Exodus 19-21

Exodus 19 - Mt. Sinai

v. 2 - Rephidim - 3 significant events happened here

The Israelites complain of being in a place where “there was no water for the people to drink” so Moses is instructed to provide water by smiting the rock. Rephidim became known as Massah, “testing,” and Meribah, “contention,” because Israel determined to test the Lord to see if he was among them or not

At Rephidim Israel, led by Joshua (who is mentioned here for the first time), fought Amalek and only prevailed when Moses, assisted by Aaron and Hur, was able to keep his hands and rod raised

Afterward Moses build an alter to commemorate the victory. The account of Jethro’s instruction to appoint judges to relive the heavy burden on Moses was given at Rephidim (Ex. 18)

v. 4 - “bore you on eagles’ wings” When young eagles are learning to fly, the mother eagle flies under them with her wings spread out to catch them.

John D. Hannah, “Exodus,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 138.

v. 5-6 - God specifically set aside the children of Israel as his own portion. Making them “kingdom priests” meant each member of the nation with God as his King would know and have access to God and mediate on behalf of each other as did priests. But all this came if they would obey God’s commandments

v. 9 - God came to the people in a “thick cloud” God was so holy and full of light that He has to conceal his true self from the people. “Thick cloud” is also “thick darkness” or “dark cloud” in Exodus 20:21 “As the people stood in the distance, Moses approached the dark cloud where God was.”

v. 12 - The people had to be careful, because where ever God was, it was Holy ground. They were only allowed to come after hearing the trumpets (v. 13). They had to be summoned before entering the King’s presence (e.g. Esther and King Artexerxes).

v. 16 - Thunder and lightning oftentimes signals the presence of God throughout scripture (Ps. 29:3, Luke 17:24, Rev. 11:19)

v. 21-25 - Only Moses and Aaron were permitted passed the smoke to enter into the Lord’s presence. In this sense, they are seen as High Priests.

Exodus 20 - The Ten Commandments

God gave the first set of laws to be established on Mt. Sinai. Not only are these laws, but this is also a covenant established by God.

The 10 Commandments is categorized as apodictic law: a type of legal statement in the form of a command

Also known as the Decalogue, “The literary formulation of the covenant is quite similar to the formulations of international treaties in the ancient Near East. In the stipulations of these treaties, one often finds certain behavior either required or prohibited. In this sense it could be understood that the apodictic form of the Ten Commandments puts them more in the category of covenant than in the category of law.” Deut. 5:1-3 confirms that this was a covenant.

Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), Ex 20:1–17.

No other gods before me (v.3)

You are only to serve the One True God-Yahweh

References to other gods/sons of God (benay elohim) - Gen. 6:2-4, Ex. 12:12, Ps. 82:1, Deut. 32:8, Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Job 38:7, Jer. 43:12

No carved images (v. 4-6)

Behind every idol is a demon - Deut. 32:17, Ps. 106:36-38.

As soon as Moses came down the mountain, Israel had already broken the first and second commandment

Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain (v. 7)

The Hebrew word for “vain” has to do with vanity. Meaning not to use God’s name to make yourself famous

Remember the Sabbath (v. 8-11)

The only commandment that is not repeated in the NT - Luke 6:5, Mark 2:27-28

Honor your father and mother (v. 12)

Shall not murder (v. 13)

Jesus takes it a step further in the NT and says if you hate someone in your heart, you are guilty of murder - 1 John 3:14-15

Shall not commit adultery (v. 14)

Jesus said if you look at anyone with lust in your heart, you have commited adultry - Matt. 5:28. Why? because of Prov. 23:7 “as a man thinks, so is he”; “What comes out of a person is what defiles them” Mark 7:20-23, Prov. 4:23 guard your heart, Heb. 4:12 the Bible judges the “thoughts and attitudes of the heart”

Shall not steal (v. 15)

Shall not lie/bear false witness (v. 16)

Shall not covet (v. 17)

The first 4 commandments are towards God and the last 6 are towards people.

4 represents https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/4.html https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/four/

6 represents “image” or “man/humans” https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/6.html

Moses actually recieved 2 sets of laws. Ex. 34:1-5, Deut. 9:15-17, Deut. 10:1-5. In Exodus, we don’t get to the gold calf until chap. 32

v. 18-21- The people stated that Moses had to speak with God and kept their distance as they believed that they would die. Now according to Heb. 4:16 we can come boldly to the throne of God. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

v. 21- “thick darkness” Psalm 139:12 “but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”

Exodus 21 - Other Laws

More laws were put into place

Law about servants/slaves (v. 1-11) https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-slavery.html

The word “slave” has a very negative connotation in today’s terms. The slavery we are used to hearing about has to do with forced labor. In this time, the word slave may be better represented with the word “servant”. A person would sell themselves due to financial strain.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 21:1–6

Among the Israelites a person could sell himself and his wife into slavery due to poverty or debt (Lev. 25:39; Deut. 15:12; 2 Kings 4:1; Neh. 5:5), but the servitude was to be limited to six years (Ex. 21:2). Thus it was indentured service. Further, a master was obligated to provide for his servant on his release (Deut. 15:13–14). If a male servant wanted to remain in permanent servitude his request was to be validated by the judges and then one of his ears was to be pierced with an awl, to symbolize willing service (Ps. 40:6). A female servant could do the same (Deut. 15:17).

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 21:7–11

Female slaves were treated differently. Many times female slaves were concubines or secondary wives (cf. Gen. 16:3; 22:24; 30:3, 9; 36:12; Jud. 8:31; 9:18). Some Hebrew fathers thought it more advantageous for their daughters to become concubines of well-to-do neighbors than to become the wives of men in their own social class. If a daughter who became a servant was not pleasing to her master she was to be redeemed by a near kinsman (cf. Lev. 25:47–54) but never sold to foreigners (Ex. 21:8); she could also redeem herself. If she married her master’s son she was to be given family status (v. 9). If the master married someone else he was required to provide his servant with three essentials: food, clothing, and shelter (marital rights probably means living quarters, not sexual privilege).

Instructions on how to treat a slave - Deut. 15:12-15, Eph. 6:9, Col. 4:1.

The Bible clearly condones taking someone against their will with the penalty of death- Ex. 21:16, 1 Tim 1:8-10

Law about violence (v. 12-27)

v.23-25 I have heard get taken out of context a lot. Because we are no longer under the law and under grace, we are also now commanded to extend the grace that has been given to us. Jesus says in Matt. 5:38-48.

Vengeance is the Lord’s - Deut. 32:35, Rom. 12:19, Heb. 10:30

Laws about property (v. 28-36)

These laws involve what’s called culpable neglect or cases involving injury through negligence