Still Here

Just a note. I am still here and thinking of my next post. I've been under the weather again and not able to sit at the computer much. I'll try to do better.

Exodus 23 "Little by Little"

Exodus 23:30 "By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. v29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee."

I heard once that someone prayed 'Give me patience, Lord, and hurry.'

God does things in his time and in his way. We may not always know the reason as the Israelites did but we can rest assure there is a good one.

Psalm 145:17 "The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."

Exodus 23 contains further instructions for Israel as they ready for their entry into Canaan. I think of parents talking to their new adult child as they go out into the world. 'Now don't forget this...don't forget that...remember to so-and-so...'

He tells them to not follow the crowd to do evil v2. There is further talk about how to treat neighbors and their property. Verse 10-11 talks about letting the land rest after six years for a whole year then ties it in with resting on the seventh day of the week v12. He further talks about the feast they would keep.

In verse 20-23 God tells them of the angel that was to guide and protect them and how they should have respect for him. Then, v24-25 He talks of worshipping only the Lord God.

v8 "And thou shalt take no gift; for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous." We know that to be a true statement. If you have two friends, one gives you a gift and the other does not, who would you be the quickest to do a favor for? Politicians and lobbyist have used the gift to subvert our government and it is true to the highest and lowest levels.

Proverbs 3:27 "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it."

Proverbs 3:1-3 "My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: for length of days and long life and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about they neck; write them upon the table of thine heart."

Do Right by thy Neighbor Exodus 22

Exodus 22 26-27 "If thou at all take thy neighbor's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious."

Here is a list of everyday "do rights" . It would seem that much of it could have gone without saying as they cover just plain acting right toward others. But having lived a long time, I can see that people tend to do the wrong until there is a penalty to redirect them. Even then, some people will still do what they can get away with.

Our society seems bent on breaking every commandment in the Bible. It seems to be the attitude that if enough people do wrong that it somehow makes it right. Not so.

A couple of verses jumped out at me. Verse 16 "And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife." Now, for the most part that one has been thrown out the window but it is still right. It is a way to right a wrong.

Verse 21 "Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." There was an old song about a stranger. It said of a young man that he was someones son. A person may be a stranger to us but somewhere they are known and not a stranger.

Verse 22-24 "Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry. And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. A very strict punishment for a very low action.

Psalm 34:13 "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile."

Exodus 21 "Day to Day Laws"

Exodus 21:1 "Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them."

It would have been difficult for Moses or any judge to come up with fair settlements between people without some guideline. With these guidelines, they did not have to 'think up' the proper path but had only to know the law as God had given it. As in our day, the judge had some leeway here and there but mostly he just had to know the law and dispense judgement accordingly.

I admit, as I study, I get bogged down in some of these chapters. There is one passage that stands out to me. It deals with being a welling servant.

Exodus 21:5-6 "And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever."

There were specific guidelines for a servant to be set free. He might be purchased and serve for six years but on the seventh he was to go free. In this case, the master has given him a wife and they have children, but the rule is he can be set free but since his wife was a gift and the children are a product of that gift, they belong to the master. The servant is free to leave but his wife and children must stay. So, because he loves his master and his family the servant, due to be freed willingly becomes a servant for life.

Exodus 21:3 "If he came in my himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him."

It is near impossible for us, in this modern age, to get a handle on the servant and master relationship of the early Bible days. Any thoughts we have are clouded by the cruel slavery days of years past. Servants were treated much different in early Bible days. They were trusted members of the household and had lives of their own and rights under the law. If I had to make a comparison, I would think their situation was more comfortable than many modern free people who must work in a plant for people who could care less about their well-being. People who work very hard but never make enough to accumulate any kind of wealth.

In our verse, it is better for the man to become a servant than to be free. He has all the wealth of his master's house and his family is taken care of by the same laws. He can be free with nothing or stay with the master and have everything. He is more free in his master's house than he would be 'out on his own' . Out on his own, he would have to work for someone, provide a place to live, food and protection for himself. And he would be alone. In the master's house he is protected, fed, sheltered and loved by his family. The only hang up is he must serve the master. But wait, he loves the master, so if you love someone, serving them is a token of love. Does a mother consider changing a baby or feeding it a burden? No. She loves the child even though she is a servant to its every cry. Does a man or woman consider it a burden to work and feed her family? He or she may get tired but the joy of being able to provide for them takes away the burden and replaces it with joy over their comfort.

As we serve the Lord willingly, are we being treated badly because we are asked to keep the house clean or tell another of the joy of having a master who talks of himself as our brother and shares his endless kingdom with us. He could just give us the kingdom to do with as we see fit, but what if we squandered it as did the prodigal son and there was nothing left. No. It is better that He keep the kingdom with all his wisdom for He is able to preserve it for our joy.

Psalm 27:4-5 "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock."

Exodus 20 "Thick Darkness where God was"

Exodus 20:21 "And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was."

Chapter 20 contains a list of commands from God to the children of Israel. It also contains a warning and a blessing v5-6.

v3 No other gods before me
v4 No graven image
v7 Do not take the Lords name in vain
v8 Remember sabbath day
v12 Honor thy father and mother
The promise: that thy days may be long v12
v13 Thou shalt not kill.
v14 Not commit adultery
v15 Shalt not steal
v16 Shalt not bear false witness
v17 Shalt not covet thy neighbors stuff

v18 "And all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the moutain smoking and when the people saw it they removed and stood afar off. v19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die."

It was an awesome day for Israel when God came down to tell them the laws they would live by for generations to come. They were afraid but Moses soothed their fears. He told them that God had come down so they would indeed fear him to the point that they not sin.

God was to be their one and only God which was made very clear. Then the list of laws which would keep order in their nation.

I've often thought of the thick darkness where God was as life sometimes cast a darkness over me. It is difficult when you cannot see the path ahead and cannot tell what is in the darkness. It is good to know that God is no stranger to the darkness. When I cannot see and my faith is weak, I rely on Galatians 2:20.

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."

Note that the verse says his faith. His faith never grows weak.

And then there is these verses in Isiah 45 2-3 "I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass and cut in sundre the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places that thou mayest know that I the Lord which call thee by name am the God of Israel."

I prefer the light but it is good to know that if I stumble in the darkness, God is there.

Psalm 34:1 "I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth."

Exodus 19 "Eagles' Wings"

Exodus 19:4 "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself."

On a Franklin Mint plate over our kitchen sink sits a beautiful scene of mountains with a soaring eagle and a water fall by Ted Blaylock. It is a wonderful depiction with part of the verse above quoted.

I think of the rough terrain it took to make up such a scene and then I think of life. I am getting old so I can look back over some high mountains and some rough valleys. In the midst though, there is beauty to see if one looks.

In our chapter today, the children have come to Sinai. It is a wilderness but something special is about to happen. God will come to mount Sinai. The Sinai is a peninsula which means it is surrounded on three sides by water. In this case, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Akabah and the Gulf of Suez. It contains 11,500 square miles.

Mount Siani is also called Mount Horeb. An exact location is not sure but scholars belief it is one of the peaks of Jebel Musa which is gigantic mass of two miles long and one mile broad. There was about 400 acres of standing room in a near valley.

The scene is magnificent.

v16 "And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightenings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. v17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. v18 And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly."

We see a contrast here between the Lord in the cloud and fire that guided the children of Israel and God on the mountain. The people were not to venture into the cloud that covered the mountain to gaze . It is difficult to put in a few words here but God cannot look upon sin and man is a sinful being since the fall in the garden of Eden. There is a plan in place to redeem them but Christ has not yet died. We approach God the Father through Jesus Christ the son because Christ stands in our place. God does not see our sin because he looks at us through the shed blood of Christ which wipes away the sin.

In Mount Sinai we hear the thunder and lightening and the trunpet. The smoke ascends. By contrast look in another place in a garden when Christ is risen.

John 20:14-18 "And when she had thus said, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith nto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away. Jesus saith nto her Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him. Rabboni which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God."

Jesus had to bridge the gap left by sin. God has certain characters that can not be altered. Jesus as God and man could pay the price of sin and fill the gap and so make our approach to the Father like that of Mary in the garden instead of like the approach at Mount Sinai where only Moses and Aaron were allowed to go up the mountain.

Imagine a court of law where the judge is honest and upright. He has a law he cannot deviate from. A guilty party is before him and sentence must be passed. It would be dishonest to not pass the just penalty for the crime and the judge cannot be dishonest. Someone steps forward and says he has paid the penalty for the crime. It gives the judge an out. The penalty required by law is paid and so he can set the prisoner free.

And so in this chapter God sends Moses down to warn the people to stay where they are and not approach the mountain. The plan is in play but not in place yet. Israel carries the promise but it will be generations before the promise is fulfilled in the New Testament so a specific protocol must be followed until then.

A person before the Father without Christ stands there sinful by nature. A person who has accepted Christ as redeemer stands before the Father with Christ as the sacrifice for their sin.

Psalm 53:1 "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good."

Footnote

Moses' life was divided into three 40 year segments. The book of Exodus is 40 chapters long.

If you had started with me in Genesis, we would have covered one and almost a half books of the Bible since August. Who knows? We may get through all 66 books. It takes only a few minutes to read a chapter. Join in.

Exodus 18 "Hard Cases"

Exodus 18:5 "And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons (Gershom and Eliezer) and his wife (Zipporah) unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:"

As one who has had to be away from his family, I can tell you it was difficult for Moses to do his duty with his family far away. He has dealt with Pharaoh and the murmurring of Israel for some time now, so seeing his family must have been a joyous time for him. The next day after the reunion, Moses was sitting and judging the people. He was holding court.

Exodus 18:12 "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening."

Moses had a big job with so many people. I expect with that many people there were always disputes over who owned which cow or there was a fight or someone lusted after another's wife. It would have been a variety of issues to settle. When they left Egypt there were six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children (Exodus 12:37). There is no mention that anyone else was helping Moses in this task and Jethro did wisely to counsel Moses on it.

v18 "Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou are not able to perform it thyself alone."

Jethro went on to tell Moses that he should appoint able men of truth to judge thousands and hundreds and fifties and rulers of tens v21. It was much like a military unit is set up.

v26 "And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard cases they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves."

And so a system was set up to rule and judge the concerns of the people.

Psalm 33:11 "The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations."

Exodus 17 "Rock" "Battle"

Exodus 17:6 "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel."

The Israelites have murmured and now they chide Moses with the question Is the Lord among us, or not? . They have come to a place where there was no visible sign of water and they feared that they would die of thrist along with their cattle. Naturally, they attacked their leader wondering if he had brought them out of Egypt to kill them.

God instructed Moses to take the elders and go to Horeb where the Lord would stand before him and he was to strike the rock. I believe this to be a reference to the death of Jesus later in the New Testament(Luke 23:33). We know that he was struck down and that he is the rock of our salvation (I Corinthians 10:4). Then at the well he offered the woman the water that she might never thrist again(John 4:5-30).

I Corinthians 10:4 "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

Note that in our passage Moses was told to strike the rock and water came forth. In the next book of the Bible in Numbers 20:8-13 Moses is told to speak to the rock. He is apparently angry at the children of Israel and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as he was told. For this transgression Moses and Aaron were not allowed to enter into Canaan.

Numbers 20:8 "...speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water..." The whole passage tells the story. My point here is that Christ died once for sin (was struck). Once was all that was necessary. There is no need to put him on the cross again.

Romans 6:10 "For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God."

You will notice that there are many depictions of Christ on the cross. I prefer the empty cross because Christ is no longer there. You will notice there are many tombs of people who are dead that people reference. Christ's tomb is empty. We worship a living Savior. The empty cross and the empty tomb are His victory and ours.

At first Moses was told to strike the rock which represents The Lord Jesus. From then on, it was only necessary to speak to him and obey him. Moses was wrong to strike the rock the second time and disobey the command to speak only.

Exodus 17:8 "Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim."

Joshua now comes into the picture as the leader of the fighting men of Israel. The balance of the chapter deals with Israel's fight with Amalek. Moses stood on the top of the hill to watch the battle. He was accompanied by Aaron and Hur. Moses held up his hands and when he did so, Israel prevailed. When Moses' arms became tired and he let them down, Israel began to loose the battle. Aaron and Hur held up Moses' arms and Israel prevailed in the fight.

It is good to note that even a great man like Moses needed someone to hold up his arms. Everyone needs help at times.

We have seen Israel go from a family to a nation on the move. Now they have been tested in battle. It is a training ground for later when they go into Canaan.

Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God."

Exodus 16 "Manna"

Exodus 16:15 "And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat."

Manna means 'what is this?'

Psalm 78:24-31 "And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels food: he sent them meat to the full. He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: and He let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel."

It is sad that the miracles are so soon forgotten. Israel murmurs again. It has been a little over a month and they are wishing they had stayed in Egypt. The slavery with all its pain is forgotten and they remember only the flesh pots and bread to the full, as they remember it. Moses reminded them that they murmured against God and not him. God gave them bread from heaven and indeed it is called angels food in Psalm but they apparently were not satisfied with enough. In verse 31 of Psalm 78 we see that some were fat, so there was not a starvation going on. It was lust.

The manna was to be gathered fresh each day except for the sixth day when enough was to be gathered for the seventh. If they tried to gather a supply it ruined. They were commanded to rest on the seventh.

Since they were lusting for meat God sent it by the wind and it fell in their midst but they were judged for their lust.

The children of Israel ate manna for 40 years v35 until they came to Canaan.

Disbelief and complaining was why Israel had to wonder in the wilderness instead of going directly into Canaan.

Psalm 147:6 "The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground."

Exodus 15 "Moses' Song"

Exodus 15:2 "The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him."

Israel has heard through all the years of slavery in Egypt of the miracles rendered to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Now, they have become receiver of the same miracle, that of salvation. We can notice that Israel sang a song which said he is my God as well as the God of their father's. They have personally received the miracle they have heard so much about.

Israel believes the promise as shown in this verse. They have become believers.

Exodus 5:17 "Thou shalt bring them in and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established."

Salvation on this day was much like the salvation experience of a Christian. It brings a different focus within. Israel left Egypt physically but they also left spiritually. They spoke with faith that they would be in a better land and looked toward Canaan. As Christians, we use Canaan as a reference to heaven and New Jerusalem. It is our hope and belief that there is a better place than this war torn world and we long for that day when our faith becomes the reality of a new home.

The people doubted when they came to a water they could not drink but the Lord showed them a tree v25 they could cast into the water to make it sweet. Later they came to Elim where there was 12 wells and 70 palm trees and camped there v27. (For future reference notice 12 wells for 12 tribes and 70 trees for 70 weeks which is important in prophecy.)

A promise is added to the many promises already made by the Lord.

Exodus 15:26 "And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes,

I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee."

Murmur is a word we will see more of. It was a fault of the children of Israel to complain when things got rough. They often seemed to forget the Red Sea and the dry ground they walked on in the midst of the sea but so do we on many occassions.

Psalm 18:46 "The Lord liveth, and blessed by my rock: and let the God of my salvation be exalted."

Exodus 14 "Red Sea Miracle"

Exodus 14:21-22 "And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst the sea upon the dry ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left."

Outline
*v1 God instructeth the Israelites in their journey
*v5 Pharaoh pursueth after them
*v10 The Israelis murmur
*v13 Moses comforteth them
*v15 God instructeth Moses
*V19 The cloud removeth behind the camp
*v21 The Israelites pass through the Red sea
*v23 which drowneth the Egyptians

*outline courtesy Topical Reference Bible

Pharaoh rushed the children of Israel out of Egypt after the plague of the firstborn but got to thinking about it and decided to pursue the Israelites and bring them back. The route they took brought them to the Red Sea. The Lord in the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night led the Israelites out of Egypt. Now, with the Egyptians pursuing them the Israelites became nervous and the Lord moved the cloud between the Israelites and the Egyptians.

Exodus 14:20 "And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all night."

Moses has told the Israelites to v13 Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord... Note the three steps 1)fear not 2) stand still 3) see . We can see the application in Ephesians 6:12-14a "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore...."

We are not told a lot about the spiritual warfare that took place during Israel's escape from Egypt. We, as Israel, saw the physical miracles that took place. Egypt and the Pharaohs worshipped strange gods as shown in history. Satan, even then, must have strove to end the nation Israel before it got out of Egypt. In Ephesians, however, we have the door opened to our minds and hearts and can see that the physical things of this world are often a manifestation of a much broader spiritual struggle. The evil spiritual powers of this world have an interest in how things turn out. We as Christians must remember that we are not of this world and so are the object of evil intent. If Pharaoh could stop Israel, then the promise God made to Abraham would be stopped. That was not going to happen.

Exodus 14:27 "And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea."

v31 "And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses."

Wonderful story and lesson that when things look their worst, often, God does the most amazing things in our lives.

Psalm 28:5 "Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up."

Exodus 13 "Abib"

Exodus 13:4 "This day came ye out in the month Abib."

Exodus 13:3 "And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day..."

We have taken a long journey from when Abraham left Ur and journeyed in the land of Canaan. We have seen the family grow and become a nation now 600,000 men not counting the children. With a strong hand the Lord delivered them from slavery and the hand of Pharaoh.

Now, we embark on another long journey...that of a new nation. Laws are to be established.

The passover and feast of unleavened bread are laid out for the people to follow throughout the generations to come.

Exodus 13:8 "And thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

Also as a reminder of the last plague which finally caused Pharaoh to rush them out of the land. The dedication of the firstborn is established.

Exodus 13:11-12 "And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord's."

It should be noted that those leaving Egypt were all born there. They have been slaves and so have not traveled much if at all. They must be shown the way out of Egypt. We notice in v17 that God did not lead them through the land of Philistines because he said they might change their mind and return to Egypt when they faced war. So he took them to Succoth by way of the wilderness and the Red Sea. v17 Moses took the bones of Joseph with them.

Succoth is where Jacob (Israel) went when he fled from Esau back in our earlier studies.

It is wonderful to note, as the chapter closes, that the Lord journeyed with them.

Exodus 13:21-22 "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud day, nor the pilar of fire by night, from before the people."

Psalm 33:20 "Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield."

Exodus 12 "Leaven and Unleavened"

Exodus 12:18 "In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even."

Leaven: a substance (as yeast) used to produce fermentation (as in dough) something that modifies or lightens. Websters dictionary.

Leaven is sour dough used to raise the new dough with which it is mixed. The Jews were forbidden to use leaven or have it in their houses during the seven days of the Passover. For this reason this festival was sometimes called the "feast of unleavened bread." The word leaven is often used figuratively. According to Comprehensive Bible Helps.

Leaven had always been a mystery to me until I tried my hand at making some homemade bread. Using yeast properly and letting the dough set for a correct period of time will make a nice fluffy loaf. Using no leaven will turn out a flat bread which may be sort of like the old western hardtack or maybe the flapjacks.

I am still struggling with leaven as it is used figuratively and spiritually and have been thinking about it for several days. CI Scofield points out that it was the blood on the doorpost that saved the Israelites since they did not have time to eat the unleavened bread but took it with them when they left. v39

Thinking about leaven and unleavened, I thought of the way people try to take faith in Christ and mix it up with some other belief or thing and depend on the mixture for redemption. It seems obvious to me that we must put complete faith in Christ without any additives, i.e. Christ is the bread of life. Mt 26: 26-28. The word repentance is a turning away, so in turning to Christ one turns lose of past beliefs and trust in Christ fully without hanging onto the past.

In a Christians role as the light of the world we become the leaven that affects the world for faith in Christ as in Matthew 13:33 "Another parable spake he unto them: The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."

I read once about Aristole, I think it was, who professed faith in one God but on his death bed he had his servants to strangle a chicken just in case. That is adding leaven to his faith and I expect the whole lump was useless. He did not trust in God fully and God will not share his kingdom.

Faith will grow within us with proper nurturing and make us a better person. Sin, on the other hand, will also grow given room and destroy us.

I believe that the ordinance of the passover was the first law given to the Israelites. I think they already understood that they were to have no other gods than the true God Jehovah which was later engraved in the tablets.

Exodus 12:49 "One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you." v51 "And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies."

He said he would and He did.

Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

Exodus 12 "The Lamb and Christ"

Exodus 12: 13 "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood I will pass over you..."

A token according to webster is a small part representing the whole. An outward sign.

He goes on with other words which we could follow through on to find perhaps a deeper meaning of the word.

We have, however, reached an unavoidable truth. The blood of the passover and the passover lamb is a token of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. You will notice the blood on the sidepost representing his hands. Also the blood on the upper post representing the blood caused by the crown of thorns. I can visualize some dropping to the ground representing his feet as they were pierced. Christ was the lamb without blemish.

Israel is God's chosen people and hold a high position in his plan's. As I've said, they were the mother nation carrying the child Jesus Christ until the time was right for him to be delivered as a sacrifice for the world. Since the garden, however, humanity has had a blood disease of sorts. Humanity has a sin nature. Israel had that disease and as we will find out were prone to sin by nature. So, the blood was applied as a token of a sacrifice for their sins. Had the blood not been applied, the firstborn of their households would have been caught in the judgment which covered the entire land of Egypt.

The writer of Hebrews goes into great detail explaining how the blood of animals could not do away with sin but were a token of what was to come. The lamb of God was to complete the task that the blood of animals could only represent. Hebrews 9:13 "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Remember the story of Abraham when he went up to offer Isaac on the altar? Abraham said by faith that God would provide himself a sacrifice. Genesis 22:8 "And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together." Then in verse 13 " And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns..." God did provide HIMSELF a lamb.

So, this blood which delivered the firstborn of the children of Israel is a token of the blood that is shed for the whole world.

Psalm 3:5 "I laid me down and slept; i awaked; for the Lord sustained me."

Exodus 12 "Firstborn"

Exodus 12:29-30 "And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead."

We should remember at this point the situation. Moses has returned from the desert to tell the Pharaoh of Egypt to let about v37 v38 about six hundred thousand that were men beside children go out of the land. To begin with it must have seemed humerous to Pharaoh that one such as Moses would demand of him such a thing. Pharaoh did not recognize the God of the Hebrew and so at the beginning he must have thought he was only dealing with just a man of low position. Over time and through plagues the king came to realize that more than just a mere man was at work but still he hardened his neck against God.

Now, on this day, the thing God said would happen is happening. Pharaoh and Egypt have paid a great price for forgetting that over 400 years before, it was Joseph's wisdom (given by God) that had saved Egypt from destruction. Pharaoh attempted to do what many people of our day try to do. He tried to ignore God and his commands. It turned out to be a dangerous path to take. God has many attributes including love, grace and compassion. He is also the God of all that exist. Ignoring Him does not make Him go away or stop his plan.

Proverbs 28:14 "Happy is the man that feareth always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief."

Exodus 12 "Lamb"

Exodus 12:3 "Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:"

The lamb was to be killed and the blood applied to the doorpost. They were to strike the sidepost and the upper door post of the house. The lamb was special. It was to be taken on the 10th and kept up until the 14th of the first month. It had to be a male, without blemish. There was a special way to eat the lamb on the night of the passover. It was to be roasted with fire and taken with unleavened bread. It could not be eaten raw or sodden. Nothing was to remain until morning and if it did, it was to be burned with fire.

Why apply the blood? v13 "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."

Judgment started with Pharaoh and Egypt in a comparatively smaller way. There were flies, frogs, lice, locust and others. Now, as a final plague, the firstborn are to be slain so that Pharaoh will believe God and let the people go. It has been a steady progression of events with a pause to allow Pharaoh time to let them go but he did not. We are now at 430 years since the great famine and the move of Israel to Egypt.

The Lord gave instructions in the first 20 verses which have carried on in Israel down through the generations. From verse 21 through 28 Moses tells the children of Israel what the Lord said and in v28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they."

Psalm 22:28 "For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations."

Exodus 12 "Outline"

Exodus 12:1-2 "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you."

The child nation Israel is delivered out of the land of Egypt. By blood first, then they break forth from the waters of the Red Sea.

*v1The beginning of the year is changed.
*v3 The passover is instituted.
*v11 The rite of the passover
*v15 Unleavened Bread.
*v29 The firstborn are slain.
*v31 The Israelites are driven out of the land.
*v37 They come to Succoth.
*v43 The ordinance of the passover.

Proverbs 8:30 "Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;"

Outline courtesy of Topical Reference Bible.

Exodus 11 "Firstborn"

Exodus 11:4-7 "And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry thoughout all the land of Egypt such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it anymore. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel."

The chapter begins with the children of Israel borrowing from the Egyptians. God had given them favor so that the Egyptians loaned to them freely. We must remember that the children of Israel have been slaves for 400 years and had to work for free. Now they will receive their payment for their labor.

Next is the pronouncement of the last plague upon Egypt so that they recognize that God is God and so that they let the people go which was God's command. We have seen a progression of plagues in the last chapters. None of the plagues persuaded Pharaoh to honor God and let the people go.

Here we mark the beginning of a primary basis for the worship procedures by Israel of God and much of the traditionalism. The passover is about to begin. However, this is not just important to Israel but of utmost importance to the Christian faith. We will see how the sacrifice of the lamb without spot or blemish saved the firstborn of Israel on the first passover. It is a vivid picture of the sacrifice of the lamb of God on Calvary to provide salvation for all who would accept him.

Hebrews 10:9-10 "Then said he, Lo I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Exodus 10 "Not an Hoof be left Behind"

Pharaoh is trying to bargain with Moses and God. He wants them to leave the cattle behind while they go worship. I guess Pharaoh wants to make sure they come back. If you have been reading, you noticed that Pharaoh has gradually given in to some of the commands but complete deliverance is the only thing that will do.

Exodus 10:1-2 "And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs before him: And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord."

Pharaoh refused and the next plague came upon Egypt. Locust infested the land and all that was left from the hail was devoured by the locust. I can attest to the power of locust, they can strip a tree of its leaves in a very short time. The locust were in Egypt to the point of not being able to see the ground. v5.

Finally in v7 Pharaoh's serants begged him to let the Hebrews go for they said "...knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?"

Then the plague of darkness came upon the land. v22 "...a thick darkness...v23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days..." But israel had light.

As the plagues come to an end with only one terrible plague left Pharaoh told Moses if he saw him again he would die.

Moses reply: v29 "And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more."

Chapter 11 follows and is a summary and a preparation to depart Egypt. Then the final plague.

Speaking of Moses:
Hebrews 11:27 "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible."