Israel's Prophecy Program

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 Exodus 1-20

Introduction

   The word Exodus remarkably is not found in the book that goes by its name; it is however a description of the main event that transpired in the lives of the children of Israel. They exited Egypt. It means to exit, or to go out.

   A couple of questions that many ask are, What were the Jews doing in Egypt in the first place, and why did they stay so long?

   One reason that answers both of these questions is that they were there being protected by God because of the terrible reputation they had left with the inhabitants in the land of promise.

   The people of Shechem all hated them because of Simeon and Levi wiping out all the men of their tribe. Esau's descendants weren't too happy either because of Jacob getting his brother's birthright and blessing. Oh yes, and then there were the descendants of Ishmael who were thrown out of the land by Sarah.

Chapter One

Enslaved to Sin

   Egypt in the Bible is a type of the sinful world and our enslavement to it. Seventy souls were too few to make a nation out of with all that hostility going on around them in the promised land, so God made them heroes in the eyes of the Egyptians through Joseph until they grew in the millions and a king arose that knew not Joseph.

1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

   Four hundred and thirty years the Children of Israel lived in Egypt and for a large part of that time they were free, and they multiplied immensely, so much so that they even outnumbered the Egyptians in the land.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

   God allowed this time of testing for the children of Israel to prepare them for something great. They would eventually leave Egypt by God's hand and begin a new nation.

   You cannot build a new nation by using a bunch of spoiled rich people who had servants do all their work for them as Israel had become in Goshen, so God allowed Pharaoh to take away Israel's wealth and to harden them through slavery to prepare them for their Exodus out of Egypt.

15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

   Shiphrah and Puah's names are legendary until this day for their defiance to the Pharaoh's orders. They obeyed God rather than man.

   God does not condone your lying to get out of trouble because of this story. I know some have tried to use it to justify their little white lies, but I am sure they are not lying to save someone's life.

22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

   This appears to be a royal decree which was known by all the children of Israel because it was known by Moses' mother who would have to hide her son for three months.

   Just imagine the consequences if Satan's plan succeeded in the tribe of Judah. The Messiah could never be born because his lineage would have been cut off. We would all be lost! God knows just when to step in and intervene in the messes we get ourselves into.

Chapter Two

Drawn out of the Water

1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

   Moses' mother must have thought, surely a basket floating down the river would get someone's attention and hopefully their pity, and that they would have compassion on the child and care for him. Anything would be better than just casting him in the water to drown and be eaten by the crocodiles.

   The interesting thing is that Moses' mother ends up eventually obeying Pharaoh's command. She did cast little Moses into the river, howbeit in a little boat.

5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. 9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.

   How about that? Moses gets to live, stay with his real mother until he is weaned, which was his sister's idea. His mother even gets paid, and Moses gets to be raised in Pharaoh's house. That was God's plan from the beginning. God is omniscient!

10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

   One of the first things that you should have noticed is that there are at least six people mentioned in this chapter and none of their names are mentioned intentionally by the holy Spirit so as to focus your attention on the main character of the book, Moses (which means "drawn out of").

   Moses' father's name was Amram and his mother's name was Jochebed and since Moses is adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, he is given the best education, and as a grandson to Pharaoh he is in a position of privilege and learns many things that would one day prepare him to lead God's people.

   Moses is a type of Christ in that he was not raised in the home of his real Father (God). Pharaoh's daughter also received a son without having known a man. (Not by virgin birth though)

11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

   Nothing is mentioned of Moses' childhood, his teen years or his years as a young adult, just like Christ. From these verses it is not evident that Moses knew that he was an Hebrew.

   When we read the words of Stephen, we find out by the holy Spirit that he definitely knew he was an Hebrew and he also knew that God wanted to use him to deliver his people. He like Christ came unto his own and his own received him not.

Acts 7:22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

   It appears from this that Moses knew who he was, and he was kept from his people for the most part as it would not be appropriate for a grandson of Pharaoh to be associating with slaves. Both Moses and Jesus had to wait until it was time to lead.

Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

   What a powerful assessment made here by the writer of Hebrews concerning Moses, and the things that he ascribes to Moses are mind boggling.

   Once Moses was a mature man, and a man of understanding, he rejected his position and its perks and chose to attempt to deliver his people.

15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

   Kings sought to kill both Moses and Christ, and both had to flee into exile. Christ is still in exile today, but he will return when Israel cries out to God as they do in this story.

   It is interesting how many significant people meet at a well in the Bible. Jacob and Rachel, Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. 20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

   Stephen adds Moses' second son to the story, that he had in the forty years that had passed since he fled from Pharaoh. Both Moses and Christ had to go into exile.

   They are eventually both accepted by their brethren the second time. Israel will believe upon Christ after his return from exile.

   Moses, a Jew, receives a Gentile bride, and they become one flesh, similar to the body of Christ being made up of Jews and Gentiles into one body (the church) today (the one new man of Ephesians.  Christ will  go to deliver his brethren, the Jews, at the end of their four hundred and ninety years of suffering.

   They did four hundred and eighty-three years before the cross, now they are in a time out prophetically speaking, and after the body of Christ is raptured out their last week of seven years will occur, then Christ will come to deliver them at that time.

   This is another picture which proves the Church will not go through the tribulation period!

Acts 7:29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

   If the king of Egypt died, that would mean that his son would be the new Pharaoh, which would be the brother of Moses' adopted mother, his uncle.

  Most likely he was Moses' half-brother if the dead Pharaoh had only a daughter which later married as some suggest. Jesus and Moses both had half-brothers from different fathers.

   The interesting thing about the Pharaoh dying is that he wanted Moses dead for killing an Egyptian and now he was dead.

   His son or son-in-law was now Pharaoh and he was not aware of the situation between Moses and the previous Pharaoh which freed the way for Moses' return to the land.

   Israel will one day sigh again and cry during the time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) also known as the tribulation period and Daniel's seventieth week, Daniel 9:24-27, and God will hear them, and the Messiah will come out of exile and save them.

Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Chapter Three

The Burning Bush

1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD  appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

   Notice that in verse two it was the angel of the LORD that appeared unto him, and then in verse four it mentions both the LORD and God in relation to the bush. How are these things possible?

   First of all, when you see LORD in scripture it is always the Hebrew letters for the name of God (YHVH or YHWH), and when you see the word God, it is in place of the Hebrew word Elohim.

   God is often called multiple names and titles at the same time in scriptures, when you see the word Lord, it is a reference to the Hebrew word Adonia.

   The angel of the LORD is often a pre-incarnate appearance of the Messiah of Israel. The Messiah is Lord, LORD and God at the same time. The very word Elohim ends with im and in Hebrew that is always a plural ending. The God who is One is also plural.

6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

   Notice that God declares that I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not I was. He is the God of the living and not the God of the Dead.

   Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did die, but they are alive today, and God is their God today just as much as he was when they walked the face of this earth.

And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

   God did not forget the children of Israel but used this great trial to make this group of people strong for the journey that lie ahead, just as the Holocaust has prepared them to give birth to a new nation in the Land.

  This time it was without forty years of wandering. The Messiah stood before the rulers in his day as well.

11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

   Remember, Moses had already tried to deliver Israel forty years ago when he killed an Egyptian and that failed miserably because it was not God's timing.

Act 7:24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 

  Moses came unto his own people, and his own received him not. The Jews didn't follow Jesus the first time either, but after his time in exile in heaven they will.

12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

   God had never revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob nor to any other person in scripture in this fashion before by calling himself I AM THAT I AM.

16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: 22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

   God who is all knowing tells Moses to tell the elders of Israel all these things and yet the children of Israel still complained against Moses even though everything he said would happen happened.

Chapter Four

God instructs Moses

1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. 2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

   Since Moses was looking for excuses God had a little fun with him. Notice it says that when he cast the rod onto the ground and it became a serpent that Moses fled from before it.

   No doubt it was a large deadly serpent that the people of that area would recognize, most likely a cobra. I would have fled too but I would have had a lot of discourse with God about picking up the serpent.

6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

   God had all the bases covered. He knows the end from the beginning, and he knows how others will respond to our following the word of God in our life.

10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

   Moses is finally resolved to go and do as God says, but God knows Moses heart, that there is fear and doubt in it, but he commits to it because he knows God will see him through.

14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. 17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

   The Jew requires a sign and God gives them two and if that was not enough, God would show the rest his power as he delivered the people through ten terrible plagues.

18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. 19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. 20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

   Moses receives a Gentile wife and Christ receives Gentiles into the church which is his body today. Moses' wife remained in exile with him until he went to deliver his brethren at the end of their four hundred and thirty years of suffering.

   This is another picture which proves the church will not go through the tribulation period!

   Will Christ say to his father the same thing that Moses said when he returns at the end of the tribulation period? Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren ..., and see whether they be yet alive? Hmm.

21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

   Again, and again God tells Moses what he will do and what he is to tell people of Israel as well as Pharaoh and yet they do not listen or as in the case of the Israelites, they only listen for a little while.

24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

   Moses no doubt instructed his wife that circumcision was necessary for the child of God and if Moses were going to bring his family with him, they must be circumcised before appearing before the children of Israel.

27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. 29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

   Everything sounds good for Moses right now, everyone is following him, people are worshipping the God of their fathers, but that is before trouble comes. The people will believe the Messiah when he returns a second time because of all the signs.

Chapter Five

Let my people go

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. 3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

   This should not come as a surprise to anyone because God had told them this would happen in the beginning. Sometimes this is all the opposition some people need to get them to quit serving God.

   The one thing that puzzles me is that Moses mentions that the children of Israel are to have a feast unto God in the wilderness.

  Was God intending to have them go out and then come back to deliver them at a later time? We will never know in this life because scripture does not tell us what would have happened if Pharaoh would have obeyed.

   We can figure out why God wanted Israel to travel three days out into the wilderness, however. It was to save them from the wrath of the Egyptians that would see them sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians.

   What is the abomination of the Egyptians? Sheep! Remember when Israel came into Egypt how that Joseph told them to say they kept cattle instead of sheep?

Genesis 46:34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. 6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

   Pharaoh is a type of Satan in this whole story who oppresses the children of God, Egypt is a type of the world that keeps us from entering into our rest, Israel is a type of the sinner who is enslaved to sin, and Moses is a type of the Messiah who delivers Israel.

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

   Often times we think we must be doing something wrong if we are persecuted for our faith when God is trying to strengthen us for the battles that lie ahead.

15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. 17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. 18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.

   Satan and the world will require more from you as the years go on. He will take you farther than you intended to go, keep you longer than you intended to stay and cost you far more than you thought you would have to pay.

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

   Remember the elders of Israel were already informed by Moses that Pharaoh would not let them go initially until after he had showed his power unto Egypt and yet they still complained to Moses.

22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

   Now we see that even Moses has forgotten the words of the LORD God of Israel. Satan immediately comes and snatches away the word of God from our minds.

Chapter Six

Uncircumcised Lips

1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

   This is the first time God's name JEHOVAH is mentioned in the Bible as being told to people, of course we see it mentioned earlier in Genesis.

   That is because Moses is writing it long after the events have occurred, and he uses the name for God long after the fact, but God never used it to identify himself to the Patriarchs until now.

4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

   What a blessing to know that God will not allow us to be tempted above that we are able, but will with that temptation provide a way of escape that we will be able to bare.

7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

   God would use this great deliverance of the nation of Israel from slavery to testify of His great power to the heathen nations around and any gentile that saw these wonders or heard about them had a decision to make.

   Would they stay in their idolatry, praying to images made by their own hands, or would they bow the knee to the one true God?

9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

   Friends and family may oppose you, but God is with you as he was with Moses when he chose to go it alone against the world.

  People need to see others take a stand and attempt the impossible by faith so that they too will one day attempt great things for God.

10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 12 And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? 13 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

   It is all right to wonder how God is going to go about accomplishing His will in our life, but we should not fight it or run from it.

14 These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben. 15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon. 16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. 18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. 19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations. 20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years. 21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. 23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites. 25 And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.

   Notice that four of Jacob's sons are mentioned which each came from Leah, Jacob's first wife, but Judah is not mentioned intentionally.

   Levi gets the predominance here by God because it is the Levitical priesthood that is about to be established in Exodus and Aaron's sons are the ones in which this honor falls. Judah will have one who is prophet, priest and king one day.

26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. 27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron. 28 And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. 30 And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?

   Again, God brings up Moses' status as being uncircumcised, which is both a problem with the nation he was trying to deliver, and Pharaoh could through it in his face as well and say, "Moses, you're not even circumcised, you're Egyptian."

   Satan likes to remind us of our past to keep us in bondage so that we will not do anything for God in the future.

Chapter Seven

The River of Blood

1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. 2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

   How many Egyptians must have thrown away their silly little idols after what they were about to see is known only to God, but you have to believe that many came to trust in the God of Israel after seeing His great power.

Romans 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

   Remember the harlot Rahab in Jericho? She and her whole city knew of the works of the God of the Hebrews as well as many of the nations round about. It is too bad that they continued in their idolatry with the exception of a few.

6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they. 7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

   Why does it matter how old people are at certain events in their lives? God uses numbers to help teach us things. All throughout scripture the number forty is mentioned as a number associated with trials and testing.

   But Aaron's age is recorded here, and it gives us a better understanding of the timing of the earlier Pharaoh's decree to kill all the male children that are born.

   This decree must have been made just prior to Moses' birth as he and Aaron are only three years apart and Aaron was allowed to live.

8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

   The apostle Paul gives us the names of two of these magicians that withstood Moses.

2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

   The thing that should have impressed everyone was that Moses serpent swallowed up the magician's serpents. That should have been a bad omen to them, but God hardened their hearts.

14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. 16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. 17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.

   God gives Pharaoh a warning about what is going to happen because of his previous refusal to obey him. God doesn’t always warn Pharaoh, however. Watch and see that God warns Egypt twice and then the third time He just lets Pharaoh have it.

   This He does three times in a row and another interesting point is that the children of Israel are affected by these first few plagues as well.

19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. 24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. 25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.

   The magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments the scriptures said. Satan's forces can perform some pretty amazing feats to deceive people as is the case here. He is not all powerful as God is and is limited in his power as we shall see in the plague of lice later on.

   This will happen again to the world during the time of Jacob's Trouble (the tribulation period) when Moses returns with Elijah prior to the millennial kingdom. Revelation 8:8

Chapter Eight

One More Night with the Frogs

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: 3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: 4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.

   Apparently, Moses didn't receive a positive response back from Pharaoh because he jumps right into the implementation of God's plan.

5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. 8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD. 9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? 10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. 11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.

   One more night with the frogs was the response of Pharaoh. Why didn't he ask Moses to remove them immediately? We often do the same thing with our sin by waiting until the new year before giving up a particular sin.

12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh. 13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. 14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

   Just as soon as conditions got better Pharaoh changed his mind. We do the same and jump right back into our old way of living when times get hard. We let our circumstances determine our actions as did Pharaoh.

16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. 19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

   Here we see absolutely no warning from God as to what it was that was about to come upon the people which is contrary to what had transpired in the two previous incidents. Also, we see that this plague could not be matched by the magicians.

20 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. 22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. 23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.

   Notice that this is the only plague so far that God does not allow too harm his children. They go through as far as scripture records all the previous plagues along with the Egyptians perhaps to humble them for their earlier complaining to Moses.

24 And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies. 25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. 26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? 27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us. 28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me. 29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD. 30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. 31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one. 32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

   Pharaoh agrees to let the people go temporarily but he places a travel restriction on them of less than the three days journey which is of course unacceptable with God as well as Moses because of the reason listed that the Egyptians despised the sacrifice of sheep and would have stoned them for doing so in their sight.

Chapter Nine

Gods Guided Missiles

1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, 3 Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. 4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel. 5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. 6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. 7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

   Pharaoh could see the hand of God was specifically against him and his people and that it was not a bunch of plagues that were happening to the all those around them. How could these plagues not affect the Jews in Goshen when all around Goshen was being destroyed by God's plagues?

   Pharaoh and all of Egypt was forced to accept the fact that God's hand was with a bunch of Hebrew slaves and it was not with them. We often times get upset when we see others blessed instead of us and begin to have little pity parties.

8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. 10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. 12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.

   God gave Egypt a warning before each of the first two plagues before sending the third plague unannounced. He now does this same thing a second time.

   Pharaoh may have thought that the other plagues happened to all the land of Egypt, Goshen included, and were just foreknown by Moses, but to see the Plague skipping over the areas where the children of Israel lived showed him that the Egyptians were being singled out by God for punishment.

13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. 15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. 16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. 17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? 18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. 19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die. 20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: 21 And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.

   There were those Egyptians who had had enough of rebelling against the God of all the universe, and they obeyed the voice of Moses.

   There will be people during the time of Jacob's trouble that will listen to the two witnesses that will be calling down plagues and many will be saved.

   Many scholars believe that Moses will be one of these two witnesses. Remember that the Exodus is also a type of the tribulation period that will come upon all the earth and especially upon Israel itself.

22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. 23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

   God will supernaturally protect a remnant of Israel during the tribulation period in a place called Petra. While all the world suffers, Israel will be taken care of by God, but not before her having to go through the fires of persecution as they did under Pharaoh only much worse.

27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer. 29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD'S. 30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God. 31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. 32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up. 33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

   While you are being punished as Pharaoh was it is easy to repent temporarily from your sin, but we see that as soon as the judgments ended Pharaoh was back to his old ways again, just like you and I do with our sins.

Chapter Ten

That Ye May Know

1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: 2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD. 3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast: 5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field: 6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh. 7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

   Notice that the servants of Pharaoh have still not even contemplated that the Hebrew's God may indeed be the one and only true God, because they say to Pharaoh that it is their (the Hebrew's) God.

   Of course, Pharaoh was considered by all Egyptians as being God on earth to a people who had many God's. To claim that the LORD alone was God would destroy what they have been brainwashed to believe for so long.

8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go? 9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD. 10 And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. 11 Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.

   Pharaoh knew that if Israel were to leave with everything that they would not return that is why he said that evil is before you.

12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left. 13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. 15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only. 18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. 19 And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt. 20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

   God had prepared a special kind of locust to destroy Egypt, he will send locust again upon the earth to destroy a third part of the green grass during the time of Jacob's trouble.

   Remember that this event foreshadows the great tribulation period that shall come upon all the earth in the latter days. Once the plague was lifted Pharaoh again refuses to let everyone go and God sends him another plague without any warning.

21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. 25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God. 26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither. 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. 28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. 29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

   This is the third time that God gives Egypt and Pharaoh a plague without any advanced warning. There were three separate groups of three plagues each.

   Two of which had warnings followed by the third with no warning. How many times does God have to warn us, and chastise us before we come to our senses? We are no better than Pharaoh.

Chapter Eleven

One Plague More

1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.

   The preceding three verses were relayed to Moses while he was still in the presence of Pharaoh because before he leaves, he pronounces the tenth and final plague.

4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. 9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

   There was no offer to repent given to Pharaoh to save his people, God was going to do what he was going to do and nothing could stop it. 

Chapter Twelve

The LORD'S Passover

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

   The seventh month has now become the first month. Israel was to sacrifice a lamb for each household. This was not a Levitical sacrifice. One day the Lamb of God, the Messiah, would be sacrificed as our Passover because of our sins.

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

   Their lamb must be a male without blemish and it is to be killed by every household in Israel. Jesus was without sin and was offered to God unknowingly by Israel as their sacrifice. He was the Lamb of God which took away the sin of the world.

   The blood of the lamb must be applied to the door and the way in which it was applied formed a cross which was symbolic of the true Lamb of God which would one day be sacrificed for the sins of the world.

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

   Today is the day of salvation! We cannot wait for a better time. Everyone must partake of the passover and everyone must remain under the blood. It is a personal salvation.

   I could not eat enough for my family, they had to eat their share. I couldn't remain in the house while my children were playing in the streets.

   They must be under the blood themselves and that took an act of faith to kill a lamb and to smear its blood on their doorposts.

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

   No blood, no deliverance! The Messiah had to shed his blood for the remission of our sins. He as our passover had to fulfill perfectly what this picture foreshadowed.

   There are actually two agents involved in the passover which we will see momentarily. One who would do the killing and the other who determined who was to be killed.

14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. 15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

   This ordinance is still practiced by Jews today. It is not necessary for Gentile believers to observe seeing how it was never given to us.

   Just as circumcision, the sabbath day and Israel's dietary laws were given to the Jews and are not required nor expected that gentiles should keep them in the church age.

   The church is not spiritual Israel as many denominations believe. This unleavened bread also pictured the Messiah of Israel in that he was without sin. He said that he was the bread of life.

16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. 17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

   The passover has been a very eventful day throughout history. Israel has been attacked on passover. Leaven is symbolic of pride which puffs up a person. It was pride that caused Satan to sin.

18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

   God takes the issue of sin in our lives very seriously. Even though this was only a picture of removing sin from our lives, God by example shows us how much he hates sin because of how it destroys our fellowship with him and eventually our lives.

   It also has its end in hell where God never intended for us to go. God so does not want us to go to hell that he gives Israel this harsh ordinance that they are to keep in memorial every year to remind them of the awfulness of sin.

21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. 22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

   Here we see the destroyer working with the LORD to accomplish his will. Notice that the LORD will not suffer (allow) the destroyer to touch even one soul that is under the blood.

   Are you under the blood of the Messiah? If not, you will have a date with the destroyer one day and it will be to late then.

24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

   What a great way to teach their young when they questioned them as to why they had to participate in this yearly ordinance.

   God didn't want them to forget where they came from and what they had gone through. He doesn't want us to forget what he has done for us either.

28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

   There was not a house where there was not one dead. Even the cattle of Egypt that remained were subject to this judgment of God.

   Since God regarded Isaac's descendants as his firstborn of promise and not of the flesh as was Ishmael, God wanted them released.

   He wanted to show the world the special place he has in his heart for them because it was through them that his only begotten Son would proceed forth.

31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. 33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. 34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. 35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: 36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

   This giving of the jewels of silver and of gold as well as their raiment was prophesied to Abraham over four hundred years earlier. 

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 

37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. 38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

   Succoth, I believe became the actual name of the place where Israel took its first rest on the way to the promise land. It says that they baked unleavened cakes with the dough that they had brought from Egypt. 

   I am sure they looked over the roughly two million travelers with their little booths sprawled out as far as the eye could see.

   The fact that the cakes were unleavened represented that God did not want them to carry their sin with them to bog them down on the way to the promised land.  

   Yeast (leaven) is always a type of sin in the Bible because it puffs up just like pride.

40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

   If God holds the day of his delivering Israel out of Egypt with such high regard and expects his children to do so as well, then shouldn't the day we got saved be of even more importance?

43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. 45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. 46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. 50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

   Salvation was of the Jews, and no stranger that had not submitted himself to circumcision was allowed to participate in this service.

   God wanted the gentiles to be told the story and be allowed an opportunity to accept it. Salvation was through a nation at that time and now it is through the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

 Chapter Thirteen

The Firstborn

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. 3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 4 This day came ye out in the month Abib.

   The month Abib (pronounced Aviv in Hebrew) is the same as the month Nisan. These two names are used inter changeably. Aviv simply means first.

5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. 8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. 9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. 10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

   Israel even today places a leather strap around their arm and hand as well as on their head to remind them of the Law which had not even been given yet. Moses is ahead of himself here, but God has ordained that it be recorded in this way.

11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. 13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. 14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. 16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

   God required a sacrifice as a memorial of his wonderful works. Every little shepherd boy that sees a firstborn animal from his flock get sacrificed will undoubtedly ask his father, What is this? God in his wisdom enacted this ordinance to help the children of Israel remember God and his deliverance.

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. 20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

   Here we see Moses skipping ahead with his comments about the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire as he is writing this long after the event.

  What a blessing to have such a physical display of God's presence above you to guide you. We do not have this luxury as individuals, but we do have the indwelling holy Spirit inside every believer that has placed their faith in the Lamb of God.

Chapter Fourteen

The Red sea

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

   Migdol means a high and steep mountain. What looked like a stupid place for a General to keep his troops was the perfect place for God to keep his people to show them how much he watches over them. They were between a rock and a hard place.

4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

   What was the purpose of hardening Pharaoh's heart? That Egypt might know that Israel’s God is the LORD. He didn't harden Pharaoh's heart so that he could not be saved, it was hardened so that others in Egypt would be saved.

   This is mentioned in the book of Romans chapter nine and is constantly used to teach that God chose Pharaoh to go to hell. hell is not in the picture here. He hardened Pharaoh's heart, so he would chase after Israel.

5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

   Before we pass judgment on them, we should put ourselves in their sandals for a moment. We would have acted the same way and we know it.

   We have the advantage of knowing the end from the beginning in this story, they did not. We cannot let our eyes bring fear to our lives which will keep us from accomplishing God's will in our life.

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

   Remember that when we come to the end of trusting ourselves God is able to work miracles in our life. Tragically some people never learn that lesson and they run back to Egypt (the world) before God can show himself to them.

   Salvation cannot be obtained by our own deeds, we need to stand still and let God do the saving.

15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

   Pharaoh was God to Egypt and they trusted in him. He trusted in his forces to give him victory against the Jews on that day.

   He had no fear of losing because he did not honor God. All of this was done to deliver Israel and to make Egypt realize the foolishness of worshipping Pharaoh as god.

19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

   The angel of God is almost always a pre-incarnate appearance of the Messiah as is the case here. He was there with them all through their wilderness wanderings leading them.

   The light we receive seems like darkness to the lost world. The light of God's word should separate us from the works of darkness.

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

   Before the waters were brought crashing down upon them God was knocking off the Egyptian's chariot wheels. It was like a giant playing with ants and no matter what the ants did they could never defeat the giant.

   Some have suggested that this proves that God had to have a sense of humor by knocking off their wheels, but I submit that God does not take pleasure in the deaths of the wicked.

26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

   Israel as a nation was saved, spiritually speaking, at the first Passover, they were spiritually baptized into one body or nation at the Red sea according to the apostle Paul.

1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

Chapter 15 

The Song of Moses

1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

   Moses led by the holy Spirit utters the words, “I will prepare him and habitation;” which was a prophetical utterance concerning God coming to tabernacle with his people.

   First it will be his Shekinah glory that he will have a tabernacle made for him that is a pattern of what God has in the third heaven.

   Then he shall come through David’s line and be born in Bethlehem and live in the land for thirty-three years before being rejected and exiled in a far country (heaven) until his enemies be made his footstool. Psalm 110:1

   In Israel’s kingdom God will again dwell with man but not as he did 2,000 years ago as the Lamb of God, but this time he will come back as the lion of the tribe of Judah. Things will be different.

3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. 4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. 5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. 6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

The Right Hand of God

   Thy right hand is mentioned twice here by Moses in one verse and again in verse 12, and it is the first time that phrase is used concerning God’s right hand.

   Over and over again “thy right hand” is mentioned not as God the father’s physical right hand because God the Father is a Spirit, but each time “thy right hand” is mentioned it is personified, that is, attributes are given to God’s right hand that are reserved for a person.

   Jesus Christ is God’s right hand. In Acts 7:55 Stephen as he is about to be stoned tells his hearers that he sees the Son of man (Jesus) standing on the right hand of God.

7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. 8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. 9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. 10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

   Moses said that God did blow with thy wind, which is synonymous with God’s Holy Spirit working in harmony with God’s right hand, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Triune God in action.

11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? 12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. 13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

   Again Moses, led by the holy Spirit mentions for the third time God’s right hand in delivering Israel from her persecutors, and bringing them (Israel) into thy (God’s) habitation.

14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. 15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. 16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.

   Instead of Moses saying thy right hand a fourth time he attributes the fear of God falling on Israel’s enemies by the greatness of his arm in verse 16.

17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.

   Once again, we get the idea that God intends not only for Israel to dwell in the land, but that he has made the land for him to dwell in as well.

    The sanctuary which God’s hands have established is more than the land being a sanctuary, it is a reference to the place where the city of God which will come down in the millennial kingdom will dwell.

18 The LORD shall reign for ever and ever. 19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

Miriam

20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

The Murmuring against Moses at Marah

22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

   The judgments of God were very bitter (Marah) to the Egyptians but His mercy was very sweet to the Children of Israel in delivering them from their bondage.

27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

   Elim in Hebrew means belongs to God. It was not the city that belonged to God but the nation that had just been born in a day.

   Israel before it was ever known as the nation of Israel went into Egypt with only seventy people which made up a family that had twelve patriarchs.

    They would later become the twelve tribes of Israel represented by the twelve wells of water, what an amazing sign of God’s hand in their deliverance that they could see every time they went to get water.

Chapter Sixteen

The Wilderness of Sin 

1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

  There is always a place to sin (the wilderness of sin) for God's people (Elim) before they get to where they need to be, doing what they need to be doing (Mt. Sinai). Satan will always have a place of temptation to get you off the course God has set before you.

2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

   The places of Elim and Succoth received their names as the children of Israel passed through them based on what transpired in those places.   

   They had Egyptian and Arabian names but those were not the names God wanted them to be remembered by to the children of Israel.

   The wilderness of Sin got its name from what the children of Israel did while they were there, they sinned. Murmuring is a sin. When they murmured against God's leader they were really murmuring against God. Do you murmur against your Pastor?

God proves Israel

4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. 5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. 

   Here we have the very first time the sabbath was about to be made known to Israel.   God will use the Manna to prove (test) whether Israel will walk in God’s law or not.

Nehemiah 9:13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:  14 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:  15  And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.

God made the sabbath known to them here!

    They did not keep the Sabbath in Egypt because they were slaves and worked every day and because it had not been given to them yet as they had not received the law yet.

6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:  7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?  8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. 

   God was about to do something that has never been done before, to feed a nation. I have read numerous books and almost all of them talk about the migrating quail that travel from Africa to Sinai as if God was dependent on a natural occurrence to deliver his people from their hunger.

   God could have made the birds and cooked them for them if he wanted to. Many creation scientists try to show you someway that the miracles in the bible could have happened when it was a miracle that defies the laws of nature.

   Don’t try to take the miracle out of my miracles because you are really taking God out.

9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.  10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.  11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.  13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.  14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.  15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. 

   This bread gave them new life every day, but it would run out daily and have to be replenished. It was a picture of the bread that would come down from heaven that if they would partake of, they would never again hunger.

    What I found interesting about this is that as I was studying John chapter six where Jesus has just fed the 5,000 that it says the people there also murmured.

16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.  17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.  18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.  19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.  20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. 

   Why was it such a big deal with God and Moses if someone gathered extra on one day so he wouldn’t have to gather any on the next day?   It was because of the picture that it represented spiritually.

   God wanted man to remember that God himself worked six days and rested the seventh and also that Israel had a rest to look forward to (the millennial kingdom).

  It was God that was providing the food for them miraculously and he could do it any way he wanted to because he is God.  He didn’t have to give them bread every day, but he did, and he used it as an opportunity to teach them about himself and their future.

21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.  22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.  23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.  24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.  25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.  26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 

   Why was there no manna on the ground on the seventh day? Because God didn’t provide any on that day, and  because the seventh day represented a future day of rest (the millennial kingdom) when Israel will be delivered from her enemies and live in peace for a 1,000 years with God dwelling in his habitation in Jerusalem.

27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.  28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?  29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.  30 So the people rested on the seventh day.  31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 

   God deals with the type A person initially that wants to do more than he is told, which is disobedience still, and now he deals with the sluggard who probably didn’t want to gather extra on the sixth day because he normally only gathered for one day.

   They no doubt thought there would be more on the next day as they probably thought it was a natural occurrence or something. 

   Those that did go out on this day found nothing just as God had said, and they went to bed hungry that night, just like anyone will when they try to get to God their own way. Jesus said I am the way.

The bread of witness

32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.  33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.  34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.  35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. 36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah. 

  Why do you suppose God fed Israel while they were in the wilderness with manna, but the moment they came into the promised land the manna ceased? 

   The promised land was a land flowing with milk and honey while the wilderness was just that, a wilderness. I know because I am there all the time when I go to Israel and I don’t stay long because there is nothing there but rocks and a few weeds.

   God eventually brought Israel to a land where they had houses that they didn’t build and crops that they didn’t plant, it was “move in ready” as realtors like to say. 

   The manna that Aaron and Moses took up eventually was placed in the ark of the covenant along with Aaron’s Rod that budded and the tables of stone.

Chapter Seventeen

Smiting the Rock 

1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not? 

   Water was something they were going to need on a daily basis, even more so than food and God could handle this seemingly massive problem the same way he handled their hunger, by showing forth his power in a miraculous way.

   1 Corinthians 10:4 mentions the water that came from the Rock, "and that Rock was Christ" Paul said.

    Christ can make water appear from a rock to supply the need of a thirsting nation in the wilderness and he can help you with whatever problem you have going on, just don't be like Israel, murmuring against the Lord all the time when they didn't see the answer at the first sign of trouble. 

Israel's First Battle

8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:  16 For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

    Amalek started the fight by attacking the rear of their formation as they marched towards their destination, so they could kill the old, and the weak that were lagging behind.

   Most of the time the strongest fighters would be out in front of a formation and that is probably were Joshua was with his best fighters when Amalek attacked without any warning. This story can be found in Deuteronomy 25:17-19.

    There was no coincidence going on with Moses keeping his arms lifted.  The men of Israel would see Moses and that would cause them to fight on.

   It was God aiding the children of Israel as long as Moses was lifting up the rod of God that was used to smite the waters earlier. 

   Leave my miracles alone liberals and quit trying to explain God out every story.   Notice that it said at the end of verse six that God said that He would have war with Amalek from generation to generation. How is that possible?

   Amalek died but the spirit behind Amalek would raise his ugly head up against Israel every chance he could because Satan does not want Israel in the land where God will one day establish his kingdom, so he fights against God's people using others that will do his bidding, such as Amalek.

Chapter Eighteen

  Moses the Judge

1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; 2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, 3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: 4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: 5 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God: 6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her. 7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. 8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. 12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God. 13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. 14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? 15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. 17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. 24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Chapter Nineteen

 A Kingdom of Priests

1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. 3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 

   Israel has yet to attain the status of an holy nation, but it shall in the kingdom when it shall also be a nation of priests that will go to teach the Gentiles God's words, but not before it keeps God's covenant that he made with them.

   This will happen when Moses and Elijah come and restores all things to the remnant of Israel in the tribulation period (the time of Jacob's trouble).

7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. 9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. 

   The Bible was not a bunch of stories made up by some Jews to use to control a nation of people, but it was given unto them at mount Sinai by God himself and the people of Israel heard his voice and knew that he spoke his words unto Moses on their behalf and they covenanted with God to do all he said they should do.

10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,  11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.  12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: 13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. 14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. 15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.  16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.  20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. 21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. 22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them. 23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. 24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them. 25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

   Mount Sinai was not a volcano as some teach that was erupting and Moses took advantage of the people because of it to get them to listen to him, it was God causing the clouds, the thunder and the trumpet sound was coming from heaven not from one of the Israelites.

Chapter Twenty

The Ten Commandments

1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

   Ask yourself this question, was the body of Christ ever in bondage to Egypt? No! The 10 Commandments were given to the nation of Israel not the body of Christ. Please read on before you get mad.

The 1st Commandment

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

   Notice God uses the word "gods" with a small g. He is the one and only God and all other gods are not really God's at all but spirits masquerading as God.

   How foolish for a person to place a created being in front of the Creator God! God forbids such actions because worship alone belongs to the one who created the worshipper in the first place, not to some fallen angel that only seeks to take you away from your Creator who loves you and gave you life.

The 2nd Commandment

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;  6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 

   This is the commandment that the Catholics leave out of their ten because the practice of idolatry (the worship of images) is practiced by all Catholics.

   How do they justify deleting a commandment? They simply double up on the last commandment concerning coveting and make it two commandments instead of one.

   So, coveting is twice as bad as having some other god before the one true God according to them and graven images, well, they make a lot of money off of them.

The 3rd Commandment

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

   Is it okay for a Christian to use the Lord's name in vain because the law was never given to the Gentiles? Of course not. We should reverence the one who died for us and not belittle his name.

The 4th Commandment

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 

   The sabbath day was taught to the nation of Israel at mount Sinai as a part of the law and is a picture of Israel's kingdom rest that happens after the time of Jacob's trouble ends, it was never given to the church because we are under grace and heaven an heavenly destiny not an earthly one.

The 5th Commandment

12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 

The 6th Commandment

13 Thou shalt not kill. 

The 7th Commandment

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

The 8th Commandment

15 Thou shalt not steal. 

The 9th Commandment

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 

The 10th Commandment

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. 

   This is the commandment that is broken into two by the Catholics, so they can de-emphasize the worshipping of graven images.

   Any image is an idol and they are never to be graven in the first place because they violate the very first and second commandments. 

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. 25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

   God warned Israel that he did not want to see their nakedness as they were going up to the altar to offer upon it.

   He doesn't want to see our nakedness either today and we have no business showing it to others because it is our nakedness. It belongs to us and our spouse alone if we are married. 

The End of Part I