You know siblings,
I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again. There’s so much to glean from reading the Bible. I get different insights every time. And yes, it’s sometimes circumstantial – I hear the word based on what I’m experiencing at the moment. But, often it is a matter of God offering me new revelations.
Speaking of revelations, have you ever been witness to an event, and the recounting seems somewhat skewed? I have. In fact, I’ve also been guilty of emphasising one aspect of the reporting to make a point. That is fine, provided we don’t misrepresent facts. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat as a case in point.
Exodus 16:4, 6 AFV
[4] Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from the heavens for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain amount every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law or not.”
[6] And Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At sunset, then you shall know that the Lord has brought you out from the land of Egypt“. [emphasis mine]
The Lord Said … Then Moses Said
Siblings, we’re still reflecting on Life Lessons from the Children of Israel’s Wilderness Wanderings. What have we learned to date, and how have the learnings impacted our lives? Well, I believe I can safely say that I have learned a lot. The insights gleaned on my own and from your feedback have helped me with decision-making as I seek to remain faithful in my own walk.
As I reread our Nougat today, I was struck by the contrast between what YHWH said and what Moses conveyed to the people. Did you see a difference? And did the difference speak to your soul?
While we will look at the implications of the message for our lives, I also believe that contrasting the style or the format of both messages is instructive. Especially as we live in a world where many are sharing what they’ve personally heard from the Lord.
Self-Check
Do we believe in fact-checking what we hear from others?
Deeper Dive
Some years ago, someone shared a prophetic word in my presence. It sounded spiritually solid. It even aligned with Scripture. The person was a respected preacher and was regarded as one who operates in the prophetic. But one major aspect of the prophetic word shared that day did not come to pass. The issue I had to grapple with then was one of trust. Was I willing to trust the person’s utterances again, or do I fact-check each time?
We’re told that YHWH told Moses and Aaron that God would rain bread down on the Children of Israel. The writer said the Children should gather a fixed amount that would prove their obedience to YHWH.
But the Nougat says Moses added a thinly-veiled warning. He told the Children that they would know that YHWH brought them out of Egypt by sunset.
Is that truly what God said?
Since we know it isn’t, should we then discard all Moses said in the Bible, and discount his critical role in effecting the Exodus from Egypt based on a hot-headed comment? I don’t think so.
But I do believe that we need to learn how to discern whether the words we hear from someone ‘in God’s name’:
a) are literally from God
b) is a summary/sense of what God said
c) are their own opinions promoted as God’s words
That discernment comes only from ongoing personal intimacy with God. It is through the ongoing relationship that we gain an ear for ‘God’s Truth’.
Then, whether God speaks to us directly through God’s Spirit, through Scripture, or through someone else, we will recognize God’s voice.
Point to Ponder
What have we done to maintain our intimacy with God? How readily do we recognize God’s voice in others?
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May all we seek be found in Christ
