Moses and Aaron Visit the Children of Israel

For more details, search Exodus 4.

In Exodus 4, God shows that when He wants a specific person to perform a task for Him it will be done by that person. The specific person God wants to deliver the children of Israel from oppressive living is Moses; however, Moses does not feel up to the task and comes up with various ways of trying to get out of it. Of course, when everything is done and said, God has built up Moses to go to Egypt to free the children.

Moses starts with telling God that the children of Israel will not believe that God has sent him. As proof to the people, God gives Moses the power to perform miracles. One miracle is to turn his rod into a snake and back into a rod again. Another miracle is for leprosy to appear upon his hand and then for it to be healed. If the people still do not believe, Moses is to take water from the river and it will turn to blood on the dry land.

Although Moses had the power to perform miracles to show the people, he still lacked confidence because of his speech. "And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou has spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue" (Exodus 4:10). God responds "...Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord" (Exodus 4:11)? "Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say" (Exodus 4:12).

Then, Moses seems to plea with the Lord to send someone else. "And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send" (Exodus 4:13). This statement by Moses makes God angry and God replies, "...Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart" (Exodus 4:14).

"And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth and will teach you what ye shall do" (Exodus 4:15).

"And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a month, and thou shalt be to him instead of God" (Exodus 4:16).

"And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs" (Exodus 4:17).

Thus, Moses will be well-equipped to deliver the children of Israel.

Moses returned to his father-in-law, Jethro, and said, "...Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace" (Exodus 4:18).

"And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life" (Exodus 4:19).

Following God's command, Moses sets out for Egypt with his wife and sons and 'the rod of God in his hand' (Exodus 4:20).

"And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go" (Exodus 4:21).

"And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn (Exodus 4:22):

"And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn" (Exodus 4:23).

"And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him" (Exodus 4:27).

"And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him" (Exodus 4:28).

"And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel" (Exodus 4:29):

"And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people" (Exodus 4:30).

"And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped" (Exodus 4:31).

God's Hand in the Matter: God works to build up Moses' faith to deliver the children of Israel. God also works to bring Moses and Aaron together to speak the words of the Lord to the children of Israel and to perform miracles. The people believe Moses and Aaron. At the end of the chapter, the people bowed their head and worshipped God for looking upon their conditon.

Personal note: Today, if God wants you to perform a task, He will build your faith up through His Word in the bible and will teach you through the Holy Spirit.

"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:32).

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26).

As with Moses, God will spend all the time it takes to accomplish His purpose through you.

I AM Sends Moses to Egypt

For more detail, search Exodus 2 and 3.

Exodus 2 ends with God looking upon the children of Israel with respect. In Exodus 3, God acts to deliver them from their oppressive living conditions in Egypt. He moves to bring the children of Israel to 'a land flowing with milk and honey' which is also home to the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and the Jebusites (Exodus 3:8).

Moses is tending to the sheep of his father-in-law, Jethro, when God calls to him from a burning bush and tells Moses to go to the Pharaoh to bring His people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:1-10). "And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:11)?

God assures Moses that He will be with him and as a token that God has sent him, God says to Moses, "When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain" (Exodus 3:12). The mountain is known as Horeb which is the mountain of God (Exodus 3:1).

"And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, what is his name? what shall I say unto them" (Exodus 3:13)?

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you (Exodus 3:14).

"And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations" (Exodus 3:15).

"Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt" (Exodus 3:16):

"And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:17).

"And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God" (Exodus 3:18)

"And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand" (Exodus 3:19).

"And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go" (Exodus 3:20).

"And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty" (Exodus 3:21):

"But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians" (Exodus 3:22).

God's Hand in Matters: This chapter clearly shows God's hand in matters. Working through Moses, God is acting to deliver the children of Israel from Pharaoh's bondage. The steps taken to deliver them will enentually come to fruition as God specifically says in verse 20, "And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go." More of the wonders of God's hand in matters are yet to be revealed.

Personal note: God works today to deliver us from bondage when we cry out to Him! We worship the same God today as they did then.

Moses is Born

For your reference, search Exodus 2.

A man of the house of Levi took a daughter of Levi as his wife (Exodus 2:1).

"And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months" (Exodus 2:2).

When it became too difficult for the woman to hide her son, she made an ark out of reeds; "...daubed it with slime and with pitch..."; placed the child inside and laid it in the river grasses (Exodus 2:3).

From a distance, the child's sister was watching to see what would happen to him (Exodus 2:4).

The ark was spotted by the Pharaoh's daughter who came to bathe herself at the river while her maidens walked along the side. Pharaoh's daughter sent her maid to get the ark (Exodus 2:5).

The remaining verses of 6 thru 25 in Exodus 2 are word for word from the King James Version of the Bible. The blog entry concludes with verses highlighting "God's Hand in the Matter."

6) And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of Hebrews' children.

7) Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

8) And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.

9) And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.

10) And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

11) And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

12) And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and his him in the sand.

13) And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

14) And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

15) Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

16) Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

17) And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

18) And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

19) And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.

20) And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.

21) And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

22) And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

23) And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

24) And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

25) And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

God's Hand in the Matter: As shown in verses 23 thru 25, God heard the cries of the children of Israel because of their bondage; God looked upon them; God respected them. God remembered the covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Conditions Change for the Children of Israel

For your reference, search Exodus 1.

The children of Israel increased abundantly in the land and grew mighty (Exodus 1:7). The children of Israel were so many in number and mighty that the new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph, said,

"Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land" (Exodus 1:8-10).

The new Pharaoh was afraid the children of Israel would join his enemies in wartime and fight against him.

"Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses" (Exodus 1:11).

"But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel" (Exodus 1:12).

"And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour" (Exodus 1:14).

The Pharaoh told the Hebrew midwives, amongst whom were Shiphrah and Puah, to kill any Hebrew sons born and to let the daughters live (Exodus 1:16).

"But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive" (Exodus 1:17).

"And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive" (Exodus 1:18)?

**"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" " (Exodus 1:19).

**"Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty" (Exodus 1:20).

**"And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them" (Exodus 1:21).

"And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive" (Exodus 1:22).

In searching the scriptures to know and to learn of God, I am going to begin bringing special attention to God's hand in matters to help us along the way. When this is done, I shall include a section entitled "God's Hand in Matters" at the end of the blog entry as will be done following today's blog entry.

God's Hand in Matters: In today's verses, God's hand is specifically shown in verses 20 and 21. For not following Pharaoh's instructions, the midwives were 'dealt well with' by God through an increase in the number of a 'very mighty' people and the midwives were made houses.

**Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learning and Teaching of God

Regular reference to the Old Testament for this blog began with the New Testament verse of John 6:45:

"It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me."

Upon reading this verse, I was moved toward a journey through the Bible to learn and to teach of God in hopes of leading you to Jesus through the Father.

To learn of God is to learn about His interaction in man's life from the past and to ultimately experience Him firsthand. As you hear or read to learn about the Father, you will be led to Jesus who is the way to life everlasting.

As you read your Bible or these blog entries, search to know God and all His ways. He is the same God today as He was then!

Israel Buried in the Land of Canaan

For more detail, search Genesis 50.


When Israel passed away, "...Joseph fell upon his...face, and wept upon him, and kissed him" (Genesis 50:1). The physicians followed Joseph's command and embalmed Israel (Genesis 50:2).

"And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fullfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days" (Genesis 50:3).

"And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again" (Genesis 50:4,5).

"And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear" (Genesis 50:6).

Joseph along with Pharaoh's servants; 'the elders of his house'; 'all the elders of the land of Egypt' '[a]nd all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house' went to bury Israel (Genesis 50:7,8).

"And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company" (Genesis 50:9). The little ones of Joseph's brothers along with their flocks and herds were left in Goshen (Genesis 50:8).

"And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days" (Genesis 50:10).

"And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan" (Genesis 50:11).

"And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them" (Genesis 50:12):

"For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a burying place of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre" (Genesis 50:13).

After Israel's burial, Joseph and all who went returned to Egypt (Genesis 50:14).

"And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him" (Genesis 50:15).

"And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying" (Genesis 50:16),

"So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him" (Genesis 50:17).

"And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants" (Genesis 50:18).

"And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God" (Genesis 50:19)?

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Genesis 50:20).

"Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them" (Genesis 50:21).

"And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years" (Genesis 50:22).

"And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees" (Genesis 50:23).

"And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you , and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (Genesis 50:24).

"And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence" (Genesis 50:25).

"So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt" (Genesis 50:26).

Israel's Prophecy for the Twelve Tribes

This blog entry is verbatim from Genesis 49:

1) And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

2) Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

3) Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

4) Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

5) Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

6) O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall.

7) Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

8) Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.

9) Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

10) The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

11) Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

12) His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

13) Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

14) Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

15) And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

16) Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

17) Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

18) I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.

19) Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

20) Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

21) Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

22) Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

23) The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

24) But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

25) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

26) The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

27) Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

28) All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

29) And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30) In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

31) There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

32) The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

33) And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.