Exodus 35:5a - A reminder about giving

From what you have, take an offering for the Lord.

Throughout God's relationship with man, he has always asked that they give to him. The Israelites had been given many things by the Egyptians when they left Egypt, so they had something to give. God ask us to give a portion of what we have, which has ultimately come from him.

Lord, thank you for your good gifts and for the opportunity to give back to you. Please help us to give from what we have. Amen.

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Exodus 34:1 - Who wrote the second set of tablets?

The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.

The story of the Ten Commandments is one of the most well known Bible stories of them all. God gives Moses the tablets and commandments (then he gives him a set of laws called by some the Law of Moses). When Moses comes back down the mountain, he sees the Israelites worshiping an idol and he breaks the tablets. (One thing I read said this symbolizes the breaking of the law by the people.) Then God has him go back up the mountain for a second set. OK, the weird thing is for some reason I thought Moses had to chisel out the commandments on the second sent of stones. After this reading of the story, I realized Moses had to chisel out the tablets, but God wrote the second set.

Lord, thank you for the new things we learn every day from your word. Please help us to be open to your teaching. Amen

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Exodus 33:16 - Are you distinguished?

How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

How do people know you are a follower of God? In this passage, God is considering not going to the land of Canaan with the Israelites because of their idol worship. Moses begs God to remain with them. Without God, what would make them different? When God is with us, people can tell. We are different. If people can't tell you are a Christian...you might not be.

Lord, thank you for being with us and making us different. Please help us to clearly and honestly view our relationship with you. Amen.

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Exodus 32:1 - The short path to sin

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”

This passage really troubles me. How could this whole group of people sinned against God in such a monumental way? What was Aaron thinking? Why in the world would he have made an idol? I guess the simple answer is the fact that they are human. Sin is never very far away. When we begin complaining about God, church, preachers, our circumstances, etc... it wears away at our faith until it doesn't take much to make it crumble.

Lord, thank you for your forgiveness for our sins. Please help us to continually build up our faith. Amen.

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Exodus 31:3-5 - God's artists

And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.

In this passage, God highlights some of the artists he has chosen. I love that it is not just artistic abilities mentioned but also this artist has been filled with the Spirit of God, wisdom, and understanding. As an artist, you know how much hard work goes into your work. Sometimes it is hard to remember you have a special ability. We often think, "Anyone could do it, it just takes time." But the truth is God has given the artist their special ability.

Lord, thank you for giving us special talents and abilities. Please help us to use those for you. Amen.

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Exodus 30:12 - Holy half shekel

“When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.
In this verse, each Israelite aged twenty and over is to give a half shekel as a ransom for their lives. It was the same price for everyone, regardless of how poor or wealthy they were. Honestly, I do not recall reading this passage before, but I Googled half shekel and there were lots of entries with lots of good lessons to be learned. The "Holy Half-Shekel" as some refer to it is the great equalizer. It lets the Hebrews know they are all the same in the eyes of the Lord and they must rely on each other. It is also another foreshadow of Jesus, who has paid the ransom price for us.

Lord, thank you for sending your son to pay the ransom price for us. Help us to remember, everyone is of equal value in your eyes. Amen.

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Exodus 29:20 - Ears, thumbs and big toes

Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then splash blood against the sides of the altar.

I thought this was a strange verse. Aaron and his sons are being consecrated as priests. There are sacrifices and lots of blood, including blood on their ears, thumbs and big toes. But just like so many things in Exodus, this is foreshadowing Christ. Christ's blood consecrates us and allows us to come into the presence of God. (Hebrews 9:11-14)

Lord, thank you for the blood of your son which washes away our sins. Please help us to live pure and holy lives. Amen,

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Exodus 28:2-3 - What to wear

Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.

God again asks his artists to create something special for the new role of Hebrew Priest. Every detail of this literal garment has specific purpose. As Christians, we are more than priests entering into the presence of God. With God living in us, we are always in his presence. Our figurative garments are to include those listed in Ephesians 6:10-18, the Armor of God:

Lord, thank you for your attention to detail. Please help us to wear your armor everyday. Amen.

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Exodus 27:20 - Keeping the light on

“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning.

Inside the tabernacle, there was an outer courtyard and a covered tent-like structure. Inside this structure was a lampstand which was always kept burning. Without this light, the interior of the structure would have been very dark due to it's four layers of covering.

This ever burning light made me think of the light of Christ within us, which we are to tend and keep burning. Another website suggested:

Just as the lampstand was placed in God’s dwelling place so that the priests could approach God, Jesus, the “true light that gives light to every man” (John 1:9) came into the world so that man could see God and not live in spiritual darkness anymore. (from the-tabernacle-place.com)

Lord, thank you for the light Jesus, who allows us to see you. Please help us to keep the light in us burning so that others to see you. Amen.

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Exodus 26:1 - God, the artist

“Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker.

When God told Moses how to build the tabernacle, he was very specific. Because they were wandering and on the move, the tabernacle had to be tent like. Because it was the house of God, the tabernacle had to be beautiful. I find it interesting how important the skilled artists and workers were to this project. God has a place for every one of us in his kingdom. He needs the artist just as much as the missionary, preacher, teacher and leader. God is the original artist who created all the beauty of the earth around us!

Lord, thank you for giving us a love of beautifully created things. Please help us to see your artistry in every beautiful thing around us. Amen.

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Exodus 25:8-9 - Where does God live?

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

Where does God live? We usually say in heaven, but he lives in other places as well. In Exodus, God gives very detailed instructions about how to build a tabernacle. At this time, God dwelt with his people in this sanctuary he had them build. This was part of the instructions for the Jews. Today, If we are a Christian, God lives in us, in our hearts. (John 14:17, Ephesians 2:22) When I pray, I don't think about God being in some far off place, I think about him being right here inside of me, ready to listen.

Lord, thank you for coming to live in our hearts. Please help us to remember that you are living inside of us and to allow your light to shine out from us. Amen.

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Exodus 23:4-5 - The right way to treat an enemy

If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

How are we to treat our enemies? Here God is talking about an enemy within our community, someone with whom we have a personal relationship. It is hard to think about being nice to someone who hates us. They probably won't appreciate it and may even be angry in return, but it is still the right thing to do. Have you ever pointed out that you were given too much change at a store and the clerk was angry with you? Well, most likely they are embarrassed that we pointed out their mistake, but it was still the right thing to do. If we take the extra money or allow the donkey to continue to wander or be trapped, then the sin is ours.

Lord, thank you for loving us even when we are unlovable. Help us to do the right thing, even if it is not appreciated. Amen.

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Exodus 21:1-2 - The First Laws

“These are the laws you are to set before them:  “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.

After giving the Ten Commandments, God gives Moses the laws for the Israelites. I find it interesting that the first laws were about slavery. I am sure, after 400 years of slavery, this was a hot topic for them. These laws were set down by God, reassuring them they would never be enslaved again beyond 6 years.

Lord, thank you for hearing our concerns and addressing them. Please help us to trust you and follow the commands you have given us as Christians. Amen.

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Exodus 20:20 - The fear of God

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

Does God want us to fear him? A healthy fear of God may keep us from sinning. I have a phrase I use to describe the development of morality: Trust, Obey, Do the right thing. As children, we come to trust our parents, they feed us and take care of us. We trust them so we obey them. Ultimately we hope to come to the point in our development where we do the right thing because it is the right thing. We have developed a sense of morality. The Israelites are learning to trust God as he provides for them. They will obey him based on this trust and fear of what will happen if they sin. When fear and trust wain, so does obedience. As Judaism develops into Christianity, sinning less is based more on doing what is right because it is right verses a fear of God.

Lord, thank you for guiding us. Please help us to do the right thing. Amen.

Exodus 19:11-12 - Communication with God

And be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.

At this time, God was only in communication with Moses. He (and Aaron) would communicate God's messages to the people. They saw his mighty works as they left Egypt, but they had no instruction from God other than what was passed on to them from others. Today, we each get to have a personal relationship with God. We talk with him in prayer and he lives within us.

Lord, thank you for the personal relationship we have with you, Please help us to listen for your voice. Amen.

Exodus 18:17-18 - The work is too heavy

Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.

Are you the kind of person who tries to do everything on their own? Do you tackle huge projects without any help? Moses was trying to solve the disputes of the entire nation of Israel. His wise father-in-law was visiting and saw this was not working. Sometimes it takes someone on the outside to objectively look at a situation and see when it is not working and how it can be fixed. Why do we take on more than we can handle? It may just build up over time and we don't even realize how big it has become. It may be we are a "control freak" and think we are the only one who can do it "right." Whatever the reason, if we are wearing ourselves out it may be time to ask for help.

Lord, thank you for giving us opportunities to serve you and others. Please help us to recognize when the work is too heavy and ask for help. Amen.

Exodus 16:35 - Forty years

The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.
Can you imagine eating the same food for forty years? Why forty years? Why did the Israelites have to wander for all that time? What did God do with forty years? In that time God had Moses write down the history of humanity up to that time and all the commands from God. He was also teaching the Israelites how to not be slaves, but to rely on him, their heavenly master. A whole new generation of Israelites would be born during this time, knowing only freedom.

Lord, thank you for taking the time to teach us what we need to learn. Help us to be patient while learning those lessons. Amen.

Exodus 15:20 - Praise dancing

Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.


This is a timbrel.

What a beautiful scene. The Israelites had just passed through the Red Sea and their enemies had been drowned and defeated by God. Moses offers a song of praise, then Miriam leads the women in timbrel playing and dancing as she sang to them.

Lord, thank you for all the miraculous things you do for us! Please help us to praise you with the same joy and energy Miriam displayed. Amen.

Exodus 15:2 - Amen

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
     he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
     my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Amen!

Exodus 14:13-14 - Be still...

 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Be still. This is good advice in most problematic situations in life, big or small. My first reaction to problems, especially small ones is to jump in and solve them, even if they are not my problem to solve. During the big problems,we often let our fight or flight instinct take over. We either react too quickly and usually not correctly or we run away and avoid the problem. If we are just still and we allow him to, God will take care of things for us. If we think and breathe before we react, we are likely to make a better decision. He will show us what we need to do and that may be nothing.

Lord, thank you for being there for us and fighting for us. Please help us to be still and allow you to take care of problems for us. Amen.

Exodus 13:14 - Remember...

“In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

I love the idea that God sets up traditions with the purpose of remembrance. The Israelites being brought out of slavery from Egypt still carries meaning for us today because we are all given the opportunity to be brought out of slavery from sin. And the Passover Celebration for us has become the Lord's Supper, a regular opportunity to remember how we were brought out of slavery from sin. I also like the idea of the passing on of this tradition from parent to child. By simply doing as commanded, we set a powerful example for our children. They will go our on their own and have to take their own journey to God, but Proverbs 22:6 tells us "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Lord, thank you for helping us to remember you and all you have done for us. Please help us to maintain these traditions and pass them on to our children. Amen.

Exodus 12:38 - Stuck on bread

With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.

Occasionally God will present me with the same message over and over. That is happening now with bread and leaven (or yeast). Did you know commercially produced yeast is only a 150 or so years old. Before this people just mixed flour and water, let it sit out and miraculously it would ferment and would cause a loaf of bread to rise.

We don't know when or how the first leavened bread occurred; only that the first records of any sort of bread are in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Possibly one day a mixture of flour meal and water was left longer than usual on a warm day and the yeasts that occur in natural contaminants of the flour - or even in milk that may have been added for flavour - began to ferment before baking. The resulting bread would have been lighter and more tasty than the normal flat, hard cake. http://h2g2.com/approved_entry/A2791820

Leaven is just in the air. It is carried on the skin of fruit, but it is pretty much everywhere. You just have to capture it. Starting sourdough is essentially the same process as making beer or wine. It's all about the fermentation and time.

The Passover was a time of speedy departure, thus there was no time to allow for the fermentation required for leavened bread. The Israelites likely learned this technique from the Egyptians. Possibly this is another reason for them to rid themselves of any "sourdough starters" aka leaven. I believe removing the leaven by cleaning as a Jewish tradition is more symbolic than literal because leaven is a live micro-organism which can not be simply wiped away. It is like sin. It exists and if we simply sit there, sin will invade our hearts and minds. We must keep moving and be vigilant in keeping the spores cleared away.

Exodus 8:22 - Necessary hardships

“‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land.

I've been reading through the 10 plagues. One thing I saw which I hadn't noticed before is the Israelites appear to have had to experience some of the plagues (blood, frogs and gnats) before the Lord makes a distinction between them and the Egyptians.

Lord, thank you for your omnipotent plans. Please help us to endure any necessary hardships along the way. Amen.