The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His Hands. Ps 19

# 33 2025 Dev. Ex.37. God Gives Amazing Skill! Read all of chapter thirty-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. 37:2 “Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiaband every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willingto come and do the work.” Those willing to do the work, it was all voluntary and they also did the work! My wife and I have been in ministry for a long time, you have to be willing through thick and thin.

Exodus.37 They, the men and women God gave ability, made the ark, the table and the utensils needed, all pure gold, they made the lampstand and the alter of incense. 

The size of the Tabernacle, 45ft. long, 15ft. wide and 15ft. tall

Vs.1-9 “Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it.” It was made as God ordered it to Glorify God. The wood, acacia and gold, reflects God’s glory as well.  He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. It was made to be carried. This is what it looked like.

Vs.10-16 They made the table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.Then they overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. “And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.”  Everything was made to reflect God’s glory. It was made to be carried. This what it looked like.

Vs.17-24 “They made the lampstand of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.” It was very ornate and it was the only source of light in the temple, like God is the only light of the world. Like the other pieces of furniture, it reflects God’s glory. But the lampstand also indicates the physical and the spiritual Presence of God, that comes to full expression in the incarnate Christ Jesus, who reaches back into the past, reaches into the future of this world and also into eternity. This is what it looked like.

Vs.25-28 “They made the altar of incenseout of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it.” It was made to be carried. They also made “anointing oil” and “fragrant incense.”  This is what it looked like.

All this effort was put into this transitional step for God to be with His people, reflecting God desire to redeem the world and to dwell among us. That is what we experience today by God’s Spiritual presence, but we are still in transition, we will physically be present with God in the New Heaven and the New Earth, praise be to God! 

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God is faithful to God’s promises. Before you die, you will find the acceptance and love you crave. It will not come in the way you expect. It will not follow your needs and wishes. But it will fill your heart and satisfy your deepest desire. There nothing to hold onto but this promise.               Henri Nouwen

# 32 2025 Dev.Isa.23:11. The hand of God! Read all of chapter twenty-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.

Isa.23:11 “The Lord has stretched out his hand over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble.”

Isaiah 23 “A prophecy against Tyre” This is the last prophecy concerning the nations. Again, it is the hand of God, allowing this to happen. God speaks: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:9)

Vs.1-3 “Tyre, in Lebanon, is one of the oldest cities in the world, having been continuously inhabited for over 4,700 years. Situated in the Levant on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Tyre became the leading city of the Phoenician civilization in 969 BC…”(Wikipedia)

Vs.4-5 Sidon was 20 miles north of Tyre, both were importers of Egyptian grain. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed these cities at the same time he destroyed Jerusalem and sent people to Babylon from the whole area.

Vs.6-9 Tyre and Sidon were in competition in trade, the prophecy covered both of these cities. This affected Egypt as well.

Vs.10-16 Concerning Tarshish, “He (God) has given an order concerning Phoenicia that her fortresses be destroyed.  He said, ‘No more of your reveling…’” 

“The Jewish historian, Josephus, recounts that Cyrus was shown these specific prophecies from Isaiah, which motivated him to issue his decree and fulfill God’s word.” 

Vs.17-18 “At the end of seventy years, the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. ¹⁸ Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord…” The return of the people of Judah we have recorded. It makes sense that Cyrus would also do that for Tyre and others. “Yet her profit will be set apart for the Lord.”  Acts 21:3-6 confirms it; “We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.” (God’s ways are not our ways) Praise Him!

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# 31 2025 Dev. Ex.36:2. Skilled Artisans! Read all of chapter thirty-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.

Ex. 36:2 “Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiaband every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willingto come and do the work.” Those willing to do the work, it was all voluntary, my wife and I have been in ministry for a long time, you have to be willing though thick and thin.

Exodus.36 portrays the work of the building, making all the parts that go into a Tabernacle that can be packed up and moved

The size of the Tabernacle, 45ft. long, 15ft. wide and 15ft. tall

Vs.1-7 “So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.” Those willing to work, “received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary.” But every morning the people continued to give offerings for the work. The workers said to Moses the offerings are more than we need for the work. Moses told the people we have enough for the work. That reminds me of the church we attend, the offering for the remodeling was twice what was asked for. Praise be to God!  

Vs.8-38 is a description of the construction and the materials used to build the Tabernacle, God with us. 1. The instruction of the parts of the temple reflects God’s order, also reflected in nature. 2. The wood, acacia, gold, silver, and bronze reflect God’s glory, as well as “the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker”. Also reflected in nature.3. The fact that God wanted to fellowship with people reflects God’s grace. 4. The way people are to approach God, reflects His holiness. 5.The way God continues to receive repentance from us and forgives reflects His love. The next four chapters finishes the construction of the Tabernacle, all the Items and implements to worship. God’s plan for our salvation begins with Abraham and here God moves to the next level, including the Israelite nation, so that all families of the earth will be blessed, culminating in Jesus Christ, God living in us by the power of His Holy Spirit. Christians are God’s Sanctuary, Praise the Lord!

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# 30 2025 Dev. Isa.22:4. Grieving! Read all of chapter twenty-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.

Isa.22:4 “Therefore I said, ‘Turn away from me; let me weep bitterly. Do not try to console me over the destruction of my people.’”

Grieving for his people, that is what the prophet does at his own prophecy. Grieving, in order to deal with loss, with change, and because people refused to listen to what is right and good! Sounds very familiar, does it not?

Isaiah 22 is a prophecy against Jerusalem, “the Valley of Vision.”

Vs1-7 This prophecy is about the time Sannacherib, King of Assyria, surrounded Jerusalem. The news of the army approaching threw the city into chaos and confusion. Apparently, the leaders fled at the news. They have been or will be captured. It is a day of the Lord; “The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day of tumult and trampling and terror in the Valley of Vision…”

Vs.12-14 God called for repentance, but there was no remorse, only partying, “Let us eat and drink,” you say, ‘for tomorrow we die! The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: ‘Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for, says the Lord, the Lord Almighty.’” These were God’s people, like Christians are today, are we listening?

Vs.8-11 “The Lord stripped away the defenses of Judah, and you looked in that day to the weapons…” It appears that there was panic, not calling on the Lord. That is a situation that still exists today, we look to do all we can do on our own about a situation, but in the end, we find that God is in control. God dealt with Sennacherib. Amen!

Vs.15-25 Is a long section about Shebna who seems to be the top administrator in King Hezekiah’s government. He is the source of what is happening in Jerusalem, lack of faith, no remorse, not seeking God’s will. He will be replaced, Shebna’s authority will be given to Eliakim. “He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” Eliakim here is a type of Christ; the authority of Christ, He alone has the authority to save and to judge. (Rev.3:7) God intervened and during one night He threw the solders into confusion and they killed each other, sending Sannacherib back to Assyria.

Alas, it will be only temporary, see v.23 referring to Eliakim, “I will drive him like a peg into a firm place”, everything depends on him.

V.25 “In that day, ‘declares the Lord Almighty, ‘the peg driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down. ‘The Lord has spoken.’” God did not allow the Assyrians to destroy Jerusalem in 701 BC. But He did allow the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem in 586 BC. They had not learned their lesson, nor practiced what God had commanded.

“The Lord, the has spoken.” Today, God still speaks, through nature, through His Word, the Bible and through His church the body of Christ. Are we listening? May Jesus, by His Spirit, open our minds and our hearts!

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# 29 2025 Dev. Ex. 35 “An Offering to God!” Read all of chapter thirty-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.

Ex. 35:1-3 “For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbathrest to the Lord.”

Exodus.35 An offering of time and goods. Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; olive oilfor the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; ⁹ and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.”

Vs.1-9 An offering! What is God expecting from us today? I mean everybody “to whom much is given, much is expected.”

Vs.10-19 “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded”, all that is needed to worship the Lord during that time. What do you think is needed for worship today besides what is needed to maintain the Pastor and the building?

Vs.20-29 “All the Israelite men and women who were willingbrought to the Lord freewill offeringsfor all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.” Today, what are we doing today? Think about out-reach at home and abroad. Abraham and his offspring were chosen to be a blessing to all the families on the earth! Are Christians the children of Abraham? Yes!

Vs.30-35 God empowers two men in the community, not only does God give them the ability to do all manner of crafts but also the ability to teach others. But women were also involved; “Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. ²⁶ And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. I believe that every one born in a Christian family, even if only one parent believes, have the Spirit of God at conception, “the children of believers are holy.” You ask, it does not always look that way? True, but people are able to resist the Holy Spirit. The world is too much with us! We praise God for His Grace in Christ!

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# 28 2025 Dev. Isa.21:10. God Speaks! Read all of chapter twenty-one 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.

Isa.21:10I “I tell you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, from the God of Israel.” Does God still speak today?

Isaiah 21 is a prophecy against Babylon, Edom and Arabia.  He uses metaphors and similes, “the desert by the sea.”  Babylon, a place of rivers and lakes. What is left of the night? The heat of battle.

Vs1-10 A dire vision has been shown to me, Elam, (Persia) attack! Media, lay siege! The prophet experiences the destruction vicariously; I am “racked with pain… I am staggered by what I hear… I am bewildered… My heart falters…fear makes me tremble…” Next, Isaiah seems to describe the feasting of Belshazzar.  “This is what the Lord says to me: ‘Go, post a lookout… when he sees chariots… and riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert… Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower…” Finally, he gets an answer, ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’” Going back to v.2 “I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused” referring to v.10 “My people who are crushed on the threshing floor…”

Does this prophecy have something to say about Israel and Iran today?

Vs.11-12. A prophecy against Dumah, a wordplay on Edom, meaning silence. “Someone calls to me from Seir, ‘Watchman, what is left of the night?’” He is urgent, asking it twice. The answer, “Morning Is coming but also the night” referring to silence. The watchmen, the prophets of those days, the pastors are watchmen of today, if not, they should be.

Vs.13-15. “A prophecy against Arabia. Dedanites, descendants from Dedan, Abraham’s son by Keturah. Bring water… bring food for the fugitives. They flee from the sword…from the drawn bow… from the heat of battle.” In one year “all the splendor of Kedar, (descendants   from Ishmael) will come to an end.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken. Today, God still speaks, through nature, through His Word, the Bible and through His church the body of Christ. Are we listening? May Jesus, by His Spirit, open our ears, our minds and our hearts!

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# 26 2025 Dev. Isa.20:6. “Trusting” Read all of chapter twenty 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.

Isa.20: God said to Isaiah, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.”

Isaiah 20 continues the prophecy against Egypt and Cush. Here God directs Isaiah to model what will happen to Egypt and Cush. This is an example to Judah, Hezekiah and the people were depending on Egypt to protect them from the Assyrians, not the Lord their God. But we take this prophecy from ch.19 as God’s final plan; “In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth.” 

Vs.1-6 God tells Isaiah to exemplify what will happen to the Egyptians and the Cushites.  “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.’ And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.” Walking around in his underwear, such as it was in those days. Why was he wearing sackcloth? Was it because the ten tribes, Samaria, was conquered and many of the Israelites were taken to Assyria? Or was sackcloth his attire as a prophet? Whatever the reason, apparently, it was not humble enough. Imagine it, living in your underwear for three years, Isaiah was to be humbled, rejected, made fun of and completely lose his reputation. But it was to shame his people, and I assume that was made clear, a reminder of their folly of thinking that the Egyptians would save them. Verse 6 tells all, “In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’”

That is the question, we, who are true Christians, must ask ourselves. What are we relying on? Doing good, loving your neighbor, church attendance, living a clean-cut life, studying the Bible, all that is good but all that does not save us. We are saved by trusting only in Jesus, what He has done for us. We do the good things we mentioned above not because we are trying to be saved, no, we do all that because we are already saved! Thanks be to God!

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# 25 2025 Dev. Ex 33:19 “Mercy and Compassion!” Read all of chapter thirty-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.

Exodus 33:3 “Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”

Ex.33 After the fiasco of the golden calf and God’s refusal to go with them, the people mourned. Moses, for his part, went to meet God at the tent of meeting, this was before the tabernacle was established. God shows His glory to Moses.

Vs.1-6 “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’” God’s sends Moses and the nation to leave and to go to Canaan. “But I will not go with you…

When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments.”

Vs.7-11 The tent of meeting. “Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrance to their tents.” When the pillar of cloud stood at the “entrance to the tent, the people worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.”

Vs.12-14 “Moses said to the Lord, you have been telling me, ‘lead these people, but you have not let me know whom you will send with me.” God answered “my presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” When God sends us, he will not only go with us in the power of the Holy Spirit but He will equip us as well!  

Vs.15-17 Then Moses said to him, “if your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here… And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” In many ways Moses is a type of Christ, interceding for the people and bargaining with God for His presence. In Christ and by His Spirit, God knows us by name and we have direct access to God. Praise the Lord!                                                              

Vs.18-23 “Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory. And the Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”  This chapter and this proclamation shows us the heart of God in Christ. It is not what we do or don’t do, trusting in Jesus only saves us! We are in God’s Hands, Amen! The rest of the chapter tells us how God will show Moses His glory and keep Moses alive in the process.

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# 24 2025 Dev. Isa.19:1. “God’s Plan!” Read all of chapter nineteen 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.

Isa.19:16 “In that day the Egyptians will become weaklings. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the Lord Almighty raises against them.” 

Isaiah 19 Is about God’s plan turning the Egyptians against each other. But God will also turn Assyria and the Egyptians, toward Israel. “In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth.” 

Vs1-17 “A prophecy against Egypt:” Family, friends, areas of the country will be at odds with each other.  “The waters of the river will dry up,” Will the rivers be dry or is the conflict so severe that there is no desire to farm, no more trade, no workers or fishers to keep things going as it was? The counselors and the Pharaoh “give senseless advice…The officials of Zoan have become fools, the leaders of Memphisare deceived; the cornerstones of her people have led Egypt astray…because of what the Lord Almighty is planning against them.”

Vs.18-25 “In that day five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord Almighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.” It almost reads as the Day of the Lord, The New Heaven and the New Earth. “The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” The people of the known world, at that time, are included and this includes all of His followers today, thanks be to God.

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