Speaker 1: Picture this, two million slaves breaking free from the world's
Speaker 1: superpower in a single night. Imagine the seas splitting in half,
Speaker 1: bread falling from heaven, and a mountain literally on fire
Speaker 1: with God's presence. The Book of Exodus isn't just another
Speaker 1: Bible story. It's the greatest liberation narrative ever told and
Speaker 1: the foundation stone of Biblical faith. Here God transforms from
Speaker 1: a distant promise into an active deliverer, revealing his character
Speaker 1: through miracles that define nature itself. This is where the
Speaker 1: Ten Commandments thunder from Sinai, where the passover Lamb foreshadows
Speaker 1: Christ's sacrifice, and where God's glory descends to dwell among
Speaker 1: his people. Every prophecy about Jesus, every symbol of salvation,
Speaker 1: every pattern of worship finds its origin in these explosive
Speaker 1: forty chapters. Exodus reveals why God chows Israel, how he
Speaker 1: keeps his promises, and what it truly means to be redeemed.
Speaker 1: Prepare to witness the book that shaped civilization and still
Speaker 1: transforms lives today. Years had passed since Joseph saved Egypt
Speaker 1: from famine. A new king rose to power who didn't
Speaker 1: know Joseph's story. The Israelites had grown from a small
Speaker 1: family into a huge nation. Chapter one, verse seven tells
Speaker 1: us the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became
Speaker 1: exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
Speaker 1: This wasn't just normal growth. This was explosive multiplication that
Speaker 1: caught everyone's attention. The transformation was remarkable. What started as
Speaker 1: seventy people who came to Egypt with Jacob had become
Speaker 1: hundreds of thousands. They filled entire regions of Egypt. Their
Speaker 1: children were strong, their families were large, and their numbers
Speaker 1: kept growing. It was as if God had turned on
Speaker 1: some supernatural blessing that made them multiply faster than any
Speaker 1: other people group in history. The new pharaoh looked at
Speaker 1: these people and got scared. What if they joined Egypt's
Speaker 1: enemies during a war. What if they decided to leave
Speaker 1: and take their skills with them. His fear turned into action.
Speaker 1: Chapter one, verse ten records his worried thoughts, come, we
Speaker 1: must deal shrewdly with them, or they will become even
Speaker 1: more numerous, and if war breaks out, we'll join our enemies,
Speaker 1: fight against us, and leave the country. This pharaoh didn't
Speaker 1: remember how Joseph had saved Egypt from seven years of famine.
Speaker 1: He didn't care that the Israelites had been peaceful neighbors
Speaker 1: for generations. All he could see was a potential threat
Speaker 1: growing stronger every day. His advisers probably whispered in his
Speaker 1: ear about the dangers of having such a large foreign
Speaker 1: population in their land. Vere makes people do terrible things.
Speaker 1: Pharaoh's solution was simple but cruel, turn the Israelite into slaves.
Speaker 1: He appointed slave masters over them and gave them back
Speaker 1: breaking work. They built entire cities for Pharaoh, including Pithom
Speaker 1: and Rameses. The work was hard, the hours were long,
Speaker 1: and the treatment was harsh. Chapter one, verse eleven tells
Speaker 1: us they put slave masters over them to oppress them
Speaker 1: with forced labor. The Egyptians made their lives bitter with
Speaker 1: harsh labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds
Speaker 1: of work in the fields. But something amazing happened. The
Speaker 1: harder the Egyptians worked them, the more the Israelites multiplied.
Speaker 1: Chapter one, verse twelve shows this supernatural phenomenon. But the
Speaker 1: more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread.
Speaker 1: So the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. God's blessing
Speaker 1: on his people couldn't be stopped by human cruelty. This
Speaker 1: made Pharaoh even more afraid. He decided to get creative
Speaker 1: with his cruelty. Chapter one, verse sixteen shows his net
Speaker 1: next evil plan. He told the Hebrew midwives, when you
Speaker 1: are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool,
Speaker 1: if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him,
Speaker 1: but if it is a girl, let her live. He
Speaker 1: wanted to wipe out an entire generation of Hebrew boys
Speaker 1: before they could even walk, but God had other plans.
Speaker 1: Two Hebrew midwives, Shiprah and Poor, chose to fear God
Speaker 1: more than Pharaoh. They refused to kill the babies. When
Speaker 1: Pharaoh questioned them, they gave him a clever excuse found
Speaker 1: in chapter one, verse nineteen. Hebrew women are not like
Speaker 1: Egyptian women. They are vigorous and give birth before the
Speaker 1: midwives arrive. God blessed these brave women for their courage.
Speaker 1: These women understood something important. There are times when obeying
Speaker 1: God means disobeying human authority. They risked their lives to
Speaker 1: save innocent babies. Chapter one, verse twenty shows how God
Speaker 1: rewarded their faithfulness. So God was kind to the midwives,
Speaker 1: and the people increased and became even more numerous. Not
Speaker 1: only did God protect them, but he continued to bless
Speaker 1: the Israelites with even more children. Pharaoh's frustration grew. He
Speaker 1: made his final desperate command in chapter one, verse twenty two.
Speaker 1: Every Hebrew boy that is born, you must throw into
Speaker 1: the nile, but let every girl live. This was genocide,
Speaker 1: the planned destruction of an entire people. Pharaoh had escalated
Speaker 1: from forced labor to systematic murder. Every Egyptian citizen was
Speaker 1: now commanded to become part of this horrible plan. Right
Speaker 1: in the middle of this horror, a baby was born
Speaker 1: who would change everything. Chapter two, verse two tells us
Speaker 1: about this special child. She became pregnant and gave birth
Speaker 1: to a son. When she saw that he was a
Speaker 1: fine child, she hid him for three months. This baby
Speaker 1: was Moses, though we don't learn his name yet. There
Speaker 1: was something special about this child that made his parents
Speaker 1: willing to risk everything to keep him alive. The parents
Speaker 1: belonged to the tribe of Levi, and they had faith
Speaker 1: that God would protect their son. For three months, they
Speaker 1: managed to keep the baby hidden but babies grow and
Speaker 1: they get louder. Eventually, hiding became impossible. They had to
Speaker 1: make the hardest decision any parent could face. His mother
Speaker 1: couldn't hide him anymore, listened to her desperate plan in
Speaker 1: chapter two, verse three, But when she could hide him
Speaker 1: no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and
Speaker 1: coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the
Speaker 1: child in it and put it among the reeds along
Speaker 1: the bank of the Nile. She was following Pharaoh's command. Technically,
Speaker 1: she was putting her son in the nile, but she
Speaker 1: was also trying to save his life. This wasn't just
Speaker 1: throwing a baby into the river. She carefully water proof
Speaker 1: the basket with t and pitch, just like Noah had
Speaker 1: done with the ark. She placed it strategically among the reeds,
Speaker 1: where it would be protected but also visible to the
Speaker 1: right person. Moses's mother was taking a calculated risk based
Speaker 1: on faith in God's protection. God had arranged for the
Speaker 1: right person to be in the right place at the
Speaker 1: right time. Chapter two, verse five shows us the miracle.
Speaker 1: Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the nile to bathe,
Speaker 1: and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She
Speaker 1: saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female
Speaker 1: slave to get it. The very daughter of the man
Speaker 1: trying to kill Hebrew babies found this Hebrew baby. When
Speaker 1: she opened the basket, the baby was crying. Something touched
Speaker 1: her heart. Chapter two, verse six tells us she felt
Speaker 1: sorry for him. This is one of the Hebrew babies,
Speaker 1: she said. Even though she knew this child was supposed
Speaker 1: to die by her father's command, she chose mercy over law.
Speaker 1: Moses's sister, Miriam, who had been watching from near by,
Speaker 1: quickly offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby.
Speaker 1: The princess agreed, and amazingly, Moses's own mother became his
Speaker 1: paid nurse. Chapter two, verse ten shows how Moses got
Speaker 1: his name. When the child grew older, she took him
Speaker 1: to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named
Speaker 1: him Moses, saying I drew him out of the water.
Speaker 1: The name Moses means drawn out, and it would prove
Speaker 1: to be prophetic. This child, who was drawn out of water,
Speaker 1: would one day draw his entire nation out of slavery.
Speaker 1: Moses grew up in Pharaoh's palace, but he never forgot
Speaker 1: his true identity. Chapter two, verse eleven shows us a
Speaker 1: moment that changed his life. One day, after Moses had
Speaker 1: grown up, he went out to where his own people
Speaker 1: were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw
Speaker 1: an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.
Speaker 1: The sight of injustice stirred something deep inside him. Moses
Speaker 1: looked around to make sure no one was watching, then
Speaker 1: killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
Speaker 1: But secrets have a way of coming out. The next day,
Speaker 1: when Moses tried to break up a fight between two Hebrews,
Speaker 1: one of them challenged him with the words found in
Speaker 1: chapter two, verse fourteen, Who made you ruler and judge
Speaker 1: over us? Are you thinking of killing me? As you
Speaker 1: killed the Egyptian, Moses realized his secret was out. When
Speaker 1: Pharaoh heard about the murder, he tried to kill Moses,
Speaker 1: but Moses ran away to the land of Midian, where
Speaker 1: he married a woman named Zippora and became a shepherd.
Speaker 1: For forty years, he lived a quiet life, far from
Speaker 1: the palace and the problems of Egypt. He probably thought
Speaker 1: his days of trying to help his people were over,
Speaker 1: but God was just getting started. Chapter three, verse one
Speaker 1: sets the scene for one of the most important moments
Speaker 1: in history. Now, Moses was tending the flock of Jethro,
Speaker 1: his father in law, the priest of Midian, and he
Speaker 1: led the flock to the far side of the wilderness
Speaker 1: and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. It was
Speaker 1: just another ordinary day of shepherding until Moses saw something
Speaker 1: that shouldn't have been possible. Chapter three, verse two describes
Speaker 1: the miracle there. The Angel of the Lord appeared to
Speaker 1: him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses
Speaker 1: saw that though the bush was on fire, it did
Speaker 1: not burn up. Fire that didn't destroy. This was clearly supernatural.
Speaker 1: Moses curiosity got the better of him, and he decided
Speaker 1: to investigate. As he got closer, God spoke to him.
Speaker 1: The voice from the bush gave him a command in
Speaker 1: chapter three, verse five, do not come any closer. Take
Speaker 1: off your sandals, for the place where you are stand
Speaker 1: unding is holy ground. Moses was standing before the God
Speaker 1: of his father's and he was terrified. He hid his
Speaker 1: face because he was afraid to look at God. Then
Speaker 1: God revealed his mission. Chapter three, verse seven contains God's
Speaker 1: heart for his people. I have indeed seen the misery
Speaker 1: of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying
Speaker 1: out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned
Speaker 1: about their suffering. God had been watching and listening all along.
Speaker 1: He was ready to act, and he wanted Moses to
Speaker 1: be his instrument of deliverance. Moses's response wasn't what you
Speaker 1: might expect from a hero. Instead of jumping at the
Speaker 1: chance to save his people, he started making excuses. His
Speaker 1: first objection came in chapter three, verse eleven. Who am
Speaker 1: I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the
Speaker 1: Israelites out of Egypt. Moses felt completely inadequate for such
Speaker 1: a huge task. God's answer was simple but powerful, found
Speaker 1: in chapter three, verse twelve. I will be with you,
Speaker 1: and this will be the sign to you that it
Speaker 1: is I who have sent you. When you have brought
Speaker 1: the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on
Speaker 1: this mountain. God wasn't asking Moses to do this alone.
Speaker 1: He would be right there with him every step of
Speaker 1: the way. But Moses wasn't convinced. He had another worry.
Speaker 1: In Chapter three, verse thirteen, Suppose I go to the
Speaker 1: Israelites and say to them, the God of your father's
Speaker 1: has sent me to you, and they ask me what
Speaker 1: is his name? Then what shall I tell them? Moses
Speaker 1: wanted to know exactly who was sending him on this
Speaker 1: impossible mission. God's answer revealed his eternal nature. Chapter three,
Speaker 1: verse fourteen contains one of the most important statements in
Speaker 1: all of scripture. God said to Moses, I am who
Speaker 1: I am. This is what you are to say to
Speaker 1: the Israelites. I am has sent me to you. This
Speaker 1: wasn't just a name, It was a declaration of God's eternal,
Speaker 1: unchanging existence. Moses still wasn't ready to say yes. In
Speaker 1: chapter four, verse one, he voiced another fear. What if
Speaker 1: they do not believe me or listen to me and
Speaker 1: say the Lord did not appear to you. Moses was
Speaker 1: worried about credibility. How could he prove that God had
Speaker 1: really spoken to him. God gave Moses three miraculous signs
Speaker 1: to convince the people. First, his staff would turn into
Speaker 1: a snake and back again. Second, his hand would become
Speaker 1: leprous and then be healed. Third, if they still didn't believe,
Speaker 1: he could turn nile water into blood. These weren't just tricks,
Speaker 1: they were supernatural proofs of God's power. Even with these
Speaker 1: amazing signs, Moses tried one more excuse. Chapter four, verse
Speaker 1: ten shows his final objection, pardon your servant life. I
Speaker 1: have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since
Speaker 1: you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of
Speaker 1: speech and tongue. Moses was convinced he wasn't a good
Speaker 1: enough speaker for such an important job. God's patience was remarkable,
Speaker 1: but his answer was firm. Chapter four, verse eleven reminds
Speaker 1: Moses of a basic truth. Who gave human beings their mouths?
Speaker 1: Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight
Speaker 1: or makes them blind? Is it not I? The Lord?
Speaker 1: The God who created mouths, could certainly help Moses know
Speaker 1: what to say. God's patience had limits. When Moses suggested
Speaker 1: in chapter four, verse thirteen that God should send some
Speaker 1: one else, the Lord became angry. But even in his anger,
Speaker 1: God provided a solution. He told Moses that his brother
Speaker 1: Aaron was already on his way to meet him, and
Speaker 1: Aaron would be moses spokesman. The reunion between the brothers
Speaker 1: after forty years was emotional. Chapter four, verse twenty seven
Speaker 1: tells us the Lord said to Aaron, go into the
Speaker 1: wilderness to meet Moses. So he met Moses at the
Speaker 1: Mountain of God and kissed him. Aaron had no idea
Speaker 1: what God had planned, but he was about to become
Speaker 1: part of the greatest rescue mission in history. Moses told
Speaker 1: Aaron everything God had said and showed him the miraculous signs.
Speaker 1: Together they traveled to Egypt to begin their mission. Chapter four,
Speaker 1: verse twenty nine describes their first step. Moses and Aaron
Speaker 1: brought together all the elders of the Israelites. These were
Speaker 1: the leaders of the Hebrew people, and they needed to
Speaker 1: be convinced. First, Aaron spoke for Moses, telling the elders
Speaker 1: everything God had said. Then Moses performed the signs God
Speaker 1: had given him. Chapter four, verse thirty one shows the
Speaker 1: people response and they believed. And when they heard that
Speaker 1: the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery,
Speaker 1: they bowed down and worshiped. The people were ready. Now
Speaker 1: came the hard part. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh
Speaker 1: with a simple request found in chapter five, verse one.
Speaker 1: This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says,
Speaker 1: Let my people go so that they may hold a
Speaker 1: festival to me in the wilderness. They weren't asking for
Speaker 1: permanent freedom yet, just a three day religious celebration. Pharaoh's
Speaker 1: response was exactly what you'd expect from someone who thought
Speaker 1: he was a god himself. Chapter five, verse two records
Speaker 1: his arrogant reply, who is the Lord that I should
Speaker 1: obey him and let Israel go? I do not know
Speaker 1: the Lord, and I will not let Israel go. Pharaoh
Speaker 1: had just declared war on the God of Israel. Moses
Speaker 1: and Aaron tried to reason with him, explaining in chapter five,
Speaker 1: verse three that the God of the Hebrews has met
Speaker 1: with us. Now let us take a three day journey
Speaker 1: into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord, our god,
Speaker 1: or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.
Speaker 1: They were trying to warn Pharaoh about what might happen
Speaker 1: if he refused, but Pharaoh wasn't interested in warnings. Instead,
Speaker 1: he made life harder for the Israelites. Chapter five, verse
Speaker 1: seven shows his cruel response, you are no longer to
Speaker 1: supply the people with straw for making bricks. Let them
Speaker 1: go and gather their own straw. The Israelites had to
Speaker 1: work just as hard, but now had to find their
Speaker 1: own materials too. The Israelite foremen were furious they had
Speaker 1: been beaten because they couldn't meet their impossible quotas. Chapter
Speaker 1: ub verse twenty one shows their anger toward Moses and Aaron.
Speaker 1: May the Lord look on you and judge you. You
Speaker 1: have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials, and
Speaker 1: have put a sword in their hand to kill us.
Speaker 1: The rescue mission seemed to be making things worse, not better.
Speaker 1: Moses was devastated. He went back to God with his
Speaker 1: complaint in chapter five, verse twenty two, Why Lord, why
Speaker 1: have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why
Speaker 1: you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to
Speaker 1: speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people,
Speaker 1: and you have not rescued your people at all. Moses
Speaker 1: felt like a failure. God's response in chapter six revealed
Speaker 1: his bigger plan. Chapter six, verse one contains a promise
Speaker 1: that would change everything. Now you will see what I
Speaker 1: will do to Pharaoh. Because of my mighty hand, he
Speaker 1: will let them go. Because of my mighty hand, he
Speaker 1: will drive them out of his country. God was about
Speaker 1: two demonstrate his power in ways that would shock the world.
Speaker 1: Then God minded Moses of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac,
Speaker 1: and Jacob. Chapter six, verse four shows the scope of
Speaker 1: God's promise. I also established my covenant with them to
Speaker 1: give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners.
Speaker 1: This wasn't just about freedom from slavery. This was about
Speaker 1: fulfilling promises made centuries earlier. God revealed more of his
Speaker 1: character to Moses. Chapter six, verse six contains multiple promises. Therefore,
Speaker 1: say to the Israelites, I am the Lord, and I
Speaker 1: will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
Speaker 1: I will free you from being slaves to them, and
Speaker 1: I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with
Speaker 1: mighty acts of judgment. God was about to show everyone
Speaker 1: exactly who he was, but the people had lost hope.
Speaker 1: Chapter six, verse nine shows their discouragement. Moses reported this
Speaker 1: to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him
Speaker 1: because of their discouragement and harsh labor. Sometimes people are
Speaker 1: too tired and hurt to believe in good news. God
Speaker 1: told Moses to go back to Pharaoh again, but Moses
Speaker 1: had his own doubts. Chapter six, verse twelve shows his reasoning.
Speaker 1: If the Israelites will not listen to me. Why would
Speaker 1: Pharaoh listen to me? Since I speak with faltering lips.
Speaker 1: Moses was still worried about his speaking ability. God's answer
Speaker 1: was to give Moses and Aaron a clear command found
Speaker 1: in chapter six, verse thirteen. Now the Lord spoke to
Speaker 1: Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
Speaker 1: and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
Speaker 1: There was no room for doubt. This was a direct
Speaker 1: order from God. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron
Speaker 1: was eighty three when they stood before Pharaoh the second time.
Speaker 1: Chapter seven, verse one reveals God's strategy. Then the Lord
Speaker 1: said to Moses, see, I have made you like God
Speaker 1: to Pharaoh and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
Speaker 1: Moses would represent God's authority and Aaron would be his spokesman.
Speaker 1: God made it clear that this wouldn't be easy. Chapter seven,
Speaker 1: verse three contains both a warning and a promise. But
Speaker 1: I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my
Speaker 1: signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you.
Speaker 1: God was going to use Pharaoh's stubborn heart to display
Speaker 1: his power to the world. When Moses and Aaron appeared
Speaker 1: before Pharaoh again, he demanded proof of their divine authority.
Speaker 1: Chapter seven, verse nine shows he wanted to see a miracle.
Speaker 1: When Pharaoh says, to you perform a miracle, then say
Speaker 1: to Aaron, take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,
Speaker 1: and it will become a snake. God was ready to
Speaker 1: provide the proof. Aaron threw down his staff and it
Speaker 1: became a snake, but Pharaoh wasn't impressed. Chapter seven, verse
Speaker 1: eleven tells us he summoned wise men and sorcerers, and
Speaker 1: the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their
Speaker 1: secret arts. Egypt had its own version of supernatural power,
Speaker 1: and they seemed to match God's miracle, but God's power
Speaker 1: was superior. Chapter seven, verse twelve shows the outcome. Each
Speaker 1: one threw down his staff and it became a snake,
Speaker 1: but Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. God's snake ate
Speaker 1: the magician's snakes, proving that his power was greater than theirs.
Speaker 1: Still Pharaoh refused to listen. Chapter seven, verse thirteen tells us,
Speaker 1: Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen
Speaker 1: to them, just as the Lord had said, the contest
Speaker 1: between God and Pharaoh was just beginning. God told Moses
Speaker 1: to meet Pharaoh by the Nile River the next morning.
Speaker 1: Chapter seven, verse seventeen contains the warning for the first plague.
Speaker 1: This is what the Lord says. By this, you will
Speaker 1: know that I am the Lord. With the staff that
Speaker 1: is in my hand, I will strike the water of
Speaker 1: the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. The
Speaker 1: Nile was sacred to the Egyptians. God was about to
Speaker 1: attack their most important resource. Aaron stretched out his staff
Speaker 1: over the waters of Egypt, and everything changed. Chapter seven,
Speaker 1: verse twenty describes the miracle Moses and Aaron did just
Speaker 1: as the Yule Lord had commanded. He raised his staff
Speaker 1: in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck
Speaker 1: the water of the Nile, and all the water was
Speaker 1: changed into blood. The river that gave life to Egypt
Speaker 1: became a source of death. The blood plague was devastating.
Speaker 1: Chapter seven, verse twenty one shows the complete scope. The
Speaker 1: fish in the Nile died, and the river smelt so
Speaker 1: bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood
Speaker 1: was everyone where in Egypt. The entire water system of
Speaker 1: Egypt was contaminated, But again Pharaoh's magicians seemed to match
Speaker 1: the miracle. Chapter seven, verse twenty two tells us the
Speaker 1: Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts,
Speaker 1: and Pharaoh's heart became hard. He would not listen to
Speaker 1: Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. Pharaoh
Speaker 1: used this as an excuse to ignore God's power. The
Speaker 1: Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for drinking water.
Speaker 1: For seven days, they lived with the consequences of Pharaoh's ardheart.
Speaker 1: Then God sent Moses back with a new warning about frogs.
Speaker 1: Chapter eight, verse two contains God's second ultimatum. If you
Speaker 1: refuse to let them go, I will send a plague
Speaker 1: of frogs on your whole country. This wasn't going to
Speaker 1: be a few frogs by the river. This was going
Speaker 1: to be an invasion. When Pharaoh refused again, Aaron stretched
Speaker 1: out his staff over the waters. Chapter eight, verse three
Speaker 1: describes what happened. So Aaron stretched out his hand over
Speaker 1: the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and
Speaker 1: covered the land. Frogs were everywhere in houses, bedrooms, beds, ovens,
Speaker 1: and kneading troughs. Once again, the magicians duplicated the miracle.
Speaker 1: Chapter eight, verse seven tells us the magicians did the
Speaker 1: same things by their secret arts. They also made frogs
Speaker 1: come up on the land of Egypt, but making more
Speaker 1: frogs wasn't helpful when the country was already overrun with them.
Speaker 1: This time, Pharaoh seemed to crack under the pressure. Chapter
Speaker 1: eight verse eight shows his desperate plea Pharaoh summoned Moses
Speaker 1: and Aaron and said, pray to the Lord to take
Speaker 1: the frogs away from me and my people, and I
Speaker 1: will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.
Speaker 1: He was ready to negotiate. Moses gave Pharaoh the honor
Speaker 1: of choosing when the frogs would die. Chapter eight, verse
Speaker 1: ten shows Pharaoh's response tomorrow and Moses agreed. The next day,
Speaker 1: all the frogs died, and the Egyptians piled them into heaps.
Speaker 1: The land stank from all the dead frogs. But as
Speaker 1: soon as the crisis passed, Pharaoh changed his mind again.
Speaker 1: Chapter eight verse fifteen tells us when Pharaoh saw that
Speaker 1: there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not
Speaker 1: listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
Speaker 1: Pharaoh's pattern of promising and then breaking his word had begun.
Speaker 1: God's patience was wearing thin. Without any warning to Pharaoh,
Speaker 1: he told Arin to strike the dust of the ground.
Speaker 1: Chapter eight, verse seventeen shows the result. They did this,
Speaker 1: and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff
Speaker 1: and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came on.
Speaker 1: People and animals all the us throughout the land of
Speaker 1: Egypt became nats. This plague was immediate and unavoidable. This time,
Speaker 1: something different happened. Chapter eight, verse eighteen tells us the
Speaker 1: magicians tried to produce nats by their secret arts, but
Speaker 1: they could not. For the first time, Egypt's magicians met
Speaker 1: a miracle they couldn't duplicate. They had to admit defeat.
Speaker 1: The magician's confession in chapter eight, verse nineteen was significant.
Speaker 1: The magicians said to Pharaoh, this is the finger of God.
Speaker 1: Even Egypt's spiritual leaders recognized that they were facing divine
Speaker 1: power beyond their ability to match or understand. But Pharaoh's
Speaker 1: heart remained hard. God wasn't finished showing Egypt who was
Speaker 1: really in charge. Chapter eight, verse twenty shows the next warning.
Speaker 1: Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as
Speaker 1: he goes to the river and say to him, this
Speaker 1: is what the Lord says, Let my people go, so
Speaker 1: that they may worship me. This time, God was going
Speaker 1: to make a clear distinction. Chapter eight, verse twenty one
Speaker 1: contains a promise that would change everything. If you do
Speaker 1: not let my people go, I will send swarms of
Speaker 1: flies on you and your officials, on your people, and
Speaker 1: into your houses. But then came the game changing part.
Speaker 1: Chapter eight verse twenty two shows God's protection plan. But
Speaker 1: on that day, I will deal differently with the land
Speaker 1: of Goshen, where my people live. No swarms of flies
Speaker 1: will be there. When Pharaoh refused again, the flies came
Speaker 1: exactly as God had promised. Chapter eight verse twenty four
Speaker 1: describes the invasion, and the Lord did this. Dense swarms
Speaker 1: of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace and into the houses
Speaker 1: of his officials. Throughout Egypt, the land was ruined by
Speaker 1: the flies, but in Goshen, where the Israelites lived, there
Speaker 1: wasn't a single fly. Phaohro called for Moses and Aaron
Speaker 1: and offered a compromise. Chapter eight verse twenty five shows
Speaker 1: his first attempt at negotiation. Go sacrifice to your God
Speaker 1: here in the land but Moses refused this compromise, knowing
Speaker 1: that Egyptian worship and Hebrew worship couldn't mix. Chapter eight,
Speaker 1: verse twenty six shows Moses reasoning that would not be right.
Speaker 1: The sacrifices we offer the Lord, our God would be
Speaker 1: detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that
Speaker 1: are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us.
Speaker 1: Moses knew that true worship required complete separation from Egyptian influence.
Speaker 1: Pharaoh agreed to let them go, but only if Moses
Speaker 1: would pray for the flies to be removed. Moses prayed,
Speaker 1: and God removed every single fly, but once again. Chapter eight,
Speaker 1: verse thirty two shows Pharaoh's broken promise, but this time
Speaker 1: also fail. Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let
Speaker 1: the people go. The fifth plague struck without warning. Chapter nine,
Speaker 1: verse three describes God's judgment on Egypt's live stock. The
Speaker 1: hand of the Lord will bring a terrible plague on
Speaker 1: your live stock in the field, on your horses, donkeys,
Speaker 1: and camels, and on your cattle, flocks and herds. This
Speaker 1: plague would hit Egypt's economy hard. Chapter nine, verse six
Speaker 1: shows the complete devastation and the next day, the Lord
Speaker 1: did it. All the live stock of the Egyptians died,
Speaker 1: but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh
Speaker 1: even sent people to check on the Israelite animals, and
Speaker 1: they found that God's word was true, yet his heart
Speaker 1: remained hard. The sixth plague came without any warning. Chapter nine,
Speaker 1: verse eight shows God's instructions to Moses, take handfuls of
Speaker 1: soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into
Speaker 1: the air in the presence of Pharaoh. This simple act
Speaker 1: would bring painful boils on every person and animal in Egypt.
Speaker 1: Chapter nine, verse ten describes what happened. So they took
Speaker 1: soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed
Speaker 1: it into the air, and festering boils broke out on
Speaker 1: people and animals. The pain was so severe that even
Speaker 1: the magicians couldn't stand before Moses because of their boils.
Speaker 1: God gave Pharaoh one more chance before unleashing the seventh plague.
Speaker 1: Chapter nine, verse thirteen shows Moses delivering God's most serious warning.
Speaker 1: Yet get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and
Speaker 1: say to him, this is what the Lord the God
Speaker 1: of the Hebrews, says, let my people go, so that
Speaker 1: they may worship me. Chapter nine, verse sixteen contains God's
Speaker 1: purpose statement, but I have raised you up for this
Speaker 1: very purpose, that I might show you my power and
Speaker 1: that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
Speaker 1: God wasn't just rescuing Israel. He was demonstrating his supremacy
Speaker 1: to the entire world. The warning for the Seventh plague
Speaker 1: was specific and terrifying. Chapter nine, verse eighteen describes what
Speaker 1: was coming. Therefore, at this time tomorrow, I will send
Speaker 1: the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt from
Speaker 1: the day it was founded till now. A God even
Speaker 1: gave the Egyptians a chance to protect themselves. Some Egyptians
Speaker 1: were starting to fear God's word. Chapter nine, verse twenty
Speaker 1: shows this growing respect. Those officials of Pharaoh who feared
Speaker 1: the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves
Speaker 1: and their livestock inside Maudi, but others ignored the warning
Speaker 1: and left their servants and animals in the fields. When
Speaker 1: the hail came, it was unlike anything Egypt had ever seen.
Speaker 1: Chapter nine, verse twenty three describes the supernatural storm. When
Speaker 1: Moses stretched out his staff toward a the sky. The
Speaker 1: Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to
Speaker 1: the ground if the hail was mixed with fire. Chapter nine,
Speaker 1: verse twenty five shows the complete devastation throughout Egypt. Hale
Speaker 1: struck everything in the fields, both people and animals. It
Speaker 1: beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree.
Speaker 1: Only in Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was there no hail.
Speaker 1: This time, Pharaoh seemed genuinely shaken. Chapter nine, verse twenty
Speaker 1: seven records his confession. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron.
Speaker 1: This time I have sinned, he said. The Lord is
Speaker 1: in the right, and I and my people are in
Speaker 1: the wrong. For the first time, Pharaoh admitted that he
Speaker 1: was fighting against God. Sure enough, as soon as the
Speaker 1: hail stopped, Pharaoh changed his mind again. Chapter nine, verse
Speaker 1: thirty four shows his predictable response. When Pharaoh saw that
Speaker 1: the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again.
Speaker 1: He and his officials hardened their hearts. God sent Moses
Speaker 1: back with a new warning about locusts. Chapter ten, verse
Speaker 1: four describes the eighth plague. If you refuse to let
Speaker 1: them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow.
Speaker 1: These wouldn't be ordinary locusts. They would eat everything the
Speaker 1: hail had left behind. Even Pharaoh's own officials were getting scared.
Speaker 1: Chapter ten, verse seven shows their desperate plea, how long
Speaker 1: will this man be a snare to us? Let the
Speaker 1: people go so that they may worship the Lord their god.
Speaker 1: Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined? When
Speaker 1: Pharaoh refused to let everyone go, God sent the locusts.
Speaker 1: Chapter ten, verse thirteen describes their arrival. So Moses stretched
Speaker 1: out his staff over Egypt, and the Lord made an
Speaker 1: east wind blow across the land all that day and
Speaker 1: all that night. By morning, the wind had brought the locusts.
Speaker 1: Chapter ten, verse fifteen shows the complete destruction. They covered
Speaker 1: all the ground until it was black. They devoured all
Speaker 1: that was left after the hail, everything growing in the
Speaker 1: fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained
Speaker 1: on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.
Speaker 1: Once again, Pharaoh begged Moses to pray for relief. Chapter ten,
Speaker 1: verse seventeen shows his desperate words, Now forgive my sin
Speaker 1: once more, and pray to the Lord your god to
Speaker 1: take this deadly plague away from me. Moses prayed, and
Speaker 1: God sent a strong west wind that carried all the
Speaker 1: locusts into the Red Sea, but Pharaoh's heart remained unchanged.
Speaker 1: Chapter ten verse twenty tells the familiar story. But the
Speaker 1: Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not let the
Speaker 1: Israelites go. Egypt was in ruins, but Pharaoh still wouldn't
Speaker 1: surrender to God's will. The ninth plague came without warning.
Speaker 1: Chapter ten verse twenty one shows God's simple command, stretch
Speaker 1: out your hand toward the sky, so that darkness may
Speaker 1: spread over Egypt, darkness that can be felt. This wasn't
Speaker 1: ordinary darkness, it was supernatural and thick. Chapter ten verse
Speaker 1: twenty two describes this terrifying plague. So Moses stretched out
Speaker 1: his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all
Speaker 1: Egypt for three days. People couldn't see each other or
Speaker 1: move around, but chapter ten verse twenty three shows God's
Speaker 1: continued protection. Yet all the Israelites had light in the
Speaker 1: places where they lived. After three days of supernatural darkness,
Speaker 1: Pharaoh called Moses one more time. Chapter ten verse twenty
Speaker 1: four shows his final compromise. Offer go worship the Lord,
Speaker 1: even your women and children. May go with you, only
Speaker 1: leave your flocks and herds behind. Pharaoh was willing to
Speaker 1: let the people go, but he wanted to keep their wealth.
Speaker 1: Moses refused this compromise too. Chapter ten, verse twenty six
Speaker 1: shows his firm response, our live stock too must go
Speaker 1: with us. Not a hoof is to be left behind.
Speaker 1: We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord,
Speaker 1: our god, and until we get there, we will not
Speaker 1: know what we are to use to worship the Lord.
Speaker 1: Pharaoh's anger finally exploded. Chapter ten verse twenty eight shows
Speaker 1: his rage, get out of my sight. Make sure you
Speaker 1: do not appear before me again. The day you see
Speaker 1: my face, you will die. Pharaoh was cutting off all
Speaker 1: communication and threatening Moses his life. Moses accepted this challenge
Speaker 1: with the warning of his own. Chapter ten, verse twenty
Speaker 1: nine contains his final words to Pharaoh, just as you say,
Speaker 1: I will never appear before you again. This was the
Speaker 1: end of their negotiations. The next time they met it
Speaker 1: would be in very different sirircumstances. But God wasn't finished
Speaker 1: with his warnings. Chapter eleven, verse one shows God preparing
Speaker 1: Moses for the final plague. I will bring one more
Speaker 1: plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will
Speaker 1: let you go from here, and when he does, he
Speaker 1: will drive you out completely. God gave Moses specific instructions
Speaker 1: about asking the Egyptians for gold and silver. Chapter eleven,
Speaker 1: verse two shows this unusual command, tell the people that
Speaker 1: men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for
Speaker 1: articles of silver and gold. After all the plagues, the
Speaker 1: Egyptians would be willing to give the Israelites anything. Chapter
Speaker 1: eleven verse three shows how the Egyptian's attitude toward Moses
Speaker 1: had changed. The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward
Speaker 1: the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt
Speaker 1: by Pharaoh's officials and by the people. The man Pharaoh
Speaker 1: wanted to kill was now respected throughout Egypt. Moses delivered
Speaker 1: God's final warning to Pharaoh. Chapter eleven, verse four contains
Speaker 1: the announcement of the tenth plague. This is what the
Speaker 1: Lord says about midnight, I will go throughout Egypt. Would
Speaker 1: this plague would be different from all the others. It
Speaker 1: would strike at the heart of every Egyptian family. Chapter
Speaker 1: eleven verse five describes the scope of this final judgment.
Speaker 1: Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn
Speaker 1: son of Pharaoh who sits on the throne, to the
Speaker 1: firstborn son of the female slave who is at her
Speaker 1: hand mill, and all the first born of the cattle
Speaker 1: as well. But God promised that his people would be
Speaker 1: completely protected. Chapter eleven, verse seven shows the clear distinction.
Speaker 1: But among the Israelites, not a dog will bark at
Speaker 1: any person or animal. Then you will know that the
Speaker 1: Lord makes a distinction betweeneen Egypt and Israel. Moses warned
Speaker 1: Pharaoh that this plague would bring complete surrender. Chapter eleven,
Speaker 1: verse eight contains his final prophecy. All these officials of
Speaker 1: yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying,
Speaker 1: go you and all the people who follow you. After that,
Speaker 1: I will leave. Before the final plague struck, God gave
Speaker 1: Moses detailed instructions for a ceremony that would protect the
Speaker 1: Israelites and become a permanent reminder of their rescue. Chapter twelve,
Speaker 1: verse one shows the importance of this moment. The Lord
Speaker 1: said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, this month is
Speaker 1: to be for you, the first month, the first month
Speaker 1: of your year. Chapter twelve, verse three contains God's specific
Speaker 1: instructions tell the whole community of Israel that on the
Speaker 1: tenth day of this month, each man is to take
Speaker 1: a lamb for his family, one for each household. This
Speaker 1: was just any lamb. It had to meet God's exact requirements.
Speaker 1: The lamb had to be perfect without any defects. Chapter twelve,
Speaker 1: verse five shows these requirements. The animals you choose must
Speaker 1: be year old males without defect and you may take
Speaker 1: them from the sheep or the goats. These lambs would
Speaker 1: take the place of the first born sons who were
Speaker 1: about to die. In Egypt, the innocent would die for
Speaker 1: the guilty. The families had to care for these lambs
Speaker 1: for four days. Then came the crucial moment. Chapter twelve
Speaker 1: verse six gives the timing take care of them until
Speaker 1: the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members
Speaker 1: of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
Speaker 1: Every Israelite family would kill their lamb at exactly the
Speaker 1: same time. The blood was the most important part. Chapter
Speaker 1: twelve verse seven shows what they had to do. Then
Speaker 1: they are to take some of the blood and put
Speaker 1: it on the side and tops of the door frames
Speaker 1: of the houses where they eat the lambs. The blood
Speaker 1: would mark which houses belonged to God's people. God explained
Speaker 1: exactly how to prepare and eat the lamb. Chapter twelve,
Speaker 1: verse eight gives the instructions. That same night, they are
Speaker 1: to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with
Speaker 1: bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. Nothing could be
Speaker 1: left until morning. It all had to be consumed that night.
Speaker 1: Chapter twelve, verse eleven shows how they were supposed to
Speaker 1: eat this meal. This is how you are to eat it,
Speaker 1: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on
Speaker 1: your feet, and your staff in your hand. Eat it
Speaker 1: in haste. It is the Lord's pass over. They had
Speaker 1: to be ready to leave Egypt immediately after the meal.
Speaker 1: God revealed the purpose of the blood on the door frames.
Speaker 1: Chapter twelve, verse twelve explains what would happen that night.
Speaker 1: On that say, I will pass through Egypt and strike
Speaker 1: down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I
Speaker 1: will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I
Speaker 1: am the Lord. Chapter twelve, verse thirteen contains the promise
Speaker 1: that would save Israel's children. The blood will be a
Speaker 1: sign for you on the houses where you are, and
Speaker 1: when I see the blood, I will pass over you.
Speaker 1: No destructive plague will touch you. When I strike Egypt,
Speaker 1: the blood of the Lamb would be the difference between
Speaker 1: life and death. The Passover night changed everything. Chapter twelve,
Speaker 1: verse twenty nine describes what happened at midnight. At midnight,
Speaker 1: the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from
Speaker 1: the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on the throne, to
Speaker 1: the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon,
Speaker 1: and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. Chapter twelve,
Speaker 1: verse thirty shows the immediate result. Pharaoh and all his
Speaker 1: officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night,
Speaker 1: and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was
Speaker 1: not a house without someone dead. The cry of grief
Speaker 1: that went up from Egypt was unlike anything they had
Speaker 1: ever experienced. Pharaoh's resistance finally broke completely. Chapter twelve, verse
Speaker 1: thirty one shows his desperate surrender. During the night, Pharaoh
Speaker 1: summoned Moses and Aaron and said, up, leave my people.
Speaker 1: You and the Israelites go worship the Lord as you
Speaker 1: have requested. The proud king, who had said I do
Speaker 1: not know the Lord was now begging God's servants to leave.
Speaker 1: Chapter twelve, verse thirty two shows how completely Pharaoh had
Speaker 1: given up. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said,
Speaker 1: and go, and also bless me. The man who had
Speaker 1: threatened to kill Moses was now asking for Moses his blessing.
Speaker 1: Fear had completely replaced pride. The Egyptians were so eager
Speaker 1: to see the Israelites leave that they gave them whatever
Speaker 1: they asked for. Chapter twelve, verse thirty five describes this
Speaker 1: amazing turnaround. The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked
Speaker 1: the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing.
Speaker 1: After years of forced labor, the slaves were becoming wealthy.
Speaker 1: Chapter twelve, verse thirty six shows God's justice in action.
Speaker 1: The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people,
Speaker 1: and they gave them what they asked for. So they
Speaker 1: plundered the Egyptians. Egypt was paying back wages for centuries
Speaker 1: of slave labor. The Israelites left Egypt that very night.
Speaker 1: Chapter twelve, verse thirty seven gives us the incredible numbers.
Speaker 1: The Israelites journeyed from Ramases to Sukoth. There were about
Speaker 1: six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children,
Speaker 1: including families, there were probably over two million people leaving
Speaker 1: Egypt at once. Chapter twelve, verse forty one shows the
Speaker 1: exact timing of their departure, at the end of the
Speaker 1: four hundred thirty years to the very day, all the
Speaker 1: Lord's divisions left Egypt. God's timing was perfect. They left
Speaker 1: exactly when he had promised Abraham centuries earlier. But freedom
Speaker 1: came with new responsibilities. Chapter thirteen, verse one shows God's
Speaker 1: first command to the free nation. The Lord said to Moses,
Speaker 1: consecrate to me every firstborn mail, the first offspring of
Speaker 1: every womb among the Israelites, belongs to me, whether human
Speaker 1: or animal. The firstborn who had been saved by the
Speaker 1: passover Lamb now belonged to God. Moses explained this law
Speaker 1: to the people as they traveled. Chapter thirteen, verse eight
Speaker 1: shows how they were to teach their children on that day,
Speaker 1: Tell your son, I do this because of what the
Speaker 1: Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.
Speaker 1: Every generation needed to know the story of their rescue.
Speaker 1: God personally led them on their journey. Chapter thirteen, verse
Speaker 1: twenty one describes his visible presence. By day, the Lord
Speaker 1: went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to
Speaker 1: guide them on their way, and by night in a
Speaker 1: pillar of fire to give them light, so that they
Speaker 1: could travel by day or night. God wasn't sending them away,
Speaker 1: He was going with them. God led the Israelites on
Speaker 1: a route that seemed to make no sense. Chapter fourteen,
Speaker 1: verse one shows his surprising direction. Tell the Israelites to
Speaker 1: turn back and in camp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol
Speaker 1: and the Yen Sea. They are to encamp by the
Speaker 1: sea directly opposite bial Zephyon. Instead of heading straight to Canaan,
Speaker 1: God led them toward the Red Sea. Chapter fourteen, verse
Speaker 1: three reveals God's strategy. Pharaoh will think the Israelites are
Speaker 1: wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.
Speaker 1: God was setting a trap and Pharaoh was about to
Speaker 1: walk right into it. When Pharaoh heard where the Israelites
Speaker 1: were camped, his attitude changed completely. Chapter fourteen, verse five
Speaker 1: shows his regret. When the king of Egypt was told
Speaker 1: that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed
Speaker 1: their minds about them and said, what have we done?
Speaker 1: We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services.
Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen, verse six describes Pharaoh's military preparation. So he
Speaker 1: had his chariot made ready and took his army with him.
Speaker 1: This wasn't just a few soldiers. Pharaoh was bringing his
Speaker 1: entire military force to recapture the Israelites. Chapter fourteen, verse
Speaker 1: seven shows the size of Egypt's army. He took six
Speaker 1: hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other
Speaker 1: chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. Egypt's
Speaker 1: most elite military units were pursuing the escaped slaves. When
Speaker 1: the Israelites saw the Egyptian army approaching, they panicked. Chapter fourteen,
Speaker 1: verse ten describes their terror as Pharaoh approached. The Israelites
Speaker 1: looked up and there were the Egyptians marching after them.
Speaker 1: They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. Their
Speaker 1: panic turned to anger against Moses. Chapter fourteen, verse eleven
Speaker 1: shows their bitter complaint. They said to Moses, was it
Speaker 1: because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought
Speaker 1: us to the desert to die? What have you done
Speaker 1: to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Moses responded
Speaker 1: with incredible faith and calm. Chapter fourteen, verse thirteen contains
Speaker 1: his reassuring words. Moses answered, the people, do not be afraid.
Speaker 1: Stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the Lord
Speaker 1: will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today, you
Speaker 1: will never see again. Chapter fourteen, verse fourteen shows Moses's
Speaker 1: confidence in God's power. The Lord will fight for you.
Speaker 1: You need only to be still. The battle belonged to God,
Speaker 1: not to them. They didn't need to fight, They just
Speaker 1: needed to watch God work. God told Moses exactly what
Speaker 1: to do. Chapter fourteen, verse sixteen contains the incredible command,
Speaker 1: raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the
Speaker 1: sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can
Speaker 1: go through the sea on dry ground. God was about
Speaker 1: to do something that had never been done before. Then
Speaker 1: Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the
Speaker 1: impossible happened. Chapter fourteen, verse twenty one describes the miracle.
Speaker 1: Then stretched out his hand over the sea, and all
Speaker 1: that night the Lord drove the sea back with a
Speaker 1: strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The
Speaker 1: waters were divided. Chapter fourteen, verse twenty two shows the result,
Speaker 1: and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground
Speaker 1: with a wall of water on their right and on
Speaker 1: their left. Two million people walked across the bottom of
Speaker 1: the sea with walls of water held back by God's power.
Speaker 1: The Egyptians, blinded by their hatred and greed, charged into
Speaker 1: the sea after the Israelites. Chapter fourteen, verse twenty three
Speaker 1: describes their pursuit. The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's
Speaker 1: horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.
Speaker 1: Egypt's entire military force entered the path that God had
Speaker 1: created for his people. But God wasn't finished with his miracle.
Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen, verse twenty four shows what happened at dawn
Speaker 1: during the last watch of the night. The Lord looked
Speaker 1: down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the
Speaker 1: Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. God's presence brought
Speaker 1: panic to egypt supposedly invincible army. Chapter fourteen, verse twenty
Speaker 1: five describes the chaos. He jammed the wheels of their
Speaker 1: chariots so that they had difficulty driving, and the Egyptians said,
Speaker 1: let's get away from the Israelites. The Lord is fighting
Speaker 1: for them against Egypt. Egypt's soldiers finally understood that they
Speaker 1: were fighting against God himself. When all the Israelites had
Speaker 1: safely crossed to the other side, God told Moses to
Speaker 1: stretch out his hand again. Chapter fourteen, verse twenty six
Speaker 1: contains the final command. Then, the Lord said to Moses,
Speaker 1: stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the
Speaker 1: waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots
Speaker 1: and horsemen. Chapter fourteen, verse twenty seven describes the complete destruction.
Speaker 1: Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at
Speaker 1: daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians
Speaker 1: were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into
Speaker 1: the sea. The entire Egyptian army was swallowed by the waters.
Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen, verse twenty eight shows the totality of God's victory.
Speaker 1: The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen,
Speaker 1: the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites
Speaker 1: into the sea. Not one of them survived. The most
Speaker 1: powerful military in the world was completely destroyed in a
Speaker 1: single moment. When the Israelites saw their enemies dead on
Speaker 1: the shore, their fear turned to worship. Chapter fourteen, verse
Speaker 1: thirty one describes their response and When the Israelites saw
Speaker 1: the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians,
Speaker 1: the people feared the Lord and put their trust in
Speaker 1: him and in Moses, his servant. This victory demanded a
Speaker 1: song of celebration. Chapter fifteen, verse one shows Moses leading
Speaker 1: the nation in worship. Then Moses and the Israelites sang
Speaker 1: this song to the Lord. I will sing to the Lord,
Speaker 1: for he is highly exalted, both horse and driver. He
Speaker 1: has hurled into the sea. Chapter fifteen, verse two contains
Speaker 1: Israel's declaration of faith. The Lord is my strength and
Speaker 1: my defense. He has become my salvation. He is my God,
Speaker 1: and I will praise him, my father's God, and I
Speaker 1: will exalt him. The God of their ancestors had proven
Speaker 1: that he was still the same, powerful deliverer. The song
Speaker 1: celebrated God as a warrior. Chapter fifteen, verse three proclaims
Speaker 1: the Lord is a warrior. The Lord is his name.
Speaker 1: This wasn't the image of God that egypt expected. Their
Speaker 1: gods were distant and weak, but Israel's God fought for
Speaker 1: his people. Chapter fifteen, verse six praises God's incredible power.
Speaker 1: Your right hand Lord was majestic in power. Your right
Speaker 1: hand Lord shattered the enemy. The same hand that had
Speaker 1: created the world had just destroyed Egypt's army. Chapter fifteen,
Speaker 1: verse eighteen ends with a declaration of God's eternal reign.
Speaker 1: The Lord reigns forever and ever. This victory wasn't just
Speaker 1: about escaping Egypt. It was about establishing God's kingdom on earth. Miriam,
Speaker 1: Moses's sister, led the women in their own celebration. Chapter fifteen,
Speaker 1: verse twenty shows her leadership. Then Miriam, the prophet, Aaron's sister,
Speaker 1: took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women
Speaker 1: followed her with timbrels and dancing. Chapter fifteen, verse twenty
Speaker 1: one records Miriam's song. Miriam sang to them, sing to
Speaker 1: the Lord, for he is highly exalted, both horse and driver.
Speaker 1: He has hurled into the sea. The celebration continued as
Speaker 1: the people marveled at what God had done. After three
Speaker 1: days of traveling through the desert, reality set in. The
Speaker 1: celebration ended when they reached Mara and discovered a serious problem.
Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen, verse twenty three describes their crisis. When they
Speaker 1: came to Mara, they could not drink its water because
Speaker 1: it was bitter. That is why the place is called Mara.
Speaker 1: The people's faith evaporated quickly. Chapter fifteen, verse twenty four
Speaker 1: shows how fast their attitude changed. So the people grumbled
Speaker 1: against Moses, saying, what are we to drink? The same
Speaker 1: people who had just sung praises to God were now
Speaker 1: complaining against his servant. Moses didn't argue with the people.
Speaker 1: He went straight to God with the problem. Chapter fifteen,
Speaker 1: verse twenty five shows his respet. Then Moses cried out
Speaker 1: to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece
Speaker 1: of wood. He threw it into the water, and the
Speaker 1: water became fit to drink at Mara. God gave them
Speaker 1: a promise with the condition. Chapter fifteen, verse twenty six
Speaker 1: contains both elements. He said, if you listen carefully to
Speaker 1: the Lord, your God and do what is right in
Speaker 1: his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and
Speaker 1: keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you
Speaker 1: any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for
Speaker 1: I am the Lord who heals you from Marah. They
Speaker 1: traveled to Alim, where they found relief. Chapter fifteen, verse
Speaker 1: twenty seven describes this oasis. Then they came to Elim,
Speaker 1: where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and
Speaker 1: they camped there near the water. God provided exactly what
Speaker 1: they needed, abundant water and shade, but the relief at
Speaker 1: Elim was temporary. Chapter sixteen verse one shows their continued journey.
Speaker 1: The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came
Speaker 1: to the desert of sin which is between Elim and Sinai,
Speaker 1: on the fifteenth day of the second month. After they
Speaker 1: had come out of Egypt, hunger became their new crisis.
Speaker 1: Chapter sixteen verse two describes their complaint in the desert.
Speaker 1: The whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The pattern
Speaker 1: was repeating. When faced with difficulty, they blamed their leaders
Speaker 1: instead of trusting God. Chapter sixteen verse three shows how
Speaker 1: quickly they forgot their slavery. The Israelites said to them,
Speaker 1: if only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt,
Speaker 1: there we sat around pots of meat and ate all
Speaker 1: the food we wanted. But you have brought us out
Speaker 1: into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.
Speaker 1: God heard their complaints and responded with grace instead of judgment.
Speaker 1: Chapter sixteen verse four contains his promise then the Lord
Speaker 1: said to Moses, I will rain down bread from heaven
Speaker 1: for you. The people are to go out each day
Speaker 1: and gather enough for that day. In this way, I
Speaker 1: will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.
Speaker 1: That evening, God sent quail to cover their camp. Chapter sixteen,
Speaker 1: verse thirteen describes this provision. That evening quail came and
Speaker 1: covered the camp, and in the morning there was a
Speaker 1: layer of dew around the camp. God provided meat exactly
Speaker 1: as he had promised. When the dew evaporated, something amazing
Speaker 1: appeared on the ground. Chapter sixteen, verse fourteen describes this
Speaker 1: new food. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like
Speaker 1: frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. The
Speaker 1: Israelites had never seen anything like it before. Chapter sixteen,
Speaker 1: verse fifteen shows their confusion. When the Israelites saw it,
Speaker 1: they said to each other, what is it? For they
Speaker 1: did not know what it was. Moses said to them,
Speaker 1: it is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.
Speaker 1: This supernatural food would sustain them for the next forty years.
Speaker 1: Moses gave them specific instructions about gathering this bread from heaven.
Speaker 1: Chapter sixteen, verse sixteen contains God's rules. This is what
Speaker 1: the Lord has commanded. Everyone is to gather as much
Speaker 1: as they need. Take an omer for each person you
Speaker 1: have in your tent. God wanted them to trust him
Speaker 1: for daily provision, not hoard for the future. The people
Speaker 1: called this supernatural food manna. Chapter sixteen, verse thirty one
Speaker 1: describes what it was like. The people of Israel called
Speaker 1: the bread manner. It was white like coriander seed and
Speaker 1: tasted like wafers made with honey. God had given them
Speaker 1: food that was both nutritious and delicious. The journey continued,
Speaker 1: but the people's complaints didn't see. They left the desert
Speaker 1: of Sin and set up camp at Refidim, but there
Speaker 1: was no water for them to drink. Chapter seventeen, verse
Speaker 1: one shows their situation. The whole Israelite community set out
Speaker 1: from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place
Speaker 1: as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there
Speaker 1: was no water for the people to drink. The lack
Speaker 1: of water quickly turned into another crisis. The same people
Speaker 1: who had just received manner from heaven were now angry
Speaker 1: about water. Chapter seventeen, verse two describes their confrontation with
Speaker 1: Moses so they quarreled with Moses and said, give us
Speaker 1: water to drink. Moses replied, why do you quarrel with me?
Speaker 1: Why do you put the Lord to the test. But
Speaker 1: the people were desperate and thirsty. Their desperation made them
Speaker 1: forget all the miracles they had seen. Chapter seventeen, verse
Speaker 1: three shows how extreme their complaint became. But the people
Speaker 1: were water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said,
Speaker 1: why did you bring us up out of Egypt to
Speaker 1: make us and our children and livestock die of thirst.
Speaker 1: Moses was getting overwhelmed by the constant complaints. He cried
Speaker 1: out to God for help, and his prayer in chapter seventeen,
Speaker 1: verse four shows his desperation. Then Moses cried out to
Speaker 1: the Lord, what am I to do with these people?
Speaker 1: They are almost ready to stone me. The people were
Speaker 1: so angry they were ready to kill their leader. God
Speaker 1: had a solution that would demonstrate his power once again.
Speaker 1: Chapter seventeen, verse five contains his specific instructions. The Lord answered, Moses,
Speaker 1: go out in front of the people, take with you
Speaker 1: some of the elders of Israel, and take in your
Speaker 1: hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and
Speaker 1: go Moses was to use the same staff that had
Speaker 1: brought plagues on Egypt. God told Moses exactly where to
Speaker 1: go and what to do. Chapter seventeen, verse six shows
Speaker 1: the amazing promise, I will stand there before you by
Speaker 1: the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will
Speaker 1: come out of it for the people to drink. God
Speaker 1: himself would be present at this miracle. Standing by the rock.
Speaker 1: Moses followed God's instructions exactly. He took the elders as
Speaker 1: witnesses and struck the rock with his staff. Water poured
Speaker 1: out of solid stone, enough for over two million people
Speaker 1: and their animals to drink. Chapter seventeen verse six confirms
Speaker 1: the miracle. So Moses did this in the sight of
Speaker 1: the elders of Israel. Moses gave this place two names
Speaker 1: that reflected what had happened there. Chapter seventeen verse seven
Speaker 1: explains the significance. And he called the place Massa and
Speaker 1: Marribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord,
Speaker 1: saying is the Lord among us or not? These names
Speaker 1: meant testing and quarreling, reminding future generations of this moment
Speaker 1: of doubt. While Israel was still camped at Rephidim, they
Speaker 1: faced their first military attack since leaving Egypt. The Amalekites
Speaker 1: came and attacked the Israelites without warning. Chapter seventeen, verse
Speaker 1: eight describes this unprovoked assault. The Amalekites came and attacked
Speaker 1: the Israelites at Refidim. Moses immediately organized a defense, but
Speaker 1: he did something unusual. Instead of leading the battle himself,
Speaker 1: he sent Joshua while he went to a hilltop to pray.
Speaker 1: Chapter seventeen, verse nine shows Moses' strategy. Moses said to Joshua,
Speaker 1: choose some of our men and go out to fight
Speaker 1: the Amalekites tomorrow. I will take my position on top
Speaker 1: of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.
Speaker 1: The battle that followed revealed something am amazing about the
Speaker 1: power of prayer. Chapter seventeen, verse eleven describes what happened.
Speaker 1: As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites
Speaker 1: were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites
Speaker 1: were winning. The outcome of the physical battle depended on
Speaker 1: Moses's spiritual intercession, but Moses was human and his arms
Speaker 1: got tired from holding them up all day. Chapter seventeen,
Speaker 1: verse twelve shows how Aaron and Her helped him. Moses
Speaker 1: hands grew tired, so they took a stone and put
Speaker 1: it under him, and he sat on it. Arin and
Speaker 1: Her held his hands up, one on one side, one
Speaker 1: on the other, so that his hands remained steady until sunset.
Speaker 1: With Moses's hands supported in prayer, Joshua and his army
Speaker 1: were able to completely defeat the Amalekites. Chapter seventeen, verse
Speaker 1: thirteen confirms the victory. So Joshua overcame the amalek Kit
Speaker 1: army with the sword. This was Israel's first military victory,
Speaker 1: and it came through a combination of faithful fighting and
Speaker 1: faithful praying. God told Moses to write down what had
Speaker 1: happened as a permanent reminder. Chapter seventeen, verse fourteen contains
Speaker 1: this important command. Then the Lord said to Moses, write
Speaker 1: this on a scroll as something to be remembered, and
Speaker 1: make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely
Speaker 1: blot out the name of Amelek from under heaven. This
Speaker 1: wasn't just a battle report, it was a prophecy of
Speaker 1: future judgment. Moses built an altar to commemorate God's help
Speaker 1: in this victory. Chapter seventeen verse fifteen shows his response.
Speaker 1: Moses built an altar and called it the Lord is
Speaker 1: my Banner. The name reflected how God had given them
Speaker 1: victory like a military banner, leading them into battle. Chapter seventeen,
Speaker 1: verse sixteen contains moses declaration about this ongoing conflict. He said,
Speaker 1: because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord,
Speaker 1: the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from
Speaker 1: generation to generation. This attack on God's people was an
Speaker 1: attack on God himself. News of Israel's miraculous escape from
Speaker 1: Egypt spread throughout the region. Moses father in lawd Jethro,
Speaker 1: heard about everything God had done and came to visit
Speaker 1: Moses in the wilderness. Chapter eighteen, verse one describes his arrival.
Speaker 1: Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father in law
Speaker 1: of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses
Speaker 1: and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had
Speaker 1: brought Israel out of Egypt. Jethro brought moses wife, Zipporah,
Speaker 1: and their two sons, who had apparently been staying with
Speaker 1: him during the exodus. Chapter eighteen, verse two shows this
Speaker 1: family reunion. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,
Speaker 1: his father in law, Jethro, received her and her two sons.
Speaker 1: When Jethro arrived at the camp, Moses told him everything
Speaker 1: that had happened. Chapter eighteen, verse eight describes their conversation.
Speaker 1: Moses told his father in law about everything the Lord
Speaker 1: had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake,
Speaker 1: and about all the hardships they had met along the way,
Speaker 1: and how the Lord had saved them. Jethro was amazed
Speaker 1: by what he heard and praised God for his mighty works.
Speaker 1: Chapter eighteen, verse ten shows his response. He said, praise
Speaker 1: be to the Lord who rescued you from the hand
Speaker 1: of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the
Speaker 1: people from the hand of the Egyptians. Even this Midianite
Speaker 1: priest recognized the greatness of Israel's God. Chapter eighteen, verse
Speaker 1: eleven shows Jethro's growing understanding. Now I know that the
Speaker 1: Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did
Speaker 1: this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly. The plagues
Speaker 1: had shown God's supremacy over all Egyptian deities. The next day,
Speaker 1: Jethro watched Moses work and saw a serious problem. Moses
Speaker 1: was trying to judge every dispute among two million people
Speaker 1: by himself. Chapter eighteen, verse thirteen describes what Jethro observed.
Speaker 1: The next day, Moses took his seat to serve as
Speaker 1: judge for the people, and they stood around him from
Speaker 1: morning till evening. Jethro realized this system wouldn't work. Chapter eighteen,
Speaker 1: verse seventeen shows his wise counsel. Moses's father in law replied,
Speaker 1: what you are doing is not good. You and these
Speaker 1: people who come to you will only wear yourselves out.
Speaker 1: The work is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.
Speaker 1: Jethro suggested a solution that would help Moses and serve
Speaker 1: the people better. Eighteen verse twenty one contains his advice.
Speaker 1: But select capable men from all the people, men who
Speaker 1: fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and appoint
Speaker 1: them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Moses
Speaker 1: listened to his father in law's wisdom and implemented the
Speaker 1: new system. Chapter eighteen, verse twenty four shows moses humility.
Speaker 1: Moses listened to his father in law and did everything
Speaker 1: he said. Pride didn't prevent Moses from accepting good advice
Speaker 1: even from someone outside Israel. Three months after leaving Egypt,
Speaker 1: the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai. Chapter nineteen verse one
Speaker 1: marks this important moment. On the first day of the
Speaker 1: third month after the Israelites left Egypt, on that very day,
Speaker 1: they came to the desert of Sinai. This mountain would
Speaker 1: become the most important place in their journey. Chapter nineteen
Speaker 1: verse two describes their arrival. After they set out from Rephidim,
Speaker 1: they entered the desert of Sinai and Israel camped there
Speaker 1: in the desert in front of the mountain. The entire
Speaker 1: nation was gathered before the mountain, where God would reveal
Speaker 1: himself in a new way. God called Moses up the
Speaker 1: mountain to give him a message for the people. Chapter
Speaker 1: nineteen verse three shows this special summons. Then Moses went
Speaker 1: up to God, and the Lord called to him from
Speaker 1: the mountain and said, this is what you are to
Speaker 1: say to the descendants of Jacob, and what you are
Speaker 1: to tell the people of Israel. God reminded Moses of
Speaker 1: what he had done for Israel and what he wanted
Speaker 1: their relationship to be. Chapter nineteen verse four contains God's
Speaker 1: tender words you yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,
Speaker 1: and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought
Speaker 1: you to myself. God had rescued them not just from slavery,
Speaker 1: but for a special relationship with him. Chapter nineteen verse
Speaker 1: five shows God's amazing offer to Israel. Now, if you
Speaker 1: obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of
Speaker 1: all nations, you will be my treasured possession. Although the
Speaker 1: whole earth is mine. You will be for me a
Speaker 1: kingdom of priests and a holy nation. God was offering
Speaker 1: to make them his special people among all the nations
Speaker 1: of the earth. When Moses brought this message to the people,
Speaker 1: their response was immediate and unanimous. Chapter nineteen verse eight
Speaker 1: records their commitment. The people all responded, together, we will
Speaker 1: do everything the Lord has said. So Moses brought their
Speaker 1: answer back to the Lord. They agreed to the covenant
Speaker 1: without even knowing what it would require. God told Moses
Speaker 1: to prepare the people for a direct encounter with him.
Speaker 1: Chapter nineteen verse ten contains the preparation instructions, and the
Speaker 1: Lord said to Moses, God, o to the people and
Speaker 1: consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
Speaker 1: and be ready by the third day, because on that
Speaker 1: day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in
Speaker 1: the sight of all the people. The mountain was to
Speaker 1: be treated as holy ground during God's visit. Chapter nineteen
Speaker 1: verse twelve shows the strict boundaries put limits for the
Speaker 1: people around the mountain and tell them be careful that
Speaker 1: you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot
Speaker 1: of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put
Speaker 1: to death. This wasn't a casual meeting. This was the
Speaker 1: Holy God revealing himself to sinful people. On the third day,
Speaker 1: God came down on Mount Sinai in a display of
Speaker 1: power that terrified the people. Chapter nineteen verse sixteen describes
Speaker 1: the awesome scene on the morning of the third day.
Speaker 1: There was thunder and lightning, with a thing cloud over
Speaker 1: the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in
Speaker 1: the camp trembled. Chapter nineteen verse eighteen shows the mountain
Speaker 1: itself responding to God's presence. Mount Sinai was covered with
Speaker 1: smoke because the Law descended on it in fire. The
Speaker 1: smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,
Speaker 1: and the whole mountain trembled violently. The very earth shook.
Speaker 1: When God came down. From this terrifying display of power,
Speaker 1: God spoke the Ten Commandments. Chapter twenty verse one introduces
Speaker 1: these fundamental laws, and God spoke all these words. These
Speaker 1: weren't suggestions or guidelines. These were direct commands from the
Speaker 1: creator of the universe. Chapter twenty verse three contains the
Speaker 1: first commandment, you shall have no other gods before me.
Speaker 1: This established the foundation of all relationship with God. He
Speaker 1: alone was to be worshiped and obeyed. The second commandment
Speaker 1: prohibited making idols. Chapter twenty verse four states you shall
Speaker 1: not make idols or any likeness of what is in
Speaker 1: heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the
Speaker 1: water under the earth. God could not be represented by
Speaker 1: human made objects. The third commandment protected God's name from misuse.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty verse seven declares you shall not misuse the
Speaker 1: name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will
Speaker 1: not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. God's name
Speaker 1: was to be treated with reverence and respect. After giving
Speaker 1: the Ten Commandments, God provided Moses with detailed civil laws
Speaker 1: to govern daily life in Israel. These laws would help
Speaker 1: them live together as God's people. Chapter twenty one, verse
Speaker 1: one introduces these regulations. These are the laws you are
Speaker 1: to set before them. The first laws dealt with Hebrew servants.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one, verse two shows God's concern for fair treatment.
Speaker 1: If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve
Speaker 1: you for six years, but in the seventh year he
Speaker 1: shall go free without paying anything. Even servitude had limits,
Speaker 1: No Hebrew could be enslaved permanently. God made special provisions
Speaker 1: for servants who chose to stay with kind masters. Chapter
Speaker 1: twenty one, verse five describes this option. But if the
Speaker 1: servant declares, I love my master and my wife and
Speaker 1: children and do not want to go free, then his
Speaker 1: master must take him before the judges. Love, not force,
Speaker 1: could create a permanent relationship. Laws about violence showed God's
Speaker 1: concern for protecting the innocent. Chapter twenty one, verse twelve
Speaker 1: established a basic principle. Any one who strikes a person
Speaker 1: with a fatal blow is to be put to death.
Speaker 1: Murder required the ultimate penalty because life was sacred, but
Speaker 1: God distinguished between intentional murder and accidental killing. Chapter twenty one,
Speaker 1: verse thirteen shows his mercy. However, if it is not
Speaker 1: done intentionally, but God lets it happen. They are to
Speaker 1: flee to a place I will designate. Cities of refuge
Speaker 1: would protect those who killed accidentally. Special laws protected the
Speaker 1: most vulnerable members of society. Chapter twenty one, verse seventeen
Speaker 1: shows the seriousness of dishonoring parents. Any One who curses
Speaker 1: their father or mother is to be put to death.
Speaker 1: The family structure was fundamental to God's design for society.
Speaker 1: Laws about personal injury established the principle of proportional justice.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one, verse twenty four contains the famous phrase
Speaker 1: I for eye, tooth for tooth, hand four hand, foot
Speaker 1: for foot. Punishment should fit the crime, not exceed it
Speaker 1: or fall short of it. God's laws covered every aspect
Speaker 1: of life, including property rights and moral behavior. Chapter twenty two,
Speaker 1: verse one establishes the principle of restitution. Whoever steals an
Speaker 1: ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it
Speaker 1: must pay back five head of cattle for the ox
Speaker 1: and four sheep for the sheep. Thieves had to restore
Speaker 1: more than they stole. The laws protected people's right to
Speaker 1: defend their property. Chapter twenty two, verse two shows when
Speaker 1: force was justified if a thief is caught breaking in
Speaker 1: at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender
Speaker 1: is not guilty of bloodshed. People could protect their homes
Speaker 1: from intruders, but different rules applied in daylight when the
Speaker 1: threat was less severe. Chapter twenty two, verse three makes
Speaker 1: this distinction. But if it happens after sunrise, the defender
Speaker 1: is guilty of bloodshed. Any One who steals must certainly
Speaker 1: make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be
Speaker 1: sold to pay for their theft. Social responsibility was emphasized
Speaker 1: in laws about helping others. Chapter twenty two, verse twenty
Speaker 1: one commands do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner. For
Speaker 1: you were foreigners in Egypt. Israel's own experience of oppression
Speaker 1: should make them compassionate to others. Special protection was given
Speaker 1: to widows and orphans. Chapter twenty two, verse twenty two
Speaker 1: shows God's concern. Do not take advantage of the widow
Speaker 1: or the fatherless. Those without natural protectors were under God's
Speaker 1: special care. Money lending was regulated to prevent exploitation. Chapter
Speaker 1: twenty two, verse twenty five prohibits usury. If you lend
Speaker 1: money to one of my people among you who is needy,
Speaker 1: do not treat it like a business deal, charge no interest.
Speaker 1: Helping the poor shouldn't become a way to get rich.
Speaker 1: God prohibited consulting mediums and practicing witchcraft. Chapter twenty two,
Speaker 1: verse eighteen states clearly do not allow a sorceress to live.
Speaker 1: Any attempt to contact spiritual powers other than God was
Speaker 1: forbidden and punishable by death. God established three annual festivals
Speaker 1: that would mark Israel's religious calendar and strengthen their covenant
Speaker 1: relationship with Him. Chapter twenty three, verse fourteen introduces these
Speaker 1: celebrations three times a year. You are to celebrate a
Speaker 1: festival to me. The first festival was the Festival of
Speaker 1: unleavened Bread, commemorating their escape from Egypt. Chapter twenty three,
Speaker 1: verse fifteen gives the details. Celebrate the Festival of unleavened Bread.
Speaker 1: For seven days, eat bread made without yeast, as I
Speaker 1: commanded you do this at the appointed time in the
Speaker 1: month of Avive, for in that month you came out
Speaker 1: of Egypt. The second festival celebrated the harvest of the
Speaker 1: first crops. Chapter twenty three, verse sixteen describes the Festival
Speaker 1: of Harvest. Celebrate the festival of harvest with the first
Speaker 1: fruits of the crops you sow in your field. This
Speaker 1: would remind them that God provided their food. The third
Speaker 1: festival marked the end of the agricultural year. Chapter twenty three,
Speaker 1: verse sixteen also mentions the festival of in gathering. Celebrate
Speaker 1: the festival of in gathering at the end of the
Speaker 1: year when you gather in your crops from the field.
Speaker 1: This was a time of thanksgiving for God's provision throughout
Speaker 1: the year. God commanded that all males appear before him
Speaker 1: during these festivals. Chapter twenty three, verse seventeen states three
Speaker 1: times a year, all the men are to appear before
Speaker 1: the sovereign Lord. These were optional celebrations, but required gatherings
Speaker 1: for worship. God promised to drive out the nations from
Speaker 1: the promised land gradually. Chapter twenty three, verse twenty nine
Speaker 1: shows his wisdom in this. But I will not drive
Speaker 1: them out in a single year, because the land would
Speaker 1: become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you.
Speaker 1: The conquest would take time for practical reasons. Chapter twenty three,
Speaker 1: verse thirty explains God's timing. Little by little, I will
Speaker 1: drive them out before you until you have increased enough
Speaker 1: to take possession of the land. God's plan considered Israel's
Speaker 1: ability to settle and manage the territory. God warned Israel
Speaker 1: about the danger of compromise with pagan nations. Chapter twenty three,
Speaker 1: verse thirty two contains a strict prohibition, do not make
Speaker 1: a covenant with them or with their gods. Any agreement
Speaker 1: with idle worshiping peoples would lead Israel away from God.
Speaker 1: The reason for this separation was spiritual protection. Chapter twenty three,
Speaker 1: verse thirty three explains, do not let them live in
Speaker 1: your land, or they will cause you to sin against me,
Speaker 1: because the worship of their gods will certainly be a
Speaker 1: snare to you. Tolerance of false religion would become a trap.
Speaker 1: Moses came down from the mountain and told the people
Speaker 1: everything God had said. Their response was immediate and unanimous.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty four, verse three records their commitment. When Moses
Speaker 1: went and told the people all the Lord's words and laws,
Speaker 1: they responded with one voice, everything the Lord has said,
Speaker 1: we will do. Moses wrote down all of God's words
Speaker 1: to create a permanent record. Chapter twenty four, verse four
Speaker 1: shows his careful documentation. Moses then wrote down everything the
Speaker 1: Lord had said. He got up early the next morning
Speaker 1: and built an altar at the foot of the mountain
Speaker 1: and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes
Speaker 1: of Israel. The covenant ceremony involved young men making sacrifices.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty four, verse five describes their role. Then he
Speaker 1: sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and
Speaker 1: sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. These
Speaker 1: sacrifices would seal the agreement between God and his people.
Speaker 1: Moses divided the blood from the sacrifices into two parts
Speaker 1: for the ceremony. Chapter twenty four, verse six shows his preparation.
Speaker 1: Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls,
Speaker 1: and the other half he splashed against the altar. The
Speaker 1: blood represented life and would bind both parties to keep
Speaker 1: the covenant. Moses read the entire covenant to the people
Speaker 1: one more time. Chapter twenty four, verse seven records this
Speaker 1: final reading. Then he took the book of the Covenant
Speaker 1: and read it to the people. They responded, we will
Speaker 1: do everything the Lord has said. We will obey. Even
Speaker 1: after hearing all the requirements, they committed to obedience. The
Speaker 1: Blood Covenant was sealed when Moses sprinkled blood on the people.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty four, verse eight describes this solemn moment. Moses
Speaker 1: then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said,
Speaker 1: this is the blood of the covenant that the Lord
Speaker 1: has made with you. In accordance with all these words,
Speaker 1: the covenant was now officially in effect. Moses, Aaron, and
Speaker 1: seventy elders were invited up the mountain for a special
Speaker 1: meal in God's presence. Chapter twenty four, verse nine describes
Speaker 1: this honor. Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the
Speaker 1: seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God
Speaker 1: of Israel. They actually saw God and lived to tell
Speaker 1: about it. Twenty four verse eleven shows the remarkable nature
Speaker 1: of this encounter. But God did not raise his hand
Speaker 1: against these leaders of the Israelites. They saw God, and
Speaker 1: they ate and drank in God's presence. They shared a
Speaker 1: covenant meal celebrating their new relationship. God called Moses up
Speaker 1: the mountain alone for a longer stay. Chapter twenty four,
Speaker 1: verse twelve contains this special invitation. The Lord said to Moses,
Speaker 1: come up to me on the mountain and stay here,
Speaker 1: and I will give you the tablets of stone with
Speaker 1: the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.
Speaker 1: God would give Moses the law written by his own hand.
Speaker 1: Moses left Joshua part way up the mountain and continued
Speaker 1: alone to meet with God. Chapter twenty four, verse thirteen
Speaker 1: shows Moses's obedience. Then Moses set out with Joshua his aid,
Speaker 1: and Moses went up on the mountain of God. This
Speaker 1: would be the beginning of forty days in God's presence.
Speaker 1: The people watched as God's glory covered the mountain like
Speaker 1: a cloud. Chapter twenty four, verse fifteen describes what they
Speaker 1: saw when Moses went up on the mountain. The cloud
Speaker 1: covered it. God's presence was visible to everyone in the camp.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty four, verse sixteen shows how long God's glory
Speaker 1: remained and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai.
Speaker 1: For six days, the cloud covered the mountain, and on
Speaker 1: the seventh day, the Lord called to Moses from within
Speaker 1: the cloud. God's timing was deliberate, even his calling of
Speaker 1: Moses followed the pattern of six days of waiting and action.
Speaker 1: On the seventh to the people watching from below, God's
Speaker 1: glory looked like consuming fire. Chapter twenty four verse seventeen
Speaker 1: describes their perspective. To the Israelites, the glory of the
Speaker 1: Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.
Speaker 1: They could see that Moses was in the presence of awesome,
Speaker 1: overwhelming power. Moses entered the cloud and stayed on the
Speaker 1: mountain for forty days and nights. Chapter twenty four, verse
Speaker 1: eighteen concludes. Then Moses entered the cloud as he went
Speaker 1: on up the mountain, and he stayed on the mountain
Speaker 1: forty days and forty nights. For more than a month,
Speaker 1: Moses would be alone with God, receiving detailed instructions for
Speaker 1: Israel's worship and life. While Moses was alone with God
Speaker 1: on Mount Sinai, the Lord began revealing his plans for
Speaker 1: a portable sanctuary where he would dwell among his people.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty five, verse eight shows God's heart behind this project.
Speaker 1: Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I
Speaker 1: will dwell among them. This wasn't just a building. It
Speaker 1: was God's way of staying close to Israel during their journey.
Speaker 1: God gave Moses incredibly detailed instructions for every part of
Speaker 1: this holy tent. Chapter twenty five, verse nine emphasizes the
Speaker 1: importance of following the exact pattern. Make this tabernacle and
Speaker 1: all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.
Speaker 1: Nothing could be left to human imagination or creativity. Everything
Speaker 1: had to match God's perfect design. The most sacred item
Speaker 1: would be the Ark of the Covenant, a wooden box
Speaker 1: covered with pure gold. Chapter twenty five, verse ten gives
Speaker 1: the precise measurements. Have them make an arc of acacia
Speaker 1: wood two and a half cubits long, a cubit and
Speaker 1: a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
Speaker 1: This chest would hold the stone tablets with the ten Commandments.
Speaker 1: The ark would have a special golden cover called the
Speaker 1: Mercy Seat, where God would meet with Moses. Chapter twenty five,
Speaker 1: verse twenty two contains this amazing promise. There above the
Speaker 1: cover between the two cherubim that are over the Ark
Speaker 1: of the Covenant law, I will meet with you and
Speaker 1: give you all my commands for the Israelites. God would
Speaker 1: literally come down to speak with his servant. Inside the
Speaker 1: tabernacle would be a golden table for bread and a
Speaker 1: seven branched lampstand called the Menorah. Chapter twenty five, verse
Speaker 1: thirty shows the purpose of the table. Put the bread
Speaker 1: of the Presence on this table to be before me
Speaker 1: at all times. This bread would represent the twelve tribes
Speaker 1: of Israel, always in God's sight. The lampstand had to
Speaker 1: be made from one solid piece of pure gold with
Speaker 1: intricate decorative work. Chapter twenty five, verse thirty one describes
Speaker 1: its beauty. Make a lamp stand of pure gold, hammer
Speaker 1: out its base and shaft, and make its flower like cups, buds,
Speaker 1: and blossoms of one piece. With them, this golden manora
Speaker 1: would provide the only light inside the holy a place.
Speaker 1: The tabernacle itself would be made of fine curtains and coverings.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty six, verse one describes the inner curtains. Make
Speaker 1: the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue,
Speaker 1: purple and scarlet yarn with cherubim woven into them by
Speaker 1: a skilled worker. These beautiful curtains would create a holy
Speaker 1: space worthy of God's presence. The entire structure had to
Speaker 1: be portable, since Israel would be traveling through the wilderness
Speaker 1: for years. Chapter twenty six, verse fifteen shows how the
Speaker 1: frame was designed. Make upright frames of acacia wood for
Speaker 1: the tabernacle. These wooden frames could be taken apart and
Speaker 1: reassembled whenever the camp moved. A thick curtain would separate
Speaker 1: the Most Holy Place from the rest of the tabernacle.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty six, verse thirty three explains its purpose. Hang
Speaker 1: the curtain from the clasps and place the arc of
Speaker 1: the Covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate
Speaker 1: the Holy Place from the most Holy Place. Only the
Speaker 1: high priest could go behind this hurtin and only once
Speaker 1: a year. God chose Aaron and his sons to serve
Speaker 1: as priests, the only people allowed to offer sacrifices and
Speaker 1: enter the Holy Place. Chapter twenty eight, verse one shows
Speaker 1: this divine selection. Have Aaron, your brother, brought to you
Speaker 1: from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and
Speaker 1: abee who Eliazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me
Speaker 1: as priests. This wasn't a job they could apply for,
Speaker 1: it was a calling from God. The priests would wear
Speaker 1: special garments that reflected the glory and beauty of their
Speaker 1: sacred role. Chapter twenty eight, verse two describes the purpose
Speaker 1: of these clothes. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron,
Speaker 1: to give him dignity and honor. Every piece of clothing
Speaker 1: had spiritual significance and had to be made exactly according
Speaker 1: to God's instructions. The most important piece was the ephod,
Speaker 1: a sleeveless garment worn over the priest's robe. Chapter twenty eight,
Speaker 1: verse six gives details about its construction. Make the ephod
Speaker 1: of gold and of blue purple and scarlet yarn and
Speaker 1: of finely twisted linen, the work of skilled hands. This
Speaker 1: wasn't ordinary clothing. It was a work of art created
Speaker 1: for worship. Attached to the ephod would be a breastpiece
Speaker 1: containing twelve precious stones, each representing one of the tribes
Speaker 1: of Israel. Chapter twenty eight, verse fifteen describes this sacred item.
Speaker 1: Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions, the work of skilled hands.
Speaker 1: Make it like the ephod, of gold and of blue
Speaker 1: purple and scarlet yarn and of finely twisted linen. When
Speaker 1: the high priest wore this, he literally carried all of
Speaker 1: Israel on his heart before God. Chapter twenty eight, verse
Speaker 1: twenty one show how each tribe was represented. There are
Speaker 1: to be twelve stones, one for each of the names
Speaker 1: of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal
Speaker 1: with the e name of one of the twelve tribes.
Speaker 1: God wanted to make sure no tribe was forgotten when
Speaker 1: the priest came before him. The priest would also wear
Speaker 1: a golden plate on their forehead with a sacred inscription.
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty eight, verse thirty six describes this holy crown.
Speaker 1: Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it
Speaker 1: as on a seal wholly to the Lord. This reminded everyone,
Speaker 1: including the priest himself, that he was set apart for
Speaker 1: God's service. The consecration ceremony for the priests would involve sacrifices,
Speaker 1: anointing with oil, and seven days of preparation. Chapter twenty nine,
Speaker 1: verse one introduces this sacred ritual. This is what you
Speaker 1: are to do to consecrate them so they may serve
Speaker 1: me as priests. Take a young bull and two tu
Speaker 1: rams without defect. These animals would be sacrificed to make
Speaker 1: the priests ceremonially clean. Chapter twenty nine, verse seven shows
Speaker 1: the anointing process. Take the anointing oil and anoint him
Speaker 1: by pouring it on his head. This oil would set
Speaker 1: Arron apart as the high priest, the only person authorized
Speaker 1: to enter the Most Holy Place on behalf of all Israel.
Speaker 1: The priests would offer sacrifices every morning and evening on
Speaker 1: behalf of the people. Chapter twenty nine, verse thirty eight
Speaker 1: establishes this daily routine. This is what you are to
Speaker 1: offer on the altar regularly each day two lambs a
Speaker 1: year old. These constant sacrifices would maintain the relationship between
Speaker 1: God and his people. In addition to the major pieces
Speaker 1: of furniture, God specified several other important items for worship.
Speaker 1: The altar of incense would be placed in front of
Speaker 1: the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most
Speaker 1: Holy Place. Chapter thirty verse one describes this sacred furnishing.
Speaker 1: Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. The
Speaker 1: sweet smelling smoke would rise up like prayers before God.
Speaker 1: This altar was much smaller than the bronze altar outside,
Speaker 1: but just as important for worship. Chapter thirty verse two
Speaker 1: gives its dimensions. It is to be square, a cubit
Speaker 1: long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its
Speaker 1: horns of one piece with it. Erin would burn incense
Speaker 1: on this altar every morning and evening when he tended
Speaker 1: the lamps Chapter thirty verse six shows where this altar
Speaker 1: was positioned. Put the altar in front of the curtain
Speaker 1: that shields the ark of the Covenant Law before the
Speaker 1: atonement cover that is over the tablets of the Covenant Law,
Speaker 1: where I will meet with you. The incense would create
Speaker 1: a fragrant cloud in the presence of God outside the tabernacle.
Speaker 1: Between the tent and the bronze altar would be a
Speaker 1: large bronze basin for washing. Chapter thirty verse eighteen describes
Speaker 1: this essential item. Make a bronze basin with its bronze
Speaker 1: stand for washing, place it between the tent of meeting
Speaker 1: and the altar, and put water in it. The priests
Speaker 1: had to wash their hands and feet before approaching God.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty verse twenty shows how critical this washing was.
Speaker 1: Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash
Speaker 1: with water so that they will not die. Also, when
Speaker 1: they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food
Speaker 1: offering to the Lord, they shall wash their hands and
Speaker 1: feet so that they will not die. Cleanliness wasn't just preferred,
Speaker 1: It was a matter of life and death. God also
Speaker 1: gave Moses the recipe for wholly anointing oil that would
Speaker 1: be used to consecrate the tabernacle and everything in it.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty verse twenty three lists the expensive ingredients. Take
Speaker 1: the following fine spices, five hundred shekels of liquid mirh
Speaker 1: half as much of fragrant cinnamon, two hundred and fifty
Speaker 1: shekels of fragrant calamus. This wasn't ordinary oil. It was
Speaker 1: a sacred blend that could never be used for anything else.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty verse twenty five describes how this oil was
Speaker 1: to be prepared. Make these into a sacred anointing oil,
Speaker 1: a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will
Speaker 1: be the sacred anointing oil. This oil would make everything
Speaker 1: it touched wholly set apart exclusively for God's service. God
Speaker 1: also provided instructions for making sacred incense with a specific recipe.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty verse thirty four lists the ingredients. Then, the
Speaker 1: Lord said to Moses take fragrant spices, gum resin on
Speaker 1: niche and galbanum, and pure frank incense, all in equal amounts.
Speaker 1: Like the anointing oil, this incense was sacred and could
Speaker 1: never be duplicated for personal use. The penalty for making
Speaker 1: counterfeit holy oil or incense was severe. Chapter thirty verse
Speaker 1: thirty three contains this stern warning. Whoever makes perfume like
Speaker 1: it and puts it on any one other than a
Speaker 1: priest must be cut off from their people. God's holiness
Speaker 1: demanded that sacred things remain sacred. God didn't leave the
Speaker 1: construction of the tabernacle to chance or amateur builders. He
Speaker 1: specifically chose and equipped men with supernatural skill for this
Speaker 1: sacred work. Chapter thirty one, verse U two introduces the
Speaker 1: chief craftsman. See, I have chosen Bezelel, son of Uri,
Speaker 1: the son of her of the tribe of Judah. This
Speaker 1: man would oversee the entire construction project. Chapter thirty one,
Speaker 1: verse three shows how God equipped Bezelel for this enormous task.
Speaker 1: And I have filled him with the spirit of God,
Speaker 1: with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge, and with all kinds
Speaker 1: of skills. These weren't natural talents. They were supernatural gifts
Speaker 1: from God. For building his sanctuary, Bezelel would be assisted
Speaker 1: by another specially gifted craftsman. Chapter thirty one, verse six
Speaker 1: introduces his partner. Moreover, I have appointed a holy ab
Speaker 1: son of a he Summach of the tribe of Dan
Speaker 1: to help him. Also, I have given ability to all
Speaker 1: the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you.
Speaker 1: God made sure there would be enough skilled hands for
Speaker 1: every aspect of the work. These men would be responsible
Speaker 1: for creating everything according to God's exact specifications. Chapter thirty one,
Speaker 1: verse seven lists some of their responsibilities of meeting the
Speaker 1: ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it,
Speaker 1: and all the other furnishings of the tent. Every single
Speaker 1: item had to be perfect, just as God had designed it.
Speaker 1: But even while giving instructions for this holy work, God
Speaker 1: reminded Moses about the importance of the Sabbath day. Chapter
Speaker 1: thirty one, verse thirteen contains this crucial reminder, say to
Speaker 1: the Israelites, you must observe my Sabbaths. This will be
Speaker 1: a sign between me and you for the generations to come,
Speaker 1: so you may know that I am the Lord who
Speaker 1: makes you holy. The Sabbath command was so important that
Speaker 1: it applied even to the construction of God's own sanctuary.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty one, verse fifteen emphasizes this point. For six
Speaker 1: days work is to be done, but the seventh day
Speaker 1: is a day of Sabbath rest. Wholly to the Lord,
Speaker 1: whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to
Speaker 1: be put to death. Even sacred work had to stop
Speaker 1: for God's day of rest. Chapter thirty one, verse seventeen
Speaker 1: explains why the Sabbath was so significant. It will be
Speaker 1: a sign between Me and the Israelites forever. For in
Speaker 1: six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,
Speaker 1: and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.
Speaker 1: The Sabbath reminded people that God was the creator of everything.
Speaker 1: When God finished giving Moses all these detailed instructions, he
Speaker 1: gave him something incredible. Chapter thirty one, verse eighteen describes
Speaker 1: this amazing moment. When the Lord finished speaking to Moses
Speaker 1: on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of
Speaker 1: the Covenant Law, the tablets of Stone, inscribed by the
Speaker 1: Finger of God. These weren't human copies. They were written
Speaker 1: by God himself. While Moses was receiving God's perfect plans
Speaker 1: on the mountain, disaster was brewing in the camp below.
Speaker 1: The people grew impatient waiting for Moses to return and
Speaker 1: made a terrible decision. Chapter thirty two, verse one shows
Speaker 1: their faithless demand. When the people saw that Moses was
Speaker 1: so long in coming down from the mountain. They gathered
Speaker 1: around Aaron and said, come, make us gods who will
Speaker 1: go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought
Speaker 1: Hosap out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened
Speaker 1: to him. Aaron, who should have stood firm against this rebellion,
Speaker 1: gave in to the pressure. Chapter thirty two, verse two
Speaker 1: shows his tragic compromise. Aaron answered them, take off the
Speaker 1: gold earrings that your wives, your sons, and your daughters
Speaker 1: are wearing, and bring them to me. Instead of leading
Speaker 1: the people in faith, Aaron helped them create an idol.
Speaker 1: The people eagerly brought their gold jewelry, and Aaron melted
Speaker 1: it down to make a golden calf. Chapter thirty two,
Speaker 1: verse four describes this shocking moment. He took what they
Speaker 1: handed him and made it into an idol, cast in
Speaker 1: the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool.
Speaker 1: Then they said, these are your gods Israel, who brought
Speaker 1: you up out of Egypt in one day. They had
Speaker 1: forgotten the true God who had performed so many miracles
Speaker 1: for them. Aaron made the situation even worse by building
Speaker 1: an altar and declaring a festival. Chapter thirty two, verse
Speaker 1: five shows his complete failure of leadership. When Aaron saw this,
Speaker 1: he built an altar in front of the calf and
Speaker 1: announced tomorrow there will be a festival. To the Lord,
Speaker 1: he was trying to mix worship of the true God
Speaker 1: with worship of an idol. The next day, the people
Speaker 1: held their pagan celebration with wild abandon Chapter thirty two,
Speaker 1: verse six describes their shameful behavior. So the next day
Speaker 1: the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented
Speaker 1: fellowship offerings. Afterward, they sat down to eat and drink,
Speaker 1: and got up to indulge in revelry. There worship had
Speaker 1: become a drunken party up on the mountain. God told
Speaker 1: Moses exactly what was happening in the camp. Chapter thirty two,
Speaker 1: verse seven shows God's anger. Then the Lord said to Moses,
Speaker 1: go down, because your people, whom you brought up out
Speaker 1: of Egypt, have become corrupt. God was so angry that
Speaker 1: he referred to them as moses people, not his own.
Speaker 1: God's anger burned hot against their rebellion. Chapter thirty two,
Speaker 1: verse ten reveals the full extent of his wrath. Now
Speaker 1: leave me alone, so that my anger may burn against them,
Speaker 1: and that I may destroy them. Then I will make
Speaker 1: you into a great nation. God was ready to start
Speaker 1: over with Moses alone. When Moses came down from the
Speaker 1: mountain carrying the stone tablets, he heard the noise of
Speaker 1: the wild celebration. Chapter thirty two, verse nineteen describes his
Speaker 1: reaction when Moses approached the camp and saw the calf
Speaker 1: and the dancing. His anger burned, and he threw the
Speaker 1: tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces. At
Speaker 1: the foot of the mountain, the tablets written by God's
Speaker 1: own finger were shattered, symbolizing the broken covenant. Moses immediately
Speaker 1: took action to stop the idolatry. Chapter thirty two, verse
Speaker 1: twenty shows his decisive response. And he took the calf
Speaker 1: the people had made and burned it in the fire.
Speaker 1: Then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water,
Speaker 1: and made the Israelites drink it. The golden God they
Speaker 1: had worshiped became bitter medicine they had to swallow. Moses
Speaker 1: confronted Aaron about his role in this disaster. Chapter thirty two,
Speaker 1: verse twenty one shows Moses pointed question he said to Aaron,
Speaker 1: what did these people do to you that you led
Speaker 1: them into such great sin. Aaron's response was pathetic. He
Speaker 1: tried to blame the people and make the golden calf
Speaker 1: sounded like an accident. The situation was so serious that
Speaker 1: Moses had to call for people to choose sides. Chapter
Speaker 1: thirty two, verse twenty six shows his challenge. So he
Speaker 1: stood at the entrance to the camp and said, whoever
Speaker 1: is for the Lord, come to me, and all the
Speaker 1: Levites rallied to him. The tribe of Levi proved their
Speaker 1: loyalty to God and would later be rewarded with the priesthood.
Speaker 1: Moses gave the Levites a difficult command to restore order
Speaker 1: in the camp. Chapter thirty two, verse twenty seven contains
Speaker 1: his hard instructions. Then he said to them, this is
Speaker 1: what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. Each man,
Speaker 1: strap a sword to his side, go back and forth
Speaker 1: through the camp from one end to the other, each
Speaker 1: killing his brother and friend and neighbor. About three thousand
Speaker 1: people died that day for their rebellion. The next day,
Speaker 1: Moses went back up the mountain to intercede for the people.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty two, verse thirty one shows his desperate prayer.
Speaker 1: So Moses went back to the Lord and said, Oh,
Speaker 1: what a great sin these people have committed. They have
Speaker 1: made themselves gods of gold. Moses was heartbroken over Israel's failure.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty two, verse thirty two reveals the depth of
Speaker 1: moses love for his people. But now please forgive their sin.
Speaker 1: But if not, then blot me out of the book
Speaker 1: you have written. Moses was willing to give up his
Speaker 1: own salvation if it would save Israel. This was the
Speaker 1: heart of a true shepherd. God's response showed both justice
Speaker 1: and mercy. Chapter thirty two, verse thirty three contains his reply.
Speaker 1: The Lord replied to Moses, whoever has sinned against me,
Speaker 1: I will blot out of my book. God would punish
Speaker 1: the guilty, but he wouldn't destroy the entire nation because
Speaker 1: of their sin. God said he wouldn't travel with them
Speaker 1: personally to the promised land. Chapter thirty three, verse three
Speaker 1: shows this heartbreaking decision. Go up to the land flowing
Speaker 1: with milk and honey, but I will not go with
Speaker 1: you because you are a stiff necked people, and I
Speaker 1: might destroy you on the way. They could have the land,
Speaker 1: but not God's presence. This news devastated the people. Chapter
Speaker 1: thirty three, verse four describes their mourning. When the people
Speaker 1: heard these distressing words, they began to mourn, and no
Speaker 1: one put on any ornaments. They finally realized what they
Speaker 1: had lost through their rebellion. Moses set up a tent
Speaker 1: outside the camp where he could meet with God. Chapter
Speaker 1: thirty three, verse seven describes this special place. Now, Moses
Speaker 1: used to take a tent and pitch it outside the
Speaker 1: camp some distance away, calling it the Tent of me.
Speaker 1: Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent
Speaker 1: of Meeting outside the camp. God would meet with Moses there,
Speaker 1: but not in the camp with the people. Chapter thirty three,
Speaker 1: verse eleven shows the intimate relationship Moses had with God.
Speaker 1: The Lord would speak to Moses face to face as
Speaker 1: one speaks to a friend. Even though God was angry
Speaker 1: with Israel, he still maintained his close relationship with Moses.
Speaker 1: Moses boldly asked God to show him his glory. Chapter
Speaker 1: thirty three, verse eighteen contains this remarkable request. Then Moses said,
Speaker 1: now show me your glory. Moses wanted to see God
Speaker 1: as he really was, in all his divine majesty. God
Speaker 1: agreed to reveal himself, but with limitations. Chapter thirty three,
Speaker 1: verse twenty explains why. But he said, you cannot see
Speaker 1: my face, for no one may see me and live.
Speaker 1: Even Moses, who spoke with God face to face, couldn't
Speaker 1: look directly at God's face and survive. Chapter thirty three,
Speaker 1: verse twenty three describes how God would reveal himself to Moses.
Speaker 1: Then I will remove my hand and you will see
Speaker 1: my back, but my face must not be seen. Moses
Speaker 1: would see God's glory, but only from behind. After God
Speaker 1: had passed by, God told Moses to prepare new stone
Speaker 1: tablets to replace the ones that had been broken. Chapter
Speaker 1: thirty four, verse one contains this instruction. The Lord said
Speaker 1: to Moses, chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones,
Speaker 1: and I will write on them the words that were
Speaker 1: on the first tablets which you broke. God was giving
Speaker 1: them another chance. Moses went up Mount Sinai again, carrying
Speaker 1: the blank tablets. Chapter thirty four, verse four describes his obedience.
Speaker 1: So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones,
Speaker 1: and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as
Speaker 1: the Lord had commanded him. And he carried the two
Speaker 1: stone tablets in his hands. When God came down and
Speaker 1: passed in front of Moses, he proclaimed his own character.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty four, verse six contains this amazing self revelation.
Speaker 1: And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming the Lord,
Speaker 1: the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,
Speaker 1: abounding in love and faithfulness. This wasn't just God's name,
Speaker 1: it was his nature. Chapter thirty four, verse seven continues
Speaker 1: this revelation, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion,
Speaker 1: and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.
Speaker 1: He punishes the children and their children for the sin
Speaker 1: of the parents to the third and fourth generation. God
Speaker 1: was both merciful and just. Moses immediately fell down and worshiped,
Speaker 1: then begged God to go with them despite their failures.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty four, verse nine shows his humble PLEA Lord,
Speaker 1: if I have found favor in your eyes, he said,
Speaker 1: then let the Lord go with us. Although this is
Speaker 1: a stiff necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin
Speaker 1: and take us as your inheritance. God agreed to renew
Speaker 1: the covenant, but with stern warnings about avoiding idolatry. Chapter
Speaker 1: thirty four, verse ten contains his promise. Then the Lord said,
Speaker 1: I am making a covenant with you before all your people.
Speaker 1: I will do wonders never before done in any nation
Speaker 1: in all the world. The people you live among will
Speaker 1: see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord
Speaker 1: will do for you. When Moses came down from the
Speaker 1: mountain this time, his face was shining so brightly that
Speaker 1: the people were afraid to come near him. Chapter thirty four,
Speaker 1: verse thirty describes this souper a natural glow. When Aaron
Speaker 1: and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant,
Speaker 1: and they were afraid to come near him. Being in
Speaker 1: God's presence had left a visible mark on Moses. Moses
Speaker 1: had to wear a veil over his face when he
Speaker 1: wasn't speaking God's words to the people. Chapter thirty four,
Speaker 1: verse thirty three shows this necessity. When Moses finished speaking
Speaker 1: to them, he put a veil over his face. The
Speaker 1: glory of God was too much for the people to
Speaker 1: look at directly. With the covenant renewed, Moses gathered the
Speaker 1: people to begin building the tabernacle according to God's instructions.
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty five, verse four shows his appeal. Moses said
Speaker 1: to the whole Israelite community, this is what the Lord
Speaker 1: has commanded from what you have taken offering for the Lord.
Speaker 1: Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord
Speaker 1: an offering. The construction would depend on voluntar try gifts,
Speaker 1: not forced contributions. The response was overwhelming. Chapter thirty five,
Speaker 1: verse twenty one describes the people's generosity, and everyone who
Speaker 1: was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought
Speaker 1: an offering to the Lord for the work on the
Speaker 1: tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the
Speaker 1: sacred garments there hearts had been changed by God's mercy.
Speaker 1: People brought gold, silver, bronze, fine fabrics, animal skins, precious
Speaker 1: stones and spices. Chapter thirty five, verse twenty two shows
Speaker 1: their enthusiasm. All who were willing, men and women alike
Speaker 1: came and brought gold, jewelry of all kinds, brooches, ear rings, rings,
Speaker 1: and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave
Speaker 1: offering to the Lord. The same gold that had been
Speaker 1: used for the Golden calf was now being given for
Speaker 1: God's sanctuary. The skilled workers, led by Betszel and Oholiab
Speaker 1: began their sacred work. Chapter thirty six, verse one describes
Speaker 1: their divine enablement. So bezeleel Oholiab and every skilled person
Speaker 1: to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to
Speaker 1: know how to carry out all the work of constructing
Speaker 1: the sanctuary, are to do the work just as the
Speaker 1: Lord has commanded. The people brought so much material that
Speaker 1: the workers had to tell them to stop. Chapter thirty six,
Speaker 1: verse six shows this amazing problem. Then Moses gave an order,
Speaker 1: and they sent this word throughout the camp. No man
Speaker 1: or woman is to make anything else as an offering
Speaker 1: for the sanctuary, And so the people were restrained from
Speaker 1: bringing more. For once God's people had given too much
Speaker 1: rather than too little. The workers carefully crafted every item
Speaker 1: according to God's exact specifications. They made the ark, the table,
Speaker 1: the lampstand, the altars, and all the other furnishings with
Speaker 1: incredible skill and attention to detail. Chapter thirty nine, verse
Speaker 1: forty three shows Moses's inspection. Moses inspected the work and
Speaker 1: saw that they had done it just as the Lord
Speaker 1: had commanded, so Moses blessed them. When everything was completed,
Speaker 1: Moses set up the tabernacle on the first day of
Speaker 1: the first month of the second year after leaving Egypt.
Speaker 1: Chapter forty verse seventeen marks this historic moment. So the
Speaker 1: tabernacle was set up on the first day of the
Speaker 1: first month in the second year, exactly one year after
Speaker 1: the first passover, God would have his dwelling place among
Speaker 1: his people. Moses arranged everything in its proper place, the
Speaker 1: ark behind the curtain, the table and lampstand in the
Speaker 1: holy place, the altars in their positions. Chapter forty verse
Speaker 1: thirty three shows the completion. Then Moses set up the
Speaker 1: courtyard around the tabernacle and altar, and put up the
Speaker 1: curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses
Speaker 1: finished the work. As soon as Moses finished setting up
Speaker 1: the tabernacle, something magnificent happened. Chapter forty verse thirty four
Speaker 1: describes this climactic moment. Then the cloud covered the tent
Speaker 1: of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Speaker 1: God had come home to live among his people. The
Speaker 1: glory was so intense that even Moses couldn't enter. Chapter
Speaker 1: forty verse thirty five shows the overwhelming presence. Moses could
Speaker 1: not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had
Speaker 1: settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled
Speaker 1: the tabernacle. The same God who had appeared in fire
Speaker 1: on Mount Sinai now dwelt in the beautiful sanctuary his
Speaker 1: people had built for him. From that day forward, the
Speaker 1: cloud would guide Israel's journey. Chapter forty verse thirty six
Speaker 1: describes this divine guidance in all the travels of the Israelites.
Speaker 1: Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would
Speaker 1: set out. When God moved, they moved. When He stayed,
Speaker 1: they stayed. Chapter forty verse thirty eight concludes the book
Speaker 1: of Exodus with this beautiful picture. So the cloud of
Speaker 1: the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire
Speaker 1: was in the cloud by night. In the sight of
Speaker 1: all the Israelites during all their travels, the God who
Speaker 1: had rescued them from Egypt would be with them every
Speaker 1: step of the way to the Promised Land. If this
Speaker 1: journey through Exodus has opened your eyes to see God
Speaker 1: in a new way, I want to invite you to
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Speaker 1: Until next time, remember the same God who split the
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