Finding Jesus in the Old Testament (Blogging Through the Bible)

God never ceases to amaze me! Let me encourage you today, friends, as we are mid-week into some tough reading in the Old Testament.

Don't give up!

Finding Jesus in the Old Testament in today's chapter of Exodus has once again confirmed to me that it is so important that we do not skim over or skip these chapters that are thought of as "not applying to us today, so I'll just skip it."

When we approach our reading of the Bible in this way, we WILL MISS a golden nugget of truth that is tucked within these Old Testament chapters just waiting to be discovered!

Today's reading in Exodus 23 is a perfect example of what I'm talking about! Check out my SOAK for today and you'll see what I'm talking about friends! And be encouraged to continue through our reading in Exodus this week and for the remaining time of this month to find more golden nuggets of truth like what I'm about to share with you!

Finding Jesus in the Old Testament

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Exodus 23

Scripture: Exodus 23:20-23
²⁰ “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. ²¹ Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. ²² But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. ²³ For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off.

Observations: The Angel that is also present with God in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night has the name of God in Him. The name of Yahweh is in Jesus – His name literally is Yah-shua. Jesus was with Israel in all of their experiences in the wilderness! God sent Jesus before the Israelites to the land that God prepared for them. He would also keep them in the way in which they should go as they journeyed to the promised land.

Application: Jesus continues today to walk with us as we sojourn through this life to our promised home of Heaven. We have Jesus’ promise that He gave to us in John 14:2-3 that He is preparing a place for us there. We have been given the Holy Spirit Who empowers us to live lives set apart while we walk the path God has prepared for us in this life to our promised home with Him in Heaven.

Kneel: Heavenly Father, how beautiful it is to behold truths from Your Word! Thank You for preparing our way as Your children. Help us to hear clearly from You, “This is the way, walk in it,” as we journey through this life to our true home in Heaven with You. Thank You for the gift of your Holy Spirit Who empowers us to live as you call us to live while we sojourn through this life. Help others to see a difference in us that will draw their hearts into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ so that they too may find their true home in Heaven having been reconciled through the life-saving blood of Jesus! It is in His powerful name I pray. Amen!

 

And here is my SOAK for Tuesday in Exodus 22:



Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Exodus 22 

Scripture: Exodus 22:1-31

Observations: More laws from God to direct the judges. Laws regarding personal property and restitution are given in verses 1-15. Moral and ceremonial laws are given in verses 16-17. Three capital crimes and the laws regarding these crimes are discussed in verses 18-20. Moral laws concerning compassion for the poor and weak are given in verses 21-27. Laws regarding holiness and separation unto God are given in verses 28-31.

Application: God desires to be involved in every area of our lives. The laws given in these verses remind me of how Jesus summed up all the commandments with these two in Matthew 22:37-40, “³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

When we are in right relationship with God that will flow into all the other relationships of our lives as we seek to live in obedience to how God calls us to live towards others.

Kneel: Heavenly Father, thank You for meeting with me this morning and for opening up the truth of Your Word. I pray to know You more and more every day, to behold wonderful truths from Your Word, and to plant these truths deep within my heart so that I might not sin against You or my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray and ask this all in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
 


Here is our reading plan for the rest of this week:

I'll see you back here on Friday for another Blogging Through the Bible post!
 

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

***Chime In***

What golden nuggets of truth have you found in your reading of the Bible? I'd LOVE to hear about them! Please share in the comments below.

I'm linking up with Courtney Joseph over at Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls. Click on the image below to read her Friday post and other Blogging Through the Bible posts too!