Wed.’s Devo - God’s Perspective

Read: Genesis 50:1-Exodus 2:10; Matthew 16:13-17:9 Psalm 21:1-13; Proverb 5:1-6 Jacob gave his last words to all his sons and laid down and died. Joseph had his Egyptian physicians embalm him which took 40 days. Then Joseph asked the Pharaoh permission to take his body back to Canaan and bury him in a tomb he had prepared. Pharaoh agreed and sent many of his charioteers with them. In the land of Canaan, they mourned deeply for Jacob. They buried him in the cave of Machpelah where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah were buried. When they returned to Egypt, Joseph’s brothers were afraid that Joseph might want to seek retaliation on them now that Jacob had died. He kindly assured them that he would not do that. He knew that this had all been God’s plan to save many people not just them. In time, Joseph and his brothers all died. A new Pharaoh came to power who didn’t know anything about Joseph and what he had done to save their nation. The Hebrews had become so numerous they outnumbered the Egyptians and the new Pharoah was afraid that they would rise up and overpower them if they had the opportunity. He came up with a plan to make the Hebrews their slaves and work them to death. It did’t work because God was with them and continued to multiply them. Pharaoh came up with a new plan to have the mid-wives kill all the baby boys but the mid-wives were Hebrew and feared God and his laws over the law of the government. They refused and God blessed them. They lied to the Pharaoh and told him the Hebrews were too strong and had their babies before they got there. The Pharaoh’s next plan was to throw the boy babies into the Nile River. At that time, two Levites married and had a son. When he was born they knew there was something special about him so they hid him for three months. When it was apparent they could hide him no longer, the mother made a basket and laid him in the basket. The baby’s sister, Miriam, watched the basket from afar. The Pharoah’s daughter came down to bathe in the river and saw the basket. She had it brought to her and when it was opened the baby who began to cry. She took the baby into her arms and fell in love with it. She knew he was a Hebrew baby. Miriam approached the princess and asked if she should go find a woman to nurse the baby and the princes said, Yes. She took the baby home and let his mother nurse him until he was older, then she brought him back to the Pharaoh’s daughter to raise him as her own. She named him Moses because she drew him from the water. The midwives and the mother defied the government they were under to follow a greater government - the government of God. The mid-wives defied the government to save the Hebrew boys and God blessed them. Miriam and her mother defied the government to save their posterity and God blessed them. Sometimes we have to make a choice. Are we going to obey the government of the land or the government of God. In Matthew, Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was. Some thought he was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or another prophet resurrected. Then Jesus asked them who they thought he was. Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus blessed Peter and said that he could only deduce that by the Spirit of the Lord. Upon that revelation he would build his church and all the powers of hell would not be able to conquer it. He gave the church the keys to heaven that whatever we forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven and whatever we permit on earth, will be permitted in heaven. Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. He told them what was about to happen to him. He would be arrested by the religious leaders who would kill him. On the third day, he would rise from the dead. Peter took Jesus aside and tried to tell him all that was not going to happen to him but Jesus rebuked Peter and told him to stop seeing things merely from a human perspective. He had to see from God’s perspective. Jesus told the disciples that to follow him would cost them their lives also. But in losing it, they would find real life. Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James and John to a high mountain. Jesus transfigured into his glory before them. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared with him and they talked. Peter wanted to make three shelters for them but a voice came out of heaven saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” Jesus came over and touched them and they awoke from their vision. Moses and Elijah were gone and Jesus was back to himself. Lord, may we see from your perspective and choose to follow you no matter the cost.