EXODUS

Exodus, means "exit".  The children of Israel made an exit out of Egypt.  It is in this book we see their exit and their progress towards the promised land.  We see the law is given and then the details of the tabernacle are given out as well.  It is a book full of many details.  Here are a few thoughts: 1) YEARS-Exodus 12: 40, tells us that the children of Israel were in Egypt for 430 years.  Now, that is a long time.  Much older than America.  America's Independence was 234 years ago. (1776)   Almost 200 years less!  But, this is not all the years I want to point out.  We ended Genesis with Joseph telling the people to not bury him in Egypt.  They did not.  In Exodus 13:19, when Moses left Egypt, he took with him the bones of Joseph.  The mummyfied body of Joseph was taken with the children of Israel having been in Egypt for 359 years!!  They would take his bones through the wilderness, and through the land of Canaan and finally in Joshua 24:32, one of the last things they would do is bury the bones of Joseph 429 years after he died!!  Wow!!  Have you ever heard of anyone keeping a dead body around so long for burial?  But, Joseph did not want to be buried in Egypt, but in Canaan.  What a message! 2) MOVE ON! In Exodus 15, the people are rejoicing and singing the song of Moses.  But in verse 23, they come to the bitter waters of Marah.  (Marah meaning:  bitter.)  From blessing to bitterness in just a few verses!  In verse 25, the Lord showed Moses a tree that he then cast into the waters and they were made sweet.  (Add the cross to your bitterness to sweeten it.)  And the next day they moved on about ten miles away to Elim.  Elim had twelve wells and 70 palm trees according to verse 27.  From Blessing to bitterness to blessing.  Now, isn't that a picture of life?  We have blessings, then we have hard times, and then God brings the blessings again.  Remember, when the days of bitterness come..... you just need to move on!  A little down the road of life and the blessings are there waiting for you!!  Praise God!! 3) BEWARE OF THE BACK ATTACKERS!  In Exodus 17:16, the LORD said: "the the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."  Why?  Well, because Amalek attacked Israel every year, so they had to fight with them.  Now God did not like the people of Amalek because when they attacked Israel, they attacked from the back.  They attacked the elderly, women and children who walked in the back of the camp.  They were a cowardly people who attacked the weak and unprepared.  But, God told the Israel that there would be war from generation to generation, so they had best be prepared.  Not all attacks come to us from the front.  We must be prepared for the back attackers.  Those who do not attack us to our face, but through other people.  They attack through innuendo, but not a direct challenge or confrontation.  This is a cowardly way to attack, but it is all around any Christian who seeks to go forward for God, so learn to expect it.  Remember this:  The LORD fights our battles!!  This passage says:  "The LORD will have war with....."  It's the LORD's war!! Well, more to say but I'm out of time.  Hope these few things spark your mind to think of how wonderful our God is and how much we should love Him.  Have a great day and walk with God.  He wants to walk with you today.  Pastor Mike Mutchler