Exodus 13-15 Bible Teaching

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We are going to do a lot of reading, skimming and summarizing to move us forward in the text.

Before we begin, last week I taught through the plagues. I want to point something out that I see as a grand type for individuals under God’s care.

That is, the first plague was that of the Egyptians thirsting for water (LIFE) and to realize that Death (Blood) had stood in its place – in this case, we might say we are all in need of the Living Water to sustain us in this earthly condition.

Then the rest of the plagues tended to increase in ferocity – first annoying frogs, then irritating lice, then up until the people found themselves in absolute darkness.

For me this is a type of the descent human beings are capable of making if they refuse the calls, warnings and signs we experience along the way.

In our neighborhood growing up, there was a kid named Chris and I knew him in Jr. high and then into high school.

In Jr. High he was okay but in High school he got into porn. I watched him become OBSESSED and utterly overcome with it to the point that was all he talked about – I mean, he found a way to always bring it up on the side, like he was constantly waiting to tell someone, anyone about the newest magazine he had gotten from Europe.

Not sure if it was our senior year but he quit waterpolo and swimming and succumbed to that cesspool which for some can become a drowning pool.

Chris was killed on his motorcycle up the street from our house in front of our favorite Taco stand. My best friend was scene said there was no saving him.

Chris has long been a private cautionary tale to me on how human tend to slide downward if they refuse to heed the warnings we all have on personal liberty.

Of course, after that state of darkness in Egypt came death – a picture and type for all people before the final victory of Christ over sin, Satan, hell and the grave.

Just wanted to add that in for some reason.

So, we left off with YAHAVAH leading the Nation out of bondage in chapter 12.

Grant me the liberty, now, to read what I see as “most significant” and to also summarize what is not as we work through the next six chapters beginning with chapter 13.

Exodus chapters 13-15
January 7th 2024
A very snowy day
Exodus 13:1 And YAHAVAH spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

The meaning of this appears to be to commemorate the fact that YAHAVAH spared the first-born males in the Nation while taking the lives of the first born Egyptians.

The thinking seems to be, “because I saved your firstborns from death, you will now dedicate your firstborns to me.”

I think that says something about YAHAVAH’s views of fairness and justice.

If a female was firstborn she was not sanctified (meaning set apart) and if a male was born after a female he was not seen as the firstborn.

Only a male child that was first to open the womb – which is also called the matrix in scripture – would be deemed the first born male. This seems to represent and honor the first and only born son when the heavens opened and He descended to earth.

At verse three Moses tells the people to “remember” the day when they came out of Egypt by the Hand of YAHAVAH and to observe this by not eating leavened bread. More specifically, the Passover was to be celebrated in the month of Abib and according to Moses, this Passover ought to be remembered when . . .

YAHAVAH shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which He swore unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

This verse supports the idea that the Nation would not participate in this feast until they have actually been brought into the promised land.

YAHAVAH also introduces to them the eating of the unleavened bread for seven days, and to then have a feast, which is when they would present the firstborn son and at verse 9 Moses adds

9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that YAHAVAH’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath YAHAVAH brought thee out of Egypt.

Let’s stop here for a moment. Have you ever seen a dedicated male to Judaism? They have the dress and the hair and often they will, when they pray, have attached to themselves what look like boxes to their foreheads between their eyes?

This all started right here and verse 16 is what gave rise to what the scripture calls, “phylacteries or tephillin.” This verse in Exodus 13 is one of the passages which the Jews write upon them to the present day.

Specifically, they wrote the following four portions of the law upon slips of parchment or vellum:

Sanctify unto me the first-born, Exodus 13:2-10.
“And it shall be, when the Lord shall bring thee into the land, Exodus 13:11-16.
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, Deuteronomy 6i., from verse 4 to 9 {De 6:4-9}
And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently
Deuteronomy 9:13-21.

These four references, which making in all 30 verses, are then covered with leather and then they tied them to the forehead and to the hand or arm.

Over time the spirit that meant behind this verse was lost in the letter, and I suggest that in time, BECAUSE the words were attached to their person and were recognized by onlookers, it became the focal point and the VERY spirit of His Word was lost from “their mouths,” and removed from their hearts.

That is often the direct result of material objects when they are included in religious observance. We are learning that very lesson from the Jews.

In Yeshua’s day, the Nation had become a people that entirely LOST the real meaning of all these external observances to the point that they began to amplify them over their heart for God!

Listen to what Yeshua said of them in the legendary chapter of Matthew 23

Matthew 23:1-7 . . . The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, “Rabbi, Rabbi”.

This is a short summary of the “religious heart,” my friends. Fully embraced and amplified by the singular MOST religious people on the face of the earth.

From verse 10 through 13 YAHAVAH instructs them to begin these things ONCE they entered the promise land.
There He also speaks of

“keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.”

“setting apart all that open the matrix man and beast, to YAHAVAH”

All as a memorial to His Passover. Verse 17 to the end of the chapter moves us forward –

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through 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:
18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed 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.
20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

21 And YAHAVAH went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Okay onto fourteen –
So YAHAVAH tells them to camp by the sea and adds

3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, “They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.”
4 “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am YAHAVAH. And they did so.
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
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 every one of them.
8 And YAHAVAH hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
9 But 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 Baalzephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto YAHAVAH.”
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 carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, “Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.”

Notice that in their fears (caused by the site of the pursuing Egyptians) that they first cried out to YAHAVAH but how QUICKLY they turned to complaints and a spoken desire to go back to their former lives?

I mean, “what a principle for the trial of the Christian life – when times get hard and things get rough our first inclination is to go back to where we had or at least felt safe.

I want to go back, at times to the life this world offers me. These times are always related to when I fall in despair, faithlessness, anger, or impatience.

Eat, drink and be merry and let me just die tomorrow, right?

And what are we running back too?

Idols – replacements for Him.

We run back to what gives us immediate reassurance and aid without the painful call for faith in God required. What does Moses do

13 And Moses said unto the people,
“Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of YAHAVAH, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 YAHAVAH shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

In our sorrow
In our bills
In our fears
In our worries –

The call for believers even today is to walk in faith and wait. For what? Moses says, they needed to wait for (verse 14)

14 YAHAVAH shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Verse 15 introduces us to a remarkable insight into the Maker/Made relationship and what God may want from those who lead and are made in His image. Listen to this:
15 And YAHAVAH said unto Moses, “Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

We have to pause here and take note of two things. First, we have ZERO mention of Moses crying unto YAHAVAH. Zero. This helps support the idea that we have the capacity to cry out to God from our hearts and minds and that He hears.

In fact, most people I know who have been long acquainted with God rarely do the praying-thingy we are taught as kids, you know –

Close your eyes
Bow your head
Don’t look around when the prayer is said.

OR

Kneel down at the side of your bed every night or put a prayer rock on your pillow to remind you to pray before sleep.

Yes, people in the Bible did these things – kneeling, falling before God, etc. Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Orthodoxies – and there is nothing wrong with it. Frankly it FEELS holy and good, right?

But it can quickly turn into a law.

Many people I know are in constant communication with the Living God from the heart and pray or talk to Him constantly, including Him effortlessly and whenever moved.

Since the indwelling of the spirit the physical acts are not so . . . needed.

But the second thing that really blows my mind here is that the Living God seems to be voicing something of a criticism to Moses. Like,

“What are you crying out to me for? Think here, Moses! I have given you authority to speak on my behalf! Step up and do it, in faith, and make your thoughts known to the elders of this Nation and (verse 16).

Walking with YAHAVAH is a two-way street. He empowers, we respond. He whispers, we speak. He gives general directives, we act.

That is walking in faith. YAHAVAH seems to be saying to Moses – walk by faith. (verse 16) And . .

16 . . . lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow 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 YAHAVAH, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
19 And the angel of God, (whom I will later prove was the preincarnate YESHUA) which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

Could it be this principle, of YAHAVAH giving light in the Dark to His Nation, “So that the one came not near the other all the night” is a similar protection He gives His children today? And then in the hereafter?

The way Revelation describes the Kingdom above, it seems relevant.

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and YAHAVAH caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
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.
23 And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch YAHAVAH looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for YAHAVAH fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And YAHAVAH said unto Moses, Stretch out thine 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 his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and YAHAVAH overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; 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.
30 Thus YAHAVAH 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 that great work which YAHAVAH did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared YAHAVAH, and believed YAHAVAH, and his servant Moses.

Notice the last verse again. Recall that the Nation feared the Egyptians. But listen to verse 31 again . . .

31 And Israel saw that great work which YAHAVAH did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared YAHAVAH, and believed YAHAVAH, and his servant Moses.

Now, in the face of this Red Sea event, I would be remiss if I neglected to site Paul, who understood the meaning and purpose behind all of this history of his people.

He wrote to the believers at Corinth and after talking about his own race that he had run, he says in 1st Corinthians 10:1-14

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

For starters, this reference shows that the word baptism does NOT mean immersion in the water (because they passed over on dry ground) but it does convey immersion in the cause or idea because they were baptized in the midst.

Paul goes on speaking of these very people and adds,

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (There is my proof of Him being the angel of YAHAVAH mentioned above)
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (meaning, in the face of all I have just said), “flee from idolatry.”

We are back to the first ten words mentioned weeks ago. He is “YAHAVAH ELOHIYM alone – have no other elohiyms before Him.”

Idolatry, my friends. Pul tells the Bride to, “flee from it,” I would do well by looking in the mirror and saying the same thing to myself.

So, onto chapter 15. The first 19 verses are known as, “the Song of Moses.” Not gonna read it because it is Moses’ rehearsal of all YAHAVAH had done for them.

Interestingly, in Revelation we read,

Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

I believe this speaks to the whole of the written Bible referring materially specifically to Jews, then to some Gentiles as promised, before that Nation was dissolved once and for all.

After Moses and the COI sing the Song of YAHAVAH, Miriam, Moses sister, adds her own “two-verse song” to the play list and we come to verse 22 which brings us into another challenge the Nation faced – lets read

22 So Moses brought Israel 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.
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25 And he cried unto YAHAVAH; and YAHAVAH shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of YAHAVAH thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am YAHAVAH that healeth thee.

Let’s wrap our time up talking about verse 25 and the concept of God proving people, as it says,

“there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them.”

The Hebrew word for prove is NAW-SAW, and it literally means, to

to test; by implication, to attempt:–adventure, tempt, try.

We know that God does not tempt so we have to see His proving grounds as a means for Him to allow you and I to chose and decide where our allegiances lie.

The mechanics of how He does this escape me but I do believe that we are here, created in His image and that we could actually see this life as a proving ground.

God establishes this type first in the story of Adam and Eve, where they were proved by the presence of the two trees and YAHAVAH’s commands.

It was replicated with Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and now the Nation of Israel.

In Judges 2:20-22 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;
21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

King David wrote in Psalm 26:2

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

When we move out into the Apostolic Record, we see that believers in the Bride proved their fidelity and faith to the Living God, as Peter wrote to the Bride in that day and said to them

1st Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.

In terms of proving, it seems that in the Apostolic Record, God proved them. But the reciprocity from the believer is not lost nor the call to action. Paul said,

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

He adds in 2nd Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Meaning, we are proven reprobates in our flesh but the very fact that we do good, think good and love, CHRIST is in us.

In Galatians 6:4 we read,

“But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”

Simple advice. Finally, Paul adds in
1st Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

I submit to you that if someone wants to understand, “the purpose of life,” it would be, “this life is a proving ground, where every man and woman proves who and what they love and who and what we choose to . . . worship. Verse 27

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

And we will continue next week.

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CHAPTER 13