February 7 - Exodus 25-27: God's Instructions on the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant

Today’s Reading: Exodus 25-27

The Message

English Standard Version

Today and tomorrow (Exodus 25-30) are technical laws for that specific generation. Today's reading is design-oriented with design-y language. So use these days to catch up (read both in one day) or review some of the other posts from the past month. Type the link like this (or copy and paste): grahambates.blogspot.com/2013/mm/dd.html.

I will have shorter posts these two days. It is not objectionable to scan through these chapters, but make sure you aren't breezing too quickly.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God wants the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle to be made through a voluntary offering.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God wanted the Israelites to build a Sanctuary and a Chest to remind them of his presence. The people were to present offerings of fine materials for construction and God gave specific instructions on how it was to be built.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The Sanctuary and the Chest were to remind the people that God, their god, lived among them.

Although God would never "live" there as other gods were thought to live in their temples, this sanctuary would be the place where God would come down and speak to Moses from time to time and would be his "home" while the Israelites lived in the wilderness. But the most important reason for this to be built was what it represented. The Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant were to remind the people that God resided among them. God came to them. They did not need to trek to far-away regions to speak to their God. He would be with them.

God wanted his people to build the Sanctuary and Chest from voluntary offerings.

God created manna for the people every day. God created water from rocks. God turned staffs into snakes. He turned water into blood. God could have created a sanctuary in the exact fashion he wanted overnight and presented it to the people. But that's not what God did. God wishes for his people to respond to his gifts and blessings with thanksgiving. They would prove their thankfulness by giving voluntary offerings of fine material. Then they would prove their faithfulness by constructing them as God had instructed.
This is important when thinking about charity and taxes today. God could give everyone in the world everything they needed now. But he doesn't, relying on charity and taxes to do it. I am not against taxes per se, but I do want to remind everyone that God wants voluntary offerings because they come from the heart. Compulsory taxes may be used to help the sick, poor, widow, orphaned, and needy but they do not help the giver become more like God. If we want to set things right in the world with God we need to encourage others to change their hearts and give of what they have.

February 6 - Exodus 22-24: God's Chosen People Must Be Holy

Today’s Reading: Exodus 22-24

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

These laws are made to set things right between each of the people. As you read each law, ask yourself the question, "How does this make things right?"

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God gave rules regarding the following: the theft of animals; of grazing land, and of property entrusted to friends; stolen virginity; sorcery; idolatry; bestiality; the treatment of strangers, orphans, widows, those in debt, and Israelite leaders; giving; lifestyle; perverting justice (for or against the poor); Sabbath days and Sabbath years; and festivals.
God would send His Angel to punish the ones who worshipped other gods in Canaan. He would give Israel their land. They were to prevent any influence to worship other gods.
Moses and Joshua went before God to receive tablets of the Law. They were gone forty days.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God mandated that foreigners were not to be mistreated.

God uses the fact that the Israelites were foreigners in the land of Egypt as the reason they were not to mistreat a foreigner. This is crucial to understanding God's mindset. God sets things right by treating all people the same. No one is outside his protection.

The people were to be holy.

This is a law that will be repeated over and over. God wants people wholly devoted to Him (holy). These are not so much physical issues but spiritual ones that have physical aspects to them. The first example is not being a scavenger. God provides for His people. They do not need to eat animals that were killed by wild animals. Holy people live clean lives and stay away from things associated with evil. What that looks like for people today should be agreed to in each community.

God abhors favoritism—for or against the poor.

We all know God loves the poor. Jesus gave a beatitude about the poor. But God sets things right on earth through justice. So if they are being oppressed, they should receive justice. But if they want to take from the rich for themselves, justice must prevent them. Notice God says, "When there is a dispute concerning your poor, don't tamper with the justice due them." (23:6, The Message). Either way, justice must be done. I find application of this when discussing the rich—especially in politics. Justice cannot be done by exploiting the rich any more than exploiting the poor.

God punished the people of Canaan for worshipping other Gods. God wanted the land pure to prevent syncretism.

God wanted to drive out the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites not because the Israelites were His Chosen People but because these people groups would not submit to Him. God told the Israelites

don't worship or serve their gods; don't do anything they do because I'm going to wipe them right off the face of the Earth and smash their sacred phallic pillars to bits. (23:24, The Message)

He did not want these groups to stay in the same land but be driven out.

Don't make any deals with them or their gods. They are not to stay in the same country with you lest they get you to sin by worshiping their gods. Beware. That's a huge danger. (23:32-33)

We must keep ourselves away from people who worship other gods because we must be wholly for the Creator of the Universe.

February 5 - Exodus 19-21: God Gives the Foundation for the Law of Moses

Today’s Reading: Exodus 19-21

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading begins the laws section of the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament are called the Pentateuch or the Law, but everything before today has been narrative). For the most part, the summaries will only touch on each topic, since attempting to summarize each law would take more than 100 words each day.

This section is notorious for ending many people's attempts at reading the Bible through in a year. This is the major reason I wanted to do the blog. The Law of Moses earns a lot of respect when read as a whole. It is when we take singular laws out that it become antiquated. So keep reading along with me as I guide us through the sea of detail known as the Law of Moses.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God begins the Law of Moses by reminding them who He is.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Three months later, God reminded the people, "I am the god who took you out of Egypt and your slavery. If you obey Me, you will be My Chosen People and I will be your god. You will be a holy nation of priests.
Israel accepted God's invitation.
God began their instruction, "When I come to you, do not step on this mountain or die." God made Moses return to make sure everyone knew where the border was.
God gave the Ten Commandments, laws regarding slaves, and laws about the death of a human or a work animal.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God prefaces all of the laws with a reminder—I brought you out of Egypt.

A few years ago, when I began reading the Bible as a whole instead of a conglomeration of verses, I went back and looked at the Ten Commandments. What I had never read before was this part, "I am God, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of a life of slavery" (20:2, The Message). What a revelation! God is not some random deity wanna-be who wows them with magic tricks. God is the one who took them out of their slavery! Before God tells you what to do, he reminds you of how he has earned your trust. This is essential for any person teaching the scripture. We have no right to teach how the Bible should inform life until we show why God is worthy of leading us.

God will make Israel a great nation—if they obey Him.

Make sure you catch that part:

If you will listen obediently to what I say and keep my covenant, out of all peoples you'll be my special treasure. The whole Earth is mine to choose from, but you're special: a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. (19:5-6, The Message). 

God could have chosen any nation in the world. He could have chosen the Chinese, the Mayans, Incas, Navajo, or one of the many African tribes. But he did not. He chose the descendents of Abraham. This promise that they would be his special treasure was predicated on one important return: they had to be obedient to God. The church today can only be God’s special treasure if they listen to God and keep their promise to obey. Unfortunately, this part was neglected and Israel would eventually forget their part of the covenant. Sometimes I am afraid the church does the same.

God made Moses return to the camp just to make sure no one would accidently step on it.

What a strange thing for God to do. Many people try to say God is a vengeful god in the Old Testament. All he wants to do is punish his people. But that is not true at all! Just to make sure no one would be executed God makes Moses return from the mountain to reinforce the barrier. What an awesome God!

The Ten Commandments provide the foundation for the entire law.

The Ten Commandments are the base requirements for setting all things right on this earth. The laws together could serve as the entire law, but God will flesh them out more in the books to come.

The first part of law he fleshed out is slavery.

The Ten Commandments set the backbone of the entire Law of Moses. The next section—the first part God explains in detail—instructs what to do with slaves. (Remember, slavery at that time was not based on race as in the USA.) Slaves were to be treated with respect and not treated as mere property. You may not agree with the laws today (especially if the beaten slave lives for a few days the owner does not need to be punished) but for the time it gave radically more worth to slaves, women, and the poor than any law of its time.

God's laws on murder gives humanity to the victim and grace to the accidental culprit.

Notice that if the person accidently kills another the punishment was not death. If their animal accidently kills another person they were not punished with death. However, if the death was premeditated or the animals was known to be dangerous the punishment was death. Humans are made in God’s image. Anyone who kills another person is worthy of death. God’s law provides stiff penalties for evil acts but grace toward accidents. If only our laws could be nuanced in this way and our leaders wise enough to see the differences.

February 4 - Exodus 16-18: God Tests Israel's Loyalty

Today’s Reading: Exodus 16-18

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God is testing to see if Israel will follow Him.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The Israelites grumbled because they had no food. God instituted a test telling them to collect manna every morning and save none of it overnight. On Fridays they were to gather enough for two days. Saturday would be a day of rest. A few did not listen. Their manna went bad overnight. Some tried to gather on Saturday and found none.
God also gave the people water when they grumbled.
Amalek fought Israel and were wiped off the map.
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, was impressed by God's greatness and praised God. He also helped Moses establish courts to judge the people.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God tested the people with the daily manna collection.

It seems almost petty that God would require the people to jump through those hoops—go out and collect every morning, collecting enough for that day only, saving none of it for the next day, twice as much on Fridays, none on Saturdays—just so they could survive in the wilderness. But God is explicit. These are not instructions. They are a test. He is testing their faithfulness. He is preparing them for the Law of Moses. God uses mundane (sometimes unrelated) tasks to test our willingness to His goal of setting all things right on the earth.
I think of things Christians are asked to do: praying without ceasing, meeting with the saints on Sunday, taking the Lord's Supper every Sunday, giving as we have been given. These may seem like small things—even non-essential parts of God setting all things right on the earth. But they are God's way of testing whether we are fully committed to Him setting all things right on the earth. This is one reason I encourage people to attend worship on Sundays (as I hope you did yesterday).

The daily manna collection engrained reliance on God.

At first, the manna collection seems silly. If God is going to provide for the Israelites he should simply put the correct amount in their bowls and make it simple. Why would they need to go out every day? Couldn't God create a manna which lasted weeks? It's unnecessary work. But upon closer inspection, the daily collection provides the people with a lesson—God cares for you and will provide for you. What an amazing way to teach a people to rely on God. This lasted 40 years! Every day God would provide for them or they would starve. There wasn't a third option. God uses everyday tasks to help us be fully reliant on Him.

The Amalekites fought Israel and God punished them with annihilation.

This is a short, quick, and to-the-point story. The Amalekites fought Israel and Israel defeated them. But God makes an interesting proclamation that He is at war with the Amalekites for fighting His chosen people. God is at war with any group that would harm his people.

Jethro, not a priest of Israel, praises God for what He did for Israel.

Blessed be God who has delivered you from the power of Egypt and Pharaoh, who has delivered his people from the oppression of Egypt. Now I know that God is greater than all gods because he's done this to all those who treated Israel arrogantly. (18:10-11, The Message)

God brought Israel out of Egypt to show His mercy and greatness to the world. Jethro provides the first example of this coming into fruition.

Jethro helped Moses delegate judging the people by turning it over to well-qualified men.

I won't get into the managerial parts of the passage since many others do. What I want to point out is that he encourages Moses to look for "men who fear God, men of integrity, men who are incorruptible" (18:21, The Message) The New American Standard Bible puts it this way, "men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain." We should definitely use this standard when choosing leaders, whether political, religious, or organizational. Instead of using seniority or longevity, what should be important is character.

February 3 - Exodus 13-15: The Exodus from Egypt

Today’s Reading: Exodus 13-15

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God is now showing his power and might to the Israelites.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God required the firstborn of every animal to be killed in remembrance of the pass-over and the Exodus (children and donkeys could have a lamb substitute). During Passover they could not have leaven in their land.
God guided the Israelites into the wilderness. They brought the bones of Joseph.
Pharaoh gave chase, thinking the Israelites were wondering lost in the wilderness. The people, frightened, yelled at Moses. God opened the Red Sea and they all crossed on dry land. While Pharaoh gave chase, God closed the Red Sea over them, killing every person. The women sang songs of their victory.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God required the firstborn of all animals to be His.

This would serve two functions: help the people remember the great price God required the Egyptians to pay for their freedom and, in the case of their own children, provide the means by which the story would be passed down from generation to generation. In an oral culture, having a dedicated story-teller is the same as a librarian. The great things God has done for his people must be passed down from generation to generation.

God takes the Israelites down into the wilderness to protect his people.

The entire reason God brought them down the south road instead of directly across the straight into Canaan was to prevent war with the Philistines. As we will see later, the Philistines become a major enemy of the Israelites. God wanted to keep his Chosen Nation—fresh out of bondage—free of war.

The people have horrible short-term memories.

God had just given the Egyptians 10 plagues which almost wiped them out. He had killed the firstborn of every family in Egypt. Yet when they saw Pharaoh in chase the Israelites cried out to Moses. Unfortunately, this will be a continual problem with Israel. And this explains why God requires physical representations of His covenant—circumcision, festivals, and baptism. When God's people lose physical connection with God's community (for Jews—circumcision, for Christians—baptism and church fellowship) they forget their Covenant with God.

God proved His goodness—and his judgment—when he brought the waters down on Pharaoh and his chariots.

God proved His goodness to the Jews when he forever liberated them from Egyptian rule and his judgment when he punished Pharaoh for his stubbornness in both enslaving the Jews and not letting them go.

February 2 - Exodus 10-12: God Kills the Firstborn of Egypt

Today’s Reading: Exodus 10-12

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

(Repeat of yesterday's thought)
God is proving his power and ability to Pharaoh and the Egyptians.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

To show His power, God brought locusts. Pharaoh did not change.
God brought darkness. Pharaoh did not change.
God would bring a final plague to distinguish the Israelites as His Chosen People: kill the firstborn of every Egyptian family.
God told Israel to take a yearling lamb, slaughter it, eat it completely in one night (share if necessary), and place blood on their doorposts. He would kill all Egyptian firstborn.
After God killed the firstborn, Pharaoh changed.
God told the people to remember that day as Passover. All people who celebrated Passover should be circumcised and treated as native Israelite.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God's show of power is explicit: to show the Egyptians that He is God.

(Repeat of yesterday's comment)
All of the plagues come for one reason. God will show the Egyptians that He is the Creator of the universe and that He will be respected. Every time Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to obey, God punishes the Egyptian people more. Remember, whether Pharaoh is to blame for this or not is not the purpose of the text. Showing God's power is the purpose of the text. God's punishment is to convince others to respect Him, not to destroy a nation or people.

God is preparing the Israelites for 40 years of living with no income.

This idea comes from what would happen later when Jesus was born. God knows that the Israelites would be in the wilderness for a long time without having an income. To help them prepare for this he had the Egyptian people give them gold and silver. It seems like remuneration for lost wages during their time in slavery until you realize where the Israelites are headed.
Also lost in the magnificence of this dense passage is the little nugget that the Egyptian people liked the Israelites. Most people in any given culture are not evil/bad and any attempts to portray them as such should be punished. However, this did not spare the Egyptian people from the plagues.

The Egyptian people were punished alongside Pharaoh.

Why would God punish a group of people who liked and were willing to give to His Chosen People? This is very difficult to swallow. But, I believe the reason is simple. The common people are rewarded or punished by the righteousness or lack thereof of their leaders. This is why choosing leaders who respect God is essential. The nation will only go as far as their leaders can take them.

The Passover could only be observed by those initiated into the community.

Slaves could participate only if they were circumcised (the defining feature of Israelite men). Foreigners and travelers were only allowed to eat if they were circumcised (joined the community). However, all who observed were treated as equals. God shows no partiality. If someone wishes to be part of the Chosen People, they must join the Chosen People. All people inside the community enjoy the privileges of being Chosen. (Note: to me, Chosen ≠ Saved) This will be seen again and again when Moses gives the Israelites the Law.

February 1 - Exodus 7-9: Pharaoh Does Not Change

Today’s Reading: Exodus 7-9

The Message 

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You have completed one month of reading the Bible in a year! Only 11 more months to go.

If you are behind, do not fret. Continue reading two days' worth every day and you will catch up. You can do it!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God is proving his power and ability to Pharaoh and the Egyptians.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Moses returned to Pharaoh to prove God's sovereignty.
Aaron's rod became a snake. So did the Egyptian magicians' rods and Pharaoh did not change.
God turned the Nile River into blood. The magicians did the same. Pharaoh did not change.
God brought many frogs. The magicians could not compete. Pharaoh wavered but did not change.
God brought gnats. Pharaoh did not change.
God brought flies. Pharaoh did not change.
God killed Egyptian livestock. Pharaoh did not change.
God gave Egyptians boils. Pharaoh did not change.
God rained hail. Pharaoh did not change.
None of the plagues affected the Israelites.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God presents Himself as the creator who will be respected.

One day after presenting Himself as "The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," God has changed His introduction. He is the Creator of the universe and all must respect Him. This is because the Egyptians have no Promise with God. Their relationship comes secondhand through Joseph and Jacob's family. God presents Himself in the way the people know Him.

God's show of power is explicit: to show the Egyptians that He is God.

All of the plagues come for one reason. God will show the Egyptians that He is the Creator of the universe and that He will be respected. Every time Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to obey, God punishes the Egyptian people more. Remember, whether Pharaoh is to blame for this or not is not the purpose of the text. Showing God's power is the purpose of the text. God's punishment is to convince others to respect Him, not to destroy a nation or people. This is seen in the next point.

Some of the Egyptian people respected God and were spared.

By the time God brought hail to the people, some of the Egyptians respected God and sheltered their herds. God did not destroy them. All who respect God will be saved.