Today’s Bible Reading
February 12

Old Testament 1
Exodus 1:1 -2:22

[{1:12} But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. {1:13} And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: {1:14} And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, [was] with rigour.

{1:20} Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. {1:21} And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.]

God rewards those who fear Him.

[{2:14} And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?

{2:16} Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew [water,] and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. {2:17} And the shepherds came and drove them

away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. {2:18} And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How [is it that] ye are come so soon to day?]

Gender discrimination did not start today. Jethro had seven daughters and they usually come back late from where they fetch water from well because the other shepherds used to bully them. But Moses helped them and with that act Moses got helped and he had a place to stay for several years.

We should stand in for those that are bullied. When we are silent when others are oppressed, we are complicit. Our silence means we support oppression. We shouldn’t say that we can’t do anything. Speaking up for those that are bullied is another way of showing we love our neighbor. Moses helped the priest's daughters and that act got him a place to stay for free for several years. He got married and had children.

Sometimes, the help we need is attached to the help we render to others.

And this is not to encourage helping with the mindset of receiving help. Help freely. The truth is it’s not every help you render that will be rewarded immediately or directly, so if you help with the mindset of getting help and you don’t, you get discouraged. So help freely, help because God commands it, and help because you have God’s expression of love.

If you noticed, Moses always had the habit of helping. He helped the Israelite who was tortured, and when he tried to separate two Israelites fighting, his help almost got him into trouble, but the experience didn’t stop Moses from helping in the future. In fact if he didn’t try to separate the Isrealites fighting, he wouldn’t know people already know the secret he was hiding that could get him killed.


Old Testament 2
Psalm 31

No matter the evil plans of the wicked ones towards us we should be courageous and trust God. He has everything under control and He will fight for us and deliver us.


New Testament
Matthew 27:45-66

The Veil Was Torn in Two

The Gospel writers tell us that, directly after the death of Jesus, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The meaning of the veil’s tearing is wrapped up in its old-covenant function to separate the Israelites from the direct presence of God. Matthew in particular narrates the tearing of the veil in a way that reveals its epoch-turning significance. Because Jesus has died on the cross, the gates to God’s presence are open, and the age of the new covenant has dawned.

Generally, this veil served to separate the holy place from the holy of holies (Exodus 26:33) and shielded the atonement slate1 of the ark (Exodus 26:34). The veil was also used to cover the ark of the testimony while in transport (Numbers 4:5). Sin offerings were made against the veil (Leviticus 4:6, 17), and entry behind it was permitted only for a ritually pure priest, Aaron or a descendent, who would enter behind the curtain on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2, 12, 15)

What Did the Veil Do?

The crucial element here is this: all this is accomplished by the death of Jesus, a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28), whose blood accomplishes the forgiveness of sins and establishes the new covenant (Matthew 26:28). But Matthew insists that it is only the “pure in heart” who will see God (Matthew 5:8; cf. Psalm 24:4). So Matthew seems to imply what writers like Paul make explicit: the death of Jesus accomplishes the forgiveness of sins and establishes the (imputed) righteousness of the believer (e.g., Philippians 3:9). (Remember that the Gospels were written for Christians who were already converted and knew something of the gospel message; cf. Luke 1:1–4.)

Celebrating Access to the Father

The veil was a physical, visible barrier indicating that access to God was strictly prohibited because of his holiness. It is imperative to remember that the holiness of God remains unchanged from all eternity — even after the veil is torn. What has changed, then, is that the atoning death of Jesus on the cross has provided the appropriate wrath-bearing sacrifice, one which the bulls and goats of the old covenant could not provide (Hebrews 10:4).

The author of Hebrews expounds on this very clearly: “we have confidence to enter the holy places” (Hebrews 10:19), and this is accomplished by the blood of Jesus. This is the “new and living way” (Hebrews 10:20) that Christ opened for us through the veil, which, the author says, is through his flesh. This means that the breaking of Jesus’s body at the crucifixion is the unprecedented means by which believers have access to the presence of God. This, coupled with the priesthood of Christ (Hebrews 10:21), forms the basis of the author’s exhortation to believers: draw near to God (Hebrews 10:22), hold unwaveringly to our confession of faith (Hebrews 10:23), stir one another up to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24), and continually meet together to encourage one another in the faith (Hebrews 10:25). As we approach Easter, we recall and celebrate what Christ has done for us on the cross, and heed the exhortation to meet habitually in church for corporate worship and exhortation to hold fast to “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

[Article by Daniel M. Gurtner]

Dan Gurtner, professor of New Testament interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,

For more exposition on this, visit www.desiringgod.org


Action Point

Make it a habit to help people

Keep trusting God


Quote


“we can't help everyone but everyone can help someone”

-Ronald Reagan

 

“Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person.”

“Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we're on our knees but while we're on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us”

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“For more important than looking and searching for God's will is simply knowing and trusting God.”

-David Platt

Prayer

1. Thank God for seen and unseen battles He is fighting for you daily

2. Thank Jesus for coming to die for your sin

3. Come boldly before the throne of Grace and ask for mercy

4. Pray for the Grace to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life

5. Pray not to lose your confidence in God

6. Pray for the strength to carry on

7. Pray for the will and the ability to help others

8. Pray that the effort to curb gender discrimination be fruitful and as many that are still ignorant about it that God should give them knowledge and understanding so that they will join in the fight against gender discrimination

9. Pray for those that are yet to come to the knowledge of Truth of Jesus Christ that they repent and surrender their lives to Jesus


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