Redeemed For Worship (Exodus)
May 10, 2020
In Hebrew, the book of Exodus begins with "And." We don't have that in our English translations because that is not proper English. We want each book to stand on its own, but Exodus is a continuation of Genesis. What happens to Jacob's twelve sons? Will God continue to bless the descendants of Abraham and fulfill his promises? They were only seventy people when we leave them in Genesis. That is a far cry from a nation. They own a burial plot in the land of Canaan. They have not taken over the land from the current inhabitants. Joseph seemed to be a blessing to all the nations of the earth as he prepares people for the famine, but he does not provide any lasting relationship with God. That's what we were looking for in Genesis, but it hasn't happened yet. When will it happen?
A hint is given in Genesis 15 where God tells Abram that his sons will be sojourners for a long time before receiving the land.
Genesis 15:13--15 (ESV) --- 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.
Introduction To Exodus (1:1-2:10)
This book begins with a mixture of things getting better and getting worse. Israel multiplies in the land. Their numbers get so high that all the Egyptians are "in dread of them." We soon find out that their numbers are well over one million people. God has made them multiply significantly in Egypt. The Egyptians decide to enslave the people to keep them from rising up. The king of Egypt is so upset about their growth that the king wants to kill their babies to stop them from growing. He commands all of the Midwives to kill the male children. When they do not kill the male children, he commands all of his people to cast the male children into the Nile river. Many die, but one boy is placed in a basket (The same Hebrew word for ark), and he is saved from destruction by the Pharaoh's own daughter. This boy is Moses, who grows up to save his people from slavery.
Moses Brings Judgment/Salvation (2:11-13:16)
But things did not start well for Moses. He saved some Israelites from oppression only to be rejected by those he was seeking to save. So he escaped to the wilderness of Midian to become a shepherd and live with a priest who would become his father-in-law.
Meanwhile, Israel cries out for God to save them. So God comes to Moses and speaks with him through a burning bush. He commands him to go to Egypt and save his people. God will be with him, and he will do great signs to set God's people free. Moses is terrified, but God reassures him by sending his brother to help him speak to Pharaoh.
The first words spoken to Pharaoh only made matters worse. He decided that the people needed more work to do if they want to leave Egypt to go and worship their God. So God begins to bring down plagues on the land (Water to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock die, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness). These nine plagues repeatedly convince Pharaoh that he should let Israel go, but he doesn't follow through. He can't imagine losing the slave force that he has acquired. The tenth and final plague brought about the death of his firstborn son, along with every firstborn Egyptian. God's people were not harmed because they killed a Passover lamb and put the blood over the doorpost, thus instituting a yearly feast. This judgment allowed God's people to be set free finally. They plundered the Egyptians and began their Exodus journey to the promised land.
God Leads The People (13:17-18:27)
But something strange starts to happen as they leave Egypt. God sends down a pillar of smoke and a pillar of fire to guide them, but he doesn't take them directly to the land of the Canaanites. He could have taken them right through the Philistine territory, but he knew that they would not be ready for that. So he takes them toward the Red Sea. It must have looked like these foolish Israelites do not know where they are going, but there was one last stitched effort by the Pharaoh of Egypt to capture the Israelites. When he and his army got close, God's people cried out against God saying
Exodus 14:11--12 (ESV) --- 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
Then, God commanded Moses to touch the water with his staff, and the sea parted. Israel walked to the other side on dry ground while the Egyptians' chariots broke down in the mud and were destroyed by a flood of water. It is important to notice that Egypt was the most powerful nation in the world at that time, and God defeated their army without his people having to lift a finger.
In Chapter 15, Moses sings a song of victory for the people to remember God's salvation, and Miriam plays tambourines and dances with other women. But then the people travel three days into the wilderness and find water that is bitter. So they grumble against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" God has him throw a log in the water, and it becomes sweet. After that, God brings them to an oasis called Elim in the wilderness that has twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees.
In Chapter 16, the people leave Elim and come to the wilderness of Sin, where they grumble again for lack of food. God provides them with manna and quail to eat. They go a little farther in Chapter 17 and can't find water. So this time, they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." So God has Moses strike a rock and water came out of it.
The rest of Chapter 17 shows that Israel has to battle against the Amalekites, and in Chapter 18, Moses gets advice from his priest/father-in-law Jethro on how to delegate judgment of the people.
The Mountain of God (19-40)
All of this leads us to Chapter 19. This chapter is important because this is where the people come to Mount Sinai, and God reveals his plans for them.
Exodus 19:3--6 (ESV) --- 3 while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
God has saved the people, and now he wants them to enter into a covenant with him. They will become God's treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. The people accept his offer for a covenant and agree to do everything God says (8). So the people consecrate themselves, and they come before the mountain. But when God spoke to them, they were afraid and asked Moses to do all the talking with God.
Other Laws (20:22-24:8)
Then, Moses went up and heard the rest of the laws of the covenant that God had for his people. He gave laws about altars, slaves, restitution, social justice, and the Sabbath and festivals. The first law given will be crucial for later.
Exodus 20:22--24 (ESV) --- 22 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.
After giving all the laws, God made them a promise.
Exodus 23:22 (ESV) --- 22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
In Chapter 24, all the people agree to the covenant. Then, something amazing happens.
Tabernacle (24-31)
Exodus 24:1 (ESV) --- 1 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.
Exodus 24:9--11 (ESV) --- 9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.
These men are allowed to have a feast with God, and they saw the God of Israel. Covenants often included a feast.
Then, Moses went up to the top of the mountain again for forty days and forty nights to receive the instructions for building a tabernacle where Israel could worship God, offer sacrifices through Aaron and his sons who would become priests. All of these instructions continue through Chapter 31.
Golden Calf (32-34)
But then we read in Chapter 32 that the people got tired of waiting for Moses to come down. So they created their own way of worshipping God by having Aaron make them a golden calf. Then, they worshipped that golden calf in their own way. They were partying and enjoying themselves instead of worshipping God. God had just told them not to make anything out of any metal or hewn stone to worship him. They had agreed to the terms of that covenant and said they would do all that God commanded them! If they break a covenant like this, they are worthy of death. So God wanted to strike them all down and start over with Moses. They weren't taking his commands seriously or regarding him as holy. But Moses interceded for the people he set up the Levites to protect God's holiness and kill those who were rebelling against the Lord. Listen to the next conversation between Moses and God.
Exodus 32:32--35 (ESV) --- 32 But now, if you will forgive their sin---but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” 33 But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 34 But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.” 35 Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.
After this, God commanded Moses to leave Sinai, but he did not go before them. So Moses intercedes again and asks God to be with them as he had initially planned with the Tabernacle. God listens to Moses, and he decides to renew the covenant that the people have broken in Chapter 34.
Constructing The Tabernacle (35-40)
The rest of the book, Chapters 35-40, is about them building the Tabernacle. Listen to how they built it.
Exodus 40:16 (ESV) --- 16 This Moses did; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did.
Exodus 40:19 (ESV) --- 19 And he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:21 (ESV) --- 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:23 (ESV) --- 23 and arranged the bread on it before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:25--29 (ESV) --- 25 and set up the lamps before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 26 He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil, 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 28 He put in place the screen for the door of the tabernacle. 29 And he set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:32 (ESV) --- 32 When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Do we see a pattern? They did everything exactly as God has commanded. This is the way to worship a holy God. We must pay close attention to his commands and seek to glorify him. Doing things our way does not honor him, but doing things his way shows that we love him and have the proper fear of the God of the universe. He is our loving and good Father, but also the Almighty God.
The Glory of the Lord
Look at the last five words of verse 33 through the end of the chapter.
Exodus 40:33--38 (ESV) --- 33 And he erected the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work. 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.
This is a beautiful picture of God wanting to dwell with his people. This has not happened since the garden of Eden. They weren't yet able to see God in all of his glory, but they could see that he was with them, leading them along the way. The people have also learned to go wherever God is leading. They don't go the way they want to go. They go the way God wants them to go because he is their God, and they are his treasured possession.
What Does This Mean?
This book shows God triumphantly saving his people through Moses. Again, it gives us a picture of redemption, but on a larger scale. He redeems (or buys back) a whole nation from slavery in the first 18 Chapters, and he leads them with Moses as his mediator. These people prove to be stubborn, rebellious, and obstinate, but God remains faithful to his promise from Genesis 12. Abraham's descendants are now a great nation, and he is bringing them into the promised land. But they aren't there yet.
This book shifts from salvation to a relationship. It lays the groundwork for us to understand the basis of Israel's relationship with God. This relationship is based on two aspects. The first aspect is righteousness. They must keep God's commands to be a holy nation that belongs to God. The second aspect is God's presence. As long as they build a tabernacle for God to dwell in God's way, his presence will remain with them, and he will be their God.
What About Us?
All of this directly relates to us today. We know this because Jesus and his apostles told us many times in many ways. I don't have enough time to go through them all, but I do want us to see how the redemption and salvation we see in the Old Testament were intended for us to see a major theme in the New Testament. God has accomplished a great exodus for us from our slavery to sin.
In Matthew, we saw Exodus in Chapters 2-3. He goes on the mountain and gives the Law as we have studied the Sermon on the Mount.
One of the most prominent is when Jesus was on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. He explained his mission using Moses and all the prophets. He started with Moses because of the Exodus. Moses' relationship with God and the people represent what Jesus would come down and do. Moses was like God as he spoke through Aaron, his prophet to Pharaoh (Satan). Jesus is God. He is also our great intercessor who makes it possible for us to have a relationship with God. Exodus is critical for us to understand what God was going to accomplish through Jesus.
Another text about applying the Old Testament is Romans 15:4.
Romans 15:4 (ESV) --- 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) --- 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Hebrews 8:6 (ESV) --- 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Hebrews 10:19--22 (ESV) --- 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
1 Corinthians 6:19--20 (ESV) --- 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Conclusion
The Old Testament has so much application to us today, but we often fail to see it. In the book of Exodus we see that we were saved from our sins with a mighty hand so that we can obey the law of God and worship him. But Exodus is just a shadow of the reality. As the Hebrew writer says, what we have in Christ is better than what they were given. It hails in comparison. We must see and be amazed that God loves us so much. But we must also be warned because the people were continually rebellious and many fell in the wilderness, as we will see in our future studies.