book of Exodus Archives - God Cherishes You

How Does the Old Testament Mesh with the New 22

Close Encounters with God

Last time, during the 40-day absence of Moses up on Mount Sinai, the people slid into the sin of idolatry and orgiastic immorality. They would have been annihilated, but they were saved by Moses’ intercession and his destruction of the golden calf. (See part 21 of this series).

Moses returns to Jehovah on the mountain:

The Lord said to Moses, “Get going, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Go up to the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I told them, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ And I will send an angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Go up to this land that flows with milk and honey. But I will not travel among you, for you are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I did, I would surely destroy you along the way.” Ex. 33:1 – 3. NLT

Again, God is saying to Moses, ‘the people you brought up from the land of Egypt’, indicating that His anger over the golden calf incident is still simmering – emphasized again by His refusal to accompany the Israelites to constrain that anger.

However, He will keep His promise He made to the patriarchs, to settle these people, their descendants, in Canaan.

Jehovah then tells Moses to speak to the people, saying:

“’You are a stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious) people! If I should come among you for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, [penitently] take off your ornaments, so that I may know what to do with you.’” So the Israelites left off all their ornaments [in repentance], from Mount Horeb (Sinai) onward. Ex. 33:5, 6. AMP

This would strip them of the leftover jewelry after having used a portion of them to create the golden calf.

To facilitate Moses’ conversations with God, he sets up his own tent outside of the camp, (a temporary tent of meeting):

Everyone who wanted to make a request of the Lord would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp.

Whenever Moses went out to the Tent of Meeting, all the people would get up and stand in the entrances of their own tents. They would all watch Moses until he disappeared inside. As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. When the people saw the cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, they would stand and bow down in front of their own tents. Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Ex. 33:7 – 11. NLT

Obviously, God was not showing His face, He is an invisible Spirit. This was an anthropomorphic use of language to make Him more relatable to humans.

Moses then asks Jehovah to clarify who the angel was that He had previously said would guide the Israelites to Canaan. In addition, Moses pleads to his Maker:

“If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” Ex. 33:13. NLT

What he is doing is interceding for the Israelites. And graciously, God grants him a boon:

The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” Ex. 33:14 NLT

Moses leans into God’s grace and pleads for a closer relationship with Him:

“Please, show me Your glory!” Ex. 33:18 AMP

And Jehovah acquiesces!

“I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the Name of the Lord before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion (lovingkindness) on whom I will show compassion.” But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man shall see Me and live!” Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place beside Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and while My glory is passing by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and protectively cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.” Ex. 33:19 – 23. AMP

Again, an anthropomorphic representation. In our best understanding, God has no face, nor front or back. Moses was privy to an intimate relationship that no other human has ever had. And what was granted to him was surely beyond human description.

Jehovah converses with Moses again, displaying His immeasurable grace, by beginning a restorative process to mend His relationship with His children:

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be prepared by morning. Come up Mount Sinai in the morning and stand before me on the mountaintop.” Ex. 34:1, 2. CSB

Moses did so, and God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments upon them. While on the mountain, Jehovah kept His promise to reveal Himself to Moses:

Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh.The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.” Ex. 34:5 – 7. NLT

God is not punishing four generations. He refers to how many are affected by the sin of the initial parents. Children often repeat those same sins they were exposed to. Thus, they may likewise fall into His justice.

Jehovah’s restoration continues as He re-establishes His covenant with His children:

“Behold, I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people I will do wondrous works (miracles) such as have not been created or produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people among whom you live shall see the working of the Lord, for it is a fearful and awesome thing that I am going to do with you.” Ex. 34:10 AMP

God tells Moses about how He will drive out the Israelites’ enemies from Canaan, gives a warning for His people to refrain from fraternizing with those enemies, lest they take on pagan gods and worship them (i.e., what He says is ‘playing the prostitute’), and / or their idols.

He continues by re-emphasizing the laws in the book of the Covenant, including the importance of observing the Sabbath and the other festivals. Moses records them to read to the people:

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hand, he did not know that the skin of his face was shining [with a unique radiance] because he had been speaking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him. But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him; and he spoke to them. Ex. 34:29 – 31. AMP

Whenever Moses spoke with God, his face shined with His glory. The people freaked out, so Moses would wear a veil after those encounters.

We have previously seen God give Moses the plans for building the Tabernacle. At this point, he calls all those appointed (and divinely equipped) for this endeavor, to begin the actual construction of it, and to make the vestments of the priesthood. (See Ex. Chapters 35 – 40).

The construction was finished within one year after the people first came to Mount Sinai:

Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God’s visible, dwelling presence] covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained on it, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey on until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel. Ex. 40:34 – 38. AMP

How Does the Old Testament Mesh with the New 20

The Building of the Tabernacle

After God finished giving His laws to Moses for the book of the Covenant, He told Moses to gather Aaron and his two oldest sons and seventy of Israel’s elders, who must worship from a distance on Mount Sinai. The rest of the people stay at the foot of the mountain. Only Moses is to approach Jehovah.

What is happening here is that God is preparing for the ratification of the Ten Commandments and of the laws in the book of the Covenant, with the Israelites. Moses goes down to the people and reads them to the people. They respond:

“We will do everything the Lord has commanded.” Ex. 24:3 NLT

This was followed by a sacrificial offering of bulls. God declared that blood was the quintessence of life for people and animals[1], and was frequently used in covenant ratification:

Then Moses took the blood from the basins and splattered it over the people, declaring, “Look, this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.” Ex. 24:8 NLT

The blood sanctified the people. It was a ‘peace offering’[2]

Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up [the mountainside],and they saw [a manifestation of] the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, just as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the Israelites; and they saw [the manifestation of the presence of] God, and ate and drank. Ex. 24:9-11 AMP

The eating and drinking were also part of the ceremony of ratifying the covenant.

(Note that what they saw was a manifestation of God. As you know, God is invisible. He also teaches us that we cannot see His true essence and live to talk about it.[3] Seeing the manifestation and not God Himself, is why those near Jehovah were not killed.)

Everyone was now off Mount Sinai. Then God called Moses to return to Him alone:

“Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone on which I have inscribed the instructions and commands so you can teach the people.” Ex. 24:12 NLT

Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire.Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Ex. 24:15 – 18. NLT

During this time, Jehovah instructed Moses on how to build Him a ‘tabernacle’:

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them. Here is a list of sacred offerings you may accept from them: gold, silver, and bronze;blue, purple, and scarlet thread; fine linen and goat hair for cloth; tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather; acacia wood; olive oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; onyx stones, and other gemstones to be set in the ephod and the priest’s chestpiece.” Ex. 25:1 – 7. NLT

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.” Ex. 25:8, 9. NLT

So, this ‘Tabernacle’ (also referred to as a ‘sanctuary’, ‘tent of meeting’ or ‘tent of testimony’), was to be a holy place, designed exclusively for worshiping God. And He communicated to Moses exactly as to how it was to be built – even to the very measurements, and the materials it was to be constructed with. (See Ex. 25:10 – 40.)

It was to bring the nation of Israelites together to worship God as per His precise instructions. ‘Tabernacle’ comes from the Hebrew sakan, meaning to ‘dwell’. This is where Jehovah would dwell amongst His people. The description ‘tent’ meant that it was to be a portable structure. ‘Testimony’ referred to the Ten Commandments, which were contained in the ‘Ark of the Testimony’ – a golden overlaid box with a pure gold lid, (part of the ‘Mercy Seat’) where God would reside) kept in a subdivision of the Tabernacle called the ‘holy of holies.’ The Tabernacle provided comfort for the people, knowing that regardless of their travels, God was with them. So, the Tabernacle was not for God, but for His children. All worship and sacrifices were performed there, and it emphasized that Jehovah was the one true God amidst all the many false gods that the heathens around them worshiped.

The Tabernacle ‘building’ was to be set at one end of a courtyard. All animal sacrifices were performed in the courtyard on a ‘bronze altar’, (‘altar of burnt offering), and there was a ‘bronze laver’ as well, to ensure that the priests were able to cleanse themselves before entering the Tabernacle. (See Ex. 27:1 – 8.)

There were two rooms in the Tabernacle: one was the ‘holy place’ where the priests performed all the rituals; second was the ‘most holy place’ (holy of holies), where God Himself would manifest on His ‘Mercy Seat.” Only the High Priest could enter that room, and only on one day of the year (the day of atonement).

(From the Christian perspective, the Tabernacle was a precursor to Christ, whose sacrifice provided us a direct connection to God, sans Tabernacle, when the veil was torn in the Temple.[4] Furthermore, the Tabernacle also offered atonement for sins as an antecedent of Christ’s atoning work on the cross.)

The Ark of the Testimony, along with the mercy seat, were considered the most sacred of all the Tabernacle furnishings – primarily targeted for atonement (propitiation) of sins.

The two pieces of furniture in the holy place consisted of a ‘Table of Showbread’, (‘bread of display’, ‘bread of the presence) – symbolic of God’s physical provision (actually eaten by the priests), and the ‘Golden Lampstand’(menorah), emblematic of Jehovah’s spiritual provision. It was a candelabra with six branches which were to be perpetually burning oil lamps, signifying Jehovah’s presence.

Lastly, for the walls of the Tabernacle, and to create a separation between the holy place and most holy place, was accomplished by erecting a series of multiple curtains. (See Ex. 26:1 – 37.)

If you are going to have a Tabernacle, it is imperative to have priests:

“Now bring your brother Aaron near, and his sons with him from among the sons of Israel, so that he may serve as priest to Me—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. You are to make sacred garments [official clothing reserved for holy services] for Aaron your brother, for honor and for beauty (ornamentation). Tell all the skilled and talented people whom I have endowed with a spirit of wisdom, that they are to make Aaron’s garments to sanctify him and set him apart to serve as a priest for Me.” Ex. 28:1 – 3. AMP

Jehovah is setting up His priesthood, which at this time was a vital component for the Tabernacle. All priests, beginning with Aaron and his sons, and then propagated by their descendants, had to be from the tribe of Levi. This practice is still in effect for the priests of the Hasidic sect of religious Jews in present time.

The priestly duties included maintenance in and on the tabernacle and its operation. Most important though, was their spiritual works: as a mediator to bring the people closer to God, through holy rituals (including sacrificial rites), intercessory prayer, being a model for holy living, and an intermediator between people, e.g., settling disputes, and teaching Mosaic Law.

You’ll also see in the above Scripture that the priests were to have a very ornate ‘uniform’ designed by God Himself, to elevate the office of the priest, but not the man himself. (See Ex. 28:4 – 43.)

“This is the ceremony you must follow when you consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests:” Ex. 29:1 NLT

The priests also had to be consecrated (dedicated, set apart, ordained to a sacred office). Jehovah reveals the exact stepwise procedure in detail. It began with animal sacrifices, ritual offerings to God, water cleansing, and anointing them with oil. The consecration took seven days. (See Ex. 29:2 – 46; 30:17 – 33).

The tabernacle required one more piece of furniture:

“Then make another altar of acacia wood for burning incense…Place the incense altar just outside the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant, in front of the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that covers the tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. I will meet with you there.” Ex. 30:1 & 6. NLT

“Every morning when Aaron maintains the lamps, he must burn fragrant incense on the altar. And each evening when he lights the lamps, he must again burn incense in the Lord’s presence. This must be done from generation to generation.” Ex. 30:7, 8. NLT (See also Ex. 30:2 – 5, 9, 24 – 37.)

After God has told Moses how everything needs to be constructed, He tells him who He has hired and enabled to do that construction:

Then the Lord said to Moses,“Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!

“And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make.” Ex. 31:1 – 6. NLT (See also 31:7 – 11.)

Lastly, God reminds Moses to reiterate the importance of the Sabbath; and that it needs to be kept, even during the construction of the Tabernacle:

The Lord then gave these instructions to Moses: “Tell the people of Israel: ‘Be careful to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you from generation to generation. It is given so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. You must keep the Sabbath day, for it is a holy day for you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; anyone who works on that day will be cut off from the community. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord. Anyone who works on the Sabbath must be put to death. The people of Israel must keep the Sabbath day by observing it from generation to generation. This is a covenant obligation for all time. It is a permanent sign of my covenant with the people of Israel. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed.’” Ex. 31:12 – 17. NLT

When He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. Ex. 31:18 AMP

Stay tuned for the Golden Calf…

Goodnight and God bless.

[1] Lv. 17:11

[2] Ex. 24:5

[3] Ex. 33:20

[4] Mt. 27:51

How Does the Old Testament Mesh with the New 19

The book of the Covenant

Chapters 21 – 23 of Exodus makes up what is called the ‘book of the Covenant’. You could rightly say that they are laws in addition to the Ten Commandments, and many of them are the Commandments applied in various incidences in life. (Note: I will ‘cherry pick’ them, as some are more customized for the culture at that time).

God tells Moses directly what they are:

“Now these are the ordinances (laws) which you shall set before the Israelites”: Ex. 21:1 AMP

The first group of laws deal with slavery. The Israelite form of slavery was not prison-based. It was grounded upon indentured servitude – allowing the indentured servant the ability to work off an infraction, or, more commonly, to compensate for indebtedness and to lift one out of poverty.

“If you purchase a Hebrew servant [because of his debt or poverty], he shall serve six years, and in the seventh [year] he shall leave as a free man, paying nothing.” Ex. 21:2 AMP

Regardless of what brought them to be an indentured servant, their penance was paid in full in 6 years or less, and then they were set free.

If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him. Ex. 21:3 NLT

The indentured period of the slave’s wife could not exceed that of her husband.

“If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave and they had sons or daughters, then only the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master. But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’ If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life.” Ex. 21:4 – 6. NLT

Many times, the ‘master’ would provide a wife to a single male slave to breed more slaves. Thus, the given wife and children were his property. However, when the slave’s time of indenture was complete, rather than leaving, he could become a slave for life and stay with his family.

The next set of laws deal with causing physical harm to another human being:

“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies must be put to death. However, if he did not lie in wait [for him], but God allowed him to fall into his hand, then I will establish for you a place to which he may escape [for protection until duly tried]. But if a man acts intentionally against another and kills him by [design through] treachery, you are to take him from My altar [to which he may have fled for protection], so that he may be put to death.” Ex. 21:12 – 14. AMP

God is making the distinction between murder, with death by human execution being the penalty, and unintentional manslaughter, whose penalty would be determined by a court.

“Anyone who strikes father or mother must be put to death.” Ex. 21:15 NLT

This is a clear violation of the Fifth Commandment.

“Kidnappers must be put to death, whether they are caught in possession of their victims or have already sold them as slaves.” Ex. 21:16 NLT

“Whoever curses his father or his mother or treats them contemptuously must be put to death.” Ex. 21:17 AMP

Again, violating the Fifth Commandment.

“Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve. But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.” Ex. 21:22 – 25. NLT

The section reading ‘life for life’, etc., is referred as the ‘Law of Retaliation’ (Lex Talionis). Other than ‘life for life’, none of the remainder of that sentence was ever taken literally. It was a principle that limited vengeance and stipulated the punishment cannot exceed the crime, preserving true justice.

The next set of laws deal with social responsibility:

“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” Ex. 22:21 NLT

“You must not exploit a widow or an orphan.” Ex. 22:22 NLT

“If you lend money to any of my people who are in need, do not charge interest as a money lender would.” Ex. 22:25 NLT

“You must not spread a false report. Do not jointhe wicked to be a malicious witness.

“You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice. Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit. Ex. 23:1 – 3. CSB

Do not kill the innocent and the just, because I will not justify the guilty. Ex. 23:7 CSB

You must not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and corrupts the words of the righteous. Ex. 23:8 CSB

The next set of laws concern themselves with worship:

“Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor.

First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering.” Ex. 23:14, 15. NLT

This of course, represents Passover, celebrated at the planting of the crops.

“Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest.” Ex. 23:16a NLT

This holiday is called Shavout (also ‘Pentecost), celebrated seven weeks after Passover. It also celebrates God’s gift of the Torah to the Jews.

“Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvestat the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields.

At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord.” Ex. 23:16b, 17. NLT

The festival of the second harvest (Succot – meaning ‘booths’ / ‘tabernacles’ that were portable structures for housing during the Israelites’ desert wanderings).

Lastly, Jehovah speaks of a promise of His presence to guide and guard His children:

“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion.” Ex. 23:20, 21. NLT

This ‘angel’ has been purported by scholars to represent God Himself, or in the Christian view, the Angel of the LORD, the incarnate Christ.

“But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you. For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them completely. You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars.” Ex. 23:22-24. NLT

In this Scripture, Jehovah is promising the Hebrews that He will be their vanguard for their successful invasion of Canaan, the future land of Israel. However, they are not to take up any of the heathen practices of those they conquer.

“I will send my terror ahead of you and create panic among all the people whose lands you invade. I will make all your enemies turn and run.I will send terror ahead of you to drive out the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals would multiply and threaten you.I will drive them out a little at a time until your population has increased enough to take possession of the land.And I will fix your boundaries from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the eastern wilderness to the Euphrates River. I will hand over to you the people now living in the land, and you will drive them out ahead of you.” Ex. 23:27 – 31. NLT

It will be an ongoing conquest. And again, He warns His people against adopting any heathen practice:

“Make no treaties with them or their gods. They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me. If you serve their gods, you will be caught in the trap of idolatry.” Ex. 23:32, 33. NLT

Stay tuned for the building of the Tabernacle…

How Does the Old Testament Mesh with the New 17

Pharoah has a change of heart.

God speaks to Moses:

“Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon. Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told. Ex. 14:2 – 4. NLT

God gains glory by rewarding good and punishing evil. Dennis Prager: Exodus: God, Slavery, and Freedom.

Where Jehovah told Moses to have the Israelites camp left them in a place where they were trapped against the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, back at Pharaoh’s palace, he is now regretting (God is hardening his heart once more) his decision to free the Hebrews:

When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked. So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance. Ex. 14:5 – 8. NLT

When Pharaoh’s vast army became visible, the Israelites panicked – crying out to God and rebuking Moses, saying it would be better to be a slave in Egypt than to be killed in the wilderness.

However, this is not the same old Moses. Having been the conduit of God’s judgments upon Egypt, he has learned that Jehovah is a promise-keeper and that He is omnipotent. He addresses the people powerfully:

“Do not be afraid! Take your stand [be firm and confident and undismayed] and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for those Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm.” Ex. 14:13, 14. AMP

As per God’s instruction, Moses tells the Hebrews to face the sea. Then, again, at the behest of Jehovah, he raises his staff over the sea. Simultaneously, the angel of the LORD that was leading the people moved between the Hebrews and the Egyptian army, separating the two until the Hebrews could escape:

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all that night and turned the seabed into dry land, and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the middle of the sea on dry land, and the waters formed a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Ex. 14:21, 22. AMP

The Israelites crossed the sea. The Egyptian army pursued them, but things didn’t work out so well for them.

So it happened at the early morning watch [before dawn], that the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and put them in a state of confusion. He made their chariot wheels hard to turn, and the chariots difficult to drive; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.” Ex. 14:24, 25. AMP

Notice that the Egyptians finally recognized the God of the Hebrews and the true God. They tried to escape, but Jehovah had Moses wave his hand over the sea and the walls of water drown every single soldier and Pharaoh as well.

When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Ex. 14:31 NLT

Moses then composed a song to glorify God and His victory.[1]

The Hebrews have a short memory.

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went into the Wilderness of Shur; they went [a distance of] three days (about thirty-three miles) in the wilderness and found no water. Then they came to Marah, but they could not drink its waters because they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah (bitter). The people [grew discontented and] grumbled at Moses, saying, “What are we going to drink?” Ex. 15:22 – 24. AMP

The people have been delivered from bondage by their Creator, Who demonstrated, through His plagues, that He is the Master of all aspects of the Universe and over life itself. And just 3 days prior, He parted the Red Sea and crushed their enemies. O ye of little faith…

Then he cried to the Lord [for help], and the Lord showed him a tree, [a branch of] which he threw into the waters, and the waters became sweet. Ex. 15:25a. AMP

When you think about it, this was a HUGE miracle. Two million plus people and their animals required sweet (potable) water to drink. God used that branch to convert what must have been a huge body of water.

Then, Jehovah tells His children how to have a better life:

It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” Ex. 15:25b, 26. NLT

Afterwards, the people traveled to an oasis located about 60 miles southeast of Suez, named Elim, which is now called Wadi Garandel in present time. And they set up camp.

The Hebrews complain again:

Then the whole community of Israel set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there on the fifteenth day of the second month, one month after leaving the land of Egypt. There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. Ex. 16:1, 2. NLT

They are whining about not having meat or bread to eat and that they wished that God had killed them in Egypt instead of starving them to death in the wilderness. (Of course, they could have eaten some of their farm animals, but they needed them as provisions when they arrived in Canaan).

Our most patient Creator comes to their rescue:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.” Ex. 16:4 NLT

Aaron and Moses are angry with the Israelites for complaining about God:

“By evening you will realize it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt. In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?” Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him.” Ex.16:6 – 8. NLT

That very evening, huge flocks of quail entered the camp to provide meat, and in the next morning, the ground was covered with white wafers tasting of coriander and honey. The Israelites called it ‘manna’ which means ‘what is it?’

And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat. These are the Lord’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quartsfor each person in your tent.” Ex. 16:15, 16. NLT

Moses also instructed them not to keep any manna overnight. Of course, there were some who disobeyed, and the manna became putrid and filled with maggots.

On the sixth day of the Jewish week, they were allowed to gather twice as much, so that on the seventh, they would not have to gather manna on the Shabbat (Sabbath). This provision did not spoil. Manna did not come on the seventh day, even though some Israelites disobeyed again and tried to find some.

Indeed, this was the commencement of the first Shabbat, as Moses explains:

“This is what the Lord commanded: Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the Lord…“Eat this food today, for today is a Sabbath day dedicated to the Lord.” Ex. 16:23 & 25. NLT

God is getting a little frustrated with those who disobey and asks Moses:

“How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. Ex. 16:28, 29. NLT

Manna would stop flowing after the people would reach Canaan. So, God commanded that a two-quart container (called an ‘omer’), be filled with it and preserved for future generations to see. Moses eventually would place it in the ‘Ark of the Covenant’, kept in the Tabernacle that would be constructed when they got to Mount Sinai.

That journey now begins again:

At the Lord’s command, the whole community of Israel left the wilderness of Sinand moved from place to place. Eventually they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink. So once more the people complained against Moses. “Give us water to drink!” they demanded.

“Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?”

But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?” Ex. 17:1 – 3. NLT

This is now the third time the Hebrews have complained against God and added Moses as their target as well. Moses entreats Jehovah to help him out, fearful for his very life. God answers:

The Lord said to Moses, “Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on. Ex. 17:5, 6. NLT

In short order, the Israelites were met with their fourth ‘crises, when attacked by the Amalekites. At this point, all we know is that they were descendants of Esau.[2] Neither do we know what motivated them to strike the Hebrews.

Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.” Ex. 17:9 NLT.

This is the first time Joshua is introduced. He would become a general for Moses and ultimately his successor. Battle time:

So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle. Ex. 17:10 – 13. NLT

That was God working through Moses.

While still at Sinai, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, came to visit, and reunited him with his wife and two sons. Jethro had heard of all the miraculous deliverances the God of the Hebrews provided for the Israelites.

Subsequently, Jethro declared that Jehovah was greater than all other gods, (he, being a Midianite, i.e., ‘pagan’ priest himself). He watched Moses’ methods of governance where he submitted himself alone to be an intercessor between the people and God and representing God’s will for the people. In addition, Moses would play the part of a magistrate, settling disputes between the people. It took all day, and people would have to wait for hours.

Jethro concluded that there was a better way, and offered Moses wise advice:

Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you [to bear]; you cannot do it alone. Now listen to me; I will advise you, and may God be with you [to confirm my advice]. You shall represent the people before God. You shall bring their disputes and causes to Him. You shall teach them the decrees and laws. You shall show them the way they are to live and the work they are to do. Furthermore, you shall select from all the people competent men who [reverently] fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; you shall place these over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. They shall judge the people at all times; have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them judge every minor dispute themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you will do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure [the responsibility], and all these people will also go [back] to their tents in peace.” Ex. 18:17 – 23. AMP

Moses did so with great success. So, what just happened here? A Midianite priest formulated the entire Israelite judicial system. Fancy that…

Next time, the Ten Commandments…