Category Archives: Humility

Humility, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Study the Word, Submitted / Servant

Don’t Just Know About God, Seek Him (Matthew 2:1–12)

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Is it possible to know what Scripture says about God and still fail to respond to Him? What separates those who merely possess knowledge of God’s Word from those who act upon it?

Key Verse

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him.” — Matthew 2:10–11 (NASB)

Background Context

In Matthew 1, we saw how YHWH fulfilled His promises through generations of imperfect people, bringing forth Yeshua, the promised Messiah. We also saw Joseph respond in obedience when an angel revealed that Mary’s child had been conceived through the Holy Spirit. Yeshua was given His name because He would save His people from their sins, and Matthew identified Him as Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”

Now, in Matthew 2:1–12, Yeshua has been born in Bethlehem. Wise men from the east arrive in Jerusalem seeking the one born King of the Jews. Their arrival creates a striking contrast between people who actively seek the Messiah and those who either oppose Him or fail to respond despite knowing what Scripture says.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Matthew 2:1–12

The Visit of the Magi

      1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

      6‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”

      7Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Reflection on Matthew 2:1–12:

The wise men arrived in Jerusalem asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” They had observed a star and understood that something significant had happened. Their response was not simply to discuss what they had seen or speculate about its meaning. They traveled to find the child and worship Him.

We are not told exactly how much these men understood about YHWH or the coming Messiah. They came from outside Israel, yet they were willing to make a significant journey in response to what they had learned.

Their arrival troubled King Herod, who gathered the chief priests and scribes to ask where the Messiah was to be born. The religious leaders knew the answer. They pointed to the prophecy in Micah 5:2, identifying Bethlehem as the place from which the ruler of Israel would come.

Consider the contrast. The religious leaders possessed the Scriptures and knew the prophecy. The wise men had traveled from a distant land seeking the Messiah. Yet Matthew records no effort by the religious leaders to accompany them to Bethlehem.

We should be careful not to assume that every religious leader responded the same way or that none later sought Yeshua. Matthew simply does not describe them taking action here. Nevertheless, the contrast is striking.

Knowing the correct answer about God is not the same as responding to Him.

That distinction remains important today. We can study Scripture, memorize passages, understand prophecy, and participate regularly in worship while allowing that knowledge to have little influence on how we actually live. Biblical knowledge is valuable, but it should lead us toward faith, obedience, and a deeper relationship with YHWH.

James 1:22 warns, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves.”

Herod presents another response entirely. He understood that the birth of a king could threaten his position. Rather than welcoming the Messiah, he secretly questioned the wise men and instructed them to report back after finding the child, claiming that he also wanted to worship Him.

But Herod’s words concealed his true intentions, as the following passage will reveal.

Herod wanted to protect his own authority rather than submit to the King YHWH had sent. His response reminds us that recognizing God’s authority and willingly submitting to it are very different things.

The wise men, meanwhile, continued their journey. When they saw the star, they rejoiced greatly. Upon entering the house, they saw Yeshua with Mary, fell down, and worshiped Him. They also presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Their worship involved more than words. They invested their time and resources, traveled a considerable distance, humbled themselves before the child, and offered valuable gifts.

Their response raises a question for us: How much are we willing to change our plans, invest our time, or surrender our priorities in order to seek and honor YHWH?

It is easy to say that God is important while arranging our lives around everything else. The wise men remind us that genuine worship involves action.

There is one final detail worth noticing. After worshiping Yeshua, the wise men were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod. They obeyed and departed for their own country by another route.

They had come seeking the Messiah, responded in worship when they found Him, and then followed God’s direction even when it changed their original plans.

Their example is not that we should follow mysterious signs or attempt to reproduce their unusual experience. Rather, it is that we should respond faithfully to the truth YHWH has revealed.

Matthew’s account places three responses before us: Herod resisted the Messiah, the religious leaders knew where He would be born but are not shown seeking Him, and the wise men traveled to find and worship Him.

The question for us is not simply whether we know about Yeshua.

It is whether we are actively seeking Him, submitting to His authority, and responding to what YHWH has revealed.

Application

  • Do not confuse knowledge of Scripture with obedience to it. Let what you learn about YHWH shape your decisions and priorities.
  • Examine whether you are genuinely seeking God or merely fitting Him into the parts of your life that are convenient.
  • Be willing to humble yourself before Yeshua as King rather than resisting His authority when His instructions conflict with your preferences.
  • Let your worship involve action, including your time, resources, obedience, and willingness to follow God’s direction.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for revealing Yeshua as the promised Messiah and King. Help me not to become satisfied with simply knowing about You while failing to seek You and obey Your Word. Give me the humility of the wise men, who traveled to worship Yeshua and responded when You directed them. Guard my heart against the pride of Herod, who wanted to preserve his own authority rather than submit to Yours. Teach me to make You the center of my life, not merely one priority among many. May my knowledge of Your Word lead to genuine faith, faithful obedience, and worship that honors 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.

Faith / Trusting God, Humility, Seeking God, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Keep God’s Light Burning (Exodus 27:9–21)

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Are you faithfully tending your relationship with YHWH, or have you allowed other priorities to crowd out the time and attention you give Him?

Key Verse

“You shall command the sons of Israel that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.” — Exodus 27:20 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25–26, YHWH gave Moses detailed instructions for the tabernacle, where He would dwell among His people. In Exodus 27:1–8, He described the bronze altar, where sacrifices would be offered before the sanctuary.

Now, in Exodus 27:9–21, YHWH describes the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle, including its boundaries, entrance, and furnishings. He then gives instructions for providing oil to keep the lamp burning in the tent of meeting.

Together, these instructions show that worshiping YHWH involved both approaching Him according to His established pattern and faithfully maintaining what He had entrusted to His people.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 27:9–21

Court of the Tabernacle

      9“You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the court of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for one side; 10and its pillars shall be twenty, with their twenty sockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 11“Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars with their twenty sockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 12“For the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten sockets. 13“The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14“The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three sockets. 15“And for the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three sockets. 16“For the gate of the court there shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver, with their four pillars and their four sockets. 17“All the pillars around the court shall be furnished with silver bands with their hooks of silver and their sockets of bronze. 18“The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits of fine twisted linen, and their sockets of bronze. 19“All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, and all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

      20“You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. 21“In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel.

Reflection on Exodus 27:9–21:

YHWH begins by describing the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle. Its dimensions, curtains, pillars, bases, and entrance were all carefully specified. The courtyard established a defined place where Israel could approach the sanctuary, with the bronze altar standing within it.

These boundaries served a purpose. The tabernacle was not an ordinary gathering place, and the presence of YHWH was not something Israel could approach casually or according to personal preference.

Yet the courtyard also provided an entrance. YHWH was not merely establishing barriers to keep His people away. He was providing an orderly way for them to draw near and worship Him.

That balance is important. God is holy and establishes boundaries, but He also desires a relationship with His people. We should not mistake His instructions for unnecessary restrictions, nor should we assume that His desire for relationship gives us freedom to disregard what He has commanded.

The final verses shift attention to something that might seem less significant than the construction of the sanctuary: the regular supply of olive oil for the lamp.

Israel was commanded to bring clear oil from beaten olives so that the lamp could burn continually. Aaron and his sons would tend it from evening until morning before YHWH. This was not simply a suggestion for maintaining the appearance of the tabernacle. It was a continuing responsibility established by God.

The lampstand itself had already been described in Exodus 25. Now YHWH explains how its light would be maintained. A beautifully constructed lampstand would accomplish little if no one supplied the oil or tended its lamps.

There is a useful lesson here about faithfulness.

We sometimes become excited about beginning something for God but pay less attention to the ongoing responsibility of maintaining it. We may establish a habit of prayer, begin studying Scripture regularly, or commit ourselves to serving others. Yet as time passes, competing priorities can gradually crowd out those commitments.

Faithfulness is not demonstrated only in dramatic moments of obedience. It is also revealed through the ordinary, repeated choices that keep our relationship with YHWH at the center of our lives.

The Israelites who supplied the oil were participating in the worship of YHWH, even though their contribution might have seemed ordinary compared with the work of constructing the sanctuary. The priests who tended the lamps were likewise carrying out an important responsibility through regular, consistent service.

This does not mean that the tabernacle lamp should be treated as a direct symbol of our personal devotional habits. Its immediate purpose was to provide light in the holy place according to YHWH’s instructions. But the principle of faithful stewardship applies beyond the tabernacle.

Yeshua later taught in Luke 16:10, “The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much.” Our willingness to honor God in ordinary responsibilities matters, even when those responsibilities receive little attention from others.

There is also a connection to the light Yeshua brings. In John 8:12, He declared, “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.”

We do not produce that light through our own efforts. Yeshua is the source. But those who follow Him should continually seek His truth, walk in His ways, and resist allowing the distractions of life to draw them away from Him.

The tabernacle courtyard reminds us that YHWH establishes the way His people are to approach Him. The instructions concerning the lamp remind us that worship also requires ongoing faithfulness.

It is not enough merely to begin well. We should seek to remain faithful in the responsibilities YHWH has given us, day after day.

Application

  • Approach YHWH with reverence, respecting the boundaries and instructions He has established rather than defining worship according to your own preferences.
  • Examine whether prayer, Scripture, and obedience remain consistent priorities in your life or have gradually been crowded out.
  • Be faithful in ordinary responsibilities, recognizing that seemingly small acts of obedience matter to God.
  • Remember that Yeshua is the Light of the world. Seek His truth and follow Him rather than relying on your own understanding.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for inviting Your people to draw near to You while teaching us to honor Your holiness. Help me respect Your instructions rather than replacing them with my own preferences. Teach me to be faithful not only in significant moments but also in the ordinary responsibilities You have given me. When distractions threaten to draw my attention away from You, help me return to prayer, Your Word, and obedience. Thank You for Yeshua, the Light of the world. May I walk faithfully in His light and honor You each day. 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.

Evidence in Scripture, Grace / Forgiveness, Humility, Intgegrity / Honesty, Repenting from Sin

God’s Word Doesn’t Hide Human Failure (Matthew 1:1-17)

Have you ever considered how unusual it is that the Bible tells us so much about the failures of the very people we might expect it to make look good?

Key Verse

“Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, and Hezron fathered Ram.” — Matthew 1:3 (NASB)

Background Context

Matthew 1:1–17 establishes Yeshua as the Messiah, the son of David and son of Abraham, tracing the family line through generations of Israel’s history. In our previous devotional, we focused on how that genealogy demonstrates YHWH’s faithfulness to His promises despite human failure, national judgment, and the passage of many generations.

But there is another striking feature of Matthew’s genealogy worth considering.

Matthew does not present a carefully polished family history that hides uncomfortable people or events. Instead, he deliberately includes names that remind anyone familiar with Scripture of some very messy stories.

And Matthew is following a pattern found throughout the Bible: Scripture is remarkably candid about the failures of its own people.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Matthew 1:1-17

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

      1The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

      2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. 3Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. 4Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. 5Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. 6Jesse was the father of David the king.
David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. 7Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. 8Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. 9Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. 10Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. 11Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

      12After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. 13Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. 14Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. 15Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. 16Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

      17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Reflection on Matthew 1:1–17:

If someone were creating propaganda to glorify a nation, establish a royal family, or invent an impressive history for a religious leader, we might expect that person to emphasize the heroes and quietly remove the embarrassing parts.

Matthew does not do that.

He specifically mentions Tamar. Anyone familiar with Genesis 38 would remember Judah’s failure to fulfill his responsibility toward her and the sexually immoral circumstances through which Perez and Zerah were conceived. The story does not make Judah look impressive.

Matthew mentions Rahab, whose earlier life as a prostitute in Jericho was already preserved in Scripture. He mentions Ruth, a Moabite rather than an Israelite by birth. Then, when Matthew reaches Israel’s celebrated King David, he does something particularly striking.

He does not simply write that David fathered Solomon.

He says David fathered Solomon “by her who had been the wife of Uriah.”

Matthew could have avoided drawing attention to that episode. Instead, his wording reminds us of it. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then arranged circumstances that led to the death of her husband Uriah. Second Samuel records the entire shameful episode rather than protecting the reputation of Israel’s great king.

This kind of honesty appears throughout Scripture.

Abraham’s failures are recorded even though he is the father of faith. Jacob’s deception is recorded even though Israel bears his name. Moses’ disobedience is recorded even though he led Israel out of Egypt. David’s adultery and Uriah’s death are recorded even though he was Israel’s greatest king. Solomon’s unfaithfulness is recorded despite his extraordinary wisdom. The failures of Israel and Judah are documented repeatedly rather than rewritten to make God’s people appear righteous.

The New Testament continues the same pattern. The disciples misunderstand Yeshua repeatedly. They argue about which of them is greatest. Peter denies Yeshua three times. The disciples abandon Him when He is arrested. Thomas doubts the testimony that Yeshua has risen.

The people through whom these accounts were preserved did not consistently portray themselves as heroes.

We should be careful not to overstate what this proves. The presence of embarrassing or unflattering details does not by itself demonstrate that every statement in Scripture must therefore be historically true. Fictional stories can certainly contain flawed characters.

But the Bible’s consistent candor is meaningful evidence when considering its historical character. Its writers frequently preserve information that would have been easy—and sometimes advantageous—to omit if their primary purpose had been to manufacture flawless heroes, glorify Israel, or create a polished religious legend.

The Bible does not read like a book desperately trying to convince us that God’s people were wonderful.

Quite often, it tells us exactly the opposite.

That is because the ultimate hero of Scripture is not Abraham, Judah, Moses, David, Peter, or any other human being.

It is YHWH.

Their failures do not weaken Scripture’s central message. In many ways, they help reveal it. Human beings repeatedly sin, fail, misunderstand, rebel, and need redemption. YHWH remains faithful, righteous, merciful, and true.

There is also a personal challenge in that honesty. If Scripture does not hide David’s sin, Judah’s failure, Peter’s denial, or Israel’s rebellion, why should we believe spiritual maturity requires pretending that our own failures never happened?

Biblical faith does not require us to rewrite our history so that we look righteous. It requires us to deal truthfully with our sin before God.

David provides a powerful example after his sin was exposed. In Psalm 51:4 he prayed, “Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight.” He stopped hiding and agreed with God’s judgment concerning what he had done.

YHWH’s answer to our failure is not pretending it never occurred. He calls us to confession, repentance, forgiveness, and transformation.

That makes Matthew’s genealogy both evidence worth considering and encouragement worth receiving. Yeshua did not enter a family history populated by flawless people. He entered the real human story—filled with sin, brokenness, faith, failure, judgment, mercy, and redemption.

The Bible does not need to hide that truth.

Neither do we.

Application

  • When reading Scripture, notice its willingness to record the failures of its own heroes rather than assuming the Bible presents them as flawless examples.
  • Let the Bible’s candor strengthen your confidence that its writers were concerned with preserving truth rather than simply protecting reputations.
  • Be equally honest with YHWH about your own failures instead of protecting an outward appearance of righteousness.
  • When you repent, remember that your past does not have to be erased for YHWH to redeem your life and use you for His purposes.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that Your Word speaks truthfully about human weakness and failure rather than presenting people as better than they really were. Help me approach Scripture honestly and take seriously what You have preserved for us. Give me the same honesty about my own life. Keep me from hiding, excusing, or minimizing my sin simply to protect my reputation. Lead me instead toward confession, repentance, forgiveness, and transformation. Thank You that the failures of people throughout Scripture ultimately point beyond themselves to our need for You and to the redemption You provide through Yeshua. 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.

Father / Yahweh, Holy, Holy / Set Apart, Humility, Seeking God

Don’t Take God for Granted (Exodus 26:31–37)

Do we recognize what an extraordinary privilege it is to draw near to YHWH, or has access to Him become so familiar that we approach Him casually?

Key Verse

“The veil shall serve for you as a partition between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.” — Exodus 26:33 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25, YHWH explained that Israel was to build a sanctuary so that He could dwell among them. He gave Moses instructions for the Ark of the Covenant and mercy seat, the table of the bread of the Presence, and the golden lampstand.

In Exodus 26:1–30, God described the curtains, coverings, frames, bases, and crossbars that would form and support the tabernacle. Now, in Exodus 26:31–37, He completes the chapter by describing two additional curtains. A screen marked the entrance into the tabernacle, while a special veil inside separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

Behind that veil would stand the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat. YHWH intended to dwell among Israel, but His presence remained holy, and access to Him was restricted.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 26:31–37

The Veil and Screen

      31“You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 32“You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33“You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a partition between the holy place and the holy of holies. 34“You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies. 35“You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.

      36“You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37“You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.

Reflection on Exodus 26:31–37:

The veil was beautiful. It was made from blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it. Yet its primary purpose was not decoration. Verse 33 tells us plainly that it divided “the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.”

That separation communicated something Israel needed to understand about YHWH. The God who had rescued them from Egypt genuinely desired to dwell among them, but His desire for relationship did not make His holiness less important. Sinful people could not simply walk into His presence whenever and however they chose.

Later, Leviticus would explain just how restricted access beyond this veil was. The high priest could enter the Most Holy Place only at the appointed time and only according to God’s instructions, bringing sacrificial blood for atonement. The veil therefore stood as a continuing reminder that something still separated sinful humanity from unrestricted access to a holy God.

This is part of what makes the death of Yeshua so remarkable. Matthew records that when Yeshua died, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). What had stood for generations as a barrier before the Most Holy Place was torn apart, and significantly, Scripture describes it as being torn from the top downward.

Hebrews helps us understand the significance. Because of Yeshua’s sacrifice, believers have confidence to enter the holy place “by the blood of Jesus,” through the new and living way He provided (Hebrews 10:19–22). The access that we now enjoy was not created by God simply deciding that holiness and sin no longer mattered. It was made possible at tremendous cost through Yeshua.

That distinction is important. Grace does not mean God lowered His standard until sinful humanity could comfortably approach Him. God provided atonement so that we could be reconciled to Him.

The veil should therefore change how we think about prayer and our relationship with God. We can speak to YHWH anywhere. We do not need to travel to a physical sanctuary or wait for a priest to enter God’s presence on our behalf. Because that access is freely available to us, however, we can begin treating it as though it were ordinary.

Imagine an Israelite standing outside the tabernacle looking toward a place he could never enter. Even the priests serving in the Holy Place could not simply walk through the veil. Yet through Yeshua, we are invited to “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).

That should produce confidence, but it should also produce reverence.

There is also an important balance here with a theme we have repeatedly encountered in Exodus. We do not approach God according to whatever way seems meaningful to us. YHWH established the tabernacle, the veil, the priesthood, and the sacrifices according to His instruction. Ultimately, He provided Yeshua as the way through which we are reconciled to Him. Access is God’s gift, provided God’s way.

We should therefore neither stay far away as though Yeshua had not opened the way, nor approach casually as though opening that way cost nothing.

The veil reminds us what separation from God’s presence looked like. Its tearing reminds us what Yeshua accomplished.

Our response should be to draw near—gratefully, confidently, and reverently.

Application

  • Draw near to YHWH confidently through Yeshua rather than living as though you must somehow make yourself worthy enough to approach Him.
  • Refuse to treat prayer and access to God’s presence casually; remember the tremendous cost through which that access was provided.
  • Take God’s holiness and His instructions seriously rather than assuming grace gives us freedom to approach Him on whatever terms we choose.
  • When you think about the torn veil, let it deepen both your gratitude for Yeshua’s sacrifice and your desire to spend time with God.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for desiring to dwell among Your people and for providing the way for us to draw near to You. Help me understand what an extraordinary privilege it is to come before You in prayer and relationship. Keep me from taking that access for granted or treating Your holiness casually. Thank You for Yeshua, whose sacrifice opened the way that I could never open for myself. Teach me to draw near with confidence, gratitude, obedience, and reverence, valuing the relationship with You that came at such great cost. 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.

Giving, Humility, Money / Finances / Wealth, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

Give Willingly to What God Is Building (Exodus 25:1–9)

When God gives you an opportunity to participate in His work, do you see it primarily as something being taken from you—or as a privilege to contribute to what He is doing?

Key Verse

“Tell the sons of Israel to take a contribution for Me; from everyone whose heart moves him you shall take My contribution.” — Exodus 25:2 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 19–23, YHWH brought Israel to Mount Sinai and taught His redeemed people how they were to live. In Exodus 24, Israel formally entered into covenant with Him, and Moses was called farther up the mountain, where he remained in God’s presence for forty days and forty nights.

Now in Exodus 25, YHWH begins revealing what Moses is to receive during that time on the mountain. Chapters 25–31 will contain detailed instructions concerning the tabernacle, its furnishings, the priesthood, and Israel’s worship.

But before God gives Moses the construction details, He explains the purpose: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” The God who delivered Israel from Egypt desires to dwell in the midst of the people He has redeemed.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 25:1-9

Offerings for the Sanctuary

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. 3“This is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze, 4blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, 5rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, 6oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 9“According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.

Reflection on Exodus 25:1–9:

God begins the instructions for the tabernacle by asking Israel to contribute materials: gold, silver, bronze, fabrics, animal skins, wood, oil, spices, and precious stones. Yet notice whom Moses is instructed to receive these contributions from: “everyone whose heart moves him.” The tabernacle would be built from gifts willingly offered by God’s people.

That is significant because YHWH certainly did not need Israel’s wealth. Everything ultimately belonged to Him already. In fact, much of what Israel possessed had come from the Egyptians when God brought them out of slavery (Exodus 12:35–36). They were being invited to return a portion of what God had provided and use it for His purposes.

That principle reaches beyond money. God gives us time, abilities, possessions, experience, opportunities, and other resources, and then allows us the privilege of using those things in His work. David later expressed this beautifully when Israel gave toward the future temple: “For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14).

Giving therefore reveals something about our hearts. If we believe everything we possess belongs entirely to us, giving can feel primarily like losing something. But when we recognize YHWH as our Provider, giving becomes an opportunity to participate in what He is doing.

Paul teaches a similar principle in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “God loves a cheerful giver.” He tells believers to give as they have purposed in their hearts, “not grudgingly or under compulsion.” That does not mean Scripture never commands God’s people to give or support His work. Rather, God is interested in more than the transfer of resources. He cares about the heart from which the gift comes.

But the greatest statement in Exodus 25 is the reason for the offering: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” The gold and silver were not the real treasure of the tabernacle. God’s presence was.

This continues the story we have been following throughout Exodus. YHWH heard Israel’s cries in Egypt, delivered them through the Passover, brought them through the sea, provided for them in the wilderness, and established covenant with them at Sinai. Now He announces His desire to dwell among them.

The tabernacle was therefore not simply a religious building project. It was part of God’s plan to live in the midst of His people while also teaching them how sinful people could approach a holy God. That is why God tells Moses to build everything “according to all that I am going to show you.” Israel could contribute willingly, but they could not decide for themselves how God’s dwelling place should be constructed. Their generosity still needed to operate within God’s instruction.

There is a helpful balance here for us. God invites us to participate willingly in His work, but we do not define His work according to our preferences. We bring Him what He has entrusted to us, with willing hearts, and seek to use it according to His purposes.

Ultimately, the question is not merely How much am I giving? A better question is: Am I willing to place what God has given me back into His hands for what He wants to build?

Application

  • Recognize your money, abilities, time, and opportunities as resources YHWH has entrusted to you rather than possessions that exist only for your benefit.
  • Give willingly to God’s purposes rather than allowing generosity to become merely an obligation performed reluctantly.
  • Ask God whether there is something He has already placed in your hands that could be used more intentionally for His work.
  • Remember that the greatest treasure is not what we give to God, but the privilege of knowing Him and living in His presence.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for everything You have placed in my hands. Help me remember that what I possess ultimately comes from You. Give me a willing heart that sees generosity not merely as losing something, but as an opportunity to participate in what You are doing. Show me how You want me to use my time, abilities, resources, and opportunities for Your purposes. Most of all, help me value Your presence above anything I could ever possess or give. 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, Humility, Wise

God’s Wisdom or Our Own? (Ecclesiastes 7:23-29)

Why do we so often believe our way is better than God’s?

Key Verse:

“Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.” — Ecclesiastes 7:29 (NASB)

Background Context:

As Solomon concludes Ecclesiastes 7, he reflects on the limits of human wisdom. Despite all his searching, observing, and learning, he honestly admits that some things remain beyond his understanding. Even the wisest man who ever lived recognized that human wisdom has its limits.

Yet after all his searching, Solomon arrives at one clear conclusion. The problem is not with God’s design or His wisdom. God created mankind upright, but humanity has continually chosen to pursue its own plans instead of trusting His.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Ecclesiastes 7:23-29

   23I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. 24What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it? 25I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness. 26And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

      27“Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, 28which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these. 29“Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

Reflection on Ecclesiastes 7:23–29:

Solomon begins this passage with a remarkable confession:

“I said, ‘I will be wise,’ but it was far from me. What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?” (Ecclesiastes 7:23–24)

These words remind us that no matter how much knowledge we gain, there will always be things that belong to God alone. Human wisdom is valuable, but it is not limitless. There are questions only the Creator can answer and truths that can only be understood as He reveals them.

That realization should produce humility rather than frustration. We live in a culture that often assumes every problem can be solved through human intelligence, scientific advancement, or personal insight. Solomon certainly valued wisdom, yet he recognized that human understanding can never replace dependence upon God.

After describing his diligent search for wisdom, Solomon reaches this conclusion:

“God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

The contrast is striking. God created humanity to walk in His ways. His design was good, His wisdom was perfect, and His instructions were given for our good. The problem is not that God failed to provide what we needed. The problem is that people continually seek their own way instead of His.

This pattern began in the Garden of Eden. God gave Adam and Eve everything they needed and one simple command to obey. Yet the serpent tempted them to believe that God’s wisdom was somehow lacking and that they could determine good and evil for themselves. Ever since then, humanity has repeated the same mistake—trusting our own understanding above God’s.

Proverbs echoes this truth:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5–6)

Notice the contrast. Solomon says humanity has sought out its own schemes, while Proverbs calls us to trust the Lord instead of leaning on our own understanding. One path leads away from God’s wisdom; the other leads us back to it.

Isaiah likewise reminds us:

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'” (Isaiah 55:8–9)

Following God requires humility. It means acknowledging that His wisdom is greater than ours, even when we do not fully understand His ways.

As followers of Yeshua, we are called to that same humble trust. Jesus did not come merely to give us more information or better philosophy. He calls us to follow Him, to deny ourselves, and to walk in the ways of our heavenly Father. Rather than inventing our own path, we are invited to walk in the one God has already established.

Ecclesiastes reminds us that wisdom does not begin with believing we have all the answers. It begins with recognizing that God does. The more we trust His wisdom above our own, the straighter our path becomes.

Application:

  • Humbly acknowledge that God’s wisdom is greater than your own.
  • Examine areas where you may be relying on your own understanding instead of God’s Word.
  • Ask the Lord to help you recognize and abandon your own “schemes” in favor of His ways.
  • Trust God’s direction even when you cannot see the whole picture.
  • Seek wisdom with humility, knowing that true understanding begins with trusting the Lord.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your perfect wisdom and for creating us to walk in Your ways. Forgive me for the times I have relied on my own understanding instead of trusting You. Help me to lay aside my own plans whenever they conflict with Your will and to walk humbly in the path You have prepared for me. Give me a teachable heart that seeks Your wisdom above my own, and strengthen my faith to trust You even when I do not 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.

Holy, Humility, Seeking God, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

The Holiness of God (Exodus 19:16-25)

How often do we pause to consider the holiness of the God we worship?

Key Verse:

“So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.” —Exodus 19:16 NASB

Background Context:

After several days of preparation, the long-awaited moment finally arrived. The Lord descended upon Mount Sinai in fire, accompanied by thunder, lightning, thick clouds, smoke, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet. The mountain shook violently as God’s presence descended upon it, and the people trembled before Him.

This dramatic scene prepared Israel to receive God’s covenant and the Ten Commandments in the following chapter. Before God gave His instruction, He revealed His holiness and majesty so that His people would understand who was speaking to them.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 19:16-25

   16So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

The LORD Visits Sinai

      18Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. 20The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. 22“Also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, or else the LORD will break out against them.” 23Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it.’” 24Then the LORD said to him, “Go down and come up again, you and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, or He will break forth upon them.” 25So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Reflection on Exodus 19:16–25:

The description of God’s appearance at Mount Sinai is unlike anything else in Scripture. Thunder roared. Lightning flashed across the sky. Smoke covered the mountain like a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. The sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder until the people could do nothing but stand in awe before the Lord.

These signs were not intended merely to impress Israel.

They revealed the holiness and majesty of God.

Throughout Scripture, God’s holiness sets Him apart from everything He has created. He is perfect in righteousness, completely pure, and utterly unlike sinful humanity. When people encounter even a glimpse of His glory, their first response is often humble reverence.

Isaiah experienced this when he saw the Lord seated upon His throne.

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts… Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined!'” (Isaiah 6:3–5)

Likewise, when Peter witnessed the miraculous catch of fish, he fell before Yeshua and said,

“Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8)

The closer we come to God, the more clearly we recognize both His holiness and our need for His grace.

Another important lesson from Sinai is that God alone determines how people may approach Him. The boundaries around the mountain were not arbitrary restrictions. They reminded Israel that sinful humanity cannot casually enter the presence of a holy God.

This truth runs throughout the Bible. Nadab and Abihu would later learn the danger of approaching God according to their own ideas rather than His instruction (Leviticus 10:1–3). Even King Uzzah lost his life when he handled the Ark contrary to God’s commands (2 Samuel 6:6–7). These accounts remind us that God’s holiness is never to be treated lightly.

Yet the story does not end at Sinai.

One of the beautiful themes of Scripture is that the God who descended upon Mount Sinai also made a way for His people to draw near. Through Yeshua, the barrier created by sin has been removed.

The writer of Hebrews intentionally contrasts Sinai with the New Covenant:

“For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched… But you have come to Mount Zion… and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.” (Hebrews 12:18–24)

What an incredible privilege.

Israel stood at the foot of the mountain and was told not to come near.

Through Messiah, we are invited to draw near with confidence because He has borne our sin and become our great High Priest.

But notice what Hebrews concludes:

“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28–29)

God’s holiness has not changed.

What has changed is our access to Him through Christ.

That truth should never make us casual in our worship. Instead, it should fill us with even greater gratitude. The holy God who caused Mount Sinai to tremble now invites us into His presence through His Son.

May we never lose our sense of wonder.

May we approach Him with confidence because of Yeshua, but always with the reverence and awe that His holiness deserves.

Application:

  • Take time to reflect on God’s holiness as well as His love.
  • Approach worship with reverence, gratitude, and humility.
  • Thank God that through Yeshua you have access to His presence.
  • Remember that God’s holiness calls us to pursue lives that honor Him.
  • Let your awe of God deepen your worship and strengthen your obedience.

Closing Prayer:

Father, You are holy, righteous, and worthy of all honor and praise. Thank You that although I could never approach You on my own, You have made a way through Yeshua to come into Your presence with confidence. Help me never to lose my sense of awe before You. Teach me to worship You with reverence, humility, and gratitude, and let my life reflect the holiness to which You have called 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.

Humility, Purposeful / Intentional, Teachable, Wise

Wise Leaders Welcome Godly Counsel (Exodus 18:13-27)

Are we humble enough to receive wise counsel, even when it means changing the way we have always done things?

Key Verse:
“Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you.” —Exodus 18:19a NASB

Background Context:
After rejoicing over God’s faithfulness to Israel, Jethro observed Moses carrying the enormous responsibility of judging every dispute among the people. From morning until evening, Moses alone listened to every case. Seeing the burden this placed on Moses and the people alike, Jethro lovingly offered wise counsel. Rather than becoming defensive, Moses listened, sought God’s will, and implemented a better system of leadership.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 18:13-27

      13It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. 14Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” 15Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16“When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

Jethro Counsels Moses

      17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. 18“You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 19“Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, 20then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. 21“Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 22“Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23“If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

      24So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 26They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. 27Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land.

Reflection:

One of the most remarkable qualities of Moses in this passage is not his leadership—it is his humility.

Moses was God’s chosen leader. He had witnessed the burning bush, confronted Pharaoh, led Israel through the Red Sea, and spoken directly with the Lord. Yet when Jethro observed his leadership and said, “The thing that you are doing is not good” (Exodus 18:17), Moses did not become offended or defensive.

Instead, he listened.

That takes humility.

Sometimes the hardest advice to receive is not criticism from an enemy, but loving correction from someone who genuinely cares about us. Pride resists correction because it assumes we already know the best way. Humility recognizes that God often uses other people to help us grow.

The book of Proverbs repeatedly teaches this principle.

“Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.” (Proverbs 11:14)

And again:

“Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)

Wise counsel is one of God’s gifts. It protects us from unnecessary burdens, blind spots, and poor decisions.

Jethro also recognized something Moses did not fully appreciate: no one person is meant to carry every burden alone.

He warned Moses:

“You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.” (Exodus 18:18)

God never intended healthy leadership to depend upon one exhausted individual doing everything. Instead, Jethro advised Moses to appoint capable, trustworthy men to share the responsibility, while Moses focused on teaching God’s statutes and seeking the Lord on behalf of the people.

This was not abandoning responsibility.

It was stewarding responsibility wisely.

Many of us struggle with this lesson. Sometimes we hesitate to delegate because we think no one else can do the job as well. Other times we simply find it easier to continue carrying every responsibility ourselves. Yet refusing to share responsibilities often leads to exhaustion, frustration, and even discouragement.

The New Testament echoes this same principle. Paul describes the church as one body with many members, each gifted differently for the work God has given them (1 Corinthians 12:12–27). No single believer possesses every gift or carries every responsibility. God designed His people to work together.

Likewise, Galatians 6:2 encourages us:

“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

Healthy leadership is not about doing everything ourselves.

It is about equipping others to serve alongside us.

Notice also that Jethro’s counsel was deeply rooted in God’s priorities. Moses was not simply told to reduce his workload. He was instructed to devote himself to the tasks only he could fulfill—teaching God’s Word, representing the people before God, and helping them understand how to walk according to His instruction.

The same principle applies today. God has entrusted each of us with unique responsibilities. While we should faithfully fulfill those responsibilities, we should also recognize that He often accomplishes His work through the gifts and service of others.

Finally, Moses provides a wonderful example for every leader.

He listened.

He learned.

He changed.

Exodus simply tells us:

“So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said.” (Exodus 18:24)

What a beautiful testimony.

May we have hearts that are just as teachable.

Application:

  • Welcome wise, biblical counsel instead of becoming defensive.
  • Recognize that humility is a strength, not a weakness.
  • Ask God to reveal responsibilities that should be shared with others.
  • Encourage and equip others to use the gifts God has given them.
  • Remember that healthy leadership seeks God’s wisdom and works together with His people.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for placing wise people in my life who encourage, challenge, and strengthen me. Give me a humble heart that welcomes godly counsel and is willing to change when needed. Help me not to carry burdens You intended to be shared, and teach me to trust others as we work together for Your kingdom. May my leadership always reflect humility, wisdom, and dependence upon 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.

Faith / Trusting God, Help / Serve Others, Humility, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness

Victory Comes from the Lord (Exodus 17)

Where do we place our confidence when we face life’s battles—our own strength or the strength of the Lord?

Key Verse:
“So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.” —Exodus 17:11 NASB

Background Context:
After God miraculously provided water from the rock at Rephidim, Israel immediately faced another challenge. This time the trial did not come through thirst, but through an attack from the Amalekites. Joshua led the army into battle while Moses stood on the hill overlooking the battlefield with the staff of God in his hand. As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed. When he grew weary and lowered them, Amalek began to gain the advantage. Aaron and Hur then stood beside Moses, supporting his hands until sunset, and Israel won the battle.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 17

Water in the Rock

      1Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. 2Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” 3But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me.” 5Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6“Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7He named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us, or not?”

Amalek Fought

8Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. 9So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. 13So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

      14Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner; 16and he said, “The LORD has sworn; the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.”

Reflection:

One of the first lessons this passage teaches is that God’s people should expect opposition. Israel had barely experienced God’s miraculous provision before they encountered an enemy. Following God does not mean we will never face difficulties. In fact, Scripture often shows the opposite. The Lord faithfully leads His people through trials while demonstrating His power and faithfulness along the way.

The outcome of this battle did not ultimately depend upon Israel’s military strength. Joshua and the soldiers fought faithfully, but the victory belonged to the Lord. Moses, standing on the hill with the staff of God, reminded everyone that their confidence was not in swords or strategy but in God’s power.

David would later express this same truth when he wrote:

“Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.” (Psalm 20:7)

Likewise, Zechariah declared:

“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

God often calls us to work diligently while remembering that He alone gives the victory.

Another beautiful lesson is found in Aaron and Hur. Moses grew tired. He was faithful, but he was still human. Rather than criticizing him or leaving him to struggle alone, Aaron and Hur came alongside him. They placed a stone beneath him to sit upon and held up his hands until the battle was won.

This is a wonderful picture of the body of believers. God never intended for us to walk through life’s battles alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 reminds us:

“Two are better than one… For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.”

Likewise, Paul encourages believers:

“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Sometimes we are Joshua, fighting faithfully in the valley.

Sometimes we are Moses, growing weary under the weight of responsibility.

Sometimes we are Aaron or Hur, strengthening someone else whose hands have grown tired.

Each role is important, and each contributes to God’s work.

Finally, after the victory, Moses built an altar and named it “The LORD is My Banner” (Yahweh Nissi). A banner identified an army and served as a rallying point for its soldiers. Moses understood that Israel’s identity and victory were found in the Lord alone. He deserved the glory because He had provided the victory.

The same remains true for us today. Whether we face spiritual battles, personal trials, health concerns, family struggles, or seasons of uncertainty, our hope is not found in our own abilities. We faithfully do our part while trusting that the Lord is our Banner, our Defender, and our source of strength.

When we grow weary, let us remember to look to Him—and let us also remember to come alongside one another, encouraging and strengthening our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Application:

  • Trust God rather than your own strength when facing life’s battles.
  • Remember that faithful effort and dependence upon God go hand in hand.
  • Be willing to support and encourage fellow believers when they grow weary.
  • Humbly accept help from others when you need it.
  • Give God the glory for every victory He provides.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for reminding me that every victory ultimately comes from You. Help me not to rely upon my own strength but to trust in Your power and Your faithfulness. When I grow weary, send others to encourage me, and help me to recognize opportunities to strengthen those around me. May my life always point others to You, my Banner, my Defender, and my source of hope. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

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

John Golda

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