Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh the first time (vs. 1-4)—The message was “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness'” (v. 1). Not surprisingly, Pharaoh scoffed at the idea: “Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto his voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go” (v. 2). As God had told Moses, this first request was simply for a three days’ journey into the wilderness to hold a feast (v. 3). Obviously, this was not the ultimate goal, but it demonstrated Pharaoh’s intransigence. And the battle between Jehovah and Pharaoh was on. Remember that, to the Egyptians, Pharaoh was a god, so what we have here is a battle between Jehovah, Israel’s god, and Pharaoh, the god of the most powerful kingdom on earth at the time. It’s a mighty struggle, won, of course, by Jehovah.
Pharaoh adds to the Hebrews’ burden (vs. 5-14)—Pharaoh thought that Moses had made the request because the Israelites didn’t have enough to do. So, “the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, ‘You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, “Let us go and sacrifice to our God”’” (vs. 6-8). Straw or stubble was a necessary ingredient for brick-making in ancient Egypt; we know this from sources other than the Bible. The children of Israel “were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw” (v. 12). They had great difficulty meeting the quota of required bricks; many of the Hebrews were beaten for the failure (v. 14).
The people complain to Pharaoh (vs. 15-19)—The Israelite officers went and complained to Pharaoh: “Why are you dealing thus with your servants?” (v. 15). The king told them it was because of Moses’ request: “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD’” (v. 17). And he did not lighten their burden or daily quota of bricks (vs. 18-19).
The people complain to Moses (vs. 20-21)—When the leaders left their meeting with Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron, and said to them “Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us" (vs. 21). They were understandably upset. The Lord had promised them deliverance, and all it had gotten them was a greater burden. It doesn’t demonstrate much faith in Jehovah, but the people hardly knew Him. There had been no communication from Him since the days of Jacob, well over 200 years previous.
Moses complains to God (vs. 22-23)—Moses didn’t have an answer for the people so he went to God: “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all” (vs. 22-23). The Lord had not revealed all of His plans to Moses, so it’s a legitimate question which is asked. Moses didn’t know Jehovah very well, either. The chapter ends here. The Lord’s response is forthcoming in chapter 6.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Exodus 4
Moses piles on the excuses (vs. 1-17)—Moses didn’t want to do what God asked him to do, i.e., go back to Egypt and lead the children of Israel out of captivity. So he made a number of excuses. In verse 1, he says, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice.” The Lord gave him threee miracles to perform. The first was turning his staff into a snake (vs. 2-5). In the second miracle, God commanded Moses to put his hand inside his cloak; when he removed it, “his hand was leprous, like snow” (v. 6). The hand was restored whole upon Moses putting his hand back to his bosom (v. 7). And if they still didn’t believe, God told him, “you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. And the water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land" (v. 9). Any or all of that should be sufficient to convince the Israelites of Moses’ divine mission.
But it didn’t convince Moses. In verse 10, he makes another excuse: “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." The Lord responded, “Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say" (vs. 11-12). Moses replied that he just flat didn’t want to do it: “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send” (v. 13). Moses’ reticence here is a little hard to understand. Forty years earlier, he had been prepared to lead his people from slavery. Now he doesn’t want to. Perhaps his age (he’s 80 years old now), or the fact that he was in a rather comfortable situation living with his father-in-law and tending sheep had changed him into a meeker man. But the Lord wasn’t to be put off, indeed, He was angry with Moses (v. 14). But He acquiesced to the point that He sent Moses’ older brother Aaron to be the mouthpiece (vs. 14-17). Moses would get God’s message, but Aaron would speak. Moses objects no more.
Moses heads for Egypt (vs. 18-23)—Moses asks leave of Jethro, his father-in-law, to return to Egypt. Jethro grants the request, and the Lord comforts Moses by telling him that “all the men who sought your life are dead” (v. 19). So Moses packs his family up and “returned to the land of Egypt” (v. 20), i.e., headed in that direction. God gave Moses his initial task: go to Pharaoh, and perform the wonders the Lord “put in your hand” (v. 21). Pharaoh would not let the people go due to hardness of heart (v. 21). Moses was then to tell the king that if he refused to let Israel go, the Lord would kill his firstborn son (v. 23). This section of God talking to Moses is probably just a brief summation of what He told him. The death of the firstborn son would be the climactic act of God’s judgment upon Pharaoh and Egypt.
The Lord seeks to kill Moses (vs. 24-26)—Or, it’s possible, that the Lord intended—“threatened” would probably be a better word—to kill Gershom, Moses’ first born. It’s obvious from the context that Moses had not circumcised his son, something which the Lord had commanded of all the Hebrews since Abraham. Moses’ wife Zipporah intervened in time, circumcised the boy (he would have been a grown man by this time) and saved his, or his father's, life. This is a rather strange and obscure story, but it does indicate that God expects His people to follow His rules and they would suffer serious consequences if they did not.
Moses and Aaron meet (vs. 27-31)—As Moses was heading back to Egypt, God spoke to Aaron and told him to go meet his brother in the wilderness. From all indications, this was the first time they had seen each other in 40 years. They went to Egypt, and “gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel” (v. 29). Aaron “spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he [Moses] did the signs in the sight of the people” (v. 30). They believed and were encouraged (v. 31). But a long, hard road lay ahead before they would leave Egypt.
But it didn’t convince Moses. In verse 10, he makes another excuse: “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." The Lord responded, “Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say" (vs. 11-12). Moses replied that he just flat didn’t want to do it: “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send” (v. 13). Moses’ reticence here is a little hard to understand. Forty years earlier, he had been prepared to lead his people from slavery. Now he doesn’t want to. Perhaps his age (he’s 80 years old now), or the fact that he was in a rather comfortable situation living with his father-in-law and tending sheep had changed him into a meeker man. But the Lord wasn’t to be put off, indeed, He was angry with Moses (v. 14). But He acquiesced to the point that He sent Moses’ older brother Aaron to be the mouthpiece (vs. 14-17). Moses would get God’s message, but Aaron would speak. Moses objects no more.
Moses heads for Egypt (vs. 18-23)—Moses asks leave of Jethro, his father-in-law, to return to Egypt. Jethro grants the request, and the Lord comforts Moses by telling him that “all the men who sought your life are dead” (v. 19). So Moses packs his family up and “returned to the land of Egypt” (v. 20), i.e., headed in that direction. God gave Moses his initial task: go to Pharaoh, and perform the wonders the Lord “put in your hand” (v. 21). Pharaoh would not let the people go due to hardness of heart (v. 21). Moses was then to tell the king that if he refused to let Israel go, the Lord would kill his firstborn son (v. 23). This section of God talking to Moses is probably just a brief summation of what He told him. The death of the firstborn son would be the climactic act of God’s judgment upon Pharaoh and Egypt.
The Lord seeks to kill Moses (vs. 24-26)—Or, it’s possible, that the Lord intended—“threatened” would probably be a better word—to kill Gershom, Moses’ first born. It’s obvious from the context that Moses had not circumcised his son, something which the Lord had commanded of all the Hebrews since Abraham. Moses’ wife Zipporah intervened in time, circumcised the boy (he would have been a grown man by this time) and saved his, or his father's, life. This is a rather strange and obscure story, but it does indicate that God expects His people to follow His rules and they would suffer serious consequences if they did not.
Moses and Aaron meet (vs. 27-31)—As Moses was heading back to Egypt, God spoke to Aaron and told him to go meet his brother in the wilderness. From all indications, this was the first time they had seen each other in 40 years. They went to Egypt, and “gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel” (v. 29). Aaron “spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he [Moses] did the signs in the sight of the people” (v. 30). They believed and were encouraged (v. 31). But a long, hard road lay ahead before they would leave Egypt.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Exodus 3
Moses and the burning bush (vs. 1-10)—Moses’ life was rather ordinary until the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush. He was tending his father-in-laws flocks (v. 1) when he saw “the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed” (v. 2). Moses investigated (v. 3), and Jehovah “called to him from the midst of the bush” (v. 4). It was holy ground and the Lord commanded Moses to keep his distance and take off his sandals; sinful man can only approach God when He allows and only with the most humble of demeanors. The Lord introduced Himself: “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses rightly hid his face, being afraid to even look upon God (v. 6). Where is our reverence and fear of God today? Jehovah tells Moses that He is about to deliver His people from Egypt and “to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey” (v. 8). Remember, this promise was first made to Abraham at least 400 years prior. Go back 400 years from today—1610. The first permanent English settlement in America, Jamestown, was established in 1607. Of course, the Lord had to wait until Israel had developed sufficient population to conquer the land of Canaan, but still God’s plans are worked out in His time, not ours. The Lord then tells Moses that he will be the one to “bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt” (v. 10).
Moses isn’t sure about this (vs. 11-21)— Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (v. 11). A fair question. According to Stephen in Acts 7, he had tried once, but failed (Acts 7:25); why would he succeed this time? Because “I will certainly be with you,” the Lord told him (v. 12). That should have been good enough, but Moses will waver. “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" (v. 13). He gets the astonishing, and totally incomprehensible, answer “I AM WHO I AM…you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (v. 14). The idea of “I AM” is continuing existence; He was, is, and always will be. It is a statement of God’s eternal being. When Jesus said to the Jews in John 8:58, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM,” He was affirming, in no uncertain terms, His own deity and eternal existence. The reference to Exodus 3:14 is absolutely unmistakable. The Jews knew it and were going to kill Him, but He escaped (John 8:59). How anyone can read John 8:58 and deny Jesus’ co-eternity with the Father is beyond me; but there are groups, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who argue that Jesus was created and thus not full deity with the Father and thus not eternal in nature and existence.
Back in Exodus 3, beginning in verse 15, the Lord gives Moses a summary of what He wants him to do and what will happen in Egypt. Go tell the children of Israel that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has sent you (v. 15), that He has “seen what is done to you in Egypt” (v. 16), and “will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt…to a land flowing with milk and honey” (v. 17). Moses was to go to Pharaoh and ask leave for a “three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God” (v. 18). Of course, God had more in mind than that, but “the king of Egypt will not let you go” (v. 19). “So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst, and after than he will let you go” (v. 20). The plagues demonstrated to God’s people His awesome power; it was something they should have never forgotten. But they did. The people of Egypt will be glad to finally see the children of Israel leave (v. 21), and “you shall plunder the Egyptians” (v. 22). Egypt had used Hebrew labor for several generations; it seems only fair that Israel should have some sort of payment in return: “you shall not go empty-handed” (v. 21).
Moses isn’t sure about this (vs. 11-21)— Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (v. 11). A fair question. According to Stephen in Acts 7, he had tried once, but failed (Acts 7:25); why would he succeed this time? Because “I will certainly be with you,” the Lord told him (v. 12). That should have been good enough, but Moses will waver. “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" (v. 13). He gets the astonishing, and totally incomprehensible, answer “I AM WHO I AM…you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (v. 14). The idea of “I AM” is continuing existence; He was, is, and always will be. It is a statement of God’s eternal being. When Jesus said to the Jews in John 8:58, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM,” He was affirming, in no uncertain terms, His own deity and eternal existence. The reference to Exodus 3:14 is absolutely unmistakable. The Jews knew it and were going to kill Him, but He escaped (John 8:59). How anyone can read John 8:58 and deny Jesus’ co-eternity with the Father is beyond me; but there are groups, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who argue that Jesus was created and thus not full deity with the Father and thus not eternal in nature and existence.
Back in Exodus 3, beginning in verse 15, the Lord gives Moses a summary of what He wants him to do and what will happen in Egypt. Go tell the children of Israel that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has sent you (v. 15), that He has “seen what is done to you in Egypt” (v. 16), and “will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt…to a land flowing with milk and honey” (v. 17). Moses was to go to Pharaoh and ask leave for a “three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God” (v. 18). Of course, God had more in mind than that, but “the king of Egypt will not let you go” (v. 19). “So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst, and after than he will let you go” (v. 20). The plagues demonstrated to God’s people His awesome power; it was something they should have never forgotten. But they did. The people of Egypt will be glad to finally see the children of Israel leave (v. 21), and “you shall plunder the Egyptians” (v. 22). Egypt had used Hebrew labor for several generations; it seems only fair that Israel should have some sort of payment in return: “you shall not go empty-handed” (v. 21).
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