Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • Exodus 7

    Exodus 7

    Read Exodus 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. 2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, 4 he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. 5 And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”

    6 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them. 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

    Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Snake

    8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.”

    10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts:12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

    The Plague of Blood

    14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the river. Confront him on the bank of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. 16 Then say to him, ‘The Lord, 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. But until now you have not listened. 17 This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.’”

    19 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.”

    20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.

    22 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. 23 Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river.

    The Plague of Frogs

    25 Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.

    Go Deeper

    Over the next few days, we’ll read the story of ten different plagues that descended on Egypt. As we read this, it’s easy to think, “Oh, another day, another plague,” without really examining what God was doing and why. We not only want to understand what’s happening, but also why it’s happening. The plagues we’ll read over the next few days will set up the story of Passover–another example of God’s deliverance of His people. 

    While you’re reading, you’ll find yourself shaking your head at Pharoah, asking, “What’s it going to take for him to finally pay attention?” It’s a fair question. God uses these plagues to expose Pharaoh’s pride, but also gives him chance after chance to turn from evil. Too often, we act in a similar manner. We fall subject to our own pride and desires, yet God gives us chance after chance to repent.

    As we begin our study on the plagues with Exodus 7, we see God’s power and might on display in full effect. It starts with Moses and Aaron standing before God, receiving their marching orders, and it ends with the Nile River, their source of water, turned to blood. Why the Nile? This first plague was directed at the Egyptian river deities. The Nile was essentially worshipped as a god by the Egyptians, and here, God shows that He has power over the Nile. God exposes our idols for what they are.

    God told Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened and he wouldn’t listen, but surely he would repent after that, right?! Wrong. The text tells us that Pharoah simply turned around and went back into his palace (v. 23). Close your eyes and imagine that picture in your mind. The river that runs through Egypt turns to blood and Pharoah is so unmoved by it, so unbothered, that he essentially shrugs it off. His pride won’t let him see what God is doing. Instead, he goes about his daily life, unconcerned by the work of God going on around him. 

    When our pride swells, we develop blind spots. These blind spots prevent us from seeing the hand of God around us because we become so inwardly focused, which is not God’s intention. We become self-absorbed and entitled, concerned with only what benefits us. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Pharoah is about to encounter a crash course on what that means, as his heart continues to harden even further. 

    Questions

    1. What does this passage teach us about God’s character?

    2. Why does God tell Moses all that is going to happen regarding the Israelites and the Egyptians? Why does He give step-by-step instructions?

    3. Where has your pride caused you to develop blind spots? How has it caused you to miss out on the works of God that are right in front of you?

    Did You Know?

    As the plagues increased in number, they also increased in intensity. God had a strategy and a method to what He was doing. These plagues not only brought punishment to Egypt, but they also answered Pharoah’s original question in Exodus 5:2: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go?” God used each plague to show that He is the one true God, controlling the forces of nature.

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  • Exodus 6

    Exodus 6

    Read Exodus 6

    1 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.”

    2 God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them. 4 I also established my covenantwith them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

    6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”

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

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

    12 But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?”

    Family Record of Moses and Aaron

    13 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

    14 These were the heads of their families:

    The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel were Hanok and Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. These were the clans of Reuben.

    15 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clans of Simeon.

    16 These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.

    17 The sons of Gershon, by clans, were Libni and Shimei.

    18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.

    19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.

    These were the clans of Levi according to their records.

    20 Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

    21 The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zikri.

    22 The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.

    23 Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

    24 The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. These were the Korahite clans.

    25 Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas.

    These were the heads of the Levite families, clan by clan.

    26 It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.” 27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.

    Aaron to Speak for Moses

    28 Now when the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt, 29 he said to him, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you.”

    30 But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”

    Go Deeper

    Today, Moses delivers some good news to the Israelites. He tells them what God has told him–how He has remembered His covenant with them, how He will free them and redeem them, and how He will take them to the Promised Land. You’d think the Israelites would be jumping for joy. At last, they’re going to be rescued! At last, God has remembered them!

    But Moses’ message fell on deaf ears. Verse 9 says, “They did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.” The Israelites just don’t believe it. It all sounds too good to be true. And the guy giving them this “good news” is the same person who just got their workload increased. The Israelites were overwhelmed by their life circumstances. They knew God’s promise to their forefathers, had heard stories of what He was capable of, and yet, because they were focused only on the problems directly in front of them, they missed God’s provision for them.

    The same is true for us. Many times, we are so discouraged and dismayed by what life is throwing at us that we can’t see the bigger picture. We can’t see God at work because our view is limited by our small, earthly perspective. Our human eyes only see problems, worries, fears, and anxieties because that’s all we’re looking at. And who can blame us, right? Look around–this world is a mess. Disease, sickness, brokenness, failures, hurts, and more overwhelm us. It’s easy to get lost in the despair of it all.

    However, as believers, we get to be the most optimistic people in the world. Sure, in this world, we will have trials (like Jesus promises), but we know that what we’re going through now is not the end. And because of that, we can have an eternal perspective–one with our eyes fixed on Christ, rather than on our problems. Like Paul says in Colossians 3:1-2, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” What are you looking at today? Problems, pain, and worries? Or, are you looking up at Christ and allowing His perspective to guide and direct you even in the midst of tough circumstances?

    Questions
    1. What does this chapter teach you about God? What does it teach you about humanity? 
    2. What difficult life situation are you stuck in right now? What would it look like for you to have eternal perspective in the midst of it?

    3. Not only does it look like the Israelties doubt God, but we also see here that Moses begins to doubt, as well. His confidence has been shaken. When have you doubted God? What do you do with your doubts?

    A Quote

    “When all human help has failed, and the soul, exhausted and despairing, has given up hope from man, God draws near, and says, I AM.” — F.B. Meyer

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  • Exodus 5

    Exodus 5

    Read Exodus 5

    Bricks Without Straw

    1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “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.’”

    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.”

    3 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 our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”

    4 But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!” 5 Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”

    6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: 7 “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

    10 Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw.11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.’” 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” 14 And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”

    15 Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

    17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”

    19 The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, “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.”

    God Promises Deliverance

    22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

    Go Deeper

    As we know by now, the book of Exodus follows the Genesis account of God providing for Joseph’s family of 70 in Egypt. Some 400 years later, millions of their descendants have fulfilled God’s promise to multiply and fill the land. Still, the latest Pharaoh fears this populous minority of slave laborers might revolt against their masters. As we’ve seen so far, Exodus 1-4 describes Israelite oppression, the birth, discovery, upbringing, flight, calling, and return of Moses to rally the Israelites and reluctantly request relief for his people with the elder’s blessing.

    In Exodus 5, Moses and Aaron prophetically tell Pharaoh to “Let my people go” to worship in the wilderness for three days (v. 1)—no small ask. Hard-hearted Pharaoh understandably objects. Why would he let all his labor force leave? To worship an unknown God of another nation (v. 2-4)? Pharaoh doesn’t pretend to know or care about God; he tells them point blank that he doesn’t know their God and he doesn’t have any interest in relenting. Unsurprisingly, Pharaoh acts like an unbeliever and presses his thumb on the Israelites all the more.

    Instead of freeing them, he increases their workload, requiring them to gather straw without decreasing the quota of bricks they must deliver (v. 5-9). As the hours and beatings increase (v. 14), the Israelites confront their unrelenting taskmaster, blaming Moses and Aaron for angering Pharaoh (v. 21), causing Moses to accuse the Lord of neglect (v. 22). 

    Yet another example of self-interested blame-shifting in the Old Testament, Moses questions divine providence. Are you really in control? He questions divine justice. Why do the wicked prosper? He questions God’s severe mercy. Why are we, your chosen people, oppressed? And this from a hero of our faith (Hebrews 11). We often see plagues as judgment for evil. We seldom see divine discipline as a loving-kindness meant to restore right relationships. Lord, help us trust you, your ways, and your timing.

    Questions
    1. Moses seemingly second-guesses God’s call on his life. How do we emulate Moses’ lack of trust?
    2. How have you seen God use incredibly tough circumstances to increase obedience?
    3. How is God using your current situation to increase dependence?
    Did You Know?

    The Hebrew slaves had two levels of overseers who supervised them: the Hebrew foremen and, above them, the Egyptian taskmasters. According to historical documents, the Israelite foremen were beaten because they could not bear to force their fellow Hebrews to fulfill the impossible quotas the Egyptians demanded.

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Genesis 49-Exodus 4)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Genesis 49-Exodus 4)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Dig Deeper

    It’s important to remember that the Bible all takes place in real time and places. Click here (and scroll down to the middle of the page) to see a map showing where the end of Genesis and the beginning of Exodus took place! 

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Genesis 49-Exodus 4 Family Guide!

  • Exodus 4

    Exodus 4

    Read Exodus 4

    Signs for Moses

    1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

    2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

    “A staff,” he replied.

    3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

    Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believethat the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

    6 Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

    7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.

    8 Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

    10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

    11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

    13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

    14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

    Moses Returns to Egypt

    18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.”

    Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.”

    19 Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

    21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”

    24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)

    27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.

    29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites,30 and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, 31 and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

    Go Deeper

    One of the most influential leaders in history didn’t want to be a leader. Moses objects to God’s appointment for him several times. He voices the first two objections in chapter 3–he’s a shepherd, not the appropriate person to go in front of Pharaoh, and he doesn’t even know God’s right name or how to refer to the deity who is sending him. Now, in chapter 4, he reminds God that he’s not very eloquent (as if God is surprised by any of Moses’s shortcomings). Moses asks all the questions we’re thinking, right? We can’t blame him for his hesitancy. After all, he doesn’t feel like he has the ability or talent to do the job God is asking him to do. In verse 1, he says the two debilitating words we often ask God: what if? 

    Those two words wreak havoc on our faith. What if You don’t come through for me, God? What if obedience to You requires a sacrifice I’m unwilling to make? What if they reject me? Rebuke me? Ridicule me? What if...? And we’re left holding the bag of questions without answers and steps of faith left untaken. Missing out on the work God has prepared for us and prepared us for. 

    Moses wasn’t chosen for his charisma or eloquence, he was chosen because God saw fit to use him. He wasn’t chosen because he sounded good, he was chosen because God is good and God uses the foolish and ordinary people of this world to declare His excellencies and advance the Kingdom. God was neither surprised nor hindered by Moses’ deficiencies. And God is not surprised or hindered by ours. 

    Like Moses, God has prepared work for us. Will we believe and trust that He will be faithful to prepare us for the work? He will not leave us nor forsake us. He is with us wherever we go. Let’s quit making excuses and get to work. The harvest is plentiful.

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about the character of God in this passage?

    2. What do you learn about the character of Moses in this passage? Do you relate? Why or why not?

    3. Is there an area in your life that God is asking for obedience and you are answering with objections and “what ifs”? What is keeping you from trusting God?

    Did You Know?

    In verse 17, we read that God tells Moses to “take this staff” with him. That staff will accompany Moses for the rest of his life, as a link to his first encounter with God and a reminder of his humble beginnings as a shepherd. The symbolism reminds us that Moses will still be a shepherd, but with a new flock—the Hebrew nation.

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  • Exodus 3

    Exodus 3

    Read Exodus 3

    Moses and the Burning Bush

    1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

    4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

    And Moses said, “Here I am.”

    5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

    7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

    11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

    12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

    13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

    14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

    15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’

    “This is my name forever,
        the name you shall call me
        from generation to generation.

    16 “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’

    18 “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wondersthat I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

    21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

    Go Deeper

    This is one of the most pivotal passages in all of Scripture. As Moses was tending his flock one day, God appeared to him as a burning bush with very clear instructions for what He wanted him to do. Think about that sentence. It was just a normal day when God appeared and audibly told Moses where to go and what to do. 

    So often, we get stuck trying to determine God’s will and we just wish God would appear to us and tell us exactly where we should go next. We all want our own “burning bush” moment, as we try to discern what God is calling us to do. Sometimes, God makes it explicitly clear for us  (albeit maybe not through burning bushes). Other times, it takes a whole lot of prayer, discernment, and wise counsel (and even then we may feel unsure about proceeding).

    The task God gave Moses was no small one–and Moses was fully aware of that. In verse 11, Moses, in an incredibly relatable moment, makes his first of many excuses why he’s not the guy to accomplish this task. But God reminds Moses that He will be with him. He’s not being sent out to figure it out on his own. In the same way that God was with Moses, the Holy Spirit is with believers in Jesus (Matthew 28:20).

    In the rest of the chapter, we see God lay a theological foundation, both for Moses and for us. We see God’s love for the Israelites and His commitment to them. Then, in verse 14, God says to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

    God is responding to Moses’ asking, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” by making it clear that it’s not about who Moses is, but who God is. God is, always has been, and always will be. Moses was inadequate for the task at hand. Any mortal man would be. But I AM was sending him. I AM was with him. And I AM was going to deliver His people again.

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about God in this passage? What about Moses?

    2. God gives Moses very specific instructions. Why do you believe that is?

    3. Sometimes God calls us to things in different ways. Have you ever had your own “burning bush” moment where it was explicitly clear what God was calling you to do?

    Did You Know?

    This was not just the first recorded instance of God appearing to Moses, but to anyone in over 400 years. Later, God would use another 400-year period of silence before first raising up John the Baptist, and then ultimately Jesus, to lead His people out of bondage and misery once again.

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  • Exodus 2

    Exodus 2

    Read Exodus 2

    The Birth of Moses

    1 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

    5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

    7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”

    8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother.9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

    Moses Flees to Midian

    11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”

    14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

    15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.

    18 When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

    19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

    20 “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”

    21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

    23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he rememberedhis covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

    Go Deeper

    Today’s reading introduces us to Moses, one of the main characters in the Old Testament. He was born an Israelite, but was raised an Egyptian. Moses grew up privileged in Pharaoh’s house but never forgot where he came from. We see that today, as he rushed to defend a fellow Israelite and, in the process, ended up murdering an Egyptian. 

    Acts 7:25 says that “Moses thought that his own people would realize God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.” He must’ve seen himself as the rightful savior of the Israelites. After all, he was an Israelite, but with the wealth, power, and resources of the Egyptians. That unique combination made him fit to be the one to rescue the Israelites from slavery, or so he thought. Once he realized the Israelites didn’t see him that way, however, he fled the country in shame. 

    While things looked hopeless for Moses and the Israelites, at the end of today’s chapter, we see who the true Savior for the Israelites is. “God heard their groaning and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.” (v. 24-25) God will use Moses to deliver His people, but don’t overlook who the true Deliverer is: God. He uses people, but He, and He alone, is the One who rescues, delivers, and saves. 

    Moses tried to take matters into his own hands and ended up a murderer and a fugitive hundreds of miles away from the people he was trying to save. We end up in similar places when we try to play God. When we try to be the savior for a friend in need, or try to take on a burden not meant for us to carry alone, this leads to nothing more than burnout and more problems. We’ll see Moses learn this lesson and begin to allow God to work through him, and as a result, save an entire group of people. We need to learn that same lesson. Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” Instead of acting out of our own strength, let’s humble ourselves, allow God to work through us, and be amazed at what He does.

    Questions

    1. How does Moses’ unique upbringing set the stage for what God has planned for him? How does your unique perspective set the stage for what God might want to do through you?

    2. How have you been tempted to rely on your own strength before? How does that turn out?

    3. Why is it so hard to trust and rely on God’s power rather than our own? Is there an area in your life that you’re relying on yourself and not God? How can you surrender that to God today?

    Did You Know?

    Scripture and other historical sources give us some insight into Moses’ background. In Acts 7:21-22, Stephen says that Moses was a man of power. Josephus, the ancient historian, claimed that Moses was a general in the Egyptian army that conquered the Ethiopians. While we can’t confirm that for sure, we do know that Moses was influential in Egypt but became an outsider once he arrived in Midian.

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  • Exodus 1 + Preview

    Exodus 1 + Preview

    Exodus Preview

    The book of Exodus is foundational to understanding God’s redemption plan in the Old Testament, and really throughout the rest of Scripture. Exodus begins where Genesis left off. Joseph and all his brothers in that generation died. Abraham’s family were in Egypt, and they grew large after God promised it would grow large. They grew so big that they found themselves in slavery to the Egyptians. There was a new pharaoh in charge, who did not know about Joseph, and he saw the Israelites as more of a problem than a provision. The word “exodus” means exit, and the book is all about the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt and journey towards the Promised Land. 

    Exodus can be split thematically into two, with the first half covering the redemption from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 1-19) and the second half covering the revelation of the Law and God Himself to His people (Exodus 20-40). God reveals himself through His words and His works. Exodus is full of memorable stories that are referenced back to in the books of Scripture that follow. We see the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt through the plagues, the Passover, and the parting of the Red Sea. The Passover points to a future and ultimate “passover lamb” whose blood would cover God’s judgment towards sin. We see salvation through substitution. Later, God gives His people the Law at Mount Sinai, which was meant to reveal God’s holiness and man’s brokenness and regulate conduct and behavior. The three parts of the law are: moral, civil, and ceremonial. This instituted the Mosaic covenant which was a conditional covenant that God made with His people. If they believed and obeyed God’s commands, they would prosper. If they disobeyed, they would perish. 

    God also gives instructions for the Tabernacle, which is a tent where God would dwell with His people as they headed towards the land. The tent was divided with the outer courts, the holy place, and the holy of holies where the Ark of the Covenant was placed and God’s presence lived. This is the first time that God is dwelling or “tabernacling” with His people since the Garden of Eden. Each piece of the tabernacle is significant pointing to a need, a temporary provision, and a greater fulfillment to the coming Messiah. We can revel at the fact that through Christ, we have a righteous standing before God and His presence dwells within us! 

    The Exodus storyline points to a greater exodus where God will bring people out of slavery in sin into the abundant life found in Christ. The greater Moses and the greater redeemer is Jesus. Look for glimpses of God’s big redemption plan throughout the pages of this book!

    Read Exodus 1

    The Israelites Oppressed

    1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. 5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt.

    6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

    8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”

    11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor,and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly.14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

    15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

    19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

    20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

    22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”

    Go Deeper

    Exodus is a continuation of the storyline of Genesis. Genesis ends with the descendants of Joseph numbering seventy, and Exodus begins with that same number. This chapter starts telling us, “Here are the names of Israel’s children who went to Egypt with Jacob” (v. 1). This is repeating what we were told back in Genesis 46:8, which shows us Israel’s journey to Egypt. The book begins with a problem. There was a new Pharaoh in charge who did not know the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Pharaoh believed that God’s people were too many and too mighty, so he needed to find a way to keep them from increasing in number. It tells us that the Egyptians “made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly” (v. 14). 

    Pharaoh came up with a plan to tell the midwives to kill the firstborn of every Hebrew boy in the land. However, the midwives had a greater authority. It says the midwives “feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live” (v. 17). God blessed their obedience, and the people became even more numerous. The chapter ends with this order from Pharoah: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile but let every girl live.” We see the story continue in the next chapter and beyond as God preserves a Hebrew boy named Moses and raises him up to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt.

    It tells us that the midwives feared God more than they feared Pharoah. What does it mean to fear God? Proverbs 9:10 says that “​​The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The fear of God leads to our obedience to Him as our ultimate authority. In our own lives, we will either choose to fear God or we will fear something else. While our decisions might not feel as costly as the one in this chapter, any decision that is made apart from God will similarly lead to destruction. Be reminded today that we can always choose obedience to God because He is trustworthy, and His commands are for our good. 

    Questions
    1. Why do you think these women were able to choose to trust God in the face of Pharaoh?
    2. What does it mean to fear God? What keeps you from fearing God?
    3. When is a time you feared God over fearing people?
    Watch This

    As we begin this study through the book of Exodus, check out this video overview of the first 18 chapters from The Bible Project! 

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  • Genesis 50

    Genesis 50

    Read Genesis 50

    1 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

    4 When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,“If I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath and said, “I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’”

    6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

    7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt— 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company.

    10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph observed a seven-day periodof mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.

    12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.

    Joseph Reassures His Brothers

    15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

    18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.

    19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

    The Death of Joseph

    22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years 23 and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children.Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.

    24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

    26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

    Go Deeper

    Genesis means “origin,” which makes sense, because the book of Genesis is the origin story of our faith. The characters and stories we’ve been following the past 50 days are the founding fathers and mothers of our faith. Their story is where our story begins.

    But in all reality, as influential and compelling as these patriarchs and matriarchs of the faith are, this book isn’t just telling their stories. The book of Genesis tells us God’s story. And the overall story He’s telling in Genesis is that He is in control. Sin may be in the world, but He is not thwarted by it. He’s more powerful than sin. And even more than that, He is able to redeem it for His good plan.

    Joseph says this perfectly in today’s reading. His brothers are worried now that Jacob is dead that Joseph will get them back for their ill treatment of him many years ago. But Joseph says this in verse 20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” This verse could very well be the theme verse for the entire book of Genesis. All the evil that has been done, all the wrong choices that have been made, all the lies, deception, and deceit have been evil, indeed, but God has worked through it all to accomplish His good purpose.

    God didn’t want Adam and Eve to eat the fruit off the tree and usher sin into the world, but He knew it was going to happen. How comforting that from the very beginning of our faith story, when all seemed lost, God set a plan in motion to bring good from evil. Genesis shows us how very wrong it all can go and how very broken people can be, but more than that, it shows us how very powerful God is. Nothing can stop His redemption plan. Do you trust that God will redeem all the hurt, pain, and evil you’ve gone through? Just watch Him; He’s proven in all 50 chapters of Genesis that He can and He will. 

    Questions

    1. Why is it important to both Jacob and Joseph that their dead bodies be returned to Canaan? What can we learn from their insistence about this?

    2. As we wrap up the story of Joseph and his brothers today, who do you connect with most? Where do you find yourself in their story?  

    3. In your life, how has God redeemed the pain, sin, and brokenness you’ve experienced?

    Watch This

    Now that we have completed our journey through Genesis, go back and check out The Bible Project’s overview videos of the book!

    Part One: Genesis 1-11
    Part Two: Genesis 12-50

    Now that we’ve completed the book, what would you describe as the overall theme of Genesis? 

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  • Genesis 49

    Genesis 49

    Read Genesis 49

    Jacob Blesses His Sons

    1 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.

    2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;
        listen to your father Israel.

    3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
        my might, the first sign of my strength,
        excelling in honor, excelling in power.
    4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
        for you went up onto your father’s bed,
        onto my couch and defiled it.

    5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers—
        their swords are weapons of violence.
    6 Let me not enter their council,
        let me not join their assembly,
    for they have killed men in their anger
        and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
    7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
        and their fury, so cruel!
    I will scatter them in Jacob
        and disperse them in Israel.

    8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you;
        your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
        your father’s sons will bow down to you.
    9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah;
        you return from the prey, my son.
    Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
        like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
    10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
        nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
    until he to whom it belongs shall come
        and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
    11 He will tether his donkey to a vine,
        his colt to the choicest branch;
    he will wash his garments in wine,
        his robes in the blood of grapes.
    12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
        his teeth whiter than milk.

    13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore
        and become a haven for ships;
        his border will extend toward Sidon.

    14 “Issachar is a rawboned donkey
        lying down among the sheep pens.
    15 When he sees how good is his resting place
        and how pleasant is his land,
    he will bend his shoulder to the burden
        and submit to forced labor.

    16 “Dan will provide justice for his people
        as one of the tribes of Israel.
    17 Dan will be a snake by the roadside,
        a viper along the path,
    that bites the horse’s heels
        so that its rider tumbles backward.

    18 “I look for your deliverance, Lord.

    19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders,
        but he will attack them at their heels.

    20 “Asher’s food will be rich;
        he will provide delicacies fit for a king.

    21 “Naphtali is a doe set free
        that bears beautiful fawns.

    22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,
        a fruitful vine near a spring,
        whose branches climb over a wall.
    23 With bitterness archers attacked him;
        they shot at him with hostility.
    24 But his bow remained steady,
        his strong arms stayed limber,
    because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
        because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
    25 because of your father’s God, who helps you,
        because of the Almighty, who blesses you
    with blessings of the skies above,
        blessings of the deep springs below,
        blessings of the breast and womb.
    26 Your father’s blessings are greater
        than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
        than the bounty of the age-old hills.
    Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
        on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

    27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
        in the morning he devours the prey,
        in the evening he divides the plunder.”

    28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

    The Death of Jacob

    29 Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.”

    33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

    Go Deeper

    We’ve all heard the phrase (and tried to believe it!), “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It’s something you say over and over again as a kid to help you forget what was just said about you. But the longer you live, the more you realize how inaccurate that statement is. Words create memories. Words have a long shelf life. Words are powerful.

    It’s amazing how long you might hold onto words that someone spoke over you. Whether it was a teacher telling you about your potential, or a boss that was proud, or conversely, a parent who was disappointed. We latch onto words, and they have the power to strengthen or to tear down. It’s almost like Solomon was right in Proverbs 18:21, when he wrote, “The tongue has the power of life and death.”

    This chapter is such a beautiful picture of how to use your words well. Jacob’s last gift to his children are these words that he chose to speak over them. They would no doubt remember these words for the rest of their lives. The act of blessing someone in the Old Testament carried a great significance and the importance was not lost on Jacob’s sons. 

    What words do you think people will remember from you? Will they remember your sarcasm? Will they remember your gossip and cynicism? Or will they remember your encouragement? This chapter should be a reminder to us to leave a legacy of wise and thoughtful words. Jesus even warns against careless speech, saying in Matthew 12:36 that “everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” Our words are impacting those around us, whether we know it or not. Speak with intentionality today!

    Questions

    1. Which blessing is your favorite? Why?

    2. Who has spoken into your life? How has it helped you in your walk with Jesus?

    3. How can you learn to speak with intentionality?

    Did You Know?

    Jacob’s words over Judah are now seen as a prophecy of what Jesus would later accomplish. Jesus would come from the line of Judah and have the “ruler’s staff” and the “obedience of the nations will be his.” It’s amazing that God used Jacob’s blessing to foreshadow His plan that would come true generations later.

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