Heavenhigh

The Passover!

# 36 2024 Dev. Ex.11-12. Passover! Read all of chapter eleven and twelve first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ex. 12:33 “The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. ‘For otherwise,’ they said, ‘we will all die!”’

Ex.11-12 This will be the last plague and more destructive than all the other plagues. We keep reading “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart”. Yes, that is because the Holy Spirit was driven from his heart by his refusal to listen, by his arrogance and his complete disregard to honor the Lord. That is going on today; Hamas will not let the hostages go, not until they are completely destroyed. Like Pharaoh they are incapable of peace, their hearts have hardened, the Spirit will not engage them again. The back story in Egypt is that Satan is behind the destruction of the Israelites still going on today. “Salvation comes from the Jews.”John 4:22. There are people and countries today still helping Satan to destroy the Jews.

Chapter 11:1-9 “Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely.” Pharaoh is told what will happen but he did not listen and would not let God’s people go.

Chapter 12: “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, ‘This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.’” This event of the exodus is to change much in the life of the Jews. They will have their own calendar, their own festivals, from now on it will be a unique nation. The passover has unique implications for the Jews and for us as well, it is an event of God’s grace to God’s people and to us as well. The blood on the door posts is for us the blood of Jesus’ forgiveness of our sins, set free from slavery for the people and for us, set free from the slavery of sin in our lives.

Vs.1-11 Moses is given specific instructions about the passover, the animals to sacrifice, the sprinkling of the blood, the matter of cooking the meat and unleavened bread. Only those part of the community, no uncircumcised person may eat of this meal.

Vs.12-20 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. Eat all the roasted meat, do not leave any of it and eat in haste. “Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day.”

Vs.21-30 “Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb.’” Moses further instructed them, “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony…At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.”

The Exodus. vs.31-42 “During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, ‘Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me… The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.” It must have been an unbelievable sight, the Israelites did not lose livestock during the plagues, and six hundred thousand men, that was a mass of three million people all together. “At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions left Egypt.”

Vs.43-51 Here the rules and the restrictions of the passover are repeated indicating the importance of the Passover celebration. It was the founding of the Jewish nation that goes on to this day. For Christians the passover meal that Jesus had with His disciples is what we do on a regular basis as communion, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice, the Passover Lamb, we remember and celebrate until He comes again. Praise be to God!

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Bright As The Sun!

# 35 2024 Dev. SS.6:10 “Bright As The Sun!” Read all of chapter six first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

SS.6:10 “Who is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession?”

SS.6. In ch. 5 she is describing her lover. But in ch 6 she is asked; “where has your beloved gone… that we may look for him with you?” She answers, and he proceeds to describe her as in ch. 4. Friends ask, “Who is this that appears like the dawn. I went down to the valley, come back, come back.”

V.1 Friends. “Where has your beloved gone…?” Christ is not obvious to this world, He is only accessed by the Holy Spirit.

Vs.2-3 She. My beloved has gone down to his garden,” the militant church is in the world, a place of refuge, a place of respite. God’s people belong to Christ and He belongs to God’s people.

Vs.4-9 He. “You are as beautiful as Tirzah, (a city of beauty) as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners.” The militant church is described here. Next is the description of ch. 4, describing His lover. Perfect in every way, righteous, submissive, obedient, outstanding and unique when compared to the religions of the world, made that way by Jesus’s sacrifice and love.

V.10 Friends. “Who is this that appears like the dawn”, shining like the sun (Son), Christ in His majesty.

Vs.11-12 He. “I went down to the grove…” My people. “To look at the new growth…” in the church. Is there growth? “to see if the vines had budded… Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people” I became one of them!

V.13 Friends. Come Back, come back…” that we may know you! Why? That you may know Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit! Come quickly Lord Jesus!

How Long?!

# 34 2024 Dev. Ex.10:3. “How Long?” Read all of chapter ten first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ex. 10:3 “So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.’”

Ex.10 The plagues are becoming progressively more destructive and Pharaoh is progressively more stubborn. We keep reading “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart”. Yes, that is because the Holy Spirit was driven from his heart by his refusal to listen, by his arrogance and his complete disregard to honor the Lord. That is going on today; Hamas will not let the hostages go, not until they are completely destroyed. Like Pharaoh they are incapable of peace, their hearts have hardened, the Spirit will not engage them again. The back story in Egypt is that Satan was behind the destruction of the Israelites. “Salvation comes from the Jews.”John 4:22. There are people and countries today still helping Satan to destroy the Jews.

Vs.1-6 Then the Lord, “said to Moses ‘Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them… that you may know that I am the Lord.’” So Moses said to Pharaoh, “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” If not, I (God) will fill your land with locusts. A plague as you have never seen before.

“How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me.” That is a question that hangs over every unbeliever, as well as some nominal believers!

V.7 After Moses left “Pharaoh’s officials said to him… Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?”

Vs.8-12 So Pharaoh started to negotiate with Moses, I’ll let all your men go to worship. But Moses insisted that everyone goes to worship. Pharaoh became angry and drove Moses and Aaron from his presence.

Vs.13-15 Locusts invaded all Egypt, “they covered all the ground until it was black.”

Vs.16-20 “Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.” But as soon as the locusts were gone, Pharaoh would not let them go.

Vs.21-29 Next God told Moses to, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt -darkness that can be felt”, a darkness that is devoid of any of God’s light. Again Pharaoh negotiated with Moses, “ You may all go but leave your herds.” Moses refused and demanded they go with everything they owned. At that point Pharaoh threatened to kill Moses if he saw him again. Once a person hardens his or her heart, rational discussions and decisions are out of the question. Yet God accepts all who repent and turn to him in humility. How Long will you wait to seek God’s Love and Grace?!!!

My Savior, My Friend!

# 33 2024 Dev. SS.5:16. My Savior, My Friend! Read all of chapter five first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

SS.5:16 “His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.”

SS.5 completes Ch. 4 and repeats parts of Ch. 3. The validity of the lover, of Christ is questioned by friends, by the world, and it is answered by the lover, by the church.

V.1 He. “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride…”. He, the lover, Christ, has eaten, He has seen the righteousness, the faith, the compassion, the excellent work of the church in the name of Christ. Friends, all those who belong to Christ, are invited to eat. Praise the Lord for His wonderful and all compassing Grace, His Grace surrounds us!

V.2-8 She. “I slept but my heart was awake.” Is this a dream or is this an exercise in reality? “Listen! My beloved is knocking: ‘Open to me my sister, my darling…” He cries out, “Open to me”. She starts to complain about her hair, about having to dress again and wash her feat again. This sounds like a church, full of herself, a church divided, a church grown cold.

But the lover persists, he puts “his hand through the latch-opening…” She is half awake or in lala land. She finally gets up, realizing she has minimized her lover, “but my beloved had left; he was gone… I looked for him but did not find him.” But “the watchmen found me.” The world, the allurements, “they bruised me; they took away my cloak,” my protection, my cover, they left me, my heart exposed as the works of the world does. “Daughters of Jerusalem…what will you tell him?” Tell him I am overwhelmed by my sin. “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11).

V.9 Friends. “How is your beloved better than others…?” The question is repeated for emphasis. It is a question asked over generations and now assails us everyday. What is the most important thing in your life? Who or what?!

Vs.10-16 She. “My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.” In other words there is no-one like Him. She goes into a long and detailed description of her beloved. She describes him as He described her. She makes comparisons to gold, mounted jewels, spices, perfume, myrrh, ivory, and lapis lazuli standing for royalty, strength and courage, wisdom and intellect, friendship and truth.

She goes on to say: “this is my beloved, this is my friend…” Yes! This is our Savior and Friend, Jesus Christ. We turn to the New Test. (Hebrews 1:1-3) “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” The Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God.

Consequences!

# 32 2024 Dev. Ex.9:5-6. “Consequences!” Read all of chapter nine first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ex. 9:5-6 “The Lord set a time and said, ‘Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.’ 6 And the next day the Lord did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.’”

Ex.9 The first plague, water to blood, was a major warning to Pharaoh, at that time water was the very source of Egypt’s success. The next three plagues, frogs, lice and flies, God brought on to discomfort the Egyptians, every day critters, mostly harmless unless they come in great numbers. The plagues in chapter nine are much more destructive. The consequences of disobedience. The back story in Egypt is that Satan was behind the destruction of the Israelites. “Salvation comes from the Jews.” John 4:22. There are people and countries today, still helping Satan to destroy the Jews.

Vs.1-7 “ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”’ God also told Moses to warn Pharaoh that if he did not comply He would bring a plague on all the livestock in Egypt. It happened the next day, the animals died but not one of the animals of the Israelites died. But Pharaoh did not let them go. The Lord God had been patient with the Egyptians, as He is with us. Romans 2:4 “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

Vs.8-12 “Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on people and animals throughout the land.’” Moses did as the Lord told him in the presence of Pharaoh. Boils broke out on people and animals. “But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.” Pharaoh’s heart was hard from the day Moses and Aaron approached him because Pharaoh thought himself as a god, his stubbornness, his arrogance kept him from complying even in the face of God’s works of wonder. As with us, if we insist on rebellion against God, time and time again, God withdraws His Spirit. Then is there is no way back.

Vs.13-35 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.’”

God had been patient with Pharaoh. God said, “I have raised you up ( or have spared you) for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Those who refuse to glorify God will in the end be used to glorify God.

The hail came and devastated the land, here, there is an editorial note “(The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)” Even here God shows His mercy.

Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. ‘The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.’” But “he sinned again…” It isn’t only a harding of the heart, it is sinning again and again. How many opportunities to repent are granted? Let us all remember that God’s mercy is limited to persistent sinners. We all thank God for His mercy. Amen.

The Beauty of Creation!

# 31 2024 Dev. SS.4:5.The Beauty of Creation! Read all of chapter four first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

SS.4:5 “Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies.”

SS.4 A woman is being described, she is a simile for the beauty of God’s creation. She is vailed, is she a bride? Yes, it appears so. Israel is the bride. The church is the bride. The bride is always the female part of God’s creation; male and female He created them. In God’s own image! The King is the groom, the relative of Christ, the groom.

Vs.1-7 He. A detailed description of the bride compared to very specific items of God’s creation. Except her lips, mouth and neck. “Your neck is like the tower of David built with courses of stone, on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors.” Is this a description of strength, purpose and determination? On her part, she is not a passive participant. Sometimes Israel was passive, unresponsive, as well as the church of today. Rare is the church with a serious outreach. “Like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee.” A sanctuary, a safe place, comfort from the problems of life so it appears. “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” The Church, God’s people, are made perfect and righteous in Christ Jesus.

Vs.8-14 He. “Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon.” She, Israel, the church, are not traveling alone through the dangers of this life. “You have stolen my heart my sister, my bride…” what follows is a long intimate description of a lover for beauty of his bride. It is a love story of God’s people, then and God’s people today in Christ. “You are garden locked up my sister, my bride; you are spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.” This and the descriptions of the trees remind us of the garden of Eden, Paradise Lost.

V.15 He, She. “You are (I am) a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon.” Here both the groom and the bride are speaking. The living water is unleashed in God choosing of Israel and Christ’s choosing of God’s people today, the church. And the church is mandated to let the living water flow. Amen!

V.16 She. “Awake, north wind, and come south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste Its choice fruits”. Take note, it is his garden. Let the fragrance of the Gospel of Christ spread everywhere so that we may “taste its choice fruits.” Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Amen and Amen!

A Hardened Heart!

# 30 2024 Dev. Ex.8: A Hardened Heart! Read all of chapter eight first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ex. 8:15 “But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.”

Ex.8 Pharaoh still was not ready to listen, as God had warned Moses, Pharaoh hardened his heart. The back story is that Satan is behind the destruction of the Israelites. There are people and countries today helping Satan to destroy the Israelites.

Vs.1-4 Again “God sends Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, “let my people go, so that they may worship me… if you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs on your whole county.”

Vs. 5-7 “So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.” As God told him to do. “But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts…”

Vs.8-15 Finally, “Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.” There is nothing ambiguous about that statement. Moses gives Pharaoh the choice of when he wanted the frogs removed, showing him that God is in control, not Pharaoh. He said, tomorrow. “Moses replied, ‘it will be as you say…’” God listened to Moses and all the frogs died. “But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.” Pharaoh should have seen God’s power, but he could not, Jesus explained why, and why people do not hear or see God working today.

Mat.13:13-15 Jesus says: “This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing never perceiving.15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes otherwise they might see with their eyes hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” God is always ready to heal those who turn to Him. Amen!

Vs.16-19 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron, stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.’” Pharaoh’s magicians, called it “the finger of God.” But Pharaoh “would not listen.”

Vs.20-32 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, This is what the Lord says: ‘Let my people go, so they may worship me.’” God threatened “swarms of flies.” But the Land of Goshen will be free from the flies. (God) “I will make a distinction (a) between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.” The flies overwhelmed the land. Pharaoh relented, go and worship but in my land. Moses brought up excuses, no we will go a three day journey into the wilderness. Go, but not very far. “Now pray for me.” Moses warned Pharaoh not to deceive them again by not letting them go. Moses prayed and God removed the flies, not one fly remained. “But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.” The Holy Sprit gently but persistently enters a person’s heart, after many opportunities, with no intention of listening, the Spirit withdraws. Are you resisting the Holy Spirit today? Do not greave Him!

The Heart Searches!

# 29 2024 Dev. SS.3:2.The Heart Searches! Read all of chapter three first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

SS.3:2 “I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him.”

SS.3 A woman searching, it is like a dream, longing for the one her heart loves, The church searching for Christ, and Christ is calling to us. He finds her, we are found, the church exists and the song culminates in the wedding of the lamb and His bride.

V.1 “All night long on my bed…” Is she dreaming? Dreaming of searching and finding?

V.2-4 “I will get up now and go about the city…” She is awake and goes out to search for her lover, metaphorically those searching for truth, for peace, for relief from this worldly life, looking for what will fulfill the human longing for purpose, for meaning and for contentment.

She doesn’t find him, “the watchmen found me”, strong attractions in this life are no help. “Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves.” No, he found her! She “held him and would not let him go” until the relationship is validated. Eph. 5:25-33 is the New Test. explanation; we quote only verse 31-32.“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[c]This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.”

V.5 Again there is a warning; a legitimate warning for lovers, as we mentioned in the last chapter, love, a potential for pleasure and procreation and a potential for great pain. Also, the love of Christ, salvation and eternal life, and the possibility of rejection by grieving the Holy Sprit.

Vs.6-10 “Who is coming up from the wilderness…” Is this the woman or is this the daughters of Jerusalem who speak? “Perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchants.” Very expensive but very desirable at this time and a simile for prayer and worship.

“Look! It is Solomon’s carriage, escorted by sixty warriors.” David had thirty escorts. It is a wedding procession. The carriage is described as exceptionally ornate, and heavy. Some commentators think that maybe a bed room is being described or a throne room. Be that as it may the daughters of Jerusalem are addressed; “come out, and look, you daughters of Zion.” That is a term used for Israel. “ Look on King Solomon… on the day of his wedding…” Again, the New Test. informs us: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah!’ For our Lord God Almighty reigns! Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” (Rev.19:6-9)

Are you invited???

A Great Commission!

# 28 2024 Dev. Ex.7: A Great Commission! Read all of chapter seven first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ex. 7:1 “Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.”

Ex.7 The book of Exodus Is about three main subjects: God’s deliverance, God’s morality and how to worship. God chose the time for liberating His people Israel from Egypt. God chose the method and He chose the person to accomplish it. But Pharaoh was not ready to listen, as God had warned Moses, Pharaoh hardened his heart. The back story is that Satan is behind the destruction of the Israelites. There are people and countries today, helping Satan to destroy the Israelites.

Vs.1-5 God makes a proclamation about how He will use Moses and Aaron; “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh and your brother Aaron will be your prophet…” God gives them a great commission, as God has given us, to reflect God’s light, in Christ, to light up this dark world. God tells them what to say. “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart…” Pharaoh already had a unbelieving heart and God did not intervene. In spite of the many signs and judgments, he did not listen up to the very end. The heart of an unbeliever is rock hard, only by the gentle urging of the Holy Spirit does the human heart soften, then we are able to respond.

Vs.6-7 They did what God told them. “Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty three when they spoke to Pharaoh.” God uses us at every stage of our life’s but most of us would like to retire at that point. God calls and empowers as He sees fit. Amen!

Vs.8-13 God tells Moses and Aaron to turn his staff into a snake. But the Egyptian magicians performed that feat as well. But Aaron’s snake swallowed up all the other snakes. Yet, Pharaoh continued to harden his heart.

Vs.14-24 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go.’” God sends Moses and Aaron to the river Nile when Pharaoh goes there in the morning. “Say to him… ‘The God of the Hebrews has sent me to say to you: ‘Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness.’” Because Pharaoh did not listen to Moses, Aaron lifted up his staff and turned all the water in Egypt to blood, the river, the ponds, all the containers holding water. “But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.” We all make choices based on what we know and what we see. This is what Pharaoh did, he chose. We may not blame God for our personal choices, we are responsible as Pharaoh was responsible. Amen!

V.26 Seven days later God is planning an event that the magicians will not be able to duplicate.

On this fourth of July, in light of Exodus and the history of the USA, freedom is a “fickle Mistress”; difficult to attain and even more difficult to maintain, only accomplished by faith, prayer and hard work!

Nature’s Song!

# 27 2024 Dev. SS.2:2. Nature’s Song! Read all of chapter two first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

SS.2:2 “Like a Lilly among thorns is my darling among the young women.”

Song of Songs. For centuries this book has been controversial in terms of how to read it. Is this a literal description of human relationships or is it allegorical, a rendering of the relationship of God and Israel or for Christians, Christ and the church? As we saw two weeks ago we do not need to choose, as an example, read all of Hosea 2. I submit v.23 here “ I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.[i]’I will say to those called ‘Not my people,[j]’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”

SS.2 Nature, creation is the main metaphor here.

V.1 She: “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.” Faith, Mt. 6:29 “See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.”

V.2 He: “Like a lily among the thorns is my darling among the young women. She is unique, she stands out, it is obvious. Do we stand out, is it obvious to others that we follow Jesus?

Vs.3-7 She: praises her lover, he also stands out among nondescript trees, he is shade, he is sustenance, his fruit is sweet. “Let his banner over me be love” She is overwhelmed with love, she is faint, lovesick, she is in his arms. She warns others, love is a serous matter, it has the potential for pleasure but also for great pain. This is human love, but God’s love has no limit, it is pure grace, and provides healing for body and soul.

Vs.8-13 She: continues, he comes to her, he speaks to her, “Arise my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.” He describes for her a beautiful summer day, then he repeats his request, “come with me.” Jesus says: come to me!

His love is like the love of Jesus, relentless, unconditional, describing the beauty of His creation, it is reminiscent of the “Joy of the Redeemed. The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.” Is. 35:1-2

Vs.14-15 He: calls her, “My dove…” . He wants to hear her voice, see her face. Their love is new, still fragile, like “our vineyards that are in bloom.” Doves stay together for live.

Vs.16-17 She: My beloved is mine and I’m his;” She describes him as powerful, “like a gazelle”. It is like the love of Jesus, we are His and He is ours. Not for a day, or this year, no, forever! Amen.