Study Desk

you children of his servant Abraham, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

He is the Lord our God. His justice is seen throughout the land.

He always stands by his covenant— the commitment he made to a thousand generations.

They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.

Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph's character.

Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.

But the Lord sent his servant Moses, along with Aaron, whom he had chosen.

The Lord blanketed Egypt in darkness, for they had defied his commands to let his people go.

The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold; and not one among the tribes of Israel even stumbled.

For he remembered his sacred promise to his servant Abraham.

So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing.

He gave his people the lands of pagan nations, and they harvested crops that others had planted.

All this happened so they would follow his decrees and obey his instructions. Praise the Lord !

Praise the Lord ! Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord 's miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea.

Even so, he saved them— to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power.

Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise.

Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn't wait for his counsel!

So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.

The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn't believe his promise to care for them.