Category Archives: A. Beginning

Old Testament Beginning: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy

God Defines More Laws (Exodus 22)

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Bible Summary:

  1. Stealing sheep or cows can result in restitution up to five times the loss, and the thief can be sold as a slave if he cannot pay.
  2. A homeowner is innocent of killing a burglar at night, but guilty of murder if done during the day.
  3. If an animal strays and eats someone’s crops, the owner must repay the loss.
  4. If a fire gets out of control and destroys a neighbor’s crops, the fire starter must pay for the damages.
  5. If the money a man holds for another is stolen, he must make an oath at the place of worship that he did not steal it or face the penalty for stealing.
  6. If a man cares for another’s animals and they are stolen, he must repay the owner.
  7. If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, he must pay the bride price for her, even if the father refuses to allow him to marry her.
  8. Put to death, any woman practicing magic, any man having sex with animals, and anyone offering sacrifice to another god.
  9. Do not mistreat foreigners, widows or orphans.
  10. If you lend money to the poor, do not collect interest.
  11. All disputes are to be resolved at the place of worship.
  12. Do not speak evil of God.
  13. Do not curse the leader of your people.
  14. Give offerings of grain, wine, and olive oil when they are due.
  15. Give God your first-born sons, cattle, and sheep.

My Thoughts:

More Laws: These laws from 3500 years ago were likely the basis for our laws today.

Supporting Organized Religion: I believe this story announces the beginning of organized religion. All disputes are to be resolved at the place of worship, which were headed up by Moses’ appointed judges. People were to support these “priests” with regular offerings of grain, wine and olive oil.

First-born Interpretation: I do not read the first-born law literally, as in sacrificing them, but as giving the first-born sons into the priesthood and the animals for food.

God Gives First Laws (Exodus 21)

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Bible Summary:

God gives Moses and the Israelites laws about treating slaves, handling violent acts, and responsibility for their animals.

Male slaves are to be freed after six years and can take their pre-slavery wives, but no others. Or, they can choose to stay with their family as slaves for life. A daughter sold as wife must be returned if the buyer does not like her. If a man takes a second wife, the first is to be treated fairly or set free.

These violent acts are punishable by death: deliberately killing another man, hitting or cursing parents, or kidnapping someone for sale or to keep as a slave.

These violent acts have lesser punishments: injuring another – pay for lost time and care until well; killing a fetus – pay what the woman’s husband demands, subject to a judge’s approval; harming a pregnant woman – punished with life for life, eye for eye, or wound for wound.

Owners are responsible for the actions of their animals and must pay restitution if an animal harms someone or another animal. Owners can be put to death if they had been previously warned and an animal kills someone.

My Thoughts:

First Laws: Once Moses assigned judges, he needed laws for everyone to follow and consequences if they did not. The first laws were for common disputes of the era over slaves, violent acts, and animals. No traffic laws just yet.

Social Norms: It is hard to believe the Israelites, just set free from Egyptian slavery, continued to keep their own slaves.  But, it was the social norm of the time. The patriarch owned the entire family and could sell them as he saw fit. All daughters were sold to husbands.

It makes you wonder what social norms we have that seem strange to others, like shaking hands, leaving a tip for a waiter, driving on the right, wearing ties to work, and of course silly ones like burping and passing gas.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)

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Bible Summary:

God speaks the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites:
1. Worship no other God.
2. Do not worship any images or idols.
3. Do not use God’s name for evil.
4. Do all your work in six days, rest on the seventh day and worship God.
5. Respect your father and your mother.
6. Do not commit murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not accuse anyone falsely.
10. Do not desire another man’s house, wife, or anything he owns.

My Thoughts:

The Ten Commandments seem to boil down to: worship God, rest one day a week, treat others well, and do not covet what other people have.

More: I believe the last commandment is in jeapordy the most today and the reason people are so unhappy. Everyone seems to want more: a bigger house, a more expensive car, a bigger TV, and so on. They even seem to discard their husbands and wives to trade-up to a better spouse. The road to happiness is paved with cherishing what you already have.

God’s Boundary at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19)

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Bible Summary:

The Israelites arrive at Mount Sinai. God tells Moses to remind them what he did to the Egyptian and how He carried them like upon eagles wings. He asks them to keep his covenant and to be his chosen people. The people agree.

God tells them to purify themselves and then He will come down the mountain to see them. They are not to cross a boundary though, upon death by stoning or being shot with arrows.

On the third day, thunder, lightening and clouds appear above the mountain. A loud trumpet blasts and the people tremble with fear. They stand at the foot of the mountain with Moses to meet God. The mountain is covered in smoke as God comes down on the fire. God asks Moses to bring Aaron up the mountain, but no one else.

My Thoughts:

Chosen People: This story is the first instance of the Israelites being called the chosen people, at least in my Bible. I believe it was to give them the confidence to overcome 430 years of slavery.

Ruled by Kings: I grew up with a loving God so fearing Him is so foreign to me. It kind of seems like the Israelites moved from the king of Egypt to being ruled by the “kings” of Israel through the fear of God.

Moses Appoints Judges (Exodus 18)

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Bible Summary:

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brings Moses’ wife and two sons to Mount Sinai. Moses tells Jethro all about what happened in Egypt, the hardships the Israelites have endured since, and how God saved them. Jethro praises the Lord above all gods.

Moses spends the whole next day settling disputes among the Israelites. Jethro watches, tells Moses it is too much work for one man, and suggests he teach them God’s commands and appoint leaders different sized groups. Moses appoints these leaders who judge small disputes and only bring him difficult matters, which lessens his burden.

My Thoughts:

Organizational Structure: Jethro teaches Moses how to organize the Israelites into a more manageable structure and to delegate the work to lower leaders, so he does not have to spend his whole day settling disputes.

Asking for Help: Like Moses, it is sometimes hard for us to ask for help. We think we can do it ourselves, we can do it better, or we do not want to burden someone else. Normally we end up being overworked and stressed out.

Change your thinking and it can dramatically improve your life. The key is to switch from doer to teacher. Yes, you can do it yourself, but you could also give someone else an opportunity to learn a new skill and to shine. And, yes, you will definitely do it better, but just think how they will feel once they master it. Treat them like a toddler learning to walk though: let them do it on their own, expect them to make mistakes, and give them encouragement and praise for even little successes. Last, it is not a burden to learn a new skill that can be used for the rest of their life.

In the end, you will be less stressed and have have helped someone along the way.

Israelites First War (Exodus 17:8-16)

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Bible Summary:

The Amalekites attack the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses calls Joshua to pick out some men to fight back. The Israelites do well as long as Moses raises his stick on a hill above the battle, but falter when he lowers it, so Aaron and Hur bring him a stone to keep the stick held high all day until they win.

My Thoughts:

The Stone: There are many ways to interpret this story. It can be viewed strictly as a historical event where the Israelites won their first battle. Or, the focus can be placed on Joshua stepping up to Moses’ call to begin what becomes a long military career. Another approach is how God helped the Israelites again through Moses’ use of God’s stick to help his troops. And, one could always talk about how they never would have won without Aaron and Hur’s help.

But, I would like to focus on one other element of the story – the stone. The stone seems to be a very insignificant part of the story, but without it the Israelites would have lost and we likely would not be studying the Bible today. The stone carries the weight and does its job without complaint. The stone receives no acknowledgement, no praise, but that is okay because it is just a stone.

Sometimes we feel like the stone. We may be the pivotal part of the operation, hold up our role, and then someone else receives all the glory, like Joshua and Moses. Don’t let it get you down. God knows what you did and He will reward you. Hopefully I am speaking for Him today by sending you a heartfelt “Thank You.”

Water from a Rock (Exodus 17:1-7)

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Bible Summary:

The Israelites continue their journey but soon complain again to Moses about not having enough water, so God sends him on ahead to Mount Sinai with some leaders of Israel. Moses strikes a rock with his stick and water begins to flow.

My Thoughts:

Miracles: God did some amazing miracles for the Israelites, so we wonder why He fails to show up now, especially when times are difficult for us or others close to us. We wonder why He won’t help me find a job, heal my son from cancer, save my house from the mortgage company, or help me pay the bills?

God is not here to give us everything we want. But, He is here to give us everything we need. Many of us need to struggle to build our confidence, to build our faith. God knows that when everything is given to us we become complacent, we do not try. And, if you do not try, then you will miss out on your calling. And, believe it or not, your calling is the true miracle, because many of God’s works are done through people like you. God calls us to be the miracle, so be that miracle today.

Witnesses: Moses brought along witnesses to Mount Sinai to prove to the rest that the water flowed from the rock. It is so difficult to believe without actually witnessing miracles for yourself.  Hang in there, you will see and you will believe – in time.

Addendum: Manna from Heaven (Exodus 16)

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Bible Summary:

A month and a half after leaving Egypt, the Israelites are just opposite a desert from Mount Sinai when they start complaining to Moses about him starving them to death. God tells Moses He will rain food down from the sky and that the people must collect enough, two quarts each, except on the sixth day when they are to collect four. Moses and Aaron tell the Israelites that God has heard their complaints “against Him”. Once the morning dew evaporates, thin and flaky white seeds that taste like thin cakes made with homey covered the desert. They ate this manna from heaven for the next forty years until they reached Canaan.

My Thoughts:

Enough: I missed a key point about the God Provides Manna for the Israelites story … the concept of enough. God provided for the needs of the Israelites, but some of them wanted more, so He only let the manna last for a day or two. They gathered only what they needed each day, no more, and God fed them for forty years.

Many people always want more now-a-days. They upgrade cell phones as soon as possible, trade up to better cars, redecorate their living space or move to one with more room, and work more and more to move up the corporate ladder and earn more money. The key question is, when will they be satisfied? When will they have enough?

God Provides Manna for the Israelites (Exodus 16)

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Bible Summary:

A month and a half after leaving Egypt, the Israelites are just opposite a desert from Mount Sinai when they start complaining to Moses about him starving them to death. God tells Moses He will rain food down from the sky and that the people must collect enough, two quarts each, except on the sixth day when they are to collect four. Moses and Aaron tell the Israelites that God has heard their complaints “against Him”. Once the morning dew evaporates on the next day, thin and flaky white seeds that taste like thin cakes made with honey cover the desert. They eat this manna from heaven for the next forty years until they reach Canaan.

My Thoughts:

Things Become Familiar: In a story like this it is easy to think the Israelites are ungrateful for what God has done for them, but I think it is more the case of things becoming familiar and the miracles being forgotten over time.

I used to travel a bit for work and the first time I saw the Rocky Mountains I was in complete awe. I thought they were so majestic, with the sun peering over the peaks as the day began to end. But after a while, they just became part of the scenery, part of the background. They had lost their newness. It takes effort to remember our everyday miracles.

On the Seventh Day We Rest and Worship: God tells us to take a break once a week. This rarely happens in America. We move at 5,000 miles an hour all the time and do not know how to take a break. Caffeine is the drug of choice to keep us going at this incredible pace.

Try to take a break for one hour, yes, a whole hour once a week. It will be very difficult at first, doing nothing for an hour, but keep at it until you make it the whole hour. You will be surprised how this can change your life.

Moses Solves the Bitter Water (Exodus 15)

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Bible Summary:

Moses and the Israelites celebrate their victory over the Egyptians with a song that describes the power of God’s right hand in drowning the army in the Red Sea plus the fear in the tribes neighboring Canaan.

Then Moses leads the Israelites away from the Red Sea and across a desert for three days without water. They finally find water but it is too bitter to drink, so the Israelites complain to Moses. He prays to God and learns a type of wood to throw into the water to make it fit to drink.

Later, God tells the Israelites laws to live by and warns them to obey or He will punish them with diseases like the Egyptians.

My Thoughts:

No Water: Can you imagine walking three days across a desert without water, only to finally finding some that you cannot drink? Today, people complain if the faucet is off just a couple hours for repairs. We take so many things for granted that we fail to see how blessed we truly are. Next time you are in a situation you would normally complain, stop, ask how long before things will be cleared up, and then go do something else: take a walk, talk to a friend, read a book, etc. You will be surprised how this approach can reduce your stress and improve your relationships.

Unwritten Commandments: I was surprised to hear that God was already laying down the laws, though just verbally, shortly after freeing the Israelites. I always thought they came down first in hard copy with the Ten Commandments. Guess we will find out more as the story unfolds.