One Year Bible, February 2

EXODUS 15:19-17:7
Rev 15:3 says that Believers who have victory over the Kingdom of Darkness (antichristian spirit, thoughts, systems, deeds, attitudes) sing the Song of Moses because it is a Song of Deliverance. God, the faithful Redeemer, took a people out for Himself, delivered them from every enemy, and now they belong to Him.

How quickly they forgot! After three days in the desert without water, they became BITTER. The Cloud led them to Marah, then Elim (death, then Life). The water at Marah was BITTER - and couldn't be drunk by man or animal. When Israel complained to Moses and Moses cried out to God, the original language says, "God showed him a tree" (NOT "a piece of wood" as it says in NIV). When Moses hoisted it into the water, it healed the bitterness. Immediately after, God said that if they would obey Him, they would have "none of these diseases" of Egypt on them, "for I am the Lord that healeth thee." (Jehovah Rapha)

May we draw some conclusions: (1) Bitterness is A (one of) root of sickness and disease because bitterness poisons the water (life-flow). (2) The "cure" for bitterness is death (crucifixion of the flesh). (3) Bitterness causes drought (spiritual dryness) - not the other way around. The crisis just served to manifest their true condition. (4) That Life follows death - not the other way around. Their next stop was "Elim", the place of 12 water-holes and 70 palm trees. 12 and 70 are numbers of sovereignty and abundance. They had been temporarily brought into subjection to the sovereignty of God and were learning of His provision and abundance.

Thus began their education and consecration process. If they would just quit complaining! Three days after leaving Elim, they needed food! I guess their biscuit bowls were finally empty. God rained food from heaven - manna - and it was a test of obedience (16:4) When we try (John 6:49-51) to live on yesterday's supply, our manna is wormy too! Actually Psalm 78:25 calls it "angels' food".

Rephidim, where, when the people complained about the lack of water, Moses said they were "testing God". Moses was told to "smite" the rock at Horeb and water would come out. I always imagined a big boulder, but it was really the side of a CLIFF - and a gushing river came out! 1 Cor 10:4 says "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." The smiting is reference to the Cross, without which there would be no water (again).

Moses named this place "Massah" ("testing") and "Meribah" ("quarreling") because they tested the Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" 1 Co 10:11 says that these things were written for our warning --- not to complain, and not to test God. That these things grieve the Holy Spirit. Life in our Wilderness is a sifting process to remove and cleanse those things away. (If we don't fight back and disqualify ourselves because of unbelief and fear).

RESPONSE:  Lord, I don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit. Complaining is a manifestation of discontent and ingratitude. So right now I thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for your longsuffering and patience. Thank You for healing all my bitterness. Thank You for Your provision and Your kindnesses to me. Thank You that You are trustworthy and truthful. I am grateful for belonging to You. You are more than enough.

MATTHEW 22:1-33
Matthew 21-23 is a section of Scripture about Jesus' confrontation with the antichristian spirit of this world - as the Pharisees lay their traps over and over. But they are no match for the King of the Universe!

Each parable in this section is to show why "many" are disqualified for the Kingdom, in particular, those who never embraced the Gospel of the Kingdom. Oh, many answered the "call" - but were still disqualified because they refused to repent and change. Jesus shows here that they have a "murdering spirit" or we say they are governed by "self-preservation". And so, they refused two calls to the wedding feast. Of the third group, the ones who have nothing to lose, one was "unclean" - didn't have on his wedding clothes, and so was also disqualified. (Zeph 1:7-8) The "garment of righteousness" was available, but he didn't wear it. Life is a sifting process to remove and cleanse these away - specifically self-preservation and uncleanness. Repent and change, that is the Gospel of the Kingdom. 

The Pharisees went out - not to humble themselves and pray, but to plot how to overcome the Teacher! They even become part of a conspiracy with the Herodians, a people they despised and hated! In the next trap, Jesus called them on it, "You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me?" Whatever is Caesar's, give it to Caesar, but don't give what is God's to anyone but God. Our first loyalty is to God - always. 

If the Sadducees didn't believe there even was a resurrection, what did they care about who would be married to whom in the after-life? (Maybe they were thinking about the "70 virgins" of Mohammad?) Jesus got right to the heart of the matter, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God". These were supposedly the experts and didn't know anything about resurrection. The greatest proof of our resurrection is that God "is not the God of the dead but of the living" - specifically including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We must know the Scriptures and the inherent power that is in the Scriptures to reproduce itself in our lives. 

RESPONSE:   I know I am as dense as these people were sometimes, but I hope I don't resist change like that. Self-preservation will make us do terrible things. I remember as a child helping my mother on the farm kill a great big drake (male Muscovy duck) one time. I was supposed to hold onto its feet, while she grabbed its head on the chopping block and chopped it off. When she had "done the deed", the duck started flopping around, spraying blood all over me. So I panicked and let go of it. It waddle nearly 30 feet with no head before it finally fell over! That's the tenacity of our flesh to preserve itself! Our flesh died "in Christ" at Calvary, but it doesn't have the sense to lay down and stop telling us what to do! Submit to God. He may be thinking, "pay Me now, or pay Me later."

PSALM 27:1-6
This Psalm is believed to have been written from the Cave of Adullam while David is running from Saul. It is a life-threatening situation. David has actually hidden his immediate family from Saul for safe-keeping. Even when "the wicked" came to finish him off, David was not afraid. Why not? God is FOR him. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) If He had to, God would "keep me safe", "hide me", and "set me on a rock". This speaks of being "in Christ". 

How could David be so sure? He was a man of One Desire (vs. 4). He put a demand on the Presence of God. He lived as if he was right in front of God at all times. He was relentless in his faith in the sufficiency of God, the goodness and greatness of God. When he is in God's Presence, the enemy can't touch him! (1 John 5:18-19)

PROVERBS 6:20-26
A harlot (substitute for God, whose Bride you are), will reduce you to a crust of bread, after she leaches all the Life out of you. So, the commands to avoid substitutes are just that: commands, not suggestions. They will save your life.

RESPONSE:   Let's just bring it on down: God is sufficient. God is good. God is great. Tell yourself that. Your heart won't believe it at first, especially when circumstances disagree. Your natural heart lives by sight, remember. Don't accept substitutes. When you are upset, go to the Word. Start reassuring your heart of the Truth (out loud). When you are hungry, go to God Who has promised to satisfy us. When you are afraid, go into the Presence of God (by what you say with your mouth) where your enemies can't reach you. When you are sad or depressed, become a "man of One Desire" and be relentless about the Presence of God to deliver you and keep you safe, set you on a rock ABOVE your enemies (of depression).

Remember, your flesh is determined to preserve its own life - and it is self-defensive, cringing, rude, proud, stiff-necked, murderous, unclean, deceitful. So you have to speak OUT LOUD to convince it that it is safe to trust God alone. You don't really need anything else to satisfy that abysmal neediness. Those other things that you use to fill that hole will eventually reduce you to a crust, with nothing inside.