Exodus 18-20 & Proverbs 2

Exodus 18-20

Moses is greeted by his father-in-law named Jethro.  Understand that Jethro is not an Israelite.  He was a priest for a pagan religion in Median (the location where Moses ran to when he ran from Egypt).  Jethro came to bring Moses wife and two sons back to him since the work he did against Egypt was probably thought to be unsafe.  When Moses shared the news of what the Lord God had done against Egypt and for Israel, it caused this pagan priest to worship the Lord.  It is true that what God does in our lives can be used as a tool to share God with our non-believing friends.  Our story could change someone else's life!  

Exodus 20 is where we get the 10 commandments.  The first 4 are in reference to our worship of God and the last 6 are in reference to our everyday life.  These are the basics of right living according to God.  It has been said that if we refrain from breaking the first two, that we will never break the last 8.  Think about this for a moment: By commiting adultery, lying, coveting, etc, we are making something else our god rather than the one true God.  At any rate, there is a misconception that if we obey the 10 commandments that we will be fine in getting to heaven.  Understand that the last 6 are easy to not break.  It is the first 4 that take effort and really take a real and lasting relationship with Jesus in order to attain.  Think about that for a minute. 

Proverbs 2

As we read today's proverb, we come to really 2 main points of thought.

1) Wisdom comes from God's Word.  If we want to gain wisdom, we must study God's         word.

2) There is a adulterous woman mentioned.  This woman will be mentioned several more times throughout Proverbs.  She can mean up to two different things.  The adulterous woman may be literal and in order to avoid sexual sin, we must exercise the wisdom that comes from God's word.  Or it may not be literal and she may refer to the opposite of wisdom, what proverbs calls folly.  If we want to not be fools, then we must gain the wisdom from God's word.  Either way, read God's word, soak in its wisdom, and refrain from temptation to sin by using God's word in your life.