Bible Reading of the day (Jan. 28th)

Ex 5:22-7:24, Matt 18:23-19:12, Ps 23:1-6, Pr 5:22-23

^{Ex 6:3}I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.

I don’t understand this verse. Why God said that he didn’t make himself known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by His name? What’s His name anyway? Is it what was said before “I am I AM”? Or is it “the LORD” in this verse?

^{Ex 6:2}God spoke to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD. ³I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. ⁴ I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners.⁵Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. ⁶Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. ⁷I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. ⁸I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.'"

After reading the whole speech of God in this paragraph, I sort of understood what God said here. This is the first time that God declares that He is the LORD, with the support of the promise he has given his chosen people. Reading this paragraph again made me think that the promise God gave Israel people is actually God’s promise to everyone of us, since Egypt is the world and the promised land is heaven or more accurately, united with Christ.

Psalm 23

The LORD Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
   for his name’s sake.

⁴Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
   I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff,
   they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

What a beautiful psalm! The LORD really does all those things for us and I am really grateful for everything that He has done and will do on me.

Proverbs 5:22-23

²²The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
   and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
²³ He dies for lack of discipline,
   and because of his great folly he is led astray.

Give thanks to the LORD. He is not only a merciful and loving father, but also with a firm hand of disciplinary. He warns me here that if I don’t obey his discipline, I will be led astray. I know I already am a little astray. So I plead to my heavenly Father that have mercy on me and forgive my sins and lead me back to the right path. I am willing to obey you, dear Father. But I most time am weak and defeated by the evil one and got astray, please, please, break down the devil and lead me back.