Let the Journey Begin

People have made the claim [according to the Apologetics Study Bible] that Exodus is the "central book of the OT" [pg. 83]. There is no doubt it has some crucial stuff. God saves his people! The 10 plagues! The 10 commandments [we haven't gotten here yet, but I'm assuming you've at least heard of them].

As monumental as Exodus may be, it's also when things start to get a bit slow. And it's the beginning of why people tend stay as far away from the OT as they possibly can. Like I said early on, I was incredibly blessed to wind up with a teacher/friend who moonlights as an OT lover and buff. James-Michael helped me learn to fall in love with the OT, and to forgive and wrestle with it's creepy side. I am incredibly grateful. I hope that some of our love can be passed on to you.

The Skinny:

Chapter 1 - We get a quick recap of the 12 sons and then we're told that a new king has come to power in Egypt and he is essentially afraid of the Israelites so, he does what any other cowardly king would do, he forces them into slavery. Apparently, this is not enough to assuage his fear, so he then sentences all the Hebrew baby boys to death [by drowning - in the Nile]. Chapter 2 - A Hebrew boy from the house of Levi is born - his mother is quite creative. She does what she is told - she puts him in the Nile - in a basket so he floats down the river! Pharaoh's daughter finds him and raises him as her own. He grows up, sees the abuse that is being inflicted on his own people and is so overcome with anger that kills an Egyptian. He thought no one knew - but people find out, so he is forced to flee to Midian, where he settles down, marries the daughter of a priest and has a son named Gershom ["a stranger here"]. Chapter 3 - Moses encounters a bush that is burning but is not being burned up. It's God! They get into this fascinating dialogue - God wants to use Moses to free the Israelites from slavery! Chapter 4 - God gives Moses signs to help the people understand that it really is Yahweh, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. Moses is seriously lacking in the confidence department and urges God to choose someone else. God is angry, but listens to Moses, appointing Aaron, Moses's brother, as speaker. Chapter 5 - Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh. As a result, Pharaoh makes life for a Hebrew slave even harder - they must now go get their own straw but still continue to produce the same number of bricks each day. They are all up in arms and go to Moses - complaining that he brought this on them. He cries out to God. Chapter 6 - There is a very tender scene where God is speaking to his people, almost pleading with them to let him take care of them. Moses is still whining about being a poor speaker. In the middle of the chapter, we break for the genealogy of Moses and Aaron. Chapter 7 - God says some strange things. He says Moses will be like a God to Pharaoh and that God will harden the Pharaoh's heart. We find out that Moses is 80 and Aaron is 83 [really breathes new life into the old saying, "It's never too late"]. Aaron shows Pharaoh the first sign - his staff becomes a snake. Pharaoh still would not listen. He has magicians doing similar tricks [although Aaron's staff literally swallows the competition]. Enter the plagues. Number 1. The Plague of Blood - all the waters everywhere become blood. Again with magicians and their feeble attempts. Chapter 8 - The Plague of Frogs - Everywhere! The Plague of Gnats - again, Everywhere! The Plague of Flies - guess where. Everywhere! Well, except Goshen - where the Israelites live. Chapter 9 - The Plague of Livestock - all dropping dead. But the animals of the Israelites are spared. The Plague of Boils - All the Egyptians break out with a nasty case all over their skin. The Plague of Hail - any person, plant or animal caught up in the hail is a goner. Pharaoh says, "This time I have sinned." And begs for the end of the plagues. Moses prays to God [as he has done with all the other plagues] and the hail resides. Chapter 10 - The Plague of Locusts - Moses asks Pharaoh to let him and his people go and worship on the mountain top. Pharaoh seems to engage God in a battle for control. He won't let the women and children go so he and the rest of Egypt get eaten alive by locusts. He then calls Moses and Aaron back, admits that he sinned, allows the women and children to go - but not the livestock. In a fit of anger he threatens Moses's and Aaron's lives and orders them out of his sight. Chapter 11 - God instructs Moses and Aaron to tell the people of Israel to ask their neighbors for silver and gold. Then God reveals his final plague - The Plague of the Firstborn. Chapter 12 - God gives detailed instructions on how to do the first Passover. No yeast in the bread, absolutely ready to leave, with lamb blood on their door frames so that God will pass over their homes and only inflict the final plague to the Egyptians. They eat the first Passover and flee in the middle of the night. And we are told that just as God said in Genesis 15, the Israelite people were enslaved for 430 years. Chapter 13 - God instructs them to consecrate [dedicate to God] every one of their firstborn sons along with their firstborn livestock. [and if not - break it's neck!]. When the children ask, "What does this mean?" - they'll get to engage in a dialogue about how God rescued them from slavery. Scene shift - they're on the run - and Moses grabs the bones of Joseph to take with him! Chapter 14 - O! What an unbelievable scene! With God's help - Moses parts the Red Sea - Pharaoh and his many men are swallowed up by the waters. Chapter 15 - Moses sings a song - of victory! And Miriam [a prophetess] sings a short verse at the end with a tambourine.

What I got. What I gathered. What I gandered at.

There is a fascinating story about 2 midwives in the first chapter - Shiphrah and Puah. I love it!

Moses asks God what his name is, what he's supposed to tell the people. God says, "I AM WHO I AM." I always get the feeling that even if we don't quite get it, we feel a deep sense of the brevity of this claim. In Hebrew, God's name is YHWH [there are no vowels in Hebrew]. I love Rob Bell's Nooma video - Breathe [below]. He has a lot to say about this particular passage of scripture. It was only available in the form of two separate videos [both below]. The "God's name as breathing" part has been incredibly powerful in my life.





We've all gathered by this point that Moses has some self esteem issues. I find it incredibly interesting that when he is pleading with God not set him up as the speaker, God doesn't force the issue. He gets mad, but he doesn't punish Moses or make him do it. He appoints Aaron as a helper instead.

I loved reading what God told Moses to tell his people in verse 6. It has a love-letter quality to it.

Whoa - scary horrible plagues! I don't know all the details - but - James Michael told us [back in that Bible study I'm always going on about] that every one of the plagues had a direct relation to one of the Egyptian gods. So, essentially, it was a slap in the face to the Egyptian religion and the Egyptian gods.

I think I've heard it said that there were 400 years between OT and NT. And then, Jesus began his career at the age of 30. The Israelites were, as we learned in chapter 12, subjected to 430 of slavery. So, there may be some foreshadowing going on here.

I've always had a hard times dealing with the Plague of the Firstborn. It seems very "eye for an eye." I feel bad questioning God, but this kind of stuff is so difficult. I trust him, but I don't understand.

Miriam was a prophetess. That gives me great joy.

You know what also gives me great joy? I'm done. ;)

I write this as you dream. While you read it, I'll probably be in dreamland.

G'night.

Tomorrow - 15:23-28:43. :)