Bible in 90 Days: Day 5

Bible in 90 Days Day 5 Using the SOAP Method

Scripture

Exodus 1 to Exodus 15: 1-18

Observations

1 The new Pharaoh is afraid of the Israelites who multiply greatly and orders the midwives to kill all male children

2 The birth and early life of Moses

3 The burning bush speaks to Moses and tells him of God’s promise to Abraham and Moses is called to go to Pharaoh to request freedom for the Israelites and God tells Moses that the Pharoah will not agree and so God will perform wonders

4 God tells Moses he can do the task, but Moses doubts himself and angers God and God tells Moses to take Aaron with him as spokesperson.

5 Moses and Aaron asks Pharaoh to let the Israelites go and Pharaoh refuses an instead makes it even harder for the Israelites to do their work

6 The lineage of Israel (Jacob) is detailed

7 God tells Moses to go to Pharoah to request freedom for the Israelites and that when he does, God tells Moses that Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened, it is, and the plagues against Egypt begin

8 Moses again asks Pharaoh to free the Egyptians and again Pharaoh’s heart is hardened and Egypt is plagued with frogs, lice and flies

9 Moses again asks Pharaoh to free the Israelites and again the Pharaoh’s heart is hardened and the Egyptians are plagues with death of cattle, boils and hail

10 Moses again asks Pharaoh to free the Israelites and again the Pharaoh’s heart is hardened and Egypt is plagued with locusts, darkness

11 Moses is told that Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened and that all the firstborn in Egypt will be killed

12 The firstborn of Egypt are killed, but the Israelites are passed over

　

13 The Israelites leave Egypt and take the bones of Israel (Jacob) with them.

14 God hardens Pharaoh’s heart again and Pharaoh chases the Egyptians to the sea. When they reach the sea, it is parted for the Israelites to pass and closed against the Egyptians.

15:1-18 A song of praise to God for all He has done to bring the Israelites out of captivity

　

Application

This section of the Bible troubled me as a young person. It troubled me because I did not really understand why God continually hardened Pharaoh’s heart against the Israelites. It seemed to me not to be fair for God to punish Pharaoh for not letting the Israelites go free when God continually hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the Israelites free. As an older person, I realize that I do not have to understand the story for it to be a good and proper exercise of God’s power. After all, God is God and all that is on the earth is His creation. God has the power and authority to do what he wants with anything on the earth. If He saw fit to harden Pharaoh’s heart and to use the plague of the Egyptians to show His people the Israelites His wonder, power and majesty, it was good and proper. It reminds me of things that happen in my own life. At times things go very wrong and no matter how I fast and pray and believe, things do not work out the way I want. I see people around me suffer hurt and wrong. I see people who should do things my way do the opposite seemingly intentionally and to my harm. However, when this happens I remember that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. I know that I do not have to understand why thing happen for them to be the will of God or part of his plan, just as my children only see that I punish them, and not the reason or the lesson I am trying to teach them. I know that I serve a good and wonderful God and even if I do not understand His will, it is His will and it is good. There is an old Andre Crouch song, with the lyrics, "It is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous." I plan to try to live my life with this in my mind and to be accepting and grateful for what the Lord does for me and around me.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I ask that you help me to accept and appreciate your will even when it is not what I want or even what I like. I ask that you help me to be more of what you want from me - more accepting of your will, more grateful for your actions, and more of the child you want me to be. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.