Sunday we studied two sections of Exodus chapter 30. The first was verses 11-16 and concerned the atonement money. By asking what, why, and how questions about the passage, we discovered some profound truths.
1. The wealthy and the poor paid the same amount. Nobody was more special than anybody else.
2. It was paid as a ransom to the Lord for their lives so no plague would come on them.
3. The money was to be used by the priests for the service of the tabernacle.
4. The money was used by God as a reminder to make atonement for the people.
Since everything God did for the Isrealites in the physical, He does for us in the spiritual, this atonement money becomes a metaphor for the ransom price Jesus Christ paid for us with his death on the cross. That is our atonement. Our At-One-Ment with God.
So once again, our study of the tabernacle points us directly to Jesus Christ.

Verses 17-21 tell us about the bronze basin (or brazen laver, depending on your translation. Brazen means bronze and laver means basin. Also keep in mind that bronze and brass are used interchangeably.)
-This basin was placed in front of the doorway to the tabernacle--the Holy place. It was used for the priests to wash their hands and feet before entering the place of fellowship with God.
-The basin was made from expensive mirrors the women gave. The priests would be able to see their reflections in it.
-Exodus 29:4 describes a cleansing of the priests' whole body which was done only once at their consecration and was initiated for them.
-Exodus 30:19 describes a cleansing of only the hands and feet which was done every time they entered the tabernacle and was initiated by them.
-So we can understand that a one-time total cleansing refers to our salvation experience, initiated by God for us. But to stay in fellowship with God on an on-going basis, we must have clean hands and a pure heart. (See Psalm 24:3-6.)
-We can look into the mirror of God's Word to see where our dirty spots are and then spend time in prayer asking God to wash them off.
-Beyond this cleansing of ourselves, we are instructed by Jesus in John 13:1-17 to also wash the feet of others. In class we discussed several reasons we might have trouble washing others' feet. One of the most important to me was that in order to wash, we must have water. A pitcher full of water. If my own pitcher is empty, I cannot pour it out on anyone. We keep our pitchers full by filling ourselves with God's Word on a daily basis.

On that note, so far I am reading three chapters in the Bible every day. I really like the plan I previously laid out for you. It is helping me stay on track with my reading. If you haven't started your own reading yet, let me encourage you to do so. It is really a tremendous joy to me and a refreshing way to start the day. I read it while I eat my breakfast.

Yesterday we covered Exodus chapter 29 and 30:1-10, 34-38. The focus of chapter 29 is on the consecration of the priests. They were to wash themselves and then put on the robes. Next, they offered animal sacrifices which were burned on the altar of sacrifice. The blood of the second ram was sprinkled on the robes and put on the right earlobes, right forfingers, and right big toes of the priests. Since there was only one robe for each man, every time they put it on after that, they put on a blood-stained robe.

Every detail of the tabernacle and the priestly garments has pointed to Jesus Christ. The doctrine of the Priesthood of the Believer means we as post-New Testament Christians are priests. Who was our sacrifice? Jesus Christ. So when we say we're washed in the blood, this is what we're referring to. Our consecration to Him. Like the priests, our robes are blood-stained.

The priests also were to eat the meat of the sacrifices. There were two reasons for this. 1) It was their provision since they had no other job with which to gain food.
2) They consumed a holy sacrifice as a picture of taking in that holiness and it becoming part of them - literally.

Once again, here's a picture of what happens to us at salvation. We partake of the Holiness of God. Jesus was the sacrifice and sent the Holy Spirit to live in and become part of us. The priests eating the sacrifice is also a preview of what we do when we partake of the Lord's Supper. We eat and drink the representation of Jesus' body and blood - the sacrifice made for us.

Chapter 30:1-10 and 34-38 are about the altar of incense. We learned that this incense represents the prayers of the saints (us) by reading Psalm 141:2, Revelation 5:8, and Revelation 8:3. Then we read Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25. These verses teach that Jesus' work now is to intercede, or pray, for us.

Jesus died to save us from our sins, but now He lives to intercede for us at the right hand of the Father.

The challenge this week is to memorize Hebrews 7:25.

Sunday we spent time studying the garments for the priests, specifically Aaron, the high priest. We discovered that Aaron wore the names of the 12 tribes over his heart engraved on precious stones and the same names on his shoulders as a memorial. He bore the guilt of all the people's sins when he entered the tabernacle to offer sacrifices for them.

How like our Savior, who bore our sins when he sacrificed Himself for us on the cross and carries us on His heart and our names engraved on His palms. We truly are held in His hands, safe there, where no one or anything can pull us out.

We also talked about how God is a God of detail, not generalities. We were challenged to share the details of our lives with Him for greater intimacy in our relationship.

This week we will cover Exodus 29 and 30. Well, at least we'll go as far as we can in this section!

I confess that I did not read all the chapters in the Bible that I was scheduled to read over the holiday. So, I picked up where I left off. Then I got a new Bible I had been wanting, The Maxwell Leadership Bible. So I went back to re-read what I had covered so I could read the accomanying articles I had missed. I want to read the Bible through with this one.

So, I'm just now through chapter 12 in the three books I'm reading: Genesis, Job, and Matthew. I have also discovered that I'll probably not get twice as many chapters read on Sunday. So it may take me longer than a year. But I am determined to keep plodding along. How about you?

On Sunday, November 28, we will study Exodus 28. Hopefully we can cover the whole chapter. You should read the whole chapter, and then we'll see how far we get in class.

Concerning the Spiritual Disciplines I wrote about last week: I'm working on my second memory verse, a good one to meditate on, and am ready for chapter 9 in all three books of the Bible that I'm reading.

If you've started, where are you? I'd love to hear about your journey through the disciplines.

If you haven't started, or have no idea what I'm referring to, check out my entries from last week. It's all there.

Sunday we learned about the outer court of the tabernacle including the hanging curtains, the embroidered entrance screen, and the way the people were instructed to camp around it.

We discovered that the camp arrangement was for the purpose of staying close to their Commander because they faced their worst enemy--themselves--before they faced any outward enemies.

Henry Blackaby has said, "In every generation there seem to exist certain cliches used by members of the body of Christ. No doubt, on the top of the list for this generation are the words 'I'm under attack!' Every difficulty seems to be labeled 'spiritual warfare.' Without question we fight wars in the heavenlies; but before we can be sure it's spiritual warfare, we must be able to answer three questions negatively: (1) Am I living outside the will of God? (2) Do I have any unconfessed sin? (3) Is God simply working His completion in me? Far more often, our difficulties originate from one of these three realms."

Think of a difficulty you are dealing with. Test it according to these three questions. Are you under attack from Satan or from your flesh?

If you are fighting a battle of the flesh, how can you be victorious?

What can you do to ensure that you are camped close to your Commander?

Romans 7:14-25 describes the problem we have battling ourselves.

Although a continual war is waged against us internally, we must never accept defeat!

What does 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 say about the weapons of our warfare?

What does Deuteronomy 23:14 say is God's promise if we choose to camp with Him and walk with Him?

Now that you've read the passage for Sunday, it would be helpful to draw a diagram. As you read, the east and west sides of the tabernacle are half as long as the north and south sides. So, draw a rectangle that is twice as wide as it is tall.

How many pillars were the linen curtains to be hung on the north and south sides (see Ex. 27:10-11)?

How many pillars or posts were to be on the west side(see v. 12)?

On the lines you have drawn, place bold, black dots to represent pillars. Make sure you have enough space around the diagram on your paper to add more details later.

Bible passage for Sunday, November 21

This Sunday we will study Exodus 27:9-19. If we have time, we'll also cover 20-21.

Yesterday in class, we studied the altar of sacrifice in the courtyard of the tabernacle. We read how after the instructions for building and consecrating it had been obediently followed, God found it acceptable and fire came out from Him to consume the sacrifice. At this display of His glory, the people fell face-down on the ground to worship.

Our obedience to God is for one purpose only: to bring the glory of the Lord and His joy into our lives. When we look at obedience in that light, I've got to wonder why I ever resist doing what I know is God's will. (We'll discuss that reason this coming Sunday--stay tuned!)

When God lit the fire on the altar, it was then the priests' job to keep it burning forever. When we are saved, at that moment, God lights a fire within us by giving us gifts and the Holy Spirit. It is our job to fan the flame for the rest of our lives.

Here is the assignment I gave:
1. Name a specific gift God has gien you.
2. What have you done to fan it into a flame so it can be used with excellence?
3. If you have not done anything to fan the flame, what will you plan to do?

Additionally, I am reading a book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney. The first discipline listed is intake of the Bible. That means, to grow as a Christian, I need to take in the Word of God. There are several ways to do this, and we should do them all.

The first way is to read the whole thing. I have to confess, I've never done that. I start in Genesis and by the time I get to Deuteronomy, I'm washed up. I seem to have no trouble studying one book at a time, which is also a way to take in the Bible (and one of the ways listed in this book) but reading it through is tough for me. However, Whitney gives a plan I think I can follow, and I challenge you to follow it with me. We'll keep each other accountable.

Start in three places at once. Read one chapter in Genesis, one chapter in Job, and one chapter in Matthew each day. On Sunday, read two chapters in each of the three books. Keep reading these sections in order at that pace. In less than a year, we will have conluded all three sections, and thus the whole Bible.

The next way to take in the Bible is Bible study, which we do in class. By reading each section ahead (when I tell you what it is) and writing down any questions you may have about it, you are studying.

Number three is meditate on it. Pick a verse each day to think about for the rest of the day. Mull it over. Read it again. Ponder it. Pull all the meaning out of it.

And number four is to memorize it. Write a chosen verse on a note card and carry it with you. Write it on a post-it note and stick it to your bathroom mirror. Do whatever you need to to see it and say it several times a day.

When we know what the Bible says, and make an effort to learn what it means, and openly ask God to show us what it should mean to us in our daily lives, we will become different people. Joyful. Full of the presence and glory of God.

The Role of Cherubim

Yesterday we took a closer look at the cherubim that Moses was instructed to make and put at either end of the mercy seat. Ezekiel 1 describes them in detail. We also read Luke's and Mark's accounts of Resurrection morning. We compared the angels Mary saw and their positions in the tomb with the cherubim on the mercy seat. It became apparent that God's glory is constantly guarded by cherubim and that Jesus' body was no exception. It also became clear that God planned for a subtitutionary death from the very beginning since the Hebrew word for "ark of the testimony" also means "coffin".

This week we will conclude our study of Exodus 25:10-22 with one more look at the mercy seat and a study of the contents of the ark. Once again, I'm using Beth Moore's study, A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place as the study basis, so I won't post any of it here. See you Sunday!

The Ark of the Testimony

A week ago we began our study of Exodus 25:10-22. That day we focused on the meaning of the word "ark" as preservation when it is used in the Bible. We also learned how the ark is intended to preserve God's testimony to us.

Yesterday we read the same verses again. This time we focused on the construction materials. The 3-layered sandwich of gold on the outside, acacia wood in the center, and gold on the inside, is a picture of the Godhead: God the Father on the outside, God the Son, the center of our salvation, and God the Holy Spirit on the inside. We also learned that the poles placed in the rings provided for transportation. The fact that they are always there speaks of God's desire to go where His people are. We ended by reading three passages from Isaiah that tell us how God goes behind us, before us, and tells us the right way to go.

Next week we will study Part 3 of Exodus 25:10-22. Since I am teaching material from Beth Moore's study, A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place, I will not be posting study questions on-line during the week.

Then on October 17th we will study Part 4 of the same passage.

The Freewill Offering

Yesterday we began studying chapter 25 with verses 1-9.

The very first topic God addressed with Moses on this trip up the mountain was giving back to Him. In class we took a look back at all the occasions when God had given to the Israelites since their release from captivity.

Ex. 12:12-13 and 21-23 - God gave Life
Ex. 12:29-33 - God gave Freedom
Ex. 12:35-36 - God gave Wealth
Ex. 14:21 - God gave Deliverance
Ex. 15:22-25 and 27 - God gave Water
Ex. 16:11-15 and 31 - God gave Quail and Manna (food)
Ex. 17:1-2 and 5-6 - God gave Water
Ex. 17:8-9 and 13 - God gave Victory Over an Enemy
Ex. 20:1-17 - God gave a Government (legal constitution)
Ex. 21:8 and 30 - God gave Redemption
Ex. 24:8 - God gave a Blood Covenant (a Promise because even then He was planning to give His Son)

We then recalled that the Israelites got all the things they brought from the Egyptians when they left. It never had belonged to the Israelites.

In the same way, all we have today doesn't belong to us. God gave it to us. 1 Chronicles 29:12-13 told us this.

We began making lists of all the things God has given us since our salvation.

In light of our lists, it seems such a small thing to give above our tithe back to God.

Specifically, God asked the people to give in order to make a place of worship. We at FBC have built an addition which we are still paying for. So, our freewill offering would logically be used for the church facility.

We closed by writing a prayer of response to God based on Exodus 25:1-9.

This Sunday we will look at Exodus 25:1-9.

Read 25:1-2.

What is the first command God gave Moses this time on the mountain?
What was the basis of the offering?

Look back through the book of Exodus from chapter 12 through chapter 24. See how many things you can find that God gave the people. I found 12.

Make a list of the things God has given you since your salvation. Start with the first year, then move year by year to 2010. Take this year month by month. Then take September week by week and this week day by day. It might take you several days to complete this list.

After you finish your list, read 25:3-7.

What things did God want the people to give? List them.
Where would they have gotten these things?

Read 25:8-9.

What did God want the people to do with the offerings they gave?

What does God want to do with the offerings we give?

The Blood Covenant

Last week we only made it through chapter 23, so yesterday we studied chapter 24.

In verse 4, Moses set up an altar and 12 pillars, which represented the 12 tribes of Israel. Then the young men offered burnt offerings on the altar. These were possibly the first-born who had been redeemed by the blood on the doorposts at the time of the deliverance from Egypt.

After the sacrifices, Moses kept half the blood from the animals in bowls and sprinkled the other half on the altar. Then he read the covenant God had given on the mountain to the people and asked them if they agreed. They passed the motion with a huge, unanimous amen.

Then Moses sprinkled the people with the blood from the bowls. This sprinkling represented the legal transaction between God and the people. Israel was thus ceremonially and legally set apart through the blood of the covenant.

1 Peter 1:2 tells us of another blood covenant, established by Jesus and ratified by his own blood. Jesus' own words tell us of His covenant in Luke 22:20.

Just as the people of Israel were sprinkled with the blood by Moses, Jesus has sprinkled His blood for me. When asked (by the prompting of the Holy Spirit)if I agreed to this covenant, I whole-heartedly agreed and then I was set apart by God.

Immediately after establishing the blood covenant, Moses was called up the mountain to hear God's next instructions about worship. Aaron and Hur were left to lead the people in his absence. When Moses went up, the glory of the Lord settled on the mountain as a cloud which appeared as a consuming fire to those left down below. I'm sure the people wondered if Moses had been consumed and if he would ever really return.

Luke 24:50-51 describes Jesus's ascension into heaven after He had established the new covenant in His blood. He had told the disciples He would return, but I'm sure they had to wonder, just like the people must have wondered about Moses. But we know Moses did return, and we can have the same certainty that Jesus will return.

Just like the people were to live according to the written instructions from God that Moses left behind, we are to live according to the written instructions from God (the Bible) that Jesus left behind. The difference between us and the people of Israel is that we have the Holy Spirit living inside us. While God's presence stayed on the mountain then, His presence is in us now. The fire on the mountain has moved into our hearts. (See Acts 2:1-3)

So, let God's fire motivate you each day to live out His instructions to you while you wait for Christ's return.

Chapter 24

Read 24:1-4a.
What was the people's response to the words from God that Moses told them?
What did Moses do first in v.4?
What is your response to God's written word?

Read 24:4b-8
This is a description of a blood covenant. What other blood covenant does the Bible describe in the New Testament? (See Luke 22:20 and 1 Peter 1:2.) Are you part of it?
Where did Moses go right after the covenant ceremony?
What did God's presence on the mountain look like to the people below?
What do you think the people thought about the possibility of Moses' eventual return?

Write a paragraph comparing the two blood covenants (this one and the New Testament one). Include a statement of what they each mean to you.

This week we will cover chapters 23 and 24.

Read 23:1-9.
These laws sound familiar because our own laws are based on the Mosaic law. How nice it would be if everyone today followed them.

Read 23:10-19.
Once again the sabbath is taught, both for the people and for the land, underscoring its importance.

Read 23:20-33.
What do you know about the Angel that God sent?
Is this the Angel of the Lord?
What did God mean when He said He would send hornets in front of them to clear the way?
Why wouldn't God give them the land all at once?
Does that principle apply to us today? Does God give us all His blessings all at once? Why not?
What were the borders of the Promised Land to be?
How does Israel's border today compare to this?
Why do you think it's different?

I'll post questions for chapter 24 on Friday.

Redeemed

This week we will study Exodus chapters 21 and 22.

Read 21:1-11
What is the subject of these verses?
Does this surprise you?
How long was a Hebrew person allowed to serve as a slave?
Could he or she get out of it before then?
How?
What is the Year of Jubilee? (Read Leviticus 25:1-24)

Read 21:12-17
What are 4 crimes that required the death penalty?
Why do you think these particular crimes did?

Read 21:18-36
What do you think about the "eye-for-an-eye" philosophy? Was it humane?

Read chapter 22
What does it mean in verse 29 to offer the "first-born of your sons"?
Read Exodus 13:12-16 for clarification.

Does any of this ever apply to us as gentiles in the 21st century?
Remember that whatever God did for His people literally in the Old Testament, He does for us spiritually now.

Write a paragraph to tell what chapters 21 and 22 mean to you.

Spend the next few days reading over chapter 20 and answering the following questions:

Read verses 1-2. Why do you think verse 2 is placed here? Does it have any significance for what follows?

Read verse 3. What other gods might we have?

Read verse 4. Define idol. Does this include all sculpture? What about religious sculpture?

Read verse 5. Does God really punish people for their grandparents' or parents' sins? If not, what does this verse then mean?

Read verse 6. What constitutes mis-use of God's name? Do you ever do it?

Read verses 8-11. Define Sabbath. What day of the week should this be for us post-New Testament Christians? Notice the use of the word "day" as opposed to "hour". What are we supposed to do on that day? Not do?

Read verse 12. Define honor. Does this verse apply to grown-ups?

Read verse 13. Define murder.

Read verse 14. Define adultery.

Read verse 15. What sorts of things can be stolen?

Read verse 16. What constitutes false testimony or witness?

Read verse 17. This command goes to the heart of one word that describes a state of being. What is it? Does this describe you?

Read verses 18-21. Why would God have wanted to make the people afraid? What benefit could that have on their behavior? Do you have any level of fear of God? Is that healthy?

Read verses 22-26. Why did God give instructions for His altar to be so plain and unadorned and flat? What were the altars of false deities like?

Sunday Summary

Yesterday was a sensory lesson. We read Exodus 19:16-25 and then drew pictures of the cloud, the mountain, and the people at the foot of the mountain. We listened to a recording of a shofar (ram's horn trumpet) and I displayed two different types. We discussed the use of the trumpet call. Then we read 9 verses describing Jesus Christ in a cloud. After reading Revelation 1:12-18, we drew the vision John saw of the Risen Lord above the cloud on the mountain, signifying that it was He Who came down that day.

The goal for the lesson was to get a real sense of the awe and wonder of the events the day God came down on the mountain to speak to Moses while the people watched. This week, keep your picture where you can look at it (or if you prefer, just the written verses from Revelation 1).

Reflect on the holiness and magnitude of the Lord Jesus Christ as you read Chapter 20 this week.

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This week we will finish chapter 19. To prepare for Sunday's lesson, read 19:16-25.

Spend some time refreshing your memory of the first 15 verses by finding the words to the following songs and either singing them or reading the words:

• Days of Elijah
• Cover Me (the choir sings this song and if you have our CD, it's on there)
• Revelation Song
• Jesus Paid it All
• Holy Ground

If you were in worship at our church last Sunday, you'll recognize these as the songs we sang. Amazing that Brother Charles had no idea what our lesson was about last week.

Sunday Summary

Yesterday's worship service was such a perfect conclusion to our lesson. If it would not have made a scene, I would have fallen to my knees. I honestly don't know how we can be expected to stand under the glory of the Lord.

So far in chapter 19 we have studied what it means to camp before the Lord, staying long enough to allow Him to speak. We discovered the beautiful word picture of a mother eagle flying under her babies as they learn to fly.

The words of God to the people in verses 4-6 included "hear my voice" which means to obey, "keep" which carries the idea of tending a garden, "covenant" which is the a contract between God and His people, and "peculiar treasure" or "own possession". The last phrase indicates that God feels about you and me the same way He would a treasured art collection. We also learned the full meaning of being a priest and how because of Jesus' death on the cross we can be priests without the need for someone else to intercede for us.

In verses 9-10 we found out that the cloud descending on the mountain is really Jesus Christ and the trumpet is His voice. "Consecrate" or "sanctify" means to make clean and we learned how the Israelites would have done their laundry. The dirt had to be beat out of the clothes. Then we applied the image to sin in our lives.

Verse 11 told us God would come on the mountain "in the sight" of the people and we learned the meaning of the phrase as "a reflection". Like a fountain in the light.

In verses 12-13 the people were instructed not to touch the mountain. This included wanting to reach out to it and indicated the state of their hearts.

In the end, we made several conclusions:

• I want to be clean and ready for the trumpet to announce the return of Christ.
• This will mean I need to be saved and then confess any sins daily.
• I need to keep myself in a state of readiness to hear God speak. Camp out before Him. Stay long enough to let Him work on me. Do my part.
• Listen to the words of the Lord. Where will I find them? In the Bible. That means I need to read it every day.
• Rest in the knowledge that God loves me and treasures me like a valuable painting--His masterpiece.

Stop, Look and Listen

Read Ex. 19:1-2. The people stopped to camp in front of the mountain. This was God's mountain. I want to challenge you to go to God and stop. Stay a while. Gaze at the beauty of His holiness.

Read 19:3-15. Look carefully at the words used in these verses. Find some that you think are key words and look up their definitions. Use a concordance to see where they might be used elsewhere in the Bible. If you have a word study book, find out their origin. I chose about 12 words that seemed extra-important. We'll discuss them Sunday.

Listen. The research you do will enable you to hear what God wants to say to you. Listen for His voice.

Last fall I attended a national writer's conference in the mountains of New Mexico. It was situated at the opening of a box canyon with mesas all around. I climbed up a small mesa, sat on a boulder, and gazed across the valley to a much larger mesa, adorned with strands of pine trees and red rocks. It appeared to be wearing a one-of-a-kind necklace made from precious stones of emeralds and rubies. I sat there for over an hour, just letting God speak to me through what I saw. I still carry that memory close to my heart, because God told me what to do with the rest of my life while I sat on that rock. I'll never be the same again.

If you have a memory like that, pull it out and dust it off today. Polish it and set it in the window of your heart. If you don't, find some time this week to be alone with God. Sit silently before Him and wait for Him to speak. Another time God spoke in a very real way while I sat before him happened at my kitchen table, so don't think you can't do it without going off someplace.

I'd love to hear about your experience. If you'd like to share, write a comment.

How to write your own Song of Deliverance

Several who were not able to be in class the day we wrote our personal Songs of Deliverance as a guided writing from Chapter 15 have asked for the instructions. They are as follows:

Read Exodus 15:1-18

Read verse 1. This is praise for deliverance from a specific thing. Spend a few moments in prayer, asking God which event in your life you should write about. Write a word of praise and name your deliverance.

Read verse 2. Write your own praise verse.

Read verse 3. Tell who God is to you. Write one of God's names and tell why He is that to you.

Read verses 4-5. Tell what God did for you.

Read verses 6-8. This is the display of God's power. How does God display His power to you?

Read verse 9. "The enemy said . . ." What did the enemy say about you?

Read verse 10. "But God . . ." What did God do for you that refuted what the enemy said?

Read verse 11. God is like . . . He . . . Fill in the blanks.

Read verses 12-13. In the future God will . . . for me. Fill in the blank.

Read verses 14-16. In the future God will . . . to my enemies. Fill in the blank.

Read verse 17. Heaven will be like . . . Fill in the blank.

Read verse 18. End your song with these words: The LORD will reign forever and ever.

Sunday Summary

We discussed chapter 18 in class. When Jethro brought Zipporah and her sons to Moses, he and Moses talked. Moses shared all that God had done. We recalled the Song of Deliverance from chapter 15 and realized Moses simply shared his experience with Jethro, giving all the credit to God.

Jethro gave his life to the Lord that day, evidenced publicly by the burnt sacrifice and the sacrificial meal he shared with the elders.

Immediately afterward, Jethro was able to use his gift of administration to help Moses establish a more effective system of government for the people.

This is God's program for evangelism. Tell those we love about what God has done. Then they can enter His service in the fellowship of believers.

This week we'll study Exodus 18. This chapter is a welcome respite from all the conflict and war we've just come through. It is the account of a joyful, peaceful, reunion and the establishment of civil governmental structure for the nation.

Read the chapter and then look back in Exodus to remember who Jethro was when Moses met him and where he lived.

Why had Zipporah and her sons not made the journey with Moses?

This is a two-fold reunion. Jethro and Moses catch up on business affairs and the working of God and Zipporah and Moses are reunited after more than a year of separation.

Read verse 8. What does Moses talk about with Jethro?

Read verse 11. What is Jethro's response?

What does verse 12 tell you about Jethro?

Immediately after God had supplied all the Israelites' needs and settled their internal grumblings, the nation was attacked by Amalek. Moses allowed God to use him to make another provision for the people--faith leading to victory. Moses' outstretched arms, if horizontal, would have formed a sign of the cross. In any case, the warriors in the valley had only to look up to the power of God (symbolized in the rod) to gain the strength they needed for victory.

Likewise, we often face external battles with sin just after we've gained a great spiritual insight or learned a new spiritual lesson. Amalek represents sin and its author, satan.

The rock Moses sat on represents the throne of God. So when you fight battles, look to Jesus Christ, seated on His royal throne, victorious through the cross, and claim that victory as your own. Let God, Jehovah-nissi, be your Banner, Conqueror for you, and your Refuge.

Chapter 17 continues in verse 8 with a battle.

How long after the rock/water incident was this battle?

Read 17:8-16.

Who was Amalek and why would he (they) fight against the Israelites? And what did he (they) do to deserve such a harsh procalmation from God?

Your assignment for the rest of the week is to answer these questions. If you have a concordance, look up Amalek. That should get you started. If you have a reference Bible, that will help, too. Take notes and we'll discuss your findings Sunday morning.

Happy hunting!

Read Exodus 17:1-7.

Read verse 5. What was Moses to take with him? Why do you suppose God gave this instruction?

Read verse 6. What did God say would happen when Moses hit the rock? What caused water to come out of the rock? Was this an ordinary rock?

Let me introduce you to the idea that there is no such thing as an ordinary rock. Yes, I know they're all different colors and formed from different types of sediment and such. But I'm talking about something different here. I recently studied rocks and rock imagery in the Bible for an article I wrote and it changed my whole concept of rocks. I'll share a bit of that on Sunday.

To find out a bit more about this, read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. There is a very good reason this passage fits so well with Exodus 17 and it's not just historical. The spiritual truth from Exodus 17 is expanded in 1 Corinthians 10.

If you had to identify the central truth from both passages, what would it be?

Let's turn our attention today from the people to Moses.

Read Exodus 17:4. When Moses faced the angry threats of the people, what did he do? When you face upset people, what is the first thing you usually do? I have to confess, taking it to the Lord in prayer is not always my first response! But I have learned it is better to do that sooner rather than later.

The people were not just grumbling against Moses. They were complaining against God, too.

To find out how God handled their grumpiness, read verses 5 and 6.

Wow, He gave them what they needed (and wanted). But look closely at how He did it. Write down each thing God told Moses to do and each thing God said He would do.

Is there someone who is complaining or grumbling against you? Take it to the Lord and ask Him how to handle it. Ask God for his mind about that person and the situation. If we can just gain God's perspective, it dwarfs our own and enables us to handle things we never otherwise could.
Sunday we'll study a scripture pattern for situations like this in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11. For now, read the verses and write what God says to you.

What a blessing it has been to discover the song of deliverance in Exodus 15. My heart was so full as I listened to Becky and Sandy share their own songs based on this chapter last Sunday. Thank you for your willingness to open up to the rest of us.

Thank you, Jeannie Alexander, for teaching in my absence on the 20th on chapter 16.

Now, as we prepare to study chapter 17, let's read verses 1-7.

Look at verse 1. How did they get to Rephidim? Do you think while traveling they anticipated what they would find in Rephidim? It was an oasis in the desert, but what was it like?

Do you ever have unmet expectations? How do you respond when that happens?

Look in verse 2 to find the people's response to their disappointment. What did Moses say they were doing?

Verse 3 shows us how the situation escalated. What was about to happen to Moses? Have you ever witnessed a group of people who get so bent out of shape over a disappointment that they take it out on their leader? Did the Israelites have any legitimate reason to stone Moses?

What started as a real but manageable problem ended in mob threats because the people blamed both God and Moses instead of trusting God to help them solve it.

What can you learn from these three verses?

Write a crisis management plan for the Israelites that would lead them through the proper steps of handling unmet expectations.

Read Exodus 14:8-9

• Have you ever felt the hot breath of evil on the back of your neck?
• Did you feel like it was about to overtake you?

Read 14:10

• Did you pray?
• What was the content of your prayer?

Read 14:11-12 to find the content of the Israelites' prayer. (Actually, what they verbalized to Moses.)

Read 14:13-14

• What was Moses' response to the people?

The rest of the chapter details the rescue of God's people.

• Do you know the power of God's deliverance? Has He led you out of danger?
• Write a paragraph (or more if you choose) about that experience. I'd also like to invite you to share your story in class, if you are willing.

The conclusion we drew from the study of Exodus 11:1-12:36 was that God performed all the plagues in order to decimate the Egyptian pagan religion. After the plague of death, not only were all the Egyptian gods and goddesses proven impotent, but the king's magicians were completely embarassed by their inability to perform.

The country lay in ruins and the people were left without even the ability to sacrifice to their gods. The firstborn of their flocks and herds were dead. There could be no doubt that The LORD was the one true God.

And so, the Israelites kept the Passover, followed the instructions, and put blood over their doors. Death passed over them and they left the country laden with gold and silver they had requested from the Egyptians.

We also discussed the comparison of the substitutionary death of the firstborn, perfect lamb to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Those of us who choose to "enter into His blood" as the Israelites chose to enter into and stay in the house covered by the blood, are saved from eternal death as surely as the Israelites were saved from the death of their firstborn.

This week we will focus on chapter 13:17 through chapter 14. We will look at the route of the Exodus and the escape through the Red Sea.

• Read 13:17-22
  
  How did the Israelites know where to go?

Where did they go?

Look in your Bible or other helps for a route they took. Bring it to class Sunday.

• Read 14:1-4

Put yourself in the people's shoes. How would you feel about turning back?

I know when we go on a road trip, we won't even drive back a mile if we passed up cheaper gas! And if you have to go to the bathroom, you'd better be able to make it to the next stop, because we sure won't go back to the last place.

This Sunday we will cover Exodus chapter 11 and through 12:36. Verse 37 begins the narrative of the people's travel out of Egypt, which we will discuss next week.

This last, great plague, the death of every firstborn male animal and person, came without warning or opportunity for Pharaoh to repent. All the other plagues could have been warded off if Pharaoh had let the people go. But this time, nothing could prevent God from carrying out his judgment on the sin of worshipping other gods. And this time, there would be no doubt left about who was the real, true God.

The passage in 11:4-8 is Moses' announcement to Pharaoh about what would happen. Chapter 12:1-20 present God's instructions to Moses and Aaron, and 12:21-27 tell of Moses' instructions to the people. The description of the plague itself, along with Pharaoh's response, is relatively short, found in 12:29-36.

Read the instructions about the sacrificial animal in 12:5-7.

• What were the people to do with the blood? Why?

Read God's instructions to Moses about what the people were to eat that night in 12:8-9.

• What do you know about yeast, or leavening in the Bible?
• Why would the people have been instructed not to eat any on this night, or for the next seven days?

When the plague happened, what was lost? (Hint: I'm thinking about Egyptian religious practices.)

I want to clarify what I meant by "good" and "bad" anger in yesterday's post. Because anger is an emotion, in and of itself it is not either good or bad. It simply is. What we do with that emotion, how we act on it, is what can be characterized as good or bad, or more correctly, appropriate or inappropriate. As we mature, we also learn that there are some situations in which we should become angry, and others in which we should not allow that emotion to overtake us. Those latter times are when we choose thoughts or actions that deflect or redirect it.

In light of this clarification then, was Moses' anger appropriate or inappropriate? How did he handle himself while he was angry?

This coming Sunday, I will not be teaching. Becky McReynolds will teach. I told you the lesson would come from Leviticus, but she may change her mind about that. We'll let you know when she decides, so just hang loose.

I've begun my study of the 10th plague, the Passover, which I will begin teaching on Sunday, May 23. We will try to cover Exodus chapters 11 and 12, but I'm not making any promises we'll get that far in one lesson.

One thing that struck me on a first reading was how angry Moses was with Pharaoh when he pronounced the last plague. The Bible has a lot to say about anger. We won't spend a lot of time on it because this is really not the point, but I would like you to think about why Moses was angry and how he handled it. Was it "good anger" or "bad anger"? What characterizes each type of anger?

Counterfeit Confessions and Compromise Temptations

Throughout the latter plagues, Pharaoh tosses possible compromises to Moses. Notice the progression from 8:25 through Chapter 10, and Pharaoh's evolving demeanor. In 10:11, he doesn't even give Moses time to respond. It's as if he already knew the outcome but was simply appeasing his officials.

Does Moses ever give any hint of agreeing?

Wouldn't it have seemed logical to accept a partial agreement?

Are you ever tempted to compromise--even just a tiny bit?

Tune in for a lot more on the subject Sunday morning.

Tina is following this discussion. If you are reading, let us know by becoming a follower. It's fun to see who's taking this journey with us. --Kathryn

Reading through chapter ten about plagues eight and nine, it seems like God is really dragging things out. After all, back in 9:15 God said He didn't have to do it this way. He could just wipe the Egyptians out. In the next verse God gave two reasons for letting Pharaoh live. What were they?

Look in 10:1-2 for another reason you might not have expected.

Another thing that stands out to me in chapter 10 is the repeated confessions of Pharaoh that he has sinned. If he didn't mean it, why do you think he kept saying it?

Post your answers today or tomorrow--I'll be posting again on Friday.

This week we'll cover at least plague seven. That covers Exodus 9:13-35. Hopefully we'll also make it through plague eight and nine. (Chapter 10)

Some thoughts on plague seven:

• Why did God let Pharaoh live instead of just wiping him out?
• Did some of Pharaoh's officials believe in Moses' God?
• Contrast Pharaoh's statement in verse 27 with Moses' response to him in verse 30.
• Did Moses know about his safety in the hail ahead of time?

Try writing answers to these questions as comments. Also, ask your own questions. Then I can try to cover them in class or here.