 Questions and Answers - Exodus 1 - 20 |
| Q. Why did the king of Egypt in the 3rd generation after Joseph become hostile towards the Israelites? | A. Exodus 1:8 = He knew nothing of Joseph's deeds, but rather saw the Israelites multiplying and was afraid of their numbers. |
| Q. Why? | A. Exodus 1:10 = He thought they would join Egypt's enemies and fight against him. |
| Q. How did the king resolve the problem? | A. Exodus 1:11 = He made them slaves. |
| Q. Before this time, may slavery have been prevented or avoided? | A. Genesis 50:24-26 = No. God told Joseph that the Israelites would be slaves for a period of time in Egypt. Joseph, knowing this, assured his sons that God would come back to lead them out of Egypt and back to Canaan. He asked that his bones be returned with them to Canaan. |
| Q. Who were the Israelites? | A. Genesis = Jacob's offspring. (Note: Sometimes in this study, I refer to them as the Jacob/Israelites.) |
| Q. What happened to the Israelites as slaves? | A. Exodus 1:12 = The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied. |
| Q. What did the king do then? | A. Exodus 1:16 = He ordered Shiprah and Puah, the midwives, to kill all newborn males. |
| Q. Did they? | A. Exodus 1:20 = No. They feared God. |
| Q. What did God do for them in return? | A. Exodus 1:21 = He gave them families of their own. And they multiplied! |
| Q. What did the king do then? | A. Exodus 1:22 = He ordered all the males thrown into the Nile River. |
| Q. Which tribe did Moses come from? | A. Exodus 2:1 = The tribe of Levi (Leah's offspring). |
| Q. Why did his parents deem Moses as special? | A. Exodus 2:2 = He was exceptionally beautiful. |
| Q. What made Pharaoh's daughter want to keep him? | A. Exodus 2:6 = His helpless cries touched her heart. |
| Q. Who named Moses? | A. Exodus 2:10 = Pharaoh's daughter. |
| Q. What does Moses mean? | A. Exodus 2:10 = "to draw out." |
| Q. Did Moses seem to be a natural defender? | A. Exodus 2:11-19 = He was an upstanding Egyptian until he was around the Hebrews (Israelites). Then he defended them and played peacemaker too. |
| Q. Pharaoh was quick to sentence Moses, his own daughter's adopted child, to death. What did Moses do? | A. Exodus 2:15 = He fled to Midian. |
| Q. What happened there? | A. Exodus 2:19 = He defended the priest, Reuel's, daughters from bully shepherds. |
| Q. What did that lead to? | A. Exodus 2:21 = Marriage to Reuel's daughter, Zipporah. |
| Q. Did Moses and Zipporah have children? | A. Exodus 2:22 = Yes. A son named Gershom. |
| Q. What name was Reuel also known by? | A. Exodus 2 = Jethro. |
| Q. What does Gershom mean? | A. Exodus 2:22 = "a stranger there." |
| Q. What happened in Egypt while Moses was in Midian? | A. Exodus 2:23 = The Egyptian king died. |
| Q. Why did God not help Israel until then? | A. Exodus 2:23-25 = Because they didn't ask Him for help till then! |
| Q. Where did God first appear to Moses? | A. Exodus 3:1 = Near Sanai, the mountain of God. |
| Q. Was Moses comfortable around God? | A. Exodus 3:6 = Moses was afraid to look at God. |
| Q. What did Moses need to do to be able to stand God's presence? | A. Exodus 3:5 = Take off his sandals |
| Q. Why? | A. Exodus 3:5 = He was standing on holy ground. |
| Q. Who presently occupied the promised land of Canaan? | A. Exodus 3:8 = Ham's descendants. |
| Q. What is God's name from eternity to eternity? | A. Exodus 3:14 = I AM. |
| Q. Who was Moses instructed to give the message of deliverance to first? | A. Exodus 3:16 = To the leaders of Israel. |
| Q. Who was second to get the message of deliverance? | A. Exodus 3:18 = The king of Egypt. |
| Q. The same message? | A. Exodus 3:18 = No. They were to tell him of God's visitation and that they were to go out into the desert to offer sacrifices to Him -- a 3 day trip. |
| Q. Did God tell them how it would all work out? | A. Exodus 3:19-22 = Yes. Good and bad was given them in detail. |
| Q. How would the Israelites plunder Egypt? | A. Exodus 3:22 = The women would simply ask their neighbors for gold jewelry and fine clothing and silver and they would give it to them. They would dress up their children in this clothing. |
| Q. Were all these Israelites Jacob's offspring? | A. Exodus 4:5 = Yes. All from Noah's eldest son, Shem. Ham's descendants occupied the promised land. (Exodus 3:8). Ham was Shem's youngest brother. |
| Q. Is it sometimes God's plan to make people imperfect? | A. Exodus 4:11 = Yes. |
| Q. Why? | A. Exodus 4:12 = So that God can be relied on to work through them. God helps them speak and gives them words. |
| Q. Was that promise good enough for Moses? | A. Exodus 4:13 = No. He pled with God to find someone else who could speak well. |
| Q. How did God respond? | A. Exodus 4:14 = God became angry with Moses for his lack of belief in His protection and provision of words and speech, and in overcoming his own shyness. |
| Q. Did God give Moses an alternative? | A. Exodus 4:14 = Yes. Aaron was a good speaker. God would give Moses the words to tell Aaron to speechify with to the people. (Note: You'll note that in Deuteronomy, Moses began the book with a speech that he spoke completely. He was finally over it!) |
| Q. Would Aaron do it better than Moses? | A. Exodus 4:15 = No. God would still help both of them to speak clearly. |
| Q. Who would perform miracles? | A. Exodus 4:17 = Only Moses. |
| Q. What is one way God's sovreignty works? | A. Exodus 4:21 = God makes men stubborn so that they don't interfere with His works. As the Pharaoh wouldn't believe the miracles were from God -- it was God's will that it be this way. (cf. Exodus 11:10) |
| Q. Does God perform miracles as a sign of His presence to fallen people? | A. Exodus 4:30 = Yes. The leaders of Israel were convinced that Aaron and Moses were sent by God because of the miracles. |
| Q. Who were Moses and Aaron's ancestors? | A. Exodus 6:16 = Amram and Jochebed; clan of the Levites. Kohath was their grandfather, Levi was their great-grandfather. Levi was Leah's son. Leah was Aaron and Moses' great-great-grandmother. So Jacob/Israel was their great-great-grandfather. |
| Q. Would God send us, again, into a no-win situation? | A. Exodus 7:3 = Yes. As in Exodus 4:21, God asked Moses and Aaron to tell the pharaoh again to let them go. This time, not for 3 days of worship, but to let them go free! |
| Q. Did God punish the Egyptians the first time their pharaoh denied them? | A. Exodus 6:6 = No. The Israelites got in more trouble for asking for a 3-day worship period. |
| Q. What was that promise of punishment on Egypt? | A. Exodus 6:6 = They were promised great acts of judgment. |
| Q. When God repeated His promise of redemption, how was it increased? | A. Exodus 7:4 = God would "crush Egypt with a series of disasters" and "great acts of judgment." |
| Q. What else was different the 2nd time God promised redemption? | A. Exodus 6:6 = God emphasized His doing it so that His people would know Him. Exodus 7:5 = God emphasized His doing it so that the Egyptians would realize that He was God. The act of deliverance was to show Israel their loving, powerful Lord. The acts of judgment and power were for Egypt, to show them that He was God -- not just a god -- but God. |
| Q. Was Pharaoh Ramses able to match God's miracles? | A. Exodus 7:11 = Yes. Magicians used "secret arts." i.e., witchcraft. |
| Q. What was that first miracle God performed before Pharaoh? | A. Exodus 7:10 = Moses' rod became a snake. |
| Q. Did Ramses' magicians copy the miracle? | A. Exodus 7:11 = Yes. They made even more snakes. |
| Q. Did God's miracle top it? | A. Exodus 7:12 = Yes. God's snake swallowed all of pharaoh's snakes. Note: Satan does not have an original idea. All of his magic are counterfeit copies of God's miracles. Also, miracles alway point to God -- point people to God. Miracles show non-believers God and give them a reason to pursue God for themselves. |
| Q. Why did God make such a spectacle of the Egyptians? | A. Exodus 10:1-2 = So that the Jacob/Israelites would be able to tell wonderful stories to their children and grandchildren about the marvelous things God was doing among the Egyptians to prove that He was the Lord. |
| Q. Where were the Israelites during the plagues? | A. Exodus 9:26 = In Goshen -- in the middle of it all -- untouched! |
| Q. What did God want the Egyptians to learn? | A. Exodus 11:7 = That God makes a distinction between them and the Israelites. |
| Q. What else did both Israel and Egypt learn? | A. Exodus 11 = That God knows the future; that God hardens and softens hearts of all peoples to do His bidding -- even if He is a stranger to them. |
| Q. What did the Israelites learn about prayer? |
A. Exodus (Note p. 82) 1). God answers us according to His good and perfect will -- giving us what we need and what is good for us -- not simply what we impulsively want. 2). God is compassionate in His response. 3). God not only wanted to deliver the Israelites but He wanted them to see how worth it, it was to follow Him. 4). God gave them a mighty show of miracles and terrors to behold in their midst; yet they were protected and unharmed. 5). God gave them something to be proud of -- a God who loves them so much that they would joyously pass on for generations to come, all the stories of His encounter with them in Egypt. 6). Their faith was overflowing and they were filled with awe. |
| Q. What is the significance of the Passover celebration? | A. Exodus 12:1 = God instructed it to be done while the Israelites were still in Egypt. God prophesied about the future in the Passover. |
| Q. What animal would be sacrificed? | A. Exodus 12:5 = A one-year-old male sheep or goat with no physical defects. |
| Q. When would they choose the animal? | A. Exodus 12:3 = On the 10th day of the first month. God gave the Israelites a new callendar the day He gave them the Passover celebration. |
| Q. Did they slaughter the animals on the 10th day? | A. Exodus 12:6 = No. They were to take special care of them till the 14th day. Then slaughter them. |
| Q. How were the animals prepared? | A. Exodus 12:9 = Roasted, the blood drained into a bowl first. The entire animal would be roasted, eaten,the leftovers burnt completely. |
| Q. What would be done with the blood? | A. Exodus 12:22 = They were to take a cluster of hyssop brances, dip them in the blood and strike the hyssop against the top and sides of the doorframe, staining it with the blood. |
| Q. Were there any special instructions on eating the animal? | A. Exodus 12:11 = Yes. They would wear their traveling clothes as if prepared for a long journey. |
| Q. Any other instructions about eating the Passover meal? | A. Exodus 12:11 = Yes. They were to eat quickly. |
| Q. What was the significance of the blood-stained doorposts? | A. Exodus 12:13 = The Destroyer would not kill those in houses smeared with blood. The blood saved them. |
| Q. Any other instructions? | A. Exodus 12:22 = No one was allowed to leave the house until morning. |
| Q. Where can I find a full list of Passover instructions? | A. Exodus 12 = Read the whole of Exodus 12:1-22. The first part gives only partial instructions, but are repeated in full in the 2nd half. |
| Q. So what are the instructions -- briefly? |
A. Exodus 12:3 = 1). Choose a one-year-old lamb or goat on the 10th day of the 1st month. 2). Exodus 12:6 = Take special care of it till the 14th day. Slaughter it, drain the blood into a bowl. 3). Exodus 12:22 = With a cluster of hyssop branches, stain your doorframe, top and sides. 4). Exodus 12:9 = Roast the entire animal. 5). Exodus 12:11 = Eat it with bitter herbs and bread without yeast -- quickly! And while dressed in traveling clothes, sandals on feet, walking stick in hand. No one leaves the house till morning. 6). Exodus 12:18 = No one eats bread with yeast from that 14th day to the 21st day. All yeast is removed from homes. Anyone who disobeyed this rule would be cut off from the community of Israel. |
| Q. What purpose did this Passover ritual serve? | A. Exodus 12:24 = It would ingrain into the Israelites what God had done for them and make it crystal-clear in their heads so that they couldpass it on to their kids from generation to generation forever. |
| Q. What was important to God about saving them from slavery in Egypt? | A. Exodus 12:24 = That they always remember their rescue from slavery in Egypt; How it happened -- the lamb or goat -- that God would always be there for them. A promise made before it happened. |
| Q. Any more insights about the Exodus? |
A. Exodus 12 = Sometimes 2 separate things seem to be happening in a single event. Israel finally cried out to their God for deliverance, yet God's answer wasn't cut and dry. 1). He performed miracles before the world, clearly wanting His existence known to all men, yet He could have snuffed out the king of Egypt so easily. We want quick answers -- God has always a bigger answer. 2). Israel asked for deliverance and they got whipped and worked harder at first -- then given a Passover ritual -- then the firstborns were taken from their enemies. 3). God is concerned for our willingness to obey Him. We can only draw near on His terms. Over and over again, God says, "Please follow Me. I'm over here! Not there! Here!" To try to reach God on our own terms is futile. And rewards are plentiful in seeking after Him -- forever! |
| Q. Did Pharaoh finally believe Moses and Aaron were God's spokesmen? | A. Exodus 12:31 = Yes. He even asked them for a blessing before he set them all free. |
| Q. What reason did the Egyptians have for giving up their material possessions to the Israelites? | A. Exodus 12:36 = God caused them to look favorably on the Israelites. |
| Q. How many men alone of Israel left Egypt in the Exodus? | A. Exodus 12:37 = 600,000 men, not including women and children. |
| Q. How was it possible for 600,000 men to come from one line in so few generations? | A. Genesis 46:27 = 70 members of Jacob's family, excluding wives, went to Egypt during the famine at Joseph's request. 25 more male descendants are named just before the Exodus. Didn't God promise Abraham that he would be a huge nation? |
| Q. Why did they eat unleavened bread while getting out of Egypt? | A. Exodus 12:39= They had to bake bread, but had no time to let it rise because they were rushed out of the country by the Egyptians. |
| Q. Did only Israelites leave in the exodus? | A. Exodus 12:38 = No. Others were amongst them. |
| Q. How long were the Jacob/Israelites in Egypt? | A. Exodus 12:40 = 430 years exactly. |
| Q. What other instructions were given about the Passover celebration? | A. Exodus 12:43-49 = No foreigners could eat it. But if they wanted to, they had to be circumcised, just like the Israelites. There would be no inequality here. |
| Q. How did Israel leave Egypt? | A. Exodus 12:50 = Division by division. |
| Q. Were there other new rites added at this time? | A. Exodus 13:1 = Yes. The dedication of the firstborn animals and sons. |
| Q. What happened to those 1st born animals? | A. Exodus 13:12 = All firstborn animals and sons were to be presented before the Lord. |
| Q. Then what? | A. Exodus 13:13 = Redemption happened. A donkey could be redeemed by sacrificing a lamb in its place. |
| Q. What about sons? | A. Exodus 13:13 = All firstborn sons were to be redeemed -- a lamb offered in each one's place. |
| Q. Why the ritual? | A. Exodus 13:16 = So the Exodus would be burned into their memories as a visible reminder that it was the Lord who delivered them out of Egypt with great power. |
| Q. Why did God lead them the long way out of Egypt to the Promised Land? | A. Exodus 13:17-18 = Because God wanted to remove the temptation to return to Egypt if faced with a battle. |
| Q. What was the direct path? | A. Exodus 13:17 = The road through Philistine territory. |
| Q. What was the long path? | A. Exodus 13:18 = along a route through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. |
| Q. How did the Israelites leave Egypt? | A. Exodus 13:18 = Like a marching army. |
| Q. How did the 600,000 Israelite men plus women and children know in which direction to go? | A. Exodus 13:21 = God guided them by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. |
| Q. Were these guides always there? | A. Exodus 13:22 = Yes. |
| Q. Does God sometimes give us what seems to be blatantly wrong or irrational direction? | A. Exodus 14:1-3 = Yes. |
| Q. Why would a loving God lead us to a difficult place? | A. Exodus 14:4 = So that unbelievers can witness God's miracles and know for sure that He is God. |
| Q. Why did pharaoh Ramses pursue the Israelites? | A. Exodos 14:5 = He heard that they were not planning on returning in 3 days. He didn't want to lose his slaves. |
| Q. Why was pharaoh so obsessed with getting his slaves back? | A. Exodus 14:8 = God continued to strenthen pharaoh's resolve against the Israelites. |
| Q. Who took up the chase? | A. Exodos 14:9 = Pharaoh's entire army. |
| Q. How did the Israelites react when they saw the vast Egyptian army in the distance? | A. Exodus 14:10 = They panicked and cried out to God for help. (Note: At least they didn't wait years to cry to God to help them this time!) |
| Q. That was a good thing! Wasn't it? | A. Exodus 14:11 = Yes. But then they turned against Moses, blamed him for freeing them only to be killed. The Israelites actually said that being slaves was better than being dead -- forgetting their God who was visibly with them day and night. |
| Q. What did Moses say? | A. Exodus 14:13 = Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. |
| Q. Why? | A. Exodus 14:14 = The Lord Himself would fight for them. They wouldn't have to lift a finger in their defense. |
| Q. Why did the Egyptians follow them into the Red Sea? | A. Exodus 14:17 = God hardened their hearts. |
| Q. Why? | A. Exodus 14:17 = That God would receive great glory at the expense of Pharaoh's army -- that all Egypt would know that He was God. |
| Q. What other character was working behind the scenes throughout Moses' lifetime? | A. Exodus 1 = Miriam, Moses' big sister. |
| Q. How? | A. Exodus 1 = Miriam followed the basket that carried Moses down the Nile River until the Pharaoh's widoed daughter found it. Miriam came out of hiding to suggest she fetch a "Hebrew woman" to nurse Moses and brought his own mother to be his nurse. Miriam led the Israelite women in rhythm and dance, with tambourine in hand, at their deliverance. |
| Q. What can I learn from Miriam? |
A. 1). To be available to God; receptive; so that He can work a sovreign plan out before my eyes. 2). Women who have seen God work throughout a period of time lead naturally in praise and worship. 3). It is easy to comment on the various hardships that encumber us every day, but just watching and waiting is so much better! I'd rather be known for my faith than be known for my dramatics! 4). Miriam trusted God -- she boldly stepped out, following her little baby brother to where his basket stopped -- then was not afraid to step out again, risking everything (as a child), to offer to help Moses be taken care of -- by their own mother. Children have no fear. They understand God's protection best. |
| Q. Something was not right with the way the Israelites saw God. What was it? | A. Exodus 13:22-24 = Even after the Red Sea rescue, they still did not go directly to God in prayer. It was Moses who cried out to God, so he got the answers, i.e., a miracle, then clear water to drink. |
| Q.After the Israelites had their miracle water, did God speak right to them? | A. Exodus 13:25 = Yes. He wanted to test their faithfulness to Him. He said "if" they would choose Him, which meant obeying His commands and laws, He would not make them suffer the diseases that He sent to the Egyptians. |
| Q. What else did God reveal about Himself at that time? | A. Exodus 13:26 = That He was Israel's healer. |
| Q. Why did God impose rules on the Israelites? | A. Exodus 13:25 = To test their faithfulness to Him. |
| Q. How long did the Israelites last before they started complaining (against Moses, of course)? | A. Exodus 16:12 = One month! |
| Q. Where were they by then? | A. Exodus 16:1 = In the Sin Desert, between Elim and Mount Sinai. |
| Q. What was their complaint? | A. Exodus 16:3 = They said they were all starvation in the desert. (Note: It is easier to complain of lack then to ask God for provision. I wonder why that is?) |
| Q. What was God's first rule? | A. Exodus 16:4 = About the manna -- to pick up a day's ration ONLY. (It was a test of obedience.) |
| Q. Did Moses clarify who it was they were complaining against? | A. Exodus 16:7,9,10 = Yes. He told them they complain to God directly. They didn't need to tell Moses. |
| Q. How did God provide nourishment? | A. Exodus 16:8 = God gave them meat in the evenings and bread in the mornings. |
| Q. What was God's response to the Israelite's complaints? | A. Exodus 16:9 = He showed them His glory within the guiding cloud, assuring them that He would be their provider. (Note: Even back then, God was a one-on-one God!) |
| Q. The Israelites knew the routine; there was just enough food for their families and no more. But when Friday came, there was twice the manna on the ground. What did Moses say it meant? | A. Exodus 16:23 = He introduced them to the Sabbath on Saturday. The only day that manna would still be good on the next day (20:10). |
| Q. Who were the Amelekites? | A. Exodus 17 = Occupants of Canaan, the land of promise. |
| Q. How did they dare to raise a fist against God's throne? | A. Exodus 17 = Israel was still in the presence of God 24/7. Cloud and pillar of fire. They really thought that they could beat God! |
| Q. Did word get around about Israel's deliverance(s)? | A. Exodus 18:1 = Yes. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, who had been looking after Moses' family through their exodus, came to visit when words of Israel's deliverances reached him. |
| Q. Where were the Israelites when Jethro visited? | A. Exodus 18:5 = Camped near the mountain of God. |
| Q. What happened to Jethro as a result of these events? | A. Exodus 18:10-12 = He believed in God. |
| Q. What was one of Moses' duties? | A. Exodus 18:13 = To sit and listen to the people's complaints against each other, morning to evening. |
| Q. Jethro had ben with Moses one day. What did he think of this duty? | A. Exodus 18:17 = He told Moses that he was headed for burnout and suggested that he delegate judges to help. |
| Q. Did Moses do it? | A. Exodus 18:24 = Yes. God helped him out too. |
| Q. How? | A. Exodus 22,23 = He set standards and rules for judges to go by. |
| Q. What happened to Jethro? | A. Exodus 18:27 = He returned to his own land. |
| Q. When did the Israelites get to the wilderness of Sinai? | A. Exodus 19:1 = One month after Jethro's visit, 2 months after they left Egypt. Around May or June. |
| Q. Where did the Israelites set up camp? | A. Exodus 19:2 = At the base of Mount Sinai. |
| Q. What significant thing did God reveal to Moses on Mount Sinai? | A. Exodus 19:3 = that He wanted the descendants of Jacob/Israel to be His own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth -- a kingdom of priests; His holy nation. |
| Q. When Moses relayed God's message to the leaders of the people of Israel, how did they respond? | A. Exodus 19:7 = Immediate consent. |
| Q. Were there conditions withthis promise of God's? | A. Exodus 19:5 = Yes. Obedience -- keep covenant. |
| Q. Was Moses set aside for furtherance of his leadership? | A. Exodus 19:9 = Yes. God performed an act so that they would always trust Moses for his leadership. |
| Q. What was that act? | A. Exodus 19:9 = He came down in a thick cloud so that they could hear Him speak to Moses. Thunder and lightning, fire and smoke, earthquake and darkness. And God spoke in a thundering voice for all to hear. (20:19,20) |
| Q. What is the consequence of sin, versus the reward for obedience? | A. Exodus 20:5-6 = Our children are punished to the 3rd or 4th generations for our sins, unrepented; but our obedience gets God's love lavished on us for a thousand generations. |
| Q. Why was the Sabbath day holy? | A. Exodus 20:10 = God made creation in six days and rested on the 7th. |
| Q. Why did God show Himself in such an awesome and powerful way? | A. Exodus 20:20 = To let the fear of Him keep them from sinning. |
| Q. What insult to God did making idols bring? | A. Exodus 20:22 = The Israelites had witnessed God speaking to them from heaven -- idols are earthly. |
| Q. What were altars to God to be made of? | A. Exodus 20:24 = earth, stones that were not chipped and it should not have stairs. |
| Q. Where were altars to be built? | A. Exodus 20:24 = In places where they were reminded of who God was. God would bless them there. |
| Q. What would they offer up? | A. Exodus 20:24 = Sheep, goats and cattle for peace offerings and burnt offerings. God would bless them there. |