Exodus – Part 45

The Amalekites provoked the Israelites into a war,
with God’s instructions the Israelites prevailed.
God then instructed Moses to inscribe a document
as a reminder of the battle. But it seems almost like a contradiction when God says this will be a reminder of what happened.

And not only will it be a reminder but Moses is
supposed to read it out loud to Joshua. But then God says He will blot out the memory of Amalek.

It almost sounds like a contradiction: Remember the war but forget Amalek.

Maybe remembering Amalek would give him glory.  But God is the one who deserves glory for victory over evil, and that is what we all are supposed to remember.

Then God tells them what they are to remember.
They are to build an alter and name it Adonai-nissi.

Adonai or course translates to LORD or God. And nissi is simply a banner or standard.

So they were to build an altar and over it

put an identifying marker that says, “YHVH is my banner. And that banner is meant to say, “Hand upon the throne of the Lord”:  The Lord will be at war with Amalek throughout the ages.

In the book of Exodus, the very next person God teaches us about is Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law.

It’s interesting that first we learn about Amalek, a wicked man, who was unprovoked; and now we will learn about a good man, and neither was provoked to do what they did. It’s a real contrast in human nature.

When Jethro, Moses’ father –in-law heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel he took Zipporah, Moses’ wife and sons back to Moses.

It is surmised that Moses sent his wife and sons back home to her own father to stay during all the troubling times In Egypt with the plagues and on through the exodus. But now that the Israelites were in the wilderness Moses’ family was brought back to him.

It is assumed Moses sent his wife and two sons,
Gershom and Eliezer, to his father-in-law at the time he was escaping to Midian to protect his own life against reprisals against him for killing that Egyptian overseer.  It was at that time that Pharaoh 
was bent on killing Moses.

At the time Jethro and Moses’s family are coming home Moses is encamped at the mountain of God,
better known as Mt. Sinai.

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, he greeted him and bowed low and kissed him

When Jethro and Moses talked, Moses told his father-in- law all about what God had done for him and all the Israelites.

Jethro was completely impressed, even though he was not a Jew. He was completely impressed and said, “Blessed be the Lord, who delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.” And he continued with, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all Gods”.

Jethro was actually a Midianite priest and his daughter was not a Jew when Abraham married her. The only thing we have to believe that she was converted was when she circumcised her son and declared she had a bloody religion.

Jethro on the other hand, never became a Jew, he remained a Midianite Priest, but had true respect for the God of the Israelites. To show this respect Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrificed for God.  Aaron came with all the Elders of Israel to partake of the meal before God with Jethro.

The following day Moses went back to work! He was needed!  He was the magistrate of his people. Moses listened to all the problems all the people 
who had problems.

Jethro inquired why it was Moses alone who had to do this all day long with all the people? Couldn’t someone else help with this work?

Moses’s answer was short and to the point.
When they have a dispute it comes before me and I make known the law and the teachings of God.

Remember, they had not yet been given the law.
It was written in The Ten Commandments.

Jethro felt this was the wrong way to approach all the problems. He was fearful that Moses would
wear himself out so he decided Moses needed his counsel.

“You be the one to take the problems concerning God to God; and then you teach the people in the way God would have them go. But then you seek out from among all the people, wise capable men who fear God; trustworthy men who will spurn ill-gotten gain. Set over them as chiefs of thousands,
hundreds, fifties, and tens. Let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them dictate every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself 
by letting them share the burden with you.’

It’s interesting to note that a non-Jew was able to set up a whole judicial system for the Jews. How unique and wonderful when you consider that the Israelites and the Midianites would soon come to be each other’s most vile enemy.

God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.

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Exodus – Part 51

At this point the Israelites are at God’s Mountain, -Mt. Sinai, and they are warned they cannot touch the mountain when God is there.  When God was no longer there they could go to the mountain because it was not holy if God was not there.

Having fear for what God can do, this fact truly frightened the Israelites.

In the Talmud there is a legend that depicts God holding the mountain over the heads of the people and threatening to drop it on them if they did not accept the law.  The point being made is the Israelites accepted the law out of fear.

When you think about it logically that seems to be what makes people obey a law?  If we are truthful, it is very convincing that we are persuaded to obey by the combination of love or fear.   

I behave myself because I don’t want to suffer the consequences of misbehaving, or, because my love for the law giver makes me want to keep the object of my affection happy, whether parents, spouse, or other authority.

Moses led the people out of the camp toward Gad where they took their places at the foot of the mountain.

Mt Sinai was all in smoke, because the Lord was on it. The Lord had come down upon it; and the whole mountain trembled violently. The Lord had come down upon it in fire. And as Moses spoke, God answered him in thunder.

The Lord had come to the top of Mt Sinai and called Moses to the top with Him. He then told Moses to go down, warn the people not to break through the land to graze. He also said the Priests must remain pure.  After this he reiterated that the people  werenot to come to the mountain or they would die.

Per normal, telling them once is not enough but poor Moses is naïve enough to think that since they were warned they would not come to the mountain

God, being much wiser than Moses knows curiosity will be stronger than the rule to stay away from the mountain. Genesis chapter 20 makes it abundantly clear that it is God who gave the Ten Commandments and they were not Moses’ idea.

No human is the sole source or responsible for all the words in the Ten Commandments.  God is the sole author and giver of these rules that are given to the people.

The Ten Commandments are also called “the Decalogue”.  The Decalogue is the alternative name for the Ten Commandments, and actually means Ten Words.

The Ten Commandments are the first and only example of a covenantal relationship between deity and an entire people. They are unique in that God revealed His will not just to a single prophet or to a privileged class, but to an entire people; all of whom became answerable to its terms.

The Ten Commandments focuses not only on the relationship with the ruler, but also on each individuals behavior toward every other individual. They treat both religious and social obligations as expressions of divine will. The Ten Commandments are laws that are simple, absolute, and devoid of qualification.

God gave the Ten Commandments to the ancient nation of Israel. He chose to give theCommandments in the no-man’s land of a desert rather than in the land of Israel. This seems to signify that they are not just for one nation but apply to all people, from the beginning of their giving clear through to the end.

These biblical principles given to the Jews are set principles given by God, relating to ethics and worship, and play a fundamental role in Judaism and Christianity. 

The first and second commandments go hand in hand, both emphasizing the need to give our worship exclusively to the one true God

The commandments were written on two tables of stone by the finger of God.  The Jews are to follow the commandments anywhere and everywhere thy go, and not just when they are in Israel.

The Commandments are listed in both Exodus and Deuteronomy

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Exodus – Part 50

How very fortunate it was that Jethro loved and cared for his family.  And because he did, he came to have great respect for his son-in law, Moses
and all the work Moses had to do.

It was because he saw how taxing it was for Moses to judge every situation for the Israelites that he devised a plan that became the judicial system for that nation during Moses’ lifetime.

Moses, in return, must have had great respect for his Midianite father-in-law, because that was the system he adapted to govern all his people.

The judicial system was set up with heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.  It was set up in military style and worked so well that it freed up Moses’ time. Then Jethro went home to his own land, and his own job.

On the third new moon after leaving Egypt, the Israelites entered the wilderness of Sinai. They made their encampment in front of Mount Sinai, God’s Mountain.

And Moses went up to God. God called from the mountain and said: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptian, how I bore you on Eagles wings.

Well, it’s easy to recall the death of all the Egyptians armies, but when he says he bore the Israelites
on Eagles wings, it takes a little more explanation.

It is very rare for God to do but He is using poetic language to explain what he did for the Jews.

This is where we get a lesson on birds. God is comparing Himself to the Eagle that carries its young on its wings. Other birds put their young between their feet.

It seems the birds fear the birds that fly higher than they do, that would snatch the birds off their backs.
But eagles fly the highest so they protect their babieson their wings.

Using that example God is expressing His protective love for His people. In this verse God is expressing
His love for His people by destroying their enemies 
and his care for His people by carrying them on His wing.

God then said, “If you will obey Me faithfully, and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possessions.”

God just said He will be their God and they shall be His people “IF” they will obey His Headship in their lives. And we all know who it was that fell down on the job! But they are not without hope as 
the prophet Hosea said later that God is ready and willing to take them back when they acknowledge they must follow Him. God made it clear that all the earth is His, and He had a chosen people.

After listening to God and knowing what God’s desire was, Moses was to go to the people 
and tell them what God expected.

He did and all the people said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do.  After telling the people God’s desires Moses returned to God.

God instructed him to tell the people that they must stay pure today and they were to wash their cloths.

Then on the third day the Lord will come own,
in the sight of all the people, on Mount Sinai.

The people were warned to not go up the mountain
and to not touch the mountain and if they do they will be put to death.

A ram’s horn was used in a long blast to let the people know when it is safe to return to the mountain.  Then they may climb the mountain
because without God there it is no longer a holy place.

On the third day, as morning dawned, and they had cleansed themselves, and washed their cloths,
as morning dawned, there was thunder and lightning, and a dense cloud upon the mountain,
and a very loud blast of the horn, a dense cloud upon the mountain and all the people in the camp trembled.

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Exodus – Part 49

While talking to Moses from the burning bush God said, “Come, I will send you unto Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people out of Egypt and away from Pharaoh.

Think about it.  Moses is leading a completely normal shepherd’s life when, out of nowhere, 
God Himself appears and asks him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  Moses asked God, 
“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites?”

Remember that phrase, ‘the meekness of Moses’ 
that was so frequently used as an example to us 
throughout the history of our country? Well, it was said because it was true, Moses was a truly meek man.  He was strong in his beliefs and strong in justice but he endured injury with patience 
and without resentment.  He had a quiet strength.

Actually, he was a meek man with a past. Moses knew he was wanted for murder in Egypt, and now he is asked to appear before a king who wants to kill him.  But God always prevails and God said to Moses, “I will be with you”.  Basically God said, 
“Moses, you don’t have to worry, I will be your strength and protection.” God said, “That shall be your sign that it was I who sent you.”  “And when you succeed because of me, you shall worship me at this very mountain.

It’s interesting to note that when God makes His request of Moses the first question Moses asks is,“Who am I?  

The second question Moses asks is, ​“Who are you?”   
Said more politely, he has actually asked who shall I say sent me. Moses knew The Israelites had strayed 
so far from their faith they probably no longer even knew God or anything about Him. 

It’s even quite probable that after having grown up 
in the Egyptian royal household knowing only the Egyptian gods and even now he was familiar with the Midianite gods that he needed to be reminded who God was.  Or possibly Moses asked the question because he was anxious to know more 
about the Israelite God.

God said to Moses “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh.”  You will say Ehyeh sent me.

God just identified Himself to Moses with a name that has four different meanings, each one perfectly accurate. 
They were,  “I am what I am”, “I am who I am” “I will be what I want to be” and “I will be who I will be”.

Actually Hebrew does not have a word for the present tense of the verb “to be.”  
There is no Hebrew word for “am” or “is” or “are”.  In other words, to say I am Moses he could only say, 
“I Moses”.

What this leads to is the fact that terms “I am who I am” and “I will be” were never again mentioned in the Torah.  God gave Moses the complete answer 
for Moses only, but not for the Israelites.  

The most commonly used name for God ​​
in the Torah and the rest of the Hebrew Bible 
is essentially the verb “to be”.  It is comprised of the Hebrew letters, YHVH.  We now pronounce that word Yahweh. Yahweh is where we get the name Jehovah, and it is always translated “Lord”, even though YHVH actually means “Being,” or “Will Be,” or even just the word “Is”.  

God simply “Is”.

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Tower Part 2

A Tower the Israelites built

Some things about the Tower of Babel:
The tower of Babel was built in the plain in Shinar. Shinar is the Hebrew name for Babylonia. The Tower of Babel was the world’s first skyscraper, as well as a symbol of the might and hubris of the ancient city of Babylon. The enormous building, mentioned in the Bible, has fascinated generation upon generation, although everyone has their own image of what it once looked like.
Historians have only been able to agree on one thing:
The tower was said to reach up to the sky.

The Tower of Babel stood at the very heart of the vibrant metropolis of Babylon in what is today Iraq. It was a city of open squares, broad boulevards and narrow, winding lanes. But the City of Cities, as Babylon was known by the Ancients, eventually fell into ruin. And the residents of Babylon plundered the Tower of Babel and used its bricks to build their own houses.

It was aerial photography, however, that provided the first real clues as to the location of the tower. The photographs show the tower’s square-shaped outline in the center of the city Genesis 11:4 …let us build us a city and a tower,.. .
Today, nothing remains but a watering hole. The Tower was said to be almost 100 meters tall and was dedicated to Babylon’s own God, Marduk.

There are 43 references to Towers in Scripture:
(some references are speaking of God)
Genesis 11:4-4 The Tower of Babel.
Genesis 35:21 The Tower of Edar.
Judges 8:9,17 The Tower of Penuel.
Judges 9:46-47,49,1-51 The Tower of Shechem.
2 Kings 5:24, 9:17, 17:9, 18:8 The Tower in Jezreel.
2 Chronicles 20:24 A watch Tower in the wilderness.
Nehemiah 3:1 The Tower of Meah, the Tower of Hananeel.
Nehemiah 3:11 The Tower of the furnaces
Nehemiah 3:25-27 Speaks of a Tower.
Nehemiah 12:38-39 Tells more of these Towers.
Song of Solomon 4:4 … like the tower of David builded for an armoury…
Isaiah 2:15, 5:2 speaks of high Tower
Jeremiah 6:67 (an example) Jeremiah 31:38 The Tower of Hananeel.
Ezekiel 29:10, 30:6 The Tower of Syene.
Zechariah 14:1 The Tower of Hananeel.

The Lord Jesus speaks of towers in His Parables:
Matthew 21:31, Mark 12:1, Luke 14:28
And in Luke 13:4 … upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, …

Some of these were actual Towers, some were buildings on high hills, and others were…?


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Breastplate

Exodus speaks of the Breastplate the Priests work:
Exodus 25:7, 28:4,15,22-30, 29:5, 35:9,27, 39:8-9,15-21 and Leviticus 8:8
Isaiah writes of the Redeemer that shall come to Zion:
Isaiah 59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.

Paul speaks of our defense in the spiritual battle:
Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
The battle of Armageddon:
Revelation 9:9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Revelation 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

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Bow

A Bow without an arrow would be a useless weapon. Even though an arrow in not mentioned, it is assumed to be in the bow. The bow is mentioned in Scripture over 90 times:
Appears in Genesis
Genesis 27:3, 48:22, 49:24
Appears in Joshua
Joshua 24:12
And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
Appears in 1 Samuel
1 Samuel 2:4 , 18:4 , 20:38
Appears in 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 1:18, 1:22 , 22:35
Appears in 1 Kings
1 Kings 22:34
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
Appears in 2 Kings
2 Kings 6:22 , 9:24 , 13:15-18
Appears in 1 Chronicles
1 Chronicles 5:18, 12:2
Appears in 2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 17:17, 18:33, 26:14-15
Appears in Nehemiah
Nehemiah 4:13, 4:16
Appears in Job
Job 20:24, 29:20
Appears in Psalm
Psalm 7:12-13, 11:2, 18:34, 37:14, 37:15, 38:2, 44:6, 46:9, 58:7, 64:3. 76:3
Psalm 78:9 , 78:57
Appears in Isaiah
Isaiah 5:28, 7:24, 13:18, 21:15, 41:2 , 66:19

Appears in Jeremiah
Jeremiah 6:23, 46:9, 49:35, 50:14, 50:29, 50:42, 51:3, 51:56
Appears in Lamentations
Lamentations 2:4, 3:12-13
Appears in Ezekiel
Ezekiel 39:3, 39:9
Appears in Hosea
Hosea 1:5, 1:7, 2:18, 7:16
Appears in Amos
Amos 2:15
Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.
Appears in Habakkuk
Habakkuk 3:9-11
Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.…. The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.
Appears in Zechariah
Zechariah 9:10, 9:13-14, 10:4
AND Finally in the New Testament
Revelation 6:2
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

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Trumpet Part 2

Matthew 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
What EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD BE LISTENING TO HEAR:
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Hebrews 12:19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Revelation 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
Revelation 9:14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

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Axe

Tools the Israelites had available for war

The Axe is normally NOT a weapon of war. But when there is no other weapon, the Axe will serve.
Likewise the Coulter; (Pitch)Forks; Harrow; Hoe; Mattock; Spade; Saw; — agricultural tools NOT usually weapons of war.

The Israelites did not possess weapons of war: (read vs 19)
1 Samuel 13:20-21 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
David defeats the city of Rabbah:
2 Samuel 12:31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 20:3 And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
The Lord speaks to Israel:
Jeremiah 51:20 Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;

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