Session 6: Egypt & Exodus, Part I
Brand New Color (Red; division of the Red Sea)
A lot happens in this long period of time; remember that 400 years of time has already gone by; during this gap, Israel (v.5) went down to Egypt and numbered 70#.
During this period, a number of others books (e.g. Leviticus and Deuteronomy) will be encountered.
Moses: the one that God will use to lead them out of bondage; during this time in the foreign country a lot has happened in their hearts; (Gen. 15: they will be there for 400 years); the adage “what you sew you shall reap” comes to fruition.
Up until this point, the story is moving along at a good pace; but suddenly they lost their story. After 400 years, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob could almost be considered like a myth; this could actually happen to us; we could lose our story (e.g. 60’s 70’s the narrative thread is lost).
They are dressing, eating and worshipping like Egyptians. The problem that God has is getting Israel out of Egypt. Israel is addicted to Egyptian idolatry (N.B. Ezekiel 20; Israel has had a difficult time getting free from Egyptian gods). God will take them out of this atmosphere where you “do not walk by sight but by faith and on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Chapter 1: the Israelites are oppressed by the Egyptians; v. 8: “ The new king did not ‘know’ about Joseph” (did not have any formal legal or covenantal relationship with him as he did with previous Egyptian pharaoh). Egypt began to see that Israel began to grow from 70 to big enough that Egypt was afraid that they would over power them. They are fearful about their possible power. They have a plan to limit population growth (v. 16) Pharaoh told the midwives to “kill the boys” which did not work out. V22: “Cast the boys into the Nile.” We must remember that Israel was chosen to be the first among the other nations (Israel is the firstborn son of God). Pharaoh is trying to kill God’s firstborn son.
One woman (from the tribe of Levi) placed a child in the basket in the Nile; Moses was placed in the basket was like the Ark of Noah prefigured salvation at baptism. Pharaoh daughter’s found the little baby (vv.5-6) and was raised for the first 40 years in Pharaoh’s court. He is Moses (“Moshe” which means to draw out [double meaning]; to draw out of the Nile but also a hint as to his vocation that God uses to draw Israel out of bondage).
Chapter 2: now that Moses is older (40) he sees a fellow Hebrew being mistreated by an Egyptian and kills him (v. 12); and hid him in the sand. Remember Joseph, what happens to Moses should ring a bell. Moses is going to go before his brothers (the Hebrews) into the wilderness; his misfortune of Pharaoh finding out about the murder; he goes to Midian to spend 40 years.
Chapter 3: A “Theophany” (manifestation of God’s presence); the human response is always awe, fear and trembling. There are many theophanies in Scripture; what catches his attention is the bush is not consumed; “… the place where you are is holy ground.
I am the God of your Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” God reminds Moses that He is continuous in His care of His peace; God “knows” his suffering (v. 7); that is why “I have come down;” is this not a good thing to know?
V. 10; God is going to use Moses to free God’s people from Pharaoh. Moses (v.11) “Whom am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” Is this not the first response we have as well? V. 12: “I will be with you… this will be a sign for you.” You might be inadequate, but God will be with you. The sign is that “I have sent you when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt” when it is all over with back at Mount Horeb. V. 13; God remembers where Moses comes from (a polytheistic place); What shall I say is Your name? “I am who I am!” This is the name of God; knowing the Name of God means that he has access to God (very similar to the gods of the Egyptians); “Yo-he-vav-he” (“I was, I am and I will be” many scholars have said is what His name means; no beginning or end; He is!). It also refers to (Hebrews 13:8); “I am the same yesterday, today and forever.”
There is another way to say this (in Greek: Revelation 1:8) “I am the Alpha and the Omega;” (the beginning and the end) “Aleph” beginning of Hebrew alphabet and “tav” the last letter; the very centered consonant in the Hebrew alphabet is “mem” (taught by the Hebrew scholars); the Hebrew word “Emet” means “truth!” Being delivered from bondage in Egypt and at the end of the Bible Jesus says “I am the way the TRUTH and the life” (john 14:6) [Tetragrammaton: the four letters].
V. 18; “They will listen to your voice;” go to the king of Egypt; let us go a 3 days journey in order to sacrifice to the Lord our God; the is the first attempt before Pharaoh; he denies the request. V. 19; This challenge to Pharaoh; he not only enslaved the people but also denied the opportunity to worship God. Now enters a battle between Pharaoh and God; Pharaoh wants them to work for him while God wants them to be free to work for Him. Israel will come to know who he is by worshipping Him (their true identity). Pharaoh will not let them go out and sacrifice.
Israel will need more than 3 days in the wilderness (after 400 years in the dessert); there is a lot to deal with here. Maybe it was good that Pharaoh said “no.”
Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; God did not do this; 10 times in the Exodus it is mentioned that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and 10 times it is mentioned that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. To harden (“Kaved” to make heavy) had a particular significance for Egyptians;
In the book Walking with God by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins (our host) they mention (pg. 67) this issue about the “hardened hearts.” Egyptian scales were used to weigh the heart of a person; if it were heavy, they were condemned; each time Pharaoh’s heart is hardened he goes against the scales of truth and justice; his heart becomes heavier. In the end it will condemn him not because God forced him, but because he was found wanting against the call for truth and justice.
Chapter 5: remember the battles between Pharaoh asking his people to work for him and God wanting His people to work for Him; (vv. 3-4) “I do not know the Lord” (the Book of Exodus revolves about this “knowing” of God); he wants to keep them from worshipping God. Pharaoh puts a heavier burden on the people in the dessert by raising their quota of work; this is clever and even diabolical; Pharaoh wants them to do more; make more bricks (therefore not being able to go home; thus, not having the time to have more children or to make more children). Even today we do not take the “rest” that is essential to knowing God; we will never know who we are.
Ten plagues: (strategic attack on the Egyptian gods and their economy); there may be some natural explanation for these plagues, but their intensity and that God calls them on and off cannot be explained away by mere nature. Numbers 33:4; talks about how God executed judgments on the Egyptian gods (the Passover).
The 10th plague (when all the firstborn males dies in Egypt) the firstborn of Pharaoh was considered a deity.
Chapter 12 of Genesis; Moses is told to take a lamb (what we have been looking for Genesis 22: “God will provide for Himself a lamb”) roast the lamb (boiling was for the Egyptian); this “Passover” will be recognized by the blood of the lamb on the doorpost; a meal of freedom with unleavened bread (because they did not have time for it to rise). The Angel of Death comes over (passes-over; a meal of freedom) the land; now there was a cry in the land and a sense of “get out of here” and they leave with the riches of the Egyptians (gold).
Chapter 13: God requires something of Israel (their firstborn); because they aresaved, they are also consecrated. After they come out from Egypt, they cross the Red Sea (not into the Land of Canaan); what we should be looking for? (Chapter 12: 1-3); God brings them South, because He knew they would not be ready for conflict; a 3 month journey to Mount Sinai to be there for 1 year; but the Lord did something miraculous (remember Charlton Heston) they go across on dry land; now the Egyptians change their mind; the water collapses on them. Many people try to explain this away as well. How did the entire Egyptian army drown then? In 4 inches of water?
The Exodus as a whole; the plagues, the escape from Egypt the crossing of the Red Sea; the Passover Lamb is something Israel commemorates each year; remembering when the Lord released them from Egyptian bondage. This is important to Jesus because He is the (Paschal) Passover Lamb (cf. Catechism: Nos. 1094, 1221); the prefiguring of Baptism.
In the Eucharist, we prepare ourselves for the Paschal Meal (just as Israel prepared for their sacred meal);
(cfDeuteronomy 8:16): “He fed you in the wilderness with manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and test you to do you good in the end.” This should remind us that something that looked bad, was actually good. Ringing any bells?Remember that God has a purpose; He is interested in you learning to trust in Him
(cf 2 Corinthians 2:9).
Chapter 15: Now the people started “murmuring”
Chapter 16: God feeds them with the coriander seed; Manhu (What is it?) later it is shortened to Manna (bread from heaven) that Jesus talks about in John 6; God will feed them this man hu for 40 years. In John 6; people are leaving Jesus (the battle) which was the actual body and blood of Jesus. Once again, God is trying them to trust Him. The battle was “what is it?”
Chapter 17: Israel is facing her first enemy; the Amalekites. While Moses’ arms are being lifted up=victory (v. 12); the word “steady” Emunah (faithful, long continuous, steady). Israelite is not freed just from slavery but for something else… for freedom; like little children, God is going to teach them. They know He can redeem, but can He sustain, guide and protect them?