Bible Reviewer: God’s promises in God’s Word reveal God’s will

Bible Reviewer: God’s promises in God’s Word reveal God’s will:   

Claiming God’s promises and praying in agreement with God's vows to us ensures that we’re praying in God’s will.

Moses prayed for family healing

For forty years, Moses lived in Pharaoh’s palace while his siblings, Miriam and Aaron, lived in the home of their parents, who were Hebrew slaves.

One day Moses saw an Egyptian cruelly mistreating a Hebrew, so he killed the man to defend the slave. When word got around, Moses fled the country and spent the next forty years among the Cushites, tending livestock and marrying the daughter of the local priest for whom he worked.

Moses’ third round of forty years began with the Exodus as God called him to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt. Miriam and Aaron came too, but they did not like his being married to a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman. Maybe they were intolerant of people with darker skin. Maybe they got jealous of their younger brother’s position of authority. Regardless, they spoke against Moses – the man whom God Himself had appointed, which was like speaking against the wisdom of God.

Numbers 12:8 records God’s response from a cloud: “Why weren’t you afraid to speak against my servant?” As the cloud lifted, they saw Miriam’s skin turning stark white with leprosy.

Immediately, Moses prayed:

Numbers 12:13 – King James Version

And Moses cried

unto the Lord,

saying,

Heal her now,

O God, I beseech thee.

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019 

Numbers 12:13 – paraphrased

I’m crying out to You

as loud as Moses:

Lord God, please

heal my family!

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased into everyday English by MaryHarwell Sayler, ©2019

In response to Moses’ prayer, God said, “Let her be shut outside the camp for seven days, and afterwards, let her be received again,” (Numbers 12:14.)

May the people quarantined in this country and around the world turn to God, pray, and be healed.

MaryHarwell Sayler, ©2020

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Priestly Prayer for God’s People

At the moment, the world seems to be in a panic over a virus, causing man-made systems, businesses, and services to shut down. As health officials tell us, we need to wash hands with soap every time we’re out and keep ourselves – and the air in our homes – hydrated.

Most important, however, we need to decide if we truly do trust God, Who made us, cares for us, and gives us this prayer:

Numbers 6:24-26 – the priestly prayer-blessing of Aaron over God’s people (KJV)

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee,

and be gracious unto thee:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee,

and give thee peace.

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019 

Numbers 6:24-26 – the prayer of Aaron (paraphrased)

Lord, we pray You bless and keep us.

We pray Your face shines graciously upon us.

We pray You look kindly toward us

and give us Your God-peace.

Shalom.

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased into everyday English by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

May this priestly prayer, given to the Jewish high priest Aaron and received by Christians too, give us the peace needed in any troubling time.

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Moses intercedes for God’s people

During the season of Lent, God’s people often take time to draw closer to the Lord through personal confession and prayer for forgiveness. However, Moses confessed for the hundreds of thousands whom God had asked him to lead out of slavery.

As soon as their leader was out of sight, the people committed the most offensive act against the very God Who had rescued them! When Moses saw what was going on, he mediated for them, confessed their wrong-doing, pleaded with the Lord God on their behalf, and even put his own life on the line, knowing God could be trusted to do what was right.

Exodus 32:31-32 – a prayer of Moses

And Moses returned unto the Lord,

and said, Oh, this people have sinned

a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin;

and if not, blot me, I pray thee,

out of thy book which thou hast written.

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019 

Exodus 32:31-32 – a prayer of Moses

(Now I see)

what terrible sins

these people have committed!

They have fashioned themselves

gods of gold!

Oh, Lord, please forgive them!

And, if that just is not possible,

please take me off Your list!

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased into everyday English by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

Today, praise God, we have Jesus Christ to intercede for us and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father and His.

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Moses confronts God in prayer

As the Lenten season leads us to Easter, our times of seeking God can lead us to repentance. But undoubtedly we mean our need to repent, not God’s!

Moses had other thoughts. His honesty, faith, and daring placed him face-to-face with God – a position which can also lead to confrontation!

Exodus 32:11-13 – King James Version

And Moses besought the Lord his God,

and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot

against thy people, which thou hast

brought forth out of the land of Egypt

with great power, and with a mighty hand?

Wherefore should the Egyptians speak,

and say, For mischief did he bring them out,

to slay them in the mountains, and to consume

them from the face of the earth?

Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent

of this evil against thy people.

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,

thy servants, to whom thou swarest

by thine own self, and saidst unto them,

I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven,

and all this land that I have spoken of will I give

unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019 

Exodus 32:11-13 – paraphrased

O, Lord, why are You so angry

with Your people – the very ones

You rescued with such great power?

After displaying Your mighty force,

do You really want everyone

to think You brought us here 

to strike us dead?

Please do not bring disaster!

Remember Your faithful servants

who have gone before us –

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob –

and how You promised them

countless descendants

more numerous than stars.

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased by nullMary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

As Christians, we’re also to be honest with God and express our faith, knowing Jesus is beside us, ready to help.

“For there is one God, and there is one Mediator for all people – Jesus Christ,” 1 Timothy 2:5.

“Jesus Christ has negotiated a new covenant between God and us,” Hebrews 9:15.

Throughout Lent and beyond, may we always feel free to approach the Lord with what troubles us – no matter what!

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2020

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The prayer-song of Miriam

Until the Exodus from Egypt, the only life Moses’ sister Miriam had known was as a slave. Once she and the Hebrew people had safely crossed the Red Sea, Miriam not only burst into a song of prayer and praise, she encouraged God’s innumerable people to do the same.

Exodus 15:21 – a prayer-song of Miriam

Sing ye to the Lord,

for he hath triumphed gloriously;

the horse and his rider

hath he thrown into the sea.

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019 

Exodus 15:21 – a prayer of Miriam

We sing to You, Lord

for You are to be exalted!

How gloriously You

have triumphed!

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

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Moses’ prayer of praise

Crossing the Red Sea (or Sea of Reeds), Moses witnessed the power of God as the Lord rescued His people from Pharaoh’s grip and over four-hundred years of slavery in Egypt. In awe and wonder, Moses burst into this praise-filled prayer:

Exodus 15:6, 11, 13, 17-18 – a prayer of Moses

Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power:

thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?

who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful

in praises, doing wonders?

Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people

which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them

in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them

in the mountain of thine inheritance,

in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made

for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord,

which thy hands have established.

The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

Exodus 15:6, 11, 13, 17-18 – a prayer of Moses

How glorious and powerful is Your hand, O Lord!

Your right hand holds back the enemy.
 

No god among them is like You, Lord,

for You alone are gloriously pure, 

praise-worthy, and able to perform wonders.

You guide Your people whom You have

redeemed by Your faithful love;
With strength, You lead us to holy places.
 

You bring us to the land You possess

and settle us in the place You prepared

for us to dwell.

Lord, Your hands create a sanctuary,

and You will reign forever and ever!

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

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