How did Israel confirm the old covenant? What did Moses write? What did Moses receive on the mountain? Let’s look at Exodus 24.
Were a select group to go up to the mountain with Moses?
Then He said to Moses, “Come up to Yahweh, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you all shall worship at a distance. Moses alone, however, shall come near to Yahweh, but they shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him. (Exodus 24:1-2 LSB)
Was Moses capable of writing? Was he brought up in Pharaoh’s court? Analysts say there are many Egyptian loan words in his writings.
Then Moses came and reported to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he got up early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve memorial stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. (Exodus 24:3-4 NASB)
Did the people agree to obey their covenant with God?
Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.” (Exodus 24:5-7 NIV)
Was the covenant confirmed by sprinkling the people with blood?
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.” (Exodus 24:8 NLT)
What did the elders of Israel experience on the mountain?
Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up. They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was like a paved work of sapphire stone, like the skies for clearness. He didn’t lay his hand on the nobles of the children of Israel. They saw God, and ate and drank. (Exodus 24:9-11 WEB)
What did God instruct Moses to do next? What was he to receive?
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there. I’ll give you the stone tablets with the instructions and the commandments that I’ve written in order to teach them.” (Exodus 24:12 CEB)
Who were to be substitutes during Moses’ absence on the mountain?
Moses and Joshua his assistant got ready, then Moses started up the mountain to meet with God. Moses had told the leaders, “Wait here until we come back. Aaron and Hur will be with you, and they can settle any arguments while we are away.” (Exodus 24:13-14 CEV)
How long was Moses’ absence on the mountain?
Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. (Exodus 24:15-18 ESV)
How did Israel confirm the old covenant? What did Moses write? What did Moses receive on the mountain? You decide!
Truth, Feasts & a Guardian (Exodus 23)
Should Israel always speak the truth? Should they keep three annual feast seasons? Would God send a guardian angel? Let’s look at Exodus 23.
Should Israel be involved in spreading false reports, vigilante mobs, or show special favors in judgment merely because they feel sorry for a poor man?
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline [follow] after many to wrest judgment: Neither shalt thou countenance [show partiality to] a poor man in his cause. (Exodus 23:1-3 KJV)
Did Israel have a responsibility towards a neighbor’s property? Even if he’s a bad neighbor?
If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him. (Exodus 22:4-5 LSB)
Should Israel pervert justice for the needy or innocent? What about bribes? How should they treat strangers or foreigners?
You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute. Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just. You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 23:6-9 NASB)
Was there a land sabbath as well as a weekly sabbath?
For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed. (Exodus 23:10-12 NIV)
How were they to relate to the pagan gods of other nations?
Pay close attention to all my instructions. You must not call on the name of any other gods. Do not even speak their names. (Exodus 23:13 NLT)
How many festival seasons were there annually? Is unleavened bread part of Passover season? Are the first fruits attached to Pentecost? Is ingathering another name for the feast of tabernacles?
You shall observe a feast to me three times a year. You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib (for in it you came out of Egypt), and no one shall appear before me empty. And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors out of the field. Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh. (Exodus 23:14-17 WEB)
With what kind of bread was the first festival season, Passover to be observed?
Don’t offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened. Don’t let the fat of my festival offering be left over until the morning. (Exodus 23:18 CEB)
How were firstfruits to be given? Was there a pagan harvest ritual to be avoided, boiling a goat in its mother’s milk, or is this just a prohibition against a cruel practice?
Each year bring the best part of your first harvest to the place of worship. Don't boil a young goat in its mother's milk. (Exodus 23:19 CEV Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21)
Would God send a guardian angel on their way? Would God also protect us?
Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. (Exodus 23:20-22 ESV)
How would the angel protect them? Were they to avoid abominable practices of those nations like child sacrifice (2 Kings 16:3; Psalm 106:37-38; Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5; 32:35; Ezekiel 16:20-21)?
For My angel will go before you and bring you to the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. You must not bow down to their gods or worship them. Do not imitate their practices. Instead, demolish them and smash their sacred pillars to pieces. Worship the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. I will remove illnesses from you. No woman will miscarry or be childless in your land. I will give you the full number of your days. (Exodus 23:23-26 HCSB)
How would God dispossess the evil and perverse people of the land?
I’ll go ahead of you and terrorize all the people to whom you are coming. I’ll confuse your enemies and make them turn their backs on you and run away. I’ll send hornets ahead of you and they’ll drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you. I won’t drive them out before you in a single year, so that the land does not become desolate and so that wild animals do not overrun you. I’ll drive them out ahead of you little by little until you increase in numbers and possess the land. (Exodus 23:27-30 ISV)
What would be the boundaries of Israel’s new possession?
And I will set your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River; for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out from before you. You shall cut no covenant with them or with their gods. They shall not live in your land, lest they make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you. (Exodus 23:31-33 KJV)
Should Israel always speak the truth? Should they keep three annual feast seasons? Would God send a guardian angel? You decide!
Should Israel be involved in spreading false reports, vigilante mobs, or show special favors in judgment merely because they feel sorry for a poor man?
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline [follow] after many to wrest judgment: Neither shalt thou countenance [show partiality to] a poor man in his cause. (Exodus 23:1-3 KJV)
Did Israel have a responsibility towards a neighbor’s property? Even if he’s a bad neighbor?
If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him. (Exodus 22:4-5 LSB)
Should Israel pervert justice for the needy or innocent? What about bribes? How should they treat strangers or foreigners?
You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute. Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just. You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 23:6-9 NASB)
Was there a land sabbath as well as a weekly sabbath?
For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed. (Exodus 23:10-12 NIV)
How were they to relate to the pagan gods of other nations?
Pay close attention to all my instructions. You must not call on the name of any other gods. Do not even speak their names. (Exodus 23:13 NLT)
How many festival seasons were there annually? Is unleavened bread part of Passover season? Are the first fruits attached to Pentecost? Is ingathering another name for the feast of tabernacles?
You shall observe a feast to me three times a year. You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib (for in it you came out of Egypt), and no one shall appear before me empty. And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors out of the field. Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh. (Exodus 23:14-17 WEB)
With what kind of bread was the first festival season, Passover to be observed?
Don’t offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened. Don’t let the fat of my festival offering be left over until the morning. (Exodus 23:18 CEB)
How were firstfruits to be given? Was there a pagan harvest ritual to be avoided, boiling a goat in its mother’s milk, or is this just a prohibition against a cruel practice?
Each year bring the best part of your first harvest to the place of worship. Don't boil a young goat in its mother's milk. (Exodus 23:19 CEV Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21)
Would God send a guardian angel on their way? Would God also protect us?
Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. (Exodus 23:20-22 ESV)
How would the angel protect them? Were they to avoid abominable practices of those nations like child sacrifice (2 Kings 16:3; Psalm 106:37-38; Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5; 32:35; Ezekiel 16:20-21)?
For My angel will go before you and bring you to the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. You must not bow down to their gods or worship them. Do not imitate their practices. Instead, demolish them and smash their sacred pillars to pieces. Worship the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. I will remove illnesses from you. No woman will miscarry or be childless in your land. I will give you the full number of your days. (Exodus 23:23-26 HCSB)
How would God dispossess the evil and perverse people of the land?
I’ll go ahead of you and terrorize all the people to whom you are coming. I’ll confuse your enemies and make them turn their backs on you and run away. I’ll send hornets ahead of you and they’ll drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you. I won’t drive them out before you in a single year, so that the land does not become desolate and so that wild animals do not overrun you. I’ll drive them out ahead of you little by little until you increase in numbers and possess the land. (Exodus 23:27-30 ISV)
What would be the boundaries of Israel’s new possession?
And I will set your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River; for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out from before you. You shall cut no covenant with them or with their gods. They shall not live in your land, lest they make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you. (Exodus 23:31-33 KJV)
Should Israel always speak the truth? Should they keep three annual feast seasons? Would God send a guardian angel? You decide!
Compensation (Exodus 22)
When we look at the laws under the old covenant, are we tempted to think that some were too harsh and some were amazing? Do we judge God by our society’s corrupt standards? Or, do we humbly seek to learn? Let’s look at Exodus 22.
What compensation was a thief to pay? Was there something similar to the castle law, the fundamental right to self-defense?
When someone steals an ox or a sheep and then slaughters or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for the one ox or four sheep for the one sheep. If the thief is caught breaking in and is beaten and dies, the one who killed him won’t be guilty of bloodshed. However, if this happens in broad daylight, then the one who killed him is guilty of bloodshed. For his part, the thief must make good on what he stole. If he has nothing, he must be sold to pay for his theft. If an animal (whether ox, donkey, or sheep) is found alive in the thief’s possession, he must pay back double. (Exodus 22:1-4 CEB)
What compensation must be paid when your animal grazes a neighbor’s property?
If you allow any of your animals to stray from your property and graze in someone else's field or vineyard, you must repay the damage from the best part of your own harvest of grapes and grain. (Exodus 22:5 CEV)
How should someone who starts a fire that gets out of control compensate for any damages?
If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution. (Exodus 22:6 ESV)
How should a theft be investigated when someone cares for a neighbor’s possessions?
When a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep, but they are stolen from that person’s house, the thief, if caught, must repay double. If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house must present himself to the judges to determine whether or not he has taken his neighbor’s property. In any case of wrongdoing involving an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything else lost, and someone claims, ‘That’s mine,’ the case between the two parties is to come before the judges. The one the judges condemn must repay double to his neighbor. (Exodus 22:7-9 HCSB)
How should a loss be investigated when someone cares for a neighbor’s possessions?
When a man gives a donkey, ox, sheep, or any animal to his neighbor for safe keeping, and it dies or is injured or is driven away when no one is looking, the two of them are to take an oath in the Lord’s presence that the accused has not taken his neighbor’s property. Its owner is to accept this, and the neighbor is not to make restitution. But if it was actually stolen from him, the neighbor is to make restitution to its owner. If it was torn to pieces, let the neighbor bring the remains as evidence, and he is not to make restitution for what was torn apart. (Exodus 22:10-13 ISV)
How should a loss be investigated when someone borrows a neighbor’s possessions?
And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire. (Exodus 22:14-15 KJV)
What was the law regarding premarital sex?
If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the dowry for virgins. (Exodus 22:16-17 LSB)
What was the penalty for sorcery or someone who practices witchcraft?
You shall not allow a sorceress to live. (Exodus 22:18 NASB)
What was the penalty for bestiality, sexual relations with an animal?
Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death. (Exodus 22:19 NIV)
What was the penalty for sacrificing to foreign gods? Was there tolerance of multiculturalism in this area?
Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed. (Exodus 22:20 NLT)
How were they to treat foreigners within their borders?
You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 22:21 WEB)
How were they to treat widows and orphans? How serious was God about this?
Don’t treat any widow or orphan badly. If you do treat them badly and they cry out to me, you can be sure that I’ll hear their cry. I’ll be furious, and I’ll kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows, and your children will be orphans. (Exodus 22:22-24 CEB)
How were lenders to handle interest on loans? How corrupt are our banks by comparison?
Don't charge interest when you lend money to any of my people who are in need. Before sunset you must return any coat taken as security for a loan, because that is the only cover the poor have when they sleep at night. I am a merciful God, and when they call out to me, I will come to help them. (Exodus 22:25-27 CEV)
How should they speak about God or rulers of their people?
You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. (Exodus 22:28 ESV)
How were they to handle offerings and their firstborn?
You must not hold back offerings from your harvest or your vats. Give Me the firstborn of your sons. Do the same with your cattle and your flock. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me. (Exodus 22:29-30 HCSB)
How were they to handle the meat of an animal torn apart in the field?
You are to be people set apart for me. You are not to eat flesh torn apart in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs. (Exodus 22:31 ISV)
When we look at the laws under the old covenant, are we tempted to think that some were too harsh and some were amazing? Do we judge God by our society’s corrupt standards? Or, do we humbly seek to learn? You decide!
What compensation was a thief to pay? Was there something similar to the castle law, the fundamental right to self-defense?
When someone steals an ox or a sheep and then slaughters or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for the one ox or four sheep for the one sheep. If the thief is caught breaking in and is beaten and dies, the one who killed him won’t be guilty of bloodshed. However, if this happens in broad daylight, then the one who killed him is guilty of bloodshed. For his part, the thief must make good on what he stole. If he has nothing, he must be sold to pay for his theft. If an animal (whether ox, donkey, or sheep) is found alive in the thief’s possession, he must pay back double. (Exodus 22:1-4 CEB)
What compensation must be paid when your animal grazes a neighbor’s property?
If you allow any of your animals to stray from your property and graze in someone else's field or vineyard, you must repay the damage from the best part of your own harvest of grapes and grain. (Exodus 22:5 CEV)
How should someone who starts a fire that gets out of control compensate for any damages?
If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution. (Exodus 22:6 ESV)
How should a theft be investigated when someone cares for a neighbor’s possessions?
When a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep, but they are stolen from that person’s house, the thief, if caught, must repay double. If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house must present himself to the judges to determine whether or not he has taken his neighbor’s property. In any case of wrongdoing involving an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything else lost, and someone claims, ‘That’s mine,’ the case between the two parties is to come before the judges. The one the judges condemn must repay double to his neighbor. (Exodus 22:7-9 HCSB)
How should a loss be investigated when someone cares for a neighbor’s possessions?
When a man gives a donkey, ox, sheep, or any animal to his neighbor for safe keeping, and it dies or is injured or is driven away when no one is looking, the two of them are to take an oath in the Lord’s presence that the accused has not taken his neighbor’s property. Its owner is to accept this, and the neighbor is not to make restitution. But if it was actually stolen from him, the neighbor is to make restitution to its owner. If it was torn to pieces, let the neighbor bring the remains as evidence, and he is not to make restitution for what was torn apart. (Exodus 22:10-13 ISV)
How should a loss be investigated when someone borrows a neighbor’s possessions?
And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire. (Exodus 22:14-15 KJV)
What was the law regarding premarital sex?
If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the dowry for virgins. (Exodus 22:16-17 LSB)
What was the penalty for sorcery or someone who practices witchcraft?
You shall not allow a sorceress to live. (Exodus 22:18 NASB)
What was the penalty for bestiality, sexual relations with an animal?
Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death. (Exodus 22:19 NIV)
What was the penalty for sacrificing to foreign gods? Was there tolerance of multiculturalism in this area?
Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed. (Exodus 22:20 NLT)
How were they to treat foreigners within their borders?
You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 22:21 WEB)
How were they to treat widows and orphans? How serious was God about this?
Don’t treat any widow or orphan badly. If you do treat them badly and they cry out to me, you can be sure that I’ll hear their cry. I’ll be furious, and I’ll kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows, and your children will be orphans. (Exodus 22:22-24 CEB)
How were lenders to handle interest on loans? How corrupt are our banks by comparison?
Don't charge interest when you lend money to any of my people who are in need. Before sunset you must return any coat taken as security for a loan, because that is the only cover the poor have when they sleep at night. I am a merciful God, and when they call out to me, I will come to help them. (Exodus 22:25-27 CEV)
How should they speak about God or rulers of their people?
You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. (Exodus 22:28 ESV)
How were they to handle offerings and their firstborn?
You must not hold back offerings from your harvest or your vats. Give Me the firstborn of your sons. Do the same with your cattle and your flock. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me. (Exodus 22:29-30 HCSB)
How were they to handle the meat of an animal torn apart in the field?
You are to be people set apart for me. You are not to eat flesh torn apart in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs. (Exodus 22:31 ISV)
When we look at the laws under the old covenant, are we tempted to think that some were too harsh and some were amazing? Do we judge God by our society’s corrupt standards? Or, do we humbly seek to learn? You decide!
Slaves & Personal Injury (Exodus 21)
How do modern laws regarding debt, prisons, prisoners of war and personal injury compare with those that God gave to ancient Israel? Rather than being locked up for years, is the opportunity to work off a sentence a much more humane solution? Are there legitimate forms of slavery like paying back a debt, a form of welfare for the poor, punishment for crimes, and prisoners of war? Let’s look at Exodus 21.
Was there a time limit involved in the number of years that one would serve as a slave?
Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them: If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall leave as a free man without a payment to you. If he comes alone, he shall leave alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall leave with him. (Exodus 21:1-3 NASB)
Could a man choose to remain a slave, perhaps for love of a good master or for welfare purposes?
If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. (Exodus 21:4-6 NIV)
If a daughter voluntarily contracts as a slave, perhaps to help pay off family debts, was the owner obligated to treat her well? What if she married a member of the family?
When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not satisfy her owner, he must allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her. But if the slave’s owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave but as a daughter. (Exodus 21:7-9 NLT)
What if the son marries another wife, was he to treat her fairly?
If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights. If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money. (Exodus 21:10-11 WEB)
How was murder to be handled under the old covenant? Was capital punishment involved? What about violence towards parents?
Anyone who hits and kills someone should be put to death. If the killing wasn’t on purpose but an accident allowed by God, then I will designate a place to which the killer can run away. But if someone plots and kills another person on purpose, you should remove the killer from my altar and put him to death. Anyone who violently hits their father or mother should be put to death. (Exodus 21:12-15 CEB)
Did kidnapping people to make them slaves incur the death penalty?
Death is the punishment for kidnapping. If you sell the person you kidnapped, or if you are caught with that person, the penalty is death. (Exodus 21:16 CEV)
What was the penalty for simply cursing a parent?
Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:17 ESV)
Is there a law regarding just compensation for injury?
When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or his fist, and the injured man does not die but is confined to bed, if he can later get up and walk around outside leaning on his staff, then the one who struck him will be exempt from punishment. Nevertheless, he must pay for his lost work time and provide for his complete recovery. (Exodus 21:18-19 HCSB)
If a man mistreated his slaves, was there justice?
If a man strikes his male or female servant with a stick and he or she dies as a direct result, the master must be punished. But if the servant survives a day or two, the master is not to be punished because the servant is his property. (Exodus 21:20-21 ISV)
Is the law of eye for an eye also about just compensation?
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exodus 21:22-25 KJV)
Getting back to mistreatment of a slave, what if a slave is injured? Is any debt owed immediately expunged, and the slave set free?
And if someone strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free on account of the eye. And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let the slave go free on account of the tooth. (Exodus 21:26-27 NASB)
What was considered to be just when dangerous farm animals got out of control?
“If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded. This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death. (Exodus 21:28-32 NIV)
What compensation should be paid for negligence regarding safety?
Suppose someone digs or uncovers a pit and fails to cover it, and then an ox or a donkey falls into it. The owner of the pit must pay full compensation to the owner of the animal, but then he gets to keep the dead animal. (Exodus 21:33-34 NLT)
How should someone handle a dispute over an aggressive bull?
If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal. Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own. (Exodus 21:35-36 WEB)
How do modern laws regarding debt, prisons, prisoners of war and personal injury compare with those that God gave to ancient Israel? Rather than being locked up for years, is the opportunity to work off a sentence a much more humane solution? Are there legitimate forms of slavery like paying back a debt, a form of welfare for the poor, punishment for crimes, and prisoners of war? You decide!
Was there a time limit involved in the number of years that one would serve as a slave?
Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them: If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall leave as a free man without a payment to you. If he comes alone, he shall leave alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall leave with him. (Exodus 21:1-3 NASB)
Could a man choose to remain a slave, perhaps for love of a good master or for welfare purposes?
If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. (Exodus 21:4-6 NIV)
If a daughter voluntarily contracts as a slave, perhaps to help pay off family debts, was the owner obligated to treat her well? What if she married a member of the family?
When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not satisfy her owner, he must allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her. But if the slave’s owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave but as a daughter. (Exodus 21:7-9 NLT)
What if the son marries another wife, was he to treat her fairly?
If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights. If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money. (Exodus 21:10-11 WEB)
How was murder to be handled under the old covenant? Was capital punishment involved? What about violence towards parents?
Anyone who hits and kills someone should be put to death. If the killing wasn’t on purpose but an accident allowed by God, then I will designate a place to which the killer can run away. But if someone plots and kills another person on purpose, you should remove the killer from my altar and put him to death. Anyone who violently hits their father or mother should be put to death. (Exodus 21:12-15 CEB)
Did kidnapping people to make them slaves incur the death penalty?
Death is the punishment for kidnapping. If you sell the person you kidnapped, or if you are caught with that person, the penalty is death. (Exodus 21:16 CEV)
What was the penalty for simply cursing a parent?
Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:17 ESV)
Is there a law regarding just compensation for injury?
When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or his fist, and the injured man does not die but is confined to bed, if he can later get up and walk around outside leaning on his staff, then the one who struck him will be exempt from punishment. Nevertheless, he must pay for his lost work time and provide for his complete recovery. (Exodus 21:18-19 HCSB)
If a man mistreated his slaves, was there justice?
If a man strikes his male or female servant with a stick and he or she dies as a direct result, the master must be punished. But if the servant survives a day or two, the master is not to be punished because the servant is his property. (Exodus 21:20-21 ISV)
Is the law of eye for an eye also about just compensation?
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exodus 21:22-25 KJV)
Getting back to mistreatment of a slave, what if a slave is injured? Is any debt owed immediately expunged, and the slave set free?
And if someone strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free on account of the eye. And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let the slave go free on account of the tooth. (Exodus 21:26-27 NASB)
What was considered to be just when dangerous farm animals got out of control?
“If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded. This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death. (Exodus 21:28-32 NIV)
What compensation should be paid for negligence regarding safety?
Suppose someone digs or uncovers a pit and fails to cover it, and then an ox or a donkey falls into it. The owner of the pit must pay full compensation to the owner of the animal, but then he gets to keep the dead animal. (Exodus 21:33-34 NLT)
How should someone handle a dispute over an aggressive bull?
If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal. Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own. (Exodus 21:35-36 WEB)
How do modern laws regarding debt, prisons, prisoners of war and personal injury compare with those that God gave to ancient Israel? Rather than being locked up for years, is the opportunity to work off a sentence a much more humane solution? Are there legitimate forms of slavery like paying back a debt, a form of welfare for the poor, punishment for crimes, and prisoners of war? You decide!
The Ten Words (Exodus 20)
The Ten Commandments or Ten Words have been a standard of conduct down through history. How did Jesus apply them, in the letter or the Spirit? Let’s look at Exodus 20.
Then God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt— from the house of slavery. You are to have no other gods as a substitute for me. (Exodus 20:1-3 ISV)
Did Jesus turn the negative thou shalt not into a positive thou shalt?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38 KJV Deuteronomy 6:5)
Did statues of cherubs in the tabernacle contradict the commandment against graven images, or were they not used as idols, not bowed down to, and therefore quite legitimate?
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6 ESV)
What should Christians do in regard to idols?
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (1 Corinthians 10:14 NASB)
What about God’s name? What about the common expression OMG?
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7 NIV)
Some people have tried to avoid God’s name altogether, lest they accidentally blaspheme it. Did Jesus suggest the exact opposite of this by encouraging us to hallow God’s name?
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (Matthew 6:9 KJV)
Would a nation just freed from slavery, be grateful for a Sabbath rest? Is a rest day a good thing?
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh [the Lord] your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11 WEB)
Why is there no Sabbath command in the entire New Testament? Did Jesus teach something about a higher, spiritual rest?
Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 CEB)
How important is it to honor both our parents?
Respect [honor] your father and your mother, and you will live a long time in the land I am giving you. (Exodus 20:12 CEV)
Did the church continue to uphold this commandment under the new covenant?
Children, obey your parents as you would the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. (Ephesians 6:1-3 HCSB)
Is valuing human life relevant for Christians?
You are not to commit murder. (Exodus 20:13 ISV)
Did Jesus expand upon this commandment to include unrighteous anger and verbal abuse?
You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ [You idiot!] shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. (Matthew 5:21-22 LSB)
Is having hate in our hearts a spirit of murder?
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15 KJV)
What about having sex with someone who is not your husband or wife?
You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14 NASB)
What did Jesus have to say about adultery in the mind?
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28 NASB)
What commandment has to do with respect for private ownership of property?
You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15 WEB)
How is what Jesus taught us the exact opposite of theft?
The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. (John 10:10 CEB)
What commandment would put a lot of advertising, politics, written history, and fake news to shame?
Do not tell lies about others. (Exodus 20:16 CEV)
What did Jesus say about false testimony?
Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. (Matthew 5:33-37 ESV)
Did the old covenant have anything to say about what was in our hearts?
Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Exodus 20:17 HCSB)
How did Jesus teach us to deal with anxieties over necessities?
So don’t ever worry by saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ because it is the unbelievers who are eager for all those things. Surely your heavenly Father knows that you need all of them! But first be concerned about God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well. So never worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:31-34 ISV)
Were the people afraid of God’s manifestations on the mount?
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. (Exodus 20:18-21 KJV)
What did God say in regard to worship? Would any of this apply in principle for the church?
Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. And if you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’ (Exodus 20:22-26 LSB)
The Ten Commandments or Ten Words have been a standard of conduct down through history. How did Jesus apply them, in the letter or the Spirit? You decide!
Then God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt— from the house of slavery. You are to have no other gods as a substitute for me. (Exodus 20:1-3 ISV)
Did Jesus turn the negative thou shalt not into a positive thou shalt?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38 KJV Deuteronomy 6:5)
Did statues of cherubs in the tabernacle contradict the commandment against graven images, or were they not used as idols, not bowed down to, and therefore quite legitimate?
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6 ESV)
What should Christians do in regard to idols?
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (1 Corinthians 10:14 NASB)
What about God’s name? What about the common expression OMG?
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7 NIV)
Some people have tried to avoid God’s name altogether, lest they accidentally blaspheme it. Did Jesus suggest the exact opposite of this by encouraging us to hallow God’s name?
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (Matthew 6:9 KJV)
Would a nation just freed from slavery, be grateful for a Sabbath rest? Is a rest day a good thing?
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh [the Lord] your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11 WEB)
Why is there no Sabbath command in the entire New Testament? Did Jesus teach something about a higher, spiritual rest?
Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 CEB)
How important is it to honor both our parents?
Respect [honor] your father and your mother, and you will live a long time in the land I am giving you. (Exodus 20:12 CEV)
Did the church continue to uphold this commandment under the new covenant?
Children, obey your parents as you would the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. (Ephesians 6:1-3 HCSB)
Is valuing human life relevant for Christians?
You are not to commit murder. (Exodus 20:13 ISV)
Did Jesus expand upon this commandment to include unrighteous anger and verbal abuse?
You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ [You idiot!] shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. (Matthew 5:21-22 LSB)
Is having hate in our hearts a spirit of murder?
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15 KJV)
What about having sex with someone who is not your husband or wife?
You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14 NASB)
What did Jesus have to say about adultery in the mind?
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28 NASB)
What commandment has to do with respect for private ownership of property?
You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15 WEB)
How is what Jesus taught us the exact opposite of theft?
The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. (John 10:10 CEB)
What commandment would put a lot of advertising, politics, written history, and fake news to shame?
Do not tell lies about others. (Exodus 20:16 CEV)
What did Jesus say about false testimony?
Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. (Matthew 5:33-37 ESV)
Did the old covenant have anything to say about what was in our hearts?
Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Exodus 20:17 HCSB)
How did Jesus teach us to deal with anxieties over necessities?
So don’t ever worry by saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ because it is the unbelievers who are eager for all those things. Surely your heavenly Father knows that you need all of them! But first be concerned about God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well. So never worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:31-34 ISV)
Were the people afraid of God’s manifestations on the mount?
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. (Exodus 20:18-21 KJV)
What did God say in regard to worship? Would any of this apply in principle for the church?
Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. And if you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’ (Exodus 20:22-26 LSB)
The Ten Commandments or Ten Words have been a standard of conduct down through history. How did Jesus apply them, in the letter or the Spirit? You decide!
Preparing to be Holy (Exodus 19)
How did God prepare Israel to receive the covenant? Would this covenant make them a holy nation? Do we treat some things as holy today, our marriages, our honesty, our prayer time? Let’s look at Exodus 19.
Did Israel approach the mountain and camp there?
In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on this day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. Then they set out from Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. (Exodus 19:1-2 LSB)
Was this the place for God to make a covenant with Israel?
And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 19:3-6 NASB)
Did the elders of Israel confirm that they would do everything that God said?
So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. (Exodus 19:7-8 NIV)
Was God going to speak so that all the people could hear? Why?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you.” Moses told the Lord what the people had said. (Exodus 19:9 NLT)
Did God set boundaries for the people?
Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, and be ready for the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai. You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.” (Exodus 19:10-13 WEB)
How long did the people prepare for this important event?
So Moses went down the mountain to the people. He made sure the people were holy and that they washed their clothes. He told the men, “Prepare yourselves for three days. Don’t go near a woman.” When morning dawned on the third day, there was thunder, lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast of a horn. All the people in the camp shook with fear. (Exodus 19:14-16 CEB)
How spectacular was this event at the foot of Mount Sinai?
Moses led them out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had come down in a flaming fire. Smoke poured out of the mountain just like a furnace, and the whole mountain shook. The trumpet blew louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. (Exodus 19:17-19 CEV)
What did God instruct Moses to warn the people about?
The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” (Exodus 19:20-22 ESV)
Who besides Moses was allowed to approach the mountain?
But Moses responded to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since You warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy.” And the Lord replied to him, “Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out in anger against them.” So Moses went down to the people and told them. (Exodus 19:23-25 HCSB)
How did God prepare Israel to receive the covenant? Would this covenant make them a holy nation? Do we treat some things as holy today, our marriages, our honesty, our prayer time? You decide!
Did Israel approach the mountain and camp there?
In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on this day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. Then they set out from Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. (Exodus 19:1-2 LSB)
Was this the place for God to make a covenant with Israel?
And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 19:3-6 NASB)
Did the elders of Israel confirm that they would do everything that God said?
So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. (Exodus 19:7-8 NIV)
Was God going to speak so that all the people could hear? Why?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you.” Moses told the Lord what the people had said. (Exodus 19:9 NLT)
Did God set boundaries for the people?
Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, and be ready for the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai. You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.” (Exodus 19:10-13 WEB)
How long did the people prepare for this important event?
So Moses went down the mountain to the people. He made sure the people were holy and that they washed their clothes. He told the men, “Prepare yourselves for three days. Don’t go near a woman.” When morning dawned on the third day, there was thunder, lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast of a horn. All the people in the camp shook with fear. (Exodus 19:14-16 CEB)
How spectacular was this event at the foot of Mount Sinai?
Moses led them out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had come down in a flaming fire. Smoke poured out of the mountain just like a furnace, and the whole mountain shook. The trumpet blew louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. (Exodus 19:17-19 CEV)
What did God instruct Moses to warn the people about?
The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” (Exodus 19:20-22 ESV)
Who besides Moses was allowed to approach the mountain?
But Moses responded to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since You warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy.” And the Lord replied to him, “Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out in anger against them.” So Moses went down to the people and told them. (Exodus 19:23-25 HCSB)
How did God prepare Israel to receive the covenant? Would this covenant make them a holy nation? Do we treat some things as holy today, our marriages, our honesty, our prayer time? You decide!
The Olivet Prophecy (Mark 13)
What led to Jesus’ prophecy on the Mount of Olives? What parts took place around 70 AD? What parts will take place just before Jesus’ return? What parts are very general? Are any parts specific enough to set dates? What should we not be deceived by? Will Jesus be coming visibly or invisibly? Must we be on guard and be alert? Let’s find out in Mark 13.
Did Jesus prophesy the temple’s destruction? Did that take place in 70 AD?
As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look! What wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” (Mark 13:1-2 NASB)
Are the disciples’ questions still asked today, when and what signs?
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4 NIV)
Was Jesus’ first words a warning about prophetic deception? Would people claim to come in Jesus’ name? Would they claim to be the ones with all the answers or authority or anointing or similar? Would they deceive many?
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. (Mark 13:5-6 NKJV)
Would there be wars and earthquakes? Is that specific or deliberately generalized?
And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. (Mark 13:7-8 NLT)
What did Jesus say that was a bit more specific? Has similar persecution in other contexts persisted down through time?
But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them. (Mark 13:9 WEB)
What had to happen first? When has that been accomplished?
First, the good news must be proclaimed to all the nations. (Mark 13:10 CEB)
What should those arrested for their faith not worry about? In that time, were some Christians arrested by Jewish or Roman authorities? In later history, were Christians arrested by Catholic or Protestant rulers? In modern times do Christians sometimes face arrest by Asian or African regimes?
When you are arrested, don't worry about what you will say. You will be given the right words when the time comes. But you will not really be the ones speaking. Your words will come from the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:11 CEV)
Where will our betrayers come from? Who will hate Christians? Who will be saved?
And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:12-13 ESV)
When would those in Judea want to flee? A partial fulfillment of this prophecy from Daniel 9:27 was the Roman armies destroying Jerusalem in 70AD. Of course, the Gospel had not been preached to the whole world by that time.
“When you see the abomination that causes desolation standing where it should not” (let the reader understand), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! (Mark 13:14 HCSB)
How urgent will those times be? Will they be just before Jesus’ return?
Anyone who’s on his housetop must not come down and go into his house to take anything out of it, and the one who’s in the field must not turn back to get his coat. “How terrible it will be for women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter, (Mark 13:15-18 ISV)
Will the final fulfillment of this prophecy be the worst time in all human history? Will those terrible days be shortened for the sake of true Christians?
For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. (Mark 13:19-20 KJV)
Will there be fake news within the Christian community? Will false teachers perform deceptive miracles? Will the truly elect be led astray by these false teachings?
And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But as for you, see! I have told you everything in advance. (Mark 13:21-23 LSB)
Will there be unusual astronomical signs before Christ’s return? Was this also prophesied by Isaiah?
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. (Mark 13:24-25 NASB Isaiah 13:10; 34:4)
Will people see the Son of Man coming or will He be coming invisibly? How do we know that this prophecy has its complete fulfillment in the return of Christ?
At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13 26-27 NIV)
How does a parable of a fig tree help us know when Jesus will return? Does it give us dates and times or deliberately more general indications?
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! (Mark 13:28-29 NKJV)
Which generation does this apply to, that generation or the generation around Christ’s return?
I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. (Mark 13:30 NLT)
Will Jesus’ words ever disappear? What about heaven and earth?
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Mark 13:31 WEB)
If predicting the day or hour is useless, what should we do?
“But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the angels in heaven and not the Son. Only the Father knows. Watch out! Stay alert! You don’t know when the time is coming. (Mark 13:32-33 CEB)
What is an example of this kind of staying alert?
It is like what happens when a man goes away for a while and places his servants in charge of everything. He tells each of them what to do, and he orders the guard to keep alert. So be alert! You don't know when the master of the house will come back. It could be in the evening or at midnight or before dawn or in the morning. But if he comes suddenly, don't let him find you asleep. I tell everyone just what I have told you. Be alert! (Mark 13:34-36 CEV)
What led to Jesus’ prophecy on the Mount of Olives? What parts took place around 70 AD? What parts will take place just before Jesus’ return? What parts are very general? Are any parts specific enough to set dates? What should we not be deceived by? Will Jesus be coming visibly or invisibly? Are we on guard and alert? You decide!
Did Jesus prophesy the temple’s destruction? Did that take place in 70 AD?
As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look! What wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” (Mark 13:1-2 NASB)
Are the disciples’ questions still asked today, when and what signs?
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4 NIV)
Was Jesus’ first words a warning about prophetic deception? Would people claim to come in Jesus’ name? Would they claim to be the ones with all the answers or authority or anointing or similar? Would they deceive many?
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. (Mark 13:5-6 NKJV)
Would there be wars and earthquakes? Is that specific or deliberately generalized?
And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. (Mark 13:7-8 NLT)
What did Jesus say that was a bit more specific? Has similar persecution in other contexts persisted down through time?
But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them. (Mark 13:9 WEB)
What had to happen first? When has that been accomplished?
First, the good news must be proclaimed to all the nations. (Mark 13:10 CEB)
What should those arrested for their faith not worry about? In that time, were some Christians arrested by Jewish or Roman authorities? In later history, were Christians arrested by Catholic or Protestant rulers? In modern times do Christians sometimes face arrest by Asian or African regimes?
When you are arrested, don't worry about what you will say. You will be given the right words when the time comes. But you will not really be the ones speaking. Your words will come from the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:11 CEV)
Where will our betrayers come from? Who will hate Christians? Who will be saved?
And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:12-13 ESV)
When would those in Judea want to flee? A partial fulfillment of this prophecy from Daniel 9:27 was the Roman armies destroying Jerusalem in 70AD. Of course, the Gospel had not been preached to the whole world by that time.
“When you see the abomination that causes desolation standing where it should not” (let the reader understand), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! (Mark 13:14 HCSB)
How urgent will those times be? Will they be just before Jesus’ return?
Anyone who’s on his housetop must not come down and go into his house to take anything out of it, and the one who’s in the field must not turn back to get his coat. “How terrible it will be for women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter, (Mark 13:15-18 ISV)
Will the final fulfillment of this prophecy be the worst time in all human history? Will those terrible days be shortened for the sake of true Christians?
For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. (Mark 13:19-20 KJV)
Will there be fake news within the Christian community? Will false teachers perform deceptive miracles? Will the truly elect be led astray by these false teachings?
And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But as for you, see! I have told you everything in advance. (Mark 13:21-23 LSB)
Will there be unusual astronomical signs before Christ’s return? Was this also prophesied by Isaiah?
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. (Mark 13:24-25 NASB Isaiah 13:10; 34:4)
Will people see the Son of Man coming or will He be coming invisibly? How do we know that this prophecy has its complete fulfillment in the return of Christ?
At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13 26-27 NIV)
How does a parable of a fig tree help us know when Jesus will return? Does it give us dates and times or deliberately more general indications?
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! (Mark 13:28-29 NKJV)
Which generation does this apply to, that generation or the generation around Christ’s return?
I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. (Mark 13:30 NLT)
Will Jesus’ words ever disappear? What about heaven and earth?
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Mark 13:31 WEB)
If predicting the day or hour is useless, what should we do?
“But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the angels in heaven and not the Son. Only the Father knows. Watch out! Stay alert! You don’t know when the time is coming. (Mark 13:32-33 CEB)
What is an example of this kind of staying alert?
It is like what happens when a man goes away for a while and places his servants in charge of everything. He tells each of them what to do, and he orders the guard to keep alert. So be alert! You don't know when the master of the house will come back. It could be in the evening or at midnight or before dawn or in the morning. But if he comes suddenly, don't let him find you asleep. I tell everyone just what I have told you. Be alert! (Mark 13:34-36 CEV)
What led to Jesus’ prophecy on the Mount of Olives? What parts took place around 70 AD? What parts will take place just before Jesus’ return? What parts are very general? Are any parts specific enough to set dates? What should we not be deceived by? Will Jesus be coming visibly or invisibly? Are we on guard and alert? You decide!
Delegating Responsibility (Exodus 18)
Can the elderly offer sensible, inspired advice? Is delegating responsibility a wise course of action? Was it God’s will for Moses to share authority with leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens? Let’s look at Exodus 18.
Had Moses sent his wife and sons back to his father-in-law?
Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”. The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.” (Exodus 18:1-4 WEB)
What happened at the reunion of Moses and Jethro?
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses’ sons and wife back to him in the desert where he had set up camp at God’s mountain. He sent word to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you along with your wife and her two sons.” Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other how they were doing, and then they went into the tent. Moses then told his father-in-law everything that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on Israel’s behalf, all the difficulty they had on their journey, and how the Lord had rescued them. (Exodus 18:5-8 CEB)
Did Jethro praise God for Israel’s escape to freedom?
Jethro was so pleased to hear this good news about what the Lord had done, that he shouted, “Praise the Lord! He rescued you and the Israelites from the Egyptians and their king. Now I know that the Lord is the greatest God, because he has rescued Israel from their arrogant enemies.” Jethro offered sacrifices to God. Then Aaron and Israel's leaders came to eat with Jethro there at the place of worship. (Exodus 18:9-12 CEV)
Did Jethro have some advice for his son-in-law Moses?
The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. (Exodus 18:13-17 ESV)
What would happen if Moses continued doing everything without delegating?
“You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone. Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to Him. Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. (Exodus 18:18-20 HCSB)
To whom should Moses delegate responsibilities?
You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They are to judge the people at all times. Let them bring every major matter to you, but let them judge every minor matter. It will lighten your burden, and they’ll bear it with you. If you do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will also go to their homes in peace.” (Exodus 18:21-23 ISV)
What happened after Moses heeded Jethro’s wise advice?
So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land. (Exodus 18:24-27 KJV)
Can the elderly offer sensible, inspired advice? Is delegating responsibility a wise course of action? Was it God’s will for Moses to share authority with leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens? You decide!
Had Moses sent his wife and sons back to his father-in-law?
Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”. The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.” (Exodus 18:1-4 WEB)
What happened at the reunion of Moses and Jethro?
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses’ sons and wife back to him in the desert where he had set up camp at God’s mountain. He sent word to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you along with your wife and her two sons.” Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other how they were doing, and then they went into the tent. Moses then told his father-in-law everything that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on Israel’s behalf, all the difficulty they had on their journey, and how the Lord had rescued them. (Exodus 18:5-8 CEB)
Did Jethro praise God for Israel’s escape to freedom?
Jethro was so pleased to hear this good news about what the Lord had done, that he shouted, “Praise the Lord! He rescued you and the Israelites from the Egyptians and their king. Now I know that the Lord is the greatest God, because he has rescued Israel from their arrogant enemies.” Jethro offered sacrifices to God. Then Aaron and Israel's leaders came to eat with Jethro there at the place of worship. (Exodus 18:9-12 CEV)
Did Jethro have some advice for his son-in-law Moses?
The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. (Exodus 18:13-17 ESV)
What would happen if Moses continued doing everything without delegating?
“You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone. Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to Him. Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. (Exodus 18:18-20 HCSB)
To whom should Moses delegate responsibilities?
You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They are to judge the people at all times. Let them bring every major matter to you, but let them judge every minor matter. It will lighten your burden, and they’ll bear it with you. If you do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will also go to their homes in peace.” (Exodus 18:21-23 ISV)
What happened after Moses heeded Jethro’s wise advice?
So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land. (Exodus 18:24-27 KJV)
Can the elderly offer sensible, inspired advice? Is delegating responsibility a wise course of action? Was it God’s will for Moses to share authority with leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens? You decide!
Providence & Victory (Exodus 17)
Did God provide for Israel’s necessities? Did God provide victory over Israel’s enemies? Does Jesus provide a source of water giving eternal life? Does Jesus have ultimate victory over the last enemy of all, death? Let’s look at Exodus 17.
Did the Israelites lose faith and complain about their circumstances again?
The Israelites left the desert and moved from one place to another each time the Lord ordered them to. Once they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for them to drink. The people started complaining to Moses, “Give us some water!” Moses replied, “Why are you complaining to me and trying to put the Lord to the test?” But the people were thirsty and kept on complaining, “Moses, did you bring us out of Egypt just to let us and our families and our animals die of thirst?” (Exodus 17:1-3 CEV)
Did Moses take the matter to the Lord? What was God’s solution?
So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:4-7 ESV)
What did the Amalekites do to the Israelites?
At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel. Moses said to Joshua, “Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand.” (Exodus 17:8-9 HCSB)
How did God use Moses, Aaron and Hur to give Israel a victory?
So Joshua did as Moses told him and fought against the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses raised his hand, the Israelis prevailed, but when his hand remained at his side, then the Amalekites prevailed. When Moses’ hands became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down. Joshua defeated Amalek and his army using swords. (Exodus 17:10-13 ISV)
What was to be the legacy of the Amalekites because of their opposition to Israel?
And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi [the Lord my Banner]: For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:14-16 KJV)
Does Jesus provide a source of water giving eternal life?
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. (John 4:14 NASB)
Is this promise to Christians also called living water?
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. (John 7:38 NIV)
What is the last enemy that Christ will destroy when He reigns in the kingdom of God?
And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26 NLT)
Did God provide for Israel’s necessities? Did God provide victory over Israel’s enemies? Does Jesus provide a source of water giving eternal life? Does Jesus have ultimate victory over the last enemy of all, death? You decide!
Did the Israelites lose faith and complain about their circumstances again?
The Israelites left the desert and moved from one place to another each time the Lord ordered them to. Once they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for them to drink. The people started complaining to Moses, “Give us some water!” Moses replied, “Why are you complaining to me and trying to put the Lord to the test?” But the people were thirsty and kept on complaining, “Moses, did you bring us out of Egypt just to let us and our families and our animals die of thirst?” (Exodus 17:1-3 CEV)
Did Moses take the matter to the Lord? What was God’s solution?
So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:4-7 ESV)
What did the Amalekites do to the Israelites?
At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel. Moses said to Joshua, “Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand.” (Exodus 17:8-9 HCSB)
How did God use Moses, Aaron and Hur to give Israel a victory?
So Joshua did as Moses told him and fought against the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses raised his hand, the Israelis prevailed, but when his hand remained at his side, then the Amalekites prevailed. When Moses’ hands became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down. Joshua defeated Amalek and his army using swords. (Exodus 17:10-13 ISV)
What was to be the legacy of the Amalekites because of their opposition to Israel?
And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi [the Lord my Banner]: For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:14-16 KJV)
Does Jesus provide a source of water giving eternal life?
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. (John 4:14 NASB)
Is this promise to Christians also called living water?
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. (John 7:38 NIV)
What is the last enemy that Christ will destroy when He reigns in the kingdom of God?
And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26 NLT)
Did God provide for Israel’s necessities? Did God provide victory over Israel’s enemies? Does Jesus provide a source of water giving eternal life? Does Jesus have ultimate victory over the last enemy of all, death? You decide!
Bread from Heaven (Exodus 16)
Why do we humans tend to lack faith in God and complain so much? By what miracle did God provide for Israel? What or who is the true bread from heaven?
Did the Israelites fall back into unbelief and start complaining again? Do we grumble?
On the fifteenth day of the second month after the Israelites had escaped from Egypt, they left Elim and started through the western edge of the Sinai Desert in the direction of Mount Sinai. There in the desert they started complaining to Moses and Aaron, “We wish the Lord had killed us in Egypt. When we lived there, we could at least sit down and eat all the bread and meat we wanted. But you have brought us out here into this desert, where we are going to starve.” (Exodus 16:1-3 CEV)
Did God hear their grumbling and do something about it?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” (Exodus 16:4-5 ESV)
Who were the Israelites’ really grumbling against?
So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: “This evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt; in the morning you will see the Lord’s glory because He has heard your complaints about Him. For who are we that you complain about us?” Moses continued, “The Lord will give you meat to eat this evening and more than enough bread in the morning, for He has heard the complaints that you are raising against Him. Who are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.” (Exodus 16:6-8 HCSB)
Did God listen to their grumbling and respond to the Israelites’ complaints?
Then Moses instructed Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelis, ‘Come near into the Lord’s presence, because he has heard your complaints.’” While Aaron was speaking to all the congregation of the Israelis, they turned toward the desert, and there the glory of the Lord was seen in the cloud. The Lord told Moses, “I’ve heard the complaints of the Israelis. Tell them, ‘At twilight you are to eat meat and in the morning you are to be filled with bread, so you may know that I am the Lord your God.’” (Exodus 16:9-12 ISV)
What did the Lord do in the morning for the Israelites?
And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna [what is it]: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. (Exodus 16:13-15 KJV)
How were they supposed to handle the Manna?
This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone gather as much as he will eat; you shall take an omer apiece according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’” The sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little. When they measured it by the omer, the one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little; everyone gathered as much as he would eat. Moses said to them, “No one is to leave any of it until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank; and Moses was angry with them. They gathered it morning by morning, everyone as much as he would eat; but when the sun became hot, it would melt. (Exodus 16:16-21 NASB)
Did God provide for them so that they could rest on the Sabbath day?
On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.” (Exodus 16:22-26 NIV)
Did some of the people disobey God’s Sabbath command? Is there a single Sabbath command in the entire New Testament for Christians? If not, in what or whom do we rest?
Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. The Lord asked 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. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day. (Exodus 16:27-30 NLT)
Even though the Manna did not last until the next day, except for Friday’s Manna, was there a special pot that God would preserve for posterity?
The house of Israel called its name “Manna”, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey. Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, ‘Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before Yahweh, to be kept throughout your generations.” As Yahweh commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. (Exodus 16:31-34 WEB)
How long did God provide food for the Israelites to eat Manna, the bread from heaven?
The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to a livable land. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. (An omer is one-tenth of an ephah.) (Exodus 16:35-36 CEB)
What did Jesus say relating to this in John’s Gospel?
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51 KJV)
Why do we humans tend to lack faith in God and complain so much? By what miracle did God provide for Israel? What or who is the true bread from heaven? You decide!
Did the Israelites fall back into unbelief and start complaining again? Do we grumble?
On the fifteenth day of the second month after the Israelites had escaped from Egypt, they left Elim and started through the western edge of the Sinai Desert in the direction of Mount Sinai. There in the desert they started complaining to Moses and Aaron, “We wish the Lord had killed us in Egypt. When we lived there, we could at least sit down and eat all the bread and meat we wanted. But you have brought us out here into this desert, where we are going to starve.” (Exodus 16:1-3 CEV)
Did God hear their grumbling and do something about it?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” (Exodus 16:4-5 ESV)
Who were the Israelites’ really grumbling against?
So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: “This evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt; in the morning you will see the Lord’s glory because He has heard your complaints about Him. For who are we that you complain about us?” Moses continued, “The Lord will give you meat to eat this evening and more than enough bread in the morning, for He has heard the complaints that you are raising against Him. Who are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.” (Exodus 16:6-8 HCSB)
Did God listen to their grumbling and respond to the Israelites’ complaints?
Then Moses instructed Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelis, ‘Come near into the Lord’s presence, because he has heard your complaints.’” While Aaron was speaking to all the congregation of the Israelis, they turned toward the desert, and there the glory of the Lord was seen in the cloud. The Lord told Moses, “I’ve heard the complaints of the Israelis. Tell them, ‘At twilight you are to eat meat and in the morning you are to be filled with bread, so you may know that I am the Lord your God.’” (Exodus 16:9-12 ISV)
What did the Lord do in the morning for the Israelites?
And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna [what is it]: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. (Exodus 16:13-15 KJV)
How were they supposed to handle the Manna?
This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone gather as much as he will eat; you shall take an omer apiece according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’” The sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little. When they measured it by the omer, the one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little; everyone gathered as much as he would eat. Moses said to them, “No one is to leave any of it until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank; and Moses was angry with them. They gathered it morning by morning, everyone as much as he would eat; but when the sun became hot, it would melt. (Exodus 16:16-21 NASB)
Did God provide for them so that they could rest on the Sabbath day?
On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.” (Exodus 16:22-26 NIV)
Did some of the people disobey God’s Sabbath command? Is there a single Sabbath command in the entire New Testament for Christians? If not, in what or whom do we rest?
Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. The Lord asked 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. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day. (Exodus 16:27-30 NLT)
Even though the Manna did not last until the next day, except for Friday’s Manna, was there a special pot that God would preserve for posterity?
The house of Israel called its name “Manna”, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey. Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, ‘Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before Yahweh, to be kept throughout your generations.” As Yahweh commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. (Exodus 16:31-34 WEB)
How long did God provide food for the Israelites to eat Manna, the bread from heaven?
The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to a livable land. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. (An omer is one-tenth of an ephah.) (Exodus 16:35-36 CEB)
What did Jesus say relating to this in John’s Gospel?
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51 KJV)
Why do we humans tend to lack faith in God and complain so much? By what miracle did God provide for Israel? What or who is the true bread from heaven? You decide!
Victory Songs (Exodus 15)
Is singing a good way to rejoice over victory? What is a good theme for singing to the Lord? Do we also quickly forget God’s mighty hand and backslide into complaining?
What songs did the Israelites sing during the Exodus? Did the whole experience help their faith?
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said: I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a warrior; Yahweh [the Lord] is His name. (Exodus 15:1-3 HCSB)
Did God conquer the Israelites’ enemy? Will God conquer the enemy that wants to enslave us?
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea; his best officers sank in the Reed Sea. The deep covered them, they went down into the depths like a rock. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in strength, your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy. (Exodus 15:4-6 ISV)
Did the enemy threaten them? Have enemies threatened the church?
And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed [foamed] in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. (Exodus 15:7-9 KJV)
How easy was it for God to conquer Israel’s enemy? Do we trust Him to conquer our enemies?
You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who is like You among the gods, O Yahweh? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Fearsome in praises, working wonders? You stretched out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them. (Exodus 15:10-12 LSB)
Did God faithfully lead His redeemed? Will God faithfully lead us to our eternal holy land?
In Your faithfulness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation. The peoples have heard, they tremble; Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom were terrified; The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have despaired. (Exodus 15:13-15 NASB)
Did God cause Israel’s enemies to fear them? Will God grant us our inheritance?
terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone—until your people pass by, Lord, until the people you bought pass by. You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. “The Lord reigns for ever and ever.” (Exodus 15:16-18 NIV)
Did Moses’ and Aaron’s sister Miriam also compose a song? Did they sing and dance both? Was she a prophetess?
When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers rushed into the sea, the Lord brought the water crashing down on them. But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground! Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. And Miriam sang this song: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea.” (Exodus 15:19-21 NLT)
Did it take long for the Israelites to lose faith and start complaining again?
Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah. The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” (Exodus 15:22-24 WEB)
Did Moses intervene and did God solve their problem once more? Was God testing the people’s faith? If they were obedient would they not experience any of the diseases that Egyptians suffered?
Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord pointed out a tree to him. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. The Lord made a regulation and a ruling there, and there he tested them. The Lord said, “If you are careful to obey the Lord your God, do what God thinks is right, pay attention to his commandments, and keep all of his regulations, then I won’t bring on you any of the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.” Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They camped there by the water. (Exodus 15:25-27 CEB)
Is singing a good way to rejoice over victory? What is a good theme for singing to the Lord? Do we also quickly forget God’s mighty hand and backslide into complaining? You decide!
What songs did the Israelites sing during the Exodus? Did the whole experience help their faith?
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said: I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a warrior; Yahweh [the Lord] is His name. (Exodus 15:1-3 HCSB)
Did God conquer the Israelites’ enemy? Will God conquer the enemy that wants to enslave us?
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea; his best officers sank in the Reed Sea. The deep covered them, they went down into the depths like a rock. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in strength, your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy. (Exodus 15:4-6 ISV)
Did the enemy threaten them? Have enemies threatened the church?
And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed [foamed] in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. (Exodus 15:7-9 KJV)
How easy was it for God to conquer Israel’s enemy? Do we trust Him to conquer our enemies?
You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who is like You among the gods, O Yahweh? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Fearsome in praises, working wonders? You stretched out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them. (Exodus 15:10-12 LSB)
Did God faithfully lead His redeemed? Will God faithfully lead us to our eternal holy land?
In Your faithfulness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation. The peoples have heard, they tremble; Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom were terrified; The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have despaired. (Exodus 15:13-15 NASB)
Did God cause Israel’s enemies to fear them? Will God grant us our inheritance?
terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone—until your people pass by, Lord, until the people you bought pass by. You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. “The Lord reigns for ever and ever.” (Exodus 15:16-18 NIV)
Did Moses’ and Aaron’s sister Miriam also compose a song? Did they sing and dance both? Was she a prophetess?
When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers rushed into the sea, the Lord brought the water crashing down on them. But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground! Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. And Miriam sang this song: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea.” (Exodus 15:19-21 NLT)
Did it take long for the Israelites to lose faith and start complaining again?
Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah. The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” (Exodus 15:22-24 WEB)
Did Moses intervene and did God solve their problem once more? Was God testing the people’s faith? If they were obedient would they not experience any of the diseases that Egyptians suffered?
Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord pointed out a tree to him. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. The Lord made a regulation and a ruling there, and there he tested them. The Lord said, “If you are careful to obey the Lord your God, do what God thinks is right, pay attention to his commandments, and keep all of his regulations, then I won’t bring on you any of the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.” Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They camped there by the water. (Exodus 15:25-27 CEB)
Is singing a good way to rejoice over victory? What is a good theme for singing to the Lord? Do we also quickly forget God’s mighty hand and backslide into complaining? You decide!
Free from Slavery (Exodus 14)
How hard does the devil fight to keep us enslaved to evil? Does it require God’s miraculous intervention to free us? Is the Exodus not just the history of a nation’s salvation but also a metaphor for our eternal salvation? Let’s look at Exodus 14.
Was God more concerned that the Egyptians know that He is the Lord, than their present physical existence? How will this play out in their eternity?
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so. (Exodus 14:1-4 KJV)
Did Pharaoh pursue the people of Israel with an army?
Then the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; and he took six hundred choice chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And Yahweh [the Lord] hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, with strength, and he pursued the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out with an exalted hand. Then the Egyptians pursued them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. (Exodus 14:5-9 LSB)
Did the people of Israel panic or trust God in their plight?
As Pharaoh approached, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were coming after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness!” (Exodus 14:10-12 NASB)
Did Moses encourage them to just have faith in the Lord?
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14 NIV)
Did the Lord encourage Moses to just get moving?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!” (Exodus 14:15-18 NLT)
How did God protect all Israel during the night?
The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them. It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night. (Exodus 14:19-20 WEB)
Did Israel walk in water or on dry ground? Do most made up pictures of this fail to capture the full idea of millions of people in families, carrying things and herds of domestic animals? Did the Egyptians pursue them?
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord pushed the sea back by a strong east wind all night, turning the sea into dry land. The waters were split into two. The Israelites walked into the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians chased them and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry. As morning approached, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian camp from the column of lightning and cloud and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. The Lord jammed their chariot wheels so that they wouldn’t turn easily. The Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites, because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” (Exodus 14:21-25 CEB)
Did God protect the Israelites from their pursuers?
The Lord told Moses, “Stretch your arm toward the sea—the water will cover the Egyptians and their cavalry and chariots.” Moses stretched out his arm, and at daybreak the water rushed toward the Egyptians. They tried to run away, but the Lord drowned them in the sea. The water came and covered the chariots, the cavalry, and the whole Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them was left alive. But the sea had made a wall of water on each side of the Israelites, so they walked through on dry land. (Exodus 14:26-29 CEV)
Did the Israelites finally come to faith? Was it to last long?
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:30-31 ESV)
How hard does the devil fight to keep us enslaved to evil? Does it require God’s miraculous intervention to free us? Is the Exodus not just the history of a nation’s salvation but also a metaphor for our eternal salvation? You decide!
Was God more concerned that the Egyptians know that He is the Lord, than their present physical existence? How will this play out in their eternity?
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so. (Exodus 14:1-4 KJV)
Did Pharaoh pursue the people of Israel with an army?
Then the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; and he took six hundred choice chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And Yahweh [the Lord] hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, with strength, and he pursued the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out with an exalted hand. Then the Egyptians pursued them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. (Exodus 14:5-9 LSB)
Did the people of Israel panic or trust God in their plight?
As Pharaoh approached, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were coming after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness!” (Exodus 14:10-12 NASB)
Did Moses encourage them to just have faith in the Lord?
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14 NIV)
Did the Lord encourage Moses to just get moving?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!” (Exodus 14:15-18 NLT)
How did God protect all Israel during the night?
The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them. It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night. (Exodus 14:19-20 WEB)
Did Israel walk in water or on dry ground? Do most made up pictures of this fail to capture the full idea of millions of people in families, carrying things and herds of domestic animals? Did the Egyptians pursue them?
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord pushed the sea back by a strong east wind all night, turning the sea into dry land. The waters were split into two. The Israelites walked into the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians chased them and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry. As morning approached, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian camp from the column of lightning and cloud and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. The Lord jammed their chariot wheels so that they wouldn’t turn easily. The Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites, because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” (Exodus 14:21-25 CEB)
Did God protect the Israelites from their pursuers?
The Lord told Moses, “Stretch your arm toward the sea—the water will cover the Egyptians and their cavalry and chariots.” Moses stretched out his arm, and at daybreak the water rushed toward the Egyptians. They tried to run away, but the Lord drowned them in the sea. The water came and covered the chariots, the cavalry, and the whole Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them was left alive. But the sea had made a wall of water on each side of the Israelites, so they walked through on dry land. (Exodus 14:26-29 CEV)
Did the Israelites finally come to faith? Was it to last long?
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:30-31 ESV)
How hard does the devil fight to keep us enslaved to evil? Does it require God’s miraculous intervention to free us? Is the Exodus not just the history of a nation’s salvation but also a metaphor for our eternal salvation? You decide!
The First Born (Exodus 13)
Why were the firstborn sons sanctified in Israel? Is the firstborn a recurring Bible theme? Does it memorialize Egypt’s firstborn? Did firstborn sons have a leading family role? Did they receive a double inheritance to compensate for looking after a widowed mother and any unmarried sisters? Was Jesus Mary’s firstborn son? Is Jesus the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29)? Did He die so that we could be free? Let’s look at Exodus 13.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the firstborn of every womb among the sons of Israel, among people and animals alike; it belongs to Me.” (Exodus 13:1-2 NASB)
What was that first month called? Is that where Tel Aviv gets its name, the Hill of Spring?
Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. Today, in the month of Aviv [Abib], you are leaving. (Exodus 13:3-4 NIV)
Was this to be a mournful event or a joyful feast?
You must celebrate this event in this month each year after the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites. (He swore to your ancestors that he would give you this land—a land flowing with milk and honey.) For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast. Then on the seventh day, celebrate a feast to the Lord. Eat bread without yeast during those seven days. In fact, there must be no yeast bread or any yeast at all found within the borders of your land during this time. (Exodus 13:5-7 NLT)
Was this feast also to include teaching their children?
You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Yahweh’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh [the Lord] has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year. (Exodus 13:8-10 WEB)
What were they to do with the firstborn male animals?
“When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you as promised to you and your ancestors, you should set aside for the Lord whatever comes out of the womb first. All of the first males born to your animal belong to the Lord. But every first male donkey you should ransom with a sheep. If you don’t ransom it, you must break its neck. You should ransom every oldest male among your children. (Exodus 13:11-13 CEB)
Was this to memorialize the tragedy of the firstborn sons in Egypt?
In the future your children will ask what this ceremony means. Explain it to them by saying, “The Lord used his mighty power to rescue us from slavery in Egypt. The king stubbornly refused to set us free, so the Lord killed the first-born male of every animal and the first-born son of every Egyptian family. This is why we sacrifice to the Lord every first-born male of every animal and save every first-born son.” (Exodus 13:14-15 CEV)
Was it necessary to wear religious tallits, prayer boxes or phylacteries, or is the ceremony itself reminder enough?
This ceremony will be like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead. It is a reminder that the power of the Lord’s mighty hand brought us out of Egypt. (Exodus 13:16 NLT)
Did they go the quickest route towards the promised land?
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. (Exodus 13:17-18 ESV)
Did they fulfill Joseph’s request from long ago?
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear a solemn oath, saying, “God will certainly come to your aid; then you must take my bones with you from this place.” (Exodus 13:19 HCSB)
With what signs did God lead them along their way?
They left Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the desert. The Lord went in front of them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel both day and night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (Exodus 13:20-22 ISV)
Why were the firstborn sons sanctified in Israel? Is the firstborn a recurring Bible theme? Does it memorialize Egypt’s firstborn? Did firstborn sons have a leading family role? Did they receive a double inheritance to compensate for looking after a widowed mother and any unmarried sisters? Was Jesus Mary’s firstborn son? Is Jesus the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29)? Did He die so that we could be free? You decide!
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the firstborn of every womb among the sons of Israel, among people and animals alike; it belongs to Me.” (Exodus 13:1-2 NASB)
What was that first month called? Is that where Tel Aviv gets its name, the Hill of Spring?
Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. Today, in the month of Aviv [Abib], you are leaving. (Exodus 13:3-4 NIV)
Was this to be a mournful event or a joyful feast?
You must celebrate this event in this month each year after the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites. (He swore to your ancestors that he would give you this land—a land flowing with milk and honey.) For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast. Then on the seventh day, celebrate a feast to the Lord. Eat bread without yeast during those seven days. In fact, there must be no yeast bread or any yeast at all found within the borders of your land during this time. (Exodus 13:5-7 NLT)
Was this feast also to include teaching their children?
You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Yahweh’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh [the Lord] has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year. (Exodus 13:8-10 WEB)
What were they to do with the firstborn male animals?
“When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you as promised to you and your ancestors, you should set aside for the Lord whatever comes out of the womb first. All of the first males born to your animal belong to the Lord. But every first male donkey you should ransom with a sheep. If you don’t ransom it, you must break its neck. You should ransom every oldest male among your children. (Exodus 13:11-13 CEB)
Was this to memorialize the tragedy of the firstborn sons in Egypt?
In the future your children will ask what this ceremony means. Explain it to them by saying, “The Lord used his mighty power to rescue us from slavery in Egypt. The king stubbornly refused to set us free, so the Lord killed the first-born male of every animal and the first-born son of every Egyptian family. This is why we sacrifice to the Lord every first-born male of every animal and save every first-born son.” (Exodus 13:14-15 CEV)
Was it necessary to wear religious tallits, prayer boxes or phylacteries, or is the ceremony itself reminder enough?
This ceremony will be like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead. It is a reminder that the power of the Lord’s mighty hand brought us out of Egypt. (Exodus 13:16 NLT)
Did they go the quickest route towards the promised land?
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. (Exodus 13:17-18 ESV)
Did they fulfill Joseph’s request from long ago?
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear a solemn oath, saying, “God will certainly come to your aid; then you must take my bones with you from this place.” (Exodus 13:19 HCSB)
With what signs did God lead them along their way?
They left Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the desert. The Lord went in front of them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel both day and night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (Exodus 13:20-22 ISV)
Why were the firstborn sons sanctified in Israel? Is the firstborn a recurring Bible theme? Does it memorialize Egypt’s firstborn? Did firstborn sons have a leading family role? Did they receive a double inheritance to compensate for looking after a widowed mother and any unmarried sisters? Was Jesus Mary’s firstborn son? Is Jesus the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29)? Did He die so that we could be free? You decide!
The First Passover (Exodus 12)
English speakers call it Easter. Most languages still call the Christian celebration the equivalent of Passover. What was the original Passover like? How did it foreshadow Christ? Let’s look at Exodus 12.
Did God begin to give Israel a calendar?
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. (Exodus 12:1-2 ESV)
What were they to do on the tenth of that Spring month?
Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to their fathers’ households, one animal per household. If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each person will eat. (Exodus 12 3-4 HCSB)
Do both the age and lack of blemish of the lamb picture the sinless innocence of Jesus? Though we normally think of Jesus as pictured by a lamb from the sheep, what other kind of animal could the Passover sacrifice be?
Your lamb is to be a year old male without blemish. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. (Exodus 12:5 ISV)
What were the original ingredients? What were they to do with the blood of the lamb?
And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (Exodus 12:6-8 KJV)
Were they to eat all of it? Were they to be dressed for travel?
Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Passover of Yahweh [the Lord]. (Exodus 12:9-11 LSB)
What was to happen that night? Where did the word Passover come from?
For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and fatally strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the human firstborn to animals; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will come upon you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:12-13 NASB)
How long was the festival to last? What else was to be eaten? On what days were there sacred assemblies?
“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do. (Exodus 12:14-16 NIV)
What was the whole festival called? Could leaven have been a picture of sin?
“Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation. The bread you eat must be made without yeast from the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month until the evening of the twenty-first day of that month. During those seven days, there must be no trace of yeast in your homes. Anyone who eats anything made with yeast during this week will be cut off from the community of Israel. These regulations apply both to the foreigners living among you and to the native-born Israelites. During those days you must not eat anything made with yeast. Wherever you live, eat only bread made without yeast.” (Exodus 12:17-20 NLT)
How did Moses instruct the elders of Israel? What were they to do with the blood?
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them, “Draw out, and take lambs according to your families, and kill the Passover. You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two door posts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For Yahweh [the Lord] will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door posts, Yahweh will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you. (Exodus 12:21-23 WEB)
How long was this to be observed? The words forever or for all time can also be translated as indefinitely or long duration. Do Christians still observe this in the bread and wine of communion?
You should observe this ritual as a regulation for all time for you and your children. When you enter the land that the Lord has promised to give you, be sure that you observe this ritual. And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ritual mean to you?’ you will say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for the Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. When he struck down the Egyptians, he spared our houses.’” The people then bowed down and worshipped. The Israelites went and did exactly what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron to do. (Exodus 12:24-28 CEB)
What great tragedy now befell the Egyptians?
At midnight the Lord killed the first-born son of every Egyptian family, from the son of the king to the son of every prisoner in jail. He also killed the first-born male of every animal that belonged to the Egyptians. That night the king, his officials, and everyone else in Egypt got up and started crying bitterly. In every Egyptian home, someone was dead. (Exodus 12:29-30 CEV)
Did Pharaoh finally relent and let the people go? Unlike many paintings, were there also many things to carry and great herds of domestic animals in the Exodus?
Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!” The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:31-36 ESV)
How many Israelites were there? Apart from their escape from sin, what else could the unleavened bread picture?
About 600,000 Israeli men traveled from Rameses to Succoth on foot, not counting children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with a very large number of livestock, including sheep and cattle. They baked the dough that they brought out of Egypt into thin cakes of unleavened bread. It had not been leavened because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves. (Exodus 12:37-39 ISV)
How long had Israel lived in Egypt? What kind of night did this become in Israel?
The time that the Israelites lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that same day, all the Lord’s divisions went out from the land of Egypt. It was a night of vigil in honor of the Lord, because He would bring them out of the land of Egypt. This same night is in honor of the Lord, a night vigil for all the Israelites throughout their generations. (Exodus 12:40-42 HCSB)
Who could eat the Passover? Is this similar to who can partake of communion in many churches?
And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. (Exodus 12:43-47 KJV)
What about newcomers? Is being circumcised in some ways similar to being baptized (Colossians 2:11-12)? Do some churches give communion only to those who are baptized for similar reasons?
But if a sojourner sojourns with you and celebrates the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. The same law shall apply to the native as to the sojourner who sojourns among you.” So all the sons of Israel did; as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, thus they did. And on that same day Yahweh brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts. (Exodus 12:48-51 LSB)
English speakers call it Easter. Most languages still call the Christian celebration Passover. What was the original Passover like? How did it foreshadow Christ? You decide!
Did God begin to give Israel a calendar?
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. (Exodus 12:1-2 ESV)
What were they to do on the tenth of that Spring month?
Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to their fathers’ households, one animal per household. If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each person will eat. (Exodus 12 3-4 HCSB)
Do both the age and lack of blemish of the lamb picture the sinless innocence of Jesus? Though we normally think of Jesus as pictured by a lamb from the sheep, what other kind of animal could the Passover sacrifice be?
Your lamb is to be a year old male without blemish. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. (Exodus 12:5 ISV)
What were the original ingredients? What were they to do with the blood of the lamb?
And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (Exodus 12:6-8 KJV)
Were they to eat all of it? Were they to be dressed for travel?
Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Passover of Yahweh [the Lord]. (Exodus 12:9-11 LSB)
What was to happen that night? Where did the word Passover come from?
For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and fatally strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the human firstborn to animals; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will come upon you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:12-13 NASB)
How long was the festival to last? What else was to be eaten? On what days were there sacred assemblies?
“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do. (Exodus 12:14-16 NIV)
What was the whole festival called? Could leaven have been a picture of sin?
“Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation. The bread you eat must be made without yeast from the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month until the evening of the twenty-first day of that month. During those seven days, there must be no trace of yeast in your homes. Anyone who eats anything made with yeast during this week will be cut off from the community of Israel. These regulations apply both to the foreigners living among you and to the native-born Israelites. During those days you must not eat anything made with yeast. Wherever you live, eat only bread made without yeast.” (Exodus 12:17-20 NLT)
How did Moses instruct the elders of Israel? What were they to do with the blood?
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them, “Draw out, and take lambs according to your families, and kill the Passover. You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two door posts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For Yahweh [the Lord] will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door posts, Yahweh will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you. (Exodus 12:21-23 WEB)
How long was this to be observed? The words forever or for all time can also be translated as indefinitely or long duration. Do Christians still observe this in the bread and wine of communion?
You should observe this ritual as a regulation for all time for you and your children. When you enter the land that the Lord has promised to give you, be sure that you observe this ritual. And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ritual mean to you?’ you will say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for the Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. When he struck down the Egyptians, he spared our houses.’” The people then bowed down and worshipped. The Israelites went and did exactly what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron to do. (Exodus 12:24-28 CEB)
What great tragedy now befell the Egyptians?
At midnight the Lord killed the first-born son of every Egyptian family, from the son of the king to the son of every prisoner in jail. He also killed the first-born male of every animal that belonged to the Egyptians. That night the king, his officials, and everyone else in Egypt got up and started crying bitterly. In every Egyptian home, someone was dead. (Exodus 12:29-30 CEV)
Did Pharaoh finally relent and let the people go? Unlike many paintings, were there also many things to carry and great herds of domestic animals in the Exodus?
Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!” The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:31-36 ESV)
How many Israelites were there? Apart from their escape from sin, what else could the unleavened bread picture?
About 600,000 Israeli men traveled from Rameses to Succoth on foot, not counting children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with a very large number of livestock, including sheep and cattle. They baked the dough that they brought out of Egypt into thin cakes of unleavened bread. It had not been leavened because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves. (Exodus 12:37-39 ISV)
How long had Israel lived in Egypt? What kind of night did this become in Israel?
The time that the Israelites lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that same day, all the Lord’s divisions went out from the land of Egypt. It was a night of vigil in honor of the Lord, because He would bring them out of the land of Egypt. This same night is in honor of the Lord, a night vigil for all the Israelites throughout their generations. (Exodus 12:40-42 HCSB)
Who could eat the Passover? Is this similar to who can partake of communion in many churches?
And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. (Exodus 12:43-47 KJV)
What about newcomers? Is being circumcised in some ways similar to being baptized (Colossians 2:11-12)? Do some churches give communion only to those who are baptized for similar reasons?
But if a sojourner sojourns with you and celebrates the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. The same law shall apply to the native as to the sojourner who sojourns among you.” So all the sons of Israel did; as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, thus they did. And on that same day Yahweh brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts. (Exodus 12:48-51 LSB)
English speakers call it Easter. Most languages still call the Christian celebration Passover. What was the original Passover like? How did it foreshadow Christ? You decide!
A Final Warning (Exodus 11)
Does Pharaoh picture how stubborn the devil is in letting us go free? How easy is it to enter a self-destructive lifestyle and how hard is it to escape? Like an addiction, does sin look like freedom but in reality brutally enslave us? Let’s look at Exodus 11.
How did God have Israel get ready to leave Egypt?
Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.) (Exodus 11:1-3 NIV)
Had Moses announced this to Pharaoh at their final meeting? Does this echo the drastic measures we must sometimes take in order to overcome an addiction to sin?
Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die. (Exodus 11:4-5 NLT)
What will be a huge difference between Israel and Egypt? Does this portray the misery of living in sin versus the peace of a saint?
There will be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been, nor will be any more. But against any of the children of Israel a dog won’t even bark or move its tongue, against man or animal, that you may know that Yahweh makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. (Exodus 11:6-7 WEB)
What else had Moses said in that final meeting? Was he angry because he knew the consequences of sin that they would suffer?
Then all your officials will come down to me, bow to me, and say, ‘Get out, you and all your followers!’ After that I’ll leave.” Then Moses, furious, left Pharaoh. (Exodus 11:8 CEB)
Why had the Lord confirmed a stubborn man’s heart by hardening it even more?
What the Lord had earlier said to Moses came true. He had said, “The king of Egypt won't listen. Then I will perform even more miracles.” So the king of Egypt saw Moses and Aaron work miracles, but the Lord made him stubbornly refuse to let the Israelites leave his country. (Exodus 11:9-10 CEV)
Why did God allow a man He knew to be stubborn and hard hearted to become king in the first place? Does the New Testament give us a clue?
In the Scriptures the Lord says to the king of Egypt, “I let you become king, so that I could show you my power and be praised by all people on earth.” (Romans 9:17 CEV)
Does Pharaoh picture how stubborn the devil is in letting us go free? How easy is it to enter a self-destructive lifestyle and how hard is it to escape? Like an addiction, does sin look like freedom but in reality brutally enslave us? You decide!
How did God have Israel get ready to leave Egypt?
Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.) (Exodus 11:1-3 NIV)
Had Moses announced this to Pharaoh at their final meeting? Does this echo the drastic measures we must sometimes take in order to overcome an addiction to sin?
Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die. (Exodus 11:4-5 NLT)
What will be a huge difference between Israel and Egypt? Does this portray the misery of living in sin versus the peace of a saint?
There will be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been, nor will be any more. But against any of the children of Israel a dog won’t even bark or move its tongue, against man or animal, that you may know that Yahweh makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. (Exodus 11:6-7 WEB)
What else had Moses said in that final meeting? Was he angry because he knew the consequences of sin that they would suffer?
Then all your officials will come down to me, bow to me, and say, ‘Get out, you and all your followers!’ After that I’ll leave.” Then Moses, furious, left Pharaoh. (Exodus 11:8 CEB)
Why had the Lord confirmed a stubborn man’s heart by hardening it even more?
What the Lord had earlier said to Moses came true. He had said, “The king of Egypt won't listen. Then I will perform even more miracles.” So the king of Egypt saw Moses and Aaron work miracles, but the Lord made him stubbornly refuse to let the Israelites leave his country. (Exodus 11:9-10 CEV)
Why did God allow a man He knew to be stubborn and hard hearted to become king in the first place? Does the New Testament give us a clue?
In the Scriptures the Lord says to the king of Egypt, “I let you become king, so that I could show you my power and be praised by all people on earth.” (Romans 9:17 CEV)
Does Pharaoh picture how stubborn the devil is in letting us go free? How easy is it to enter a self-destructive lifestyle and how hard is it to escape? Like an addiction, does sin look like freedom but in reality brutally enslave us? You decide!
Locusts & Darkness (Exodus 10)
Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart apart from his free will (Exodus 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8; 14:7)? Did Pharaoh’s heart just grow hard (Exodus 7:13, 22; 8:19; 9:7, 35)? Did Pharaoh harden his own heart (Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34)? Did God only harden what Pharaoh had already decided of his own stubborn free will? Let’s look at Exodus 10.
Locusts
Does it sound like God has just about given up on Pharaoh? Sometimes the stubbornness seems to be Pharaoh’s own.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. I’ve made him and his officials stubborn so that I can show them my signs and so that you can tell your children and grandchildren how I overpowered the Egyptians with the signs I did among them. You will know that I am the Lord.” (Exodus 10:1-2 CEB)
What message did Moses and Aaron deliver from God to the king?
Moses and Aaron went to the king and told him that the Lord God of the Hebrews had said: How long will you stubbornly refuse to obey? Release my people so they can worship me. Do this by tomorrow, or I will cover your country with so many locusts that you won't be able to see the ground. Most of your crops were ruined by the hailstones, but these locusts will destroy what little is left, including the trees. Your palace, the homes of your officials, and all the other houses in Egypt will overflow with more locusts than have ever been seen in this country. (Exodus 10:3-6a CEV)
Did Pharaoh recall Moses after consulting with his advisors? Did he only allow the men to go?
Then he turned and left Pharaoh’s presence. Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long must this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, so that they may worship Yahweh their God. Don’t you realize yet that Egypt is devastated?” So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship Yahweh your God,” Pharaoh said. “But exactly who will be going?” Moses replied, “We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds because we must hold Yahweh’s festival.” He said to them, “May Yahweh be with you if I ever let you and your families go! Look out—you are planning evil. No, only the men may go and worship Yahweh, for that is what you have been asking for.” And they were driven from Pharaoh’s presence. (Exodus 10:6b-11 HCSB)
What plague did God bring this time? Did anything green remain?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.” So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts. The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again. They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt. (Exodus 10:12-15 ESV)
Did the same story of Pharaoh’s vacillating repentance play out?
Pharaoh quickly called Moses and Aaron and said, “I’ve sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Now, please forgive my sin only this time, and pray to the Lord your God that he would at least remove this from me.” Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. Then the Lord brought a very strong west wind that took the locusts and drove them into the Reed Sea. Not one locust remained in all the territory of Egypt. But the Lord made Pharaoh’s heart stubborn and he would not let the Israelis go. (Exodus 10:16-20 ISV)
Darkness
What punishment did God send this next time around?
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. (Exodus 10:21-23 KJV)
What was Pharaoh’s reaction this time? Did he have a condition?
Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve Yahweh; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.” But Moses said, “You must also let us have in our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to Yahweh our God. Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall remain behind, for we shall take some of them to serve Yahweh our God. And until we come there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve Yahweh.” (Exodus 10:24-26 LSB)
Did God harden Pharaoh’s already hard heart once more? What were the final words between Moses and Pharaoh?
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful, do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you shall die!” Moses said, “You have spoken correctly; I shall never see your face again!” (Exodus 10:27-29 NASB)
Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart apart from his free will (Exodus 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8; 14:7)? Did Pharaoh’s heart just grow hard (Exodus 7:13, 22; 8:19; 9:7, 35)? Did Pharaoh harden his own heart (Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34)? Did God only harden what Pharaoh had already decided of his own stubborn free will? You decide!
Locusts
Does it sound like God has just about given up on Pharaoh? Sometimes the stubbornness seems to be Pharaoh’s own.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. I’ve made him and his officials stubborn so that I can show them my signs and so that you can tell your children and grandchildren how I overpowered the Egyptians with the signs I did among them. You will know that I am the Lord.” (Exodus 10:1-2 CEB)
What message did Moses and Aaron deliver from God to the king?
Moses and Aaron went to the king and told him that the Lord God of the Hebrews had said: How long will you stubbornly refuse to obey? Release my people so they can worship me. Do this by tomorrow, or I will cover your country with so many locusts that you won't be able to see the ground. Most of your crops were ruined by the hailstones, but these locusts will destroy what little is left, including the trees. Your palace, the homes of your officials, and all the other houses in Egypt will overflow with more locusts than have ever been seen in this country. (Exodus 10:3-6a CEV)
Did Pharaoh recall Moses after consulting with his advisors? Did he only allow the men to go?
Then he turned and left Pharaoh’s presence. Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long must this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, so that they may worship Yahweh their God. Don’t you realize yet that Egypt is devastated?” So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship Yahweh your God,” Pharaoh said. “But exactly who will be going?” Moses replied, “We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds because we must hold Yahweh’s festival.” He said to them, “May Yahweh be with you if I ever let you and your families go! Look out—you are planning evil. No, only the men may go and worship Yahweh, for that is what you have been asking for.” And they were driven from Pharaoh’s presence. (Exodus 10:6b-11 HCSB)
What plague did God bring this time? Did anything green remain?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.” So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts. The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again. They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt. (Exodus 10:12-15 ESV)
Did the same story of Pharaoh’s vacillating repentance play out?
Pharaoh quickly called Moses and Aaron and said, “I’ve sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Now, please forgive my sin only this time, and pray to the Lord your God that he would at least remove this from me.” Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. Then the Lord brought a very strong west wind that took the locusts and drove them into the Reed Sea. Not one locust remained in all the territory of Egypt. But the Lord made Pharaoh’s heart stubborn and he would not let the Israelis go. (Exodus 10:16-20 ISV)
Darkness
What punishment did God send this next time around?
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. (Exodus 10:21-23 KJV)
What was Pharaoh’s reaction this time? Did he have a condition?
Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve Yahweh; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.” But Moses said, “You must also let us have in our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to Yahweh our God. Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall remain behind, for we shall take some of them to serve Yahweh our God. And until we come there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve Yahweh.” (Exodus 10:24-26 LSB)
Did God harden Pharaoh’s already hard heart once more? What were the final words between Moses and Pharaoh?
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful, do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you shall die!” Moses said, “You have spoken correctly; I shall never see your face again!” (Exodus 10:27-29 NASB)
Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart apart from his free will (Exodus 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8; 14:7)? Did Pharaoh’s heart just grow hard (Exodus 7:13, 22; 8:19; 9:7, 35)? Did Pharaoh harden his own heart (Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34)? Did God only harden what Pharaoh had already decided of his own stubborn free will? You decide!
Livestock Plague, Boils & Hail (Exodus 9)
Was Pharaoh’s repentance short lived, like a recovering addict, like a dog that returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, that returns to wallow in the mire (2 Peter 2:22)? If God did not give up on Pharaoh, will He easily give up on us? Let’s look at Exodus 9.
Livestock Plague
What did God next instruct Moses to tell Pharaoh?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, behold, the hand of the Lord will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. (Exodus 9:1-3 ESV)
Did the Lord again protect Israel from yet another plague?
But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that the Israelites own will die.” And the Lord set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” The Lord did this the next day. All the Egyptian livestock died, but none among the Israelite livestock died. (Exodus 9:4-6 HCSB)
Did Pharaoh check to see if the plague had affected Israel? Did he change his stubborn heart?
Then Pharaoh inquired and discovered that not a single one of the livestock of Israel had died, but Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 9:7 ISV)
Boils
What was the next plague? Did it also affect the magicians? Was Pharaoh responsible for his own evil? Did God confirm Pharaoh’s hard heart and use it for divine purposes?
And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses. (Exodus 9:8-12 KJV)
What was God’s warning to Pharaoh? How patient was he with Pharaoh’s stubbornness?
And Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and you shall say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For this time I will send all My plagues against your heart and amongst your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. For if by now I had sent forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been wiped out from the earth. But, indeed, for this reason I have caused you to stand, in order to show you My power and in order to recount My name through all the earth. Still you exalt yourself against My people by not letting them go. (Exodus 9:13-17 LSB)
Hail
What is the next plague that God would send on Pharaoh?
Behold, about this time tomorrow, I will send a very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. So now, send word, bring your livestock and whatever you have in the field to safety. Every person and animal that is found in the field and is not brought home, when the hail comes down on them, will die.”’” Everyone among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring his servants and his livestock into the houses; but everyone who did not pay regard to the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field. (Exodus 9:18-21 NASB)
How bad was the hail? Where did it not strike?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.” When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were. (Exodus 9:22-26 NIV)
Did the vacillating Pharaoh again change his mind? What did Moses answer him?
Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he confessed. “The Lord is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong. Please beg the Lord to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.” “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the Lord. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know that the earth belongs to the Lord. But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.” (Exodus 9:27-30 NLT)
How bad was the hail storm? Was Pharaoh’s repentance again short lived?
The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley had ripened and the flax was blooming. But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up. Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread out his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders had ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses. (Exodus 9:31-35 WEB)
Was Pharaoh’s repentance short lived, like a recovering addict, like a dog that returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, that returns to wallow in the mire? If God did not give up on Pharaoh, will He easily give up on us? You decide!
Livestock Plague
What did God next instruct Moses to tell Pharaoh?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, behold, the hand of the Lord will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. (Exodus 9:1-3 ESV)
Did the Lord again protect Israel from yet another plague?
But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that the Israelites own will die.” And the Lord set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” The Lord did this the next day. All the Egyptian livestock died, but none among the Israelite livestock died. (Exodus 9:4-6 HCSB)
Did Pharaoh check to see if the plague had affected Israel? Did he change his stubborn heart?
Then Pharaoh inquired and discovered that not a single one of the livestock of Israel had died, but Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 9:7 ISV)
Boils
What was the next plague? Did it also affect the magicians? Was Pharaoh responsible for his own evil? Did God confirm Pharaoh’s hard heart and use it for divine purposes?
And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses. (Exodus 9:8-12 KJV)
What was God’s warning to Pharaoh? How patient was he with Pharaoh’s stubbornness?
And Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and you shall say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For this time I will send all My plagues against your heart and amongst your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. For if by now I had sent forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been wiped out from the earth. But, indeed, for this reason I have caused you to stand, in order to show you My power and in order to recount My name through all the earth. Still you exalt yourself against My people by not letting them go. (Exodus 9:13-17 LSB)
Hail
What is the next plague that God would send on Pharaoh?
Behold, about this time tomorrow, I will send a very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. So now, send word, bring your livestock and whatever you have in the field to safety. Every person and animal that is found in the field and is not brought home, when the hail comes down on them, will die.”’” Everyone among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring his servants and his livestock into the houses; but everyone who did not pay regard to the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field. (Exodus 9:18-21 NASB)
How bad was the hail? Where did it not strike?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.” When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were. (Exodus 9:22-26 NIV)
Did the vacillating Pharaoh again change his mind? What did Moses answer him?
Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he confessed. “The Lord is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong. Please beg the Lord to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.” “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the Lord. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know that the earth belongs to the Lord. But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.” (Exodus 9:27-30 NLT)
How bad was the hail storm? Was Pharaoh’s repentance again short lived?
The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley had ripened and the flax was blooming. But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up. Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread out his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders had ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses. (Exodus 9:31-35 WEB)
Was Pharaoh’s repentance short lived, like a recovering addict, like a dog that returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, that returns to wallow in the mire? If God did not give up on Pharaoh, will He easily give up on us? You decide!
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