The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Exodus 15:11-16, “”Who is like You among the gods, O LORD? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?
12 “You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.
13 “In Your lovingkindness, You have led the people whom You have redeemed; in Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.
14 “The peoples have heard, they tremble; Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 “Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed; The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 “Terror and dread fall upon them; by the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone; until Your people pass over, O LORD, until the people pass over whom You have purchased.’”

Israel was not the easiest nation to command. They were and are a stubborn people. The nations, among whom they mingled, believed in many gods. When things didn’t go well for Israel, she occasionally got sidetracked herself. Yet, when things were going well and the LORD was blessing, Israel cried out in praise, “Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?”

The word “holy” (?????? qodesh) means “apartness, sacredness, consecrated.” In various forms the word is mentioned some 685 times in the Scriptures. Thus, when the Simon Peter says, “…be holy yourselves…in all your behavior…” (1 Pet. 1:15), he is calling us to adopt the same attitude of life as the LORD intended when He called Israel.

The Exodus passage above calls us to holiness just as Israel was in Old Testament times. The LORD wants us to be pure in heart and life, and to live out everything holy that permeates our lives. We are to be and live to the glory of the LORD! When we live holy lives, others will either be fearful of us or will long to become more like us. We, of course, want them to be like Him and be ever and always under His control.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom