Today we come to Exodus 1-3. It is incredible to me that this new Egyptian king, who lived in much closer proximity in space and time to Joseph than we do, “did not know about Joseph” (verse 8). How is that possible? Joseph not only saved Egypt, but also he rescued the whole region from starvation during Egypt’s seven years of famine! This king’s unfamiliarity with Joseph reveals the ignorance, stupidity, and self-importance of many world-leaders - even those of today. Moreover, it typically points to the contemporary failure of many of today’s popular (and unpopular) leaders to know Jesus Christ. Anyone who can see and experience God’s overall creation must recognize that the world did not kick itself into existence. As the Scriptures teach, it is foolishness to reject God (cf., 1 Corinthians 1:18). Yet so many world leaders today irrationally maintain their own sovereignty while mocking God and His Word with impunity. From Pharaoh in the Old Testament to Judas in the New Testament, we see strange specimens of puny little men everywhere raising their ugly little heads and fists in defiance of our holy, righteous, and sovereign Creator, albeit to their own wasted lives and ultimate perdition.
This new Pharaoh cared nothing for God or His people, even though history was clearly available to him, and God’s compassion was fully evident even in his own royal existence. He had no idea that the people whom he oppressed were descendants of the very ones who had helped to save his kingdom and his nation. What a contrast between Pharaoh and Moses! It is ironic how easily people can forget the past or just refuse to think for themselves. This is often true of those in leadership roles. However, God knows all about it, because He knows what is in the heart of man (cf., John 2:24-25). For His own purposes, God chooses His leaders carefully and sees in them what others don’t. God knew that Moses had weaknesses, but He saw past them and used them to develop his strengths.
Psalm 19 is a grand Psalm that reveals to us how “the heavens declare the glory of God” (verse 1). This illustrates one of the most practical truths. Everyone has unique fingerprints, and unaware, we often leave them behind. They can be used to identify us or to track us. Fingerprints are an evidence that we were created in God’s image, for God also has fingerprints that He left behind to testify of His work in creation. He did not create a trackless universe that testifies of nothing. “The skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge” (verses 1-2). I am aware of former missionary colleagues who served among illiterate, indigenous tribes in the jungles of Irian Jaya, where they lived and worked for years just to learn the language - so they could communicate the gospel to those people. After communication with those tribes eventually became possible, tribal people told the missionaries, “We know why you have come – to tell us good news.” One native individual said, “We know that Someone Who made all this is there, and you have come to tell us about Him.” Such is the testimony about Himself that God has built into His creation. God’s tracks are all over this universe.
In Matthew 26:1-30, we come now to a greater focus of the last week of our Lord’s life before His crucifixion. In Matthew’s gospel, this week began back in Matthew 21 with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, but here in chapter 26, Passover is approaching, and with it, the plot “to arrest … and kill Jesus” (verses 1-4). At Bethany that week, Jesus was anointed “with expensive perfume to prepare His body for burial” – stirring up indignation among the disciples (verses 6-9). Unfortunately, we often respond to “beautiful” situations and events with indignation - again - because we don’t have all the facts. If we knew all the facts, we would respond to truly beautiful situations more beautifully. What should we learn from this? We should learn that it is best to see the beautiful in everything (cf., Ecclesiastes 3:11) and hold our responses until we know the facts. In the book of Job, we saw that the critic always implies that he or she can do things better. One thing the critic could certainly improve upon is holding his or her tongue. This woman who anointed Jesus understood the eternal investment she was making, and we should follow her example. Jesus said that what she did for Him will be remembered “throughout the world” (verse 13). We don’t remember her name, but we remember what she did.
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