Did Moses sin when killing the Egyptian?

Exodus 2 focuses on the birth and early years of Moses. Moses is one of the central figures of world history. Therefore, the Bible mentions him a lot.

The story of Moses begins with a man named Amram and a woman named Jochebed, both from the tribe of Levi who got married. Jochebed became pregnant because that is more likely to happen when people get married and do marriage activities. She gave birth to a son and saw that he was a special baby, so she kept him hidden for three months. If you read the last Exodus post, you know the reason he needed to be hidden is that Pharaoh gave the order that all Jewish male babies be killed. That sounds like a good reason to hide your baby, but eventually, she couldn't hide him anymore. So she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River. The baby's sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him. Moses also had a brother three years older than him named Aaron.

Soon Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe in the river, and her attendants walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it for her. When the princess opened it, she saw the baby. The little boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This must be one of the Hebrew children," she said. Then the baby's sister approached the princess. "Should I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?" she asked. "Yes, do!" the princess replied. So the girl went and called Jochebed. "Take this baby and nurse him for me," the princess told Jochebed. "I will pay you for your help." So Jochebed took Moses home and nursed him. What a gig that is. Moses' mom gives him up to save his life, only to be paid to do what she would have done anyway. That is the providence of God at work. But that blessing was temporary because later, when Moses was older, Jochebed brought him back to Pharaoh's daughter. She adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses (To Lift Out), for she explained, "I lifted him out of the water."

Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he visited his own people, the Hebrews, and saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of Moses' fellow Hebrews. After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand. Do you think Moses acted righteously in what he did? I would say no. Moses practiced a form of vigilante justice rather than waiting on God to act directly on his own or indirectly through his appointed governing authorities. The governing authorities have the right to exercise capital punishment, not mobs who just form themselves together, deciding to play judge, jury, and executioner.

The next day, when Moses revisited his people, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. "Why are you beating up your friend?" Moses said to the one who had started the fight. The man replied, "Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?" Then Moses was afraid, thinking, "Everyone knows what I did." And sure enough, Pharaoh heard what had happened, and he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian. Midian was in the northwest Arabian Peninsula, on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea. His walk probably took about 18 days if you divide the 360-mile trip into 20 miles each day.

So Moses goes from being a prince in Pharaoh's palace to a fugitive on the run for murder. But God is not done with Moses, and that should be a comfort to many of us. If you're willing, God can still use you. Now, it took another 40 years before Moses was ready to fulfill God's plan for his life, but God did not cast him away. 

When Moses arrived in Midian, he sat down beside a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters who came, as usual, to draw water and fill the water troughs for their father's flocks. But some other shepherds came and chased them away. So Moses jumped up and rescued the girls from the shepherds. Moses' action here, unlike his previous one, was not sinful. Yes, he stood up for someone that was being mistreated in both cases. But he did not kill the attacker out of uncontrolled anger. He simply rescued the girls from the shepherds. Moses didn't become weak, but he did become meek, which means to have strength under control. Then he drew water for their flocks. When the girls returned to Reuel, their father, he asked, "Why are you back so soon today?" "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds," they answered. "And then he drew water for us and watered our flocks." "Then where is he?" their father asked. "Why did you leave him there? Invite him to come and eat with us." Moses accepted the invitation, and he settled there with him. In time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife. Later she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom (A Foreigner There), for he explained, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land."

Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. Finally, they cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God had made this promise multiple times to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You know if you were with me throughout the Genesis study. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act. Have you ever cried out to God and felt like he wasn't listening? Remember, the time it took for the promise to be given to its fulfillment took 430 years. Because the Bible summarizes a lot of time in a short space, we may read quickly and think that all of these events happened in rapid succession. But slow down. Really slow down and pay attention to the details of what you read. That is one reason I like these studies because it forces me, and hopefully you as the reader, to do that. So don't assume God isn't listening. His timetable for a fulfilled promise might be longer than you think. It can even take longer than the entirety of your own life to come to pass. How many Israelite generations lived out their entire lives without any deliverance on the horizon? But that doesn't mean God lied. It just means we need to live with an eternal perspective, accepting that the world doesn't begin when we arrive and end when we die. It's not about you.

SOURCES

1. Precept Upon Precept: Exodus
2. Moses & the Exodus timeline by Bible Timelines
3. Exodus 2
4. Did Moses sin in killing the Egyptian? by Herman Hanko for the Protestant Reformed Churches of America
5. Psalm 27:14
6. Romans 13:1-7
7. How long did it take Moses to walk from Egypt to Midian? by Clarence Uhrich on Quora
8. Genesis 15:14-18
9. Genesis 17:7
10. Genesis 18:18
11. Genesis 26:3, 24
12. Genesis 28:12-14
13. Genesis 46:2-4

What is Critical Race Theory (CRT)?

Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the idea of "systemic racism" go hand-in-hand. Anytime you hear the phrase "systemic racism," that is CRT. The central doctrine of its theology--and that's how I define it even more than a political ideology--attempts to turn the very definition of racism on its head. When I was growing up (it makes me feel old to say that), racism was demonstrated by an INDIVIDUAL'S thoughts or actions. Even if one talked about a racist part of the United States--the old south, for example--it was understood that not everyone in the south was racist. Even if elements of racism had taken hold there, it was not assumed that everyone who lived in the south was a racist just because they lived there or just because they were white. CRT redefines racism as systemic, inherent in the country's very structure. The focus is taken off individuals so that every person in a particular race or part of a specific society is racist by default.

I call CRT a theology because the Bible teaches that all humans are born with a sinful nature. Even children don't escape the effects of the sinful nature. Furthermore, the Bible shows us that we cannot escape the sinful nature on our own no matter how hard we try. Without divine intervention, we are slaves to the sinful nature inherited from the first human, Adam. The difference is Christianity offers hope. We can be redeemed from our fallen state by repenting of our sins and accepting the gift of pardon Christ purchased for us by sacrificing Himself in our place. In CRT, there is no hope of redemption, just endless confession, and penance. Even though CRT requires this confession and penance from those it declares "racists," the racists can never do enough to make things or themselves better. The oppressors are expected to bow to the oppressed in every facet of society because they are owed it. Therefore, "racists" shouldn't expect to ever do enough good to be considered non-racists because there is NO redemption or salvation in CRT.

Whenever you hear people talk about western civilization or the Judeo-Christian values that the United States was founded upon, that has been redefined as "white culture" or just "whiteness." Proponents of CRT see racism at the root of everything that ever has been or is America. That means every white person represents the embodiment of CRT's version of original sin--racism. Even worse, in CRT, a person doesn't even have to be white to be infected with this whiteness. Suppose a black person or someone from any other ethnic group speaks out against any of the tenants of CRT. In that case, they themselves are promoting white culture and systemic racism according to this twisted theology.

That's why CRT is dangerous and should not be taught anywhere, including workplaces, and ESPECIALLY not in schools. It is destructive by design to anything and everything that has defined who we are as a people regardless of skin color. It wasn't that long ago that we were taught that a "colorblind" society was a good thing. We were to strive to fulfill Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream that people would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. CRT flushes that down the toilet, teaching that Judeo-Christian principles, western civilization, and America are plots designed to force whiteness on everyone else. In CRT, even good virtues such as working hard, being on time, and promoting literacy and critical thinking foster white culture. Getting good grades or advancing based on the merit of your work are not seen as positives. In CRT, these positive examples I just listed aren't seen as good because they prove that the system is rigged to allow those who promote whiteness to stay at the top. So it teaches the opposite of color blindness by making race the primary characteristic by which all things are judged.

So what is expected of white people or anyone of any color that questions or rejects CRT? Well, to put it in a word, repentance. A person must confess their whiteness (even if they aren't white) and work their entire lives to prove that they are not racist. One slip up along the way either starts you back at square one or, in some cases, makes you irredeemable. This is why it fits so well with cancel culture, which seeks to cut a person off from everything without remedy.

Finally, CRT seeks to replace equality with equity. Again, it may seem like a long time ago because of all that has happened, but it really wasn't that long ago when equality was something to be fought for. But now, calls for equality have been largely replaced with calls for equity. They may sound the same, but they are not. Equality means all people get treated the same under the law regardless of any unchangeable characteristics such as race. Equity is the exact opposite of equality because it REQUIRES discrimination based on skin color. To put it another way:

Equality=Equal opportunity

Equity= Equal outcomes (by force)

Critical Race Theory is a theology, as I said before. The Bible teaches that Jesus is God, and our purpose in life is to glorify Him. Even though it doesn't claim what I am about to say next, IN PRACTICE, CRT might as well teach that those it defines as oppressed because of perceived systemic racism are gods. And the life purpose of the oppressors is to worship the oppressed in everything they do to prove their repentance.

SOURCES

1. How to identify Critical Race Theory by The Heritage Foundation
2. Isaiah 53:6
3. Romans 5:12-21
4. Romans 7:14-25
5. Psalm 51:5
6. Psalm 58:3
7. Proverbs 22:15
8. Acts 17:30
9. Romans 10:9-10
10. I have a dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963
11. John 1:1
12. Colossians 1:16

Israel grows in spite of Egyptian "deNile"

An exodus is a going out, departure, or emigration that usually describes many people. That's where the book of Exodus gets its name because it is in this book that Israel, God's chosen people, are delivered from bondage in Egypt. Moses is the author of the book of Exodus, which is a continuation of Genesis. The date of this book and all the other books of the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) ranges from 1446-1406 B.C. Moses wrote these books during the 40 years of wilderness wandering they endured because of their unbelief. We will read a lot about it as we continue through these studies. 487 out of the 1,213 verses in Exodus are predictive. So about 40% of Exodus is prophecy.

These are the names of the sons of Jacob (whose name God changed to Israel) that moved to Egypt with their father and their families: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. So the total number of descendants that traveled with Jacob to Egypt is certain. Still, the number differs within the Bible depending on how they are counted. I covered this in an earlier blog post, so I won't go through it again. Still, I will briefly summarize the different counting methods. One place says 66 people went with Jacob to Egypt. If you count Jacob, Joseph (who was already in Egypt), and Joseph's two sons that Jacob claimed as his own, you get a total of 70. But then Stephen, the first Christian martyr in the New Testament, says 75 went with Joseph. One possibility for this number is by adding the living daughters-in-law of Jacob to the 66 number. The other way to get to 75 is to count Joseph's grandchildren instead.

Regardless of which counting method one uses, Joseph eventually died and his brothers and that entire generation. In the same blog post I mentioned above, I stated that Joseph died just 64 years before Moses was born. But during the whole 215 years from the time Jacob first arrived in Egypt to the time Moses and Aaron will speak to Pharaoh about exiting from Egypt later in this study, the Israelites were fruitful and increased abundantly. They multiplied and became extremely strong, so much so that the land was filled with them. And eventually, a new Pharaoh arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph or the history of his accomplishments. The political attitude toward the Israelites living in Egypt changed from friendly and welcoming to suspicious and hostile. Israel’s struggle for existence led to one of the most dramatic and memorable interventions that God would make in human history.

The identity of this new Pharaoh has led to much debate. The 1446 B.C. date I mentioned earlier when talking about the authorship of Exodus would align Exodus’ early events with the time of Thutmose I or his father Amenhotep I, either of whom is considered capable of issuing a decree to murder infants. This dating would place Moses’ life in the same general timeframe as Hatshepsut, effectively a female Pharaoh, who may have been the one to adopt him from the Nile. Hatshepsut’s co-regent and eventual rival was Thutmose III, who apparently resented her influence and would have had good reason to banish Moses at the first opportunity. This would make Amenhotep II, seventh Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, the ruler, forced to let God’s people go. Egyptian history indicates a sudden lack of military action by Amenhotep II beginning in 1446 B.C., a fact that would be consistent with the loss of nearly the entire army at the Red Sea. Ancient records also claim Amenhotep’s successor, Thutmose IV, was not the “true” heir—which would be true if Amenhotep’s firstborn son and “legitimate” heir died during the 10th plague. Given all this information, Thutmose I, who reigned from 1525-1512 B.C., seems to be a logical choice for the Pharaoh that arose and didn't acknowledge Joseph or his accomplishments.

Thutmose I warned his people that the Israelites had become too many and too mighty because they outnumbered the Egyptians in population and strength. So Thutmose proposed to deal shrewdly with them so that the Israelites would not continue to multiply. He feared that the Israelites would join Egypt's enemies if a war happened, which would enable them to escape. So they set taskmaster over the Israelites to afflict and oppress them with hard labor and increased burdens. During this time, the Israelites built the cities that would later become known as Pithom and Raamses as storage cities for Pharaoh. But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and expanded. As a result, the Egyptians became even more annoyed, exasperated, and alarmed with dread because of the Israelites. The Egyptians forced the Israelites into severe slavery. The Egyptians made the Israelites' lives bitter with hard labor in mortar, brick, and all kinds of field work. All their labor was harsh and severe.

There were two particular Hebrew midwives during that time, Shiphrah (Beauty) and Puah (Splendor). Pharaoh told them that when they acted as midwives to the Hebrew women and saw them on the birthstool, he wanted them to kill all the baby boys and keep all the baby girls alive. But the midwives feared God with profound reverence. So they didn't do what the wicked Pharaoh commanded. Instead, they continued to allow the male babies to live. Eventually, he called for these two Hebrew midwives and asked them why they had continued to allow the male children to live. They lied and said Hebrew women were not like Egyptian women because they are more vigorous and give birth quicker than the midwives could get to them. Even though the Hebrew midwives lied to Pharaoh, God blessed them because they feared Him with profound reverence. So He established families and households for them of their very own. Meanwhile, the Israelites continued to multiply and become even stronger. Then Pharaoh repeated his command, saying that every Hebrew son had to be thrown into the Nile River. In contrast, every daughter had to be allowed to live. History has repeated itself in this way time after time. Whether Israel or the Christian church, whenever God's people are persecuted, they persevere to the point that they eventually thrive under the harsher conditions even more than they would have otherwise. That's why, even though I do not welcome persecution of Christians and Jews if the seeds that have been planted currently continue to grow, I trust that God will use it all for His good and for the good of those who genuinely love Him.

Is there in all human history a more fantastic spectacle than the exodus? First, a family of 70 immigrants grows into a people of slavery. Then, suddenly, according to God’s detailed and preannounced plan, they are seen flinging away the shackles of generations of slavery and emigrating to a new country and a new life, with miraculous deliverances rescuing them from destruction again and again. The marvel of the exodus grows in wonder when, after more than 3,000 years, we see that same race, often persecuted almost to extinction, carrying out in incredible detail God’s predictions for their amazing national revitalization and prominence in the last days.

SOURCES

1. "Exodus" definition from Dictionary.com
2. The Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible introduction to Exodus
3. Exodus 1
4. My blog post from June 15, 2021, titled It depends on how we're counting
5. Genesis 46:26-27
6. Genesis 48:5
7. Deuteronomy 10:22
8. Acts 7:14
9. 1 Chronicles 7:14-21
10. How long were the Israelites in Egypt? by David Wright for Answers in Genesis on July 5, 2010
11. Amplified Bible footnote for Exodus 1:8
12. Who was the Pharaoh of the Exodus? by Got Questions
13. Exodus 2:5-6
14. Exodus 14:28
15. Exodus 11:4-5
16. Exodus 12:29
17. Romans 8:28
18. Amplified Bible footnote for Exodus 1:22
19. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition footnote for Exodus 1:9

Laying the foundation for a study of Exodus

Hey everybody! Are you ready to begin again?! We just finished Genesis, and now we are starting a new journey through the book of Exodus. And journey is the right word because that's definitely what this was for the Israelites. It was the journey of journeys, a journey still commemorated by Jews worldwide to this very day. Through this study, we will learn that the promises of God today are just as sure as the promises made long ago.

As we open the Word of God, remember that this is God's book given to us that we might know Him and understand His ways. He wants you to love Him with the entirety of our tri-part being: body, soul, and spirit. We show this by keeping His commandments. And we learn what He expects of us by studying His Word. Remember that Satan and his demonic underlings are the enemies of your soul. They don't want us to spend time in the Bible, but they can't stop us from persevering unless we let them. Sometimes even working for the Lord can keep us from being in His Word to get our nourishment. Jesus said, "People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." When you aren't in the Bible daily, you are starving yourself. Would you skip meals days or weeks at a time? If not, then why starve your soul and spirit?

Everything that happens in Exodus has its roots in Genesis. So for those of you who might be new, let's look a little bit at where we have been to better understand where we are going. Yahweh had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, relatives, father's family, and go to a land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families on Earth will be blessed through you." So Abram departed as Yahweh had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Abraham took his wife Sarai (whose name would later be changed to Sarah). He also took his nephew Lot and his wealth. That included livestock and all the people taken into his household at Haran. Then they headed for the land of Canaan. Abraham traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites. Then Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, "I will give you and your descendants this land." And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.

Later, after Lot had gone, Yahweh said to Abram, "Look as far as you can in every direction--north, south, east, and west. As far as you can see, I am giving all this land to you and your descendants forever. And I will provide you with so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! So go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you. So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to Yahweh.

Another time, Yahweh said to Abram, "You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end, they will come away with great wealth. (As for you, you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.) So then, after four generations, your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction." After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. Yahweh made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River."

During the time of Abraham's son Isaac, a severe famine had struck the land, just as had happened before in Abraham's time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived. Yahweh appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I now confirm that I will give you and your descendants all these lands, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions." So, Isaac stayed in Gerar.

In the next generation, Isaac's son Jacob, staying in Beersheba, left and traveled toward Haran. At sundown, he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to Heaven. And Jacob saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. At the top of the stairway stood Yahweh, and he said, “I am Yahweh, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you."

The previous paragraphs have highlighted the repeated everlasting promise of Yahweh to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the rest of the Jewish people that have or will descend from them. God doesn't need to repeat Himself, but He chooses to for our sake. My guess is He knew of the disputes over the Promised Land throughout the future. So, He was just making His will especially clear. But that's not all that happened in Genesis. If you were with me before, you know 13 of the last 14 chapters of Genesis have to do with the life of Joseph. His brothers were intensely jealous of him to the point of hatred because he was Jacob's favorite. He also seemed to be, from my perspective at least, the best behaved of them all. Maybe that's why he was the favorite. One time, when Jacob sent Joseph to check on his older brothers, they ripped off the beautiful robe his father had given him. Then they grabbed him and threw him into a cistern with no water in it. Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. A group of Ishmaelite traders took a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt. One of Joseph's older brothers, Judah, said to the others, "What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. So instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!" And his brothers agreed. So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. That's $209.52 in today's money. And the traders took him to Egypt.

But Joseph thrived even as a slave because Yahweh was with him. So he was put in charge of Potiphar's house even Joseph was Potiphar's slave. Then Potiphar's wife made advanced toward him that Joseph rejected because he didn't want to dishonor his heavenly Master or his earthly master. So she falsely accused him of rape, and he was thrown into prison. He prospered there and was made an overseer of the prison. While in prison, Joseph correctly interpreted the prophetic dreams of two fellow inmates. One of those received the death penalty, while the other was granted freedom and restored to his previous position working under Pharaoh. Joseph interpreted that dream correctly as well, a dream about the next 14 years. The first seven years would be a time of bountiful harvest nationwide. The next seven years would be a time of severe famine to such a degree that it would leave Egypt and the surrounding nations in total desperation. Pharaoh was so impressed that he made Joseph the second-in-command in Egypt, or what I like to call Vice Pharaoh. Meanwhile, Joseph's brothers had lied to their father 22 years later about what happened to him, saying that he had been killed by a wild animal. Jacob sent the other sons to Egypt for food, not knowing Joseph was alive, where he was, or his status. To keep a long story from getting longer, Joseph eventually reveals himself to his brothers and forgives them for what they did to him. He then invites his whole family to come and stay in Egypt. Jacob was afraid to go because he remembered all the promises of Yahweh about the Promised Land. But during the night, God spoke to Jacob in a vision. Yahweh said to Jacob, "I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes."

When Jacob died, Joseph threw himself on his father, wept over him, and kissed him. Then Joseph told the physicians who served him to embalm his father’s body. So Jacob was embalmed. The embalming process took the usual 40 days. And the Egyptians mourned his death for 70 days. When the mourning period was over, Joseph approached Pharaoh’s advisers and said, “Please do me this favor and speak to Pharaoh on my behalf. Tell him that my father made me swear an oath. He said to me, ‘Listen, I am about to die. Take my body back to the land of Canaan, and bury me in the tomb I prepared for myself.’ So please allow me to go and bury my father. After his burial, I will return without delay." Pharaoh agreed to Joseph’s request. “Go and bury your father, as he made you promise,” he said. So Joseph went up to bury his father. He was accompanied by all of Pharaoh’s officials, all the senior members of Pharaoh’s household, and all the senior officers of Egypt. Joseph also took his entire household and his brothers and their households. But they left their little children and flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. A significant number of chariots and charioteers accompanied Joseph. When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with seven days of mourning for Joseph’s father. The local residents, the Canaanites, watched them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad. Then they renamed that place (near the Jordan) Abel-mizraim (Mourning of the Egyptians), for they said, “This is a place of deep mourning for these Egyptians.” So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them. They carried his body to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the cave that Abraham had bought as a permanent burial site from Ephron the Hittite. After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial.

But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said. So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in oppressing you.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. But Joseph replied, "Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. So no, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children." So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph lived to the age of 110. He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim, and he lived to see the birth of the children of Manasseh’s son Makir, whom he claimed as his own. "Soon I will die," Joseph told his brothers, "but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, "When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you." So Joseph died at the age of 110. The Egyptians embalmed him, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

The following photo compares the boundaries of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as an everlasting possession with the land they currently possess. Despite the discrepancy, God's promise will be wholly fulfilled in the future when Jesus returns to set up His Kingdom on Earth.

Thank you all for joining me for this background information on Exodus. I hope you all are as excited about this as I am! "I AM"... those words will be important later. Until next time, may you seek God with all your heart and find Him!

SOURCES

1. Precept Upon Precept: Exodus
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
3. Matthew 4:4
4. Genesis 12:1-7
5. Genesis 13:14-18
6. Genesis 15:13-18
7. Genesis 26:1-6
8. Genesis 28:10-15
9. Genesis 37-50
10. Silver Prices Today, Live Spot Prices & Historical Charts by Money Metals
11. Photo courtesy of a Skip Heitzig sermon I cannot currently find
12. Jeremiah 29:13

WE'VE REACHED THE END OF THE GENESIS STUDY

Well, folks, this is it. We have reached the end of the Genesis study. This is the last chapter, Genesis 50. Genesis is the book of beginnings. And while this is the end of Genesis, we are just starting what Paul Harvey would call "the rest of the story." This is the end of Joseph's story. However, it lays the foundation for the history of Israel, a story still being written to this very day, a nation that will never end.

There are three primary events covered in Genesis 50:

1. The burial of Jacob
2. Joseph's reassurance of his brothers
3. The death of Joseph

So the theme of the chapter is the end of the earthly lives of Israel's first patriarchs and the beginning of the rest of Israel's history. One of the reasons it is so important to learn history is its tendency to repeat itself. It does that in this very chapter. You will remember earlier when Joseph's brothers bowed down to him, not recognizing who he was at the time but still fulfilling Joseph's prophetic dream (Genesis 37:5-11; 42:6). Upon the death of their father, the fear of Joseph's brothers gripped them again. They were concerned that he would repay them for the evil they had done to him by selling him into slavery (Genesis 37:26-28). Notice how they even refer to Jacob as "your father" even though he was their father too. They acknowledged Joseph's status as the favorite son. Still, I think they were also laying it on real thick because they sought mercy from their brother (Genesis 50:15-16). They even call themselves "the servants of the God of your father" (Genesis 50:17). Joseph reassured them that he meant what he said before, and all was forgiven. He makes that very clear by asking, "Am I in place of God" (Genesis 50:19)? The LORD is clear that vengeance belongs to Him (Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalm 94:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:6; Hebrews 10:30). Joseph shows his eternal perspective and trust in God's plan. He reassured his brothers, telling them that even though they meant to do evil, God used it for good (Genesis 50:19-21; Romans 8:28). Joseph didn't let his justifiable anger get in the way of the relationship Joseph had always wanted with his whole family, not just his father. And he trusted God enough to be just, fair, and merciful in His own time.

The word in Genesis 50:17 for what his brothers did has been translated as "offense," "trespass," "transgression," among other terms. The Hebrew word sounds like "peh'-shah" has different phases of meaning depending on the context in which it is used. Still, it basically refers to the same type of offense. It can refer to transgression against individuals, of one nation against another, against God, and the guilt, punishment, or offerings associated with such violations (Larry Pierce's Outline of Biblical Usage). 

But what would have been gained if Joseph had taken vengeance on his brothers? Nothing except maybe the short-lived satisfaction. A lot more could have been lost forever were it not for Joseph's heart for the LORD and his family. Joseph's forgiveness helped them all move on as he released his brothers from the focus of their fear. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18). It is this kind of love Joseph showed toward his brothers, and it is the example his legacy has left us all.

I mentioned that death is a big theme in this chapter, which means references to burying necessarily are as well. Some variation of the word "bury" is mentioned eight times in the chapter (Genesis 50:5-7, 12-14). Joseph got permission from Pharaoh to go back to Canaan to bury Jacob. I doubt he had any trouble with this request, given the respect that Jacob showed Pharaoh and vice-versa. He was buried in the same cave of the field of Machpelah that Abraham had purchased. All the brothers accompanied him on the journey, which is also notable because of the fear they previously showed toward Joseph. They had finally put all that behind them and unified around each other after their father's death.

A lack of forgiveness can cripple one's life, bringing bitterness that will trouble the person holding on to unforgiveness and defile others until it is uprooted. The one who refuses to forgive becomes the captive of the transgressor. Ephesians 4:32 encourages us to be kind and compassionate, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave us. Since God has chosen the church to be holy and because He dearly loves us, we are to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We must bear with each other and forgive one another if we have a grievance against someone, just as the Lord forgave us (Colossians 3:12-13). The Lord's Prayer includes the words "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Then Jesus said if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others for their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14-15). Peter once asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone. Jesus responded 70 times 7 (Matthew 18:21-22). As I pointed out a couple of blog posts ago, this doesn't mean you should walk around with a clipboard counting sins hoping to get to 490 so you can stop forgiving someone. The point was to put the number so high that you couldn't count and maintain a continuing attitude of forgiveness.

Is there anyone you need to forgive? How can God use evil done in your life for your good (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28)? Forgiveness doesn't mean you forget what the person did. It doesn't mean the relationship will be restored. Both may require the offender to acknowledge their sin before God, repent, and seek forgiveness. When a person really receives Christ, that person is a new creation. Old things have passed away, and all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Forgiveness requires letting go of the offense, sending it away, and trusting God to handle it His way in His time.

The last thing we see in the book of Genesis is the death of Joseph. When he was about to die, Joseph reminded his brothers of the promise that God would come to their aid, take them up out of the land of Egypt, and bring them to the Promised Land. Then Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath to carry his bones away from Egypt and back to the Promised Land when God came to their aid (Genesis 50:24-25). He did this because he had faith in God's promise to bring them back to the land He gave the Jewish people forever (Hebrews 11:22). Remember that God told Abraham the Jewish people would be strangers in a country not their own. They would be enslaved and mistreated there. But God would punish the nation they served as slaves, and afterward, they would come out with great possessions. But first, the sin of the Amorites had to reach its full measure so God could use the Israelites to punish them as well (Genesis 15:13-14, 16). Have you ever been tempted to wonder, "Where is God in all of this?" Remember the exactness of God's Word here. There is a purpose for everything, even the worst evil that people may do.

Joseph left the Jewish people a hopeful promise from God. In the same way, Jesus Christ has left us with the hopeful promise of His return. The Bible promises the return of Jesus 318 times. Until Jesus comes again, His followers are to be about His business. We are to labor diligently to fulfill His commands and bring as many people to faith in Him as we can through the preaching of the Gospel (Romans 10:14). Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). The Crown of Rejoicing is promised to all who love eschatology, studying the Second Coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:19). So, come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20)!

Thank you to everyone who has been with me on this LONG journey through the book of Genesis. Thank you to Precept for this wonderful Bible study that offered some great information that aided me as I put together these podcasts and blog posts. And thank you to the person who was responsible for purchasing these study guides for me. Your kindness is forever appreciated. I look forward to being back with you all again soon as we begin a new journey through the book of Exodus. Until then, God bless you all!

Jacob prophesies the blessings and curses of his children

Genesis 49's theme is Jacob addressing his sons. He gives a prophecy over each one in this chapter. Jacob summoned his sons to gather and listen (Genesis 49:1-2). Then he laid down on his bed and died after addressing each of them (Genesis 49:33). Judah (Genesis 49:8-12) and Joseph (Genesis 49:22-26) received the most extended blessings of the 12 sons.

1. Reuben- He was the oldest and an honored leader at one time. But he dishonored himself by sleeping with his father's wife and disgracing Jacob's bed. Jacob said Reuben no longer deserved an honorable place because he was as uncontrollable as a flood (Genesis 49:3-4).
2. Simeon and Levi- Jacob called them gruesome swords. He said he never wanted to participate in their plans or deeds because they slaughtered people in their anger and crippled cattle for no reason. Jacob placed a curse on these two brothers because of their fierce anger. That curse was that their descendants would be scattered among Israel's tribes (Genesis 49:5-7).
3. Judah- Jacob had much better words for Judah. He would be praised by his brothers. They would bow down to him as he defeated his enemies. Jacob compared Judah to a lion getting ready to eat its victim. No one would bother Judah because he was so terribly fierce. Judah would have power and rule as the nations obeyed him and came to bring gifts. Judah would tie his donkey to a choice grapevine and wash his clothes in wine from those grapes. He would have eyes darker than wine and teeth whiter than milk (Genesis 49:8-12).
4. Zebulun- Zebulun would settle along the seashore and provide safe harbors as far north as Sidon (Genesis 49:13).
5. Issachar- Jacob compared him to a strong donkey resting in the meadows. He found them so pleasant that he worked too hard and became a slave (Genesis 49:14-15).
6. Dan- Jacob had one good thing to say about him. He said Dan's tribe would be one that would bring justice to Israel. But Jacob also said that Dan was like a snake that bit a horse's heel that would make its rider fall. Then Jacob told the Lord he was waiting on Him to save them (Genesis 49:16-18).
7. Gad- Gad would be attacked. He would return the favor after that by attacking his attackers (Genesis 49:19).
8. Asher- Asher would eat food fancy enough for a king (Genesis 49:20).
9. Naphtali- Jacob compared Naphtali to a wild deer with lovely fawns (Genesis 49:21).
10. Joseph- Jacob compared Joseph to a fruitful vine growing near a stream and climbing a wall. His enemies refused to show mercy by attacking him with arrows. But Joseph stood his ground and swiftly shot back with the help of the all-powerful God, Israel's Shepherd and Mighty Rock. God would bless Joseph with rain, streams from the earth, and many descendants. Jacob said the blessings he gave were better than the promise of ancient mountains or eternal hills. He prayed these blessings for Joseph because Joseph was the leader of his brothers (Genesis 49:22-26).
11. Benjamin- Jacob compared Benjamin to a fierce wolf that destroyed his enemies in the morning and evening (Genesis 49:27).

Deuteronomy 21:15-17 says the birthright belonged to the firstborn son. The firstborn's birthright was not messed with even if the father did not love the firstborn's mother. So what happened to Reuben's birthright as the firstborn son since he was Jacob's oldest son? He lost his rights as the firstborn because he slept with another of Jacob's wives. After that, the firstborn's honor was given to Joseph even though Judah's tribe became the most powerful and produced the greatest Leader (1 Chronicles 5:1-2). Revelation 5:5 calls Jesus Christ the Lion from the Tribe of Judah.

It is clear that Joseph forever maintained the "favorite son" status given by his father. God made Joseph a success even in the land where he suffered (Genesis 41:52). And Joseph got the most extended blessing even though it was Judah's tribe that would produce the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The LORD blessed Joseph's descendants with precious water from deep wells and dew from the sky. Joseph's fruit ripened in the sunshine month by month. His descendants had a rich harvest from the ancient hill's slopes. The LORD gave them the best the land could produce so that it became like a princely crown on Joseph's head (Deuteronomy 33:13-17).

We will close this post by looking at what else Scripture has to say about Judah. Psalm 60:7 says that Judah is the symbol of royal power. The scepter, which belongs to the Lawgiver, would not depart from Judah. Jesus' genealogy begins with Abraham, Isaac, Judah, and his brothers. Then Judah's sons were singled out from there (Matthew 1:1-2). We also know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and Bethlehem is in the land of Judah (Matthew 2:5-6). Every knee will eventually bow down to the name of Jesus. Everyone who has ever lived will declare that He is Lord to His Father's glory (Philippians 2:10-11). Multitudes are refusing to do that in this life. They are headed down the broad "Highway to Hell" as we speak (Matthew 7:13). Don't follow the crowd. Make a commitment to Jesus Christ today if you haven't already.

How do we "deal with idiots?"

 Last week, I was asked in Messenger after sharing a blog post, "Can you do one on how to deal with idiots?" I said, "Sure," thinking that there would be more verses containing that word than there actually turned out to be. It turns out that I could only find one reference that includes the word "idiot." That is Matthew 5:21-22.

During Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that you have heard what was said to people of old. He referred to one of the 10 Commandments, which states, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17 NKJV). Whoever murders shall be in danger of the judgment. But as He does all throughout Matthew 5, Jesus reveals the heart-intent behind God's Law. Jesus--God incarnate--said everyone angry with a brother or sister without a cause (referring to a fellow believer) shall be in danger of the same judgment as a murderer. Whoever says to a brother or sister, "Raca," an Aramaic word for an empty-headed idiot, shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says more shall be in danger of Hellfire (Matthew 5:21-22).

So how do we deal with idiots? The first noticeable thing is that we should be cautious--at the very least--when calling someone an idiot because the penalty is nothing to giggle at. In his commentary on this verse, John MacArthur writes that verbal abuse stems from the same sinful motives (anger and hatred) that ultimately lead to murder. The internal attitude is what the law actually prohibits. Therefore an abusive insult carries the same kind of moral guilt as an act of murder. So this word should not be thrown around flippantly? I confess I have been guilty of this myself, more so verbally than in writing. So this one hits home for me, too, as it should. The council here that Jesus referred to is the Sanhedrin, the ancient Jewish court system of that day. The point is that to use that word carried with a severe earthly charge in that day, but to tread this ground can lead to even more harsh, eternal consequences.

This is not to say that there is never a time to be angry. Jesus is perfect, and He gets angry. Ephesians 4:26 tells us to be angry and do not sin. That means that there is some anger that is not sinful. There is such a thing as righteous anger. We are to be angry at sin, which motivates us to pursue repentance for ourselves and justice where necessary. The feeling of anger is not a sin, and actions done in anger aren't necessarily sinful. But we need to be careful because that can very, very easily slip from righteous to unrighteous anger and result in sinful attitudes and actions. Psalm 97:10 says that those who love the LORD hate evil. That's pretty strong, but it shows that we can't honestly say we love God and get along with things He detests. But again, we must be careful in how we respond to that so that we don't act in sinful ways ourselves.

This also doesn't mean there are no times when the description of the word "fool" or "idiot" is not accurate. Even Scripture calls some people fools. The one that sticks out in my mind the most is Psalm 14:1 and 53:1. Those verses tell us that the one who says in his heart, "There is no God," is a fool. And that's two examples out of 196 I could have used. But again, we need to be careful not to use such words without a cause or carelessly.

So then, how do we deal with people who are acting stupidly? First, we should expect unbelievers to be foolish because they don't have the Holy Spirit to illuminate His paths of wisdom. Therefore, they are stumbling around in the darkness, making one wrong decision after another. They can't help it. This is because they are of their father, the devil (John 8:44). The best thing we can do for unbelievers is share the Gospel with them verbally and without watering it down. "How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them" (Romans 10:14 CEV)? Coming to Christ is the entry-level position for wisdom.

But what about believers who act like idiots? How do we handle them? Galatians 6:1 addresses this. "If any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also" (Galatians 6:1 AMPC). So we have a responsibility to guide people back on the right path where needed, but only with the right attitude. That latter part is another thing I confess that I have not done well many times. Jesus gave us a pattern for church discipline when a person gets off track. He said, "If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector" (Matthew 18:15-17 NLT). But again, this must be done with the right attitude. Peter asked Jesus, "How often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" Jesus replied, "No, not seven times, but seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21-22 NLT)! The point was not to walk around with a clipboard saying, "That's 489! One more, and you're toast!" I know that because "love does not count up wrongs that have been done" (1 Corinthians 13:5 NCV). The point was that the Christian should walk in an attitude of mercy and forgiveness.

To summarize, we "deal with idiots" by sharing wisdom with them, hoping and praying that they will see the light and the error of their ways. Suppose it's a moral issue with another believer, and we are in the same congregation as them. In that case, we bring the matter to that believer privately with a humble attitude, keeping an eye on our own hearts with the goal of restoration always in mind. If that is not successful, we involve only two or three others. If that doesn't work, then we take it to the whole congregation. If there is still no repentance, that person should be removed from the assembly until they repent. Also, even though fools and idiots in the world, we are commanded not to use such language against specific individuals carelessly, lest we bring divine judgment upon ourselves in the process.

And if all else fails, tie them up and force them to watch the worst Christian movie ever made, Interview with the Antichrist, until they plead for mercy or beg to be put out of their misery once and for all. Just kidding, everyone! Have a blessed night.

Saved from the Tribulation

 1 Thessalonians 1:10 tells us to wait for Jesus to rescue us from the coming wrath. I believe scripture teaches that the Church will not go through the Tribulation. This verse is one of the reasons why. Jesus will rescue us from the coming wrath, not to help us persevere through it, as scriptures promise during the present age. Titus 2:13 separates the end of the Church Age and the end of the Tribulation by mentioning two different events: the Blessed Hope and the Glorious Appearing. If the Church goes through the Tribulation, that is not much of a blessed hope.

Again, it is important to clarify what is meant here. I'm not saying that Jesus promised to save us from all the troubles of life. If you're alive, and I'd say it's a pretty good guess that you are if you are reading this, then you know that no one is promised a life free from trouble. The Bible says we shouldn't be surprised or shocked when we go through testing like walking through fire (1 Peter 4:12). Jesus promised that we would have difficulty, persecution, and suffering (John 16:33). During that same message, Jesus said that He wasn't asking his Father to take His disciples out of the world but to keep them safe and protect them from the evil one (John 17:15). So then, how can I say that he will take us out of the world before the Tribulation when He prayed we wouldn't be taken out of the world?

It's because the Tribulation is not about persecution. It will be a time of unequaled persecution as has never been seen for people who come to Christ after the Rapture, but that's not what it is about. The Tribulation is about the wrath of God being poured out globally on an unbelieving world. And as I pointed out at the beginning, 1 Thessalonians 1:10 says we will be delivered from God's future wrath. Jesus said that the Great Tribulation would be of a kind that hasn't taken place from the beginning of the world until then and never will be again. He said that no one would survive unless those days were limited (Matthew 24:21-22). Thankfully, the Glorious Appearing of Christ will limit those days. But this tells us that the seven-year period the Bible describes before His return is no ordinary time of suffering or persecution.

Some would say that we don't deserve to be delivered from God's wrath. Based on our ability to be righteous on our own, those objectors would be right. But we don't earn salvation either. It is a free gift offered to all who will accept the grace by God by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). So why should any deliverance we are blessed enough to receive be any different? God deals with us based on His wrath before coming to Christ and based on His grace after our salvation. So we will be saved from the Tribulation because God is good, not because of ourselves. Jesus himself promised it to the Church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3:10. The seven churches represent not just the churches of that day but seven periods throughout church history. And the church of Philadelphia represents the faithful church that would exist up until the time of the Rapture. Jesus said that the faithful church patiently obeys him despite persecution. Therefore, he will protect us from the time of Great Tribulation and temptation that will come upon the world to test everyone alive. There is no condemnation awaiting those who truly belong to Christ (Romans 8:1). The Bible says we will be saved from ALL of God's wrath that is to come (Romans 5:9)! God didn't intend for us to suffer his wrath but rather to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9). All Christians will suffer, but suffering and being under God's wrath are very different!

The Church is mentioned 17 times in Revelation 2-3 during the letters to the seven churches that describe the Church Age. Then in Revelation 4:1, the Apostle John saw a door standing open in Heaven. In his ears, he heard a voice ring like a trumpet. The voice, belonging to Jesus, told John to come up to Heaven to show John what must happen in the future. Now John is in Heaven, where he sees the multitudes worshiping. Who are those multitudes, if not the Church? And why isn't the Church mentioned again on Earth throughout the Tribulation chapters (Revelation 6-18)? I have an idea. It's because the Church is not here during that time. We will be in Heaven!