Bibledoorajar: Differences of Opinion?

"There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death"

                                                                                                    Proverbs 18:12

 "There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand."
                                                                                                    Proverbs 19:21

“The eternal difference between right and wrong does not fluctuate, it is immutable.”
― Patrick Henry

Pharoah's way was just about to be over. Any Israelite who had not bowed his knee to God--his way was just about to be over too. As Moses left Pharoah in darkness mulling over Moses's refusal to do things his way, Pharoah was told by Moses that before things were over his people would be giving the Israelites many valuable things just to get them out of Egypt. And they would recognize the true leadership of Moses as opposed to Pharoah. He put it this way:

"All these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, 'Get out, and all the people who follow you!" God would allow the Egyptians the ability to see the situation as it really was: the fault of their own Pharaoh, not the fault of Moses or their God. As Patrick Henry said, the difference between right and wrong does not fluctuate and in the end it must be dealt with.

The Bible says that in the end, every knee will bow to Jesus Christ, God's only begotten son. In the end, He, the only correct leader to God,  must be dealt with. Eternal right does not fluctuate, it is immutable. People will be offering all kinds of things to be relieved of eternal punishment. But God will allow people to see the situation as it really will be and to know where the fault really lies. That is why the Word of God says that now is the time to be redeemed; now is the time to deal with the immutable truths of God about us and our sin. Now is the time to totally trust the redemption prevention provided by Jesus. Have you taken that step? One can deal with it now, or one can deal with it later, but remember God says that now is the acceptable time.

Bibledoorajar: The Truth Over There

 "Emotion is the chief source of all becoming-conscious. There can be no transforming of darkness into light and of apathy into movement without emotion. "

 Carl Jung

One wonders what the emotions were like among the Egyptians who found themselves in total darkness because their Pharoah neither had compassion for the Israelite slaves nor fear of their God. Furthermore, he did not seem to be thinking too much about their happiness and welfare.

He appeared to have no feelings for others nor feelings of sadness over the condition of his country. The Israelite God had no darkness in Him at all, but He could decree darkness to cover the Egyptian villages. Full of light, He Himself shone in the land of Goshen. For three days the lesson of darkness versus light persisted. The truth was over there--in Goshen. Pharoah never got it but finally, tired of the dark, and perhaps tired of his staff talking about it, PhaRAoah sent for Moses. "O.K. Moses, I give, you and your people including the women and children can go worship your God but you have to leave all your animals here." "No, Pharoah we will need to take all of our animals because we will be sacrificing to our God in worship and need to be prepared to do that in truth." Pharoah, we are living in the light (truth) over there. We see the glory of our God. For Pharoah to not feel any emotions at this point puts him in what I will call the very callous arena and he is setting himself up for that which follows darkness---death. More to come.

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."  2 Corinthians 4:6

We can praise the Lord that we have seen the light of the glory of God in Jesus and experiencing His love has brought truth into our consciousness. We are moving forward with Him into greater and greater depths of worship because of a love relationship that is felt. We carry the right sacrifice in our hearts. Darkness cannot take hold of us in spite of all the little pharoahs that try to establish fiefdoms.

"Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free."

                                       Clara Scott

Bibledoorajar: Worthless II

    When Isaac Watts wrote At the Cross one of the things he included was a question. Did the Savior devote his sacred head and bleed and die for such a worm as I? Later, the lyrics were changed by some from worm to sinner--a humiliating term but not so much as worm. Sinner is demeaning but some would find worm downright harsh. Why did Watts use that term instead of sinner? Perhaps it was because he was in touch with just how much he differed from the Savior and just how far the Savior bent down to save him. Or maybe Watts had a celestial light experience like Fanny Crosby did when she heard the lyrics for the first time.

     PhaRAoah could not grasp his own worminess or the need that God had to redeem people for his own. For those who were being redeemed--- they were getting a real picture about the consequences of obstinancy before God being played out before them. After all, they had celestial light in the land of Goshen while PhaRAoah and his kingdom were in total darkness when the wrath of God was displayed.

About the only thing I can think that a worm is good for is breaking down rotting compost and earth and catching a fish. But, ah, if we could be a redeemed worm, we could catch the right kind of fish and have the lofty role of being fishers of men. Jesus said we would have to forsake ourselves, that is, see our worth only in His redemption of us. It is His light shining in us that makes us more than worthless. It is a celestial light and we should ever let it lead us through the dark.

               "Lead kindly light amid the encircling gloom. Lean Thou me on."
                                     John Henry Newman

Bibledoorajar: Worthless PhaRAoh

The PhaRAoh's identity was so tied up with that of Ra, the Egyptian creator (Sun) god, that Ra was significantly part of the PhaRAoh's title. According to their beliefs, Ra created the Egyptians and their beasts and shared his power with the PhaRAoh and the beasts. This was, of course, a great empowerment tool for a man who assumed the throne. After all, we know he was, as we all are, insecure and weak but afraid to admit it. It was Ra who empowered PhaRAoh to place others in bondage as he defined himself more and more by the glitter of possessions and strength. Playing god came naturally to PhaRAoh. Accruing possessions of gold and silver to carry with him when he went to Ra in eternity was a natural. He simply assumed it all. But in contrast, humble Moses had to be convinced within himself that the one and only God had placed him in front of PhaRAoh in the role of God Himself. It was not a given and the importance of representing God could not be assumed by one as arrogant as the PhaRAoh himself. We learn later in the book of Numbers that Moses was more humble than any man on earth. That is, he knew in his heart that he was worthless, "mere dust and ashes" greatly aware of his own limitations.
Now imagine this, PhaRAoh was now looking at a man before him who was once defined in Egyptian culture as one whom Ra had blessed and whose worth could be seen by his outer frame of gilt, status and possession. Now, he was supposed to define Moses as God himself? As the plagues continued PhaRAoh was having to admit that there may be something to that story. But still he remained confident in Ra and his empowerment. Finally, in plague number 9, God brings PhaRAoh to a place where the Sun "don't shine" on all his pomp and circumstance. He cannot even see his hand before him. Worthless. Ra is worthless. How will he respond? Will he finally bow his knee before his true maker?

Bibledoorajar: Will return soon, God Willing

Bibledoorajar: All Creatures of Our God and King

Following the hail storm there was only one crop that was not wiped out. It was a future producing wheat and spelt crop and the Bible reports that it was not damaged. Perhaps Pharoah thought he and his country could hang on until this crop produced. At any rate, he did not bow his knee to the only true God, the God of the Universe. So, God mobilized one of his creatures: the locust. The Bible reveals that God likes to use locusts for judgement. Perhaps it is because they can be mobilized in the millions (they band together when hungry and food is scarce) and they do their work thoroughly and rapidly. A desert locust can consume its weight in one day. Locusts are the swarming phase of a species of grasshopper. In 2013, massive swarms of locusts were noticed in  many places of the world. Note this Time headline from March 4, 2013:

"Local Swarms Descend on Egypt like Biblical Plague" 

People looked up as saw a black cloud on the horizon that turned out to be tens of millions of locust. Many varied efforts were employed in the battle against them as they disrupted Egyptian life on their way to ravage crops and orchards.

When God told Moses to go see Pharoah about the eighth plague He said if Pharoah was going to harden his heart against Him, then He was going to harden Pharoah's heart to the point of his not budging. And He says why. It was so He can do a sign that future generations will talk about.  Moses told Pharoah that he and his people were about to see the worst swarm of locust since creation. He said,

"Then your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians, something which neither your fathers nor your forefathers have seen, from the day that they came upon the earth until this day." With that Moses and Aaron left Pharoah. 

But soon Pharoah's staff were appealing for him to let the people go and worship their God. Did Pharoah not realize that Egypt was slowly being destroyed? Based upon their appeals, Pharaoh had Moses and Aaron brought back to talk, but in the end he would not budge.
 

The locusts swarmed in on an east wind that had been building for a day and night.  Nowhere could an Egyptian put his foot that there were not locusts in service to God. 

                

                  "All creatures of our God and King
                  Lift up your voice and with us sing,
                 Alleluia! Alleluia!"   St. Francis of Assisi