 Questions and Answers - Exodus 21 - 40 |
| Q. In Egypt,m the Israelites were hard-ridden slaves for a generation. Did they also have slaves? | A. Exodus 21 = Yes. But they were to be treated fairly and in accordance with God's law. |
| Q. What was the slave law? |
A. Exodus 21:2 = 1). Slaves were bought, but served only 6 years. 2). If a slave married after his slavery, he was freed without his wife. 3). If he was married before slavery, his wife would be freed with him. 4). If he married while a slave, had children and wanted to stay because he loved master and family, he could be a lifer-slave, his ear pierced with an awl to signify his commitment. 5). A man could sell his daughter as a slave, but she would not be freed like the man. If the owner didn't like her work, he could sell her back to the father. He could not sell her to foreigners. 6). If the owner arranged marriage to his son, she became like his daughter-in-law and treated thus. 7). If a slave owner married her, he could still marry another, but still had to make sure he treated her fairly (food, clothing, marriage bed). If he failed in any area, she could leave as a free woman. (Note: Divorce! But not using the word yet.) |
| Q. What punishment was there for sorcery? | A. Exodus 22:18 = Death. |
| Q. What punishment was given for beastiality? | A. Exodus 22:19 = Death. |
| Q. What punishment was given for keeping a dangerous animal that had killed? | A. Exodus 22 = Death to animal and owner. |
| Q. What other crimes brought death as a punishment? |
A. Exodus 22 = 1). 1st degree murder 2). striking a parent 3). kidnapping 4). hurting a pregnant woman while fighting with someone else, so that she or her baby dies. 5). Idol worship 6). Exploiting widows or orphans. |
| Q. What did God have to say about civil matters? |
A. Exodus 23:1 = 1). No lying on the witness stand 2). No gangs (v.2) 3). Restore lost livestock to owners(v.4) 4). don't twist justice for or against poor folks 5). Plant and harvest 6 years, rest the 7th year. Let the poor have any volunteer crops inthat year. (Note: All these instructions gives you an idea of what issues the Israelites brought to Moses to resolve in Exodus 18. Also, we see that sometimes God intervenes in man's affairs (Ex 21:13; 22:7,9). |
| Q. Were people in the world at this time that much in need of instructions on settling disputes, idol worship, learning how to treat one another with mercy and fairness? | A. Apparently so! Remember, the rest of the world would either have to learn from these Israelites or else remain in a state of chaos. |
| Q. So far, we have civil law, rules of offering up sacrifices and the ten commandments. All given 2 months after the exodus from Egypt. What else did God instruct the Israelites in? | A. Exodus 23:14 = They were to have 3 festivals per year. |
| Q. What was the first festival? | A. Exodus 23:15 = Festival of Unleavened Bread - March and early April; the anniversary of their exodus from Egypt. They had to bring a sacrifice. |
| Q. What was the second festival? | A. Exodus 23:16 = The Festival of Harvest when they would bring God the first crops. |
| Q. What was the 3rd festival? | A. This one is known by two names: The Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Final Harvest (later called the Festival of Shelters). It was celebrated at the end of harvest season. |
| Q. What other stipulations were there for sacrifices? |
A. Exodus 23:18-19 = 1). Sacrificial blood could not be offered together with bread that had yeast in it. 2). No sacrificial fat could be left unoffered until morning the next day. 3). No cooking a young goat in its mother's milk. |
| Q. Following the Ten Commandments, civil rules, sacrificial rules and the 3 festivals, what did God plan next? | A. Exodus 23:20 = He sent them an angel to lead them to the promised land. |
| Q. What were important things to remember about their journey? | A. Exodus 23:21 = They would need to pay attention to God, obey His instructions and not rebel against Him. |
| Q. What happened to rebels? | A. Exodus 23:21 = The angel would not forgive their sins. |
| Q. What happened to the obedient ones? | A. Exodus 23:22 = If they obeyed the angel, God would be their ally, and enemy to their enemies, an opposer to their opposers. God would destroy all the descendants of Ham so that the Israelites could live in that land. |
| Q. What would be some temptations they might have in that land? |
A. Exodus 23:24 = 1). Idol worship 2). To be employed by pagans 3). To incorporate pagan worship into their own (Note: The monastery was Buddha's idea. What a long-lived stronghold it turned out to be!) |
| Q. What were they to do with pagan ways? | A. Exodus 23:24 = Conquer the peoples and break down their shameful idols. |
| Q. What would their focus be? | A. Exodus 23:25 = To serve only the Lord God, knowing that if they did, He would bless them with food and water and keep them healthy. There would be no miscarriages or infertility with their people and they would live long and full lives. |
| Q. Why would the Israelites be vulnerable to idols and idol worship after spending 2 months with God in the wilderness and witnessing His wonders? | A. Note: My only answer is one of incredulity. Why do people turn their backs on God? On heaven? On eternal life? On the mansion He's building right now for anyone who simply will love Him? |
| Q. Moses announced all these instructions to the Israelites. How did they respond? | A. Exodus 24:3 = They promised to do everything God asked them to do. |
| Q. What was different about the altar Moses built at the foot of Mount Sinai? | A. Exodus 24:4 = Moses set up 12 pillars around the altar, one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel (i.e., Jacob's sons). |
| Q. What was sacrificed there? | A. Exodus 24:5 = Young bulls for burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. |
| Q. What else happened there? | A. Exodus 24:6 = Moses took 1/2 the blood from these animals and drew it off into basins. The other 1/2 he splashed against the altar. |
| Q. Then what? | A. Exodus 24:7 = He read, for the first time, the Book of the Covenant to the Israelites. |
| Q. How did the Israelites respond to it? | A. Exodus 24:7 = They promised to obey it. |
| Q. What then happened to the blood in the basins? | A. Exodus 24:8 = Moses sprinkled it over the people, saying, "This blood confirms the covenant of the Lord has made with you in giving you these laws." |
| Q. Does God have form? | A. Exodus 24:10 = Yes. Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, along with 70 leaders of Israel went up the mountain. There they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet there seemed to be a pavement of brilliant sapphire, as clear as the heavens. And though Israel's leaders saw God, He did not destroy them. In fact, they shared a meal together in God's presence!" |
| Q. Why were the priests to wear special clothing when they were on duty? | A. Exodus 28:1-2 = To set them apart and lend dignity to the work of the preistly office. It also showed his "separation to God." |
| Q. Where do our innate skills come from? | A. Exodus 31:3-6 = They come from God, through the Spirit of God, who also grants us wisdom, intelligence and creativity. |
| Q. Is it possible to use our skills out of God's will? | A. Exodus 31:11 = Yes. We still must follow God's instructions in the use of our skills. |
| Q. What else did the Sabbath signify? |
A. Exodus 31 = 1). The covenant between God and man -- forever. 2). That it is God who makes man holy. Nothing we can do can make us holy -- only God can do it! |
| Q. Why is Sabbath Day holy? | A. Exodus 31:15 = Because God said so. |
| Q. What benefit do we get out of it? | A. Exodus 31:17 = Refreshment for the start of each new week! |
| Q. Why were the two stone tablets so special? | A. Exodus 31:18 = They were written by the finger of God. |
| Q. How long was Moses up in the mountain receiving instructions from God? | A. Exodus 24:18 = 40 days and 40 nights. |
| Q. What happened while Moses was gone? | A. Exodus 32:2 = Aaron collected gold from the Israelites and melted it down, making them a golden calf. |
| Q. Why?? | A. Exodus 32:1 = Because they asked for him to make gods that would lead them (as in the Egyptian culture). They backslid, 39 days after seeing God's glory -- Aaron was with God, Moses and the Israelite leaders -- even sharing a meal with God! |
| Q. Why did God not destroy them then? | A. Exodus 32:11 = Because Moses loved them. |
| Q. How does God show His unfailing love? | A. Exodus 34:7 = By forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. |
| Q. Nevertheless, is there consequences to sin? | A. Exodus 34:7 = Yes. God punishes the children for the sins of their parents to the 3rd and 4th generations. |
| Q. Did Moses continue to beg God to forgive the sins of the Israelites and accept them as His own special possession? | A. Exodus 34:8-9 = Yes. |
| Q. How did God respond? | A. Exodus 34:10 = He promised Moses that He would carry out His plan - performing miracles for all men so that they could all see God's power. |
| Q. And what did God require of the Israelites? | A. Exodus 34:11 = To keep all God's commands -- obedience. |
| Q. What would be these awesome displays of power? | A. Exodus 34:11 = God would go before the Israelites and drive out the descendants of Ham from the promised land. |
| Q. Even through this miraculous, wondrous time, what would be a huge temptation the Israelites would face that only they could choose to walk away together from? | A. Exodus 34:12 = All that glitters -- eye candy of pagan altars, sacred pillars, carved images -- stuff they came from in Egypt. |
| Q. What name did God have for Ham's descendants? | A. Exodus 34:15 = Spiritual prostitutes. |
| Q. Why would it be tempting for the Israelites to worship their gods? | A. Exodus 34 = Old habits. |
| Q. What sins would follow? | A. Exodus 34:16 = Intermarriage of Ham's descendants to their sons which would lead to pagan worship. |
| Q. The promised loand wasn't going to be peaceable for a while. There were enemies to drive out. But God still demanded the 3 festivals during the year. How would that be possible? | A. Exodus 34:24 = God promised that during these festivals, no one would attack and conquer them. |
| Q. During their time together as a tribe, God replaced pagan rituals withholy ones. Their year was filled with godly things to do. What would God be doing in return? | A. Exodus 34:24 = Driving out their enemies and enlarging their borders. |
| Q. What was the difference between the first set of stone tablets and the second set? | A. Exodus 34:27 = God wrote the first set; Moses wrote the second set. |
| Q. What else was different this second time up in the mountain of God? | A. Exodus 34:29 = Moses' face glowed because he had spoken to the Lord. |
| Q. What is another reason to make Sabbath Day one of total rest? | A. Exodus 35:2 = God OWNS that day. |
| Q. When told what gifts were appropriate for the Tabernacle, Moses gave the list to all. Did all participate? |
A. 1). Exodus 35:10 = Gifted craftsmen did. 2). Exodus 35:21-26 = Those whose hearts were stirred and who desired to do so, both men and women did 3). Exodus 35:30 = Bezalel, from the tribe of Judah, was super-gifted of God, filled with the Holy Ghost, having wisdom, intelligence and every necessary skill did. 4). Exodus 35:34 = Oholiah, from the tribe of Dan was skilled as a jeweler, designer, weaver and embroiderer, did. |
| Q. Where did Bezalel and Oholiab obtain their skills? | A. Exodus 35:34 = Directly from God. |
| Q. What other gift did they possess, so important to their people? | A. Exodus 35:34 = Teaching. They would be able to teach their skills to others. |
| Q. Were the Israelites enthusiastic to see the Tabernacle built? |
A. Exodus 36:3-7 = Yes! They provided all materials necessary in abundance and had to be told to stop bringing them! Note: When we see God's work in action, we also are enthusiastic to give to that work. |
| Q. When the Tabernacle and its contents were finally finished, Moses inspected it and found that they obeyed every instruction. What did he do next? |
A. Exodus 39:42-43 = He blessed them. Note: We should remember to bless others when they come through in obedience through difficult times. |
| Q. The Israelites had seen God revealed in a cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night. What new way were they able to see God after that? |
A. Exodus 40:34-38 = The Tabernacle housed God's glory so that they could be near him, see Him, throughout all their journeys. When God's glory moved, they moved. Period! Note: Having God physically near must have given the Israelites something unique from other peoples. The everyday pettiness was replaced with wonder and stark awareness of their own lack and sin nature. |