Front matter (continued, part 15)
So they didn't have to work on the Sabbath, the Jews were supposed to prepare their meals in advance, and this included the gathering of the manna. They were permitted on the sixth day to gather twice as much manna, and whatever they saved up would not become rancid. Not only was the giving of the manna a miracle six days a week, but the preserving of the
When by faith we walk with the Lord, then life is a school, and the successful pilgrim/students pray with Moses: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Ps. 90:12).
Are you among them?
Exodus 17
Give us each day our daily bread, And raiment fit provide.
1 Often after a great victory of faith, the Lord permits a trial to come to test us. When Abraham arrived in the Promised Land, he discovered a famine (Gen. 12:10), and after the glorious occasion of His baptism, our Lord was tempted by Satan in the wilderness (Matt. 3:13–4:11). Elijah won a great victory on Mount Carmel, but after that faced a trial of faith (1 Kings 18—19). 2 This is one of several "compound names" of the Lord found in the Old Testament. See Genesis 22:13–14; Exodus 17:15; Judges 6:24; Jeremiah 23:6; Ezekiel 48:35. 3 A type is an Old Testament person, object, institution, ritual, or event that points to a spiritual truth yet to be revealed. There are many Old Testament "illustrations" of New Testament spiritual truth, but in order to be true types, those illustrations must be authorized by the New Testament. For example, the relationship between Ruth and Boaz illustrates the love between Christ and the church, but nowhere does the New Testament call this a type. The same is true of Joseph, who in many ways reminds us of Jesus Christ. Some scholars call these "inferred types" because they parallel so many New Testament truths. Besides the manna, other types of Christ include Adam (Rom. 5:14), Melchizedek (Gen. 14; Heb. 5— 7), the lamb (Ex. 12; John 1:29), and the brazen serpent (Num. 21:8–9; John 3:14). The Jewish sacrificial system is a type of the sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 10:1–18), as are the rituals and furnishings of the tabernacle and temple (Heb. 8). 4 Jesus wasn't speaking about the Communion (Lord's Supper, Eucharist) when He spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. He hadn't even instituted the Lord's Supper for His disciples, so why would He discuss it with a congregation of rebellious unconverted Jews? He was using metaphorical language to explain spiritual truth, and the people took it literally, as they often did (John 2:19–21; 3:4; 4:11, 32; 8:30–36; 11:11–13). 5 Paul used the gathering of the manna as an illustration of Christian giving (2 Cor. 8:13–15). Each person in the Corinthian church would bring what God had directed him to give, and when it was all put together, it met the needs.
During his difficult and demanding years in Africa, Livingstone rested his faith and his future on the parting words of Jesus, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:20). Concerning this verse, Livingstone had written in his journal on January 14, 1856: "It is the word of a gentleman of the most strict and sacred honor, so there's an end of it!" He knew that his Lord's word could be trusted!
It was the presence of the Lord that gave Moses the strength and confidence he needed as he led the people of Israel during their wilderness wandering. He had a difficult task, leading a thankless army of former slaves whom he was trying to build into a nation, but he persevered because the Lord was with him. The events recorded in these two chapters reveal to us what the presence of the Lord means to God's people and their leaders as they are on their pilgrim journey.
Water— 17:1–7
God directs our steps (17:1–7) As they moved toward Mount Sinai, the people of Israel were still being led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. But the Lord was still directing Israel into difficult and trying situations in order to prove His power and build their faith and character. After all, life's journey involves much more than merely reaching a destination. If we aren't growing in faith, in the knowledge of God, and in godly character, we're wasting our opportunities.
An old test repeated (vv. 1–3). Israel had a long way to go before they would qualify as a godly nation. So far, every new trial they experienced only brought out the worst in them. When they arrived in Rephidim, in the Wilderness of Sinai, they again found themselves without water. They had failed this test once before, so God had to test them again. He had proved that He was able to provide water and food for them, so why were they quarreling with Moses? Because their hearts were still in Egypt! They were guilty of ingratitude and unbelief, wanting to go back to the old life, and as a result, they again failed to pass the test.
CHAPTER SEVEN Exodus 17—18 "THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US" O
Every difficulty God permits us to encounter will become either a test that can make us better or a temptation that can make us worse, and it's our own attitude that determines which it will be. If in unbelief we start complaining and blaming God, then temptation will trap us and rob us of an opportunity to grow spiritually. But if we trust God and let Him have His way, the trial will work for us and not against us (Rom. 8:28; James 1:12–15) and help us grow in grace.
n April 18, 1874 the body of missionary/explorer David Livingstone was laid to rest in a grave in the center of the nave in Westminster Abbey. During the funeral service, the congregation sang a hymn by Philip Doddridge and John Logan that's based on Genesis 28:20–21.
When people are out of fellowship with the Lord, and are angry and bitter, they usually want to do unreasonable things that could only make the situation worse. In this instance, the people wanted to stone their leader (Ex. 17:5)! How that would have changed their situation is difficult to discern, but disobedient people often look for a scapegoat.1
O God of Bethel, by whose hand Thy people still are fed; Who through this earthly pilgrimage Hast all our fathers led: Through each perplexing path of life Our wandering footsteps guide;
Exodus 17
are in the world physically but not of the world spiritually (John 17:14–16), and therefore must not become conformed to the world (Rom. 12:2). We renounce the things of the flesh (Gal. 5:16–21) and resist the attacks of the devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8–9).
An unfailing resource (vv. 4–7). Moses did what he frequently had to do as a leader: he called on the Lord for help (15:25; 32:30ff.; Num. 11:1–2; 12:13; 14:13ff.). "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1). The Lord instructed him to take some of the elders with him, plus the rod that symbolized God's power (Ex. 7:20), and to smite the rock in the sight of the people. When Moses obeyed, the water gushed forth from the rock and met the needs of the people and the livestock (Ps. 78:15–16; 105:41; 114:8; Isa. 48:21). A gracious God met the needs of a complaining people.2
The Amalekites were the descendants of Jacob's brother Esau (Gen. 36:12, 16) who was "a profane person" (Heb. 12:16). The word translated "profane" ("godless," niv) comes from a Greek word that means "a threshold"; it refers to somebody who is accessible and can be "walked on" by anybody or anything. The English word "profane" comes from the Latin and means "outside the temple," that is, unhallowed and common. Esau lived for the world and the flesh and despised spiritual things (v. 17). Esau opposed his brother Jacob and threatened to kill him (Gen. 27:41), and Esau's descendants opposed the children of Jacob (Israel) and threatened to annihilate them.
The rock is a type of Jesus Christ smitten for us on the cross (1 Cor. 10:4),3 and the water is a type of the Holy Spirit whose coming was made possible by Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven (John 7:37–39). This explains why Moses was wrong to smite the rock when he should have spoken to it (Num. 20:1–13), because "[Christ] died to sin once for all" (Rom. 6:10 nkjv, and see Heb. 7:27; 9:26–28).
There's no record that the Jews ever had to fight any battles in Egypt, but once they were delivered from bondage, they discovered they had enemies. So it is in the Christian life. When we identify with Jesus Christ, then His enemies become our enemies (Luke 12:49–53) and we must "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12). But we need the battles of life to help balance the blessings of life; otherwise, we'll become too confident and comfortable and stop trusting the Lord.
"Massah" means "to test," and "Meribah" means "contention, quarreling." The Jews had not yet learned that God tests His people in the everyday experiences of life. He uses the difficult experiences of life to strengthen our faith and mature our character. But Israel's faith in God was very weak, for they thought their God had led them to a place where He couldn't care for them! The trouble with the Israelites was that they had hard hearts that wouldn't submit to the Lord, so they rebelled against His will. In fact, the older generation had unbelieving hearts throughout their entire journey from Egypt to Canaan (Ps. 95:6–11; Heb. 3).4 They complained about water at the beginning of their pilgrimage and also forty years later at the end (Num. 20:1–13). On the map of our lives, how many places ought to be named "Testing and Quarreling" because of the way we've complained about our circumstances and failed to trust God? It's one thing to sit comfortably in church and sing "All the way my Savior leads me, what have I to ask beside?" and quite something else to be confronted with distress and disappointment and meekly say, "Not my will but Thine be done." Corrie ten Boom used to say, "Don't bother to give God instructions; just report for duty."
The strategy (Deut. 25:17–19). The Amalekites attacked Israel suddenly from behind, at the weakest place in the camp, for they struck those Jews who were weary and feeble and were at the rear of the march. Amalek attacked after Israel had experienced a great blessing in the provision of the water from the rock. Satan and his demonic army (Eph. 6:10–12) know what our weakest point is and when we're not ready for an assault. That's why we must "watch and pray, lest [we] enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38 nkjv).
The enemy often attacks God's people after they've experienced special blessings, but the Lord can use those attacks to keep us from trusting the gifts instead of the Giver. It was after his victory over the four kings that Abraham was tempted to take the spoil, (Gen. 14:17–24), and after the victory over Jericho, Joshua became overconfident and was defeated at Ai (Josh. 7). After Elijah defeated the priests of Baal, he became discouraged and was tempted to quit (1 Kings 18:41—19:18), and it was after the blessings at His baptism that our Lord was led into the wilderness to be tempted (Matt. 3:13—4:1). "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12).
God defeats our enemies (17:8–16) On the journey of faith, we not only experience trials involving the necessities of life, such as bread and water, but we also face battles when our enemies attack us. We're pilgrims who are also soldiers, and that means we must occasionally endure hardship as we follow the Lord (2 Tim. 2:3–4).
Protection—17:8–16
The victory (vv. 9–13). There's no evidence that Israel fought any battles in Egypt. Even on the night of their deliverance from Egypt, they didn't have to fight the attacking Egyptian army, because the Lord fought for them. "Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord which he will show to you today" (Ex. 14:13). But now that they were on their pilgrim journey, Israel would
The enemy (v. 8). The devil is our greatest enemy (1 Peter 5:8), and he uses the world and the flesh to oppose us (Eph. 2:1–3). Just as Israel was delivered from Egypt by the power of God, so God's people today have been delivered from "this present evil world [age]" (Gal. 1:3–4) through the victory of Christ. We
Exodus 17—18
Christians can be like Aaron and Hur and help hold their hands as they obey God. God is looking for people who will share in the battle and the victory because they continue steadfastly in prayer (Rom. 12:12; Isa. 59:16).
have to enter into battle many times and trust the Lord for victory. "And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
This is the first mention of Joshua in the Bible, but he will be named 200 more times before Scripture ends.5 He was born in Egypt and named Hoshea, which means "salvation." Later, Moses changed his name to "Joshua—Jehovah is salvation" (Num. 13:8, 16), which is the Hebrew equivalent of "Jesus" (Matt. 1:21; Heb. 4:8). He knew the rigors of Egyptian slavery and must have had an aptitude for military leadership for Moses to make him general of the army. He became Moses' servant (Ex. 24:13; 33:11; Josh. 1:1), for God's policy is that we first prove ourselves as faithful servants before we can be promoted to being leaders (Matt. 25:21, 23). Joshua had only one day to rally his army and get them ready for the attack, but he did it.
There's also a reminder here that our Savior ever lives in heaven to make intercession for us as we fight the battles of life, and His strength never fails (Heb. 7:25). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit within also intercedes for us and guides us in our praying (Rom. 8:26–27). God promises victory to those who will pray and wield the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17–18).
The testimony (vv. 14–16). Moses didn't build a monument to himself or to Joshua, or even to the victorious army of Israel. Instead, he was careful to give all the glory to God for Israel's victory by building an altar and naming it "The Lord is my Banner." In Egypt, he had probably seen the various divisions of the army, each identified with one of their many gods, so he lifted a banner to honor the only true God. Moses also gave the reason for this memorial: "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord" (v. 16 niv), referring to Moses' intercession on the hill.8 God had answered prayer and helped His people, and Moses wanted to praise His name.
Israel's great victory over Amalek involved three elements: the power of God in heaven, the skill of Joshua and the army on the battlefield, and the intercession of Moses, Aaron, and Hur6 on the top of the hill. God could have sent angels to annihilate the enemy (Isa. 37:38), but He deigns to use human instruments to accomplish His purposes. Joshua and his army would trust God and fight, Moses and his associates would trust God and intercede, and God would do the rest. In this way, God's people would grow in faith and God's name would be glorified.
But Moses also put an entry into the official book of records9 that Israel should contend with Amalek until that nation was completely destroyed. Israel fought them again at Kadesh-Barnea but was defeated (Num. 14:45); Gideon conquered them along with the Midianites (Judg. 6:33). King Saul failed to obey God and exterminate the Amalekites, so he lost his crown (1 Sam. 15) and was himself killed by an Amalekite (2 Sam. 1:1–16). David defeated the Amalekites who raided his camp (1 Sam. 30), and when he became king, finally subdued them (2 Sam. 8:11–12). During the reign of Hezekiah, his armies annihilated the few Amalekites who still remained. God's judgment of the Amalekites teaches us that you can't attack the throne of God and get away with it.
It was customary for the Jews to lift up their hands when they prayed (Ps. 28:2; 44:20; 63:4; 134:2; 1 Kings 8:22, 38, 54; 1 Tim. 2:8), and since Moses held the staff of God in his hands, he was confessing total dependence on the authority and power of Jehovah. It wasn't Moses who was empowering Joshua and his army; it was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, "the Lord of Hosts." As long as Moses held the rod up in his hands, Israel prevailed, but when he brought his hands down, Amalek prevailed.
E.The Lord counsels His leader—18
We can understand how Joshua and the army would grow weary fighting the battle, but why would Moses get weary holding up the rod of God? To the very day of his death, he didn't lose his natural strength (Deut. 34:7), so the cause wasn't physical. True intercession is a demanding activity. To focus your attention on God and "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17) can weary you as much as strenuous work. Like Epaphras, we must be "always laboring fervently" in our prayers (Col. 4:12)7 and not just casually mentioning our requests to the Lord. Samuel M. Zwemer, missionary to the Muslim world, used to call prayer "the gymnasium of the soul," and John Bunyan wrote, "In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without heart." To put your full heart into intercessory prayer will cost you, but it will also bless you.
God deserves our praise (18:1–12) After reading about the trials, complaints, and battles of the Israelites, it's a relief to move into a chapter that describes the camp of Israel as a quiet place of family fellowship and daily business. Life isn't always hunger and thirst and warfare, although those are often the things we usually remember. Charles Spurgeon said that God's people are prone to engrave their trials in marble and write their blessings in the sand, and perhaps he was right.
But the best thing about this paragraph is that everybody is praising the Lord for all He did for His people. Praising God is much better than complaining to God; in fact, praise is a good antidote for a complaining spirit. "There is a great deal more said in the Bible about praise than prayer," said evangelist D. L. Moody, "yet how few praise-meetings there are!"
Joshua couldn't have succeeded without Moses, but Moses couldn't have prevailed without the support of Aaron and Hur. Not everybody can be a Moses or Joshua, a D. L. Moody or Billy Graham, but all
Jethro's message (vv. 1–6). We met Moses' fatherin-law in 2:11–22, but his presence here raises two
Exodus 18
important questions: (1) How did Jethro hear about the wonderful works of God in Egypt? and (2) When did Moses' wife and two sons return home?
family and entertained his father-in-law, but being a faithful shepherd, he was back the next day helping his people with their problems.
It's possible that Moses sent his family back to Midian before the Lord declared war on Egypt. Then, after the exodus, Moses sent a messenger to Jethro asking him to bring Zipporah and the two boys and meet him at Sinai. Some students reject this scenario since Moses would certainly want his family to see the Lord's judgment of Egypt and to be a part of Israel's great deliverance. What kind of leader would want his family to be comfortable back in Midian while the people were suffering in Egypt?
The task (vv. 13–16). The nation already had elders (v. 13; 4:29), but they weren't assisting Moses in the day-by-day affairs of the camp, or if they were, there were matters they couldn't settle that had to go to Moses. There were basic regulations for the management of the camp (Ex. 18:16), since 2 million people couldn't very well live together and travel together without obeying some kind of code. The phrase "statutes and laws" in verse 16 can refer to the will of God in general as well as to specific ordinances from the Lord. Long before the law was given, God blessed Abraham for obeying His commandments, statutes, and laws (Gen. 26:5).
If the family was with him in Egypt, then sometime after the exodus, Moses may have sent Zipporah and their two sons back to Midian to give the good news to her family. Zipporah and her party could travel much faster than the entire nation with their children and livestock, so the family would have reached Midian before Israel arrived in the region of Sinai. Having heard the good news, Jethro then sent a message to Moses saying that he was coming to the camp with Zipporah and her sons.
Judicial codes are necessary for order and security in society, but they always have to be interpreted, even if they come from the Lord. Later, the priests would assist in this task (Mal. 2:4–7), but the priesthood hadn't yet been established. From the time of Ezra (Ezra 7:10), the scribes became the students and interpreters of the law.
Jethro's arrival (vv. 7–8). In the East, family members and friends spend a great deal of time greeting one another when they meet (Luke 10:4), especially if they haven't seen each other for a long time (Gen. 29:9–14; 33:1–7; 45:1–15). Moses showed respect for his fatherin-law by going out to meet him, but it's strange that nothing is said about Zipporah and the two sons.10
The danger (vv. 17–18). Jethro knew that Moses' leadership was crucial for the future success of Israel and that any activity that drained his energy or wasted his time was bound to hurt the nation. Also, he didn't want his son-in-law to wear himself out and leave Zipporah a widow and his two grandsons without a father. No one man could minister personally to 2 million people and last very long. Even after the new arrangement had been established, Moses had to confess that the work was too much for him (Num. 11:14), so what must the burden have been like under the old system? The Hebrew word translated "easier" in Exodus 18:22 means "to take cargo from a ship." ("That will make your load lighter," niv.)
Hospitality is the first law of the East, and Moses invited Jethro and the rest of the visitors to join him in his tent. There he rehearsed for them again the wonderful things God had done for His people. Jethro knew some of the facts about the defeat of Egypt, but Moses gave him the details and answered his questions. It wasn't a report of what Moses had done but what the Lord had done!
The suggestion (vv. 19–27). Jethro's suggestion was a good one. Moses should organize the camp so that every ten people had somebody to talk to about their civil problems. If a ruler of ten couldn't solve the problem, it could be referred to the ruler of fifty, then one hundred, and then one thousand.11 After that, it would be referred to Moses himself. D. L. Moody may have had this in mind when he said, "I would rather put ten men to work than do the work of ten men."
Jethro's worship (vv. 9–12). Like Melchizedek (Gen. 14:17–24), Jethro was a Gentile priest (Ex. 2:16) whose testimony indicates that he knew the true and living God. He also knew the importance of Israel in the plan of God, because he said that the Lord had punished the Egyptians because they had "treated Israel arrogantly" (Ex. 18:11 niv).
The priesthood had not yet been officially established in Israel, so there was nothing wrong with Moses, Aaron, and the Jewish elders joining Jethro in offering sacrifices to God and then enjoying a fellowship feast. During the years Moses had lived in Midian, he had no doubt participated in many sacrificial feasts with his father-in-law.This kind of fellowship anticipated the time when Messiah would die for the sins of the whole world and make redemption available to people of all nations. "For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles" (Mal. 1:11 nkjv).
A system such as this would separate the simple problems from the more complex matters so that Moses wouldn't be wasting his time on trivial matters. (If the people of Israel were anything like people today, everybody thought his or her problem was the most important!) The arrangement would also test the seriousness of the people, for not all of them would be willing to let the ruler "take their case to a higher court."
But Jethro wasn't advising Moses to "pass the buck." No, Moses was to teach the people the regulations, no doubt assisted by the chosen rulers, so they could make wise decisions. He was also to represent the
God distributes our burdens (18:13–27) Moses could have taken a week off and enjoyed his
Exodus 18
people before God, which probably meant praying for them and seeking God's direction in the difficult cases. Moses was God's chosen leader, and nobody could take his place until his work was done, but he didn't have to do all the work alone.
1 David's men thought of stoning him when they all came home and found their families and possessions gone (1 Sam. 30:1–6). How this would have solved the problem is a mystery. The Jewish people wanted to stone Jesus (John 8:59; 10:31), and they actually did stone Stephen (Acts 7:58). 2 This miracle must not be confused with a similar one described in Numbers 20:1–13, even though the name "Meribah" is used in both accounts (Ex. 17:7; Num. 20:13). The Israelites caused contention on more than one occasion! 3 The rabbis had a tradition that the rock that Moses smote accompanied the Jews throughout their wilderness journey and provided water, but there's no biblical basis for this. In 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul said that it was the spiritual rock that accompanied them, not a literal rock, and that Christ was that spiritual Rock. 4 The book of Hebrews uses the experiences of the people of Israel to illustrate the important spiritual truth that it is by faith that we enter into our inheritance and enjoy what God has planned for us. At Kadesh-Barnea, Israel refused to obey God and enter the land, so they stayed in the wilderness for thirty-eight more years until that unbelieving older generation died. It's because of unbelief that God's people today miss God's best for their lives. Our task is to hear His voice (the Word), believe what He says, and obey His will. He will take care of the rest. 5 For an exposition of the book of Joshua, see my book Be Strong, published by Cook. 6 This is probably not the Hur whose son constructed the tabernacle (31:2; 35:30; 38:22; 1 Chron. 2:19–20). See Exodus 24:14. Jewish tradition says he was married to Miriam and therefore was brother-in-law to Moses and Aaron, but there's no biblical evidence for this. 7 The Greek verb gives us our English word "agonize" and was applied to athletes striving for victory (1 Cor. 9:25) and soldiers fighting a battle (1 Tim. 6:12). The NIV translates it "wrestling in prayer for you." 8 The niv margin reads "Because a hand was against the throne of the Lord," referring to the attack of the Amalekites. The ASV margin agrees, "Because there is a hand against the throne of Jehovah." This would explain why God declared perpetual war on the Amalekites, for they had arrogantly attacked the God of Israel. The nrsvb translates the phrase "a hand upon the banner," suggesting that the Jews "lay hold of God" by faith whenever they find themselves attacked. Banners were used to rally the troops (Isa. 13:2), declare war (31:9), alert the army (Jer. 51:12, 27), and declare victory (Ex. 17:15). 9 See 24:4, 7; 34:27; Numbers 33:1–2; Deuteronomy 25:17–19; 31:9, 24. 10 We have met Gershom ("stranger, alien") in 2:22, but 18:4 is the first time the younger son Eliezer ("my God is my help") is mentioned in the Bible. Like the names Joseph gave to his two sons (Gen. 41:50–52), the names of Moses' sons reflected his own experience: an alien in the land, but with God's help, a conqueror. 11 Numbers 31:14, 28 indicate that the army was organized on a similar plan. See 1 Samuel 22:7; 1 Chronicles 12. 12 Since Israel was a strong patriarchal society, the emphasis is on
There are those who say that Jethro was a meddler and should have minded his own business, because God could have enabled Moses to get the job done each day. "If the Lord had wanted Moses to have help," they argue, "He would have told Moses personally." But Jethro didn't command Moses to follow his orders. He urged Moses to talk to the Lord about the problem and obey whatever God said (v. 23). Since Moses did adopt his father-in-law's suggestion, he must have consulted the Lord and gotten God's approval.
Moses didn't ask Jethro how to build the tabernacle or how to offer the sacrifices, because those matters were revealed to him from the Lord. But in matters of organization and management, God's people can learn from outsiders, for "the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light" (Luke 16:8). Of course, we never adopt a practice or policy until we understand the principle behind it and make sure it's in agreement with Scripture (James 3:13–18).
The important thing about delegating responsibilities is that you have leaders who have ability and character, "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness" (Ex. 18:21).12 These qualifications remind us of the experience of the early church in finding people to assist the apostles and relieve them of lesser duties (Acts 6:1–7). These assistants had to have good reputations, be full of the Spirit and wisdom, and approved by the people.
According to Deuteronomy 1:9–18, Moses shared Jethro's counsel with the people, admitted his own weakness and weariness, and asked them to select leaders to assist him. They approved of the plan and selected the officers whom Moses then charged with the responsibilities of their offices. When Israel moved into the Promised Land, they appointed officers in each town to assist in the settling of cases (Ex. 16:18–20). God is a God of order, and He wanted all of His people to enjoy security and justice in the camp and in the land.
Whenever ministry and structure collide, and ministry is being hindered, God's people must adjust the structure so ministry can grow. When the Jerusalem church gave the apostles the help they needed, the work expanded and many people were converted (Acts 6:7). In this rapidly changing world, Christian ministries must be flexible if they are to solve their problems and seize their opportunities. The emphasis in the Bible isn't on organization as such but on the kind of organization that involves qualified people who get the job done. Self-defeating organizations embalm their structure and refuse to change. The ministries that God blesses are open to change, so long as the principles of God's Word are obeyed.
Exodus 19
dom from (they are out of the nest, which to us is redemption), freedom in (they are at home in the air, which to us is maturity), and freedom to (they can fulfill their purpose in life, which to us is ministry). True freedom means that we're delivered from doing the bad, we're able to do the good, and we're accomplishing God's will on the earth.
men, but throughout Scripture, the Lord called and used many gifted women to serve Him and His people.
CHAPTER EIGHT Exodus 19:1—20:21 HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD W
II. Covenant: The Lord Claims His People (19—2 A.The people prepare—19
From God's point of view, Egypt was a furnace of affliction for Israel (Deut. 4:20; 1 Kings 8:51; Jer. 11:4), but the Jews often saw Egypt as a "nest" where they at least had food, shelter, and security (Ex. 16:1–3; Num. 11:1–9). God delivered them from Egypt because He had something better for them to enjoy and to do, but this meant that they had to "try their wings" and experience growing pains as they moved toward maturity.
hen God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, He gave him an encouraging promise: "When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain" (3:12 nkjv). That promise had now been fulfilled. The Jews were at Mount Sinai, "the mount of God" (v. 1; 4:27; 18:5; 24:13), and would remain camped there for the next eleven months.1 God had redeemed His people (Ex. 1—18), and was now going to claim them as His own and enter into a covenant relationship with them (Ex. 19—24), just as He promised (6:6–7). At least eight times,2 Moses had asked Pharaoh's permission to lead the people into the wilderness where they could worship Jehovah, and each time, Pharaoh had refused. But now Israel would meet their God at the holy mount and worship Him. Many wonderful things occurred at Sinai that day, but the greatest was that God's people heard God's voice speaking to them personally. "Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived?" (Deut. 4:33; 5:23–27)
When we're maturing in the Lord, life becomes a series of open doors that lead to more and more opportunities for responsible freedom. But if we refuse to let God mature us, life becomes a series of confining iron bars that limit us. A baby is safe and comfortable in the mother's womb, but at some point the baby must be born and enter a new and demanding world of growth and maturity. From birth to death, the "turning points" of life usher in new freedoms that bring with them new privileges and new responsibilities: walking, instead of being carried; riding a bicycle and then driving a car; working at a job and earning money; learning to use that money wisely; making friends; getting married; raising children; retiring. At each "turning point," we lose something as we gain something, and this is the way the maturing process works.
Whenever the Jews complained about God's dealings with them and yearned to go back to Egypt, they were acting like little children, so God had to discipline them. The statement I quoted earlier from George Morrison needs to be quoted again: "It took one night to take Israel out of Egypt, but forty years to take Egypt out of Israel." How long is it taking the Lord to get us to fly, or are we nestlings who don't want to be disturbed?
When God spoke to His people, by His grace He called them to a very special life.
A life of maturity (19:1–4) If freedom doesn't lead to maturity, then we end up imprisoned in a bondage worse than what we had before, a bondage from within and not from without. It's bad enough to be enslaved by an Egyptian taskmaster, but it's even worse to enslave yourself and become your own taskmaster.
A life of dignity (19:5–8) In Egypt, the Jews were nothing but weary bodies, slaves who did their masters' bidding, but the Lord had better things planned for them. They were to be His special people, and He would use them to be a blessing to the whole world (Gen. 12:3).
Moses went up to meet God on the mountain, and what God told him he came down and shared with the people.3 The image of maturity that God used was that of the eagle, bearing its young on its wings and teaching them the glorious freedom of flight. Moses used the same image in the song he taught Israel at the close of his life. Read carefully Deuteronomy 32:10–12. What do eagles teach us about the life of maturity?4
God's treasured possession (v. 5 niv). All the nations of the earth belong to the Lord, because He's their maker and their sustainer (9:29; Ps. 24:1; 50:12; Acts 14:15–17; 17:24–28), but He's chosen Israel to be His treasured possession (Deut. 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps. 135:4; Mal. 3:17). This choice was not because of Israel's merits, because they had none (Deut. 26:5–11), but because of God's love and sovereign grace (7:6–8).
At a certain stage in the development of their young, the parent eagles break up the comfortable nest and force the eaglets to fly. The young birds may not be anxious to leave the security of the nest, but they must learn to fly if they're going to fulfill their purposes in life. The adult birds stay near the fledglings and, if they fall, carry them on their strong wings until the young birds learn how to use their wings, ride the air currents, and enjoy the abilities God gave them.
That the Jews are God's chosen people doesn't mean they're better than any other nation, only that they're different, set apart by the Lord for His special work. Romans 9:4–5 reminds us of some of the spiritual
The eaglets illustrate three aspects of freedom: free-
Exodus 19
people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:5, 9 nkjv). Like Israel of old, God's people today must point people to the Lord and reveal by their words and deeds how wonderful He is. We're to be "living advertisements" of the grace and power of God. Are we?
treasures God has given Israel that they might be a blessing to the whole world, for "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). Because Israel has these treasures and privileges, they also have a greater responsibility to love and obey God; for "from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked" (Luke 12:48 niv).5 A kingdom of priests (v. 6). Aaron and his sons would be consecrated later to serve as priests to the nation (Ex. 28—29), but it was God's intent that all Israel live as priests, manifesting His truth and sharing His blessings with the world. Israel was to be God's "showcase" to the Gentiles, proving to them that there is but one true and living God and that serving Him is the way to fullness of blessing (Isa. 42:6; 49:6). Unfortunately, instead of Israel influencing the nations to worship Jehovah, the nations influenced Israel to worship idols! The Jews adopted the religions and lifestyles of the Gentiles and so desecrated themselves, their land, and the temple that God had to chasten them severely and send them into Babylonian captivity. The day will come, however, when Israel will see her Messiah, be cleansed of her iniquities (Zech. 12:10–13:1), and become a nation of holy priests to serve the Lord (Isa. 61:6).
A life of sanctity (19:9–25) Moses had returned to the Lord on the mountain and reported the people's promise to obey His commandments. The fact that God spoke with Moses personally should have given the people confidence in their leader, but subsequent events proved differently. What a privilege it was for Israel to have a leader such as Moses, and what a tragedy that they repeatedly made life difficult for him!
The emphasis in this chapter is on the sanctity of the nation as the holy people of God, and three images stand out: the changing of their clothes, the distance set between the people and God, and the storm on Mount Sinai.
Changing clothes and washing (vv. 10–11, 14–15). We today are accustomed to having soap and water readily available, and extra clothes hanging in our closets, but people in Bible days didn't enjoy such luxuries. They couldn't take showers daily, and only the wealthy had stores of extra garments. That's why bathing and changing clothes often marked a new beginning, such as when God restored Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21) or when Jacob and his family returned to Bethel (35:2). Other examples are Joseph leaving prison (41:14), healed lepers returning to society (Lev. 14:8–9), David turning back to God (2 Sam. 12:20), and King Jehoiachin being shown mercy by his captors (Jer. 52:31–34). Washing and changing clothes is the Old Testament equivalent of 1 John 1:9 and 2 Corinthians 7:1.6
A holy nation (v. 6). "You are to be My holy people" (22:31), that is, a people set apart for God, a people who are different. "Be holy, for I am holy" is found at least six times in Leviticus (11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8) and is repeated twice in 1 Peter 1:15–16. In every area of life, Israel's activities were governed by the fact that they belonged to God, and that included what they ate, what they wore, who they married, how they buried their dead, and especially how they worshipped.
During the plagues in Egypt, God put a difference between them and the Egyptians (Ex. 11:7), because the Jews were not to live like the pagan Gentile nations. The Jewish priests were to set the example and also teach the people to "put a difference between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean" (Lev. 10:10; 11:47). The priests failed to do this (Ezek. 22:26; see 42:20; 44:23; 48:14–15), and their sin helped to lead the nation into defilement and destruction (Lam. 4:13). When Moses shared this good news with the people, they enthusiastically promised to obey everything God told them to do (Ex. 19:7–8). They may have been sincere, but God knew that their hearts were prone to do evil (Deut. 5:27–29). The fact that they repeated this vow two more times didn't change their hearts or strengthen their wills (Ex. 24:3, 7), and it wouldn't be long before Israel would succumb to the idolatry that lurked in their hearts and make a golden calf and worship it (Ex. 32).
The distance between God and the people (vv. 12–13, 20–25). Staying away from Mount Sinai was a matter of life or death, for the presence of God sanctified the mountain. So Moses put up barriers to keep the people at a distance. He also posted guards with authority to kill from a distance anybody who broke through the barriers, and nobody was to touch the dead body. When the trumpet sounded, then Moses ascended the mountain to meet God, but even then, God sent him back to warn the people not to get too close to Mount Sinai.
In a dramatic way, God was teaching the people the distance between a holy God and sinful men and women, as well as the danger of presumptuously rushing into the presence of the Lord. Later, Nadab and Abihu would forget this principle, and God would kill them (Lev. 10). The structure of Old Testament worship emphasized man's sinfulness and God's "otherness": the fence around the tabernacle; the veil before the Holy of Holies; the fact that only the priests could minister in the tabernacle and only the high
God's people today (1 Peter 2:5, 9). Peter borrowed the imagery of Exodus 19:6 and called the church today "a holy priesthood … a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special
Exodus 19—20
the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us from sin (1 John 1:7, 9; Heb. 10:22).
priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and that but once a year. The emphasis was always "Keep Your Distance!"
God doesn't give His Spirit to us because we obey the law (Gal. 3:2) but because we trust Christ (4:1–7), nor does He give us our inheritance through the law (3:18). The one thing the dead sinner needs is life (Eph. 2:1–3), but the law can't give life (Gal. 3:21). Then what's the purpose of the law? It's God's way of showing us our sins and stripping us of our self-righteousness so that we cry out for the mercy and grace of God.8 God gives His Holy Spirit to all who believe on His Son, and the Spirit enables us to obey God's will and therefore fulfill the righteousness of the law (Rom. 8:1–3).9
But the New Testament emphasizes the nearness of God, for the Son of God became flesh and came to dwell on earth (John 1:14), and His name is "Immanuel—God with us" (Matt. 1:23). By His death and resurrection, Jesus opened a new and living way into the presence of God (Heb. 10:1–25), and the New Testament banner reads: "Let us draw near!" This doesn't mean that we should get "chummy" with God and act like we're His equals, but He is our Father and He welcomes our love. See Hebrews 12:18–29.
The storm (vv. 16–19; 20:18–20). In Scripture, a storm is often a symbol of the awesome presence and power of God (Ps. 18:1–15; 29; Hab. 3:1–16). The cloud and darkness, the thunder and lightning, and the earthquake and fire, all manifested the greatness of God (Deut. 5:22–23, 27) and produced a holy fear in the hearts of the people. Even Moses trembled with fear and admitted it (Heb. 12:21; Deut. 9:19)! God was about to teach His people His law, and "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Prov. 1:7). The Jews had also seen the plagues in Egypt, and this mighty demonstration of God's power should have also prepared their hearts to obey Him (Ps. 105:26–45).
One of the main ministries of the law was to prepare the way for the birth of Christ (Gal. 4:1–7). The nation of Israel was like an immature child who needed a "guardian" to care for him, to instruct and protect him, the way slaves in Paul's day cared for their masters' children. But when children mature, the guardians aren't needed anymore. The Jewish ceremonial system presented in Exodus and Leviticus was fulfilled by Christ, but the moral content of God's law still remains, and nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament epistles for the church to honor and obey. The Sabbath commandment isn't repeated, and we'll say more about that later.
The combination of washing themselves and changing their clothes, witnessing the storm, and keeping their distance from Sinai, couldn't help but impress the people with their own sinfulness and God's majestic holiness. They were called to be a sanctified people, unlike the nations around them. Only as they obeyed God could they truly enjoy the privileges of being a kingdom of priests, God's special treasure and His holy nation.
While all the Ten Commandments deal with our responsibilities toward God, the first four are particularly Godward while the last six are manward. How we relate to others depends on how we relate to God, for if we love God and obey Him, we'll also love our neighbors and serve them (Matt. 22:34–40; Rom. 13).
Recognizing one true God (vv. 1–3). The phrase "the Lord thy God" is repeated five times in this section (vv. 3, 5, 7, 10, 12) to remind the people of the authority behind these commandments. Moses isn't reporting "ten opinions" that he heard from a friendly counselor, but ten commandments spoken by Almighty God. The Jews lived in a world of blind and superstitious nations that worshipped many gods, something Israel beheld for centuries in Egypt.10 Israel was to bear witness of the true and living God (Ps. 115) and invite their neighbors to trust Him.
B.The Lord declares His law—20—23
A life of responsibility (20:1–17)7 The privilege of freedom brings with it the responsibility to use that freedom wisely for the glory of God and the good of others. However, the Ten Commandments were much more than laws for governing the life of the nation of Israel. They are part of the covenant God made with Israel when He took them to Himself to be His special people (6:1–8; 19:5–8). In the Abrahamic covenant, God gave the Jews the title deed to the Promised Land (Gen. 12:3; 13:14–18), but Israel's possession and enjoyment of that land depended on their obedience to the Mosaic covenant. The tragedy is that the nation disobeyed the law, defiled their land, and grieved their Lord, so they had to be chastened.
The phrase "before Me" can mean "in opposition to Me." For the Jews to worship another god would be to declare war on Jehovah and incur His wrath. Each morning, the faithful Jew declares, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord" (Deut. 6:4).
Worshipping only the Lord (vv. 4–6).11 An idol is a substitute for God and therefore not a god, for there is only one true and living God. Present-day religious pluralism ("You worship your god and I'll worship mine, because both are right") is both unbiblical and illogical, for how can there be more than one god? If God is God, He is infinite, eternal, and sovereign and can't share the throne with another being who is also infinite, eternal, and sovereign.
The law was never given as a way of salvation for either Jews or Gentiles, because "by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Gal. 2:16). Salvation is not a reward for good works but the gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 4:5; Eph. 2:8–9). The law reveals God's righteousness and demands righteousness, but it can't give righteousness (Gal. 2:21); only Jesus Christ can do that (2 Cor. 5:21). The law is a mirror that reveals where you're dirty, but you don't wash your face in the mirror (James 1:22–25). Only
"I am the Lord: that is my name; and my glory I
Exodus 20
pheme God's name by using vulgar language. But using God's name in making a promise or taking an oath, and then not fulfilling the commitment, is cheapening His name and blaspheming God (Lev. 19:12).
will not give to another, neither my praise to graven [carved] images" (Isa. 42:8). The idol worship of the pagan nations was not only illogical and unbiblical, but it was intensely immoral (temple prostitutes and fertility rites), inhuman (sacrificing children), and demonic (1 Cor. 10:10–22). No wonder the Lord commanded Israel to destroy the temples, altars, and idols of the pagans when they invaded the land of Canaan (Deut. 7:1–11). "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21) was the apostle John's final admonition to Christians in his day, and the admonition needs to be heeded today. If an idol is anything that takes the place of God, anything to which we devote our energy and time, or for which we make sacrifices because we love it and serve it, then John's warning is needed today. The idols that entice God's people today are things like money, recognition, success, material possessions (cars, houses, boats, collectibles), knowledge, or even other people.
Honoring the Sabbath (vv. 8–11). The word "sabbath" means "rest." The Sabbath tradition was already a part of Israel's life (16:23, 25), but now it became a part of Israel's law and their covenant relationship with God. While the Sabbath was rooted in creation (Gen. 2:1–3), it was also a special sign between Israel and the Lord (Ex. 31:12–17; Neh. 9:13–15; Ezek. 20:12, 20), and there's no biblical evidence that God commanded any Gentile nation to observe the seventh day (Ps. 147:19–20). Later, Moses associated the Sabbath with Israel's deliverance from Egypt (Deut. 5:12–15), a foretaste of the rest they would enjoy in their promised inheritance (3:20; 12:10; 25:19). When the Jews observed the Sabbath, it was not only a mark of their devotion to the Lord, but it was also a witness to their pagan neighbors to whom the seventh day was just another day. By resting on the seventh day, the Jews were promoting their own welfare as well as that of their servants and farm animals, acknowledging the lordship of Jehovah over time and creation (Ex. 23:12). From earliest times, God's people assembled on the first day of the week to honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 20:19, 26; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2), but the principle of one day in seven still stands (Col. 2:16–17; Gal. 4:1–11; Rom. 14:1—15:7). It's unfortunate that the Israelites didn't honor the Sabbath as God directed and had to be disciplined (2 Chron. 36:14–21; Ezek. 20; Isa. 58:13–14; Jer. 17:19–27). It's also unfortunate that the scribes and Pharisees added thirty-nine forbidden acts to this commandment so that observing the Sabbath became a burden instead of a blessing (Mark 2:23—3:5).
God is a "jealous God," not in the sense that He's envious of other gods, for He knows that all other "gods" are figments of the imagination and don't really exist. The word "jealous" expresses His love for His people because He wants the very best for them. Just as parents are jealous over their children and spouses over their mates, so God is jealous over His beloved ones and will not tolerate competition (Zech. 1:14; 8:2). In Scripture, idolatry is the equivalent of prostitution and adultery (Hos. 1—3; Jer. 2—3; Ezek. 16; 23; James 4:4–5). God desires and deserves the exclusive love of His people (Ex. 34:14; Deut. 4:24; 5:9; 6:15).
God is so serious about receiving exclusive worship and love that He punishes those who refuse to obey Him. God doesn't punish the children and grandchildren for somebody else's sins (24:16; Ezek. 18:4), but the sad consequences of ancestral sins can be passed from generation to generation and innocent children suffer because of what their parents or grandparents have done. In Bible times, it wasn't unusual for four generations to live in the same extended family and thus have greater opportunity to influence and affect one another.
Honoring one's parents (v. 12). In a world that worships and imitates youth and uses "assisted suicide" (euthanasia) to eliminate unwanted old people, this commandment sounds like an echo from a time warp. But the Jews were taught to respect age and to care for their senior citizens (21:15, 17; Lev. 19:3, 32; Deut. 27:16; Prov. 1:8; 16:31; 20:20; 23:22; 30:17), a good example for us to follow today (Eph. 6:1–3; 1 Tim. 5:1–2).12 Someone has said that the elderly are the only outcast group that everybody expects to join, because nobody wants the alternative. But how we treat them today will help to determine how we're treated tomorrow, because we reap what we sow.
At the same time, the godliness of ancestors can help to bring blessing to succeeding generations. Abraham's faith brought blessing to his descendants, and David's ministry helped people long after he had died. My great-grandfather prayed that there would be a preacher of the gospel in every generation of his family, and God has answered that prayer!
Honoring God's name (v. 7). Your name stands for your character and reputation, what you are and what you do (John 17:6, 26). When you say that someone has "a bad name," you're not criticizing what's written on his birth certificate. You're warning me that the man can't be trusted. If God is the greatest being in the universe, then His name is the greatest name and must be honored. The first petition in the Lord's Prayer is, "Hallowed be thy name" (Matt. 6:9). People blas-
Honoring human life (v. 13). Life is a gift from God, and only He has the authority to take life. Because we're made in God's image, murder is an attack against God (Gen. 1:26–27; 9:6). Protecting life is the responsibility of every member of society, not just the public officials (Rom. 13). The issue here is premeditated murder, which Jesus said could have its beginning in anger (Matt. 5:21–26). The Jews were allowed to defend themselves (Ex. 22:2), and the law
Exodus 20
made concessions for accidental death, but murder was a capital offense (21:12–14).
nishings; the priesthood was established and instructed; and the people were numbered and the tribes organized for their march to Kadesh-Barnea. 2 See Exodus 5:1; 7:16; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3, 26. 3 It seems that eight times Moses went up the mountain and met with God and then descended to speak to the people. Some of the ascents and descents are implied because you find Moses addressing either God or the nation.
Honoring marriage (v. 14). So serious was adultery that it was considered a capital crime (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). The family is the basic unit of the nation, and faithfulness to the marriage contract is the foundation for the family. Adultery is robbery (1 Thess. 4:1–8), but in the end, those who commit adultery rob themselves (Prov. 6:20–35). While the Lord can forgive the sin of adultery (1 Cor. 6:9–11; John 8:1–11), like David, the adulterer and adulteress must live with the sad consequences of forgiven sin (2 Sam. 12:13–14; Ps. 51). Adultery begins with the desire in the heart caused by the second look (Matt. 5:27–30).
Ascended Descended 19:3 19:7(implied) 19:8 19:14 19:20 19:25 20:21 24:1–3 (implied) 24:9, 13, 15, 18 32:15 32:31 33:4 (inferred) 33:12 (inferred) 34:1–3 (inferred) 34:4 34:29
Respecting personal property (v. 15). God gave Israel an elaborate set of laws to govern their use of the land, because the land belonged to Him and they were but stewards (Lev. 25:2, 23, 38). This fact is the basis for a sane ecology. Ephesians 4:28 teaches that there are only three ways to get wealth: work for it, have it given to you, or steal it, and stealing is wrong.
4 The eagle is identified with Israel not only in the matter of their deliverance from Egypt (Ex. 19:4) and their maturity (Deut. 32:11–12), but also with reference to their release from Babylonian captivity (Isa. 40:31) and their future safety during the time of Jacob's trouble described in Revelation 6—19 (12:13–14). 5 Some students believe that the parable of the treasure (Matt. 13:44) refers especially to Israel, God's treasure. On the cross, Jesus purchased the field ("the world," 13:38) and "hid" Israel in it until that time when the promises will be fulfilled and the nation will enter the Messianic Kingdom. 6 The admonition for the men not to have intercourse with their wives (v. 15) does not in any way imply that the act is defiling. Later, when Moses expounded the law, he would deal with this matter (Lev. 15:16–18). 7 The section from Exodus 20:22—23:33 is known as "the book of the covenant" and was ratified through sacrifices by Moses and the people (24:1–8; Heb. 9:18–22). "The book of the covenant" was an expansion and application of some of the Ten Commandments to the life of the Jewish people. 8 Jesus didn't point the rich young ruler to the law to tell him how to be saved, but to convince him that he needed to be saved (Mark 10:17–31). The only person who perfectly kept the law was Jesus Christ, and He did it for us. 9 The law is a yoke that burdens us (Gal. 5:1; Acts 15:10), but the yoke of Christ gives us rest (Matt. 11:28–30). The law is a debt that we can't pay, so Christ paid it for us (Luke 7:36–50; Col. 2:14). Living under law means living in the shadows (Col. 2:16–17; Heb. 8:4–5; 10:1), but trusting Christ means living in the light of reality (John 8:12; 1 John 1:5–10). 10 For the origin of polytheism and idolatry, read Romans 1:18–32. 11 The prohibition against making idols doesn't interfere with mankind's right to artistic creative expression. The Jews were commanded to make a beautiful tabernacle and later a beautiful temple, and in both of them there were objects patterned after things in God's creation. To create artistic things is one matter; to worship them is quite something else. 12 The promise in verse 12 is initially for the nation, assuring the Jews that obedience would keep them in their land a long
Speaking the truth (v. 16). Speaking the truth and honoring promises is the cement that holds society together. To tell lies in court is to undermine the very law itself, which explains why Moses required the witnesses to be the executioners in capital crimes (Deut. 17:6–13). It's one thing to lie, but quite something else to kill in order to protect your lie. This commandment also prohibits slandering people (Ex. 23:1; Prov. 10:18; 12:17; 19:9; 24:28; Titus 3:1–2; James 4:11; 1 Peter 2:1). Controlling desires (v. 17). The first and tenth commandments deal with what's in the heart, while the other eight focus on outward actions that begin in the heart. Covetous people will break all of God's commandments in order to satisfy their desires, because at the heart of sin is the sin in the heart (Matt. 15:19). To covet is to feed inward desires for anything that God says is sinful. It was this commandment that "slew" Saul of Tarsus and convicted this successful Pharisee that he was a sinner (Rom. 7:1–14; see Luke 12:15, Eph. 5:3, Col. 3:5).
The Ten Commandments end with an emphasis on being a good neighbor, for the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:34–40; Lev. 19:18). If we love our neighbors, we won't covet what they have, steal from them, lie about them, or do any of the other things God prohibits in His Word. This is why love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom. 13:8–10). But only God can change our sinful hearts (Heb. 10:14–18) and give us the love we need to obey Him and to care for others (Gal. 5:22–26; Rom. 5:1–5).13
1 The biblical record from Exodus 19:1 through Numbers 10:10 tells what happened in the camp during the eleven months the Jews were at Sinai. Moses received the law and shared it with the people; the workers constructed the tabernacle and its fur-
Exodus 20—21
God warned Israel not to manufacture idols and not to build elaborate altars such as those used by the heathen nations around them (see 2 Kings 16:10–20). A simple altar of earth or unhewn stone would be acceptable to the Lord. If the stones were chiseled, they would become like idols, and the work of man would become more important than the worship of God. The natural stone provided by the Lord was all He would accept.
time, but in Ephesians 6:1–3 Paul applied it to individual believers. 13 We have barely scratched the surface in our study of this important portion of Scripture. For further study, see: The Ten Commandments, by R.W. Dale (Hodder and Stoughton, 1910); The Ten Commandments for Today, by William Barclay (Harper & Row, 1973); Playing by the Rules, by D. Stuart Briscoe (Revell, 1986); Lifelines: The Ten Commandments for Today, by Edith Schaeffer (Crossway, 1982); Foundations for Reconstruction, by Elton Trueblood (Word paperback edition, 1972); The Ten Commandments, by Thomas Watson (Banner of Truth, 1965); and The Eleven Commandments, by Lehman Strauss (Loizeaux, 1955).
Both nudity and intercourse with temple prostitutes were a part of many pagan religious ceremonies, and these were expressly forbidden by the Lord. God commanded the Jewish priests to wear special garments to cover their nakedness (Ex. 28:42–43; Lev. 6:10), and if they failed to obey, they were in danger of being killed (Ex. 28:35, 43).
CHAPTER NINE
In spite of their enthusiastic promises, Israel quickly disobeyed these commandments. While Moses was with God on the mountain, the people made a golden calf and engaged in an idolatrous orgy that led to the death of 3,000 men (32:1–6, 25–29). Anything in religious liturgy that encourages the sensual instead of the spiritual cannot be from God or be blessed by God.
Exodus 20:22—24:8 THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT T
his section of Exodus includes basic laws that deal especially with the protection of human life and property. By accepting "the book of the covenant" (24:3–8), the people entered into a special relationship with Jehovah and obligated themselves to obey Him. These laws were not arbitrary; they're based on the character of God and the unchanging moral principles expressed in the Ten Commandments.
God is just: obey His laws (21:1—23:19) Justice is the practical outworking of the righteousness of God in human history, for "the Lord loves righteousness and justice" (Ps. 33:5; see Isa. 30:18; 61:8). There may be a great deal of injustice in our world today, but the time will come when God will judge the world in righteousness by the Savior that the world has rejected, and His judgment will be just (Acts 17:31).
Law is powerless to change human nature; it can only protect life and property by regulating human behavior. One of the most dangerous and disastrous periods in Jewish history was the time of the judges when "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judg. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The enforcing of good laws doesn't guarantee a perfect society, but it does promote order and prevent anarchy.
Laws about servants (21:1–11; see also Lev. 25:39–43; Deut. 15:12–18). Though the Jews were permitted to own slaves from other nations, usually prisoners of war, they were not allowed to enslave their own people. Two scenarios are presented here: a man who voluntarily becomes a servant (Ex. 21:1–7), and a woman who is sold to be a servant (vv. 8–11).
God is unseen: hear His Word (20:22–26) Forty years later when Moses reviewed the law with the new generation, he reminded them that their ancestors had seen manifestations of God's glory and power at Sinai and heard His words, but they "saw no form of any kind" (Deut. 4:15 niv). God didn't reveal Himself in any form lest the Jews turn the living God into a dead idol. "To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?" (Isa. 40:18 nkjv)
If because of poverty, a Jew had to become an indentured servant, his master had to treat him humanely and release him after six years of service. If because of family affection the man wanted to remain in service, and the judges approved it, then he would be marked in the earlobe and remain a servant the rest of his life. However, he was never to be treated like a slave.
A female servant wasn't automatically set free after six years. If a poor man sold his daughter to be a servant or a concubine,4 then the girl's father would receive the sale price, the girl would get a better home, and her husband wouldn't have to pay a costly dowry. If after becoming the man's concubine she didn't please him, somebody in her birth family could redeem her and she would be set free.
The Jews were called to be a people of the Word. The success of the nation depended on hearing God's Word, believing it, and obeying it. The nations around Israel built their religions on what they could see— idols made by men's hands, but Israel was to worship an invisible God1 and have nothing to do with idols. "False gods are always gods one can see (and touch)," wrote Christian philosopher Jacques Ellul, "and that very quality demonstrates their falsity and their nonexistence as gods."2
If the man had chosen her for his son, and the son came to dislike her and married another woman, then the son's father had to be sure she was treated like a married daughter. That meant making sure she had clothing, food, and her conjugal rights (1 Cor. 7:1–6).
The Jewish scholar Abraham Joshua Heschel summarized Israel's theology of the Scriptures when he wrote, "To believe, we need God, a soul, and the Word."3
Exodus 21
the income produced.) If after a few days the slave recovered, his master wasn't punished, for he had already lost income from the slave during the period of recuperation.
If the father failed to do this, the woman was free to return to her family home and was not considered a slave.
Capital crimes (vv. 12–17). These laws are the logical application of the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" (20:13; Lev. 24:17). We're made in God's image, so to murder a fellow human being is to attack the image of God (Gen. 9:6). If a person was found guilty of murder on the testimony of two or more witnesses (Num. 35:30–31), then the murderer was killed.
A pregnant woman injured (vv. 22–23). Was she the wife of one of the combatants, and her husband was losing the fight? We don't know. Scholars don't agree on the translation of verse 22. Is it "and she gives birth prematurely" (niv) or "and she has a miscarriage"? (niv margin, nasb) The clause "but there is no serious injury" (either to the mother or the child) would suggest that the first translation is to be preferred, since a miscarriage would certainly be a serious thing.
The law made a distinction between premeditated murder and accidental manslaughter. If you killed somebody accidentally, you could flee to God's altar for safety (1 Kings 2:29) until the elders had time to study the matter. Once Israel was in their land, they set apart six cities of refuge where the manslayer could flee and be protected until the matter had been investigated (Num. 35; Deut. 19; Josh. 20). Israel didn't have a police force; the family of the victim was expected to see that justice was done. But in the heat of anger, they might be more interested in revenge than in justice, so the law stepped in to protect the accused until he was proved guilty.
Even though there was no serious injury to the mother or the child, the court was required to fine the guilty man for his aggressive action against somebody who wasn't a party to the fight. Regardless of the man's intent, what he did could have caused the death of the child or the mother or both. But if there was serious injury, that is, the mother and/or child was maimed or killed, then the court would follow the lex talionis (vv. 23–25) which says, "The punishment must fit the crime."5
Children and parents (vv. 21:15, 17). Having dealt with murder in general, the law then dealt with specific cases. The first deals with a man's mistreatment of his parents, abusing them physically and/or verbally, which would be a violation of the fifth commandment (vv. 15, 17; Lev. 20:9; Deut. 27:16). It's possible that the "prodigal son law" (21:18–21) applies here and that this son was desperately in need of discipline. Children who have no respect for their parents usually have no respect for any other authority and want only their own selfish way. "Without natural affection" (2 Tim. 3:3) describes some people in these last days, but those kind of people lived in Moses' day.
This principle has been severely criticized by some as being "barbaric," but it's just the opposite. In an age when the legal system was developing, this law made sure that the punishment meted out by the judges was equal to the seriousness and severity of the crime, not more and not less. If the guilty aggressor blinded his enemy's eye, then his own eye was blinded. Nothing could be fairer. If you broke your enemy's finger and the court ordered you to be blinded, that wouldn't be fair at all, because the sentence must fit the crime. The only time this principle was not enforced was when a master injured a slave, and the slave's compensation was his or her freedom (vv. 26–27).