Today our passages are Exodus
5:22–7:24; Matthew 18:23–19:12; Psalm 23:1-6; and Proverbs
5:22-23. The readings are from The
Message by Eugene H.
Peterson. If you find
these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove
Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through
PayPal.
Exodus 5:22-7:24 (The Message)
22-23 Moses went back to God and said, "My Master, why are you treating
this people so badly? And why did you ever send me? From the moment I came to
Pharaoh to speak in your name, things have only gotten worse for this people.
And rescue? Does this look like rescue to you?"
Exodus 6
1 God said to Moses, "Now you'll see what I'll do to Pharaoh: With a strong hand he'll send them out free; with a strong hand he'll drive them out of his land."
2-6 God continued speaking to Moses, reassuring
him, "I am God. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob as The Strong God, but by my nameGod (I-Am-Present) I was not known to them. I
also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the
country in which they lived as sojourners. But now I've heard the groanings of
the Israelites whom the Egyptians continue to enslave and I've remembered my
covenant. Therefore tell the Israelites:
6-8 "I am God. I will bring you out from under the
cruel hard labor of Egypt. I will rescue you from slavery. I will redeem you,
intervening with great acts of judgment. I'll take you as my own people and I'll
be God to you. You'll know that I am God, your God who brings you out from under the cruel
hard labor of Egypt. I'll bring you into the land that I promised to give
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and give it to you as your own country. I AM God."
9 But when Moses delivered this message to the
Israelites, they didn't even hear him—they were that beaten down in spirit by
the harsh slave conditions.
10-11 Then God said to Moses, "Go and speak to Pharaoh king
of Egypt so that he will release the Israelites from his land."
12 Moses answered God, "Look—the Israelites won't even
listen to me. How do you expect Pharaoh to? And besides, I stutter."
13 But God again laid out the facts to Moses and Aaron
regarding the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he again commanded them
to lead the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
The Family Tree of Moses and Aaron
14 These are the heads of the tribes:
The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and
Carmi—these are the families of Reuben.
15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad,
Jakin, Zohar, and Saul, the son of a Canaanite woman—these are the families of
Simeon.
16 These are the names of the sons of Levi in
the order of their birth: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137
years.
17 The sons of Gershon by family: Libni and
Shimei.
18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron,
and Uzziel. Kohath lived to be 133.
19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.
These are the sons of Levi in the order of their birth.
20 Amram married his aunt Jochebed and she had
Aaron and Moses. Amram lived to be 137.
21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and
Zicri.
22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and
Sithri.
23 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of
Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she had Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and
Ithamar.
24 The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and
Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites.
25 Aaron's son Eleazar married one of the
daughters of Putiel and she had Phinehas.
These are the heads of the Levite families, family by family.
26-27 This is the Aaron and Moses whom God ordered: "Bring the Israelites out of the
land of Egypt clan by clan." These are the men, Moses and Aaron, who told
Pharaoh king of Egypt to release the Israelites from Egypt.
"I'll Make You as a God to Pharaoh"
28 And that's how things stood when God next spoke to Moses in Egypt.
29 God addressed Moses, saying, "I am God. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt
everything I say to you."
30 And Moses answered, "Look at me. I stutter.
Why would Pharaoh listen to me?"
Exodus 7
1-5 God told Moses, "Look at me. I'll make you as a god to Pharaoh and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to speak everything I command you, and your brother Aaron will tell it to Pharaoh. Then he will release the Israelites from his land. At the same time I am going to put Pharaoh's back up and follow it up by filling Egypt with signs and wonders. Pharaoh is not going to listen to you, but I will have my way against Egypt and bring out my soldiers, my people the Israelites, from Egypt by mighty acts of judgment. The Egyptians will realize that I am God when I step in and take the Israelites out of their country."
6-7 Moses and Aaron did exactly what God commanded. Moses was eighty and Aaron
eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
8-9 Then God spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, "When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, 'Prove yourselves. Perform a miracle,' then tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh: It will turn into a snake.'"
10 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did
what God commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in
front of Pharaoh and his servants, and it turned into a snake.
11-12 Pharaoh called in his wise men and
sorcerers. The magicians of Egypt did the same thing by their incantations: each
man threw down his staff and they all turned into snakes. But then Aaron's staff
swallowed their staffs.
13 Yet Pharaoh was as stubborn as ever—he
wouldn't listen to them, just as God had said.
Strike One: Blood
14-18 God said to Moses: "Pharaoh is a stubborn man. He refuses to release the people. First thing in the morning, go and meet Pharaoh as he goes down to the river. At the shore of the Nile take the staff that turned into a snake and say to him, 'God, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you with this message, "Release my people so that they can worship me in the wilderness." So far you haven't listened. This is how you'll know that I am God. I am going to take this staff that I'm holding and strike this Nile River water: The water will turn to blood; the fish in the Nile will die; the Nile will stink; and the Egyptians won't be able to drink the Nile water.'"
19 God said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff
and wave it over the waters of Egypt—over its rivers, its canals, its ponds, all
its bodies of water—so that they turn to blood.' There'll be blood everywhere in
Egypt—even in the pots and pans."
20-21 Moses and Aaron did exactly as God commanded them. Aaron raised his staff and
hit the water in the Nile with Pharaoh and his servants watching. All the water
in the Nile turned into blood. The fish in the Nile died; the Nile stank; and
the Egyptians couldn't drink the Nile water. The blood was everywhere in
Egypt.
22-25 But the magicians of Egypt did the same
thing with their incantations. Still Pharaoh remained stubborn. He wouldn't
listen to them as God had said. He turned on his heel and went
home, never giving it a second thought. But all the Egyptians had to dig inland
from the river for water because they couldn't drink the Nile water.
Seven days went by after God had struck the Nile.
Matthew 18:23-19:12 (The Message)
23-25"The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to
square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought
before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn't pay
up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be
auctioned off at the slave market.
26-27"The poor wretch threw himself at the king's feet and
begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' Touched by his plea, the
king let him off, erasing the debt.
28"The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came
upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the
throat and demanded, 'Pay up. Now!'
29-31"The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, 'Give
me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' But he wouldn't do it. He had him
arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw
this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the
king.
32-35"The king summoned the man and said, 'You evil
servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn't you
be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?' The
king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire
debt. And that's exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of
you who doesn't forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy."
Matthew 19
Divorce
1-2 When Jesus had
completed these teachings, he left Galilee and crossed the region of Judea on
the other side of the Jordan. Great crowds followed him there, and he healed
them. 3One day the Pharisees were badgering him: "Is it legal for
a man to divorce his wife for any reason?"
4-6He answered, "Haven't you read in your Bible that the
Creator originally made man and woman for each other, male and female? And
because of this, a man leaves father and mother and is firmly bonded to his
wife, becoming one flesh—no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this
organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them
apart."
7They shot back in rebuttal, "If that's so, why did Moses
give instructions for divorce papers and divorce procedures?"
8-9Jesus said, "Moses provided for divorce as a concession
to your hard heartedness, but it is not part of God's original plan. I'm holding
you to the original plan, and holding you liable for adultery if you divorce
your faithful wife and then marry someone else. I make an exception in cases
where the spouse has committed adultery."
10Jesus' disciples objected, "If those are the terms of
marriage, we're stuck. Why get married?"
11-12But Jesus said, "Not everyone is mature enough to live
a married life. It requires a certain aptitude and grace. Marriage isn't for
everyone. Some, from birth seemingly, never give marriage a thought. Others
never get asked—or accepted. And some decide not to get married for kingdom
reasons. But if you're capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do
it."
Psalm 23:1-6 (The Message)
Psalm 23
A David Psalm
1-3 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
4 Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I'm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook
makes me feel secure.
5 You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
6 Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.
Proverbs 5:22-23 (The Message)
21-23 Mark well that God doesn't miss a move you make;
he's aware of every step you take.
The shadow of your sin will overtake you;
you'll find yourself stumbling all over yourself in the dark.
Death is the reward of an undisciplined life;
your foolish decisions trap you in a dead end.
Verse of the
Day
“God is Spirit, and those who worship God must be led by the Spirit to
worship him according to the truth.” - John 4:24
Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.
Thought for the Day
English writer and
raconteur Augustus
Hare wrote, “The intellect of the
wise is like glass; it admits the light of heaven and reflects
it.
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