Exodus Jan 6, 2018 What Is It? What Is It About? How Do I Talk About It?

Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: The Exodus Jan 6, 2018 What is it? What is it about? How do I talk about it?

Intro

What are we reading?

BIBLE

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT

TORAH PROPHETS WRITINGS

EXODUS

Bible - God’s Word in human words. A unique interpretation of universal history, the history of the whole creation and the history of the human race. Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: The Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Old Testament - The story of the people of God up to and shortly after the exile in Babylon. It’s the Story of Israel, the Story of Eden/Land, the Story of Covenant. All of this serves to address how God is going to see his wise rule established in creation.

Time out! So, why was it written (always a good question to ask!) The exile: arguably the most traumatic and therefore most inﬂuential historical event in Israel’s ancient history

The Torah was not written at one time, in one place, by one person, but developed, grew, over several centuries

In the face of incomprehensible loss, Israel gathers materials to address the questions that were at the forefront of their current crises (exile) - Who are we?

- What does it mean to serve God faithfully?

How did it do this? Reading scripture became a part of regular worship, day by day, week by week, Israel retold their story — God’s story — redeﬁning themselves as God’s people

I mention this because… We see in the Bible a theological process modelled for us—a “rich conversation” over who God has revealed himself to be and what it means to be the people of God

Having some insight into when the Pentateuch was written has helped readers today understand something of why it was written. Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: The Exodus Jan 6, 2018

The Problem - the Bible has been broken down into little bits and we’ve lost the bog picture

The whole point of Christianity is that it offers a story which is the story of the whole world, and that story is the one that emerges from this book

The Solution - Read it (like the people of God always have!) and ask the same questions as Israel did: Who is God? Who are we now?

All right, back to What it is we’re reading… Torah - The story of the establishment of the Creator God’s covenant(s) and the gifts of law and presence that attended them

Creator God…

Covenant…

Law…

The consequence of ignoring or minimizing any of these three things

The pieces that make up the whole: Genesis — Prologue God and the World

God and Abaraham’s Family Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: The Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Exodus — The Beginning The Promise Under Threat

God’s Faithfulness and Presence

Leviticus — Life as a Nation of Priests Life in God’s Presence: Worship

Numbers — The People’s Response to God’s Sovereignty Rebellion, Faithfulness, and the Land

Deuteronomy — Looking Back and Looking Ahead Call to Faithfulness

Looking at the rest Nevi’im (Prophets: Josh-Kings, ISa, JEr, Eze, the 12) — The How did we get here?

Ketuvim (Writings: Ps, Prov, Job, SoS, Eccl, Ruth, LAmen, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Neh, Chron) — Who are we now?

The NT — God’s Promises Fulﬁlled

So, How do I Read This? Learn to read contextually Historical

Literary

Theological Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: The Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Narrative involves Character Setting Events Plot (the arrangement of the events in a narrative format and it’s attendant ups and downs), Plot resolution (the conclusion of the narrative)

Levels of narrative Canon

Collection (Hebrew Bible, Torah)

Book (Exodus)

Cycles (Redemption from Egypt)

Acts (Plague Narratives)

Individual stories (each speciﬁc plague)

Literary structures (arrangements, patterns, etc.)

Old Testament Narratives are NOT, by and large… …allegories with hidden meaning (as though the meat of the story is getting in the way of the truth we have to perceive)

…intended to teach moral lessons Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: The Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Rather… They simply account for what God did and or what Israel did (or whoever), often illustrating what was /is taught elsewhere (but they often aren’t explicit)

The Particulars of Hebrew Narrative Rather than build a story around a character, Hebrew narrative is scenic (like a TV series)

Characters are the central element of these scenes

Characters often appear in parallel (with earlier stories) or in contrast (with one another)

Predominant mode of characterization is through word or deed (not description)

Dialogue provides a clue to the plot and character of the speaker. Often, the narrator will use dialogue to emphasize crucial parts of the narrative

Plot in Hebrew narrative moves fast!

A few notes on structure Designed for hearers, not readers (made it memorable, easy to memorize)

Repitition, key words, inclusion (sandwiching), foreshadowing, typological, Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: The Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Reading Old Testament Narratives1

1. An Old Testament narrative usually does not directly teach a doctrine.

2. An Old Testament narrative usually illustrates a doctrine or doctrines taught propositionally elsewhere.

3. Narratives record what happened--not necessarily what should have happened or what ought to happen every time. Therefore, not every narrative has an individual identiﬁable moral of the story.

4. What people do in narratives is not necessarily a good example for us. Frequently, it is just the opposite.

5. Most of the characters in Old Testament narratives are far from perfect and their actions are, too.

6. We are not always told at the end of a narrative whether what happened was good or bad. We are expected to be able to judge that on the basis of what God has taught us directly and categorically elsewhere in the Scripture.

7. All narratives are selective and incomplete. Not all the relevant details are always given (cf. John 21:25). What does appear in the narrative is everything that the inspired author thought important for us to know.

8. Narratives are not written to answer all our theological questions. They have particular, speciﬁc limited purposes and deal with certain issues, leaving others to be dealt with elsewhere, in other ways.

9. Narratives may teach either explicitly (by clearly stating something) or implicitly (by clearly implying something without actually stating it).

10. In the ﬁnal analysis, God is the hero of all biblical narratives.

1 List comes from Fee and Stuart’s How to Read the Bible for All it’s Worth, 106. Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: The Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Old Testatment Law: Some Do’s and Don’ts2

1. Do see the Old Testament law as God’s fully inspired word for you, but don’t always see it as God’s direct command to you. Ultimately see God’s law as an expression of his character interpreted in a speciﬁc cultural context, recorded to encourage us to wisdom.

2. Do see the Old Testament law as the rules and obligations for the Old Covenant, and therefore Israel’s history. However, don’t see the law as binding in its speciﬁcs on Christians in the New Covenant.

3. Do see God’s justice, love, and high standards revealed in the Old Testament law, but don’t forget to see that God’s mercy is made equal to the severity of the standards (Ex 34.6-7).

4. Don’t see the Old Testament law as complete. It is not technically comprehensive. Do see the Old Testament law as a paradigm — providing examples for the full range of expected behaviour.

5. Don’t expect the Old Testament law to be cited frequently by the prophets or the New Testament. Do remember that the law is about living out the calling to be a nation of priests and a holy kingdom and this principle (seen in love of God and, in turn, love of neighbour) is repeated in the prophets and the New Testament (reﬂect God’s character [love, justice, grace, mercy] in the world).

6. Do see the Old Testament laws as a generous gift from God to the Israelites, and don’t see them as an annoying group of arbitrary regulations limiting people’s freedom.

2 List comes from Fee and Stuart’s How to Read the Bible for All it’s Worth,180. Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

What is it? What is it about? How do I talk about it?

Emphases: God’s miraculous rescue of Israel; Covenant law given at Sinai; The tabernacle as the place of God’s presence and Israel’s proper worship; God’s revelation of himself and his character; Israel’s tendency to complain and rebel against God; God’s judgement and mercy toward his people when they rebel

Remember: Exodus is about the crucial matters that deﬁne Israel in their relationship with God: deliverance (hence, Egypt, plagues, the sea), presence (so, the tabernacle), and law (thus, Sinai, the 10 commandments, the law); and all this under the greater umbrella of who is God and who are we to be in light of that?

Deliverance — Remember that the context of the recognition of Torah as scripture was the exile in Babylon! Theme is explored all throughout the OT. Watch how the narrative highlights this event, especially its focus on the power of God, but also in how it echoes Genesis and foreshadows the rest of Torah, the Prophets, and the writings.

Presence — Lost at Eden in Genesis, but here to be restored. Pay attention to all the ways Exodus sets up this great restoration! Beginning with Moses called to the mountain of God in 3.1 and then Israel in chapter 19, the pivotal moment of course is chapters 25-40. This isn’t the boring part (okay, it kind of is), it’s a high point of the book! Notice, too, how presence sets up the conclusion of the book to link with the rest of the narrative later in the Torah

Law — If presence is the conclusion, then law is the centrepiece of the book. Laws focus on Israel’s relationship to God and to each other, the latter as an expression of their living out God’s character. Don’t get hung up on the speciﬁcs here, just take note of the seriousness of the matter at hand. Being the people of God is a call to action, not relaxation. Remember, the Law is not what Israel does to prove itself worthy, but is God’s gift to the Israelites. It is the means by which they will be “a holy nation.” They will be different, and the purpose for being different is to be a kingdom of priests.

Other themes (to name a few)— Book of the Covenant, Covenant, Creation, The Decalogue, Egypt, Exile, Exodus, Forgiveness, Glory, Holiness, Image of God, Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Kinship, Land, Moses, Plague, Priests, Promise, Redemption, Repentance, Retribution, Sabbath, Tabernacle/Temple, Theophany, Torah (Law), Violence, Wilderness, Worship, YHWH

The big picture made small 1-15 Departure from Egypt (the Power of YHWH) 1-6 Prelude 7-10 Plagues 13-15 Departure 16-40 Journey to and arrival at Sinai (The Presence of YHWH) 16-24 Sinai 16-18 Journey to Sinai 19-20 Ten Commandments 21-24 Book of the Covenant 25-40 Tabernacle 25-31 Instructions for the tabernacle 32-34 Rebellion and forgiveness 35-40 Building the tabernacle

The Big picture made long

The Power of YHWH: The Exodus From Egypt I. Prelude: Oppression in Egypt (1.1-6.1) A. The People of Israel Increase (1:1-7) B. The People Suffer in Egypt (1:8-22) 1. The People are Enslaved (1:8-14) 2. Pharaoh Orders Male Children Killed (1:15-22) C. Moses the Deliverer? Part 1 (2.1-25) 1. Moses is Born (2:1-10) 2. Moses tries to help (2:11-15) 3. Moses Flees to Midian (2:16-22)

D. Commissioning of Moses in the Wilderness (3.1-4.17) 1. God meets with Moses for the ﬁrst time: The burning bush (3.1-6) 2. God instructs Moses to Return, Moses’ First Objection (3:7-12) 3. God Gives Signs to Moses Pt 1, Moses’ Second Objection (3:13-22) 4. God Gives Signs to Moses, Pt 2, Moses’ Third Objection (4.1-9) 5. Go gives Signs to Moses, Pt 3, Moses’ Fourth Objection (4.10-12) 6. Moses’ Fifth Objection (4.13-17) Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

E. Moses the Deliverer Part 2: Moses hatches God’s plan, but is it doomed from the get go? (4.18-6.1) 1. Off to Egypt (4.18-23) 2. Bridegroom of Blood (4.24-26) 3. Reuniting with Aaron: the long lost brother returns! (4.27-31) 4. Failed Confrontation With Pharaoh (5:1-9) 5. Doubling down on oppression: “Why did you come?” (5.10-21) 6. Hard Questions: “Why have you let this happen?” “why did you send me?” (5.21-6.1)

II. Liberation from Egypt (6.2-15.21) A. Moses Commissioned in Egypt (6.2-7.7) 1. God Commissions Moses in Egypt (6.2-9) 2. Moses the clumsy speaker (6.10-30) A. YHWH and Moses speak (6.10-12) B Narrator reports further conversation (6.13) C Genealogies related to Moses and Aaron (6.14-25) B Narrator reports conversation (6.26-27) A YHWH and Moses speak (6.28-30) 3. The Plan (7.1-7) 4. The Representatives Face off (7.8-13) B. Confronting Pharaoh Again: God Pours Out Judgment on Egypt (7:14-11:10) 1. First Cycle of Plagues (water): The power of Egypt vs. The power of God 1.1 The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood (7:14-24) 1.2 The Second Plague: Frogs (7:25-8:15) 1.3 The Third Plague: Gnats/lice (8:16-19) 2. Second Cycle of Plagues (earth): Egypt Powerless before an Increasingly powerful God (8.20-9.12) 2.1 The Fourth Plague: Flies (8:20-32) 2.2 The Fifth Plague: Livestock Dies (9:1-7) 2.3 The Sixth Plague: Boils (9:8-12) 3. Third Cycle of Plagues (sky): (9.13-10.29) 3.1 The Seventh Plague: Hail (9:13-35) 3.2 The Eighth Plague: Locusts (10:1-20) 3.3 The Ninth Plague: Darkness (10:21-29)

4. The Final Plague, and Deliverance: You have Killed My Children, Now I will Kill Yours (11.1-13.16) 4.1 The Tenth Plague Announced: Death of the Firstborn (11:1-10) 4.2 Instructions for the Passover Feast (12:1-28) Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

4.3 The Tenth Plague Occurs: Death of the Firstborn (12.29-30) 4.4 God Delivers the People From Egypt (12:31-42) 4.5 Further Instructions on Passover feast (12.43-51) 4.6 Firstborn claimed by God and Inauguration of Passover in Perpetuity (13:1-16) C. From Egypt, to Etham, and through the Sea (13.17-15.21) 1. The Easy Road: From Egypt to Etham (13.17-13.22) 2. Moses Parts the Red Sea (14.1-14:31) 3. The Song at the sea by Moses and the Men (15:1-18) 4. The song at the sea by Miriam and the Women (15.19-21)

Journey to and Arrival at Sinai (15.22-40.38) III. Learning to Obey the God Who Saves: A Grumbling People are Tested in the Wilderness (15:22-18:27) A. The Waters of Marah (15:22-27) B. The Manna and Quail (16:1-36) C. The Waters of Meribah (17:1-7) D. The People Defeat the Amalekites (17:8-16) E. Jethro Marvels at God’s power (18.1-12) F. Jethro’s council anticipates the gift of the Law (18:13-27)

IV. The Covenant at Sinai (19:1-24:18) A. The People Prepare for the Covenant (19:1-25) 1. I have chosen you, will you chose me? (19.1-6) 2. Israel accepts and God lays out what’s about to happen (19.7-15) 3. The theophany on Sinai (19.16-25) B. God Proclaims His Covenant (20:1-23:33) 1. The Ten Commandments (20:1-21) 1.1 Intro (20.1) 1.2 the commandments (20.2-20.17) 1.2.1 No other Gods before the one who freed you from Egypt (20.2-3) 1.2.2 No idols of the creator (judgement is swift, but love is greater (20.4-6) 1.2.3 Respect my name (20.7) 1.2.4 Remember the order of creation [sabbath] (20.8-11) 1.2.5 honor parents (20.12) 1.2.6 no murder (20.13) 1.2.7 no Adultery (20.14) 1.2.8 no stealing (20.15) 1.2.9 no lying against neighbour (20.16) 1.2.10 no coveting / envy (20.17) Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

1.3 Conclusion (20.18-20) C. The book of the Covenant (20.22-23.19) 1. Worship: Laws Regarding the Altar (20:22-26) 2. Social Responsibility (21.1-17) 2.1 Laws Regarding Slaves (21:1-11) 2.2 Laws Regarding Violence (21:12-27) 2.3 Laws Regarding Animals (21:28-36) 2.4 Laws Regarding Property (22:1-17) 3. Worship and Social responsibility (22:18-23:19) 3.1 Worship: sorceresses, bestiality, and false sacrifice (22.18-20) 3.2 Social Responsibility: oppression and loans (22.21-28) 3.3 Worship: offerings, first born, holiness (22.29-31) 3.4 Social Responsibility: testimony in court, an enemy’s animal, oppression (23.1-9) 3.4 Worship: Sabbaths and Feasts (23:10-19) D. God’s Covenant Promises as they look forward to entering the land (23:20-33) E. Israel Affirms the Covenant (24:1-18)

V. The Worship of the LORD: How to Build the Tabernacle (25:1-31.18) A. God Instructs the People Regarding Worship (25:1-30:38) 1. The Tabernacle and its Furnishings (25:1-27:21) a. The Collection for the Tabernacle (25:1-9) b. The Ark of the Covenant (25:10-22) c. The Bread of the Presence (25:23-30) d. The Lampstand (25:31-40) e. The Frame and Curtains (26:1-30) f. The Holy Place and The Most Holy (26:31-37) g. The Court and the Altar (27:1-21) 2. The Priests and their Ministry (28:1-30:38) a. The Priestly Garments (28:1-43) b. The Consecration of the Priests and the Altar (29:1-30:38) B. The Builders of the Tabernacle Appointed (31:1-11) C. The Sabbath a Sign of the Covenant (31:12-18) VI. The Golden Calf and Covenant Renewal (32:1-34:35) A. The Golden Calf (32:1-35) 1. The people desire to replace Moses (32.1-6) 2. God willing to cast Israel aside and work through Moses alone (32.7-10) 3. Moses intercedes for Israel (32.11-14) 4. The total destruction of the calf (32.15-20) 5. Aaron’s weak explanation (32.21-24) Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

6. The Levites punish Israel (32.25-29) 7. Even death is not enough: Moses offers to take Israel’s place (32.30-35) B. The Glory of God: How will God respond to Israel? (33.1-34.35) 1. Go now, but I won’t be going with you (33.1-6) 2. The tent of meeting.. Moses’, not the tabernacle (33.7-11) 3. Moses speaks to God (33.12-16) 4. Show me your glory (33.17-23) 5. The glory of the lord/God’s character revealed (34.1-9) 6. God reestablishes his covenant (34.10-28) 7. Conclusion (34.29-35) VII. The People Build the Tabernacle, God’s Glory Fills It (35:1-40:38) A. The Sabbath Law Proclaimed (35:1-3) B. The Offerings for the Tabernacle (35:4-29) C. God Calls Craftsmen (35:30-36:7) D. The Process of Building (36:8-39:31) 1. The Curtains (36:8-19) 2. The Frames (36:20-34) 3. The Veil (36:35-38) 4. The Ark of the Covenant (37:1-9) 5. The Table of the Bread of the Presence (37:10-16) 6. The Lampstand (37:17-24) 7. The Altars (37:25-38:7) 8. The Court (38:8-20) 9. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze (38:21-31) 10. The Priestly Garments (39:1-31) E. The Tabernacle is completed just as the Lord commanded (39:32-43) F. Moses Erects the Tabernacle (40:1-33) G. God’s Glory Fills the Tabernacle… And Moses is not abler to enter! (40:34-38)

Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Proposed schedules for leading a study:

The Power of YHWH: The Exodus From Egypt WEEK 1 1.1-2.22 Oppression in Egypt and the introduction of Moses (narrative) WEEK 2 3.1-4.17 Moses Commissioned in the Wilderness (narrative) WEEK 3 4.18-6.1. Moses the Deliverer? (narrative) WEEK 4 6.2-10.29 Moses, Egypt, and the Plagues (narrative) WEEK 5 11.1-15.21 Final Plague and Deliverance (narrative)

The Presence of YHWH: Journey to and Arrival at Sinai WEEK 6 15.22-18.27 The People are Tested in the Wilderness (narrative) WEEK 7 19.1-24.18 The Covenant at Sinai WEEK 8 25.1-40.38 Presence and Provocation in the wilderness (read esp 32.1-34.35) Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

What is it? What is it about? How do I talk about it?

Kinship, Land, Moses, Plague, Priests, Promise, Redemption, Repentance, Retribution, Sabbath, Tabernacle/Temple, Theophany, Torah (Law), Violence, Wilderness, Worship, YHWH

The Big picture made long

Pastor Levi Simpson Deeper in a Day: Exodus Jan 6, 2018

Proposed schedules for leading a study: