Exodus 8

LORD tells Moses to warn Pharaohverses 1-4

And the LORD spoke to Moses – Go to Pharaoh – and say to him

Thus says the LORD

Let MY people go – that they may serve ME

AND IF you REFUSE to let them go

BEHOLD – I will smite all your borders

with FROGS

AND the river shall bring forth FROGS abundantly

which shall go up and come into thine house

and into your bedchamber

and upon your bed

and into the house of your servants

and on your people and into your ovens

and into thy kneading troughs

and the FROGS shall come up both on you

on all your servants

Plague of frogsverses 5-7

And the LORD spoke to Moses – Say to Aaron

Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the

streams – rivers – ponds

and CAUSE FROGS to come up on the

land of Egypt

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt

and the frogs came up – and covered the land of Egypt

And the MAGICIANS did so with their enchantments

and brought up FROGS on the land of Egypt

Pharaoh false promiseverses 8-15

THEN Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron – and said

Entreat the LORD

that HE may take away the FROGS from me

and from my people

And I will let the people go

that they may do SACRIFICE to the LORD

And Moses said to Pharaoh

Glory over me – when shall I entreat for you

and for your servants – and for your people

to destroy the FROGS from you and your house

that they may remain in the river only?

And he said

Tomorrow

And he said

Be it according to your word

that you may KNOW that there is none like to the

LORD our God

And the FROGS shall depart from you – and from your

houses – servants – people

they shall remain in the river only

And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh

and Moses cried unto the LORD BECAUSE of the FROGS

which HE had brought against Pharaoh

And the LORD did according to the word of Moses

and the FROGS died out of the houses – villages – fields

and they gathered them together on heaps

and the land stank

BUT when Pharaoh saw that there was RESPITE

he HARDENED his heart and hearkened not to them

as the LORD said

Plague of liceverses 16-19

And the LORD said to Moses – Say to Aaron

Stretch out your rod – and smite the dust of the land

that it may become LICE throughout all the land of Egypt

And they did so – FOR Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod

and smote the dust of the earth

and it became LICE in man – beast

All the dust of the land became LICE throughout all the

land of Egypt

And the MAGICIANS did so with their enchantments to bring forth LICE

BUT they COULD NOT

so there were LICE on man and upon beast

THEN the MAGICIANS said to Pharaoh

This is the FINGER of God

and Pharaoh’s heart was HARDENED

and he hearkened not to them

as the LORD had said

Plague of fliesverses 20-24

And the LORD said to Moses

Rise up early in the morning – and stand before Pharaoh

LO – he comes forth to the water – and say to him

Thus says the LORD

Let MY people go – that they may serve ME

else – IF you will not let MY people go

BEHOLD – I will send SWARMS of FLIES on you

and on your servants – people houses

and all the houses of the Egyptians

shall be full of SWARMS of FLIES

and also the ground whereon they are

And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen

in which MY people dwell

THAT no SWARMS of FLIES shall be there

To the end thou may KNOW that I am the LORD

in the midst of the earth

And I will put a DIVISION between MY people

and your people TOMORROW shall this SIGN be

And the LORD did so

and there came a grievous SWARM of FLIES into the

house of Pharaoh – and into his servants’ houses

and into all the land of Egypt the land was CORRUPTED

by reason of the SWARM of FLIES

Pharaoh reneges on promiseverses 25-29

And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron – and said

Go you – sacrifice to your God IN the land

And Moses said – It is not meet so to do

FOR we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians

to the LORD our God

LO shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians

before their eyes – and will they not stone us?

We will go THREE days’ journey into the wilderness

and sacrifice to the LORD our God

as HE shall command us

And Pharaoh said

I will let you go – that you may sacrifice to the

LORD your God in the wilderness

ONLY you shall not go very far away – entreat for me

And Moses said

BEHOLD – I go out from you – and I will entreat the LORD that

the SWARMS of FLIES may depart from

Pharaoh – his servants – his people – TOMORROW

BUT let not Pharaoh deal DECEITFULLY

any more in not letting the people go

to sacrifice to the LORD

LORD removes fliesverses 30-32

And Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD

and the LORD did according to the word of Moses

and HE removed the SWARMS of FLIES from

Pharaoh – his servants – his people

there remained not one

And Pharaoh HARDENED his heart at this time also

neither would he let the people go

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not to them; as the LORD had said. (7309 “respite” [ravachah] means breathing, relief, break, clearing, the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced, or relaxation)

DEVOTION: Have you ever been trapped in a rough situation in your life and wanted relief from that situation? While it is going on you would promise anything to anyone to end this problem. You would even say “so help me God.” Yet when the problem is settled to your liking you change our mind about keeping a promise you have made to God or someone else.

Throughout The conversations between Moses and Pharaoh we have seen him promise something to Moses to have the plague end and then when the time comes to pay up he refuses.

The LORD is the only one who knew how many plagues it would take before Pharaoh would let them go. HE was judging all of their false gods before their face to show that HE was supreme. HE wanted the Egyptians and all those told this account to know that HE was the All-Powerful God and the Israelites were HIS people.

God knows what it will take to get our attention. HE knows what it will take to get the attention of an entire nation. HE sent Moses and Aaron to warn of coming judgment if Pharaoh didn’t listen. He wouldn’t listen and so the LORD manifested HIS power and they still would not listen.

This is happening even today. HE is sending warning of judgment to come and yet people just see many of these things as natural disasters. They see wars and rumors of wars and think it has always been this way.

We see God’s standards laughed at and people enjoying their sins as if there was no tomorrow. Most are not listening to the Word of God. It is a word of warning and we need to continue to spread it until time runs out.

Children don’t have as hard a heart as adults so reaching our friends if we are still children is good. If we are adults, we need to reach our children and grandchildren. The truth has to be shared. God knows the future and HE is still in control.

The false prophets or magicians knew that what was happening was happening by the “finger of God.” They knew that there was the true God but they didn’t want to follow HIM.

CHALLENGE: Today we need to realize that even many “believers” think it is OK to check their horoscope and play with other things that the LORD doesn’t approve of. We need to be fully depended on the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. (3814 “enchantments” [la’t] means secrecy, mystery, occult skills, magic, or sorcery)

DEVOTION: The Bible presents a division between people in our world. There are those who are believers and those who are not believers in the God of the Bible through HIS Son Jesus Christ.

Here we have those who practiced sorcery through the power of the devil and those who believed in the Creator of mankind. The challenge of life is to know which type of person you are. Those who are believers know the power of God to work miracles. HE is able to more than a created being is able to do. The power of the devil is limited. HIS power is unlimited. Sometime we tend to think they are equal. Sometimes we tend to think that HE is not involved in our world.

There are still many false prophets and false teachers present in our world. The magicians were just Pharaoh’s false prophets. They had limited power because their power source was limited.

Moses’ power source was the Creator of the Universe in six twenty-four hour days. HE has an attribute called Omnipotent. This means that HE can do anything.

The LORD was showing the Egyptian people that they were trusting in the wrong gods. They thought that the wise men and magicians could do anything. They were not afraid at first because they were able to copy the works of God.

False prophets and false teachers start out with limited power that deceives those who don’t know the LORD. So many people follow someone who seems to have power but they always fail in the end.

We need to teach people to follow the LORD alone. Pastors who are genuine don’t want people looking to them for their spiritual strength. They inform their people to look to the LORD for their strength. Moses always gave credit to the LORD for what HE was doing in Egypt. He had the people looking to the LORD for strength.

We need to do the same today. Too many people look at leaders as if they are perfect but they are not. Leaders are sinners that have been forgiven because of their repentance. They still sin but try to set an example for their people to follow while they are always pointing them to Christ alone as their standard. Christian leaders are not little messiahs!!!

CHALLENGE: We cannot be in the place of God in the lives of those around us who are looking up to us. We have to point them higher to the LORD Jesus Christ. HE is the perfect example.

: 23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be. (6304 “division” [peduth] means distinction, redeem, or ransom)

DEVOTION: Do all people have the same worldview? What is a worldview? It is the basic beliefs of each individual. The answer to the question is NO! Each of us must decide what basic beliefs we hold to. These basic beliefs are either based on the Word of God or something else. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ should have a Biblical Worldview. Pharaoh didn’t have a Biblical Worldview. He believed in the gods of the land of Egypt. He didn’t want to become a follower of Jehovah. He didn’t want to let the people go.

In our world there should be a distinction between a Christian who is following the teachings/doctrines of the Bible and those who don’t want to follow the LORD.

At this time period, there is the distinction between the children of Israel and the people of Egypt. The children of Israel lived in Goshen. Only in the land of Goshen there would not be any flies.

The first three plagues (blood, frogs, lice) were throughout the land of Egypt including the land of Goshen where the children of Israel lived. It seems that the children of Israel had to realize the power of God too. Too often after a time in a strange land many forgot who the LORD was. At the beginning of Moses assignment many of the people were mad at Moses because of what was happening. They didn’t believe the LORD would deliver them.

These following plagues were only on the Egyptians and the LORD didn’t have them go into the land of Goshen. The LORD was going to prove to the Egyptians and the Israelites that HE was doing these plagues. HE stated that TOMORROW was the day that this distinction was going to take place. It did take place.

One of the meanings of this word is “ransom,” HE was showing the people that there was a price to be paid for their release by the Egyptians. The children of Israel noted that the final plagues did not hit their place of dwelling except for one.

Today we need to realize that there is a difference between those who follow the LORD and those who do not. Once we become a follower of Christ, people have to see a difference between them and us. If there is no difference they will wonder why they should become a follower of Christ. Yes, we are still sinners but we are trying to change our ways. We are confessing our sins. We are spending time in the Word of God. Are we manifesting a difference?

God treats us different. We are HIS children once we become a follower of Christ. This takes place when we realize that we are sinners and need a Savior. Everyone doesn’t become a follower. Some say it is only ten percent of those who claim to be believers are really followers of the LORD.

CHALLENGE: What would you say to the LORD when you meet HIM after death? The majority will spend eternity in the lake of fire.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go you, sacrifice to your God in the land. (2076 “sacrifice” [zabach] means to slaughter, victims, butcher, offer, or slay)

DEVOTION: Compromise is part of our life here on this earth. It seems that married couples have to compromise some of their likes and dislikes. Children have to compromise their thoughts to the thoughts of their parents.

There are some things that we shouldn’t compromise. So, there are things that we can compromise and things that we shouldn’t compromise. It is hard to know the difference sometimes but the Word of God is a great spot to start learning what we can compromise and the things that we can’t compromise.

God had given special instructions to Moses regarding what HE wanted the children of Israel to do. HE wanted them to leave Egypt. HE sent Moses to help them leave Egypt. The plagues were to get the attention of Pharaoh and the Egyptian people.

Not only did HE want the children of Israel to leave Egypt but HE wanted the Egyptians to know who HE was. Remember in Scripture Egypt is a type of worldliness. Going to Egypt was like going into the world system.

God has HIS own worldview that all Christians are supposed to follow. This worldview states that we have to obey the LORD’S commands in order to be blessed. If a group of people disobey the LORD they will be judged. If they obey, they will be blessed.

God was showing the Egyptians that HIS people are going to be blessed by HIS promises. They are not going to be blessed but judged for resisting HIS commands.

Are we listening to the world or the LORD? Too many children grow up to be college students that want to have “freedom” from the commands of the LORD their parents would like them to obey.

CHALLENGE: Compromise usually causes a downward spiral from the standards of the LORD. Moses didn’t compromise.

:29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from you, and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord. (6279 “entreat” [ʿathar] means 1 to pray, entreat, supplicate. 1a (Qal) to pray, entreat. 1b (Niphal) to be supplicated, be entreated. 1c (Hiphil) to make supplication, plead. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])

DEVOTION: Have you ever found yourself overcome with road rage? This is the sense of anger we feel when we think we have been deprived of the right to drive in a certain place or time by another (less considerate) driver (like one who cuts us off by turning suddenly into our lane). We all find it easy to bear a grudge. We even want to wish ill on the person who we think has offended us.

Moses could have easily taken a deaf ear to Pharaoh’s request to have the flies die off. He could have said something like, “Well, you got yourself into this mess, so get yourself out of it.” Instead, Moses takes the humble role of interceding for Pharaoh to have the flies removed. All the while he probably suspected that when they were gone, Pharaoh would refuse the request to let the people leave (which, in fact, Pharaoh did). Yet Moses did not allow his proximity to the LORD to cause him to be proud before Pharaoh. Maybe he was thinking of the event forty years earlier where he himself had tried to take matters into his own hands by trying to deliver the Israelites by killing an Egyptian.

God has called all of us, His children, to an intercessory role. We need to use every occurrence in our lives as an impetus to pray for people. This especially applies to those who we find are offensive. Instead of cursing them, we ought to be blessing them. Who knows how God could actually act as a result of our obedience in this area?

CHALLENGE: Is there anyone you are feeling hurt by today? If so, take the time out to pray for that person and ask that the Lord would bless them and bring them to a true knowledge of Himself. (MW)

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Intreat the LORDverses 8, 28, 29

Moses intreats the LORDverses 9, 29, 30

Moses cries unto the LORDverse 12

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Serve LORDverses 1, 20

Sacrifice to the LORDverses 8, 27, 28

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD (Jehovah)verses 1, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28-31

I will smite verse 2

God (Elohim)verses 10, 19, 25-28

LORD our Godverses 10, 26, 27

Finger of Godverse 19

I am the LORDverse 22

Sign of the LORDverse 23

Sacrifice to the LORDverses 27, 28

LORD your Godverse 28

Entreat for the LORDverses 29, 30

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Pharaohverses 1, 8-12, 15, 19-32

Wanted Moses and Aaron intreat the LORD

hardened his heart (3x)

told by magicians lice was finger of God

Swarm of flies in Egypt

Sacrifice to your God in the land

Land of Egyptverses 5-7, 16, 17

Magiciansverses 7, 18, 19

Could produce frogs

Could not produce lice

Told Pharaoh was finger of God

People of Egyptverse 23

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Refuse to let people goverse 2

Magiciansverse 7

Enchantmentsverse 7

Lyingverse 8

Hardened heartverses 15, 19, 32

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Serveverses 1, 20

Obedienceverse 6

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Mosesverses 1, 8-13, 20, 24-31

Plague of frogs

Word of Moses

God said let MY people go

Warns of swarms of flies

Sacrifice of abomination reply to Pharoah

Three days journey to sacrifice

Aaronverses 5, 6, 8, 16, 24

LORD told him to stretch rod

Frogs

Dust of the land: lice

MY Peopleverses 1, 20, 23

Land of Goshenverse 22

No flies

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

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QUOTES regarding passage

8:25–32. Smarting under the cumulative weight of the judgment of four plagues, Pharaoh was willing to suggest a compromise. The Israelites, he said, could sacrifice to their God, but in Egypt, not in the desert. This compromise was unacceptable to Moses. He explained that their animal sacrifices would be detestable in Egypt. This may have been because the Egyptians considered sacred the bull which represented the god Apis or Re and the cow which represented their goddess Hathor. To the Egyptians this would be blasphemy and would result in rioting.

Pharaoh’s second compromise was to allow them to go only a short distance into the desert (v. 28). Accepting this compromise Moses sternly warned Pharaoh not to be practicing deceit as he did earlier (vv. 8, 15). This was a remarkable—even daring—statement since Pharaoh was supposed to be the model of justice and truth.

Moses left Pharaoh, thinking that the monarch might keep his word. So as Pharaoh had asked, Moses prayed for relief from the plague. But again Pharaoh changed his mind and refused to keep his word. (Hannah, J. D. (1985). Exodus. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 122–123). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

Pharaoh’s offers (vv. 25–32). During the time of the plagues, Pharaoh offered four compromises to Moses and Aaron. The first two are recorded here, during the plague of the flies (vv. 25, 28); the third came during the locust plague (10:7–11); and the fourth occurred during the three days of darkness (vv. 24–26). The fact that Pharaoh even thought he could bargain with God is another evidence of his pride. What is mortal man, even the king of a great nation, that he should dare to negotiate the will of God? These offers were all part of Pharaoh’s hypocritical scheme to outwit Moses and Aaron, for his heart was still stubborn and unyielding. He wasn’t interested in either the will of God or the welfare of the Jews; all he wanted was to stop the plagues.

God’s people face similar “Egyptian compromises” today as we seek to serve the Lord. The enemy tells us we don’t have to be separated from sin because we can serve God “in the land.” God’s reply is found in 2 Corinthians 6:14–18. “Don’t go too far away,” the enemy whispers, “or people will call you a fanatic.” James 1:27 and 4:4 demolish that proposal. True service to God means giving Him authority over all our possessions and all the people in our family for whom we’re responsible. Not to do so is to disobey Mark 10:13–16; Ephesians 6:4; and Deuteronomy 6:6–13. Once we start to negotiate the will of God and see how close we can get to the world, we have already disobeyed Him in our hearts.

In his first proposal, Pharaoh offered to let the Jews hold their worship feast in the land of Egypt (Ex. 8:25), an offer Moses and Aaron rejected. They knew that some of the animals the Jews would sacrifice were sacred to the Egyptians, and what began as a meeting for solemn worship would quickly turn into a riot. The Jews were a separate people, living in Goshen, a land that had been set apart by God, and they had to separate themselves a three days’ journey from Egypt in order to please the Lord.

Pharaoh’s second offer was that Israel leave the land but not go too far away (v. 28). The appendix to his offer (“Now pray for me!” niv) shows that his real concern was to get rid of the swarms of flies. On the surface, it looks like Moses and Aaron accepted this second offer, because Moses promised to get rid of the flies. Perhaps they thought they could travel farther once they got out of the land, but surely they both knew that Pharaoh wouldn’t keep his word. Pharaoh had a habit of begging for help when he needed it (v. 8; 9:28; 10:16–17) and then changing his mind once the plague was removed (8:15, 32; 9:34–35; 10:20). God answered Moses’ prayer and removed the flies, but Pharaoh only hardened his heart even more. (Wiersbe, W.W. (1998). Be delivered (pp. 37–39). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)

8:31 not one remained. This declaration of the total divine removal of the flies—a demonstration of God’s answering Moses’ entreaty—did not persuade Pharaoh at all. Once again, removed from the humiliating effects of a plague, his stubborn resistance resurfaced (v. 32). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ex 8:31). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Ver. 32. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, &c.] As he did before, when he found the plague was removed, and the flies were gone: neither would he let the people go; through pride and covetousness, being loth to have the number of those under his dominion so much diminished, and to lose so large a branch of his revenues arising from the labour of these people. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 354). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

More recently, Taylor has written the greatest work yet completed on the secular reality of our times. In A Secular Age, he describes three successive sets of intellectual conditions. In the first, associated with the Premodern Age of antiquity and the medieval synthesis, it was impossible not to believe. There was simply no intellectual alternative to theism in the West. There was no alternative set of explanations for the world and its operations, or for moral order. All that changed with the arrival of modernity. In the Modern Age it became possible not to believe. A secular alternative to Christian theism emerged as a real choice. As a matter of fact, choice now ruled the intellectual field. As Peter Berger famously observed decades ago, this is the “heretical imperative,” the imperative to choose. The third set of intellectual conditions is identified with late modernity and our own intellectual epoch. For most people living in the context of self-conscious late modernity, it is now impossible to believe. (Albert Mohler “A Clear and Present Danger)

Proverbs 31
An excellent wife cares for her home, is kind to the needy, and is an example of good character.
INSIGHT

One view of women is that they are merely caretakers of the home and have no role other than changing diapers, cooking, and cleaning house. Another view seeks to free women from the responsibilities at home. Both are wrong. Women are to care for their homes and maintain certain responsibilities–just as men should. But their role carries with it great flexibility and variety. The Proverbs 31 woman is a skillful, industrious person who models integrity and esteems her home and family highly. (Quiet Walk)

HOW IS THE BIBLE INSPIRED?

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16
What is meant by inspiration? When we say that the Bible is divinely inspired, what exactly do we mean? I start with a negative. We do not mean that certain portions of the Bible are inspired and that others are not. There are some people who think that. There are, they say, portions and particular statements and teachings, especially those concerned with the Lord Jesus Christ, that are inspired. But, they say, the historical books and various other sections are not inspired. Now that is not what we mean when we say that the Bible is divinely inspired.
Neither do we mean simply that the men who wrote the Bible were writing in an exalted or creative way. When a poet produced a masterpiece, you have often heard people say that the poet was “inspired.” But we do not mean that the writers of the books of the Bible were inspired in that way when they came to write these books. Others say they regard inspiration as just meaning that the ideas that were given to the writers were inspired. That is true, of course, but we mean much more than that. Neither does it mean that the books–the writings as such–are the product of human origin onto which the divine breath or afflatus has come.
So what do we mean? We mean that the Scriptures are a divine product breathed out by God. Inspired really means “God-breathed.” We mean that God breathed these messages into men and through them, and these Scriptures are the result of that divine action. We believe that they were produced by the creative breath of Almighty God. Put in a simpler form, we mean that everything we have in the Bible has been given by God to man.
A Thought to Ponder
The Scriptures are a divine product breathed out by God.
(From God the Father, God the Son, pp. 23-24, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

The Sword
“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34)
The Christian life is a life of war, and the Christian soldier must be a skilled swordsman if he is to survive and win. In our text, Jesus taught that a peaceful life would not be the Christian’s lot but a life of swordsmanship instead.
The first “sword” mentioned in the Old Testament was not a sword of metal but a “flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24). Likewise, the final sword mentioned in the New Testament is “the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth” (Revelation 19:21). This is the fiery sword with which the coming “man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) will be defeated, “whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming” (v. 8). “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4).
The mighty “word of the LORD” by which “were the heavens made” (Psalm 33:6) is still a flaming sword, turning every way, for “out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword” (Revelation 1:16), as John saw Him in His present glory.
Furthermore, we can wield this same sword by His Spirit, for “the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
The Christian armor, as outlined in Ephesians 6:13-17, is all defensive armor with the one exception of the prayerful use of “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (v. 17). In this wonderful text, the spoken “word of God” is in view—the sword applied, on either edge, turning every way, probing exactly when and where needed in each encounter of every battle of the Christian warfare.

(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

Michael writes (NY): I saw a speaker on the media interviewed last week saying the riots in the Northwest were “democracy in action” with a smirk on her face. Hmmm. Burning Bibles and American flags and torching police vehicles and looting stores is now democracy? I understand people are upset but if this is democracy that must make China, Venezuela, the Soviet Union and Cuba democracies. Democracies settle disputes by voting, not rioting.

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