Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 9:13-17.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.  For this time I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.  For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth.  But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.  Still you exalt yourself against My people by not letting them go.”  Exodus 9:13-17.

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“But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.”  Verse 16. 

“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.  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 7:3-4. 

“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. Romans 9:17-18.

“The LORD has made everything for its own purpose,
Even the wicked for the day of evil.” Proverbs 16:4.

“Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.”  Exodus 14:30-31.

“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.” Romans 9:22-24.

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD;  you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 9:8-12.

“Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of soot from a kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.  It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and will become boils breaking out with sores on man and beast through all the land of Egypt.”  So they took soot from a kiln, and stood before Pharaoh;  and Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became boils breaking out with sores on man and beast.  The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians as well as on all the Egyptians.  And the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.”  Exodus 9:8-12.

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It is interesting that today’s Scripture expressly and specifically points out:  “The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians as well as on all the Egyptians.”  Verse 11.  I presumed that all the plagues fell upon the magicians as well as on all the Egyptians.

In any event, it does lead us to consider that although the magicians were allowed by God to copy some of the miracles/plagues to some extent, and the magicians were generally considered wise men, they were humbled by God.  As another example, we do remember the first miracle.  “Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.  For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents.  But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.”  Exodus 7:11-12.   

Today’s Scripture leads us to recognize that God is opposed to the pride and pomp of man. We should be humble and not lean on our own understanding. We should fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

“5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:5-7.

“10 For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inner thought is that their houses are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have called their lands after their own names.
12 But man in his pomp will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish.” Psalm 49:10-12.

“But He gives a greater grace.  Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”  James 4:6.

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

Where is the wise man?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;  but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.”  1 Corinthians 1:18-29.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 9:1-7.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.  For if you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them,  behold, the hand of the LORD will come with a very severe pestilence on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks.  But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.”’”  The LORD set a definite time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.”  So the LORD did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died;  but of the livestock of the sons of Israel, not one died.  Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead.  But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.”   Exodus 9:1-7.

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Through all of Scripture, particularly through these miracles a/k/a plagues, we continue to see this very important theme of the LORD making a distinction (a setting apart) between God’s people and the others (in this case, the Egyptians).  Today, we read “But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.”  Verse 4.

It was as big of a miracle that “of the livestock of the sons of Israel, not one died” as it was that “all the livestock of Egypt died”.

There are “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction”, and there are “vessels of mercy”.  

“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?  And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”  Romans 9:22-24.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:32.

Consider how growing in the grace and knowledge of this distinction will cause us to be strong and courageous.

Consider how growing in the grace and knowledge of this distinction will cause us to be peaceful and joyful.

Consider how growing in the grace and knowledge of this distinction will cause us to be thankful and praise God.   

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD;  you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.” Psalm 103:1-5.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 8:20-24.

“Now the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, as he comes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.  For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses;  and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they dwell.  But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that I, the LORD, am in the midst of the land.  I will put a division between My people and your people.  Tomorrow this sign will occur.”’”  Then the LORD did so.  And there came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants and the land was laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt.”  Exodus 8:20-24.

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There is a sharp contrast between on how God treats His people and how God treats the others (in this case, the Egyptians).   

“But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, …”  Verse 22.

“I will put a division between My people and your people.  …”  Verse 23.

“But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’”  Exodus 11:7.

“But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself;
The LORD hears when I call to Him.” Psalm 4:3.

“4 The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1:4-6.

“The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.” Proverbs 3:33.

“No harm befalls the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.” Proverbs 12:21.

“The light of the righteous rejoices,
But the lamp of the wicked goes out.” Proverbs 13:9.

“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?  And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”  Romans 9:22-24.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 8:1-15.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.  But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs.  The Nile will swarm with frogs, which will come up and go into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and on your people, and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls.  So the frogs will come up on you and your people and all your servants.”’”  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the streams and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’”  So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.  The magicians did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat the LORD that He remove the frogs from me and from my people;  and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”  Moses said to Pharaoh, “The honor is yours to tell me:  when shall I entreat for you and your servants and your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, that they may be left only in the Nile?”

Then he said, “Tomorrow.”  So he said, “May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.  The frogs will depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people;  they will be left only in the Nile.”  Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had inflicted upon Pharaoh.  The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courts, and the fields.  So they piled them in heaps, and the land became foul.  But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”  Exodus 8:1-15.

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How should we respond to God when He gives us relief?

“But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”  Verse 15.

We may not be as bad as Pharaoh, but, too often we quickly turn our attention to worldly things and do not thank God as we should.   

The following Scriptures gives us good examples of how we can respond. We can meditate on God’s works and tell others of His works.  We can give thanks to God.  We can sing praises to God.  We can go to church with offerings.  We can pay our vows.  

“2 O LORD my God,
I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
3 O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol;
You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones,
And give thanks to His holy name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:2-5.

“11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
12 That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” Psalm 30:11-12.

“19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He saved them out of their distresses.
20 He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
22 Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And tell of His works with joyful singing.” Psalm 107:19-22.

“12 You made men ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water,
Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.
13 I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was in distress.” Psalm 66:12-14.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 7:14-25.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn;  he refuses to let the people go.  Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile;  and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent.  You shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness.  But behold, you have not listened until now.”  Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD:  behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood.  The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.”’”  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood;  and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”

So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD had commanded.  And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood.  The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile.  And the blood was through all the land of Egypt.  But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts;  and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.  Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house with no concern even for this.  So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile.  Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.”  Exodus 7:14-25.

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God could have compelled Pharaoh to let His people go after one miracle.  After all, God simply summarized His work in Exodus 6:1.  “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh;  for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.”  But, God wanted to show off His power by many miracles.  

“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.  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 7:3-4.

“11 I shall remember the deeds of the LORD;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all Your work
And muse on Your deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy;
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
You have made known Your strength among the peoples.
15 You have by Your power redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.” Psalm 77:11-15.

“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.”  So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”  Romans 9:17-18.  

God could have wiped out Pharaoh and his army in the first miracle rather than in the last miracle.  But, God wanted to distinguish the saved (those on whom He shows mercy) from the unsaved (those whom He hardens). 

“But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’”  Exodus 11:7.

“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?  And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”  Romans 9:22-24.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 7:8-13.

“Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Work a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’”  So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the LORD had commanded;  and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent.  Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.  For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents.  But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.  Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”  Exodus 7:8-13.

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It would have been a good enough miracle for God to only change Aaron’s staff into a serpent.  But, God also caused Aaron’s staff to swallow up the staffs of the magicians of Egypt.

So to speak, this double miracle leads us to consider that later God caused the sea to swallow up Pharaoh’s chariots and his army.  “The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them;  not even one of them remained.”  Exodus 14:28.

“3 “The LORD is a warrior;
The LORD is His name.
4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 “The deeps cover them;
They went down into the depths like a stone.
6 “Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power,
Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.” Exodus 15:3-6.

“10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 2:10-12.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 7:1-7.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.  You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land.  But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.  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.  The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.”  So Moses and Aaron did it;  as the LORD commanded them, thus they did.  Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh.”  Exodus 7:1-7.

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Many have a god who refuses, or is at least reluctant, to react and interfere with man’s alleged free-will.

But, Reformed Doctrine has the God of Scripture Who initiates and intercedes and accomplishes all of His good pleasure.  See Isaiah 46:9-11. 

Twice, in today’s Scripture, God uses vivid personal language, “My hand”, to describe His action. So to speak, God “takes things into His own hands”.   

“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.”

“I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.”

“14 Justice is turned back,
And righteousness stands far away;
For truth has stumbled in the street,
And uprightness cannot enter.
15 Yes, truth is lacking;
And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.
Now the LORD saw,
And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.
16 And He saw that there was no man,
And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;
Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.
17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.
18 According to their deeds, so He will repay,
Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will make recompense.
19 So they will fear the name of the LORD from the west
And His glory from the rising of the sun,
For He will come like a rushing stream
Which the wind of the LORD drives.
20 “A Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the LORD.” Isaiah 59:14-20.

Reformed Doctrine has the God of Scripture Who delights in exercising lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth. 

“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.