Thus Says the LORD God of Israel

Exodus 5:1 - Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’"

I've mentioned before how I love how Sundays sometimes come together by the power of the Holy  Spirit when a word is spoken in Sunday school and a continuation of it occurs only by "coincidence" of God in church.

In Sunday school something was brought up about patience, waiting on God for "whatever." And how God's timing is always perfect. Just about that same time, in a flash through my spirit I heard: I'm not finished; I have more work to do. It's not yet time. I understood what it meant. And I wondered at first if I had thought those words or had they been given to me by God. Later in Sunday school more was said that drew a little tear to my eye. I knew the words were of God. So later we a marvelous song during worship that added to all I was feeling. Some of the words were:

Oh my God, you will not delay
My refuge and strength…always.
I will not fear, His promise is true.
His promise will come true...always. (Always, Kristian Stanfill)
                   
Pastor preached on Exodus 5 and 6. A phrase stood out for him: The LORD God says...

His promises are all true, always! And I heard the words myself in Sunday school and let me tell you Bible study and pastor's messages are not coordinated.

As pastor preached my mind was going in another direction. Words stood out.
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do...I am the LORD...I have remembered My covenant...I will bring...I will rescue...I will redeem...I will take...I will be...I am the LORD your God...I will bring...I will give...I am the LORD. (Exodus 6:1-8) I am the LORD was emphasized four times. Do you think God wanted Israel to take notice? Unfortunately, they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. (Exodus 6:9) 

I'm sure I've written something like this before, maybe a year ago when I was in Exodus then! If you are a follower of Christ, He promises never to leave you or forsake you. His promises are true for you. But…sometimes you just have to be patient. If He has given you a specific promise and it has not yet occurred, it is because He's not finished; He has more work to do; it's not yet time. All things have to be in His order and His time  for whatever it is that will come about…in God's perfect timing. Some might even become angry with God.

Some don't understand that God has promises for us. We don't have because we don't ask. In some instances we lack the relationship with God to receive His promises. I write about experiences I've had or that have happened in the Bible that others might seek that relationship and understand.

Although the following scriptures are referencing Jesus' return, they really are how we should be living out any and all things in life: But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness...Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (2Peter 3:8,9a,14)

There you have it. Be in an attitude of peace until those things for which you wait happen. Ask Him to receive what He has to offer. Trust in Him, trust in His timing. We want things now. As was brought up in Sunday school, we are an impatient people. If we feel time has been lost in waiting, it hasn't. God has it all under control. He will restore the time in a way that we cannot understand.

Habakkuk 2:3 - For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 

I Am the LORD

Exodus 12:12 - ...against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

These words stood out this morning. They shouted at me. It sums up who God is and who He should be in our lives. When those words popped off the page I just had to stop and do a quick search to see how many times those exact words were spoken by God Himself. One search listed over 900 times! Some may have been repeated or include times when He was being quoted as saying this but it's still a staggering amount, don't you think? He wants to get our attention.

In our Hebrews Bible study we learned and continue to learn about the sovereignty of God. I am the LORD. We just don't fully understand what this means with our limited human minds. It's by the power of His Spirit we can comprehend...yet it still isn't enough of an understanding I don't think. I think in the days ahead we may be getting a better picture and better understanding. At least we ought to.

I am the LORD. He is all things to all people if He is allowed to be. If He created the world, He certainly will know all of our needs, all of our sins, unfortunately, and all our desires. The desires may not fit into His plan for us, of course, if they are only what we can achieve or all we want to be in this world, apart from Him. That's where a heart change needs to take place so we can be in His will (which might offend some) rather than our own.

I am the LORD...who heals you. I've said it before. The first and foremost healing is through our salvation by faith and faith only in Christ, not our works.  Our works are as filthy rags. But then faith without works is dead, we are told. We don't work for salvation but once we receive this salvation our works are important. They are unto the Lord.

I am the LORD...who brings you out (Exodus 29:46). Out of what? Captivity, like Israel's bondage in Egypt. When we are held captive to our wants and desires, our sins and addictions, we need that healing mentioned above. Salvation in Christ will help us overcome all our captivity. We are set free...and who the Son sets free is free indeed.

I am the LORD...who inflicts judgment (Ezekiel 28:22, 20:44). Oh, no....judgment. Remember He is sovereign and no matter how we live our lives, He will someday judge each one of us, for good or bad, whether professing believers or not. And we will know that He is LORD and every knee will bow and tongue confess He is Lord...to the glory of God.

I am the LORD...your God. When we are in Christ we can know that we know He is our God. He proclaimed this to Israel when He called them His people. Like He was in Israel, we are His people in Christ. We will not be shamed. Joel 2:27 - "...you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. Never again will my people be disgraced."

I am the LORD...your Redeemer...who knows what is best for you (Isaiah 48:17). Do I really need to say more about this? If He is sovereign and omniscient, He does know what's best for each of us.

I am the LORD...who has made all things...who churns up the sea... (Isaiah 44:24, Isaiah 51:15). He holds the stars in the sky and makes the sun and moon to rise and set at the right time...His time. Remember, there is no Mother Nature. He holds all things in His hands and has effortlessly stretched out the heavens Himself, and has knit us together in our mother's wombs. The next time you hear about a tsunami, think of God who controls this phenomenon.

I am the LORD....who is Holy (Leviticus 11:44). Because He is holy, we are to be holy, consecrate ourselves to Him, live for Him, not ourselves. 

I am the LORD....who has given us a code to live by. He asks us to keep His decrees and laws and follow them. That is why the Bible is our guide to all things in life. There were laws in the Old Testament for everyone to follow; in the New Testament we have the Word, Jesus, to follow as an example. Jesus did not replace the Laws God first set out for us. Jesus fulfilled the Laws. The sacrifices of the Old Testament Jesus performed Himself in His own death. 

I am the LORD....your God (Hosea 13:4) again. We are not to worship any other god. We are not to worship our stuff in this world, the saints or even His mother, Mary. Anything we hold up as greater than Jesus is an idol. We are to worship only Him. Hosea 13:4 continues by saying You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior but me. It is only through His death, His sacrifice that we can be reunited with God. No one else can do this. Leviticus 19:3 tells us we are to respect mothers and fathers and I would venture to say that includes all others that we might consider holding higher than Christ Himself. Respect but not worship.

I am the LORD.... If we stand firm in our acknowledgment of God...Christ...others will notice and God will be glorified. That's all that counts. Pharaoh and the Egyptians found that out all too clearly when, through Moses, God displayed His power in the plagues...and led Israel out of their captivity. God can display His power through us also in how we live our lives for Him. 

I wish I could name each and every accounting of who our LORD is. Maybe I will have to continue at some other time. You get the picture.

I am the LORD...period. Do you know this Man? This Man who was and is and is to come? This Man who was before all things were made? This Man who is God, the Father, God, the Son and God, the Holy Spirit, three yet One? This Man who came down from His throne, seated at the right hand of His Father, to live among us that He might be our LORD God? This Man who became our sin so we would not have to live in sin forever? This Man who lives and reigns for all eternity? Does this Man say "I am the LORD" in your life?

Jeremiah 9:24 - But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.