Exodus 13-15

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Exodus 13

The Israelites were given two ordinances in this chapter. The first born males of men as well as the first born males of animals were to be sanctified or “set apart” for the LORD. They had to first give them to the Lord and then redeem them for a price. This needed to be done so that the Israelites would be reminded that God saved their first born males in Egypt when all the first born males of the Egyptians had died.

God also instituted the feast of the unleavened bread. This feast started with the passover and lasted a week during which time they had to put away leaven or yeast from their houses and eat bread baked without leaven. The significance of not using leaven in the bread is made clear by emphasizing that they should be completely free of leaven in their homes. Leaven is a picture of sin throughout the Bible and we similarly should put away sin from our lives.

Exodus 11-12

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Exodus 11

God told the Israelites to borrow jewels and valuables from their Egyptian neighbors and the Egyptians gave them because God gave the Israelites “favor in the sight of the Egyptians”. When the original Hebrew words for “borrow” and “gave” are examined, they mean “ask” and “hand out” respectively. Reading this passage, one could think that the Israelites deceived the Egyptians but it is really a matter of God righting the wrong that has been done. The Israelites labored for years without wages and the Egyptians were asked to pay them at this point. God executes judgment for the oppressed.

Exodus 7-10

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When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh to ask for freedom for the Israelite people, as commanded by God, they performed their first miracle by turning Aaron’s rod into a serpent. The sorcerers of Egypt did the same and Aaron’s rod swallowed the magicians’ rods. Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not listen to Moses’ plea.

God then brought about a series of plagues on Egypt. The tenth plague is described in great detail in chapters 11 and 12 but we will look at the first nine plagues here. There were several purposes for these plagues:

Exodus 4-6

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Exodus 4

Moses was afraid to do what God was telling him to do. He was finding excuses and reasons why he was unfit or unable to handle the task that God has assigned him. God gave Moses the power to perform miracles. God promised to speak through his mouth. Moses was still unwilling. While we may look at Moses as disobedient, we are very often guilty of similar shortcomings. Are we always ready and willing to do whatever God tells us to do? Or, do we come up with excuses? God was angry with Moses but is still merciful. He appointed Aaron to be Moses’ spokesman.

Exodus 1-3

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Genesis covered a period of about 2500 years. Chapter 1 of Exodus covers a period of 400 years and chapter 2 covers a period of another 80 years. Chapter 3 through the end of Deuteronomy covers only a period of 40 years.

Exodus 1

Israelites came into Egypt as a family of seventy people (1:5, Gen 46:27). Over the next 400 years, they multiplied and outnumbered the Egyptians. The Egyptians started to oppress the Israelites with hard labor. The king ordered the midwives to kill all male Israeli children at birth. The midwives feared God and did not do as the king ordered. Were they not submitting to authority by disobeying the kings orders? Did they lie to the king when they said:

Genesis 48-50

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Genesis 48

Joseph visits Jacob as he is about to die. Jacob blesses both Manasseh and Ephraim but declares that Ephraim, the younger will be mightier than Manasseh. Jacob also gives Joseph two portions of the inheritance but adopting the sons of Joseph. It was customary for the first-born to get two portions and Jacob seems to be giving the birth right to Joseph even though he was the eleventh out of his twelve sons. There other instances in the Bible where the birth right did not always belong to the first-born.

Genesis 46-47

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Genesis 46

In Genesis 32:28, God had changed Jacob’s name from Jacob, which meant "deceiver" or more literally "heel catcher" to Israel which meant "May God Prevail". We now see the name Israel being used more. Jacob and his family started on their journey towards Egypt but Jacob first stopped at Beer-sheba to offer sacrifices and to worship God. Beer-sheba is an important place in the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and they have all built altars there and communed with God. Here again, God speaks to Jacob and assures him that he can go into Egypt without fear. Abraham had a bad experience in Egypt when he went there and had to leave. God had instructed Isaac to not go to Egypt even though there was a famine in Canaan. Even though Joseph is the governor of Egypt and had asked them to move to Egypt, Jacob is seeking direction from God. Knowing that it is God’s will, Jacob is now able to move forward with confidence.

Genesis 43-45

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Genesis 43

Joseph had kept Simeon imprisoned and told his brothers that he would release him only after they brought Benjamin. Joseph wanted to see his younger brother and to know that he is safe and sound. Jacob did not want to send Benjamin to Egypt and risk losing his youngest son the way he lost Joseph.

When they ran out of food a second time, Jacob wanted his sons to go back to Egypt to buy food again but the sons were unwilling to go without Benjamin because the governor of the land was very clear about what he expected of them. Judah stepped up and assured Jacob about the safety of Benjamin and Jacob relented.

Genesis 41-42

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Genesis 41

The sovereignity of God is clearly evident in this chapter. Two more years have passed and Joseph was still in prison. God showed Pharaoh the future events in two dreams one night. God made sure that none of the magicians of Egypt could interpret the dreams. God then got the chief butler to “remember” Joseph and how he accurately interpreted the dreams of the butler and the baker. When Joseph was brought before the Pharaoh, Joseph clearly interpreted the dreams while giving God the glory. Joseph presented not only the problem the future events will pose but also the solution to the problem. He showed the need for a wise man to lead the country in this effort and Pharaoh saw Joseph as that wise leader that Egypt needed for the time. God was and always is in complete control and the events unfold according to His plan.

Genesis 38-40

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Genesis 38

Judah was the fourth son of Jacob but his story is specially listed in this chapter. He makes the mistake of marrying a Canaanite woman, something Abraham and Isaac were not willing for their sons. Judah commits adultery with a woman dressed as a harlot that turns out to be his daughter-in-law. By the custom of the day Judah should have given her in marriage to his third son after his first two sons were killed by God for their wickedness. In spite of his failings, Judah is redeemed by our gracious God and is later made a leader among his brothers and the tribe of Judah the leader of the nation of Israel. The Messiah will later come out of Judah and his son from Tamar. God’s grace is amazing.

Genesis 30-31

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Genesis 30

Since Jacob was related to both Leah and Rachel equally he should have treated them equally but his favorable treatment of one over the other brings envy and rivalry between the two wives. Rachel who was barren was wanting children but compare her actions to those of Hannah under similar circumstances in 1 Sam 1. While Rachel was envious and resentful, Hannah was weeping and praying with a submissive, devout spirit.

Genesis 27-29

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Genesis 27

Isaac favors Esau and wants to give him the blessing that belongs to the oldest son even though he knows that Esau sold his birthrights to Jacob. Rebekah had revelation from God that Esau will serve Jacob. She wants Isaac’s blessing to go to her favorite son and what happens next is a story of lying, cheating, enmity and vengeance.

Genesis 25-26

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Gen. 25

Abraham died at the age 175 and was buried in the cave of Machpelah by Isaac and Ishmael. This is the same cave that Abraham had bought earlier to bury Sarah. It is interesting to note that Abraham had other sons from his later wife Keturah and each of these sons became a different Arab nation fulfilling God’s promise that Abraham would be father of many nations. Even though he had many sons, knowing God’s will, Abraham gave all of his possessions to Isaac.

Genesis 22-24

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Genesis 22

Here is a serious test of Abraham’s faith. When “God did tempt Abraham”, it is not temptation to sin but a test of the faith to prove it.

for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: (James 1:13)

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (James 1:2)

Abraham has always been very obedient. Every time God asked him to do something, he obeyed. This time God is asking him to give his only son to die; the son on whom all the promises depend. Abraham does not question God. He does not delay either. He gets up early in the morning and even splits the wood for the fire himself.

Genesis 19-21

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Genesis 19

Two angels came into Sodom and Lot was at the gate implying that Lot was a leader in the city. Even though the angels wanted to spend the night on the street, Lot insisted that they be his guests. He brought them in and made a feast.

The men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house demanding he give them the two strangers. The word “know” in 19:5 is talking about a sexual knowledge, more specifically homosexuality. The angels rescue Lot from Sodomites that night and ask him to leave with them before dawn. Lot’s sons-in-law do not believe him and do not want to go with them.