Dr Paul Allen

The provocation was very great. They wanted to return to Egypt from which God had delivered them. He had delivered them from bondage, parted the sea, fed them with bread from heaven, led them through the wilderness, and yet they could not trust His power to prevail over a few giants! They doubted His power. At Horeb they had made a calf, because they said it had brought them out of the land of Egypt, Exod. 32:4. They now wanted a captain to lead them back into Egypt. What is more they wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb who had told the truth. Truth is never popular, yet how important to maintain it in regard to the proper position and inheritance of the saints. The Lord’s anger was aroused, and He threatened to disinherit them and to make of Moses a great nation instead. Moses wanted no glory for himself, but he was jealous for God’s Name and glory. He could not bear the thought of the lustre of that glory being tarnished in the eyes of the nations around, vv. 15, 16. Moses pleaded f...

English: El Gouna (Red Sea, Egypt) Nederlands: El Gouna (Rode Zee, Egypte) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Believers regularly ask God to do great things. Things that seem impossible. Like saving certain people who seem light years away from the kingdom. Or providing when we can’t see any possible way. Most of us even pray for miracles at times. The only thing is, we often ask for too little. We should ask God for great things, especially if they will bring him glory. In Psalm 81:10 God says:  I am the LORD your God , who brought you up out of the land of Egypt . Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. God says to his people, “Don’t forget who I am - the LORD – the Creator and Ruler of heaven and earth. I own all things and command all things. Whatever I say, goes. I speak and it happens. Then he says, “I am…your God.” And you are the sheep of my pasture. I’ve made a covenant with you to be your God. I have a personal interest in you. Not only am I the LORD and your God...

Of the four Gospels , John has the most specific references to the deity of Christ . John affirms that Jesus is more than simply a chosen person: He shares in the deity of God Himself.  Jesus own awareness of deity is expressed both in sayings about His unity with the Father … but especially in the ‘I am’ sayings [John 6:20; 8:12; 10:7; 10:10; 11:25; 14:6; and 15:1]. In addition to these sayings are several where Jesus designates Himself simply by the words I am (John 4:26; 8:24, 28; 13:19; 18:5–8).  Yesterday Pastor Christian explained that this is a phrase almost impossible to translate literally; in most contexts the simple I am is not meaningful in English [compare renderings of the NASB (“I am He”) and NIV (“I am the one I claim to be”)].  But in John 8:58, the RSV [and similarly, the NASB and NIV] translates ‘Before Abraham was, I am.’ The language is much stronger in Greek than in English. Before Abraham was born (genesthai), I am (ego eimi) [thus...

Image via Wikipedia “ God spoke all these words, saying, ‘ I am the Lord your God , who brought you out of the land of Egypt , out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me .’” -  Exodus 20:1–3 Reformed theologians have always taught that the Mosaic law — the Torah — is no longer able, through sin, to enslave Christians ; rather, now it guides a God pleasing life insofar as its principles are understood in light of Christ and followed by the power of the Spirit ( Rom. 13:8–10 ;  Gal. 3:15–29 ;  5:13–26 ).  The Ten Commandments comprise the core of the law of Moses , the rest of which is an elaboration and application of these ten statutes.  In turn, the Ten Commandments are themselves an elaboration of the two great commands to love God and neighbor ( Luke 10:25–37 ), and today we begin a study of how the Ten Commandments are fulfilled in the new covenant in order that we might know how to please our covenant Lord. Understan...