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.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
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?
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.
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.
Friday, September 3, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
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?
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?
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