It’s arguably one of the most difficult books to read and connect with our present life. Let me attempt breaking it down for us. At first glance, we may feel distant—animals, altars, smoke. However, beneath all that detail is a very important theological question: How do sinful humanity like us come close to a holy God without being rejected? God doesn’t leave Israel guessing. He teaches them slowly and patiently through offerings. First, the burnt offering comes first. It’s

It is part of human nature to panic when trouble draws near and fear becomes the only thing we can think and feel. More often than not, this blinds us. We fail to see the work of God. Like the people of Israel, we are prone to complain before we comply with God’s instructions. When faith and trust are lacking, self-pity quickly surfaces. It often begins with a sarcastic question: “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?

Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'" < 2 > But Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should heed his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover I will not let Israel go." Exodus 5:1-2 When we face great challenges, oppression, or people who are “Pharaoh-like,” it is common for us to experience struggles similar to those Moses face

Genesis 41:16 “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. ”In this short statement, Joseph testifies and glorifies the name of the Lord before one of the most powerful kings of the empire at that time. Pause and consider this: if Joseph were wrong, death would have been the only outcome. Yet fear did not stop him from stepping forward. This was not self-confidence, but God-confidence. Even before hearing Pharaoh’s retelling of the dream, Joseph boldly declare

15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered . So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, le

5 And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7 and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. > Wealth was a blessing from the Lord to both Abram and Lot. Yet, because of the sinful natur

“But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the Lord of armies, “and My name is feared among the nations.”” ‭‭Malachi‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭NASB2020 > When God’s people do not present their lives as an “unblemished” living sacrifice to King Jesus, they are, in a way, becoming “swindlers” who have no fear of the Lord. Sooner or later, they will harm themselves, as their folly will be expo

“I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing Your praises before the gods. I will bow down toward Your holy temple And give thanks to Your name for Your mercy and Your truth; For You have made Your word great according to all Your name.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭138‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬ > Worship occurs when thanksgiving from the bottom of one’s heart is offered to the Lord; when we praise Jesus before non-believing people who do not know the Lord God and whose lives are directed

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from you

“Sanctify My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’ But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to follow My ordinances which, if a person follows them, then he will live by them; they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to use up My anger against them in the wilderness.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭20‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NASB2020 > When the Sabbath is no

“I cried out with all my heart; answer me, Lord! I will comply with Your statutes. I cried to You; save me And I shall keep Your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words. My eyes anticipate the night watches, So that I may meditate on Your word. Hear my voice according to Your faithfulness; Revive me, Lord, according to Your judgments.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭145‬-‭149‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬   > Crying out to the Lord with all our heart is the right approach in

They have turned their back to Me and not their face ; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen to accept discipline .” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭32‬:‭33 >> God’s people have a tendency, over time, to turn their backs to Him and not their faces. The moment we begin to turn toward the things we like, love, and adore in the world, we are no longer able to behold the face of God. As a result, our relationship with Him slowly but surely fades away. We begin to for

“You have treated  Your servant well, Lord, according to Your word . Teach  me good discernment  and knowledge , For I believe  in Your commandments . Before I was afflicted  I went astray, But now I keep Your word . You are good and You do good; Teach me Your statutes .” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭65‬-‭68‬ Who does not want to be treated well by the Lord? No one! But perhaps there are some who do not want to be treated well. And likely, sometimes we subconsciously self-harm our lives.

“ Am I a God who is near, ” declares the Lord, “And not a God far off ? “ Can a person hide himself in hiding places So that I do not see him? ” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord. “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, ‘ I had a dream, I had a dream !’ How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, these prophets of the deceitfulness of their own heart

“They have healed the brokenness  of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace.  “Were they...

“For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned Me, The fountain of living waters, To carve out for themselves cisterns,...

“My heart is steadfast, God; I will sing, I will sing praises also with my soul. Awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn! I will...

“ Although the Lord has given you bread of deprivation and water of oppression , He, your Teacher, will no longer hide Himself, but your...

“So He saved them from the hand of one who hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. The waters covered their...

“But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was untrue to the Lord his God, for he entered the...