Fear & Love

Today's Reading: Exodus 6-8, Luke 23

Exodus 6:7
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 Egyptians.

Personalize it method (Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word): Lord, please show me what it is I am supposed to see in your Word today- amen.

Jeff, see the great story that unrolls in my people Israel. Always remember how I have worked in your life and in the church and elsewhere so that you remember that I am the Lord. Do not forget the past and begin to think you can go on without me.

See my sovereignty as I work out the greater story through even the hard hearts of men...

Exodus 7:3-4
But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.

Jeff, notice that the fear of the Lord amongst the Egyptians resulted in immediate action. They did not merely acknowledge that I was majestic...but they feared for what I was about to do to them. See that you guard your heart against forgetting this fear Jeff. Know that I love you, but the beginning of all wisdom is fear of the Lord. This must be the starting place where love then becomes most beautiful. See how lovely it is that while you are completely at my mercy with no sense of control and in fear of your life, it is then that I extend my arms and tell you not to fear. Is that not more beautiful, and meaningful,  than trying to skip the fear for the sake of your personal preference? Do you think you have a choice of whether to fear me, should you see me? Know that it is a reality, not a choice. Remember, your will needs to be surrendered...

Exodus 9:20-21
20 Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, 21 but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field. 

The beauty of my love casts out this same fear that is at first, a requirement...

1 John 4:18a
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

Now Jeff see the Crucifixion as the ultimate picture of my love for you. My Son fulfilled the prophecies concerning the messiah and He bore your sin as the last and only true sacrifice that would bring forgiveness of sins to all who might believe on His name. He fulfilled all of the law and ushered in the new covenant by His blood and His broken body. See how He does not defend himself before Herod and fulfills prophecy in doing so...also notice how Herod was looking to gain personal benefit from the interaction as he was curious regarding Jesus and His miracles.

Luke 23:8-9
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer.

Isaiah 53:7
7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 

Jeff, don't be like Herod and only look to Jesus for what He can do for you. You must come to Him broken and contrite, humble and broken. You must surrender yourself to Him and see Him as the prize, not as a means to some other end. Hear the interaction at the cross between Jesus and the criminals on wither side of Him...

Luke 23:39-43
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

 The first criminal did not recognize my Son for who He is and challenged Jesus to prove Himself before him- this is anything but humility and brokenness. So Jeff, by stark contrast, be sure to notice what occurred in the heart of the second criminal:

1. He Feared me
2. He recognized that I punish sin
3. He recognized his depravity- that he was guilty before me and that I was just to punish him
4. He recognized that Jesus was sinless and a worthy sacrifice
5. He recognized that Jesus was, in fact, my Son
6. He recognized that there is everlasting life available by trust in my Son
7. He expressed this trust and in so humbling himself to recognize his sinful state and need for salvation, this man found it

Jeff, see how I made the most holy place in the temple, where communication with me happened and where I was known to dwell, accessible to all by the cross...

Luke 23:44-46
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

Exodus 26:31–33
“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.

ESV Study bible notes-

No one was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place behind the curtain except the high priest, and he only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Torn in two signifies the removal of the separation between God and the people.
Hebrews 9:12
12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 

Also notice that as it was dark for three hours during the middle of the day and an earthquake occurred while I tore the veil, that the centurion watching my Son was overcome...

Matthew 27:54
54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

This centurion was witness to my Son's strength of Spirit as He gave a shout unlike that that any man could accomplish at the point of death. With a loud voice? Jeff, my Son was dying by suffocation on the cross and this loud voice clearly floored the Centurion. May you see my glory and might all around you and similarly be awestruck.

Notice too Jeff, that those who followed me were far off...

Luke 23:49
And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

Psalm 38:11
My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off. 

These things all had to happen as part of my plan but be sure not to stand far off Jeff. Be sure to draw near and do not be ashamed of my Son...

Luke 9:26
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Application:
Today I will not be ashamed of the gospel.
Today I will seek to recognize your glory and might in everything Lord.
Today I will come before you in prayer, thankful that you provide direct access.
Today I will not seek what you can do for my kingdom but what I can do for yours as an empty vessel that is grateful.
Today I will consider the beauty that comes from seeing you for who you are and rightfully fearing you.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for your Word. Please fill me today with your Holy Spirit in a way that He might use me according to your purposes and that I might hear your voice throughout the day. Let me seek out how to advance your kingdom and how to be a servant of others.

In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!
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