Looking for Exodus

[JLG]

18) Exodus 16

Then the Israelites move to another place in the wilderness and the Israelites start to complain against Moses and Aaron because they have nothing to eat. So God brings bread from the heavens. But they must take only what they need daily and on the sixth day they must take double the quantity. Bread in the morning and meat in the evening (quail and dew). But the Israelites don’t listen, they keep more and in the morning it stinks. So the seventh day they would rest because it was Sabbath. And they call the bread “manna”. And the Israelites eat the manna for 40 years.

 

[JLG]

19) Exodus 17

Once again there is no water to drink and the Israelites complain with Moses and they get very thirsty So Moses cries out to God who tells him to go to the rock of Horeb and he must strike the rock and water will come out and people will drink. Then the Amalekites fight against Israel so Moses goes to the hill and he must keep his rod up for the Israelites to prevail. When his rod goes down the Amalekites prevail. So Aaron and Hur help him to maintain his rod up. Finally Joshua defeats Amalek and his people. And God says he will erase Amalek from under the heavens.

 

[JLG]

20) Exodus 18

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law and Moses’ sons and his wife come to Moses in the wilderness. And Moses tells Jethro everything from the time he left him to go back to Egypt and all the hardships and how God saves them. On the next day, Moses sits down to judge the Israelites from morning until evening. But Jethro tells him it is not good because it is too much work. He tells him to select capable men fearing God who should judge the people so Moses can concentrate on the most difficult cases. Thus, it will be easier for Moses and everybody will be satisfied. After that, Jethro goes back to his land.

 

[JLG]

21) Exodus 19

Moses goes to God to Mount Sinai. Then God offers a covenant to Israel to become his special people and they agree so Moses goes up again. And God warns the Israelites not to go up the mountain or they will die. And Moses tells the people not to go up again just Moses and Aaron.

 

[JLG]

22) Exodus 20

God speaks to the Israelites about their covenant. They must worship God and no other Gods and not make a carved image and bow down to it and serve it and respect God’s name and keep the sabbath and respect their father and mother and not murder or commit adultery or steal or testify falsely or desire anyone else's house or wife or anything. But people are afraid of what they see and they want Moses to speak directly to God.

 

[JLG]

23) Exodus 21

God keeps speaking. A Hebrew slave can only serve for six years then he is free again and he must go with his wife and children. If a man strikes another one and he dies or kills someone or kidnaps someone or curses his father or mother then he must die. Then we are told of compensation when someone is injured but doesn’t die. God’s Law is precise with many details.

 

[JLG]

24) Exodus 22

We are told about compensation in case of stealing or starting a fire or an animal which dies or seducing a virgin. A sorceress must die, same for someone having intercourse with an animal, same for someone making a sacrifice to a false god. Foreign residents mustn’t be mistreated, same for a widow or a fatherless child. There mustn’t be moneylenders. The Israelites must give their firstborn to God. They must not curse God or any chieftain among them. They mustn’t eat any animal killed by a wild animal. So God was organizing every aspect of the Israelites’ lives. Nothing was left without control. When we read the Israelites’ history in the Bible, we understand perfectly. Animal wildlife is well organized but with men it’s not the case, they have brains but they can’t prevent themselves from going in any direction, that's why we are nowhere, thinking of a plan B instead of taking our earth, always looking for pipe dreams instead of making things right.

 

[JLG]

25) Exodus 23

The Israelites must speak the truth and not pervert justice and show impartiality and help people even if they are bad. They must cultivate their land for six years but not the seventh year so the poor and the wild animals may eat. They must work six days and the seventh they must rest. It must be so for animals and slaves and foreign residents. They must do as God tells them and not follow other Gods. And we know they did the contrary and paid the price. They must celebrate three festivals a year. They must bring the best of their harvest to God. If they follow God he will protect them from their enemies. They must not only go away from other gods they must also destroy everything in relation to false gods. And people will fear them because of God. And they will possess the promised land.

 

[JLG]

26) Exodus 24

Moses reads the book of the covenant between God and the Israelites who accept God’s conditions. Then Moses goes to Mount Sinai to receive the stone tablets with the Law and the commandment. And Moses stays 40 days and 40 nights.

 

[JLG]

27) Exodus 25

God says to Moses that the Israelites are going to make a contribution to make a sanctuary to God so he can reside among them. And they are going to make a tabernacle and an ark and a table and all the utensils and all the details for everything.

 

[JLG]

28) Exodus 26

More information concerning the tabernacle and its tent. Every detail is mentioned. Thus we see that God is a God of order, organizing everything, there is no place for disorder. And we are supposed to be made in the image of God but we are just an imitation. When human beings get back to perfection, will they be able to really look like him? Only those who will be able to live at this time will be able to know it! But there will be a long way to go before reaching such a condition! Our imperfection is so boring!

 

[JLG]

29) Exodus 27

God gives details about how to build the altar and the courtyard. And Aaron and his sons will be in charge of the religious service.

Exodus 28

Aaron and his sons will be priests. And God gives all the details for the making of the priests’ garments. And Aaron must carry the names of the sons of Israel as a constant memorial before God. When they come to God they must wear all their equipment if they don’t want to die.

 

[JLG]

30) Exodus 29

Here is the sanctification of Aaron and his sons as priests of God and once again everything is well organized with many details. And there is no room for improvisation. As usual God appears as a god of order. And it is really impressive as it is so different from what human beings do. What a privilege to work for such a creator who is the origin of perfection and how boring it is to work for human beings. There will be so much to learn from him in the future in connection with his Kingdom.

 

[JLG]

31) Exodus 30

God gives all the details to make an altar as a place for burning incense. Aaron will burnt perfumed incense on it each morning and not anything else, only authorized incense. When there is a census on the sons of Israel they must give a ransom for their lives so that no plague may be brought upon them as a contribution to God, the same amount for the rich or the poor. They will make a copper basin so Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and their feet there before their service so that they do not die. Then Moses will anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of testimony and all the religious utensils with a holy anointing oil. This holy anointing oil will only be for religious service not for anything else otherwise people will die. People should read a bit more the Old Testament to really know who God is and to take him seriously and to be able to do according to God’s will if they want to please him. It is not a game or like going to the restaurant. People can’t do whatever they want but what God wants! We can remember Job and Daniel and Samuel to follow their examples and we can also remember the kings of Judah and Israel who are examples not to follow. There is a difference between being warm or cold or lukewarm! It is only possible to be warm if we want to please God! The Israelites were mostly cold or lukewarm and they paid the price for such a condition! When we read the Bible we know the conditions! It is a personal choice, no one else to blame!

 

[JLG]

32) Exodus 32

Moses doesn’t come back from mount Sinai. So the Israelites ask Aaron to make a god for them so he asks for gold to make a golden calf. And the Israelites call the golden calf the god that led them up out of Egypt. What a people! The Israelites have always been equal to them that is unfaithful and right at the beginning! Is it possible to be worse? I doubt it! And Aaron is definitely afraid of them! And God is furious and tells Moses everything. God calls them obstinate! And he wants to exterminate them straight away and makes a great nation from Moses. So Moses calms God down and tells him about what the Egyptians will say about him. And he tells God to remember Abraham and Isaac and Israel; So Moses goes down with the two tablets of the Testimony. Moses is furious when he sees the Israelites dancing and the golden calf. And Moses breaks the two tablets written by God. And he destroys the golden calf and reduces it into powder. And he puts it into water and makes the Israelites drink it. And he turns to Aaron and tells him about what he did and Aaron says the Israelites are responsible. And Moses ask them to choose their camp and the Levites choose God’s camp. And Moses tells them to kill people and they kill 3,000 people. So Moses goes back to God and asks him for forgiveness. If god doesn’t want to forgive the Israelites he asks God to wipe him out of his book. And God strikes the Israelites. Moses is just an incredible man: he calmed down God while he was in such a anger after what the Israelites had done. And he didn’t fear them! He reminds me of Job who tells sincerelyGod about his feelings and his pain!

 

[JLG]

33) Exodus 33

God tells Moises to go to the promised land he will give to the Israelites and drives out all the peoples. And he calls the Israelites an obstinate people. What a compliment! But he warns Moses that he can exterminate the Israelites on their way to the promised land because he knows them perfectly. And he tells Moses to warn the Israelites to be careful if they don’t want to be exterminated. And God speaks to Moses face-to-face: what a privilege reserved to a very small number of people! Unbelievable! Impressive! Unforgettable! What an experience! Face to face! What a man! And Joshua is his minister and attendant! And both God and Moses speak together!

 

[JLG]

34) Exodus 34

Once again God writes the ten commandments on two tablets of stone on Mount Sinai. So once again God makes a covenant with the Israelites. But they must not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the promised land and they must not worship another god because God requires exclusive devotion. They must respect the Sabbath and the religious festivals. And if they act according to God's will they will be blessed. So Moses stays 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai. When he went down his face was shining because he had been speaking with God.

 

[JLG]

35) Exodus 35

Moses tells them what God has commanded according to the sabbath and God’s contribution and the building of the tabernacle with its tent and the Ark and all the furniture going with them and the garments for Aaron and his sons the priests and everybody comes to contribute and Bezalel and Oholiab are chosen by God to receive his spirit to make every sort of craftsmanship.

 

[JLG]

36) Exodus 36-40

The skilled workers work according to God’s will using the contribution of the Israelites and they bring everything in front of Moses and put everything together. And Moses anoints Aaron and his sons. Then each time Moses and Aaron and his sons enter into the tent of meeting they wash their hands and their feet. When everything was finished, God’s cloud covered the tent of the meeting. And every time would do it Moses couldn’t enter into it. When God lifted from the tabernacle, the Israelites would break camp.

 

[JLG]

Leviticus 1

God tells about how the Israelites must offer animal sacrifices.


Leviticus 2


Grain offerings.


Leviticus 3


More about sacrifices.


Leviticus 4


Sacrifices according to the sins committed by the anointed priest or the entire assembly of Israel or a chieftain or people of the land.

Leviticus 5


Sins of those who do not testify whereas they should do or those who touch anything unclean.


Leviticus 6


- Full compensation for different sins (the same value and an extra fifth of the value) and an offering a sacrifice.

- Explanation about how the priests must make the sacrifices.

- law of the grain offering

- offering of Aaron and his sons when they are anointed


Leviticus 7


- law of the guilt offering

- law of the communion sacrifice

- An animal found dead must not be eaten, whoever eats a dead animal will be killed.

- The Israelites must not eat the blood of any animal otherwise they will be killed.


Leviticus 8

Moses gathers the assembly at the entrance of the tent of the meeting. And he washes and dresses Aaron and his sons and he anoints the tabernacle and anything in it and Aaron. Then he also dresses Aaron’s sons. Then the sin offering is made and also the burnt offering and the installation offering; And Aaron and his sons must eat what is reserved from them from the offerings.


Leviticus 9


Aaron makes sacrifices for all the Israelites and God’s glory appears to all the people.


Leviticus 10


Aaron’s two sons make offerings before God using unauthorized fire. As a consequence God kills them by sending a fire. And God tells Aaron that he and his sons must not drink alcohol before entering into the tent of meeting if they don’t want to die.