Hope for Today

Everyone has certain special days in their life: a birthday, a baptism, a graduation, a wedding, or perhaps some other day that has been marked on your calendar as a special day for you. Did you know that the practice of honoring special events on certain days comes from the Bible? Yes, it does. One such day to remember is recorded for us in Exodus 13:1-16.

1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

2. Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

3. And Moses said unto the people, remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

4. This day came ye out in the month Abib.

5. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

6. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.

7. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

8. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, this is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

9. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

10. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

11. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,

12. That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that opens the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S.

13. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the first born of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

14. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, what is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

15. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD all that open the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

16. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

In this Bible text, we have a word from the Lord regarding a very special day for the people of Israel, in the past and the present. In that special day, the Lord emphasized several REMEMBRANCES so they would never forget what He had done.

These remembrances can be helpful to us also, to remember our day, just as the children of Israel were instructed to REMEMBER YOUR DAY. So, let’s look at them.

Moses gave them this remembrance:

Remember the Day of Deliverance

He spoke of how they were brought out of the house of bondage. You can read about that bondage in the earlier chapters of this book of Exodus. They were very much oppressed and suppressed, held down. They were not even citizens of the country. They were slaves. They had no legal rights, no freedom. They were in bondage, and Moses said, “Remember the day of deliverance when the LORD brought you out of the house of bondage.” Moses reminded them that it was not their strength that brought them out of the house of bondage. No! It was the hand of the Lord, “For by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place.”

Yes, by all considerations, Israel needed to ascribe their deliverance to the Lord–the strength of the LORD God. He brought them out of bondage into freedom. He spoke about the new land to which they were going; land possessed by different nations: the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

A new land and a new relationship were to be theirs, for the LORD said it was to be a land flowing with milk and honey. Even so, they were to keep this remembrance in this month, seven days of eating unleavened bread instead of normal bread. It was to be a joyous, seven-day feast because it reminded them of that day of deliverance and symbolized a complete newness.

There can be a deliverance for everybody because the LORD’s hand is still strong enough to deliver. The prophet Isaiah speaking for God, once said, “The hand of the LORD is not shortened that it cannot save, nor the LORD’s ear heavy that it cannot hear.” The reason people are not saved and the reason the LORD doesn’t seem to hear them is their sin.

Yes, there can be a day of deliverance for everybody because God, in the strength of His hand, will deliver you as He delivered those people in ancient days.

Moses gave them a second remembrance:

Remember the Law of the LORD

I am so thankful that God has given us His Book, the Bible. How awful it would be if we did not have some word, some revelation from the LORD. But when you have a word from the LORD, you carry a certain responsibility. That responsibility is to remember the word of the LORD and tell it to your children and grandchildren.

I find in Moses’ counsel to the children of Israel a very important emphasis: family religion. You can never expect your son to be any more religious than you are. The LORD laid a responsibility on the father here in this message: remember the law of the LORD because when your son asks you, you are to tell him what happened. You are to relate what God did. You are to say, “The LORD did this unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.”

But there is more than just telling. There is also doing, setting an example. So, the LORD said, “This shall be a sign unto you upon your hand.” If you are so controlled by the Word of God as having it on your hand, then that will sanctify your daily toil. It will change the way you look at your work; it will set it apart, it will sanctify your labor, and give it greater purpose.

He also says you are to have this as a memorial between your eyes to screen your vision. The eye is a marvelous member of your body. And when you have the law of the LORD between your eyes, it will screen your vision. Look at the world and life through God’s Law. And the law of the LORD shall be in your mouth. If you have the law of the LORD in your mouth, it will affect your speech. It will make it better.

So, remember the law of the LORD, tell your son about it, and show him by having the law of the LORD prominent in your own life. Then He said, “This ordinance shall be to you from year to year. “An ordinance carries with it the idea of an inscription, something like an engraving in stone. This ordinance is to be inscribed in your heart: “Remember the law of the LORD.”

Moses expressed a third remembrance:

Remember the Saving of the Firstborn

In God’s program for Israel, the firstborn was sacred. He put it this way, “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn.” That means to set them apart. When you sanctify some object, you take it out of its ordinary setting, and you put it aside for holy use. You set it apart.

Notice in verse 12 that they were instructed by Moses, “You shalt set apart unto the LORD all that opens the womb.” The firstborn is not like the secondborn or the thirdborn. According to the word of the LORD, to remember the salvation of the firstborn means to acknowledge that the firstborn is sacred to God.

It is a sacred responsibility to communicate this to your son, to your family, because the prophet Moses said, “And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, what is this? that then you will tell him that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt when we were about to come out. Therefore, the firstborn of beasts we must sacrifice and the firstborn of our children we shall redeem.”

To redeem them means that something else must die in their place. In fact, Moses instructed them to redeem an ass with a lamb. In other words, sacrifice a lamb that the ass might live. The saving of the firstborn: remember it, Moses instructed the people of Israel. There is saving for the firstborn. God has set him apart as special, separated for holy use.

The remembrances then may also come to you: the day of your deliverance, the law of the LORD, the saving of the firstborn. You can make all this real and meaningful in your life and family. God wants you to enter into this by faith in Him.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God, Who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know why this is happening or why You are allowing this, but I trust You and pray that Your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 13:1-16 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Hello and welcome; thanks for joining us as we continue our study in Exodus. It is encouraging to hear from God and learn more about Him in the Bible. This happens no matter which book of the Bible we are focusing on. This is an amazing aspect of the Bible, and it is one of the things that sets the Bible above all other books. This is not just a book. It is alive, and in every section of the Bible, there is more for us to learn.

Looking at the children of Israel, we can see how God directed and led them from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. And really, that is what God longs to do for each of us. He has provided the way for us to go from slavery to freedom. We can be free from the slavery of sin and experience true freedom by following Jesus and living according to the commands Christ gave.

And think about Pharoah. He is an example of someone who, despite all the evidence and proof for God, rejects God and continues in his own way. Time after time, God reveals His power, and each time Pharoah’s heart becomes harder and harder. This pattern has been repeated by many men down through the ages. God, in His mercy, shows Himself alive and real in many incredible ways. This turns some hard hearts even harder, which is exactly what Pharoah was doing.

We look forward to what J Mark Horst will teach us from Exodus and how these truths will teach us more about God and how we can live for Him. Let’s give him our attention now. 

People all over the world long for freedom, for independence. They hope someday to throw off the yoke of bondage. They want to be free!

Bondage comes in various forms. Many people are bound by some physical illness. Many are bound by political situations. Others feel bound by economic conditions, and many are bound in their spirit; they are controlled by their selfish desires and appetites.

To be under the bondage of the spirit is the most serious. But I am happy to tell you that you can be like the people of ancient Israel: FREE AT LAST! Yes, there is freedom for you and me, but there is only one way to achieve it. God’s Word gives us the path to freedom.

Exodus 12:29-42 is the basis of our meditation on freedom.

29. And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

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 there was not one dead.

31. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.

32. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

33. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, we be all dead men.

34. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

35. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:

36. And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

37. And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.

38. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very many cattle.

39. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

40. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

41. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

42. It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

The STAGES to achieve freedom are demonstrated in this Scripture and are available to you. Let me point to them.

The first stage was for Egypt:

Judgment

In previous chapters of Exodus, we have emphasized the judgment of God upon the land of Egypt. Here it is again. The Bible tells us that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. That was total involvement. The firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, died, as did the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of cattle died. The judgment of Egypt was complete. It was total. A great cry went up throughout the land of Egypt because there was not a house where there was not one dead.

Freedom demands the judgment of the oppressor. In this case, Egypt was the oppressor. Because God was concerned about the oppressed, He judged the people of Egypt. The stages to achieve freedom are demonstrated in this experience.

In the first stage, there must be judgment of the oppressor, and God has done that. Judgment to achieve freedom is in the hand of God. It must come from the LORD. He has exercised judgment upon the oppressor of the spirit, that great archenemy of God, the devil. God has exercised a judgment against him, and you and I can be free if we accept the judgment God has made.

The second stage was for Israel:

Emancipation

Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and issued an emancipation proclamation for the people of Israel. It was Pharaoh’s command. Before, he always said, “No, I will not let you go.” Now in the middle of the night, he called these Israelite leaders, Moses, and Aaron, and issued a command to them. He said, “Rise up and get you forth. Go and serve the LORD. And take your flocks and your herds and be gone.” He issued this demand for departure, an emancipation of deliverance to freedom.

The Egyptians urged the people of Israel and said, “Go, for we are all dead men.” You can try to imagine what the conditions must have been like in the land where every house had at least one dead person and one dead among the beasts. No wonder they were insistent that the people of Israel get out.

Freedom demands emancipation of the oppressed. The people of Israel were the slaves, the oppressed. They were forced to serve with harshness. They were beaten by their taskmasters. But God brought them emancipation or freedom by this proclamation of Pharaoh.

Emancipation, true emancipation from the bondage of the spirit, must come from the LORD. He has promised you and me that He will free us from the bondage of the spirit. Only when the LORD takes over can you have emancipation and freedom from the bondage of the spirit.

When Jesus was here on this earth, He made this statement; “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Satan wants to keep us in bondage, so he tells us lies, and he urges us to believe those lies. But Jesus wants you and me to be free to serve Him. We can do that when we embrace the truth.

In our text, the LORD moved Pharaoh, the oppressor, to issue a command of emancipation for these oppressed people of Israel. It is no secret what God can do. He can emancipate your soul and your spirit right now if you will follow Him.

There is a third stage which is:

Emigration

So, the children of Israel left Egypt. They left behind the land of bondage. There were 600,000 men on foot beside women, children, and a mixed multitude. It must have been quite a large number, well over a million people. Besides, they took all their flocks and herds along, and they had very many cattle. They took along the bowls or troughs in which they mixed the ingredients for their bread. They did not have time to properly mix the bread and wait for the dough to rise. So, they were prepared to eat unleavened bread as they were on the move.

That is what emigration means: get out, separate, move on, away from the land of bondage. There was a certain time element here. The Bible tells us that they had sojourned in Egypt 430 years. And then, on the very day that completed those 430 years, they came out.

But now they have been delivered. Freedom at last! And they are on their way. They are emigrating. They are moving out. Freedom demands emigration to separate from the former condition of slavery. But this freedom must be of the LORD because the separation from bondage and oppression must be complete.

The stages for freedom come in this way: judgment, emancipation, and emigration. The judgment must be brought by the LORD on the oppressor. The emancipation of the oppressed must be of the LORD. Emigration, and separation, must be under the direction of the LORD. Then there will be freedom at last.

We know from history that Egypt was a real country; in fact, it still exists today. But Egypt is also used as a symbol of sin or a symbol of the world. Those who live under the control of the world and sin are slaves, they are not free to do as they choose.

Listen to these words from Romans 6:16 to 18. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

Are you still a slave in Egypt? Are you still a slave of sin? Are you powerless to escape the bondage of sin? I have good news for you; Jesus Christ can set you free! He can and will change you from the inside out if you will only come to Him in believing and obedient faith.

Ancient Israel was delivered from physical slavery, and that was wonderful. But we discover quickly that they didn’t experience spiritual freedom. You can be different; you can experience complete deliverance through Jesus Christ. You can be FREE AT LAST.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God, Who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know why this is happening or why You are allowing this, but I trust You and pray that Your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 12:29-42 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

With our modern electronic devices, we can keep watch constantly all over the world. The nations of the world have their satellites in low-earth orbit by which they scan the earth’s surface constantly. Video and facial recognition technology can track us almost anywhere we go. We know more fully the meaning of the saying, “you can run, but you can’t hide.”

We sometimes wonder, with modern electronic devices and all the progress in communication of the last several decades, how can there be any place of safety? It seems as though an ever-watchful eye is over us constantly. I am glad to say that God watches over us but with a quite different intention. God watches over us in love when we turn our hearts to Him.

While there are various means of protection, this Scripture in Exodus 12:1-14, sets forth PROTECTION UNDER THE BLOOD. This protection is vital to your eternal well-being.

1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 

2. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 

3. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a house: 

4. And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 

5. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 

6. And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 

7. And they shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 

8. And they shall eat the flesh that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 

9. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 

10. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remains of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 

11. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S Passover. 

12. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 

13. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

14. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever. 

From this scene in the Bible, I find several ENCOURAGEMENTS to seek protection under the blood. These encouragements, which came first to Israel speak to us today as well. 

The first encouragement is: 

The Careful Outline of Details. 

Moses told the people of Israel that this time in their history would be the beginning of months to them. In other words, it was to be the new year, the time when everything else started, “the first month of the year to you.” He explained how they were to select a lamb from the flock on the tenth day of this first month. Every detail was carefully outlined. It was to be a lamb for a household. This was to be done by the size of the family. If the family was too small to eat all of the meat from the lamb, then two families, neighbors, should join together.

The lamb was to be without blemish, a male of the first year. It could be a sheep or a goat. Then from the tenth day of the month until the fourteenth day, the lamb was to be kept separate from the flock. All the families of the congregation were to kill them at the same time. All the details were carefully outlined for a mass observance. 

The blood of the lamb was to be caught in a basin. Then they were to take the blood and strike it on the two side posts and lintel of their doors. They were to roast the flesh of the lamb–never to boil it or eat it raw–but to roast it and eat it with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs. If anything was left until the morning, it was to be burned with fire. 

Even the clothing they wore for this event is specified. They were to have their clothes on, ready to move. They were to have their shoes on and a staff in their hands. They were to eat in haste because it is the LORD’S Passover. The LORD outlined the details very carefully, to come out right. The encouragement comes that in the carefully outlined details for the people of Israel, God brought them under the protection of the blood. 

Another encouragement I find is: 

The Complete Outcome of Deliverance. 

In verse 12, the LORD executed a final judgment. He said, “I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment.” This was the final judgment. 

In the earlier chapters of Exodus, God had spoken to Moses that He was going to exercise judgment against all the gods of Egypt. The various plagues, the water to blood, the frogs, the boils, the flies, the darkness, the sickness of cattle, and so on, were actually God’s judgments on the various gods of Egypt. 

In this final judgment, the LORD said He was going to smite all Egypt. All the firstborn in the land of Egypt were to be affected, from Pharaoh the king to the slave. In this final judgment, there would be no exclusions; even the beasts, the cattle, would be affected similarly.

At the same time, there was a complete outcome of deliverance. To Israel, the LORD said, “The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” There was full protection, absolutely full protection when the blood was properly applied on the two side posts and the lintels of the houses according to the detailed instructions. The LORD said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”

And He said, “because the blood is on your doorposts the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” There was full protection. It was complete outcome of deliverance as a final judgment on the people of Egypt and a full protection for the people of Israel. What was? The blood on the doorposts. 

Yes, God does what He promises to do. When those come to Him in full trust, do what He has said there is protection. But you must understand that the protection is only possible when you follow through with the details that God has outlined. In this experience, He said it was the blood on the doorposts that made the difference. 

In the third place, we find encouragement in: 

The Commemorative Outset of Directives. 

The last verse is a short verse but so full of meaning. “And this day shall be unto you for a memorial.” What is a memorial? A memorial is a day which is set aside to remember. It is a day to be kept in mind. It is a particular day. I suspect in every country, in your country, you have certain memorial days. We have certain days in the country where I live. We have days that we have set aside to keep alive the memories of special events. So, the LORD said to the people of Israel that this day, this Passover day, was to be kept in mind as a memorial, a day of memory. 

Further, He said it was to be kept as “a feast to the LORD throughout your generations.” It was not the kind of memory day that would pass with the years and be forgotten with time. It was to be an annual feast. It was to be a feast that was to be kept throughout all their generations. That means that the parents would tell the children, and the children would tell their children, and those children would tell their children, and so on. 

The final instruction from the LORD was, “you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” I was especially impressed by this word ordinance. In the Hebrew Bible, it comes from the Hebrew word chaqaq, which means to inscribe or engrave. This was to be a never-to-be-forgotten experience, somehow laid down so that it would never pass from memory. It was to be a commemorative memorial, the kind of memorial that would never be forgotten. It was engraved forever. The people of Israel keep it today. 

We do well to remember the goodness of God. This day was to tell the people of Israel to remember the goodness of God. For He had brought them complete deliverance from judgment and protected them under the blood. 

These encouragements I bring to you from the experience of Israel in ancient days. God still acts the very same way. He has given careful details to complete your deliverance so you might remember His mercy forever. Every heart covered by the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is safe from death. Make sure the blood of Jesus is applied by faith to your heart and life today.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know what this happening or why you are allowing this, but I trust you and pray that your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program. Thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 12:1-14 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

In the beginning of the Creation, God made Adam with a will. He was given the ability and the freedom to choose. From the very beginning, man was able to exercise that will. God knew when He made man with a free will that man would be able to exercise that will against his Creator. But because mankind was made in the image of God, he had to be able to have the capacity to choose, to make moral distinctions. He was not a preprogrammed robot.

To be a creature of choice is a wonderful privilege because we have the whole area of good from which we can choose. It is beautiful. There is so much in our world that is good and beautiful, so much that is fulfilling and satisfying. God has created so much for our enjoyment and for our blessing.

But we can also choose evil. We can choose to serve ourselves and our desires. That’s what makes the exercise of our will so very, very serious.

I have regrets about the times I have made wrong choices: times when I allowed my desires to control me instead of my will. Times when I was selfish instead of serving others. Times when I was harsh and unloving. When I think back on those experiences, I feel sorry, and I have regrets. I am so grateful for God’s willingness to forgive me and to restore my joy.

But I also have joyful moments when I think of my good choices. I chose the right way, and those right choices still bring me joy today. I hope you have joy in your choices too.

Self-will is the result of the abuse of freedom of choice. Self-will is when you and I set up our own will against the will of God. THE HIGH-PRICE OF SELF-WILL stands out clearly when we do not choose right. In Exodus 11:1-10, this high price of self-will is clearly shown. 

1. And the LORD said unto Moses, yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 

2. Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 

3. And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people. 

4. And Moses said, thus saith the LORD, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 

5. And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sits upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 

6. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it anymore.

7. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 

8. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in great anger. 

9. And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. 

10. And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land. 

In these verses from Exodus, I bring you three EVIDENCES of that high price of self-will. 

The first evidence is:

The Last Plague. 

God said, “This is the last time I am going to deal with Pharaoh. I will come once more. Just one more plague upon Pharaoh. That’s all. It will be the last time that I deal this way with him.” I am thinking what a tremendous price that was to Pharaoh. Moses was instructed by the LORD to tell the people of Israel to ask of their neighbors for silver and gold. This was a part of the last plague, the last time God would deal with Pharaoh. 

I notice also that God’s man, Moses, stood very high in the eyes of the Egyptians. This is not at all surprising. Think of all that Moses did in the eyes of the people as God instructed him. Through all these judgments, God showed He was superior to the pagan gods of the Egyptians. And so, when the people of God asked their Egyptian neighbors for their gold and silver, they readily gave it to them.

But self-will must meet its decisive moment. There is a time when the battle is finally joined between God’s will and self-will. Try to grasp the awfulness of this word from God: “Yet will I bring one more plague upon Pharaoh.” Think of what it means to come to the end of dealing with God. When it is all over, what is the cost? That is the high price of self-will, the last plague, the last word from God. 

There is a second evidence of the high price of self-will: 

The First-Born. 

Moses went on to tell Pharaoh how this last plague was going to happen. It would be aimed at the first-born. All other judgments had dealt with things: the cattle, the elements, the vegetation. There were boils, lice, flies, the water turned to blood, sickness upon the cattle, hail, and darkness. This one was to be different. This one was to affect the first-born of every Egyptian household, from Pharaoh upon the throne to the maid servant behind the mill. And Moses further added, it also would affect the beasts of the field.

This was a very extensive judgment. There was no mercy. All would be affected. I learn a rather striking lesson from this. Self-will leads to decisions that affect our most treasured possessions. And the consequences of our choices are not restricted to us personally. Once our choices are made and the consequences set in motion, they cannot be changed.

Pharaoh insisted upon having his own way, and it led to the destruction of his most treasured possession—his first-born son. This was his heir, the one who was to follow him on the throne of Egypt. But his self-will affected his entire country, all of his people. Do you follow me? Evidence of the high price of self-will is found in that God leveled His judgment against the first-born of man and beast. This man on the throne, Pharaoh, was responsible for judgment throughout his kingdom by his self-will. Those under your authority will be affected by your choices – for good or for ill.

The third evidence of the high price of self-will is: 

The Final Difference. 

Moses said that the children of Israel would not be affected by this last plague. He said not so much as the tongue of a dog would be moved against them and their cattle. In other words, not even a dog would bark against the children of Israel. In previous occasions, God protected and preserved His people at the time of these plagues. But this one Moses said would be final, “That you may know how that the LORD has put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” 

This difference had nothing to do with the ethnic background of the people. It wasn’t because some were Egyptians, and some were Israelites. God is the Creator of all, and He shows no partiality based on nationality or ethnicity. He loves all people equally.

The difference was that the Israelites worshipped the true God, and the Egyptians worshipped idols. This would be a great humbling of the Egyptians and their gods because God would magnify His name in all the earth by these acts. We are told that the wonders of God would be multiplied in the land of Egypt. God did all this to vindicate His High and Holy Name. 

But there was a real difference between Israel and Egypt. The reason why this difference was so sharp and so broad was that the Egyptians refused to hear God, especially Pharaoh, their king. They would not listen to the voice of the LORD as it came from the prophet Moses. And now they would suffer the consequences of not listening to God.

God has made us free moral agents. We can make our own choices. We have both the ability and the privilege. But He has also made us that we must live with the consequences of those choices, and that’s where the price often becomes rather high. That’s what happened with Pharaoh. He made his own choice, but he paid the high price of living with the consequences he had not figured on. He didn’t think carefully enough about the consequences of his choices. And there are many people just like him today. I hope you are not one of them.

Here are the evidences which we gather from Pharaoh to show how high a price one pays for self-will: the last plague showed that God was not going to deal with this man again in any measure of mercy. Pharaoh had made his choices, and now there was no turning away from the consequences of those choices.

Then, the first-born of every family all across the land would be slain. From the first-born of the king to the first-born of the slave, to the first-born of the cattle and other beasts. And that final difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites could never be erased. Those who reject God will face His divine wrath.

My friend, I want you to consider where you are. Turn to God, the God who holds your life and breath in His hands. Don’t hold out against Him, or you will learn to your regret, the high price of self-will. 

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know what this happening or why you are allowing this, but I trust you and pray that your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program. Thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 11:1-10 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

The Niagara River in the United States joins two of the five Great Lakes in the northern part of the country. I’ve seen the water pouring over these huge falls, millions of gallons of water every minute! I’m told that on the Niagara River, there is a certain point above the waterfall that marks the point of no return. If you are in the water or on it and you get beyond that point, there is no hope of escape. You will go over the falls. But as long as you stay above that point, there is still a possibility of returning. Very few people have gone over the falls and survived.

In a sense, life is like that; there is also a point of no return. After you have gone beyond that point, it is impossible to return. The choices you have made cannot be changed. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, demonstrates that for us. His repeated refusal to let God’s people go and the continual hardening of his heart led him unwaveringly to that point of no return. Eventually, it would cost him his family, his armies, and his kingdom.

In the contest between Moses and Pharaoh, the battle of the gods is about over. It is the battle between the true God, Jehovah, and the idols of Egypt. Moses was speaking for the true God, and Pharaoh was speaking for the idols. We’ve been tracing these events from the book of Exodus, and it has been thrilling to see how the hand of God was upon this pagan king and his people. We must learn the lessons recorded, or we are doomed to make the same mistakes.

Pharaoh learned that THERE IS A POINT OF NO RETURN. There is a point beyond which change is impossible. Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get away from me, take heed to yourself, see my face no more; for if you see my face, you shall die.” This was the outcome of a continual refusal on Pharaoh’s part found in Exodus 10:21-29.

21. And the LORD said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

22. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

23. They saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

24. And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let you little ones also go with you.

25. And Moses said, thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

26. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.

27. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.

28. And Pharaoh said unto him, get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

29. And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

In this text, we find the INDICATORS which should help us locate that point of no return.

The first indicator was:

The Darkness in the Land.

The Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand toward heaven, and a deep darkness would cover the land of Egypt. It would be so dense it could be felt. I have never been in that kind of darkness. Years ago, I visited an old coal mine with my family. We went down hundreds of meters into the mine. At one point, the tour guide turned out all the lights, and it was dark. It was so dark that when I put my finger on my nose, I still couldn’t see my hand. We would say it was “pitch black.” But that darkness was nothing like this.

Here was a dense darkness which the Bible says could be felt, and the oppressive darkness spread over the land of Egypt. Nothing like it had ever happened like this before. This thick darkness over the land of Egypt lasted for three days. The Bible tells us that for 72 hours, nobody was able to move. No one rose from his place. This was not natural darkness. No way. This was an act of God. This was an indicator that Pharaoh was approaching the point of no return.

Notice that this darkness engulfed the Egyptians but that the Israelites had light in their dwellings. There was a clear division between the people of Egypt and the people of God. This division shouldn’t surprise us. Remember, at creation, God separated the light from the darkness. So, there’s no reason why He couldn’t do it again; and He did.

God’s miracle of darkness for Egypt must have been symbolic. I have been impressed in my travels in various parts of the world to feel the spiritual darkness, not physical darkness. It is oppressive; it is very uncomfortable. This was real physical darkness by a miracle of God, but it was also a symbolic darkness. The land of the rebellious ones was covered with darkness. Rejection of the truth always leads to spiritual darkness, so God brought this physical darkness to cover the land of Egypt as an indicator that there is a point of no return.

The next indicator was:

The Darkness of the Mind.

So, this intense darkness came. After it had lifted, Pharaoh said to Moses, “All of you can go now, but you leave your flocks behind.” He had offered several previous compromises, which Moses refused to accept. So, this is now the darkness of his mind showing again. ‘Do a partial obedience.’ This is often the counsel of a darkened mind. “All the people may go,” Pharaoh said, “just leave your flocks behind.” Don’t go quite all the way in obeying your God.

But Moses’ response was this: he said, “Our cattle shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind.” All of us will go, and we will go all the way; we will obey God’s command completely. Moses said we are not going to leave anything behind. Furthermore, we are going because we must go.

Pharaoh couldn’t understand that because there was darkness in his mind. Pharaoh’s mind lacked spiritual understanding. The Bible tells us in First Corinthians 2:14, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The fleshly mind cannot understand the things of God. The proud mind is shrouded or veiled in darkness. Pharaoh’s mind simply couldn’t see the light because his mind was clouded with darkness.

It is the same today. Some very intelligent people in positions of leadership and responsibility are in spiritual darkness. Many of them are highly educated, but they are not wise. They reject the reality of God, His Word, and His authority. They think they know better than God does. Pharaoh is an indicator of this. His response to Moses is an indicator that you can get to the place where it is impossible for you to think clearly.

The final indicator was:

The Darkness of the Heart.

That is an awful truth, an unyielding truth. Pharaoh’s constant refusal left him with only darkness. He kept hardening his heart. He kept saying, “No, I don’t know the Lord, and I will not listen to Him,” until the time came when God hardened his heart. You read it in verse 27, “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.

Oh, the darkness of the heart. There is a point of no return, and Pharaoh spoke it out when he said, “Get away from me, take heed to yourself, see my face no more; for if you see my face you shall die.” He said, “I am through with you, and I will not let the people go.” Moses said, “As you say, I will never come back to you.” Mark it. Mark it well. Pharaoh sealed his fate by his own decision. God left it up to him and he made the decision. The darkness of his heart brought him to the point of no return. He sealed the door of his return.

Many a person has turned away at a time which affected his future most seriously and sealed the door of return.

In Romans chapter one, we read these words; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting…” They reach a point of no return.

As I have told you, there is a point of no return. How different life would have been for Pharaoh and the Egyptians if had he listened to the Lord. But he refused to hear God. We can talk about Pharaoh all we want. That’s been centuries ago. But how is it with you? Have you listened to God in the past? Are you still listening to Him today? Or have you turned a deaf ear to His voice? Learn the lesson from Pharaoh. Listen to the Lord now, or I assure you, you will one day regret your refusal to listen.

These are the indicators we find in Pharaoh’s experience. God made it plain. There was the darkness of the land, the darkness of the mind, and the darkness of the heart, which led to the point of no return. My friend, I am speaking to you right there where you are. Refuse the LORD no longer. It is time now for you to listen to God. Don’t pass the point of no return.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know what this happening or why you are allowing this, but I trust you and pray that your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program. Thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 10:21-29 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.