TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! - Philippians 4:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
When John Donne, a seventeenth-century English pastor and poet, fell seriously ill in the days of the Black Plague, he was sure he was going to die. A prayer he wrote at the time (as edited by Philip Yancey) concludes, “I see your hand upon me now, O Lord, and I ask not why it comes or what it intends. Whether you will bid my soul to stay in this body for some time, or meet you this day in paradise, I ask not. Curiosity of mind tempts me to know, but my true healing lies in silent and absolute obedience to your will, even before I know it. Preserve that obedience, O my God, and that will preserve me to you; that, when you have catechized me with affliction here, I may take a greater degree, and serve you in a higher place, in your kingdom of joy and glory. Amen.”

Under the most harrowing of circumstances, John Donne did what Paul commanded in today’s reading–he took his anxieties to God’s throne of grace. If you’ve been a Christian for awhile, you may have memorized today’s reading at one time or another. But it’s all too easy to ignore or forget these verses.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today, apply Philippians 4:6 to your own situation. That is, take whatever is currently causing you anxiety or worry and turn it over to the Lord in prayer. “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Then you’ll be able to say with the psalmist, “When I said, 'My foot is slipping,’ your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” (Ps. 94:18–19).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 5:1-14
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! - Revelation 5:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
“Your only Son, no sin to hide,” sang Twila Paris in “Lamb of God.” “But you have sent Him from your side to walk upon this guilty sod and to become the Lamb of God . . . Your gift of love, they crucified. They laughed and scorned Him as He died. The humble King, they named a fraud and sacrificed the Lamb of God. O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God, I love the holy Lamb of God. O wash me in His precious blood, my Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.”

In the last days, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God and Lion of Judah, will stand before His Father’s throne, ready to break the seven seals and usher in the end of history. Our purpose today is not to explore the symbolisms or meanings of this passage, but to focus on the prayer and praise that occurs here. Revelation provides excellent guidance for our prayers–what the angels, people, and others say, shout, and sing in heaven in this book can indeed instruct and encourage us.

The four living creatures and twenty-four elders began the praise. Their song expanded outward as thousands upon thousands of angels joined the second verse, then all of creation thundered out the grand finale. It’s the grandest concert creation has ever seen!

Their theme remains constant: Christ’s worthiness. He is worthy to reveal and execute God’s plan for the end times because of the redemption He bought for us with His blood. He saved us “from every tribe and language and people and nation” both to reign and to serve. He is worthy of all honor and glory and praise forever, superlative upon superlative, as far and as fast as tongues can express them (cf. Phil. 2:9-11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Perhaps beginning with the Twila Paris song cited at the top of this devotion, go ahead and include several hymns or choruses in your devotional time today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 19:1-10
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come. - Revelation 19:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the early 1900s, James Fraser, a missionary to China, wrote about the importance of prayer in world missions. “I am feeling more and more that it is after all just the prayer of God’s people that calls down blessing upon the work, whether they are directly engaged in it or not. Paul may plant and Apollos water, but it is God who gives the increase, and this increase can be brought down from heaven by believing prayer, whether offered in China or England. If this be so, then Christians at home can do as much for foreign missions as those actually on the field. I believe it will only be known on the last day how much has been accomplished in missionary work by the prayers of earnest believers at home.”

On that day, believers will celebrate at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, and there will be people there from every language and tribe and nation shouting, “Hallelujah!” Did you know the “Hallelujahs” in today’s reading are the only four recorded in the entire New Testament? Derived from Hebrew, the term simply means “Praise the Lord.” It’s also found in the Psalms, of course, especially Psalms 113 through 118. Often referred to as the Hallel Psalms, these are likely what Jesus and His disciples sang after the Last Supper. How fitting that “Hallelujahs” will ring out again at His Wedding Supper!

In these “Hallelujahs,” a great multitude glorified God for His just and sovereign judgments, particularly His judgment in the previous chapter on “Babylon” for its wickedness, idolatry, and persecution of God’s people. With this great evil destroyed, it will be time to celebrate!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What are you most looking forward to about heaven? Tell God as part of your praise time today! Of course, seeing Him face-to-face and dwelling in His presence will be the greatest joy, but no doubt you’re also looking forward to seeing your loved ones again, or meeting King David, finally coming to perfect spiritual understanding, or something along these lines. It’s comforting to know this promise: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read:  1 Thessalonians 5:1-18
Pray continually. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
A little more than three years ago, someone bought a ticket in the Mega-bucks lottery in Massachusetts. The number picked turned out to be the winner of $4.6 million! Yet this person never showed up to claim their prize, and the ticket expired after one year.

The money was already there; it belonged to the person who had the right ticket, it just needed to be claimed. But he or she did nothing and so received nothing. In the same way, the treasure of prayer is already ours–it belongs to us by virtue of our faith in Jesus Christ–it just needs to be claimed. Seen from this perspective, to neglect prayer is spiritual foolishness of the highest order!

When we develop a lifestyle of prayer, we tap into the inexhaustible riches of the God who sovereignly rules the universe and loves us personally. Our final reading this month is a short one with three clear points which we would do well to meditate on and allow to guide our inner lives: Always rejoice. Always pray. Always give thanks. No buts, no conditions, no exceptions. As the Nike commercials used to say, “Just do it.”

Why? Because “this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (v. 18). In our humanness, we often make the question of “finding God’s will for ourlives” too complicated or subtle. Here’s a piece of it, plain and simple: Always rejoice. Always pray. Always give thanks. We should spend our lives pursuing this will of God, making choices which orient our thoughts, words, and actions to joy, prayer, and gratitude. Prayer is at the core of an intimate walk with God, and abiding there is the true and only source of lasting joy, which inevitably yields forth thankfulness for God’s blessings.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we wrap up this month’s study of Prayer: A Life of Wisdom, take a look back at “Today Along the Way” for November 1. What personal prayer goals did you discover or did the Spirit put on your heart?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 52
I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. - Psalm 52:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
God protects His people. During the plagues visited on Pharaoh, the Egyptians suffered from swarms of flies, but the Israelite slaves in Goshen were spared. The Egyptians' livestock died from disease, but the Israelites' livestock did not fall sick. And so it went through to the final plague, when the Egyptians' firstborn died, but not those of Israelites who put lambs' blood on their doorposts. God said: “I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live . . . so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people” (Ex. 8:22-23).

God judges the proud and protects those faithful to Him, as we also learn in today's reading. The occasion for the psalm was a time when Saul was trying to capture and kill David. Doeg was one of Saul's servants, the chief shepherd, and in the episode referred to he coldbloodedly slaughtered 85 priests and an entire town, including infants (1 Sam. 22).

Most likely thinking of Doeg in these circumstances, David described the character (vv. 1-4) and fate (vv. 5-7) of the evil person. He's boastful, slanderous, deceitful, and destructive. His tongue is “like a sharpened razor” (v. 2). Wrong actions are not unfortunate mistakes, but a result of actually loving evil rather than good. No wonder he's a “disgrace in the eyes of God,” no wonder “God will bring [him] down to everlasting ruin”! He'll become an object lesson for the righteous, a reminder of how God handles those who trust in wrong things and do wrong actions.

By contrast with the uprooted tree (v. 5), a righteous person is like a thriving olive tree (vv. 8-9). Olive trees, which can live for centuries, here and elsewhere in Scripture symbolize well-being and prosperity. Most important, this “olive tree” puts his faith in the Lord and His lovingkindness, rejoicing in Him rather than boasting in self.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In today's psalm, a righteous person is pictured as a flourishing tree (v. 8; cf. Ps. 92:12-15). Psalm 1:3 makes a similar comparison, speaking of “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.” As a concrete way of meditating on this biblical picture, we encourage you to plant a tree—one appropriate to your climate and the season—in your yard or in your neighborhood. As you care for it and watch it grow, use it as a reminder of God's gardening in your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 2:1-20
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. - Luke 1:68
TODAY IN THE WORD
One of the best parts of the Advent season is the rich legacy of Christmas carols. Consider the following line from a popular carol: “O little town of Bethlehem! How still we see thee lie . . . Yet in thy dark street shineth, the everlasting light; The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”

The angel expresses a similar expectation in verse 10. Most of us are probably familiar with this verse, but it’s worth reminding ourselves why exactly this is good news–after all, many people today don’t believe that they need a savior.

The entire Bible is the single story of human beings lost in rebellion against their Creator and of that Creator’s great love for His people. The angel’s good news is that the birth of Jesus is God’s answer to the desperate condition of every human being. God’s good news of salvation is the hope of all peoples and all tribes, regardless of where they are located or what language they speak. As the angel proclaims, this good news is “for all the people.”

Our study this month will trace the wisdom of God’s good news for all the nations, beginning with humanity’s fall and ending with ceaseless worship of the multitude before His eternal throne. We will look at key passages that show the depth and glory of God’s love for humanity, which is fully expressed in Jesus Christ. In our study, we’ll see that even though God often works through one person, such as Abraham, or one nation, such as Israel, His offer of salvation has always been intended for all the peoples of the world.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In Luke 2:11, we find the three titles of Jesus all together: He is the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. Using a Bible dictionary or a concordance, look up each of these titles and write out a brief definition of each. Take note especially of what these titles meant in the Old Testament and how they are fulfilled in Jesus. Then take some time to reflect on what each means for you personally. What has Jesus saved you from? How is Jesus Lord in your life?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 2:1-20
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. - Luke 1:68
TODAY IN THE WORD
One of the best parts of the Advent season is the rich legacy of Christmas carols. Consider the following line from a popular carol: “O little town of Bethlehem! How still we see thee lie . . . Yet in thy dark street shineth, the everlasting light; The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”

The angel expresses a similar expectation in verse 10. Most of us are probably familiar with this verse, but it’s worth reminding ourselves why exactly this is good news–after all, many people today don’t believe that they need a savior.

The entire Bible is the single story of human beings lost in rebellion against their Creator and of that Creator’s great love for His people. The angel’s good news is that the birth of Jesus is God’s answer to the desperate condition of every human being. God’s good news of salvation is the hope of all peoples and all tribes, regardless of where they are located or what language they speak. As the angel proclaims, this good news is “for all the people.”

Our study this month will trace the wisdom of God’s good news for all the nations, beginning with humanity’s fall and ending with ceaseless worship of the multitude before His eternal throne. We will look at key passages that show the depth and glory of God’s love for humanity, which is fully expressed in Jesus Christ. In our study, we’ll see that even though God often works through one person, such as Abraham, or one nation, such as Israel, His offer of salvation has always been intended for all the peoples of the world.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In Luke 2:11, we find the three titles of Jesus all together: He is the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. Using a Bible dictionary or a concordance, look up each of these titles and write out a brief definition of each. Take note especially of what these titles meant in the Old Testament and how they are fulfilled in Jesus. Then take some time to reflect on what each means for you personally. What has Jesus saved you from? How is Jesus Lord in your life?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 3:1-24
He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. - Genesis 3:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
The success of J. R. R. Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings series is phenomenal. To date, his books have sold millions of copies, and the three recent movies based on these books were huge box office successes. People love a good compelling story, and Tolkein’s is one of the best. But even this masterpiece pales in comparison with the greatest story ever told–the story of God’s redemption of fallen humanity and His utter defeat of evil through His Son Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1–2 tells us that in the beginning, God created the heavens, the earth, and all living creatures. The emphasis is on God, who alone created the universe and is qualified to rule over it.

Equally amazing, however, is that humanity is the climax of God’s creation. God intended for men and women to worship Him and to cultivate the garden in which He had placed them. It’s essential to grasp God’s great purposes for humanity; otherwise it’s hard to understand why God would go to such lengths to redeem humanity.

In Genesis 3, we see that God alone knows the difference between good and evil. God’s prohibition concerning the tree in the garden was intended to protect Adam and Eve from knowledge that created beings could not bear. But the serpent tempted Eve with the very thing that had ruined him–the desire to be like God (v. 5). The results were disastrous. Adam and Eve experienced shame (v. 7), alienation from God (v. , and deception (v. 12). Eventually they would suffer death as well. But notice that the serpent was cursed (v. 14), not Adam and Eve. Although there were consequences for their rebellion, Adam and Eve actually received a promise–that an offspring would crush the head of the serpent.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
There are many distorted views of humanity around. Some claim that humans are just the result of random mutations. Others claim that a person ceases to exist at death. Yet the Bible presents a high view of humanity. Genesis 3 shows that God provides a way of redemption for humans, but not for the serpent.

In other words, God reveals that the climax of His creation, humanity, is worth saving. This doesn’t mean that we somehow deserve this great gift; instead, it shows the depths of God’s grace and mercy.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 6:1-9; 9:8-17
[God] protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others. - 2 Peter 2:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Anthropologists note that many peoples have some great flood legend. In his book, Eternity in Their Hearts, Don Richardson tells about the Santal people of southern India. Nineteenth-century missionaries were amazed by a legend about a holy couple who escaped destruction when the god Thakur Jiu sent a great flood to destroy wicked humanity. This remarkable account suggests possible residual memory of Noah and the flood.

Genesis 6 is actually the culmination of a long spiral into sin that begins with Abel’s murder (Gen. 4). Next we find the arrogant and evil Lamech, who is far worse than Cain. By the time we get to Genesis 6, unspeakable evil is taking place. We don’t really know who the Nephilim were, but clearly normal society was breaking down and people’s actions were perverse with evil results.

The Flood is both judgment and promise. We often think of Noah as only an ark builder, but Peter calls him a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). With a hammer in one hand, Noah was also urging repentance. But most people refused to listen and, for them, the Flood was judgment. But for Noah and his family, the Flood provided a fresh start. In the midst of corruption and violence, Noah and his family alone obeyed God. Hebrews 11:7 says that Noah became “heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

After the Flood, Noah and his sons built an altar to the Lord (Gen. 8:20). Genesis 9 records the gracious covenant that God made with Noah and future humanity, promising that never again would the flood waters cover the earth. As a covenant sign, God set His rainbow in the clouds (v. 13). Despite humanity’s depravity, God still intended restoration and redemption for His creation.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like the days before the Flood, many still live as if judgment will never come. Jesus used the example of Noah’s day to point out that people would be unprepared for the Son of Man’s return (Matt. 24:37-39).

But just as God provided a way for Noah and his family to make it through the flood, so also God makes a way to escape His coming wrath through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:18-22). And, like Noah, we are also called to be “preachers of righteousness.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 12:1-8
He said to Abraham, “Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.” - Acts 3:25
TODAY IN THE WORD
Victor Hugo’s Les Mis-rables is the poignant tale of the convict Jean Valjean who, upon his release from prison, finds himself graciously taken in by a godly bishop. Hardened by years of deprivation and crime, Valjean robs the bishop of some silver candlesticks and flees. Later, Valjean is caught and brought back to the bishop. Valjean, anticipating judgment and punishment, is surprised when the bishop graciously gives him the candlesticks. This marks a new beginning in Valjean’s life.

Yesterday we read about the great Flood that came as judgment upon a depraved humanity. If we were to continue in Genesis, we would come to the sad account of the Tower of Babel. As we noted, Genesis 3 to 11 records one long descent into sin. The tower represented the height of human arrogance and rebellion, so it’s surprising to read of God’s gracious call of Abram in Genesis 12. To be sure, the nations were judged for their arrogance, but beyond judgment was God’s grace.

In choosing Abram, God declares his intention to do a brand new thing with humanity. Just as God spoke creation into existence, God begins his great new work of redemption by speaking (vv. 1-3).

No doubt it was very difficult for Abram to leave all he knew in order to go to an unknown place. But this initial command is followed by six statements of what God promises to do for Abram, beginning with making him a great nation and giving him a great name. God also promised to make Abram a blessing to all peoples on the earth. Through this one man, God would extend His grace to the rest of the world.

The call of Abram begins the central story of the Bible, namely, how God will work to redeem lost humanity and to restore His people back to the garden of fellowship with Him.

Over the next few weeks we will trace this story, focusing specifically on how all people of the world have been blessed through this one individual. In the process, we’ll see God’s great love for the entire world.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Noted missions scholar Bruce Winters once said, “Most Christians think that the Bible doesn’t really emphasize missions. They see it as sort of an afterthought that Jesus had at the end of his ministry.”

Have you ever really thought about the Bible's teaching on missions? Today we see that Abraham's call is key to God's plan for the nations. In fact, the Bible's teaching on missions begins right here, in Genesis 12. Be prepared for more surprises from the Old Testament concerning God's heart for all the nations.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 18:16-33
He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Amsterdam's “red light” district is known for its drug addicts and prostitutes. Many try to avoid this part of the city, but for the Christian outreach, Youth with a Mission, this neighborhood was the perfect place to establish a base. Outreach workers frequently go on “prayer walks,” during which they pray against the obvious evil of this district and for the salvation of its residents.

Yesterday we saw that God chose Abraham to bless all the peoples of the earth. Abraham certainly wasn't perfect, and neither were some of his interactions with other nations. For example, when Abraham lied about Sarah in Egypt, great sickness came upon the Pharaoh's household (Gen. 12:10-20). But foreigners, such as Eliezar of Damascus (Gen. 15:2), became part of Abraham's household and shared in God's covenant blessings. Genesis 18 shows that Abraham blessed people around him by praying for them.

When the three divine visitors who announced that Sarah was going to have a son were about to leave, the Lord revealed to Abraham His intentions against Sodom and Gomor-rah (v. 20). No wonder Isaiah 41:8 says that Abraham was the friend of God. Abraham's mercy and justice not only reflect the Lord's work in him, but also show his own heart.

This is the second time that Abraham acted on behalf of Sodom. The first time, he intervened militarily (see Gen. 14:14); this time, he intercedes spiritually. Both times, Abraham is concerned to protect the righteous. At first, the exchange in Genesis 18 sounds more like a business deal than a prayer session! But Abraham's questions show his concern for the entire city, not just Lot and his family. Abraham wants to affirm that Judge of all the earth (v. 25) will do the right thing.

Indeed the Judge of the earth does the right thing, but sadly this meant the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Despite Abraham's prayers, the residents of Sodom were too hardened in their sin. Yet the Lord faithfully rescued Lot and his family, even though it doesn't appear that Lot was a very good witness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Even people who don't read the Bible know that Sodom and Gomorrah are synonymous with wickedness. Given how terrible these places were, Abraham could have felt relief, or even satisfaction, over their judgment. Instead we see that he was grieved because of their impending destruction.

Do we feel grieved when we consider evil around us, knowing that many individuals are facing destruction? Are our hearts moved to intercession for them? Abraham's intercession is a challenging example for us all.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 46:28-47:12; 50:15-21
Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? - Esther 4:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
The story of Esther is the story of God's providence over even the most terrifying circumstances. Esther was an exiled Jew living in the Persian Empire. When Queen Vashti displeased King Xerxes, Esther was the one, chosen from among many beautiful young women, who won the heart of the king and became the new queen. Later, when a plot emerged to kill all the Jews, Esther was used by God to save her people. Today's verse records the wisdom of Esther's uncle Mordecai who saw God's redemptive hand at work.

Joseph is another example of God's sovereignty. After his brothers sold him into slavery, Joseph ended up in an Egyptian prison, through no fault of his own. Later, through a series of providential events, Joseph became the second most powerful person in Pharaoh's Egypt. Behind Joseph's exalted position, however, we see the hand of God, who used Joseph to save the rest of his family. But we must not overlook the fact that Joseph's administration and policies were a blessing to the Egyptians and the other nations who looked to Egypt for help during the seven-year famine (Gen. 41:56-57).

In today's passage, we find Joseph's family in Egypt because of the severity of the famine in Canaan. Goshen was located in northern Egypt and had excellent pasture land, which Jacob and his sons needed. Clearly the concern here is for Jacob and his family, but notice that Jacob blesses the Pharaoh twice (47:7, 10). In this we see a partial fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham, that through him all the families of the world would be blessed.

As the story of Joseph unfolds, we see that God's purposes for bringing Jacob and Joseph's brothers to Egypt also included reuniting the family. Following the death of their father, however, the brothers were fearful that Joseph might take revenge for their earlier mistreatment of him. Instead, we find one of the most remarkable accounts for forgiveness in the Bible. Joseph clearly understood that God used him to bless his family as well as others in Egypt (50:20).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Although the actions of Joseph's brothers were obviously evil, God redeemed the situation and used it to bless many people, both Egyptian and Israelite.

We too may find ourselves in difficult circumstances. But like Joseph, we need to trust God and know that He is in charge. Just as God used Joseph to bless a wide circle of people around him, we never know how God might use our situation. Genesis 50:20 is one of the key verses in the Bible; consider memorizing it this week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 12:1-42
He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son. - Colossians 1:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Gladys Aylward was a British missionary to China, and shortly after her arrival in the 1930s the Japanese invaded China. After the town where she lived was bombed, Japanese soldiers were sent to kill any survivors. Aylward led the survivors, including many children, on a long march through perilous terrain. Miraculously, many survived this harrowing escape and caught the last train for freedom.

There's something very compelling about rescue operations, the greatest of which is surely found in the story of the Exodus. Here we see a pattern of God's redemptive work. Just as He chose one man, Abraham, through whom He would bless all the peoples of the earth, so now He chose this nation, Israel. But before this nation could be a blessing, they would have to be freed.

Exodus 12 is really the climax of the first eleven chapters of Exodus, which record the efforts of Satan to thwart God's redemptive plans and God's sovereignty. The book opens with the cruel plot to crush the Jews through forced labor (1:11), but the Jews continued to increase. Then the Pharaoh ordered the murder of all Jewish baby boys, but God intervened again (1:15-20). The story of Moses' birth (Ex. 2) is an entire rescue operation in itself! God's protection of His people is tied to His covenant promise to Abraham (Ex. 3:13-17).

Exodus 12 describes the final plague. Although this plague was to fall upon every firstborn in Egypt, the Lord provided a substitution for the Israelites: a spotless yearling lamb, whose blood was to be spread on the outside doorframe (v. 7). In this way, the plague would pass over the Israelite households (v. 22).

As we read this account, it can be difficult to see how this was a blessing to the nation Egypt. But notice that many other people, presumably Egyptians, left with the Israelites (v. 38). They likely saw the power of God and wanted to join His people. Keep in mind also that God's purpose for rescuing the Israelites was to make them a great nation that would be a blessing to all the nations around, including Egypt.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's not hard to see how the Passover prefigures our Lord Jesus Christ. Like the sacrificial lamb, whose blood offered protection, His death upon the cross offers salvation.

Luke 4:18 says that Jesus came to set the oppressed free, but the oppression here is not physical bondage to a foreign power, but spiritual bondage to the Evil One. By His death and resurrection, Jesus has made possible the greatest rescue operation in the history of the universe—the rescue of a lost person from the realm of darkness (Col. 1:13).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 18:1-27
We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. - Psalm 78:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Growing up under Communism, Karin Krachova had never heard the gospel. One day in 1995, however, she heard some students at her university describe how God had helped protect them and their families, who were all Chris-tians, during the years when the Communists were still in power. As Karin listened, she began to wonder if there really might be a God. Months later, through her friendship with these students, Karin became a Christian herself.

In Exodus 18, we find another individual, Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, who was profoundly impacted by hearing what God had done in the lives of others. Somehow word of the Lord's victory over Egypt spread to Jethro, just as it spread to Rahab (as we'll see in tomorrow's study).

Sometime after Moses had returned to Egypt, he sent his Midianite wife, Zipporah, and his sons back to his father-in-law's place. It's possible that Zipporah told her father about the events of the Exodus, but the Bible is not clear about this, nor about why and when Zipporah and the sons returned to Midian. What is clear is that Jethro was eager to see Moses again. Both Rahab and the nations mentioned in Exodus 15:14-16 were terrified by this news, but Jethro rejoiced to hear “everything that the Lord had done for Moses and his peo-ple” (v. 1) and sought out Moses.

After Jethro heard first hand from Moses of the Lord's faithfulness, he praised God and confessed that “the Lord is greater than all other gods” (v. 11). Jethro learned from the account of the plagues and the Exodus what the Egyptians were intended to learn, namely that there is only one true God. And Jethro praised and worshiped the Lord. This account gives us a good insight into God's plan for the nations as they hear all that He has done.

It is perhaps ironic that Jethro, a Midianite, had a better grasp of what God had done for the Israelites than they themselves had. Exodus 16 and 17 record the constant grumbling of those who were eyewitnesses of the remarkable events of the Exodus!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Too often Christians say they don't know how to share their faith. But what many Christians don't realize is that one of the most powerful ways to share the gospel is simply to tell what God has done.

Of course, it's vital to know the gospel essentials—namely, that Jesus paid the price for sin and must be confessed as Lord and Savior. But sharing the good news often means declaring what He has done for us, by bringing about our own Exodus from the bondage of sin and darkness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Joshua 2:1-24
Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, . . . and she lives among the Israelites to this day. - Joshua 6:25
TODAY IN THE WORD
Christian music artist, Wendy Talbot, has a beautiful song, “Lady of the Night,” in which the Lord declares to Rahab, “Rahab, rise, I know who you can be, and I will call you a lady of the light.” God saw who Rahab would become, not who she was before she heard Him.

Like Jethro, the news of the Lord's deeds in Egypt and the conquest of Canaan had reached Jericho. But unlike Jethro, Rahab and Jericho's residents were terrified. Yet like Jethro, Rahab came to acknowledge the Lord and seek His favor.

The spies were sent to find any weakness in the heavily fortified city of Jericho, even though God had already promised to give them the land. There's a bit of humor in this account, for while the spies are hiding at Rahab's, she is the one who declares the faithfulness and power of God! After their encounter with her, however, they gain confidence that the Lord is indeed delivering the land into their hand, despite their own apparent fears (see Josh. 1).

When we first read about the conquest, it doesn't seem like a blessing to the nations, especially the conquered ones. But we need to keep a few things in mind. First, these nations could have responded as Jethro and Rahab did, and indeed, there may have been other individuals who acknowledged the Lord God. Second, the wickedness of these nations was great and many refused to acknowledge God as the Creator. So, the conquest was intended to drive out evil from the land. We must also remember that the focus at this point in redemptive history is on establishing Israel as a great nation, from which the covenant promises could go forth.

As we look at Rahab, however, we see clear evidence of God's redemptive hand. Because of her faith, Rahab became incorporated into God's people. Later we find out that King David was a descendant of Rahab (Matt. 1:5-6). Eventually this line led to Jesus Christ! Moreover, in Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25 Rahab is held up as an example of faith.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If we were writing the Bible, we probably wouldn't include a prostitute like Rahab! But thankfully the Lord's ways aren't our ways, because His ways are always about redemption, regardless of initial appearances.

Rahab's story is encouraging at many levels. First, we see God's faithfulness to reveal Himself, even in ways that are difficult to explain. Rahab responded in faith to second-hand reports of what the Lord was doing. Second, we see that there is no one who cannot be reached and used by the Lord.