2023

As we continue our series on The Gospel story it takes us to the book of Deuteronomy – which is about being more faithful about the covenant of God. Because of God’s grace, we should love our heavenly Father with every part of our lives and intentionally pass on our faith to our children. Sidebar: The Shema is an important part of the Judaism religion. It describes who God is and what our response to Him should be. How daoes this relate to this message you ask? The Shema is a beautiful prayer. There’s a reason why God’s people have been praying these words for millennia. Following Jesus is about love. And as we receive Jesus’ love, we respond with gratitude, humility, and a commitment to honor and love in return. 3 Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 4 “Hear, O Israel:The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. Deuteronomy 6:3-6 NKJV Hear = Obey Love = Decision/devotion Love is not a feeling, it’s a decision. Our lives cannot be based on feelings. We mustn’t just listen or hear what God is saying. We must also choose to obey. Here’s the full picture. 1 “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ Deuteronomy 6:1-9 NKJV 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 NKJV There is a promise of good things when you follow God’s commandments. Glorifying and honouring God should be a lifestyle. God reduced the law to one ruling principle – love the Lord. What God most wants from us is our love. This love is appropriate because He loved us completely. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:35-40 NKJV We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 NKJV God’s love for us doesn’t come from the fact that we gave our lives to Him. He loved us before that and the response to His love should be to love Him back. The great command must first be in our heart, then it must be communicated to our children. You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. Deuteronomy 6:13 NKJV Fear of the Lord = Inner repulsion at the idea of offending such a great loving God who has done so much for us. Our obedience to the one true God is to be a living testimony of His mercy and deliverance that we should pass on to our children. If you follow God, people will see the hand of God in your life.

It’s important to note that when we’re going through difficult times, we put our focus on the things of God. We need to maintain a faithful perspective. When God’s plan becomes too hard, keep trusting Him anyway rather than returning to your old life. The whole point of trust and faith is that it is only activated when there is distrust. Your faith is built up in times of hardship. The book of Leviticus stresses worship and spiritual position while Numbers’ theme is about the walk and progress. The issue with the Israelites and essentially us, is that we want to move swiftly from salvation, to victory over every area of our lives. Most often, we resemble the Israelites in complaining, backsliding and unbelief.  17Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? 20Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.” (It happened to be the season for harvesting the first ripe grapes.) 21So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. 22 Going north, they passed through the Negev and arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai—all descendants of Anak—lived. (The ancient town of Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian city of Zoan.) 23 When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them! They also brought back samples of the pomegranates and figs. 24That place was called the valley of Eshcol (which means “cluster”), because of the cluster of grapes the Israelite men cut there. 25 After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned Numbers 13:17-25 NLT 26 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly [a]flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.” Numbers 13:26-29 NKJV The message from most of the spies was, “The land is as wonderful as God promised, but we can’t conquer it.” Essentially they’re saying; Despite God’s faithful promise, the people who dwell in the land are strong. Despite God’s faithful promise, the cities are fortified and very large. Despite God’s faithful promise, we saw the descendants of Anak there. When you start focusing on the opposition and everything wrong with it the further you grow away from God’s promise. Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30 NKJV This report recognised the faithfulness of God’s promise, and yet said, “despite all that we can’t conquer the land.” Eight spies compared themselves with the giants, whilst the two compared against God. We are not called to compare ourselves to giants. We are called to compare our giants to God. So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.” Numbers 14:1-4 NKJV The unbelief of the ten spies accurately represented the unbelieving heart of the nation. Their tearful grief had at least four distinct aspects. -They mourned because God would not make it all “easy.” -They mourned with resentment against God, putting the blame on Him. -They mourned and gave in to the feeling of unbelief and fear. -They mourned over a loss, believing the promise of Canaan had died. We often expect things to be easy and reject adversity. God wanted them to “die” to their unbelief and trust in self. God is calling us to die unto self and our own abilities. In essence, this generation of Israel rejected a life of faith. When we distrust and doubt God, we should ask which attribute of His we think will fail. Do we think God has lost His power? His goodness? His honesty? His faithfulness? His love? If we start to doubt one of these things, we need to go back to the Word which backs-up/reminds us of His attributes. We have a way of believing everything good about God except at the particular point we are being challenged. This is a place of testing. 17 And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, 18 ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no

The Lord also said to Moses, 2 “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. 3 “Each of you must show great respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest. I am the Lord your God. 4 “Do not put your trust in idols or make metal images of gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God. 5 “When you sacrifice a peace offering to the Lord, offer it properly so you[a] will be accepted by God. 6 The sacrifice must be eaten on the same day you offer it or on the next day. Whatever is left over until the third day must be completely burned up. 7 If any of the sacrifice is eaten on the third day, it will be contaminated, and I will not accept it. 8 Anyone who eats it on the third day will be punished for defiling what is holy to the Lord and will be cut off from the community. Leviticus 19:1-8 NLT Jesus did not come to cancel out the law as described in the book of Leviticus. But He came to make a way for us to be transformed so that we can live a life that truly reflects the Holiness of God. To be holy means to be more like God, our separation unto Him and His truth – and naturally, separating ourselves from those things that are not like Him and not according to His truth. God’s Holiness is His defining characteristics. God’s Holiness is a term used to describe His goodness and His power. God’s Holiness is so powerful and consuming that it consumes everything that is unholy. God’s Holiness is so powerful and overwhelming that it might even be dangerous to approach. To reflect God’s Holiness we need to reflect the fruit of His Holy Spirit. Living a holy life is a result of being born again, not the road to God. You live holy because your relationship with and love for your heavenly Father drives you. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 NLT When we reflect the fruits of the Spirit, we reflect God’s Holiness.  In most cases the law worked on the principle of avoiding or distancing yourself from certain things, actions and situations in order to stay holy. Following the law cannot spare us from being judged by God for our sin. Through faith in Christ, we can be made righteous in God’s sight. Entirely apart from the law, we can be redeemed by the atoning sacrifice of Christ’s blood, willingly shed for our sin. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23 NLT Four common responses to our realisation that we fall short of God’s glorious (or holy) standard. Prideful/Self-righteous response Apathetic response Paralysed by shame and guilt Try to earn our Holiness It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, Isaiah 6:1-7 NLT “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” The vision is a picture of connection and no longer avoidance. God is showing Isaiah how Jesus would make a way for us to be transformed, in order to live a life that reflects God’s Holiness. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:24 NLT Jesus did not make a way through avoidance but through connection. John 15 says that if we want to bear much (Holy) fruit, we need to be connected to the true vine, which is Jesus. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. Romans 10:4 NLT Our right standing with God needs to move from just being head knowledge to becoming a core truth that we believe with everything on the inside of us. If your knowledge of God and His Word is only “head knowledge” and never reaches the heart, you will see very little life change. Stop focusing on your unholy behaviour, fix your eyes on Jesus and what He has already done. Make use of declarations of faith. Make a habit of wording those declarations of faith as positive questions throughout your day. Remind yourself that your circumstances are not permanent by adding “for now” or “yet” your sentences.  When you sacrifice a peace offering to the LORD, offer it properly so you will be accepted by God. Leviticus 19:5 NLT When we truly take hold of this truth that Jesus is the bridge that brings the law to pass in our lives, then we will not just enter into His throne

In the same way, God had instructions for the Tabernacle, we are to build our lives according to God’s commands because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. This message guides us to take the concept of the Tabernacle and apply it to our lives. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV You and I are given free will to choose, but we choose who is Lord in our daily choices. The Tabernacle is a picture of how we are to approach God in our journey with Him. The Tabernacle consisted of 3 sections: Outer court Holy place Holy of holies Outer court Brazen alter – always stood open to accept the guilt of any person who wished to come near to God. There the guilty sinner would offer another life, an innocent one, in his stead. Brazen laver – was the last object to be encountered before entering the tabernacle. Before entering God’s presence, one must be cleansed. The Levitical priests had to continually wash to ready themselves for the presence of Holy God, but Jesus Christ fulfilled all the Law that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word Ephesians 5:26 NKJV We are released of all judgment by the spotless lamb – Jesus. We are washed of all sin by the Word. The court was lit by natural sunlight. You are still under the influence of natural light. So even though you are saved, you are constantly being exposed to natural elements. If you remain in the outer court, fleshly opinions and earthly circumstances will hinder your pursuit of God. A picture of a mind that is not transformed and is still carnal. Holy Place The Holy Place consists of: Golden 7-branched candlestick – which was to be kept burning continually, giving light to the Holy Place. Table of shewbread – This bread was baked fresh every week, and only the priests were allowed to eat of it as it was holy as well. Alter of incense – Special incense was to be burned each morning and evening as an offering to the Lord. How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life. Psalm 133:1-3 MSG I saw the Seven Angels who are always in readiness before God handed seven trumpets. Then another Angel, carrying a gold censer, came and stood at the Altar. He was given a great quantity of incense so that he could offer up the prayers of all the holy people of God on the Golden Altar before the Throne. Smoke billowed up from the incense-laced prayers of the holy ones, rose before God from the hand of the Angel. Revelation 8:3-4 MSG The Holy Place emphasised God’s holiness and His inaccessibility due to the sins of the people. When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of the temple, that barrier between the Holy Place and Most Holy Place, was supernaturally torn in two. The torn curtain symbolised that the way to God was now open to all through the death of Christ. The blood of an animal was no longer needed. Holy of holies The Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant. It had: A pot of manna 10 commandments Aaron’s rod The Tabernacle would have been nothing without the presence of God. Likewise, we are only able to live holy lives because of the Holy Spirit living in us. The Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling. Moses couldn’t enter the Tent of Meeting because the Cloud was upon it, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling. Exodus 40:34-35 MSG You and I are the Tabernacle. We are the temple of God. Because Jesus dwelt among us and paid the price for our sin at the cross, we are free in Him. We no longer have to stand back but can enter into the presence of the glory of God. At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. Matthew 27:51 MSG Christ’s body was “torn” on the cross, just as the veil was torn in the temple, and now we have access to God through Jesus. We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body.

Whether you’re feeling weary or going through a trial – this message guides us on what to do when we find ourselves in difficult situations. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5 NKJV| Pride demands that God bless me in light of what I think I deserve. Grace deals with me on the basis of what is in God and not on the basis of anything in me. If you are willing to be nothing, God will make something of you. Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, 1 Peter 5:6 AMPC Humility is shown by our ability to cast our cares upon Him. The idea is, “throw it away from you.” The pressures and the burdens of your life are so heavy and difficult that it takes great concentration of effort to put them on Jesus. We cannot do God’s work when we are weighed down by our own burdens and worries Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, [once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7 AMPC Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). Psalm 55:22 AMPC Casting is done with 2 hands: The hand of prayer and hand of faith.Prayer tells God what the care is, and asks God to help, while faith believes that God can and will do it. Prayer spreads the letter of trouble and grief before the Lord, and opens all its budget, and then faith cries, ‘I believe that God cares, and cares for me; I believe that he will bring me out of my distress, and make it promote his own glory. Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 1 Peter 5:8 AMPC Satan is a lion who may roar but who has been de-fanged at the cross. Yet the sound of his roar – his deceptive lies – are still potent and he has the power to devour souls and rob Christians of effectiveness. He roars through strong temptation (Distraction) He roars through persecution (Discouragement) He roads through accusations against God (Offense) Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world. 1 Peter 5:9 AMPC We also take comfort in knowing that we are never alone in our spiritual warfare. Our brothers and sisters in Jesus have fought, and are fighting, the same battles. 12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. Psalm 92:12-14 AMPC We must put our trust in the God who doesn’t change. Our hope in God and His Kingdom becomes the anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. A righteous Christian will flourish like a palm tree, strive to be upright by keeping God’s commandments, bear fruit while developing a closer relationship with God, and will not be easily shaken by the storms of life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 NKJV Oftentimes, it can be tough not to grow weary in doing good, but God does not want us to grow weary in doing good. God wants us to continue to do good and shine His bright light to others. 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding. 29 He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; 31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. Isaiah 40:28-31 AMPC The Lord gives us remedies to doubts that creep in about his ability to help or his care to help when we are in a great crisis. These words are addressed to his people; those who have been redeemed by his grace. He points us away from the crisis (and doubts about him) to facts about him. So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). 2 Corinthians 12:0 AMPC Believers must trust God the most in areas of their lives where they are weakest, or where they suffer the most. God’s power is never more

The law exposes our absolute inability to keep the law, which Jesus fulfills completely. The laws of God are good. They show us His goodness and wisdom. If we follow the law it will be well with us. But the issue arises when we make the law religious. The law was man’s way of being made righteous. By following the laws, Israel would show to other nations what God was really like. The law required complete and absolute obedience from the people of Israel. The law has no power to give life. We need to remember that the Bible is not a behaviour modification manual. It is a narrative of who God is and who we are in Him.  Although the law shows God’s wisdom and goodness, it reveals man’s complete inability to be God’s faithful partner. There is no way human beings could keep all laws. That is why we needed a saviour. Jesus would be the one that would ultimately come to fulfill the law And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Exodus 20:1-2 NKJV -God is above nature -God is personal -God is good -God is Holy “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3 NKJV God doesn’t want us to just add Jesus to our lives 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:4-6 NKJV Idols are anything we put in the place of worship in our lives “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Exodus 20:7 NKJV We are to have reverence for God’s name. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. Exodus 20:8-10 NKJV This was a preview picture of the rest we have in Jesus “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12 NKJV We don’t need to have honourable parents to be honourable children.  The first four commandments were about loving God. The next commandments talks about loving other people.  “You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13 NKJV “You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14 NKJV 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says,‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:21-24 NKJV Hating your brother is just as bad as murdering.God is more concerned about your heart than He is about your actions. “You shall not steal. Exodus 20:15 NKJV We can also rob God by refusing to give Him ourselves for obedience and His service “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16 NKJV 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40 NKJV “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. Matthew 5:17 NKJV By fulfilling the law, Jesus makes it possible for us to be in right standing with God. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 AMPC More than fulfilling the law on our behalf, Jesus puts a new heart within us that enables us to fulfill God’s commandments. 

The plagues and passover are typological of Christ, whose blood delivers us from both judgment and death. We can still look back on these events today to confirm our faith in, and our fear of, this true and living God, the Judge of all the earth. Every time we read the word whether it’s from the Old Testament right from Genesis all the way to Revelation we’ve got to read it as a type what we call type and Shadow of Christ. 19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him. 20 So I will raise my hand and strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then at last he will let you go. 21 And I will cause the Egyptians to look favorably on you. They will give you gifts when you go so you will not leave empty-handed. Exodus 3:19-21 NLT God knew this from the beginning. He knew what it would take to move the heart of Pharaoh, and the plagues and calamities to come were engineered for a specific purpose and they were not haphazardly planned. But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” 2 Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. 3 “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. 4 Then the Lord told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand. Exodus 4:1-4 NLT This reflects a precious principle regarding how God uses people – God used what Moses had in his hand. Moses’ years of tending sheep were not useless. Those years had put into Moses hand things he could use for God’s glory. God didn’t use the scepter that was in Moses’ royal hand when he lived in Egypt, but He did use the simple shepherd’s staff. Moses learned how to do what God told him to do even when it was uncomfortable. After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.” Exodus 5:1 NLT God told Moses that He would send Aaron to him and now it happens.The fundamental demand of God to Pharaoh (through His messengers Moses and Aaron) was freedom for His people. God asserted that Israel belonged to Him, not Pharaoh; and therefore, that they should be free. Those who belong to God should be free, not bound. Then the Lord told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!” 2 And God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh—‘the Lord.’ 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty’—but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them. 4 And I reaffirmed my covenant with them. Under its terms, I promised to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners. 5 You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them. 6 “Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. 7 I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. Exodus 6:1-7 NLT When he says this he speaks not only to Israel but he speaks to you and me. Every time you see Israel God is actually speaking to you because Israel is His chosen people. And if you and I are in Christ then we are His chosen. God says:  -I have brought you out -I have rescued you from bondage -I have redeemed you -I have taken you as my people .  -I am your god -I’ve brought you into the land  -I have given it to you as a heritage So this is what the Lord says: “I will show you that I am the Lord.” Look! I will strike the water of the Nile with this staff in my hand, and the river will turn to blood. Exodus 7:17 NLT The plagues were designed to show the powerlessness of the Egyptian idols. Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country. In fact, he will be so eager to get rid of you that he will force you all to leave. 2 Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 3 (Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike.) 4 Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. 5 All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn