NO FEAR

Today’s Reading: Exodus 20-21

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

A road winds through the Negev Desert/wilderness. There was no such highway for the wandering Children of Israel.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse – Exodus 20:1-2

And God spoke all these words saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

Again God declares Himself as the “I AM.” Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). Make no mistake about it. Jesus claimed over and over to be the Lord God, the same One who delivered Israel from Egypt. What a contrast between these revelations of the “I AM.” Here there were thunderings, lightning flashes, trumpet sounds, the mountain smoking and thick darkness. And 1,500 years later, there was the Baby in the manger, Jesus taking the children on His lap, Jesus weeping over the needs of people, and Jesus allowing human hands to crucify Him. From time to time in Genesis we saw God walking with Adam and Eve, walking with Enoch, becoming a friend of Abraham, but also driving Adam and Eve out of the Garden and judging the human race with the Flood. How can we ever understand this stark contrast? The answer is “The Cross.” God’s anger against sin, and His love for the sinner came together in Jesus. There was thunder, lightning, an earthquake, and darkness at noon as Jesus was dying. There was also the greatest manifestation of Love in history!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, great “I AM,” I’m overcome by Your awesome Person. I can do nothing right now but worship You. The words of the living creatures who are before Your throne come to mind; “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8). Also, the words of the 24 elders who fall down before You and say, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:10-11). I praise You, Lord, and will do so for ever and ever. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I tried but failed to put my commentary into only 100 words. Not only the books of the Bible, but thousands of other books have been written to help us understand Who the “I AM” is. I remember reading a story while still a teenager – This eminent naturalist was walking in his garden when he accidentally stepped on an ant. He thought, “How can I let an ant know that I really don’t mean him harm?” Then it occurred to him that he would have to become an ant to communicate with other ants. I remember thinking that when God became Man, His condescension was greater than a man becoming an ant. The fact is that there is no illustration that can adequately portray what really happened when Jesus became One of us. All I could do was to bow down and worship the great “I AM.”

Yours so that together we may worship the “Lord God Almighty,”

David