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The Lamb, Predestined… Rodna Epley

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Rodna Epley with tags , , , , , on April 13, 2023 by paulthepoke

Everything God did in regards to creation was already done before He created the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1:1. The Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. If the Lamb had already been slain before Jesus ever had a chance to be born through the womb of a woman, then so too was He also already raised from the dead, and so too was He also already glorified. All of that happened in eternity, outside of time and space. Same goes for us. It’s all already done.

Romans 8:29,30 For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called he also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.

We are just playing out the movie. We can edit the film too and chop out the parts we don’t like and retake scenes that aren’t good. This is exactly what Jesus did on earth. He went about doing good and healed all who were oppressed by the devil.

Acts 10:38 …how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Jesus also walked on water and changed weather patterns.

Mark 4:39 Then He (Jesus) arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. See also Matthew 8:26, Luke 8:24.

He operated in the glory of the Father, took authority over threatening situations and showed us how to do it. He wasn’t just showing off. He was teaching us how to operate in the glory He gave us from John 17:5,22,23 the same glory the Father gave Him, for the purpose of making us all one and so that we can know the Father loves us in the same way He loved Jesus.

John 17:5,22,23 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Without Christ we can do nothing.

John 5:5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

With Christ nothing is impossible.

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

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Angels: Created With Free Will

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Angels, Creation with tags , , , , , , , on June 29, 2019 by paulthepoke

aggelos/ἄγγελος: In the Greek, an angel or messenger, generally a supernatural messenger from God conveying news or behests from God to men.

malak: In the Hebrew, a messenger. -Strong’s Concordance

What does the Bible have to say about Angels? God’s word does not give an account about how angels were created. The Bible does not say when angels were created. But we do know that angels were created before the universe and humanity. 

Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 

The context of this verse is a line of questioning directed to Job by God. Job is being asked if he was present prior to the creation of the world. God is explaining to Job that He laid the foundation and measured it out. Then God informs Job that the “morning stars” and the “sons of God” observed this event, sang, and shouted. “Sons of God” is an idiomatic expression for angels in the Old Testament. “Morning stars” is a term for angels. These beings saw God create the earth.

We do know that God, specifically Christ, created the angels.

Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.

Psalm 148:2, 5 Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He commanded and they were created.

In comparing angels to resurrected humanity, Jesus tells us that angels are immortal and they do not marry. Apparently, marriage is not intended in God’s program for angels.

Luke 20:35-36. But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

Psalm 148:6 He has also established them (angels and host) forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away.

Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

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There are two groups of angels, the elect and those fallen. There are those elect angels who follow God the Father and Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 5:21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.

1 Kings 22:19 Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.

Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!

The fallen angels are those who are evil and follow Satan. Of the fallen angels, there are two groups. Some of the fallen are incarcerated. 

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment… 

Some of the fallen angels are currently loose and free. These angels are currently under the leadership of Satan.

Revelation 12:7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back.

Granted the book of Jasher is an extra Biblical source, but there is an interesting note in regards to the ratio of fallen angels who are incarcerated and those who are not. Noah made the following comment when praying to God about angels and demons. These comments indicated 90% are bound and only 10% are free to maneuver under the will of Satan.

Jasher, Book of Jubilees 10: 9, 11 And He said: Let the tenth part of them remain before him, and let nine parts descend into the place of condemnation.’ And we did according to all His words: all the malignant evil ones we bound in the place of condemnation and a tenth part of them we left that they might be subject before Satan on the earth.

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Angels will ultimately be judged by humanity.

1 Corinthians 6:3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?

Humanity was not created to go to a fiery end. Man was originally created perfect and eternal. Hell was designed for fallen angels. These are the words of Jesus Himself.

Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels…'”

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Fulfilling Hagar’s Promise

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Egypt/Nile River, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , on May 12, 2019 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 19:22 And the LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and He will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.

The concept of “striking” in the verse is noted consistently with idea of war or battle. The vast majority of times, the word for “striking” is nagaph in the Hebrew.  Nagaph is to win the battle. In Ye Olde English… smote or smite. Someone gets smacked. See an example below.

2 Chronicles 25:22 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home.

Somebody is going to be defeated and in this case it is Egypt. Now the loss is not intended to be permanent. God has purpose and He is the One directing history. The intent is to bring Egypt towards Him. 

Twice in Isaiah 19:22, God states He will rapha or “heal” Egypt.

…and they will return to the LORD… The verb in question is “return” or shab in the Hebrew. It means: to turn back, return. So this begs the question, “When was Egypt ever with the Lord?” Return to the Lord? Really…

This is the fulfillment of a promise to Hagar, an Egyptian.

Genesis 16:3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife.

As the story goes, Abram fathered a son with Hagar, Ishmael. And there was this prophecy from the Angel of the Lord.

Genesis 16:11-12 And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”

God listened to Hagar. And the name Ishmael means “God hears”. God always reminds us with the name Ishmael, He hears Ishmael. And frequently after God calls Ishmael (God Hears) by his name, He states, “I have heard you…” God always hears Ishmael.

Definitions provided by Strong’s Concordance. 

God has always heard and watched over Ishmael, even after Hagar and he were kicked out of their home with Abraham.

Wikimedia Commons

Genesis 21:17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.

God has never left the descendants of Hagar and Ishmael. He has always watched over them and still has a promise of hope for them today.

Genesis 21:20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow.

God promised to make a great nation from the line of Ishmael. Granted, this is the birth of the Arab people. But, Ishmael is the descendant of an Egyptian.

Genesis 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.

Genesis 21:18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

And Ishmael (half Egyptian) married an Egyptian woman. His offspring were ¾ Egyptian.

Genesis 21:21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

God is not finished with the Egyptian people. He still hears them today. Approximately 4,100 years ago, God made a promise to the Egyptian people. And He always keeps His promises.

…and He will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.

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Egypt Will Fear Israel… God’s Will

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Egypt/Nile River, Isaiah, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , on April 7, 2019 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 19:17 The land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt; everyone to whom it is mentioned will be in dread of it, because of the purpose of the LORD of hosts which He is purposing against them.

Who and where is the land of Judah? Judah is a son of Jacob/Israel from Genesis. The lineage of Judah becomes the Tribe of Judah (Genesis 46, 49).  Jesus is from this tribe and is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). This tribe is synonymous with the southern kingdom in the day of Isaiah. It is modern day southern Israel, the area which shares a border with Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

From previous verses in Isaiah 19, we know the Nile River is dry during this time. The text does not say if the cause is by drought or if water is being withheld by a dam or whatever. Time will tell. The following is food for thought in the event the waters of Nile are restrained by the dam.

Aswan Dam

Recently as 2009, Israel’s foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, has stirred controversy with comments about Arab citizens and Egypt. Liberman once suggested Egypt’s Aswan Dam might be bombed. In 2008, he told Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian President at that time, “Go to hell!”

Now if Israel is threatening to bomb the Aswan Dam, this would most certainly cause fear, dread, and terror. The concept of the verse is reeling in terror. This would effectively flood and wipe out Egypt.

…because of the purpose of the LORD of hosts which He is purposing against them.

God is the One imposing fear on Egypt. Granted, God has many options at His disposal in regards to stirring up fear. He has plagues, weather, darkness (Exodus) just to mention a few.  I am not suggesting or claiming to know the mind or purpose of God. It does not say. The scenario is worth noting in today’s geo-political climate. God can absolutely plant an idea or emotion into the mind of a country’s psyche (see Ezekiel 38, 39 with Gog; note Pharaoh and his hardened heart in Exodus).

There is also the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). As of April 2019, the dam is about 2/3 complete. The dam is expected to be finished in 2022. Egypt is expressing concern about their neighbors in Ethiopia up river withholding water. The Egyptians are discussing “dire humanitarian consequences” of the completion of the GERD. Ethiopia expects to block 19.5 trillion gallons (74 billion cubic meters) of Nile River water behind the dam. The Nile River is the definitive source of life for Egypt. This is an insane amount of water not going to Egypt.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1470516/middle-east

Plausible scenario: Egypt wiped out and flooded by waters withheld by destruction of the Aswan Dam. Nile River goes dry in Egypt by waters withheld by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

See the link below for articles related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

https://paulthepoke.com/?s=grand+ethiopian

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Isaiah 19:18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction.

There are all kinds of speculation and conjecture as to the symbolism or meaning of the five cities noted in this verse. Some commentators are looking for a hidden meaning. Some are seeking spiritual significance of the number five. Some are allegorizing the number of cities.

I am going to take God at His word and believe that He says what He means. There will be five cities in Egypt where those residents will speak Hebrew. Hearts in Egypt will change. Those people in those five cities will be committed to the God of the Bible.

One of those cities is named. The name of that city is debated with legitimate scholarship, not speculation or allegorical interpretation. The argument lies in which text. Here are the considerations.

The Hebrew text has עִיר הַהֶרֶס (’ir haheres, “City of Destruction”; cf. NASB, NIV).

The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa (Dead Sea Scrolls) and some medieval Hebrew manuscripts read   עִיר הָחֶרֶס (ir hakheres, “City of the Sun,” i.e., Heliopolis). This reading also finds support from Symmachus’ Greek version, the Targum (Aramaic translation of the Bible), and the Vulgate (Latin translation of the Bible).

FYI, Heliopolis is located in northern Egypt on the Nile River where it branches into multiple rivers and streams.

I trust at some point in the future this city name will be clarified and make sense.

Make no mistake. God is in control. Egyptian hearts will turn to the Hebrew God of the Bible.

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Predestined: A Dry Nile River

Posted in Egypt/Nile River, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2019 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 19:5-7 And the waters of the sea will be dried up, and the river will be dry and parched, and its canals will become foul, and the branches of Egypt’s Nile will diminish and dry up, reeds and rushes will rot away. There will be bare places by the Nile, on the brink of the Nile, and all that is sown by the Nile will be parched, will be driven away, and will be no more.

This prophecy was written approximately 2,800 years ago. There is not any record where the Nile River has dried up since this was written. The prophecy is quite a statement. The Nile River is predestined to go dry.

The notion of a dry Nile is also noted in… 

Zechariah 10:11b …And He will strike the waves in the sea, so that all the depths of the Nile will dry up…

Ezekiel 30:12 And I will dry up the Nile and will sell the land into the hand of evildoers; I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it, by the hand of foreigners; I am the LORD; I have spoken.

God states this is His will.

God does not say what causes the Nile River to go dry.

How is this going to happen? There is the obvious answer of drought. Outside of the Nile River, Egypt is not a hospitable place. It is desert and nothing grows there. It would take a drought in central Africa in the highlands of Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile.

Humanity is exerting its will to control the waters of the Nile River. Human intervention does not always result in its desired intention. History is littered with ecological disasters at the hands of humanity. Countries across Africa and the Middle East threaten each other with limited access to water.

A possibility is the Aswan Dam in southern Egypt. The waters behind the dam could be withheld.  Ironically, the primary purpose of the dam is to manage flooding of the Nile River.

There is also the matter of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam construction continues on the Nile River. Construction of the dam is located in northwest Ethiopia. When finished, the GERD will be the largest hydroelectric plant in Africa. As of the Spring of 2019, the project is estimated to be completed in 2022. Once finished, it estimated to take 5-15 years for the reservoir to fill to capacity.

As a trend, the levels of the Nile River are receding in recent times. This is due to countries up river in central Africa who are using more of the water as a resource. As of December 2006, the following statement was issued by NASA based on satellite imagery. “Several African basins, such as the Congo, Zambezi and Nile, show significant drying over the past five years.”  A February 2010 headline from a newspaper in the Sudan read, Nile River Volume Decreases, The Problem To Local Communities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Ethiopian_Renaissance_Dam

God can use the free will of humans to achieve His purpose. It does not mean He will.

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Predestined With Free Will: Egyptian Idolatry

Posted in Egypt/Nile River, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , on March 3, 2019 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 19:3 and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their counsel; and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers…

Demoralized, their chosen attitude, the Egyptians will turn to idols, talking to the dead, and the occult in Isaiah 19:3. That is the Egyptian response and plan. God allows the Egyptians the free will to make their own way.

God in turn responds to the Egyptians and their plans. The translation of “confound” does not tell the whole story. He will “confound” or bala in the Hebrew. The idea communicated is intentional, intensive, and repeated action of swallowing their strategy. One could get the idea that the Egyptians will have many ideas and solutions to try to stop the civil war. These ideas (political, economic, religious, etc.) will be repeatedly shot down by God. The Egyptian solutions to the civil war will not succeed because God directly acts. Translated another way, the LORD will swallow or engulf their plans. Again, God allows the people to have their own ideas. Humanity’s ideas are no match for the LORD.

Photo: Ancient Symbols

Isaiah 19:4 Moreover, I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master, and a mighty king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

God will intentionally give (piel stem verb form in Hebrew) the Egyptian people this leader. There are two adjectives that describe this leader in the verse. You can bet this leader will likely use force on the population.

Qasheh or “cruel”: This word can be defined as hard, cruel, severe, obstinate, difficult, fierce, intense, vehement, stubborn, stiff-necked, rigorous (of battle).

`Az or translated “mighty”: This word can be defined as strong, mighty, fierce. (Strong’s Concordance)

Will a God-given overbearing dictator likely act cruelly toward his populous? Yes. Are the people responsible for how they respond to this tyrant? Yes.

These first four verses of Isaiah 19 make one point over and over and over. God is managing the action. Yet, people have choices and actions. God does not make Egypt or us do anything. We don’t always get our way.

This is a direct quote from God Himself. God states in the language and grammar, He is in charge.

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Predestined With Free Will: Egyptian Civil War

Posted in Egypt/Nile River, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , on February 24, 2019 by paulthepoke

There are many examples in Scripture where God addresses individual nations. The prophet warn Russia, Turkey, Iran and others in Ezekiel 38-39. Damascus, Syria has a destructive date with destiny in Isaiah 17, Amos 1, and Jeremiah 49. Ancient Nineveh or modern-day Mosul, Iraq is warned in Nahum. Amos 1 warns modern day Lebanon. The Gaza Strip is informed of judgment in Ezekiel 25. Prophecy against Iran is noted in Jeremiah 49. And the list goes on and on and on…

The focus here is the destiny of the nation Egypt. A significant prophecy regarding the future of Egypt is located in Isaiah 19. Like every other nation, Egypt is predestined in their journey through history. God knows the collective choices they will make. God knows literally and figuratively where their road leads. The prophet Isaiah lays out the course of Egypt prior to the coming of the Messiah.

click on the link above for audio/video

Isaiah 19:1 The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

The first observation is that the LORD directly intervenes. God is the one pressing these events. The Hebrew word for “oracle” is massa’. Simply stated, it means a burden or load. This same word, massa’, was also the name of Ishmael’s son (Genesis 25:14). Ishmael’s name means burden. Ishmael’s mother Hagar is Egyptian (Genesis 16:1). Prophetically speaking, Hagar’s offspring were destined to carry a burden.

Photo: Shutterstock

The LORD is coming quickly on a swift cloud. The Hebrew word for “cloud” is `ab. What is not stated in the translation is the type of cloud. It is a dark, thick cloud. The introduction states this is going to be swift, quick, and ominous. It reminds me of a supercell thunderstorm you can see rolling in on the plains.

Isaiah 19:2 “So I will incite Egyptians against Egyptians; and they will each fight against his brother and each against his neighbor, city against city and kingdom against kingdom…”

This is how God is going to bring the nation of Egypt together and return them to the LORD or Yahweh. God is going to bring about circumstances that will knit them as a unified country and be His people.

The first thing to happen is an Egyptian civil war. God says He will “incite” or cakak in the Hebrew. This word is also translated as “cover” per Strong’s Concordance. This is the same term used repeatedly in reference to the angels’ wings of the Ark of the Covenant. Their wings “covered” or cakak the Ark.

Exodus 25:20 The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat.

See also: Exodus 37:9, 1 Kings 8:7, 1 Chronicles 28:18b.

Figuratively, cakak can be seen as protection, hedge in, or join together.

Will the people choose to fight each other? Yes, the Egyptian people will opt to fight against one another throughout the country. But Egypt will be watched and protected by Yahweh or the LORD. The idea is to intensively, purposely weave together the Egyptians against each other repeatedly.

God is in control regardless of our actions. He can overcome our repeated bad decisions.

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Predestined With Free Will: Nations and Their Foreign Policy

Posted in Jude, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , on February 19, 2019 by paulthepoke

Psalm 115:2-3 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.

God claims He is the One who controls the destiny of nations and history. He is the ultimate authority.

Do politicians and countries choose their foreign policy? Sure they do. Countries make strategic decisions and direction. In today’s world, we are currently watching politicians discuss “peace and security in the Middle East”. Do you think world leaders are consulting God and His will in their potential actions? Do world leaders even consider God as they plot their course?

Will nations be held accountable for their decisions and how they relate to God’s chosen people? Yes they will. God will have a response.

Isaiah 17:12-13 Ah, the thunder of many peoples; they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations; they roar like the roaring of mighty waters! The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters, But He will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind, or like whirling dust before a gale.

The attitude exhibited in Isaiah 17 is consistent with today’s world leaders. They talk tough and threaten each other with guaranteed destruction. Nations impose economic sanctions and create various trade deals with their partners. Their design is to protect their interests and inflict hardship on their adversaries. Israel’s enemies threaten to shove the Jews into the Mediterranean on a daily basis. Kingdoms against kingdoms are promising to blow the hell out of each other.

Despite all these human instruments of death and tragedy, God compares the nations and their bravado to chaff and dust. He is the wind. God is the gale. Chaff and dust have no control. These light weight particles are at the mercy of air currents. He is the wind who steers the nations. To quote the song from Kansas, “All we are is dust in the wind.”

Nuclear weapons and 21st century instruments of warfare are no match for God and His plan for history. Humans love thumping their chests and showing off their explosive toys. Which country can bring about the most destruction? These are ultimately no match. God will preserve Israel.

Isaiah 54:15-17 If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from Me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from Me, declares the LORD.

In Psalm 79, we see this mindset in the world today. People question whether or not there is a god let alone the God of the Bible. A time is coming when the world will question Israel whether or not their God is real. But, God will respond.

Psalm 79:10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!

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Predestined With Free Will: Pharaoh’s Choice

Posted in Egypt/Nile River, Jude with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2019 by paulthepoke

Exodus 5:3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”

Look at how Pharaoh was approached by God, Moses, and Aaron. They were respectful. God introduced Himself and was formal. He used His proper name, YHWH. He is known as Yahweh or Jehovah.

Moses and Aaron used their manners and petitioned Pharaoh. They acknowledged his authority and position. The term translated is “Please”. This is the Hebrew word “na”. This is a sincere, humble request. The word “na” is defined as: we pray, we beseech. The majority of time “na” is translated as “please”.

Click on the link for audio/video.

Pharaoh, in his free will, responds to reverence and respect in the following manner. Nobody made or influenced him to act this way. He was rude and crude all by himself. Pharaoh is the one imposing his will on his servants in the Egyptian government and the Hebrew slaves. Look at Pharaoh’s actions in Exodus 5:6-17.

  1. Pharaoh indicated to taskmasters to stop providing straw to Israel for brick production.
  2. Pharaoh now required to Hebrews to go get the straw.
  3. Pharaoh required more work and expected the same production.
  4. He viewed the Hebrews as “lazy”.
  5. Pharaoh re-emphasized his will to increase the labor demands.
  6. Pharaoh considered the idea of the LORD a lie.
  7. The conditions of finding straw and brick production were restated.
  8. Pharaoh and Egyptian officials continually hounded the Hebrews about brick production.
  9. Israeli leaders were physically beaten for not meeting production quotas.
  10. Egyptians continued to harass the Israeli work force for sustained production.
  11. Pharaoh repeatedly told the Hebrews they were “slackers”.
  12. He blamed their lack of production on God.
  13. Pharaoh closed with restating his expectations and labor demands.
https://pharaohoppressionmosesisraelegyptdynasty.wordpress.com/category/mud-bricks-containing-straw/

This is how Pharaoh responded to decency and manners. Pharaoh was an unrealistic, rigid, and inflexible task master. He made things harder for the Israeli people. Pharaoh did all of this without God’s influence. This is who Pharaoh was all by himself.

At this point, the LORD God had not responded to or influenced Pharaoh. But things were about the change…

Exodus 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.

God is promising to harden Pharaoh’s heart. God has yet to do anything to him. Exodus 7:3 is a prophecy of what God will do. The LORD is about to exert His will.

Exodus 7:4 When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments.

Exodus 7:4 is a prophecy of Pharaoh’s lack of response. Notice, God gives Pharaoh a chance to respond positively. He allows Pharaoh to fail before He executes judgment. But, God knows the end result before it happens.

Pharaoh is going to have many opportunities to align his heart and his will with God. The LORD did not make Pharaoh do anything. God appealed to Pharaoh’s heart. We all know how this ends for Egypt.

There are at least 14 examples of Pharaoh’s heart being hardened in the book of Exodus. Every time Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, he responded negatively with actions and attitude. God did not make him respond negatively. That was Pharaoh’s active choice. Pharaoh was the captain of his actions and decisions.

Exodus 7:13, 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7, 9:12, 9:34, 9:35, 10:1, 10:20, 10:27, 11:10, 14:8.

God closes with hardening the heart of the Egyptian army at the Red Sea in Exodus 14:17. The Egyptians were all in as they pursued Israel.

How many times have we had the opportunity to align our hearts and our wills with God? How many times have we not responded to God’s plea for good works and deeds? How many times will a person refuse God’s will before He hardens the individual’s heart?

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Predestined With Free Will: Pharaoh Meets the LORD

Posted in Egypt/Nile River, Jude with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on February 3, 2019 by paulthepoke

Romans 9:16-17 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

The Apostle Paul is quoting Exodus 9:16.

Here is a text book example of a man’s will on display verses the will of God. Pharaoh is representing the nation Egypt. The Apostle Paul is pointing out man’s will or a nation’s will is no match for God’s will. Pharaoh clearly exerts his choices and will towards the Jewish slaves in Egypt. Little does Pharaoh know, he is being used by God.

Critics would say Pharaoh had no choice in the matter. They argue Pharaoh was made for failure. The critic says God is not fair and unjust towards Pharaoh.

Moses has one simple request.

Exodus 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”

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Exodus 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

But look at Pharaoh’s attitude when he first encounters Moses the representative of God. Pharaoh clearly understands Moses and Aaron. There is no confusion. Pharaoh does not acknowledge God. He questions His authority and existence. Pharaoh is not interested in playing along with this so-called LORD’s request. Pharaoh will have his way and do what he wants regardless of any request. Israel is going nowhere. Israel will stay under the authority of Egypt. The Hebrew people have work to do for Pharaoh.

God is formal with Pharaoh. He introduces Himself by His proper name. YHWH (scholars refer to this as the Tetragrammaton, Greek for four letters) is the proper name of the Hebrew God of the Bible. The correct spelling is YHWH. Note, there are no vowels in this term. Vowels from the name Adonai were substituted and the term Yahweh emerged. Jehovah is a word that has been translated to English from the Hebrew, Yahweh. The name for LORD is Jehovah. It means the existing one. This name is so sacred, Jews refuse to pronounce it. The name is first introduced in Exodus 3:14 when Moses and God are having a discussion. His name is a statement of existence.

Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

If one is looking for proof that God created or God exists, you are wasting your time. It is assumed. God is eternal and self-existent. God always has been and always will be.

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