Through The Bible 
2 Exodus
January 16 - Exodus 1 - 2

In just over two weeks we read through Genesis, the book of beginnings, and now we are going into the book of Exodus which tells of Israel's exit from their bondage in Egypt.  There is so much to learn and apply to our lives in these first chapters.  Meditate on God's Word and hear what He speaks to you.

"6  And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
7  And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
8  Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph."  (Exodus 1:6-8)

God made the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that they would multiply as the sand and the stars and God always keeps His promises.  Jesus promised to come again, and we can be sure He is coming again!  The Egyptians were afraid that the Israelites would turn against them in a time of war, so they made life hard for them.

"11  Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12  But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
13  And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
14  And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour."  (1:11-14)

Sometimes God's children go through troubles and trials.  

"16  And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
17  But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive...
21  And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses."  (1:16, 17, 21)

Because the midwives feared God, He established them, not only with houses to live in, but with family.  Another example is God's words, "a sure house", that He spoke to Jereboam. "And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee."  (I Kings 11:38)  

Amram and Jochebed of the house of Levi (Numbers 26:59) had a son, a goodly child, and she made a little ark for him and put him in the river.  "And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.  And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children."  (Exodus 2:5-6)  Pharaoh made a decree to kill all the male babies, but his daughter had compassion.  Has God put someone in your life that needs compassion?  "And of some have compassion, making a difference:"  (Jude 22)  Miriam went to get her mother to care for Moses, and Pharaoh's daughter paid her wages.  

"11  And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
13  And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
14  And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known."  (Exodus 2:11-14)

Moses was with his mother only a few years, then he was taken to the palace and brought up, but he knew his people and cared for them.  Teach your children all you can about the Lord while they are young.  Don't underestimate the effect it will have on them!  Moses had to flee from Egypt and he met seven daughters of Reuel, also called Jethro, at the well and he helped them water their flock.  Does this remind you of Abraham's servant and Rebekah, and of Jacob and Rachel?  Jethro gave Moses his daughter Zipporah and they had a son named Gershom.  Verse 23 is a reminder that God hears our cries, "...the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage." 

January 17 - Exodus 3 - 4

"1  Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
2  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3  And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4  And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5  And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6  Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."  (Exodus 3:1-6)

Sometimes God has to get our attention!  (Moses doesn't know it yet, but the burning bush is just the beginning.  "And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.  And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel."  Exodus 24:16-17)  Only then are we ready to say, "Here am I."  Then God can show us His holiness!  "And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;"  (3:7)  God sees, He hears, and He Knows our sorrows.  "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."  (I Peter 5:7)  "And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites."  (3:8)  The Canaanites were cursed in Genesis 9:25, but they were living in "a land flowing with milk and honey" while the Children of Israel were blessed by God and they were living in bondage.  Don't judge people by their position in life.  God told Moses that He was sending him to deliver the Israelites and he said, "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"  (Exodus 3:11)  Do you know which other two people in the Bible asked, "Who am I?"  (David and Solomon)  "And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.  And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."  (3:12-14)  In the next verse we see that God is God of the past, "The LORD God of your fathers...", the God of the present, "hath sent me unto you...", and the God of the future, "this is my name for ever..."  God had given Moses His plan, and promised to be with him, but look what He revealed to him in 3:19.  Just as Noah preached to the people and they didn't listen, God told Moses that the king of Egypt wouldn't listen.

"19  And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
20  And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
21  And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
22  But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians."  (3:19-22)  

Moses didn't even think that the Israelites would believe him.  

"2  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
3  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4  And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
5  That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee."  (4:2-5)

God showed Moses that he could use what was in his hands.  When God calls us for His purpose, He will provide and put in our hands what we need!  Moses told God that he wasn't an eloquent speaker, and it would be better to get someone else.  

"14  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15  And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16  And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
17  And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs."  (4:14-17)

Moses told his father-in-law that he was going back to see how his brethren were doing in Egypt.  "And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand."  (4:20)  Notice that now his shepherd's rod had become "the rod of God."  Aaron and Moses went before the Children of Israel with God's message of hope.  "And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.  And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped."  (4:30-31)

January 18 - Exodus 5 - 7

In Chapter 5 we learn that sometimes things get worse before they get better. 

"1  And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
2  And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
3  And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
4  And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
5  And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
6  And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7  Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8  And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
9  Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words."

Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?  I know  not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go."  Several times in the next few chapters God says, "...thou shalt know that I am the LORD..."  (7:17)  More work was demanded of the Israelites and they were beaten and they blamed Moses and Aaron.  And Moses asked God, "Why?"  " And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all."  (5:22-23)  Job asked God, "Why?", "...why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?"  David also asked God, "Why?" and Jesus quoted the scripture.  "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?"  (Psalm 22:1)  There are times in our lives when we want to ask God, "Why?"  And God answered Moses.

"1  Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.
2  And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:
3  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
4  And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
5  And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
6  Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
7  And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8  And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
9  And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage."  (6:1-9)

Chapter 6 continues with some of the names of the Israelites.  Kohath was a son of Levi and he had four sons, Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Ussiel.  Amram was the father of Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam.  Izhar was the father of Korah, and Hepheg, and Zichri.  (From 6:16-21)  Moses and Korah were cousins.  (We will see that Korah goes against Moses and Aaron in Numbers 16 with 250 princes of the congregation.)   In Chapter 7 God told Moses and Aaron to go back to Pharaoh, but he still wouldn't listen.  

"5  And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
6  And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
7  And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh."  (7:5-7)

Aaron cast the rod down before Pharaoh and it became a serpent.  The king called his wise men and sorcerers and they did the same, but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.  God then told Moses to go to Pharaoh in the morning by the river.  Aaron strecthed the rod over the river and all the waters of Egypt turned to blood, even in the vessels of wood and stone.  (Water will turn to blood in Revelation 11:6 and 16:4)

"23  And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.
24  And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
25  And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river."  (7:23-25)

January 19 - Exodus 8 - 10

In Ancient Egypt one of their false gods had the face of a frog.  In the second plague God sent frogs throughout the land, in their kneading troughs, their ovens and their beds.  When Moses asked Pharaoh when he wanted the Lord to take the frogs away, he replied, "To morrow."  But, the frogs didn't just go away, they died, and they were piled up in heaps and the land stank.  And Pharaoh hardened his heart.  (Exodus 8:1-15)  In the third plague the dust of the land became lice, upon man and upon beast.  The magicians could not duplicate this miracle and they said, "This is the finger of God."  (8:16-19)  The fourth plague was swarms of flies.  In this plague God separated the people of Egypt from the land of Goshen, so that the Children of Israel did not have the swarms of flies.  (8:20-32)  Pharaoh called for Moses and told him to go and sacrifice to his God, "only ye shall not go very far away..."  But, he hardened his heart and would not let them go.  Chapter 9 begins with the the fifth plague, murrain, a fatal disease among the animals: horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, sheep, and cattle.  The animals of the Egyptians died, but when Pharaoh sent someone to see about the animals of the Israelites, not one of the animals of the Children of Israel died.  (9:1-7)  In the sixth plague Moses sprinkled handfuls of ashes toward heaven and it became small dust that turned to boils on the animals and people.  (9:8-12)  The seventh plague was hail, thunder, and fire.  Pharaoh said earlier, "I know not the Lord..."  (5:2)  Notice is verses 15 and 16 that God is showing Pharaoh His power and control.

"13  And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
14  For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
15  For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
16  And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
17  As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
18  Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.
19  Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
20  He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:
21  And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.
22  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
23  And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
24  So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
25  And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.
26  Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail."  (9:13-26)

Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned this time; the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Intreat the LORD (for it is enough)..."  (9:27-28)  As soon as the hail and rain ceased, Pharaoh would not let them go.  In Chapter 10 the Lord told Moses, "And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD."  (10:2)  Not only did God want Pharaoh to know that He was the Lord, but He also wanted the Israelites to know He was the Lord.  Moses told Pharaoh that the eighth plague was going to be locusts.  

"8  And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?
9  And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
10  And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.
11  Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence."  (10:8-11)

The locusts covered the earth and ate all that remained from the hail. (10:12-20)  The ninth plague was darkness, that could be felt, for three days.  In the following verses we see that Pharaoh wanted Moses to leave their flocks and herds, the animals of Egypt had been destroyed.  But, Moses replied, "Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind..."

"23  They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
24  And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.
25  And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.
26  Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.
27  But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
28  And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
29  And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.."  (10:23-29)

January 20 - Exodus 11 - 13

In Chapter 11 there would be one last plague, and Pharaoh was warned of this in the beginning.  "And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:  And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn."  (Exodus 4:22-23)  Death was the last plague, and death will be the final judgment.  (Revelation 20:13-14)

"4  And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
5  And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
6  And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more."  (11:4-6)

Every household had to have a perfect, spotless, lamb for a sacrifice.  On the fourteenth day they killed the lamb and put the blood on the two side posts and on the upper door post of their houses.  They had to roast the lamb, and eat it all the same night.  It was the Lord's passover, "when I see the blood, I will pass over you.."  (12:13)  They were commanded to observe the passover forever.  Hundreds of years later, on the first Easter, Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, was offered for our sacrifice once and for all. 

"29  And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
30  And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
31  And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.
32  Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also."  (12:29-32)

The Egyptians urged the Children of Israel to leave, ("We be all dead men." 12:33) and they gave them jewels of silver and gold, and clothes.  "And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.  And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle."  (12:37-38)  The Israelites had been in Egypt 430 years, as God said to Abraham in Genesis 15:13.  God told Moses, "Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine."  (Exodus 13:2)  (In Numbers 3:12 this will change, "And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;")  God told them to teach their children "By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:"  (13:14-16)  So they began their journey through the wilderness, by way of the Red Sea because God didn't want them to try to return to Egypt if they came up against the Philistines in war.  They carried the bones of Joseph with them throughout the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness.  (Joshua 24:32)  "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."  (13:21-22)

January 21 - Exodus 14 - 16

Chapter 14 begins with the Israelites camped by the Red Sea.  Again we notice that God said, "that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD."  (Exodus 14:4 and 18)

"3  For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
4  And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
5  And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
6  And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
7  And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
8  And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand."  (14:3-8)

With the Red Sea before them and the Egyptians pursuing after them, what were they to do?  "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."  (14:13-14)  Moses knew there was no place for them to turn and he put all his faith in God.  Then the Lord told him to lift his rod over the sea and divide the water and go forward on dry ground.  (The waters of the Jordan will divide in Joshua 3 for the Children of Israel and again in II Kings 2 for Elijah and again for Elisha when he calls out to the Lord, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?") The angel of God went behind them and the pillar of cloud became a pillar of light to the Israelites and darkness to the Egyptians.  I wonder if the Egyptians knew that they were driving their chariots between two walls of water.  This chapter ends with a great victory for the Children of Israel.  God took off their chariot wheels and they said, "Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians."  (14:25)  Moses stretched his hand over the sea and the waters returned and drowned all the host of the Egyptians, "and there remained not so much as one of them."  (14:28)  "Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.  And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses."  (14:30-31)

Chapter 15 is their song of redemption.  Verse 10 tells us, "they sank as lead in the mighty waters."  The walls of water rushing back against them would have made it impossible to fight against, and they may have had on heavy armor.  The Israelites rejoiced that their enemies would hear and be afraid.  They proclaim, "The LORD shall reign for ever and ever."  (15:18)  "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.  And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea."  (15:20-21 This is the first mention of Miriam's name.)  They went three days into the wilderness and found no water, and their rejoicing turned to murmuring.  

"25  And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
26  And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
27  And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters."  (15:25-27)

Jesus died on the tree to turn our bitter lives sweet.

They traveled for one month, and the whole congregation murmured that they didn't have food.  "Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no."  (16:4)  Then we come to a verse that we should all take time to meditate on.  "And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD."  (16:8)  When we murmur and complain, the Lord hears us, and our complaining is against our Lord.  The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud and He spoke to Moses.  "I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.  And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host."  (16:12-13)  They were to gather the manna they needed each day, and twice the amount for the Sabbath.  "So the people rested on the seventh day."  (16:30)  Aaron filled a pot to be kept throughout their generations.  They ate manna for 40 years.  We will read more about the quail and manna in Numbers 11.  

​January 22 - Exodus 17 - 20

The Children of Israel came to another place where there was no water and murmured against Moses.  "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.  And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?"  (Exodus 17:6-7)  In verse 9 we have the first mention of Joshua.  God allowed Joshua to win the battle, but made sure that he understood that God won the battle.  Moses reminded him again in Deuteronomy 25:17-18.  "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;  How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God."

"9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
10  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12  But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
13  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14  And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven."  (Exodus 17:9-14)

In Chapter 18 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law brought the wife and two sons of Moses back to him.  (He sent them away earlier.)  Jethro saw how Moses stood before the people from morning till evening for judgment and he suggested that Moses appoint wise men who could judge the easy things and leave the hard cases for Moses.  In Chapter 19 they came to Mount Sinai.  

"3  And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel."  (19:3-6)

God will also bear us up on wings as eagles.  "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  (Isaiah 40:31)  The Lord told Moses to sanctify the people and have them wash their clothes and He would come down upon Mount Sinai.  

"16  And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice."  (19:16-19)  

​God called Moses to come up into the mount, and told him to go back down and tell the people not to break through to go up the mount.  "And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee:"  (19:24)  In Chapter 20 God gave Moses the Ten Commandments.  The first one was, "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt have no other gods before me."  (20:2-3)  He reminded them again in verses 22-23.  "And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.  Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold."  It is hard to imagine how they could make a false god after hearing God from heaven.

​January 23 - Exodus 21 - 24

​The next chapters continue with the Law that God gave to Moses.  I will mention only a few of these.  The first eleven verses follow this thought.  "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing."  (Exodus 21:2)  Now, notice Jeremiah 34:14.  "At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear."  The remainder of Chapter 21 can be summed up with "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,  Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,  Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."  (21:23-25)  Jesus came to fulfill the Law and He said,

"38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."  (Matthew 5:38-41)

Chapter 22 continues with the Law and the last verse begins, "And ye shall be holy men unto me:..."  (22:31)  This is the one attribute we find in God which He commands of us.  We see this repeated in Leviticus and also in the New Testament.  "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."  (I Peter 1:16)  We see more commands in Chapter 23.  "And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:  But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still..." (Exodus 23:10-11)   After raising my garden in the same place for six years, I did not plant the seventh year so that the ground could rest. God blessed my garden last year and I had fresh vegetables to eat, to put away for winter, and to share!  God told Moses that they were to hold three feasts each year; the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of harvest, and the feast of ingathering.  Sometimes we find promises among the rules.  "Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared."  (23:20)  "And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do."  (24:3)

"8  And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
9  Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
10  And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
11  And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
12  And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
13  And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
14  And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
15  And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
16  And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
17  And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
18  And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights."  (24:8-18)

​January 24 - Exodus 25 - 29

In Chapters 25, 26 and 27 God gave Moses instructions on how to make the Tabernacle.  "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.  And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,  And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,..."  (Exodus 25:2-4)  The list went on and included oil, and precious stones.  We should always give to God willingly, especially since all we have came from God.  "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them."  (25:8)  What a joy that God wants to dwell among us!  Again in verse 22 we read, "And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel."  God gave Moses instructions for the Tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, the cherubims whose wings covered the mercy seat, the table of shewbread, and the golden candlesticks, "According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it."  (25:9 & 40)  They were made of wood and overlaid with gold.  Chapter 26 begins, "Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them."  Each curtain was around 42 feet by 6 feet.  Then there were to be eleven curtains of goats hair (45 feet by 6 feet) and a covering of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.  Imagine all the work that went into making the Tabernacle, and moving it from place to place.  The boards that stood were 10 cubits by 1 1/2 cubits which was about 15 feet by 27 inches.  There were 20 boards for the south side, 20 for the north side, 6 for the west side, and 8 for the corners.  They made sockets and bars to hold it all together.  They also made a vail, "the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy."  (26:33)  Hebrews 9 and 10 are great chapters to read at this point.  "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:"  (Hebrews 9:23-24)  The altar and the needlework hangings are described in Chapter 27.  The chapter ends with oil for the light.  "And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.  In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel."  (27:20-21)  Chapter 28 begins with the order of the priests.

"1  And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.
2  And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.
3  And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
4  And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office."  (Exodus 28:1-4)

We began this devotional with the willing hearted, now we have come to the wise hearted.  The names of the twelve tribes were engraved on onyx stones and attached to the shoulders of the ephod.  Twelve precious stones were also engraved with the names.  "And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually."  (28:29)  Bells of gold were sewn on the hem of the robe so those outside could hear that he was moving about.  Attached to blue lace on his forehead was the engraving, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD".  (28:36)  Chapter 29 tells of their consecration and service in the office of the priests, and ends...

"43  And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.
44  And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office.
45  And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
46  And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God."  (29:43-46)

January 29 - Exodus 30 - 33

After ten days in the hospital it is good to be home. I will probably say more about the surgery after we have a follow up consultation visit with the surgeon. I wrote out the devotions to finish Exodus as I waited to have surgery. I pray that I will be able to continue with our devotions through the Bible. Thank you for all your prayers. I am thankful for God's peace through this and for His guiding hand with the doctors and staff at the hospital. God is good, all the time!

Exodus 30 begins with instructions about the altar. “And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.” (30:6) We don’t have a Tabernacle as the Children of Israel had, but we can find mercy and grace in Jesus. Aaron made an atonement for their sin once a year but we can find forgiveness anytime and anyplace in Jesus. A laver of brass was made for Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and their feet before they went into the Tabernacle. (30:18-21) The chapter ends with instructions for the holy anointing oil and incense. Chapter 31 begins with the wisdom of Bezaleel. Notice that God called him by name and filled him with the Spirit of God and wisdom. I like verse 6.

​"2  See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
3  And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
4  To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
5  And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
6  And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;" (31:2-6)

There is such a contrast between the way Chapter 31 ends and the beginning of Chapter 32. "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." (31:18) "And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me." (32:1-2) "And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:" (32:7) Notice that God called the people, "thy people" when He told Moses of their sin, but when Moses pleads for the people he reminds the Lord that they are His people.

"11  And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
12  Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
13  Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever."  (32:11-13)

Moses went down the mountain with the two tables of stone.  We have another glimps of Joshua as he sees Moses throw down the two tables of stone and break the Ten Commandments.  Moses ground up the golden calf and threw it in the water so that the people would drink it.  Aaron blamed the people and told Moses that he threw the gold into the fire and out came the golden calf.  Have you ever wondered why Aaron didn't die with the 3,000 that died?  We find the answer in Deuteronomy 9:20.  "And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time."  In Chapter 33 God told Moses to lead the people forward and made this promise, "And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:  Unto a land flowing with milk and honey:.."  (33:2-3) Moses pitched the Tabernacle of the Congregation and those who sought the Lord went out to the Tabernacle.  "And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle."  (33:11-12)

In the hospital, as I waited for surgery, I shared these thoughts and verses...

​As I sit in the hospital waiting for my scheduled surgery, I am writing out the upcoming devotionals and I just have to share some verses from Exodus 33.

“14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.”

I know that God is with me! Christ is my hope, my help, and my Rock of salvation! I am safe and secure in His hand.

“21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:”

January 30 - Exodus 34 - 40

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the Children of Israel broke the very first one when they made the golden calf.  In Chapter 34 God told Moses to hew two tables of stone and He would write the commandments on the stone.  God gave the people another chance.  "And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."  (Exodus 34:6-7)  Aren't you glad that our loving and merciful God gives us another chance when we fail Him?  God told the people to destroy the false gods and the altars when they went into the Promised Land and not to marry them because that would lead them to seek their gods.  The face of Moses shown after he came down from the mount so he wore a vail on his face when he came down to talk with the people.  In Chapter 35 the people brought their offerings and willingly gave more than enough for the Tabernacle.  Those who were wise hearted worked to complete all that God instucted Moses.  Chapters 36, 37, 38 and 39 describe all the things that were made by the people.  "According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.  And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them."  (39:42-43)  In the last chapter of Exodus they set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the first month.  What a New Year's celebration!  

"34  Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
35  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
36  And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
37  But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
38  For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys."  (40:34-38)