My Summary
Here instruction is given concerning the building of the tabernacle. The instructions are very specific and lay out every aspect of the length and materials to be used.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
I have struggled with specific applications from this passage. There have been attempts to draw symbolism from the different materials used or the certain numbers of curtains, however, I do not believe that is profitable or demonstratable. I will instead focus on the meaning of the tabernacle for Israel.
The first part of Hebrew 9 talks about the earthly tabernacle used by Israel. It talks about how the priests would go in and offer sacrifices and informs us that this was an example. It was a image of the future Lamb who would take away the sins of the world. Hebrews 9 says:
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrew 9:11-15
The Israelites looked forward through their cultic rituals of sarifice to the sacrifice of Jesus. The tabernacle was the place where they could come to meet the presence of God since their sins separated them from Him. However, through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus we have His very presence in our hearts. Instead of a priest, Christ is now our mediator and His sacrifice is continually effective so we do not require continual sacrifices.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Exodus 25: Makers of the Lost Ark
My Summary
Moses is told that they are to build a tabernacle. In the rest of the chapter the furnitue that will adorn the tabernacle is described. The ark, the table and that lampstand are the three things which will be inside the tabernacle.
Random Historical Things
1. All of the things God asked them to donate for the tabernacle were things the Israelites could reasonably be expected to have. The gold, fine linen and animals were all things given to them by the Egyptians. The hides of sea cows could have been either dolphins or some other sea creature common to the Red Sea. Acacia trees were numerous in the Sinai region.
2. For a while scholars doubted the fact that Israel had a "tent shrine" to worship at since no other nations did. However recent scholarly evidence has shown that many groups did have portable worship tents they carried around. Evidence of them has been found in Egypt as early as 3000BC
3. As we saw before the idea of a portable temple was an Egyptian idea. The design of the ark was also very Egyptian. This is another example of God using what the Israelites already knew to form a structure of worship.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. In the 15th century the pope decided to build St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. A Dominican preacher named Johann Tetzel went around selling indulgences to raise money for this. Normally indulgences were sold by the Catholic church offering forgiveness of sins for the purchaser. However, Tetzel was selling indulgences specifically for relatives in purgatory. The pope had given special blessing to these indulgences which provided total forgiveness for all sins of one in purgatory. Tetzel asked the commoners why they would not provide their grandmother with instant relief from torment for just a little donation. His mantra was, "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs." A certain monk named Martin Luther was driven by these sales to put together his 95 theses and start the Protestant Reformation. How different is the way God asks the Israelites for donations for His tabernacle. He neither commands them nor offers great rewards. He requests the materials from "everyone whose heart compels them to give." Because of tv evangelists and greedy pastors the idea of giving is not popular. God does not take this approach, but asks for our generosity. Everything Israel had (and everything we have) is His anyway, but He still does not demand. He requests. How generous is our heart and are we giving to continue building His church?
2. The tabernacle is going to be the symbol of God's presence among Israel. Here we see three different pieces of furniture that will go into the tabernacle. Each of these have a purpose in reminding Israel of the presence of God in their midst. Although this is symbolic of God's throne in heaven, it is important to remember that it is only symbolic and we should not assume any of the particulars are the same in heaven. The ark contains the particulars of the covenant and has the mercy seat on the top from which God will speak to Moses. This is symbolic, complete with gold angels, of the throne of God where we can approach Him. The table with the bread requires Israel to continually replenish the bread reminding them of the continual presence of God and Israel's responsibility to keep His covenant. The lampstand gives light to the dwelling place of God and may also stand for the gift of life God has given us (because it is in the shape of a tree, but the Bible does not specify all the implications of the symbolism of the lampstand). The important thing to see is that is not idolatry. These things are symbols authorized by God to remind Israel that they belonged to God and that He was with them. While we do not have these physical reminders we have the promise that Jesus has made our bodies His temply and the Holy Spirit resides within us as well whispering to us the surety of our salvation and place as an adopted child of God.
Moses is told that they are to build a tabernacle. In the rest of the chapter the furnitue that will adorn the tabernacle is described. The ark, the table and that lampstand are the three things which will be inside the tabernacle.
Random Historical Things
1. All of the things God asked them to donate for the tabernacle were things the Israelites could reasonably be expected to have. The gold, fine linen and animals were all things given to them by the Egyptians. The hides of sea cows could have been either dolphins or some other sea creature common to the Red Sea. Acacia trees were numerous in the Sinai region.
2. For a while scholars doubted the fact that Israel had a "tent shrine" to worship at since no other nations did. However recent scholarly evidence has shown that many groups did have portable worship tents they carried around. Evidence of them has been found in Egypt as early as 3000BC
3. As we saw before the idea of a portable temple was an Egyptian idea. The design of the ark was also very Egyptian. This is another example of God using what the Israelites already knew to form a structure of worship.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. In the 15th century the pope decided to build St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. A Dominican preacher named Johann Tetzel went around selling indulgences to raise money for this. Normally indulgences were sold by the Catholic church offering forgiveness of sins for the purchaser. However, Tetzel was selling indulgences specifically for relatives in purgatory. The pope had given special blessing to these indulgences which provided total forgiveness for all sins of one in purgatory. Tetzel asked the commoners why they would not provide their grandmother with instant relief from torment for just a little donation. His mantra was, "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs." A certain monk named Martin Luther was driven by these sales to put together his 95 theses and start the Protestant Reformation. How different is the way God asks the Israelites for donations for His tabernacle. He neither commands them nor offers great rewards. He requests the materials from "everyone whose heart compels them to give." Because of tv evangelists and greedy pastors the idea of giving is not popular. God does not take this approach, but asks for our generosity. Everything Israel had (and everything we have) is His anyway, but He still does not demand. He requests. How generous is our heart and are we giving to continue building His church?
2. The tabernacle is going to be the symbol of God's presence among Israel. Here we see three different pieces of furniture that will go into the tabernacle. Each of these have a purpose in reminding Israel of the presence of God in their midst. Although this is symbolic of God's throne in heaven, it is important to remember that it is only symbolic and we should not assume any of the particulars are the same in heaven. The ark contains the particulars of the covenant and has the mercy seat on the top from which God will speak to Moses. This is symbolic, complete with gold angels, of the throne of God where we can approach Him. The table with the bread requires Israel to continually replenish the bread reminding them of the continual presence of God and Israel's responsibility to keep His covenant. The lampstand gives light to the dwelling place of God and may also stand for the gift of life God has given us (because it is in the shape of a tree, but the Bible does not specify all the implications of the symbolism of the lampstand). The important thing to see is that is not idolatry. These things are symbols authorized by God to remind Israel that they belonged to God and that He was with them. While we do not have these physical reminders we have the promise that Jesus has made our bodies His temply and the Holy Spirit resides within us as well whispering to us the surety of our salvation and place as an adopted child of God.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Exodus 24: The Covenant Ceremony
My Summary
Moses conducts a ceremony to affirm Israel's acceptace of the covenant with God. Later Moses and the elders go up the mountain and have a feast in the presence of God. After the feast Moses continues up to the top of the mountain for 40 days while God speaks to him.
Random Historical Things
1. Often in the Bible the number 70 stands for the totality of something. The fact that 70 elders were chosen shows that they were representing the entire nation of Israel.
2. There were many parts of the covenant ceremony which were similar to other ancient treaty rituals. God was using what they knew to affirm His covenant with them.
3. Nadab and Abihu are the sons of Aaron, however, (spoiler alert) they are going to find themselves in trouble later.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. Moses is often held up as an example of Jesus and this chapter is one of the reasons. Moses went closer to God than the Israelites could and stood between them as a mediator just like Christ is a mediator between us and God. Moses sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the people so they would be acceptable to God and Jesus puts His own blood over us to make us acceptable to God. Even in the Old Testament a sacrifice of blood had to be made. Something had to die so the other could live so the sin could be considered punished. Of course, the only reason the animal sacrifices worked is because they looked forward to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. Today take a moment to thank Jesus for His blood and renew in your heart the covenant we have with God through Jesus.
Moses conducts a ceremony to affirm Israel's acceptace of the covenant with God. Later Moses and the elders go up the mountain and have a feast in the presence of God. After the feast Moses continues up to the top of the mountain for 40 days while God speaks to him.
Random Historical Things
1. Often in the Bible the number 70 stands for the totality of something. The fact that 70 elders were chosen shows that they were representing the entire nation of Israel.
2. There were many parts of the covenant ceremony which were similar to other ancient treaty rituals. God was using what they knew to affirm His covenant with them.
3. Nadab and Abihu are the sons of Aaron, however, (spoiler alert) they are going to find themselves in trouble later.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. Moses is often held up as an example of Jesus and this chapter is one of the reasons. Moses went closer to God than the Israelites could and stood between them as a mediator just like Christ is a mediator between us and God. Moses sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the people so they would be acceptable to God and Jesus puts His own blood over us to make us acceptable to God. Even in the Old Testament a sacrifice of blood had to be made. Something had to die so the other could live so the sin could be considered punished. Of course, the only reason the animal sacrifices worked is because they looked forward to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. Today take a moment to thank Jesus for His blood and renew in your heart the covenant we have with God through Jesus.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Exodus 21-23: The Book of the Covenant
My Summary
This section contains the laws of the Book of the Covenant. These are specific social and cultic laws governing life and religion in Israel. Many of these laws look forward to when Israel will be in the Promised Land and most of them expound upon the general principles given in the Ten Commandments.
Random Historical Things
1. The Hebrew word translated slave, servant, manservant and maidservant is the same word. The word can serve across a wide range of meanings. It can mean anything from a household servant to an actual slave. Slavery is a difficult topic in the Bible especially because of the experience of racial slavery in the United States. Slavery in Israel was different in that it was almost always voluntary and not permanent. One could sell themselves into slavery if they owed a debt. All Hebrew slaves were freed after seven years. Even the provisions given for a family to sell their daughter into debt was with the understanding that she would eventually become the wife either of her master or his son. These verses specifically forbid kidnapping someone and forcing them into slavery. Also the laws in these verses give rights to slaves which were unheard of it other cultures of the time. Other cultures were only concerned about slaves because of the financial loss of the master while God provided protections for the slaves as people. So God worked within this cultural institution and placed boundaries around it to make it as just as possible. There is much else that could be set about this subject, but for the space of time I will leave it at that.
2. If a master gave his slave a wife who was also a slave, the slave was not allowed to take her with him like he could if she had been his wife before he became a slave (may have to read that sentence twice). However, this did not mean that he was separated from them for life. Now that he was free it would not take long for an industrious worker to save enough to purchase the freedom of his family.
3. It may seem strange to mention bestiality in the midst of warnings about idolatry, however, often bestiality was practiced in order to gain favor with the gods in other cultures.
4. Ancient law codes like this were common among many ancient cultures. The most famous is the Law Code of Hammurabi. Many Sinai laws are similar to laws in the Code of Hammurabi. Women and poor people, however, were given many more rights in the Sinai Law. The Code of Hammurabi also provided different sentences depending on what social class had committed the crime while Sinai law provided the same sentences for rich and poor.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
What I am going to do for the application is split up the verses into each section and talk about what we can learn for today. Although these specific laws and penalties do not apply, we can learn a lot about what is important to God and how seriously He takes certain things.
Laws on Slaves: 21:1-11
These laws set important rules concerning those who work and the ones who they work for. Today this would be equivalent to employers and employees. These verse affirm the rights and responsibilities of both. Workers should labor well for their masters and masters should treat their employees well and honor the terms of their contract.
Laws on Injuries to People and Animals: 21:12-36
These laws show the consequences for harming those whom God has breathed life into. This section contains the infamous "eye for and eye" and "tooth for a tooth" statements which Jesus seemed to repudiate. However, Jesus was repudiated the lack of grace shown by the Pharisees to their community. Jesus was not abdicating the right of civil government to punish murder. All of these cases required a court to be involved, God was not giving the Israelites permission for personal revenge. Personally we should practice grace and mercy and return good for evil. The government does have a special decree from God, however, to punish evil and that may include punishment up to and including death.
Laws on Property: 22:1-17
This section affirms the right of private property. Those who steal not only must return what they took, but they must return double or even triple what they took. This section also affirms the right of people to defend their home, however, it does not give the right to kill an intruder if it is obvious that they are just stealing and intend no harm. Even thieves have the right to life. This section also shows the responsibility to care for the things we borrow from others. Finally we see the importance of abstaining from sex until marriage.
Social and Religious Laws: 22:18-23:9
This section contains many principles. The first principle is to not serve anything but the Lord. However, one of the main points in this section is difficult to swallow for upper middle class conservative capitalist Americans. Because we are afraid of being a church that helps the poor and has no gospel or theology, often we become churches with lots of theology but ignore the poor. There is no doubt that God desires us to assist the poor and needy even to the point of not charging interest for the loans we offer them. Included in the category of the needy are immigrants, poor people, widows and orphans. Yes God does name immigrants in this category. Perhaps we need to do some soul searching about the way we view the poor and needy since God took it so seriously with Israel. One caveat God gives is not to take the side of the poor in a dispute simply because they are poor. Do not show favoritism to rich or poor. Finally God commands not to take bribes, not to go with the crowd agaisnt what is right and to help even those you dislike.
Laws for Religious Feasts: 23:10-19
These festivals were meant to help Israel remember what God had done for them and to celebrate what God was continuing to do for them.
Instruction to Obey God: 23:20-33
God implores Israel to remain faithful to Him and promises that He will be with them and they will be succesful if they keep the laws of this covenant He is making with them. Many commentators believe that the angel talked about in this passage is Jesus Christ because of there are divine attributes ascribed to Him yet He is clearly a separate person from God. In the next chapter God is going to ratify this covenant with Israel.
This section contains the laws of the Book of the Covenant. These are specific social and cultic laws governing life and religion in Israel. Many of these laws look forward to when Israel will be in the Promised Land and most of them expound upon the general principles given in the Ten Commandments.
Random Historical Things
1. The Hebrew word translated slave, servant, manservant and maidservant is the same word. The word can serve across a wide range of meanings. It can mean anything from a household servant to an actual slave. Slavery is a difficult topic in the Bible especially because of the experience of racial slavery in the United States. Slavery in Israel was different in that it was almost always voluntary and not permanent. One could sell themselves into slavery if they owed a debt. All Hebrew slaves were freed after seven years. Even the provisions given for a family to sell their daughter into debt was with the understanding that she would eventually become the wife either of her master or his son. These verses specifically forbid kidnapping someone and forcing them into slavery. Also the laws in these verses give rights to slaves which were unheard of it other cultures of the time. Other cultures were only concerned about slaves because of the financial loss of the master while God provided protections for the slaves as people. So God worked within this cultural institution and placed boundaries around it to make it as just as possible. There is much else that could be set about this subject, but for the space of time I will leave it at that.
2. If a master gave his slave a wife who was also a slave, the slave was not allowed to take her with him like he could if she had been his wife before he became a slave (may have to read that sentence twice). However, this did not mean that he was separated from them for life. Now that he was free it would not take long for an industrious worker to save enough to purchase the freedom of his family.
3. It may seem strange to mention bestiality in the midst of warnings about idolatry, however, often bestiality was practiced in order to gain favor with the gods in other cultures.
4. Ancient law codes like this were common among many ancient cultures. The most famous is the Law Code of Hammurabi. Many Sinai laws are similar to laws in the Code of Hammurabi. Women and poor people, however, were given many more rights in the Sinai Law. The Code of Hammurabi also provided different sentences depending on what social class had committed the crime while Sinai law provided the same sentences for rich and poor.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
What I am going to do for the application is split up the verses into each section and talk about what we can learn for today. Although these specific laws and penalties do not apply, we can learn a lot about what is important to God and how seriously He takes certain things.
Laws on Slaves: 21:1-11
These laws set important rules concerning those who work and the ones who they work for. Today this would be equivalent to employers and employees. These verse affirm the rights and responsibilities of both. Workers should labor well for their masters and masters should treat their employees well and honor the terms of their contract.
Laws on Injuries to People and Animals: 21:12-36
These laws show the consequences for harming those whom God has breathed life into. This section contains the infamous "eye for and eye" and "tooth for a tooth" statements which Jesus seemed to repudiate. However, Jesus was repudiated the lack of grace shown by the Pharisees to their community. Jesus was not abdicating the right of civil government to punish murder. All of these cases required a court to be involved, God was not giving the Israelites permission for personal revenge. Personally we should practice grace and mercy and return good for evil. The government does have a special decree from God, however, to punish evil and that may include punishment up to and including death.
Laws on Property: 22:1-17
This section affirms the right of private property. Those who steal not only must return what they took, but they must return double or even triple what they took. This section also affirms the right of people to defend their home, however, it does not give the right to kill an intruder if it is obvious that they are just stealing and intend no harm. Even thieves have the right to life. This section also shows the responsibility to care for the things we borrow from others. Finally we see the importance of abstaining from sex until marriage.
Social and Religious Laws: 22:18-23:9
This section contains many principles. The first principle is to not serve anything but the Lord. However, one of the main points in this section is difficult to swallow for upper middle class conservative capitalist Americans. Because we are afraid of being a church that helps the poor and has no gospel or theology, often we become churches with lots of theology but ignore the poor. There is no doubt that God desires us to assist the poor and needy even to the point of not charging interest for the loans we offer them. Included in the category of the needy are immigrants, poor people, widows and orphans. Yes God does name immigrants in this category. Perhaps we need to do some soul searching about the way we view the poor and needy since God took it so seriously with Israel. One caveat God gives is not to take the side of the poor in a dispute simply because they are poor. Do not show favoritism to rich or poor. Finally God commands not to take bribes, not to go with the crowd agaisnt what is right and to help even those you dislike.
Laws for Religious Feasts: 23:10-19
These festivals were meant to help Israel remember what God had done for them and to celebrate what God was continuing to do for them.
Instruction to Obey God: 23:20-33
God implores Israel to remain faithful to Him and promises that He will be with them and they will be succesful if they keep the laws of this covenant He is making with them. Many commentators believe that the angel talked about in this passage is Jesus Christ because of there are divine attributes ascribed to Him yet He is clearly a separate person from God. In the next chapter God is going to ratify this covenant with Israel.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Exodus 20: Thou Shaltest Not...
My Summary
God gives Moses the commandments which will distinguish Israel as His chosen people. The first four commandments are verticle and govern our relationship with God. The final six are horizontal and govern our relationship with each other. Finally God gives instruction on how He is to be worshipped.
Random Historical Things
1. The way many ancient law codes were formulated was different from modern times. In modern times laws are created and codified for every possible offense leaving us with thousands of pages of laws. Many ancient law codes simply set down general laws which covered the general sense of justice. Thus one of the law is "do not kill." God does not specify which type of death is wrong, and this makes the law timeless.
2. Exodus 20:22 starts a separate section called "The Book of the Covenant." This section runs through Exodus 23:23. These are separate from the Ten Commandments and are written on parchment not stone. These are more specific economic and community laws while the Ten Commandments were more universal natural laws.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. Instead of discussing each individual commandment I would like to just talk about some general thoughts about the commandments. The first question a lot of people have is whether or not the Ten Commandments apply today since they are part of the Law. It is important to understand the difference in content and purposes between the Ten Commandments and the legal and cultic law given to Israel. The many community laws were given by God to Israel to distinguish them from the other countries, as a symbol of Israel's priesthood and election by God, as a method of cleansing and circumcision to distance sin and as a religious ritual to remind them of God and what He meant to them. The Ten Commandments are separate from that legal code and are composed of natural laws that reflect the very nature of God and are universal in nature. Many of the commandments (murder, adultery, Sabbath, idolatry and others) are mentioned earlier in the Old Testament before the Law and in the New Testament after Christ. These are laws which represent God's nature and apply to all people of all nations where the Law applied only to Israel in the context of their relationship with God. So yes, the Ten Commandments are for today.
2. I fear that since many of the commandments are phrased in the negative sense that we will miss the positive side of the command. For example, the negative commandment "Do not kill" also has the positive side which is "value life." Or the commandment 'Do not make any images" has the positive side of "Focus your attention on Me not images of me." One more example would be the commandment to "not take the Lord's name in vain" would encourage us to cherish and revere the Lord's name. The commandments do not just teach us what not to do, but they teach us what to do.
3. Finally I would like to encourage you as you study these commandments to think about how they apply to our current lives. For example, you may not covet your neighbor's oxen, but what about his television? How does the command not to kill apply to the issue of abortion? How does the command not to committ adultery apply to pornography? Especially since Jesus said if you lust you have already committed adultery. The point is that while the principles are the same through all ages, the application is going to change. That requires thinking, prayer and active participation on our part to study the commandments and try to shape our lives in accordance with God's never changing nature
God gives Moses the commandments which will distinguish Israel as His chosen people. The first four commandments are verticle and govern our relationship with God. The final six are horizontal and govern our relationship with each other. Finally God gives instruction on how He is to be worshipped.
Random Historical Things
1. The way many ancient law codes were formulated was different from modern times. In modern times laws are created and codified for every possible offense leaving us with thousands of pages of laws. Many ancient law codes simply set down general laws which covered the general sense of justice. Thus one of the law is "do not kill." God does not specify which type of death is wrong, and this makes the law timeless.
2. Exodus 20:22 starts a separate section called "The Book of the Covenant." This section runs through Exodus 23:23. These are separate from the Ten Commandments and are written on parchment not stone. These are more specific economic and community laws while the Ten Commandments were more universal natural laws.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. Instead of discussing each individual commandment I would like to just talk about some general thoughts about the commandments. The first question a lot of people have is whether or not the Ten Commandments apply today since they are part of the Law. It is important to understand the difference in content and purposes between the Ten Commandments and the legal and cultic law given to Israel. The many community laws were given by God to Israel to distinguish them from the other countries, as a symbol of Israel's priesthood and election by God, as a method of cleansing and circumcision to distance sin and as a religious ritual to remind them of God and what He meant to them. The Ten Commandments are separate from that legal code and are composed of natural laws that reflect the very nature of God and are universal in nature. Many of the commandments (murder, adultery, Sabbath, idolatry and others) are mentioned earlier in the Old Testament before the Law and in the New Testament after Christ. These are laws which represent God's nature and apply to all people of all nations where the Law applied only to Israel in the context of their relationship with God. So yes, the Ten Commandments are for today.
2. I fear that since many of the commandments are phrased in the negative sense that we will miss the positive side of the command. For example, the negative commandment "Do not kill" also has the positive side which is "value life." Or the commandment 'Do not make any images" has the positive side of "Focus your attention on Me not images of me." One more example would be the commandment to "not take the Lord's name in vain" would encourage us to cherish and revere the Lord's name. The commandments do not just teach us what not to do, but they teach us what to do.
3. Finally I would like to encourage you as you study these commandments to think about how they apply to our current lives. For example, you may not covet your neighbor's oxen, but what about his television? How does the command not to kill apply to the issue of abortion? How does the command not to committ adultery apply to pornography? Especially since Jesus said if you lust you have already committed adultery. The point is that while the principles are the same through all ages, the application is going to change. That requires thinking, prayer and active participation on our part to study the commandments and try to shape our lives in accordance with God's never changing nature
Exodus 19: Welcome to Sinai
My Summary
Israel arrives at Sinai and God tells them they have a special call to holiness and covenant with Him. God gives special instructions for the people to prepare themselves to meet God. The people gather around the mountain and Moses goes up to meet God.
Random Historical Things
1. One who touched the mountain was to be killed by arrows and stoning. The person who had sinned was not to be touched even in the process of killing them. That person would be considered unclean because they showed the lack of reverence to God to approach His Presence in disobedience.
2. Often in the Bible when God reveals Himself in a storm an earthquake is included as well. This probably added to the terror of Israel and their awe of God's majesty.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God calls Israel a kingdom of priests, a holy nation and His very own possession. 1 Peter 2:9 tells us that we also are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own posession." We do not belong to ourselves, but we belong to God. We are chosen by Him to be His possession. Since we belong to God we are not free live as we please. We are a priesthood who is intended to show God to the world. God is about to give Israel the laws and moral behavior which are the sign of Israel belonging to God. This is what sets them apart. In the same way, God has guidelines on the ways we are to live our lives. Let us make sure that we are living like we are a people set apart for God's purposes.
2. All believers should have a healthy fear of God. I know what people are trying to say when they talk about "approaching the throne with confidence" or "we are friends of God now." They are trying to get away from dry moralism or from a view of a wrathful God with no love who just zaps people from the sky. However, we must be careful not to believe that we may simply frolic into the presence of God saying, "What's up buddy!" God, even to a forgiven believer, is still the sovereign Lord of the universe. The angels and seraphim in heaven are not playing Scrabble with God, but they are bowing down and worshipping him. See how Isaiah and John acted when they were ushered before the Lord. God is a great God Who can not even be seen directly by man without the immediate death of that man. Israel saw a taste of the glory of God at Sinai and they were terrified to the point of being paralized with fear. Don't let your view of God shrink to the view of a friend who is like you other friends. He is still the powerful, sovereign Lord who is filled with glory and to approach Him is never a light thing.
3. In accordance with the previous point, God commanded Israel to prepare themselves to enter His presence. The point is not the specific process by which the prepared themselves, but that preparation is necessary. We need to prepare our minds, cleanse ourselves and focus ourselves when we are going to approach God. Whether it be before prayer, Scripture study or church services it is something that we should not take lightly. Do not let your church service be so familiar to you that you do not appreciate the gravity of gathering to worship our Lord. It does not mean the church can not celebrate and have fun! However, it does mean that we should always search ourselves to ensure we are prepared to appear before God.
Israel arrives at Sinai and God tells them they have a special call to holiness and covenant with Him. God gives special instructions for the people to prepare themselves to meet God. The people gather around the mountain and Moses goes up to meet God.
Random Historical Things
1. One who touched the mountain was to be killed by arrows and stoning. The person who had sinned was not to be touched even in the process of killing them. That person would be considered unclean because they showed the lack of reverence to God to approach His Presence in disobedience.
2. Often in the Bible when God reveals Himself in a storm an earthquake is included as well. This probably added to the terror of Israel and their awe of God's majesty.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God calls Israel a kingdom of priests, a holy nation and His very own possession. 1 Peter 2:9 tells us that we also are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own posession." We do not belong to ourselves, but we belong to God. We are chosen by Him to be His possession. Since we belong to God we are not free live as we please. We are a priesthood who is intended to show God to the world. God is about to give Israel the laws and moral behavior which are the sign of Israel belonging to God. This is what sets them apart. In the same way, God has guidelines on the ways we are to live our lives. Let us make sure that we are living like we are a people set apart for God's purposes.
2. All believers should have a healthy fear of God. I know what people are trying to say when they talk about "approaching the throne with confidence" or "we are friends of God now." They are trying to get away from dry moralism or from a view of a wrathful God with no love who just zaps people from the sky. However, we must be careful not to believe that we may simply frolic into the presence of God saying, "What's up buddy!" God, even to a forgiven believer, is still the sovereign Lord of the universe. The angels and seraphim in heaven are not playing Scrabble with God, but they are bowing down and worshipping him. See how Isaiah and John acted when they were ushered before the Lord. God is a great God Who can not even be seen directly by man without the immediate death of that man. Israel saw a taste of the glory of God at Sinai and they were terrified to the point of being paralized with fear. Don't let your view of God shrink to the view of a friend who is like you other friends. He is still the powerful, sovereign Lord who is filled with glory and to approach Him is never a light thing.
3. In accordance with the previous point, God commanded Israel to prepare themselves to enter His presence. The point is not the specific process by which the prepared themselves, but that preparation is necessary. We need to prepare our minds, cleanse ourselves and focus ourselves when we are going to approach God. Whether it be before prayer, Scripture study or church services it is something that we should not take lightly. Do not let your church service be so familiar to you that you do not appreciate the gravity of gathering to worship our Lord. It does not mean the church can not celebrate and have fun! However, it does mean that we should always search ourselves to ensure we are prepared to appear before God.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Exodus 18: Everybody Loves Moses
My Summary
Jethro comes and brings Moses' wife and children. Jethro advises Moses to put some other people in leadership to listen to disuputes instead of doing all of the work himself.
Random Historical Things
1. Some ancient Jewish rabbis (and some modern commentators) believe that Moses and Zipporah were divorced. They take the phrase "Moses sent her away," to mean that Moses divorced her. They also point to the fact that Moses has another wife in Deuteronomy. However, the best reading of the original language and context suggest that Moses simply sent his wife and children back to Jethro until his work in Egypt was done. Zipporah may have passed away before Moses remarried or he may have been practicing polygamy which was not unknown among the patriarchs.
2. Jethro uses the personal name "Yahweh" for God and not the generic name for a god. He knew exactly who he was worshipping.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. When Israel was freed from the bondage and tyranny of Egypt they needed to replace the authority structures in their nation. They could not just rejoice in their freedom, but structure and organization was necessary to avoid anarchy. Pure freedom does not mean freedom from authority, but submission to a fair and balanced system of authority. In the same way the church is set free from the authority of Satan and sin, but in our newfound freedom we must have structure and authority to replace the missing structures. Our Christian community is free from sin, but if it left free from authority it will run wild and not be effective.
2. Jethro communicates an important principle to Moses. This is the prinicple of shared leadership. One person can not and should not do it all themselves. The apostles saw the wisdom in this too when they appointed and delegated responsibility to others. In the church we need to have shared leadership and delegate authority to those who can keep the pastor from being the one who does everything. However, there are guidelines for who these leaders should be and Jethro lays them out before Moses. They should be:
a. They should be capable. They must have the ability to do the job given.
b. They should fear God. They must be men who are spiritually mature and live righteous lives evident of a fear of God.
c. They should be trustworthy. Honesty and the ability to follow through with what is promised is foundational to anyone trusted with authority.
d. Finally they should hate dishonest gain. This means they are not in this to gain wealth, influence, power or authority. They should not be men who will use their position to gain for themselves. A godly man will flee using his authority for personal gain.
Jethro comes and brings Moses' wife and children. Jethro advises Moses to put some other people in leadership to listen to disuputes instead of doing all of the work himself.
Random Historical Things
1. Some ancient Jewish rabbis (and some modern commentators) believe that Moses and Zipporah were divorced. They take the phrase "Moses sent her away," to mean that Moses divorced her. They also point to the fact that Moses has another wife in Deuteronomy. However, the best reading of the original language and context suggest that Moses simply sent his wife and children back to Jethro until his work in Egypt was done. Zipporah may have passed away before Moses remarried or he may have been practicing polygamy which was not unknown among the patriarchs.
2. Jethro uses the personal name "Yahweh" for God and not the generic name for a god. He knew exactly who he was worshipping.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. When Israel was freed from the bondage and tyranny of Egypt they needed to replace the authority structures in their nation. They could not just rejoice in their freedom, but structure and organization was necessary to avoid anarchy. Pure freedom does not mean freedom from authority, but submission to a fair and balanced system of authority. In the same way the church is set free from the authority of Satan and sin, but in our newfound freedom we must have structure and authority to replace the missing structures. Our Christian community is free from sin, but if it left free from authority it will run wild and not be effective.
2. Jethro communicates an important principle to Moses. This is the prinicple of shared leadership. One person can not and should not do it all themselves. The apostles saw the wisdom in this too when they appointed and delegated responsibility to others. In the church we need to have shared leadership and delegate authority to those who can keep the pastor from being the one who does everything. However, there are guidelines for who these leaders should be and Jethro lays them out before Moses. They should be:
a. They should be capable. They must have the ability to do the job given.
b. They should fear God. They must be men who are spiritually mature and live righteous lives evident of a fear of God.
c. They should be trustworthy. Honesty and the ability to follow through with what is promised is foundational to anyone trusted with authority.
d. Finally they should hate dishonest gain. This means they are not in this to gain wealth, influence, power or authority. They should not be men who will use their position to gain for themselves. A godly man will flee using his authority for personal gain.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Exodus 16-17: I'm Hungry and Thirsty! Are We There Yet!
My Summary
Israel goes into the desert of Sin. First they complain about food so God provides manna. Then they complain about water so God brings water out of a rock. Then they are attacked by the Amalekites, but with God's help they defeat them.
Random Historical Things
1. Many have argued against having a day set apart for the Lord as being part of the Mosaic covenant at Sinai. However, we see here as we saw in Genesis that the Sabbath is something that has been around from the beginning. Here we see God introducing it before the Law is given to Israel. It is also interesting because there is not concept of a special day set apart for rest and worship every week in Egyptian or any other Near Eastern culture.
2. An omer is approximately 1/2 gallon.
3. According to Jewish tradition (including the histories of Josephus) the Hur mentioned in the fight with the Amalekites was Miriam's husband.
4. In all likelihood the reason the Israelites were lacking in water is because the Amalekites controlled the local water sources. If they had not complained, God would have allowed them to defeat them and gain access to the water, but they complained. God was patient and provided them another source of water.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. There are so many applications from these two chapters, but I will focus on a few. First it is interesting the way that Israel chooses to view situations. They were unhappy and wanted to complain. So when they looked at Egypt they remembered food and good times, but when they looked at where they were currently they saw the lack of water. They ignored how bad it had really been in Egypt and ignored how God had just miraculously provided food! Before we complain we should look and see if we are exaggerating the circumstances to make them seem worse or better as it suits our purpose.
2. The manna was more than just provision from God. It was a test for Israel to see how well they would obey God. This wilderness time was preparation for Israel. The rescue from Egypt had secured Israel as God's chosen people and now God was going to teach Israel how to act like they were God's chosen people. God said that He was sending manna to test whether or not Israel would obey. Unfortunately, they failed this first test. God was patient and provided for them anyway, but Israel was not off to a good start. Sometimes when things in our lives seem rough God may be testing us. He is our provider and He wants us to trust that He will provide for us.
3. There is a deeper meaning to the manna too, and that meaning is that the manna is a picture of Jesus. Jesus references it in John 6 when He is talking about the Bread of Life. Jesus compares Himself with the manna. The Israelites were physicall hungry and needed food to survive and we were spiritually hungry. God provided the manna and God provided Jesus. The main difference, spoken by Jesus Himself, is that after eating the manna the Israelites would become hungry again. However, those who partake of the Lamb of God will never hunger again. Praise God for the gift of His Son and praise Jesus who satisfied our need for spiritual salvation!
Israel goes into the desert of Sin. First they complain about food so God provides manna. Then they complain about water so God brings water out of a rock. Then they are attacked by the Amalekites, but with God's help they defeat them.
Random Historical Things
1. Many have argued against having a day set apart for the Lord as being part of the Mosaic covenant at Sinai. However, we see here as we saw in Genesis that the Sabbath is something that has been around from the beginning. Here we see God introducing it before the Law is given to Israel. It is also interesting because there is not concept of a special day set apart for rest and worship every week in Egyptian or any other Near Eastern culture.
2. An omer is approximately 1/2 gallon.
3. According to Jewish tradition (including the histories of Josephus) the Hur mentioned in the fight with the Amalekites was Miriam's husband.
4. In all likelihood the reason the Israelites were lacking in water is because the Amalekites controlled the local water sources. If they had not complained, God would have allowed them to defeat them and gain access to the water, but they complained. God was patient and provided them another source of water.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. There are so many applications from these two chapters, but I will focus on a few. First it is interesting the way that Israel chooses to view situations. They were unhappy and wanted to complain. So when they looked at Egypt they remembered food and good times, but when they looked at where they were currently they saw the lack of water. They ignored how bad it had really been in Egypt and ignored how God had just miraculously provided food! Before we complain we should look and see if we are exaggerating the circumstances to make them seem worse or better as it suits our purpose.
2. The manna was more than just provision from God. It was a test for Israel to see how well they would obey God. This wilderness time was preparation for Israel. The rescue from Egypt had secured Israel as God's chosen people and now God was going to teach Israel how to act like they were God's chosen people. God said that He was sending manna to test whether or not Israel would obey. Unfortunately, they failed this first test. God was patient and provided for them anyway, but Israel was not off to a good start. Sometimes when things in our lives seem rough God may be testing us. He is our provider and He wants us to trust that He will provide for us.
3. There is a deeper meaning to the manna too, and that meaning is that the manna is a picture of Jesus. Jesus references it in John 6 when He is talking about the Bread of Life. Jesus compares Himself with the manna. The Israelites were physicall hungry and needed food to survive and we were spiritually hungry. God provided the manna and God provided Jesus. The main difference, spoken by Jesus Himself, is that after eating the manna the Israelites would become hungry again. However, those who partake of the Lamb of God will never hunger again. Praise God for the gift of His Son and praise Jesus who satisfied our need for spiritual salvation!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Exodus 14-15:
My Summary
God leads Israel to the banks of the Red Sea. The Egyptians chase them with the intention of bringing them back. God parts the Red Sea and puts His could in between the Egyptians and the Israelites enabling Israel to cross the Red Sea unmolested. When the Egyptians tried to follow God released the Red Sea drowing the cream of the Egyptian army. Israel sang a victory song to God.
Random Historical Things
1. How could Pharaoh and the Egyptians have forgotten so quickly what God had done? Why would they try to chase Israel again? It is possible that Pharaoh was still thinking of God like one of the false gods of the land. To the Egyptian mind, a god could be on your side one day and not the next day. Perhaps when Pharaoh saw Israel wandering the wrong direction he though that God had abandoned them. He was to discover that he was wrong and that God never abandons His people.
2. It is an interesting connection that Pharaoh had ordered all of the Hebrew boys drowned, and now God drowned Pharaoh's army.
3. Historical and contemporary studies have shown that an experienced, talented storyteller can improvise a song (such as the one sung by Israel) in a very short amount of time.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. "The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still." While it is true that we are in an intense spiritual battle, it is important to remember that it is not us versus the forces of darkness. In this entire narrative of Israel in Egypt it has never been Israel versus Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. It has always been God versus Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. God is a warrior as they say in the song. Let me say it again, we are not responsible for defeating demonic forces or Satan. We must stand firm, but it is the Lord Who fights and it is Him who will win the victory!
2. I love the song that Israel sings in praise to God. If you look at the song, they connect abstract attributes of God with His specific actions. It is appropiate to praise God for both, but it is best when done together I think. For instance they say, "The Lord is a warrior," and then follow that with, "Pharaoh's chariots and army He has thrown into the sea." They talk about the greatness of His majesty and then follow that with talking about how He defeated His enemies. So not only are they praising God for His attributes, but they are connecting those attributes with something He has recently done for them. For example, we can praise God for His mercy and then think about the cross and our salvation. We can praise God for His power and then think of a recent time where He showed that power in our lives. For me, it helps make God real to me.
God leads Israel to the banks of the Red Sea. The Egyptians chase them with the intention of bringing them back. God parts the Red Sea and puts His could in between the Egyptians and the Israelites enabling Israel to cross the Red Sea unmolested. When the Egyptians tried to follow God released the Red Sea drowing the cream of the Egyptian army. Israel sang a victory song to God.
Random Historical Things
1. How could Pharaoh and the Egyptians have forgotten so quickly what God had done? Why would they try to chase Israel again? It is possible that Pharaoh was still thinking of God like one of the false gods of the land. To the Egyptian mind, a god could be on your side one day and not the next day. Perhaps when Pharaoh saw Israel wandering the wrong direction he though that God had abandoned them. He was to discover that he was wrong and that God never abandons His people.
2. It is an interesting connection that Pharaoh had ordered all of the Hebrew boys drowned, and now God drowned Pharaoh's army.
3. Historical and contemporary studies have shown that an experienced, talented storyteller can improvise a song (such as the one sung by Israel) in a very short amount of time.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. "The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still." While it is true that we are in an intense spiritual battle, it is important to remember that it is not us versus the forces of darkness. In this entire narrative of Israel in Egypt it has never been Israel versus Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. It has always been God versus Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. God is a warrior as they say in the song. Let me say it again, we are not responsible for defeating demonic forces or Satan. We must stand firm, but it is the Lord Who fights and it is Him who will win the victory!
2. I love the song that Israel sings in praise to God. If you look at the song, they connect abstract attributes of God with His specific actions. It is appropiate to praise God for both, but it is best when done together I think. For instance they say, "The Lord is a warrior," and then follow that with, "Pharaoh's chariots and army He has thrown into the sea." They talk about the greatness of His majesty and then follow that with talking about how He defeated His enemies. So not only are they praising God for His attributes, but they are connecting those attributes with something He has recently done for them. For example, we can praise God for His mercy and then think about the cross and our salvation. We can praise God for His power and then think of a recent time where He showed that power in our lives. For me, it helps make God real to me.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Exodus 12: Free at Last
My Summary
God initiates the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread as permanent instutions of Israel. God lays out guidelines intending for them to be a reminder to Israel of what is about to happen. The firstborn of Egypt die and Pharaoh and the Egyptians beg Israel to leave. Israel leaves and takes great wealth with them.
Random Historical Things
1. God says that if there is one who does not follow the Passover ritual he is cut off from Israel. There have been those who have interpreted that as meaning that they should be killed or banished. However, if you look closely it does not command anyone to cut them off, but God will be the One to cut them off from the blessings of following Him.
2. Were there really 600,000 men? That would mean 2 million or more Israelites. Given the size of people groups at the time, and the time required for that many people (even with God's blessing) to be born makes this number sound unlikely. It depends on your translation of the Hebrew words. The word for men actually means soldiers. The word translated thousand is also translated in the Old Testament as cattle, clan, divisions, families, oxen and tribes. It could mean that there were 600 families or clan, or it could mean that there were 600 units of soldiers or that each tribe could field 600 soldiers. This would put the total number of Israel at somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 which is much more likely. Even given that some others accompanied them (vs. 38) it is unlikely that the number was much higher than 50,000.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. When the movie "Prince of Egypt" was being shot the original script called for the line, "When God sees the sign on the doors." The religious experts working on the movie staff insisted that the line be changed, and so the line was changed to "When God sees the blood on the doors." The fact that it was blood was important. It was not just because blood was red and could be seen, but it was a sign of the blood of the Messiah. God was about to judge everyone for their sin, both Hebrew and Egyptians. However, the blood on the door showed the something had already been killed in that household. Likewise, when God judges us for our sin, He sees the blood of Christ on our hearts and know that the debt has already been satisfied. Although the blood of animals could not save the way Christ's blood could, it served as a symbol looking forward to when the blood of the perfect Lamb would wash away our sins completely.
2. Should we celebrate the passover today? God told the Israelites He wanted them to do these things to teach their children to remember God saving them from Egypt. Remember that the Passover and the blood was typological of the Christ who was to come. The ritual involved the flesh of an animal and the blood of that animal in order to remember the Passover. In the same way our communion today includes the bread (flesh) and the wine (blood) of Christ in order to remember the flesh pierced for us and the blood shed for us. So in a way we do continue the Passover, but we remember Christ as the completion of God's salvation plan.
3. It is amazing how God gets personal here. He is the one who will come down to kill the firstborn. He will see the mark on the door and pass over. Of course, God is everywhere and knows everything. He does not have to come anywhere or look anywhere. However, this type of language helps us see how God is with us and is actually moving. He is not the god of deism that is aloof and uninvolved. He is involved and moving in our lives!
4. Finally we see God's work of evangelism active in this story. His mighty works did not just judge, but moved some to follow Him. In verse 38 it says that other who were not Hebrew went with them. Whether these were Egyptians, other slaves or other people groups in the area is not clear. If you remember from the plague of hail there were Egyptians who believed Moses' warning because they feared God. So the nation of Israel was not just composed of "pure blood" Hebrew descended from Abraham. This goes hand in hand with what Paul taught. Paul taught that it was not physical descent from Abraham that made you chosen, but being a spiritual descendant by having faith in God. Through faith we can all be descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of God to those who follow Him!
God initiates the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread as permanent instutions of Israel. God lays out guidelines intending for them to be a reminder to Israel of what is about to happen. The firstborn of Egypt die and Pharaoh and the Egyptians beg Israel to leave. Israel leaves and takes great wealth with them.
Random Historical Things
1. God says that if there is one who does not follow the Passover ritual he is cut off from Israel. There have been those who have interpreted that as meaning that they should be killed or banished. However, if you look closely it does not command anyone to cut them off, but God will be the One to cut them off from the blessings of following Him.
2. Were there really 600,000 men? That would mean 2 million or more Israelites. Given the size of people groups at the time, and the time required for that many people (even with God's blessing) to be born makes this number sound unlikely. It depends on your translation of the Hebrew words. The word for men actually means soldiers. The word translated thousand is also translated in the Old Testament as cattle, clan, divisions, families, oxen and tribes. It could mean that there were 600 families or clan, or it could mean that there were 600 units of soldiers or that each tribe could field 600 soldiers. This would put the total number of Israel at somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 which is much more likely. Even given that some others accompanied them (vs. 38) it is unlikely that the number was much higher than 50,000.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. When the movie "Prince of Egypt" was being shot the original script called for the line, "When God sees the sign on the doors." The religious experts working on the movie staff insisted that the line be changed, and so the line was changed to "When God sees the blood on the doors." The fact that it was blood was important. It was not just because blood was red and could be seen, but it was a sign of the blood of the Messiah. God was about to judge everyone for their sin, both Hebrew and Egyptians. However, the blood on the door showed the something had already been killed in that household. Likewise, when God judges us for our sin, He sees the blood of Christ on our hearts and know that the debt has already been satisfied. Although the blood of animals could not save the way Christ's blood could, it served as a symbol looking forward to when the blood of the perfect Lamb would wash away our sins completely.
2. Should we celebrate the passover today? God told the Israelites He wanted them to do these things to teach their children to remember God saving them from Egypt. Remember that the Passover and the blood was typological of the Christ who was to come. The ritual involved the flesh of an animal and the blood of that animal in order to remember the Passover. In the same way our communion today includes the bread (flesh) and the wine (blood) of Christ in order to remember the flesh pierced for us and the blood shed for us. So in a way we do continue the Passover, but we remember Christ as the completion of God's salvation plan.
3. It is amazing how God gets personal here. He is the one who will come down to kill the firstborn. He will see the mark on the door and pass over. Of course, God is everywhere and knows everything. He does not have to come anywhere or look anywhere. However, this type of language helps us see how God is with us and is actually moving. He is not the god of deism that is aloof and uninvolved. He is involved and moving in our lives!
4. Finally we see God's work of evangelism active in this story. His mighty works did not just judge, but moved some to follow Him. In verse 38 it says that other who were not Hebrew went with them. Whether these were Egyptians, other slaves or other people groups in the area is not clear. If you remember from the plague of hail there were Egyptians who believed Moses' warning because they feared God. So the nation of Israel was not just composed of "pure blood" Hebrew descended from Abraham. This goes hand in hand with what Paul taught. Paul taught that it was not physical descent from Abraham that made you chosen, but being a spiritual descendant by having faith in God. Through faith we can all be descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of God to those who follow Him!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Exodus 9-11: Pharaoh, Imma Let You Finish, But Israel Has the Best God of All Time
My Summary
The fifth through 9th plagues come and Pharaoh still has not agreed to let the people go. He has repented several times in order to get a plague lifted, but always hardens his heart when the plague is gone. Moses announces the 10th and final plague.
Random Historical Things
1. When it says that the disease killed "all" of the livestock there is an interesting Hebrew word being translated there. It can also mean "in all places" or be a figure of speech meaning "lots and lots." Obviously not all of Egypts cattle were killed since they are still around in future plagues.
2. When Moses says that there will come a hailstorm the likes of which have never been seen in Egypt before he is showing his Egyptian upbringing. In many ancient Egyptian tablets kings will write something like, "I have won a victory the likes of which has never been seen," or "I have build a palace which is greater than any since Egypt was founded." It was a commonly used phrase among Egyptian royalty.
3. Based on the crops that were damaged and those that the Bible says were not damaged we can fix the hail storm in sometime late January or early February.
4. If you read Revelation 16:17-21 you will see that the 7th plague in Exodus matches the seventh bowl of judgment in quite a few ways.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. What I want to focus on in this application is the response of Pharaoh to God's judgment. At times Pharaoh acknowledges that Yahweh is a true God, accepts Yahweh's power and even seems to repent of his sins. Belief and repentance are two of the pillars of becoming a follower of God. However, there is a belief in God based on fear that does not lead to a saving faith. There is also a false repentance based on fear of punishment that does not indicate true repentance and change. Repentance is turning from sin and turning to God, but all Pharaoh did was say he was sorry in order to get the plagues to stop. True repentance is on the inside and God sees the heart. He can not be fooled by false belief and repentance. True faith and true repentance leads to change, but Pharaoh returned to his hardened self as soon as he got what he wanted. Yet after all that God was still patient with him and gave Pharaoh chance after chance even when Pharaoh continually lied to God and Moses. God is patient and kind and His judgment is executed with restraint to allow the opportunity for repentance. How sad that so many do not respond to God's judgment with true repentance, but with hard hearts. Let us always thank God for the work He did in our hearts to cause true repentance and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The fifth through 9th plagues come and Pharaoh still has not agreed to let the people go. He has repented several times in order to get a plague lifted, but always hardens his heart when the plague is gone. Moses announces the 10th and final plague.
Random Historical Things
1. When it says that the disease killed "all" of the livestock there is an interesting Hebrew word being translated there. It can also mean "in all places" or be a figure of speech meaning "lots and lots." Obviously not all of Egypts cattle were killed since they are still around in future plagues.
2. When Moses says that there will come a hailstorm the likes of which have never been seen in Egypt before he is showing his Egyptian upbringing. In many ancient Egyptian tablets kings will write something like, "I have won a victory the likes of which has never been seen," or "I have build a palace which is greater than any since Egypt was founded." It was a commonly used phrase among Egyptian royalty.
3. Based on the crops that were damaged and those that the Bible says were not damaged we can fix the hail storm in sometime late January or early February.
4. If you read Revelation 16:17-21 you will see that the 7th plague in Exodus matches the seventh bowl of judgment in quite a few ways.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. What I want to focus on in this application is the response of Pharaoh to God's judgment. At times Pharaoh acknowledges that Yahweh is a true God, accepts Yahweh's power and even seems to repent of his sins. Belief and repentance are two of the pillars of becoming a follower of God. However, there is a belief in God based on fear that does not lead to a saving faith. There is also a false repentance based on fear of punishment that does not indicate true repentance and change. Repentance is turning from sin and turning to God, but all Pharaoh did was say he was sorry in order to get the plagues to stop. True repentance is on the inside and God sees the heart. He can not be fooled by false belief and repentance. True faith and true repentance leads to change, but Pharaoh returned to his hardened self as soon as he got what he wanted. Yet after all that God was still patient with him and gave Pharaoh chance after chance even when Pharaoh continually lied to God and Moses. God is patient and kind and His judgment is executed with restraint to allow the opportunity for repentance. How sad that so many do not respond to God's judgment with true repentance, but with hard hearts. Let us always thank God for the work He did in our hearts to cause true repentance and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Exodus 8: Frogs and Gnats and Flies! Oh My!
My Summary
Pharaoh continues to refuse to let Israel go as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th plague hit Egypt.
Random Historical Things
1. Some theologians have drawn attention to Revelation 16:13-14 which depicts evil spirits as frogs. They say that these frogs were symbolic of the evil spirits that existed in Egypt because of their worship of false gods. Personally I think that is a stretch. It works just fine to have the frogs be an annoying and disgusting creature that God could use to show His power over the gods of Egypt and judge Pharaoh for not letting Israel go, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
2. One of Egypt's major gods had the responsibility for keeping the frog population in check. By God multiplying the frogs it showed the impotency of this god.
3. You may be wondering why Moses told Pharaoh that the Israelites' sacrifices would be detestable to the Egyptians. It is possible that the Israelites were going to sacrifice animals considered sacred to the Egyptians or possibly just because they were going to worship a God who was currently showing up the gods of their land.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God's power finally overwhelms the abilities of the Egyptian magicians. They are no longer even able to produce a cheap copy of God's miracles. They are forced to admit to Pharaoh that there is a god at work. They do not recognize Yahweh as the one true God, but only a very powerful god that seems to be more powerful than the gods of the Egyptian. How sad it is that so many recognize that there is a divine being. The acknowledge the existence of some god or power that controls things and created us. However, they never take the initiative to get to find out that this god is the God of the Bible, the God of Israel and the God of salvation. They never investigate to see if Jesus is God's Son who died for us to save us from their sins. God always remains vague to them. He is powerful maybe, but not the personal and supreme God of history of the Bible. Let us always declare the truth of Who God is to those who only know Him in the general sense!
Pharaoh continues to refuse to let Israel go as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th plague hit Egypt.
Random Historical Things
1. Some theologians have drawn attention to Revelation 16:13-14 which depicts evil spirits as frogs. They say that these frogs were symbolic of the evil spirits that existed in Egypt because of their worship of false gods. Personally I think that is a stretch. It works just fine to have the frogs be an annoying and disgusting creature that God could use to show His power over the gods of Egypt and judge Pharaoh for not letting Israel go, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
2. One of Egypt's major gods had the responsibility for keeping the frog population in check. By God multiplying the frogs it showed the impotency of this god.
3. You may be wondering why Moses told Pharaoh that the Israelites' sacrifices would be detestable to the Egyptians. It is possible that the Israelites were going to sacrifice animals considered sacred to the Egyptians or possibly just because they were going to worship a God who was currently showing up the gods of their land.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God's power finally overwhelms the abilities of the Egyptian magicians. They are no longer even able to produce a cheap copy of God's miracles. They are forced to admit to Pharaoh that there is a god at work. They do not recognize Yahweh as the one true God, but only a very powerful god that seems to be more powerful than the gods of the Egyptian. How sad it is that so many recognize that there is a divine being. The acknowledge the existence of some god or power that controls things and created us. However, they never take the initiative to get to find out that this god is the God of the Bible, the God of Israel and the God of salvation. They never investigate to see if Jesus is God's Son who died for us to save us from their sins. God always remains vague to them. He is powerful maybe, but not the personal and supreme God of history of the Bible. Let us always declare the truth of Who God is to those who only know Him in the general sense!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Exodus 7: Snakes and Blood
My Summary
Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh and tell him that God wants him to let Israel go. Pharaoh refuses and God causes the Nile to turn to blood.
Random Historical Things
1. There has been much debate among scholars and historians about whether the Nile river plague was natural or not. There is a natural occurrence which can cause the water of the Nile to turn red which occurs quite often. Some have said that God worked through this natural occurrence to accomplish His purposes. There are several reason to believe, however, that this was a completely supernatural action. God intended to show His power over the gods of Egypt, which would not be accomplished by something natural happened. The natural occuring even does not cause the fish to die while in this case the fish did die. The Bible also says that even the water held in jugs and jars turned to blood. So this was a miracle wrought by God.
2. The word for "snake" used here when Aaron throws down his staff down is a different word than is used when Moses does it at the burning bush. The word used here is a general word meaning "great reptile." There has been some speculation that it could have actually been an alligator. However, the symbol of Pharaoh's power was the snake, so a snake would have fit in better with God's plan of showing Himself greater than Pharaoh.
3. Christians are split is to whether the magicians of Egypt actually turned staffs into snakes with the power of Satan or whether it was a trick. Magicians in Cairo today know how to paralyze a snake by pinching a nerve near the head. The snake stays completely still and could be mistaken for a staff until woken up by being thrown on the ground. My personal belief is that it was a trick, since God intends for a miracle to be proof of His power and divinity. However, there are many Christians who think it was done by the power of Satan. Either way, God snakes ate up the magician's snakes so God wins.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. The main point of the first plague, as well as all the others, is to show the supremacy of God over the gods of Egypt. God did not pick plagues at random. He embarks on a systematic assault on the realms and persons of the various gods of Egypt's pantheon. This first one was a big one. The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt and was the most important of all the realms of the gods. For God to be able to take the life-giving Nile and turn it into something of death showed His power over many of Egypt's most powerful gods. Of course behind those gods is the power of satan and all of his fallen angels. Always remember brothers and sisters that God is ruler over all the realms and powers of the world. There is no foe He can not defeat and nothing that can hold you away from Him. The past, present and future of the world is in His hands. The battle is His and not yours!
2. An interesting side note in this chapter is the way we see Pharaoh's reaction to the miracle. He asks God for a sign, God gives him 2 signs (serpent and Nile) and Pharaoh still refuses to believe God. Pharaoh's heart is so hard (in the Hebrew literally his heart is too heavy) that he will not even believe after a miracle. So many people say," If God is real let Him give me a sign. Show me a miracle and then I will believe." We see here that even with a miracle people will not believe. They will find a way to explain it away even when God reaches down from the sky and causes a miracle right in front of their face. Without the working of the Spirit in our hearts, there is nothing that will cause us to believe in God.
Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh and tell him that God wants him to let Israel go. Pharaoh refuses and God causes the Nile to turn to blood.
Random Historical Things
1. There has been much debate among scholars and historians about whether the Nile river plague was natural or not. There is a natural occurrence which can cause the water of the Nile to turn red which occurs quite often. Some have said that God worked through this natural occurrence to accomplish His purposes. There are several reason to believe, however, that this was a completely supernatural action. God intended to show His power over the gods of Egypt, which would not be accomplished by something natural happened. The natural occuring even does not cause the fish to die while in this case the fish did die. The Bible also says that even the water held in jugs and jars turned to blood. So this was a miracle wrought by God.
2. The word for "snake" used here when Aaron throws down his staff down is a different word than is used when Moses does it at the burning bush. The word used here is a general word meaning "great reptile." There has been some speculation that it could have actually been an alligator. However, the symbol of Pharaoh's power was the snake, so a snake would have fit in better with God's plan of showing Himself greater than Pharaoh.
3. Christians are split is to whether the magicians of Egypt actually turned staffs into snakes with the power of Satan or whether it was a trick. Magicians in Cairo today know how to paralyze a snake by pinching a nerve near the head. The snake stays completely still and could be mistaken for a staff until woken up by being thrown on the ground. My personal belief is that it was a trick, since God intends for a miracle to be proof of His power and divinity. However, there are many Christians who think it was done by the power of Satan. Either way, God snakes ate up the magician's snakes so God wins.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. The main point of the first plague, as well as all the others, is to show the supremacy of God over the gods of Egypt. God did not pick plagues at random. He embarks on a systematic assault on the realms and persons of the various gods of Egypt's pantheon. This first one was a big one. The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt and was the most important of all the realms of the gods. For God to be able to take the life-giving Nile and turn it into something of death showed His power over many of Egypt's most powerful gods. Of course behind those gods is the power of satan and all of his fallen angels. Always remember brothers and sisters that God is ruler over all the realms and powers of the world. There is no foe He can not defeat and nothing that can hold you away from Him. The past, present and future of the world is in His hands. The battle is His and not yours!
2. An interesting side note in this chapter is the way we see Pharaoh's reaction to the miracle. He asks God for a sign, God gives him 2 signs (serpent and Nile) and Pharaoh still refuses to believe God. Pharaoh's heart is so hard (in the Hebrew literally his heart is too heavy) that he will not even believe after a miracle. So many people say," If God is real let Him give me a sign. Show me a miracle and then I will believe." We see here that even with a miracle people will not believe. They will find a way to explain it away even when God reaches down from the sky and causes a miracle right in front of their face. Without the working of the Spirit in our hearts, there is nothing that will cause us to believe in God.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Exodus 6: I Love Reading Genealogies, Don't You?
My Summary
God responds to Moses' questioning of God's plan. We see a genealogy of Aaron and Moses.
Random Historical Things
1. Exodus 12:40 states that Israel was in Egypt for 430 years. However, in the genealogies listed here there are only 4 generations from Jacob's sons to Moses and Aaron. However, if we remember from earlier postings, genealogies in the Bible often skip generations and only mention the important people.
2. Amram, Moses' father, apparently married his own aunt. The Mosaic law against this was not in place until Leviticus 18 so Amram broke no laws.
3. Many ancient kings began royal edicts or documend with, "I am (insert king's name)". For example the epic story of the ancient king Sargon began with, "I am Sargon, the mighty king..." We see God beginning His edicts the same way starting in verse 2.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God establishes Himself as the same God of history who interacted with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was important for Moses to realize that this God who did such mighty things for his ancestors was the same God helping him now. The covenant that God had made with the patriarchs was still intact and God was keeping His promises. When it does not seem like God is working in your life or in the world around you, look back at what He has done in history. It is the same God and His promises, plan and covenant is still active! The same God who heard the cries of Israel hears your cries as well. We do not worship a generic god, but a God who acts in history and continues to act to this day. We also are not the first followers of God. He has been working in and through His people for a long time and He has not stopped now!
2. I am amazed by the patience of God with Moses and the Israelites. They showed so little faith and even outright questioned God! Moses even brought up his lack of speaking ability again! God responds to insecurity and questioning with a declaration of His power and ability. He responded to doubts with affirmation that He was their God and they were His people. When you go through times of doubt and questioning, remember that God is your God! He is going to use you for His plan and He will have no problem making up for your lack of gifts. Just trust Him.
3. The patriarchs knew of God as El Shaddai. Although the exact meaning of this is debated, the idea is that the patriarchs knew God through His mighty acts. God had not revealed all of Himself to them. They knew He was a God who helped them and made a covenant with them, but their understanding of God rested mostly on the actions they had witnessed. Verse 2 says that God is now revealing Himself not just as the Lord of power, but as the personal Yahweh that will be Israel's God. He is revealing a personal aspect of Himself that will be new to the chosen people. He is not just a mighty God, but He is their God. The God who has chosen them to be His personal people. Praise God for revealing Himself to us as our God! Praise Him for being a personal and real God to us. Although His power is certainly amazing, praise God that we know that we are His!
God responds to Moses' questioning of God's plan. We see a genealogy of Aaron and Moses.
Random Historical Things
1. Exodus 12:40 states that Israel was in Egypt for 430 years. However, in the genealogies listed here there are only 4 generations from Jacob's sons to Moses and Aaron. However, if we remember from earlier postings, genealogies in the Bible often skip generations and only mention the important people.
2. Amram, Moses' father, apparently married his own aunt. The Mosaic law against this was not in place until Leviticus 18 so Amram broke no laws.
3. Many ancient kings began royal edicts or documend with, "I am (insert king's name)". For example the epic story of the ancient king Sargon began with, "I am Sargon, the mighty king..." We see God beginning His edicts the same way starting in verse 2.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God establishes Himself as the same God of history who interacted with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was important for Moses to realize that this God who did such mighty things for his ancestors was the same God helping him now. The covenant that God had made with the patriarchs was still intact and God was keeping His promises. When it does not seem like God is working in your life or in the world around you, look back at what He has done in history. It is the same God and His promises, plan and covenant is still active! The same God who heard the cries of Israel hears your cries as well. We do not worship a generic god, but a God who acts in history and continues to act to this day. We also are not the first followers of God. He has been working in and through His people for a long time and He has not stopped now!
2. I am amazed by the patience of God with Moses and the Israelites. They showed so little faith and even outright questioned God! Moses even brought up his lack of speaking ability again! God responds to insecurity and questioning with a declaration of His power and ability. He responded to doubts with affirmation that He was their God and they were His people. When you go through times of doubt and questioning, remember that God is your God! He is going to use you for His plan and He will have no problem making up for your lack of gifts. Just trust Him.
3. The patriarchs knew of God as El Shaddai. Although the exact meaning of this is debated, the idea is that the patriarchs knew God through His mighty acts. God had not revealed all of Himself to them. They knew He was a God who helped them and made a covenant with them, but their understanding of God rested mostly on the actions they had witnessed. Verse 2 says that God is now revealing Himself not just as the Lord of power, but as the personal Yahweh that will be Israel's God. He is revealing a personal aspect of Himself that will be new to the chosen people. He is not just a mighty God, but He is their God. The God who has chosen them to be His personal people. Praise God for revealing Himself to us as our God! Praise Him for being a personal and real God to us. Although His power is certainly amazing, praise God that we know that we are His!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Exodus 5: The Nerve of Those Hebrew Slaves...
My Summary
Moses and Aaron meet with Pharaoh to ask for three days off for Israel.
Random Historical Things
1. It may seem strange to us today that Moses and Aaron were so easily admitted into Pharaoh's presence. After all, Pharaoh was one of the most powerful leaders in the world. It was ancient customer, however, for the king to set aside a period of time where the common folk could come and petition him for something. This is also probably the avenue the Hebrew overseers used to petition Pharaoh.
2. It is obvious that there were Hebrew overseers working for the Egyptians assisting them with overseeing the work of the slaves. One wonders how easy it was for the people who knew them to accept them as part of Israel once the nation was free.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to realize the combatants in the coming struggle. This struggle is not between Israel and Egypt, Pharaoh (the man) and Moses or even slaves and masters. This struggle is between the gods of Egypt (symbolized by Pharaoh) and God. God is going to show that the gods of the this world have no power. God is in control and He will not be thwarted or stopped by anyone. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spirits. The battle is not between the saved and unsaved, but it is between God and Satan. God will always win! The god of this world could not keep the Israelites in slavery to him and he can not keep us either because God has freed us!
2. Imagine you are a Israelite in slavery. Your people have been enslaved for 400 years. All of a sudden Moses comes and says that the God of your ancestors is going to free you. Moses goes in to talk to Pharaoh, and the result is that your work is made twice as hard, but you are still expected to come up with the same results every day. I wonder how many Israelites kept their faith in God, and how many got upset with God. They called out to God for help and He takes them from bad to worse! What they don't realize is that their deliverance is so close! So if you ask God for help, and things actually seem to go in the wrong direction, trust God's plan. You never know what He has right around the corner!
Moses and Aaron meet with Pharaoh to ask for three days off for Israel.
Random Historical Things
1. It may seem strange to us today that Moses and Aaron were so easily admitted into Pharaoh's presence. After all, Pharaoh was one of the most powerful leaders in the world. It was ancient customer, however, for the king to set aside a period of time where the common folk could come and petition him for something. This is also probably the avenue the Hebrew overseers used to petition Pharaoh.
2. It is obvious that there were Hebrew overseers working for the Egyptians assisting them with overseeing the work of the slaves. One wonders how easy it was for the people who knew them to accept them as part of Israel once the nation was free.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to realize the combatants in the coming struggle. This struggle is not between Israel and Egypt, Pharaoh (the man) and Moses or even slaves and masters. This struggle is between the gods of Egypt (symbolized by Pharaoh) and God. God is going to show that the gods of the this world have no power. God is in control and He will not be thwarted or stopped by anyone. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spirits. The battle is not between the saved and unsaved, but it is between God and Satan. God will always win! The god of this world could not keep the Israelites in slavery to him and he can not keep us either because God has freed us!
2. Imagine you are a Israelite in slavery. Your people have been enslaved for 400 years. All of a sudden Moses comes and says that the God of your ancestors is going to free you. Moses goes in to talk to Pharaoh, and the result is that your work is made twice as hard, but you are still expected to come up with the same results every day. I wonder how many Israelites kept their faith in God, and how many got upset with God. They called out to God for help and He takes them from bad to worse! What they don't realize is that their deliverance is so close! So if you ask God for help, and things actually seem to go in the wrong direction, trust God's plan. You never know what He has right around the corner!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Exodus 4: Leaving on That Midnight Train to Egypt
My Summary
Moses said, "What if they don't believe me?" God told him to throw his staff on the ground and it turned into a snake. God had Moses grab the snake and it turned back into a staff. God said that would be a sign that it really was God who had sent Moses. Then God made Moses' hand leprous, and then God made it whole again. God said if they didn't believe the first sign to show them the second. God also told him if they did not believe either sign Moses could turn water from the Nile into blood. Moses protested that he was not an eloquent speaker. God reminded Moses that it is He who gives me the ability to speak or not speak and He would tell Moses what to say. Moses asked for God to send someone else, but God became angry with Moses. He told Moses that Aaron the Levite, Moses' brother, could speak for Moses. God would tell Moses what to say and Moses would tell Aaron what to say. Moses got permission from Jethro and started back for Egypt with the Lord's promise that those who wanted to kill him were dead. God tells Moses to perform the signs for Pharaoh and to tell Pharaoh to let the Hebrew go since they are God's children. However, God will harden Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh will not listen, so God will kill Pharaoh's firstborn. On the way God was going to kill Moses, but Moses' wife circumcised Moses' son and God was appeased. Moses met Aaron and together they met with the elders of Israel. They showed them the signs, the elders believed and fell down and worshiped.
Random Historical Things
1. It is interesting that the signs given to Moses by God all were similar to things that the Egyptian magicians were renowned for. Even the idea of the staff being important is from Egyptian culture. The Egyptians would have seen the staff as a symbol of leadership and the signs as directly attacking their gods.
2. The word for leprousy used here can be used for many different types of skin dieseases including the one we would think of as leprousy.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. What are we to think about Moses arguing with God over whether or not to go to Egypt? Theologians differ in opinion over whether Moses was just doubtful about his abilities, or was being directly disobedient to God. We can see for sure, however, that God was very patient with Moses, answering his questions and assuring his doubts. Even when God got angry at Moses for continuing to question, He still provided Aaron to serve as Moses' speaker. When God calls us to something we should always obey Him right away. However, we are weak and do not always immediately obey God. He will provide the help and abilities that we need, however, if we will only trust Him and follow!
2. It is a most interesting diversion from the line of thought in the chapter when we learn that God almost killed Moses (or Moses son? There is an indefinite article leaving it up to us to decide who that is) on the way to Egypt. Apparently, Moses had not circumcised his son as God has commanded all of Israel's descendants to do. The ironic thing is that Moses was on his way to tell Pharaoh that God was going to punish Pharaoh for not following God's commands. Yet Moses was living in a constant state of obvious disobedience to God. We see Moses' wife as the hero here, taking the initiative to circumcise Moses' son and satisfy God. When we are looking outward at sin, we must always be sure we have faced the sin within. We must never be guilty of charging others to obey God in an area where we are blatantly disobeying Him. Check the speck before you reach for the plank!
Moses said, "What if they don't believe me?" God told him to throw his staff on the ground and it turned into a snake. God had Moses grab the snake and it turned back into a staff. God said that would be a sign that it really was God who had sent Moses. Then God made Moses' hand leprous, and then God made it whole again. God said if they didn't believe the first sign to show them the second. God also told him if they did not believe either sign Moses could turn water from the Nile into blood. Moses protested that he was not an eloquent speaker. God reminded Moses that it is He who gives me the ability to speak or not speak and He would tell Moses what to say. Moses asked for God to send someone else, but God became angry with Moses. He told Moses that Aaron the Levite, Moses' brother, could speak for Moses. God would tell Moses what to say and Moses would tell Aaron what to say. Moses got permission from Jethro and started back for Egypt with the Lord's promise that those who wanted to kill him were dead. God tells Moses to perform the signs for Pharaoh and to tell Pharaoh to let the Hebrew go since they are God's children. However, God will harden Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh will not listen, so God will kill Pharaoh's firstborn. On the way God was going to kill Moses, but Moses' wife circumcised Moses' son and God was appeased. Moses met Aaron and together they met with the elders of Israel. They showed them the signs, the elders believed and fell down and worshiped.
Random Historical Things
1. It is interesting that the signs given to Moses by God all were similar to things that the Egyptian magicians were renowned for. Even the idea of the staff being important is from Egyptian culture. The Egyptians would have seen the staff as a symbol of leadership and the signs as directly attacking their gods.
2. The word for leprousy used here can be used for many different types of skin dieseases including the one we would think of as leprousy.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. What are we to think about Moses arguing with God over whether or not to go to Egypt? Theologians differ in opinion over whether Moses was just doubtful about his abilities, or was being directly disobedient to God. We can see for sure, however, that God was very patient with Moses, answering his questions and assuring his doubts. Even when God got angry at Moses for continuing to question, He still provided Aaron to serve as Moses' speaker. When God calls us to something we should always obey Him right away. However, we are weak and do not always immediately obey God. He will provide the help and abilities that we need, however, if we will only trust Him and follow!
2. It is a most interesting diversion from the line of thought in the chapter when we learn that God almost killed Moses (or Moses son? There is an indefinite article leaving it up to us to decide who that is) on the way to Egypt. Apparently, Moses had not circumcised his son as God has commanded all of Israel's descendants to do. The ironic thing is that Moses was on his way to tell Pharaoh that God was going to punish Pharaoh for not following God's commands. Yet Moses was living in a constant state of obvious disobedience to God. We see Moses' wife as the hero here, taking the initiative to circumcise Moses' son and satisfy God. When we are looking outward at sin, we must always be sure we have faced the sin within. We must never be guilty of charging others to obey God in an area where we are blatantly disobeying Him. Check the speck before you reach for the plank!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Exodus 3: Goodness, Gracious, Great Bush of Fire!
My Summary
Moses was watching Jethro's flocks when the angel of the Lord appeared as a fire in a bush. When Moses went over to see the fire, the Lord called to Him from the bush. The Lord told him not to come close but to take off his shoes on this holy ground. The Lord told Moses that He was the God of his ancestors and Moses hid his face. God told Moses that He was going to use bring Israel out of their oppression and into the Promised Land and He wanted Moses to go tell Pharaoh. Moses asked, "Who am I to do this?" God told Moses that He would be with him. Moses asked God's name in case the Hebrews asked who had sent him. God told him to tell the Hebrew that I Am, the God of their ancestors was Who had sent him. God told him to assemble the elders and tell them that God was going to bring them to the Promised Land. Moses and the elders were to go ask Pharaoh for permission to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to God, but God knew that Pharaoh would not let them go unless He compelled him. God promised Moses that He would bring Israel out and the Egyptians would even give them gifts on the way out.
Random Historical Things
1. We learned back in Genesis from Joseph that the Egyptians despised shepherds. Moses had gone from being Egyptian royalty to being a shepherd!
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to see that God knew how Pharaoh would respond to Moses' request. There are those today who subscribe to "openness" theology which states that God can not (or will not) see past human decisions. He can have a pretty good idea of what we will do, but He does not know for sure until we make the decision. This is though to protect free will from God's pesky interference. Although there are a whole Bible full of other things that speak against this theology, there is a clear example here. God already knew what Pharaoh was going to say and do even though Pharaoh had not even had the question put to him yet. God already knew that the Egyptians would decide to give the Hebrews presents on the way out. God knows everything that will ever happend and includes all in His plan!
2. The closeness of God and the holiness of God are contrasted here. God beckons Moses close to Him. He is not a distant God who does not want us near Him. He welcomes us into His presence. However, He does not lose His holiness. Moses has to approach God on God's terms and recognize that this ground has become holy since God's presence is there. We can approach God through the blood of Christ, but we must always remember that God is holy and there is a certain amount of respect and humility we should have for Him and Who He is.
3. God cared for the troubles of the Israelites. Even though He was the One who had led them into Egypt where they were suffering, God was not indifferent to their struggles. We can know that when we struggle and suffer in life, God knows and cares. He is grieved over His children's pain and suffering. He does not cause those things for no reason, but He always has a plan to do what is best for His glory, His kingdom and His children. If God is allowing you to struggle, and you have prayed but He has not delivered you, believe that He knows, He cares and He has a plan!
4. The final thing I would draw your attention to in this chapter is God's declaration to Moses that His name is I AM. God is the self existent One. In the Old Testament world, a name meant a lot about the thing being named. Although we have many names for God, God refuses to be totally defined by a name. He is. There is no description or label that can completely define Him. He is. God does help us to understand Him by describing Himself. He told Moses to tell the Hebrews that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Since there were many "gods" in the OT world it was important that they know it was Yahweh commanding them. Before He gives that specification, however, He tells Abraham that primarily, His name is I AM. Forever past, forever present and forever future, I AM that I AM.
Lots of application because this is a very theological chapter! Thanks for reading, look later today for the post about Exodus 4. After a 2 week hiatus we are back on track!
Moses was watching Jethro's flocks when the angel of the Lord appeared as a fire in a bush. When Moses went over to see the fire, the Lord called to Him from the bush. The Lord told him not to come close but to take off his shoes on this holy ground. The Lord told Moses that He was the God of his ancestors and Moses hid his face. God told Moses that He was going to use bring Israel out of their oppression and into the Promised Land and He wanted Moses to go tell Pharaoh. Moses asked, "Who am I to do this?" God told Moses that He would be with him. Moses asked God's name in case the Hebrews asked who had sent him. God told him to tell the Hebrew that I Am, the God of their ancestors was Who had sent him. God told him to assemble the elders and tell them that God was going to bring them to the Promised Land. Moses and the elders were to go ask Pharaoh for permission to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to God, but God knew that Pharaoh would not let them go unless He compelled him. God promised Moses that He would bring Israel out and the Egyptians would even give them gifts on the way out.
Random Historical Things
1. We learned back in Genesis from Joseph that the Egyptians despised shepherds. Moses had gone from being Egyptian royalty to being a shepherd!
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to see that God knew how Pharaoh would respond to Moses' request. There are those today who subscribe to "openness" theology which states that God can not (or will not) see past human decisions. He can have a pretty good idea of what we will do, but He does not know for sure until we make the decision. This is though to protect free will from God's pesky interference. Although there are a whole Bible full of other things that speak against this theology, there is a clear example here. God already knew what Pharaoh was going to say and do even though Pharaoh had not even had the question put to him yet. God already knew that the Egyptians would decide to give the Hebrews presents on the way out. God knows everything that will ever happend and includes all in His plan!
2. The closeness of God and the holiness of God are contrasted here. God beckons Moses close to Him. He is not a distant God who does not want us near Him. He welcomes us into His presence. However, He does not lose His holiness. Moses has to approach God on God's terms and recognize that this ground has become holy since God's presence is there. We can approach God through the blood of Christ, but we must always remember that God is holy and there is a certain amount of respect and humility we should have for Him and Who He is.
3. God cared for the troubles of the Israelites. Even though He was the One who had led them into Egypt where they were suffering, God was not indifferent to their struggles. We can know that when we struggle and suffer in life, God knows and cares. He is grieved over His children's pain and suffering. He does not cause those things for no reason, but He always has a plan to do what is best for His glory, His kingdom and His children. If God is allowing you to struggle, and you have prayed but He has not delivered you, believe that He knows, He cares and He has a plan!
4. The final thing I would draw your attention to in this chapter is God's declaration to Moses that His name is I AM. God is the self existent One. In the Old Testament world, a name meant a lot about the thing being named. Although we have many names for God, God refuses to be totally defined by a name. He is. There is no description or label that can completely define Him. He is. God does help us to understand Him by describing Himself. He told Moses to tell the Hebrews that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Since there were many "gods" in the OT world it was important that they know it was Yahweh commanding them. Before He gives that specification, however, He tells Abraham that primarily, His name is I AM. Forever past, forever present and forever future, I AM that I AM.
Lots of application because this is a very theological chapter! Thanks for reading, look later today for the post about Exodus 4. After a 2 week hiatus we are back on track!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Exodus 2: You Have a Baby... In the Nile
My Summary
A Levite woman had a baby boy which she hid for 3 months. She named him Moses. When she could not hide him anymore she put him in a basket in the river with Moses' sister watching. The pharaoh's daughter found him and wanted to keep him. Moses sister offered to find someone to nurse and take care of him. Pharaoh's daughter ended up paying Moses' mom to raise him. When Moses was older he went out and saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Moses killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. When he tried to stop some Hebrews from fighting the next day he found out that the word was out about the murder. Since Pharaoh wanted to kill him, Moses fled to Midian. He helped some women water their flocks and the women's father took Moses in and had Moses marry one of his daughters. Moses had a son. The Hebrews in Egypt called out to God and God remembered them and had compassion.
Random Historical Things
1. It is important that Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi. The Levites were to be the tribe from which the priests came and Aaron was Israel's first high priest. Moses also pleaded with God for Israel's sake. It is also interesting that Moses is a descendant of Levi. Levi was one of the ones who went on a killing spree at Shechem because of Dinah's rape. Moses kills an Egyptian because he sees the Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew. They both act to defend the helpless, but they both use wrong methods.
2. Later Israelite tradition held that Moses was a successful general in Pharaoh's army. According to the traditions, he led military exploits into the same are that Israel would later travel through on their way to Canaan. There is no biblical evidence for this, but it certainly is possible.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. We see God's sovereign protection over the future savior of Israel, Moses. It is similar to when God protected our Savior from Herod when Herod killed the babies of Bethlehem. Both times, an attempt was made to thwart God's plan by cutting of His people, and both times God protected them. God also used the weak and lowly to carry out his plan. Women were looked on very lowly at this time in history, but God uses them again to frustrate the plans of kings. God uses Moses' mother to keep him safe from birth, Pharaoh's daughter to have compassion and Moses' sister to keep Moses' upbringing in his mother's hands. God also used the designs of evil (just like with Joseph's brothers) to accomplish His plan. Pharaoh commands Hebrew babies thrown into the Nile, and it is from the Nile the deliverer comes. Pharaoh's household trains and equips the very man who will free Israel. Pharaoh's own desire to kill Moses drives Moses to Midian where Moses meets God in the burning bush. Never forget that God always accomplishes His plan! If the circumstances seem to contradict God's plan, He can use the circumstances! If you feel weak and powerless, He can use the weak and powerless! If you feel like the evil one and the world are against you, God will use the designs of evil for good! Do not worry, take heart and be encouraged!
2. God really cared about the Israelites. When Israel cried out, God listened and remembered. That does not mean that God forgot, and He had to recall the information. It means God was getting ready to act. It means He was thinking about them, His covenant with them and the suffering they were enduring. God's plan of rescue was drawing close and we see God's tender compassion for His people. Remember that God loves you. When you cry out, He hears and listens. We do not serve the god of the deists who created the world and left it to run unattended. He is watching and working out His plan. He loves His people and always is compassionate towards them!
A Levite woman had a baby boy which she hid for 3 months. She named him Moses. When she could not hide him anymore she put him in a basket in the river with Moses' sister watching. The pharaoh's daughter found him and wanted to keep him. Moses sister offered to find someone to nurse and take care of him. Pharaoh's daughter ended up paying Moses' mom to raise him. When Moses was older he went out and saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Moses killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. When he tried to stop some Hebrews from fighting the next day he found out that the word was out about the murder. Since Pharaoh wanted to kill him, Moses fled to Midian. He helped some women water their flocks and the women's father took Moses in and had Moses marry one of his daughters. Moses had a son. The Hebrews in Egypt called out to God and God remembered them and had compassion.
Random Historical Things
1. It is important that Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi. The Levites were to be the tribe from which the priests came and Aaron was Israel's first high priest. Moses also pleaded with God for Israel's sake. It is also interesting that Moses is a descendant of Levi. Levi was one of the ones who went on a killing spree at Shechem because of Dinah's rape. Moses kills an Egyptian because he sees the Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew. They both act to defend the helpless, but they both use wrong methods.
2. Later Israelite tradition held that Moses was a successful general in Pharaoh's army. According to the traditions, he led military exploits into the same are that Israel would later travel through on their way to Canaan. There is no biblical evidence for this, but it certainly is possible.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. We see God's sovereign protection over the future savior of Israel, Moses. It is similar to when God protected our Savior from Herod when Herod killed the babies of Bethlehem. Both times, an attempt was made to thwart God's plan by cutting of His people, and both times God protected them. God also used the weak and lowly to carry out his plan. Women were looked on very lowly at this time in history, but God uses them again to frustrate the plans of kings. God uses Moses' mother to keep him safe from birth, Pharaoh's daughter to have compassion and Moses' sister to keep Moses' upbringing in his mother's hands. God also used the designs of evil (just like with Joseph's brothers) to accomplish His plan. Pharaoh commands Hebrew babies thrown into the Nile, and it is from the Nile the deliverer comes. Pharaoh's household trains and equips the very man who will free Israel. Pharaoh's own desire to kill Moses drives Moses to Midian where Moses meets God in the burning bush. Never forget that God always accomplishes His plan! If the circumstances seem to contradict God's plan, He can use the circumstances! If you feel weak and powerless, He can use the weak and powerless! If you feel like the evil one and the world are against you, God will use the designs of evil for good! Do not worry, take heart and be encouraged!
2. God really cared about the Israelites. When Israel cried out, God listened and remembered. That does not mean that God forgot, and He had to recall the information. It means God was getting ready to act. It means He was thinking about them, His covenant with them and the suffering they were enduring. God's plan of rescue was drawing close and we see God's tender compassion for His people. Remember that God loves you. When you cry out, He hears and listens. We do not serve the god of the deists who created the world and left it to run unattended. He is watching and working out His plan. He loves His people and always is compassionate towards them!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Exodus 1: The New Boss is Not Very Nice
My Summary
And Jacob took his whole family to Egypt. After a while, the entire generation who had come into Egypt passed away. God caused the Hebrews to multiply greatly and they filled the land. The new pharaoh was afraid that the numerous Hebrews would join the enemies of Egypt so he had them enslaved. Even though they were treated harshly, the Hebrews kept growing in number. Pharaoh instructed the midwives to kill all the male Hebrews when born. The midwives obeyed God instead and did not kill them. They told Pharaoh that the Hebrew women gave birth before they could get there. God blessed the midwives with families because of their faith. Pharaoh then commanded that all Egyptians throw any male Hebrew babies they found into the Nile.
Random Historical Things
1. Although your version may not show it, the Book of Exodus starts with the word "and." It is a continuation of the story we just read in Genesis and is not meant to be understood separate from it.
2. In ancient Egyptian history there were many dynasties. As long as the line of pharaohs passed from son to son, it was considered the same dynasty. However, sometimes the Pharaoh did not have a son or the throne was snatched away from that family. Then a new dynasty was started. Probably the new pharaoh who started persecuting the Hebrews was the start of a new dynasty. This would explain why he would not have any ties to Jacob's family and may have been even more suspicious of them since they were loyal to the previous dynasty.
3. The prominence of women as heroes in this chapter is unusual in the literature of the time. The midwives stand as the heroes who disobeyed pharaoh and obeyed God to save the children of Israel. Once again, we see the Bible willing to place women in a position of honor even though the culture of the time did not see their value.
4. Midwives were often women who were barren. Since they did not have children of their own, they had time to deliver the other babies in the community. So for God to bless them with a family would have been a huge deal!
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. We see the promises of God to Abraham coming true. He told Abraham that Abraham would become a great nation with many descendants. Here in Exdous 1 we see the nothing can stop the Israelites from multiplying. The designs of the enemy to wipe out the line that would lead to Jesus does nothing to thrawt God's plan to make Abraham's descendants a great multitude. God always fulfills His promises! His faithfulness endures even though it may take time for the promises to be fulfilled.
2. We also see the growth of Israel in response to persecution. God's people always expand when someone is trying to stamp them out. The harder the Egyptians worked them, the more babies were born! In the same way, the harder the church has been attacked, the more it has grown. In Greek mythology there is a 7 headed creature called a hydra. For every head one cuts off of the hyra, 2 more grow in it's place. The harder you work to defeat it, the stronger you make it. This was true for Israel and it remains true for the church today. Let that strengthen your faith. The church can not be beat because God is on it's side!
3. Let us be motivated by the courage and faith of the midwives. They risked the wrath of pharaoh to do what they knew was right. There was no way they were going to allow helpless children (who are a blessing from God) be killed. Although the families of the babies the saved might have never know what the midwives did for them, God recognized their faithfulness and blessed them for it. Obedience to God takes precedence over obedience to anyone else. Obedience to the law is required for Christians, but when it contradicts the law of God, Christians obey God first.
And Jacob took his whole family to Egypt. After a while, the entire generation who had come into Egypt passed away. God caused the Hebrews to multiply greatly and they filled the land. The new pharaoh was afraid that the numerous Hebrews would join the enemies of Egypt so he had them enslaved. Even though they were treated harshly, the Hebrews kept growing in number. Pharaoh instructed the midwives to kill all the male Hebrews when born. The midwives obeyed God instead and did not kill them. They told Pharaoh that the Hebrew women gave birth before they could get there. God blessed the midwives with families because of their faith. Pharaoh then commanded that all Egyptians throw any male Hebrew babies they found into the Nile.
Random Historical Things
1. Although your version may not show it, the Book of Exodus starts with the word "and." It is a continuation of the story we just read in Genesis and is not meant to be understood separate from it.
2. In ancient Egyptian history there were many dynasties. As long as the line of pharaohs passed from son to son, it was considered the same dynasty. However, sometimes the Pharaoh did not have a son or the throne was snatched away from that family. Then a new dynasty was started. Probably the new pharaoh who started persecuting the Hebrews was the start of a new dynasty. This would explain why he would not have any ties to Jacob's family and may have been even more suspicious of them since they were loyal to the previous dynasty.
3. The prominence of women as heroes in this chapter is unusual in the literature of the time. The midwives stand as the heroes who disobeyed pharaoh and obeyed God to save the children of Israel. Once again, we see the Bible willing to place women in a position of honor even though the culture of the time did not see their value.
4. Midwives were often women who were barren. Since they did not have children of their own, they had time to deliver the other babies in the community. So for God to bless them with a family would have been a huge deal!
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. We see the promises of God to Abraham coming true. He told Abraham that Abraham would become a great nation with many descendants. Here in Exdous 1 we see the nothing can stop the Israelites from multiplying. The designs of the enemy to wipe out the line that would lead to Jesus does nothing to thrawt God's plan to make Abraham's descendants a great multitude. God always fulfills His promises! His faithfulness endures even though it may take time for the promises to be fulfilled.
2. We also see the growth of Israel in response to persecution. God's people always expand when someone is trying to stamp them out. The harder the Egyptians worked them, the more babies were born! In the same way, the harder the church has been attacked, the more it has grown. In Greek mythology there is a 7 headed creature called a hydra. For every head one cuts off of the hyra, 2 more grow in it's place. The harder you work to defeat it, the stronger you make it. This was true for Israel and it remains true for the church today. Let that strengthen your faith. The church can not be beat because God is on it's side!
3. Let us be motivated by the courage and faith of the midwives. They risked the wrath of pharaoh to do what they knew was right. There was no way they were going to allow helpless children (who are a blessing from God) be killed. Although the families of the babies the saved might have never know what the midwives did for them, God recognized their faithfulness and blessed them for it. Obedience to God takes precedence over obedience to anyone else. Obedience to the law is required for Christians, but when it contradicts the law of God, Christians obey God first.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Genesis 49-50: Jacob Becomes a Mummy
My Summary
Ch. 49: Jacob calls his sons together to issue his final words to them. Starting with Reuben, he proceeds to issue prophecies about each son and the tribe that would come from them. Afterwards, Jacob instructs his sons to bury him in the same field that Abraham purchased where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca and Leah were buried. Jacob dies and is gathered to his ancestors. Ch. 50: Joseph weeps over his father and orders mummification of Jacob. Joseph asks Pharaoh permission to bury Jacob in Canaan. Pharaoh approves and Joseph, his family and many Egyptian officials travel to Canaan to bury Jacob. The mourning in Canaan goes for seven days. Joseph's brothers are afraid that with the death of Jacob, Joseph may turn on them. They tell him that Jacob wished for them to be forgiven. Joseph tells them that God used their evil for good and Joseph will take care of them and their families. Joseph lives to be 110 years old and gets to see his great grandchildren. Joseph, before he dies, reminds his brothers that God will bring them out of the land one day and makes them promise to carry Joseph's bones with them.
Random Historical Things
1. The passage where Jacob blesses/curses his sons contains some of the most difficult translation issues in all of the Bible. Because of this there have been an amazing variety of interpretations of what each of the prophecies mean. Luckily, however, there are no major docrines that hang on the passage.
2. This is the first time we hear that Leah has died or where she is buried. Rachel, remember was buried somewhere else since she dies on a journey.
3. The passage says that Jacob's mummification process took 40 days and there was 70 days of mourning. Since a typical Hebrew mourning for important people (Moses, Aaron) was 30 days, it is likely that the 70 days is a total amount, so the process did not go on for 110 days.
4. Israel will be in Egypt for more than 400 years before God brings them out.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. We see so clearly the devastating effects of sin. Even sin that has been forgiven can have long consequences, especially for those we have wronged. Even years later, we see Jacob's final words to Reuben (sleeping with Jacob's concubine), Simeon and Levi (sack of Shechem) tainted by the sins of their past. Their relationships were still strained. When we commit sin, especially against people we love, it can have a lasting impact. It can affect the our relationships and even pass the sin on to the next generation (I.E. Jacob's deceit carried on by his children). In the amazing grace we have been given, let us not be tempted to soften the impact of sin.
2. Along with the sin, we see amazing grace and forgiveness! Joseph's unconditional forgivenss for his brothers is unbelievable! Once Jacob died, Joseph could have made things very difficult for his brothers. However, not only does he forgive them, he promises to take care of them. When those who have wronged us come to us to beg for forgiveness, let us not just forgive them, but let us restore them to relationship with us.
3. Another thought on Simeon and Levi. Jacob pronounces judgment on them for the murders at Shechem. In the future, the tribe of Simeon slowly fades from view. Finally, in Deut. 33, when Moses blesses the tribes, he does not even mention Simeon! The descendants of Levi, however, takes Moses' side in the golden calf debacle. Moses has words of praise for them in Deut. 33.
4. In Genesis 3:1 we heard the first whisper of Jesus when God said that the woman's seed would crush the head of Satan. Genesis ends with another whisper of the Messiah that would come from Judah. Read Jacob's blessing to Judah and see if you can spot the prophecy about Jesus.
5. The crucial application from this chapter, and all of Genesis, is that God is sovereignly working His plan to redeem a fallen world and bring glory to Himself. He covenants with Abraham and his descendants to be a chosen people to serve Him and through whom He will bless the nations. Although Israel will fail in her task to be a nation that serves God, from them God will bring our Messiah and Savior. The Old Testament is not just something to skip over to get to Jesus. It is a vital part of God's salvation history and an important part of who Jesus is. It is the first part of God's plan to save man and bring him back into the relationship he had with God in the garden. Even in Genesis, however, we can already see a hint of looking forward to the Messiah who would complete the covenant with Abraham and save us from our sins. This will continue throughout the rest of the Old Testament as we will see in our study. Praise God for His plan to bring us salvation through His Son! Let us not lose faith that God's plan will continue to work exactly as He wants it until Jesus returns! We will then cease to be wanderers and strangers and finally be home!
Ch. 49: Jacob calls his sons together to issue his final words to them. Starting with Reuben, he proceeds to issue prophecies about each son and the tribe that would come from them. Afterwards, Jacob instructs his sons to bury him in the same field that Abraham purchased where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca and Leah were buried. Jacob dies and is gathered to his ancestors. Ch. 50: Joseph weeps over his father and orders mummification of Jacob. Joseph asks Pharaoh permission to bury Jacob in Canaan. Pharaoh approves and Joseph, his family and many Egyptian officials travel to Canaan to bury Jacob. The mourning in Canaan goes for seven days. Joseph's brothers are afraid that with the death of Jacob, Joseph may turn on them. They tell him that Jacob wished for them to be forgiven. Joseph tells them that God used their evil for good and Joseph will take care of them and their families. Joseph lives to be 110 years old and gets to see his great grandchildren. Joseph, before he dies, reminds his brothers that God will bring them out of the land one day and makes them promise to carry Joseph's bones with them.
Random Historical Things
1. The passage where Jacob blesses/curses his sons contains some of the most difficult translation issues in all of the Bible. Because of this there have been an amazing variety of interpretations of what each of the prophecies mean. Luckily, however, there are no major docrines that hang on the passage.
2. This is the first time we hear that Leah has died or where she is buried. Rachel, remember was buried somewhere else since she dies on a journey.
3. The passage says that Jacob's mummification process took 40 days and there was 70 days of mourning. Since a typical Hebrew mourning for important people (Moses, Aaron) was 30 days, it is likely that the 70 days is a total amount, so the process did not go on for 110 days.
4. Israel will be in Egypt for more than 400 years before God brings them out.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. We see so clearly the devastating effects of sin. Even sin that has been forgiven can have long consequences, especially for those we have wronged. Even years later, we see Jacob's final words to Reuben (sleeping with Jacob's concubine), Simeon and Levi (sack of Shechem) tainted by the sins of their past. Their relationships were still strained. When we commit sin, especially against people we love, it can have a lasting impact. It can affect the our relationships and even pass the sin on to the next generation (I.E. Jacob's deceit carried on by his children). In the amazing grace we have been given, let us not be tempted to soften the impact of sin.
2. Along with the sin, we see amazing grace and forgiveness! Joseph's unconditional forgivenss for his brothers is unbelievable! Once Jacob died, Joseph could have made things very difficult for his brothers. However, not only does he forgive them, he promises to take care of them. When those who have wronged us come to us to beg for forgiveness, let us not just forgive them, but let us restore them to relationship with us.
3. Another thought on Simeon and Levi. Jacob pronounces judgment on them for the murders at Shechem. In the future, the tribe of Simeon slowly fades from view. Finally, in Deut. 33, when Moses blesses the tribes, he does not even mention Simeon! The descendants of Levi, however, takes Moses' side in the golden calf debacle. Moses has words of praise for them in Deut. 33.
4. In Genesis 3:1 we heard the first whisper of Jesus when God said that the woman's seed would crush the head of Satan. Genesis ends with another whisper of the Messiah that would come from Judah. Read Jacob's blessing to Judah and see if you can spot the prophecy about Jesus.
5. The crucial application from this chapter, and all of Genesis, is that God is sovereignly working His plan to redeem a fallen world and bring glory to Himself. He covenants with Abraham and his descendants to be a chosen people to serve Him and through whom He will bless the nations. Although Israel will fail in her task to be a nation that serves God, from them God will bring our Messiah and Savior. The Old Testament is not just something to skip over to get to Jesus. It is a vital part of God's salvation history and an important part of who Jesus is. It is the first part of God's plan to save man and bring him back into the relationship he had with God in the garden. Even in Genesis, however, we can already see a hint of looking forward to the Messiah who would complete the covenant with Abraham and save us from our sins. This will continue throughout the rest of the Old Testament as we will see in our study. Praise God for His plan to bring us salvation through His Son! Let us not lose faith that God's plan will continue to work exactly as He wants it until Jesus returns! We will then cease to be wanderers and strangers and finally be home!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Genesis 48: Jacob Is As Old As The Guy From "Up" Now
My Summary
Jacob gets sick, and Joseph comes to see him with Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob reminds Joseph of the blessings and promise of God. Jacob says that Joseph's sons will be considered as Jacob's when it comes to inheritance. Joseph then presents his sons to Jacob. Jacob blesses them, putting his right hand on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh and proceeds to bless them. Manasseh was the firstborn so Joseph tried to switch Jacob's hands, but Jacob tells him that the younger will be the greater. Jacob says that he is about to die, but offers a blesing and land to Joseph.
Random Historical Things
1. When Jacob refers to "the angel" in verse 16, he is looking back at many instances of angelic intervention in the lives and families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Gen. 16:7-11, 21:17, 22:11-18, 24:7, 24:40, 31:11, 32:25-31.
2. The younger being blessed above the elder happens several times in Genesis (Isaac/Ishmael, Jacob/Esau, Ephraim, Manasseh).
3. Jacob's blessing of making Ephraim and Manasseh like his sons elevates them to the position of having their own tribes of Israel named after them. This blessed them and Joseph, who instead of having one tribe named after him gets two named after his sons.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. Notice that Joseph acknowledges that his children are gifts from God. This is something that he has learned from his ancestors. God was very evident in the births of Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. We should always remember that children are a gift from God and they belong to Him.
2. We see Jacob making an effort to pass the promise of God to the future generations. He recounts the blessings given to him and his fathers, passes the blessing on to Joseph's sons and gives Joseph land in Canaan. Jacob does not believe that they will stay forever in Egypt. He believes that God will fulfill His promise and bring them back to the land one day. Jacob had faith through the end! He stayed the course! Even when things are going rough for us and God seems far away, have faith that God is bringing you home! No matter how long the journey in Egypt, the Promise Land is coming! Stay the course like Jacob and do not lose faith.
Jacob gets sick, and Joseph comes to see him with Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob reminds Joseph of the blessings and promise of God. Jacob says that Joseph's sons will be considered as Jacob's when it comes to inheritance. Joseph then presents his sons to Jacob. Jacob blesses them, putting his right hand on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh and proceeds to bless them. Manasseh was the firstborn so Joseph tried to switch Jacob's hands, but Jacob tells him that the younger will be the greater. Jacob says that he is about to die, but offers a blesing and land to Joseph.
Random Historical Things
1. When Jacob refers to "the angel" in verse 16, he is looking back at many instances of angelic intervention in the lives and families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Gen. 16:7-11, 21:17, 22:11-18, 24:7, 24:40, 31:11, 32:25-31.
2. The younger being blessed above the elder happens several times in Genesis (Isaac/Ishmael, Jacob/Esau, Ephraim, Manasseh).
3. Jacob's blessing of making Ephraim and Manasseh like his sons elevates them to the position of having their own tribes of Israel named after them. This blessed them and Joseph, who instead of having one tribe named after him gets two named after his sons.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. Notice that Joseph acknowledges that his children are gifts from God. This is something that he has learned from his ancestors. God was very evident in the births of Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. We should always remember that children are a gift from God and they belong to Him.
2. We see Jacob making an effort to pass the promise of God to the future generations. He recounts the blessings given to him and his fathers, passes the blessing on to Joseph's sons and gives Joseph land in Canaan. Jacob does not believe that they will stay forever in Egypt. He believes that God will fulfill His promise and bring them back to the land one day. Jacob had faith through the end! He stayed the course! Even when things are going rough for us and God seems far away, have faith that God is bringing you home! No matter how long the journey in Egypt, the Promise Land is coming! Stay the course like Jacob and do not lose faith.
Genesis 47: You Can Live in Goshen, The One in Egypt Not Indiana
My Summary
Joseph takes 5 of his brothers before Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks their occupation and they tell him they are shepherds. They ask to settle in Goshen, and Pharaoh not only gives his permission, but invites them to herd his royal flocks. Joseph then brings Jacob before Pharaoh. Jacob blesses Pharaoh and tells Pharaoh his advanced age and about his difficult life. Jacob's family settles in Goshen and Joseph provides them with what they need. The Egyptians quickly spend all of their money on grain. Then they trade their livestock to Joseph for food, Finally, they trade their land and even themselves as servants for food. Jacob and Pharaoh, who now own the land, give the people seed to plan and command that 20 percent be given as a tax. When Jacob was getting ready to die, he asks Joseph to promise to bury him in Canaan. Joseph swears that he will.
Random Historical Things
1. Jacob was already 130 when he met Pharaoh, and he would live for another 17 years. But his life seemed short to him because of the lives of his ancestors. Abraham lived to be 175 and Isaac died at 180!
2. The mention of horses in verse 17 is important. Horses were not introduced to Egypt until the 17th centure BC, which helps us get a general idea of the date for Joseph. Also, horses were only owned by the richer Egyptians, which shows how drastic the economy of Egypt has become.
3. The 20 percent tax levied by Joseph and Pharaoh on the people was much less than what we see in other documents from the Near Eastern nations of the time.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. I only have 1 application from today's chapter. God definitely intervened to make sure that Jacob's family stayed separate. Pharaoh could have put them in a position there in the capital city. They could have lived like royalty in Joseph's house. However, because they were shepherds, they were put into the land of Goshen where the purity of their beliefs would not be corrupted. While we are called to reach the world, we are not called to be like the world. Everybody knew that this family in Goshen was different. Nobody thought they were just another Egyptian family. When people look at Christ's church, they should see something different. It should not just be another group of people, we should be recognizable as strangers and aliens in this world and society.
"How much better it is to possess a remote corner in the courts of the Lord, than to dwell in the midst of palaces, beyond the precincts of the church."
John Calvin's Commentary on Genesis
Joseph takes 5 of his brothers before Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks their occupation and they tell him they are shepherds. They ask to settle in Goshen, and Pharaoh not only gives his permission, but invites them to herd his royal flocks. Joseph then brings Jacob before Pharaoh. Jacob blesses Pharaoh and tells Pharaoh his advanced age and about his difficult life. Jacob's family settles in Goshen and Joseph provides them with what they need. The Egyptians quickly spend all of their money on grain. Then they trade their livestock to Joseph for food, Finally, they trade their land and even themselves as servants for food. Jacob and Pharaoh, who now own the land, give the people seed to plan and command that 20 percent be given as a tax. When Jacob was getting ready to die, he asks Joseph to promise to bury him in Canaan. Joseph swears that he will.
Random Historical Things
1. Jacob was already 130 when he met Pharaoh, and he would live for another 17 years. But his life seemed short to him because of the lives of his ancestors. Abraham lived to be 175 and Isaac died at 180!
2. The mention of horses in verse 17 is important. Horses were not introduced to Egypt until the 17th centure BC, which helps us get a general idea of the date for Joseph. Also, horses were only owned by the richer Egyptians, which shows how drastic the economy of Egypt has become.
3. The 20 percent tax levied by Joseph and Pharaoh on the people was much less than what we see in other documents from the Near Eastern nations of the time.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. I only have 1 application from today's chapter. God definitely intervened to make sure that Jacob's family stayed separate. Pharaoh could have put them in a position there in the capital city. They could have lived like royalty in Joseph's house. However, because they were shepherds, they were put into the land of Goshen where the purity of their beliefs would not be corrupted. While we are called to reach the world, we are not called to be like the world. Everybody knew that this family in Goshen was different. Nobody thought they were just another Egyptian family. When people look at Christ's church, they should see something different. It should not just be another group of people, we should be recognizable as strangers and aliens in this world and society.
"How much better it is to possess a remote corner in the courts of the Lord, than to dwell in the midst of palaces, beyond the precincts of the church."
John Calvin's Commentary on Genesis
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