I have read the bible front to back once and it is often on my list to do again each new year. I have a Women of Faith Study Bible that has weekly studies to go with your reading. I am at least trying to do the weekly studies! I have been thinking about Week's 2 reading all week, Meeting a Fearsome God. It is about Moses meeting God for the first time and how terrified he was at first. As he builds a relationship with God he is less afraid and more respectful and awed by God's holiness.
Exodus 34:5-7; "The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
Last night I watched a movie about the Ten Commandments with the kids. Christian Slater was the voice of Moses. It wasn't the best animation, but it was a great movie and really followed everything out of the bible. The kids were amazed by the whole thing. The kid's bibles never really say that the Pharaoh threw the baby boys into the river. Haley quickly gave Jacob a hug and said she wouldn't let anyone throw him into a river. It even went over all the plagues. I really liked the part where the pillar of cloud and fire who was God that went before them was shown. And then the thunder, lightening and cloud that was the voice of God on the mountain. It really brought it to life for me too and made me think about how amazing it must have been to see all of that!
How quickly the Hebrews were to forget God and want more from God and to be so upset that they had only manna to eat. They even wanted to be slaves again so they could have some meat and their other favorite foods to eat. It really made me feel bad for Moses that he had to deal with all of their complaining. It is hard to understand the way the reacted sometimes, but I know we would probably be the same. We are so quick to forget, especially when we are tired, hungry and thirsty. When I lived overseas my friends and I would spend lots of time talking about the food we missed and couldn't get. So that part I can really relate too. But with God being in a pillar of cloud and fire ahead of them I don't know how they could be as disrespectful as they were. That is why they missed the blessing of seeing the promised land. And I think this is still the same for us today. If we do not respect/fear God and all that HE is we will end up being complaining, grumpy people who go our own way to make our own happiness. And for that we will miss God's blessings.
I really like this bible verse I found while reading more of Exodus. The Egyptians were coming at the Hebrews in their chariots to bring them back and the Hebrews were standing at the water's edge scarred and fearing they were going to be killed. Exodus 14:13-14; And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” Then the cloud/fire that was traveling ahead of them went behind them and made it so the Egyptians wouldn't come near the Hebrews. I thought that was amazing too. We are still supposed to follow this and let God fight our battles for us. We still only have to stand firm and be still!
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