Day 21: Exodus 13-15

(The previous post presented the last three plagues and Israel's deliverance from Egypt. The deliverance followed a "Salvation" judgment and a "Reward" judgment. The 4th Dispensation was coming to an end...)

Exodus 13
¹ And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
² Sanctify unto me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

(God called all firstborn His. This verse was referenced in Luke 2:23 concerning Jesus' first visit to Jerusalem to be dedicated by Joseph and Mary.)

³ And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Jehovah brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

(Moses was building their faith by referencing their experience with God. When they remembered this day, it was supposed to remind them specifically that God brought them out of bondage.)

⁴ This day ye go forth in the month Abib.

(The month of "Abib" corresponds to the middle of our March.)

⁵ And it shall be, when Jehovah shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

(The plan that God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:8 was coming to fruition.)

⁶ Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Jehovah.
⁷ Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee, in all thy borders.
⁸ And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying, It is because of that which Jehovah did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.
⁹ And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath Jehovah brought thee out of Egypt.
¹⁰ Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

(This was the feast of Unleavened Bread, another feast they would keep each year to help them remember what God did for them.)

¹¹ And it shall be, when Jehovah shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
¹² that thou shalt set apart unto Jehovah all that openeth the womb, and every firstling which thou hast that cometh of a beast; the males shall be Jehovah's.
¹³ And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.
¹⁴ And it shall be, when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
¹⁵ and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Jehovah slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast: therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.
¹⁶ And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt.

(The giving of the firstborn to the Lord, both man and beast, was a sign to remind them of the lengths God went to release them from bondage. Here again, God told them what to do and also prepared them with the why for when their children inevitably asked why.)

¹⁷ And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

(God intentionally took them the long way in order to grow them in faith. By the time Israel was ready to take the Promised Land, Egypt was actually on the other side of the Promised Land. They would have had to go through the Promised Land to get back to Egypt. At this point in time, Egypt was still behind them.

This was another example of God bringing the Israelites from bad to good through worse: From Egypt (bad) to the Promised Land (good) through the wilderness (worse).)

¹⁸ but God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
¹⁹ And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

(Moses took Joseph's bones, re: Genesis 50:25.)

²⁰ And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
²¹ And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:
²² the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people.

(God was the leader. Verses 21-22 were the first mention of how God led them "by day in a pillar of cloud" and "by night in a pillar of fire.")




Exodus 14
¹ And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
² Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon: over against it shall ye encamp by the sea.
³ And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

(God knew that Pharaoh's prideful heart would see this as an opportunity to attack the children of Israel.)

⁴ And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host: and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. And they did so.
⁵ And it was told the king of Egypt that the people were fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

(Pharaoh being told about the people caused his heart to harden. Just as God said, Pharaoh quickly regretted letting the Israelites go. It seems the death of all their firstborn was still not enough to reach Pharaoh.)

⁶ And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
⁷ and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them.
⁸ And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.

(The phrase, "Israel went out with a high hand" meant that Israel left Egypt boldly/confidently. This only caused Pharaoh to pursue after them with more vigor.)

⁹ And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal-zephon.
¹⁰ And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto Jehovah.

(The Israelites boldness quickly left them when they saw the Egyptians. Israel did not have great faith here.)

¹¹ And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt?
¹² Is not this the word that we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

(God had a plan greater than what the people understood. To this point, the plan looked like it involved getting the children of Israel out of Egypt and then...what? Egypt would eventually send its army to attack the defenseless children of Israel. God's plan addressed defending Israel from Egypt's army. However, God wanted to defend the children of Israel sooner rather than later. God's plan to defend Israel was to cause Egypt to see the children of Israel as physically trapped by geography. Then God would save them with a supernatural event. This was not something Egypt would have considered in their prideful state. However, this meant circumstances had to appear to get worse for the children of Israel in order to lure in the Egyptian army. The children of Israel immediately complained once things appeared to get worse.)

¹³ And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
¹⁴ Jehovah will fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
¹⁵ And Jehovah said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.

(The Lord stated He would fight for (defend) the people. The Israelites only had to keep moving forward, which was the level of faith they were capable of at this time. However, forward meant to go towards the sea...)

¹⁶ And lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.
¹⁷ And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
¹⁸ And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

(God revealed the rest of His plan to Moses ahead of time. The purpose was so the Egyptians would know that Jehovah was God, which would cause the Egyptians to stop chasing the children of Israel. Again, without this half of God's plan of deliverance, the Egyptians would have eventually attacked the defenseless children of Israel.)

¹⁹ And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them:
²⁰ and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one came not near the other all the night.

(The pillar was now positioned as a barrier between the attacking Egyptians and the Israelites. God protected Israel from the Egyptian attack until a way was made through the Red Sea. The pillar was a source of darkness to the Egyptians but a source of light to Israel.)

²¹ And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Jehovah caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

(The east wind would result in a curse to Pharaoh. The following story was referenced in Hebrews 11:29 as proof that Israel was an example of faith to us.)

²² And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

(They went over on "dry ground." Several people have theorized ways the Red Sea may have momentarily ebbed so they could wade across. However, this passage said the ground was dry and there were walls of water on the right and left. In verses 21 and 22, the etymology behind the word "waters" referenced the waters of the womb during birth. This was the moment that the nation of Israel was reborn in order to live in the 5th Dispensation.)

²³ And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
²⁴ And it came to pass in the morning watch, that Jehovah looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians.

(God "discomfited" the Egyptian army. Discomfited meant "confused; troubled.")

²⁵ And he took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for Jehovah fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
²⁶ And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
²⁷ And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and Jehovah overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

(God overthrew the Egyptians.)

²⁸ And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after them into the sea; there remained not so much as one of them.
²⁹ But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

(Clearly, the depth was such that it covered chariots and horses.)

³⁰ Thus Jehovah saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore.
³¹ And Israel saw the great work which Jehovah did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared Jehovah: and they believed in Jehovah, and in his servant Moses.

(The people of Israel believed in God and Moses. How long would this last? The children of Israel were reborn into a new nation, however they were a new born babe at this point and they (and their faith) needed to be matured.)




Exodus 15

(Moses and the Israelites sang a song to God.)

(Verses 1-5: the First Stanza - The Lord is a man of war.)

¹ Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto Jehovah, and spake, saying, I will sing unto Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
² Jehovah is my strength and song, And he is become my salvation: This is my God, and I will praise him; My father's God, and I will exalt him.
³ Jehovah is a man of war: Jehovah is his name.
⁴ Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea; And his chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.
⁵ The deeps cover them: They went down into the depths like a stone.

(Verses 6-10: the Second Stanza - You have overthrown those who rose against you.)

⁶ Thy right hand, O Jehovah, is glorious in power, Thy right hand, O Jehovah, dasheth in pieces the enemy.
⁷ And in the greatness of thine excellency thou overthrowest them that rise up against thee: Thou sendest forth thy wrath, it consumeth them as stubble.
⁸ And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were piled up, The floods stood upright as a heap; The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
⁹ The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

(The enemy stated four "I wills" and two "shalls.")

¹⁰ Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: They sank as lead in the mighty waters.

(Verses 11-13: the Third Stanza - Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?)

¹¹ Who is like unto thee, O Jehovah, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
¹² Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, The earth swallowed them.
¹³ Thou in thy lovingkindness hast led the people that thou hast redeemed: Thou hast guided them in thy strength to thy holy habitation.

(Redeemed: like Christians.)

(Verses 14-18: the Fourth and Fifth Stanza - The people will hear and be afraid.)

¹⁴ The peoples have heard, they tremble: Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.
¹⁵ Then were the chiefs of Edom dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, trembling taketh hold upon them: All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away.

(Edom was from Esau. Moab was from Lot.)

¹⁶ Terror and dread falleth upon them; By the greatness of thine arm they are as still as a stone; Till thy people pass over, O Jehovah, Till the people pass over that thou hast purchased.
¹⁷ Thou wilt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, The place, O Jehovah, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, The sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
¹⁸ Jehovah shall reign for ever and ever.

(Verses 19-21: Miram led the women in worship.)

¹⁹ For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Jehovah brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.
²⁰ And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
²¹ And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously; The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

(Miriam was a prophetess and Aaron's (and Moses') sister.)

²² And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
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.

(Marah was the next stop and the water was bitter. Marah meant "bitter.")

²⁴ And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

(In the same chapter they sang praises to God, they murmured against Moses! They sounded like little children.)

²⁵ And he cried unto Jehovah; And Jehovah showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them;
²⁶ and he said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his eyes, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am Jehovah that healeth thee.

(God said He is the Lord that heals and He would not put the diseases on them that were put on the Egyptians if they kept all the statutes.)

²⁷ And they came to Elim, where were twelve springs of water, and threescore and ten palm-trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

(Elim was the next stop. Elim meant "palms." It was the second place where they set up camp after their Exodus.)

(This post documented the rebirth of the nation of Israel into the 5th Dispensation. God brought them through the Red Sea and defended them from the Egyptians. God stated He would not take them directly to the Promised Land. He was taking them the long way in order to give them time to mature.)

Day 22