Meat for the Hungry

There are many things in scripture I don’t understand, and so, I skim over them, or I set them aside until I have a reason to dig. Today is a day for digging. I love  Moody Radio  – WCRF – 103.3 or 90.5 on the FM dial. In the past few weeks, Pastor Colin Smith of Unlocking the Bible has been reading from his new book, Heaven, So Near – So Far . It’s the story of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus. These readings intrigued me because in January I thought quite a bit about Judas. Why? I was preparing the communion service for our Women in Ministry (WIM) Retreat, based on Luke 7:36-50. Near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, at the home of Simon, the Pharisee, a woman, plagued by many sins, poured a fragrant and very expensive oil,  Spikenard , on the feet of Jesus. In my studies, I found  John’s gospel  confirms four times that Judas was the son of Simon. [1] Some have suggested the Pharisee in Luke was Simon Iscariot. Still, Scripture mentio...

In Exodus 14:1-5, the Lord again spoke to Moses instructing Israel to camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon. Considering the perils of the wilderness, evidently, this was not the expected way to travel and God knew it. F or reasons unbeknownst to onlookers, He wanted Israel by the sea and He deliberately led them in a round-about way. However, what’s intriguing is why. Our God has a plan and purpose in everything and here His plan was for Pharaoh to think this vast wilderness confused Israel. Pharaoh’s misconception would then cause him to forget the power of Almighty God, and all he had learned from the pestilence plagues and the death of his firstborn. Pharaoh’s heart would harden and he would chase Israel, in order to return them to slavery. But God would not allow the enemy to enslave Israel again.

Many generations have passed. God’s promise to Abram has now happened. God took Abram from “Exalted Father” and gave him a name befitting His promise, Abraham, “Father of a Multitude”. Abraham’s wife Sarai, now Sarah, meaning Princess, bore a son at age ninety by a miracle of God. This son of promise, God named Isaac. Isaac and his wife Rebekah, after twenty years of barrenness, bore twin sons, Esau and Jacob. The younger, Jacob, as prophesied, received the birthright and blessing. Almighty God blessed Jacob with twelve sons and chose Judah, the fourth son of Jacob’s wife Leah, to carry on His promise to Abraham. However, it was Joseph, the first-born son of Jacob’s most beloved wife, Rachel, whom God appointed to save many people alive.