Samson’s Addictive Nature Addressed by God Before Conception

And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Judges 13:2-5

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12

Samson is one of the most interesting stories in the Bible. He was a man of exceptional physical strength and exceptionally poor moral strength. He had specific addictive traits, eating, alcohol, and women. There were times when he was right with God and there were many times he had a poor relationship with God. But God knew His son Samson and used him in special ways, one of which was to educate us about addictive qualities in the life and what needs to be done to protect ourselves from them. In Samson’s case God starts the instructive process by making Samson a Nazarite from birth. A Nazarite, think Nazarene as well, was a person who voluntarily chose to serve God in special ways to reveal their dedication to God. Numbers 6:1-21 gives the legal and spiritual details of being a Nazarite. In this educational process God warns Samson’s mother not to eat of any unclean thing or to drink wine during the pregnancy. This would help Samson with his future issues by giving him good health and a good start in life.

Prayer for Today: God, You have known about us before we were even born. You have known our future and what we would be like and what our characters would be like. Help us now to respond to Your plans for us even if we started out poorly. Thank You for Your love and care for us, then and now.

Gideon and the Spirit of Prophecy

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. Judges 7:9-15

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

Gideon has been instructed to deliver Israel from their most recent foe. God has revealed Himself to Gideon in many ways in this story. Gideon cooperates but fearfully. God finally takes Gideon through an experience with prophecy. When Gideon hears his story from one of the Gentiles who have come to attack Israel and He sees the power of God to know his needs, he is finally convinced that God is in charge and will grant him victory over his enemies. Gideon is ready to cooperate with God from a satisfied heart.

Prayer for Today: God, we thank You again, that You will go to any extreme to convince us that You have our best interests at heart and that You have the power to accomplish all things for us. Thank You for Your tender mercies to us.

Jael – the Female Warrior

Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. Judges 4:21

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

God called to Deborah and instructed her to call a soldier by the name of Barack to lead Israel to war against the Canaananite king Jabin and his army. Barack declares that he will not go to war unless Deborah accompany him. Deborah agrees to go with him but states that if she does he will not receive the glory of conquering the opposing general but that the glory will go to a woman. Barack agrees to this arrangement and successfully leads Israel to victory. And as prophesied a woman, in this case a lady named Jael, receives the glory of being the one who conquers the opposing general. God has His own ways of accomplishing His tasks for His honor and glory.

Prayer for Today: We would not think of something so far outside of the box Lord, and we thank You for Your unorthodox behaviors and for your unusual ways of approaching problems. Help us to wait upon You as You tend to our problems, and when You are done help us to pay enough attention to say thank You.

Deborah – A Judge of Israel

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. Judges 4:4

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12

After the death of Joshua Israel had a series of leaders called Judges. They did not take the position of king for God was the King of Israel. But to take care of the daily issues of leadership God raised up different people to lead out and to make legal decisions for the people. Among this group was Deborah a prophetess. She was the leader chosen by God to care for His people. The case of Deborah clearly indicates that a woman can perform the duties of a leader in spiritual matters, and it shows that God calls women to the position of being a prophet as well. She performed her duties well and was honored with a position in the work of God.

Prayer for Today: God, help us not to have firm ideas of what we think is right or wrong until we have checked it out with You. Help us to trust Your wisdom and Your decisions both for others and for ourselves. Thank You for Your everlasting love, and for Your watchcare over us.

God’s Promises Are True

Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. Joshua 23:11-14

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12

God was able to bring Israel through the desert and settle them into the Promised Land. All of His promises came to pass and not one thing failed. God wanted Israel to be settled into this land and then to proclaim the things of God to all who came in contact with them while in Canaan. Thus they were to be priests and kings to the entire world. Exodus 19:6; I Peter 2:5-10 Israel was to be a holy nation so that all of the world could learn about God from them.

Prayer for Today: God, we have seen what You could do for the nation of Israel and now we ask that You will help us also today. We need Your special care. Help us to learn from the weaknesses of Israel so that we don’t have to repeat these weaknesses in our own lives. Thank You for Your patience and love.

One Man and One Family Disobeyed God

And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. Joshua 7:15-22

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

God had warned everyone not to take anything out of Jericho when they conquered it. Joshua 6:17-19. But there was a man and he lusted so heavily after silver, gold, and clothing that he took some of each for himself, even though he knew that God had forbidden this. When God decided to confront this He went through an investigative judgment and found Achan, and found that Achan’s family had gone along with this. Achan, and his family were stoned for such a radical, and clear cut disobedience of God’s explicit commands. God means what He says.

Prayer for Today: God, You know that we have often been rebellious against Your commands and yet You have allowed us to live. Help us to not tempt You to harm us, or to leave us alone to our own craziness. Please deliver us and please get our thinking clear so that we will always be in harmony with You. Thank You for Your mercies toward us.

Jesus Gives Joshua Some Unorthodox Instructions

And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams� horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram�s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. Joshua 6:2-5

Steps: 1, 2, , 4, 5, 11, 12

No one has ever conquered a city like Joshua will. He receives His instructions straight from God Himself – the I Am. Joshua accepts these instructions by faith and implements them. Each day of the week Israel is to walk one time around Jericho without saying a word. On the seventh day – the Sabbath – God wants them to walk around the city seven times and then turn and shout. Then God would bring the walls down and Israel would go straight forward and kill all of the inhabitants of the city except Rahab, and any who had come into her house by faith in God and this faith testified to by the red cord hanging out her window. But however unorthodox the instructions were, God granted Israel the victory over Jericho.

Prayer for Today: God, when You give us instructions help us not to be afraid but work with us to help us have victory over our fears. Help us to trust You when you give us instructions. Thank You again for not giving up on us.

Joshua Meets Jesus the Captain of the Lord’s Host

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD�S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:13-15

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12

Joshua was meditating about how he was going to handle affairs in Canaan and how to get Israel established in this new country, in light of all of the enemies in Canaan who would want to destroy Israel. While standing near the city of Jericho, Joshua sees a man in armor with his sword drawn. Joshua asks if he is a friend or enemy. The Man replied that He was the Captain of the Lord’s host and immediately Joshua falls to the earth and worships this man. Then the Captain tells Joshua to take off his shoes for the place where the Captain is standing is holy ground. This is the same thing that happened to Moses in Exodus 3:1-14. And this is the same person that Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be in John 8:58

Prayer for Today: God we thank You that You would be willing to talk to Joshua and we thank You for being willing to talk to us. Help us to have the spiritual discernment that when You talk to us we will be ready, willing, and able to recognize You and worship You.

Joshua Leads Israel Through the Jordan River

And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. Joshua 3:10-17

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12

Joshua, which means Savior, is the Old Testament version of Jesus. Joshua is Savior in Hebrew and Jesus means Savior in Greek. God raised up Joshua to save Israel and to bring them in to Canaan. It was God’s plan to plant Israel in the center of the trade paths that connected Europe, Asia, and Africa. Israel was to reveal the gospel to the world, and to birth the Messiah and reveal Him to the world.

Prayer for Today: Your plans are so great, please help us to recognize our spot in Your plans and to be willing to follow them. We need Your special help and guidance.

Rahab The Canaanite is Converted

And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father�s household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. Joshua 2:17-21

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

Before entering into Canaan, Joshua, the leader of Israel who replaced Moses, sends spies into the land and especially into Jericho, the nearest and largest city nearest to the crossing point. The spies are rescued by Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute. After diverting soldiers seeking to capture the spies, Rahab asks for protection when Israel comes into Canaan. The spies tell her that if she puts out a red cord, a symbol of the shed blood of Jesus, out her window then anyone who is in her home can expect to be protected by the Israelites when they take possession of the land. When all was done, she was protected, and we do not know exactly how many of her family and friends were saved, but all who came in by faith, were saved by the blood and by the promise. Rahab also ends up being a great grandmother of Jesus, the Messiah.

Prayer for Today: God we do not know what kinds of crises we will face in the near future but when our time comes give us the courage and wisdom of Rahab to recognize a crisis and to respond in the wisest way possible. Thank You that You would bless and save this lady and her family. It gives us hope that You will rescue us as well.

Moses is A Type of Jesus

The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. Deuteronomy 18:15-18

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

God thought very highly of Moses. He even told us that He would raise up another prophet like Moses, and that when He raised up that Prophet we should listen to Him. That Apostle Peter in Acts 3:19-26 says that Jesus was that Prophet prophesied by Moses. Jesus was like Moses to Israel of His time, and if they would have listened to Him they would have been delivered. Now it is our turn to assess these things and learn from the failures of those in the past.

Prayer for Today: God, please help us to listen and learn from these Bible stories. We need Your help to understand these things and we need Your help to change our lives. Help us we pray again today.

Moses is Resurrected by Jesus

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. Jude 9

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Matthew 17:1-3

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

The above texts state that Moses was resurrected and was able to minister to Jesus at His transfiguration. We know that Moses died, and we know that when a person is dead they do not communicate with the living. Ecclesiastes 9:4-10. So for Moses to be speaking to Jesus clearly states that he was resurrected. What Jesus did for Moses is what He will do for us as well. I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Prayer for Today: Thank You Lord for teaching us there is hope for us after death. Help us to recognize that what you did for Moses is what You want to do for us. Help us to grasp Your will from Your Word and then trust You to work it out in our hearts and minds. Thank You again for Your love and mercy.

Moses Dies

And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. Deuteronomy 34:1-7

Steps: 4, 5, 6, 12

Moses had sinned earlier by striking the rock instead of talking to it, thus breaking the symbolism of Jesus dying one time. As a result of this sin God would not let Moses lead Israel into Canaan. As the leader of Israel God would not allow this sin to go unpunished but Israel must see that God is not a respecter of persons. Moses died when he was 120 years old and his natural strength was not abated. God allowed him to die, but still has special plans for him, just as He does for us.

Prayer for Today: God, be merciful to us as You were to Moses. Forgive us our sins and remember that we are weak. Help us to press forward trusting in Your mercy and grace. Show us the path You would have us to walk and give us strength to obey and trust You. Thank You for Your love.

Israel Lusts Again While Waiting to Go Into Canaan

And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. Numbers 25:1-3, 9

Steps: 4, 5, 6


God had kept Israel safe and healthy in the desert for 40 years. All of the adults that left Egypt were now died off and only the children remain. God perceives that these people have seen enough of God to trust Him and to be ready to go into Canaan and conquer it. Yet right on the border of going into Canaan Israel is seduced into joining the women of Moab in pagan religious sexual activities. In this experience 24,000 people died. Now that Israel is purified by their own destruction God will try to get them through to the Promised Land.

Prayer for Today: God, it is odd how easily we are distracted from the plan that You have developed for us. Even when You want to give us good things we always seem to find a way to mess it up. Even though tragedies do happen to us, we ask that You will still find ways to deliver us from our addictive behaviors. Help us to be willing to accept Your gifts of grace and mercy. Thank You!

God Remembered That Israel Was Weak in Their Recovery

When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. Psalms 78:34-41

Steps: 4, 5, 6

Psalms 78 is the Bible’s own commentary on Numbers 11. God reminds us how His people have treated Him in the past and warns us away from repeating what they did. We can learn from the defects and defeats of others and not have to repeat the same sins, nor suffer the same consequences.

Prayer for Today: Lord please help us to learn from the defeats of others. Help us not to treat You the same way Your people have treated You in the past. Help us to grow up and become the mature children You want us to be. Thank You for the time of learning that You have offered us. Thank You that you remember that we are weak and slow.

Israel Lusts for Flesh

And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. Numbers 11:4-9

Steps: 4, 5, 6

God gave manna to the Israelites to keep them in good health and to heal them from all diseases. (Jesus claims to have been represented by that Manna in John 6) But Israel was not happy with God’s dietary plan. They wanted and Egyptian dietary plan. They lusted and wept to have this kind of diet and Moses, as well as God, was not happy with this plan. God promised to give them what they wanted for 30 days and when they received what they wanted many died from their lust and addictive behaviors.

Prayer for Today: God please remember that we are but dust. You know our backgrounds and you know the tastes that we have developed. Please cleanse us from these things and protect us in the process. Thank You for Your care.

God Testifies That Israel Will Not Go Into Canaan for 40 Years.

Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. Numbers 14:28-35

Steps: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6

Israel, as a nation, has rebelled against God ten times. God says to them that since they do not want to go in they will stay out of Canaan until the entire generation of adults dies in the wilderness, but that their children, those whom they said they were trying to protect, will go into Canaan. If we play with God long enough He will sometimes take us at our words.

Prayer for Today: God, You know our hearts. You know if we want to be with You or not. Please help us and change our hearts. We are naturally rebellious and we need You love to help us. Thank You for Your grace.

Israel Refuses to Go Into the Promised Land

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Numbers 14:1-4

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

God brings Israel to the borders of Canaan and is ready to bring the people into Canaan. Israel, however, is afraid and will not trust God to help them. Instead they decide that God is so untrustworthy that they want to go back to Egypt and they blame Him for not bringing them into the land of Canaan quicker than He has. No reasoning will help them for they are into full rebellion. They do not trust anyone but they will only do one thing clearly and that is not go into Canaan. They practice rebellion by faith.

Prayer for Today: God, You know that on any given day, or any given moment we to can be like Israel. No matter how many good things you have done for us we will choose fear over trusting in You. Please help us to learn how to grow up and learn how to trust You even when we do not feel like it. We need Your help, we do not want to go back to our own ways. Anything in the future is better than the disasters of the past. Thank You for not giving up on us.

God Accepts the Sanctuary That Israel Built for Him

And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:33-35

Steps: 11, 12

God had instructed Moses to build Him a sanctuary that He might dwell among the people. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy all speak to what God communicated to Israel while dwelling among them. This sanctuary was both an actual temple, and a symbol of what Jesus would be like when He actually came to dwell among humanity and how He would conduct Himself when living among men. When Moses finished the temple then God blessed it with a revelation of Himself so that the people could literally see His blessings come on the sanctuary. He wanted to be sure that they had a literal awareness that something special was occurring. This blessing was also to reinforce the fact that each day a cloud was over Israel to shade them and each night there was a pillar of fire to assure them that God was watching over them. In addition each morning manna fell for the people, and each day water was provided by the Rock which followed them. All to let His people know that He had a special watch care over them and wanted to meet their needs.

Prayer for the Today: We want to say thank You God for Your special watch care of Israel of old and we want to thank You for Your watch care over us today. We know that You have protected us even in our times of great darkness. Thank You that You would reveal Yourself in such a caring manner. Thank You!

God Asks Israel to Make Him a Sanctuary

And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. Exodus 25:8-9

Steps: 11, 12

God wants Israel to make Him a Sanctuary so that He can dwell with them without hurting them. This text is the foundation for the building of the Sanctuary in the time of Moses, and in the time of Solomon, Ezra, and finally in the revelation of Jesus for He had a body/temple made for Him and God did actually dwell with His people. John 1:1-3, 14

Prayer for Today: We read about the temple in the Bible and we are not sure what to make of it and we do not understand all of the details, but we thank You that we understand enough to know that You have always wanted to get as close to us as possible and that sin is the only thing that can separate us from You. Help us to allow You to remove the sins in our hearts and minds that we can have communion with You. Thank You for Your love and patience with us.

God Reveals Himself to Moses

And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. Exodus 34:5-10

Steps: 11, 12

Moses is doing a great job interceding with God for rebellious Israel. While interceding he decides that he wants to see as much of God, and His glory, as he can. He asks God about it and God reveals His glory – His goodness and character. Later in this chapter Moses returns to the people and they are fearful of Moses, their intercessor because he saw so much of God that he literally was glowing with the brightness of God. What a wonderful revelation of God to man.

Prayer for Today: God we always say that we want to see You. Yet if we did see You we would probably be afraid of You. Help us to want to see You, and Your goodness, and help us not to run away from You. Thank You again for Your patience with us.

Moses Intercedes for Israel Like Christ Does

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
Exodus 32:30-34

Steps: 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

Moses, knowing the behaviors of Israel, is willing to go before God, for the people and be a sponsor for them. He intercedes for them with God. Moses goes so far that he says that if God can not forgive Israel then he also wants to be blotted out of the book of life. God has a special plan on how to save Israel if they will let Him do so.

Prayer for Today: God You know our hearts. You know that we sin against You one day and then pray for Your forgiveness the next. Help us to be willing to examine Your special plan for saving us and help us to be willing to choose Your plans over our plans.

Moses Intercedes for Israel Like Christ Does

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
Exodus 32:30-34

Steps: 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

Moses, knowing the behaviors of Israel, is willing to go before God, for the people and be a sponsor for them. He intercedes for them with God. Moses goes so far that he says that if God can not forgive Israel then he also wants to be blotted out of the book of life. God has a special plan on how to save Israel if they will let Him do so.

Prayer for Today: God You know our hearts. You know that we sin against You one day and then pray for Your forgiveness the next. Help us to be willing to examine Your special plan for saving us and help us to be willing to choose Your plans over our plans.

Israel Breaks God’s Covenant

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 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. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 32:1-8

Steps: 4, 5, 10, 11, 12

Israel can not see Moses for 40 days for he is on Mount Sinai talking to God. The people get discouraged and believe that God, and Moses, have abandoned them even though they can see the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. They decide that they will have to go to plan B and take care of themselves. They do what they did best in Egypt and worship gods that they could see and their favorite was the sex god – the Egyptian Bull calf. They threatened Aaron into making a golden image of the calf and then worshipped it thus breaking their relationship with God.

Prayer for Today: God we can not literally see You yet, but we believe that You are there and that You want to help us. Help us not to doubt Your love and care, and help us to trust You in all things. Thank You for Your love.

Israel Enters Into Covenant Relationship with God

And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words. Exodus 24:3-8

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

Israel had run in fear from God when He tried to speak with them. Israel asked to have Moses speak for God so that they would not be afraid. After Moses informed them of the will of God they chose to enter into a covenant relationship with Him. They promised that they would obey everything that God said and that they would do it. They did not remember that they could not do anything on their own power but they were willing to try again. They were sincere, but they were also ignorant of their need and their lack of power. But God entered into this relationship knowing that they would fail. As always God has a plan.

Prayer for Today: God help us to remember how weak we are. Help us also to remember how powerful You are. Help us each day to ask for Your help again for on our own we are totally powerless. Thank You for entering into covenant relationship with us. Help us to accept Your power today.

God Gives the Ten Commandments

Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go. Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant: Nehemiah 9:12-14

Steps: 1, 2, 3

God led the nation of Israel out of Egypt by the power of His right arm. God brought Israel through many experiences and by the 50th day (Pentecost) had brought them to the mountain of Sinai. Here God reveals Himself to Israel in such a manner as they become afraid of Him and ask that God speak to Moses and then Moses can talk to them but they were afraid of the power and righteousness of God. God wanted to talk to them and give them wonderful spiritual gifts but they would not speak to God and commune directly with Him. God did the best that an infinite God could do to get close to them. Such is the impact of sin/addiction.

Prayer for Today: God You know that we are afraid of You and are afraid of what You will do with us if we give You permission. All of our historical interactions with You indicate You are a God of Your word. Help us to read Your Word and get ever clearer understandings of whom and what You are. Help us not to turn back to the world after You have called us out. We pray for Your help and blessings and that You will keep us with You. Thank You for Your love.

God Wants Israel to be a Holy Nation

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; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. 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: 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. Exodus 19:3-6


Steps: 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12

God brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt to prepare them to be a nation that would trust God, obey Him, and reveal His character to all of the rest of the world. They would be a nation of priests to help the world see what God looked like because they would see God in His children. This Holy Nation would be the opportunity for everyone to see how God acted, talked, and thought. Then each other nation would be free to decide whether they also wanted to deal with the God that Israel represented and revealed.

Prayer for Today: God, we can only dimly grasp what You are like. What we see about You and how You treat us indicates that You are a loving, kind, and fair God. Please help us to grasp the real You and help us to have a personal experience of victory over our addictive behaviors with You. Help us also to be a kingdom of priests to help others find You as well. Help our testimony to be accurate and real.

Israel Murmurs Against Moses and Aaron

And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Exodus 16:1-3

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12

Israel is delivered from Egypt by the signs and wonders displayed by God. They go through the Red Sea and see their enemies destroyed by the waters. Yet as soon as they don’t have immediate food and water they start to complain. They even go so far as to wish that they had died in Egypt rather than to be delivered from slavery. What a tragedy that God’s people, even when delivered from addictions and crisis issues will often complain and want to go back to their addictive lifestyles. What a testimony to God. Yet He did not give up on them but continued to reveal His power in their behalf. In Exodus 16 God grants several gifts, including Manna and the Sabbath – feed and rest, just what Israel needs to get recomposed.

Prayer for Today: Thank You again that You do not give up on us. Forgive us for giving up on You. Help us to be able to see that You are always with us and always looking for ways to help us. Help us to grasp Your love for us and we pray that our hearts will open to You.

God Leads Israel Out of Egypt Through the Red Sea

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. Hebrews 11:29


Steps: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

After the Passover experience Egypt became willing to have Israel leave. After 3 days they changed their minds and came out to follow Israel into the wilderness and planned to bring them back to slavery by force if necessary. It only took them 3 days to forget that they lost their first born children to the power of this God. When Israel saw the Egyptian armies coming they forgot the power of God which had been revealed to them over and over again through the plagues in Exodus 5-14. They told Moses that they wished that he had left them alone in their slavery to Egypt, so that they could have had a consistent but boring life. Now they think that God wants to kill them rather than deliver them. But God tells them to walk forward toward the Red Sea and He opens a path before them on dry ground. They walk forward into the Sea and by faith are able to go across without dying. Egypt seeing this happen decides to follow the people for whose sake God was willing to take Egypt through the plagues and virtually bankrupts them as a nation. Forgetting the plagues Egypt follows Israel into the Red Sea with the intent to harm God’s people. With this intent in mind God brings the waters of the sea down upon Egypt and delivers Israel. Exodus 15

Prayer for Today: Thank You God for delivering Your people Israel so long ago. Please help us to take advantage of these gifts and promises of deliverance today. Help us to trust in Your care today. Help us to believe in You and when You counsel us help us to obey Your will. Thank You for being willing to work with us.