Friday: Further Thought – The Bread and Water of Life
Daily Lesson for Friday 15th of August 2025
Read Ellen G. White, “From the Red Sea to Sinai,” Pages 291–302, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
Not long after the incident with the water, the nation faced a new danger (see Exodus 17:8-16)—a fierce and warlike tribe, the Amalekites, attacked them. “The Amalekites were not ignorant of God’s character or of His sovereignty, but instead of fearing before Him, they had set themselves to defy His power. The wonders wrought by Moses before the Egyptians were made a subject of mockery by the people of Amalek, and the fears of surrounding nations were ridiculed. They had taken oath by their gods that they would destroy the Hebrews, so that not one should escape, and they boasted that Israel’s God would be powerless to resist them. They had not been injured or threatened by the Israelites. Their assault was wholly unprovoked. It was to manifest their hatred and defiance of God that they sought to destroy His people. The Amalekites had long been high-handed sinners, and their crimes had cried to God for vengeance, yet His mercy had still called them to repentance; but when the men of Amalek fell upon the wearied and defenseless ranks of Israel, they sealed their nation’s doom.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 300.
Discussion Questions
|
(7)
Adrian Plass, in one of his "Sacred Diary" books, tells of visiting a perfect family. They woke up in the morning, didn't fight over who was first in the bathroom, sat and ate breakfast together with a conversation sprinkled with Bible texts perfectly quoted. They had family worship together and went off to their daily duties. In the evening, they all sat at the dinner table together taking turns in their conversation and waiting patiently for one another.
He commented that he was glad to get back to his own home where things were a bit of a shambles and there were arguments and a bit of push and shove.
And that is what I like about the Exodus story. It's about a mob of real peaple, grizzling and complaining, coming to terms with being nomads, praising God one minute, and turning their backs on him the next. It was like a typical Seventh-day Adventist Church — real people, learning to love God and one another. The most significant aspect of the entire story is that the Hebrews were pointing in the right direction - toward the Promised Land.
The big lesson for us modern Christians: Are we looking in one direction - Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith?
The Amalekites were given an opportunity to turn from their evil ways apparently 400 years but they chose instead to persist in opposing God’s people (Exodus 17:14). They symbolized the flesh, always resisting the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Their pride and rebellion led them to reject God’s mercy, and when His patience ran out, judgment would fall upon upon them (Hebrews 10:26-27). Those who harden their hearts miss the moment of grace, proving that delayed repentance is often no repentance at all.
Moses could tell Jethro the miraculous story because He experienced it. We have a miraculous story to tell of our justification(our conversion story) and the ongoing story of our sanctification process, no matter where we are at in our story of redemption. It is quite an experience to walk and talk with God, I have. Some also call it a journey or process of getting to know God. Remember Salvation is gifted by the one you know, being all about who you know. A relationship with Christ.
If I were handing out spiritual prescriptions. I would write, "spend time with Christ at the beginning and end of each day, and as needed." 24/7. Well that is what works for me(John). You can put your name in there too if the shoe fits. Luke 9:23. Page 89 of It's Who You Know by Morris Venden.
1 Corinthians 10:4 tells us that the Israelites in the wilderness “drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.” This means it was Jesus Himself who led them, provided for them, and judged them when necessary. The same loving Savior revealed in the New Testament was the One present in the Old Testament — His character has always been consistent in both love and justice.
I believe that in the Old Testament, God’s justice often seemed more swift because of the principle Jesus stated in the New Testament: “To whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). This can be seen in several ways:
1. Israel had greater direct revelation than most people today. God’s presence was visible in the pillar of cloud and fire. They heard His voice at Sinai and witnessed daily miracles such as manna, water from the rock, and the parting of the Red Sea. With such undeniable evidence, persistent rebellion was deliberate, not due to ignorance.
2. God was forming a covenant nation to be His witness to the world. Israel stood on a public stage — their obedience or disobedience sent a message about God to surrounding nations. Open rebellion without swift consequences could lead others to believe God was weak, unjust, or tolerant of sin.
3. The nation’s survival often depended on quick action. In a small, newly formed community, unchecked sin — whether idolatry, rebellion, or corruption — could quickly spread and destroy the entire mission. Swift justice acted like a quarantine, protecting the people from spiritual destruction.
4. God was setting patterns and warnings for future generations. As 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, these events “were written down as warnings for us.” Early, visible judgments highlighted the seriousness of sin so that later generations — including us — would take God’s holiness seriously.
So yes, “to whom much is given, much is required” is one of the key principles, but it is closely tied to God’s purposes in preserving His people and clearly revealing His character to the world.
The cross revealed God’s mercy in its fullest form, and this present “church age” is a worldwide call to repentance. Judgment is delayed so that more people can be saved. As Peter writes, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise… He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Peter 3:9).
In Israel’s early history, swift judgment was sometimes necessary to protect the survival of one small covenant nation. Today, the covenant family spans every nation, so God’s discipline is often carried out through the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the witness of the church, rather than through immediate public acts.
In this New Testament era, God is holding back the final judgment until Christ returns — because once it comes, there will be no second chance (Acts 17:30–31).
God is never ashamed of His creatures. We are the ones who deny His lordship over us. We should always be ready to witness what God did and has been doing in our lives.