Tag Archive | Bible

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 40

Feb9

    Day 40 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 40 – Exodus 30 – 32  (Alters, Workers, the golden calf)

Moses is still on Mt. Sinai – how glorious to be in the presence of Almighty God for weeks at a time – no food or water, just GOD!

Now that the special clothing of the priests has be laid out, God shows Moses how the priest will approach God in chapter 30. The Incense Alter set next to the veil in the Holy Place is where he will offer sweet smelling incense to God. In Revelation, incense is pictured as “the prayers of God’s people.”  Morning & evening Aaron is to offer it on this alter.

God even tells Moses how anointing oil should be made – the finest spices, liquid myrrh, cinnamon, aromatic cane, cassia, and olive oil, and also the incense – sweet spices, pure frankincense, and salt to burn before the Holy of Holies. A head tax would be levied on every person in Israel, 20 years old. There were to pay a half-shekel. Rich and poor would give the same to the Lord’s offering. This would help pay for the needed items to serve in the Tabernacle.

Also a Bronze Basin (Laver) would be made and placed between the great alter of sacrifice in the courtyard and the entrance into the tent of meeting. Here the priest would wash hands and feet before entering the Holy Place.

In Chapter 31, God picks the two men who will oversee all this construction of the Tabernacle etc. Bezalel ben Hur of Judah, and Oholiab ben Ahisamach of the tribe Dan. These men God had “filled with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting and in carving wood, to work in EVERY craft.” 

And to ALL ABLE MEN, God gave ability to make everything He’d commanded, the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony with the mercy seat, all the furnishings of the tent, the table & utensils, the lampstand, the alter of incense, the alter of burnt offerings, and the basin and stand. Also, they would be skilled to make the finely-worked garments for Aaron and his sons, and the oil and the incense.

WOW!  And yet today God has also given to His church, men of special ability to lead well, and He’s given to the congregation other abilities (gifts) to minister and serve.  God is so good!

God now again stresses the importance of the SABBATH-keeping to His people. It was a sign, a covenant, between God and the people that they could KNOW him and be SANCTIFIED by Him.  It was a sign for them…forever.

Then God gave Moses the tablets of stone on which were engraved “by the finger of God” the Ten Words.

Chapter 32 takes us down the mountain, and WAY DOWN into degradation.  Impatient or fearful about Moses being away almost six weeks (was he dead?), the people asked Aaron to make “a god” to lead them.  They had God Almighty, Lord and creator of Heaven and Earth, and they wanted an idol made with human hands.  Sheesh!!

So Aaron called for them to donate gold earrings (which should have been given for the articles of the Tabernacle).  He fashioned it with a “graving tool” and made a golden calf (a famous god of Egypt).  Seriously???  Wasn’t Aaron present with the LORD did all those miracles through Moses before Pharaoh? Didn’t he KNOW the true God?

He also proclaimed a “Feast to the LORD.”   With a graven image of a COW???  Didn’t he remember the FIRST TWO commandments of the Ten, that they all had agreed to? The LORD first, and NO graven images??

The people “sat down to eat the feast, then rose up to play.”  This wasn’t charades or Scrabble.  “Play” here meant a wild, uncontrolled sex-orgy. This is how PAGANS worshiped idols, not the people of God the Most Holy LORD.

God was so angry he told Moses He would kill them all and make a “new nation” from his descendants. But Moses fell on his face and pleaded FOR GOD’S SAKE, not to destroy Israel, His children. Moses did not want God’s name or power to be denigrated in the eyes of the surrounding nations.  God, of course, was testing Moses, and Moses passed.

Then Moses & Joshua descended Sinai to see that revelry.  He was so angry & distraught he hurled the stone tablets at them. And the stone was broken, just as the laws on it had been.

“Aaron, what did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin on them?” asked Moses.

“You know these people, they are set on evil. They gave me gold. I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

WHATTTT????  Is he saying “the people made me do it?” Or is he trying to show that the miracles they performed before Pharaoh, were still working in him?   Either way, Moses destroyed the image, ground it to dust and mixed it in water, and made the people drink it.

Then Moses drew a line in the sand. WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?  The Levites (Moses’ own tribe) stepped over it and stood with him. Then he sent them on a violent, bloody mission of mercy for Israel. They killed the 3000 false worshippers with their swords.  And Moses ordained THEM, the Levites, for the service of the LORD.

And Moses returned to the mountain of God to intercede for the nation … and for his brother.  Moses even offered HIS OWN LIFE in place of the sinning nation (shadows of the work of Christ).

God forgave.  But there are also always consequences to sin. The LORD sent a plague on the people because of the calf THAT AARON MADE.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 39

Feb8

    Day 39 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 39 – Exodus 28 – 29  (Levitical priests, clothes & consecration)

Moses is still up on the smoking mountain. He’s received instructions on building the Tabernacle and some of the furniture in it. In Chapter 28, God will tell him WHO will be ministering in the Tabernacle, and how he is to dress and act.

Moses is to set apart his brother Aaron and Aaron’s four sons (and later descendants) to be Israel’s priests continually. (Remember, Moses also is a Levite.)

The wondrous garments that are to be made for them to wear when ministering to the LORD are breath-taking, both in “glory and beauty.” Pure white linen, with red, blue, purple, & gold threads embroidered in portions. Precious stones to represent the 12 tribes of Israel… when the priest went before God.

I don’t know what some of those stones look like, but the topaz, emerald, sapphire, diamond, & amethyst are ones I’ve seen and they are gorgeous. So colorful! (An interesting study would be to see which tribe name would be placed on which stone on the High Priest’s breastplate!)

Gold chains, rings and clasps, woven pomegranates and golden bells all decorate the clothing for glory and for beauty. Inside (a pocket?) of the breastplate is the Urim and Thummin. What they are we don’t know, but they were used to sometimes determine the will of God. And since HE said to put them there, He must have approved.  A golden medalion with “Holy to the LORD” carved on it would be at the front of the priest’s turbon as he enters God’s presence.

God describes to Moses the making of coats, sashes, caps, and even undershorts for the Priest and his sons.

In chapter 29, Moses is told how to consecrate Aaron (his sons and any priests to follow) before the Most Holy God. Sacrifices, blood sprinkling on the alter, blood touching the outermost places of the exposed sin of the men after being robed in the holy garments (ear lobes, thumb tips, big toe tips). Unblemished bulls, rams, lambs, as well as oil and grain, bread and cakes are offerings and sacrifices — all pointing to the absolute HOLINESS of God and the absolute SINFULNESS of mankind.  (A lesson I need to deeply learn myself.)

All this (and more) in order that God would… “dwell among the people of Israel and be their God. And they shall know that I AM the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt THAT I might dwell among them. I AM the LORD their God.” (29:45-46)

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Hebrews 9:18-22 also speaks of the sprinkling of blood, in particular Jesus’ blood.  “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” This act of redemption by Jesus Christ was set up and foreshadowed in the Old Testament, from the first clothing of skins God made to cover the sin of Adam and Eve, to the High Priest’s daily and annual sacrifices and sprinkling of blood begun at Mt. Sinai.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 38

Feb7

    Day 38—  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 38 – Exodus 25 – 27  (Blueprints for the Tabernacle & it’s contents)

Moses has ascended Mt. Sinai, the “Mountain of God,” and will be gone 40 days and 40 nights. It will be glorious for him, a time of waiting for Joshua, and a time of testing for Israel.

We begin to see in detail the plans to build a “dwelling place” for Israel’s God among His people in Chapter 25. The materials – gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple, scarlet yarns, fine twisted linen, goats’ hair, tanned ram’s skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil, spices, onyx and other precious stones – are to be GIVEN BY THE PEOPLE…. willingly.

Huh?  And where would two million slaves get all those things?  Remember in 12:35-36, “The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they PLUNDERED THE EGYPTIANS.”  Now… these things would be freely given to build a sanctuary for God.

This chapter also outlines building some the Tabernacle furniture; the Ark of the Covenant with the mercy seat, the Table for Bread, the Golden Lampstand, and the Bronze Alter in the outer court. Beautiful in detail and meaning. (The Alter of Insense and the Bronze Basin are described in chapter 30.)

Chapters 26 – 27 cover the literal construction of the Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting with its outer court or “fence” – wood, material and skin coverings, clasps, posts, pegs, all either plain or beautifully embroidered.

For a picturesque you-tube video that shows how the Tabernacle and it’s furniture might have been constructed, check out this video –   The Tabernacle of Moses

     (Tomorrow we will see the details God shows Moses for the Levitical Priesthood)

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 37

Feb6

 Day 37—  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 37 – Exodus 22-24  (Laws for right living, conquest promised, people’s response)

In these chapters, God is giving Moses basic laws for living together justly and happily. Remember there are 2 million or so people now all clustered together with all their animals, living in tents in the desert. “Be nice and fair!” are basically what these laws are saying. “And here are the penalties if you don’t.” (Chapter 22)

Chapter 23 continues with a few more rules, and then clarifies more on what the Sabbath Rest means for them, particularly when they get to the Promised Land. Three obligatory festivals are mentioned; Unleavened Bread (which they alredy know), Feast of Harvest (Pentacost, 50 days later) and finally in the fall, Feast of Ingathering.

God then reafirms His presence with them when they enter the Promised Land and in the conquering of Canaan. He also warns them to HAVE NO COVENANT WITH THE PAGAN PEOPLE TO WORSHIP THEIR GODS.

In Chapter 24 Moses tells all the words and rules of the LORD to the people and “with one voice” they affirm, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”  Moses writes down all the words of the LORD, then builds an alter of 12 stones (one for each tribe of Israel), sacrifices and again reads the words of God. The people (now the THIRD time) affirm, “We will be obedient.”

Then God calls Moses up to Mt Sinai to give him the “Tablets of Stone” (Israel’s constitution, so to speak). His assistant, Joshua goes part way up with him. And a cloud covers them and the firey glory of the Lord shines out.

This will be Israel’s first test of obedience. No one knows at this point that Moses will be gone for 40 days.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 35 & 36

Feb5

   Day 35 & 36 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue. (SUNDAY’s reading is combned with MONDAY’s)

   Day 35 – Exodus 16-18  (Manna, Rest, Water/Rock, War!)

In chapter 16, Israel leaves the oasis of Elim and treks on through the Wilderness (heading to Sinai). The ex-slaves get tired and hungry…and they grumble against Moses (which is actually grumbling against God.)

“O, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full… You’ve brought us out here to kill us all with hunger!”

God tells Moses He has heard their grumbling. “At twilight you shall eat meat and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. THEN you shall KNOW that I AM the LORD your God.” And God did just as He said. Quail covered the camp in the evening and when the dew lifted in the morning, a “fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost” covered the ground.

“Ma-nah?” they asked. “What is it?”

“It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat,” Moses explained. Then he told them how to collect it and “cook” it.  Every morning they were to collect an omer (about a cup full) for each person in their tent. That was enough “flour” to make bread for an adult for the day. They could bake or boil it. It was “like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey”.) They were to collect their “daily bread” each morning for six days. On the 6th day, they would collect double. No “manna” would appear on the seventh (or Sabboth) day. This was a day of rest for Israel.

Of course there were those who collected more, and it rotted overnight, and some that failed to collect double on the sixth and went hungry while they rested. (Sigh!)  But soon the regimen was established. It would continue more than 40 years, right up until the day they waited to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. What faithfulness of God!

They moved on in the wilderness to Rephidim, where their oasis water ran out. (Chapter 17). Again with the grumbling. “Give us water to drink!” them demanded. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to kill us with thirst?”  Moses cried to the LORD, “What am I do to with this people?”

“Moses, take your staff and some elders. Go to a rock I’ll show you and STRIKE THE ROCK in their presence.  He obeyed, and a GUSH OF WATER flowed out from the rock. And all the people drank. (Remember this scene!)

Then out of the blue, an Amalek army came to fight against the ex-slaves. (Amalekites were descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau.)  Moses sent Joshua to gather a rag-tag bunch of men to fight them (with what?). He did, and Moses stood on a hill over looking the battle, his arms (with the staff) raised. The Israelites started to win, but when he got tired and his arms sagged, they started to lose. Aaron and Hur (Caleb’s son) sat him down and held up his arms. And so Joshua and Israel WON THE WAR!!

And God Almighty cursed the Amalekites forever. (They were almost wiped out in Saul & David’s time, but it was Esther who made the final “coup de gras” when she instigated the death of the wicked Haman, the last descendant.)

Chapter 18 briefly tells how Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, brings him his wife and two sons, and gives his son-in-law some good advice. “What you are doing is not good.” You are going to wear out, Moshe, my son. Look for able men to bear the workload with you. Make sure they are able men who fear God, are trustworthy and hate bribes, and let them set up higher and lower courts to judge on the issues of this great people. You just take the tough cases.   Hey, it sounded good to Moses, and he did just that.”

Jethro praised and sacrificed to the LORD who had delivered them all out of the hands of the Egyptians. Then he went back home to Midian.

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     Day 36 – Exodus 19-21  (Mt. Sinai, 10 Commandments, Laws )

Chapter 19. Three months after escaping Egypt, the mass of Hebrew ex-slaves arrive at Mt.Sinai (Horeb), the place where God met Moses in the burning bush and promised to see them there again.  It’s a scary place – the mountain is tall and craggy, and when God descends on it, it’s aflame, with billowing black smoke clouds, a continuous loud trumpet-blast sound, and earthquakes. WHOA!

God warns that the people (even their animals) cannot touch the mountain without dying. After ritually cleansing themselves (body & soul) they can approach NEAR, and God speaks. (What a message!!) He tells this rag-tag crew of Jacob’s descendants that they are His “treasured possession among all the peoples,” and that they will be a kingdom of priests and holy, so they can mediate between Him and all the other nations on the earth. Only, they must “obey My voice and keep My covenant.”

YES! they cry. “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!”

(Isn’t this OUR heart’s desire too with our God? If only we COULD do it. But, we, like they, are born sinners and prone to disobey.)

And while the consecrated people stood at a distance the rumbling, shaking, smoking, firey scene escalated. God warns the people again to stay back, then calls Moses up into the mountain.

Chapter 20 gives the familiar TEN COMMANDMENTS (or Words), the summary of how the people of God should act towards Him and others. These ten are summarized further for Israel, by the Lord Jesus in the TWO GREATEST COMMANDS.  1) Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (covers the first four of “the ten”).  2) Love your neighbor as yourself (covers the next six of “the ten”). (Matthew 22:37-39)

Jesus added to this in the Sermon on the Mount by telling them to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)  And he further amplified #2 to His disciples, saying that they were to “Love one another as I have loved you.) meaning that self-sacrifice is involved in this kind of love. (John 15:12)

Chapter 21 lists some more detailed rules Moses was to set before the people concerning; slaves, murder/manslaughter, how “an eye for an eye” was to be used as a standard, and the beginning list of laws about restitution.

(Israel was to become the holy People of God.  We will see how that works out.)

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#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 34

Feb3

   Day 34 —  We are in the second month now! We’ve been reading for over 1/12th of a year! Praise God. I pray it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue, and that your heart is leaning more towards HIM.

   Day 33 – Exodus 13 – 15  (sons, signs, the sea, songs)

Chapter 12 showed us THE EXODUS of the long-enslaved people of God and the birth of “Israel.” They all had escaped at the hand of God when all of Egypt’s first born were killed.

Chapter 13 begins with God telling Moses that every FIRST BORN in Israel (boy or beast) belongs to Him. (After all, they had been spared in the slaughter of Egypt’s sons.) Later, a “redemption” coin would be paid to the Lord’s priests in order to “buy back” or redeem a family’s first son. First born animals would killed or become a sacrifice to God.

Then God tells Moses that the new nation was to observe a Feast of Unleavened Bread when they reached the Promised Land to remember the night of their escape. It would be a time to tell their future generations of the miracle, and also a witness of God’s power to the nations around them.

God establishes the means He will lead Israel on their journey, by His very Presence as a Pillar of Fire at night and a Pillar of Cloud by day. And He led them – not due north into Gaza of the Philistines – but south-east towards the Red Sea and Sinai.  (Oh, and as a footnote, Moses took the coffin bearing Joseph’s bones with them, as their ancestors had promised him 430 years earlier.)

FREE!  FREE!  We are FREE!  But then came the SEA.

In chapter 14, God TOLD Moses to lead Israel right up to the Red Sea and camp there, facing the water. Wow. What a barrior! And their exhilaration began to fade into reality. This wasn’t going to be an overnight trip to reach the Promised Land. First Israel would need some training in the ways of their God, Yahweh. They needed to learn to TRUST Him. And OBEY Him.

Meanwhile Pharaoh came to his senses. “What have we done?” He calls for his chariot and leads an army of all his horsement and 600 chosen chariots to get them back. And, Ha! There they are, stuck at the Red Sea! Easy-peasy.

The people cried out!

Moses said, “Fear not. Stand firm. See the salvation of the LORD which He will work for you TODAY.”

Then Moses (at God’s direction) raised that staff of his over the sea and divided the water!!!!   And the people (who were already facing the water) began to cross ON DRY LAND.  Two million of them, with flocks and herds and wagons of loot. The water stood up on either side of them. WHAT A SIGHT!!  And the Angel of the LORD stood between Israel and the Army of Pharaoh. Thick darkness on Egypt’s side so they could not approach Israel until they were through.

After the last Hebrew foot left the sea bed, the Egyptian army charged forward through the water on dry, or maybe muddy, land. When they reached the middle the heavy chariots began to bog down. They tried to turn around but at that moment, Moses again held out his staff over the sea and God closed the watery passage and drowned them all – horse and rider and chariot.

And “Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people FEARED the LORD, and they BELIEVED in the LORD and His servant Moses.” (14:30)

And in chapter 15 they sang a song of triumph that Moses wrote. (wow!!).

“I will sing to the LORD for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.”

“The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God and I will praise Him.”

“Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”

“You have led in Your mercy the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode.”

And Moses’ sister grabbed a tamborine (who knew this family was so musical?) and led the people in the singing.

BUT…… a mere three days later the bedraggled, hot, and thirsty Israel came to a watering hole that had turned bitter.  They grumbled to Moses. (This will become a habit for the ungrateful ex-slaves.)  And God, in His MERCY told Moses to grab a nearby branch and throw it into the water.  Ta da!!  Instant sweet water!  Calamity averted.

There God laid out a statute for them that would continue beyond this incident and into the Promised Land.  IF….they would —

  • diligently listen to His voice
  • do what is right in His eyes
  • give ear to His commandments
  • keep all His statutes.

THEN….. He would put none of the diseases on them that came on the Egyptians (plagues) because HE was their HEALER. (Just as He healed the bitter water, He would heal them.)

Shortly afterward (as a kind of pledge by God) they came to the place of TWELVE springs of water, and seventy palm trees (an oasis!) and camped there.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 33

Feb2

   Day 33 —  We are in the second month now! We’ve been reading for 1/12th of a year! Praise God. I pray it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 33 – Exodus 10 – 12  (three plagues, Passover, and escape)

The LORD tells Moses that these mighty plagues were not only for Pharoah and all Egypt, but also for Moses to tell to the following generations of Israel so they too would KNOW that He is “the LORD.”

LET MY PEOPLE GO!  Or locusts will destroy your country.

Chapter 10. At this point Pharaoh’s servents tell him to let the slaves go! “Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined??” (Think how Egypt was enriched under the direction of another man of God, Joseph. Now, the entire economy is being destroyed.)

Pharaoh growls out that the Hebrew MEN can go to sacrifice to their God. But when Moses insists that all their children and flocks and herds must go too, Pharaoh erupts in anger, “NO!”  So at the God’s direction, Moses stretched out his hand over Egypt and a great, black hoard of locusts blotted out the sun and covered the land. They devoured the newly sprouting wheat and all fruit and leaves on trees.

Pharaoh agains feigns sorrow and confession of sin and pleads for Moses to ask God to take away “this death” from him. In answer to Moses’ prayer, and in accord to His plan, God caused a great wind to blow every single last locust away from Egypt and into the Red Sea.  And as soon as that was done, the LORD hardened the king’s heart even more.

Without a warning, God brings the ninth plague via Moses’ hand stretched to heaven. Utter and complete thick darkness descends on Egypt for three days (but not in Goshen). It seems that not even a candle could be lit for the people could not even see each other.

The steel-hearted Pharaoh tells Moses that the men AND children can go… but NOT the herds and flocks.  “No deal.” says Moses, and Pharaoh screams for him to get out and NEVER SEE HIS FACE AGAIN.

“Just so,” answers Moses.  In chapter 11, he gives a final warning, telling Pharaoh about the last deadly plague (which God had earlier told Moses about).

“About midnight “I” will go out in the midst of Egypt and every firsborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the slave girl, and even to the first born of the cattle.” But God, through Moses reminds them that not even a dog shall growl against any of the Hebrews.

Then, in hot anger, Moses leaves Pharaoh’s presence forever.

Chapter 12. Earlier Moses had given the people of Israel instructions about their “EXODUS.”  First they were to prepare for that dreadful night when the first born sons would die. To keep the angel of death from their homes they were to take a spotless lamb, kill it, and use its blood to mark the doorposts and lintel of their doors. When the Angel saw the blood… he would “pass over” that house and NOT visit it with death.  They would be safe because of the blood of the sacrificed lamb, which ultimately pointed to the sacrificial death of Jesus, THE Lamb of God, to save all who believed and “applied” His blood.

Israel should also prepare to depart Egypt quickly. They were to go to all their neighbors and ask for clothing, silver and gold jewelry. (God gave them favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so they “plundered” Egypt.)  Also their flocks and herds should be round up, their things packed, and a final meal of the roasted lamb, and unleavened bread (no time to let the dough rise) baked.

At midnight, with the last of the meal finished, and dressed in their traveling clothes, backpacks on and staffs in hand, they began to hear “A GREAT CRY” in Egypt. The firstborn sons were dying.  This was the sign, and the people, led by Moses, moved out of Egypt.  All 2+ million of them, which included some Egyptians and other Semitic people who “identified” with Israel’s God, plus huge herds and flocks of animals.

(What a great hole they must have left in Egypt.)

They had been in Egypt 430 years to the day (perhaps counted from when Joseph was first taken there as a slave). God watched until every last one of his “chosen” people walked out of slavery. 12:42

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(Earlier in chapter 12, God had instructed the people, through Moses, about the meaning of this “Passover,” and how it was to be celebrated annually in remembrance of God’s great deliverance. The blood of the spotless lamb, and the unleavened bread were especially important. These two things are what Jesus points to in the Last (Passover) Supper He celebrated with His disciples, refering to the bread and wine as His body and blood “given for them,” signifying a NEW covenant. Matthew 26:26-28

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 30

Jan30

    Day 30 —  Won’t you read the Bible with me this year?   It only takes a few minutes.  (You can also listen to an audio recording.)

   Day 30 – Exodus 1 – 3  (Israel grows & becomes a threat, Moses appears)

In Joseph’s time, Israel was 70 people strong. Now, 300+ years later (chapter 1), they had “increased greatly; they have multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.”  WOW!  (God was fulfilling His promise to Abe in Genesis 15.)

But the new, paranoid Pharoah is afraid of them. What if…? And what if they…? he worried. So he set out to “deal” with this problem. First he conscripted the Hebrews to build cites for him through hard manual labor. Then – because they just got stronger and multiplied – the forced labor got ruthless and turned into cruel slavery. And still they multiplied.

The next solution was to kill baby boys at birth, but that didn’t work out so well. God used the midwives to save the newborns.  Pharoah’s “final solution” was infanticide. He commanded all Egyptians to throw EVERY son born to the Hebrews into the crocodile-infested Nile River.

But a beam of hope arises in chapter 2. A beautiful baby boy is born to a couple who are from the tribe of Levi. (Not Joseph, not Judah).  The mother kept her son hidden as long as she could, but babies do cry loudly sometimes. So she obeyed the ruling pagan authority and “cast” her baby boy into the Nile.  It just so happens, that he was lovingly wrapped and placed in a water-proof basket, and had a big sister to look after him.

He “happened” to float by where Pharoah’s (childless) daughter was bathing and began to cry pitifully.  She had the basket brought to her, recognized the baby boy as Hebrew (circumcision), but instantly wanted him.  Miriam steps up right then and offers a wet nurse for the baby, and Pharaoh’s daughter PAYS the baby’s own mother to nurse him. WOW. But at about 3-years old, Jochabed gives up the baby (named Moses by the Egyptian) to live as the grandchild of the Pharoah.

This was of course all in God’s plan. Moses is trained up in all ways (achedemics, languages, military command, etc,) to become a leader (not for Pharoah, but for God).  He just needed some time learning how to lead…. SHEEP. Dumb sheep.

After defending a Hebrew slave by killing an Egyptian taskmaster (a big no-no), Moses has to flee for his life. He runs hundreds of miles away, trekking across the Sinai desert to Midian. (Midianites were descendants of Abraham & his second wife, Keturah). There at a well, where some women came to water their sheep, another matchmaking takes place. Moses meets the seven daughters of the local priest, and marries one of them, Zipporah and looks after his sheep. The have a son (later another one).

It looks like Moses (mighty man of God) has sunk into obscurity.  Well, he has.  For forty years he herds, feeds, cares for, chases after, and nurses flocks of sheep.

Then God calls him.  He was trained 40 years in Egyptian leadership and 40 years in shepherding. God has heard the cries of his people in slavery, and Moses is ready.  Well, GOD thinks he is ready. Not so, Moses.

In chapter 3, God talks to him through a burning bush that does not get consumed. (But not TOO close, for the area around God Almighty is holy).  Moses, God says, “Come, I will send you to Pharoah that you may bring my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”

“WHAAAATT???”  Moses cries. Who am I?

God promises Moses His very Presence will go with him, and, in fact, God will help Moses bring the nation back to the very spot on which they stand.

“What am I gonna tell the people?”

God tells Moses to use his “personal” name to the people. The Name he used with Abraham… I AM WHO I AM. (Yaweh, or Jehovah).

Then God goes on to tell him how it will happen. He is to tell the Pharoah certain things, which will be resisted, do some miracles, which will be resisted. Then God will bring them out with POWER, with lots and lots of loot, and take them to the Promised Land.

(Okay. It’s settled, right?  Wrong. Moses, the sheep-herder has more objections.)

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 28 & 29

Jan29

 Day 28 & 29 — (I combine Sunday and Monday reads.)  Won’t you read the Bible with me this year?   It only takes a few minutes.  (You can also listen to an audio recording.)

   Day 28 – Genesis 46-47  (Jacob settles in Egypt, Joseph manages the famine)

Chapter 46 sees the old man, Jacob/Israel packing up his family and goods and beginning the trek south. He stops briefly in Beersheba and sacrifices to God. God assures him it’s the right ting to do. “Jacob, Jacob, I am the God of your Father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you…”  

There were 66 family members in all in the caravan (70 persons in his “house” counting Joseph, his wife and sons). Before the Hebrews return, there will be 600,000 men, not counting women and kids.  God’s promise told to the Patriarch’s would begin to come true – they’d be as numerous as the sand, dust, and stars.

After 22 years thinking his fave son was dead, Jacob finally meets Joseph, the Vice-Pharoah in Egypt. What a scene! Lots of hugging and weeping.  Then Joseph settles them in the “prime” land of Goshen, away from the capital. He tells them what to say when he introduces them to the Big Man. They were to say they are “shepherds.” Egyptians do not like sheep, so Goshen is perfect.  At the meeting, Jacob blesses Pharoah, not the other way around.

In chapter 47, we see Joseph, relieved to have his family nearby, back to the seriousness of running the economy of Egypt in the remaining 5 years of famine. It looks like he is draining the hungry people dry, but they seem pleased to give up their money, land, and themselves to receive grain to eat and plant.

Jacob/Israel is coming to the end of his days. He’s lived in Egypt near his favorite son for 17 years.  He’s 147 now, and he calls Joseph to extract a promise from him.

“…promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.  PROMISE!”  And Joseph swears it. (He will make a similar request before he dies).

Day 29 – Genesis 48-50 (the last chapters) – (Blessings & Promises)

In chapter 48, Jacob/Israel, knowing he will die soon, begins to gather his sons together for the Patriarchal Blessings. Joseph brings his two sons to his father (Manassah & Ephraim) to be blessed. Jacob “adopts” them as his own sons, giving them equal portions with the other 11 brothers. Remember three things here:

  1. Jacob considers Rachael as his “wife”
  2. Jacob considers Rachael’s first born, Joseph. as the one who gets the Birthright (double portion of his inheritance)
  3. In adopting Joseph’s sons and giving them equal portions with his own sons, he carries out this “double portion” in heritance for Joseph.

Again, as in all the sons of the Patriarchs, Joseph’s second son gets the greater honor – Ephraim over Manassah. And they are considered part of the 12 Tribes of Israel. When the united kingdom spits after Solomon dies, the Northern half is often called “Ephraim.”  (Judah is the name as the Southern half).

And finally, in chapter 49, Jacob gives his Blessing to all the sons, revealing both their character and the portions of the Promised Land that will be theirs. As before, he passes up Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (because of their wickedness) and proclaims Judah as the progenitor of the One who will bless all the nations on the earth, the Eternal King, the Lion of Judah (Jesus, the Messiah).

Then the old Patriarch dies.

Chapter 50 covers two amazing things. One, Jacob/Israel is embalmed as per the custom of the Egyptians. He is mourned for 70 days, then, as per his desires, he is transported to the Promised Land, and buried in the cave of Machpelah, where his grandfather/grandmother, father/mother, and Leah are buried. The Canaanite inhabitants are astonished at the great complany of Egyptians that attend the burial.

Two, after ALL THESE YEARS, still obviously feeling guilt, Joseph’s brothers come to him with a story (true or made up??) that before he died Jacob told Joseph to forgive them for selling him into slavery.

Joseph is astonished and cries out in grief.  He has long since forgiven them (even before they first came to Egypt).  He assures them AGAIN, that even if THEY meant it for harm, GOD meant it for good, in order to save all of them alive (and fulfill His promises to Abraham).

Do they finally believe him?  I hope so.

And then the time comes for Joseph to die (110). He extracts a promise from his brothers (and families) to “carry his bones” with them when they return to the land God promised them. (Joseph totally believed God’s words to Abraham that after 400 years, God would bring Israel back to the Promised Land.)

Then Joseph dies, his body is embalmed and placed in a coffin….”resting” in Egypt for 400 years.

.

NOTES: 1) Exodus 13:19 tells how Moses made sure to collect Joseph’s bones before the “Children of Israel” left Egypt.

2) Joshua 24:32 tells how Joshua buried Joseph’s bones in the portion of land that Jacob had bought from Hamar in Shechem.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 26

Jan26

   Day 26 —  Won’t you read the Bible with me this year?   It only takes a few minutes.  (You can also listen to an audio recording.)

Day 26 – Genesis 41 – 42 – (Joseph & Pharoah’s dreams, Joseph meets 10 brothers)

It’s been TWO LONG YEARS since Joseph asked the Wine Steward to remember him to Pharoah. Finally in chapter 41 he remembers! His boss has had a couple disturbing dreams about cows and corn, and the court “soothsayers” can’t interpret them. What to do??

“Oh, yeah!” says the steward, thunking his head. “I remember a Hebrew slave in prison.  He can do it.”

They send for Joseph, and they bring him out of “the pit.” He shaves himself (Egyptians like smooth cheeks and bald heads), changes his clothes and presents himself to the king of the land.  He reminds Pharoah that ONLY GOD can interpret dreams and that He will give the king an answer.

Pharoah tells his weird dreams – seven fat cows are eaten up by seven skinny cows, who got no fatter. And then seven ears of corn growing on one stalk (amazing, usualy only 2-3) are swallowed by seven withered, thin, and blighted ears. (I see a theme here….)

God reveals the meaning of the dreams to Pharoah through Joseph. Seven years of amazing plenty in Egypt, followed by seven years of severe famine. And…. “God will shortly bring it about.”  Yikes!  But our wise, enslaved-for-13-years, Hebrew lad has a suggestion: Choose a discerning & wise man to oversee the land. Collect 20% of all the crops for seven years and store it away for the time of famine, so that Egypt won’t starve to death.

Wahoo!!  Guess who Pharoah picks and sets up in Egypt as vice-ruler, second in command only to the king? He gives Joseph a signet ring for sealing documents, garments of fine linen (watch those fancy coats, Joseph!), a gold necklace, and the second (flashiest) chariot in the garage. (This is basically what Potipher and the prison keeper did to Joseph, but to a much greater scale.God was certainly with him.)

Joseph also got a new name, and at 30-years-of-age, he was given a wife who bore him two sons – Ephraim & Manassah. (Recognize these??)

Joseph collected the required Federal cut of grain each year, built storehouses for it, and socked it away. Then came the severe famine. Joseph opened the storehouses and SOLD the grain to the people.  People from other countries came to Egypt looking for food, and Joseph SOLD it to them, enriching Egypt’s coffers.

Chapter 42 flashes back to Canaan where Jacob, his 11 sons and all their families began to feel the pinch. “Go down to Egypt and buy some grain so we don’t die!” demanded Jacob to his TEN sons. No way was he sending Benjamin, the only remaining son of his “wife” Rachel. (The “boy” was probably in his early twenties then.) They took money and began a trip that their great grandfather had made several hundred years before.

Joseph is shocked to see his ten brothers seeking food and bowing down before him. (Flash back to his own dreams when he was a boy.)  He counts and sees only 10 brothers.  Have they done away with his full brother Benjamin too?

Thinking quickly, he calls them SPIES and quizzes them about their father and the other boy. To further shake them up, he puts them in jail for three days. They groan and wail that this was their punishment for what they did to their brother, Joseph. They do not know that this Egyptian ruler can understand Hebrew.  Their words and sorrowful guilt after all these years touches Joseph and he cries.

Then with his commander face back on, he tells them he will let them take the grain, but they will get NO MORE unless they bring their younger brother with them next time. And as further incentive, he keeps Simeon in jail as collateral.

The NINE brothers return home and tell Jacob/Israel what happened (including the fact that all their money bags were found back inside the grain bags.

“NOooooooooooo!” wails their father. “You will NOT take Benjamin. He is the only son I have left.” (huh?) Reuben – probably glad the ruler took Simeon and not HIM – offers to keep Benjamin safe, saying Jacob could kill his own two sons if harm comes to him.  WHAT??  Are you kookoo, Reuben? Kill two of Jacob’s grandsons!!  Sheesh.

It doesn’t matter. Jacob absolutely REFUSES to send his “only” son to Egypt.

(We’ll see about that. Hunger causes desperation.)