WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080
Day 25, or January the 25th. Follow the Maker's

00:00:05.080 --> 00:00:09.019
instructions and timetable. Our thoughts today

00:00:09.019 --> 00:00:13.500
are rooted in Exodus, chapter 21, verse 1. These

00:00:13.500 --> 00:00:17.559
are the laws you are to set before them. First,

00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:20.260
the big picture of this passage surrounding the

00:00:20.260 --> 00:00:24.289
verse. The first half of Exodus, with its straightforward

00:00:24.289 --> 00:00:27.750
storyline, is quite different to the second half,

00:00:27.949 --> 00:00:31.129
which is full of detailed regulations and instructions.

00:00:31.789 --> 00:00:34.689
There are lots of detail about how to build a

00:00:34.689 --> 00:00:37.170
tabernacle, which will be the portable place

00:00:37.170 --> 00:00:40.189
of worship for the children of Israel, until

00:00:40.189 --> 00:00:44.530
the temple is built many years later. Moses expands

00:00:44.530 --> 00:00:47.270
the Ten Commandments into more detailed regulations

00:00:47.270 --> 00:00:51.850
that form a foundation for Judaism. The first

00:00:51.850 --> 00:00:55.390
subject covered is an early form of human rights

00:00:55.390 --> 00:00:58.909
law, which includes both personal and social

00:00:58.909 --> 00:01:03.049
responsibilities. It seems to confirm that there

00:01:03.049 --> 00:01:06.709
is nothing new under the sun. In the midst of

00:01:06.709 --> 00:01:09.790
all these rules, little do the Israelites suspect

00:01:09.790 --> 00:01:13.290
at this time that the short journey will take

00:01:13.290 --> 00:01:16.810
them forty years, as they take a detour through

00:01:16.810 --> 00:01:19.950
the wilderness, following their refusal to obey

00:01:19.950 --> 00:01:23.349
what God says. Finally, the covenant between

00:01:23.349 --> 00:01:27.290
God and his people is confirmed, as Moses and

00:01:27.290 --> 00:01:30.890
the other leaders gather before God at Mount

00:01:30.890 --> 00:01:35.719
Sinai. And now our action step for today. As

00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:38.140
the children of Israel anticipate entering the

00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:41.120
promised land, God makes it very clear that it

00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:44.260
will take time and effort and patient trust in

00:01:44.260 --> 00:01:47.939
God's timing. I will drive them out a little

00:01:47.939 --> 00:01:51.200
at a time, until your population has increased

00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:55.060
enough to take possession of the land, God tells

00:01:55.060 --> 00:02:00.060
them in chapter 23, verse 30. In a world of instant

00:02:00.060 --> 00:02:03.359
this and instant that, we often find ourselves

00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:07.019
expecting an instant God. If something takes

00:02:07.019 --> 00:02:09.780
a few seconds, we immediately wonder what the

00:02:09.780 --> 00:02:13.800
hold -up is. Patience is a virtue, that is certainly

00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:16.939
true, and I would love to have lots of patience.

00:02:17.379 --> 00:02:21.240
But I need it now. I am sure there are things

00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:23.819
in your life today that, if you were in charge,

00:02:24.060 --> 00:02:27.539
would be solved before your next meal. However,

00:02:27.699 --> 00:02:33.120
you're not in charge, so trust God who is. Synchronize

00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:37.259
your timetable with His, or expect even more

00:02:37.259 --> 00:02:38.500
frustration ahead.