Summary #6

Weekly Summary
Exodus 19-40

After a rough start leaving Egypt, the Israelites camp in the Sinai exactly three months after the Exodus. While they are camped there, Moses goes up to hear God’s words, and the first thing God does is remind Moses that he is the one who brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and he has chosen them to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” He tells Moses to prepare the people; he will tell them what he wants from them.

On the third day, God speaks to the Israelites from thunder and clouds, lightning and trumpet blasts and smoke and fire, and gave them the Ten Commandments. The people agreed that they would follow this law, and then voiced their preference for having Moses receive the rest of the law while they waited at a good distance. It must have been VERY unnerving to witness this—in fact they were convinced that they would die. So Moses approaches God to receive the rest of the law.

God speaks laws to Moses concerning ownership of slaves (for people who were slaves 90 days ago), personal injury, protection of property, personal responsibility, justice and mercy. He institutes three annual feasts, and promises to send his angel ahead of the Israelites as they move into the land he promised them.

Moses takes these laws to the people, and they agree to follow this law, and the covenant between God and the people of Israel is formalized and celebrated. Then Moses and the elders of Israel went up and saw God, standing on blue jewel pavement. Even though they saw God, they did not die. God called Moses to come up to him on the mountain to receive the rest of the law, while the elders returned to the people.

For the next 40 days, God tells Moses how to construct a Tabernacle – a place that he will dwell with the Israelites. He details the construction, the ornamentation, the ceremonial furniture and the fabrics. He outlines the garments that the priests will wear, and the way they will be consecrated. He tells Moses what each person must pay, and what they should offer towards the construction of the Tabernacle, as well as telling Moses whom he has prepared to oversee its construction. He reiterates the Sabbath law, and then writes all of this on two stone tablets.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…. 40 days seamed too long for the Israelites to be waiting. In fact, they started referring to Moses as “that fellow who brought us out of Egypt”. Their unrest convinced Aaron to take all their jewelry from them and melt it down. He made a calf out of the gold using a tool to fashion it. They were partying quite heavily. God knew this, and said to Moses that he was done with this stiff-necked people --he would destroy them, and make a great nation out of Moses instead. But Moses pled with God, saying that his reputation would be destroyed if these people were abandoned. God relented, and Moses went down the mountain with the tablets. When he saw what was going on he was enraged, and threw down the tablets, and punished the people. Aaron tried to plead his case, including claiming that he had just melted down the jewelry, and the calf had emerged from the fire on its own. Moses, however, rallied the people that were faithful, and they killed more than three thousand of the unfaithful that day.

Moses then went back to the Lord on behalf of the people, and begged for mercy. God said fine, he wouldn’t kill them, but they were on their own – he would no longer go with them into the land he had promised them. Moses pleads with God not to abandon the people, and also asks that God show the people that he has chosen Moses as their leader, so that they will listen to him. So God call Moses back up onto the mountain, and reveals his glory to him. He gives Moses the law again, and has him write it on two new stone tablets he has taken along with him. He renews his covenant with the Israelites.

This time when Moses came down the mountain, his face was radiant from God’s presence, and the people listened to him. They brought more than enough materials to begin constructing the Tabernacle, and they constructed it just as God had told them to. Two years after the Israelites left Egypt, the Tabernacle was completed and consecrated, and God’s glory settled into the Tabernacle. When the cloud lifted out of the tent, the people knew they would move on, but the would stay put when the cloud resided there.

Did the people learn their lesson? Will they follow the commands and follow God? Tune in next week…

Day #43

Sermon - Audio
Ex 39-40 - Audio
Ex 39-40 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Exodus 39-40The central thing to see in this chapter is the continuing refrain: "as the LORD had commanded Moses" ESV. These words ring through the chapter as the people do as God commands. The tabernacle, therefore, is God’s new creation project. It is a wonder of design and a riot of color, texture, it is a place of beauty and it is worthy to be dwelt in by the king of the universe. It is built by craftsman who take the goodness of God’s creation and shape and form it into a structure that brings honor and glory to the creator of the universe i.e., by craftsman who take up God’s creational mandate to unearth the wonders of God’s creation and use them in a way that brings glory to God. It is a place where God can again dwell in the midst of his people, even as he came down to be with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, to walk with them in the cool of the evening. It was the one place in the whole world where people got God right. While many other temples and tabernacles had similar structure in the ANE, the tabernacle was missing something that those temples had. A bed for the god to sleep in and priests whose job it was to feed the god. The structure of this tabernacle and what it as missing declared that God could take care of himself and that he was the only God, there was no other. It was a place where when the people had failed to live up to God’s standards, when they had failed to be his people who carried out his call to enjoy his blessing and to bless the world around him, when they had rejected him, here was a small place on earth where forgiveness could be sought, where holiness could be restored through sacrifice. It is the one spot in all the world, all the fallen, broken world, a world of chaos and disorder where God’s command and word have been followed to the letter, as it was in the original creation.

Exodus 40.34-35: God comes and dwells with his people. The way the passage is written it seems that God has been impatiently waiting for his house to be ready, impatiently waiting to dwell in the midst of his people and as soon as Moses finishes the world (verse 33), God comes immediately occupies his place.

Exodus 36-38: God is the leader of the people He may dwell in their midst, but he continues to be God. In fact, the location of the tabernacle puts him in the place of a warrior God who will lead his people out to conquer. During the period of the wilderness wanderings, the tabernacle also signified God’s presence as divine warrior. Numbers 2 presents a picture of the Israelite camp as it was on the march from Egypt to the Promised Land. The tabernacle is a tent pitched in the midst of the tribes. In other words, God’s tent occupies the place of the warrior–king in a battle camp. Thus it is not surprising that when the tabernacle was taken down, the ark, which was normally housed in the holy of holies, led the march, which began with the acclamation “Rise up, O LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you” (Num 10:35 NIV). And when the ark comes to rest at a new encampment, the cry is “Return, O LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel” (Num 10:36 NIV).

Day #42

Sermon - Audio
Ex 36-38 - Audio
Ex 36-38 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Ex 36

36:1-4 = Again the idea of the Spirit being upon people in order to accomplish the task of building the tabernacle is shown here.

36:5-7 = Abundance! - The people had freely given too much stuff for the tabernacle...their hearts had overflowed for the cause in which God was calling them to.

Q. Does your heart ever overflow with generosity? Why or why not?
Q. Have you ever felt like you were a part of something greater than the things on this earth?

Tabernacle - See picture of the tabernacle from yesterday, or look at your ESV Study Bible***

36:8–38 = "This section describes the construction of the pieces of the tent of the tabernacle according to the instructions given to Moses (see 26:1–37): the curtains (36:8–9) that are then put together so that the tabernacle was a single whole (vv. 10–13), the other curtains of skins to cover over the tabernacle (vv. 14–19), the frames for each side (vv. 20–30) and their bars (vv. 31–34), and the pieces for the veil and the screen for the entrance (vv. 35–38)."

Ex 37

The "ark"


"The ark itself was a wooden chest, overlaid with pure gold, measuring 3.75 feet long, 2.25 feet wide, and 2.25 feet high (1.1 m x 0.7 m x 0.7 m). It contained within it the two stone tablets of the Testimony (the Ten Commandments). The author of Hebrews adds that it also contained “a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded” (Heb. 9:4). The ark was not to be touched by human hands. Two wooden poles, overlaid with gold, were used to transport it and were not to be removed from the ark. The mercy seat, or atonement cover, was a solid golden slab that fitted perfectly on top of the ark. The golden cherubim, which were hammered out of the same piece of gold, had wings outstretched over the mercy seat and faces that looked downward (in reverent awe). It was here, from between the cherubim, that God spoke to Moses, the representative of the people of Israel. Ancient iconography often depicts cherubim as having a lion-like body, wings, and a human face." -ESVSB- In BOLD are the items inside of the ark.

*The ark will later be carried into battle by the priests, and is used in parting the Jordan. Uzziah will later die when he touches the ark, because the glory in the ark is too much.

*There are many thoughts on the meaning of the contents within the ark. All of this is a good midrash! It is important to not base any theology on guessing! However, it is fun to study and think, so...

Tablets = Contain God's covenant words and very possibly the ten commandments as well.

Aaron's Budded Staff = Miracles were performed with this staff, and some believe that this is a sign of a High Priest who is to come and bless Israel, be fruitful, and multiply followers of God.

Golden Bowl with Manna = "Jesus is seen as the "bread of life" in John 6:48-51. It is believed that this manna was a type of Christ." - (Owen, "Hebrew" pg 194)

Ex 38

Pictures! - I don't necessarily agree with all of this websites notations, but they have the best pictures of each construction: http://bit.ly/2aiioh

*The altar was where the sacrifices of blood were given for forgiveness of their sins. An offering was and still is needed for forgiveness. However, our offering is now found in Jesus Christ. Read Hebrews 10:8-10 (Good News!).

I encourage you to read Hebrews 8-13 for further study/thoughts.

Day #41

Sermon - Audio
Ex 33-35 - Audio
Ex 33-35 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Ex 33

This chapter begins after some very difficult events take place (calf, killings, "blotting out."). Moses is immediately told to depart to "the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, To your offspring I will give it." - God's people are continuously reminded of the Covenant with God.

God's people are given a double judgement:
1. Leave Siani where the Lord was in their presence.
2. Make their way without His presence.

v 2-3 - A Possible Explanation from the WBC - "They are to go up, guided by his messenger, to the place he had chosen and in which he had intended to live in their midst, but without him. In the place of his Presence, there was to be only Absence. It is a punishment, announced at this point in the sequence of the Book of Exodus, that negates every announcement, every expectation, every instruction except those now being given. There will be no special treasure, no kingdom of priests, no holy nation, no Yahweh being their God, no covenant, no Ark, no Tabernacle, no Altar, no cloud of Glory. The messenger promised in 23:20–24 was, as is so often the case in the OT, a close equivalent, at the very least, of Yahweh’s Presence (see esp. 23:21, “my Presence is with him”

I think that would explain why this was such a "disastrous word" and "they mourned." A feeling of despair and hopelessness had gripped then. Once again we had chosen against God with huge implications.

Q - What are the implications of us continually choosing our story over Gods?

v4 - oranaments = "Festive Dress" After taking these off, God seems to require this to be more of a permanent thing in v6.

v5 - "stiff-necked" used in the Bible = ex 32:9, 33:3, 33:5, 34:9, 2 Chron 30:8, Acts 7:51. The term "stiff-necked" discusses the unwillingness of Israel to bend to God's will, instead they choose their own.

v7-11 - The presence of the Lord would now reside outside of the camp within the "Tent of Meeting" or "The Tent of Appointed Meeting." The presence of God was to be sought and found there. The absence from the presence of God was now felt by the Israelites. The people knew that when Moses would go to the tent, and the cloud would come down, God's presence was there with Moses. Joshua is more than likely the guard to this tent as being Moses' right-hand man.

v11 - As the second of these narratives makes clear, “face to face” is here to be understood as an idiom of intimacy, not as a reference to theophany (actual appearance of God)." Later in Ex 33:20-23 it will state that no one has seen his face.

v12-13 - Moses cries out for the LORD's plans and direction.

v16 - Moses' plea with God is granted for the presence of the LORD to be with him since Moses has found favor in God's sight. God would now be with them again. God did not "change his mind," but wanted Moses' to recognize that they could not be a people of God without His presence. Moses pleads with God because he understands this, and has seen how God has walked every step of the way with him.

Q. Is your life so wrapped up in God's story, that if He left would you be in utter confusion and cease to exist?

v17-18 - The request of Moses to see the glory of Yahweh is effectively a request that Yahweh demonstrate the reality of his promise to be present, indeed that he prove his Presence once again, as he did before the solemnization of the covenant that has since been shattered -WBC

v19 - NT Alert = Sighting of this verse in Romans 9:15 by Paul. Paul is stating this in the context of God will show mercy on whom he chooses. We are not the deciding factor on who does or does not deserve mercy.
v20-23 = We can't be sure what Moses actually "saw," but it's clear that it was a "description" or "small" glimpse of His glory. The word glory is, "kabod"; properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness. Moses does seem to see the "back," but there is no certainty over what the "back" was. Either way, the point is that God showed His glory to Moses.

Ex 34

34:1–35 = Covenant Renewal: New Tablets. The Lord calls Moses back up to Mount Sinai and proclaims further his covenant name and character (vv. 1–10) before reaffirming some of the stipulations related to worship and renewing the covenant with Moses and Israel (vv. 11–28). When Moses comes down to speak the words of the covenant to the people, he does not know that his role as the one through whom the Lord will speak is also reaffirmed through his shining face (vv. 29–35). -ESVSB-

6-7 = Yahweh's Proclamation of His Nature: It will later be sighted (Psalms (86:15; 103:8; 145:8) and one each in Num 14:18; Joel 2:13; Nah 1:3; Net 9:17; and Jonah 4:2. ) The emphasis is on the provision and forgiveness of God, but He will not compromise Himself.

11-17 - God gives Moses clear instructions for the people, specifically focusing on keeping the covenant with God by making sure the people aren't exchanging Yahweh for other gods in the lands that are to be taken over. This is especially a focus since the people just got done with the whole "calf incident" in 32. God is once again giving His people another chance.

18-26 - God seemingly parallels a lot of the things in Ex 23:12-19 and 13:11-16. These are the things that set Israel apart as God's people.

28 - Ten Commandments again, hopefully these won't get destroyed, since it took 40 days of no eating and drinking to get them.

29-35 - The shining of Moses face shows his reaffirmation of authority that God has given Him. The people seem to respond to this right away with reverance.

Ex 35

In this chapter we see the beginning of the tabernacle. Moses calls the people of Israel to bring specific items for the tabernacle. This is to be the people's items that are freely given up for the tabernacle.


A Picture of It :) If you have the ESV Study Bible, you will see this picture and the description. All the items gathered were to be used in the construction of this. Open up your Bible for the list of materials in v4-9.













v20-29 = The people seemingly respond in a great manner by bringing everything they have. This shows that at least their initial response is one of obedience and recognition of the need for God's presence to be with them.

v30-35 = We see the idea of "God's Spirit coming upon" Bezalel to accomplish the task of creating beautiful designs on the tabernacle. We also see this for Oholiab and Bezalel for teaching as well. God's Spirit is seen throughout the Old Testament as coming upon people to carry out specific missions/tasks for God's purpose. This idea will be approached more in depth as it reappears and comes to a climax at Pentecost and throughout the book of Acts.

Day #40

Sermon - Audio
Ex 30-32 - Audio
Ex 30-32 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Step 3 made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. AA Big Book pg. 59

Step Three is about making a decision to turn our lives over to the God of our own understanding. Why does Step 3 say "God as we understood Him?" Because when one first gets into recovery, the last thing a person needs to debate is theology. The mind of the addict/alcoholic is so broken it really cannot understand much about God, so AA makes it easy by removing any negative pre-conceptions a person may have about God or negative experiences with the church that may have caused bitterness. Intellectualizing about God (for or against) and why I drink is a classic defense mechanism a person will use to keep from addressing their addictions (Many Christians will deflect attention away from their own character defects by hiding behind theology as well. This is one reason why Bible studies can be superficial). A wide-open conception of God as you understand Him can be helpful in terms of getting sober and initially healing. It also plays well in a culture that has made "tolerance" more important than truth. However, a wide open conception of God is insufficient for salvation and the worship of the one true God that brings about complete healing. None-the-less Step 3 begins to open the door to the realization that there is a God, and it's not me!

We certainly hope our friends in recovery can move forward to embrace Christ. As we share the love of Christ with our recovering friends it is really important that we check our motives and remove attitudes of superiority and condescension. For it is readily apparent to the long-time AA member that the love, honesty, and transparency of their 12 Step fellowship easily surpasses the spirituality of many churches. None-the-less, any god created in any person's mind is nothing more than the creation of an idol, with limitations and weaknesses that easily break down under closer scrutiny. As we share God's truth in Jesus and humbly admit our own brokenness we can invite recovering people to consider the claims of Christ.

Surprisingly, the theology of God as we understand Him seems to be well received in the church, too. If we are honest, we Christians are also very good at assigning to God the character qualities that meet our personal preferences and deficits. Pastor Larry's helpful sermon on Sunday contained a song called, "Your Own Personal Jesus." The call of Exodus is to remember that we did not find God, but that He found us. The Bible is not only the story of God seeking out a people, but it is the story of a holy God informing His chosen one's what He is like, how worship is to proceed, and how life is to be lived.

In the book of Exodus God's people have been redeemed from slavery. Chapters 30-32 continue to reveal what God is like and what it means to follow Him. "The God of our understanding," must be allowed to shape and inform our understanding of the deity. When we do this, life, recovery, and worship will be filled with blessing and good things.

Chapter 30 begins describing parts of the sacrificial system of worship. These sacrifices and offerings served as stewards of God's people waiting for their fulfillment in Jesus and his work on the cross. Unlike the sacrifice of Jesus, they could not provide permanent forgiveness.

A wonderful footnote on vs. 12 comes from the ESV Study Bible. The fact that the ransom is explained as averting a plague warns Israel against allowing a census to replace their dependence upon the Lord. Pride in numbers appears to be the reason for the adverse judgment on David's census (see 2 Sam. 24:1-17; 1 Chron. 21:1-17).

Perhaps we take pride in counting the new members at EGM or celebrating the accomplishments of "our" ministry. In doing so, we make the mistake of loving our own righteousness more than the mercy of God, and seeing others as being more deficient and defective than we are.

Chapter 31.12-17 keeping a Sabbath was to become a regular (weekly) part of life. This day was set apart for worship and renewal of body, mind, and spirit. It was seen as essential to keeping one's covenantal promises. In 2009, we are far more concerned about weekend parties, games, and vacations than regular worship. The Lord's Day had become the Lord's hour if it fits into our "important" schedules. Our desire as parents to raise a great athlete, dancer, or singer is more important than raising a sold-out follower of Jesus. God takes lack of regular worship as a serious affront to who He is and what He has done in our lives. We truly need a renewal of Sabbath worship to strengthen the vitality of God's people and witness to a hedonistic culture. We are in danger of losing our children when we say worship is important, but let it be replaced casually and flippantly with sports, entertainment, and leisure. I wonder if the concept of Sabbath has any connection to being prepared to worship God by being on time for services. Are the first ten minutes of worship throw away? If I were to have lunch with President Obama, Governor Granholm or Congressmen Hoekstra would it be ok to be ten minutes late? Your comments are welcome...

A couple of years ago I was sitting between a busy writer and a leading orthopedic surgeon who had been sober for many years. The topic for discussion was, "The Importance of Meetings." As the discussion moved toward us the writer complained that meetings were difficult to attend on a regular basis because of how 'busy' his life had become. I passed and when the surgeon began to speak, he said, "I would first of all like to thank Bob (the writer), for taking time out of his busy schedule to be with us today. If meetings are the life-blood of sobriety how much more important is worship for Christians. Would God say of you or me, "I would like to thank _______ for taking time out of their busy schedule to be with Me today."

Ex. 31:12-17 Sabbath. This section explicitly reminds Israel of what the instructions about the tabernacle signify: remembering the Sabbath by keeping it holy is integral to Israel's life as the people who are sanctified (or "made holy") by the Lord (see 20:8-11; 35:1-3). This passage grounds Israel's Sabbath observance both in creation (31:17; cf. 20:11), which Israel shares with all mankind, and in God's special choice of Israel ("sanctify," 31:13; "covenant forever," v. 16). The form of the fourth commandment in Exodus (20:8-11) stresses the first, while that in Deuteronomy (Deut. 5:12-15) stresses the second. This section shows that there is no tension between the two emphases. ESV Study Bible

In Chapter 32 We see that "God as we understand Him" was practiced in Israel with consequences. In chapter 32 the people are all too eager to substitute God's self-revelation for a god created in their own minds and with their own hands. All of this occurs after the rescue from Egypt! Israel shattered the second commandment by making a golden calf. The behavior of the people and Aaron represented a complete abandonment of their previous commitment to obey God's Word. This incident contains a warning to those who believe they have progressed so far in the Christian faith or recovery that they are immune from failure. No matter how far we have come, we are never safe from the danger of sin and relapse.

Ex. 32:4 These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. The plurals "these" and "gods" may indicate that Israel considered the calf to be another god alongside the Lord (see Aaron's proclamation of a "feast to the Lord" in v. 5). Whatever the people may have thought, their words and their actions are clearly out of accord with both the first (20:3) and second commandments (20:4-6). This incident also prefigures one of the most disastrous acts in Israel's later history, when Jeroboam I speaks the same words before two golden calves, which he sets up for the specific purpose of creating an alternative to worshiping the Lord in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 12:26-28). RSV Study Bible

Day #39

Sermon - Audio
Ex 28-29 - Audio
Ex 28-29 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Chapter 28: Garments

"By singling out Aaron and his sons, God designates who is worthy to serve in the tabernacle and establishes a hereditary succession for future generations of high priests in Israel. Their lineage derives from the tribe of Levi and specifically through Aaron. Because their task will be to perform sacrifices for the people and officiate at major religious festivals, the priests have certain rights and responsibilities that no Israelite will have. Special garments are worn only by priests. A portion of the sacrifice is set aside for them. They are not allowed to own land or to perform non-priestly functions. They are held to a higher standard of obedience and are subject to swift punishment for failure to perform their duties or to provide the proper example to the people." (The IVP Bible Background Commentary)

The Priestly Garments: The twelve stones on the breastpiece used to represent the twelve tribes are similar to the stones that are used to adorn the foundations of the wall of the city in Revelation 21:12-21. The Urim and the Thummim were used in seeking the Lord's will in particular matters. They may have been the only legitimate means of directly seeking a "yes" or "no" answer from the Lord, apart from God speaking directly to people.

Chapter 29: Offerings

The consecration ritual is a seven day ritual designed to set precedents for the use of tabernacle and altar, the types of sacrifices that are to be made in these sacred precincts and the role and privileges attached to the priests. One of the most significant items in the ritual is blood, which is the symbol of life and is sprinkled both on the altar and on the garments of the priests. Sacrificial items (wheat, cakes and oil) as well as animals are presented and burnt on the altar. In this way the tabernacle and altar are purified, preparing them for use. Some pieces of meat are used for a wave offering and then set aside as the portion reserved for the priests.

Day #38

Sermon - Audio
Ex 25-27 - Audio
Ex 25-27 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Exodus 25.1-40.38: In the last section of Exodus attention is focused on the tabernacle. The tabernacle is an amazing place for it represents God's throne in the midst of the people (notice how the camp will surround the tabernacle), it show the people how they are to approach a holy God, and it shows God's desire to be in the midst of his people. Because of the importance of the tabernacle a large amount of time is given to instructions for building it. The tabernacle prefigures the coming of Christ. We read in John 1 "The word became flesh and dwelt (literally "tabernacled") among us."

25.2-9: The people are to bring gifts of all the things necessary for building the tabernacle. It is clear by the kind of gifts called for that the tabernacle will be a place of beauty and splendor.

25.9: God gives instructions for how the tabernacle/sanctuary is to be built. The people are to follow these instructions to the letter. The following of instructions shows their willingness to obey God and approach him on his terms.

25.10: The ark is the throne of God or alternately the footstool of God's throne.

25.22: This is the place that God will meet with Moses.

25.30: The twelve loaves symbolize the 12 tribes of Israel as they stand in the presence of God. New loaves are to be set out on each Sabbath without exception. This is important because it is a sign of the covenant between the 12 tribes of Israel and God. ESV Study Bible

Exodus 26

1-14: The structure of the tabernacle is covered with 4 layers of cloth and skin. The most artistic and costly layer is the first layer which is on the inside of the tabernacle. What is noticeable about this is that the most beautiful layer can't be seen by the vast majority of the people since only the priests enter this area. This reminds us that all of this work is done not first for the people, but first for God, so that, he will have a dwelling that is worthy of him.

The tabernacle tent was 45 feet long, 15 feet wide and 15 feet high. It was 675 square feet. Compare that to EverGreen's auditorium which is 8100 square feet with a height of about 30 feet. There is a great illustration of the tabernacle tent in the ESV Study Bible which can be viewed on the computers in the Courtyard (we can't print it due to copyright restrictions).

31,36: The combination of colors and linen sets this mixture apart for sacred use. This could be the reason that mixing cloth and linen were forbidden (Dt. 22.11"You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together.")

Exodus 27
27.2: Horns represent strength. Horns on an altar are not unique to the tabernacle altar, they've been found on pagan altars as well. God often uses symbols and ideas from surrounding culture and then infuses them with his own meaning.

27.1-7: The altar is an important place in the covenant relationship between God and his people. When they fail their covenant obligations it is at the altar that they can seek forgiveness. Also, the altar is the place where gifts of first fruits are brought which are a reminder of God's covenant promise to bring them into a land flowing with milk honey.

27.9-12: The total courtyard area of the tabernacle is 11,250 square feet. This is sacred space which is set off from the rest of the world. Compare the size of the courtyard of the temple with the size of EverGreen's building which is 25,000 square feet (our courtyard is just over 6000 square feet).

27.10: Bronze and silver--the further you get from the place God dwells the less rich the materials.
7 feet high?

27.18: The height of the curtain that surrounds the courtyard is 7 1/2 feet. This means that people could see the tabernacle tent and so be assured of God's presence.

27.21: The tent of meeting is the tabernacle tent. This designation stresses that it is in this place that God communicates to Moses.

27.20: Burning lamps=God's presence.

The tabernacle is an important aspect of OT theology. The writer’s pattern so far has been: ark, table, lamp, and then their container (the tabernacle); then the altar and its container (the courtyard). The courtyard is the place of worship where the people could gather — they entered God’s courts. Though the courtyard may not seem of much interest to current readers, it did interest the Israelites. Here the sacrifices were made, the choirs sang, the believers offered their praises, they had their sins forgiven, they came to pray, they appeared on the holy days, and they heard from God. It was sacred because God met them there; they left the “world” (figuratively speaking) and came into the very presence of God. NET Bible

Day #37

Sermon - Audio
Ex 22-24 - Audio
Ex 22-24 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Exodus 22 talks about property rights.

Ex 22.1: In Luke 19.8 we see the heart of Zacchaeus in keeping God's law when he reflects this commandment, "And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”

22.2-3: This law focuses on what is reasonable defense against burglary. If someone killed a thief who was breaking in during the night, he was not charged because he would not have known it was just a thief, but if it happened during the day, he was guilty of a crime, on the assumption that in daylight the thief posed no threat to the homeowner’s life and could be stopped and made to pay restitution. NET Bible

22.5-6: Vineyards and fields represented the ability of a family to feed itself and help for the poor through gleaning. Great care was to be taken not to destroy such a vital resource.

22.8: The word for judge (NIV) is elohim (God). The ESV translates elohim as God. The basic idea is that when a dispute arose about a piece of property the two parties had to go the tabernacle. The one accused of stealing had to swear an oath before God that he was innocent. The judge at the temple who represented God would determine which person was telling the truth.

22.18-20: all of these actions are outside of being a people who are holy to the LORD.

22.21-27: These words show God's concern for the poor, even when another's property rights are at stake.

22.29: God exerts his property rights.

Exodus 23
A recurring theme in this chapter is the importance of following only God and rejecting all idols.

23.1-9: As God is just and righteous so his people are to be just and righteous. They are to be honest witnesses, willing to help their enemies, and be fair when bringing justice.

23.12: Shows another reason for the importance of the Sabbath, namely, rest for servants and animals.

23.14: This command will eventually speak of the men coming to Jerusalem three times a year for the three great feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

23.19: Not boiling a young goat in its mother's milk is a command that no one really understands. In ancient Israel, however, it is important as can be seen by the repetition of this command in Exodus 34.26 and Deuteronomy 14.21.

23.20: This angel seems to be the one who comes to Joshua (Joshua 5.13-15) and lead the people into the land of promise.

23.27: The terror will come on the people because they will have heard of God's great deeds. When the people enter the land of Canaan the spies meet Rahab and this is what she says to them in Joshua 2, "Before the men lay down, [Rahab] came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, band that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath."

Exodus 24
24:1. Seventy elders. These men are the appointed representatives of the tribes. Their place here with Moses, Aaron and Aaron’s sons is as covenantal representatives. Their voice, like their number (seventy), stands for the nation as a whole accepting the covenant. IVP Commentary

24.4: The covenant is not only spoken from generation to generation, Moses writes it down.

24.6: At this point the priesthood had not been established so Moses takes on the task of being Israel's chief priest.

24.8: Sprinkling blood on a person occurs only one other place in the Bible: the ordination of Aaron and his sons (Leviticus 8). The sprinkling of the people shows they have been set apart by God as his royal priesthood.

24.11: To see God could lead to death because of God's holiness and greatness. God, however, spares the 70 as he celebrates a covenant meal with them. What will be surprising is that these leaders who sit down with God in a covenant meal and even encounter his presence will in a short time get up to engage in revelry in front of the golden calf.

24.18: Moses enters an amazing time of being with God.

Summary #5

Weekly Summary

Exodus 1-18

Last week we left Joseph overseeing the famine in Egypt, and his father and brothers in Goshen, tending sheep. As Jacob nears death, he calls Joseph to him, and takes his two sons, Ephraim and Mannassah as his own sons, giving the blessing of the firstborn to Joseph's second son, reminiscent of the situation he orchestrated with his own father, failing eyesight and all. Before he dies, Jacob asks to be buried in Canaan, and Joseph complies. Later, Joseph also dies, and is embalmed, and from there things go down hill for Jacob's descendents.

Over the years, the Israelites multiply and become a great people, and the Egyptians start to fear their strength, and turn them into slaves. Eventually, the Pharaoh demands that all male Israelite babies be killed by the midwives, but they avoid this by saying that the women give birth before they can even arrive. One such saved infant is born to two Levites, and they name him Moses. His mother puts him in a basket and floats him among the reeds, where Pharoah's daughter finds him and adopts him. He grows up as a prince, eventually overseeing the work done by the slaves. When one is mistreated by an Egyptian, Moses kills the Egyptian, and flees the land. When he is in Midian, he helps some shepherd girls water their flocks, and it turns out that these girls are daughters of a Priest, who chooses Moses as a son-in-law based on how he helped out at the well, reminiscent of his anscestor Jacob's encounter with Rachel.

Moses joins this family and herds with them until he comes across a bush that is on fire but doesn't burn up. As he approaches it, God speaks to him from the bush and tells him to go to Egypt and ask the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go into the desert for three days. Moses is, well, let's say skeptical of how this will work and of his ability to do what God has asked him to do. God gives him signs to perform for Pharaoh, and provides Moses' brother Aaron to help him as well. (We're not sure how Aaron got out of Egypt to join Moses. Another mystery...)

Moses does as God has commanded, and goes first to the people of Israel, who believe that God has sent Moses to save them. However, when he goes and tells Pharaoh to release the people to worship in the desert for three days, Pharaoh decides that if they want a vacation, they should work harder, and forces them to produce the same number of bricks as usual, but without him providing the straw. This doesn't go over well with the Israelites, who complain that Moses has now made their lots worse. Moses and Aaron return to Pharaoh with their demands, and even demonstrate their power with the sign that God has given them, but Pharaoh's sorcerers are able to replicate the sign, and Pharaoh refuses. Over and over again, Moses and Aaron return to Pharaoh to demand their release, and each time Pharaoh refuses, God sends another plague: the Nile turns to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock dying, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness. Each time Pharaoh pleads and promises to get the plague lifted, and each time he refuses to let them go. Finally, God readies for the final plague by commanding the Israelites to first ask their neighbors for gold and silver, which they get, then to kill a perfect lamb, spread the blood on their door, and prepare and eat the lamb along with unleavened bread.

At midnight, the tenth plague descends on the land, and every firstborn dies. This is the breaking point for Pharaoh, who sends the Israelites on their way, and they leave Egypt. They carry with them Joseph's bones to bury in the land of Canaan, and God leads them with a pillar of clouds by day and fire by night toward the Red Sea. God establishes the Passover as a sacred feast, and also requires that the firstborn of everything be consecrated to him. His people agree.

It doesn't take long, however, for Pharaoh to change his mind, and he pursues the Israelite into the wilderness, just as God had said they would. When the Israelites saw this, they complained to Moses (in the first of what would become a LONG litany of complaints) that he had apparently led them into the wilderness to die. God, however, led them through the Red Sea on dry land and when the army of Pharaoh followed them into the sea, God released the water from the walls he had formed, and they all drowned. At this point, the people saw the power of God, and feared him and trusted Moses.

Didn't last long, though. Soon they were out of water (they were in the desert, after all), and they grumbled at Moses. Moses cried to God, and he gave them water. He also told them that if they followed his commands, he would not afflict them like he had the Egyptians. All was well.. until a bit later when the Israelites now grumbled at Moses about the food, and how poorly it compared with what they had in Egypt. Moses has had it with the grumbling Israelites, and tells them that it is not just Moses they are complaining about - it is God himself. Indeed, God reveals his glory to the Israelites, and then sends them quail to eat, and manna, along with very specific instructions on how to gather and prepare the manna. Which they ignore. Resulting in rotting, wormy, stinky manna. Moses reminds them that this was NOT what they were supposed to do, and they comply. Until Friday, when they were supposed to gather a double supply because none would appear on the Sabbath. Except for some reason, they don't obey (again). Really, these people.

They go on their way, gathering manna every morning, and then start in on Moses again because there is no water. They accuse him again of bringing them out of Egypt just to let them die in the desert. God has Moses hit a rock with a rod, and brings out sweet water.

Then we have the first battle: Israel, led by Joshua, fights against Amelek. Moses stands on a bluff above them, holding the rod of God. Whenever his hand is raised, Israel prevails; whenever his hand drops, Amelek does. Eventually, Aaron and Hur hold up Moses' arms to assist him, and Israel wins.

After this, Moses' father-in-law brings Moses' wife and sons out to the desert to meet them. Moses tells him the story of the exodus, and Jethro rejoices. He also notices that Moses is spending WAY too much time trying to sort out every little skirmish and quarrel among the people, and he encourages Moses to set up a tiered system of governing the people which will free him up to do the major leading he must do.

Well, we leave the Israelites for another week - not in Egypt any more, but not really any other place, either. They have walked, quarreled, battled, and witnessed miracle after miracle. Where next for them? Tune in next week....

Day #36

Sermon - Audio
Ex 19-21 - Audio
Ex 19-21 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment



19.5: One of the sayings that goes with the exodus is that there can be no Passover without a Pentecost (the rabbi's hold that the people come to Mt. Sinai 50 days after they leave Egypt). The idea is that God saves his people by grace in the Passover and then at Sinai calls them to follow his ways. Grace always leads to living for God. Paul will say in Ephesians 2.8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

19.5-6: These words are echoed in the New Testament when Peter speaks of the church as being God's holy nation, a royal priesthood in 1 Peter 2.8-10.

19.6: "kingdom of priests" Following God's call to be a blessing (Genesis 12), Israel both speaks on behalf of other nations and shows others holy living and so calls them to follow God.

19.15: Sexual relations were not considered bad, rather they brought about ritual impurity which kept one from approaching God. Ritual impurity had nothing to do with sin.

19.16-20: In the book of Acts on the day of Pentecost we find a similar sights and sounds. These all show that God is present.

Exodus 20:
The giving of the 10 commandments is the charter for the new nation of Israel. This is the way to be followed in order to live well, have life, and be under God's blessing.

20.2-3: These two verses link us back to the 10 plagues. Egypt and Pharaoh had other gods before Yahweh. It was a disastrous choice that led to their destruction. Israel, who has been rescued from that slavery are not to enslave themselves by serving other gods. Such a serving will lead to destruction.

20.5: This text always needs to be read in the light of the rest of scripture, particularly Ezekiel 18 where God makes it clear that the children do not get punished for the sins of their parents. In this light it is perhaps best to see the words of Exodus as referring to how deeply ingrained idolatry can get into the life of a family so that it is passed on from generation to generation. As each generation follows other gods it is punished for its own sin.

20.6: Steadfast love is God's covenant love.

20.9-10: This text also needs to be seen in the light of the rest of scripture. Especially Jesus' take on Sabbath observance where love for neighbor trumps not doing anything on the Sabbath.

20.12: Honor is the Hebrew word "Cavod" which means heavy or weighty. We need to give weight to our parents in our lives. At times giving them this weight in our lives means learning how not to live from their actions.

20.14: Adultery in ancient times was a man having sexual relations with a married woman who was not his wife. When a married man or an unmarried man had sexual relations with an unmarried woman it was not considered adultery, rather it fell into the category of fornication. Christ condemns both in Matthew 5.

20.20: The people's encounter with the greatness of God was designed to keep them from sinning.

20.26: priestly modesty. Ritual nudity was widespread in the ancient Near East, whereas here every precaution is taken to assure modesty. Early Canaanite altars with steps are known from sites such as Megiddo. Israelite law also preserved modesty by legislating longer tunics and prescribing undergarments for the priests. IVP Background Commentary

Exodus 21
We are entering some of the specifics of covenant life. Many of the rules and regulations will seem strange and perhaps even revolting to us. A couple of things to keep in mind in this part of the reading:
1. God seeks to protect the least in the society in ways that startle other societies.
2. One of the central part of God's protection is "an eye for an eye" and "a tooth for a tooth". This limits punishment. In surrounding cultures punishments often exceeded the crime.

21.2: Since God's people belong to him they cannot be sold in perpetuity. These words will be connected to the Sabbath year in the book of Leviticus.

21.7-11: As quickly becomes clear, this buying was a way to not only pay off a debt but to provide a wife for the man or his son who has some wealth. In this way a poor woman whose family could not provide a dowry could find her way into a better life. Even as she enters this life she is given protections that can lead to her freedom (a divorce) if she is not treated rightly.

21.17: We get more a sense of this command in Dt. 21.18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

Day #35

Sermon - Audio
Ex 16-18 - Audio
Ex 16-18 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Ex 16:1-3 = Why don't we start out today with a little grumbling and mix it up with some complaining. Here is the interesting revelation that is given to the people of Israel: In verse 8 Moses let's the people know that by grumbling against Moses and Aaron, they are actually grumbling against the LORD. I can picture Moses saying, "Yeah, you're grumbling against God who sent all those plagues on Egypt, opened the Red Sea for us, killed our adversaries...yeah, that's who you're complaining against."

In vs 10 we see that the people of Israel are able to see the glory of the LORD in the cloud. God then states again that when they are fed by him that the people will "know that I am the LORD your God."

I find the interaction with Moses and the people to be very interesting. In verses 2-8 they complain and grumble to him. In verse 20 they don't listen to him and he gets upset. In verses 22-26 they seemingly listen to him. In verse 27-30 they don't. Most frustrating job ever and it continues chapter after chapter.

The Bible compares the taste of manna with both honey and oil (Nm 11:8). Its flavor was evidently reminiscent of both substances. The comparisons suggest that manna, like many of today’s common foods, contained both fats and sugars. Which flavor predominated may have depended on how it was prepared.

Ex 17:1-7 - The people are grumbling again. This is the third time they grumble over provision (15:24-25; 16:2-3) -ESVSB- The people are bold enough to test the LORD (v7)

Q. How many times do we "test" God without knowing we are doing so?
Q. In what ways do we tend to "test" God?

Good thought: "Providing enough water in a desert to quench the thirst of a group of more than 600,000 men, besides women and children, was a miracle of the highest order, all the more impressive considering that Israel spent 40 years in the desert. Moses’ striking of the rock was not what produced the water, but rather God standing with Moses at the rock." -ASB-

17:14-15 = Obviously this "blot out" did not mean it wouldn't be recorded. “to remove any concern that Amalek would pose a threat to another nation” is maybe a better way to understand this. This promise was fulfilled during the days of King David (1 Sm 30:16–17)

The LORD is my Banner! = “Yahweh is my standard.” s´n can mean “signal” as well as
“ensign, flag, banner,” the word “standard, as rallying-point” in this verse. In Ps 60:6, sn refers to a flag to which those who revere God can flee for their lives.

18:8-9 - Moses tells of God's provision and majesty and Jethro's response is to rejoice! This is the proper response to our God's provision and majesty. This helps us understand Paul's continual plea for us to rejoice. Much like Jethro, we are called to be in awe of a God who is mighty to save.

18:13-26 - God uses Jethro to speak wisdom into Moses' life. Moses would have been run into the ground had it continued the way it was setup.

Q. Are you in constant community with fellow believers who encourage and challenge you?
Q. Are you open to having God reveal things to you through community?

18:13-26 - Our judicial system is formed! Unfortunately, I don't think we have the same qualifications in our selection process: able men, men who fear God, trustworthy, won't accept bribes. However, this does echo some things later stated for Elder qualifications...just a thought.

Day #34

Sermon - Audio
Ex 13-15 - Audio
Ex 13-15 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Ex 13

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, or Passover, begins as a response to and a remembrance of God's faithfulness during the Exodus from Egypt.

For more information on how the passover is celebrated - http://jhom.com/calendar/nisan/basics.html

For an interesting article on how Jews still look to the Passover when various issues arise - http://www.aish.com/jw/s/48960796.html

13:2 - God requires the people of Israel to consecrate the firstborn of animals and children. A lamb is to be sacrificed in place of the firstborn human. Consecrate in this tense means to be "made holy by God." This was done so that future generations would always remember what God has done for His people.

We have probably heard Jesus referred to as the "Passover Lamb," or "Lamb." In 1 Peter 1:18-20 we see this analogy used, and also in John 1:29. This was used to show Jesus as the final passover lamb that was needed to be given for the sins of the world. He is without blemish, firstborn, and the ultimate sacrifice. Knowing the history and customs of the passover should help us understand this picture a little better.

13:3 - This idea of "remembering" is getting drilled into the people of Israel. God doesn't just want us to "remember" in the way a bookkeeper might remember a check #. He wants us to remember His majesty and why it makes a difference in everyones life for generations to come. We must continually be thankful and in awe of the grace given. I find it amazing that they seem to forget only a few days later...didn't take real long. However, the passover is still celebrated today, so some of them must have "remembered."

13:9-16 - A pre-echoing of Deut 6:7-9, verses that parents like to discuss, but are we paying attention to its teachings?

Q. Do we discuss God's majesty with our kids?
Q. Are we just giving our kids facts about God, or are we pointing them to who He is?
Q. Do your kids know who God is? Ask them who they think God is.

13:17 - This is an interesting verse because God knows "how fickle our minds are." He knows that even though Israel has seen all these things, at the first sign of fear they will try to flee back to Egypt! So he sends them into another conundrum...the Red Sea, except they can't flee.

14:4 - Once again God is choosing to harden Pharoh's heart. He does this so that His glory will be made known.

14:11-14 - Let the complaints continue! The people have already forgotten that God has brought them to this place. Look at Moses' response: "Fear not, Stand Firm, and see the Salvation of the LORD...The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

14:21-30 - The people of Israel have seen God's hand at work in various plagues and miracles, but it is now that they will see it in a "war-like" atmosphere. Pharaoh is coming after them and their only hope is now in God.

In v31 we see that Israel now feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD.

The song sung in Chapter 15 is one of praise to God for His deliverance from Egypt. I imagine that this is the first time most of these people are acknowledging God as their God.

15:24 - Complaints! 3 days later, 3 days! God decided to still show grace to His people.

15:26 - We get a new name of God - "I am the LORD, your healer" The LORD refers to himself as "your healer" indicates that Israel has already been graciously spared from what happened to the Egyptians and that faithfulness is the means by which they will continue to appropriate the blessings of the covenant relationship with the Lord -ESVSB-

Day #33

Sermon - Audio
Ex 10-12 - Audio
Ex 10-12 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment




There is some danger in over spiritualizing (that is only seeing how God 'delivers' us from problems today) the Exodus event. But the truth remains no matter how desperate our circumstances may be or how powerful the oppressor that has us bound, God is able to deliver his people.

The AA Big Book describes the dilemma we face as broken people: "Remember that we deal with alcohol - cunning, baffling, powerful! Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter of the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. (b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism. (c) That God could and would if He were sought. Addiction seems like a foe that is all powerful.

Sight: http://www.lectionarystudies.com/studyot/sunday23acot.html

In the Exodus' story (Chapter 12) we come now to the tenth plague and its devastating consequences for Pharaoh.
V3-4. No reason is given why the lamb is selected four days before the Passover event. It is to be a family event, one that the whole community of Israel must participate in, and one where there should be enough food for all.
V5-11. The selection of the sacrifice is detailed. It is to be a perfect specimen, male, one year old, and either a sheep or a goat. The animal is to be roasted whole and eaten in an attitude of haste and fear. Haste senses the immediacy of the situation, and fear expresses the repentant attitude Israel should have in the face of this act of God's mercy. Nothing is to be left. What is left must be burnt, indicating that the animal is wholly consecrated to a sacred purpose.
V12-13. The writer now relates God's word of judgment upon the gods of the nations, which event is described in v29-30. The significance of the blood is that it serves as a sign to Israel and the Lord that no harm will befall the family on the night of the destruction of the first-born.
V14-20. The writer intertwines the actual story of the Passover with the annual celebration that was to follow.
V21-28. The writer again draws aside from the narrative and records Moses' instructions to Israel so that parents may properly instruct their children in the significance of the Passover.
V29-30. The actual Passover night is now narrated from the Egyptian perspective. The stress is on the judgment and the complete surrender of Pharaoh.
Comment
The Passover of the angel of death secured for Israel salvation/liberty. The wrath of God was stayed from Israel by the shedding of innocent blood.
These momentous events have served as types for the atoning death of our Lord Jesus (the innocent Lamb of God), salvation in Christ, and our walk of faith. As with Israel, so with the followers of Christ today, the significance of the event is continually remembered. For us it is the feast of the Lord's Supper.
So, in this event we are witnesses of a divine liberation enacted under the strong hand of our God. In Christ we share in this liberation, freed from the slavery of our sin.
The Exodus occurred thousands of years ago, yet it called a people into being and showed us once and for all what lengths God will go to in order to save a people to himself. The good news for us today is that God's power on our behalf is as active and miraculous as it was thousands of years ago. There is a lot of pessimism about the church in North America and its ineffectiveness, perhaps we need to rely less our ourselves and plans and through ourselves on the mercy of God.