August 14, 2021
HAPPY SABBATH BELOVED!
Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other was Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. Exodus 1:15-17
During their sojourn in Egypt, the Hebrew nation contained a remnant who actively passed down God’s law from generation to generation. Their minds were able to grasp and commit to memory the perfect word-for-word orations of the committed older generations. Sadly, today’s barrage of mass media assaults minds from every conceivable direction. From a very young age, children are exposed either directly or indirectly. This has both a hypnotic and dulling effect on the mind, as well as creating addictive behaviors. The names Shiphrah and Puah put together mean fairness display. Fascinating! In a proper fear of God, these midwives honored Him over a mere man’s command. More evidence of the knowledge of God among the Hebrew slaves in Egypt was their obvious training regarding the Sabbath, yet after being rescued from their oppressors, chose to ignore it:
Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather [manna], but they found none. And the LORD said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day. Exodus 16:27-30
The above verses establish that the foundational precepts of God, later written in stone, had been orally passed down among God’s people (see also Genesis 39:9b). God knows that they clearly understood, and held them accountable. Scripture also indicates that some of the faithful remnant found favorable opportunity to share the precepts of God with their Egyptian masters, as evidenced by those who desired to go with the Hebrews as God led them out of captivity (Exodus 12:38). Now, as we continue our virtual tour of the tabernacle in light of the exodus out of Egypt, we enter the first apartment of the tabernacle proper. To the right—on the north side—we see the table of showbread. This is a tangible reminder of the manna, the Bread of Heaven, that fell to earth for the nourishment of God’s people. It represents Jesus Himself, the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). God’s Word, the life of Jesus, is for our continuous consumption (see John 6:48-58). This precious gift to us is worthy of our undivided focus and study. Like the game of concentration, passages are brightly highlighted and clarified by parallel passages. Deep study of the Bible protects us from Satan’s twisting and misuse of it among the people of God.
And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:15-18