Exodus 6:5-6 “Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.’”
 
THE number 7 is often used in the Bible to signify completeness. In this and the next lesson, we’ll consider seven promises God declared to Israel as he began to free them from Egypt’s bondage.
   Through Moses, God tells Israel he has remembered my covenant. The faithful in Israel would know the LORD (Yahweh) was referring to the promise he made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates. (Genesis 15:17) God later confirmed this promise with the sign of circumcision. As generation upon generation practiced circumcision, they would wonder, “When will the LORD’s promises come true?” Now with, “I  have remembered my covenant.”, the LORD tells Israel with seven specific “I will” promises that he will now do as he has said.
   He first promises is release from physical burden. 1) I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. A wooden yoke is placed over a work animal’s neck to control it to do heavy work at the farmer’s will. Egypt heavily oppressed Israel: So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. (Exodus 1:11) Few of us can imagine a tyrant’s severe yoke completely controlling our physical, emotional and spiritual life through brutal laws and harsh consequences. God promised to remove Egypt’s oppressive control over the Jews’ lives.
   Then he promised freedom from any slave master’s control. 2) I will free you from being slaves to them. The Jews’ entire mindset will change. They will no longer need to consider a slave master’s desires intruding into their lives. Each person can have goals and live with a purpose that has no consideration of, “What does the slave master want today?” Israel will have the unshackled freedom to follow their LORD God.
   Will Israel believe God’s life-changing promises? Do you? These freedom promises are for you, too.
           Jesus came to remove the heavy burden of sin and religious bondage with this tender exhortation, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) We must learn from him that his commands are based on “Love God and love others.” In Jesus’ freedom, we have a new mindset to release the fear, guilt, regret, apathy and pride that can be as a slave master’s voice directing your life. Listen to the gospel’s freedom voice. Clear your mind from the bondage. Set your mind to know and live Jesus’ gentle yoke to guide you into his eternal promises. 

Genesis 8:20-21 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.”
 
GOD’S promise here was spoken as Noah and family came out of the ark. The Noahic covenant is an unconditional covenant. God promised, and he made no requirement of mankind to keep his promise. He will do as he says. As “covenant” means “cutting,” the animal sacrifice is a covenant seal. Then, as with each covenant, he gave us a sign of the covenant: Genesis 9:14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
   We cannot imagine the flood that covered the entire earth. For forty days springs broke forth from the deep and the rains deluged the earth. For several months the earth was covered in water. It was a formless void as it was before God began his creation. Out of the storm came a new fresh earth. God then repeated the blessing he gave to Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” (Genesis 9:7) As in the first creation, the family became the agents of God’s promise and blessing.
   In his grace, God has promised physical safety over all the earth until the New Heaven and Earth. In the many colors of the rainbow, we can remember the many forms of God’s grace: 1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. His spiritual gifts guide us to enjoy his promises.  
   The rainbow also reminds us that God has created a bridge between heaven and our hearts. He first did so through the Law, then the prophets. Now Jesus is the bridge from sin’s death into salvation’s sanctuary. The rainbow represents the Light of the World,  who is present to comfort and keep us during the storms and when they pass.
   The rainbow also illustrates God’s throne. We see its description in Ezekiel 1:28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. This is also in Revelation 4:3.
   The next time you see a rainbow, you can consider God is sharing a bit of his holy majesty with you. He reminds you of his benevolent care and grace to welcome you into his throne room through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.
    

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse - 27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; 28 the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. 
 
AMONG Moses’ final words to Israel are God’s two promises: Stay true to God and be blessed. Turn to idols and be cursed. What promise do you want to become true for you? 
   It is not common to say, “God promises judgment.” We’d rather see such words as warnings about possible consequences. But if we truly believe God promises a curse on our life for rejecting his Lordship, perhaps we would be more intentional to know God.
   Or let’s be positive. If we truly believe God’s promise to bless our full devotion to  him, it’s likely the fear of God would rule our lives. (See prior lesson.) Certainly we want to live into his blessings, don’t we?
   Yes, God promises blessings to those who hold fast to the first command: Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”  This was essentially the first thing Israel heard from God as they began their freedom march to the Promised Land. The LORD God had set them free from bondage toward the New Promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. The Covenant-making God was fulfilling his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Why did they succumb to the curse?
   They did not believe his promise of a curse, did they? They turned to their own desires as their god. And Israel found pleasure in the enemies’ gods. Ultimately they discovered the power of God’s promise to curse idol worshipers. They became an impoverished nation ruled by the tyranny of godless men. They didn’t know how bad the curse would be. They did not learn how good God’s blessings are.
   Do you know how good God’s blessings are? They are his personal gifts to you that direct your life into his presence. Blessings are spiritual.  Upon his faithful people he bestows love, joy, peace and other fruit of the Spirit to help you enjoy your salvation. Blessings are physical. Sometimes they come in daily needs.
Deuteronomy 28:8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. Sometimes God blesses in abundant provision. Job 42:12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.
   Always God is willing to bless you with himself: Numbers 6:24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.           Do you desire the blessed life?  
 

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
 
GOD promises if you fear  him you will have knowledge; you will be wise. To the world, this is nonsense. For one thing, we can know many things without fearing God. And why must we be afraid of God to have knowledge?
   God’s promises always point to his relationship with us. He created you to be personally involved with him. He wants you to be engaged with him in a joyful, interactive life on earth and in heaven. So he promises: “Fear God and you will gain knowledge.” What does this mean?
   The Bible tells us this promise is fundamental to fulfilling our divine purpose. There are 22 passages in the Bible that contain “fear of the Lord.” In each passage the command represents a person or group of people who revere God. Or they are commanded to worship him to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. Isaiah even prophesied the Messiah will fear the Lord: The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2) You see here the binding relationship of fear to wisdom, understanding, counsel and knowledge.
   The root meaning of fear in these contexts is to revere, to worship. You fear God when you hold him in high esteem. You see him as the highest authority in your life. To fear God means you understand he is the author of your life. He has created you, and he will do with you as he pleases. The Bible tells us God is pleased to call you into an eternal relationship with him. You honor him for what he has done and what he will do. When you fear God, you confess he is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:14) Eternity rests in his hands.
   What do you do with this fear? You want to know God, so you gain essential knowledge. One of the critical moments in the 12 disciples’ relationship with Jesus occurred in a storm on Galilee. Luke 8:24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown! He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
   All but Judas came to understand through Jesus’ miracles and resurrection that Jesus is the one to worship. When they revered him as the Son of God, they gained the knowledge to prosper in the LORD. As we said in the previous lesson, when God’s Word is foremost on your mind, you will reach your divine purpose. This is the knowledge that begins with fear – with reverence, worship.
   From the patriarchs through the prophets and to the disciples, the Bible tells us that those who feared God gained the knowledge that led them to live a life devoted to him. This is true for you. Fear the LORD, and you will know the LORD. This knowledge will be the foundation of your life. You will filter all other knowledge through God’s wisdom. In this way, you will reach your divine potential.
 

Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
 
THIS begins a series of teachings we’ll call “God’s Promises.” We’ll look at verses from various parts of the Bible to understand the many ways God points us to his benevolent care over our life. God’s promises include his covenants regarding Israel and the church, his truth regarding salvation, his law that directs us to righteousness and his wisdom that leads us to the blessings of a righteous life. We begin with the promise: One who meditates on God’s Word will have a prosperous life.
   First, let’s be very clear. The prosperous life has nothing to do with material wealth. This is spiritual prosperity. It means that when God’s Word is foremost on your mind, God’s Word will lead you to  your divine purpose. Your character will be marked with God’s truth. Your thoughts, words and deeds are based on Scripture’s teachings. In essence, when you prosper in God, you become more holy as the Lord is holy. 1 Peter 1:15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.
   This is quite a goal, isn’t it? Do any of us think this is possible? God says it is when you delight in God’s Word and mediate on it day and night. To do so is to have God’s word always on your mind as you encounter various decisions each day. To meditate is to spend particular time on God’s Word to discern what he is saying to you. Perhaps one of the most difficult things for many of us to do is to stop a few minutes to consider the Bible verses we are reading. It is very easy to read through them with an agenda to complete so many chapters or pages in a certain amount of time. But stop here and listen. God is teaching you to dwell on his Word. Bible reading and learning is not a race to see how far we get in a certain amount of time. Reading God’s Word should be as if you are gazing into the face of God. Stop and see his holy reflection revealed to your heat, mind and soul. 
   When you do, you will be as a fruitful, vibrant tree. You will be strong in your faith, sturdy and life-giving to others. The image of a tree producing its fruit in season is a predominant image throughout Scripture and even into the eternal city (Revelation 21). A person who mediates on God’s Word will become deeply rooted in God’s character. You will know how to stop evil, reject mockers and defeat the sinners. 
   God has given us his Word, so we can know him. Meditate on it, and you will prosper in you relationship with him. 

Hebrews 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  
 
EIGHTY-FOUR days ago we began the study of Hebrews with these verses. At the end of the lesson, we asked two questions: Is Jesus supreme in your life? In your church? Would you answer these questions any differently now than you did then?
   Yes, it’s difficult to stop and remember what you read, especially if it is over time. But let’s consider each lesson as food we eat during the day. We may not recall what we had to eat last week, but we know it sustained and nourished us. You don’t need to tell the food, “Nourish my body.” The body naturally ingests and digests the food for your life.
   The Word of God is like that. It is Bread of Life we consume, hopefully day-by-day to feed our minds, strengthen our hearts and deepen our souls. We may not remember what we have read or learned specifically, but the Word changes us: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
   How then, has the Word penetrated your life? How has the Scriptures fed you regarding Jesus these past three months? Have you come to a greater understanding we are in the last days of history? Yes, these days may last for many centuries or conclude tomorrow. But we live in the time God has thoroughly revealed himself through the Son. The Bible we have is God’s complete word. The LORD feeds us all we must have for eternal life. We are prepared to meet him.
   Jesus is the fulfillment of the Covenants God promised to Adam and Abraham. Jesus has completed the law. Jesus completes the detailed prophecies spoken throughout Israel’s history from Abraham to Malachi. Jesus is the Great High Priest, who intercedes for his own before God. Jesus has completed the sacrifice, and we need only trust in and live into his sacrifice to be saved.
   Through Jesus, the Holy God made the universe. Jesus is the resurrection and the life everlasting. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we see the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
   We know Jesus sits at God’s right hand. He reigns in power and authority. He is preparing a place for us, so we can be with him (John 14). We know Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith. Trusting Jesus, we can be sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
   We live in a wonderful time in history to know the LORD God as we do. May he be the Lord of your life forevermore. Amen. 

Hebrews 13:23-25 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all God’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. 25 Grace be with you all.
 
WHEN reading through the Bible, you will first meet Timothy in Acts 16. The apostle Paul is on his second missionary journey, and he invites Timothy, still in his parents’ household, to join him. Timothy became Paul’s helper for an extended time. He is with Paul on mission to new territory, developing new churches. Timothy is also listed as a co-author of some of Paul’s epistles. Eventually Timothy becomes the leader of the church in Ephesus. And Paul addresses two letters to him. Many consider 2 Timothy Paul’s last epistle.
   This is the only reference to Timothy having been in jail. With that in mind, does it make sense for the Hebrews writer to close with, “Grace be with you all.” How does one see God’s grace when a strong, respected church leader is subject to imprisonment?
   Sometimes God’s grace is most apparent when his people are under threat. If we go along easily in life, we may forget who is guiding our life. Each day is a gracious gift from God to enjoy him and to help others enjoy him, too. But our minds are distracted. We too seldom stop for a moment of reflection on God’s magnificent care through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
   God’s grace helps us through the challenges. He is available to us for strength, comfort and care when we have no place to turn. Grace is God’s favor, his kindness and his friendship. He makes himself known through people he sends to encourage you. And when you open the Bible, you read of God’s ever-present mercy to reveal himself to you.
   You also see God’s compassion even when Israel is exiled to Babylon, and the church is persecuted. God graciously sends prophets and teachers to remind his faithful he is our ever-present help in trouble. Grace allows us to be still and know he is God. (from Psalm 46:1&10)
   In his grace, Jesus has sent the Helper, the Counselor to aid us in our need: John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. How good it is to know the Spirit, who dwells in us.
   Grace is knowing your life is not your own. You belong to God because he has made it happen. Grace is the outpouring of God’s love to save you: Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. 
   Your life in Christ is God’s grace to free you from captivity. Regardless of your earthly circumstances, you will always be free in Jesus Christ.
   May God’s grace be with you as you recognize his eternal care upon your soul. He is with you wherever you are.
 

 ​Hebrews 13:22 Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter.
 
THE Hebrews writer urges the church to bear with his words of exhortation. He urges them to listen to what he has written and to live into these truths of God. Some of us may feel this urging is too forceful. We don’t like to be exhorted to listen. Can’t we decide for ourselves what to believe? No, we can’t when it comes to God’s truth. What’s the point of teaching and preaching if we can waiver on what is true?
   It is a matter of life and death to understand who Jesus is. We don’t have the capacity on our own to know God. We need good teachers and preachers to exhort us into the Christian life.
   And this is gooc! When you look at the root meanings of “urging” and “exhortation” you will discover the writer is saying, “I invite you to listen with intensity.”
   When Jesus used “invite” in his teachings, he was intensely urging us to pay attention to those with great needs. For example, he said in Luke 14:13 “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed.” The invitation is grace. It is an act of mercy and compassion to offer comfort to those with such great needs. But what happens if those invited do not listen intensely? They will miss the banquet.  
   That’s Hebrews’ point. He urges them to not miss the life-giving truth he has invited them to know. He has taken time in a short letter to teach the primacy of Jesus Christ among all creation. He has urged the church to see the Old Covenant sacrifices as illustrations of the New Covenant sacrifice through Jesus, the Son of God. The church has heard they must meet regularly and to fix their eyes on Jesus. Hebrews has given the church a taste of the heavenly banquet, ready for them to enjoy. The time has come to partake of the meal. He hopes they have gained a good appetite for the truth of Jesus Christ. He urges them to be ready and willing to fully engage in the salvation banquet Jesus offers to them.
   Mankind has great needs. Our Lord wants us to hunger and thirst for righteousness. If we do we will be filled (from Matthew 5:6) Pay attention to what is good for you. Reject the things that are wrong. Understand the way to Jesus and avoid the poisonous false teachers. There is no room for error when it comes to your salvation. The teaching and the hearing of God’s Word must be an intense intersection of truth. 

Hebrews 13:20-21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
 
MINISTERS of God’s Word often use this passage as a benediction. A benediction is a blessing that spiritually places God’s character into a person. It is common in churches to use the benediction to send people on their way with a sense of God going with them. In this benediction, let’s understand who God is.
   God is peace. He created the world for all to be in union. His plan is to return the world to the orderly perfect creation: Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
   God is a covenant ruler. He makes promises. The Son came from heaven to promise that all who confess faith in Jesus’ body broken and his blood shed will be saved.
   God is resurrection. He brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus. In Jesus’ resurrection is the blessing of eternal life. Jesus is the firstborn from the dead that al in him may have eternal life: Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  
   God is the great Shepherd of the sheep: Revelation 7:17 “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” He leads his own, and we are to follow only the Good Shepherd’s voice.
   God is generous. He equips you with everything good for doing his will. Each Christian is given particular spiritual gifts to make God known. God blesses us to use his good gifts to advance God’s will.
   God is a worker. Through his Holy Word, God works in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
   God is glory. He will reveal his power and majesty to the entire world: Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.  
   God is the Amen. When we say, “Amen.” we usually mean, “May it be true.” Amen also defines God as the supreme ruler, director of all things:  2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.  
   When you receive a benediction from Scripture, know you have received a blessing to live into God’s character. And may your life reveal God’s character to those around you.  
 

Hebrews 13:18-19 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.
 
IF you wonder, “Does prayer work?” you can look here and to the other epistles to understand how important prayer was to the apostles.
   Prayer is the fuel to empower God’s will into reality. The apostles knew this because they saw Jesus pray. And he taught them that one of prayer’s primary principles is “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) Following their Lord’s example, prayer was one of four primary elements in the early church: Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And we see prayer was the apostles’ daily habit: Acts 3:1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon. 
   For some reason we tend to forget that prayer is a central theme in Scripture. We find its specific reference first in Genesis 4:26 At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. In the context of the verse, the LORD wants us to know that praying to the LORD God is the mark of a righteous person. Seeking guidance, celebrating blessings, confessing sins and interceding for others must be a common habit of each Christian. Prayer is telling God, “I need you. I worship you. I love you. I trust you.” When you pray a short quick prayer over a circumstance or spend more time to speak to the Lord, you are communicating with the throne of heaven. There is a beautiful celebration of prayer in Psalms 3:4 To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Think of this. The LORD God answers our prayers form his throne. Should we not be in awe and wonder that God is so generous and loving to respond to our prayers?
   He certainly doesn’t have to do so. And maybe you don’t believe he answers you often enough or in the right way. But he does answer each prayer in his will to be done on earth.
   How do we respond when God’s will is different than ours? Perhaps the Hebrews writer was not able to return to this church. He would still remain faithful to God’s mission. We know God did not always answer, “Yes.” to the apostle Paul’s prayers: 2 Corinthians 12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
   In faith we can receive all of God’s answers to our prayers – yes, no, later – when we know he has saved us into eternal life.
   Pray for us is also a mark of fellowship in the church. When the people of the church intercede for one another, they will see the Spirit’s moving among them. One mark of a strong church is open prayer for each other. God will become more personal and present with all in the church when people reveal how God is at work through those prayers.
           Pray with confidence your holy Father in heaven is listening. And he will answer in the way that is best for you right now.