Exodus Lesson 4 From Egypt to Mount Sinai
What is the relationship of Exodus 13:1-2 to the taking of the “first born” of Egypt?
Ans. The firstborn of all the Egyptians were smitten, while those of the Israelites were spared. We must acknowledge that God had the right (as He still does) to smite the firstborn of Egypt. Indeed, He had the right to smite the firstborn of Israel as well, and this would have happened apart from the provision of the Passover lamb and the shedding of its blood. God therefore struck down the Egyptian firstborn while He spared the Israelite firstborn. Because the sparing of the Israelite firstborn was not a matter of merit, but of grace, God owned them. Since He had spared their lives, He possessed them. The rite of redeeming the firstborn was a constant reminder to the Israelites of all subsequent generations that the firstborn belonged to God, and that this was due to the sparing of the firstborn at the Exodus. Thus, every time the first boy was born to an Israelite family, the parents were reminded of their “roots” and the reason for their blessing, and every child was retold the story of the exodus.
2. Read Exodus 13:17. State how this verse shows elements of God’s foreknowledge, His foreordination, and man’s freewill?
Gods ForeKnowledge: I agree that God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was based upon His foreknowledge. God is the creator of time and He knows everything from the beginning to the end. And also from at first, God gave us a perfect free will. we can obey or not. Even if we know God’s will, we are not obeying all His will. In my mind, Pharaoh also had his free will, and he could change his mind, but he didn’t want.
In addition, before Exodus the heart of Pharaoh was evil enough to mistreat Israelites, even commanded to kill the Israelites’ baby boys. His behavior was so evil and God decided to judge him and also through Pharaoh God wanted to discipline Israelites.
The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, was based upon six things that should help us understand. First, it was based upon God’s foreknowledge; God knew the kind of man Pharaoh would be so he selected him to be the monument of His wrath. Second, this process of hardening was based on Pharaoh’s attitude toward God; He did not want to retain God in His knowledge, so the natural laws of operation had to go into effect. Third, God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was based upon the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart by Pharaoh himself. Fourth, the very circumstances and the way in which Pharaoh responded to those circumstances could not do other than harden his heart. Fifth, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened that God’s glory might be displayed. Last, God hardened the heart of Pharaoh on the basis of His sovereign might as God.
God's foreordination does not deprive man of freedom or responsibility.
Mans free will:If God takes free-will from Pharaoh, then He takes from him the capacity for repentance, or, for that matter, sin, and, therefore, undermines the covenantal relationship. the free-will which humans enjoy is not an a property of humanity. Free-will, instead, is a function of the covenantal relationship with God. As such, we are all born with the capacity to act freely, but once we expressly reject the covenantal relationship by denying the divine authority of God, our capacity for free-will is also rejected
3. What is the significance of Exodus 13:21-22? What would you consider them a type of?
“Fire.” It is one of the symbols preferred to express the essence and work of God. The Lord preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night. Neither the column of cloud by day not the column of fire by night ever left its place in front of the people.” (Exodus 13: 21-22). A most beautiful image which gives fine evidence that God and his people walked together, and that the Lord was always present. The Christian interpretation has always seen in this passage a clear reference to the spirit of God. He appears as a pillar of glory-fire when He leads Israel from Egypt (Exodus 13:21-22). He appears in bright lightning flashes from His glory cloud at Mount Sinai, the point of full initiation of the Sinaitic covenant. And of course, Jesus is transfigured at the very point when He initiates the Church, revealing as the hymn says, 'the glory that the Church shall share' (Matthew 16:13 - 17:8).
4. What is the significance of Exodus 14:3,13-18?
Pharaoh purses them and thinks he has them trapped in the wilderness - but the Priestly writer believes this is to set up the definitive proof of Yahweh's glory.
Exodus 14:13-18 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. “But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.“ And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. “Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
So you, like the Israelites here, are in a spot of bother… If that is true then what are the commands given to the people? Three things initially come to mind from the passage above us – firstly, do not be afraid. Secondly, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. And finally, hold your peace. Now obviously these three commands are interrelated and your ability to be able to do the third (hold your peace) in a trying situation will be in direct proportion to how much you are obeying the first two commands. In fact, for us everything hinges on the second command. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord is THE command. You can imagine Israel, freaking out with their hearts pounding, starting to run in different directions looking for an escape from the grip of Egyptians. They would have done in the outward what we do in the inward! But the command for them is as valid for us today. Stand still![1][4] Then it says ‘see the salvation of the Lord’. Now, how does ‘hold your peace’ and ‘do not be afraid’ actually work in reality? Only by looking first at the salvation of the Lord – and that is Jesus. The Lord will indeed save us out of many trials, but there must be a looking to Him in faith first. And that is where peace and a still heart come from.[2][5]
The last command, to go forward down into the Red Sea, is only given once they have first stood still and looked in faith to the Lord. For us this act of going down into the sea symbolises our death with Jesus, and in the midst of a trial it also symbolises dying to our own ability to control our lives and the outcome of the circumstances. It is placed in God’s hands and we walk by faith. Ok, sometimes it is a crawl by faith, but the need, and the command, is to go forward none the less!
5. What is the significance of Exodus 15:1-15? Give some New Testament references to this song.
In gratitude to the generosity God showed in parting the sea, Moses and the Israelites sing to God. Like the Israelites we also have reason to sing gratefully to God because of the salvation that has been given us in Christ. In fact, Revelation 15:3 says that the music of heaven is the “song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb.” The same God who saved the Israelites through God’s servant Moses is the God who has saved us through Jesus Christ. Grateful worship is the only right way to respond to God’s generosity.
6. In Exodus 16 relate the giving of manna “bread from heaven”. What does the word manna mean? Read John chapter 6 where Jesus says He is the “true bread from heaven”. What comparison can you draw between Jesus and the manna of Exodus
The word manna is derived from the The Hebrew words meaning, What is it? Although some have speculated that manna was some sort of naturally-occurring substance that God miraculously multiplied and delivered to the Israelite
John 6 gives us one of the clearest links between Jesus and the Moses/Exodus tradition. It is evident from the peoples' response to the miracle of the feeding of the multitude that they recognize Jesus to be 'the Prophet'. 'When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, 'This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.'(6:14) This theme is then revisited later in the chapter. The wilderness link is further validated by the time referencing used by John in 6:4 - 'Now the Passover, the Festival of the Jews, was near.' In verse 32 we read that the manna in the wilderness did not come from Moses but from God, and secondly, that the manna received then was not the true bread from heaven. That is now available in the person of Jesus who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then, we read, the people began to complain. Even in the emotional response of the people to the revelation by Jesus do we see a reflection of the exodus narrative. In spite of winning their freedom the people still complained. Even while the law was being given to Moses on Sinai, the people complained. The peoples' voices echo that tradition through John's narrative.
It is important to remember that 'bread' was a term used of the Jewish Torah (based on Proverbs 9:5 - 'Come, eat of my bread'), and behind this whole chapter in John is the implication that the law of Moses is now replaced by Jesus who is the bread of life. The eucharistic overtones of this narrative are many and obvious. The significance of what is happening goes far beyond the mere fulfilment of a Messianic sign. This is about fulfilment and replacement. It is about going beyond what the people had expected and redefining the relationships between God and his people. The concept of mutual-indwelling is introduced, perhaps for the first time. God will not only live among his people - he will live within them (6:56). And their life will be the life of God who is, of course, eternal.
Water from the Rock
To begin, it is necessary to note that this is one of the themes most frequently alluded to in the Fourth Gospel, occurring some 25 times. In many parts of the Old Testament the manna and the water from the rock are often linked together; e.g. in Nehemiah 9:15 we read, 'For their hunger you gave them bread from heaven, and for their thirst you brought water for them out of the rock...' So, in John, we should not be surprised to read of the Bread of Life in John 6 followed by the Living Water in John 7.
John gives us a time reference for this discourse of Jesus. The Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) is a commemoration of the forty years in the wilderness. Thus we have an immediate and obvious link with the exodus event. It was practice on this Feast to draw water from the Pool of Siloam and pour it into a silver bowl at the altar. It is difficult to determine the exact origins of the accompanying Scripture citation 'Out of the believer's heart will flow rivers of living water'. Some claim it comes from Isaiah 44:2-3, while others maintain that it is from the prophet Zechariah. This latter claim accrues more credibility whenever one realizes that the text read on the Festival of Tabernacles comes from Zechariah 14:8:
'On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem half of them to the eastern sea, and half to the western sea..
7. In Exodus 17:1-7 we find the account of water from a rock of Horeb. What are some of the new Testament references to this situation? For example the relationship of Exodus 17:6 and John 7:37-38, 1 Cor 10:4.
God supplies water for the thirsty Israelites. This is yet another clear example of God’s providing a material necessity to the Israelites in spite of their ungrateful attitudes
As this ceremony was taking place Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.' By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (John 7:37-39
1 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.
Israel did not realize it but the Great I Am of Sinai was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The picture that is given is taken from two separate but related incidents. The first incident, Moses was told to strike the rock and the water would flow out. (Exo 17:6 KJV) 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 Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross once for all the Elect of God. This is represented by Moses striking the rock and the water flowed. When Christ went to the cross, spiritual water flowed from His children as a result of Him being smitten. (John 7:38 KJV) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
The second incident took place at Kadesh when there was no water. God had told Moses to speak to the rock which would result in the giving of water. (Num 20:8 KJV) Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. Moses was obviously so angry with the people that he disobeyed God and struck the rock instead of speaking to it. (Num 20:11 KJV) And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. Now this second striking of the rock represented the Lord Jesus being sacrificed a second time, which of course, would never happen. Jesus was crucified only once and after this He was never to die again, so the spiritual picture of what Moses did was wrong.
Now this event caused God to keep Moses from going into the promised land but there is a greater spiritual meaning as to why Moses was refused entrance. Moses was a representative of the law and no person can ever get to Heaven by trying to keep the law. It was Joshua who brought the nation of Israel into the land. Joshua is the Hebrew name of Jesus. A great spiritual picture. So trying to keep the law will prevent you from going to Heaven because Heaven is attainable only through the shed blood of Christ.
8. Read about battle with Amelek in Exodus 17:8-16. What were the roles of Joshua, Aaron, Moses, and Hur? What is the significance of verse 12?
Ans: Joshua
When Moses gave Joshua the task of selecting men for the battle … it is a difficult task. Though Israel was armed for battle when they left Egypt (Exo 13:18) … the people had not fought a battle for some 400 years. What’s worse was that they are a complaining lot … no graves in Egypt, bitter water, no food, no water … complaints after complaints. Joshua probably did not have many to choose from but he did not complain. He worked with what he had.
As we face our challenges, let's us not complain about what we don't have; instead use what we have … we do our part and trust God to do His part.
During the battle ...
§ Not sure if Joshua could see Moses up on the hill; definitely hard to see Moses when Moses was sitting down on the rock.
§ Not sure if there were breaks in the battle that Joshua could take time to scan the hill for Moses.
§ Not sure if at the time of battle, Joshua knew that whenever Moses' hand was up, they were winning but whenever Moses' hand was down, the Amalek was winning.
In any case when Joshua was fighting, he must have fought as if the outcome … victory … was totally dependent on him and his men. He and his men got to do something … but when that thing wasn't working … in bringing the desired result … I'm sure they did something else. The battle was dynamic … times when the Amalek was winning, times when they were … and Joshua had to adapt accordingly.
As face our challenges, we got to do everything we can … as if everything depends on us.
Aaron and Hur
But Moses was tired. He had difficulty keeping his hands up. Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under Moses and Moses sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported Moses’ hands … one on each side … literally, a supportive role.
As we face our challenges, let’s lend a supportive hand to one another. Don't draw a strict demarcation; don't say, 'This is my duty, that is yours!'
Moses
The Amalek came to fight against Israel ... this was the challenge before Moses. What was Moses' response?
Chose Joshua, gave instructions to Joshua to choose men and delegate the responsibility to fight to Joshua – Moses tackled the problem head-on. When there is a problem, we got to do something!
This probably wasn't Moses' natural inclination … to take the bull by its horns. When God called Moses, Moses gave excuses. When the Egyptians chased after the Israelites with their soldiers, horses and chariots, the people complained against him, Moses cried out to God (v 15). What was God's response? Why are you crying out to Me? You've faith (cf Exo 14:13-14) then do something … tell the people to go forward!
§ Exo 14:16 … As for you … Moses, you've a part to play
§ Exo 14:17 … As for Me … Moses, you do your part and I will do my part
When you're doing God's work, you do your part and ask God's help; God will do his part. You got to do something then see what God will do.
As we face our challenges, we got to do something … faith is not divorced from action. Tackle problems head-on.
A wise leader does not do everything. He looks for people who have the relevant gifts and experience … people who are faithful. He looks for people whom he can equip for the ministry.
Back to Exo 17 … what else did Moses do?
Moses' responsibility does not end after delegation. Moses told Joshua, 'Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand'. Moses said, 'Joshua, I will pray for you.' Pray for the people that God had entrusted to you. Tell these people … I prayed and am praying for you. This provides great encouragement.
When Moses said, “Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand” … what do you think was the impact on Joshua?
Moses' staff was no ordinary staff … it was the staff of God. It was the staff that Moses raised and stretched out over the sea to divide the waters. Probably it was waved to return the waters that drowned the Egyptians soldiers and horses. The staff of God was a symbol of power, deliverance and victory. When Moses said, 'Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand' … Joshua knew he had Moses' support and all of God’s power behind him as he goes into battle.
As we face our challenges, let's pray … let's support one another in prayer.
Significance of Verse Exodus 17:12: Moses in the wilderness as Israel begins the first of five wars it would fight on the journey to the promised land. Moses, almost eighty years old, tried to lead the people to the promised land but complaints from Israel within and enemies without slowed his pace. In this text Moses encounters the Amalekites and Israel engages them in war. Perched atop a high mountain Moses held high his hands and his rod, a symbol of the presence of God. As long as Moses was able to hold his hands high the people, led by Joshua were victorious in battle. When his hands came down, Israel suffered losses.
Realizing that the fate of Israel depended heavily upon Moses' ability to hold high the rod of God, Aaron and Hur came to his side. They placed stones underneath them and held his hands high until Israel had completely won its victory.
Moses learned from this experience and Numbers 11:16 records how he selected seventy men to help him carry the burden of the people. These 70 men shared the same spirit and vision as Moses. God empowered them to help him lead the people. In a similar sense the Apostles, in Acts 6, appointed the first seven deacons, and laid hands on them. They consecrated them as men dedicated to the same spirit for the expansion of the Lord's kingdom.
Whether in the old or New Testament, God has provided for men of the same spirit to help hold up the hands of those who proclaim his word. In the Old Testament Moses held up the rod of deliverance. In the New Testament the Church holds high the cross of Jesus. In the old testament they fought as long as they could see the rod. In the new, every Saint wants to Jesus and the vision of hope. Those who help him, do a great work because 'without a vision, the people perish.'
9. What is the meaning of the name Jehovahnissa in Exodus 17:15? In Genesis 22:14 God was called Jehovahjireh. What is the meaning of the name? What is the significance of the different names of God?
The Revelation of the Name Jehovah-Nissi; The Lord Our Banner, Exodus 17:15-16. This name has to do with warfare. In this instance, the warfare involved God's very own. Our Father is willing to wage warfare on our behalf. One area of great battle has to do with our carnal nature.
The Revelation of the Name Jehovah-Jireh, Genesis 22:12-14. The meaning of this name is The Lord Who Provides. The name is literally, The Lord Who Sees, or The Lord Who Will See To It. This is what we long for when we have a need that is personal and special; One who will see to our needs and provide for us. This is what Jehovah-Jireh means; the Lord Who will see to it that my every need is met. One Who knows my need because He sees. One Who is able to meet my need in just the right time as He did for Abraham, and One Who can meet it fully. For Abraham, it was the ram caught in the thicket that was offered in Isaac's place. For us it is whatever we need.
The Bible provides us with the many names of God. Some of the names are titles and some are descriptions of Him. God by many different names, each given with a purpose to describe some distinct virtue or characteristic of His nature
10. What was the advice Jethro gave to Moses in Exodus 18:19-23? Is this still good advice? Do you see it still being used in churches and business’ organizations today?
Jethro advises Moses to set up these judges, or rulers, in levels: 'rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.' (Ex. 18:21, KJV; 'officials over...' in NIV) There are, therefore, several levels of administrative hierarchy, each dealing with more men and more complex cases. This is essentially the judicial system we have now in practically all western industrialized countries in the world. There are several levels of judges, each of whom deal with progressively more difficult cases, until the highest court which deals with the most controversial and most difficult ones. The system seems to work well for us, and it seems to have worked well for the ancient Israelites.
Let us examine for a moment what type of men Jethro recommends to be judges. Jethro says they must be 'able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.' (Ex. 18:21, KJV; 'capable men... who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain' in NIV) We have here four qualities that Jethro, and presumably Moses, consider essential in rulers of men. First, they must be capable or able. This seems to be self-evident: if the rulers were incompetent, they would never succeed at their tasks. Furthermore, the people would likely not trust them to handle important decisions for them, and the system would fall apart.
The third quality, trustworthiness or truthfulness, is also important. If you are establishing men to rule the people, they should be men the people trust and have reason to trust. Similarly with the fourth quality: you want your judges to be incorruptible. If people believed they could bribe the rulers to judge in their favour, then money, not truth or justice, would become the law of the land. Whether the judges actually were bribed or not is less important than whether they could be bribed under the right circumstances. Corruptible judges would undermine the entire system.
The criteria for spiritual leadership that Jethro set forth is still appropriate for the church today: capable men, that love, honor and fear God; men that love and live the truth but detest greediness and selfishness.
Ans. The firstborn of all the Egyptians were smitten, while those of the Israelites were spared. We must acknowledge that God had the right (as He still does) to smite the firstborn of Egypt. Indeed, He had the right to smite the firstborn of Israel as well, and this would have happened apart from the provision of the Passover lamb and the shedding of its blood. God therefore struck down the Egyptian firstborn while He spared the Israelite firstborn. Because the sparing of the Israelite firstborn was not a matter of merit, but of grace, God owned them. Since He had spared their lives, He possessed them. The rite of redeeming the firstborn was a constant reminder to the Israelites of all subsequent generations that the firstborn belonged to God, and that this was due to the sparing of the firstborn at the Exodus. Thus, every time the first boy was born to an Israelite family, the parents were reminded of their “roots” and the reason for their blessing, and every child was retold the story of the exodus.
2. Read Exodus 13:17. State how this verse shows elements of God’s foreknowledge, His foreordination, and man’s freewill?
Gods ForeKnowledge: I agree that God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was based upon His foreknowledge. God is the creator of time and He knows everything from the beginning to the end. And also from at first, God gave us a perfect free will. we can obey or not. Even if we know God’s will, we are not obeying all His will. In my mind, Pharaoh also had his free will, and he could change his mind, but he didn’t want.
In addition, before Exodus the heart of Pharaoh was evil enough to mistreat Israelites, even commanded to kill the Israelites’ baby boys. His behavior was so evil and God decided to judge him and also through Pharaoh God wanted to discipline Israelites.
The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, was based upon six things that should help us understand. First, it was based upon God’s foreknowledge; God knew the kind of man Pharaoh would be so he selected him to be the monument of His wrath. Second, this process of hardening was based on Pharaoh’s attitude toward God; He did not want to retain God in His knowledge, so the natural laws of operation had to go into effect. Third, God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was based upon the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart by Pharaoh himself. Fourth, the very circumstances and the way in which Pharaoh responded to those circumstances could not do other than harden his heart. Fifth, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened that God’s glory might be displayed. Last, God hardened the heart of Pharaoh on the basis of His sovereign might as God.
God's foreordination does not deprive man of freedom or responsibility.
Mans free will:If God takes free-will from Pharaoh, then He takes from him the capacity for repentance, or, for that matter, sin, and, therefore, undermines the covenantal relationship. the free-will which humans enjoy is not an a property of humanity. Free-will, instead, is a function of the covenantal relationship with God. As such, we are all born with the capacity to act freely, but once we expressly reject the covenantal relationship by denying the divine authority of God, our capacity for free-will is also rejected
3. What is the significance of Exodus 13:21-22? What would you consider them a type of?
“Fire.” It is one of the symbols preferred to express the essence and work of God. The Lord preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night. Neither the column of cloud by day not the column of fire by night ever left its place in front of the people.” (Exodus 13: 21-22). A most beautiful image which gives fine evidence that God and his people walked together, and that the Lord was always present. The Christian interpretation has always seen in this passage a clear reference to the spirit of God. He appears as a pillar of glory-fire when He leads Israel from Egypt (Exodus 13:21-22). He appears in bright lightning flashes from His glory cloud at Mount Sinai, the point of full initiation of the Sinaitic covenant. And of course, Jesus is transfigured at the very point when He initiates the Church, revealing as the hymn says, 'the glory that the Church shall share' (Matthew 16:13 - 17:8).
4. What is the significance of Exodus 14:3,13-18?
Pharaoh purses them and thinks he has them trapped in the wilderness - but the Priestly writer believes this is to set up the definitive proof of Yahweh's glory.
Exodus 14:13-18 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. “But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.“ And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. “Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
So you, like the Israelites here, are in a spot of bother… If that is true then what are the commands given to the people? Three things initially come to mind from the passage above us – firstly, do not be afraid. Secondly, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. And finally, hold your peace. Now obviously these three commands are interrelated and your ability to be able to do the third (hold your peace) in a trying situation will be in direct proportion to how much you are obeying the first two commands. In fact, for us everything hinges on the second command. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord is THE command. You can imagine Israel, freaking out with their hearts pounding, starting to run in different directions looking for an escape from the grip of Egyptians. They would have done in the outward what we do in the inward! But the command for them is as valid for us today. Stand still![1][4] Then it says ‘see the salvation of the Lord’. Now, how does ‘hold your peace’ and ‘do not be afraid’ actually work in reality? Only by looking first at the salvation of the Lord – and that is Jesus. The Lord will indeed save us out of many trials, but there must be a looking to Him in faith first. And that is where peace and a still heart come from.[2][5]
The last command, to go forward down into the Red Sea, is only given once they have first stood still and looked in faith to the Lord. For us this act of going down into the sea symbolises our death with Jesus, and in the midst of a trial it also symbolises dying to our own ability to control our lives and the outcome of the circumstances. It is placed in God’s hands and we walk by faith. Ok, sometimes it is a crawl by faith, but the need, and the command, is to go forward none the less!
5. What is the significance of Exodus 15:1-15? Give some New Testament references to this song.
In gratitude to the generosity God showed in parting the sea, Moses and the Israelites sing to God. Like the Israelites we also have reason to sing gratefully to God because of the salvation that has been given us in Christ. In fact, Revelation 15:3 says that the music of heaven is the “song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb.” The same God who saved the Israelites through God’s servant Moses is the God who has saved us through Jesus Christ. Grateful worship is the only right way to respond to God’s generosity.
6. In Exodus 16 relate the giving of manna “bread from heaven”. What does the word manna mean? Read John chapter 6 where Jesus says He is the “true bread from heaven”. What comparison can you draw between Jesus and the manna of Exodus
The word manna is derived from the The Hebrew words meaning, What is it? Although some have speculated that manna was some sort of naturally-occurring substance that God miraculously multiplied and delivered to the Israelite
John 6 gives us one of the clearest links between Jesus and the Moses/Exodus tradition. It is evident from the peoples' response to the miracle of the feeding of the multitude that they recognize Jesus to be 'the Prophet'. 'When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, 'This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.'(6:14) This theme is then revisited later in the chapter. The wilderness link is further validated by the time referencing used by John in 6:4 - 'Now the Passover, the Festival of the Jews, was near.' In verse 32 we read that the manna in the wilderness did not come from Moses but from God, and secondly, that the manna received then was not the true bread from heaven. That is now available in the person of Jesus who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then, we read, the people began to complain. Even in the emotional response of the people to the revelation by Jesus do we see a reflection of the exodus narrative. In spite of winning their freedom the people still complained. Even while the law was being given to Moses on Sinai, the people complained. The peoples' voices echo that tradition through John's narrative.
It is important to remember that 'bread' was a term used of the Jewish Torah (based on Proverbs 9:5 - 'Come, eat of my bread'), and behind this whole chapter in John is the implication that the law of Moses is now replaced by Jesus who is the bread of life. The eucharistic overtones of this narrative are many and obvious. The significance of what is happening goes far beyond the mere fulfilment of a Messianic sign. This is about fulfilment and replacement. It is about going beyond what the people had expected and redefining the relationships between God and his people. The concept of mutual-indwelling is introduced, perhaps for the first time. God will not only live among his people - he will live within them (6:56). And their life will be the life of God who is, of course, eternal.
Water from the Rock
To begin, it is necessary to note that this is one of the themes most frequently alluded to in the Fourth Gospel, occurring some 25 times. In many parts of the Old Testament the manna and the water from the rock are often linked together; e.g. in Nehemiah 9:15 we read, 'For their hunger you gave them bread from heaven, and for their thirst you brought water for them out of the rock...' So, in John, we should not be surprised to read of the Bread of Life in John 6 followed by the Living Water in John 7.
John gives us a time reference for this discourse of Jesus. The Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) is a commemoration of the forty years in the wilderness. Thus we have an immediate and obvious link with the exodus event. It was practice on this Feast to draw water from the Pool of Siloam and pour it into a silver bowl at the altar. It is difficult to determine the exact origins of the accompanying Scripture citation 'Out of the believer's heart will flow rivers of living water'. Some claim it comes from Isaiah 44:2-3, while others maintain that it is from the prophet Zechariah. This latter claim accrues more credibility whenever one realizes that the text read on the Festival of Tabernacles comes from Zechariah 14:8:
'On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem half of them to the eastern sea, and half to the western sea..
7. In Exodus 17:1-7 we find the account of water from a rock of Horeb. What are some of the new Testament references to this situation? For example the relationship of Exodus 17:6 and John 7:37-38, 1 Cor 10:4.
God supplies water for the thirsty Israelites. This is yet another clear example of God’s providing a material necessity to the Israelites in spite of their ungrateful attitudes
As this ceremony was taking place Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.' By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (John 7:37-39
1 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.
Israel did not realize it but the Great I Am of Sinai was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The picture that is given is taken from two separate but related incidents. The first incident, Moses was told to strike the rock and the water would flow out. (Exo 17:6 KJV) 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 Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross once for all the Elect of God. This is represented by Moses striking the rock and the water flowed. When Christ went to the cross, spiritual water flowed from His children as a result of Him being smitten. (John 7:38 KJV) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
The second incident took place at Kadesh when there was no water. God had told Moses to speak to the rock which would result in the giving of water. (Num 20:8 KJV) Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. Moses was obviously so angry with the people that he disobeyed God and struck the rock instead of speaking to it. (Num 20:11 KJV) And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. Now this second striking of the rock represented the Lord Jesus being sacrificed a second time, which of course, would never happen. Jesus was crucified only once and after this He was never to die again, so the spiritual picture of what Moses did was wrong.
Now this event caused God to keep Moses from going into the promised land but there is a greater spiritual meaning as to why Moses was refused entrance. Moses was a representative of the law and no person can ever get to Heaven by trying to keep the law. It was Joshua who brought the nation of Israel into the land. Joshua is the Hebrew name of Jesus. A great spiritual picture. So trying to keep the law will prevent you from going to Heaven because Heaven is attainable only through the shed blood of Christ.
8. Read about battle with Amelek in Exodus 17:8-16. What were the roles of Joshua, Aaron, Moses, and Hur? What is the significance of verse 12?
Ans: Joshua
When Moses gave Joshua the task of selecting men for the battle … it is a difficult task. Though Israel was armed for battle when they left Egypt (Exo 13:18) … the people had not fought a battle for some 400 years. What’s worse was that they are a complaining lot … no graves in Egypt, bitter water, no food, no water … complaints after complaints. Joshua probably did not have many to choose from but he did not complain. He worked with what he had.
As we face our challenges, let's us not complain about what we don't have; instead use what we have … we do our part and trust God to do His part.
During the battle ...
§ Not sure if Joshua could see Moses up on the hill; definitely hard to see Moses when Moses was sitting down on the rock.
§ Not sure if there were breaks in the battle that Joshua could take time to scan the hill for Moses.
§ Not sure if at the time of battle, Joshua knew that whenever Moses' hand was up, they were winning but whenever Moses' hand was down, the Amalek was winning.
In any case when Joshua was fighting, he must have fought as if the outcome … victory … was totally dependent on him and his men. He and his men got to do something … but when that thing wasn't working … in bringing the desired result … I'm sure they did something else. The battle was dynamic … times when the Amalek was winning, times when they were … and Joshua had to adapt accordingly.
As face our challenges, we got to do everything we can … as if everything depends on us.
Aaron and Hur
But Moses was tired. He had difficulty keeping his hands up. Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under Moses and Moses sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported Moses’ hands … one on each side … literally, a supportive role.
As we face our challenges, let’s lend a supportive hand to one another. Don't draw a strict demarcation; don't say, 'This is my duty, that is yours!'
Moses
The Amalek came to fight against Israel ... this was the challenge before Moses. What was Moses' response?
Chose Joshua, gave instructions to Joshua to choose men and delegate the responsibility to fight to Joshua – Moses tackled the problem head-on. When there is a problem, we got to do something!
This probably wasn't Moses' natural inclination … to take the bull by its horns. When God called Moses, Moses gave excuses. When the Egyptians chased after the Israelites with their soldiers, horses and chariots, the people complained against him, Moses cried out to God (v 15). What was God's response? Why are you crying out to Me? You've faith (cf Exo 14:13-14) then do something … tell the people to go forward!
§ Exo 14:16 … As for you … Moses, you've a part to play
§ Exo 14:17 … As for Me … Moses, you do your part and I will do my part
When you're doing God's work, you do your part and ask God's help; God will do his part. You got to do something then see what God will do.
As we face our challenges, we got to do something … faith is not divorced from action. Tackle problems head-on.
A wise leader does not do everything. He looks for people who have the relevant gifts and experience … people who are faithful. He looks for people whom he can equip for the ministry.
Back to Exo 17 … what else did Moses do?
Moses' responsibility does not end after delegation. Moses told Joshua, 'Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand'. Moses said, 'Joshua, I will pray for you.' Pray for the people that God had entrusted to you. Tell these people … I prayed and am praying for you. This provides great encouragement.
When Moses said, “Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand” … what do you think was the impact on Joshua?
Moses' staff was no ordinary staff … it was the staff of God. It was the staff that Moses raised and stretched out over the sea to divide the waters. Probably it was waved to return the waters that drowned the Egyptians soldiers and horses. The staff of God was a symbol of power, deliverance and victory. When Moses said, 'Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand' … Joshua knew he had Moses' support and all of God’s power behind him as he goes into battle.
As we face our challenges, let's pray … let's support one another in prayer.
Significance of Verse Exodus 17:12: Moses in the wilderness as Israel begins the first of five wars it would fight on the journey to the promised land. Moses, almost eighty years old, tried to lead the people to the promised land but complaints from Israel within and enemies without slowed his pace. In this text Moses encounters the Amalekites and Israel engages them in war. Perched atop a high mountain Moses held high his hands and his rod, a symbol of the presence of God. As long as Moses was able to hold his hands high the people, led by Joshua were victorious in battle. When his hands came down, Israel suffered losses.
Realizing that the fate of Israel depended heavily upon Moses' ability to hold high the rod of God, Aaron and Hur came to his side. They placed stones underneath them and held his hands high until Israel had completely won its victory.
Moses learned from this experience and Numbers 11:16 records how he selected seventy men to help him carry the burden of the people. These 70 men shared the same spirit and vision as Moses. God empowered them to help him lead the people. In a similar sense the Apostles, in Acts 6, appointed the first seven deacons, and laid hands on them. They consecrated them as men dedicated to the same spirit for the expansion of the Lord's kingdom.
Whether in the old or New Testament, God has provided for men of the same spirit to help hold up the hands of those who proclaim his word. In the Old Testament Moses held up the rod of deliverance. In the New Testament the Church holds high the cross of Jesus. In the old testament they fought as long as they could see the rod. In the new, every Saint wants to Jesus and the vision of hope. Those who help him, do a great work because 'without a vision, the people perish.'
9. What is the meaning of the name Jehovahnissa in Exodus 17:15? In Genesis 22:14 God was called Jehovahjireh. What is the meaning of the name? What is the significance of the different names of God?
The Revelation of the Name Jehovah-Nissi; The Lord Our Banner, Exodus 17:15-16. This name has to do with warfare. In this instance, the warfare involved God's very own. Our Father is willing to wage warfare on our behalf. One area of great battle has to do with our carnal nature.
The Revelation of the Name Jehovah-Jireh, Genesis 22:12-14. The meaning of this name is The Lord Who Provides. The name is literally, The Lord Who Sees, or The Lord Who Will See To It. This is what we long for when we have a need that is personal and special; One who will see to our needs and provide for us. This is what Jehovah-Jireh means; the Lord Who will see to it that my every need is met. One Who knows my need because He sees. One Who is able to meet my need in just the right time as He did for Abraham, and One Who can meet it fully. For Abraham, it was the ram caught in the thicket that was offered in Isaac's place. For us it is whatever we need.
The Bible provides us with the many names of God. Some of the names are titles and some are descriptions of Him. God by many different names, each given with a purpose to describe some distinct virtue or characteristic of His nature
10. What was the advice Jethro gave to Moses in Exodus 18:19-23? Is this still good advice? Do you see it still being used in churches and business’ organizations today?
Jethro advises Moses to set up these judges, or rulers, in levels: 'rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.' (Ex. 18:21, KJV; 'officials over...' in NIV) There are, therefore, several levels of administrative hierarchy, each dealing with more men and more complex cases. This is essentially the judicial system we have now in practically all western industrialized countries in the world. There are several levels of judges, each of whom deal with progressively more difficult cases, until the highest court which deals with the most controversial and most difficult ones. The system seems to work well for us, and it seems to have worked well for the ancient Israelites.
Let us examine for a moment what type of men Jethro recommends to be judges. Jethro says they must be 'able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.' (Ex. 18:21, KJV; 'capable men... who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain' in NIV) We have here four qualities that Jethro, and presumably Moses, consider essential in rulers of men. First, they must be capable or able. This seems to be self-evident: if the rulers were incompetent, they would never succeed at their tasks. Furthermore, the people would likely not trust them to handle important decisions for them, and the system would fall apart.
The third quality, trustworthiness or truthfulness, is also important. If you are establishing men to rule the people, they should be men the people trust and have reason to trust. Similarly with the fourth quality: you want your judges to be incorruptible. If people believed they could bribe the rulers to judge in their favour, then money, not truth or justice, would become the law of the land. Whether the judges actually were bribed or not is less important than whether they could be bribed under the right circumstances. Corruptible judges would undermine the entire system.
The criteria for spiritual leadership that Jethro set forth is still appropriate for the church today: capable men, that love, honor and fear God; men that love and live the truth but detest greediness and selfishness.
Comments
Post a Comment