God's Holy Nation (part 2)

The Contest

The purpose of the plagues (Exod. 9:16) was to demonstrate God’s mighty power to the Israelites as well as to the Egyptians. Pharaoh had the opportunity of complying with God’s will, but in the course of this experience, he hardened his heart

Samuel J. Schultz and Gary V. Smith, Exploring the Old Testament (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), 33.CHAPTER EIGHT

Plague of blood

1. Kh-num (guardian) of the RIVER Nile

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM TURNING THE NILE into Blood

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Exodus 9:16 NKJV

16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.

Plagues of frogs

2. Hept (fertility and fruitfulness) depicted as a frog

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM SENDING A Multiplication Frogs

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Plagues of lice

3. Geb – Egyptian god of the earth

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM TURNING DUST TO Lice

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Plagues of flies

4. Khe-pri – Egyptian god of creation

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM SENDING AN Abundance of flies

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Pharaoh’s compromising offer.

Characters: God, Moses, Pharaoh, Aaron.

If God be against us, all creatures can be made to be at war with us. God can, as He pleases, arm the smallest parts of creation against men. He may choose contemptible instruments to defeat one, that He might magnify His own power.

Key Word: Smitten, v. 2.

Strong Verses: 1, 2, 19.

Striking Facts: Pharaoh’s compromises are types of those Satan makes with the Christian. “Be a Christian but stay in Egypt, or at least, don’t be so narrow as to come out entirely from the world.”

Plagues of Murrains

5. Ha-thor – Goddess of love and protection

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM SENDING A DEADLY Disease ON THE livestock died in Egypt but not in Israel

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Plagues of boils

6. Isis – goddess of medicine and peace

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM SENDING Boils TO affect man and BEAST

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Plague of hail

7. Nut – goddess of the sky

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM SENDING Hail TO destroy a lot of vegetation, even man and beast.

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Characters: God, Moses, Pharaoh, Aaron.

The creature is made subject to vanity by reason of man’s sins, liable to serve man’s wickedness or share his punishment. When judgments are abroad, they may fall both on righteous and wicked but they are not the same to one as the other in the final reckoning.

Key Word: Smitten, vv. 27, 15.

Strong Verses: 5.

Striking Facts: v. 12. The Lord hardened his heart. Before this, Pharaoh, hardened his own heart, resisting God’s grace. There is a time when God gives one up to their own reprobate mind. Wilful hardness is sooner or later punished with judicial hardness. If men persist in shutting their eyes, God will close them.

Plague of Locusts

8. Seth – god of the crops

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM SENDING Locust (the vegetation left the locust finished off)

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Plague of Darkness

9. Ra – the sun god

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM SENDING Darkness THAT lasted 3 days

NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO

Conclusion: God’s terms of reconciliation are fixed and cannot be disputed or lowered. Men must meet the demand of God’s will or God will permit their delusions and answer them according to their sin.

Key Word: Smitten, v. 21.

Strong Verses: 12, 17, 25.

Striking Facts: v. 11. Godly men make a subtle compromise if they desire for their children, a position in the world, or (v. 24) if they fail to consecrate all their possessions along with themselves to Christ.

Plague of the death

Last plague. Death of firstborn prophesied.

10. Against all the gods of Egypt

CAN YOU STOP ME FROM SENDING THE Death ANGEL TO KILL THE FIRST BORN OF MAN AND BEAST

Where was Mesk-he-net, the goddess who presided at the birth of children?

Where was Ha-thor, one of the seven deities who attended the birth of children?

Where was Min, the god of procreation?

Where was Isis, the goddess of fertility?

Where was Selket, the guardian of life?

Where was Renenutet, the cobra-goddess and guardian of Pharaoh

Conclusion: Persistent enemies of God and His people will be made to fall under at last and those who have approved themselves, will look great in the eyes of those who have viewed them with contempt.

Key Word: Death, vv. 1, 5.

Strong Verses: 3, 7.

Striking Facts: In some way, God will always redress the injured, who in humble silence, commit their cause to Him, and in the end, they will not be losers by their adherance to Christ.

The Passover

The Passover and death of the firstborn brought this contest to an eventful climax. Every home in the land was affected. The Egyptian homes were made conscious of the judgment of the God of Israel in the death of the oldest son in each family. The Israelites in every home by contrast were made conscious of God’s redeeming power as they put blood on the doorposts, ate the lamb, and then in haste made their journey out of Egypt (cf. Matt. 26:26–28; 1 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 9:14, 15).

Samuel J. Schultz and Gary V. Smith, Exploring the Old Testament (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), 33.

Deliverance for Israel through the Passover.

Characters: God, Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh.

Conclusion: Deliverance for the believer is based entirely upon the shedding of the blood of a divinely appointed substitute and its application to the heart once for all. If death has taken place for us, it cannot come to us.

Exodus 13:1–3 NKJV

1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.” 3 And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

Key Word: Passover, v. 13.

Strong Verses: 2, 13, 14, 27.

Striking Facts: v. 8. Secured by the blood, the believer feeds on the Person of the Lamb of God, roast with fire, not raw. If Christ is not seen as the One subjected to the fires of God’s wrath against sin, one cannot feed upon Him. He cannot be an example if He is not first an atoning sacrifice.

Plague of the D

Contents: Firstborn set apart for Jehovah. Directions for feast of unleavened bread and consecration of males.

Characters: God, Moses, Joseph.

The believer should retain remembrance of God’s great deliverance and to impress it on the heart, should use the appointed means for preserving remembrance. So, under the Gospel, Christ said, “This do in remembrance of me.”

Key Word: Remember, v. 3.

Strong Verses: 9, 16, 21, 22.

Striking Facts: That which by God’s special mercy has in Christ been spared to us should be peculiarly dedicated to God’s honor. God who is first and best should have our first and best.

The Miracle of Deliverance

The shortest route from Egypt to Canaan was a well-traveled road along the Mediterranean coast. But Moses, divinely instructed, led this multitude of liberated slaves through the Red Sea to the Sinai Peninsula. The miracle of deliverance was followed by numerous divine interventions and provisions for Israel’s safety and sustenance. God’s pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night not only served to protect in time of danger, but also to provide guidance en route (cf. 1 Cor. 10:1).

Samuel J. Schultz and Gary V. Smith, Exploring the Old Testament (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), 34.

God’s power exerted to redeem Israel. Passing the Red Sea.

Conclusion: The believer cannot go ahead in the strength of Christ until he has learned to stand still in his own helplessness. God can then place Himself between us and our circumstances and wonderfully deliver.

Exodus 14:13–14 NKJV

13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Exodus 14:19 NKJV

19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.

Exodus 14:30–31 NKJV

30 So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.

Key Word: Saved, v. 30.

Strong Verses: 13, 14, 19, 30, 31.

Striking Facts: By the blood, God comes between us and our sins. By His presence, if we will permit, He will come between us and every overcoming circumstance. The cross separates from sin; the cloud from circumstances.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Contents: The song of the redeemed.

Characters: God, Moses, Miriam.

Conclusion: Those who love God triumph in His triumphs and what is His honor is their joy. Our first thought should be to give glory to God.

Key Word: Triumph, v. 1.

Strong Verses: 2, 6, 7, 18.

Striking Facts: Bitter waters (v. 23) in the path of God’s leading, remind us of the trials that come to God’s people for their edification, not punishment. The tree (cross, Gal. 3:13) cast into the bitter waters, will make them all sweet.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Contents: Murmuring of the people. Manna and quails given by God.

Characters: God, Moses, Aaron.

Conclusion: The believer is apt to forget a thousand mercies in the presence of one trifling privation. God is longsuffering. Better to be in a desert with God than in the brick kilns of Egypt with Pharaoh.

Key Word: Murmuring, v. 2.

Strong Verses: 4, 7, 12.

Striking Facts: Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6) is the true wilderness bread for believers, ministered by the Spirit through the Word. Christ may be partaken of unreservedly but we have no more of Him than faith appropriates. v. 16.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Contents: Smitten rock at Meribah.

Characters: God, Moses, Joshua, Aaron, Hur.

Fed by the Bread of Life; refreshed by the Water of Life (John 7:37) means victory for the believer in every conflict with the world, the flesh and the devil.

Key Word: Jehovah-nissi (The Lord our banner), v. 15.

Strong Verses: 7, 15.

Striking Facts: Christ is the Rock (1 Cor. 10:4) He was smitten, and resulting from His finished work was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit giving power to all those who believe.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Contents: Moses joined by his wife and children. Judges selected to solve the problems of the people.

Characters: God, Moses, Aaron, Jethro, Zipporah, Gershom, Eliezer.

Telling of God’s wondrous works is good to the use of edifying What we have the joy of, let God have the praise of, thereby confirming others to faith and encouraging them to real worship.

Key Word: Told, v. 8 (testimony).

Strong Verses: 8, 9, 10.

Striking Facts: It will be noticed (Num. 11:14–17) that God ignored Jethro’s counsel and his man-made organization, putting in its place, His own order (v. 18). We are not called to service on the ground of our ability, but Christ’s ability. Phil. 4:13. Elihu’s discourse continued. God’s justice defended.

Laws for a Holy Nation

1. At the head of the list is the weekly Sabbath (23:2–3).

The day was celebrated by suspension of all labor. The Sabbath commemorated the original creation rest and the deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

2. The Passover began at twilight on the fourteenth day of Nisan, the first month (23:4–5).

Each family ate a roasted lamb which memorialized the lamb slain and eaten on the night Israel was delivered from Egypt.

3. The Feast of Unleavened Bread commenced on Passover and lasted seven days (23:6–8). The first and last days of the feast were sabbaths in which no regular work was permitted. Special offerings were presented each day of the feast.

4. On the first day of the new week following Passover the Feast of Firstfruits was scheduled (23:9–14).

A barley sheaf was waved before the Lord to express gratitude for the spring harvest. Special burnt, meal and drink offerings were presented.

5. The Feast of Weeks—later called Pentecost—was observed fifty days after the presentation of the firstfruits (23:15–22).

This was a sabbath day on which wheat loaves were waved before the Lord. A burnt offering consisting of seven male lambs, two rams and a bull were presented. Two lambs and a male goat were offered as a sin offering.

6. The sacred seventh month was ushered in with the Feast of Trumpets (23:23–25).

The blowing of a ram’s horn signaled that all regular work was to be suspended. Special offerings were presented. The trumpets may be a memorial to the giving of the Law at Sinai.

7. The Day of Atonement, the most sacred day on the Israelite calendar, was scheduled for the tenth day of the sacred seventh month (23:26–32).

This was a sabbath day, and the only required fast day of the year. The rituals of this day are discussed in detail in Leviticus 16.

8. The Feast of Tabernacles (also called Ingathering) began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (23:33–43). James E. Smith, The Pentateuch, 2nd ed., Old Testament Survey Series (Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co., 1993), 392–393.

The Mosaic Covenant

The first day of the seven-day festival was a sabbath. So also was the day after the week of celebration. During the week the people lived in booths to remind them of the wilderness wandering. Numerous special sacrifices were made during the week.

The sabbath principle undergirds all the laws regarding festivals. Seven festivals were scheduled during the year. During these festivals seven days of rest were designated. The majority of the festivals fall in the seventh month. Every seventh year was a sabbatical year. The Year of Jubilee came after forty-nine (×) years.

James E. Smith, The Pentateuch, 2nd ed., Old Testament Survey Series (Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co., 1993), 392–393.The Mosaic Covenant

But they are of interest to Old Testament scholars because of a number of formal elements that they have in common with the way the covenant made at Mount Sinai was expressed. The following similarities can be traced:

● Introduction of the speaker In a political treaty, the king would introduce himself by name, just as God does in the introduction to the ten commandments (Exodus 20:2).

● Historical background The king then reminded the other party of what he had done on their behalf—usually military intervention of some kind. In the Old Testament, God reminds the people of their unexpected deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 20:2).

● Requirements Then follow the obligations which are placed by the king on the other party. In a political treaty these would normally be military obligations, while in the Old Testament they consist of the requirements of the Law.

● The document Arrangements were then made for the treaty to be written down, and deposited in a suitable place to be read at specified times. There is no such provision directly linked to the ten commandments in the book of Exodus, but similar instructions are given in Deuteronomy 27:1–8.

● Witnesses were called to seal the covenant—usually the deities of both states. The Old Testament contains several examples of witnesses to the covenant. In Exodus 24, twelve pillars were set up, probably for this purpose, while a central part of the covenant ceremony recorded in Joshua 24 consisted of a large stone being put in a public place to serve as a witness to the promises that had been made (Joshua 24:25–28).

● Curses and blessings were then invoked, depending on whether the treaty was observed or disregarded. In the Old Testament, there is a long series of such curses and blessings in the book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 27:11–28:68).

John William Drane, Introducing the Old Testament, Completely rev. and updated. (Oxford: Lion Publishing plc, 2000), 57.The Tabernacle

The Priesthood

The Offerings

Feasts and Seasons