SERIES C --- EXODUS FROM BONDAGE --- LESSON 17
THUNDER FROM THE MOUNT
A SIGN OF FIRE AND SMOKE
From Exodus 19
Exactly three months after they had left Egypt, the people of Israel entered the Sinai wilderness. After leaving Rephidim, they made their way to the foot of Mount Sinai where they set up camp facing the mountain. Moses climbed up Mount Sinai to meet YHVH and YHVH spoke to him somewhere from the mountains. [Tell your people what I shall instruct you,] YHVH said. [I have brought you to Myself on eagles’ wings, for you have seen what I did to the Egyptians. If you will do what I tell you and keep My Covenant with you, you will be My own special nation above all other nations; for the whole earth is Mine. You will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Now go and tell the people of Israel what I have said.] When Moses returned to camp, he called together the elders of Israel and told them what Adonai had said. [We shall do all that Adonai says,] the elders promised and Moses told Adonai what the people had said. Adonai spoke again to Moses: [I shall come in a dark cloud so that the people may hear Me when I speak to you and will never have reason to doubt. Go back to your people and prepare them for My visit. Consecrate them today and tomorrow so they will be ready on the third day, for I shall come upon Mount Sinai on the third day so that all may see. Tell your people to wash their clothes in preparation for My coming. Mark boundary lines for the people and warn them not to climb the mountain or touch it; for whoever does shall be put to death. He shall be stoned or shot with arrows, whether he be a man or an animal. They must not even come near the mountain until they hear a sound like a blast of a ram’s horn. Then they may gather around the mountain to listen.] Moses went down from the mountain and consecrated his people. They washed their clothes to prepare for Adonai’s coming. [He will appear two days from now,] Moses told his people. [Husbands and wives must not go in to one another until then.] On the morning of the third day, a thick dark cloud appeared on the mountain with thunder and lightning. A mighty sound of a trumpet blast, like the sound of a ram’s horn, came down from the mountain and the people trembled when they heard it. Moses led his people from the camp to the foot of Mount Sinai. The entire mountain was smoking, for Adonai had come down upon it in fire. The smoke billowed up like the smoke from a great furnace and the whole mountain shook violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses called out to Adonai and He answered in a voice like great thunder. Adonai descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses up to meet Him. [Go down to your people again,] Adonai Commanded. [Warn them once more not to go across the boundaries you have set. They must not try to see YHVH or they will die. Order the priests to consecrate themselves also, so that I will not come upon them to destroy them.] [But I have already set boundaries for the people,] Moses replied. [The people will not cross them, for they know that they will die if they do.] But Adonai Commanded Moses again, [Go! When you return, bring Aaron with you. But do not let the priests or the people come up into My sacred mountain, for if they do, I will punish them.] Moses returned to his people and told them what Adonai had Commanded.
COMMENTARY
ROUTE TO MOUNT SINAI
YHVH now led His people to the foot of Mount Sinai. There the people of Israel promised to obey YHVH fully. And there, as thunder and lightning covered the mountaintop and the ground itself shook, the Voice of YHVH was heard like the blast of a giant trumpet. The people were terrified. But Moses boldly climbed to the top of the mount to speak with Adonai. For four hundred years, the Israelites had lived in the rich, flat land known as Goshen, a section of Egypt in the Nile Delta close to the Mediterranean Sea. The region was low, well-watered by streams and therefore fertile. Thus, when the Israelites went into the wilderness, the barren sandy land was a sharp contrast to their former home in Goshen. Often, they complained about their poor food in the wilderness and reminded Moses how well-fed they had been as slaves in Egypt. From Goshen to the Promised Land was actually a rather short distance. The entire journey could have been made in two or three weeks if the Israelites had gone north-east along the Way to the Land of the Philistines {Via Maris}. But this road was controlled by fierce Philistine warriors. The loose band of ex-slaves was certainly not ready to fight trained Philistines. So, the only alternative was to take the barren Road of the Wilderness of the Red Sea. The Israelites began their journey at the store-city of Rameses, which they had built. From there, they travelled southward to Succoth, an Egyptian army base for desert scouts. Etham, their next stop, may have been the wilderness region east of Succoth, on both sides of what is now the Suez Canal. Had it not been for Adonai’s command for them to go back north again, the Israelites would probably have crossed at Etham, arriving at the intersection of two ancient roads; the way to Shur and The Road of the Wilderness of the Red Sea. They would have taken the latter southward toward Mount Sinai. But Adonai had another important miracle to show to Egypt and Pharaoh. He wanted it to appear to Pharaoh that the Israelites were trapped. Then Adonai would show to pharaoh and the Israelites, His complete power over pharaoh’s armies. Thus, the Israelites went to Pi-ha-hiroth, east of Baal-zephon, where YHVH parted the sea and led them across to the Wilderness of Shur.
It’s Preparation Day! Let’s start prepping for Shabbat!
What is the one commandment God said not to forget?
But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.
John 7:27
"No one will know where he comes from" doesn't refer to the place of his birth, but to his personal history. Per John Gill and Adam Clarke, the Jews had a tradition that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of the line of David, but then would appear mysteriously with no backstory. This Yeshua was brought up in Nazareth to known parents, with known brothers and sisters, an extended family, etc. A few, no doubt, knew him as a boy, visiting Jerusalem at other feasts with his parents. They didn't believe that the Messiah should be so normal.
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Luke 23:34
Most people who do others harm believe they're doing good or are just trying to save themselves. They're not acting out of conscious malice, but out of ignorance or selfishness.
Thought crime is now a thing in the UK.
https://nypost.com/2022/12/22/....uk-woman-arrested-fo
On this date in history, 12/30/1780: Timothy Standfast makes an impassioned plea to Virginia for continued patriotic fervor in the war against tyranny. #otd #tdih #americanrevolution #amrev https://www.historycarper.com/....1780/12/30/an-appeal
SERIES C --- EXODUS FROM BONDAGE --- LESSON 16
HELP FOR MOSES
WISE WORDS FROM AN OLD MAN
From Exodus 18
The news of YHVH’s wonderful works through Moses soon reached Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, in Midian. Jethro, priest of Midian, learned how YHVH had worked miracles to bring Moses and his people from Egypt. One day Jethro left for Moses’ camp, along with Zipporah, Moses’ wife and Gershom and Eliezer, the two sons of Moses. Moses had sent his family back to live with Jethro when he was struggling to free the Israelites from Pharaoh. To Gershom, his eldest son, Moses had given a name which meant {Alien,} for Moses had said, [I am a foreigner in a strange land.] To his second son Eliezer, Moses had given a name which meant {YHVH’s Help,} for Moses had said, [The YHVH of my fathers has helped me, for He has delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.] Jethro and Moses’ family arrived while the people of Israel were camped at Mount Sinai, the mountain of YHVH. Jethro sent a messenger to Moses to tell him that they had arrived. [Your wife and two sons have come with me to visit you,] Jethro said. Moses went out to meet Jethro and bowed low before him. Then Moses kissed Jethro and they greeted each other with warm words before going into Moses’ tent to talk further. Moses told Jethro about the exciting events since they had been together: how Adonai had overcome Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake; how the Israelites had handled their troubles in the wilderness; and how Adonai had saved them from these troubles. Jethro was pleased with the way Adonai had worked to save Israel from Egypt and the wilderness. [Blessed be Adonai because He has saved you from Pharaoh and his people,] Jethro said, [and because He has rescued Israel from many troubles. I am sure now that Adonai is greater than all other gods, for He saved Israel from the proud Egyptians.] Then Jethro offered burnt offerings to Adonai. Aaron and the elders of Israel later joined Jethro at the sacrificial meal before Adonai. The next morning Moses sat down as usual, to judge the people. All day long the people brought their disputes for Moses to settle. [What are you doing?] Jethro asked Moses when he saw what was happening. [Why do you do this task alone while people stand waiting all day?] [The people bring their problems to me and I have to tell them what would please YHVH,] Moses answered. [I have to teach them how YHVH’s rules will solve their problems.] [But you’re not really helping them as you should,] Jethro replied. [You’re making this too hard on yourself and your people. There is too much for you to do alone. Now listen to my advice and YHVH will help you. Represent the people to YHVH and YHVH to His people. Bring their problems to Him and His answers to them. Teach them His Laws and show them how to apply these Laws to their daily living. Find some men who honour YHVH, who are honest and fair with others and who will not accept bribes. Appoint these men as judges over the people. Put one judge over each ten men. Over them put another judge for every fifty people and over them another judge for each hundred and another for each thousand. Let them judge the everyday complaints of the people. Only the difficult cases will come to you. Thus, you will have someone to share your burden and you will make your work much easier for yourself. If you follow my advice and if you believe YHVH wants you to do so, you will be able to handle all the pressures of this work and the people will be happier as well.] Moses listened to Jethro’s advice and did exactly as Jethro had suggested. He chose capable men from among the people of Israel and appointed them as judges over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. These judges handled all the everyday complaints and brought the difficult ones to Moses. Then Moses said good-bye to Jethro and let him return home to Midian.
COMMENTARY
BEDOUIN COFFEE TIME
Moses was the leader. He would teach Israel YHVH’s ways and show them how to live as His people. But other men could help by serving as judges. The judges would listen to disputes and settle all but the hardest cases. For centuries the Bedouin, nomads who move their flocks and herds from place to place, have gathered for a coffee hour. This meeting reminds one of the meetings between Moses and Jethro and of the meetings in which Moses’ appointed officials heard disputes among the people. While the tribe is camped, men make their way to the opening of the leader’s tent, facing away from the sun. They are careful to enter the men’s side of the tent, for they would not be permitted in the women’s side. When the men are seated in order, with strangers and guests of honour closest and less important men toward the edge or even outside, the ritual is ready to begin. The host or his servant starts the fire in the dirt floor of the tent. Cold water is poured into a coffee pot and heated over the fire. Green coffee beans are roasted, then ground with mortar and pestle into a fine powder. Sometimes spices such as cloves or cinnamon are added to the boiling water and the coffee pot is struck repeatedly to give the coffee a froth or {face,} as they call it. Small bowl-like cups are wiped clean with a rag, kept for that purpose with the cups in a box. The most important guests are served first, as they hold their cups between thumb and forefinger. Each cup holds about four sips. But the cup is never filled, for that would suggest that the guest drink and leave. While the coffee is sipped, the men discuss news and gossip, business and pleasure. Leaders announce the next move at these meetings and lawsuits or complaints are heard. Although the most respected person speaks first, anyone, young or old will be heard. The most important coffee hours are called {mejlis,} which means {sitting.} A mejlis is held daily when important members of the tribe are present. The emir or chief leader, presides over the mejlis. Decisions are given immediately with swift justice following. Punishment usually involves fines of goats, sheep or camels and must be paid immediately. If it is not, the condemned person must leave the tribe.
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