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EXODUS THROUGH DEUTERONOMY |
The Exodus Event is perhaps the most significant single event in the Old Testament. It represented, not only the birth of the nation of Israel, but the very redemption of God’s covenant people.
There are some interesting similarities and parallels in Exodus with Genesis:
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Genesis |
Exodus |
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Begins with all of humanity in view |
Begins with all of the Israelites in view |
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Eventually focuses upon one man - Abraham and his family |
Eventually focuses upon one man - Moses and his family |
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Abraham has two siblings: Nahor & Haran |
Moses has two siblings: Aaron & Miriam |
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Called to leave and travel to a foreign land |
Forced to leave and flee to Midian |
Just as Genesis was organized around ten sets of generations, so also there are a number of groups of tens in Exodus. – 10 plagues on the Egyptians, 10 commandments, 10 items to be built.
While the message in Genesis is hope in Yahweh, the message (ie. ‘Big Idea’) in Exodus would seem to be the presence of Yahweh, revolving around the revelation of His name and its etymology in the Hebrew ‘I Am’. Each transition centers on one aspect of what His presence meant for the Israelites – deliverance from bondage through the plagues, call to holiness through the commandments, and guidance through the building of the Tabernacle. The final resolution is the glory of Yahweh filling the Tabernacle and how He guided the Israelites in all their travels in the wilderness.
THE EARLY CAREER OF MOSES
Although born as the third child to a poor Hebrew family, a social outcast and condemned from birth, God preserved Moses through a magnificent process of events to become the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
1. Birth and Infancy.
Moses was born in troubled times. The pharaoh of Egypt had issued a decree that all newborn Hebrew males were to be killed. Moses was hidden at first by his parents and then placed in a box of reeds and set to drift of the Nile River. There he was found by one of the daughters of the Pharaoh who had come down to bathe.
There is a touch of irony here in that the order of the Pharaoh had been that the Hebrew children were to be thrown into the Nile. The parents of Moses obey the letter of the law and place him into the Nile, albeit in a place of safety.
Moses is adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh and given the name Moses, which means "one drawn out." As a pagan Nile worshiper, she perhaps attributed this infant to a gift from the Nile River.
2. Education.
There is only one verse in all of the Bible which even mentions the education of Moses in Egypt. "And Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds." (Acts 7:22).
Moses was given the finest education available in what was at that time the most advanced nation on earth. This would have included math, astronomy, engineering, literature and military science.
His teachers had all of the learning of the engineers who designed the pyramids and the sphinx. Notice that the fame of Moses was both "in words and deeds."
Josephus, the Jewish historian who lived in the days of the New Testament, tells a story of an invasion of Ethiopian tribes to the south which threatened to overwhelm the land of Egypt. According to Josephus, it was Moses who led the armies of Egypt southward to meet the Ethiopian hordes, driving them back to their own lands.
3. The Decision of Moses.
"But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel." (Acts 7:23).
The children of Israel had settled in the area of Goshen, located on the eastern side of the Delta region of Egypt. They lived here in their own villages because the Egyptians did not hold to integration. To the contrary, they were perhaps the most bigoted segregationists in all of history.
Though he had been raised as an Egyptian, there came a day when Moses decided to visit the people of Israel.
I think that it was at this time that Moses began to learn of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He heard the promises that had been given to these people. And, having heard this message, Moses made a decision.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
Moses made a decision to reject his Egyptian heritage. This man was "the son of Pharaoh’s daughter" and possibly the crown prince of Egypt. And yet, he gave it all up. And for what? To be identified with a group of slaves without homes or possessions — a people who had nothing but a promise.
4. The Murder.
It was some time after this that another event took place in the life of Moses that was to become a turning point in his life.
Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
Moses had already made one decision. He had already decided to throw in his lot with the Israelites.
Now, he comes upon an injustice. An Egyptian is beating a Hebrew. Moses makes another decision. He decides to stop the injustice - permanently.
"And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him; but they did not understand." (Acts 7:25).
Somehow Moses had come to recognize that God was going to use him in delivering the Israelites. He had heard the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that the people of Israel would be delivered from Egypt. He recognized that God had chosen him and protected him. And so, he figures that this is as good a time as any to begin the work of deliverance.
Do you see what he was doing? He was trying to do God’s work in his own way. He was very sincere. But he was sincerely wrong. Being sincere is never a substitute for righteousness.
It is true that God is going to use Moses to deliver the people of Israel. But it will not be by Moses s strength or power or wisdom that this will be accomplished.
5. Flight to Midian.
Moses had thrown in his lot with the hated Israelites and no longer had the throne of Egypt to protect him. If our chronology is correct, then this murder took place near the end of the reign of Hatshepset as Thutmoses 3rd was soon coming to the throne. Already as vice-regent under his stepmother, he posed a threat to the life of Moses.
The Biblical account specifically states that "when Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses" (Exodus 2:15).
"That the pharaoh himself took note of what would otherwise have been a relatively minor incident suggests that this particular pharaoh had more than casual interest in ridding himself of Moses." (Eugene Merrill, Kingdom of Priests, Page 62, 1987).
It is possible that Thutmoses 3rd saw Moses as a possible rival to the throne and therefore sought to use this opportunity to he rid of him? It would not be until after the death of Thutmoses 3rd that Moses would feel free to return to Egypt (Exodus 2:23).
Moses was forced to flee Egypt. He sought refuge in Midian, the wilderness lands to the east of the Gulf of Aqaba.
The Anastasi Papyri are made up of official reports from the Egyptian border authorities and demonstrate the tight control which the held over the Egyptian border.
In life, prosperity, health! In the favor of Amon-Re, King of the gods, and of the ka of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt... I was sent forth... at the time of evening, following after these two slaves... When I reached the fortress, they told me that the scouts had come from the desert, saying that they had passed the walled place north of the Migdol of Seti Merne-Ptah. (BAR Jan/Feb 1999).
Though these date after the 18th Dynasty, they reflect the control over the boarders of Egypt in Biblical times.
MOSES VERSUS PHARAOH
Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. (Exodus 7:1).
Exodus presents a contest between the God of Israel versus the gods of Egypt and a contest between Moses versus Pharaoh.
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Yahweh versus Gods of Egypt |
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Moses versus Pharaoh |
For Moses to meet with Pharaoh, it must follow that Moses is on the same level with Pharaoh. How was Pharaoh viewed in ancient Egypt? He was viewed as a god.
There was a hierarchy of position in the ancient world. The highest position was that of a god. Next was that of a prophet. Then came the priest. Finally came all of the other people.
There is a sense in which both Aaron and Moses are commissioned to act the part of a higher office than is their own.
"Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and it shall come about that he shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be as God to him." (Exodus 4:16).
Moses gets a temporary promotion along with Aaron. Moses will act in the place of God to Aaron and Aaron will act in the place of prophet.
Accordingly, it becomes readily apparent that Moses has been prepared in his past and upbringing to act the part of God to pharaoh. This becomes clear as we take note of the Egyptian mythology and beliefs.
The hero of the Egyptian pantheon was the god Horus who had the head of a bird. He was the god of the underworld. In most mythologies, this would have made him a dark, brooding villain, but Egypt’s concept of the afterlife made him an admirable hero.
The birth story of Moses is echoed in Egyptian mythology. The exposed infant motif follows a regular story in which the parents are unable to keep the child and he is exposed to the elements. But instead of starving to death, he his found by one who takes care of him (Edipus, Romulus and Remus, Sargon the Great). However, only in the Moses and Horus stories is the attempt to save the child. In Egyptian mythology, Seth attempts to put Horus to death. Isis tries to save him by fleeing to Buto where she keeps Horus hidden in the papyrus marshes.
In the Moses story, the Pharaoh takes the place of Seth, the evil god.
Why do these parallels exist? It is because God is communicating to mankind in the language of his culture. God always does this. The ultimate communication of culture was the incarnation in which God became a man to communicate to us. We are called to do the same thing. We are called to communicate the gospel in the culture of those among whom we live.
Horus is pictured in a stele triumphing over dangerous animals as he holds the tail of a snake in his hand. In another, Horus holds a staff with the head of a snake.
The Hyksos tell a story of a magician who was able to take a wax figure and turn it into a crocodile and then catch it in his hand so that it would again become wax. It is notable that in Exodus 7 when Moses and Aaron cast down the rod, the word that is used is not the normal word for serpent. The Hebrew word tannim normally describes a sea monster or even a crocodile rather than a serpent.
God challenges Pharaoh on his own turf. "You think that your gods and magicians can accomplish all of these terrific miracles. I will accomplish them before your eyes and show you that I am God rather than Pharaoh or the false gods of Egypt."
THE PLAGUES
Notice that there is an increase in severity throughout the plagues. They begin with discomfort and move on to suffering, followed by destruction and death.
The first nine plagues can be arranged into three groups of three plagues each.
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Plagues |
Effects |
Initiator |
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1-3 |
Loathsome |
Inflicted by the hand of Aaron using the rod |
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4-6 |
Painful |
Inflicted by the hand of the Lord |
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7-9 |
Destructive beyond anything ever before experienced in Egypt |
Inflicted by the hand of Moses |
The first three plagues were upon all of the inhabitants of Egypt. By contrast, the last six plagues fall only upon the Egyptians and do not directly affect the Israelites.
THE CROSSING OF THE RED SEA
1. The Place of the Crossing.
a. The Lakes East of the Delta.
Much ado has been made about the fact that the Hebrew Scriptures have the Israelites crossing the Yam Suph (literally, "Sea of Reeds"). It is argued that this must refer to one of the marshy lakes that lay between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. This view is often made to say that these lakes were very shallow and that the Israelites were able to wade across while the heavy chariots of the Egyptians became stuck in the soft much of the marsh.
b. The Gulf of Elath.
Another view identifies the Yam Suph as the Gulf of Elath, located to the northeast of the Nile Delta. There is a narrow strip of land that curves out into the Mediterranean. The problem with this view is that the Bible expressly says that Israel did not take the route known as "the way of the Philistines" (Exodus 13:17).
c. The Red Sea.
The Bible continues to speak of the Yam Suph in a way that is an obvious reference to the Red Sea. In 1 Kings 9:26, Solomon is said to have built a fleet of ships on the shore of the Yam Suph. It is unlikely that these ships were located in some desert marshes or any other small body of water.
d. The Gulf of Aqaba.
This view has the Israelites going through the Sinai Desert and then crossing the relatively narrow area on the south end of the Gulf of Aqaba. This portion of the gulf has something of an underwater land bridge and is only about 150 feet deep as opposed to the 1000 foot depth on either side.
The problem with this view is that the Scriptures place Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula and not in Central Arabia as this view would demand.
2. The Means of Parting the Waters.
When the Bible describes the actual parting of the waters of the Red Sea, there are several interesting factors that are mentioned.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.
And the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them, on their right hand and on their left. (Exodus 14:21-22).
Notice that the parting of the water was directly caused by the "strong east wind." The prevailing winds in that area are normally from the west. An east wind comes of f the desert and brings very dust. In this case, it must have been a very localized wind to drive back the waters at the precise place that Israel could cross.
Although the waters were parted on the "right hand and on their left," we must not infer that the path through the sea was a narrow hall as has been portrayed in modern movies. The indication is that the entire tribe of Israel numbering many hundreds of thousands passed through in the space of a single night. If this is so, then the parting of the sea might well have been up to a mile wide so that all could make the crossing.
3. The Destruction of Pharaoh’s army.
The chariot corps of Egypt took off through the Red Sea in pursuit of Israel. Here, they ran into trouble.
And He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty... (Exodus 14:25a).
A traffic jam took place on the sea bottom. Before they could retreat, the sea returned to its normal state, covering chariot and soldier alike so that all were lost.
THE MOSAIC COVENANT
With the escape of the Israelites into the Sinai Wilderness, the first step in the formation of the nation was completed. Next, the Lord moves to give the Israelites a constitution which will bind them together and unify them as a nation. Upon arrival at Mount Sinai, the Lord entered into a constitutional covenant with Israel. There were several parts to this covenant.
1. The Preamble.
Just as the Constitution of the United States of America has a Preamble which states the purpose of that Constitution, so in Exodus 19:5-6 we have the Preamble to the Israelite Constitution designed by God.
"Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;
In these verses, we see God’s purpose and plan for the nation of Israel. It was a threefold plan.
a. A Possession.
First, Israel is to be a possession belonging to the Lord. She will be valued above the other nations of the earth, even though they all belong to the Lord.
b. A Kingdom of Priests.
Secondly, Israel is to be a kingdom of priests. A priest is one who acts as an intermediary between man and God. The way of access to the Lord will now be through the sons of Israel. There will be no access to God apart from the priesthood of God s special nation.
c. A Holy Nation.
Finally. Israel will be a nation completely set apart from the other nations of the world as a holy nation to the Lord.
It is toward these three goals that all of the commands in the Mosaic Law are directed. These three goals are ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ and in His church. All of these qualities are ascribed both the Jesus and to His body, the united assembly of covenant believers.
2. The Decalogue.
When we speak of the Decalogue, we are referring to the Ten Commandments given in Exodus 20:1-17. They express the eternal, moral and righteous will of God.
The first four commandments deal with Israel’s relationship with Yahweh and give reasons for each command. These first four commands are completely unique to this constitution. No other society in the ancient world recognized laws similar to these since it was unthinkable to have only one God.
The last six commandments deal with principles of morality in man s relationship to other men. These are laws common to any society which recognizes basic establishment principles. This is why no explanation of them is necessary.
3. The Judgments.
The Judgments (Mishpatim) were the laws which governed the social laws of Israel (Exodus 21-24). They were case laws which further developed the Decalogue. Each one begins with an "if" clause ("If you do this, then you will do that...).
4. The Tabernacle.
The Tabernacle was an elaborate tent which served as a portable temple for the Lord. It had an outer court where sacrifices could be offered, and the tent itself which was further divided into the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. At the center of this innermost sanctum was the Ark of the Covenant.
The Ark was a wooden box overlaid with gold and having a solid gold cover known as the Mercy Seat. This Mercy Seat symbolized the throne of the King. The Shekinah glory of Yahweh would reside upon the mercy seat. The Ark was kept in the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle.
Therefore, the Tabernacle was the capital of the King. It was the center of government as well as the center of religion.
The climactic conclusion of the book of Exodus takes place when the Tabernacle is completed and the presence of God comes into the Tent of Meeting.
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34-35).
The presence of the Lord continued to be with the people of Israel throughout their entire sojourn in the Wilderness.
For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel. (Exodus 40:38).
THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS
1. The Name of the Book.
2. Theme of Leviticus.
The book of Leviticus is a book about the rituals of WORSHIP and HOLINESS. In this, it is a continuation of the Law which is set forth in Exodus.
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Exodus ends with the construction of the Tabernacle. |
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Leviticus tell us about the worship which takes place within that Tabernacle. |
Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting... (Leviticus 1:1).
Exodus ends with the glory of the Lord moving into the Tabernacle. Leviticus picks up with the presence of the Lord calling out to Moses from inside the Tabernacle. Leviticus teaches God's people how they are to approach Him and live pleasing in His sight. Its central command is to "be HOLY."
"...You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (Leviticus 19:2).
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GENESIS |
EXODUS |
LEVITICUS |
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Origins of the Nation |
Deliverance of the Nation |
Life of the Nation |
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Theocracy Born |
Theocracy Established |
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Genesis begins with creation - it depicts the rise of God's people.
Exodus begins in bondage - it tells of the redemption from Egypt.
Leviticus begins in sacrifice - It sets forth the ritual of worship.
3. Structure of the Book.
Leviticus is written in the form of a large Chiasm - a parallel that begins and ends upon parallel points. In this case, the climactic portion of the chiasm is found in the two chapters immediately following the chiasm. They form the "so what" of the book of Leviticus.
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Laws of the Offerings (1-7). |
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Laws of the Priests (8-10) |
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Laws of Purity (11-15). |
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Day of Atonement (16). |
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Laws of Holiness (17-20). |
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Laws of the Priests (21-22). |
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Appointed times (23-25). |
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The last two chapters following the chiastic section deal with the penalties for disobedience (chapter 26) and with the making of vows before the Lord (chapter 27).
a. The Priests.
They served as the mediators who would offer sacrifices on behalf of the people, taking their prayers before Yahweh.
b. The Sacrifices.
These were designed to keep the people in a state of purity, enabling a holy God to remain in the midst of a contaminated people.
It was always to be through the shedding of the blood of an innocent substitute that the Sinless King was able to reside in the midst of His sinful people.
All of these Religious Laws served an even more fundamental purpose of pointing to the Messiah who was to come. They picture the person of Jesus who became flesh and "tabernacled" among us. They picture our great High Priest who entered heaven itself with His own blood. And they picture the One who is the Sinless Lamb of God who was offered to bear the sins of the world.
NUMBERS - THE BOOK OF WANDERINGS
What do you think of when I speak of the book of Numbers? A lot of boring genealogy? The taking of a census? A book for tax accountants and mathematicians? It sounds about as exciting as falling off a log. And yet, this IS an exciting book.
It is a book of successes and a book of failures. It is a book of endurance under testings. It is a book which teaches us lessons for wisdom for our journey in the wilderness.
Our English Title "Numbers" is translated from the title found in the Greek Septuagint.
a. The Greek Title: Ariqmoi ("Numbers").
The book received this name from the two numberings which took place within its pages. And yet, there is a lot more in this book than the mere recording of a census. There are 36 chapters in this book. Each census takes up only one chapter.
b. The Hebrew Title: BaMidbar ("In the Wilderness").
This original title for this book is taken from the first verse of the first chapter: Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai... (Numbers 1:1).
This is an appropriate title. Numbers is the book that tells us what happened during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
Each of the Five Books of Moses had a special purpose to the people who were living in that day.
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BOOKS |
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED |
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Genesis |
Sets forth Israel's relation with the Covenant God, both as Creator of the universe, as well as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. |
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Exodus |
Relates the narrative of how God redeemed His people from their slavery in Egypt. He is pictured as entering into a covenant with His people whom He has purchased as His priced possession. |
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Leviticus |
Deals with the question of how men are to approach the Covenant God. It outlines the sacrifices and the forms of worship. |
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Numbers |
Since there is very little historical narrative in Leviticus, it takes up the historical narrative that Exodus left off. |
Numbers is written at the close of the Wilderness Wanderings. That tells us something about the recipients of this book. They were not the same generation which had left Egypt. They are a new generation. The old generation has died in the wilderness. Moses now challenges the new generation to fulfill the covenant made by their fathers, and not to fall in the way that their fathers fell.
There is a lesson here. It is that there is always a need to teach the old truths to the new generation.
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Leviticus |
Numbers |
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The believer's worship. |
The believer's work. |
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Purity. |
Pilgrimage. |
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Our spiritual position. |
Our spiritual progress. |
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Ceremony in the sanctuary. |
History in the wilderness. |
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1:1 10:10 MOUNT SINAI |
10:11 14:45 FROM SINAI TO KADESH |
15:1 21:41 KADESH TO MOAB |
22:1 36:13 THE PLAINS OF MOAB |
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Preparation for the Journey |
The Test |
Wilderness Wanderings |
End of the Journey |
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The Old Generation |
The New Generation |
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Several Weeks |
38 Years |
Several Months |
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Mt Sinai |
Mt Hor |
Mt Nebo |
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The book of Numbers is written on the plains of Moab at the close of the Wilderness Wanderings. It covers both the history and the reason for those wanderings.
The book begins with the numbering of the people of God as they are called to His service. The standard of holiness for that service is outlined in the following chapters.
The people of God failed in that service and, as a result, were condemned to die in the wilderness. Now a new generation has arisen. They are also numbered. They are also called to the service of the Lord. They will also be tested. And they will also be given a standard of holiness.
This book is written to prepare this second generation of Israelites for that service. The first generation has failed and died. What will the second generation do?
The fighting men of Israel who were over the age of 20 were numbered at over 600,000 (Numbers 1:45-46). If this number is correct, then it would mean that the nation itself must have numbered upwards of 2 million.
Why did God command this census to take place? And why is it recorded in the pages of the Bible? Is this merely to give us a bit of mathematical trivia? No. I think that there are several reasons for this numbering.
Chapter 3 begins with the familiar formula: "These are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses" (3:1).
This introduces a special blessing which was to be enjoyed by the tribe of Levi.
Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 "Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every first-born, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine. 13 For all the first-born are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the first-born in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the Lord." (Numbers 3:11-13).
Due to the plague of the first-born in Egypt, all firstborn males are the legal property of the Lord. However, He takes as a substitute the priestly tribe of Levi.
Because Levi holds this special position, a special census is taken of all of the members of the tribe of Levi in chapter 4.
It is a vow of separation.
This chapter closes with a special blessing for Israel.
The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26).
In 1979, a small silver scroll was excavated from a tomb on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The scroll had been rolled up and made into a tiny cylindrical amulet. When it was unrolled, it was found to contain this same priestly benediction. The scroll has been dated to the 7th century B.C. and is our oldest copy of Scripture.
Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim, so He spoke to him. (Numbers 7:89).
Throughout the Psalms, the Lord is known as the "One who sits between the cherubim." This was the throne of the Lord.
We have found many ancient wall paintings of Egyptian thrones from this era. It is very common to see the pharaoh pictured sitting upon a throne which had as its two armrests the images of two four-legged winged creatures.
The Israelites receive their marching orders from the Lord and they are led from Sinai to the Wilderness of Paran. This area lies to the northwest of the Gulf of Elath and is composed of a high plateau ranging from 3900 to 5290 feet above sea level.
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Chapter 11.
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Chapter 14.
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Chapter 12. Complaint by Aaron & Miriam against Moses |
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Chapter 13. Mission of the spies & their complaint against Canaan |
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This section of the book of Numbers records the repeated failure of the Israelites to believe the provisions of the Lord. Some of these failures were public while others were private.
a. Crying & Quail (Numbers 11).
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PROLOGUE: Complaint of the people & the Judgment of God (11:1-9). |
EPILOGUE: Grace and Judgment from the Lord (11:31-35). |
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Complaint of Moses about unbelief of the people (11:10-15). |
Complaint of Joshua about two prophets (11:26-30). |
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The Lord calls for Leaders (11:16-17). |
The Spirit given to Leaders (11:24-25). |
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God promises both Grace and Judgment (11:18-23). |
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This chapter begins with a brief prologue which describes an initial judgment from God. It is a judgment of FIRE (berah). And so, the Israelites call the name of the place "Taberah."
However, the Israelites continued to complain. This time, the complaint took on a new form. It was a complaint over the same menu. For a year, the Lord had provided them with MANNA to eat. And now, they begin to suffer from the problem of selective memory.
"We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic,
They remembered the food of Egypt but they forgot their past slavery. They remembered the free fish, but they forgot that they themselves had not been free.
Sin is like that. When we are tempted, it is because we have forgotten the consequences of our sins. Sin always carries baggage with it. Remember the baggage!
Moses takes these complaints and all that they imply both against his own leadership as well as the rebellion against God and he takes it before the Lord. The Lord responds both in grace and in judgment.
(1) Grace.
The GRACE response is seen in the provision of the Holy Spirit for the leaders of the nation. No more will the Holy Spirit speak only through Moses. From now on there will be others who are also filled with the Spirit.
It is interesting that two of these leaders receive the Spirit in a manner which is not consistent with the others.
But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp.
So a young man ran and told Moses and said, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."
The Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, answered and said, "Moses, my lord, restrain them."
But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:26-29).
We can learn an important lesson from this episode. It is that the Lord does not always bestow His gifts in the nice, neat ways which our theology requires.
Joshua was not aware of this. His theology said that the Spirit is only bestowed at the Tabernacle. And when he saw two men who received the Spirit outside the Tabernacle, he didn't like it.
But Moses was not troubled by this. He realized that God is bigger than the Tabernacle. God doesn't always fit into our theological boxes.
It is interesting that the desire of Moses was that all men prophecy. This desire was later stated in the form of a prophecy by the prophet Joel.
And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days." (Joel 2:28-29).
This prophecy was fulfilled at the Pentecost Incident in Acts 2. It was at that time that the Spirit was poured out in an indiscriminate manner.
The grace of God is further seen in the provision of a great flock of quail. It is grace heaped up and overflowing.
(2) Judgment.
It is only after the people have seen the grace of God both in the giving of His Spirit and in the sending of the quail that judgment falls.
Why does it fall now? It falls because there has been no repentance. There is a lesson here. It is a lesson about the PATIENCE of God.
b. Complaint Against Moses (Numbers 12).
A complaint is now brought against Moses by those who are the closest to him - his brother and sister. The complaint regard his taking of a Cushite woman as his wife.
Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman); 2 and they said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?" And the Lord heard it. (Numbers 12:1-2).
While there seems to be perhaps an undercurrent of jealousy and sibling rivalry (they may have had a difficult time accepting their "little brother's" leadership), the spark which set this event off was the marriage of Moses to a Gentile. In the midst of this family feud, the Lord intervenes and calls Aaron and Miriam to account.
Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tend, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward, 6 He said, "Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord shall make Myself known to him in a vision.
I shall speak with him in a dream.
Not so, with My servant Moses,
His is faithful in all My household;
With him I speak mouth to mouth,
Even openly, and not in dark sayings,
And he beholds the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?" (Numbers 12:5-8).
The Septuagint translates the phrase "mouth to mouth" as "face to face." The context shows this the be the idea behind the phrase.
There is a sense in which we have experienced this kind of communication in the person of Jesus Christ. He brought God face to face with men.
In 1 Corinthians 13:10, Paul quotes the Septuagint version of this passage. He is speaking amidst the contrast of the partial that we know today versus that perfect that we shall one day know.
For we know in part, and we prophecy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then FACE TO FACE; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:9-12).
To what does "the perfect" refer? It is the face-to-face communication with God that Moses experienced. Those who met Jesus had such an experience.
But Paul does not speak of the "perfect" as having already come. He describes it as still future. What is the "perfect"? It is the state of perfect communication with God. It is that which we shall experience when we finally see Him face to face.
c. The Spies (Numbers 13).
Why were spies sent into Canaan? Up to this time, the Lord Himself had led the people. Why was there a need for spies? Deuteronomy 1:22-23 give us a clue.
"Then all of you approached me and said, `Let us send men before us, that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up, and the cities which we shall enter.'
"And the thing pleased me and I took twelve of your men, one man for each tribe." (Deuteronomy 1:22-23).
The impetus for the plan to send in spies came from the people. On the other hand, the Lord DID affirm the plan. And so, representatives from each of the twelve tribes of Israel were selected to spy out the land. Of the twelve who went out...
Perhaps there is a lesson here. It is that the majority is not always right.
"There also we saw the Nephalim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephalim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:33).
The interesting thing about this fear is that there was a corresponding fear of the Israelites on the part of the Canaanites. When Israel finally DOES enter the Promised Land, it is to find that the Canaanites had heard of the power of the Lord and were frightened by it (Joshua 2:9-11).
Why did the spies fall prey to the "grasshopper complex?" Dr. Erwin Lutzer lists several reasons:
They preferred to be enslaved to the bondage of Egypt than to take a chance with the Lord.
The reaction to the people to the report of the spies was one of unbelief and rebellion against the Lord.
When Joshua and Caleb attempt to warn the people, they find themselves facing execution by stoning. Into this situation, the Lord appears in the Tabernacle and passes judgment upon the rebellious nation.
"Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey - I will bring them in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected.
"But as for you, your corpses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they shall suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness.
"According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, even forty years, and you shall know My opposition." (Numbers 14:31-34).
The judgment was to be one of death. The entire generation would die in the wilderness.
Instead of submitting to the judgment of God, the people further rebelled against God by trying to invade the land on their own. They were defeated and driven back.
The rebellion against the authority of Moses came from members of his own tribe - the Tribe of Levi. It revolved around a man named Korah.
And they assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord." (Numbers 16:3).
Now, let me ask you a question. Was this a true claim? Wasn't it true that all of Israel was holy and that the Lord was in the midst of all? Yes, it was. But it was also true that the Lord had appointed leaders over the people.
It was God who had appointed Moses. Therefore this was not merely a rebellion against Moses - it was also a rebellion against God. This sin of Korah was that of wanting to reject God's ordained leaders.
There is a lesson for us to learn. It is a lesson of leadership. The fact that the church is a royal priesthood does not mean that there is not God-ordained leadership within the church.
Korah denied that leadership. His claim was that Moses had no right to be leader since all of the Israelites were God's chosen people.
Moses called for the people to separate themselves from Korah, warning that the judgment of God was about to fall in a way that it had not previously done.
Then it came about as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground that was under them split open; 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah, with their possessions.
So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. (Numbers 16:31-33).
Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. (Numbers 16:35).
Jude 11 speaks of those within the Christian church who have "perished in the rebellion of Korah." The implication is that it is possible today to sin in the same way that Korah sinned.
What type of sin is this? It is the sin of rebellion from God-ordained authority. It is a sin that can be committed both within and without the church.
The most common testing which the Israelites faced in the Wilderness as the lack of food and water - especially water.
And there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron. (Numbers 20:2).
The people had faced this test before. When they had first come into the Wilderness, they had been without water and the Lord had Moses strike a rock and a river of water had gushed forth (Exodus 17:1-7).
Now they are facing the same test. And once again, they begin to complain and to murmur against the Lord.
Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them;
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 "Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink." (Numbers 20:6-8).
The instructions of the Lord are very explicit. Moses is to go and SPEAK to the rock.
Why the change? On the previous occasion, Moses was to strike the rock with the rod. Why is he merely to speak to it now? Evidently, this is a test of Moses' obedience.
But I think that there may be another reason as well. The rock is a type of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). It is from Him that we receive rivers of living water. We receive those waters because He was stricken on our behalf. But He was only struck once. His sacrifice was once and for all. He does not have to be sacrificed repeatedly. To approach Him now, we need only speak to Him in prayer.
Moses failed the test. He failed to obey the command of the Lord.
Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20:11-12).
Because of this failure, neither Moses or Aaron would be permitted to actually enter the Promised Land.
There are several lessons that we learn from this incident.
As the Israelites approach the boarders of the land of Edom, Moses sends messengers asking for permission to cross through this territory. This permission is refused. Because of this, the Israelites would be forced to make a 175 mile detour around the southern boarder of Edom's territory (Numbers 21:4).
Once again, the Israelites faced the tests of a lack of food and water. Once again, they failed the test by speaking against Moses and against the Lord. This time, judgment came in the form of "fiery serpents."
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. (Numbers 21:6).
There were dead and dying throughout the camp of Israel. People with poison in their veins now came to Moses for healing. That healing was brought in the form of the image of a serpent.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he shall live." And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. (Numbers 21:8-9).
The way of healing was in the bronze image of a serpent lifted up on a standard. By simply looking at this image, a person could be healed.
Jesus likened that instance to the salvation which HE brings when a person simply looks to Him in faith.
As the Israelites arrived in the land of Moab, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Mannaseh looked at this land and they said to themselves, "This sure is a lot better than the wilderness."
And so, they sent representatives to Moses and they asked for this land as their inheritance. In doing so, they were settling for second-best. It was to cost them early.
If there is a lesson here, it is this. Don't settle for second-best.
DEUTERONOMY & THE SUZERAIN TREATIES
In recent years, archaeologists have discovered various types of treaties from the ancient world. One form which was often used by the Hittite kings and their vassals is known as the Suzerain Treaty.
The Hittite Suzerain Treaties always followed a prescribed format. Upon closer examination, this format is to be found in striking parallel to the format of the Mosaic Covenant as outlined in the book of Deuteronomy.
1. The Preamble.
The Suzerain (the king). identifies himself as the author of the proposed covenant in such a way as to inspire fear and awe in his vassal.
The regulations which the great prince of Hatti, Hattusiles, the powerful, the son of Mursilis, the great prince of Hatti, the powerful, the son of Suppiluliumas, the great prince of Hatti, the powerful.
In the Mosaic Covenant, Yahweh identifies Himself and shows His relationship to Israel s genealogy, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He also shows His greatness in conquering Israel s enemies (Exodus 20:1; Deuteronomy 1:1-5).
2. The Historical Prologue.
The Suzerain describes in detail the previous relationship between himself and his vassal. A great emphasis is placed upon the deeds of kindness of the Suzerain toward his vassal so that the vassal finds himself obligated to be loyal to his Suzerain.
In the Mosaic Covenant, the Lord recalls how He has brought Israel out of Egypt and how, in spite of her constant rebellion, has fought for Israel and protected her, caring for her in the wilderness. He goes on to show how He still intends to give her the land of Canaan for a possession (Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 1:6; 3:29).
3. The Stipulations.
These are obligations which are imposed upon and accepted.
They usually include the following by the vassal demands.
a. The Suzerain prohibits foreign relationships outside his own empire.
b. The Suzerain prohibits oppression by one of his vassals over another.
c. The vassal must aid the Suzerain in any military endeavor in which he partakes.
d. The vassal is not to take in any refugees from other countries.
e. The vassal must appear before the Suzerain once a year.
f. Controversies between vassals must be settled by the Suzerain.
Each of these stipulations finds its counterpart in the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 20-31; Deuteronomy 4-26).
4. Deposit and Public Reading of the Covenant.
A provision is made for the deposit of a copy of the covenant in the vassal s sanctuary or temple. Since the treaty was so involved with the witness of deities, it was regarded as a religious object and therefore was kept in the temple.
There was also a provision made for the public reading of the covenant terms to the people (Exodus 25:16; 34:1, 26-29; Deuteronomy 10:1-5; 31:9-13).
5. Witnesses.
Just as legal contracts were witnessed by a. number of people in the community, so the gods were thought to act as witnesses to the international covenants.
Naturally, the gods of paganism are not found in the Mosaic Covenant, so there are alternate witnesses to take their places.
a. Memorial stones (Exodus 24:4; Joshua 24:27).
b. The song of Moses (Deuteronomy 31:16-30; 32:1—47).
c. The Book of Law (Deuteronomy 31:26).
6. Curses and Blessings.
The treaty was not merely a legal document to be enforced by the Suzerain. It was a religious document. It was the gods who had served as witnesses who were to punish the vassal if he broke the treaty.
Curses were invoked upon the vassal which were to become activated if he broke the treaty. Blessings were invoked upon him if he was faithful to the terms of the covenant.
In the Mosaic Covenant, the order of the curses and blessings are reversed. Blessings are first described and then the cursings (Leviticus 26:3-33; Deuteronomy 28:1-68).