This week we
shall continue the study of Exodus, the second book of the Old Testament.
(1) What did the Lord tell Moses to do that did not make sense on the surface?
(2) What was the purpose of such an instruction?
(3) Pause and reflect on your past. Has God ever guided you or done something to you that did not make sense at first? Did you eventually find out His purpose?
(4) The express purpose for the instruction was that the Lord will gain glory for Himself through Pharaoh and his army. If someone says to you, “Your God is so vain that He always seeks to glorify Himself", what will be your answer to such a question?
(5) What does the Bible say about the reasons for the change of mind of Pharaoh and his officials? Put yourself in their shoes: After being defeated by the 10 plagues (and especially the 10th plague), what might have motivated them to pursue the Israelites?
(6) How would you compare the Egyptian army to the “divisions of the Lord” (Exod. 12:51)?
(7) Upon seeing the array of their own army, do you think the Egyptians’ morale was high? Do you think the Israelites should be terrified? Why or why not?
(8) As they turned back and encamped near Pi Hahiroth, what or who was guiding them? (see Exod. 13:21-22)
(9) Perhaps, upon the sight of the Egyptian army, it was not too unexpected to see the Israelites terrified. However did it justify what they said in vv. 11-12?
(10) What words can you use to describe these Israelites?
(11) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
“Many other people went up with them as well as large droves of livestock….” (Exod. 12:38)
Many commentators blamed these other people (whoever they were) for many of the troubles of the Israelites in the wilderness. As one of them says, “These ‘other people’ similar to unconverted church members in the present age, were a source of weakness and division then as now (cp. Num. 11:4-6). There had been a manifestation of divine power, and men were drawn to without a change of heart…”
However, the Israelites could not always put their blame on these “other people”. They were really no better. Just as they had witnessed all ten plagues upon the Egyptians, had been blessed by all the gifts given to them by their Egyptians neighbors as they left, and then had been immediately guided by pillars of fire and cloud—an unmistakable presence and guidance of the Lord, yet upon being chased by the army of Egyptians, they turned against Moses right away.
We often admire how God miraculously guided the Israelites through the wilderness, and might even quietly think that if we were so guided, we would definitely follow the Lord without question. The truth of the matter was, upon the sight of the pillars of fire and cloud for the first time, the Israelites must have been dazzled and excited. But as days turned into months, and months turned into years, even the pillars lost their charm. They took it for granted. Even before the excitement and novelty had worn out, just because the pillars guided them to go in circles leading to the attack by the Egyptians and later to the bitter waters of Marah (Exod. 15:23), the people immediately grumbled.
The lesson is: How God reveals His guidance to us is not important, ultimately what matters is an obedient spirit, without which we are just like the “other people”.
(1) As the people turned against him, Moses’ reply in vv.13-14 was very firm and ended with a very good piece of advice. What was this advice?
(2) Based on v.15, was Moses himself “still”? What does this tell you about the dilemma or struggle of a leader?
(3) Read vv. 19-20 very carefully. If you can, draw a picture of the scene (or at least imagine it mentally).
(4) How would you feel if you were one of the pursuing Egyptians?
(5) How would you feel as one of the Israelites being pursued?
(6) The parting and closing of the sea was entirely the work of the Lord. What role did the staff of Moses play?
(7) As
you read the account of the night in the sea, consider the following:
a. What would strike you as the most spectacular?
b. What would strike you as the saddest?
(8) Has God achieved His purpose in v. 18? How so?
(9) As you read the response of the people in v. 31, how do you feel about them?
(10) The crossing of the Red Sea is often likened to our salvation through Christ. Can you try to describe their similarities?
(11) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me?’ ” (Exod. 14:15)
I once noticed a cartoon which depicted a Canadian Loon (an aquatic bird) with its beautiful shining feathers, swimming leisurely and confidently above the water. But beneath the water, the bird was paddling vigorously as if it was running for its life.
As I first read Moses’ immediate response to the Israelites, who turned against him ever so quickly at the sight of Pharaoh’s pursuing army, I admired greatly his confident response to the people as a true leader, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today; ” (14:13).
What impressed me even more was his ending words, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (14:14)
Indeed, it echoes the advice of Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
However, no sooner had he said these words to the Israelites, behind the scenes and alone with God, he was paddling for his life. He was anything but still. “Why are you crying out to me?” was the rebuke of the Lord.
But such is the life of a true leader. As much as you are afraid, you need to remain calm before the people, or they will be even more alarmed. But the secret of a true leader is not to allow your fear to paralyze you, nor is it to simply put up a front before the people, because it will not last long. You need to quickly bring your fear before the Lord, even though you may be rebuked for your fear. In Moses' case, I am sure God was delighted that he went back to Him for strength and for reassurance. After all he was human. After all, true leaders are human too.
With
gratitude and great jubilation, Moses penned this song with these puposes:
(1) to praise the Lord
(2) to express his growing knowledge of God
(3) to give a testimony to future generations
(4) to express his confidence in the ultimate fulfillment of entering into the Promised Land.
It is worth noting that in heaven, the singing of the song of Moses is mentioned in Rev. 15.
(1) See if you can divide the song into meaningful sub-divisions under these suggested headings (or your own headings):
a. Names of the Lord (or Who the Lord is to Moses)
b. The majesty and power of God expressed anthropomorphically (like His right hand, His nostrils, His breath)
c. No other gods like the Lord
d. Confidence in the Lord's future guidance and fulfillment of entry into the Promised Land
e. Ending with praise of His everlasting reign.
(2) List the names Moses used of God and reflect on the deepening of his knowledge of who God is.
(3) List the anthropomorphisms used by Moses of God and reflect on the use of each. How fitting is the use of each of them, as far as you are concerned?
(4) In
expressing his awe, Moses said that there are no gods like the Lord. He cited three aspects in his
expression. Can you identify with the
feelings of Moses, either through the reading of the events of the Red Sea or
your personal experience? Describe Moses' awe of God in the areas below:
a. Majestic in holiness—what does it mean?
b. Awesome in glory—how so?
c. Working wonders!
(5) If you were Moses, would you have described these aspects of God? What else might you add to them?
(6) In expressing his confidence that God will lead them into the Promised Land, how did Moses reveal his understanding of the ultimate purpose of Exodus?
(7) Why did he end the song with God’s reign?
(8) Since Revelation 15:1-4 refers to this song, but within the heavenly context, why not read the song in Revelation too? What is the common theme of the two?
(9) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
“Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord.” (Exod. 15:1)
It was the first song recorded of Moses and it was penned at the time God’s mighty power was revealed through the deliverance of His people from the pursuing army of Pharaoh which was totally swallowed up by the sea—“Not one of them survived.”
It was not too long ago that Moses’ world was turned upside down with his encounter with the Lord in the burning bush. His repeated excuses were ignored by the Lord who revealed not only His plan of deliverance, but Himself to him as Yahweh—I AM WHO I AM—a name that even Abraham had yet to know (Exod. 6:3)
This most reluctant leader yielded to the unyielding call of the Lord and had gradually come to understand not only the power of God, but to know Him personally.
The beginning part of this song describes the Lord like this:
“The Lord is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise Him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a warrior,
the Lord is His name.” (Exod. 15:2-3)
The experience culminating at the crossing of the Red Sea enabled Moses to know God as more than one who was his father’s God, but the One who was his God — this meant that he now has established a personal relationship with God. God was no more just a hearsay, or a God from culture or heritage, not even a God he accepted intellectually, but his God—he now knew God personally.
Perhaps, this song might be more appropriately titled “the song of Moses’ conversion”, or at least, “the song of his testimony of conversion”.
(1) What does the Bible call Miriam in this passage?
(2) From this title and her leadership of the women, what role did she play in the Exodus event? We should not forget her role in Exodus 2:7.
(3) How did the Israelites end up in Marah?
(4) How could they complain then?
(5) What should their attitude be?
(6) It was at this juncture that the first law or decree was laid down by the Lord. Read this decree carefully.
a. What was the emphasis of this decree?
b. Why was it framed in such a negative way?
(7) Was the leading into Marah an accident? What purpose did it serve?
(8) After this, why did God lead them to Elim, a place of complete contrast? Was there a message behind it?
(9) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
“When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter…So they people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What are we to drink?’ ” (Exod. 15:23-24)
Allow me to share with you Spurgeon’s thought on this incident below:
"what a sudden change from the sound of the timbrel to the voice of murmuring! You saw the maidens dancing three days ago, and you little dreamed that they would make part of yonder clamorous throng who surround the servant of God, and cry, 'What shall we drink?'. Such are the changes of our outward conditions and of our inward feelings; so fickle and so mutable is man. What is there that can be rested upon in this mortal life? We say today, 'My mountain standeth firm, I shall never be moved'; tomorrow terra firma there is none, and we are tossed upon a stormy sea. Our life is like an April day, the sunshine alternates with the shower; or like each day of all the year, the morning and the evening are needful to complete it. Quick on the heels of light treads the darkness, followed with equal haste by light again. The sun’s rule, at this golden hour, is but temporary; he must abdicate in favor of the usurping stars, but they, in their turn, must give way before his lordly presence yet again. This world, which is our inn, owns to the sign of the 'Checkers'—the blacks and whites are everywhere. We can be sure of nothing between here and heaven of the things which are seen; but of this we may be certain, that underneath all the outward change there is the immutable love of God towards his people, and that, after all, the change lies only in the seeming things, not in the things which truly are; for the things which are not seen are eternal; and changes come not there; it is but in the things which are seen that the change occurs. Let us set the less store by earth, because its fashion abides not. Let us prize heaven more, because it cannot fade."
(Spurgeon’s Sermons, Vol.9, 382-3)
(1) How long had they been roaming in the desert by this time?
(2) If you have set foot on Sinai, you might have an idea of its conditions.
a. The unending sea of sand — nothing but sand in front and behind you.
b. The searing heat above your head and beneath your soles
c. The increasing thirst with limited water provision
d. The withered bread and food — After 1½ months, all of it was dried up and very hard to eat. It did not mean the food had run out, but just that it was hard to eat.
(3) Under such conditions, how would you feel? What would you have done? Would you have reacted like the Israelites? Why or why not?
(4) Read the words they used in their complaint. What kind of people of faith did their complaint reveal?
(5) Can you guess the tone of voice used by God in v. 4?
(6) What would you have done, if you were God? Why did He not punish them?
(7) Why was the “raining” of food a “test” for the people?
(8) Why did it take the raining of bread from heaven for the people to know that “it was the Lord” who brought them out of Egypt? Did they not know that by now? What was their real problem?
(9) Moses pointed out that on the surface the people were grumbling against him and Aaron, but in essence they were grumbling against the Lord (v. 8). What lesson can you learn from this statement?
(10) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
“If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into the desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (Exod. 16:3)
It was amazing that only after one and a half months, the Israelites were regretting their choice to follow Moses (in fact, there were following God) to leave their land of slavery. The way they complained painted a very different picture of their lives in Egypt. They were being harshly treated as slaves; their baby boys were killed; and their conditions were so bad that they “groaned in their slavery and cried out…for help.” (Exod. 2:23).
Now,
in the arid desert, it was not that they did not have food to eat or water to drink,
but the thirst was getting to them, the unending sea of sand made them weary,
and the food they carried out of Egypt was getting dried and hard to eat. As a
result they loathed the long journey, the living conditions and the lack of
fresh and tasty food. They were a group of
faithless and rebellious people characterized by the following:
- Had no gratitude
- Had no endurance
- Had no faith
- Had no sense of mission!
But this is what many Christians are like too in the church:
- They did not have a deep sense of conviction of their sins and the amazing grace of forgiveness by God. As a result, they lack a deep sense of gratitude for their salvation.
- Perhaps, they were talked into making a decision for accepting Christ based on the joy and peace that had been promised. Not that these promises were not true, they are always a result of a life of obedience. So as soon hardship comes and God does not immediately wave a magic wand (like the staff of Moses) to alleviate their hardship, they want no part of this new life in Christ.
- As much as they have experienced miracles in their lives (like the healing of themselves or their loved ones), they base their so-called faith on sight and not on the invisible presence of the Lord.
- Because they made their decision to accept Christ based on self-interests (including spiritual interests), they have no sense of mission. They are basically living for themselves, and neither for God nor His Kingdom.
But what I find the most amazing is not their instant complaint and rebellion, but the long-suffering of God. Instead of raining down fiery brimstones, He rained down bread from heaven. Amazing grace, indeed!
(1) Why did God choose to reveal Himself in glory in the (pillar of) cloud just as the Israelite community was summoned to gather before Moses and Aaron? How did it reinforce the words of Moses in v. 8?
(2) Now the people did not have to eat dry bread, but fresh “manna”; they did not have to eat dried meat, but fresh quail. Reflect on your personal walk with God. Have you ever experienced the Lord, “who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:5) in spite of your unworthiness?
(3) If you have, how can you tell it was the Lord who satisfied your desire? How did the Israelites know that the manna and the quail were not natural phenomena but miracles from God?
(4) As much as the Lord did satisfy them with “good things”, there appeared to be a spiritual principle behind it. Can you tell what kind of a principle was it? (See vv. 17-18)
(5) Does this principle apply to you too today?
(6) There is also one more principle spelled out by Moses in v. 19. What was it?
(7) Did all the people obey this principle? Why not?
(8) Have you violated this principle in your life?
(9) Read Matthew 6:25-34. Do you have anything to confess to the Lord today because of this passage?
(10) What is the main message for you today and how may you apply it in your life?
“The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little…” (Exod. 16:17-18)
As we read the story of the gathering of manna by the Israelites, we might tend to laugh at them or even judge their greed, and find it rather humorous that those who gathered lots and lots ended with having the same amount—just enough for the consumption of the family for the day. Obviously, God was teaching them a lesson of contentment and of trust.
I have seen brothers who own many watches; some are rather expensive ones too. But I have not seen anyone who wears more than one watch at a time. It would be crazy for anyone to wear a watch on both of their hands. The same with sisters. Most, if not all, have a wardrobe full of shoes, and just the same, they can only wear one pair at a time. Why then do we want to have so many extra pairs? This is certainly not a sign of contentment, but a sign of craving, not unlike the Israelites, when you think of it.
But I have to confess that as I was meditating on this passage,
the Holy Spirit was convicting me of my worry about tomorrow too. Yes, my worry is far more basic than watches
and shoes, and when you are nearing retirement, thoughts of having enough to
retire on seem natural, but to fret over it? Jesus puts it bluntly—this is what the pagans do. But for the children of God,
“your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt. 6:32-34)
(1) Just the thought that knowing that when the sun grew hot, the manna would melt away, would you gather your “two omers” hurriedly or leisurely?
(2) We know the meaning of Sabbath as eventually set out in the 4th Commandment (Exod. 20:8-11), but at this particular moment of collecting manna, the instruction to keep the Holy Sabbath was its first announcement. What might be the messages behind this instruction, as far as the Israelites were concerned at the time?
(3) While normally the manna saved till the next morning would only rot with maggots and begin to smell, it was not so for those collected on the 6th day. What was the spiritual principle being taught here?
(4) Why did God express His anger towards those who ventured out to collect manna on the Sabbath (and apparently not at their initial grumble)? How important was it that they kept the Sabbath?
(5) Have you kept your “Sabbath” as God intends as well? How then should you spend your Sunday as a day of rest, worship and trust?
(6) It is interesting to read that God asked Moses to put an omer of manna in a jar for future generations to see. What was God’s purpose in so doing?
(7) What might be the equivalent to manna as far as you are concerned that will remind you always of God’s abundant provisions in your life?
(8) The Israelites ate manna daily for the entire duration of their sojourn in the desert. What a miracle! What gracious provision from the Lord! Again, what might be the equivalent of such grace in your life?
(9) What is the main message for you today and how may you apply it in your life?
“This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning'.” (Exod. 16:23)
I would have expected the Lord to express His anger at the grumbling of the Israelites, given the words they used to attack Moses (Exod. 16:3). Though God might have been angry at the time, He withheld His anger and did not express it. Instead, He “rained down” bread from heaven to satisfy their craving.
However, it was at their disobedience of the Holy Sabbath that the Lord expressed His displeasure. This reflects how seriously God takes His commandment for His people to keep Sabbath.
It is true that God is angry because if they would not even keep one simple commandment, how could they keep the Ten Commandments and other decrees that He would proclaim through Moses later on?
But this commandment to keep Sabbath had its special
significance for these reasons:
(1) This was the reason given to Pharaoh as the purpose of having the Israelites to leave (Exod. 12:31); it was not an excuse only, but it was the real desire of the Lord. Now, they were to keep the Sabbath to realize this purpose of Exodus—the worship of the Lord as their God. Non-compliance of this command would defeat the purpose of Exodus. This was an important sign that they belong to the Lord and the Lord is their God. They are now a unique people set apart for the Lord.
(2) As much as the gathering of manna was quite unlike the curse of painful toil to get food (Gen. 3:17-19), the eagerness with which the people gathered them still revealed the anxiety and the worry that came with work. But God knows our needs — our needs to rest physically and mentally as well.
(3) It was a wonderful opportunity to train our trust in the Lord that as much as we rest for a day, God will provide all our needs.
Over the years, I have had the privilege to participate in the evangelistic ministry of small towns in North America, South America and Europe, reaching the local Chinese with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of these Chinese immigrants operate restaurants or grocery shops. In quite a few cases, I have witnessed the genuine conversion of these Chinese immigrants from Buddhism or traditional folk religions, and upon their conversion, without being asked, they decided to close on Sundays, so that they could go to church. As new as they were as believers, they demonstrated their true understanding of Sabbath as a desire to draw close to and worship God, a need to rest physically and emotionally, and as an act of trust that they will not suffer financially because it is the Lord who provides for all their needs.