Heavenhigh

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.

God’s Covenant!

# 26 2024 Dev. Ex.6: God’s Covenant! 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.

Ex. 6:10-11 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.’”

Ex. 6 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. God’s promise to Abraham, “your offspring will be as the sand of the seas, uncountable”, God means the church, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament Church of Jesus Christ.

Vs.1-5 Then the Lord said to Moses. “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.” Further, God reconfirms His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob “to give them the land of Canaan… I have heard the groaning of the Israelites…and I have remembered my covenant.”

Vs.6-8 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians… I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God… And I will bring you to the land…’ I promised to give ‘to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession.’” This promise is still in play today. God loved us before we acknowledged Him, and He continues to love us by His grace and blessings to us, Amen! The continuing and New Covenant of Jesus’ blood, guides us in this life and brings us to the “promised land”, the New Heaven and the New Earth, the only permanent possession in our short lives on earth.

V.9 “Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of the discouragement and harsh labor.”

Vs.10-13 “Then the Lord said to Moses, Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.” Moses makes more excuses but God sends Moses and Aaron with that same message.

Vs.14-25 lists a partial genealogy of the Israelite nation in Egypt. It only lists three sons of Jacob, Rubin, Simeon and Levi, the propose seems to be to establish Aaron and Moses’ place in the Nation. Ironically their fore-fathers carried some serious baggage: Reuben defiled his father’s bed. Simeon and Levi murdered all the males of Shechem and the rest of Jacob’s sons carried off all the females. In spite of all that the Levites were chosen to be the priests of Israel and Moses and Aaron were given the important job of representing God to the captives and to the Egyptians. The wonder of Gods’ grace that blesses His people and blesses us today, “Amazing Grace”!

Vs.26-30 Moses and Aaron are the ones that God chose to speak to Pharaoh, Aaron is to speak, and Moses with his staff performed signs and wonders that will punish Egypt, until the Israelites are released. God is in control but Pharaoh continues to allow Satan to harden his own heart. Satan continues his war on the Jews to this day and thousands of American youth and educational institutions are helping him. But God is in control then and He is in control now. Amen!

Love!

# 25 2024 Dev. SS.1:4b. Love! Read all of chapter 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.

SS 1:4b “We rejoice and delight in you[b]; we will praise your love more than wine.”

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. “We do not need to choose between literal and allegorical interpretation of the Song of Songs as earlier generations of Christian readers felt they had to. There is no good reason to see erotic, earthly love as problematic either in itself or in its ability to speak by analogy of the divine-human relationship. Even if we had a problem here, of course, we should still have to ask whether we had good grounds for thinking that the original author found any difficulty in this area — and there is in truth no good reason to think that he or she did.” (NIV Application Commentary)

Vs.1-4 She: Begins with intimate description of her love for the king, enticing him, “Take me away with you-let us hurry!” She is encouraged by others; “We rejoice and delight in you[b]; we will praise your love more than wine.” God created humans in His image, “Male and Female he created them.” Christ as Bridegroom, the church as Bride.

She continues, “How right they are to adore you.” Jesus!

Vs.5-7 “Dark am I, yet lovely,” she says. “Dark like the tents of Kedar.” She refers to the black tents but Kedar is also a tribe, one of the sons of Ismael by his Egyptian wife, They are known as warriors. (See Ps. 120) She makes excuses for being dark, the sun, forced to work in the vineyard, not being able to care for herself. Light is beautiful and dark is beautiful. “Tell me, you whom I love, where you graze your flock.” She wants to know where she can find him. If not in the Scripture, where will we find God? “Why should I be like a veiled woman…” a veiled woman in that day were prostitutes, belonging to no one. We should all belong to someone bigger than ourselves.

V.8 “If you do not know, most beautiful of women, follow the tracts of the sheep…” Follow the blessings of God to you and the signs of Jesus in your friends.

Vs.9-11 He: “I liken you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.” Is the woman an Egyptian? Adorned with jewels, “We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver.” Proverbs 25: 11-12 “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given. Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.”

Vs.12-14 She: “My beloved is to me…”she Is describing their relationship, it is intimate, it is also obvious to others as henna is used by women to tattoo. How is our relationship with Jesus? Do Others see? Is Jesus obvious in your life?

V.15 He: Is completely head over heels, fully devoted to her. Who or what are we devoted to?

V.16 She: “Oh, how beautiful! And our bed is verdant”, a grassy place. They are enjoying each other in nature. Nature has an important role in our lives. Ps 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

V.17 He: He refers to nature as well. The sweet smell of cedar, the permanence of cedar, indicating the permanence of their relationship. It mirrors the permanence of our relationship with our God. John 10:27-28 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Praise be to God!

Let My People Go!

# 24 2024 Dev. Ex.5:2. “Let My People Go!” 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.

Ex 5:2 “ Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”

Ex 5 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. He also told Moses what to say to Pharaoh Ex 3:18

Vs.1-5 Moses and Aaron did not say what God had told them to say to Pharaoh. They said to Pharaoh: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” But that is not what God told them to say to Pharaoh. They started with an imperative, “Let my people go,” That is like saying: we demand that you let us go and have a festival in the wilderness. They got a very negative reaction from Pharaoh. But then they were told that Pharaoh would refuse. “Then they said, ‘the God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord out God.’” That is what God told them to say, a much softer tone. But they did not end it there, they added, “or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword” Were they trying to scare Pharaoh, with thousands dead depleting his work force? In any case Pharaoh hardened his heart. It would take God’s power to accomplish the release, not Moses’ or Aaron’s effort. When we start to depend on ourselves we get into trouble.

Vs.6-21 The end result of the first meeting was devastating for the Israelites. They had to make a certain number of bricks a day but now they would not get the straw they needed, they had to find it themselves. Pharaoh was punishing them saying they had to much time on their hands. “The Israelis overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh” to no avail, he called them lazy, he refused to give them straw and did not change the quota of bricks. The overseers went to Moses and Aaron and blamed them for this situation, it would be very difficult to meet the daily quota. “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Vs.22-23 “Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?” Moses here blames God for this problem. He should really be blaming Pharaoh. He could also take a little blame himself for his confrontational approach. This is typical for many of us as well, quick to blame God, quick to blame others, and not always take responsibility for our own actions. God responds but we will have to wait for the next chapter.