Moses and Miriam Lead in Praise

September 29, 2024 Background Scripture: Exodus 14:21 -31; 15:1 - 21 Lesson Passage: Exodus 15:1 3, 11 - 13, 17, 18, 20, 21 There's nothing like an awe-inspiring deliverance by the Lord to evoke a praise response from His children. As far as biblical history is concerned, few deliverances compare to God delivering Israel from Pharoah and the Egyptian army at the Red Sea. After delivering Israel from four hundred years of Egyptian bondage, God purposely led Israel to the bank of the Red Sea and then provoked Pharoah to attempt to attack them. God had already demonstrated His power to Pharoah and the Egyptians prior to insisting that Pharoah release Israel from bondage in exchange for the Egyptians being relieved from the plagues. After Israel was allowed to leave Egypt, God had one more lesson to teach the Egyptians. That's when God led Israel to the bank of the Red Sea where they would appear to the Egyptians to be confused, lost, and trapped by the sea. It was a setup that allowed God to judge the sins of Pharoah. The Pharoah was worshiped as one of the gods of Egypt. If he could attack Israel in such a vulnerable situation, the Egyptians would believe that Pharoah was stronger that the God of Israel. On the other hand, Israel had no idea what God was doing or what would be the outcome of it. When the people of Israel saw Pharoah and the Egyptian army coming towards them, it provoked fear in them. They believed they were doomed, and many said so. Moses encouraged Israel to be calm and to continue trusting the Lord for their protection. He assured them that this would be the last they would ever see of Pharoah. God told Moses to stretch his hand out over the sea and divide it. Moses did as God commanded him to, and the Red Sea was divided. The water was not cutoff. Instead, it stood in two heaps as walls and the seabed between them was dried. Israel walked through the dry seabed to the other side of the sea, Although they were separated from the Egyptians by the pillar of cloud, the Egyptians pursued after them into the sea. The Egyptians knew that God was fighting for Israel when their chariots became difficult to drive. They attempted to flee back through the sea, but God told Moses to again stretch out his hand over the sea and it returned to its full force. This resulted in the Egyptians, their horses, and Pharoah drowning in the Red Sea. In the morning, Israel saw the Egyptians and their horses drowned in the sea. This evoked a reverent fear for God and respect for Moses as God's servant, Moses and the children of Israel began to testify about God's deliverance. In their overwhelming joy, words of testimony became the lyrics of the song. Many scholars believe those lyrics to be the first psalm recorded in the Bible. It is also believed that Moses was the originator of the words. If so, then it is likely that it was song in one of the African traditions of "call and response", In "call and response", the leader proclaims, or sings aloud, the lyrics and the group sing the same lyrics in response. In traditional Baptist churches it is often referred to as "Old 100's", which are song in long meter fashion. It appears that Moses might have ended his leading of the song, and then Miriam took her timbrel and began the same lyrics with the other women of Israel joining her with timbrels and dance. It was a celebration of God's deliverance in its purest and highest form. The words declared their testimony and the rejoicing in song and dance expressed their praise for God. I close by repeating what was written at the beginning of this, there's nothing like an awe-inspiring deliverance by the Lord to evoke a praise response from His children. Robert C. Hudson September 18, 2024

Solomon Dedicates the Temple

September 8, 2024 Background Scripture: 1 Kings 8:22 -53 Lesson Passage: 1 Kings 8:22 - 24, 37 - 39, 46, 48 - 50a The Background Scripture of our lesson contains Solomon's dedicatory prayer for Israel's first temple. Many are familiar with God's response to this prayer, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." However, I am not sure if as many are familiar with the prayer that prompted such a response from God. Solomon's dedicatory prayer of the temple is the subject of this lesson. The temple was constructed during Solomon's reign as Israel's king. Solomon's father, David, had purposed in his heart to build a temple for God to replace the tabernacle (tent) that was used during the many years the people of Israel lived as nomads. The tabernacle contained the ark of the covenant, the altar, and several other pieces of furniture. It was the place where the priests served before the Lord on behalf of Israel. It was the place where God would sometimes allow His presence to be visibly known by the presence of a cloud upon the tabernacle. God had allowed Israel to settle in Canaan, which is the land He promised to give to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Finally, the nomadic tribe, Israel, believed they had a permanent home. After being under the leadership of the judges and King Saul, David became their second king. Israel was at peace after many military battles, King David had a royal house for his family, but the sanctuary and altar were still inside the tabernacle. David wanted to build a "permanent" place for the sanctuary and altar of God. God acknowledged David's desire but refused to allow him to do it because David was a man of war and had shed much blood. God promised to allow David's son to build a sanctuary for His name, David spent the latter part of his life accumulating the finest materials and precious metals to be used for the construction of the temple and its furnishings. David's son, Solomon, seceded him as Israel's king and authorized the construction of the temple. The construction time used to build the house of the Lord was seven years. All the special furnishings were made and placed inside the temple. Finally, the ark of the covenant was brought in and put in place by the priests. After the ark was put in place and the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud concealing the glow of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. Solomon had assembled the elders of Israel for the dedication ceremony. Solomon addressed the elders, and then he lifted his hands to heaven and knelt before the altar and prayed. It is remarkable to look at the various elements of the prayer Solomon prayed. Solomon began his prayer by declaring a reverence for the God of heaven. He acknowledged God's past promises and actions in keeping them. He petitioned for God's revealed will to be done by His covenant people. He asked God to answer the prayers of His servants after their repentance and return to following Him. He prayed that God would cause their captors to show compassion towards His people. Throughout his prayer, Solomon acknowledged the sin and frailty of all people. Despite that, Solomon's petitions were conditional and based on Israel's repentance and return to following God prior to God answering their prayers. Solomon also prayed for non-Jews who would acknowledge the temple as God's dwelling place among His people. Although it is somewhat lengthy, Solomon's prayer indicates an expected response from God to sincere prayer and repentance. This was more than a prayer dedicating the temple. Solomon prayed that the temple would be an integral part of the life of God's covenant people, and that God's actions would acknowledge it as such. Robert C. Hudson August 3 1, 2024