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Exodus 1-4
Exodus 5-10
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When Jacob and his family moved to Egypt, they moved into a land called Goshen.  Goshen remained separate from the main Egyptian centers, because Egyptian culture looked down upon shepherds.  As the years passed, Jacob’s family grew into a large nation.

After 400 years had passed, the number of the Israelites became so large that the new Pharaoh felt threatened by them.  The Israelites, once shepherds, were now forced to become builders with slave masters over them.  (Egypt was a modern city known for its buildings and culture.)  As shepherds, they were free to roam.  As slaves, they had no freedom.  But the more Pharaoh tried to discourage the Israelites, the more numerous they became.  They were a people who became stronger during difficult situations.

When Pharaoh saw how the Israelites continued to increase, he ordered that all newborn Israelite boys be thrown into the Nile River.  When the Levite woman (Jochebed) gave birth to a son, she hid him for three months.  But when he became too old to hide any longer, she coated a papyrus basket with tar and placed the child in the basket along the bank of the Nile River.  The baby’s sister (Miriam) stood at a distance to see what would happen.

As Pharaoh’s daughter found the basket with the crying baby boy inside, she felt sorry for him.  Miriam approached Pharaoh’s daughter and asked, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”  The baby was returned to his mother (unbeknownst to Pharaoh’s daughter) to be nursed.   As the child grew older, he was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter and named Moses, meaning “I drew him out of the water”.  Moses in Hebrew means “drawn forth”.  He was drawn forth from the water, but years later he drew forth the people of Israel through the waters of the sea.

Moses had the opportunity to grow up in the house of Pharaoh.  He lived in Egypt for 40 years and learned the ways of the Egyptian people.  He learned leadership skills; he was well trained in the ways of the Egyptian military.  He was educated by the finest scholars in the world and understood the Egyptian lifestyle.

But he was a Hebrew nonetheless.   After Moses had grown up, he witnessed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, one of his own people.  Moses killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.  As his act became known, he had to flee to save his own life.  He fled to a placed called Midian.  In Midian, Moses learned the life of a shepherd and nomad, the ways of the people and life in the desert.  Moses spent 40 years in Midian, as God prepared him for the task ahead.

Why did God choose Moses, a Hebrew raised as an Egyptian?  Moses had empathy for the oppressed.  He was furious when an Egyptian beat a Hebrew, he was angered when a Hebrew struck another and he was quick to drive away troublemakers from Jethro’s daughters. 

When Moses arrived in Midian, he met a man named Jethro, and married his daughter, Zipporah.  They had a son named Gershom.

In Exodus 2:23-25, “During that long period, the king of Egypt died.  The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.  God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.  So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.”

The word ‘remembered’ in this scripture bothered me.  Did God forget about the Hebrews while they were in slavery and then all of a sudden just remember them?  God had not forgotten about the Israelites, nor had He left them.  Perhaps the Israelites had forgotten about God and did not cry out to Him for help.  When they did cry out to God, he heard them and ‘remembered’ them, and set a plan in place to rescue them.  Sometimes we forget to call on God for help, and since we have free choice, He will not step in and help us unless we ask.  How often I forget to ask God for help in situations.  But when I do ‘remember’ to ask for help, He is there to provide answers and assistance.  He knows our needs before we do, and wants to help us if only we will ‘remember’ to call on Him.

In Midian, Moses tended sheep and learned the life of a shepherd.  Imagine the humbling experience this was for him.  In Egypt, he had been treated as the son of a king – In Midian, he was treated as an unknown shepherd.  He led the life that he was taught to despise as a child raised by Egyptians.  But God was teaching Moses during this period – teaching him how to lead sheep through the wilderness.  Moses learned skills and lessons that would later be used to lead the Hebrews out of slavery.

When Moses led the sheep to Mt. Horeb, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush, but the bush did not burn up.  God called to Moses, “Take off your sandals, the place where you are standing is holy ground.  I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.”  This was Moses’ first encounter with God, though it would not be his last!

God told Moses, “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”   Don’t miss Moses’ sense of inadequacy.  Do you think he carried his objections too far?  Review these verses: 
Exodus 3:11 “Who am I that I should go?”
Exodus 4:1 “What if they do not believe me?”
Exodus 4:10 “But Lord, I am slow of speech and tongue”
Exodus 4:13 “O Lord, please send someone else to do it!”
Exodus 4:14 God answered by sending Moses’ brother, Aaron, to speak for him.

This really hit home to me.  Often, as I sense God guiding me, I will question His guidance and my own abilities … far too often I do this.

In January 2001, a friend asked me to lead her and a group of friends in an in-home Bible study.  I felt it was God’s call on my life, but I didn’t want to say yes.  After all, I had never led a Bible study before.  What if someone asked me something and I didn’t know the answer?  What if everyone came to realize how little I really knew of the Bible and God’s teaching?  As I shared these fears with a dear friend, she told me, “Mary, this isn’t your Bible study – it belongs to God.  If God is asking you to lead these women, then you must say yes, and step outside your comfort zone and do it.  He will provide.”  I thank her to this day for setting me straight.  I felt like Moses.  I had a lot of excuses for not saying ‘yes’,  but no valid reasons!  So I said yes, and allowed God to work through me during the Bible study.  It turned out to be one of my greatest blessings of 2001.

In Chapter 4:21, God said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform all the wonders I have given you the power to do.  But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will not let the people go.”

God did not change Pharaoh’s natural tendencies nor did God force Pharaoh to act against his will – It was God’s act of self-revelation that hardened Pharaoh’s heart.  Pharaoh saw proof of a living God but refused to believe – that is what caused Pharaoh’s heart to harden.  When we see evidence of God in our lives or around us, we either choose to believe or disbelieve.  Disbelief hardens our hearts against God.

Moses spent 40 years in Midian, learning the life of a shepherd.  When the time came for Moses to go to Egypt, he put his wife and sons on donkeys and headed out.  In verses 24-26, we read where the Lord was about to kill Moses because his son had not been circumcised.  What was the big deal?   Remember that circumcision was the sign of a covenant.  Failure to circumcise was to remove yourself and your family from God’s blessing.  Circumcision was the physical mark of participation in the covenant that God made with Abraham and his descendants.  One who did not consider this relationship with God important enough to practice circumcision “will be cut off from his people, for he has broken my covenant.”  Genesis 17:9.

Since Moses was headed to Egypt to deliver the Hebrews from slavery, he needed to know and abide by Hebrew law and covenant.  Since Moses was raised as an Egyptian child, perhaps he was unaware of the importance of circumcising a child.  But God required that Moses and his family follow His commands completely.  Moses would become the leader of the Hebrew people.  His obedience to God was required.

As Christians, we are often seen as role models and our lives are examples to others.  We need to be constantly aware of how others see us, and live in accordance with God’s word.  We need to let others see Jesus in us.  We need to let our lights shine for Him.  Obedience to God is necessary in our Christian walk.
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After Moses’ first attempt to talk with Pharaoh, the Israelites were driven harder and harder by the Egyptian slavemasters.  Moses asked the Lord, “Why have you brought trouble upon this people?  Is this why you sent me?”  I respect the honesty in which Moses talked with the Lord.  He didn’t have hidden agendas nor did he hide his feelings – everything was spoken in honesty. 

When we are obedient to God, and when God is at work, we must know that suffering and hardship may occur.  But these problems can develop our character and patience, thus teaching us to trust in God as we communicate our true feelings and frustrations to Him.  In the midst of trouble or setbacks, if we look, we will be able to see God at work.  Never give up on God’s plan for you.  If you are obedient to His call, He will never abandon you and He will work all things to turn out for good.  We can learn this lesson from the life of Moses.

Around the end of Chapter 5, I started thinking, “Moses, if I were you, I would turn around and run back to Midian.  It appears that you are only causing more problems for the Israelites.”  But Moses remained faithful to God’s plan.  I guess I’m not a ‘Moses’; I’d sure like to be, though.

In Chapter 6, we see Moses doubting himself and doubting God’s plan.  In verse 12, Moses asked the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?”  In verse 30, Moses asked the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”

Let’s recap.  Moses wrote the book of Exodus.  He is clear in his writings that he did not want to be “the one” chosen to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.  He believed it was a good cause and a job someone needed to do, but he was doubtful that he was the man for the job.  Now, here he is in Egypt – he appeared before Pharaoh and was rejected.  He’s looking for excuses to turn and run from this assignment.  I feel that way sometimes too.  Sometimes the things God asks of me are so far outside of my comfort zone that I get nauseous.  How about you?  Does God ever push you to your comfort limits?  We can learn a lot from Moses about faithfulness to God and how to say yes, even to those assignments that make us nervous and nauseous.

As God prepared Moses to approach Pharaoh for the second time, he warned Moses of the rejection he would face by Pharaoh.  The Lord told Moses, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart … he will not listen to you.”  Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded.  They experienced rejection over and over again, Yet they were prepared for the rejection.  Here's a summary: 
1. Aaron’s staff became a snake.  (Pharaoh said “No”.)
2. Plague #1 – Water was turned to blood.   (The magicians were able to turn water to blood.  Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.  A heart can be hardened by not believing God’s signs and words.  When we close our hearts to the reality of God, our hearts harden toward God.)
3. Plague #2 – Frogs upon the land
(The magicians were able to also make frogs appear.  Pharaoh told Moses, “If you make the frogs go away, I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord”.  Moses prayed and asked God to let the frogs die, and the Lord did as Moses asked. “But Pharaoh saw that there was relief, and he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses & Aaron.”
4. Plague #3 – Gnats upon the land
(The magicians were not able to duplicate this, and said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”  But Pharaoh would not listen.)
5. Plague #4 – Flies upon the land
(Pharaoh promised to let the Israelites go if the flies disappeared.  Moses prayed to the Lord that the flies would disappear and the Lord did as Moses asked, but Pharaoh again changed his mind.)
In Exodus 8:22, please notice that the Lord said to Moses, “But on that day when the land is full of flies, I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live; no swarm of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land.  I will make a distinction between my people and the Egyptians."

The Lord still guards and keeps us today.  He provides comfort and strength when we ask.  He will keep us close to Him.

6. Plague #5 – All of the Egyptian livestock died (horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, goats.)  The livestock belonging to the Israelites remained healthy.  Pharaoh still would not believe and refused to let the Israelites go.
7. Plague #6 – “Let my people go” or boils will break out on everyone in Egypt.  Pharaoh refused to listen. 
8. Plague #7 – The Lord gave this message to Pharaoh, “By now, I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth.  But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”  And God warned that the next day, the land would experience a hail storm.  The only place it did not hail was in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived.  Pharaoh said, “I have sinned.  I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.”  Then, as soon as the hail stopped, he changed his mind. 
9. Plague #8 – Locusts covered Egypt and ate everything left after the hail, but still Pharaoh refused to listen.
10. Plague #9 – Total darkness covered Egypt for three days and no one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days.  Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

Exodus 10:27, Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight.  Make sure you do not appear before me again!  The day you see my face you will die.”  “Just as you say”, Moses replied.  “I will never appear before you again.”

Why would Pharaoh not let the people go?  The Israelites were slaves – free labor – and built the great cities for Egypt.  Also, Pharaoh couldn’t believe there was someone greater than he was.  Pharaoh was angry and frustrated and determined to battle God to the very end.  But the Lord showed His grace through all of these plagues – He could have destroyed the Egyptians at any time, but did not. 

Don’t let your heart become hardened to God – don’t become a “Pharaoh”.  When you see a beautiful sunset, say a prayer of thanks to God for making it.  When you receive blessings in your life, give credit to the One that makes all things possible. 

Don’t despair.  God will deliver the Israelites from slavery.  He has never broken a promise, and He always proves faithful to His children.  Always.  I wish I were a speck as faithful to God as He is to me.  At this point in our reading, Moses had appeared to Pharaoh nine times, each time with the same message, “Let my people go, says the Lord.”  And each time, Pharaoh refused.   Did Moses want to turn and run home?  Probably, but he didn’t.  He did as God asked of Him.  How about you?  What is God asking you to do for Him?  Will you be faithful, or will you turn and run?  That’s a question I ask of myself daily.  I commit to run toward God rather than away.  How about you?
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Exodus is a book of history that describes much about the Jewish faith.  In our reading this week, we learned about the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and the meaning of Passover.

The Israelites had been in Egypt for 430 years.  In Genesis 46, seventy Israelites came to Egypt with Jacob and settled in the land of Goshen.  At the end of 430 years, to the very day, the Lord’s children left Egypt.  They had grown from seventy in number to around two million. 

The last plague is the saddest.  If only Pharaoh would have listened and let the Israelites go, Egypt could have been spared from this sadness.   “This is what the Lord says; About midnight I will go throughout Egypt.  Every firstborn son in Egypt will die…There will be a loud wailing throughout Egypt…But the Israelites will be protected and you will know the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.  Then you will let my people go”.  (paraphrased)

Moses then prepared the Israelites for departure from Egypt.  He  knew the time had come, so he began to prepare their hearts to have trust and faith in God. 

The first order of business was for each household to select and kill a lamb.  The lamb had to be without defect.  The blood from the lamb was to be put on the sides and top of the doorframes of each house.

On the night of the final plague, the Lord was to pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn – both men and animals.  The blood on the doorframes would be a sign to the Lord that the Israelites lived there, and when he saw the blood, he would “pass over” those houses. 

The Jewish community still observes Passover today as a reminder of how the Israelites were freed from slavery, and to honor God’s grace in sparing the Jewish sons the night he struck Egypt’s homes with death.

Why did the Lord require a lamb be sacrificed and the blood spread over the doorframes?  The lamb was symbolic of Jesus.  It was a sacrifice for the person who would have died in the plague.

In the New Testament, we read about Jesus Christ.  (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the gospels that cover the life of Jesus).  In John 1:20, Jesus was called the Lamb of God.  When Jesus died, his blood was shed.  His blood was innocent because he had no sin in His life.  Because He lived a perfect life and sacrificed that life for us, we can have forgiveness of sin.  The lamb was symbolic of Jesus. 

The Israelites were headed to the Promised Land - through the desert.  What excitement mixed with fear they must have experienced.

In Exodus 12:29, we read, “At midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn of Egypt…and there was loud wailing in Egypt.  Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, ‘Up, leave – you and the Israelites!  Go, worship the Lord as you have requested.”  So Moses led close to 2 million people and their livestock out of Egypt.  What a sight that must have been!  And the Lord went ahead of them in “a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.”

Soon after leaving Egypt, Pharaoh changed his mind (again) and sent his army after them.  As Pharaoh and his army approached the Israelites, the angel of God caused a pillar of cloud to stand between the Israelites and Egyptians to provide protection for the Israelites.  The cloud brought darkness to the Egyptians and light to the Israelites.

Moses stretched out his hand over the Red Sea, and the waters were divided (Exodus 14:21).  The Israelites went through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on both sides.  The Lord saved Israel from the Egyptians, who were swallowed up by the waters, and “The people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses his servant.” Exodus 14:31.

There is one verse in these chapters that stands out for me – perhaps because it reminds me of a funny “God” experience.  Exodus 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.”

I’ve got the “be still” part going for me, but the rest is questionable!  One night as I was sound asleep, I woke up – it was 2 a.m.  I thought the Lord was trying to tell me something, but I’m a sleeper, and I said, “Okay Lord, I heard you.  I will write that down in the morning” and I went back to sleep.  I was awakened three more times during this same night with the same message.  Each time I said, “Not now, Lord.  I’m trying to sleep.  I will remember and write it down in the morning!”  But when morning came, I could not remember exactly what the Lord was telling me.  His words were so biblical and poetic.  My paraphrase of what He was saying is “I will fight your battles personally.”  I was pretty upset with myself that I didn’t wake up and write His words down but instead had to settle for my interpretation of His words.

That night as I prepared for bed I prayed, “Lord, if you talk to me tonight, please make me get up and write it down.”  I turned off the light and climbed into bed.  As I placed my hand under the pillow, I felt something and when I pulled it out, it was a pencil.  He will fight my battles for me, and He will give me a pencil as a reminder to write it down.  I laughed and laughed.  I don’t know how that pencil got under my pillow, (probably placed there by my sons) but I sure got the message loud and clear.  I sleep with a pencil and paper beside my bed now!

I titled this lesson “A Pillar or a Pillow” because God can lead us in different ways.  For Moses, it was by a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire.  For me, it was by a pencil being hidden under my pillow -  a message for me to write down the things that He tells me.  Never underestimate what God can do!  When you look for Him, you will find Him.  I have found Him during the last year in dragonflies and pencils, among other things.

Next lesson we will talk about Exodus 15-19.  Look for words from God spoken to Moses or the Israelites that “shout out” to you.  Sometimes God will use the lives of Biblical people to lead us or to show us something.  In your journal, write down anything you feel He is trying to tell you as you read – be still and let Him speak to you.  And for goodness sake, write it down.
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As they reached shore, they began to sing praises to the Lord.  Exodus 15 is the first recorded song in the Bible; some say it is the oldest recorded song in the world!  A time of celebration had begun.  Miriam and all the women took their tambourines and danced, singing praises to the Lord.  Have you ever been so full of praise for the Lord that you danced in His presence?  I can just envision the dance with tambourines and singing – colorful, waving tambourines and arms toward heaven, broad smiles of joy.

After three days of journeying in the desert, the Israelites complained that they didn’t have water, so God provided water.  After a while, they complained that they were out of food and the Lord provided food – but with instructions on how it was to be collected and eaten.  The Israelites could only take a days supply of manna (food) at a time.  But on the sixth day, they were to take enough manna for two days, so that the Sabbath day would be a day of rest.

Why did the Lord give instructions when he gave the food?  He wanted to test the Israelites to see if they could follow His instructions.  Their time in the desert was a time of training and building character and faith.  The Israelites had been slaves for many years and were suddenly given their freedom.  With freedom came the opportunity to make choices and decisions.  The Lord knew they were not prepared to do this, so in the desert He began to teach them, develop them, and train them to trust in Him and to work and live as a community with each other.

In Chapter 17, we were introduced to a young man named Joshua.  (Later he became the leader who replaced Moses.)  While in the area of Rephidim, the Israelites were attacked by the Amalekites (descendants of Esau).  Joshua led the Israelite army in the battle.  Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill to watch.  As long as Moses hands were held up, the Israelites were winning, but when Moses lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  Aaron and Hur stood on each side of Moses and held his arms up, and the Israelites won over the Amalekites.   Moses’ raised hands symbolized their dependence on God.

Can you picture the 80-year-old Moses sitting on a hill with two men by his side holding his arms up?  Moses' arms were lifted toward heaven, and the Israelites won the battle.  The Lord never promised the Israelites that their journey to the promised land would be easy – they had a lot of lessons to learn along the way … how to worship and serve the Lord, life-training and development skills, character building, preparation for things to come once they came into the promised land.

I liken their journey with our journey here.  The Israelites were captive to the Egyptians.  We are captive to sin.  The Israelites were free because of the love of God.  He heard their crying and was concerned.  He sent Moses to free them.  The Lord heard our cry because of our burden of sin and sent Jesus to pay our price – to free us from sin.  As the Israelites journeyed to the Promised Land, they faced hardship, sickness, life-lessons, battles, hunger - God provided for all of their needs.  As we journey to our Promised Land to be in heaven with the Lord we also face hardships, sickness, financial woes, job security, death, family problems, emptiness of heart-but the Lord will meet all of our needs too.  We are not left in a barren desert to find our way alone.  We have the Lord to lead the way.  The Israelites had the Lord to lead the way – through a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night – and the Lord spoke to them through Moses.  The Lord speaks to us through prayer, the Bible, friends and spending time with Him. 
Hardships will come, but we need to keep our focus on the Lord.  He will provide.  We need to keep our arms and eyes lifted toward heaven.

As Moses' father-in-law, Jethro came to the desert to meet Moses, he brought the wife and sons of Moses with him.  Moses shared with Jethro all that the Lord had done in freeing the Israelites from Egypt, and Jethro believed.   Sharing your faith with relatives is sometimes the hardest thing to do.  We should go by Moses’ example though, and look for opportunities to tell them what God is doing in our lives.  We can have an important influence on them.

Jethro not only brought Moses’ wife and sons to him, but he also brought a lifetime of wisdom to help Moses in his leadership role.  Moses was trying to act as judge over all of the disputes and agreements taking place between the two million people he had led from Egypt.  Jethro helped Moses set up a system of Judges among the people so that the disputes could be handled fairly, promptly, and so that other leaders could be trained.  Thus Moses did not have to bear the burden of hearing all of the cases that needed to be handled.  The Judges had to be capable, fear God, and be trustworthy.  This was the first semblance of government among the Israelites.  (The Judges ruled over the Israelites for 325 years before the first king was ever put in place.)

This week, as you journey through your desert, keep a journal of the times you feel the Lord speak to your heart.  Open your eyes and ears to His voice and start listening to Him.  Write down what you feel He is saying to you.  Only through experience will you learn to recognize the voice of God.  And for me, writing things down helps me to remember! 
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Have you ever watched an eagle soar through the air?  His wings are long, broad and strong with a wingspan of 72-90 inches.  He flies with such ease and grace.  The Lord uses the image of eagles’ wings in the Bible to describe His relationship with us.  He is our deliverer and protector.  He carried the Israelites out of Egypt with ease.  He prepared the way for them and He guided them.  In Isaiah 40:31, The Lord says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Remember in your daily life to trust on the Lord.  When you feel tired or weary from the distractions and difficulties of life, just call Him and He will renew your strength.  He will carry you on eagles’ wings and bring you to Himself.

In Exodus 23:20, the Lord said to Moses, “I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.”  An angel of the Lord was present with Moses and the Israelites as they journeyed through the desert, as they camped at Mount Sinai, and as they learned to live together and to worship the one true God.  The angel of the Lord led the way for Moses and the Israelites. 

Does God provide this same kind of protection and guidance to us today? Psalm 91:11 says, “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways”, and Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” The Lord does send angels to our aid – for our protection, guidance and comfort.  Angels do as the Lord directs them and are not to be worshipped; they are God’s messengers and under God’s authority. 

Exodus 19:5, the Lord said, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.  Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  I used to be confused about why the Lord called the Israelites His chosen people.  Then I came to realize that God wanted a special nation on earth that He could teach His ways, His words and His truth.  This special nation would be the nation chosen to bring Jesus Christ, the Messiah – God’s own Son - into the world.  God chose one nation, one people, to love Him, so that it would one day take the message of Jesus Christ to the entire world.  Though the Hebrew (Israelite) community did not accept Jesus as the Son of God, it was a Hebrew that was the first missionary (Paul) to take the message of Jesus Christ to the rest of the world. 

Our reading this week is about laws and rules that God gave to the Israelites.   The Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for over 400 years and had been exposed to the worship of idols and many gods.  Their slave masters had treated them unfairly.  In the wilderness, God had their undivided attention and began teaching them how to come together as one nation and how to worship Him.  In Egypt, many gods were worshipped for many things – a god of fertility, a god of wealth, a god of rain – there was a god for everything.  In the wilderness, God had to teach the Israelites that HE IS GOD.  At least six times in our reading this week, the Israelites were told not to bow down to other gods.
Exodus 20:3  “You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:23 “Do not make any gods to be alongside me.”
Exodus 20:23 “Do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.”
Exodus 22:20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.”
Exodus 23:13 “Do not invoke the names of other gods.”
Exodus 23:24 “Do not bow down before their gods or worship them.”

These laws from God are still applicable to us today.  We are not to place anything in a position of more importance in our lives that our Lord.  If we do, then that is our god, and that is sin.

On Mount Sinai, the Lord gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17).   This was the first set of laws and rules that the people were to be given.
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony.
10. You shall not covet.

In Chapters 21-23, God gives rules for the Israelites to follow regarding the treatment of others.  The saying, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” comes from Exodus 21:24.  Contrary to present day belief, this rule was to make the punishment fit the crime, not to justify revenge.

God’s promises to His people are all through these verses.  Find comfort in your reading, and keep in mind – these people did not know anything about worship or living together as a community.  Some of the things we read may seem harsh, but God was teaching the Israelites to trust in Him, and Him alone.
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“Then God said to Moses, ‘Come up to the Lord … Moses alone is to approach the Lord.’  When Moses went upon the mountain the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai … Then Moses entered the cloud … And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.”  Exodus 24:1,2,16,18

These verses remind me of a beautiful song written and performed by Third Day.  When you read the words to this song, imagine that you are Moses on top of the mountain with the Lord.

Moses was in the presence of God.  Moses – on the mountain with the God of Glory – talking with Him, communing with Him, basking in the presence of Almighty God.   I have faith in God-I have not physically seen him-yet I know He exists.  I want to see what Moses saw.  In Deuteronomy 34:10, at the death of Moses, the Bible says, “no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.”  What a blessing in the life of Moses, to be able to know God 'face to face' and live to tell about it.  What is your hearts' desire as it relates to God?

During the forty days and nights that Moses was on Mount Sinai with the Lord, he was given laws for the Israelites to live by as well as instructions on how to build the tabernacle, detail by detail.  Last week we reviewed the Ten Commandments.  Listed below is a brief summary of the pieces that Moses was instructed to build: (If you will double-click on the pieces listed below, you can view a picture of what they probably looked like.)

TABERNACLE
A dwelling place, used as a Holy Place to worship God.  It was made of leather and goat hair and was moveable.

ARK OF THE COVENANT
Between two golden cherubim (angels), the presence of God would dwell in a cloud above their outstretched wings.  It contained the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod that budded (Number 17:8), and the golden pot of hidden manna (Exodus 16:33).The atonement cover was where the highest and most perfect act of atonement would be made when the High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement to atone for the sins of all people (Exodus 30:10). The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), was the time when the children of Israel came together to be reconciled to God (Leviticus chapter 16). Two goats were selected by lottery, one for sacrifice and the other to be sent out into the wilderness. The blood of the sacrificed goat would be taken into the Holy of Holies by the High Priest, as required by God to forgive the sins of the children of Israel, for "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). Then the High Priest would lay his hands on the head of the other goat and confess all the sins of the children of Israel before it was sent out into the wilderness, signifying that God would forget all the sins thus confessed. Here is the origin of the 'scapegoat'. 
(Reference:  www.domini.org/tabern/goatcovr.htm#Atonement.)

CURTAIN
The curtain separated the two sacred rooms in the tabernacle – the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.  The Priest went into the Holy Place to commune with God.  The Most Holy Place was where God himself dwelt.  Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place, once each year, on the Day of Atonement.   (When Jesus died, this curtain tore from top to bottom symbolizing our free access to God.  No longer did people have to approach God through priests and sacrifices.)

TABLE
The Bread of the Presence was to be placed on this table, before God, at all times.  The Bread of the Presence was twelve loaves of baked bread, one for each tribe of Jacob, which symbolized the spiritual nourishment God offered his people.

PRIESTLY GARMENTS
Aaron was Israel’s first High Priest.  Aaron and his sons served as priests.  They were to wear sacred garments to give them dignity and armor.  Aaron was a descendant of Levi, one of the twelve sons born to Jacob.  Priests could only be members of the tribe of Levi (Levites).

BREASTPLATE
Fashioned for making decisions.  An Urim and Thummin were placed in the breastpiece so Aaron would always have a way to make decisions for the Israelites (like dice). The Urim meant curses and the Thummin meant perfection
(Reference: Zonderman Life Application Study Bible).

Whenever Aaron entered the Holy Place, he would bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece as a continuing memorial before the Lord.

EPHOD
An apron-like garment.  Aaron was to bear the names of the twelve tribes on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord.  The priest symbolically carried the burden of the entire nation on his shoulders as he represented them before God.  The twelve tribes were the descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel).

ROBE
The sound of the bells on the bottom of the robe would be heard when Aaron entered the Holy Place before the Lord and when he left the Holy Place.

TURBAN
Aaron would bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrated.

“When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony (The 10 Commandments), the tablet of stone inscribed by the finger of God.”  Exodus 31:18. And the the Lord sent Moses down the mountain to lead the Israelites.
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What a wrenching account of the Israelites and of Aaron.  Moses was on the mountain with God for what the people considered too long, so they decided to give God a face and a shape so that they could see the god they were worshipping.  It is understandable that they would want to physically see the God of Moses – people for centuries have wanted to see Him.  However, it is detestable that forty days after choosing to follow God, they turned their backs on Him by creating an idol, making sacrifices to it and celebrating its existence.  Is your spiritual foundation strong enough to withstand forty days of silence from God?

There have been many times in my life when I have had to “wait” on the Lord.  He was silent and I felt His presence was somewhere on a mountain far away while I was stuck in a valley.  Several times in my life, I have grown tired of waiting on the Lord – just as the Israelites did – and I took matters into my own hands.  Those times turned out to be times of extreme self-centeredness and are definitely not the highlights of my life.  I am finally learning, at the age of 42, that waiting on the Lord – even when He is silent – can be a time of renewal and blessing.  There are two Bible verses that encourage me during these times of waiting.  Lamentations 3:24-26  “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”  The other ‘waiting’ verse is Isaiah 40:31, “But those who hope (wait) in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  God uses times of waiting to refresh, renew and teach us.  During these waiting times we need to try and see what God may be trying to teach us. 

While Moses was literally on the mountain with God, the Israelites were literally waiting at the bottom of the mountain.  From the day they left Egypt, Moses was their leader.  The Israelites without a leader would be a disaster because of their newness in walking with God.  While Moses was with God, Aaron was left ‘in-charge’.   Aaron should have taken advantage of this time to learn how to wait on the Lord, to enforce the laws already given to the Israelites, and to renew his strength for the days to come.  Rather, he crumbled under the pressure and desires of the Israelite people. 

Aaron made the golden calf for the Israelites to worship, and he declared the following day a festival of celebration.  How could Aaron be such a weak leader?  Was he merely a spokesman for Moses, or did he actually listen to what God was saying?  To be a leader of people requires that a person respect God and have integrity, wisdom, respect of men, and trustworthiness.   (Exodus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 1:15).   What kind of leader are you - at home, work or school?  Do you always stand up for what is right or are you like the Aaron of Exodus 32 that crumbled at the request of the followers?  Would people describe you as a person of integrity?  Would you describe yourself that way?  (Integrity means sticking firm to moral values; doing the right thing even when no one is around to see what you are doing.)

When Moses came down the mountain, he “saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies.”  Exodus 32:25. 

Webster’s Dictionary: Laughingstock – an object of ridicule.  Ridicule – to make fun of; to mock.    Mary’s Dictionary: Mockery as it relates to Exodus 32:  Claiming to worship the one true God yet making a golden calf to bow down and worship.  The Israelites were a laughingstock to their enemies.  Were they also guilty of making a mockery of God?  Their God – the God of Abraham – had brought them through the Red Sea on dry ground; their God had orchestrated their escape from Egypt and provided for all of their needs in the desert.  Their God lead them through the desert by a cloud during the day and fire by night.  Yet they wanted a golden image that they could see and worship.  I would call that a mockery; and now I am compelled to list a couple of the Ten Commandments that the Israelites were given approximately forty days earlier:
   "You shall have no other gods before me." (that includes a golden calf)
   "You shall not make for yourself an idol."  (not even a golden calf)
Talk about a “stiff-necked” people!  I believe that term, which means stubborn, adequately describes the characteristics of the Israelites in Exodus 32. 

Ask yourself this question.  Am I a laughingstock to non-Christians?  Would they look at my life, morals and values and laugh because I proclaim to love God yet live the same way they do?  How can I avoid being a mockery to God?   “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  Deuteronomy 6:5. 

Exodus 32 is full of so many lessons.  Please take a few minutes to read the chapter again so that you have a full understanding of the sin of the people, the righteous anger of Moses, and the mercy the Lord showed the people in forgiving their sin. 
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In Exodus 33, we receive the Lord’s reply to Moses,  "Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey (Canaan).  But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked (stubborn) people and I might destroy you on the way."

Moses met God ‘face to face’ in the Tent of the Meeting and pleaded with God not to leave them alone in the wilderness.  “Lord, if you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.  If your presence does not go with us, do not send us from here.”  The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest… I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and know you by name.”

Why did the Lord say He would not accompany the Israelites to the Promised Land?  Because of their continued sin and lack of faith in the one true God.  Why did He decide to accompany them after Moses made the request?  God’s characteristics are consistent.  He is a just God, so sin will be punished.  (“When the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”  Exodus 32:34).  He is also compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, and forgiving.  (Exodus 33:6).  Because of Moses’ faithfulness to God, our Lord would not leave Moses alone in the desert to lead the Israelites.  "Lord, thank you for your faithfulness to each of us – you have told us that you will never leave us nor forsake us.  Thank you for your words and for your never-changing character.  Teach us too, O Lord, to walk in your ways."

Moses then prayed to the Lord, “Now show me your glory.”  He wanted assurance that God’s presence would indeed go with them to the land flowing with milk and honey – the Promised Land.  And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence … There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.  When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.”  Moses saw God’s glory – bright and radiant – with his own eyes. 

Have you heard the song, He Hideth My Soul, which was written from Exodus 33:22?

 He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
 That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
 He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
 And covers me there with his hand,
 And covers me there with his hand.
Words by Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
Music by William J. Kirkpatrick, 1838-1921

Moses met the Lord again on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments for the second time. He was on the mountain with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights. 
When he came down from the mountain, his face was radiant because he had spoken to the Lord – the Israelites could see the radiance of God on the face of Moses.  Can people see the radiance of God in your life?  Do your words, thoughts and deeds reflect those of the Lord?  Moses spent many hours with God and grew closer to the Lord each day.  We too can reflect the light of Christ from our lives by spending time with Him in Bible Study and in prayer.  As we begin to spend time with Him, we will grow closer and closer to Him, and others will take notice.  A relationship with the Lord is built the same as most relationships are built – by spending time together.  The beauty of our relationship with the Lord is that He is only a breath away – at any time of the day or night.  We can always call on Him – for comfort, for peace, to laugh or to cry.  He is there – always.

In the last chapters of Exodus, the Israelites began to build the tabernacle and the pieces that were to be placed inside the tabernacle.  The tabernacle was moveable so that the Israelites could take it with them as they journeyed across the wilderness.  In Exodus 40:36, we read “In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud of the Lord lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out, but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out until the day it lifted.  So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.” 

The words spoken to Moses in Exodus 33:14 are also words of comfort for each of us:  The Lord says, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Friend, rest in this promise and remember to call upon the name of the Lord.

Mary