Daily Bible Devotionals

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commands I have written for their instruction.’ So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and went up to the mountain of God.  He told the elders, ‘Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute should go to them.’”  Exodus 24: 12-14 (HCSB)

Organizations of every size have to face the issue of succession. All corporations, nations, and ministries built around a charismatic leader must eventually cope with that leader’s absence. The challenge of patriarchal success is not just building something big.  It is creating something that would flourish in your absence.

In a documentary on Cuban leader Fidel Castro, analysts speculated about the ability of Fidel’s brother to run the country once Fidel passed away. Many evangelicals were suspicious when Franklin Graham became more prominent in his father Billy’s evangelical association. Sometimes, the successor is easily recognized. Other times, God’s choice would be man’s least likely candidate.

Joseph was the youngest brother, yet his father put him in charge of his elders. And what of the story of David? A young worship-leading shepherd boy was anointed king, above all of the military, business, and political leaders of Israel. Consider Peter. Why would Messiah give the “keys to His Church” to the disciple who would deny Him three times?

One thing is certain: God knows a leader when He calls one!

Aaron was Moses’ spokesman and elder brother. He was a direct participant in God’s Egyptian miracles. It seems he would be the perfect candidate to succeed Moses. At least he would have accompanied Moses to receive God’s tablets! But it was Joshua who attended that historic event with Moses.

Later, we learn why. Neither Aaron, Hur, nor any elders were fit to lead Israel. That was proven by their construction and worship of the golden calf.

When God calls a leader, we may never know what He spared us from. When we choose a leader (apart from God’s leading), we may never know God’s intended blessing.

Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land. Perhaps Joshua’s name held some secret about God’s plan for his future. “Joshua” means “God saves,” and it is the root of the name “Yeshua,” given to a young boy from Nazareth, whom we call “Jesus.”

“For I will place the inhabitants of the land under your control, and you will drive them out ahead of you. You must not make a covenant with them or their gods. They must not remain in your land, or else they will make you sin against Me. If you worship their gods, it will be a snare for you.”  Exodus 23:31b-33 (HCSB)

These verses have all three components of salvation & victorious living: Grace, Works, and Faith.  

The passage might be viewed as a metaphor for personal salvation, with our bodies representing the “land.” After all, mankind began as nothing more than God’s breath on a handful of dirt! (Genesis 2:7)  

The “former inhabitants” represent the sinful ways that used to control us. “Israel” represents us, our souls, delivered. The “idols/gods” are the goals that sinful nature pursues.

GRACE- The system that God allows, whereby mankind can be saved through faith (instead of being perfect in righteousness), is Grace. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Deliverance/salvation through man’s faithful belief is God’s gift. Otherwise, our righteousness would be weighed purely against the virtue of our works. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Since God’s standard is PERFECTION, it is impossible for us to do enough “good works” to earn salvation.

God’s Grace was displayed in this passage by placing Israel in control of the “former inhabitants.”  “Accepting God’s Grace” means we faithfully believe God’s righteousness has delivered us. (Sometimes, even before the deliverance occurs!)  Even though “former inhabitants” may still be present, He promises to go before us, driving them out in proportion to our faithful willingness to fight. (Romans 6:23)

FAITH- Saving knowledge of the unseen meant that Israel had to trust God against unknown lands, nations, and gods. Israel drove out the land’s former inhabitants to the extent that they had faith in God’s promise. Do you believe in God’s promise of salvation to the extent that you would faithfully (and sometimes forcefully) turn from your sin, sending the message, “Don’t come back!”?

WORKS- The “life” of faith is Works. Have you continued to discipline yourself, armed with God’s promises in His Word, to drive out those “former inhabitants”?   Continue working hard to destroy all goals & motivations that would cause you to abandon God!  

We are not saved by Faith and Works. We are (gracefully) saved by Faith that Works!

“You must not exploit a foreign resident or oppress him, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.”  Exodus 22:21 (HCSB)

My family and I lived in Riverside in Southern California for many years. Our town was comprised of a myriad of people groups, but the dominant ethnicity was Mexican—48% Mexican, to be exact. Without reigniting the debate over who originally owned the land of California, let’s just say that race relations can occasionally be a sensitive topic around California. This is especially true when it comes to illegal residents.

As a matter of policy, whenever any country borders another country, the issue of immigration is sure to cause a debate. It is safe to say this is an age-old issue. We know this because 40 years before Israel entered the Promised Land, God outlined how the Israelites should treat foreigners once they finally entered Canaan and took possession.

Of all the ancient cultures, only the God of Israel was as compassionate towards the weak, meek, needy & lowly. I believe God’s gracious attitude towards humanity is because He created all life on earth and that, before time began, He had a plan to redeem mankind through Messiah Jesus. (1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8)

All men are God’s creation; hence, all men deserve dignity. That’s not to say all men honor God. I am simply saying that nobody knows who will eventually repent and follow God, regardless of nationality. Individuals from all nationalities will become members of God’s family, but who knows which ones will respond to the Gospel? We might as well treat them all with dignity, especially in remembrance of how we were merely sinners, saved by God’s grace.

For a moment, let’s assume the “identity” of Israel. Consider “foreigners” as those who are yet to trust the Messiah. How do you respond when a non-believer enters your Church? How do you treat non-believers when you are around a group of your believing friends?  

Do you show grace and compassion when others seek to distance themselves from “sinners”? Do you remember how it felt before you knew the Lord? How was the person who led you to Jesus different from other “believers” you had met before, so different that you decided to follow Jesus? Be THAT person for the non-believers in your life.

Not only is it possible to lead people to the Lord, standing firm in Biblical conviction, all the while maintaining a gracious & merciful demeanor. It is essential!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Exodus 21. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance. ‘You speak to us and we will listen,’ they said to Moses, ‘but don’t let God speak to us or we will die.’ Moses responded to the people, ‘Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear Him and will not sin,’” Exodus 20:18-20 (HCSB)

“My pastor says…”  

I’m so glad I attend a church with a great pastor! He simply loves the Bible and lives to teach it. He encourages the congregants to bring our Bibles and models Biblical scholarship by preaching from his own Bible. He values the Bible as “the source” of knowledge, as opposed to “a resource” for some topic or agenda. I thank the Lord for the fact that our pastor encourages us to read our Bibles every day.  

I can think of only one thing in my journey to follow Jesus that beats good preaching:  Personal Bible study. That’s right. What’s more important than what someone teaches you after they studied the Bible is what God teaches you when YOU read it for yourself.

A major problem in our culture is that people don’t believe the Bible. A major problem in our congregations is that more and more preachers don’t teach the Bible in its entirety. A major problem in our families is that spouses and children don’t speak about the Bible. A major problem with churchgoers is that they don’t read the Bible

“There is enough dust on the Bibles of England to, with one’s finger, spell the word, ‘Damnation!’” Charles Spurgeon  

Hopefully, you are changing that trend. When we read the Bible, we discuss it with those close to us. When we discuss it, a community of Bible-mindedness grows. New Bible teachers are raised in rhythm with those communities, and communities devoted to God steer their cultures.

Don’t be afraid of approaching the Lord. Be afraid of what will happen if you don’t!

“Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” Hebrews 4:16 (HCSB)

“The Lord directed Moses, ‘Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise, many of them will die. Even the priests who come near the Lord must purify themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.’  But Moses responded to the Lord, ‘The people cannot come up Mount Sinai since you warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy.’”  Exodus 19:21-23 (HCSB)

Several months after their exodus from Egypt, Moses was obviously frustrated with the children of Israel. Bellyaching had replaced appreciation as the national demeanor of God’s people. It is easy to be frustrated with complaining people; they compromise the bulk of a pastor’s ministry burden. The Bible calls us “sheep,” and we are all created with an acute need for a shepherd.

At this point in the Exodus, though, Moses seems as frustrated with God as much as he did with the people. Perhaps the source of his frustration concerned a promise God made when He called Moses to lead Israel.

“But Moses asked God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt? God answered, ‘I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.’” Exodus 3:11-12 (HCSB)

Moses had done all God had told him to do. He went to Egypt, spoke to Israel and Pharaoh, obeyed the Lord, and led Israel out. In Moses’ heart, he must have felt he held up his end of the bargain. At what he thought was the end, Moses was ready to see the completion of his calling. The people were standing at the foot of the mountain. All Moses needed to see was for Israel to worship on that mountain. Then, his season of shepherding would be completed. But God withheld Israel from coming up the mountain!

Why would God withhold the fulfillment of His promise to Moses? More so, why would He deny Israel the freedom to worship in His presence?

Worship is a matter of the heart, and Israel’s heart was not ready. Nor was Moses’ heart. Much of what men would let pass for worship, the Lord literally cannot stand!

Has the Lord withheld something from you lately? Trust that His judgment & timing are always perfectly aligned with His plan & character. Wait on the Lord’s timing. Who knows what the world would be like today had Israel waited on the Lord until Moses returned from the mountain, bearing the tablets of the 10 Commandments? Yet, their worship of the golden calf proved God’s wisdom in not allowing them to enter His presence in the first place. His desire was for their worship, but that would take time, and in His patient, gracious wisdom, God would teach Israel how to worship rightly. Remember: the word “Torah” does not translate as “Law.”  It translates as “Teaching.”

“‘Praise the Lord,’ Jethro exclaimed, ‘who rescued you from Pharaoh and the power of the Egyptians and snatched the people from the power of the Egyptians. Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods, because He did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.’ Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in God’s presence.” Exodus 18:10-12 (HCSB)

The lesson of Israel’s exodus affected more than just Israel and Egypt. The four people groups most closely impacted were 1) Israel, 2) Egypt, 3) the Kingdoms of Canaan, and 5) Moses’ Gentile (Midianite) in-laws.

Israel responded to God by following Him. Egypt responded by defying Him. The Canaanites responded by challenging Him, and Jethro responded by believing in Him.

Not since the meeting of Melchizedek and Abraham has the Bible given us such a clear indication of God’s acceptance of worship from a people other than Israel. Melchizedek was a priest-king of Salem, and Jethro was a priest of Midian. Neither were Israelites.

Interestingly, Jethro is that he burnt offerings and sacrificed to the Lord. In the presence of the Lord, Jethro, and all Israel’s leaders ate a meal – Jew and Gentile, together. This symbolizes that the Lord accepts the worship of all who acknowledge Him.  

The word “Acknowledgement” means more than mere intellectual assent or the belief that God exists. It is more of a turning from old ways and beliefs and a turning to the ways of the Lord. The cessation of false religion and the assumption of faith in YHWH constitutes Biblical “acknowledgment.” The absence of Divine protest indicates that Jethro’s heart was considered “faithful” by the Lord.

Interestingly, there is also the image of the goyim (Gentile) Jethro bringing Moses’ bride and children to him. Similarly, the Bible says the “nations” will someday carry the children of Israel back home. It is a beautiful picture of how the (predominantly Gentile) Church will share the gospel with the Jewish people.    

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I will beckon to the nations, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their hips.’” Isaiah 49:22 (NIV)

The church, composed of Jew & Gentile believers, is called the “bride” of Messiah. (Revelation 19:7)

“When Moses’ hands (holding his staff) grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and on the other, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.”  Exodus 17:12-13 (HCSB)

Let’s consider Moses, the leader. As long as Moses’ hands were lifted to the Lord, Israel progressed victoriously. In business, there is a saying, “speed of the leader, speed of the team.”  As long as the leader worships the Lord, those following will respond in kind. If Moses “served as God” to Aaron (Exodus 4:16), then the community of Israel got a good picture in today’s passage that it will always struggle (and ultimately fail) if it relies on a human leader’s ability to remain righteously vigilant. It is good to know that the Messiah never tires in His interceding, the Spirit never falters in His revelation, nor does God become exhausted in His intervening on our behalf! We never fail for lack of God’s strength, ability, or wisdom or because of a deficit of His upright character!

Then, there is the stone. In Biblical imagery, the “stone” represents remembrance. When his physical resources were exhausted, Moses rested on the foundational memory of God’s covenant.

What of Aaron and Hur? No leader is an island, fully self-sustained. Even the greatest leaders need a strong inner circle of lieutenants. These advisers/support managers are recruited, developed, and sustained in direct proportion to the leaders’ display of character over time. Lieutenants are not a luxury; they are essential to successfully supporting the vision the Lord has given the leader and holding him accountable to it. These two men can also represent the Lord’s Spirit, who helps us by revealing the truth of God’s Word and empowering us to live righteously.

Now, let’s turn to Joshua. Every military campaign needs trustworthy battlefield warriors. These men believe entirely in the vision to the point where they do not sway, even under intense fire. Joshua never left Moses’ side after this battle. It is safe to say he knew Moses better than anyone else. Great preaching is of little value unless the “pew people” respond by going into the World, willing to wield the sword of God’s Word, and rescuing those held captive by sin and the World’s bondage.

The name “Jesus” is a Westernized translation of the Hebrew name “Yeshua,” which, by the way, also loosely translates as “Joshua.” The name’s meaning in Hebrew is “God saves). Yeshua (Jesus) is the “Word of God,” made flesh. (John 1) His victory over death & sin has become our salvation, and He is at God’s side, even now. It is His strength and righteousness that we cling to for salvation! (Acts 4:12)

“The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this desert to make this whole assembly die of hunger!’” Exodus 16:2-3 (HCSB)

We generally think of “slave life” as a constant stream of whipping and starvation. The Library of Congress has compiled first-hand accounts by American Civil War-era slaves, who describe a very different way of life.  

To be sure, I am not advocating slavery or seeking to absolve slave owners of their moral injustices. I am simply relaying the testimonies of those who lived the life of slaves.

It helps to understand that slaves were forced, laborers. No slave owner, concerned about making a profit, would deprive or abuse his “property” to the point that it reduced productivity. Rather, the slaves were clothed, housed, and fed. Not luxuriously, by any means, but the basics would be there.

Not only is slavery a high moral crime, but it is also bad business. It has been proven that free workers are far more efficient than slave labor. Yet, the myth of slavery (free labor) will always entice throughout the generations. Part of what makes slavery inefficient for the “master” is how enslavement affects a person’s spirit. Slaves become crafty. They become quite adept at working just hard enough to avoid the whip. Take away a man’s freedom, and he loses self-worth, initiative, and discipline.

Biblical slavery, as God allows for the community of Israel in His Torah, is the freewill “indentured” type, not forced slavery. While the New Testament refers to believers as “slaves,” it also calls followers of Jesus “disciples.”  We are also described as co-inheritors with Messiah, rights & privileges not typically bestowed upon slaves.   The simple meaning of “disciple” is “one who disciplines himself to follow.”  This is precisely why God led Israel through the desert: He was weaning Israel from slave life, slave mentality, slave ethics, etc., and teaching them to be disciplined and devoted to Him.

While still a “youth,” the nation of Israel is led through difficult circumstances…desert after desert. Their responses to adversity exposed their craftiness, unrighteousness, and spiritual immaturity.

What difficult circumstances has God led you through lately? Have you “disciplined” your walk to condition a response that honors the name He has given you: Redeemed? Or do you still long for the dysfunctional comfort, the certain slow death of sin’s bondage from whatever “Egypt” you were delivered?