Interesting Facts and Personal Insight
into
Exodus:
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Interesting parallel between Moses and Jesus and the years of these two births: We all know Moses is known as the hero or savior of the Jews in the Old Testament, guiding them with God's help from bondage/slavery in Egypt, while Jesus is known as the savior of not only the Jews, but of the Gentiles (non-Jews). In both instances, the rulers of the land commanded that male children be killed, so Moses' life was in danger before his birth, as was Jesus'. In Jesus' time, King Herod freaks out when the wise-men came to Bethlehem, having followed a star in the sky, and asking where the King of the Jews was born because they wanted to worship him (Matthew 2:1-4). Herod tells the wise-men to let him know where the Christ is when they find him so he can worship him too, but God warns them in a dream not to return to Herod (Matthew 2:8, 12). Then Herod calls for the slaying of all the children in Bethlehem and all the coasts there, ages 2 and under (Matthew 2:16). God warns Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to hide in Egypt to keep Jesus safe from Herod (Matthew 2:13-14).
In Moses' time, a new king of Egypt arose, saw that the Israelites' numbers were growing in the land of Egypt to the point of outnumbering the Egyptians...which frightened them. So, they put them in bondage, and made their lives hard with the work and working conditions. But the Israelites kept multiplying. So, the king of Egypt tells the midwives to kill any boy child born to the Israelites, but to let the daughters live. The midwives feared God and did NOT do what the king of Egypt said, so God was good to the midwives (they told the king that Hebrew women are different than Egyptian women...they bear children quickly and deliver them before the midwives come to them). Then the king of Egypt (Pharaoh) commanded that all male children be thrown into the river to drown (Exodus 1:7-11, 15-17, 19-20, 22). When Moses was born, his mother hid him for 3 months, and then built a little floating basket, put him in the basket and put the basket in the river, hoping someone would save the baby before it died for lack of a parent. Pharaoh's daughter found him, had compassion on him, and hired his mother to nurse him and hide him, until he grew some, and then the Pharaoh's daughter took him as her own son (Exodus 2:1-3, 5-10).
SUPPORTING VERSES BELOW:
(Matthew 2:1-4): "1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born."
(Matthew 2:8, 12): "8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also." "12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."
(Matthew 2: 13-14): "13 And when they were departed, behold the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt."
(Matthew 2:16): "16 Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."
(Exodus 1:7-11): "7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. 11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses."
(Exodus 1:15-17): "15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive."
(Exodus 1:19-20): "19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively (bear quickly), and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty."
(Exodus 1:22): "22 And Pharaoh charged (commanded) all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive."
(Exodus 2:1-3): "1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink."
(Exodus 2:5-10): "5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. 9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses (AKA- "Drawn Out"): and she said, Because I drew him out of the water."
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NAME MEANINGS: "Moses" means "Drawn Out". (Exodus 2:10): "10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses (AKA- "Drawn Out"): and she said, Because I drew him out of the water."
"Gershom" means "Stranger in a Strange Land". Ever read the book of the same English title, written by Robert Heinlein? (Exodus 2:22): "22 And she (Zipporah, daughter of Reuel, who gave his daughter to Moses for helping his daughters draw water in the desert) bare him a son, and he (Moses) called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land."
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Moses was 80 years old and his brother Aaron was 83 years old when they went to speak to the Pharaoh about freeing the Hebrews. (Exodus 7:7): "7 And Moses was fourscore years old (80 years old), and Aaron fourscore and three years old (83 years old), when they spake unto Pharaoh."
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Did God use Moses and Aaron to spread bio-chemical warfare on the Egyptians for not releasing the Hebrews? (Exodus 9:8-11): "8 And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains (sores) upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. 10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains (sores) upon man, and upon beast. 11 And the magicians (Egyptian magicians) could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians."
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God shows Moses how to bring a "darkness that can be felt" down onto Egypt. I've had a dream about an abyss of darkness, and two vampire-like demons were asking someone to give me to them. The dark pit opened from the ground in my dream, and I knew it was hell, and I could hear other demons in the pit, and felt that some were making their way to the top and possibly out of the pit, and my heart was pounding as I was backing away from the vampire-like demons in one direction and the black pit in the ground in the other, and experiencing utter horror at the possibility of being taken into the dark pit. I woke up quickly, heart almost pounding out of my chest. Anyway, this verse popped out to me, because of this dream...it well describes the black pit/abyss in my dream: (Exodus 10: 21-23): "21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings."
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VOCABULARY
1) "Abib" = Hebrew new year's, first month of the Hebrew year. AKA - Feast of the unleavened bread. (Exodus 12:2; 13:4; 13:6-7):
(Exodus 12:2): "2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you."
(Exodus 13:4): "4 This day came ye out in the month Abib."
(Exodus 13:6-7): "6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters."
2) "Matrix" = womb. (Exodus 13:12 and 13:15): "12 That thou shalt set apart (cause to pass over) unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix (defined as "womb"), and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord's." "15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem."
-"matrix" = "womb" = "bowels" (Psalm 71:6): "6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb; thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels (defined as "womb"): my praise shall be continually of thee."
3) Salvation = deliverance (Exodus 14:13): "13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation (defined as "deliverance") of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall se them again no more for ever."
4) gods = mighty ones (Exodus 15:11): "11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods (defined as "mighty ones")? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
5) Marah = bitter (Exodus 15:23): "23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah."
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Original manna should still exist somewhere in the Jewish Synagogue (at least until Jesus' death and resurrection) - Exodus 16:32-34
"32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.
34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept."
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Desert and Sin: Exodus 16: Jews escape to desert so God can test them to keep His laws. They are in the desert called "Sin" (Exodus 16:1) for 40 years, with only manna to eat (food from heaven). In a parallel, Jesus goes to the desert to be tempted by Satan in all ways known to man for 40 days with sin.
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Name Meanings:
"Gershom" = "Alien in a strange land." (like Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land). Exodus 18:3. Son of Moses and Moses' wife Zipporah.
"Eliezer" = "the God of my father was my help." Exodus 18:4 Moses and Zipporah's other son, brother to Gershom
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The 10 Commandments (Exodus Ch 20):
The Ten Commandments.*
1 Then God spoke all these words:
2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,b out of the house of slavery.
3 You shall not have other gods beside me.*
4 You shall not make for yourself an idolc or a likeness of anything* in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
5 you shall not bow down before them or serve them.d For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation*;
6 but showing love down to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 You shall not invoke the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.* e For the LORD will not leave unpunished anyone who invokes his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy.*
9 Six days you may labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.f You shall not do any work, either you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your work animal, or the resident alien within your gates.
11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested.g That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.*
12 * h Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.i
13 You shall not kill.* j
14 You shall not commit adultery.k
15 You shall not steal.l
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.m
17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.n
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Wisdom:
-- Mob evil - we are not to take part in. (Exodus 23:2): "2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment."
-- Take no bribes - they blind the wise (gift = bribe) (Exodus 23:8): "8 And thou shalt take no gift (defined as "bribe"): for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous."
-- 3 Feasts a year to observe for God (Exodus 23: 14-16):
1) Feast of Unleavened Bread - Eat it 7 days in the month of Abib (aka - Nisan = mid March through mid April)
2) Feast of the harvest - (first fruits of our labors)
3) Feast of ingathering (end of the year after gathering the labors of the field)
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Vocabulary: Webster's Riverside II University Dictionary
seethe: a) to boil or b) to steep in liquid (Exodus 23:19) "19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk."
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God sets the boundaries of Israel or Jerusalem (Exodus 23:31): "31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee."
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Vocabulary:
covenant: treaty (Exodus 23:32) "32 Thou shalt make no covenant (defined as "treaty) with them, nor with their gods."
Vocabulary: Webster's Riverside II University Dictionary:
"treaty: 1 a) formal agreement between 2 or more nations. b) a document in which such an agreement is set down. 2) contract or agreement.
3) Negotiation in order to reach an agreement. synonym - treaty, accord, agreement, concord, convention, pact."
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What is the book of the covenant? (Exodus 24:7) "7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient."
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Vocabulary: Webster's Riverside II University Dictionary:
shittim wood: The wood of the shittah, used to make the ark of the the Hebrew tabernacle. (probably acacia tree wood) (Exodus 25: 5-21) (Used to make the ark of the covenant).
mercy seat: 1) the golden covering of the ark of the covenant, held to be the resting place of God. 2) The throne of God. (Exodus 25: 17)
knop: a decorative knob. (Exodus 25:31)
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Interesting Note:
(Exodus 25: 10-40) describes the construction of the ark of the covenant, a table, utensils, dishes, etc. to be made of pure gold for God. Almost all American Indian tribes made their temples out of gold as well.
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Vocabulary: (Bible)
mitre: turban (part of Aaron's garments for ministering to the Lord) (Exodus 28:3-4): "3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breast-plate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre (defined as "turban"), and a girlde (defined as "sash"): and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office."
Also, the mitre (aka turban) should have a gold plate on the front of it that says "Holiness to the Lord" (Exodus 28:36) "36 And thou shald make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 37 And thou shald put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre: upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be."
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Stones:
carbuncle: emerald
Emerald: turquoise
diamond: sapphire
ligure: jacinth
beryl: yellow jasper
onyx: onyx or carnelian
(Exodus 28:17-20)
Urim and Thummim: Lights and the Perfections (Exodus 28:30). Part of Aaron's breastplate of judgment.
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Recipe for the Oil of Holy Ointment (aka Holy Anointing oil):
1) Myrrh (pure) 500 shekels or half ounces
2) Half as much sweet cinnamon (or 250 shekels or half ounces)
3) Sweet calamus (same amount as cinnamon)
4) Cassia (500 shekels or half ounces)
5) Olive oil (a hin - approximately a half gallon)
(Exodus 30: 22-25)
- it's an ointment compound "after the art of the apothecary" (defined as "perfumer") v 25
WARNINGS:
--Not to be poured on man's flesh.
-- Not to make any other ointment like it (after its composition) because it is Holy (otherwise you'll be cut off from the people). (Exodus 30: 32-33)
TO PERFUME IT:
(Exodus 30: 34-38): 34 l The LORD told Moses: Take these aromatic substances: storax and onycha and galbanum, these and pure frankincense in equal parts;
35 and blend them into incense. This fragrant powder, expertly prepared, is to be salted and so kept pure and sacred.
36 Grind some of it into fine dust and put this before the covenant in the tent of meeting where I will meet you. This incense shall be treated as most sacred by you.
37 You may not make incense of a like mixture for yourselves; you must treat it as sacred to the LORD.
38 Whoever makes an incense like this for his own enjoyment of its fragrance, shall be cut off from his people.
Vocabulary Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary:
cassia- 1) Any of various chiefly tropical trees, shrubs, and plants of the genus Cassia, with compound leaves, usually yellow flowers, and long pods. 2a) a tree, Cinnamomum cassia of tropical Asia, whose bark is similar to cinnamon but is of inferior quality. 2b) The bark of this tree, used as a spice.
calamus- (sweet calamus)- 1a) The sweet flag. b) The aromatic root of the sweet flag. 2) Any of various tropical Asiatic palms of the genus Calamus, from some of which rattan is obtained. 3) Quill
stacte- A spice used by the ancient Jews to make incense. Greek: oozing or to ooze.
onycha (not found in dictionary)
galbanum- A bitter aromatic gum resin extracted from an Asiatic plant, Ferula galbaniflua, used in incense and medicinally as a counterirritant.
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