Category Archives: Character of God

Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Seeking God

Live Like Your Choices Matter (Revelation 22:12–16)

If Yeshua says He is coming and will reward each person according to what they have done, should that change the way we think about the choices we make today?

Key Verse

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.” — Revelation 22:12 (NASB)

Background Context

In Revelation 21, John saw the new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem, where YHWH will dwell forever among His people. In Revelation 22:1–5, he saw the river and tree of life and learned that the curse will finally be removed. Then in Revelation 22:6–11, Yeshua declared, “Behold, I am coming quickly,” and pronounced a blessing on those who keep the words of this prophecy.

Now in Revelation 22:12–16, Yeshua repeats His promise that He is coming quickly, but adds an important statement: He is bringing His reward with Him, “to reward each one as his work deserves.” He then identifies Himself as the Alpha and Omega and describes the distinction between those who enter the New Jerusalem and those who remain outside.

As Revelation approaches its final words, it continues emphasizing something we have seen throughout the book: what we believe about Yeshua should be visible in how we live.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 22:12–16

      12“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

      14Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

      16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Reflection on Revelation 22:12–16:

Yeshua begins this section with a statement that deserves careful attention: “My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.” Revelation does not treat our deeds as insignificant. We saw the same truth at the Great White Throne, where the dead were judged “according to their deeds” (Revelation 20:12). Now Yeshua repeats that principle as part of His final message to the churches.

We should hold this together with the rest of Scripture rather than allowing one truth to erase another. We do not earn redemption by accumulating enough good deeds. Salvation is God’s provision through Yeshua. Yet Scripture also does not teach that because salvation cannot be earned, our actions no longer matter. Yeshua repeatedly called His followers to obedience, perseverance, repentance, and faithfulness. Our deeds reveal something about what we truly believe and whom we have chosen to follow.

Paul expresses the same accountability in 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.” Grace should never become an excuse to live as though our choices are irrelevant. Instead, receiving God’s grace should transform the way we live.

Yeshua then declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” The One who promises to return and recompense according to deeds is not merely another messenger within the vision. He stands over the entire story. Human kingdoms have risen and fallen throughout Revelation, Babylon has collapsed, the beast has been defeated, and Satan has been judged. Yeshua remains.

Verses 14–15 then draw a sharp distinction between those who enter the city and those who remain outside. There is an important textual difference worth recognizing here. The NASB and many modern translations read, “Blessed are those who wash their robes,” while the textual tradition behind the KJV reads, “Blessed are they that do his commandments.” We should be cautious about building a doctrine exclusively upon either wording. Yet neither reading undermines the broader message Revelation has consistently given us. God’s people are cleansed through the Lamb, and those who belong to Him are repeatedly characterized by faithful obedience.

Earlier Revelation described God’s people as “those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). Revelation does not ask us to choose between trusting the Lamb and obeying God’s commandments. The redeemed are called to both faith and faithfulness.

Yeshua closes the section by identifying Himself as “the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” He is both the fulfillment of God’s promises concerning David and the One whose coming signals the dawning of God’s kingdom in its fullness. The churches receiving Revelation could therefore remain faithful even when the surrounding world appeared to belong to someone else.

The same challenge comes to us. We live among countless voices telling us that obedience can wait, compromise is harmless, and our private choices do not really matter. Revelation tells us something very different. Yeshua sees how we live, calls His people to overcome, and says He is coming again.

We should not obey because we believe we can earn His salvation. We should obey because we belong to Him, trust Him, and know that the choices we make before Him truly matter.

Application

  • Examine whether your everyday choices reflect the faith in Yeshua that you profess.
  • Do not use grace as a reason to dismiss obedience to God’s commandments; let God’s grace produce greater faithfulness in your life.
  • When compromise seems insignificant, remember that Yeshua repeatedly teaches that our deeds matter to Him.
  • Live with Yeshua’s return in view, choosing today what you will be glad to have chosen when you stand before Him.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for the salvation You have provided through Yeshua that I could never earn for myself. Help me never to misuse Your grace as an excuse to ignore Your instruction. Teach me to live as though my choices truly matter because Your Word says they do. Show me where compromise has entered my life, and give me courage to repent and obey You. Help me remain faithful while I wait for Yeshua’s return, so that my life reflects that I truly belong to Him. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Humility, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Follow God’s Pattern, Not Your Own (Exodus 25:31–40)

When God has shown us how He wants something done, do we follow His instruction—or assume our own way is just as good?

Key Verse

“See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.” — Exodus 25:40 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25:1–9, YHWH began giving Moses instructions for the tabernacle because He desired to dwell among His people. In verses 10–22, He described the Ark of the Covenant and mercy seat, where He promised to meet with Moses. In verses 23–30, He described the table that continually held the bread of the Presence.

Now in Exodus 25:31–40, YHWH gives instructions for a lampstand made from pure gold. It would have seven lamps and elaborate branches decorated with cups shaped like almond blossoms.

As with the other parts of the tabernacle, its design did not originate with Moses. God revealed the pattern, and Moses was responsible for following it.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 25:31–40

The Golden Lampstand

      31“Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32“Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. 33“Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; 34and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. 35“A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 36“Their bulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37“Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. 38“Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39“It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. 40“See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

Reflection on Exodus 25:31–40:

The lampstand was an extraordinary piece of craftsmanship. It was to be hammered from a single talent of pure gold, with six branches extending from its central shaft. Cups shaped like almond blossoms, bulbs, and flowers were incorporated into the design. At the top were seven lamps positioned to provide light within the sanctuary.

Later passages explain that the priests were responsible for keeping these lamps burning before YHWH (Exodus 27:20–21). In a place without ordinary windows providing natural light, God provided a lampstand for the place where His priests would serve.

There is rich imagery associated with light throughout Scripture, and it is natural for Christians to think of Yeshua’s declaration, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). We should be cautious about assigning symbolic meanings to every flower, branch, or measurement when Scripture does not explain them, but the broader biblical connection between God’s presence, truth, and light is unmistakable.

Yet the final verse may contain one of the most important lessons for this particular passage. After giving Moses all these detailed instructions, YHWH says, “See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.”

Moses was not being asked to improve God’s design.

He might have been able to imagine another arrangement that seemed more attractive, efficient, or practical. Skilled craftsmen might eventually have had their own creative ideas. But when God had specifically revealed what He wanted, their responsibility was not to substitute what seemed better to them. Their responsibility was faithful obedience.

Hebrews later returns to this exact point when discussing the earthly tabernacle. It says that the priests served “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things,” and then quotes God’s instruction to Moses: “See that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain” (Hebrews 8:5). The pattern mattered because the tabernacle was communicating truths greater than Moses could fully see.

That principle should give us humility when approaching God’s Word. There will be times when we understand why God commands something and times when we do not. We may even believe another way would make more sense according to our culture, preferences, or circumstances. But our limited understanding does not make us wiser than the One who gave the instruction.

At the same time, we should distinguish between what God has actually commanded and human traditions we have added ourselves. Following God’s pattern means carefully learning what He has said, not treating every religious custom as though God personally commanded it.

The challenge is therefore not simply to become more rigid. It is to become more attentive to YHWH’s Word. Where He has given freedom, we should not invent unnecessary restrictions. Where He has stated restrictions, we should not create an assumption of freedom to go against His ways. Where He has clearly spoken, we should not replace His instruction with our preferences.

Moses did not need to understand everything the lampstand represented before obeying the pattern God had shown him. Sometimes understanding grows after obedience begins.

When God has clearly spoken, faithfulness means trusting that His pattern is wiser than ours.

Application

  • When Scripture clearly teaches something that conflicts with your preferences, choose God’s instruction rather than reshaping it around what seems better to you.
  • Study God’s Word carefully so that you can distinguish His actual commands from traditions or expectations people have added.
  • Resist assuming that you must fully understand God’s reason for an instruction before you can faithfully obey it.
  • Remember that God’s perspective reaches beyond what you can presently see, giving you reason to trust His wisdom over your own.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for giving me Your Word rather than leaving me to determine Your ways for myself. Help me listen carefully to what You have actually said and distinguish Your instruction from human traditions or my own preferences. When Your ways differ from what seems best to me, give me humility to trust that Your wisdom is greater than mine. Teach me to follow faithfully even when I do not yet understand everything You are doing. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Traditions / Holidays

In Yeshua We Have More Reason to Celebrate God’s Appointed Times

Most Christians today are taught that the appointed times, or Moedim, of Yahweh are obsolete in Christ… that is, if they are taught about them at all. What is interesting is that these same people cling tightly to man-made holidays like Christmas, which were never called for biblically and are mixed and mingled with pagan beliefs over a long history in which the holidays evolved. Christ actually lived out the Moedim as an example for us. In Messiah, these are not made irrelevant but actually take on more meaning than before.

The Moedim help us remember what Yahweh has done for us. He is our Creator and Lord. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and present at all times in all places. Still, He takes time to know each one of us, and He loves each one of us as a father. They also point us forward to what is to come.

This time of year is an exciting time to learn about and celebrate the fall Moedim, Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (aka Tabernacles or Festival of Booths).  I will not attempt to discuss all the details in this post, but I will point out, at a high level, some quick observations on how these have more meaning to remind us what is coming.

The Day of Trumpets reminds us that Christ will return and we should prepare ourselves. Yom Kippur reminds us to make atonement, recognizing that we are sinners and need Christ to be reconciled with the Father. Sukkot celebrates the return of the King, that Yeshua will come back and He will dwell among us.

I will post separately about each appointed time in more detail, but I would encourage each of you to start studying now and commit to learn more and celebrate.

You may find yourself asking, “Why are appointed times so important to God? The church has not taught me to celebrate it.” God tells us why it is important to Him in an example pertaining to Passover.

Exodus 13:1-16

8“You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9“And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. 10“Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.

and again…

14“And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15‘It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16“So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

The appointed times are not just for Jewish people who don’t believe in Christ as Messiah. They take on even more meaning through Messiah and help us draw nearer to the Lord. We could have a longer discussion on how to celebrate today, but for today I am really focused on encouraging you to read and study more, to embrace God’s holy days and learn more about them. God said we should, and he has great ideas. Once we make the decision to do it, then we take the next step and begin to study how… that is the journey my family and I are on today. We find joy in seeking to better understand our relationship with YHWH through studying and celebrating his appointed times.

Do take care that you don’t celebrate the Moedim because it is “required”. As the temple and the priests are not available, we can not celebrate in a fully biblical manner. Rather, let us use this as an opportunity simply to glorify Yahweh, grow our relationship with Him, and delight in Him.

Here are a few resources where you can learn more about the Moedim, the Creator’s calendar (often called the “Jewish” calendar), and, given this time of year, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippurim, and Sukkot in particular.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me in understanding and embracing Your ways. Open my eyes to the wonderful ways of Your law and to Your appointed times. Let me not rely on the teaching of man or traditions of my family in prior generations, but rather on Your word. Lead others to celebrate Your appointed times across our country and let it draw us closer to You. Amen. 

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Justice / Judgment, Merciful, Obeying God, Seeking God

Meet with God on His Terms Rather than Yours (Exodus 25:10–22)

Do we approach God on our own terms, or do we trust the way He has provided for sinful people to draw near to Him?

Key Verse

“There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you.” — Exodus 25:22 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 24, Israel formally entered into covenant with YHWH, and Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive further instruction. In Exodus 25:1–9, God called the people to willingly contribute materials for a sanctuary because He desired to dwell among them.

Now in Exodus 25:10–22, YHWH begins describing the tabernacle itself, starting not with the outer structure but with one of its most important objects: the Ark of the Covenant.

The ark would eventually stand in the Most Holy Place. Inside would be the testimony God gave Moses. Above it was the kapporet, commonly translated mercy seat or atonement cover, overshadowed by two cherubim. It was there that YHWH promised to meet with Moses and speak to His people.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 25:10-22

Ark of the Covenant

      10“They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. 11“You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. 12“You shall cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. 13“You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14“You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. 15“The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. 16“You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.

      17“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18“You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19“Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 20“The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. 21“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. 22“There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

Reflection on Exodus 25:10–22:

The detail in God’s instructions is immediately noticeable. The ark was to have specific dimensions, be made from acacia wood, covered with gold, equipped with rings and poles for carrying, and constructed according to the pattern YHWH gave Moses. Even the poles were to remain in their rings. Israel was not being invited to design God’s dwelling place according to whatever seemed meaningful to them. The God who desired to dwell among them also determined how He was to be approached.

Inside the ark, Moses was to place “the testimony which I shall give you.” God’s covenant instruction stood at the center of Israel’s relationship with Him. The God who rescued Israel also taught them how His redeemed people should live. As we have seen throughout Exodus, grace and obedience were never intended to compete with one another. YHWH redeemed Israel first, and the people He redeemed were then called to walk according to His ways.

But above the testimony was something especially significant: the mercy seat. Later, in Leviticus 16, we learn that on the Day of Atonement the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place and sprinkle sacrificial blood on and before this mercy seat. God’s righteous standard had not disappeared, nor was sin simply ignored. Instead, YHWH Himself provided a means of atonement so that sinful people could remain in covenant relationship with a holy God.

This points us toward what God would ultimately accomplish through Yeshua. Hebrews 9 connects the tabernacle, the ark, the mercy seat, and the sacrificial system with Messiah’s greater work. Yeshua did not enter an earthly sanctuary with the blood of another sacrifice; He entered through His own blood, obtaining eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11–12). What the tabernacle pictured repeatedly, Yeshua accomplished in a far greater and lasting way.

That makes God’s statement in verse 22 particularly beautiful: “There I will meet with you.” The purpose of all these instructions was not simply religious ceremony. YHWH wanted to dwell among His people and communicate with them. Yet because He is holy and humanity is sinful, He provided the way for that relationship to be possible.

There is an important lesson here for us. We sometimes want God on our terms. We want His presence without His holiness, His mercy without repentance, or relationship with Him while retaining the right to decide for ourselves what obedience should look like. Exodus does not allow us to separate these things.

At the same time, we should not miss the tremendous grace in the passage. The holy God did not simply tell sinful people that they could never approach Him. He provided the way for them to come near.

Yeshua later said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). We do not have to invent a path into God’s presence or wonder whether our efforts are good enough to get us there. God Himself has provided the way.

We do not make God accessible by approaching Him however we choose. We draw near because He has graciously shown us how—and ultimately provided that way through Yeshua.

Application

  • Approach YHWH according to what He has revealed in His Word rather than reshaping worship and obedience around personal preference.
  • Take God’s standards seriously while remembering that His mercy does not ignore sin—He has provided atonement for it.
  • Place your confidence in Yeshua rather than your own goodness as the basis for drawing near to God.
  • Remember that God’s desire is relationship: the holy God who tells us how to approach Him is also the God who says, “There I will meet with you.”

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that although You are perfectly holy, You have provided a way for sinful people to draw near to You. Help me never to treat Your holiness casually or attempt to reshape Your ways according to my preferences. Thank You for the mercy You have shown and for the redemption You have provided through Yeshua. Teach me to walk faithfully according to Your Word and to treasure the extraordinary privilege of knowing You and living in Your presence. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Holy / Set Apart, Purposeful / Intentional, Revelation

Live Today for the World God Is Making New (Revelation 21:1–8)

How differently would you live today if you truly believed that everything broken by sin will one day be gone?

Key Verse

“And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’” — Revelation 21:5 (NASB)

Background Context

Revelation 20 ended at the Great White Throne, where the dead were judged and death and Hades themselves were thrown into the lake of fire. Now John’s vision turns from final judgment to final restoration.

John sees a new heaven and a new earth. The holy city, new Jerusalem, comes down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride for her husband. Then a loud voice announces something at the heart of God’s plan: God will dwell among His people.

Revelation has shown us persecution, deception, suffering, Babylon’s corruption, the beast’s temporary authority, and Satan’s rebellion. None of those things gets the final word. God does.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 21

The New Heaven and Earth

      1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

      5And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7“He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Reflection on Revelation 21:1–8:

John begins, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away.” The story Scripture has been telling from Genesis onward is moving toward restoration. Sin brought separation, suffering, and death into God’s creation, but Revelation does not end with God’s people simply escaping what has been ruined. John sees God making things new.

Perhaps the most important promise in this passage is not even the absence of suffering. John hears a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them.” The great hope of Revelation is ultimately God Himself. His people will belong to Him, and He will dwell among them.

That connects beautifully with what we have been seeing in Exodus. YHWH redeemed Israel from Egypt, brought them to Himself at Sinai, and soon will give Moses instructions for the tabernacle so that He can dwell among His people. Revelation shows us where that desire ultimately leads. What was represented through the tabernacle becomes a permanent reality: God dwelling with His redeemed people.

Because He is there, everything that separated humanity from the goodness of His original creation is removed. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain.” Notice how personal the picture is. God does not merely announce that suffering has ended. He is pictured wiping away the tears of His people.

For believers enduring suffering, persecution, grief, sickness, or loss, this is not a promise that present pain is insignificant. Revelation has taken suffering very seriously. Instead, it promises that suffering is temporary. Death feels permanent from our present perspective, but even death has already been thrown into the lake of fire in the previous chapter. What seems permanent to us will not survive God’s restoration.

Then the One seated on the throne declares, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He follows that promise with an assurance: “These words are faithful and true.” Our confidence in this future does not rest on our ability to imagine how God will accomplish it. It rests upon the character of the One who promised it.

Yet Revelation 21:1–8 does not allow this future hope to become merely comforting imagery. The passage ends with a serious contrast between those who inherit these promises and those who persist in rebellion against God. Verse 7 says, “The one who overcomes will inherit these things.” Verse 8 then warns about those characterized by unbelief, immorality, idolatry, deception, and other rebellion against God.

That warning fits what Revelation has emphasized throughout the book. God’s people are called to endure faithfully. They hold to the testimony of Yeshua and remain obedient to God even when the surrounding world pressures them toward compromise. We are not saved because we successfully accumulate enough good deeds to earn the kingdom. Our hope rests in the Lamb. But belonging to the Lamb should change the way we live while we wait for His kingdom.

The future God promises should therefore shape our choices today. If Babylon is passing away, we should not build our lives around its values. If death is temporary, we need not live controlled by its fear. If God will dwell forever among His people, knowing Him should matter more than everything this present world tells us to pursue.

God is making all things new. Our lives today should demonstrate that we belong to the kingdom that is coming.

Application

  • When suffering or loss feels permanent, remember that God has promised a future in which death, mourning, crying, and pain will be gone.
  • Build your life around what will endure rather than the temporary values and rewards of this present world.
  • Resist compromise and remain faithful to Yeshua while you wait for God’s promised restoration.
  • Make knowing and dwelling with God your greatest hope, rather than focusing only on what you hope heaven will provide.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for the promise that You are making all things new. When suffering, loss, or uncertainty overwhelms me, help me remember that these things will not have the final word. Teach me to build my life around Your coming kingdom rather than the temporary things of this world. Help me remain faithful to Yeshua, resist compromise, and live today as someone who belongs to You. Most of all, teach me to long not merely for a world without pain, but for the joy of dwelling forever in Your presence. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Thankfulness

Give God the Credit for the Victory (Psalm 68:11–18)

When something goes well, are you quick to recognize what God has done—or do you quietly begin taking the credit for yourself?

Key Verse

“The Lord gives the command;
The women who proclaim good news are a great army.” — Psalm 68:11 (NASB)

Background Context

Psalm 68 celebrates YHWH as the victorious King who goes before His people. In the opening verses, David looked back toward Israel’s wilderness journey and described God as the One who scatters His enemies, leads His people, provides for them, and defends the vulnerable.

Verses 11–18 continue the picture of victory. Kings flee, spoils are divided, and God’s chosen mountain becomes the place of His dwelling. David’s emphasis is not on Israel’s military greatness but on YHWH as the One who acts, conquers, and dwells among His people.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Psalm 68:11-18

      11The Lord gives the command;

The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:

12“Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will divide the spoil!”

13When you lie down among the sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with glistening gold.

14When the Almighty scattered the kings there,
It was snowing in Zalmon.

15A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

16Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,
At the mountain which God has desired for His abode?
Surely the LORD will dwell there forever.

17The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands;
The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.

18You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives;
You have received gifts among men,
Even among the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there.

Reflection on Psalm 68:11–18:

David begins this section with an important order: “The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim good news are a great army.” God acts, and His people announce what He has done. The following verses describe enemy kings fleeing and even those who remained at home sharing in the spoil. The picture emphasizes that victory was not something Israel could boast about as though it had been produced entirely by its own strength.

That distinction matters because we are often tempted to take God’s blessings and gradually rewrite the story so that we become the main character. We may thank God initially, but before long we begin thinking primarily about our wisdom, hard work, planning, talent, or courage. Those things may genuinely have played a part. Scripture does not teach us to be passive or careless. But God’s people should be able to work diligently while still recognizing that our abilities, opportunities, provision, and ultimately the outcome remain dependent upon Him.

David then turns toward the mountains. He describes the mountain of Bashan as majestic and many-peaked, yet asks why those impressive mountains look with envy at “the mountain God has desired as His dwelling.” The contrast is striking. God’s choice is not determined by what appears greatest from a human perspective. A mountain may look more impressive, but what makes God’s chosen place significant is that God chooses to dwell there.

We can easily make the same mistake when evaluating people. We naturally notice talent, influence, wealth, appearance, intelligence, or position. Yet throughout Scripture, YHWH repeatedly accomplishes His purposes through people the world might not consider particularly impressive. Our usefulness to God is not determined by whether we appear greater than everyone around us. What matters is belonging to Him, being available to Him, and faithfully doing what He calls us to do.

David then describes God’s overwhelming power: “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands.” Israel’s enemies may have possessed armies and chariots that appeared intimidating, but they were never equal rivals to YHWH. The God who went before Israel in the wilderness remained present among His people.

Verse 18 then declares, “You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; You have received gifts among people.” Paul draws upon this verse in Ephesians 4:8 when describing Messiah’s victory and His giving of gifts to His people. The original psalm celebrates YHWH’s victorious ascent, while Paul shows how this pattern finds a powerful fulfillment in Yeshua: the victorious Messiah ascends and equips His people for His purposes.

That brings the passage back to where it began. God wins the victory, and His people have the privilege of proclaiming and participating in what He has done. We do not need to make ourselves impressive enough to deserve the credit. In fact, when God works through ordinary people, it can make the true source of the victory even clearer.

Our calling is not to make ourselves the hero of the story. It is to faithfully participate in what God is doing and make sure He receives the glory for what He accomplishes.

Application

  • When God brings success or breakthrough, deliberately give Him credit rather than gradually making yourself the center of the story.
  • Use the abilities and opportunities God gives you diligently while remembering that they ultimately came from Him.
  • Do not measure your usefulness to God by how impressive you appear compared with others; focus on being faithful and available to Him.
  • Tell others what God has done, allowing His work in your life to point attention toward Him rather than yourself.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that victory ultimately belongs to You. Help me work diligently with everything You have entrusted to me without forgetting where my abilities, opportunities, and provision come from. Guard me from taking credit for what You have accomplished, and keep me from measuring myself against people who seem more impressive. Make me faithful and available for whatever You call me to do, and help me proclaim Your goodness so that others see You rather than me. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional

Wait for God Instead of Rushing Ahead (Exodus 24:12–18)

When God does not move as quickly as you want, will you continue to wait for Him—or start moving without Him?

Key Verse

“Then Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.” — Exodus 24:18 (NASB)

Background Context

Israel has formally entered into covenant with YHWH. Moses has read the Book of the Covenant to the people, they have committed themselves to obedience, and the covenant has been confirmed with blood.

Now YHWH calls Moses farther up Mount Sinai to receive the stone tablets containing His commandments and instruction.

Moses leaves Aaron and Hur with the elders and ascends with Joshua. The glory of YHWH settles upon Mount Sinai, the cloud covers it, and Moses waits six days before God calls to him on the seventh.

What follows prepares the way for God’s detailed instructions concerning the tabernacle, priesthood, and worship in the chapters ahead.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 24:12-18

  12Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.” 13So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them.” 15Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. 18Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Reflection on Exodus 24:12–18:

God tells Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there.” Those final words are easy to overlook. Moses knew God had called him, and he knew where he was supposed to go, but knowing God’s direction did not mean everything happened immediately. Moses obeyed, ascended the mountain, and then the cloud covered it for six days. Only on the seventh day did YHWH call to him from the midst of the cloud.

That kind of waiting can be difficult for us. We are often more comfortable when obedience produces immediate movement or visible results. We want the answer, the opportunity, the resolution, or at least the next instruction. When nothing seems to happen, we can begin wondering whether we should do something ourselves to move things along. Yet Moses did not need to manufacture the next step. God had told him to come and stay, so remaining where God had placed him was itself an act of obedience.

There is also an important contrast developing in the story. Moses will remain on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, while Israel below eventually becomes impatient. Their unwillingness to wait contributes to the disastrous decision to make the golden calf in Exodus 32. Moses waited for YHWH to reveal the next step, while Israel decided that Moses—and perhaps God—was taking too long and created its own solution. Impatience can tempt us to do something similar. We may know what God has said, but when His way seems too slow, we begin looking for another path.

This does not mean that every delay in life is specifically God telling us to do nothing, nor should we use “waiting on God” as an excuse to avoid responsibilities He has already made clear. Moses could wait because he had obeyed the instruction he had received. Biblical waiting is not inactivity when God has told us to act; it is faithfulness to what He has already said while trusting Him for what He has not yet revealed.

From Israel’s perspective below, the mountain was covered by a cloud. Yet within that cloud, YHWH was preparing to give Moses detailed instructions that would shape Israel’s worship and reveal how a holy God would dwell among His people. They could not see what God was doing, but that did not mean nothing was happening. The same can be true in our lives. We should be careful not to interpret a lack of visible progress as evidence that God is absent or inactive.

The appearance of YHWH’s glory also reminds us whom Moses was waiting upon. To Israel, “the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.” Moses was not casually waiting for advice from a distant God. He had been invited into the presence of the holy YHWH. As Exodus moves toward the tabernacle, this combination will become increasingly important: God is holy and must be approached as He directs, yet this same holy God desires to dwell among His people and provides the way for them to draw near.

There will be times when God clearly calls us to act, and we should act. But there will also be times when we have faithfully done what He has shown us and simply do not know the next step. In those moments, we do not need to create our own path merely because waiting has become uncomfortable. If God has not yet shown us the next step, faithfulness means continuing to obey what He has already shown us while trusting Him with what comes next.

Application

  • Continue faithfully doing what God has already made clear while you wait for direction about what comes next.
  • Resist the temptation to create your own solution simply because God’s timing seems slower than you would prefer.
  • Do not assume that a lack of visible progress means God is absent or inactive.
  • Ask whether you are truly waiting on God or avoiding something He has already told you to do.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me trust You when Your timing is different from mine. When I have obeyed what You have shown me but cannot yet see the next step, give me patience to remain faithful rather than rushing ahead. Guard me from creating my own solutions simply because waiting has become uncomfortable. At the same time, keep me from using waiting as an excuse when You have already made clear what I should do. Help me trust that You are at work even when I cannot yet see what You are doing, and give me wisdom to move when You call me forward. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

Fear / Reverence for God, Guide, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Don’t Just Hear God’s Word—Commit to Live It (Exodus 24:1–11)

Is your response to God’s Word simply to agree that it is true, or are you committed to actually living according to what He says?

Key Verse

“Then he took the book of the covenant and read it as the people listened; and they said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!'” — Exodus 24:7 (NASB)

Background Context

Exodus 24 brings the covenant at Mount Sinai to a significant moment of confirmation. YHWH had already redeemed Israel from slavery before bringing them to Sinai. He then revealed the Ten Commandments and continued explaining how His people were to live.

Now Moses writes down “all the words of the LORD.” He reads the Book of the Covenant to the people, and Israel publicly agrees to obey what God has spoken.

The covenant is then confirmed with blood, followed by a remarkable meal in God’s presence. Redemption had brought Israel not merely out of Egypt, but into covenant relationship with YHWH.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 24:1–11

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

      1Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 2“Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.”

      3Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” 4Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

      9Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.

Reflection on Exodus 24:1–11:

Twice in this passage Israel makes a strong declaration.

First they say, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” Later, after Moses reads the Book of the Covenant aloud, they respond again: “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”

Notice the progression.

They heard God’s Word and then committed themselves to do what He said.

Scripture consistently challenges us not to separate those two things. James later writes, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves” (James 1:22).

It is possible to study Scripture, agree with Scripture, discuss Scripture, and even defend Scripture while resisting what it tells us to do. God’s Word was never intended merely to increase our knowledge. It should shape how we actually live.

But we should also remember the order of events in Exodus.

Israel did not obey God in order to persuade Him to rescue them from Egypt. He rescued them first. He delivered them from slavery, brought them to Himself, and then taught them how His redeemed people should live.

That pattern matters.

Obedience is not the price we pay to purchase redemption. It is the faithful response of people who have been redeemed.

Then Moses confirms the covenant with blood. Half is sprinkled on the altar, and the other half on the people as Moses declares, “Behold the blood of the covenant.”

The seriousness of covenant is unmistakable. Relationship with a holy God is not casual. Sin and reconciliation carry a cost. This imagery also points us forward to Yeshua, who at the Last Supper spoke of His own blood as “My blood of the covenant” (Matthew 26:28).

Then the passage ends with an extraordinary scene.

Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders ascend the mountain, and Scripture says, “they saw the God of Israel.” Under His feet was something like a pavement of sapphire, “as clear as the sky itself.”

Yet God did not destroy them.

Instead, “they saw God, and they ate and drank.”

The covenant culminates in fellowship.

That helps us see the larger purpose behind everything we have been reading. God did not deliver Israel merely to give them a collection of rules. He was forming a people who belonged to Him and could live in relationship with Him.

The commandments showed them how a redeemed people should walk with a holy God.

The same should shape how we approach God’s Word today. We should not ask merely, What does this passage say? We should also ask:

What has God shown me that I now need to live out?

Because hearing God’s Word is only the beginning. Faithfulness means allowing what He says to change how we live.

Application

  • When you read Scripture, ask not only what it means but what God is calling you to do differently because of it.
  • Remember that obedience is a response to God’s redemption and grace, not a way of earning them.
  • Take your commitment to God seriously rather than treating obedience as optional whenever His instruction becomes inconvenient.
  • Remember that God’s goal is not merely rule-keeping but a redeemed people living faithfully in relationship with Him.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for redeeming me and inviting me into relationship with You. Help me not to be satisfied merely with hearing, studying, or agreeing with Your Word. Show me where I need to put what You have taught me into practice. May my obedience flow from love and gratitude for what You have already done for me. Teach me to take Your Word seriously and to live faithfully as someone who belongs to You. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Faithful, Guide, Obeying God

Follow Where God Leads Without Compromise (Exodus 23:20–33)

Are you asking God to lead you forward while still holding onto things He has told you to leave behind?

Key Verse

“But you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst.” — Exodus 23:25 (NASB)

Background Context

Beginning in Exodus 20, YHWH spoke the Ten Commandments and then continued with detailed instructions showing Israel how His standards applied to worship, justice, relationships, property, work, rest, and care for others.

Now, as this section draws to a close, God turns Israel’s attention toward what lies ahead.

He promises to send His messenger before them, protect them on their journey, and bring them to the place He has prepared. But God’s promises come with repeated instructions to listen, obey, worship Him alone, and reject the gods of the nations they will encounter.

Israel was being prepared not merely to enter the Promised Land, but to live there faithfully as YHWH’s people.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Reflection on Exodus 23:20–33:

God begins with an extraordinary promise:

“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.”

Israel did not know everything that waited ahead. There would be enemies, battles, uncertainty, and challenges they could not overcome by their own strength.

But God was already going before them.

That is an encouraging pattern throughout Scripture. God often calls His people forward without showing them every detail of the journey. Our confidence cannot come from knowing exactly what will happen. It comes from knowing who is leading us.

Yet immediately after promising His presence and protection, YHWH says, “Be attentive to him and obey his voice.”

God’s guidance was not an invitation for Israel to choose its own path while expecting Him to bless it. They were expected to listen and follow.

The same principle remains important for us. Sometimes we want God’s direction primarily because we want Him to lead us toward the outcome we have already chosen. Biblical faith asks something different: Where is God leading, and am I willing to follow?

YHWH then gives Israel a serious warning about the people they will encounter:

“You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds.”

Israel’s greatest danger in the land would not ultimately be military weakness. It would be spiritual compromise.

God even warns them not to make covenants with the nations or their gods because “it will be a snare to you.” What initially appeared harmless could gradually draw their allegiance away from YHWH.

Scripture repeatedly shows that this warning was justified. Israel would later struggle precisely because they failed to remove the influences God warned them about. Compromise that seemed manageable eventually became idolatry.

There is wisdom here for us as well.

We sometimes ask, How close can I get to something sinful without actually sinning? God teaches us to ask a better question: Will this draw me toward Him or become a snare that gradually pulls me away?

The passage also contains an interesting detail about how God would give Israel the land:

“I will not drive them out before you in a single year… Little by little I will drive them out from before you.”

God promised victory, but He did not promise instant results.

There was purpose in the delay. If the land became empty too quickly, it would become desolate and wild animals would multiply. God would enlarge Israel’s territory gradually as they became able to possess it.

Sometimes “little by little” is God’s wisdom, not God’s absence.

We may become discouraged when something God is doing takes longer than we expected. But we cannot see everything He sees. Immediate fulfillment is not always the best fulfillment.

Israel’s responsibility was to keep following, keep obeying, reject compromise, and trust YHWH with the pace.

That remains a powerful pattern for us:

Follow where God leads. Obey what He says. Refuse what pulls you away from Him. And don’t mistake gradual progress for God’s failure to act.

Application

  • Follow God’s direction rather than asking Him merely to bless the direction you have already chosen.
  • Identify compromises or influences in your life that could gradually become a spiritual snare, and be willing to remove them.
  • When God’s work seems to be happening “little by little,” trust that His timing may accomplish purposes you cannot yet see.
  • Remember that God’s promises never make obedience irrelevant; continue listening to Him as you move forward.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that You go before Your people and know what lies ahead long before we do. Help me listen carefully to Your voice and follow where You lead rather than simply asking You to bless my own plans. Give me discernment to recognize compromises that could become snares and courage to remove anything that draws my heart away from You. When progress seems slower than I would choose, help me trust Your wisdom and continue faithfully following You, little by little, wherever You lead. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Compassionate, Loving / Kind, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Strong in Our Weakness

God Goes Before His People (Psalm 68:1–10)

What changes when we remember that we are not asking God to follow us into our battles, but trusting Him to go before us?

Key Verse

“A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.” — Psalm 68:5 (NASB)

Background Context

Psalm 68 is a song celebrating YHWH as the victorious King who rises against His enemies, leads His people, provides for them, and ultimately reigns over the nations.

David begins with language that reaches back to Israel’s journey through the wilderness. When the ark of the covenant set out, Moses declared, “Rise up, LORD! And may Your enemies be scattered” (Numbers 10:35). Psalm 68 draws on that history to remind God’s people who has always gone before them.

Yet this mighty King is also introduced as the One who cares for the fatherless, widows, lonely, and oppressed. His power and His compassion belong together.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Psalm 68:1-10

The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate Him flee before Him.

      2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As wax melts before the fire,
So let the wicked perish before God.

      3But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God;
Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

      4Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts,
Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him.

      5A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.

      6God makes a home for the lonely;
He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

      7O God, when You went forth before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness,

Selah.

      8The earth quaked;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

      9You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.

      10Your creatures settled in it;
You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.

Reflection

Psalm 68 opens with a dramatic contrast. When God arises, His enemies scatter like smoke driven by the wind and wax melting before fire. But the righteous respond very differently: “Let the righteous be joyful; let them rejoice before God.”

The difference is not God’s power. Everyone encounters the same King. The difference is their relationship to Him.

For God’s people, His presence is a reason for joy because the One who possesses overwhelming power is also the One who cares for them.

David describes Him as “a father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows.” He gives the lonely a home and leads prisoners into prosperity. These are people who could easily be overlooked or exploited, yet God specifically identifies Himself as their defender.

That should shape how we understand God’s greatness. Scripture does not present Him as a distant King who is concerned only with nations and great historical events. The God who scatters armies also notices the lonely person who feels forgotten.

David then looks backward to Israel’s wilderness journey. God went before His people, the earth shook at His presence, and He provided rain for His inheritance when it was exhausted.

Israel’s journey was difficult, but they were never traveling alone.

That is an important reminder when we face our own difficult seasons. We often look ahead and see obstacles, uncertainty, or needs we do not know how to meet. Our natural response is to ask, How am I going to handle all of this?

Psalm 68 redirects the question.

Who is going before me?

This does not mean every obstacle will disappear or every situation will unfold as we prefer. Israel’s wilderness journey certainly wasn’t easy. But they were following the God who had already demonstrated that He could defeat their enemies, provide for their needs, and sustain them when they were exhausted.

We serve that same God.

We do not need to pretend the road ahead is easy. We need to remember who goes before us on the road.

Application

  • When facing uncertainty, remember God’s past faithfulness instead of focusing only on the obstacles ahead.
  • Trust YHWH to lead and provide rather than expecting yourself to control every outcome.
  • Reflect God’s character by noticing and caring for people who are vulnerable, lonely, or easily overlooked.
  • Rejoice that the God whose power defeats His enemies is the same God who compassionately cares for His people.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that I do not walk through life alone. When I become focused on the obstacles ahead of me, remind me that You go before Your people. Help me trust Your strength, Your provision, and Your faithfulness. Thank You that Your great power is joined with compassion and that You see those whom others may overlook. Help me reflect Your heart by caring for others and faithfully following wherever You lead. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.