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Arthur Pigdon Seeds of the Spirit (2001) |
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What an incredible opening statement. It is at once both concise and profound, it introduces the concept of a supernatural supreme being, it explains the existence of the universe and it shows that faith is as necessary as reason. Scientists tell us that the universe has not always existed; it had a beginning but they do not know what initiated its creation. Our text suggests that God was before time and matter and he is therefore spirit. Who is this creative Spirit we call God? We can only answer this by observing what he says and how he behaves. The Bible provides us with a gradually unfolding portrait of his nature and character. The origin of the word 'God' is lost in obscurity. It probably means 'great' or 'mighty'. God's name for himself, which he showed to Moses, is Jehovah or Yahweh, which literally means 'I am' or 'I will be'. It is related to the Hebrew word for life. By using this name God was declaring himself to be a living, self-existing, eternal Spirit. Then there is the question of purpose. Why did God create the world? We will need a full year and the whole Bible to answer this question. This could be the most interesting study you have ever undertaken. |
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The origin of life is so difficult to imagine on natural grounds that the scientists have put it into the 'too hard' basket. There are some popular guesses but we really have no idea how life originated. It used to be supposed that some chemicals in the water were 'activated' by lightning to form the building blocks of cells but this idea has serious difficulties. This is not the only problem. The variation of life forms also poses a major problem. The Darwinian theory that this is the result of errors that occur in the genes, and that the best adapted changes have a better chance of survival, has many weaknesses, and is being seriously challenged within the scientific community. The apparent conflict between science and religion on the subject of creation arises because science, by its very nature, is committed to finding a natural explanation for existence. Science does not deny the supernatural, it is simply outside its field. The supernatural origin presented in Genesis 1, whether understood literally or symbolically, is still a valid explanation for the origin of life in all its wonderful diversity. |
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The word 'created' is only used three times in Genesis 1--for the universe, for aquatic life and for man. Note that the word 'man' is bisexual--man is both male and female--Hebrew uses other words to denote the sexes. Other life forms are called 'living creatures' but we are unique in that we are made in the image of God. God, our creator, is literally our Father. He is wholly spirit, not having any physical manifestation, hence he is invisible. We are both flesh and spirit. Our body is made from the elements of the earth and is mortal. Our spirit comes from God and returns to him at death. (Ecclesiastes 12:7) It is this feature of being made in God's image that distinguishes us from the animals. We are not programmed by instinct but are free, creative spirits. This faculty of creative choice introduces a moral quality. We can choose good or evil. Our faculty of language enables us to communicate with each other and to receive messages from God who has communicated his will to us. God is not dumb but vocal in his self-revelation. The Bible is the record of the revelation of God's will and, even more importantly, his feelings. He has not hesitated to declare his love for all his creation and especially for us. We are privileged people. |
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What is this forbidden fruit? It is not an apple, nor is it an actual tree. It is a figurative expression. It is the tree of knowledge, a specific kind of knowledge, the knowledge of good and evil or, as we more commonly say, of right and wrong. God is here declaring that he alone knows what is best for us and he reserves for himself the right to define what is good and what is evil. God has not programmed us as he has the animals. Adam was free to choose, but if he decided to back his own judgment and reject God's value system, he would die. God is teaching us here that although we are free we must accept the consequences of our choices. God's prediction that the result would be death should not be seen as a threat, or a punishment, but simply as a consequence. God knew that if Adam followed his own selfish inclination he would die, and he warned him beforehand. One other tree in Eden was identified. It was the tree of eternal life. After Adam had shown his lack of trust in God he was not permitted to live forever in a state of rebellion and disobedience. The tree of life gives hope to the righteous and the penitent. If there were no death evil would be indestructible. Death is God's way of removing evil from the world. |
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Here we have the origin of evil. All the evil in the world has come from rejecting God's values. God always seeks the good of the whole community but in our selfishness we seek only our own good. Anything that contributes to our self-interest is always pleasing to the eye but selfish choices alienate us from God and other people. As a result, guilt, that destroyer of our peace, haunts us all. The way to make a fresh start is to admit that we alone are responsible for our actions. In addition to being attractive, the tree also held the possibility of gaining wisdom. Our insatiable thirst for knowledge is leading us ever further away from belief in God. We want to understand every mystery so that we can have total control of our world. We want to replace God. We have nearly reached that point now but it has not enriched our lives as we had hoped. Instead, we live in a civilization that is sick and suffering. Individually and collectively we are finding that rejecting God's way inevitably brings death, as God said. Our hope lies in the other tree, the tree of life, which was withheld from Adam and Eve, but to which we now have access through Christ. |
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These were God's words to Cain, Adam's son. Cain and his brother Abel both brought offerings to the Lord. Abel's was acceptable to God but Cain's was not. We are not told why, but God said to Cain, 'If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?' Like his parents, Cain had chosen to do it his way, not God's way. So here, at the very beginning of history, we see that performing a religious ritual does not make us acceptable in God's sight. God wants trust and obedience, not mere ritual. Our text pictures sin as an animal ready to pounce on us and harm us. God said, 'It desires to have you, but you must master it.' This places the responsibility for right behaviour squarely on us. Cain did not master it--he yielded to evil impulses. He was angry at God and his brother whom he murdered and then lied to God. Evil always hates goodness and tries to destroy it. There is virtue in goodness because goodness is a positive choice in the face of the ever-present possibility of selfish and evil choices. In Proverbs we are told that he who rules his spirit is greater than he who takes a city. But our wills are often weaker than our desires. We need God's help and the support of fellow Christians to help us master temptation. |
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God allowed human society to begin without any constraints. Adam and Eve had chosen to reject God's prohibition and to decide good and evil for themselves. Their descendants did likewise. The result was corruption and violence. Man's imagination, the source of all action, was given over to evil thoughts and plans. Only Noah found favour with God and he began afresh with his family. After the flood God made a covenant with Noah and his descendants promising never again to destroy the earth by a flood. He made the rainbow a pledge of his promise and reminder of his covenant. We will miss the main point of the Noah story if we make the credibility of the ark the main issue. The real point is that there is no future for those who give way to evil--the future belongs to the righteous. The Noah story highlights the reality of divine judgment. Later we will see how God used Israel to destroy the corrupt society of the Philistines. Also, when Israel became corrupt God allowed the Assyrians to destroy their national life. If we do not master the evil that always crouches at the door of our heart it will destroy us. |
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This passage introduces us to the covenant concept that runs right through the Bible. The fact that the two parts of the Bible are titled testaments shows how central the covenant relationship is in God's dealings with his people. A testament is a special kind of covenant where one person confers a benefit on another, as in a will. God is never vague in his dealings with us but is always specific in regard to the benefits and conditions. God has made five major covenants with the human race. First, with Adam (Genesis 1:27-30), secondly, with Noah (Genesis 9), thirdly, with Abraham (Genesis 12), fourthly, with the nation of Israel at Sinai (Exodus 19-24), and fifthly, with the international community of Jesus' disciples (Jeremiah 31:31-33, Matthew 26:28). The fifth covenant, where people of all nations are offered eternal life through Jesus Christ, applies to us. The principal conditions are that we believe that Jesus is the Messiah and the son of God and that we turn away from all known sin and become his disciples. If we meet the conditions we can appropriate the promises in full assurance that the Lord will keep his side of the bargain--and from our point of view it truly is a bargain. |
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Human pride soon began to assert itself again. People began to plan a society that left God out. The city they built was called Babel, which means confusion. It was later called Babylon. Throughout the Bible Babylon is the symbol of society without God. It finds its climax in Revelation 18 where the final destruction of Babylon is graphically portrayed. By contrast, in the Bible Jerusalem is always symbolic of those who honour and serve God. In Revelation, it becomes the New Jerusalem, where God is loved and honoured. Philologists have traced the roots of the different languages of the world back to several primitive language groups that appear to have originated in the Middle East. God had instructed Adam's descendents to fill the earth. He wanted his descendants dispersed over the whole earth, not confined to cities in one region as was their express intention. (Genesis 11:4) A ziggurat or tower such as they built at Babel was a common feature of these ancient cities. It was associated with religious rituals of pagan worship. When people reject God, their creator, they devise substitutes, for humans have an instinct to worship someone higher than themselves. |
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Archaeologists have done a great deal of excavation in the Middle East and the names of 'Abram' and 'Laban' have been found on inscriptions. The date for Abram is believed to be between 1900 to 1700 BC. He came from the city of Ur (Genesis 11:31), which has been excavated and where a considerable library of inscribed clay documents has been found. Ur was a prosperous city with two-storey houses with whitewashed walls and rooms surrounding courtyards. Ur was destroyed about 1900 BC and this may have been why Terah with his son Abram and his grandson Lot emigrated north to Haran. At this point the narrative takes on a new and definite quality. It was at Haran that Abram received the call from God to leave his country and people and venture in faith to a country God would show him. He did not know where this promised land was or what it was like. All he had to go on was God's promise. He believed God and obeyed him and so became the model for all who live by faith in God. God gave him the famous sevenfold promise that became the founding charter of the people of Israel. God's purpose for all mankind began to be revealed from this moment onwards, through Israel's election. |
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This promise, in verse 18, was more than a verbal promise, as verses 7-17 show. God made a firm covenant with Abram after the custom of those times. Archaeologists have found documents of that period that describe the same ceremony in connection with the sealing of a covenant. But God only gave Abram title to this territory. Later generations had to win the land by conquest. Surely no other nation has a greater claim to its territory than Israel. It became known as the Promised Land because it was promised by the Creator himself. Its occupancy may be in dispute but the title deed is secure. There were three distinct aspects of the covenant: (1) Abram was to have many descendants and be the father of nations and kings. (2) God was to be the God of Abram's descendants by an everlasting covenant. (3) The whole land of Canaan was to be theirs for an everlasting possession. Abram's name was to be changed to Abraham, which means the father of many. God did not show favouritism by choosing Abraham. He chose him for a task. In Exodus 19:6 we read, 'You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' The nation has been the spokesman for God to all mankind. |
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When Abraham's wife Sarai could not conceive she gave her Egyptian servant Hagar to Abraham so that he could raise a son and an heir. So Ishmael was born and became the father of the Arab people. God rejected him as Abraham's true heir. God promised Abraham and Sarah a son of their own, Isaac, who would inherit the sevenfold promise. Ishmael's descendants would become nations also with God's blessing but the sevenfold promise would be inherited through Isaac. God's prediction has come true. The Arab tribes and nations still live in hostility with Isaac's descendants, Israel. Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Esau considered the inheritance and promises to Abraham as of no importance so the blessing of Abraham was inherited by his brother Jacob. Jacob married back into his father's family line, but Esau married Ishmael's daughter and two Hittite women. To this day it is considered important for a Jew to marry a Jewess. Those who marry 'outside' tend to drop out of the Jewish line. The present Jew-Arab conflict over territory is a continuation of this age-old quarrel between half-brothers on which God pronounced his verdict three thousand years ago (See Genesis 17:20-21.) |
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God is here referring to his sevenfold promise of Genesis 12, which became the charter of the Jewish people. Let us look at it in detail. God promised: (1) to make Abraham the founder of a nation, (2) to bless him, (3) to make his name great, (4) to make him a blessing to others, (5) to bless those who blessed him, (6) to curse those who cursed him and (7) to bless all people on earth through him. Abraham's descendants were to be blessed and protected so that they could become an instrument through which God could bless all mankind. To fulfil this mission God gave them a small homeland with clearly defined boundaries. These promises have all been fulfilled. Israel is numbered among the nations of the world. Abraham has an honoured place in three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Nations who have tried to destroy the Jews have perished but the Jews remain. The Jews have been a blessing to all nations by their promotion of monotheism, their authorship of the Bible and through their greatest son, Jesus Christ. The Jews are not God's favourites but his servants who have been entrusted with a special revelation of himself. Those who reject God's claim on their life often reject the Jews. Anti-Semitism is anti-theism. |
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The Bible is a book of the miraculous. The birth of Isaac is an outstanding example. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 and past the age of childbearing. It appears that God deliberately delayed the birth of a son until all possibility of a natural birth had passed. God wished Abraham to know that he was capable of fulfilling whatever promise he made. Time and again in Israel's subsequent history God intervened and so directed circumstances that his purpose was fulfilled. The conception of Isaac was as great a miracle as the virgin birth of Jesus. Israel's history is a fascinating combination of the human and the divine will working together. This was particularly true in the crucifixion of Jesus. (See Acts 2:23.) Here the purpose of God and the guilt of men were both at work, neither cancelling the other. We are always free to decide and choose but there is a divine providence that is also at work in individuals and nations ensuring that God's ultimate purposes are fulfilled. Let us never limit God to our small human potential. God's purposes can only be fulfilled through those who believe him and co-operate with him. |
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The three significant elements in this story are: (1) divine judgment, (2) prayer and (3) the godly minority principle. As in the day of Noah, so also here, evil in society can reach a level where God will tolerate it no longer. Judgment is a constant theme in scripture. All are judged by God for their words and actions and their neglect to do good and to love their fellows. Judgment for most does not come in this life--eternal destiny is settled after death. Abraham's prayer for Sodom was out of a concern for his relative, Lot. Most petitions to God are for those we love, our family. The remarkable feature of this prayer is that God, in his mercy, was willing to be influenced by Abraham's petition. God agreed to spare the whole city for the sake of ten righteous citizens. We often bewail the degeneracy of society, but it is the influence of a righteous minority who refuse to lower their standards who can help save any city or nation from complete corruption. Elijah thought he alone was true to God, but God knew of 7000 others. God knows who stands for him. Jesus said the role of his followers was to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. It does not take much light to dispel the darkness. |
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As the text indicates, this was a test of Abraham's faith in God and his obedience to God's command. It was a test only, and was never meant to be carried out. It was the custom of those times for fathers sometimes to sacrifice their sons to pagan gods. Would Abraham do the same if required? He demonstrated his absolute faith by his willingness to obey and offer to God his most treasured possession. God intervened. 'Do not lay a hand on the boy . . . Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.' Abraham called that place Jehovah Jireh, meaning 'the Lord will provide'. We all have to be tested by the events of life. Even Jesus was tested at the beginning of his ministry. Abraham's descendants were tested in the wilderness after they left Egypt. We are tested every day of our lives by circumstances and people. Abraham and Jesus both relied on the word of God to resist temptation. When adversity and problems come there is a human tendency to grumble and even to doubt God's goodness. Our response should not be conditioned by the circumstances but should be evidence of our complete trust in the goodness of God despite outward circumstances. |
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Jacob was a complex character. He was ambitious and deceitful, yet he believed and valued God's promises to his grandfather, Abraham. Apparently because of this God spoke to him in a dream as he fled from Esau's wrath and promised to be with him and bless him. Jacob's response was to make a vow that God would be his God. This did not change his character. In the following fourteen years he worked for Laban; he was hard-working but still ambitious and shrewd. He was returning to his homeland when he heard that his brother Esau, who had threatened to kill him, was coming to meet him with armed men. Jacob was afraid and prayed to God to save his life. His prayer was so intense that the Genesis account speaks of him actually wrestling with a man, or an angel, but his prayer was directed to God as a demand: 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.' His prayer was granted and the angel said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.' Surely those who vow to honour God as Jacob did, and not give up until they know they have God's blessing, will be blessed. |
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Joseph was the most outstanding of Jacob's twelve sons. He was handsome, intelligent and of unblemished character. His dreams of greatness seem to indicate that he was aware that he was born to command. His father favoured him over his brothers and their jealousy led to him being sold as a slave to the Egyptians. His master's wife tried to seduce him but he repeatedly refused her because to him such behaviour would be sinning against God. It was his resolve to be true to his God that kept him from the lure of lust that would surely have led to his death. In these days of moral laxity where the guidelines of sexual behaviour have often been discarded it is important to go back to the Bible for our behavioural standards. Here we have the key to overcoming sensual temptations. Our resolve to be true to God at all times and in all circumstances is the strongest possible incentive to living an upright life. Where did Joseph get this strong sense of the awareness of God? His father and mother must have taught him about God and the standards of behaviour expected of those who are his people. The example and training of the home is the best protection against the many temptations in life. |
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Life is often unfair, because good people suffer at the hands of evil people. Potiphar's wife was piqued by Joseph's rejection of her and when she accused him he was cast into prison. But time also has a way of vindicating those who do right. In prison Joseph was found to be so reliable and trustworthy that he was soon put in charge of other prisoners. The Bible says the Lord was with him. God is always with those who honour and serve him. Joseph, even though he was in prison, remained the same loyal and reliable person, and God gave him success. Everybody suffers injustice at some time in life. Those who have been wronged can respond in one of two ways. They can become disillusioned and embittered and allow the incident to sour the rest of their lives as they nurse and cherish resentment in their hearts. Or they can realise that those who have really been harmed are those who have done the wrong to them. They have blemished their character and degraded themselves, but no real harm has been done to the person wronged. They may have lost money or position or reputation but their character remains untarnished. God will continue to bless them because they have been true to him. |
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The story of Joseph is a good illustration of how God co-operates with a person yet directs events to fulfil his good purposes for all humanity. God warns Pharaoh of a coming famine by means of dreams, then, by giving Joseph the wisdom to interpret those dreams, he raises Joseph to a position of power that enables him to save both Egypt and Abraham's family line. Notice that Joseph takes no credit for his power of interpreting dreams. In 41:16 he tells Pharaoh, 'I cannot do it, but God will.' At no point is a person's will overruled--Pharaoh makes the decisions, but God sets the scene in such a way that the human and the divine will synchronise to fulfil God's good purposes. Abraham's descendants have wisdom and organisational ability that is often better than the average. It seems that God has endowed the people he chose to be his messengers to all nations with the necessary ability to fulfil his purpose. This is only one of many instances where God has preserved his people Israel when their very existence has been threatened. Joseph forgave his brothers and brought them to Egypt where they survived the drought. In due course Egypt became their prison but it was also the cradle of their nation. |
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A friend of mine has a favourite saying, 'God is always ahead of us.' It was certainly true in this case. Pharaoh's dream was a God-given glimpse into the future. God knew that the years of famine were coming and he prepared beforehand to save his covenant people and the Egyptians. Nothing can happen to us that God does not know about beforehand and permit. What happens to us is not nearly as important as our reaction to it. Because Joseph believed that God had permitted his sale into slavery he held no resentment towards his brothers for their heartless treatment of him. Looking back, he saw God's hand in the incident, saying, 'God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant . . . so then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.' If we believe that God can use whatever he permits to bring about positive good for both ourselves and others, we will surely be able to come to terms with our personal tragedies. Many years later the apostle Paul expressed this same belief when he wrote, 'We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.' (Romans 8:28) The key phrase is 'in all things'. God uses both bad and good to enrich our lives. |
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This is a reference to the time Joseph's brothers sold him as a slave to get rid of him because of their jealousy. Their intention and action was evil but God used even that evil and turned it into part of his own plan. It is unthinkable that God should have directed the brothers to do this evil deed. It was inspired by the evil in their hearts. (See also Genesis 45:5-8.) God, like a divine alchemist, turns human evil around and fits it into his good plan in such a way that our evil serves a good purpose. This is best demonstrated in the betrayal and death of Jesus. Judas betrayed him for money, Pilate sentenced him from fear of the Jewish rulers, the Jewish leaders denounced him because he challenged their authority and the Romans crucified him to keep the peace in Palestine. Their motivation was evil in every case, yet God took the terrible deed and made it the basis of our forgiveness and our salvation. We are totally free to act as we choose and yet, in a mystery beyond our understanding, God is not thwarted by our evil. He can even take the evil we do and make it part of his loving eternal purpose. |
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What a contrast from their expectations of greatness inspired by God's promises to Abraham. They had become captives and slaves in Egypt and God's promise of prosperity in the land he had designated for them seemed an idle dream. This tells us a lot about what we may, and may not, expect from God. God's plan is long-term, covering many generations. When Abraham died, all he possessed in the land God promised him was a burial plot. Slavery is the denial of freedom and represents poverty and hopelessness. The Israelites saw Egypt as their prison but actually it was the cradle of the nation, where they grew from a mere seventy souls to probably a million. Had they remained in Canaan they would not have been strong enough to take possession of the land and could have been entirely wiped out by the stronger inhabitants. Even though they suffered hardship in Egypt they grew in numbers, were made physically strong by their labour and were unified by their common plight. It is always wrong to assume that being one of God's people will bring prosperity and avoidance of trouble. There will always be exploitation and injustice in the world and Christians are not exempt. But God can, and does, use it and make it a blessing. |
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The life of Moses is a perfect example of how God works to fulfil his purposes. On one level the story of his preservation, education, exile and leadership is the result of a series of human decisions, but on another level it is the result of divine providence working through human agents and circumstances. When God wants to achieve an objective he doesn't devise a program but chooses a person, often from birth. He grows his leaders and toughens them by hardship--Samuel, David, John the Baptist. When he has a person of faith who will trust his guidance and seek only his glory he can implement any program. By being adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, Moses grew up in the palace, knew the top leaders personally, absorbed the Egyptian culture and protocol and was eminently fitted to approach Pharaoh and make demands on Israel's be half. This would have been impossible for a slave with only a slave background and mentality. It took God eighty years before he was ready to use Moses as Israel's deliverer. Let us be people of faith who trust God's long-term plans and are willing to be one small yet important step in his eternal plan. |
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Moses was forty years old when he killed an Egyptian overseer in an attempt to prevent the cruel injustice his fellow Hebrews were suffering. He fled to the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula and became a shepherd for the next forty years. This second stage of his life was also an essential preparation for his divinely appointed mission to deliver the Israelites. In this forty years he learned where every source of water was and where sheep feed could be found in season. The whole Sinai peninsula was known to him in its every mood and detail. If he had not had this experience the Israelites would probably have perished in the Sinai wilderness after their flight from Egypt. A leader who had never been outside Egypt would have been useless in the desert. When Moses had to flee from the security and luxury of his palace life he must have felt he had made a terrible mistake and ruined his life. What must have appeared to him as a tragedy was a very important preparation for his life's work. No matter how bad a mistake we make in life God can take over and redesign our life, even using our past bad experiences in a positive and useful way. Moses the murderer became Moses the national saviour and hero. |
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God saw the misery of his covenant people and he commissioned Moses to rescue them. Whenever there is oppression on the earth God sees and knows and he raises up a leader who brings deliverance. Moses was aware of the enormity of the mission that God had called him to and he did not feel equal to the task. When he raised objections, especially his lack of eloquence, God answered them by saying, 'I will be with you.' Moses still hesitated saying, 'O Lord, please send somebody else.' (4:13) God had spent eighty years preparing Moses for this mission and he would not take 'no' for an answer. He demonstrated his miraculous power to Moses and gave him the power to work miracles with his shepherd staff. The Bible says, 'So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt.' (4:20) What a ridiculous situation from a human point of view--an unsure and reluctant desert shepherd with his family on a donkey making their lonely way across the desert sands to confront the might of Egypt. But there was one other factor that made Moses' mission credible. The Bible adds, 'He took the staff of God in his hand.' When God calls us to a task he equips us for our mission. |
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God speaks of himself as the God of Israel and he calls them 'my people'. God had bound Abraham's descendants to himself with an eternal covenant. The other half of his covenant with them gave them the land of Canaan for their everlasting possession. God had now taken the first step in restoring the people to their land. Through Moses he ordered Pharaoh to release his slaves. At first their conditions became worse and their workload was increased. Then God sent a series of plagues. We may feel sympathy with the Egyptian people in their suffering, but God was punishing them for their cruelty and at the same time loosening Pharaoh's hold on Israel and increasing their belief in the power of their God. God's command to Pharaoh, 'Let my people go; has come down through the centuries as a clarion call to oppressors everywhere and has been echoed by the disadvantaged black people of Africa and America. There are times in life when a spiritual struggle is taking place and circumstances may seem to be against us. At such times all we can do is stay true to God and trust him and in due course we will know why we were tried and come out into a larger place of blessing. God never forsakes those who make him their God. |
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This statement has troubled many because it seems as if God acted unjustly by causing Pharaoh's stubbornness, then blaming him for it. But in Exodus 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7 and 9:34 the text says that Pharaoh hardened his heart himself: 'He and his officials hardened their hearts. So Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go.' No slave owner is prepared to part with his slaves willingly. The whole of the Egyptian people wanted to retain their slaves--they were totally responsible for refusing to let them go. God foreknew how they would react and that each successive plague would harden their resolve not to let their slaves go. God initiated the plagues so in this sense it could be said that he was responsible for hardening Pharaoh's heart. We should note also the futility of opposing the purposes of God. When we live contrary to God's will we not only break God's laws, they also break us. There is a danger that our hearts also may become hardened to the voice of God. It was Pharaoh's selfishness that led him to say 'no' to God. It is often the same with us. Every time we say 'no' to God our heart and conscience is hardened a little until it becomes a conditioned response and God's voice is no longer heard. |
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God gave men life--and he has the right to take away life if necessary. After nine progressive plagues had been sent to back up God's command to Pharaoh to release his slaves his total intransigence led to this last terrible plague of the death of the first-born. The Israelites were to identify themselves by killing a lamb and sprinkling its blood on the doorposts of their houses. The lamb was a substitute for their first-born and a type of the death of God's first-born, who, as Messiah, was to be a substitute for the sins of all who would call on the name of the Lord. For the last 3000 years the Jewish people have strictly re-enacted this Passover night's events in their Passover Seder festival, which is a family celebration. It is significant that Jesus offered himself as the Lamb of God on the actual anniversary of the Passover. Paul says, 'Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed for us.' If evil people oppress their fellows God sees and knows and in due course brings judgment on the oppressor and the oppressing nation. God promised Abraham, 'Whoever curses you I will curse.' God raises his mighty hand against all who oppress Israel or any other nation unjustly. |
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The experiences of God's people, Israel, show us very clearly that being one of God's covenant people does not shield us from the hardships of life. They had to leave their promised land due to drought, they were displaced persons and foreigners in Egypt, they were slave labourers and the victims of genocide and when they became free again they endured the insecurity and hardship of desert life for forty years as they roamed over the Sinai Peninsula. But they had one great asset. They were not alone. God was with them and guided them and assured them of his constant presence by the pillar of cloud and fire. When we enter into a covenant with God, through Jesus Christ, to be his people, we have the Lord's promise. 'Surely I am with you always.' We must accept the difficulties of life as part of his wise and loving plan. We are made strong by hardship. We can trust God's leading. God does not protect us from the dangers and difficulties that are common to all but we are never alone. God's Spirit is always with those who love him and he strengthens us in every trial. |
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Grumbling is one of the commonest human traits but it is a symptom of spiritual ill health. Grumbling is never just against circumstances, it is evidence of lack of trust in the goodness of God. We are really saying, 'Why does God allow this and why doesn't he do something?' It always has a spiritual aspect. It is not what happens to us but our response to life's circumstances that really matters. Whatever life's circumstances are we should trust in God's presence and his goodness. It is better to take a positive attitude towards life, even in difficult times, even thanking God for our problems and trusting and rejoicing in the Lord in spite of them. The apostle Paul sets us a great example in this regard. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 he lists his hardships but thanks God for them. He encourages us to rejoice at all times and in all circumstances believing that in the long run all things work together for good to those who love God. Jesus promised us that if we seek his kingdom and righteousness all the necessary provisions of life will be ours as well. Grumbling is a habit. Let us replace it with the habit of praise. The old hymn, 'Count your blessings', is good advice whatever our circumstances. |
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Arthur Pigdon Seeds of the Spirit (2001) |
| Copyright © 1997, 2001 by Arthur Pigdon |