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11: Leviticus — Introduction & Day of Atonement — Lev 16:2-34

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It is one thing to follow a leader like Moses, especially when God is present either in a cloud of smoke during the day or a pillar of fire at night. But what about the Israelites’ religious practice when neither Moses nor God is present to tell them what to do? Leviticus is God’s answer.

Author

Most scholars accept Moses as the author of Leviticus, the third book of the Torah. There are several instances of God dictating the worship and moral instructions which Moses recorded and pronounced to the Israelites. Even so, some students focus on the differences in subject and writing style to argue that the book is a compilation of practices that was edited together after Israel became a nation. However, there is a definite flow from the events described in Exodus leading to the building of the tabernacle to the detailed instructions for worship and sacrifice in Leviticus. Further, because many of the commandments are counter to the prevailing practices of the ancient near east, it would have been very important for the Israelites to learn the procedures and begin practicing them from the beginning.

Context

The Israelites are camped at Mount Sinai, where God has given them the Ten Commandments. Through Moses, God has guided the construction of the tabernacle to contain the tablets of the commandments and to serve as the center of the peoples’ worship [Exodus 35-40]. The tabernacle was an elaborate tent with several different spaces and altars. Most authorities believe this is two years after the Israelites left Egypt.

There is no narrative for this book. It begins with God summoning Moses to the tabernacle (also called the “Tent of Meeting”) and beginning the dictation of the rules of worship.

Structure

Leviticus is one of the hardest reads in the Bible. It seems like one long, very detailed instruction manual for practices and rituals which are foreign to a modern reader. And it jumps around from subject to subject.

A closer look reveals two primary parts:

  • The basic procedures and rituals for sacrifice and worship – the peoples’ relationship with God.
  • The laws (and their consequences) for establishing and maintaining the Israelites as a separate and holy people of God.

And, yes, within these two sections the commandments deal with multiple areas of worship and personal conduct.

Major Themes

As a worship handbook Leviticus provides instruction on three major doctrines of our faith: 

  • Sacrifice reminds us of our covenant with God and our relationship with him.
  • God is holy and the people of his covenant must be holy as well.
  • Because of sin the people must atone for their broken relationship with God.

These doctrines expand our understanding of who God is, who we are, and the nature of the relationship God wants with us.

DOCTRINE NOTES . . .

Sacrifice: The practice of giving or dedicating something to God acknowledges that he has given us everything we have, including life itself. Sacrifice also reminds us that we need to put God first in our lives, ahead of everything else, which we fail to do because of sin. Leviticus includes instruction on five types of sacrifice:

  • Burnt offerings: cattle, oxen, sheep, goats, turtledoves or pigeons – male and “without blemish” – were burned by the priests to produce a “pleasing odor to the Lord.”
  • Grain offerings: flour with oil and frankincense (a gum used as incense and perfume) in it, or unleavened bread that has been baked, griddled or fried – yeast was forbidden [check Exodus 12] – part was burned to produce a “pleasing odor to the Lord,” and the rest was for the priests.
  • Peace offerings (also called “Offering of well-being”): cattle, oxen, sheep or goats – male or female without blemish – the fat around the organs was burned as a food offering.
  • Sin offerings: cattle, oxen, goats, sheep, turtledoves or pigeons – male without blemish, the specific animal depended on the position of the person who sinned – the blood was poured out and the fat was burned “to make atonement.”
  • Guilt offerings: a male sheep or goat without blemish – along with the restitution when appropriate (trespass, robbery, deception, fraud or false witness “to make atonement”).

Holiness: God is holy (“separated”) and requires the people of his covenant to be holy as well: You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you . . . You shall keep my statutes and my ordinances; by doing so one shall live, [Lev 18:3, 5]. The instruction covers being “clean” and “unclean,” as well as  food, marriage and family, sexual behavior, and relationships with others.

Atonement: literally “at-one-ness” or reconciliation. Sin separates us from God and leads to disobedience which further divides us from our Creator. In the Old Testament God agreed to consider animal sacrifice as an adequate “payment” to maintain his covenant relationship with the Israelites – the animal’s blood in place of the human’s blood that was required: For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you for making atonement for your lives on the altar, [Lev 17:11]. However, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the final and complete atonement for our sin.

GET INTO THE WORD

1.   Who wrote this book? Why do some believe a different theory about authorship? What evidence supports Moses as the author?

2.   Why is a book like this necessary for the Israelites at this time? What purpose does it fulfill in their religious life? In their life as a nation?

Note . . .
The priests of the Israelites came from the tribe of Levi – or Levites – which gives us the title of this book

3.   Where are the Israelites when Moses writes this book? What major events have happened to them recently? How do you suppose they felt about all these instructions? How might you have felt if you had been there?

4.   What are the major parts of the book? What relationships does the book deal with? Why would these directions be important for the people? What does God want to achieve with these commandments?

5.   What doctrines are covered in this book? What is the primary teaching in each area? Why was it important that the Israelites understand these things? Why is it important that we understand them?

6.   What are the different types of sacrifice? Why do you think God wanted so many kinds of offerings?

11: Day of Atonement — Leviticus 16:2-34

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How do you deal with an instruction manual? Do you read it through before starting the project? Or do you scan it looking for the first step, then start? Or do you just start the way it seems right to you and open the manual only when something doesn’t work?

THE WORD

16 2 The Lord said to Moses:
Tell your brother Aaron not to come just at any time into sanctuary inside the curtain before the mercy seat that is upon the ark, or he will die; for I appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 

3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and shall have the linen undergarments next to his body, fasten the linen sash, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy vestments. He shall bathe his body in water, and then put them on. 
5 He shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. 

6 Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. 7He shall take the two goats and set them before the Lordat the entrance of the tent of meeting; 8 and Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats, one lot for the Lordand the other lot for Azazel.  9 Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord, and offer it as a sin offering; 10but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel. 

11Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house; he shall slaughter the bull as a sin offering for himself. 12He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of crushed sweet incense, and he shall bring it inside the curtain 13and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the covenant, or he will die. 14He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times. 

15He shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the curtain, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.  16Thus he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel, and because of their transgressions, all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which remains with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. . . .

20When he has finished atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21Then Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and sending it away into the wilderness by means of someone designated for the task.  22The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a barren region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness. . . .

29This shall be a statute to you forever: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall deny yourselves, and shall do no work, neither the citizen nor the alien who resides among you. 30For on this day atonement shall be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before the Lord. 31It is a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall deny yourselves; it is a statute forever. 32The priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the linen vestments, the holy vestments. 33He shall make atonement for the sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the people of Israel once in the year for all their sins. And Moses did as the Lordhad commanded him.  NRSV

GET INTO THE WORD

1.   What is God talking about with Moses? Who is he talking about? Why [see Notes]? What instructions does God provide about entering the tabernacle?

2.   What does Aaron take with him into the tabernacle? What will they be used for? Why are so many animals required for this ceremony?

3.   What is Aaron supposed to do with the bull? With the ram? With the goats? How does he decide between the two goats? What will happen to each goat?

4.   How does Aaron sacrifice the bull? Who is this sacrifice for? What does he take inside the curtain? What does he do with it? Why is this necessary [see Notes]? What does he do with the blood?

5.   What is Aaron supposed to do next? What is the purpose of this sacrifice? Why is this necessary? Who benefits from this sacrifice?

6.   What is the next part of the ceremony? What does Aaron do with the goat? Why is this part of the Day of Atonement [see Notes]? Who benefits from this ritual?

7.   How does God finish his directions for this ceremony? How should the Israelites prepare for it in the future? How did Moses respond?

GET PERSONAL

How has God helped you understand the role of sin in your life? How does he give you confidence in Christ’s atonement on your behalf?

NOTES . . .

16:2. Aaron — Moses’ brother is the high priest.
      Mercy seat — a sheet of solid gold covering the ark containing the tablets of the law.
16:4. Linen — the priest dresses like a servant for the initial sacrifice in God’s presence. Later he will put on the elaborate ceremonial robe for the sacrifice before the people.
16:6. Bull, ram, goats — there are actually four ceremonies involved: the priest’s sacrifice for his sins, the cleansing of the tabernacle, and the sacrifice for the peoples’ sins, and the removal of the peoples’ sins.
16:7. Cast lots — probably similar to dice – God makes his choice in the fall of the lots.
16:8. Azazel — considered the name of a fallen angel, although older translations use “scapegoat” because the goat goes away or “escapes” carrying the peoples’ sins.
16:13. Incense — several cultures believed incense represented peoples’

prayers ascending to God. On a practical level incense masked the odors of burned flesh.
16:15. Blood — the sprinkling of the blood atones for the sin, [Lev 17:11].
16:20. Finished — sprinkling the blood cleanses the tabernacle and altar or “covers” Israel’s sins, now the sins must be removed from the people by means of the scapegoat.
16:24. Burnt offering — the final step in the sacrifice is burning the animals on the exterior altar.
16:29. Statute — in the modern calendar this is the end of September.
      Deny yourselves — the sacrifices are empty ritual unless the people acknow-ledge their sin and recognize the gift God is giving them (note v. 30: “atonement shall be made for you”).
16:34. Everlasting statute — Jesus completed atonement for sin by his sacrifice on the cross. The New Testament letter to the Hebrews links Passover and Atonement to the crucifixion.

Memory Verse
You shall love your neighbor as yourself, [Lev 19:18]

Lesson 12
Numbers 14: Rebellion, intercession, punishment

Comment . . .

Many folks have noted that the scapegoat in this passage is a preview of Jesus, who took the sins of all the people on his own head to the cross. Others have pointed out that Jesus is both goats — he takes the sins on himself as the scapegoat, but he is crucified like the sacrificial goat.

The treatment of the scapegoat is also a preview of what every human does regularly: we all seek something or someone to blame for our faults and failures. We want to see ourselves (and be seen by others) as “good” people. We don’t want to acknowledge — to ourselves and certainly not to God (who already knows) — that our “goodness” is mixed with any shortcomings or “sins,” so we work hard to deny our wholeness (or holy-ness). But God knows and loves all of each of us. If God accepts our both/and natures, why don’t we? Rich

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

10: The Ten Commandments — Exodus 20:1-26

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When you were growing up, what were some of the rules in your family? Were some more important than others? Were they mostly “do’s” or mostly “don’ts”? Who was the primary enforcer for the rules? What were the consequences of not following the rules?

THE WORD

20 Then God spoke all these words: 

2I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before me. 

4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. 

7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 

8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work — you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. 

12Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 

13You shall not murder. 

14You shall not commit adultery. 

15You shall not steal. 

16You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 

17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

18When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, 19and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.” 21Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. NRSV

GET INTO THE WORD

1.   How does God begin the Ten Commandments? Why is this significant for the Israelites? For us?

2.   What does God say about idols? Why does he prohibit them? Why does he prohibit “wrongful use” of his name?

3.   What does God say about the sabbath day? Why is it important to keep it different [See Notes]? How do you suppose the people felt about this commandment? How do you respond?

4.   What does God say about family relationships? What is the promise regarding this commandment?

5.   What does God say about relationships in community? Why do you think he singled out these actions? What is different about “coveting?” Why does God include it in this list of prohibitions?

GET PERSONAL

How often do you “test” or measure yourself regarding God’s covenant and promises? How does God help you understand your relationship with him?

NOTES . . .

20:1. Who brought you— God has already acted to free the Israelites from Egyptian slavery – the context of the Ten Commandments is the relationship God has already established with his people: You have seen how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples, [19:4-5]. The Ten Command-ments are a description of the relationship the people should have with God (1-4) and with each other (5-10); they are not a checklist to earn a divine reward.
20:3. No other Gods before me— this is the foundation of the relationship: the Israelites need to acknowledge that Yahweh is the only God and must not put anything or anyone else in his presence (“before him”) – which would be a major shift from the many “gods” of the Egyptian pantheon.
20:4. Idol— a physical representation of a “god.” Yahweh is spirit and the Israelites need to worship him in spirit – another significant break from the practices in Egypt and most ancient cultures.
20:5. Third and fourth generation— violations of the covenant affect the entire family; but God’s love will extend forever to those who love him.
20:7. Wrongful use of the name— ancient cultures believed a person’s name was very closely linked to the person’s identity – therefore wrongful use of someone’s name could harm them. This command-ment also prevents a person from trying to use God’s power against another, and it ensures that an oath using God’s name is not frivolous.
20:8. Remember the Sabbath day— this one is totally new. “Consecration” means “set aside” or “made to be different,” God  

wants his people to treat the seventh day as special – as a reminder of who created the universe and created them.
20:12. Honor your father and mother— emphasizes the importance of family to God as well as to the nation. This is the only commandment with a stated con-sequence: a long life in the promised land.
20:13. Murder— the Hebrew word usually means one person killing another, whether or not it was accidental or intentional.
20:14. Adultery— like the fifth command-ment, this is intended to protect the family – by ensuring that a husband’s children are not fathered by another man. “Adultery” refers to sexual relations with someone else’s wife, which is consistent with the culture; other laws deal with sexual misbehavior, [e.g. Deut 22:21].
20:15. Steal— the Hebrew word includes cheating as well as taking property that is not your own.
20:16. Bear false witness— this is related to the prior commandment in protecting the reputation and dignity of others, as well as ensuring truth in a legal situation.
20:17. Covet— the last commandment makes it personal and internal: “coveting” is an attitude regarding the property and belongings (including spouse, children, reputation) of another person in which the coveter views himself or herself as more important than the other person.
20:20. Test— the commandments do function as a “test” to show us whether or not we are living our lives consistent with God’s covenant – and the answer is, “No, we are not.”
      Fear of him— in this context, it is to understand God’s holy and righteous character as well as his power (thunder, lightning, trumpets, smoke): The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,[Proverbs 9:10].

MEMORY VERSE
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other Gods before me, [20:2-3].

LESSON 11
Leviticus 16: The Day of Atonement

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

9: Passover and the Departure from Egypt — Exodus 12:1-32

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How do you prepare for an extended trip? Do you make a list of all the things you’ll need and start putting them in a designated place? Do you make sure you have all your tickets and reservations well in advance? Or do you wait until the day before and pack every thing you can think of?

THE WORD

12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 

2 This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4 If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. 7 They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. 10You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. 12For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.13The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. [See Notes for vv 14-20]         

21Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, select lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover lamb. 22Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood in the basin. None of you shall go outside the door of your house until morning. 23For the Lord will pass through to strike down the Egyptians; when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over that door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you down. 24You shall observe this rite as a perpetual ordinance for you and your children. 25When you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this observance. 26And when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this observance?’ 27you shall say, ‘It is the passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, when he struck down the Egyptians but spared our houses.'” And the people bowed down and worshiped. 

28The Israelites went and did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 

29At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. 30Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his officials and all the Egyptians; and there was a loud cry in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. 31Then he summoned Moses and Aaron in the night, and said, “Rise up, go away from my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord, as you said. 32Take your flocks and your herds, as you said, and be gone. And bring a blessing on me too!” [See Notes for vv. 36-37]  NRSV 

GET INTO THE WORD

1.   Who is involved in the conversation at the beginning? What are they discussing? Why do you suppose God changes the calendar?

2.   What does God talk about next? What direction does he give regarding the lamb? Regarding the blood? Regarding the meat and menu? Regarding clothing? Why do you think he is so specific here?

3.   What is God going to do the night the people eat the lamb? What will happen to the Egyptians? How will the Israelites be safe?

4.   How does Moses respond to God’s directions? What does he tell the people? What does he say about the blood? What does he tell them about the preparations in the future? How will this process start? How should the people answer? How did the people respond to Moses’ instructions? 

5.   When did the Lord act that night? Who was affected? How did the people respond? How did Pharaoh react? What did he tell Moses and Aaron? What did he ask of Moses?

GET PERSONAL

The lamb’s blood on the doorway ensured the Israelites’ physical safety just as Christ’s blood on the cross ensures our spiritual safety. How has God helped you understand Jesus’ sacrifice is for you?

NOTES . . .

12.2. First month of the year— Israel followed a lunar calendar, with the first month (“Nisan”) beginning with the first new moon after the vernal equinox (which is why Easter is not a fixed date on our calendar).
12:3. Lamb without blemish, a year-old male— though this lamb’s blood would be used to mark the Israelite homes [check v. 7], it is also the beginning of the concept of sacrifice for protection and redemption – ending in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross [John 1:29].
12:8. Roasted— a quicker cooking method than butchering and boiling.
      Unleavened bread— the Israelites did not have time to prepare the new year’s supply of yeast before leaving Egypt, so they could take only flatbread.
      Bitter herbs— probably lettuce, chicory and horseradish – appropriate for a quick departure since these required no preparation.
12:11. Loins girded— another sign of preparation for a hasty exit.
Passover— the blood on the doorway is the sign of God’s people – protected on this night and redeemed the next day.
12:22. Hyssop— an herb similar to

marjoram. Hyssop was also used to give Jesus sour wine on the cross [John 19:29].
12:26. What do you mean— even today, the youngest boy in the Jewish household asks this question to begin the Passover ritual.

And . . .

12:14-20. Feast of Unleavened Bread— God gives Moses instructions for remembering this night by celebrating a seven-day feast following the Passover celebration.
12:36. The Israelites asked for jewelry and clothing and the Egyptians gave them what they asked— this fulfilled God’s promise to Abraham [Gen 15:14].
12:37. About six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children left Rameses— even though this seems like an impossibly large number the Israelite population could easily have grown this much in 400 years (Numbers 2:46 gives a precise count of 603,550). The total including women and children plus the “mixed crowd” would have been over two million people.

MEMORY VERSE
By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, 
[Exodus 13:14].

LESSON 10
Exodus 20: The Ten Commandments

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

8: Exodus – Introduction

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Genesis describes the creation of the heavens and the earth and lays out the beginning of the family that God called to be his presence in the world. Exodus tells of the next two major events in this family – the escape from slavery in Egypt and the delivery of God’s laws for the nation of Israel.

Author

Exodus is the second book of the Torah and most scholars accept Moses as the author. In fact when God delivers the law to Moses he tells him: Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel, [Exodus 34:27]. The author clearly was closely involved in the events of this history and the several conversations with God; since he was raised as a prince of Egypt he would have the education and qualifications to record the story.

As with Genesis, some scholars point to the different writing styles and differences in the story lines as evidence that more than one person wrote parts of Exodus. Whether it was Moses or someone else (most likely a secretary or group of aides), the writer(s) relied on the Hebrew oral tradition for the stories about the exodus and formation of Israel as a nation.

Context

Exodus begins 400 years after Israel (Jacob) and his sons moved to Egypt to avoid the region-wide famine. A “new king” rules the land and he “does not know Joseph,” [1:8]. In fact, Jacob’s descendants have greatly multiplied, but they are now slaves and their lives are “bitter with hard service,” [1:14].

Most scholars date the exodus around 1440 BCE (although some put it around 1280 BCE). The book opens with the birth of Moses and his early life as an adopted member of Pharaoh’s family, followed by his killing of an Egyptian and subsequent escape to Midian. There he becomes a shepherd, marries and has a family. God calls him back to Egypt to confront pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of slavery to the land God had promised Abraham. The book then follows the Israelites on their journey to Sinai where God delivers the law to the people through Moses. 

It should not be surprising that the exodus occurred during a period of relative peace throughout the region, largely because Egypt and the other major countries were less powerful. God was protecting his people in large, geo-political ways as well as small, personal ways.

Structure

There are three major sections in the Exodus narrative:

  • Moses’ early life and Israel’s slavery in Egypt [1:1-12:36] – includes Moses in Midian, the burning bush and God’s call to Moses, Moses at Pharaoh’s court and the ten plagues, and preparation for the Passover.
  • Israel’s departure from Egypt into the wilderness [12:37-18:27] – includes the Israelites’ miraculous escape through the “Red Sea,” God’s destruction of the Egyptian army, and manna, quail and water from God to feed the Israelites.
  • Mt. Sinai and the Ten Commandments [19:1-40:38] – includes giving the commandments, the Israelites’ sin of the golden calf, and construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings.

Major Themes

Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other God’s before me, [Exodus 20:1-3].

Exodus is first the story of God’s relationship with people – with us. It continues the story of his relationship with the family of Abraham that began in Genesis.

Exodus also is the story of slavery and redemption, of God’s love and care for his people and their sin and disobedience:

  • God is powerful and uses his power on behalf of people.
  • God displays his power so people will understand who he is.
  • God works through individuals to achieve his purposes.
  • Humans are stuck because they ignore God (and they ignore God because they are stuck).

Jesus will complete the Exodus story by redeeming all people from their slavery to sin and giving them a life of fellowship with God through his death and resurrection.

Exodus also describes the beginning of Israel’s transformation from a group slaves with no hope and no power into a nation that can carry out God’s plan for his creation.

There are three very significant events in Exodus that influence Jewish life and worship today:

  • Passover is the remembrance of God’s deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt [Lesson 9].
  • God separated the waters and led his people through the “Red Sea” to escape from the Egyptian army.
  • God delivered his law for the Israelites through Moses and confirmed his covenant with his people at Mt. Sinai [Lesson 10].

GET INTO THE WORD

1.   Who wrote Exodus? What evidence points to the author? What are other possibilities the writer?

2.   What is the primary subject of this book? Why would these events be so important to Israel? To the author? What is their effect on Jewish people today? On Christians? On people of other faiths?

3.   What time period does Exodus cover? What is the situation at the beginning of this book? How does this relate to the events in Genesis?

4.   Who is the main character in this book? Where is he? What is his occupation? Why is he in this situation? What happens to him here?

5.   What does God call Moses to do? How do you suppose he reacted to this task? How might you have reacted?

6.   What are the major parts of Exodus? What are some of the events in each part? How does the people’s status change in each part? 

7.   What is the primary theme of Exodus? What attributes of God does the book present? What attributes of humans are portrayed? Who will “finish” the work begun in Exodus?

Note . . .
Scholars trace “Hebrew” to an earlier word meaning “pass over” or “land beyond.” Abraham came from “beyond” the Euphrates River, which he “passed over.”

Bible Trivia:
God inflicted ten plagues on Egypt to convince Pharaoh to let the Hebrews leave:
1.   The Nile River turns to blood – killing a food source.
2.   Frogs infest the land – escaping the polluted river.
3.   Lice infest the land – or fleas, gnats or sand flies.
4.   Flies infest the land – some could spread disease.
5.   Livestock are infested – but not the Israelites’ cattle.
6.   Boils on people and animals, probably from the flies.
7.   Hail storms – destroy most of the crops.
8.   Locusts destroy the rest of Egypt’s agriculture.
9.   Intense darkness for 3 days – except in the region where the Israelites lived.
10. Egyptian first-born children die, including Pharaoh’s son – but the angel of death passes over Israelite homes. [Details: Exodus 7:14-12:30]

8: God calls Moses at the Burning Bush — Exodus 3:1-22

GET READY

What is your first response to something that seems like magic or an impossibility? Do you just ignore it as “magic” or “fake” and walk away, or do you investigate and try to find a logical or scientific explanation for what you observed? Or do you get involved to see what will happen next?

THE WORD

3Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your 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 at God.  

7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” 

The Divine Name Revealed
13But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” 15God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: 

This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations. 

16Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. 17I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 18They will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; let us now go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 
19I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that he will let you go. 21I will bring this people into such favor with the Egyptians that, when you go, you will not go empty-handed; 22each woman shall ask her neighbor and any woman living in the neighbor’s house for jewelry of silver and of gold, and clothing, and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters; and so you shall plunder the Egyptians.”  NRSV

GET INTO THE WORD

1.   Where is Moses as this chapter begins? What is he doing? What does he notice happening? What does he do about it?

2.   Who calls to Moses? How does Moses react? What happens next? How does the caller identify himself? What does Moses do in response?

3.   What does God tell Moses? What does he plan to do about this situation? Who does he want to take on this task? How does Moses answer God? What does God say in response?

4.   What does Moses do next? Why might this be important? How does God answer Moses’ question? What does God say about his name? Do you think this satisfied Moses? 

5.   How does God propose Moses begins his work? What should he tell the people? What should he say to Pharaoh? How will Pharaoh respond to Moses’ request? 

6.   What will God do to change Pharaoh’s mind? How will the people of Egypt respond to the Israelites’?

GET PERSONAL

How has God rescued you from a situation of “misery and suffering?” How did God “bring you up out” of the situation? How has this affected your walk with Christ?

NOTES . . .

3:1. Midian— Midian was one of Abraham’s sons by his second wife, Keturah, [Gen 25:2].
      Horeb, the mountain of God— later called “Sinai.” Many contemporary cultures believed their gods lived on (or in) mountains.
3:2. Flame of fire out of a bush— attempted explanations for the burning bush include bright red or orange leaves or berries or possible gas exuding from the bush; but God speaking from a burning bush is no more strange than speaking through three angels who suddenly appear, [check Gen 18:2].
3:5. Remove the sandals— it still is a common practice in the Middle East to remove one’s shoes when entering a home or other dwelling to avoid bringing in the ever-present dust.
3:6. God of your father— God identifies himself as the God of the covenant with Abraham.
3:8. Canaanites— a generic term for the people then inhabiting the land, as well as one of the tribes. Hittites and Amorites are referred to in ancient sources, but Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites are not mentioned except in the Bible.

3:11. Who am I— Moses objects to God’s call with an apparent reference to his lack of qualifications (which is ironic in view of his upbringing as an Egyptian prince).
3:12. Worship— God’s purpose in rescuing the Israelites. It is ironic the Hebrew word for worship also means “to be a slave.”
3:13. What shall I say to them— next Moses seems to challenge God’s identity.
3:14. I AM— the Hebrew is the four consonants: “YHWH” – pronounced “Yahweh” and Anglicized as “Jehovah.” Modern Bible translations often use “Lord.”  It is the verb “to be” or “to
exist” – so God IS! It is his name as well as his title or identifier.
3:18. God of the Hebrews— to distinguish Yahweh from the many Egyptian deities.
3:20. Stretch out my mighty hand— the ten plagues [see Introduction] God used to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites.
3:22. Silver and gold— God promised Abraham the people would “come out with great possessions,” [Gen 15:14].

MEMORY VERSE
I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that he will let you go, [Exodus 3:20].

LESSON 9
Exodus 12: the Passover and departure from Egypt.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

Summary: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph — Genesis 12-50

GET READY

We are taking a brief pause here. I encourage you to ready the story in Genesis (yes, it’s fairly long, but it reads like the first soap opera). This is a family as real and as dysfunctional as any you know today. And it confirms that God loves every one of us and wants to work with and through us, regardless of our family situation.

  • Abram and Sarai go to Egypt and Abram tells Pharaoh Sarai is his sister; God intervenes.
  • Abram and Lot separate; Lot is captured in a local war and Abram rescues him; Melchizedek blesses Abram.
  • Sarai gives Haggar to Abram in order to produce an heir; Haggar bears Ishmael; Haggar and Ishmael are banished (Ishmael becomes the father of the Arab people).
  • God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and establishes circumcision as the sign of his covenant with the Israelites.
  • God promises a son, Isaac, to Abraham and Sarah (her new name).
  • God judges and destroys Sodom and Gomorrah; during the escape Lot’s wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt.
  • Abraham obeys God’s direction to sacrifice Isaac, but God provides a sacrificial ram at the last moment.
  • Abraham dies at 175 and is buried with Sarah.
  • Isaac marries Rebekah and she has twins – Esau and Jacob.
  • Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentil stew.
  • Jacob deceives Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau, the first-born; Jacob then leaves the family home to escape Esau’s anger.
  • Jacob dreams of a ladder between the earth and heaven and sets up a pillar at Bethel.
  • Jacob marries Laban’s daughters, first Leah then Rachel; he ends up having 11 sons and a daughter with them and their two servants.
  • Jacob works twenty years for Laban, then tricks him in order to leave with his extended family and the wealth he has earned.
  • During the trip Jacob wrestles with God, who dislocates Jacob’s hip and changes his name to Israel.
  • Jacob returns to Canaan and makes peace with Esau and buys property in Shechem.
  • Jacob’s daughter Dinah is raped in Shechem and her brothers avenge the rape by destroying the town.
  • Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin.
    Isaac dies at 180; Esau and Israel bury him.
  • Israel favors Joseph over his other brothers.
  • Joseph dreams his brothers bow down to him and also dreams his father and mother bowed to him as well as his brothers.
  • Joseph’s brothers sell him to a caravan, but Reuben and Israel believe he was killed by a wild animal; Joseph ends up in Egypt.
  • Israel’s son, Judah marries a Canaanite woman and has several children.
  • In Egypt, Joseph works for Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, but Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce him and falsely accuses him when he refuses – Joseph ends up in prison.
  • Joseph interprets dreams for Pharaoh’s servants, which leads to interpreting Pharaoh’s dream of seven good years before a famine.
  • Joseph becomes Pharaoh’s chief governor, marries and has two sons – Manasseh and Ephraim.
  • Israel sends his sons to Egypt to seek relief from the famine; Joseph recognizes them but they don’t recognize him; he sends all the brothers but one back with instructions to return with Benjamin, the youngest brother.
  • The brothers return to Canaan with the grain and the money Joseph had returned to them, but Israel refuses to let them take Benjamin.
  • The famine forces Israel to send the brothers back to Egypt with Benjamin; Joseph continues to conceal his identity.
  • Joseph sends the brothers back with grain (and their money), but he sets it up to look like Benjamin stole his silver cup; he has the brothers stopped and returned to him.
  • Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers; he tells Pharaoh and Pharaoh then tells them to get the rest of their family and move to Egypt; Israel’s entire family moves to Egypt and settles in the area called Goshen.
  • Israel blesses Joseph and his sons and directs Joseph to bury his remains in Canaan with Abraham and Isaac; Israel then prophesies about each of his sons.
  • Joseph forgives his brothers before he dies at 110 and is buried in Egypt.
  • Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph,
    [Exodus 1:8]

The twelve tribes of Israel

After the move to Egypt the Israelites were organized into twelve tribes according to Israel’s sons. Interestingly there are several lists of the tribes in the Bible and they are not consistent [other lists are in Exodus 1, Deut 33, 1 Chron 4-8 and Ezekiel 48].

Genesis 29-30*
(Birth order)
Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Issachar
Zebulum
Joseph
Benjamin

Joshua 13-19**
(Dividing the land)
Reuben
Gad
Manasseh-East
Judah
Ephraim
Manasseh-West
Benjamin
Simeon
Zebulum
Issachar
Asher
Naphtali
Dan

Revelation 7***
(144,000 sealed)
Judah
Reuben
Gad
Asher
Naphtali
Manasseh
Simeon
Levi
Issachar
Zebulum
Joseph
Benjamin

*Levi is not listed in the division of the land because, as priests, the tribe received no allotment [Joshua 13:14].
**Ephraim and Manasseh are Joseph’s two sons, born in Egypt, who Israel blessed and included with his sons. Reuben, Gad and part of Manasseh took their allotment of land on the east side of the Jordan River [Numbers 32].
***Most scholars believe this is a symbolic list because Levi is included in this list of “sealed” Israelites, as is the tribe of “Joseph,” but Dan and Manasseh are omitted to keep the numbers at “12” and “144,000.”

Next week: Exodus