i want to start this blog with a prayer...Father, in our studying, we want to KNOW YOU. much of the law is very detailed and can seem tedious, but we don't want to miss anything by skimming over things too quickly or wanting to hurry through the tedious parts. please remind our hearts to ask You when we sit down to read...to speak to us through Your word....
--old testament understanding--
ordinances necessary for the culture of the israelites were set forth by God in the law. chapters 21 and 22 contain ordinances about the keeping/treatment of slaves, consequences/punishment of injury-related crimes and stealing...and other punishable actions and their consequences. chapter 23 continues to outline laws including ordinances concerning the land and observance of the sabbath. feasts that the people were to observe were given in this chapter as well, the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of the harvest, and the feast of the ingathering. also, this chapter gives instruction about their movement into the land which God had promised them. verse 20 reads, "...I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared." in chapter 24, it is recorded that moses recounted to the people all of these laws/ordinances, and the people responded (verse 3)..."'all the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!'" moses went up on mount sinai and stayed for forty days and nights. scripture says, (v 17), "and to the eyes of the sons of israel the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top." chapters 25-31 record instructions for the design and construction of the tabernacle, the garments of the priests who would serve there, and the ark of the covenant.... as i read these passages, i noted phrases that referred to the purposes of all of this. "for glory and for beauty" (28:2b)-in reference to the holy garments. "for a memorial before the Lord continually" (28: 29b)-in reference to the breastpiece that aaron wore containing the names of the sons of israel. (etc.!) then...chapter 32, of course, is disturbing. in my notes, i wrote, "on the same open pgs in my bible, God is giving instruction about anointing aaron and his sons...then aaron is making them a golden calf/giving it credit for bringing them out of egypt!!" the sons of levi brought war upon the people who had rejected God, as moses instructed.... chapter 33 moves in to instructions for the journey...(v 3) "go up to a land flowing with milk and honey...." He was faithful to continue to guide them on their journey/and to keep His promises to them though they had forgotten Him... we do read about His reference to them as "an obstinate people" (v 3, v 5). and we read about how moses interceded for them. i LOVE 33:15, "...if Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here." but more than that, God's words that moses was responding to, (33:14), "and He said, 'My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.'" *they were blessed.* oh and chapter 34 is amazing...i love how God wrote on the tablets again (bc moses had broken the others). i feel like this is illustrative of His patience...His giving a second chance to moses and the people.... from 34:6 note: "the Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives...." i love that blogspot didn't red-underline that word lovingkindness. i LOVE this word that is so perfectly descriptive of His character. (i just have to say that blogspot does red-underline blogspot. hilarious....:) ) quickly wrapping up chapters 35-40...emphasis on the sabbath is significant in chapter 35. also recorded in this chapter is the account of how blessed the tabernacle project was...:) skilled craftsmen's gifts of their time and talents/contributions brought to the tabernacle/in the next chapter, we read that they had to tell people to stop giving!...(36:6b, "the people were restrained from bringing any more.") chapters 37-39 record details of the construction of the tabernacle and its court/and its completion.... 39:32: "thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed; and the sons of israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded moses." the last chapter of exodus records the anointing of the tabernacle and the priests, and we read in 40:35b, "the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."
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