EXCERPT

S FROM

THE B

OOK OF

EXODUS

MR

S . K E N

NY

RE L I G

I ON

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2 0 1 2

PRINCIPAL DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS

I. Introduction: The Oppression of the Israelites in Egypt (1:1-2:22)

II. The Call and Commission of Moses (2:23-7:7)

III. The Contest with the Pharaoh (7:8-13:16)

IV. The Deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh and Victory at the Sea (13:17-15:21)

V. The Journey in the Wilderness to Sinai (15:22-18:27)

VI. Covenant and Legislation at Mount Sinai (19:1-31:18)

VII. Israel’s Apostasy and God’s Renewal of the Covenant (32:1-34:35)

VIII. Building of the Tabernacle and the Descent of God’s Glory upon It (35:1-40:38)

EXODUS: INTRO AND CALL OF MOSES

C H A P T E R 1

Hebrews grew numerous, enslaved

Pharaoh orders all Hebrew baby boys to be killed

C H A P T E R 2

Jochebed hides Moses for 3 months, puts him in a basket in Nile

Pharaoh’s daughter finds and raises Moses

Moses grows up, kills Egyptian, Pharaoh orders him killed, he flees to Midian

In Midian, Moses meets and marries Zipporah/Sephora, daughter of Jethro – high priest and shepherd

EXODUS: CALL AND COMMISSION OF MOSES

C H A P T E R 3

Yahweh (“I am who I am”) reveals himself to Moses in burning bush

Moses is called by God/Yahweh to lead Hebrews to freedom

C H A P T E R 4

Aaron becomes assistant or “spokesman” for Moses

God uses staff to reveal signs/wonders of His presence to/with Moses

God gives Moses instructions on what to say to Pharaoh

Moses returns from Midian to Egypt

EXODUS: CALL AND COMMISSION OF MOSES

C H A P T E R 5

“Let My People Go”

Pharaoh becomes stricter against Hebrews (hardened heart)

Moses thinks God is not with him

C H A P T E R 6

God tells Moses about covenant of Abraham so that Moses realizes he is a part of fulfilling the promise of the covenant

Israelites don’t believe what Moses says will actually happen

God instructs Moses to approach the Pharaoh again

CHAPTERS 7-11: TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT

EXODUS 12: THE PASSOVER

What is different about this chapter in the book of Exodus?

Describes how to celebrate the Passover with a specific procedure before it has actually happened.

(Story gets interrupted to include list of “instructions.”)

God gives Hebrews specific instructions to follow.

 

 According to Ex 12, when is Passover?•  First month of Hebrew “year”

• On the 14th evening to the 21st evening

 

EXODUS 12: THE PASSOVERWhat are the rules of Passover?

Forever (presented 1st)• 7 Days: Unleaven bread must be eaten, no leavened bread in Israelite houses• Only Hebrews• 1st and 7th Days: religious ceremony/ritual• Only work done is to prepare food: lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs

  Moses (presented 2nd) Slaughter lamb (1 yr old, male), use branches of hyssop (plant) to put blood on 2 doorposts and lintel (frame above

door), to “not let the destroyer come into your houses and strike you down” Keep sandals on your feet and staff in hand, and be ready to go Any leftover meat that is not consumed by the next morning must be burned

What are the procedures of Passover?•  Must carry on tradition FOREVER…as a “Passover sacrifice for the Lord, who passed over

the houses of the Israelites in Egypt; when he struck down the Egyptians, he delivered our houses.”

 

EXODUS 12: PASSOVER

How does the Priestly writing source weave in the story of Moses?

1. The 10th Plague is mentioned at the end of the previous chapter….BUT…..The Passover is the Hebrews’ protection against this plague.

2. First, God instructs Hebrews/Jews how the holiday will always be celebrated.

3. Then, it goes back to the “STORY” of the Exodus, when God instructs Moses on how to prevent the Angel of Death from entering their houses during the 10th plague.

In other words – the editing of Exodus 12 and sequence of ideas by the Priestly source is very AWKWARD!

EXODUS 12:31-32 ~ PHARAOH GIVES MOSES, AARON AND THE ISRAELITES PERMISSION TO DEPART

“During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, ‘Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go and serve the LORD as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me’.”

EXODUS: 12:37-42 ~ M, A + ISR. DEPART FROM EGYPT“Now the sons of Israel journeyed from

Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children.

A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock. They baked the dough which they had brought out of Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread. For it had not become leavened, since they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.

Now the time that the sons of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, to the very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.”

430 yrs – Israelites in Egypt

600,000 men (not including women and children)

EXODUS 13:21-22

“The Lord went before them, in a pillar of cloud during the day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire during the night to give them light. So they could travel day and night. The pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire during the night did not leave the people.”

God led them in a pillar:• Day – Cloud• Night - Fire

DELIVERANCE OF THE ISRAELITES FROM PHARAOH AND VICTORY AT THE SEA (13:17-

15:21)Those traveling in the exodus did not travel a direct

route (a.k.a. along the Mediterranean, or “by way of the Philistines”).

The Exodus lasted

40 years!

MAPS OF THE EXODUS

The crossing of the Gulf of Aqaba is where the parting of the Red Sea is thought to have occurred…

SONG OF MOSES AND MIRIAM (EX 15:1-18) 1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the

LORD:    “I will sing to the LORD,    for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver    he has hurled into the sea.

 2 “The LORD is my strength and my defense[a];    he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him,    my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The LORD is a warrior;    the LORD is his name. 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army    he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers    are drowned in the Red Sea.[b] 5 The deep waters have covered them;    they sank to the depths like a stone. 6 Your right hand, LORD,    was majestic in power. Your right hand, LORD,    shattered the enemy.

 7 “In the greatness of your majesty    you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger;    it consumed them like stubble. 8 By the blast of your nostrils    the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall;    the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. 9 The enemy boasted,    ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils;    I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword    and my hand will destroy them.’ 10 But you blew with your breath,

   and the sea covered them. They sank like lead    in the mighty waters. 11 Who among the gods    is like you, LORD? Who is like you—    majestic in holiness, awesome in glory,    working wonders?

 12 “You stretch out your right hand,    and the earth swallows your enemies. 13 In your unfailing love you will lead    the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them    to your holy dwelling. 14 The nations will hear and tremble;    anguish will grip the people of Philistia. 15 The chiefs of Edom will be terrified,    the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people[c] of Canaan will melt away;  16 terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm    they will be as still as a stone— until your people pass by, LORD,    until the people you bought[d] pass by. 17 You will bring them in and plant them    on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, LORD, you made for your dwelling,    the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.

 18 “The LORD reigns ***   for ever and ever.”

*** Do not confuse reigns with rains!

WHAT IS THE IMAGE OF GOD DEPICTED IN SONG OF MOSES AND MIRIAM (EX 15:1-18)

StrengthMajestic in

power/holinessWarriorGloriousTriumphantLove is

unfailing

ExaltedReigns foreverCapable of

doing wondersSteadfast in

loveAwesome in

splendor

EX 161. Wilderness of Sin

Sin = Place (Between Elim and Sinai) People are hungry, growing desperate

2. Quail and Manna Manna – bread that God rained down from heaven in the morning

Probably honey-like substance from tamarisk tree Quail – meat provided in the evening

3. Regulations Regarding Manna1.Take only what you need2.Don’t have any leftovers for the next day3.On the 6th day, take 2 days worth (for the Sabbath)

Ephah = 23 liters, Omer is one-tenth of an ephah

EN ROUTE: DURING THE EXODUS

E X 1 7

1.Water from Rock People are thirsty Moses strikes rock with staff and

water flows out

2.Battle with Amalek Amalek = Place/People Amalekites = marauding nomads

posed a threat to the Israelites When Moses’ staff is raised, they

win, and when it is lowered, they lose “upper hand” in battle

E X 1 8

Meeting with Jethro and Creation of Minor Judges

Moses has too much responsibility, so Jethro advises him to appoint elders in the community to handle disputes and act as judges.

Bigger issues are to move up the chain-of-command to Moses.

THEOPHANY= An appearance of a god/God to a human

“Theo” = GodTheology = study of God/religion

THEOPHANY VS. EPIPHANY: WHICH IS WHICH?

THEOPHANY

a visible manifestation of a deity

An appearance of God (or a god) to a human

EPIPHANY

1: capitalized : January 6 observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ

2: an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being

3 a (1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) : an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b : a revealing scene or moment

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TEN COMMANDMENTS???

Class Activity:

EXODUS 20: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. I am the LORD your God. You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.

2.You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

3.Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.

4.Honor your father and your mother.

5.You shall not kill.

6.You shall not commit adultery.

7.You shall not steal.

8.You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9.You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.

10.You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

(http://www.beginningcatholic.com/catholic-ten-commandments.html)

SHOFARram’s horn used like a

trumpet for signaling liturgical or military purposes

VI. COVENANT AND LEGISLATION AT MT. SINAI (19:1-31:18)

Arrival at Sinai & The Great TheophanyOnly Moses is allowed to go up the mountain to speak to God

Israelites must stay off mountain until shofar is sounded

Israelites agree to obey GodGod – fire and smoke that descend upon the “holy mountain”

3rd day after arriving – God will especially make Himself known to the people (e.g. cloud gets darker, lightning, thunder)

SEALING THE COVENANT• High point of Israel’s story = Covenant of Sinai

• Covenant of Sinai = 10 Commandments + laws = Old Testament

• For the 1st time, God instructs Moses and Isr. to write down His laws

• Altar with 12 pillars , representing the 12 tribes of Israel• Sacrifice bull: half blood blesses altar, half blesses

people as a sign of binding God & people (like a marriage)• Blood = sign of life, used to bless people, not to be

consumed

Infidelity & Forgiveness (Ex 32)• Moses goes up the mountain for 40 days• People grow bored, and think Moses has left them• Aaron helps them melt gold into calf, they proclaim it as

“Lord” who delivered them from Egypt

Tablets Destroyed (Ex 32-33)Moses breaks tablets after seeing idolators, spares Aaron his life, begs God for forgiveness of people’s behavior

COVENANT RENEWED (EX 34, 40)

• Before making new tablets, the Lord reveals what God is like = 13 Attributes of God• Ex 34:6-7 (Textbook p.75)

• Then God renews the Covenant (agrees again to make Isr. His “chosen people” and deliver them to the promised land, if Israel obeys/keeps its laws

• Aaron and his sons ordained priests

• Ark of the covenant = container for the tablets• Pillar of cloud/fire follows ark of the covenant as people resume their journey

13 ATTRIBUTES OF GODEX 34:6-7 (TEXTBOOK P.75)

1-2: “The Lord, The Lord.” – repetition; God is God of all things, and is the beginning and end of time

3: “A God”

4. “Merciful” – Hebrew word for merciful = same word for womb

5. “Gracious” – kind for the sake of being kind

6. “Slow to anger.”

7. “Abounding in steadfast love.” God is faithful even when people are not

8. “Faithfulness.” (We refer to this as grace.)

9. “For the thousandth generation” – God is endless

10, 11, 12: “Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” God loves through crookedness, rebellion and failure.

13: “Yet by no means clearing the guilty, but visiting the iniquity of the parents, upon the children, and the children’s children, to the 3rd and 4th generation.” • God forgives those who want forgiveness. • Greatest sin = believing we have no need to be forgiven