Justin Houtz

Exodus 6, Luke 12

DateVersionReading Plan
February 25, 2025ESV (2016)OT/NT Plan 2025 – 2027

Exodus 6

Observation

Exod. 6:3 – The LORD said that He did not make Himself known to the people. The BBC says that, “The thought here seems to be that He would now reveal Himself as Lord in a new way—that is, in new power in delivering His people.”

Exod. 6:6-8 – Frequent use of powerful verbs spoken by the LORD in what He told Moses to tell the people: “I will bring”, “I will deliver”, “I will redeem”, “I will take you to be my people”, “I will be your God”, “I will bring you”, “I will give”.

Exod. 6:9 – The people did not respond favorably to Moses’ message from the LORD because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. Their circumstances prevented them from receiving this word with its due level of rejoicing.

Exod. 6:12, 30 – Moses twice said that he was of uncircumcised lips, a claim that he was an inept speaker and expressing reluctance to carry out the task he had been given by the LORD.

Application

God conveyed His immense power in promising that He would deliver and redeem His people, but neither the people nor Moses replied with rightful celebration or thanksgiving. Their dire living situation prevented them from replying with gratitude that the God of all creation would be with them, that He would be their God and they would be His people. As the TGCBC states, “Without faith, trials overwhelm and embitter our hearts and leave us unable to hear the possibilities of God’s promises.”

And yet, despite their radical insolence, the LORD continued to show His patience and steadfast love in working with them. How awesome is our God that if we are faithless He remains faithful. What worshipful adoration this should engender among the saints.

Luke 12

Observation

Luke 12:1 – The leaven of the Pharisees is their hypocrisy. The FSB states that, “Leaven serves as an apt metaphor to describe the widespread effects of the Pharisees’ hypocritical teachings and actions.”

Luke 12:4-7 – Jesus instructs the disciples regarding rightly- and incorrectly-placed fear. They were not to fear those who kill the body but instead fear him who has authority to cast into hell.

Luke 12:8-9 – In Luke’s Gospel, acknowledgement or denial of Jesus before men results in the Son of Man acknowledging or denying them before the angels of God. The same teaching is worded slightly different in Matthew where it says that acknowledgement and/or denial of Jesus results in the Son acknowledging/denying them before His Father (Matt. 10:32-33).

Luke 12:15 – Jesus told them to take care and guard against covetousness for life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. The collision this teaching has with our modern, western context cannot be overstated. Quoting A. R. Miller, the BBC says:

To look about, one would think a man’s life did consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. Men think they become great just in proportion as they gather wealth. So it seems, too; for the world measures men by their bank-account. Yet there never was a more fatal error. A man is really measured by what he is, and not by what he has.

Luke 12:58 – Jesus taught that, as someone was going with their accuser before the magistrate, they were to make an effort to settle with him on the way. By this it seems that we should use every opportunity presented to us to reconcile broken relationships.

Application

Living in one of the most affluent countries in the world, we must take seriously Jesus’ admonition to guard against covetousness and the misappropriation of abundant possessions with a fulfilled life. It is so easy to fall into this snare and miss the purpose of our existence. Our lives were given to us that we may bear His image and reflect the glory of our Creator. May we not look upon our prosperity as our foundation of security or comfort but sacrificially offer back to Him every good gift He bestows.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your plan of redemption cannot and will not be thwarted. Lord, help me to rest in this truth today of the unshakable faithfulness of the Lord our God. Father, help me to lean on You for my every need, giving to all as have need and that, by my generosity, You would be made known.

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