswered prayer. The opening words of this Psalm resonated with Jesus as he bore the weight of our sin on the cross. While the first 21 verses of this Psalm speak to the pain of unanswered prayer, there is a shift that takes place around verse 22. David, the psalmist, goes from agonizing over unanswered prayer to praising God for answered prayer. What starts as an expression of pain turns into an outpouring of praise.   Dig Deeper   The first section of this psalm laments over God’s apparent absence despite the psalmist remaining steadfast in prayer. David writes of crying out day by day yet not receiving a reply. Part of trusting God is trusting not only in his goodness, but also in his timing. When you humble yourself in prayer, do so in full faith that God can and will provide what you truly need. There may be a difference between what you want and what you need; recognizing this is an important step in learning to trust God. What seems like an agonizing wait for you may be a matter of God’s timing. If you are living through a time that resonates with the opening of this psalm, know that this lament is not forever. David’s expressions of lament were turned into words of praise. When Jesus faced the torment of the curse of sin on the cross, he too spoke these words. Then on the third day he rose from the grave, breaking the spiritual chains of sin, and setting captive sinners free. If both King David and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ faced times of lament, why should we expect to be spared hardship in this life? There will be trouble in this world, when it inevitably comes, trust in the grace of Jesus. If you feel abandoned or alone, do not hesitate to share this with God through prayer. And when God answers your prayer, do not neglect to sing his praises. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is enthroned as the Holy One; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will never be far from the LORD; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

An orderly society is one that honors God's commandments. DailyVerses.net We read through the first table of God's Law yesterday . Today we'll read the second. Exodus 20:12–17 (NIV) 12  “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the L ORD  your God is giving you. 13  “You shall not murder. 14  “You shall not commit adultery. 15  “You shall not steal. 16  “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17  “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 93 Q. How are the Ten Commandments divided? A. Into two tables. The first has four commandments, teaching us what our relation to God should be. The second has six commandments, teaching us what we owe our neighbor. Summary Today’s passage is the second portion of the Ten Commandments. While the first four commandments dealt with our relationship with God, these six commandments address how to live in relation with one another. These commandments were given at Mount Sinai, instructing the Israelites how to live into God’s moral expectations for His people. God’s morality is unchanging. While directed towards the Israelites, these commands are relevant and meant to be followed by all of God’s people. As these commandments turn from our relationship with God to our relationship with our fellow man, God begins by addressing our relationship with our parents. The command to honor your father and mother is an anchor for a healthy society. This is also the commandment that comes with a promise, if the Israelites are faithful in honoring their parents their days will be long in the land the LORD is giving to them. The following commandments are foundational for a functioning society. Nations have laws against murder and theft, while the commands against adultery and coveting emphasize the importance of faithfulness in our relationships with one another.   Dig Deeper   In the book of Exodus, we find events that God used to test the people as well as examples of God’s provision. Earlier this week we covered how God miraculously fed millions of Israelites each day with bread called manna and then made water burst forth from a rock so the people had water to drink . While these commandments were given to the Israelites for them to follow and obey, they are also another means of God’s provision. This is especially apparent in these final six commandments which speak to how to live in relationship with one another. How we treat one another can make the difference between a peaceful society and complete anarchy. If you are paying attention to recent events in the United States, then you are aware of the deeply rooted divisions between different groups of people. Each person is different than every other person to ever live, we have different thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. While not everyone will agree with one another, are we treating each other well? In these final six commandments we are provided with guidance on how to live in relationship with one another. During his adult ministry, Jesus addresses many of these commandments and the spirit behind them. He taught that it was not enough to not murder, but we also must not harbor anger towards one another in our hearts. Are you living within God’s commands regarding your relationship with others? Do you follow not just the command, but the spirit behind the command by not harboring anger towards others, even those with viewpoints you find disagreeable? Find time to consider how you are, or are not, following these commands, as our love for God can be seen in how we love others. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who created us to live in good relationships with Him and our neighbors; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will honor God's commandments for a godly society in the way you treat others; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God's Law is as relevant now as it was when He spoke it. Alittleperspective.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Israel learns that the wilderness is not only a place of need, but of conflict and covenant. The LORD grants victory over Amalek as Moses’ raised staff shows their dependence on Him, not their own strength. Jethro’s counsel brings order to a weary leader, and at Sinai God draws near in fire and thunder—revealing His holiness, setting boundaries for His people, and preparing them to hear His law as a redeemed nation called to belong to Him. Exodus 20:1–11 20 And God spoke all these words: 2   “I am the L ORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3   “You shall have no other gods before me. 4   “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5   You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the L ORD  your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6   but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7   “You shall not misuse the name of the L ORD  your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8  “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9   Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10  but the seventh day is a sabbath to the L ORD  your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11  For in six days the L ORD  made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the L ORD  blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 93 Q. How are the Ten Commandments divided? A. Into two tables. The first has four commandments, teaching us what our relation to God should be. The second has six commandments, teaching us what we owe our neighbor. Summary After Rephidim, the Israelites came upon Mount Sinai. It was here that the Ten Commandments were given. They begin with And God spoke all these words. These commandments were not the work of man, but moral imperatives directly from the mouth of God. These commandments were given to Moses to share with the people. While there are differences of opinion on how to number these commandments, their instruction remains the same. The first four of these commandments deal with the people’s relationship with God. After reminding the Israelites of his provision for them in freeing them from their captivity in Egypt, God gives the first commandment: that they were to have to no other gods before Him. Similarly, the people were also not to create a carved image to be used as an idol. These first four commandments are rounded out by not taking the LORD’s name in vain and remembering to keep the sabbath day holy. Following the pattern in the seven days of creation, for six days the Israelites were to do all their labor and on the seventh day they were to rest.   Dig Deeper   One of the challenges in reading the Old Testament is deciphering how to handle matters of the law. Some of the laws given in the Old Testament were meant for a particular people at a particular time. There are also laws in the Old Testament that were not specific or temporary and speak to God’s morality. The Ten Commandments fall into that second category. The Ten Commandments are not temporary edicts; they are expressions of God’s eternal moral values. As we read the commandments, we are studying an expression of God’s will for how His people live relationally. In these first four commandments, we find God’s command on how we are to live in relation to Him. Repeated amongst these first few commandments is the call to put God first: to have no other God’s before Him, to not make an idol to take His place, and to not take His name in vain. Like He had done for the Israelites, our loving God invites us into a relationship with Him. With all relationships there are expectations and boundaries. God’s expectation for our relationship with Him is made clear in these commandments: we are not to put other gods or any created thing before Him. Are you living up to God’s moral expectations? Are you faithful to God’s commands or do you allow other things to occupy God’s place of authority in your life? AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the LORD our God, who brought us out of the bondage of slavery to sin; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would not put anything else before Him; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God stands before us providing even as we grumble before Him Exodus 17:1–7 (NIV) 17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the L ORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2  So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the L ORD  to the test?” 3   But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” 4   Then Moses cried out to the L ORD , “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5   The L ORD answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6   I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7   And he called the place Massah  and Meribah  because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the L ORD  saying, “Is the L ORD  among us or not?” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 120 Q. Why did Christ command us to call God “our Father”? A. At the very beginning of our prayer Christ wants to kindle in us what is basic to our prayer— the childlike awe and trust that God through Christ has become our Father. Our fathers do not refuse us the things of this life; God our Father will even less refuse to give us what we ask in faith. Summary As the Israelites continued their wandering through the desert, they came upon another concern. While they were camped at Rephidim they did not have water to drink. Just as other events in Exodus had previously done, this crisis again tested the Israelites. In response to this crisis the people quarreled with Moses. While Moses was the one being confronted, it was actually God who they were putting on trial - the accusation being that God had led them all into the desert just to have them die of thirst. The Israelites became so hostile that Moses believed them to be on the verge of taking his life by stoning him. In this desperate situation, Moses cried out to the LORD. God answered Moses’ plea, giving him instructions on how to provide water for the people. Moses was to take his staff and strike a particular rock, once this was done God would provide water from that rock for the people to drink. Moses did as God had commanded and the people were saved from their thirst.   Dig Deeper   There is something about a crisis that brings out either the best or worst of people. We find both extremes present in the search for water while camped at Rephidim. The shortage of water to drink brought out the worst in the Israelites. They quarreled with Moses and doubted God’s provision. Despite all that God had done and was continuing to do for them, it did not take long for the people to accuse God of leading them into the wilderness to die. The people’s anger was toward the LORD, yet it was Moses who was the recipient of much of their frustrations. Faced with yet another crisis, Moses knew where to turn. He cried out to God for help and God saved the people from their thirst. In this crisis we find two responses to God. The first response is that of the Israelites, who became angry and made accusations against God. The second response was that of Moses, who out of his desperation cried out to God for help. When you are faced with a time of need, how do you respond? Do you grumble and doubt like the Israelites or humbly cry out to God like Moses? AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who abundantly provides for our need even when we put Him to the test; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would cry out to your Father in heaven rather than grumble against Him; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God gives us what we need, when we need it. SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Israel escaped Pharoah by crossing the Red Sea singing God’s praise, but the celebration fades quickly into grumbling. In the wilderness they find bitter water made sweet by the LORD, learn that obedience is tied to blessing, and then complain again when hunger sets in. God responds not with abandonment, but with provision—promising bread from heaven and revealing that their daily need will become a daily lesson in trusting Him. Exodus 16:11–21 (NIV) 11  The L ORD said to Moses, 12  “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the L ORD  your God.’ ” 13  That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14  When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15  When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the L ORD  has given you to eat. 16  This is what the L ORD  has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer  for each person you have in your tent.’ ” 17  The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18  And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. 19  Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” 20  However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them. 21  Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 125 Q. What does the fourth request of the Lord's prayer mean? A. “Give us today our daily bread” means, Do take care of all our physical needs so that we come to know that you are the only source of everything good, and that neither our work and worry nor your gifts can do us any good without your blessing. And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and to put trust in you alone. Summary In Exodus Ch. 16 we encounter an incredible story of God’s provision. After the Israelites fled Egypt, they would go on to wander around the wilderness for 40 years. As God led them through the desert, He met their physical needs by providing nourishment through supernatural means. According to the census taken in the opening chapter of Numbers, there were 603,550 men present amongst the Israelites. Accounting for women and children, some estimate the total number of Israelites needing to be fed to be over 2 million people. God provided for all these people with quail and then with bread from the LORD that we know as manna. What we sometimes miss in this miracle is that not only did God provide this miracle food for the people this one time, but he also kept doing so. This miracle provision of manna repeated 6 days a week, with the 6th day being a double portion so the people could rest the seventh day, for years. God provided for the Israelites in their time of need. Feeding 2 million people is no easy feat, yet our incredible God did so day after day without fail.   Dig Deeper   Through the events in the Book of Exodus, God was testing his people. With these various tests and challenges, God was teaching the people to trust Him. The events leading up to God's provision of manna in the desert is one example where some of the people failed to trust Him. Prior to this act of miraculous provision, the Israelites had already been saved from the Egyptian chariots when God parted the Red Sea so that they could safely pass through to the other side. In the wilderness, God led the Israelites by a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night. More than most people to have ever lived, the Israelites in the wilderness saw God’s miracles with regularity. Despite the trust that God was instilling amongst the Israelites through his repeated provision, there were still those whose doubt was seen in their actions. When the bread from the LORD was given, Moses had commanded the people not to save any for the next day. They were to trust that God would continue to provide for them. Many amongst the Israelites ignored this command and gathered extra for the next day. But overnight it became worm-infested and stank. God had showed his willingness to provide for the Israelites, yet there was still a reluctance to trust Him to do it again. In what ways are you like the Israelites storing up manna, knowing of God’s provision yet still holding onto doubts that this provision will continue? Despite the repeated shortcomings of the Israelites, God continued to care for them. Even if you struggle with doubts over God’s provision, know that He still cares for you. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who abundantly provides for our needs; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as you gather in God's blessings each day, you'll only take what you need according to His commands; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Not all psalms are in the Psalter! Photo credit: Michael Maasen via Unsplash Exodus 15:1–18 (NIV) 15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the L ORD : “I will sing to the L ORD , for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. 2   “The L ORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3  The L ORD is a warrior; the L ORD is his name. 4   Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5   The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. 6  Your right hand, L ORD , was majestic in power. Your right hand, L ORD , shattered the enemy. 7  “In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. 8   By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. 9  The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’ 10  But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 11  Who among the gods is like you, L ORD ? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? 12  “You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. 13  In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. 14  The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. 15  The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away; 16    terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone— until your people pass by, L ORD , until the people you bought  pass by. 17  You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, L ORD , you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, L ORD , your hands established. 18  “The L ORD reigns for ever and ever.” Belgic Confession Article 1 We all believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that there is a single and simple spiritual being, whom we call God— eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, unchangeable, infinite, almighty; completely wise, just, and good, and the overflowing source of all good. Summary Moses' psalm here in Exodus 15 is comprised of five parts - parts that are technically referred to as strophes . The first and fifth strophes are actually comprise one strophe. The first part of it serves as a prologue which sets the stage: I will sing to the LORD... for He has hurled the horse and driver into the sea. The second half forms an epilogue at the end: The LORD reigns for ever and ever! The three strophes in between form a doxology - words of praise and glory to the LORD. The first celebrates God's sovereignty in the victory they'd just witnessed. All the Israelites did was move forward at God's command. They never raised a weapon - indeed, they didn't even have any! The LORD is their strength and defense... He hurled the Egyptians into the sea... His right hand shattered the enemy. The third strophe is deeply theological. God is not just an abstract being, as so many of the Egyptian gods were. The LORD physically intervened and rescued His people. He threw down those who opposed Him... He unleashed His burning anger... It was the blast of His nostrils that piled the waters up... The fourth strophe expresses a strong hope for the future. The LORD will lead the people He has redeemed... The nations will hear and tremble... The LORD will plant us on the mountain of His inheritance, the place He has made for His dwelling, the sanctuary His hands established.   Dig Deeper   How do you respond when something has just gone extraordinarily good for you - not just the everyday, run of the mill fortunate occurrence (of which, for most of us, there are many!), but the big massive infusions of divine intervention? Those times when your business was saved from the brink of bankruptcy or the diagnosis that was fatal suddenly and miraculously disappeared? Moses and his rag tag bunch of freed slaves experienced the most extraordinary deliverance in the entire history of deliverances. In rescuing His people from the powerful Egyptian army, God performed what is arguably His most audacious miracle ever by parting the Red Sea so His people could pass through on dry ground and then collapsing it on the pursuing chariots - an event so powerful and impactful that the prophet Isaiah, writing over seven centuries after the exodus, says it made an everlasting name for God on earth. So how did Moses and the Israelites respond? The same way you and I ought to: by singing a song to the LORD! This is what the psalms in the Bible do - the 150 psalms in the Psalter, and the smattering of other psalms throughout scripture like Exodus 15. These psalms help us give voice to our emotions, be it thankfulness, joyfulness, depression, sorrow, and sometimes even righteous indignation in a way that points us back to the overflowing source of everything good. The psalms guide us in celebrating God's goodness in our lives, but they also give comfort as we navigate the dark valley of life, which is covered by the shadow of death. And they do so while continually pointing us to the salvation our covenant God has won for us through His Son and our Savior. So whatever it is that you have going on in life, in both the good times and the bad, be sure to read and sing the psalms often along the way! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who reigns for ever and ever; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that whatever you face today, the psalms will always be on your lips; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Be still and know the LORD will fight for you. Then stop crying and get moving. Logos.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF: Israel finally departed Egypt, leaving in haste as a redeemed people, marked by covenant obedience and provisioned by the Egyptians. God lead them not by the quickest route, but by the wilderness, teaching them to follow His presence and preparing them for what lies ahead. But after they left, Pharoah once again hardened his heart and set chase after God's people. Exodus 14:10–31 (NIV) 10  As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the L ORD . 11  They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12  Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” 13  Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the L ORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14  The L ORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” 15  Then the L ORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16  Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17  I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18  The Egyptians will know that I am the L ORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” 19  Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20  coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. 21  Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the L ORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22  and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 23  The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24  During the last watch of the night the L ORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25  He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The L ORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” 26  Then the L ORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27  Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the L ORD swept them into the sea. 28  The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. 29  But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30  That day the L ORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31  And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the L ORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the L ORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. Belgic Confession Article 29 As for those who can belong to the church, we can recognize them by the distinguishing marks of Christians: namely by faith, and by their fleeing from sin and pursuing righteousness, once they have received the one and only Savior, Jesus Christ. They love the true God and their neighbors, without turning to the right or left, and they crucify the flesh and its works. Though great weakness remains in them, they fight against it by the Spirit all the days of their lives, appealing constantly to the blood, suffering, death, and obedience of the Lord Jesus, in whom they have forgiveness of their sins, through faith in him. Summary What a sight this must have been! A multitude of slaves, set free by their covenant God whom they barely know through a series of cataclysmic events, laden down with food and treasure given to them by their former oppressors, and being chased by the most powerful army in the world. It was all too much for them - they were terrified and cried out to the LORD. But that's not all they did. They quickly organized hundreds of thousands of voices into a choir that spoke in perfect unison, blurting out a chorus that they as a people would be repeating for the next four decades: "Moses! Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?!? Didn't we say to you to just leave us alone?!? Moses' reply to the peoples' whining show his leadership skills at their finest. Don't be afraid, he begins. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring... The LORD will fight for you; you only need to be still.   Dig Deeper   It would be so poetically beautiful if immediately after Moses spoke those massively comforting words that the wind would have begun to blow and the sea opened up for God's terrified people to escape into. But that's not how it went down. Instead, the LORD replied in a surprising way... shocking, even. We might have expected to see God place a majestic rainbow in the sky or give each one of His people a divine hug of some sort. But instead, God seems perturbed that His people were praying! Why are you crying, He asked Moses. He continued, tell the Israelites to move on!!! Exodus 14 is a fun passage to read, for sure! Out of all the miracles in the Bible, I think I'd like to be able to have witnessed this one the most and see those walls of water up close. And then to see the look on the Israelite faces as those walls crashed in upon an army bent on enslaving them again. But don't get so caught up in the entertaining logistics and details that you end up missing this huge theological implication. God is certainly the God of all comforts , but He also means business. When He says go, it's time to suck up the tears and go, even when it seems to you He's driving you into the deep sea. When He points the way to salvation, as He did millennia ago in Egypt, and as He's done for you in Christ, it's time to stop crying and start following! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who gained glory through Pharoah and all his army; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Cry out to God for comfort, be still and know that the LORD will fight for you, but also quit crying when God has said to move out; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Sacraments help you see what God sees. Exodus 12:1-36 12 The L ORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2   “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3   Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb  for his family, one for each household. -- 6  Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7   Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. -- 12  “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the L ORD . 13  The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. -- 21  Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22  Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23  When the L ORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. 24  “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25  When you enter the land that the L ORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26  And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27  then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the L ORD , who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28  The Israelites did just what the L ORD commanded Moses and Aaron. 29  At midnight the L ORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30  Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. 31  During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the L ORD as you have requested. 32  Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.” 33  The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!” 34  So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 35  The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36  The L ORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 66 Q. What are sacraments? A. Sacraments are holy signs and seals for us to see. They were instituted by God so that by our use of them he might make us understand more clearly the promise of the gospel, and might put his seal on that promise. And this is God’s gospel promise: to forgive our sins and give us eternal life by grace alone because of Christ’s one sacrifice finished on the cross. Summary Imagine the tension everyone was feeling in Egypt as Exodus 12 begins. Nine increasingly awful plagues have been poured out on the Egyptians at this point, and word likely spread quickly through the land that Pharoah and Moses were still at loggerheads, and now even more so than ever before. What would happen next? The plagues themselves were not just a set of random, disconnected disasters. Each one dripped with deep irony, specifically designed to demonstrate the utter emptiness of the Egyptian pantheon. Remember, God had one specific primary objective in mind - an objective He repeated over and over: that the world know that He is the LORD (Exodus 7:5, 7:17, 8:10-11, 8:22, 9:14-16, 9:29, 10:1-2). The nine plagues up to this point came in all sorts of different forms: the Nile turned to blood, various swarms of bugs and pests infested everything, devastating hail rained down and a thick and dreadful darkness covered all the land. But all of these plagues had one thing in common: they could all be seen by everyone. God's ordinary way of making Himself known is through His Word. It was His Word that brought the universe into being; His spoke His covenant commandment to Adam, called out to Abraham, gave dreams to Joseph and verbally summoned Moses from with a burning bush. He speaks to you through the Bible, a collection of inerrant, infallible Words He inspired. But at times He makes His Word visible, as He did to the Egyptians, so that all can see and know that He is the LORD. But in His grace, He makes His Word visible to His covenant people through sacraments - visible signs and seals that help us understand more clearly the promise of the gospel.   Dig Deeper   The tenth and final plague is different than the rest - for sure in its severity, but also in its stated purpose. Whereas the first nine plagues were demonstrative in nature - designed to make God known - the final display of God's power was designed to bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. It would wreak more than just economic havoc, it would bring sin's ultimate penalty: death. But not every firstborn would be struck down as the LORD passed through Egypt. The effects were certainly comprehensive, including every first born from Pharoah, the prisoners, and even from the livestock. But no destructive plague touched anyone whose doorposts were covered in the blood of the defect free lambs. Moses told the people that the LORD will see the blood... and will pass over that doorway, and He will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. What an amazing contrast! The first nine plagues were so that the pagan world could see and know the LORD is God, but the final plague that brought judgment was designed so that the LORD would see the blood of the lamb and pass over. The sacraments we've been given as Christians differ in their forms from the circumcision and Passover meal prescribed for Israel, but their purpose is exactly the same: so that we can see what God sees. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who sees the blood of the Lamb when He looks over us, His covenant people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will trust God in the midst of the chaos just as the Israelites did on that fateful night; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: