6. Tools (Part 1)

 Dear Friends, 

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I glorify the name of God by believing that I can help your Bible studies to some extent through these Topical studies. The grace of the Lord be with you.

Some of the incidents in the scriptures surprise us. At the same time, they also teach us a lesson. We have learnt in past topics that God loved us so much and made plans for us. He also made this creation for us and told us rule over it.

When God created man and intended to take him into His kingdom, the Almighty used this creation as his tool to transform the man by  his own will who consciously sinned against the Lord. He also uses transfigured men as his tools. The tool does not have to be alive to be used in his hands. Not to be outdone. Let us now meditate on how if He wants to use it He can use anyone. as well as what it would be like to use it in His hand.

 

In this topic, I will try to put before you in particular the historical evidence of how the Lord used nature as tools, and how they obeyed His word from the Scriptures and as far as I can find.

Let’s start with the Red Sea first.

1. RED SEA

• The Red Sea is about 2250 km (1398 miles) long.
• Width 355 km,
• Depth (maximum) 8,200 feet (2,500 m) and average depth 1,640 feet (500 m).

We know that Moses stretched out his hand toward the sea, and the nation of Israel walked on dry ground. (Exodus 14: 16-22) However, if we think deeply about this event (miracle), many surprising things appear.

Also we definitely praise God if one thinks carefully about how many tools were used to make that great work happen.

As God said "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,. Exodus 14:21"  it happened according to the Scriptures.

• That means, before Moses' stretched out his hand, God called the "wind" and determined its speed and said that the Red Sea should be divided and the area visible there should become dry land, but that your speed would not cause any trouble to my people there.  
•  Then God said that the sea at a depth of 8,200 feet (2500 meters) would have to be turned into frozen dry land so that it would look like dry land parallel to the earth, that is, God's people would have to go through the cracked sea path from the shore as they walked on the plain. "and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left." Exodus 14:22 "By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall;  the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea." Exodus 15:8.  Scriptures confirms that it happened exactly.

 Then God Called the sea and split into two when the wind bothers you. He said it should stand like two walls. It seems they became ice walls. Then the "pillar of fire" that warms up is with them so that people can not walk in the cold.

• Again it must come back to the exact time when God told the seawater to return to its original state.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak, the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward[c] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. Exodus 14:26,27. 

Historical Evidence:

Chariot Wheels in the Red Sea

(first published in newsletter # 3 in 1993)

Archaeologist Ron and his team discovered the remains of chariots covered with corals when they went dive in the Gulf of Aqaba in 1978.

They found many wheels covered in coral, which made it difficult to see them clearly. Some of them are still on their axles while others have landed on the ground and still have chariot cabs without wheels. Those researchers say it contains a number of 6-spoked wheels and 8-spoked wheels.

 And finally, in 1988, Ron found the 4-spoked gold chariot wheel, which looks almost perfect. The reason this one was so well preserved is that coral does not grow on gold.

All of those wheels were taken to the office of Nasif Mohammed Hassan, the director of antiques he works for in Ron Cairo.

Mr. Hassan took a look and immediately announced that it was the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt. When Ron asked him how he knew him so easily, Mr. Hassan explained that the 8-spoke wheel was only used in the 18th dynasty. 

Based on all this evidence, it is possible to be convinced by anyone that the Red Sea incident described in the Bible is true. But we know that our Almighty God has Wonderworking Power. We know he is capable of being called what is not there. 

If God wanted his people, the nation of Israel, over 6 million, to walk on dry ground without any trouble, would it not be clear to us that the Red Sea was used as a great tool to stand up against His nature and fulfill all of His will!

2. Moses' Staff

God called Moses to lead the nation of Israel and used his staff to lay the foundations of faith in him. 

 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand..  Exodus 4:2-4

1.From then on it was called the Staff of God. God performed miracles and wonders when he used that stick as a tool for every miracle he performed and when he raised a stick that had no power at all, as well as when it touched anything.  "And he took the staff of God in his hand.. Exodus 4:20".

2. When the Israelites were at war with the Amalekites, the Israelites won when Moses lifted the rod of God from the mountain.  "Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”. Exodus 17:9".

3. All the dust turned to gnats when Moses struck the dust with his staff, just as God had said. "‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.”. Exodus 8:16"

4. Again the Lord commanded the rod to be laid upon the land of Egypt, and God commanded the locusts to come out. "So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts;. Exodus 10:13".

5. God called Moses again and said struck the rock at Horeb, and we know that water came out of the rock when he did so. "The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go..Exodus 17:5".

Although it was the Lord who did all the work here, the way he used a small stick in Moses' hand as his tool was truly astonishing.

3. Donkey

God called Balak, the king of Moab, and Balaam the prophet to curse the nation of Israel, God's people.  As he was getting ready for it God gave the donkey a human voice and reassured him.

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you? Numbers 22:28,31

2 Peter  2:16. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

God used the donkey as a tool to teach the lesson to this prophet.

4. The sun and the moon 

God made the sun and the moon for us and appointed them to rule the day and the night. They have been used as tools in God's hands ever since.  His purpose continues to be fulfilled. Genesis 1:14,15

When Joshua went to war with the Amorites and they still had enemies to defeat, Joshua prayed to God and talked with the sun and moon and told them not to go ahead. God had accepted his prayer and commanded them not to move. They did not move for a whole day.

A full explanation of this is given in the article "4. The Sun (Righteous Sun)" with historical evidence.

On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,  till the nation avenged itself on[b] its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.. Joshua 10:12, 13

5. Donkey jaw bone

When the Philistines tried to kill Samson in the days when God appointed him to judge over Israel, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily on him, and he took a fresh jawbone of a donkey and killed a thousand men, and Praised God, The LORD hath given me victory.

  Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men. Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord, “You have given your servant this great victory.... Judges 15:15-18

God used Donkey's jawbone as a tool to save Samson and to protect his people.

6. The stone in David's Sling

When the Philistines went to war with the Israelites in the valley of Yela, David observed that a warrior named Goliath came up from among them and rebuking the army of the living God.

With Saul's permission, David approached the Philistine and said, 'I am coming to you in the name of Jehovah of Armies, not with a sword, nor with a spear.

Saying that the battle belonged to Jehovah, he took hold of his staff, and he took five stones out of the valley and took one of them, and threw it at the Philistine on the forehead, and the stone fell on his forehead, and he fell to the ground and died. 

 Is it possible to kill a strong man with a small stone? If that stone is commanded by God, if it becomes a tool in His hand .. it is certainly possible.

The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”. 1 Samuel 17:37

Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.. 1 Samuel 17:49

7. Ravens

 The Lord called Elijah, the prophet of the Lord, who was very zealous for the Lord God of hosts and told him to leave his place and dwell at the brook Kirith, which is over Jordan. Then what about  food for him? God has a plan for that.

 

Do you know what tools God used to feed his servant Elijah? God commanded Ravens who were wandering about without food to give loaves of bread and flesh to Elijah twice a day. 

 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.. 1 Kings 17:6 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”1 Kings 17:4

Where can the bread and meat for Elijah be found on both sides of the roaming crows screaming kaw kaw where they can find food without feeding themselves? Will they bring it to Elijah if they find it?

Definitely give him. Because now those crows are the tools used by God to feed Elijah.

They do not eat even if they want to eat when they see the food. They know that after the Lord's will is done He will provide them with adequate food. 

Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41

 He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. Psalms 147:9

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[b]? . Luke 12:24

All of these situations are familiar to us from childhood but when we meditate on them over and over again we can understand that If God uses lifeless sticks and faith as unknown beings as tools to help us and to comprehend His will, can He use us even more?

It is His intention that as we meditate on His handiwork we will perceive His love and be strengthened in faith in Him.

In the next article, we will meditate on some of the remaining things that are used as God's tools in obedience to God's Word.

Note that I am giving below the references from the Scriptures related to the tools given so far.

1. Genesis:   3:14; 9:10; 1:14,15

2. Exodus:   4:2-3,20; 17:9; 14:16-22; 15:5,8,19,25; 10:12

3. Numbers:   22:23,28,31

4. Due:  29:5

5. Judges:  15:15

6. 1 Samuel :  17:37,49

7. 1 Kings:  17:6

8. 2 Kings:  10:9

9. Psalms: 106:9

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