The
Book of Exodus chapters 1-20

Exodus, Greek,
"The way out, or going out." It is the book of Redemption. The second book of
Moses. Connecting Exodus, closely with Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy. Thus the Pentateuch is one book. For the relation of Exodus to the
other books of the Pentateuch, see appendix 1. The first half of the book deals
with the nation of Israel "going out" of the land of Egypt. (Around 1446 B.C.).
It is about the birth of a nation. A people who have become slaves to Egypt will
be set free and form this nation.
Exodus 1
Exo 1:1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came
into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
Verses 1-5 covers the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob), who moved to Egypt
with their father, each with their family. (70 Israelites made it down to
Egypt).
Exo 1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Exo 1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
Exo 1:4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
Exo 1:5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy
souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
Seventy souls: (Genesis 50:26, Deuteronomy 10:22).
Exo 1:6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
Levi survived him about twenty-three years. (Exodus 6:16).
Exo 1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly,
and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
They multiplied so greatly that they became extremely powerful in numbers and
filled the land. About 600,000 men plus the women and children. (Exodus 12:37).
Exo 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
A fresh dynasty. This Pharaoh was of a different race and dynasty. He was the
Assyrian of (Isaiah 52:4). Probably Rameses Miamum, or his son Amenophis, who
succeeded him about this period; and by his not knowing Joseph is meant his not
acknowledging his obligation to him.
Exo 1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of
Israel are more and mightier than we: The people of
Israel now outnumbered the Egyptians.
Exo 1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it
come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our
enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
They were afraid of them growing to strong and escaping the country.
Exo 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with
their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
The King set rulers over them to keep them as slaves. Wearing them down with
hard labor and forcing them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply
cities.
Exo 1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.
And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
The more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied. (The
Egyptians became more alarmed).
Exo 1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
The Egyptians had no mercy as they worked the people of Israel.
Exo 1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and
in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein
they made them serve, was with rigour. They made
hard laborers out of them. (If you ever worked as a laborer in commercial
construction as I did, you get an idea of what hard labor is).
Exo 1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the
name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
The king gives orders to the Hebrew midwives.
Exo 1:16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women,
and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill
him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
Stools: Hebrew "oben" a pair of "stones." (Stone bath in which the children were
bathed). The order was to kill any males that were born. (This was another
assault of Satan, to destroy the male children, and so prevent "the seed of the
woman" from coming into the world). However, God intervened by providing the
Hebrew midwives, and preserving and preparing Moses.
Exo 1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt
commanded them, but saved the men children alive. The
midwives were chosen by God, feared Him, and refused to obey the king's order.
(They allowed the boys to live).
Exo 1:18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them,
Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
The king was furious and asked them why they did not obey his order.
Exo 1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are
not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the
midwives come in unto them. Did the Hebrew women have their babies more quickly, or did the midwives take
their good old time to get their for the delivery?
Exo 1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people
multiplied, and waxed very mighty. God was good to the midwives.
Exo 1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made
them houses. God gave the midwives families of their own.
Why? Because they feared God more than Pharaoh.
Exo 1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born
ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
Now Pharaoh understand that the midwives are not going to help him out. So, a
new order is given to all his people. All the new born Hebrew boys are to be
thrown into the river, but the girls may live.
Exodus 2
Exo 2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a
daughter of Levi. The mans name is "Amram," and the woman
was Jochebed.
Exo 2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he
was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
The child was Moses, the seventh from Abraham, Abraham the seventh from Heber,
Enoch the seventh from Adam. Miriam (Moses sister), already born. (Numbers
26:59). Jochebed hid Moses for three months because she knew he was a precious
child. This was by faith. (Hebrews 11:23). "Divine intervention." She must have
"heard" from God. (Romans 10:17, Hebrews 11:7). All the steps taken (Verses
2-4), were the result of believing what she had heard from God.
Exo 2:3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of
bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein;
and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
She made a floating waterproof basket from papyrus reeds and pitch. Made by the
same Divine instruction as Noah's. (Romans 10:17).
Exo 2:4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
Miriam was the older sister of Moses and she watched over him.
Exo 2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the
river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the
ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
The
Pharaoh's daughter discovered the basket on the river bank and sent her maid to
get it for her.
Exo 2:6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold,
the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of
the Hebrews' children. The princess seen the baby boy
crying and had compassion towards him. (Again, Divine intervention). This tear
and compassion lay the defeat of the enemy, the preservation of the Nation, the
faithfulness of Yahveh's Word, the bringing to naught "the wisdom of Egypt," and
the coming of "the seed of the woman." (Genesis 3:15, Job 5:12-13).
Exo 2:7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to
thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
Exo 2:8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called
the child's mother. Go find the baby's mother.
Exo 2:9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse
it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child,
and nursed it. Jochebed took her baby home and nursed him.
Exo 2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and
he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew
him out of the water. Moses (drawn out), was raised in the
court of Pharaoh and educated in the Egyptian schools. (Acts 7:21-22). "There is
no record of Moses Hebrew name."
Exo 2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he
went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an
Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. Many
years later (Moses being around 40 at the time), he went out to visit his own
people and seen them working hard and being abused. (Acts 7:23).
Exo 2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there
was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
When no one could see him, Moses killed the Egyptian that was abusing one of his
people and hid him in the sand. (Acts 7:24).
Exo 2:13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews
strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou
thy fellow? Two Hebrew men fighting with each other. Why
are you fighting Moses asked the one who started the fight?
Exo 2:14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest
thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said,
Surely this thing is known. Ooops, this man had to shoot
off his big mouth and get Moses in trouble. They didn't have a clue they messed
up. (Acts 7:24-25).
Exo 2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But
Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat
down by a well. Sure enough, Pharaoh heard what had
happened and tried to kill Moses. However, Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to
live in the land of Midian. After his escape, Moses sat down beside a well.
Exo 2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew
water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
Priest of Median: This was the chieftain (Jethro, called Reuel),
who exercised priestly functions, as Job and Melchizedec. (Exodus 3:1, Genesis
14:18). Reuel's seven daughters came to draw from the well.
Exo 2:17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and
helped them, and watered their flock. Some shepherds came
and chased them away form the well. But, Moses jumped up and rescued the girls
from the shepherds, then drew the water for them.
Exo 2:18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that
ye are come so soon to day? Reuel (Hebrew = Friend of
God). A true worshipper. (Exodus 18:12). Same as Raguel (Numbers 10:29). Again,
also know as Jethro (meaning abundance). He wanted to know how they got back so
soon?
Exo 2:19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the
shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
An Egyptian saved us from the shepherds and watered our flocks.
Exo 2:20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is
it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
Where is the man, invite him to dinner. (Reuel is probably
thinking, I could use a man like this, and he could marry one of my daughters).
Exo 2:21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses
Zipporah his daughter. Moses accepted the invitation, and
settled there with him. In time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be
his wife. (He gets the son-in-law he was hoping for).
Exo 2:22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for
he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
Gershom
= (a stranger here).
Exo 2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died:
and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and
their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
Years
passed and the king died.
However, the Israelites continued under their burden of slavery.
They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. (Psalm 18:6, 81:6-7,
107:19-20).
Exo 2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with
Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God hears and He
remembers. (Psalm 105:8, 105:42, 106:45, Luke 1:72-73).
Exo 2:25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto
them. God hears His people, has a plan, and
knew it was time to act. (Psalm 55:22).
Exodus 3
Exo 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of
Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the
mountain of God, even to Horeb.
Moses tending the
flock for 40 years (Acts 7:30). One day he led the flock far into the wilderness
and came to mount Sinai. (Where Moses will receive the ten commandments).
Median: A descendant of Abraham, by Keturah. Moses was called in this land
(Arabia); Mahomet also arose there. Horeb: Also know as mount Sinai. (Never use
in New Testament). There "the wisdom of Egypt" had to be unlearned and God made
known. (Isaiah 50:4).
Exo 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of
the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and
the bush was not consumed. The Angel of the Lord
(messenger of Yahveh, believed to be the person of Jesus), appeared to Moses in
a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Same lesson as the "furnace" in
Genesis.
And it came to pass, that,
when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning
lamp that passed between those pieces. (Genesis 15:17).
Smoking furnace is symbolic of the affliction of Israel (Deuteronomy 4:20, 1
Kings 8:51, Isaiah 31:9, Ezekiel 22:18-22, Jeremiah 11:4). Burning lamp is
symbolic of Israel's deliverance (1 Kings 11:36, 15:4, Isaiah 62:1, 2 Samuel
21:17).
Exo 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why
the bush is not burnt. This really blew Moses mind. He
sees this bush in a flaming blaze of fire, and the bush does not burn up. He
needs to take a closer look!
Exo 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto
him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here
am I. The LORD saw Moses coming closer to look and
called out to him from the center of the bush. Wow, now this really got Moses
attention. "I think most people would have run the other way."
Exo 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy
feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Holy ground (qodesh adamah), "Sacred Earth" (as in Sanctuary). Put off thy
shoes: Removing the sandals as possibly a sign of respect. (Nothing to come
between Moses and the Holy Ground).
Exo 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he
was afraid to look upon God. God: Elohim, the Creator.
(Note the five fold repetition). Christ basis the doctrine of Resurrection on
this verse. (Matthew 22:31-32).
Exo 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people
which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their
taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; God is aware of all
our sufferings.
Exo 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians,
and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land
flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites,
and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Come to deliver His people out of Egypt and into the promise land of milk and
honey.
Exo 3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto
me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
The cry of the people has reached God. He sees how the Egyptians abuse the
Hebrews. (God will take notice when someone abuses you also). Don't worry, if
your one of His believers and followers, He will take care of anyone who
mistreats you! (Psalm 12:5, Proverbs 22:22-23).
Exo 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou
mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Oh, No, Moses is probably thinking. "I am going to go back and face Pharaoh."
Not only that, but I am to lead Gods people out of Egypt! How can this be?
(Quite a task laid on Moses). But, don't forget who is in control.
Exo 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto
Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Moses loses some confidence here. Forty years ago he would have been ready for
anything, but now he is not so sure.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (2 Corinthians 3:5). All our
abilities and qualification come form God. When He says you can do it, listen to
Him! Once Moses gets his confidence back from God, he will do what He asks.
Exo 3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be
a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the
people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
The sign was given and God tells Moses He will be with him. No
matter who you are, if God is with you, that is all that counts. Why do I say
that? Because you don't need to be a teacher, pastor, priest, reverend, etc. to
be useful to God. God chooses whom ever He wills. (Romans 8:31, Hebrews 13:5).
Exo 3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the
children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent
me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say
unto them? Who do I say you are and sent me to the people?
Exo 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt
thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
I AM THAT I AM: "ehyeh asher ehyh" I will be what I will be. I AM: "ehyh" I will
be (speaking of Himself).
Exo 3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the
children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for
ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
LORD: Yahveh, God of your ancestors. For ever: He never changes. (Malachi 3:6),
He is therefore Israel's God to-day, as then.
Exo 3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The
LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared
unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done
to you in Egypt: Go to the elders and tell them I have
been watching closely, and see how the Egyptians are treating you.
Exo 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt
unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the
Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk
and honey. I have promised to rescue you from oppression
in Egypt and will lead you to the land flowing of milk and honey.
Exo 3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and
the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The
LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee,
three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our
God. The elders will accept your message. (Divine
intervention). Take a "three-day" journey into the wilderness to offer
sacrifice. Note: Three denotes completeness.
Exo 3:19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by
a mighty hand. The king is going to need a little
persuasion.
Exo 3:20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders
which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
The Egyptians are about to see some real miracles, ones they won't like.
Exo 3:21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians:
and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
I will cause them to look favorably on you. They will give you
gifts, and you will not leave empty handed. (Psalm 106:46, Proverbs 16:7).
Exo 3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that
sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and
ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall
spoil the Egyptians. Looking good
for the Israelite woman and children, but not so good for the Egyptians and
their wealth. "Their about to be stripped down."
Exodus 4
Exo 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me,
nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto
thee. Is Moses lacking a little faith here? Is he a little
scared to return to Egypt? I believe he is more concerned about the people
thinking he is a little crazy about talking to God.
Exo 4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he
said, A rod. This staff was the tool for Moses as a
shepherd in the past forty years. Now it will be part of his new job for the
next 40 years. What tools do you use for work in your life? God gives us all
talents that He wants us to use. So, if He calls on you to change your
occupation, you may want to listen.
Exo 4:3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and
it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. Moses
was afraid because it was a real snake. He didn't do it, God did. Just as Satan
imitates this work and turns the magician's rods into snakes in front of
Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:10-15).
Exo 4:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by
the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his
hand:
Now this takes a little faith on Moses part. No one wants to grab a live snake
without the proper tools or experience. Especially by the tail. "This is a good
way to get bit."
Exo 4:5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
Perform this sign in front of the people and they will believe that the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, really has appeared to you.
Exo 4:6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy
bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his
hand was leprous as snow. Turned his hand to be
leprous as snow. (Considered to be a incurable disease).
Exo 4:7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand
into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was
turned again as his other flesh.
Thy bosom: "Heart, or close to the heart." Turned it back to normal again.
(Symbolic of how God can deal with the most incurable physical problems as well
as of the heart).
Exo 4:8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither
hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the
latter sign. If they don't believe the first sign, they
will be convinced by the second. Will they? (John 12:37), they didn't believe
Jesus.
Exo 4:9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two
signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the
river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou
takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
If they don't believe the first two miracles, take some water from the Nile
River and pour it on the ground. "It will turn to blood." Wow! The Nile River
was considered the source of life and productivity for the Egyptians. Now Moses
and Aaron (with the power of God), will turn the waters of Egypt into blood.
Exo 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent,
neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am
slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. Moses was not real
good at speaking (like his brother Aaron), even though he grew up with all the
wisdom of the Egyptians. Kind of like the apostle Paul.
But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we
have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. (2 Corinthians 11:6).
Paul is saying that he may be unskilled as a speaker, but he is not lacking in
knowledge. You don't need to be a "smooth speaker" to be knowledgeable in the
Word of God. If you don't want to be a speaker of the Word, you can write about
it and get the same results. "Like here at the Good News Ministry." (Ephesians
3:4). "However, sometimes we can be better speakers when the Holy Spirit is
present."
Exo 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh
the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
When God wants you to speak, He will put the right words in your mouth. (Psalm
51:15, Jeremiah 1:9).
Exo 4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what
thou shalt say. God will give you the right words at the
right time through the Holy Spirit. Just as it will be in the end time when the
elect are delivered up before anti-Christ. (Matthew 10:19-20, Mark 13:11, Luke
12:11-12, John 14:26).
Exo 4:13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him
whom thou wilt send. Moses pleads to God again not to
send him, but anyone else.
Exo 4:14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said,
Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And
also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be
glad in his heart. God is not to pleased with Moses at
this point, but agrees to send someone else with him. "His brother Aaron."
Exo 4:15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I
will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
God is always in control.
Exo 4:16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be,
even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him
instead of God. You tell Aaron what to say and he will be
your spokesman. (A three way relationship if you will). God speaks to Moses,
Moses speaks to Aaron, and Aaron speaks to Pharaoh.
Exo 4:17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do
signs.
Take the shepherd's staff with you. (Moses power will come from God through the
shepherd's staff).
Exo 4:18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said
unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are
in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in
peace.
Moses wanting to return to Egypt because of instruction from God. Out of respect
he asked Jethro for permission, and he tells him to go in peace.
Exo 4:19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for
all the men are dead which sought thy life. No more threat
from the enemy, Moses outlived them all. Not only Pharaoh, but all the court
faction. Are dead: The counterpart to (Matthew 2:15, 2:20).
Exo 4:20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and
he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
Moses sets out to Egypt with his wife and sons and the "rod of God." Sound
familiar?
And out
of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and
he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15). His mouth is a two edge sword.
(Revelation 1:16), Striking down the nations with
power and He will rule them with an iron grip. This wrath is only against His
enemies, not His people.
Exo 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt,
see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine
hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
Pharaoh hardens his heart to the point of no return with the help of God. i.e.
if you keep rejecting the truth of Gods Word and continue to believe false
teachings and traditions of men, God will harden your heart to the truth. (John
12:40, Romans 11:8-10, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).
Exo 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is
my son, even my firstborn:
My son: (Matthew 2:15).
Exo 4:23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if
thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy
firstborn. Pharaoh warned about his son in advance.
Exo 4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him,
and sought to kill him.
The account in this and the two following verses, although rather obscure, seems
to imply, that on their way to the land of Egypt, an angel appeared to Moses,
and sought to kill his son, on account of his father's non-observance of the
Lord's positive command to Abraham, that every man child of the Jewish nation,
or born in his house in servitude, should be circumcised on the eighth day; and
the Zipporah, at the command of Moses, immediately fulfilled the injunction, and
thus averted the wrath of God, denounced against the disobedient: "The
uncircumcised man child, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that
soul shall be cut off from his people." (Genesis 17:14).
Exo 4:25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her
son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art
thou to me. Bloody husband: i.e. with rites of blood;
alluding to circumcision, which she had tried to evade and avoid.
Exo 4:26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art,
because of the circumcision.
The circumcision was done and the LORD left him alone.
Exo 4:27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.
And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
Aaron goes into the wilderness to meet Moses and they embrace.
Exo 4:28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and
all the signs which he had commanded him. Moses fills
Aaron in on all what the Lord wants him to do.
Exo 4:29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the
children of Israel:
Back in Egypt, they call the elders together for a meeting.
Exo 4:30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses,
and did the signs in the sight of the people. They seen
the proof.
Exo 4:31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had
visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction,
then they bowed their heads and worshipped. The people are
now convinced that the LORD had sent Moses and Aaron. Now they are encouraged
that the LORD (Yahveh), is going to help them.
Exodus 5
Exo 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith
the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in
the wilderness. This was in "The field of Zoan." (Psalm
78:12, 78:43), where Pharaoh had made his palace.
Exo 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his
voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
Pharaoh does not recognize the God of Moses. He was
considered a god himself.
Exo 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we
pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our
God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
They don't just want three days off, they want a three day journey away from
Egypt (the ways of the Egyptians), so they can worship God.
Exo 5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and
Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
Quit distracting the people from their work Pharaoh replied.
Exo 5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many,
and ye make them rest from their burdens.
You are stopping
all these people in the land from working.
Exo 5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and
their officers, saying, Sent a message to the Egyptian
slave drivers and the Israelite foremen.
Exo 5:7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore:
let them go and gather straw for themselves. Don't supply
the straw, make them gather it themselves. The straw was mixed with clay, in
order to make the bricks. Some were to work in the clay, and others were to
gather straw for the formation of the bricks. The straw was mixed with the clay
and mud, kneaded together, and afterwards, baked in the sun.
Exo 5:8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall
lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be
idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
More work, same quota. (More work so they would not have time for anything
else).
Exo 5:9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour
therein; and let them not regard vain words. Pile on the
work and make them sweat to teach them a lesson.
Exo 5:10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and
they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
No more supply of straw for the workers.
Exo 5:11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your
work shall be diminished. Go and find the straw
yourselves, but keep up the quota.
Exo 5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt
to gather stubble instead of straw.
Found stubble to use
as straw.
Exo 5:13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works,
your daily tasks, as when there was straw. Again,
you must keep the same quota.
Exo 5:14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's
taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have
ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as
heretofore? When their quota was not met, they whipped the
Israelite foremen.
Exo 5:15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto
Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
Give us a break they said, don't treat your servants like this.
Exo 5:16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make
brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in
thine own people. It is not our fault. They don't give us
straw anymore but still want the same amount of bricks.
Exo 5:17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye
say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
Lazy, Lazy, Lazy. The Pharaoh thinks they have to much time on their hands
because of what Moses asked. (Request to worship God).
Exo 5:18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given
you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
Get back to
work and my command of no straw stands. With the same quota!
Exo 5:19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they
were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought
from your bricks of your daily task.
Things are going to
get worse from here on in.
Exo 5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came
forth from Pharaoh: Now the foreman are going to complain
to Moses and Aaron.
Exo 5:21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because
ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes
of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
Now they are blaming Moses and Aaron for their treatment. They seem to have
forgotten that they were the ones who asked to be delivered. (Exodus 2:23). "God
responded by sending Moses." (Little lack of faith here on their part).
Exo 5:22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast
thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou
hast sent me? Now Moses goes and complains to God.
Exo 5:23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil
to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.
Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has become more brutal to
your people. When will you rescue them? Remember, God said he would harden
Pharaoh's heart against the people. He also promised that He would deliver His
people. God will always finish what He started. (Philippians 1:6, Hebrews
10:36).
Exodus 6
Exo 6:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to
Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand
shall he drive them out of his land. God in control and
will execute a strong hand towards Pharaoh. (Psalm 12:5, 89:13).
Exo 6:2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:
God spake: Only occurs twice in Exodus. Here and Exodus 20:1.
Exo 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the
name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
"I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (El
Shaddai), and by my name Jehovah was I not also made known unto them?" Yahveh:
(Genesis 22:14).
Exo 6:4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the
land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
God reaffirmed His covenant with them.
Exo 6:5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom
the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
God remembers His covenant. All Israel's blessings based on this. (Exodus 2:24).
Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and
I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you
out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with
great judgments: God will redeem His people with great
acts of judgment.
Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God:
and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out
from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
The promise to claim Israel as His own people. "All His people, Jew or gentile
alike." (Revelation 21:3, 21:7).
Exo 6:8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did
swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for
an heritage: I am the LORD. lift up my hand, The
ancient mode of appealing to God was by lifting up the right hand, and was
considered as a form of swearing. (We swear to God with our hand on the bible
today).
Exo 6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened
not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Moses was speaking, but the people were not listening to the message.
Exo 6:10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 6:11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of
Israel go out of his land.
Exo 6:12 And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of
Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am
of uncircumcised lips? Moses knows he has to go toe to toe with Pharaoh but seems a bit reluctant. He
is using that clumsy speaker excuse again. Thinking Pharaoh will not listen to
him.
Exo 6:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge
unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the
children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. God gives
Moses and Aaron the orders to go forward. Listen to God when He speaks to you
and He will lead you out of bondage. Bondage from what? Well, not from the
oppression of Egypt. But, He will lead you to the truth and out of the hands of
tradition and false teachings.
Exo 6:14 These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of
Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these
be the families of Reuben. Verses 14-25 will deal with the genealogy of Moses.
Exo 6:15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and
Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families
of Simeon.
Exo 6:16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to
their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of
Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. Levi
died 23 years after Joseph, and 41 years before Moses.
Exo 6:17 The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.
Exo 6:18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel:
and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three
years.
Exo 6:19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the
families of Levi according to their generations.
Exo 6:20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she
bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an
hundred and thirty and seven years.
Exo 6:21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
Exo 6:22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.
Exo 6:23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of
Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Exo 6:24 And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these
are the families of the Korhites. Elkanah: The
ancestor of Samuel. (Samuel 1:1-24, Numbers 26:11).
Exo 6:25 And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of
Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the
fathers of the Levites according to their families.
Exo 6:26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring
out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.
The order according to age and genealogy.
Exo 6:27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring
out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.
The order according to God's choice.
Exo 6:28 And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses
in the land of Egypt,
Exo 6:29 That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak
thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.
Exo 6:30 And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised
lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me? Moses copping
out again about his speaking to Pharaoh. Do you struggle with how God may want
to use you? Let God speak and listen! You will be surprised what He can do with
you. We will see how God responds to Moses in the next chapter.
Exodus 7
Exo 7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh:
and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
in God's
stead: Elohim = one appointed by oath. Elohim used of those so given and
appointed. (Psalm 82:1, 82:6, John 10:34, 10:35).
Exo 7:2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall
speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
God often uses prophets and representatives to speak to people.
God would command Moses, and instead of Moses speaking to Pharaoh, he would use
Aaron to do his speaking.
Exo 7:3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my
wonders in the land of Egypt. It appears that the Egyptian
people are going to suffer as the Israelites have been suffering because of the
Pharaoh's stubborn heart.
Exo 7:4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon
Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel,
out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. God is going
to harden Pharaoh's heart so He can demonstrate His awesome power over the
Egyptians gods. (Exodus 12:12).
Exo 7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I
stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from
among them. Shall know: i.e. by great experience. The
object of all the ten plagues; as it will be in the coming day of judgment of
the end times (Revelation 16:5-7), in the Apocalypse.
Exo 7:6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
Exo 7:7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and
three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
Moses was
80 years old and Aaron was 83 years old. What a mission for a couple of old
guys.
Exo 7:8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Exo 7:9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you:
then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh,
and it shall become a serpent. Serpant: Hebrew
H8577 "tanniyn" same as H8565 "tan" a land monster, sea serpent, Jackal, dragon,
or a crocodile. Remember earlier, when the rod of Moses became a serpent. The
word serpent in (Exodus 4:2-3) was different. Hebrew H5175 "nachash" a snake.
Exo 7:10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the
LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his
servants, and it became a serpent. Moses and Aaron did
what the Lord had commanded in front of Pharaoh, but it did not seem to impress
Pharaoh.
Exo 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the
magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
Pharaoh calls his wise men and magicians and they bring the "sacred scribes of
Egypt" with them. (Contained their secret arts). Two of the magicians names were
Jannes and Jambres. (2 Timothy 3:8).
Exo 7:12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but
Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
The magicians cast
down their rods and they became snakes. But, when Aaron cast down his rod, it
consumed the snakes. (First blow on the gods of Egypt). So, how did the
magicians perform their magic. Remember that Satan has power also. "The prince
of the power of the air." We will see ourselves that when anti-Christ returns,
he will perform miracles. (2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 13:13).
Exo 7:13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as
the LORD had said. Again, not to impressive to Pharaoh and
he hardened his heart.
Exo 7:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he
refuseth to let the people go. Because Pharaoh refused to
let the people go, now begins the nine plagues. Note: The number nine is
connected with judgment (see appendix 10).
Exo 7:15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the
water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod
which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.
Exo 7:16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent
me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the
wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.
Exo 7:17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the
LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the
waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
Parallel of the third sign Moses was to give to the Israelites.
(Exodus 4:9).
Exo 7:18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river
shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
Many try to explain this as a natural phenomena caused by red silting dirt in
the water. However, this would not result in the death of the fish in the Nile.
(This was divine intervention caused by God).
Exo 7:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and
stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their
rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may
become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of
Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
This turned all the water in Egypt to blood. (Even the stored
water).
Exo 7:20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up
the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of
Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were
in the river were turned to blood. The Nile was an object
of worship to the Egyptians, which was now polluted, and became a means of
pollution to the people.
Exo 7:21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank,
and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood
throughout all the land of Egypt. Blood throughout the
land of Egypt. Hmmm, I find it interesting that the first miracle of Christ
turned water into fine wine, while the first plague upon Egypt turned all their
water into blood.
Exo 7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and
Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had
said. Again the magicians used their enchantments (so
there was magic in the land), and turned water into blood. Perhaps "Semjaza"
taught them enchantments. (Book of Enoch 1:8).
Exo 7:23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his
heart to this also. Again, Pharaoh not so impressed and a
hardened heart, returned to his palace to put the whole thing out of his mind.
Exo 7:24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to
drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
Digging wells for fresh water to drink.
Exo 7:25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the
river. It could have been seven days till the blood of the
Nile turned back to water, or seven days till the next time God speaks to Moses.
Exodus 8
Exo 8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him,
Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
The message to Pharaoh again. LET MY PEOPLE GO...
Exo 8:2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all
thy borders with frogs:
Frogs were worshipped as a symbol of fecundity. (Productive or creative power).
Exo 8:3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up
and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into
the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into
thy kneadingtroughs: The frogs will cover the land, their
houses, and even jump into the ovens and kneading bowls.
Exo 8:4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and
upon all thy servants. Jumping on all the people and
officials. (I wonder if that is where the game "leap-frog" came from)?
Exo 8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine
hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and
cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.
God tells Moses and he tells Aaron, "Raise the staff in your hand over the
rivers, canals, and ponds."
Exo 8:6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the
frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. Here comes
the frogs... It must have looked like the "sea of green" with all these frogs
jumping around. What a mess! The worse part is that they could not even kill
them, because it was probably illegal to kill a frog. One of the Egyptian
goddesses that they worshipped was "Heket" who was a fertility god. "She had the
head of a frog."
Exo 8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up
frogs upon the land of Egypt. Nothing to the magicians,
they were able to cause frogs to come up on the land also. But, who was really
behind their powers?
Exo 8:8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD,
that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the
people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.
Sounds like Pharaoh is giving in a little. He begs Moses and Aaron to plead with
the Lord to take the frogs away. Not only that, but he agrees to let the people
go.
Exo 8:9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for
thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee
and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?
Moses tells Pharaoh to set the time! He gives the Pharaoh respect and honor by
letting him make the decision.
Exo 8:10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy
word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our
God. Tomorrow, the Pharaoh said! Moses replies, "it will
be as you have said." Why did Moses let Pharaoh decide on when the frogs should
leave the land? So that he knows that there is no trickery involved. Then he
will know that the Lord was the one at work.
Exo 8:11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from
thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.
The frogs will be gone except for in the Nile.
Exo 8:12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the
LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
Exo 8:13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died
out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
The Lord did what Moses predicted. (God in control).
Exo 8:14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.
Heaps of dead frogs stunk up the land.
Exo 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart,
and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
Pharaoh saw relief coming and thought everything would be alright now so he
hardened his heart again. "Just as the Lord had predicted." At times we can all
be quite stubborn when things go wrong in our life. We might be down on our luck
for not living as we should, we ask God for help and He gives it. Then we go
back to our old ways. I guess most worldly people will not change till they hit
rock bottom. Sometimes they will still not learn and are taken out of the
equation.
Exo 8:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod,
and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land
of Egypt. Lice: Mosquito-gnats. Note that this is the
third plague (like the sixth and the ninth), falls without warning.
Exo 8:17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and
smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the
dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
In the dust of the land there came to be. (Psalm 105:31).
Exo 8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth
lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
They could not: Wow, the magicians could not pull this one off. Not because a
question of life, for the frogs had life. God suffered them to do so in the
former cases to show the limits of their power; by contrast, to show that His
power was unlimited. (You will find out in life that God can limit men, or even
change the minds and actions of men to benefit others).
Exo 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of
God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the
LORD had said.
The power of God! Amazing what God can do with His finger.
He will give Moses the ten commandments. (Exodus 31:18). He would put the stars
into existence. (Psalm 8:3). He would cast out devils. (Luke 11:20). Jesus wrote
on the ground and exposed the accusers. (John 8:6-8).
Exo 8:20 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and
stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus
saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 8:21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms
of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into
thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies,
and also the ground whereon they are. Swarms
of flies: Possibly the dog-fly, which would have been particularly hateful to
the Egyptians, because they held dogs in the highest veneration, under which
form they worshipped the god Anubis. (Psalm 78:45).
Exo 8:22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people
dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest
know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
Goshen would be the land in northern Egypt where the Israelites live. (Psalm
110:2). Goshen would be spared from the plague.
Exo 8:23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to
morrow shall this sign be.
A clear division between those who are the Lord's people and those who are not.
Exo 8:24 And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies
into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all
the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.
The land was corrupted: How intolerable a plague of
flies can prove, is evident from the fact that whole districts have been laid
waste by them. The inhabitants have been forced to quit their cities, not being
able to stand against the flies and gnats with which they were pestered. Hence
different people had deities whose office it was to defend them against flies.
Among these may be reckoned Baalzebub, the fly-god of Ekron; Hercules,
muscarum abactor,
Hercules the expeller of flies; and hence Jupiter had the titles of
απομυιος,
μυιαγρος,
μυιοχορος,
because he was supposed to expel flies, and especially clear his temples of
these insects.
Exo 8:25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye,
sacrifice to your God in the land. It seems that Pharaoh
is going to give in a little. Notice that he says let the people go and worship,
but do it in this land. What will Moses say?
Exo 8:26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the
abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the
abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
Moses knew that the Egyptians would detest the sacrifices that they would offer
to the Lord. Example: One of the sacrificial animals would be sheep and the
Egyptians didn't like sheep. They considered shepherd's to be horrible people.
On the other hand, Egyptians worshipped cows. Two of their gods Hathor and Apis
resembled the head of a cow or bull.
Exo 8:27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to
the LORD our God, as he shall command us. Three day trip
into the wilderness as our God commanded. (Listen to God not man).
Exo 8:28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the
LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for
me. Pharaoh agrees, but still wants them to stay close by.
(Pharaoh's objection to Yahveh's third demand).
Exo 8:29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the
LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants,
and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in
not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD. Mosses
gives Pharaoh a little warning not to play games anymore with the people of
Israel and refuse to let them go and sacrifice to the Lord. i.e. Do not deceive
us again. (Galatians 6:7).
Exo 8:30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.
Exo 8:31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the
swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people;
there remained not one. Moses and God kept their end of
the bargain, but Pharaoh did not.
Exo 8:32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he
let the people go. Once again
Pharaoh became stubborn and refused to let the people go. Pharaoh kind of
reminds me of many people today. When things are down they seek and call on God.
When things are better again, they put God on the back burner.
Exodus 9
Exo 9:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus
saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Back to Pharaoh again.
Exo 9:2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,
If you continue to hold them captive.
Exo 9:3 Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in
the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and
upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
The fifth plague was aimed at all kinds of animal worship. The cattle were in
the field in the spring and early summer. Murrian: H1698 "deber" a pestilence,
plague. We may observe a particular
scope and meaning in this calamity, if we consider it in regard to the
Egyptians, which would not have existed in respect to any other people. They
held in idolatrous reverence almost every animal, but some they held in
particular veneration; as the ox, cow, and ram. Among these,
Apis
and Mnevis
are well known; the former being a sacred bull, worshipped at Memphis, as the
latter was at Heliopolis. A cow or heifer had the like honours at Momemphis; and
the same practice seems to have been adopted in most of the Egyptian
nomes.
By the infliction of this judgment, the Egyptian deities sank before the God of
the Hebrews.
Exo 9:4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle
of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of
Israel. No problems for the
Israelites and their animals. Not one would die.
Exo 9:5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall
do this thing in the land. Talk about a bad day coming for
the Egyptians.
Exo 9:6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of
Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.
The Egyptians livestock "in the field" died, but not one of the
Israelites animals. Egyptian cattle back in the pens may have not been killed at
this time. (We will see other cattle of the Egyptians affected by the seventh
plague).
Exo 9:7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the
Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the
people go. Stubborn Pharaoh still refuses to let the
people go. "God must have gave him a heart of stone." (Romans 9:18).
Exo 9:8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of
ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight
of Pharaoh. This was a significant command; not only
referring to the fiery furnace, which was a type of the slavery of the
Israelites, but to a cruel rite common among the Egyptians. They had several
cities styled Typhonian, in which at particular seasons they sacrificed men, who
were burnt alive; and the ashes of the victim were scattered upwards in the air,
with the view, probably, that where any atom of dust was carried, a blessing was
entailed. The like, therefore, was done by Moses, though with a different
intention, and more certain effect.
Exo 9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be
a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout
all the land of Egypt. Festering boils are about to break
out on the people and animals throughout the land. The same happened to Job,
only he was struck by Satan. (Job 2:7).
Exo 9:10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and
Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with
blains upon man, and upon beast. Ashes from the furnace:
i.e. one of the alters on which human sacrifices were sometimes offered to
propitiate their god "Typhon" (i.e. the Evil Principle). These were doubtless
being offered to avert the plagues, and Moses, using the ashes in the same way,
produced another plague instead of averting it.
Exo 9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils;
for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
The magicians were worthless now. The boils broke out on them as well as all of
Egypt.
Exo 9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not
unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses. Pharaoh
refusing again! Hardness of heart is a figurative expression, denoting that
insensibility of mind upon which neither judgments nor mercies make any abiding
impressions; but the conscience being stupefied, the obdurate rebel persists in
determined disobedience.
Exo 9:13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and
stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews,
Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and
upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is
none like me in all the earth. God wants Pharaoh to
realize that his gods are worthless and there is no other god like Him. (Exodus
8:10).
Exo 9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy
people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
God could have wiped them off the earth by now.
Exo 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to
shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all
the earth. God had spared Pharaoh for a purpose. To show
him who was in control. (Psalm 64:9, 83:17-18).
Exo 9:17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not
let them go?
Exo 9:18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very
grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even
until now. This plague was directed against their god
"Isis and Osiris." This must have been a circumstance of all others the most
incredible to an Egyptian; for in Egypt there fell no rain, the want of which
was supplied by dews, and the overflowing of the Nile. The Egyptians must,
therefore, have perceived themselves particularly aimed at in these fearful
events, especially as they were very superstitious. There seems likewise a
propriety in their being punished by fire and water, as they were guilty of the
grossest idolatry towards these elements. Scarcely anything could have
distressed the Egyptians more than the destruction of the flax, as the whole
nation wore linen garments. The ruin of their barley was equally fatal, both to
their trade and to their private advantage.
Exo 9:19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou
hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in
the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them,
and they shall die. This was probably the livestock that
was kept in the pens.
Exo 9:20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh
made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:
Exo 9:21 And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and
his cattle in the field. Some did not pay attention and
left their livestock out in the open.
Exo 9:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward
heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon
beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
Going to rain down hail on the people, livestock, and plants. Kind of reminds us
what is in store in the end times. (Revelation 16:21).
Exo 9:23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent
thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained
hail upon the land of Egypt. Thunder, hail, and lightning.
Exo 9:24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous,
such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a
nation. One hell of a storm.
Exo 9:25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was
in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field,
and brake every tree of the field. Destroyed everything in
it's path. (Psalm 105:33).
Exo 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were,
was there no hail. Nice and sunny in Goshen, where the
people of Israel lived. (Isaiah 32:18-19).
Exo 9:27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto
them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people
are wicked. Pharaoh finally
confessed that he had sinned, he and his people were wrong, and The Lord is the
righteous One. Talk about a 180° turn around. (But, we will see that talk is
cheap).
Exo 9:28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more
mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
"Coping another plea here."
Exo 9:29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I
will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease,
neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth
is the LORD'S.
Exo 9:30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear
the LORD God. Moses knew that they still did not fear the
Lord.
Exo 9:31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was
in the ear, and the flax was bolled. Destroyed
because they were in budding and close to harvest.
Exo 9:32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not
grown up. Wheat and spelt were not affected because they
had not sprouted yet.
Exo 9:33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his
hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not
poured upon the earth. Rain and hail ceased by the hand of
Moses, but by the power of God.
Exo 9:34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders
were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
Right back to their old ways. (Romans 2:4-5).
Exo 9:35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the
children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.
A
hard heart will lead to trouble times! What about you my friend? What will you
do when things get tough? Will you listen to God, or harden your heart like
Pharaoh?
Exodus 10
Exo 10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have
hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my
signs before him: Pharaoh hardened his heart many times,
but now God will continue to keep it hard to show His miraculous signs among the
people of Egypt. The eighth plague was directed against the god "Serapis" who
was supposed to protect the land from locust. (God will show His might against
all the gods of Egypt).
Exo 10:2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's
son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among
them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD. God
is making a mockery against the gods and people of Egypt.
Exo 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus
saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself
before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Pharaoh was to proud to humble himself before God. (Proverbs 16:18). If Pharaoh
would just humble himself before God, things would get a lot better for the
people of Egypt. (James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6). God can change a man if he humbles
himself and allows Him. However, a man may be humbled without humbling himself.
"God creates out of nothing. Therefore, until a man is nothing, God can make
nothing out of him." (Martin Luther).
Exo 10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I
bring the locusts into thy coast: Locust upon the land.
(Joel 2:1-10, Revelation 9:3-11). Should refresh our minds of the locust army of
the end times. locusts: The
word arbeh,
Locust, is derived from
ravah,
to multiply, be numerous, etc., because they are more prolific than any other
insect, and because of the immense swarms of them by which different countries,
especially the East, are infested. The locust, in entomology, belongs to a genus
of insects known among naturalists by the name of
Grylli;
which includes three species, crickets, grasshoppers, and locusts. The common
great brown locust is about three inches in length; has two antennae about an
inch long, and two pair of wings. The head and horns are brown; the mouth and
inside of the larger legs bluish; the upper side of the body and upper wings
brown, the former spotted with black, and the latter with dusky spots. The back
is defended by a shield of a greenish hue. The under wings are of a light brown,
tinctured with green, and nearly transparent. It has a large open mouth, in the
two jaws of which it has four teeth, which traverse each other like scissors,
being calculated, from their mechanism, to gripe or cut. The general appearance
of the insect is that of the grasshopper. The Egyptians had gods in whom they
trusted to deliver them from these terrible invaders; but by this judgment they
were taught that it was impossible to stand before Moses, the servant of the
Yahveh.
Exo 10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able
to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which
remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you
out of the field: Devour everything in their path.
Exo 10:6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants,
and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers'
fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day.
And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh. No
plague in the history of Egypt will be like this one.
Exo 10:7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a
snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest
thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? Kind of a compromise
being brought to Pharaoh by his own officials. Their suggestion... Lets just let
the men go and worship their God.
Exo 10:8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said
unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that
shall go? Pharaoh's answer to Yahveh is a question. Who
shall go?
Exo 10:9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our
sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for
we must hold a feast unto the LORD. Moses says that
we all must go and worship the Lord. Men, women, children, and livestock must
all join together. This will not sit well with Pharaoh. He thinks they will pack
up and leave if he allows them all to go, never to return.
Exo 10:10 And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let
you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.
Pharaoh gets a sense that he is right, and he can see what they are planning.
i.e. It's not going to happen.
Exo 10:11 Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that
ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
No way I am going to let you all go! The men only may go and
worship.
Exo 10:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land
of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat
every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
The locust will finish off what the hailstorm left behind.
Exo 10:13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the
LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night;
and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
Here comes the locust out of the east wind. God has full control
over nature. (Matthew 8:27).
Exo 10:14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in
all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were
no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
Exo 10:15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was
darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the
trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the
trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
The whole land of Egypt was stripped clean. (Psalm 105:34-35).
Exo 10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I
have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.
Pharaoh copping a plea again.
Exo 10:17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and
intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
Begging for forgiveness.
Exo 10:18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.
Moses pleaded with the Lord to stop the locust.
Exo 10:19 And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the
locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all
the coasts of Egypt. God shifted the wind and blew the
locust into the red sea. (Matthew 8:27).
Exo 10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the
children of Israel go.
Exo 10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven,
that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which
may be felt. First of the four instances of darkness in
judgment. (Exodus 10:22, Matthew 27:45, Jude 13, Revelation 16:10).
Exo 10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a
thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
darkness: As the Egyptians not only worshipped the light and sun, but also
paid the same veneration to night and darkness, nothing could be more terrible
than this punishment of palpable and coercive darkness, such as their luminary
Osiris could not dispel.
Exo 10:23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three
days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
The Egyptians had no light at all, but the people of Israel had light where they
lived. (Divine intervention by God). Example for us today that so many are not
in the light. How many people do you know that are walking in spiritual
darkness?
Who
hath delivered us from
the power of darkness,
and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his
dear Son. The
Lord has rescued us from
the darkness of Satan's
kingdom, and brought us
into the Kingdom of His
Son Jesus Christ; "Who
Is The Light."
Exo 10:24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD;
only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with
you. Boy, this Pharaoh is quite a salesmen. You may go,
but the livestock remains. And the bargaining continues.
Exo 10:25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt
offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.
"No way," Moses says. We must be provided with animals for sacrifice.
Exo 10:26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left
behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with
what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither. All
the animals must go with us.
Exo 10:27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them
go.
Exo 10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself,
see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
Now the Pharaoh is getting a little nervous and ticked off. He threatens Moses
with his life.
Exo 10:29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no
more. O.K. "have it your way." (not like the burger king
commercial). Moses tells Pharaoh, "I will never see your face again." Moses did
not leave Pharaoh for the last time till Exodus 11:8. So, this is a figure of
speech. Prolepsis (Occupatio); or,
Anticipation. Answering an argument by anticipating it before it is used. (See
appendix 6). We will have one last plague before Pharaoh finally lets the people
go.
Exodus 11
Exo 11:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more
upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall
let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.
One final blow from God and Pharaoh will be eager to let the people go.
Exo 11:2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his
neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of
gold.
Exo 11:3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians.
Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight
of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people. The
common people of Egypt had come to respect Moses and took him seriously.
Exo 11:4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out
into the midst of Egypt:
Exo 11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the
firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of
the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
God warned Pharaoh about this in (Exodus 4:22-23). Let
Israel go or I will kill your son.
Exo 11:6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt,
such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
Talk about the loss of a child. Now every family in Egypt is going to lose a
child. Not only the people, but the livestock as well.
Exo 11:7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his
tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a
difference between the Egyptians and Israel. It will be so
peaceful among the Israelites, that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know
that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites.
(Malachi 3:18), between him that serves God and him that does not.
Exo 11:8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down
themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee:
and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.
The Egyptian people will bow to Moses and beg the
Israelites to go.
Exo 11:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you;
that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.
Exo 11:10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the
LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel
go out of his land. Up to this point, Moses and Aaron
performed these miracles in Pharaoh's presence, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh's
heart. There is no reason to believe that this will be any different. But we
will see... In the next chapter we will describe the Passover.
Exodus 12
Exo 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
saying, Instructions from the Lord.
Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it
shall be the first month of the year to you. First
month of the Jewish calendar called "Abib or Nisan." (Leviticus 23:5).
Exo 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth
day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to
the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: An
house: The Israelites were divided into twelve tribes, these tribes into
families, the families into houses, and the houses into particular persons.
(Joshua 7:14).
Exo 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his
neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the
souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
If the family is to small to eat the whole lamb, let them share with another
family. (Nothing gone to waste).
Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye
shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Your best perfect animal without blemish. Even as "Christ our Passover." Christ
became our Passover and He was without blemish and perfect in every way. (1
Corinthians 5:7-8, 1 Peter 1:19).
Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month:
and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the
evening.
In the evening: Between the two evenings, The Jews divided
the day into morning and evening. Till the sun passed the meridian, all was
morning or forenoon; after that, all was evening or afternoon. Their first
evening began just after twelve o'clock, and continued till sunset; their second
evening began at sunset, and continued till night, i.e., during the whole time
of twilight; between twelve o'clock, therefore, and the termination of twilight,
the Passover was to be offered. (Matthew 27:46-50).
Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two
side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
The blood was to be spread on the door frame of every house.
Exo 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and
unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Just as our Passover communion contains symbolism. "The bread symbolic of the
body of Christ, and the wine symbolic of the blood of Christ." The Jewish
Passover has symbolic elements also. Unleavened bread: Symbolic of a pure life
without "leaven" or "sin." (1 Corinthians 5:8). Bitter herbs: To remind the
people of their past sins and oppression. "The bitter life that was in Egypt."
(Numbers 9:11, Zechariah 12:10).
Exo 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with
fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
The whole animal was to be roasted over the fire. (Judged and cleansed by fire).
Exo 12:10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that
which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
Eat it all and leave nothing for the next morning. Burn whatever is left over.
End of the sacrifice; "it was accomplished." When Jesus died on the cross for
our sins He did it "once and for all." He would say before dying on the cross
and giving up the Spirit, "It Is Finished." After His death, He was removed from
the cross. He did not remain of the cross overnight or forever. That is why a
cross (crucifix), should not have Jesus still hanging on it. It only makes you
think that Jesus is still on the cross.
Exo 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes
on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it
is the LORD'S passover.
Loins girded: i.e. the loose flowing garments fastened up with a belt or girdle,
making the men ready for action. (1 Kings 18:46, Luke 12:35, 17:8, Acts 12:8,
Ephesians 6:14).
Exo 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will
smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against
all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
Judgment against the gods (or princes), of Egypt. Pharaoh was considered a god
to the Egyptians. "Min" god of procreation, "Isis" god of reproduction, "Hathor"
attended the birth of children, "Apis" firstborn bull.
Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye
are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall
not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
This is where the holiday "Passover" comes from. God had "passed-over" the
Israelites. The blood was the token for Yahveh. Faith in the fact that it had
been sprinkled gave peace to all within. It was (and is) not the "act" of faith
which secured, but the "truth" that was believed. If no blood, belief that it
was there gave no security. If blood there, doubt as to the fact would destroy
peace, but could not destroy the security, because that was grounded on Yahveh's
word, and faith consists in "hearing" that. (Romans 10:17, Hebrews 11:1).
Exo 12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it
a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an
ordinance for ever.
A day to remember each year from generation to generation. Jesus gave us the
proper "ritual of communion" at the last supper, the Passover meal. His
request... "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME." (Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Jesus only asked and required us to take communion once a year at the Passover
in His remembrance. The bread being symbolic of His body, and the wine being
symbolic of His blood that was shed for us all. Some take communion at
Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of trumpets, which was probably done by the
apostles. Others take communion once a week or more. (This is between you and
the Heavenly Father). Note: A priest has no special powers of (transubstantiation),
over taking or giving communion like some denominations want you to believe. Any
Christian can receive or give communion to another with the same symbolic
results. Do not be deceived!
Exo 12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye
shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread
from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from
Israel. In the scriptures, leaven is seen as a picture of
sin. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).
Exo 12:16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and
in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work
shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may
be done of you. Holy convocation: Assembly of the people.
Exo 12:17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in
this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore
shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
Exo 12:18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at
even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the
month at even.
Exo 12:19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for
whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from
the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
Exo 12:20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat
unleavened bread.
Exo 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them,
Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.
Slaughter the Passover animal.
Exo 12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood
that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with
the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door
of his house until the morning. Hyssop: It has bushy
stalks, growing a foot and a half high; small spear-shaped, close-sitting, and
opposite leaves, with several smaller ones rising from the same joint; and all
the stalks and branches terminated by erect whorled spikes of flowers, of
different colors in the varieties of the plant. The leaves have an aromatic
smell, and a warm, pungent taste. Its detersive, cleansing, and medicinal
qualities were probably the reason why it was so particularly recommended in
Scripture.
Exo 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he
seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass
over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to
smite you.
Exo 12:24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy
sons for ever.
Exo 12:25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the
LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this
service.
Exo 12:26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you,
What mean ye by this service?
Exo 12:27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S
passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he
smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and
worshipped.
Exo 12:28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had
commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
Exo 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his
throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all
the firstborn of cattle.
First born sons of Egypt, as well as the firstborn of their livestock.
Exo 12:30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all
the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a
house where there was not one dead.
And there was a great cry: No people were more remarkable
and frantic in their mournings than the Egyptians. When a relative died, every
one left the house, and the women, with their hair loose, and their bosoms bare,
ran wild about the street. The men also, with their apparel equally disordered,
kept them company; all shrieking, howling, and beating themselves. What a scene
of horror and distress must now have presented itself, when there was not a
family in Egypt where there was not one dead.
Exo 12:31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up,
and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel;
and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Pharaoh finally
hits rock bottom. "Leave my people he tells Moses and Aaron." Take the rest of
the Israelites with you. (Psalm 105:38).
Exo 12:32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone;
and bless me also.
Take your flocks and herds with you and be gone. But, could you bless me as you
leave? Is Pharaoh about to change his ways? We will see...
Exo 12:33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send
them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.
The Egyptians wanted the Israelites gone quickly because they feared that they
would all die.
Exo 12:34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their
kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
Time to go! When God shows you a way out, don't drag your feet (1 Corinthians
10:13), take it.
Exo 12:35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and
they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and
raiment:
Exo 12:36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians,
so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they
spoiled the Egyptians. Was this done because the Egyptians
liked the Israelites? Was it done because they now feared them? No... It was
done because God brought it to pass.
And
also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they
come out with great substance. (Genesis 15:14).
Prophecy to Abram that
the nation of Israel would go down to Egypt in the time of Joseph. They would be
there 400 years, serving the Egyptians. God would bring judgment on Egypt, and
Israel would get all the treasure the Egyptians would give them. (Exodus
3:21-22).
Exo 12:37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about
six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
Rameses = City of the sun. Succoth = booths. Men here is "geber" valiant man or
warrior. i.e. men of military age that would form the armies of Israel.
Exo 12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and
herds, even very much cattle.
A mixed multitude of other people went with the
Israelites. Hanging with the Christians because they had God on their side. They
would eventually cause the Israelites a lot of trouble. (Numbers 11:4, Zechariah
8:23). Kind of like people today that say they are Christians, but never study
Gods Word. They just take the word of man and go on with their daily living.
Exo 12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought
forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of
Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any
victual.
Bread always unleavened when baked in haste. (Genesis 18:6).
Exo 12:40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt,
was four hundred and thirty years.
The Samaritan Pentateuch reads, "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel,
and of their fathers in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt, was 430
years." The Alexandrine copy of the LXX has the same reading; and the same
statement is made by the apostle Paul, in (Galatians 3:17),
who reckons from the promise made to Abraham to the giving of the law. That
these three witnesses have the truth, the chronology itself proves; for it is
evident that the descendants of Israel did not dwell 430 years in Egypt; while
it is equally evident, that the period from Abraham's entry into Canaan to the
Exodus, is exactly that number. Thus, from Abraham's entrance into the promised
land to the birth of Isaac, was 25 years; Isaac was 60 at the birth of Jacob;
Jacob was 130 at his going into Egypt; where he and his children continued 215
years more; making in the whole 430 years.
Exo 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty
years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD
went out from the land of Egypt. The selfsame day: i.e.
the fifteenth day of the seventh month. The year of the solar cycle show that it
was the day that Abraham left "Ur of the Chaldees."
Exo 12:42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing
them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be
observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
A night to be much observed. (Exodus 12:14, Deuteronomy 16:1-6).
Exo 12:43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the
ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
No outsiders! Remember the mixed multitude of (Exodus 12:28), that went along
for the ride. They want the blessing of Yahveh, but not the commitment of
circumcision.
Exo 12:44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast
circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
The blessing only comes with the commitment of circumcision.
Exo 12:45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.
Not for the temporary residents or hired servants.
Exo 12:46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of
the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.
For one household only. No bones to be broken on the Passover sacrifice.
(Numbers 9:12). This would also apply to Christ (our Passover), as He hung on
the cross. None of His bones were to be broken as was done by tradition by the
Romans. (John 19:33, 19:36).
Exo 12:47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
Exo 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the
passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come
near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no
uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
Exo 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger
that sojourneth among you.
Exo 12:50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses
and Aaron, so did they.
Exo 12:51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did
bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.
On that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt
like an army. "LET MY PEOPLE GO."
Exodus 13
Exo 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 13:2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb
among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is
mine. God spared all the firstborn of Israel and now He
wants them dedicated to Him. All souls belong to God! (Ezekiel 18:4). That is
why we dedicate new born babies to God. Some call it baptism, some call it
dedication. However, there is a difference. Child dedication is just what it
says. You dedicate the new child to God and ask for His love and
protection over that innocent child. (The child is not at the age of
accountability and has no idea what is going on). Baptism is when a person
becomes of age of accountability, and decides on their own to accept Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior and becoming part of the many member body of Christ.
(i.e. washing themselves clean of sin and bondage in their old self, and
becoming a new "spiritual person" and believer of the "true Word" in Jesus
name). Are you a believer? For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. This
verse needs no interpretation. No doubt, one of the most important scriptures
written in the bible. However, the key here is "believe in Him." But, you must
get to know someone before you can believe in them. You get to know Christ
through the Word. (A personal letter to you). "His written personality if you will."
Exo 13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came
out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD
brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
Leavened = fermented. (Feast of unleavened bread). Leaven being the picture of
sin in the bible. Even in the new testament it applies to us.
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye
are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1
Corinthians 5:7).
Get rid of the "old yeast" (sin), by removing it from among you.
(Ephesians 4:22, Colossians 3:5-9). The feast of "unleavened bread" was
associated with the Passover. Celebrated for seven days following the Passover.
(Exodus 13:6-7). "Christ is our Passover." (John 1:29, 1:36,
Acts 8:32-35, 1 Peter 1:19-20, Revelation 5:12).
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with
the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:8).
Celebrate the "Feast of Passover" in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Exo 13:4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. Abid =
the month of green ears. Jewish traditions says that in this month Abraham was
called, Isaac was born, Israel delivered from Egypt, and Tabernacle reared up.
The Talmud (teachings of Jewish Rabbi's), further says: "As in Nisan there had
been redemption, so in Nisan there should be redemption." John's preaching began
and the Lord's death occurred in this month.
Exo 13:5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the
Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with
milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
The Perizzites and Girgashites not included in this list. (Genesis 15:18-21,
Deuteronomy 7:1, Joshua 24:11).
Exo 13:6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day
shall be a feast to the LORD.
Exo 13:7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no
leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee
in all thy quarters.
Exo 13:8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done
because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of
Egypt. Shew thy son: Explain to your children. Do you
explain to your children the truth in the Word and how you came to know the
Lord? Are you passing on the legacy of knowing Jesus; or are you just letting
them find out for themselves through the traditions of men and false teachings? If they don't know or come to the truth, "it's in
part your fault."
Exo 13:9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a
memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a
strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. A
sign: This expression alludes to the custom of the Orientals, of burning in
their right hand all kinds of marks with the ashes of henna, which gives an
indelible color; and this is done even to this day. They were likewise
accustomed to write all kinds of sayings, and frequently superstitious words, on
slips or pieces of linen, which they wore as ornaments on their foreheads.
(Exodus 13:16, Deuteronomy 6:8, Proverbs 1:9).
Exo 13:10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to
year.
Exo 13:11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the
Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
Exo 13:12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the
matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males
shall be the LORD'S. Every first born son and firstborn male animal is to be set apart to Yahveh.
Exo 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if
thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn
of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. Redeem from
bondage by power. (We have been redeemed from the power of sin by the blood of
the Lamb, Jesus Christ).
Exo 13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying,
What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD
brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
Exo 13:15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the
LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and
the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the
matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
Exo 13:16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets
between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of
Egypt. Branded in your mind for remembrance.
Exo 13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God
led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although
that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when
they see war, and they return to Egypt:
God did not lead them by the land of the Philistines. (The shortest route to the
promise land). They might become faced with a battle and return back to Egypt.
(They were slave builders not warriors).
Exo 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the
wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of
the land of Egypt. God led them the long way around for safety. (Psalm 107:7).
Exo 13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly
sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall
carry up my bones away hence with you.
Moses took the bones of Joseph as promised by the sons of Israel. (Hebrews
11:22),
It was by faith
that Joseph (when he was about
to die), said that the people of
Israel would leave Egypt. "He
even told them to take his bones
with them." (Joshua 24:32).
Another evidence of order. (Genesis 50:25-26), Joseph's faith exhibited 150
years before.
Exo 13:20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in
the edge of the wilderness.
Exo 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to
lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go
by day and night:
Exo 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of
fire by night, from before the people. Guided by
the Lord both day and night. (Psalm 121:5-8, Revelation 10:1).
Exodus 14
Exo 14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, God
gives instructions to Moses.
Exo 14:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before
Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall
ye encamp by the sea. Pihahiroth: Mouth of Chiroth, or
mouth of gorges. (Valley which extends from the wilderness of Etham to the Red
Sea). This valley ends at the sea in a small bay made by eastern extremities of
the mountains of Gewoubee and Attackah. (Between which the valley lies). Called
"Tiah-Beni-Israel. i.e., the road of the Israelites, by a tradition that is
still kept up by the Arabs, of their having passed through it; so it is also
called Baideah, from the new and unheard of miracle that was wrought near it, by
dividing the Red sea, and destroying therein Pharaoh, his chariots, and his
horsemen." Migdol: Signifies a tower, and hence some have supposed that it was a
fortress which served to defend the bay. Baalzephon:
This may have been the name of a town or city in
which Baal was worshipped; and probably called Zephon, from being situated on
the north point of the Red sea, near the present Suez.
Exo 14:3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are
entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
The Pharaoh will think that the Israelites are lost and confused. (The assault
of the enemy was foreseen by God and a way out will be provided by Him). "God is
always in control."
Exo 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them;
and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians
may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
Pharaoh will harden his heart again and follow after the Israelites. But, this
time he will see the mighty power of God and know that He is the Lord.
Exo 14:5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the
heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they
said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
Exo 14:6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
Exo 14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of
Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
Exo 14:8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he
pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with
an high hand.
Exo 14:9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and
chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping
by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
Egypt was know for chariots, horses, and calvary, which had been introduced by
the eighteenth dynasty.
Exo 14:10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their
eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid:
and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
As Pharaoh approached the people of Israel, they panicked and cried out to the
Lord. "The Lord hears them." (Psalm 34:17, 106:44, 107:6, 107:13, 107:19,
107:28).
Exo 14:11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in
Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou
dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? They
thought that they were finished and sure to die.
Exo 14:12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying,
Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for
us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
Won't be the last time they wish they were back in Egypt.
Exo 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see
the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians
whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Stand still and see: Note the importance of this command. Stand still, and hear.
(Numbers 9:8, 1 Samuel 9:27, 12:7, 2 Chronicles 20:17, Job 37:14).
Exo 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
God takes care of the enemy.
Exo 14:15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak
unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: Stop
crying, get off your ass, and tell the people to get moving! Go forward: This
was Israel's faith. It was "by faith" in what they heard. (Romans 10:17, Hebrews
11:29).
Exo 14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea,
and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through
the midst of the sea.
Exo 14:17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they
shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host,
upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
Exo 14:18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have
gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
Exo 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed
and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face,
and stood behind them: The angel of God and the pillar of
cloud moved to the back of the people now. (Giving darkness to the Egyptians and
light to the Israelites).
Exo 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of
Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by
night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Exo 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused
the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea
dry land, and the waters were divided.
Dividing the red sea.
Exo 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the
dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right
hand, and on their left.
Waters divided: This verse demonstrates that this event was wholly miraculous,
and cannot be ascribed, as some have supposed, to an extraordinary ebb, which
happened just then to be produced by a strong east wind. For this would not have
caused the waters, contrary to every law of fluids, to stand as a wall on the
right hand and the left.
Exo 14:23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of
the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
The Egyptians followed right after them.
Exo 14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto
the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and
troubled the host of the Egyptians,
Morning watch: Between 2:00 a.m. and dawn. Troubled: Not only the parting of the
sea took place, but there was rain, thunder, lightning, and a earthquake. (Psalm
77:16-19).
Exo 14:25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so
that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD
fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
Twisted and broke the wheels of the chariots to make them
difficult to drive. (Jeremiah 51:21).
Exo 14:26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea,
that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon
their horsemen.
Exo 14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea
returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled
against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
The waters rushed back by the power of the Lord and swept the Egyptians into the
sea.
Exo 14:28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the
horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them;
there remained not so much as one of them. Not a single
survivor. "This implies that Pharaoh himself did not escape." (Psalm 106:9-11,
136:15).
Exo 14:29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst
of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and
on their left.
Exo 14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the
Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
Exo 14:31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the
Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his
servant Moses.
Israel saw and experienced the mighty power of the Lord. Now they put their
faith in the Lord and His servant Moses.
Exodus 15
Exo 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD,
and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously:
the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Note
the ten songs of praise: (Exodus 15:1-19, Numbers 21:17-18, Deuteronomy 32:1-43,
Judges 5:1-31, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, 2 Samuel 22:1-51, Luke 1:46-55, Luke 1:68-69,
Luke 2:29-32, Revelation 14:3). Unto the Lord: Yahveh is the sole theme, and
should be the theme of our praise. Portions of this song are also found in
(Psalm 118:14, Isaiah 12:2). The song will also be sung in the end times.
(Revelation 15:1-4). "The song of Moses."
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of
God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord
God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (Revelation
15:3). The
complete Song of Moses can be found in (Deuteronomy 32:1-43). The song of the
lamb would be the entire Word of God. The song of
Joy! Why? Because we get rid of all the evil ones in the world.
Pay close attention to Deuteronomy 32:15-18, where it says to beware of the
wicked party boys "Jeshurun" (prosperous), "waxed fat" (oily or gross),
"and kicked" (trample down), the good timers who gain wealth, women and power,
and forget about God. They follow the ways of the world and strange doctrines.
(Don't care or need God anymore). "At least they think so." Also, pay close
attention to Deuteronomy 32:31-33, where is says "their rock is not our Rock."
Notice the lower case "rock" representing Satan and the upper case "Rock"
representing Christ. (The wicked follow the false rock). Their day of calamity
is at hand. (Deuteronomy 32:35).
Exo 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my
salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my
father's God, and I will exalt him. Lord here is "yahh"
(the sacred name), the Eternal, inhabiting eternity. (See appendix 4).
Exo 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
A warrior! (This is what He is out of Christ; and to those who
are not the subjects of His redeeming power.
Exo 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his
chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
Exo 15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Exo 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand,
O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Exo 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them
that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed
them as stubble.
Exo 15:8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered
together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were
congealed in the heart of the sea.
Exo 15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the
spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall
destroy them.
Exo 15:10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as
lead in the mighty waters.
Exo 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is
like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Who is like you among the gods (mighty ones). Yahveh showing the Israelites that
He alone is God.
Exo 15:12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
Exo 15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast
redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
Led forth in mercy, redeemed in grace, guided by strength.
Exo 15:14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold
on the inhabitants of Palestina.
Exo 15:15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab,
trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt
away.
Exo 15:16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm
they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD,
till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
Exo 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine
inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee
to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have
established. Plant: The word used by God throughout of
settling His people. (Jeremiah 18:9, Amos 9:15, Romans 6:5, 1 Corinthians
3:6-10). O LOrd: One of the 134 places where Yahveh was altered, by the Sopherim,
to Adonai. (See appendix 32).
Exo 15:18 The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.
Exo 15:19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his
horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon
them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the
sea.
Exo 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in
her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
Miriam: Hebrew form of Mary. Moses older sister. (The one who watched over Moses
as he floated in a basket down the Nile). The first woman referred to as a
prophetess in the bible. (Micah 6:4).
Exo 15:21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath
triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The song of Mariam.
Exo 15:22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into
the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no
water. Shur: Name given from the great wall built to
protect Egypt from Asia, with its great Migdol, or fortress. This lay on the
eastern shore of the Heroopolitic gulf of the Red Sea, and is still called the
desert of Shur.
Exo 15:23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of
Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
The water was bitter. Marah = "bitter." (Numbers 33:8).
This is what Naomi (pleasant), called herself when she came back to Bethlehem.
(Ruth 1:20).
Exo 15:24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
The people complained and turned against Moses. (The first
murmuring after leaving Egypt).
Exo 15:25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree,
which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he
made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
Tree: The Cross is the Divine provision for every trial. Yahveh showed it. (The
tree as a picture of the Cross).
Exo 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD
thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his
commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon
thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that
healeth thee. The Lord that healeth thee: "Yahveh rophe'
eka" one of Yahveh's titles. (See appendix 4).
Exo 15:27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and
threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
Elim: This was on the northern skirts of the desert of Sin, two
leagues from Tor, and near 30 from Corondel, which is to be Marah, where there
is a small rill, which is brackish. Nine of the wells were found, the other
three being filled up with sand; but the 70 palm trees had increased into more
than 2,000. (Numbers 33:9, Isaiah 12:3, Revelation 7:17).
Exodus 16
So far, the Israelite slaves have been rescued
from Egypt, marched through the middle of the Red Sea to escape, while they
watched the Egyptians drown. They came to the bitter waters of Marah, where God
turned the waters sweet. Now, they are going to complain about food.
Exo 16:1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of
the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between
Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing
out of the land of Egypt. Moving south along the Red Sea
from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of sin. From there they would move
on to Dophkah. (Numbers 33:10-12). They traveled close to 300 miles in a little
more than a month.
Exo 16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured
against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
Here they go
again complaining to Moses and Aaron.
Exo 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died
by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots,
and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into
this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
They were eating good in Egypt, but not they were lacking food.
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven
for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I
may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
The Lord is going to test the people in two ways. To see if the people will
trust in the Lord, and to see if the people will obey the Lord. (Deuteronomy
8:2). If they do this, the Lord will provide what they need. (Proverbs 30:8). If
you put in the effort, God will always take care of you with what you need, not
what you want. But, first you must seek Him and the rest will be added.
But seek
ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall
be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33). The King and His Dominion. Take action and seek the
truth of His Word and make Him first in your life, and He will take care of you.
Exo 16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare
that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather
daily. God will always give you a double portion when
deserved. When you do things God's way, it's like getting a bonus when payday
comes. Spiritually speaking, God will always leave you full of truth and wanting
to come back for more.
Exo 16:6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even,
then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:
Exo 16:7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for
that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that
ye murmur against us?
Exo 16:8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you
in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the
LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are
we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.
Moses tells the people that their complaints were not against Aaron and himself,
but against the Lord.
Exo 16:9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the
children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your
murmurings.
Exo 16:10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of
the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the
glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. They could see
the awesome glory of the Lord in the cloud.
Exo 16:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
"When God speaks, listen."
Exo 16:12 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto
them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled
with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.
Exo 16:13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered
the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.
Quail are still common to Saudi Arabia.
Exo 16:14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the
wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar
frost on the ground. Small round flaky chunks of bread
covered the ground. "Like corn-bread from heaven." (Psalm 78:24, 105:40).
Exo 16:15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to
another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses
said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
Manna, Hebrew H4478 "man" a whatness (so to speak). "Bread from heaven." God
would give us the true bread from heaven. "Jesus Christ." (John 6:31-32). "The
hidden manna." He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the
hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17). The manna is
the truth of God's Word. The stone could identify
Christ. (Revelation 3:12, 19:12). But wait, A stone is also used in (Revelation
13:18), to count the number of the beast. Remember their is a true Christ and a
false Christ (antichrist), who will come first. Make sure that your stone (your
rock) is Jesus Christ, and not the stone used to identify Satan who comes
pretending to be Christ.
Exo 16:16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of
it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to
the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are
in his tents. Skull, per-head, "per person." Omer "a dry
measure" about two quarts.
Exo 16:17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some
less.
Exo 16:18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered
much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered
every man according to his eating. Each family had just
what they needed. (2 Corinthians 8:14:15).
The
scriptures tell us that all will equal out in life. (Exodus 16:18, Luke 22:35),
everyone's needs were met. (God will always give you
what you need, not always what you want).
Exo 16:19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
Eat it all today. Save nothing for tomorrow. (Matthew 6:34), Today's
troubles are enough to worry about if you are always worrying about things.
Don't worry about tomorrow, take it one day at a time.
Exo 16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them
left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth
with them. Of course some didn't listen. Talk about a
hard-headed people. God is teaching them here, that He will provide for their
needs every day. When your a "true" believer, God will never leave you or
forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5).
Exo 16:21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his
eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
Spiritually speaking, God gives us food every day, "if you want it." Take time
for Him on a daily basis if possible. How do we get spiritually fed every day?
Read and study His Word when it is made available to you, otherwise it will just
melt away just like the manna.
Exo 16:22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered
twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the
congregation came and told Moses. Gather twice as much on
the sixth day. I bet you know why this was done.
Exo 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath
said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake
that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and
that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
The Sabbath! God is going to give the people a day off to rest. "There would be
no manna falling on the seventh day." But, would they listen?
Exo 16:24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not
stink, neither was there any worm therein.
Exo 16:25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath
unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
The Sabbath would be dedicated to the Lord. "No food on the ground today."
Exo 16:26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is
the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
Exo 16:27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the
people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
Here we go again... They never listen.
Exo 16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my
commandments and my laws? Come on Moses... How long will
these people refuse to obey My commandments?
Exo 16:29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he
giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his
place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
A day of rest for the people. "The Lords gift to you." Today, we find our rest
in Jesus Christ.
Christ is
our Sabbath (rest), and High Priest. (Hebrews 4:1-11). With that being said, the
Sabbath "day" is still on Saturday.
Exo 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
The seventh day of rest. (Leviticus 23:3, Deuteronomy 5:12-14, Hebrews 4:9).
Exo 16:31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it
was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers
made with honey. House of Israel: First occurrence
of this expression. Manna: Like white coriander seed (an herb), and the taste of
honey wafers. Yum...
Exo 16:32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth,
Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread
wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the
land of Egypt.
Exo 16:33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of
manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.
Exo 16:34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the
Testimony, to be kept.
The Ark was not made yet, but the pot of manna was kept inside the Ark of the
Covenant. (Hebrews 9:4).
Exo 16:35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they
came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders
of the land of Canaan.
Ate the manna for forty years till they came to the land of Canaan. (Joshua
5:12).
Exo 16:36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
Omer: (1/10th of an Ephah), the container used to measure the manna. (It held
about two quarts).
Exodus 17
Exo 17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from
the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the
LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to
drink. Rephidim = Reclining places.
Exo 17:2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water
that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do
ye tempt the LORD? Chide = grapple, wrangle, hold a
controversy. i.e. complain! (They keep testing the Lord).
Exo 17:3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured
against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought
us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
They continued to argue with Moses complaining, Why did
you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us with thirst? Why, Why, Why?
(Moses was probably thinking; I should have left them in Egypt).
Exo 17:4 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this
people? they be almost ready to stone me.
Lord, Moses
cried! These people are ready to stone me to death, what should I do? (Moses,
David, Jeremiah, Stephen, Paul, and the Lord Jesus suffered from stoning or its
threatening).
Exo 17:5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with
thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river,
take in thine hand, and go. Get your staff and call the
elders together to join you.
Exo 17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and
thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people
may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Strike the rock with your staff, God tells Moses. Yes, the same staff (rod),
used to turn into a serpent (Exodus 4:4). Turn waters of Egypt into blood
(Exodus 7:20). Used to bring hail (Exodus 9:3). Used to bring the locust (Exodus
10:13). Divided the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16). Was this a magic staff? It wasn't
the staff, but the power of the Lord, through the staff. Smite the rock:
This rock, which is a vast block of red granite, 15 feet long, 10 broad, and 12
high, lies in the wilderness of Rephidim, to the west of Mount Horeb, a part of
Sinai. There are abundant traces of this wonderful miracle remaining at this
day. This rock has been visited, drawn, and described by others; and holes and
channels appear in the stone, which could only have been formed by the bursting
out and running of water. Jesus is the Rock: A type or picture of the
"Rock" that was smitten for us. A picture of the death of Christ which gave us
life. The apostle Paul explains about this Rock.
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that
all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; (1
Corinthians 10:1).
Ancestors
that came out of Egypt under the cloud (cloud of protection), and had escaped
through the parting of the red sea. (Exodus 14:19-20) And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
(1 Corinthians 10:2).
Just as we are baptized in Christ, they had a kind of baptism as followers of
Moses. (Baptized by the sea and cloud of protection). And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
(1 Corinthians 10:3).
They all
ate and drank spiritual food. Angels food, quail, and water from the rock.
(Exodus 16:35, Nehemiah 9:15)
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians
10:4).
"Our
spiritual rock is Christ."
Exo 17:7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of
the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD,
saying, Is the LORD among us, or not? Massah = Temtation.
(Tempting of God). Meribah = Strife. (Striving with Moses). Tempted: (i.e.
tempting the Lord to cut them off).
Exo 17:8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
Amalek: Descendant of Esau. (Genesis 36:12). They came to fight for water.
(Deuteronomy 25:17-19).
Exo 17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight
with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God
in mine hand. Sends Joshua out to fight the army of Amalek.
(With God's help).
Exo 17:10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and
Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Here
we have Moses (a prophet), Aaron (a priest), Hur (royal tribe of Judah). Hur:
Hebrew for noble or well-born. The son of Caleb, the son of Hezron, the son of
Pharez, the son of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:3-5, 2:18-19).
Exo 17:11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel
prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
Moses was known as a man of prayer. When Moses lifted his hand,
"it was lifted in prayer." (1 Timothy 2:8).
Exo 17:12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put
it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands,
the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were
steady until the going down of the sun.
As his hands
became a little heavy, Aaron and Hur found him a stone to sit on as they helped
hold his hands up.
Exo 17:13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the
sword. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek.
Exo 17:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a
book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out
the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
The Lord
instructs Moses to "write this down on a scroll as a reminder," and read it
aloud to Joshua.
Exo 17:15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
"Yahveh is my banner." One of Yahveh's titles.
Exo 17:16 For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD
will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Again, Amalek = Descendant (Grandson), of Esau. Will be at war
with the Lord from generation to generation. (Psalm 21:8-11).
Exodus 18
Exo 18:1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of
all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the
LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; When: This chapter
is a parenthesis (appendix 6). Introduced here because Jethro, though he lived
among the Amalekites, yet was not under their curse (Exodus 17:14-16). The event
occurred between verses 10 & 11 of Numbers 10. Jethro's counsel was given, and
taken, when Israel was ready to depart from Sinai (Deuteronomy 1:7-14). Jethro:
(Exodus 3:1), Probably a descendant of Abraham by Keturah, and not, therefore,
an idolater. (Exodus 18:12).
Exo 18:2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after
he had sent her back,
Exo 18:3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom;
for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:
Gershom: (a refugee or stranger).
Exo 18:4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my
father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of
Pharaoh: Eliezer: (God is my helper).
Exo 18:5 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife
unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:
Mount of God: Mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:11, 19:20, 24:16-17).
Exo 18:6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto
thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
Exo 18:7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and
kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came
into the tent.
Exo 18:8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto
Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that
had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.
Exo 18:9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to
Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
Exo 18:10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you
out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath
delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
Exo 18:11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in
the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
Exo 18:12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and
sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread
with Moses' father in law before God.
Exo 18:13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the
people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
The people took all their problems and complaints to Moses.
Christ would address this in Matthew 23. Then
spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, (Matthew 23:1). Addressed the whole
crowd of people and His disciples at this time.
Saying
The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: (Matthew 23:2). Moses was the law
giver. (Deuteronomy 5,6). The Scribes and Pharisees were changing the law so
much they thought they were Moses. (More traditions of men). Sound familiar?
(Read the rest of Matthew chapter 23 in our studies and you will see how
priests, pastors, and teachers of today try to change the law of Moses with
traditions of men).
Exo 18:14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he
said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou
thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
Exo 18:15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto
me to enquire of God:
Exo 18:16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one
and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
Statutes of God. "Those before Sinai." (See appendix 15).
Exo 18:17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest
is not good.
Exo 18:18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is
with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to
perform it thyself alone. Jethro tells Moses, "Your going
to burn yourself out." This job is to heavy a burden for you to handle on your
own.
Exo 18:19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall
be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the
causes unto God:
Exo 18:20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them
the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
Jethro encourages Moses to teach all the people what all the laws
are to be. (Not just the person in front of him).
Exo 18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as
fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them,
to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties,
and rulers of tens: Lets break the people down into groups
and appoint leaders over them that you can trust.
Exo 18:22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be,
that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter
they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the
burden with thee. Let the leaders handle the smaller
problems and bring the bigger ones to you.
Exo 18:23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then
thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place
in peace. When you find yourself in leadership, at times
you will need the help of others to make your job easier.
Exo 18:24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all
that he had said. Moses takes the advice of Jethro.
Exo 18:25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads
over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and
rulers of tens.
Exo 18:26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they
brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Exo 18:27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into
his own land. Soon after, Moses said good-bye to his
father-in-law, who returned to his own land.
Exodus 19
Exo 19:1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out
of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of
Sinai.
Exo 19:2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the
desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped
before the mount. The desert: Mount Sinai, called by the
Arabs Jibbel Mousa, the Mountain of Moses, and sometimes by way of eminence, El
Tor, the Mount, is a range of mountains in the peninsula formed by the gulfs of
the Red Sea. It consists of several peaks, the principal of which are Horeb and
Sinai; the former, still called Oreb, being on the west, and the latter, called
Tur Sina, on the east, at the foot of which is the convent of St. Catherine.
Wilderness: Wilderness of Sinai, properly so called, is that part which is to
the eastward of this mount; so that the removal of the Israelites from Rephidim,
which was on the West, to the desert of Sinai, was only removing from one part
of the mountain to another.
Exo 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the
mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the
children of Israel;
Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. Moses was familiar with this
place because he worked there for forty years. (Exodus 3:1). God told Moses
before (at the burning bush), to bring the people to Sinai. (Exodus 3:12). This
would be Moses' first ascent to the mountain of God. The first of six accents
and descents of Moses to receive and give His laws and ordinances.
Exo 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare
you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Eagles wings:
Just as the eagle protects their young, God protected the people who left Egypt.
"Just as it will be in the end times." And to the woman were given two wings of a great
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is
nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
(Revelation 12:14).
3-1/2 years that is shortened to 5 months Satan persecutes the children of God.
God is the great eagle that protects His children and the two wings represent
the two witnesses. (Deuteronomy 32:10-12) Moses' Song, God protects as the eagle
and carries the weak.
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my
covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all
the earth is mine: Obey and keep My covenant, and
you will be a special treasure among all the people on earth. (Psalm 135:4,
Isaiah 41:8, Jeremiah 10:16, Malachi 3:17, Titus 2:14).
They will be My people. On judgment day in the end times
they will be God's special treasure and He will spare them. (Matthew 25:34,
Revelation 20:12-15). Jesus Christ gave His life for us so that we can accomplish everything in this life as it pertains to the will of God. He freed us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
The earth is mine: It all belongs to God! (Job 41:11, Psalm 24:1, 1 Corinthians
10:26).
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
A kingdom of priests, a holy nation, to bring the world to God.
But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9). A chosen generation (Generation of
the fig tree), or the last generation. (Revelation 5:10,
20:6).
Exo 19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid
before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
Moses' first descent.
Exo 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD
hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the
LORD. Moses' second ascent. He will bring the peoples
answer to the Lord. (They agreed to everything the Lord commanded). They were
willing, but will they keep their promise?
Exo 19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud,
that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And
Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. God
would come to the people so they could hear Him speak, but they could not see
Him. (Exodus 33:20). Speak and believe: Faith cometh by hearing. (Luke 10:16,
Romans 10:17).
Exo 19:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them
to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
Exo 19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will
come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
Be ready: The people need to clean up a little before they approach God. Before
Jesus, mankind had to clean themselves up before coming to God. Now, because of
the price paid on the cross by Jesus Christ, we can come to Him as you are to be
forgiven and cleansed. However, even though God accepts you as you are, He
doesn't want you to leave that way. He wants to cleanse and forgive you, giving
you new life, free from bondage to the ways of the world. He wants you to become
a "new person" through Christ. "One who will have everlasting life." (John
3:16).
Exo 19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take
heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the
border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
Keep your distance to the boundary I have given you, or the penalty will be
death.
Exo 19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or
shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the
trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
i.e. the person would not be arrested or seized lest trespass on the mount
incurred.
Exo 19:14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified
the people; and they washed their clothes. Moses' second
descent from the mountain. He prepared the people for worship.
Exo 19:15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come
not at your wives. The people were to abstain from
sex for three days. Don't worry, sex is honorable among married couples.
(Hebrews 13:4),
Honor your husband or wife as a
man and woman and remain
faithful to one another. God
will judge the immoral people
and those who commit adultery.
(I Corinthians 6:9, II
Corinthians 5:10).
Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there
were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of
the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp
trembled. The people about to meet their maker as they
trembled.
Exo 19:17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with
God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD
descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a
furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. All of Mount
Sinai was covered with smoke as the Lord descended on it in the form of fire.
The whole mountain shook violently. (Could it be that the Lord descended in one
of the vehicles He uses in His travels)? Such as Ezekiel's wheel? (Ezekiel
1:1-28).
Exo 19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder
and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
God spoke to Moses with a thundering voice.
Exo 19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount:
and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
Moses' third ascent.
Exo 19:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they
break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
Warn the people again not to break through the boundaries.
Exo 19:22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify
themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
Exo 19:23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount
Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify
it.
Exo 19:24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt
come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break
through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
This time when you come back, bring your brother Aaron with you.
Exo 19:25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.
Moses' third descent. He tells the people what the Lord had said.
Exodus 20
When we think of the laws of
God, we usually think of the ten commandments and the Old Testament laws of
Moses. There are two laws here (Moses law and Gods law), that we must consider.
The ordinances, ceremonial and sacrificial laws of Moses were nailed to the
cross with the crucifixion of Christ. (Galatians 3:13-29). However, what about
the ten commandments? "Gods law." Does it still remain? “The answer is yes.” The
ten commandments of God still remain and are carried forth throughout the New
Testament. (We could even call them a type of guide to civil law that this
country was founded on and should be followed in society). “Just break one of
the ten commandments such as stealing or murder and see if you don’t get into
trouble.”
When Christ was giving His
sermon on the mount He made this statement: Think not that I am
come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to
fulfill. (Matthew 5:17) He did not come to cancel the laws of Moses and
the warnings of the prophets. He came to fulfill them and make them come true.
The Christ goes on to say: For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
(Matthew 5:18). Every law in the Book will
continue until its purpose is achieved. (Remember the law is our schoolmaster
and teaches us the difference between right and wrong). Break the law and God
will punish you for your own good and lead you along the paths that you should
follow. (Isaiah 48:17).
The first five of the ten
commandments are spiritual, linked together by the words "the Lord thy God." The
last five of the commandments are civil, linked by the word "thou." The Ten
Commandments divided by Christ into two (tables), Duty to God and Neighbor
(Matthew 22:37-40). However, divided by man into four and six. In Catholicism, the second
command is omitted, and the
tenth is divided into two. "But this is impossible." The structure of the whole
divides them into 5+5, the number of grace.
For the law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by
Jesus Christ. (John 1:17). Moses
being the law giver to the people, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness
came through Jesus Christ.
Then Jesus goes on to warn us about the law.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach
men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever
shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19). If you
break any of these commandments (or change them), and teach others to, you will be the least in
the kingdom of God, if you make it at all. But if you teach God’s laws and obey
them, you will be great in the kingdom. What commandments? The ten commandments
given by God. Teach the truth of God's Word and quit listening to man's ways of doing things.
Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Hebrew
"Elohim." God gives instruction to the people.
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the
land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Rescued you
from the land of Egypt.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. No
other God but Me, the one true God. Hmmm, people wouldn't worship other gods
today, would they? You would think not, but they do.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Image: Hebrew H6459 "pesel" an idol: carved image, a sculpture. Do not make
images or sculptures of anything in the heavens, or on the earth, or in the sea.
(Churches wouldn't do that, would they)?
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the
LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon
the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
You must not bow down to them, worship them, pray to them, or serve them. i.e.
Should we pray to false gods, statues, or images of saints as many do? "Of
course not." Pray to God and worship Him only. It is not the making or
displaying of images that is bad, it is when people pray and worship them that
upsets God. Don't pray or ask forgiveness to a image or statue, pray and repent
directly to God "Our Heavenly Father."
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments. There is a condition here. "Keep My
commandments." (John 14:15, 14:21, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6).
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the
LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. This is much more important than
the mere mispronunciation of the Name.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Sabbath: Intermission or rest.
Christ is our
Sabbath (rest), and High Priest. (Hebrews 4:1-11).
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God:
in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy
manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is
within thy gates: Forbidden work: (Numbers 28:18), servile
= laborious work.
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and
all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD
blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. We all need a
day of rest. However, put your spiritual rest in Christ Jesus.
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon
the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
This completes the first five commandments, and ends up with "promise."
Honour
thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise (Ephesians
6:2). These five, that relate to "piety," are separate
from the five that relate to "probity." The first and fifth begin and end the
five with honor to God, and to our parents whom He honors. They have nothing to
do with our "neighbors."
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill. (Deuteronomy 5:17),
Do not murder (criminal homicide), those who lie and wait, or make plans to kill
another and carry it out. Does not have anything to do with self defense, crimes
of passion, or war.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
(Deuteronomy 5:18),
Do not commit adultery. Build a
strong marriage and quit fooling around.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
(Deuteronomy 5:19), Do not steal. No one like a thief, scammer, or con-man. (Especially in the
ministry). Work hard for a living and God will bless you for it.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
(Deuteronomy 5:20),
Do not tell lies and gossip
about others. If you can't speak good about others, "keep your mouth shut."
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet
thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor
his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
(Deuteronomy 5:21), Do not burn with desire for another mans wife or anything he owns.
Be satisfied with what God has given you, and "love the one your with."
Exo 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the
noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it,
they removed, and stood afar off. Quite a show of thunder
and lightening. But not only that, these people may have actually heard the
voice of God.
Exo 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but
let not God speak with us, lest we die. The people were
afraid to face God themselves and wanted a mediator between them and God.
(Deuteronomy 5:23-28). We have a mediator just as these people did.
For
there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
(1 Timothy 2:5-6). Only one God, one mediator, Jesus Christ!
(He is like the bridge to get us to God the Father). We can now go straight to
God. (You don't need any man, woman, priest, or pastor, as your mediator).
Exo 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove
you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
God does not want you to fear Him, but rather revere Him. (Adore,
honor, and admire Him). He is your "Heavenly Father" and only wants your love.
(Hosea 6:6).
Exo 20:21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick
darkness where God was. Drew near: Moses' fourth
ascent. Note the difference between law and grace. But
now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of
Christ. (Ephesians 2:13). Now you belong to Christ Jesus, though once far away from God,
now brought near to Him because of what Christ has done for us all with His
blood.
Exo 20:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children
of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
Exo 20:23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make
unto you gods of gold. Do you remember the first two
commandments?
Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
(Deuteronomy 5:7). Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath
the earth. (Deuteronomy 5:8).
Exo 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice
thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen:
in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless
thee. Of earth... in all places. Shiloh was the first
place (Jeremiah 7:12), Bethel (1 Samuel 10:3), then Zion (Psalm 78:68).
Exo 20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it
of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
i.e. no human handiwork to be used in approaching God in worship. Tool: Man's
work, in this sphere, pollutes.
Exo 20:26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy
nakedness be not discovered thereon. By steps: Only
exposes nakedness. Our approach is quite secondary. Weather by "tool" or
"steps," it either pollutes the Divine or exposes the human.
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