Old Testament Prophets Then and Now

By HOWARD BEAN

This book seeks to get the attention of the Christian community that calls themselves the body of Christ, because the revelation that God has given author Howard Bean concerning this book is to open the blinded eyes of those that have become hardhearted, rebellious, and backslidden, to what God says in his Word.

The prophets that have been

• Language: English
• Publisher: TOPLINK PUBLISHING, LLC
• Release date: Dec 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781970066722

HOWARD BEAN

Howard Bean was called back into the ministry by God, after backsliding years ago. He began an in-depth study of the Word of God, and he believes the reason that God had him to do this was to write this book to wake up the church before it is too late.

Book preview

Old Testament

Prophets

Then and Now

Howard Bean

Copyright © 2018 by Howard Bean.

Paperback: 978-1-970066-71-5

eBook: 978-1-970066-72-2

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1    Enoch

Chapter 2    Noah

Chapter 3    Abraham

Chapter 4    Jacob

Chapter 5    Joseph

Chapter 6    Moses

Chapter 7    Joshua

Chapter 8    Samuel

Chapter 9    Gad

Chapter 10  Nathan

Chapter 11  Ahijah

Chapter 12  Shemaiah

Chapter 13  No name prophet

Chapter 14  No name prophet

Chapter 15  Azariah

Chapter 16  Hanaini

Chapter 17  Jehu

Chapter 18  Micaiah

Chapter 19  Jahaziel

Chapter 20  Eliezer

Chapter 21  Elijah

Chapter 22  No name prophet

Chapter 23  Elisha

Chapter 24  Zechariah

Chapter 25  No name prophet

Chapter 26  Jonah

Chapter 27  Zechariah

Chapter 28  Oded

Chapter 29  Asaph

Chapter 30  Isaiah

Chapter 31  Huldah

Chapter 32  Jeremiah

Chapter 33  Hananiah

Chapter 34  Ezekiel

Chapter 35  Noadiah

Chapter 36  Urijah

Chapter 37  Daniel

Chapter 38  Hosea

Chapter 39  Joel

Chapter 40  Amos

Chapter 41  Micah

Chapter 42  Nahum

Chapter 43  Habakkuk

Chapter 44  Zephaniah

Chapter 45  Haggai

Chapter 46  Malachi

Chapter 47  John the Baptist

This book is written by revelation of God, to wake up the church, before it is too late, as it says in II Tim, 2 – 15, and why, Hosea, 4 – 6.

Introduction

To write about the life of a prophet you would think that you would have to be a prophet to know how it would feel and the things you would have to go through. The only way to write about one or more of them is to pray and ask God to give you the ability in the name of Jesus and believe that he will do it. There are many prophets that are in the word of God to choose from so you could say which one of the prophets is the best to write about. I think if one is to write about a certain prophet you could only get part of what I believe God would have us to know and it would not do anyone any good, just to know about one individual prophet that is in the word of God, for in the life of all the prophets that are in the word of God. There is so much to learn and to know about, what they ate, and went through and when they were called by God and all the things that God told them to do and all the different people that they had to talk with. Just think if God called you to be a prophet and he said that he wanted you to go to a leader of a country and tell them that if they did not repent, they would be destroyed. Can you imagine what it would be like to tell someone that they are going to die, and can you think about when you tell them that it is going to rain when it hasn’t rained in years or God tells you to build a ship, because the world was going to be flooded by rain. And there are many other things that you could write about a prophet. But I believe that we must write about a variety of things that is in a prophet’s life. And then let us find out how they apply to our lives today, and if they do then why, are the churches not doing the things, that God has commanded us to do. So let us begin with, the prophets of old, or that is in the Old Testament because I believe we can learn a great deal from them, because there are many different types of prophet’s that can teach us how God wants things done then and now, how he would have us to live today, through Jesus Christ our Lord. One of the most important things about a true prophet of God is they are not honored in their own country. And that most if not all prophets of God are or have been persecuted by people that say they live for God, and by King’s and by false prophets as well, and by Christians because, they say that they are to negative when it comes to the word of God. But the only ones that say this is the ones that have sin in their lives and don’t want anyone to know it, or by pastors. Because most of them think that they are prophets when they are not, and because most Pastors today think that God will only use them to tell what thus saith the Lord God, but in fact God will use anyone, that he wants, and many pastors today have gotten so far away from God, that they can’t or won’t hear what God is saying to the churches, just because they don’t pray, study or fast like they once did to be close to God; so that the Holy Spirit can speak to them through prayer or through God’s word. Throughout the word of God, you will see being a prophet or seer of God is not very popular, and they for the most part live a very prayerful life along with studying and fasting, and seeking God with all their hearts. They also could care less about being rich, or having a lot of worldly things. But many false prophets back then and now seem to care about nothing but worldly things and especially money, and how much they can get from people that don’t know the word of God like they should. But this is to be more about true prophets of God. And once you know the difference between the true prophets and how they are to be, then you will know what a false prophet is; and how to tell them apart; which one is and which one is not of God. So let us go into the word of God and find out about the different types of prophets that God first of all calls and how they are called and how they should be today. For when God said my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, it is because they do not study the word of God with all their hearts and without the word of God, our faith can’t grow as a seed when it is planning it has to have water and good ground with fertilized. For it to produces just as we need the word of God for all of us to grow spiritually in God through Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, who teaches us all things whatsoever God has said.

Chapter 1

The first prophet of God that we will talk about is Enoch and we will call him the fellowship prophet, who walked with God and had fellowship with him, for over three hundred years as in Gen, 5 – 18 – 24. You will find that there is not very much about Enoch here but what there is, it lets us know that Enoch is the only one that walked with God and that he is the only one that God took, after he walked with him for three hundred years, except Elijah, for he was carried away in a chariot of fire. This prophet of God never died but some would say that Enoch is not a prophet. For those that say this, I would say to them, they don’t know the word of God because to walk with God, means that he lived his word. He done what was pleasing to God for three hundred years; no other prophet did this or no man of God, but Enoch did this by the power of God. For having this close relationship with God the Father, God took Enoch and he was not, this means that God did not let him die. And since God is no respect of persons, this means that we too through Christ Jesus our Lord can walk with God, for he dwells within his children by the power of the Holy Spirit, through the very word of God. But to be able to do this first you must repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Chapter 2

Now the next prophet of God is Noah, we will call him the prophet of grace and hope. Noah was the only man on earth out of every man that was on the earth that found grace in the eyes of God, as in Gen, 6 – 8. To call Noah the prophet of hope, we must realize that out of all that was on the earth no one found grace in the eyes of God, but Noah at this time and through the grace that God showed Noah, man would not be destroyed from off the earth. Because Noah found grace from God, he also lifted the curse that he put on it, because of what man done in the garden, of Eden, as in Gen, 8 – 21. Disobedience caused the curse and by Noah’s obedience to God, God took that curse away, as in Gen, 3– 17. Can you think about having to build an ark that would be big enough to hold all the animals that God told Noah to put in the ark and think about all the people who would make fun of and ridicule you for building an ark that had never been needed before, because it had never rained or flooded at any time before. But Noah had hope and faith in God, that what God had said to him would come to pass, all of the building of the ark you will find in Gen, 6 – 14 – 16. Now in Gen, 7 –1 –6, you will find that in all the generations God found Noah righteous and Noah done all that God said for him to do and Noah did not fail in anything that God commanded him to do. Therefore since God found in one man named Noah, grace, and righteousness, mankind would be allowed to replenish the earth to be fruitful and multiply, as in Gen, 9 – 1. Also, you will see that a prophet when he curses something or someone like Noah did his son Ham, for looking on his nakedness, as in Gen, 9 – 21 – 27. Because of this curse this is why the Canaanites was made servants to Abrams seed in Israel, to this day, as in Gen, 15 – 18 – 21, along with being put to tribute in Judges, 1 – 28 – 33. This is why the church today needs to go back to believing and having faith in God, through his son Jesus Christ, for without faith it is impossible to please him. And if we cannot please God through Christ, it is because we don’t have any faith; now the only way to get faith is by praying over the word of God, before you study and ask in the name of Jesus, for the wisdom, knowledge, and understand, and the remembrance of God’s holy words and he will give it you.

Chapter 3

Now the next prophet of God is Abram which is called Abraham and we will call him the prophet of promise. Abram who is now called Abraham, as in Gen, 17 – 5, most all people, or Christians would not think that Abraham is a prophet, so let us get this out of the way before we start about Abraham. In Gen, 20 – 7, God told Abimelech king of Gerar in a dream that Abraham is a prophet, so this takes care of any idea that Abraham is not a prophet. Because this was said by God and who will come against what God says as the word of God says God is not man that he should, lie. Being a prophet, of promise comes with much hope and faith in things you can’t see or feel, but Abraham believed God and did not doubt. To think about the responsibility in what God had told Abraham and how he would tell his people not to even think that he would handle their reaction to what he had said. Being a prophet and a man of God is a great deal, but to have God tell you that he will make a great nation of your seed and that he will bless you, and bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you and in you all families of the earth would be blessed as in Gen, 12 –1 –3. But at this time, Abraham did not have any children, this is what one would call living by faith and not by sight and this is what the church needs to do today, instead of living by sight. Then Abraham asked his wife to tell the people that she was his sister, especially to Pharaoh as in Gen, 12 – 11 – 20, and In Gen, 20 – 2 – 18, to Abimelech, king of Gerar, because Abraham was afraid that they would kill him for his wife, Sarah. This was not right for Abraham to tell them that she was his sister. Because this was not the truth and he had the fear of man, but maybe this is the reason that he did not have any children until he was very old. Now it doesn’t say this is the reason, but it is something to think about; because what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart. Now Abraham is ninety-nine years old and God, comes to him, and tells Abraham that he is to be perfect in the eyes of God. This means he can’t tell lies or be afraid of men anymore and then God changes his name from Abram to Abraham as in Gen, 17 –1 –5. And this is where God lays it all out to Abraham and what God, is going to do for him and his seed along with Sarah his wife that she is to bear him a child and his name is to be Isaac. This is also the time of circumcision, where the foreskin is to be cut off of every male that is in his camp, as in Gen, 17 –1

27. Then in Gen, 18 –1 – 33, you will see that the Lord appeared unto him in the plans of Mamre and this is where they told Abraham that she would bear a son. But Abraham was already told this by God, earlier in Gen, 17 – 16

19. But Sarah did not hear this until the Lord had said to Abraham in the plans of Mamre and Sarah laughed as in Gen, 18 – 12, and the Lord new it and said unto Abraham wherefore did Sarah laugh saying, shall I of a surety bear a child which am old. This should let everyone know that God can hear you say anything or hear what you say in your heart as in Gen, 18 – 12 – 15. But yet God did not hide what he was going to do to Sodom and Gomorrah from Abraham because he knew that Lot and his family was there and it would grieve Abraham if Lot would be killed there. So, God allowed Abraham to make intercession for Lot and God would allow Lot and his family to leave before he would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and told them not to look back; but Lots wife did and she was turned into a pillar of salt as in Gen, 19 – 17 – 26. There is one other thing that we will talk about regarding Abraham, which is in Gen, 22 –1 – 19. This is the only prophet that had ever been tried this way by God; and Abraham feared God above all things. Abraham came along way and at one time he feared man because of his wife Sarah, and went through many trials before he came to a point in his life where God meant more to him than even his own son. If we today as children of God could only grasp the aspect of what God was teaching Abraham. Then I believe we would put God before all things through Christ; instead of worrying about all the things of this world and how much we can get or how much better we look than someone else because our clothes cost more than anyone else’s. But God sent his only begotten son to this Earth to suffer more than anyone could go through, but Jesus never failed God, not one time, and then Jesus gave his life so that we could have life eternal through his blood on the cross at Calvary. Abraham did not have to do what God said but he was humble before God and put God before all things. Then God said to Abraham now I know you fear me seeing you have not withheld your son; your only son from me, as in Gen, 22 – 12. I wonder if any of us could do what God asked Abraham to do this very day, I daresay not one, but thank God he done it for us all amen. There are many other things that Abraham did and all the other prophets that we are going to be talking about in this book; but the reason for writing this book about the lives of the prophets and how they apply to us today is to get you and everyone that reads this book to go back to the word of God and pray and ask God in the name of Jesus, for all the wisdom and knowledge and understanding of all his word through the power of the Holy Spirit, which is our teacher. And as Jesus said, if you ask by faith in his name the name of Jesus, that God would give it to you but only if you believe by faith.

Chapter 4

Now the next prophet of God is Jacob, and we will call him the prophet of change. For even though Jacob done some things that was not right in his youth, how many of us today would say the same thing, because we all have done things that was not right in the eyes of God. Now from the birth of Jacob, it begins because many would say that Jacob tried to pull Esau back into the womb of his mother as in Gen, 25 – 22 – 26, it tells that they struggled together with in her. But the Lord told her that there are two nations within her womb and the elder shall serve the younger, so God already knew what would happen between the two brothers as in Gen, 25 – 29 – 34. That Esau cared very little about his birth rights when it came to being faint because he did not think that God would provide for him food to eat. So he gave in to his brother, Jacob and sold his rights of firstborn just to fill his belly with food. So many today would have sold their own souls for less than that, just to satisfy their fleshly desires. Now, after a few years went by and when Isaac was old and could not see he asked Esau to make him some savory meat that he loved. And then Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son and when Esau left to go and get the venison. Rebekah told Jacob to get two good kids of the goats and she said that she would make savory meat for Isaac. Then Rebekah and Jacob deceived Isaac into giving the blessing to Jacob and not Esau, as in Gen, 27 –1 – 29. We must realize that God told Rebekah that the older will serve the younger, so Rebekah was willing to take the curse on her instead of it falling on her son Jacob, as in Gen, 27 – 12 – 13. Also we must realize that once a blessing was given to someone, it could not be took back, just like when Esau sold his birthrights for food, it could not be took back at all; it was done. For God knew that this would happen and that this is why when God tells you something that is going to happen; you can believe it without a doubt. Now, we see Esau wanting to kill Jacob for taking the blessing, that he bought from Esau for food as in Gen, 27 – 41, but like so many of us today Esau forgot that he already sold his birthrights to his brother Jacob. Just as the word of God has said many times before there’s life-and-death in the tongue all through Psalms and Proverbs and several other places in the New Testament. As Esau allowed his tongue to speak forth death to his brother Jacob, we know the tongue is a very wicked thing and it can never be tamed by man as in James, 3 –5 –8. It can only be sanctified through the blood of Christ by the grace and mercy, and love of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, through the very word of God. Then Rebekah sends Jacob to Laban her brother to Haran, as in Gen, 27 – 43, she tells Jacob to stay there a few days, but before Jacob left, Isaac called him and blessed him and told him not to marry any of the daughters of Canaan. Then he said to Jacob to go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel which is Rebekah’s fathers, house and take of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother, as in Gen, 28 –1 –2. Looking back I wonder how many of us today as Christian, that had Christian parents and had wished that they would have listened to the godly advice that they had received from their parents that they did not listen to. I’m sure there are many from the Old Testament prophets till now that wished that they would’ve listened to their godly parents but did not. Now as we see the few days that Jacob was to stay with them turned into twenty years as in Gen, 31 – 38, but the thing that Jacob done to his brother and his father Isaac, by deceiving and pretending that he was Esau to get the blessing; now Jacob is paying for what he had done for you reap what you sow. And so Jacob worked fourteen years just to marry Rebekah and had to take Leah to wife first as in Gen, 29 – 16 – 30. During the time that Jacob is with Laban Leah and Rachel bears children which starts the twelve tribes of Israel, as in Gen, 29 – 31 – 35, along with Gen, 30 –1 – 24. Now Laban wants Jacob to stay and not go back home because he knows that the blessings of God are with Jacob, as in Gen, 30 – 27. Then Jacob knew that Laban was using him because of God’s blessing and Jacob got wages from Laban and they agreed on it as in Gen, 30 – 28 – 43. Now some would say that Jacob was doing wrong by using the rod and white stripes that he was putting in them. But Jacob also knew that God would bless him in his labor to Laban and that the wealth that Laban was getting off of Jacobs blessings would backfire on him. This is why you never do wrong to a prophet of God or a child of God today, or even back then because God will hear their cries and you will reap what you sow. When God is blessing an individual, like Jacob or anyone that God has blessed through Abraham’s seed; then you will have some that will be envious of you for what you have received from God, as Laban and his sons did as in Gen, 31 – 1 – 12. It is a shame when children of God get jealous over one another, just because God has blessed you for doing what he has commanded you to do and that is seeking him with all your heart and trusting him with all your heart, for he said all these things shall be added unto you, if you seek him first. Now when God tells you to leave and go back home, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks about it, you do what God says for you to do, just like Jacob did and God told Laban not to say good or bad to Jacob, because Jacob was blessed of God, and God knew that Laban was using him for gain, and that Laban was also one that worship false god’s as in Gen, 31 – 13 – 55. Jacob knew that if one is to worship God, all that was with him, and that was there would have to get rid of all the false gods that was among them and change their garments and be clean before God, because God, will not tolerate sin of any kind, as in Gen, 35 –1 –4. Now as in Gen, 32 – 20 – 30, we see where Jacob was still afraid of his brother Esau and he could not sleep, and so Jacob moved his family that night and then he was alone. Now, this man that he was wrestling with was an Angel of God, and because God had blessed Jacob. The Angel could not prevail against him so he touched the hollow of his thigh, but he still could not get away. Then Jacob said to him bless me and I will let you go? The Angel said to him that his name would no longer be Jacob, but now it would be Israel. But not only was Jacob blessed that morning by the Angel, he also prevailed over the fear that he was dealing with about seeing his brother Esau. Knowing that you are blessed of God and through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jacob was able to be an overcomer of his fear. What we must realize as children of God is that we are blessed and that blessing means that we should not fear what man shall do unto us or fear anything that the devil throws at us because God is with us and if he is with us who can be against us. There are many more things about Jacob in the word of God, that you need to read for yourselves and let God through the Holy Spirit teach and show them to you for all you have to do is ask in the name of Jesus, and he will give it you.

Chapter 5

Now the next prophet of God is Joseph, and we will call him the prophet of mercy and love. You could call Joseph a prophet of interpretation but he is more than that because of the mercy and love that he had showed his brothers; even though his brothers showed him no mercy or very little mercy but at least they did not kill him. Think about if you was called of God, at the age of seventeen, to tell your brothers and your father that God has given you dreams and visions of things to come, and how would you think that your family would react to you. Just like Joseph’s brothers reacted to him, they were envious of him to the point of wanting to kill him, and even his father rebuked him; but yet Israel took observance of what the sayings that was said by Joseph as in Gen, 37 – 2 – 11. Now we come to where Israel tells Joseph to go and find out how his brothers was doing and this is where it began as in Gen, 37 – 13 – 17. We can see even back then what envy can cause, by brothers wanting to kill their own brother as in this case, because they knew that Israel loved him more than he loved them, this is not just envy but pure jealousy, as in Gen, 37 – 18 – 35. We see that all but one of Joseph’s brothers was going to kill him, but Ruben wanted to take him back to Israel, his father. Now when Ruben came back he was not in the pit because his other brothers and Judah talked them into selling him to the Ishmaelite merchants. But Ruben did nothing to get Joseph back; and they all were guilty of conspiracy to kill him. And now by what they have done, Joseph’s prophetic dreams would come true. We also must not forget about the prophecy that was foretold to Abraham in a prophetic dream by God that said they would be a stranger in a land that was not their own, as in Gen, 15 – 12 – 14. What we really need to realize as children of God, is just because bad things happen to us, it doesn’t mean that they are not meant for our good as we can see in the life of Joseph. And the Ishmaelite’s had just sold Joseph to an Egyptian that was an officer of Pharaoh a captain of the guard as in Gen, 39 – 1. Notice that even though Joseph was sold by his brothers and not killed as they had planned on doing; because all along God had planned for Joseph to go to Egypt, so the prophecy would be fulfilled as in Gen, 39 – 1 – 6. Just because Joseph, or any other prophet of God is called of God, doesn’t mean that they will not go through some bad things as well, as the good blessings that God gives us and to others that bless and do good to us as well. For God said to Abraham I will bless those that bless you that meant his seed as well, as in Gen, 22 – 18. Even men of God, in their lives as prophets they are going to go through trials and tribulations that others or even yourself, might think where is my God, or why have you forsaken me? But only those that have faith in God knows that he will never leave you nor forsake you; he will help you through all your trials and tribulations, just as he did for Joseph, when everything was going wrong. All of a sudden, things started to go bad because of Potiphar’s wife. As Joseph had done no wrong, and instead of worrying about what he did not do; he put his faith in God and by Joseph doing this, God blessed Joseph even in prison as in Gen, 39 – 1 – 23. For Joseph was accused of trying to lay with Potiphar’s wife or you could say she accused Joseph of trying to rape her; when in fact he ran away from her and done all that he could, not to be left with her. But it happened and he was put in prison, for it is just like many today that are accused of doing something that they did not do. Now if you live for God, he will not forsake you because you are bought with the blood of Christ and he blesses you, no matter where you are or no matter if people falsely accuse you; for God knows what you have done and what you have not done. What we must realize is that God will never leave us alone, even though it might seem that way, and using this about Joseph will help all those that have faith in God and that live for him. Because, as in Gen, 40 –1 – 23, you will see where two are put into the prison where Joseph was and they just happened to know Pharaoh and they dreamed a prophetic dream and the Butler told Joseph, his dream and then Joseph said to them. (Do not interpretations belong to God, as in Gen, 40 – 8,) so after Joseph told him his prophetic dream he said to the Butler don’t forget about me as in Gen, 40 – 14. Then the other prisoner said to Joseph that he too had a prophetic dream and he began telling Joseph, his dream and then Joseph told him the meaning of his dream. But the dream that Joseph interpreted to him about the meaning was that he would die for he would be beheaded by Pharaoh and his body was to be hanged on a tree; and this interpretation of the chief baker came true. The reason I have called Joseph, the prophet of mercy and love is not because he is just that, but some prophets have more than one gift from God. And Joseph is one of them that had more than one or two, but he also had the gift of interpretation as well. I want you to see the bigger picture of the mercy part that Joseph shows so very well by the power of God. Now God is getting ready to bless Joseph, even more than he has before because Joseph has trusted and been found faithful in the eyes of God, and in everything that he has went through. Now in Gen, 41– 9 – 14, the Butler remembered what Joseph had done for him when he was in prison. And I believe that God brought it back to the Butler’s memory and the Butler told Pharaoh about Joseph, how he was able to interpret peoples dream by the power of God. Because God gave a prophetic dream to Pharaoh, and being that there was no one there to interpret the dream, Pharaoh was told by the Butler that Joseph could interpret his dreams and so, God always makes things happen at the right time. So, since Joseph had already been in prison for two years God made a way so that Pharaoh would call Joseph out of prison, as in Gen, 41 – 9 – 18. We must understand that Joseph gave glory to God and told Pharaoh that it is God that will give to Pharaoh; the answer to the prophetic dream that he had and that it was not by Joseph’s power as in Gen, 41 – 16. A prophet of God is always to give the glory and honor to God and not himself, only false prophets do this so that they can get the glory of men, so that they can deceive the people. We can also see that Joseph tells Pharaoh that he should look out a man discreet and wise and set him over the land of Egypt as in Gen, 41 – 33 – 34. Just as there are prophets today that tried to tell pastors that they need to have spiritual elders, men that are full of the Holy Spirit with wisdom, knowledge, understanding of God’s holy words along with teachers that have been prayed up, studied up, as well as ones that fast before the Lord, and not man. Joseph also tells Pharaoh that he should appoint officers over the land and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven prosperous years. After Joseph tells Pharaoh all the things that should be done God blesses Joseph, once again by having Pharaoh put Joseph over all the land of Egypt and that there would not be anyone over Joseph except Pharaoh himself, as in Gen, 41 – 37 – 57. Since God is the same yesterday and today and forever more, he still sends prophets out to correct, and rebuke and even to bless if people are willing to humble themselves down before God and ask God if he sent this prophet to do these things and to be a help. Now, after the seven years of good had passed the seven years of famine began and Joseph’s brothers had come from Canaan to buy food and when they had seen Joseph; they did not even recognize him. Then Joseph remembered the prophetic dreams that came to him long ago as in Gen, 42 – 6, and Joseph spoke roughly to them and said that they were spies, but all along Joseph knew that they were not spies. And Joseph sent them away, and Simon he kept until they came back with Benjamin, which is the brother to Joseph, because they had the same mother and father, as in Gen, 35 – 24. Just to give you a nugget the twenty pieces of money that Joseph’s brothers sold him for meant twenty years before he would see them again. Because Joseph was only 17 years old when they sold him and then it was twenty years after that, when he seen them in the first year of the famine as in Gen, 41 – 46, you will see Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And then it was seven more years of good and then the first year of the famine was when his brothers came to buy food, as in Gen, 42 – 6. But now you say how does this apply; to us today because Joseph’s brothers had un-repented sin in their hearts, just as many of us today that will not repent to our brothers and sisters, that we have sinned against. This is why this applies to us today as well, for a little leaven will leaven the whole lump, and if we as children of God can’t or won’t humble ourselves down as Joseph, even though he was not the one who committed the sin. But he was the one who showed more mercy and love than all his brothers put together, but he, done this by the power of God. Now to prove what I’m saying here in the chapters of Gen, 43, 44, and 45, along with 46, you will see the mercy and love that Joseph showed his brothers more than they ever showed him and you will see that Joseph knew it was God’s will to have him to go to Egypt; and become a ruler over all the land of Egypt. So that he could save his family from poverty that the famine had caused all that lived in Canaan and Egypt as in Gen, 45 – 1 – 13. And as we come to the end of Joseph, I can’t leave this part out, because if everyone today would love and forgive everyone that has done them wrong, as Joseph did here as in Gen, 50 – 15 – 21, we would be more Christ like than many are today. And what we see in verse 18, is the prophetic dreams that Joseph had many years ago all came to pass, when they bowed themselves down before him and said to Joseph, we be thy servants. And also you could say if Joseph could have interpreted the dream when he was seventeen years old or his dad, would his brothers have sold him knowing that in the future he would actually be saving their lives. This is why I sometimes think it is not meant for us to know many things in the future. Because if we did we would just mess it up, and this is why God, I believe, will not let us know them. This is why it is so very important that we love one another as Christ so loves the church, because God is love.

Chapter 6

Now the next prophet of God is Moses and we will call him the prophet of deliverance for he delivered God’s people out of the land of Egypt by the power of God. Before we get into talking about Moses and what God has called him to do. We must realize that God wants it done his way, and not the way many would or would have done it today or as we see how Moses tried to do it, and what it will cost him and anyone else that tries to do it their own way. Because it is not by our power or might, but by the power of God, and for all the glory and honor, is to go to God and not to anyone that would say if it wasn’t for me, it would not have been done. God really don’t need man to do anything, for he can do it himself, but God chooses to give man a chance to humble himself before him and do the things that God has commanded him, by allowing you to bring glory and honor and praise to God and not yourself or not to anyone else but God, Amen. After Moses grew up to where he went out to see and be with his own people Israel, who was the Hebrew people at that time, because he knew that he did not belong with the Egyptians. Then he grabbed an Egyptian for smiting a Hebrew and when he knew that there was no one to see him he slew the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. And then the next day, he saw the Hebrews striving together and said to them that done the wrong, and asked him why he hit his fellow Hebrew. Then the Hebrews said to Moses, who made you a Prince or a judge over us and he asked him if Moses was going to kill him like he killed the Egyptian and Moses feared, because it was known to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh sought to kill Moses, as in EX, 2 – 11 – 15, and then begins the training of Moses by God, because God will use different things to get you where he wants you to be. Also Moses had to learn, just as we do today that we cannot do things the way it pleases us or the way we think it should be done, the only way it can be Is the way, God commands it to be. Plus, it was not going to be by the sword of man that the children of Israel would be delivered, but by the power of God Almighty, as in EX, 2 – 16 – 22. As Moses went to the land of median to live and to get away from Pharaoh, this is where Moses starts to raise his family. Sometimes when God calls a man or a woman to be a prophet, or whatever the case may be, many times man will come up with a reason why he can’t do the things that God is commanding them to do. It is like they think that God is asking them to do something by their own power when in fact God, is telling Moses that he will be with him; and yet Moses keeps on with the I cant’s. But with God, he can do all things because it is by his power and might that Moses will be able to do all that God commanded him to do. And then God gets angry at Moses and tells him that Aryan his brother would be his mouth. Now, we must remember Moses, has seen the burning bush and Moses heard the voice of God and Moses, even had a rod that can turn into a serpent. And God gave Moses power to do all the things that God wanted him to do as in Ex, chapter 3 and chapter 4. Now in chapter 5 in the book of Exodus, this is what I call the rocking of the boat chapter, because Moses and Aaron would speak to Pharaoh, and cause him to make things harder on the Hebrews and they in turn would complain to Moses, for causing Pharaoh to take away their straw and add more work to them. Just like in today’s churches, they don’t want you to rock the boat so to speak, because they like it, just the way it is, and in a lot of cases that would be dead or half dead or lukewarm; this is not what God would have his children to be like, not then and not now. So as the Lord had said before, so listen now, as in Rev, 3 – 13, as the Holy Spirit here speaks through John the revelator he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And this is what Moses as a delivering prophet had to deal with when the Hebrews did not like it when things went wrong, as they thought, not as it really was as in EX, 5 – 19 – 23. As you will see all through the time that Moses led the children of Israel to the promise land they would murmur and complain every time that they did not get water when they wanted it, and every time it looked like they would be destroyed. You will see from chapter 7, through Chapter 11, of Exodus the ten plagues that God brought down on Pharaoh and all of the people of Egypt. Then during this time God tells Moses to use his rod or you could say his staff to do what God commanded Moses to do concerning the plagues that God was to judge Egypt with. When it came time for the last plague God told Moses and Aaron what he wanted done so, the children of the Israelites firstborn would not die with the Egyptians. By putting blood of a lamb, on the top of the door and the two sides so that the Lord would past them by and not kill their firstborn as in EX, 12 – 21 – 23. And in chapter 12, of the book of Exodus is what you would call the beginning of Passover, and unleavened bread, this is what God had commanded Moses to teach the children of Israel what to do and in chapter 13. Then Moses becomes an example to them by showing the children of Israel, how to have faith and trust in God and what God said that he would do; by delivering them out of the hands of Pharaoh and his army as in EX, 14 – 10 – 14. Now God told Moses to lift up his rod and stretch out thy hand over the sea and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go right through the midst of the sea, as in EX, 14 – 16. Can you think about the church today if God said something like this to a prophet in today’s churches, they would look at that prophet like he was crazy, because faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. There are too many Christians today that don’t study the word of God, to have that kind of faith today or they will just say it was just for them back then; this is the problem that the church has now. But as Moses led by example, we must do the same thing as we go on to chapter 15 in Exodus, we see that Moses and the children of Israel, saying this all unto the Lord, so they lifted up, praises unto God for the victory that God had delivered them from the land Egypt, as in EX, 15 –1 – 21. And here we see once again that Moses had to deal with their unbelief in God, because there was no water, but we must understand that they, the children of Israel was not going by faith, but by sight, or only what they could see as in EX, 15 – 22 – 25. God told Moses to tell the children of Israel the benefits of living by the Commandments of God, because they would not be subject to all the diseases that God put on Egypt, if they would only do it with all their hearts, as in Ex, 15 – 26. If we today as Christians would really begin to study God’s Word, then we would understand that God wants everyone that belongs to him to serve him with all and not part of their hearts. Not only was Moses, a prophet of deliverance, but he was to them, a teacher and there would be times that they would not hearken to what God told Moses to tell them, as it shows us in chapter 16 of the book of Exodus. And we today as Christians have the Holy Spirit as our teacher if we would only be spiritually minded from the heart and study his word, to where the Holy Spirit can teach us all things whatsoever God has said. So as God shows Moses, then he showed them step-by-step as you would a baby or a young child. As we today teach children or even grown men and women sometimes we just do as Moses did, and we get angry at them for the lack of faith that they have, but even Moses had to be taught of God to be patient with them, so that they could learn to rely on God for all that they had need of, as in EX, 17 –1 –7. But many of us today need to have patience with those who are not grown in the Lord, and the Mark of a good prophet or leader and even a teacher is when they can take good counsel from those who God will send to them and give them help in matters that will help them and the people will endure and not be worn down as in EX, 18 – 13 – 26. So when God sends someone to be a help to you don’t let your pride get in the way of receiving help do as Moses did, as he took good advice from Jethro, his father in law. But too many today in the church won’t take advice because they let their pride get in their way, and then they wonder why God is not helping them, it is because they have become the blind leading the blind and they will both fall into the ditch. As we can see in chapter 21 through chapter 23 in the book of Exodus, Moses was given the judgments of God. And as in EX, 24 –4 –7, Moses wrote all that God had commanded him to tell the children of Israel. I believe that Moses wrote all this down so that if any one of them would say, they did not know that this or that was a sin, they would not be able to say this, because Moses wrote it all down. Then in EX, 24 – 12 – 18, and in chapter 25 through chapter 31, God gave to Moses all the laws and commandments so that Moses would be able to teach them all that God commands of them to be his children and would make a nation by the promises that God made to Abraham. Now Moses left Aaron and Hur in charge of the people until Moses came back down the mount of God, as in EX, 24 – 14. As Moses relied on Aaron and Hur to keep the children of Israel in line, you could say, but we see as in EX, 32 –1 –6, and in EX, 32 – 21 – 24. Aaron, done what the children of Israel wanted him to do without a fight or not even with a correction by the Commandments of God. So we can see even then man fears man more than they do God; but even today, it is this way. But we also see in Moses righteous anger against Aaron and the children of Israel for Moses broke the tablets of stone, because of what they did against God by making a false god out of the gold that they had and made a calf and was going to worship it; and they had said that this is what brought us out of Egypt as in EX, 32 –8 – 20. We also see this kind of righteous anger by Christ in Matt, 21 – 12 – 13, and in MR, 11 – 15 – 17, when Jesus went in and cast them out, because they made the house of God, into a den of thieves. Just as many of the churches parishioners do today, along with their pastors and elders. This is what can happen even today when Christians get into false doctrines because they will hear what man says, instead of what God has commanded as in EX, 32 – 25 – 35. This is why we need to study the word of God, so that we are not deceived by the devil, or by man and man’s doctrine as in II Tim, 2 – 15. And in EX, 32 – 12 – 23, you will see that Moses found grace in the sight of God, also we must understand that God did not get mad at Moses, for breaking the tablets of stone when he came down from the mount, for he done it, because of the sin that the children of Israel did against God; this is what we would call righteous anger. For it’s a shame that the church today doesn’t have enough righteous backbone to stand against sin like Moses did, when he came down the mount of God. But God told Moses that he had found grace and Moses asked God to see his glory and God told Moses that no man can see him and live as in EX, 33 – 18 – 20. So, God allowed Moses to see his back parts and this was I believe, when