DAILY DEVOTIONS
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"Honoring God in the Morning"
FRIDAY (10/18/2013)
COUNTERFEIT GODS EXPOSED
READING FROM:
Numbers 33:1-37
KEY VERSE:
“For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them. Also on their gods the Lord had executed judgments.” –Numbers 33:4
The children of Abraham had spent 400 years in a land where the forces of nature and the animal kingdom were worshiped as gods. This idol worship had a major impact upon the thinking of the Jewish people. The ten plagues God brought upon the land of Egypt were designed to graphically display the complete inability of these “gods” to withstand the actions of the True and Living God— first for God’s own people, but also for the entire Egyptian empire.
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, powerfully expresses the results of God exposing the false hope the people had in gods shaped by their own vain imaginations. “Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them’” (Ex. 18:9-11).
But let’s not think that the days of idolatry are over. Far from it. Modern societies have created their own ways of worshiping things lesser than God. Men and women, beyond measure, bow to the power of money. Others bow to the empty philosophies crafted in the limited minds of fallen people. Still others succumb to the worship of the injustices and evil in our world. A growing number even return to the ancient worship of nature and an undefined “force” that can be drawn upon for “spiritual” power to override the negative impact of evil that is all around us.
In spite of all the advancement in technology much of humanity still looks to nature and themselves to be the only gods they will consider worshiping. The elevated belief in a supreme eternal being who is the source of life and truth is still a major threat to the self-idolatrous nature of a fallen people. Our self-idolatry longs to worship what we can control, create, and change to our liking.
We must ask ourselves two basic questions. What is our relationship to 21st-century idolatry? What can expose the false hope that blinds so many from the true and living God? I believe we can become a major force, helping to replace the counterfeit gods of the 21st century with the real thing. This requires that we live in full confidence in God and the ways of His Kingdom to the point that our lives become living proof that all other gods are weak counterfeits. It is for us to be light on a hill that illuminates God’s path out of the gross darkness of our time and into the glorious light of Christ.
FRIDAY (10/18/2013)
COUNTERFEIT GODS EXPOSED
READING FROM:
Numbers 33:1-37
KEY VERSE:
“For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them. Also on their gods the Lord had executed judgments.” –Numbers 33:4
The children of Abraham had spent 400 years in a land where the forces of nature and the animal kingdom were worshiped as gods. This idol worship had a major impact upon the thinking of the Jewish people. The ten plagues God brought upon the land of Egypt were designed to graphically display the complete inability of these “gods” to withstand the actions of the True and Living God— first for God’s own people, but also for the entire Egyptian empire.
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, powerfully expresses the results of God exposing the false hope the people had in gods shaped by their own vain imaginations. “Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them’” (Ex. 18:9-11).
But let’s not think that the days of idolatry are over. Far from it. Modern societies have created their own ways of worshiping things lesser than God. Men and women, beyond measure, bow to the power of money. Others bow to the empty philosophies crafted in the limited minds of fallen people. Still others succumb to the worship of the injustices and evil in our world. A growing number even return to the ancient worship of nature and an undefined “force” that can be drawn upon for “spiritual” power to override the negative impact of evil that is all around us.
In spite of all the advancement in technology much of humanity still looks to nature and themselves to be the only gods they will consider worshiping. The elevated belief in a supreme eternal being who is the source of life and truth is still a major threat to the self-idolatrous nature of a fallen people. Our self-idolatry longs to worship what we can control, create, and change to our liking.
We must ask ourselves two basic questions. What is our relationship to 21st-century idolatry? What can expose the false hope that blinds so many from the true and living God? I believe we can become a major force, helping to replace the counterfeit gods of the 21st century with the real thing. This requires that we live in full confidence in God and the ways of His Kingdom to the point that our lives become living proof that all other gods are weak counterfeits. It is for us to be light on a hill that illuminates God’s path out of the gross darkness of our time and into the glorious light of Christ.
BIBLE READING
NUMBERS 33:1-37
ISRAEL’S JOURNEY FROM EGYPT REVIEWED
1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2 Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the Lord. And these are their journeys according to their starting points:
3 They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians. 4 For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them. Also on their gods the Lord had executed judgments.
5 Then the children of Israel moved from Rameses and camped at Succoth. 6 They departed from Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7 They moved from Etham and turned back to Pi Hahiroth, which is east of Baal Zephon; and they camped near Migdol. 8 They departed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, went three days’ journey in the Wilderness of Etham, and camped at Marah. 9 They moved from Marah and came to Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there.
10 They moved from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11 They moved from the Red Sea and camped in the Wilderness of Sin.12 They journeyed from the Wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13 They departed from Dophkah and camped at Alush.14 They moved from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
15 They departed from Rephidim and camped in the Wilderness of Sinai. 16 They moved from the Wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah. 17 They departed from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. 18 They departed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 They departed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez. 20 They departed from Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah. 21 They moved from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 They journeyed from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 They went from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 They moved from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 They moved from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 They moved from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 They departed from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28 They moved from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 They went from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 They departed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. 31 They departed from Moseroth and camped at Bene Jaakan. 32 They moved from Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Hagidgad. 33 They went from Hor Hagidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34 They moved from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35 They departed from Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber. 36 They moved from Ezion Geber and camped in the Wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37 They moved from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom.
1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2 Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the Lord. And these are their journeys according to their starting points:
3 They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians. 4 For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them. Also on their gods the Lord had executed judgments.
5 Then the children of Israel moved from Rameses and camped at Succoth. 6 They departed from Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7 They moved from Etham and turned back to Pi Hahiroth, which is east of Baal Zephon; and they camped near Migdol. 8 They departed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, went three days’ journey in the Wilderness of Etham, and camped at Marah. 9 They moved from Marah and came to Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there.
10 They moved from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11 They moved from the Red Sea and camped in the Wilderness of Sin.12 They journeyed from the Wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13 They departed from Dophkah and camped at Alush.14 They moved from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
15 They departed from Rephidim and camped in the Wilderness of Sinai. 16 They moved from the Wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah. 17 They departed from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. 18 They departed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 They departed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez. 20 They departed from Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah. 21 They moved from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 They journeyed from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 They went from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 They moved from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 They moved from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 They moved from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 They departed from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28 They moved from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 They went from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 They departed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. 31 They departed from Moseroth and camped at Bene Jaakan. 32 They moved from Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Hagidgad. 33 They went from Hor Hagidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34 They moved from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35 They departed from Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber. 36 They moved from Ezion Geber and camped in the Wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37 They moved from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom.
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VERSE-BY-VERSE STUDY NOTES
NUMBERS 33
ISRAEL'S JOURNEY FROM EGYPT REVIEWED (VERSES 1-49)
v. 1 Journeys of the Children of Israel - This chapter contains a brief, but detailed record of the journeys of the children of Israel from the time they left Egypt to the time they arrived in the Promised Land. There are 40 significant encampments mentioned. Unfortunately, most of these locations are unknown to us today.
v. 2 Now Moses Wrote Down - It is noteworthy to realize that Moses himself personally recorded these events. Moses was well educated and competent to give accurate testimony to these events as he was raised and educated as royalty in Pharaoh’s house (Acts 7:22).
v. 3 Rameses - The metropolis of the land of Goshen in Egypt where the Hebrew slaves once lived. Rameses was most likely the capitol city. This area is known today as Cairo.
In the First Month - This was not the first month on the Egyptian calendar. Because of this new beginning for the Children of Israel, God set this month as the first month for His chosen people, starting an entirely new calendar for the Jews (Ex. 12:2; 13:4).
The Passover - This is the most significant event in Jewish history before Christ. The Passover is when God sent judgment upon the land of Egypt through the angel of death. This action was designed to convince Pharaoh to release God’s people from slavery. This angel of death was instructed to take the lives of all the firstborn males in Egypt. Everyone that followed the Lord’s specific instructions of sacrificing a lamb and placing the lamb’s blood on the doorposts of their homes were spared from judgment (Ex. 12). After this event the Children of Israel were able to boldly leave in the sight of all the Egyptians.
v. 4 The Gods of Egypt - Ancient Egypt worshipped over 1,500 gods and goddesses. However, the One True God revealed His superiority over the false gods of Egypt during the plagues of Egypt.
v. 5 Succoth - This word means “booths” or “tents.” The name likely came after this event because all of God’s people first dwelt in tents here. Succoth was still within the borders of Egypt.
v. 6 Etham - There are different theories about the location of this place. The estimation ranges anywhere from one to fifty miles from the land of Goshen. All we know with certainty is that Etham was “on the edge of the wilderness.”
v. 7 Pi Hahiroth - Not much is known about this location. However, we do know that it was located somewhere to the West of the Red Sea.
v. 1 Journeys of the Children of Israel - This chapter contains a brief, but detailed record of the journeys of the children of Israel from the time they left Egypt to the time they arrived in the Promised Land. There are 40 significant encampments mentioned. Unfortunately, most of these locations are unknown to us today.
v. 2 Now Moses Wrote Down - It is noteworthy to realize that Moses himself personally recorded these events. Moses was well educated and competent to give accurate testimony to these events as he was raised and educated as royalty in Pharaoh’s house (Acts 7:22).
v. 3 Rameses - The metropolis of the land of Goshen in Egypt where the Hebrew slaves once lived. Rameses was most likely the capitol city. This area is known today as Cairo.
In the First Month - This was not the first month on the Egyptian calendar. Because of this new beginning for the Children of Israel, God set this month as the first month for His chosen people, starting an entirely new calendar for the Jews (Ex. 12:2; 13:4).
The Passover - This is the most significant event in Jewish history before Christ. The Passover is when God sent judgment upon the land of Egypt through the angel of death. This action was designed to convince Pharaoh to release God’s people from slavery. This angel of death was instructed to take the lives of all the firstborn males in Egypt. Everyone that followed the Lord’s specific instructions of sacrificing a lamb and placing the lamb’s blood on the doorposts of their homes were spared from judgment (Ex. 12). After this event the Children of Israel were able to boldly leave in the sight of all the Egyptians.
v. 4 The Gods of Egypt - Ancient Egypt worshipped over 1,500 gods and goddesses. However, the One True God revealed His superiority over the false gods of Egypt during the plagues of Egypt.
v. 5 Succoth - This word means “booths” or “tents.” The name likely came after this event because all of God’s people first dwelt in tents here. Succoth was still within the borders of Egypt.
v. 6 Etham - There are different theories about the location of this place. The estimation ranges anywhere from one to fifty miles from the land of Goshen. All we know with certainty is that Etham was “on the edge of the wilderness.”
v. 7 Pi Hahiroth - Not much is known about this location. However, we do know that it was located somewhere to the West of the Red Sea.
