I mentioned a few blogs ago that one of the major takeaways from reading the bible is a greater sense of God's control over everything. One of the other major takeaways is that He is who He is. When I'm outside of the bible, it's easy to make up a God in my mind that sort of fits into what I'd expect Him to be. The bible reveals a powerful God that is to be feared. He's merciful and loving, but should be feared.
In reading Exodus, I see a God that brought major plagues on the people of Egypt, with the most devastating being the death of all firstborn children. Major devastation. "At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead."
So Pharoah, whose heart was hardened by God, finally decides to let the people (slaves) of Israel go. We're not talking about a thousand people. There were six hundred thousand men - not to mention women and children. So maybe a million people? Imagine a million people exiting Dallas, walking out of the city. Later, after they make their way into the wilderness, Pharoah realizes that they are wandering out there, and that the wildnerness has "shut them in".
Pharoah, seeing and experiencing the devastation caused on his land and people, would be nuts to chase after them, right? But that's not how God wanted to use Pharoah. See the power of God in this verse: Exodus 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
So what happens? God parts the sea for his people to march through. As for the Egyptians - "the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea."
Exodus 14:30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
The reading plan also has me in Luke. Same thing with Jesus - not to be taken lightly, as a bearded softy.
20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”
I don't watch much TV. In fact, the only show I really watch regularly is American Idol. Last night, there was a dude up there that was referencing God and Jesus quite a bit. He said "Jesus is my homeboy". No idea what this guy really thinks about Jesus, so not really critiquing him per se, but given His power, calling Him your homeboy sounds a little unappreciative of His power and superiority.
One of the other major themes I'm looking out for during my reading is God-pleasing posture for man. There's Mary sitting at Jesus' feet. There's the prostitute crying at his feet. Another one was seen today in Luke:
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
So he was physically healed like the other 9, but his sins were forgiven because of his faith - his posture toward Jesus.
