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Exodus 28 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Priests’ Garments

¹ “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ² And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. ³ 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. ⁴ These are the garments that they shall make: a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. ⁵ They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.

⁶ “And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked.⁷ It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. ⁸ And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. ⁹ You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, ¹⁰ six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. ¹¹ As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree. ¹² And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for remembrance. ¹³ You shall make settings of gold filigree, ¹⁴ and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.

 

REFLECTION

• This chapter gives instructions of priestly clothing.
• As high priest, Aaron was provided with distinctive clothing to “give him dignity and honor”. Each item he wore had symbolic significance.  The ephod, a vest-like outer jacket featured two stones, mounted one on each shoulder.  The name of each Israelite tribe was engraved on one of these stones.  Whenever Aaron entered the tabernacle, he represented all the people of God.
• Today Jesus, our High Priest, represents the church before God’s throne. The New Testament says that “we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
• All believers are “the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work,” (1 Pet 2:9). We also have the responsibility and privilege to intercede for others.

 

PRAYER

Let this sink in.  Jesus, your high priest, is representing you and interceding for you before God’s throne.  Continue wait before God.  Notice if God brings anyone to mind.  Is there any hardship, or need that God is reminding you?  Pray for this person now, asking for blessings, and continue to do so for the coming week.  If/when appropriate, speak to this person for comfort and encouragement.  Wait with expectancy that God would listen to your prayer.

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Exodus+27

 

Exodus 27 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Bronze Altar

¹ “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. ² And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. ³ You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. ⁴ You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. ⁵ And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar. ⁶ And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. ⁷ And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. ⁸ You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

The Court of the Tabernacle

⁹ “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. ¹⁰ Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. ¹¹ And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. ¹² And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases. ¹³ The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. ¹⁴ The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. ¹⁵ On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. ¹⁶ For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases. ¹⁷ All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. ¹⁸ The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze. ¹⁹ All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

Oil for the Lamp

²⁰ “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. ²¹ In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

 

REFLECTION

• This chapter gives instructions on building altar and the courtyard. Read it over and pay special attention to the portion of altar building.
• A sanctuary is a place where we immerse ourselves in God. We, like the Israelites, gather there to listen to the reading of the Scriptures, from which we hear stories of God’s search for us, His love for us, His embrace of us, and His covenant commitment to us.
• In the sanctuary described in Ex 25-27, we see an altar. In our sanctuaries today, we see a cross.  Through the sacrificial system, God instructed Israel about the consequences of their sins and foreshadowed the need for a sacrificial system in Christ, who gave Himself once and for all for our sins.
• Just as the Israelites brought their offerings to the sanctuary, so we bring our offerings when we come to church. Like the Israelites, we sing hymns, we pray, we confess our sins, we give thanks, and we offer our lives to God.  The sanctuary isn’t a showplace where the audience comes and watches what takes place onstage.  The sanctuary isn’t a lecture hall where students sit, listen to a teacher, and take notes.  The sanctuary is a place of being, of sinking ourselves into the reality of a God-created world, a Christ-saved world, and a Spirit-blessed world.
• And that is what our churches today should be.
• What is your ideal church like? As the church is at the point of looking ahead for further development, do you and all members of your church understand God’s “blue print” so that you may work together to build this sanctuary for God?  Pray for the church development.  Listen for the role God wants you to play in the blue print.

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Exodus 26 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Tabernacle

¹ “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. ² The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. ³ Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. ⁴ And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. ⁵ Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. ⁶ And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.

⁷ “You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. ⁸ The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size. ⁹ You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. ¹⁰ You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.

¹¹ “You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole. ¹² And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. ¹³ And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. ¹⁴ And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and a covering of goatskins on top. …….

 

³¹ “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. ³² And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. ³³ And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. ³⁴ You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. ³⁵ And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side.

³⁶ “You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. ³⁷ And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.

 

REFLECTION

• Moses was told to make the tabernacle and its furnishings “exactly like the pattern I will show you” (25:9). Chapter 26 shows us how detailed God’s instructions were in the construction of the tabernacle. Refer to the following diagram ( livedoor.blogimg.jp/hideki4612/imgs/2/d/2ddebad8.jpg ) as you read the whole chapter will give you a clearer understanding of the tabernacle.
• There are two holy places in the tabernacle – the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, which are separated by a curtain. The priests were responsible for the daily sacrifices and other functions, as well as regular feasts.  On the Day of Atonement, it was the high priest’s responsibility to take the blood of the sacrificed goat into the Holy of Holies on behalf of all God’s people, for forgiveness of their sins. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom (Mark 15:38).  Therefore, this signifies that through Jesus, we can approach God directly with confidence.  We no longer need sacrifices in order to approach God.
• Is there a special “Holy of Holies” in your home where you could feel close to God and meet with Him regularly? You may want to set aside a sacred space for yourself to have your devotions there. It may be a small corner table or a particular chair and time of day.  Think of how you can use the space to help you focus on God

 

PRAYER

Compare your experience of coming into God’s presence with those of the Israelites then, do you appreciate the privilege?  Do you comprehend what God has done for you?  Do you welcome the opportunity to meet with God? Where is you “Holy of Holies” at home or in your heart where you meet God?  Talk to God about it and listen to His response.

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Exodus 25 English Standard Version (ESV)

Contributions for the Sanctuary

¹ The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. ³ And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, ⁴ blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, ⁵ tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, ⁶ oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁷ onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breast piece. ⁸ And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. ⁹ Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

The Ark of the Covenant

¹⁰ “They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. ¹¹ You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. ¹² You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. ¹³ You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. ¹⁵ The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. ¹⁶ And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.

¹⁷ “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. ¹⁸ And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. ¹⁹ Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. ²⁰ The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. ²¹ And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. ²² There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

 

REFLECTION

• Read the passage. For a better picture read the whole chapter.  Imagine you were there, what would your emotions be?
• The Old Testament emphasizes the importance of the tabernacle ( kdmanestreet.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/tabernacle.jpg ), a portable tent, in Israel’s worship. Exodus takes seven chapters (25-31) to list tabernacle specifications, and then devotes six more to its construction (35-40). The New Testament touches on some of the symbolism, saying that the tabernacle design and use was intended to reflect heavenly realities (cf. Heb 9-10).
• The first item in the tabernacle mentioned, and the most important, is the ark ( carm.org/images/arkofthecovenant4.jpg ). The ark is also the only furniture inside the Holy of Holies.  God’s glory resides here.  God speaks to the Israelites through the Mercy Seat on the ark.  It represents the presence of God, symbolized God dwelling among His people.
• It contains the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed (v16), along with manna (16:33-34) and Aaron’s rod (Num 17:10). These three items testify to the unchanging love of God, the covenant between God and His people, and the faithfulness and power of God. They serve to remind the people to remember the God of their deliverance, and the God of unfailing mercy and love.  They also remind them to obey God’s commands and to keep a thankful and humble heart.

 

PRAYER

What might you carry around with you to remind you of God’s past actions and continuing presence in your life?  Recall the situation, note what God did and how you responded.  Thank God for His past grace (prevenient) and His persevering grace.

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Exodus 24 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Covenant Confirmed

¹ Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. ² Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

³ Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” ⁴ And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵ And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. ⁶ And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” ⁸ And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

⁹ Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, ¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. ¹¹ And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

¹² The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” ¹³ So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. ¹⁴ And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”

¹⁵ Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ¹⁶ The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. ¹⁷ Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. ¹⁸ Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

 

REFLECTION

• Read through the whole chapter twice.
• Moses carefully explained what God expected of people who would live in personal relationship with Him (Ex 20-23; 24:3). The Israelite people committed themselves to keep God’s commands, and were then fully responsible for their acts.
• God invited His people into a covenant relationship. But He wanted to make sure that the Israelites understood just what life with Him would involve.
• It’s true that people can put their trust in Christ without a deep understanding of the Gospel or of the Bible. But unless we go on to learn all God’s words, we will fall short of knowing God more fully and living the lives God desires to bless us with.  As we come to know and understand the character of God, we will also be more sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit guiding us through our daily decisions and obstacles.

 

PRAYER

How well do you know and love God’s Word?  How well do you understand God’s desire of your commitment to Him?  Thank God for His Bible.  Thank God for the 260 project and ask the Spirit for the perseverance you need to do it every day in order to increase your knowledge, love and obedience of God and His Word.

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Exodus 23 English Standard Version (ESV)

Conquest of Canaan Promised

²⁰ “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.²¹ Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

²² “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

²³ “When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, ²⁴ you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. ²⁵ You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. ²⁶ None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. ²⁷ I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. ²⁸ And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. ²⁹ I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. ³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. ³¹ And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates, for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.³² You shall make no covenant with them and their gods.³³ They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

 

REFLECTION

• If time allows, read the whole chapter. Then read this passage slowly once more.
• How does the emphasis on worship fit into these chapters on law? Very simply, worship is not simply going to church and singing hymns.  Worship is putting our faith into practice by loving God and following His commandments.
• When God gave Moses these laws to share with Israel, He identified them with worship and with success. God promises to provide the Israelites with abundant food, pure water, and bodily health when they worship him, needs that are physical.  When we put God first and honor Him with obedience, God provides what we need and we grow towards the person God created us to be.
• Jesus told the Samaritan woman that “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Examine the reasons why you worship God and the spirit in which you worship.  Are they at odds with each other?  If so, what actions could you take to bring them into harmony?

 

PRAYER

Do you worship because you desire to receive abundance in life?  Do you worship God simply and authentically?  If not, ask God to show you what to do so that your worship may be pleasing to HIm.

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Exodus+22

 

Exodus 22 English Standard Version (ESV)

Laws About Social Justice

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. ¹⁷ If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸ “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

¹⁹ “Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.

²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.

²¹ “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. ²² You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. ²³ If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, ²⁴ and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

²⁵ “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. ²⁶ If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, ²⁷ for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

²⁸ “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

²⁹ “You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. ³⁰ You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

³¹ “You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

 

REFLECTION

• This chapter continues the detailed laws. It first deals with the law concerning property.  In this paragraph, Moses identified heinous sins.  Read this portion slowly as if you were in that time receiving this law.
• The laws express a person’s responsibility toward others, those to whom they must show respect. To do wrong to a neighbor is to sin against God. The seduction is The sin of witchcraft was punishable by death, as was the unspeakable sin of bestiality and sacrificing unto any other god; these three sins were practiced in the heathen religions of surrounding nations, and Israel was to take no part in them.
• There were laws of not charging interest when lending to the poor; as well as returning a pledge of their cloak which would be used as a blanket at All people must be treated with dignity and respect. God’s care and protection of the foreigner, needy widow and orphan are expressed throughout Scripture (cf. James 1:27). He hears the cry of those in need, and if they are mistreated, His wrath is stirred up.
• According to the principle of this passage, how could you, your cell and your church design or adjust your social concern ministry in order to live more in line with God’s will for “holiness” and heart of compassion for the marginalized? What is one action that you could achieve in this week to allow you to live the life of a “holy people” (v31)?

 

PRAYER

O Holy God, You’ve not only made provision for my forgiveness, You’ve written Your laws upon my heart. Help me to surrender daily in obedience to You.  And help me to do _________________________________ so that I may live the life of a “holy people”.

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Exodus+21

 

Exodus 21 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹² “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. ¹³ But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. ¹⁴ But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

¹⁵ “Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

¹⁶ “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

¹⁷ “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.

¹⁸ “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, ¹⁹ then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.

²⁰ “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged.²¹ But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.

²² “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. ²³ But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

²⁶ “When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye. ²⁷ If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth.

 

REFLECTION

• The commandment said, “You shall not murder.” Read this passage with this in mind.  Pay attention to the specific examples showing that “You shall respect the life and well-being of others.”
• The principle of the famous lex talionis – the law demanding an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth – is clear and simple: if someone causes another person serious injury, he is to be punished. In the biblical world feuds were an ever-present possibility. The principle of an eye for an eye was actually seen as an act of mercy, since punishment in the ancient Near East usually exceeded the crime!  It is not a law of revenge, but a basis for a judge to make judgment on acts of violence and injustice.
• Jesus’ elaboration of this law is that, in the Kingdom of God, you are to go beyond revenge and “love your enemy, pray for those persecuting you” (Matt 5:38-42). In His life and death, Christ modeled this for us.  The law’s goal is to prevent excessive revenge, but Jesus wants to completely free us from a mentality of revenge.  This is far more than what the law requires.

 

PRAYER

How easy is it for you to live up to the standard set forth here?  What would be toughest for you to adhere to?  Name one person who has hurt you, and ask Jesus to give you His forgiveness for that person.

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Exodus+20

 

Exodus 20 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Ten Commandments

¹ And God spoke all these words, saying,

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.⁵ You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother,that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

¹⁸ Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” ²¹ The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

 

REFLECTION

• Read this passage then slowly evaluate my life according to the Ten Commandments.
• Before God commanded anything of man, He declared who He is and what He did for Israel. It’s important to understand that grace precedes law. God first acts in grace and mercy by delivering the people, and then the people respond in gratitude and thanksgiving by the obeying the commandments. The crossing of the Red Sea comes before the giving of the Ten Commandments.
• The first four commands are for keeping our relationship with God intact: no worship of other gods, no idolatry, no abuse of God’s holy name, and no abuse of God’s holy Sabbath.
• The last six commands are for keeping our relationships in the world in which we live intact: honoring parents, honoring others’ lives, honoring marriage, honoring others’ possessions, honoring the truth, and honoring what God gives others to live with and what He gives us to live with.
• Although the commandments are, with the exception of the fifth, all prohibitive, they are not negative. They speak about love: love of God and love of others.  Jesus once was asked by a lawyer among the Pharisees: which is the greatest commandment? Jesus replied: Loving God and your neighbor (Matt 22:37-40).
• Spend some time read this passage carefully and meditatively. If you could, use one word or a term to describe each commandment and reflect on its meaning. Thank God for His love in giving us these commands.
• Ask the Holy Spirit’s help to examine your own life, where you have failed, or in which area you are facing crisis right now. Pray to confess and receive forgiveness of Jesus Christ, and ask for a renewed spirit and abundant power in living out a life of holiness and love.

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Exodus+19

 

Exodus 19 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁹ And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.”

When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord, ¹⁰ the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments¹¹ and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹² And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. ¹³ No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.” ¹⁴ So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people; and they washed their garments. ¹⁵ And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.”

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. ¹⁹ And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. ²⁰ The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

²¹ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish. ²² Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” ²³ And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’”²⁴ And the Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest he break out against them.” ²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

 

REFLECTION

• Read this passage, or read the whole chapter if time allows.
• God’s display of power at Mount Sinai is later described as a “consuming fire on top of the mountain” (24:17). It was intended to inspire awe and fear, and to communicate something of the holiness of Israel’s God.  Only Moses would go up into the thunder and constantly flashing lightning that shrouded the mountaintop.
• Hebrews 12:18 describes the mountain as “burning with fire…darkness, gloom, and storm.” It was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear”. (Heb 12:21)
• While Christians come directly to God through a loving Christ, something important about the nature of God was communicated at Sinai. Hebrews reminds us that we are to “worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:28-29).
• God told the Israelites to do certain things in preparation to receive His commandments. These rules are to remind the people that God is holy and should not be taken lightly; it emphasizes God’s holiness and majesty (Lev 11:45).  How do you get ready for church?  How else do you draw near to God?
• When did you last truly experience the holiness of God? What impact did that have on you?

 

PRAYER

Ask God to help you realize God’s holiness, and to come to worship service, other meetings and personal devotions with reverence and humility.