Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 18:7-9

7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.

8 And Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them.

9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

We never heard what the Moses’s relationship with Jethro was like when he lived in the land of Midian, but from today’s verses it seems clear that Moses held great respect for his father-in-law. Moses met Jethro with utmost decorum and hospitality, and gave a full report of everything that had transpired since they had seen each other last.

It is interesting to hear of Jethro’s joyful reaction to all that Moses relates, given that we have just gone through some depressing chapters, with the Israelites losing the faith and reviling their deliverer time after time. We are even told in verse 8 that Moses specifically mentioned “all the travail that had come upon them by the way.” Yet in spite of all that trouble, it would seem that Jethro was able to see past all the travail to the greater, more optimistic picture. He was able to see with clear eyes the good that had happened, and was continuing to happen, and he rejoiced in the Lord.

We do not know exactly what Moses’s emotional state was in this moment, but the thought occurs to me that Jethro’s visit might have been just the encouragement Moses needed at this time. Jethro might have been an oasis of hope for Moses in the wilderness.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 18:1-6

1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt;

2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,

3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:

4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

5 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:

6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

Back in Exodus 4, when Moses had left the land of Midian to return to Egypt, we were told that Moses had taken his wife, Zipporah, and sons with him. It was during this sojourn that Moses had been reproved for having not yet circumcised his sons, and Zipporah had done the deed for him.

Today we learn from verse 2 that Moses apparently sent his wife and children back to Midian, though, and they had resided there with Zipporah’s father while Moses finished his work in Egypt. We are never given an explanation as to why Moses had sent them back. Perhaps they were in danger from Pharaoh after the curses Moses brought against Egypt. Perhaps Moses’s calling required his constant attention, and they would receive more care in Jethro’s home.

In any case, it may very well have been an extended absence of multiple years, but at last the family was all together again. At the end of this chapter we will hear that Jethro did not stay with the Israelite people in the wilderness, though. He came simply to return Moses’s family to him, observed the good that had been done to the Israelite people, offered some counsel to Moses, and then took his leave and went back to his own land. Being a priest, he must have had a work and a flock of his own to attend to, and he only lingered long enough to show Moses the ropes for leading the sheep in this region.

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Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 17:13-16

13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi:

16 For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

At the end of the day, Joshua and the Israelite army prevailed and the Amalekites suffered a loss. However this was only a setback for the Amalekites, not an utter defeat. Nevertheless, the Lord used this opportunity to vow that He would, ultimately, “utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek.”

It is worth considering, has this vow been fulfilled? Referring to the Biblical record, it was almost accomplished in Saul’s military campaign, but Saul stopped short of the Lord’s mandate, and was sharply reproved for that, allowing the Amalekites to limp on, eventually becoming a thorn in the side of Israel once more.

We have no record that states the Amalekites were ever, completely eradicated, at least not by the Israelites. Perhaps they were conquered by the Assyrians or the Babylonians, or perhaps they were assimilated into other cultures, and the people have been “put out of remembrance” that way. Or, perhaps the people are still present to this day, and the Lord is biding His time before fulfilling His declaration.

A prophecy that we do know was fulfilled was the one given in verse 16. The Lord assured the Israelites that they would war with the Amalekites for generations, and as discussed yesterday, that most certainly did occur. Depending on whatever became of the Amalekites, perhaps in some form the feud still goes on even today.

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Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 17:10-12

10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a hill, presumably to have a view of the battle below, and Moses raised his hands, which corresponded with Israel prevailing against their enemy. However, keeping one’s hands elevated for a prolonged time is actually a very difficult physical feat, let alone for someone quite advanced in age, as Moses was. So his hands grew heavy, and when he let them down Israel began to fall to their enemies.

This raises the question of what is the connection between the position of Moses’s hands and the prevailing of the Israelite army? Much like his staff, it seems likely that this was a physical representation of an abstract concept. Perhaps God was using the connection between raised hands and prevailing in battle to teach a lesson that a nation is subject to the strength of its leader, and a church to the strength of its prophet. When our government and spiritual leaders are weak and flawed, we all suffer. When they lack the fortitude to stand for their flock, then wolves begin to sneak in among the sheep.

And what does it mean to be weak and flawed? To not have one’s hands, or one’s labor, directed heavenward. When we lower our hands to the lower, earthward things, that is the precursor to destruction. If our leaders are more concerned with worldly wealth or social trends than acts of righteousness, the people are left vulnerable to their enemies.

And this is where Aaron and Hur come in. Moses couldn’t keep his hands up forever, so they were there to lend him the strength that he lacked, to keep his hands heavenward. So, too, the future Israelite kings were meant to take counsel and direction from the prophet, having their focus raised heavenward so that the people would follow in the right path. Leaders today should also surround themselves with those who have as their primary concern what is right, what is true, and what is good, according to the Lord.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 17:8-9

8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

The account makes a sudden and dramatic shift, telling us now of an army of Amalekites that came to fight with Israel, even while they were still in the wilderness. As we have already seen, Israel’s sojourn in the wilderness was a time for them to prepare for life in the Promised Land. They had already had several lessons on how to rely upon the Lord and obey His word exactly, and now they were rehearsing the art of war, something that they would become very familiar with when they strove against the Lord’s enemies in the land of Canaan, including the Amalekites.

This is not the first that we have heard of the Amalekites, either. We heard of their forebearer back in Genesis 36:16, Amalek, who was the grandson of Esau, who was the brother of Jacob, who was himself the forebearer of the Israelites. As noted at the time, many of the nations that Israel fought in Canaan were people that branched off from the covenant bloodline. These fallen-away nations were a perfect foil to the Israelites, because they were similar, with a shared root, but had been twisted in pagan ways. They represent the beast that is too familiar, the evil that is too close for comfort, the worst version of our own selves.

The coming fight with the Amalekites also foreshadows Israel’s future in another way. Moses chose Joshua to lead God’s people in this battle, just as he would be chosen to preside over all of Israel after Moses’s death. Moses explains that he will help Israel in their fight, but from afar, while Joshua would be down in the ranks with them. So, too, Moses’s law would continue to aid and guide Israel after his passing, while Joshua would continue in the ranks.

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Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 17:5-7

5 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.

6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?

As with the story of the manna and the quail, the account given in today’s verses are repeated with more detail in Numbers. And, once again, there is a key difference between the account given here and the one in Numbers. Here God tells Moses “thou shalt smite the rock,” whereas in Numbers he is told only to “speak ye unto the rock.” This matters, because many people have read the Numbers account and interpreted Moses’s striking of the rock as the breach of faith for which God prohibited his entry to the Promised Land. Obviously that assumption would be inaccurate if today’s version of the story is the correct one, in which the Lord had actually instructed Moses to strike the rock. In that case, Moses’s failure must have been something else.

Personally, I see an argument from a narrative perspective as to why today’s account might be the correct one. In verse 5 God mentions that this is the rod “wherewith thou smotest the river,” referring to when Moses smote the river in Egypt and turned it to blood. The staff has a history of being used to smite, both literally and figuratively, and also working wonders upon the waters. It would therefore be thematically consistent for it to once again be used to smite the rock and miraculously bring forth water, all according to God’s wishes.

Moving on from the debate of which account is more accurate, though, let us note the clear symbolism in this verse. Moses smote the rock and water came out of it, providing life-sustenance to the people. In later references we will be told that the rock clave in two, causing a breach from which the water would flow. This immediately calls to mind the spear that pierced the side of Christ, creating the opening from which the water flowed out of his body. And this, of course, is symbolic of the spirit Christ is able to plant in all of our hearts through his sacrifice. This spirit is frequently referred to as a life-sustaining wellspring, constantly refreshing us, just as Israel was refreshed by this miracle in the desert.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 17:1-4

1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?

3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

Hardship in the wilderness had already been solved twice for the Israelites, but clearly it wasn’t in their past. They had thirsted and God had provided, but now they thirsted again. Enduring trials and being tested were going to be an ongoing part of their journey, though God would always intervene for them before it was too late.

Notice from verse 1 that they camped in Rephidim, a place where there was no water, “according to the commandment of the Lord.” God was commanding them to halt their progression in this place, commanding them to be stuck somewhere that could not sustain them, commanding them to be in an untenable situation. I believe that most of our hardships arise as a result of our own sins or simply as a natural result of living in a fallen world, but sometimes, such as this time, the hardship was part of God’s own design.

And how did the people respond to this test? Well, according to Moses, they were about ready to stone him! They once again proved to be a people who sang praises when God saved them, but breathed threats when He did not. Their one great desire was not to follow God, but to have their needs met. Not only their needs, either, but as in the case of the quail, their preferences and desires. God was to be praised only so far as He gave them what they wanted, but to be reviled when He did not. In short, they really hadn’t submitted themselves to God at all. The fact that they still failed this test is the reason why they needed to have it.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 16:35-36

35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

Verse 35 pulls back from the linear narrative and provides commentary on the broader journey of Israel. We learn that the manna was not a temporary solution for the Israelites’ hunger, but that it would go on to sustain Israel through all their forty year sojourn in the wilderness.

Being in the wilderness represents a state of limbo for Israel. They had been evicted from Egypt’s womb, but they wouldn’t emerge fully reborn in the land of Canaan for decades. They were a people with a name, but without a home. This was therefore a time of great uncertainty and hardship, and the murmuring of the Israelites suggests that they saw this as an even lower low than their former captivity. How meaningful, then, that in this lowest of places God gave them a consistent, miraculous staple. The manna from heaven was a central pillar, supporting the people while they could not support themselves.

It is worth noting that after Israel leaves the wilderness we will never hear of the manna again. Today’s verse seems to confirm that the manna ceased just as soon as Israel came into fields where they could grow and harvest their own grain. God supported the people with just what they needed for as long as they needed it, then required them to let go of that crutch as soon as they were able to walk on their own.

Verse 36 is an interesting reminder that the books of Moses existed for many different audiences throughout history before us. It is assumed that it is a parenthetical statement meant to explain something to an ancient Israelite audience. The audience at that time presumably did not know what an “omer” was, as they had long since abandoned that unit of measurement, so the clerk explained that it was a tenth of an “ephah,” which was a more familiar unit of measurement at that time. It would be similar to me telling you that an “omer” was a little less than one US gallon.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 16:31-34

31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

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.

Moses commands that a single portion of manna be gathered into a pot and preserved for future generations. It is interesting to note that the portion is an omer, exactly the amount that was meant for one person for one day. It almost seems as if it is being stored in anticipation of someone yet to come to receive it, much like how the Jewish people always leave one open seat for Elijah at their seder.

In time, the pot of manna would be placed within the ark of the covenant, but obviously that had not been constructed at this time. Sometimes God does not give His blessings in linear order. Sometimes we receive something that we do not fully understand, and only later receive the perfect place that it was meant to belong to. God giving His blessings in this way shows that it is all according to a plan, based on a perfect knowledge of what will be.

Verse 34 introduces us to a word that we have not yet encountered in the Bible. “Testimony,” as translated from “eduth” in the Hebrew, only appears 25 times in the Bible, all of them in the books of Moses, and almost all of them (21 of the 25 instances) in Exodus. In all 25 instances it is used exclusively as a reference to the laws and rituals that Moses delivered to the people. There are refences to the “tablets of the testimony,” the “ark of the testimony,” and the “tabernacle of the testimony.” These are the physical evidence of God’s blessings and commandments, a visual reminder of the Lord’s unseen spirit.

But “eduth” is not the only word that is translated to “testimony” in our English Bibles. There is also the Hebrew word “ed,” sometimes translated as “testimony” and sometimes as “witness.” Interestingly, these two Hebrew words are actually the same word, “ed” being the masculine form and “eduth” the feminine. This does raise the question why it is the feminine word for “testimony” that is used exclusively for the physical representations of God’s law. As mentioned before, the tablets, ark, and tabernacle of “testimony” were the material manifestation of the unseen God, which mirrors how a woman grows the unseen progeny into a material person in her womb. Another reason might be that these feminine testimonies all had to do with the law that was meant to nurture the newly-reborn Israelite people, cultivating them through their spiritual infancy, just as a mother nurtures and cultivates her child.

In any case, throughout the rest of Exodus we will see twenty more instances of the feminine “testimony,” always in reference to the physical tokens of God’s providence to His people.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 16:27-30

27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.

28 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?

29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

When God commanded the Israelites to only gather one omer per person each day, some of the Israelites had disobeyed and gathered extra. Then He had given them a specific exception: they could gather two omers on the morning before the sabbath, and some Israelites disobeyed yet again, trying to gather one portion on both days.

Some people sinned by relying on God too little and overexerting themselves against His will, and some sinned by relying on God too much and trying to do the minimal effort each day. Both approaches were wrong.

We are meant to have a nuanced relationship with God, relying on Him where He is meant to be relied on, and not where He is not. We are supposed to seek His will and do it, but also follow our own judgment where He has not expressed His will. Sometimes one of His laws supersedes or places a boundary on another of His laws, and we are meant to recognize when we cross that threshold and adjust our behavior accordingly.

The life of the disciple is meant to be active and observant. We are expected to actually pay attention and adapt to God’s movements, not just sit in the same place, applying the same rules to situations that are not applicable. We must also be careful not to carve out our own exceptions, pretending all the while that it is really God’s exception. We may fool others with such a claim, and maybe even our own selves, but there is one who will not be fooled, and He will require an answer of us sooner or later.