Exodus 2–3

So much in these chapters. I’ve read them many times, but I noticed something today that I hadn’t before, and that’s just how at the end of chapter 2, we have this beautiful statement in verse 25: “God saw the people of Israel – and God knew.”  I’ve read it many times, but it struck me that this is what many of us are looking for in life.  Someone who understands and knows us and our “groanings”

Then in chapter 3, we see God not only sees He also does!  He confronts Moses at the burning bush, and tells him the future of his divine and sovereign Providence in v. 19 and throughout the chapter to harden Pharoahs heart.  But he provides the solution and promise of utter deliverance of Israel before Moses even meets pharaoh. 

To me, it’s just a reminder of how encouraging to have a God who knows the end from the beginning and all the dots in between.   I can face the uncertainties of my day and week, knowing that He sees and does all things for my good and his glory, most importantly.

Question: I have a question about Exodus 3:2. When reading the Angel of the LORD, I was listening to a podcast about the passage, and it was mentioned that this could be a reference to Jesus. As the translation could also mean “The Word”. Is that correct?

Answer: ​​Yes, He is called “the Logos” or the Word in the NT in John 1.  As to the verse, I’ll look it up in Hebrew and get back to you tonight, but it sounds plausible. Malak is the Hebrew for Angel and it literally means "Messenger," so Malak Yahweh is Angel or "Messenger" of the Lord.  Jesus is, however, clearly identified in John 1:1-3 as the "Word" and is often identified as the Angel of the Lord.  

The famous Reformed Theologian Herman Bavinck wrote this:

“The Messenger of the Lord (מלאך יהוה) occupies a special place. This Malak YHWH is not an independent symbol nor a created angel but a true personal revelation and appearance of God, distinct from him (Ex 23:20–23; 33:14f.; Isa. 63:8, 9) and still one with him in name (Gen 16:13; 31:13; 32:28, 30; 48:15, 16; Ex 3:2f.; 23:20–23; Jdg 13:3), in power (Gen 16:10, 11; 21:18; 18:14, 18; Ex. 14:19; Jdg 6:21), in redemption and blessing (Gen 48:16; Ex 3:8; 23:20; Isa 63:8, 9), in adoration and honor (Gen 18:3; 22:12; Ex 23:21) ... The angel of the covenant again appears in prophecy (Zech. 1:8–12:3) and will come to his temple (Mal. 3:1). Theophany reaches its climax, however, in Christ who is the (Angel, Glory, Image, Word, Son of God) in whom God is fully revealed and fully given.”

You can find this quote along with numerous others in a post that Matt Foreman (RBNet pastor) wrote about his book "The Angel of the Lord" here that has some very helpful material on the Christophanies of the Old Testament.

Real Presence in the Old Testament by Matt Foreman

This is from the book “66 Books: One Story”

Question: Please shed some light on Exodus Chapter 4:24-26

Answer: On a basic level, the answer is that God was going to kill Moses for his disobedience to the law of circumcision. Here, he was supposed to be the leader of Israel (those who had been set apart for God), but he had not kept one of the most basic covenant requirements with his own sons to circumcise them  (something expressly commanded in Genesis 17:9-11).  In fact, he is saved by the faithfulness of his Gentile wife Zipporah!  Which goes to show again that ethnicity is not what gives her covenantal inclusion  - it's faith working out in works - Zipporah's obedience to the law of God which she then applies to the feet (the foreskin) of her husband in a redemptive act!

Exodus 4–5

Understanding Free will  Much has been written about the nature of free will and the hardening of Pharoah's heart.  R.C. Sproul summarizes in a paragraph a clarifying statement about this in this short article:
Understanding Free Will by R.C. Sproul

Exodus 6

Now, I know a "certain pastor" likes to preach on genealogies (because let's be honest, they are fascinating and tell our collective family history) but he's not the only one.  Moses' genealogy is very interesting in chapter 6. Again, this is a background detail, but, why not this weekend if you're caught up let your mind consider God's amazing faithfulness to Moses and how that faithfulness continues to you.  This is Kevin DeYoung (a Presbyterian minister that I commend to you, he's actually the author of the new Bible Circle curriculum we are debuting in March!) on Exodus 6:10 "Of Lips and Levites" 

Exodus 12–13

You may be curious about the connection between the Passover, the feast of Unleavened bread and the Lord's Supper.  We've talked about OT Type/ and NT Antitype in our Wednesday sessions.  Both suppers are about redemption and deliverance.  This article makes some helpful connections between Exodus and our NT practice.  Miss you all tonight, drive safely!
Why did Jesus institute the Lord's Supper on the Passover? by Keith Mathison

Exodus 14

So much practical theology in terms of our fears and anxieties and burdens can be found in just these few verses from our chapter today:

“Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. “

“Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭15‬, ‭31‬

Exodus 15–16

Another week complete.  These last chapters have been a roller coaster for Israel, and yet God remains the same (we call this steadiness and unchanging of God “the doctrine of immutability,” which is a wonderful comfort to grasp)

These verses if they are all you get to today,y are worthy of your meditation because they preach the Gospel of God’s “Chesed or Hesed” love and faithfulness.  May you either come to believe or be reminded that you do indeed believe that God (not coffee, not your work, not your spouse, not your weekend or leisure, or anything else has (already) become your salvation:

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. The Lord will reign forever and ever.” saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.””
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭2‬, ‭13‬, ‭18‬, ‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Praise the Lord!

Exodus 20–21

And we come this week to start off the week with the 10 Commandments. More than any other book that I read as I prepared the series, Kevin De Young’s book on the 10 Commandments was most excellent.  Here is a link to the first chapter of that book which explains the continuing relevance of the decalogue (deca 10 - logo - words an abbreviation for the 10 commandments).  

Excerpt from Kevin DeYoung's book, the10 Commandments:

Question: I used to dismiss the Sabbath for a long time. I know in other churches where I grew u,p we didn’t emphasize it as part of the 10 commandments. Pastor Chris, are there certain things you find we need to avoid in the Sabbath to guard our hearts from working or minds wondering about work? Does that still count as working and, therefore a sin?

Answer:
1) The Sabbath principle predates the giving of the law. We see it not just in the Creation narrative (on the 7th day, God rested), but also in the wilderness where God did not give manna on the 7th day - the Israelites had to collect all that they needed for the 7th day on the 6th day so they could rest on the 7th. When they tried to go out and collect on the 7th, there was no manna to be found (Ex 16). This tells me that there is good purpose behind this principle, whether written in stone or not. But later, it was written in stone, so we know it must be extremely important.

2) The Sabbath is a gift, not a burden. Imagine being enslaved in Egypt, where you are being forced to work under gruelling conditions for long hours every day of the week without relief. Now imagine being delivered from that and having God Himself tell you to set aside a day to rest and worship Him - permission to rest from the God of the universe! What a contrast to the burdens of slavery. What a relief and what a gift! Unfortunately, it’s so easy to lose sight of this and to just think about what we’re missing by setting the day aside, rather than seeing it as a blessing. The Israelites were quick to forget the downsides of being slaves in Egypt when the wilderness experience became challenging. They became focused on what they lacked instead of what they had gained. We can easily fall into the same trap.

Question: I have a question about Exodus 20. The second commandment says, "You shall not make yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below". Does that include the cross symbol that is widely used in jewelry? I'm curious if it's against the commandments to wear accessories with the cross symbol. 

Also had a similar question as Yoosu - how should we view images of Jesus especially AI images that some content creators are using as they try to convey biblical truth in music, videos, film etc

Answer:

I finally found a summary of J.I. Packer's Knowing God that addressed this that I mentioned:
Packer on Images in ‘Knowing God’ by Cameron Shaffer

Exodus 22–23

I know that there will be questions about the Sabbath as it is a subject that has sadly suffered from both legalistic and antinomian errors in church history.  But I think one of the things that is often missed about the issue is that the command is often viewed negatively when the universal biblical record is that it is a blessing.  This is God‘s heart, and it ought to be ours also as we view each other.  This was something Val pointed out in her post yesterday, but it’s also clearly pointed out in our passage and reading today.  

The Sabbath commands were meant to bless.  The intended purpose of God‘s law is never to tear down, but to help, preserve, and build up his people and (amazingly for its time in history) even the unbelieving people that served them.  

This was absolutely revolutionary in its time as servants and indentured slaves were considered subhuman and women were not given equality of worth as persons, even though that was God‘s clear Garden of Eden ethical foundation (Gen. 1:27).

They were controversial in their own day as they limited work and money making.  God is neither a capitalist or a socialist.  He’s happy to establish a higher standard that challenges all human ideologies to worship him and preserve and delight our lives in Him.

Consider these verses from our reading today and delight in the balance and wisdom of our loving God:

““For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard. “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭23‬:‭10‬–12‬ ‭

Exodus 26–27

This is one cool/fun/theological little fact to whet your appetite from our reading today relating to the Mercy Seat and Jesus Christ. 

The Greek word for "propitiation" (hilasmos) in the New Testament which speaks of the work of Christ to turn away the wrath of God (like in 1 John 2:2 in the above screenshot) is the same term used to describe the Mercy Seat in the Greek translation of the Old TeTestament (called the Septuagint) like in Exodus.  Jesus is the true "mercy seat" where we meet with God in fellowship and communion!  Compare and contrast these two words in Exodus 25:21, "mercy seat," and 1 John 2:2, "propitiation."

Exodus 25:21:

1 John 2:2

Type and Antitype (the mercy seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant was the shadow or type of Christ, and Jesus Christ in the New Testament was the fulfillment!)

John 1:14: \

Another fun NT allusion is from yesterday’s passage Ex. 25:8–9 of the word “tabernacle/tent” which was the first instance of tabernacle or as it’s translated “dwell” which John references in John 1:14 to describe the incarnation

Exodus 25:8–9:

Graphic of Bible Cross-References by Chris Harrison: This image says it all - the intricately woven interconnectedness of the Scriptures.  We're only scratching the surface!

Question: Pastor Chris, do you have a good book/study recommendation on the different Names of God?

Answer: If you want a kid’s book, we have this one you could borrow if you want

This is actually quite an excellent book and well-written. My father was a librarian before he was a pastor.  He taught me that the best way to learn a subject was to master the children’s material as it often explained things in the most accessible way.  When he was a reference librarian and he would often take patrons into the children’s section to help them as they were seeking to find information that was most accessible.  

Over the years, we have given children’s theological books to new parents and I’ve had several come back and say that it helped them to finally put the pieces together. 

Exodus 28

We are to be a Kingdom of priests (Ex 19, 1 Peter 2) all offering holy sacrifices. The New Covenant is so much better.  Let’s remember that identity as we go into the world of work this week.  

Today, I was reflecting on the fact of God's artistry - that he loves beauty and colour.  Creation is not drab.  These verses resonated with me. Imagine being an inspired artist 

“You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. “For Aaron’s sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory and beauty.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭28‬:‭3‬, ‭40‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Exodus 30–31

Just a simple reflection on the Temple Tax or Census Tax from Exodus 30:11-16.  Note a few things: rich and poor paid the same - we all need atonement (v.15). Unlike, as was announced in the US yesterday a second path for the rich to immigrate there, there is no "gold card" entry into God's kingdom citizenship.  This is because, as verse 12 tells us specifically, this payment was a "ransom for his [the Israelite's] life," reminding us that we all (rich, poor, man, woman,n etc.) owe our lives to our God.  The monies collected were to be used for the support of worship and work of the tabernacle (v.16).  What's even cooler In the New Testament context, in Matthew 17:24-27 Jesus pays this (now Temple) tax (even though He clearly argues He doesn't need to (v.26-27) and He ALSO pays it for Peter by telling him to fish for a fish and get the coin out of its mouth (v.27).  Jesus paid it all!

Exodus 32–33

You could preach a sermon series on the golden calf and Moses’s intercession in these chapters.  So many deep themes to explore.  But we are taking the “satellite” view, not the microscope.  I found this an edifying article to read to help reflect on the passage and tomorrow and its relationship ultimately to Romans 9 and John 1!  

Have a look or take a listen this weekend: "Moses’ Intercessory Prayer" Exodus 32–34 by Don Carson

Question: Hi Pastor Chris, I have a question about Exodus 32:32-33. When Moses say,s "If not, please blot me out of your book that you have written", does that mean that in the Old Covenant, your salvation can be taken away by your sins?

Answer:  The simple answer is no; it is not possible in either Covenant to have your salvation taken away.  But what Moses expresses here is the same kind of thing that Paul expresses in Romans 9:3 for his fellow Jews.  Moses here is fulfilling the role of intercessor on behalf of Israel.  He is interceding, asking God for grace.  Back in v.10, God has said that Moses would survive but he has threatened to wipe out Israel for their sin.    Moses here pleads and expresses his willingness to give himself for his people.  In this way, he is a type of Christ.  And God graciously and mercifully accepts his intercession and preserves Israel, not on the basis of Moses’ righteousness but on the basis of his intercession in anticipation of Christ’s ultimate intercession and actual sacrifice. 

Moses teaches us a lot here about prayer.   When we pray for one another, we intercede on each other’s behalf, and God answers not because we are good and righteous but because He is and because he has promised graciously to answer our prayers.  He is an amazing God.  I often think about what a friend we have in Jesus who correctly challenges us to pray: “ what a peace we often forfeit! Oh, what needless pain we bear! All because we do not carry it to the Lord in prayer.”

Exodus 34

As we get to the end of another week, give thanks for the goodness of God and his provision for sinners like us.   This verse always sticks out to me.  And yes, it is all about God's Chesed love and mercy balanced with holy justice - despite the idolatry and wickedness:

“The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”” Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭5–‭7‬ 

 Exodus 40

The whole book of Exodus ends with the glory of God. I think many of us hear the term in Reformed circles "Soli Deo Gloria" (To God alone be the glory), but we don't really understand what it means - what does it mean that we are about the glory of God? Consider that God's glory was His stated goal for the Exodus: Exodus 14:4 – “And I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host.” Consider that as part of the reason for the plan and the progress of the 10 plagues (destroying every Egyptian deity). The reason for God's redemptive plan is to glorify himself - consider Deut. 7:7-8 "It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt."

The point of Creation and existence is God's glory, and His presence and glory are a comfort to us - it's part of the whole God "tabernacling" with us - dwelling with us. We enter into His glory, and we rejoice that He is making all things right.