Hidden In My Heart

"Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain." (Psalm 127:1; NKJV)

Seeking A Homeland

Moses' parents lived by faith.  They were strangers and pilgrims in Egypt.  They taught Moses to seek a better country.

Live by faith.  Live as a stranger and a pilgrim.  Seek a better country.

Hebrews 11:13-16; NKJV

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 

15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 

16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Moses' Parents

Moses' parents refused to let the Egyptians determine how they would behave.  They acted "by faith," choosing to save their son's life instead of allowing him to die at the hands of the ungodly.  They answered Nehemiah's call hundreds of years before he said:  "Do not be afraid of them.  Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses" (Nehemiah 4:14; NKJV).

Grow in faith.  Live by faith.  Fear Jehovah and overcome your fear of those in this life who would do you eternal harm.

Hebrews 11:23-29; NKJV

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.

24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 

25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 

26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 

28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

Why God Raised Up Moses

Consider Exodus 2:24-25 and be encouraged.  He is there.  He listens.  He cares.  He responds.

"So God..."

1.  Heard their groaning.

2.  Remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and with Jacob.

3.  Looked upon the children of Israel.

4.  Acknowledged them.

The Midwives Feared God

Moses would deliver Jehovah's people from Egyptian bondage.

Jehovah's program of deliverance began with a number of women.

1.  The Midwives - Exodus 1:17

2.  Israelite Mothers - Exodus 1:19

3.  Jochebed & Miriam - Exodus 2:3-4, 7-9

4.  Pharaoh's Daughter - Exodus 2:5-10

Exodus 1:17-22; NKJV

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.

18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?"

19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them."

20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty.

21 And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them.

22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying,"Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive."

Hidden in My Heart

"For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously." (Malachi 2:16; NKJV)

Then the Lord Awoke

"Then the Lord awoke as from sleep" (Psalm 78:65; NKJV)

Jehovah neither slumbers nor sleeps (see Psalm 121).  Yet, Israel awoke Him as from sleep with their testing, provoking, turning back and unfaithfulness.  He awoke and beat back His enemies.

Do not wake the sleeping giant that is Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts.  Learn from the mistakes Israel.  Know His will and make it your own.

Psalm 78:56-72; ASV

56 Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and kept not his testimonies;

57 But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

59 When God heard (this), he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel;

60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the adversary's hand.

62 He gave his people over also unto the sword, and was wroth with his inheritance.

63 Fire devoured their young men; and their virgins had no marriage-song.

64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

66 And he smote his adversaries backward: He put them to a perpetual reproach.

67 Moreover he refused the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim,

68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

69 And he built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

71 From following the ewes that have their young he brought him, to be the shepherd of Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

72 So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

He Made a Path for His Anger

Jehovah "made a path for His anger" in Egypt.  He cast on the Egyptians "the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation and trouble, by sending angels of destruction among them" (Psalm 78:49; NKJV).  Jehovah of Hosts did not spare.

Israel should have learned from this not to provoke, grieve, tempt and limit Jehovah (Psalm 78:40).  "They did not remember His power" (Psalm 78:41; NKJV).  Jehovah's own people brought His wrath upon them.

Learn from the past.  Know His power.  Avoid His wrath.

Psalm 78:40-55; ASV

40 How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

41 And they turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42 They remember not his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;

43 How he set his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan,

44 And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.

45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labor unto the locust.

47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore-trees with frost.

48 He gave over their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, a band of angels of evil.

50 He made a path for his anger; He spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence,

51 And smote all the first-born in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52 But he led forth his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53 And he led them safely, so that they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had gotten.

55 He drove out the nations also before them, and allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

In Spite of This

Jehovah sent His people quail to eat.  The wrath of God came against some of them while they were eating and they died.  "In spite of this they still sinned and did not believe in His wondrous works" (Psalm 78:32; NKJV).

Learn the lessons of the past.  If you obey, you will be blessed.  If you disobey, you will be cursed.

Psalm 78:26-39; ASV

26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens; and by his power he guided the south wind.

27 He rained flesh also upon them as the dust, and winged birds as the sand of the seas:

28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

29 So they did eat, and were well filled; and he gave them their own desire.

30 They were not estranged from that which they desired, their food was yet in their mouths,

31 When the anger of God went up against them, and slew of the fattest of them, and smote down the young men of Israel.

32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not in his wondrous works.

33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in terror.

34 When he slew them, then they inquired after him; and they returned and sought God earnestly.

35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their redeemer.

36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue.

37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.

38 But he, being merciful, forgave (their) iniquity, and destroyed (them) not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

39 And he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

Jehovah Was Furious

Jehovah demonstrated His power during the exodus from Egypt and during the wilderness wanderings.  The proper response of Israel would have been fear and obedience.  Instead, they chose to rebel and test Elohim.  Because the people didn't believe in Elohim and trust in His salvation He was furious and kindled a fire against them.

Consider Jehovah's demonstrations of power in the past and realize that He is still powerful today.  Don't rebel against Him.  Don't test Him.

Psalm 78:12-25; ASV

12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as a heap.

14 In the day-time also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

15 He clave rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.

16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

17 Yet went they on still to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.

18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.

19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

20 Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed; can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?

21 Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel;

22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.

23 Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven;

24 And he rained down manna upon them to eat, and gave them food from heaven.

25 Man did eat the bread of the mighty: He sent them food to the full.

Lest We Forget

Psalm 78 is the second longest psalm in the Psalms.  It is a history lesson, tracing the history of Israel from Egypt to the promised land, from Zoan to Zion, from bondage to rule.  George Santayana said that those who forget the lessons of history are destined to repeat them.  Hegel said, "The only thing we learn from our history is that we never learn from our history."

Jehovah God would have His people be the exception to the rule.  He would have us to learn from history.  He longs for us not to repeat the mistakes of the past.  To that end He has recorded history for our learning (see Romans 15:4).

As you read Psalm 78 this week heed the warning.  If we do not give ear to the word of Jehovah God we are doomed to repeat this mistakes of the past.  Our lives will be enriched and our God will be glorified if we incline our ears to His word.

Psalm 78:1-11; ASV

1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,

3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, and his strength, and his wondrous works that he hath done.

5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;

6 That the generation to come might know (them), even the children that should be born; who should arise and tell (them) to their children,

7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments,

8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

11 And they forgat his doings, and his wondrous works that he had showed them.

Hidden In My Heart

"For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously." (Malachi 2:16; NKJV)

In Praise of Godly Women

And Jehovah God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18; ASV).

Men and women were made to be complementary parts of a remarkable whole.  Our ultimate nature and destiny are the same, and much we are to be in life is identical, but our roles here are different.  This difference has nothing to do with value or status, but with the way God in His great wisdom ordered the human family.

There is nothing so priceless and so beautiful as a woman of spiritual grace and loveliness:  “Who can find a virtuous wife?  For her worth is far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10; NKJV).  The man achieves what he does from a position of leadership, the woman from a position of submission.  This submission arises from the very nature of creation, the woman created for the man and not man for the woman (see 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9).  There is nothing degrading about God’s order!  The wife follows to serve her husband and the husband leads to serve his wife.  Both serve each other in order to serve the Lord Jesus:  “…submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21; ESV).  Everything is for the sake of others.

The secret of the worthy woman is revealed by in the “words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him” (Proverbs 31:1; NASBU).  The worthy woman “fears the LORD” (Proverbs 31:30; NASBU).  That is why the “heart of her husband trusts in her” (Proverbs 31:11; NASBU).  That is why she does her husband “good and no evil all the days of her life” (Proverbs 31:12; NASBU).  The foundation of her love for him is not his handsome good looks or his charming personality, but her deep love for Christ before whom she has committed here faithful love to her husband.

“Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:  ‘Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all” (Proverbs 31:28-29; NASBU).  Let all of us rise up and give glory to God for the Godly women that have blessed us along the way.  Follow the lead of these good women as they have followed the lead of the Chief Shepherd.

Who You Marry From the Song Of Solomon's Perspective

Young people, marry someone you love (2:7; 3:5; 8:4).

Find someone like the shepherd boyfriend/the Shulammite, tie your heart to that person and entwine your life to theirs in marriage, knowing this is a decision that God approves and sanctions (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:3-12; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5; Hebrews 13:4).     

Read Song of Solomon remember that you are loved by God, and commit yourself to seeing courtship, marriage and the sexual relationship from His point of view!

True Love in the Song of Solomon

Love can be pure and chaste, steadfast and loyal, able to withstand the lures of riches and pomp and not be willing to sell itself to the highest bidder, able to see the beauty of true love from a humble person (Song of Solomon 1:2-3; 2:16; 6:3; 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-33).

Young People: Be A Wall!

Young people, be a “wall” (8:8-10, 14; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Timothy 2:22).

Jehovah's View of Natural Appetites

Natural appetites, attractions, desires  are not to be hated or feared or treated as base or low, but are to be kept within boundaries (Song of Solomon 1:2; 4:7, 12; 5:2; 6:9; 8:2; Hebrews 13:4).