Tag Archives: poetry

EXODUS 6 GOD’S PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE

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May 5

EXODUS 6

But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

2 God spoke to Moses and said to him, “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 known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptian.

                                                                      – Exodus 6:1-7

EXODUS 6 GOD’S PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Moses cried to God for the burdens that the Israelites were going through

The Lord heard him and shared with him what he was going to do to Pharaoh

God reiterated to Moses his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

And because he has heard the people’s cry, he will deliver them soon

The Lord promised to be their God and he will be their people

He will redeem them with outstretched arm and with miracles.

It is amazing how patient God is to Moses when he confronts him about the burdens of the Israelites, as if God doesn’t know that already. We humans are very limited with our knowledge and we don’t see everything, but God is Omniscient and Omnipotent. How loving God was that he didn’t take offense with the groans of Moses and the Israelites. Instead, he assured them of what he was going to do to Pharaoh and the promise of deliverance from this tyrant. God hears our cries but he doesn’t always rescue us in our time frame. He allows suffering to grow our dependence on him and to strengthen our faith. He wants us to go down on our knees until we let him have all the power and glory.

REFLECTION

  • Share how God has delivered you from some of the adversities you went through.

EXODUS 5 BLAMES, GROANS & IMPATIENCE

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May 4

EXODUS 5

19 The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” 20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”

                                                                        – Exodus 5:19-23

EXODUS 5 BLAMES, GROANS & IMPATIENCE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Pharaoh ordered to take the straw away and give them more work

The Israelites met with Aaron and Moses and blamed them for asking Pharaoh

If they didn’t ask the king to let them go, they would have had the same burdens

So, Moses came to God and groaned and showed his impatience at their predicament.

We hear a lot of groaning, blaming and impatience in this account. The Israelites blamed Moses for asking Pharaoh to let them go to worship the Lord in the mountains. If he had not done so, the straws would have been supplied and they could have continued to work with the loads of task given to them already. They felt they were punished for something they didn’t deserve to get any more than the burdens they already have. Removing the straw supplies which they now have to supply themselves and produce the same amounts of bricks they were making was more abuse and cruelty.

It is human nature to find someone or something to blame for situations that make us suffer. We are by nature selfish and we are prone to make things comfortable for ourselves. Naturally, when we are challenged with more adversities, we try to make sense of it. We want to be in control of the situation so that we can say to ourselves that we are okay and we did well. Instead of groaning or being impatient, couldn’t we run to the throne of God instead and wait for his wisdom and ask for endurance?

REFLECTION

  • What instigated Moses to accuse God of doing evil to the Israelites in v.23?

EXODUS 5 PHARAOH’S HARDENED HEART

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May 2

EXODUS 5

Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “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 obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”

                                                                   – Exodus 5:1-9

EXODUS 5 PHARAOH’S HARDENED HEART

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Aaron and Moses approached Pharaoh to ask for permission

They asked him if they could allow the Israelites to worship their God

Pharaoh’s anger was kindled when the people will stop working hard

So, he ordered his taskmasters not to give them straw to make bricks.

Moses and Aaron followed the instruction of the Lord to go to Pharaoh and release the Israelites so they could worship their God. As the Lord told Moses, he will make his heart hardened. Pharaoh dismissed the importance of the people to worship their God in the wilderness. He didn’t care about their God. He only cared about them not stopping their work so that he could have his way. Even our hearts are ruled by God. He can always do what he wants with it.

REFLECTION

  • What do you think Moses was thinking when Pharaoh responded with a “no?”

EXODUS 4 AARON AND MOSES MEETS WITH THE ISRAELITES

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May 1

EXODUS 4

24 At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.   – Exodus 4:24-31

EXODUS 4 AARON AND MOSES MEETS WITH THE ISRAELITES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

At a lodging place on his way to Egypt, God wanted to put Moses to death

He hasn’t obeyed the covenant promise of his son’s circumcision

His wife Zipporah had to circumcise her own son which she loathed

Then Moses proceeded to meet his brother Aaron at the mountain of God

He told Aaron what was God’s directive to him and to his brother

They gathered the Israelite elders and relayed God’s message to them.

In this account we can be surprised by verse 24. God wanted to put Moses to death. One can wonder why he would want this when he initially chose him to deliver his people. Is it because of his false humility that he cannot do the task? Is it Moses’ constant justification that he isn’t cut to do what he wanted him to do? Verse 25 gives us a clue of why God’s wrath was kindled. He hasn’t even circumcised his son. It was a requirement of God from his people to have all male circumcised. Interestingly, his wife Zipporah did the circumcision ritual which was supposed to be done by Moses himself. In verse 26, we are given a clue that she must have left Moses on his own to meet his brother because he was going to deliver God’s people. The Israelites believed after seeing the miracles.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God chose Moses who lacked faith and always resisting?

EXODUS 4 GOD GETS ANGRY WITH MOSES

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April 29

EXODUS 4

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”– Exodus 4:10-17

EXODUS 4 GOD GETS ANGRY WITH MOSES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After the signs that God showed Moses to get him to go to his people

Moses continued to be doubtful and fearful that he won’t be able to

God gets angry with Moses’ unbelief and lack of trust in him

So, God told him to bring Aaron his brother to be his spokesperson.

I can hear God’s frustration over Moses’ resistance and lack of trust in him. He already showed signs that will be done through him and yet, he seemed to be unable to let go of insecurities and fears.

Fear always cripples us. We witness here the natural tendency of humans to doubt himself and thereby doubting God as well. If we are given a task to do by God, we fail to see that it is not us doing that task, but God working in us. People-pleasing and approval addiction are prevalent in most of us since the world has corrupted our minds to be self-focused and not God-pleasers. What a difference our lives would be if we only choose to believe and rely on God for everything. We witness God’s suggestion to have Aaron be his spokesperson just to appease Moses’ insecurities, but we also see God’s anger at Moses’ constant unbelief.

REFLECTION

  • Why was God angry at Moses in this account?

EXODUS 4 FIRST TWO SIGNS GIVEN TO MOSES

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April 28

EXODUS 4

Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that 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 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.” – Exodus 4:1-9

EXODUS 4 FIRST TWO SIGNS GIVEN TO MOSES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Moses doubted that he could do what God asks him to do

The Lord asked him to put his hand inside his cloak

Then God made Moses’ hand full of leprosy as white as snow

But when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his skin

God told him that if the first sign didn’t make them listen to him

He can do the second sign to turn the Nile water into blood.

We are given a glimpse of the little faith Moses had when God asked him to deliver the Israelites. He was an old man and probably insignificant at that time that he was a shepherd. Interestingly, some commentaries said that the Pharaoh that time was his step-brother. He was probably thinking of the circumstances of his fleeing Egypt and how Pharaoh would not be able to trust him at all. But God showed him two powerful signs that should be able to assure him that it is not his work, but God’s power in him.

REFLECTION

  • Share an instance when you felt unworthy of a calling that God asks of you to do?

April 27

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EXODUS 3

16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” – Exodus 3:16-22

EXODUS 3 GOD’S PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

At the burning bush, God gives Moses further directives

Moses has to assure the Israelites of their deliverance

Simultaneously, he also assured Moses that he will be heard

God sends his people a reminder that he is promise keeper

Their cries have been heard and God will avenge their oppression

God will lead them to the Promised Land and they’ll plunder the Egyptians.

In this account, we witness a God of compassion and devotion. He reveals to Moses how he heard the cries of his people and gives him some detail of what is going to happen and how Moses is going to be the vessel to deliver God’s people. God manifests his many different nature such as his faithfulness, steadfast love, provision, protection and his power. It was such a privilege and honor for Moses to hear God reveal secrets to him so that his love for his people will be known and so that they will in turn stay faithful to him.

REFLECTION

  • Which of God’s different nature mentioned above have you experienced in life?

EXODUS 2 MOSES SETTLES DOWN IN MIDIAN

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April 24

EXODUS 2

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. 22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. – EXODUS 2:16-24

EXODUS 2 MOSES SETTLES DOWN IN MIDIAN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Fearing for his life after killing an Egyptian, Moses fled to Midian

It was in the well that he met the daughters of Reul, the priest

Moses saved them from the shepherds and drew water for them

So, their father Reuel gave his daughter to him and he settled in Midian.

David Guzik comments on that “If Moses went into the area of Canaan and Syria, he would have found no refuge – there was a treaty between Rameses II and the Hittite king to the effect that fugitives along the northern route to Syria would be arrested and extradited. So, Moses went southeast instead, to Midian. In that day Midian described the area on both the west and east sides of the Reed Sea, land that today is both Saudi Arabia (on the east of the Reed Sea) and Egypt (on the Sinai Peninsula, on the west of the Reed Sea).

Moses was at the right place and at the right time. God made him settle there, have a wife and a son and be ready for the bigger calling he had at hand. God will use him to deliver the Israelites from the cruelty of the Egyptians into his promised land.

REFLECTION

  • How was Midian a place for training and preparation for Moses’ calling?

EXODUS 2 MOSES’ COMPASSION FOR HIS PEOPLE

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April 23

EXODUS 2

11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. – Exodus 2:11-15

EXODUS 2 MOSES’ COMPASSION FOR HIS PEOPLE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses in their household

Moses was raised and educated in the Egyptian ways and culture

But he had so much compassion for these oppressed Hebrews

When he witnessed them being beaten up, he defended them.

In this account, we witness God’s work in Moses’ heart. Even though he must have been raised in the household of Pharaoh as an Egyptian, he still belonged to God. According to Brittanica.com, Moses must have been twenty-five when this event happened. He took the inspection tour of his oppressed people at the height of his youth. That is probably why he was strong enough to strike the abusive Egyptian and bury him himself. Some commentaries say he was forty when he left Egypt.  According to bibleref.com, the mother of Moses cared for him until the time he was weaned and could eat solid food. This would have been at least a year. Many children in ancient cultures were nursed until two or even three years old. The most formative time of Moses’ early life remained in the arms of his own mother during a time when baby boys his age were killed.  Naturally, when he saw the hardship of his own people, he had that compassion for them.

God led Moses into the land of Midian to flee so he can be prepared for the deliverance of God’s people. He was humbled to tend to his father-in-law’s sheep in the land of Midian, where God showed himself in the burning bush to him.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think it was necessary for Moses to flee to go to Midian?

EXODUS 2 THE BIRTH OF MOSES

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April 22

EXODUS 2

Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So, the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So, the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”– Exodus 2:1-10

EXODUS 2 THE BIRTH OF MOSES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

During the order of the Pharaoh to kill all the Hebrew male children

A Levite couple bore a very fine and beautiful male infant

They hid him long enough until he was getting bigger

Then they placed him on a basket to have him float on the river

Then Pharaoh’s daughter saw the child and have compassion on him

The sister offered to have her own mother nurse the baby for her.

Moses’ story is fascinating and is a manifestation of how God brought into this world a deliverer of his people. Moses’ life is almost a foreshadowing of our Savior Jesus Christ when the male infants were being brutally killed by the king. Moses was born to Levite people who were the priestly tribe. Jesus was our High Priest. Moses had to be hidden by his parents and Jesus had to be born in a manger away from danger to be killed.

REFLECTION

  • How can you clearly see God’s hand in the life of Moses from his birth?