Exodus 5-7 Bible Teaching

This is the Salt Lake City Yeshuan Branch and I am Shawn McCraney, Pastard/Teacher/Questionable Potificator.

Let’s begin with a prayer.
We will then hear four Christmas Carols sung by a bunch of deists and atheists and then we will sit in silence and reflect upon our direct unencumbered relationship beautiful relationship with the living God whom they deny – just to glorify Christs’ incomprehensible Victory and we’ll come back to Exodus..

PRAYER

Hark the Herald (BR)
Oh Come all ye faithful (BR)
O Come O Come Emmanuel (BR)
What child is this? (BR)

Okay then, we left off with Moses and Aaron teaming up, Moses giving the Nation all of the signs YAHAVAH told Him to give, and now we come to chapter 5 and we are going to work quickly through chapter 7 and I will be cutting and pasting and summarizing along the way.

Exodus 5-7
December 24th 2023
Christmas Eve

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith YAHAVAH Elohiym of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

It is believed that they could not hold the feast in the land of sin and paganism and needed three days travel to distance themselves from such. Not sure how we know this, but why not?

We note that the only thing requested by Moses was permission to go and worship the Hebrew God YAHAVAH.

2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is YAHVAHA, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not YAHAVAH neither will I let Israel go.”

It is said that this Pharaoh was “god to these people (or presented himself as such), and he would have felt threatened by this new Hebrew God and their desire to worship it.

Note the interplay between “an elohiym” (Pharaoh) and that of YAHAVAH in terms of power. What YAHAVAH is going to do is step in and PROVE that His power, as the God of the Nation of Israel, was unquestionably superior to all of the gods they appealed to.

Bottom line – this was a war of the gods.

Then Aaron and Moses (they) said

3 “The elohiym of the Hebrews hath met with us (saying) “let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto YAHAVAH our Elohiym; lest he (YAHAVAH our Elohiym) fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

Can you see how elohiym here is just the title of someone or someones with jurisdiction and powers as Moses and Aaron say to Pharaoh, “The elohiyms (gods) of the Hebrews (meaning their leaders or elders) have met with us and said, “let us go”

So how does Pharoah respond (verse 4-9)?

4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, “Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.”
5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens?”
6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7 “Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, “Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words.”

So, he countered Moses and Aarons “ask” by increasing the misery of the people not less.

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, “Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.”
11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

That’s pretty tough, right? “Harvest STUBBLE for your brick making” – we aren’t gonna supply you with straw anymore.”

13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

Now the Hebrew leaders received physical violence for failure to keep up the tally.

15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, “Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, “Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.”
17 But he (Pharaoh) said, “Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to YAHAVAH.
18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.”
19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case,

They seem to see that they were not going to get mercy and their case was meaningless to Pharaoh)

after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21 And they said unto them, YAHAVAH elohiym look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

A better way to understand this passage is to have them say, (in a negative tone to Moses and Aaron)

“YAHAVAH elohiym look upon you, and judge; because ye have made us stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.”
Vs 22

22 And Moses returned unto YAHAVAH, and said, “Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.”

I love that Moses openly speaks with YAHAVAH, and explains with clarity his issues about the current scene.

And that ends chapter 5. Let’s read through 6 now – at least some of it.

Exodus 6:1 Then YAHAVAH said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.
2 And Elohiym spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, “I am YAHAVAH:
3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of Elohiym Almighty, but by my name YAHAVAH was I not known to them.
4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, “I am YAHAVAH, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you an elohiym: and ye shall know that I am YAHAVAH your Elohiym, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am YAHAVAH.
9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

Now remember, they had seen a staff turn to a monster, a hand turn to leprosy and they were still unwilling to submit to Moses leadership.

When the Word becomes flesh, He will repeatedly remind the Jewish leaders of that day that they were the children of these faithless people – hard-hearted, rebellious and not of God.

We have gone back 1500 years and can see that this people “from-the-get-go” were stubborn to believe, simple as that. (verse 10)

10 And YAHAVAH spoke unto Moses, saying,
11 “Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.”
12 And Moses spake before YAHAVAH, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?”

The word translated uncircumcised can mean a number of things including the lack of an ability to properly annunciate foreign words (which is what I think this means.)

13 And YAHAVAH spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
14 These be the heads of their fathers’ houses:
(and we will not read these genealogies – jump to verse 27).

So, after listing the genealogies of the tribes (at that time) we read

27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.
28 And it came to pass on the day when YAHAVAH spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt,
29 That YAHAVAH spake unto Moses, saying, “I am YAHAVAH: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.”
30 And Moses said before YAHAVAH, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?”

This is the second time – really the third – where Moses will mention his inability to communicate well. He certainly must have been feeling incapable and self-conscious – especially since the people will not listen to Him.

And we come to chapter 7

Exodus 7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, “See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am YAHAVAH, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
6 And Moses and Aaron did as YAHAVAH commanded them, so did they.
7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

8 And YAHAVAH spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
9 “When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, ‘Shew a miracle for you:’ then thou shalt say unto Aaron, ‘Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.’
10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as YAHAVAH had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

And this is where things get pretty funky, right? Rods turning to serpents by BOTH the hands of YAHAVAH and the Egyptian priests and sorcerers?

Remember Yeshua saying that people would “cast out devils and do many wonderful works” but He would say in the face of such, “I don’t know you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity?”

Is it possible to “do many many miraculous or wonderful works” and be a worker of iniquity?

It is! This is one of the radical realities of this life – miraculous events can occur but are not of Him.

By what power did the Egyptian priests operate? We know the answer. And we know that even-in the end times of that former age people were going to deceive others through wonderful displays and signs of power.

The question is, have those powers been destroyed or do they continue to exist?

We are gonna tread for two minutes in the deep end of the pool here and I am going to say what I cannot prove but pretty much believe at this point relative to the topic.

I believe that Yeshua has all power in heaven, on earth and below the earth.
I believe that His domination always operates and governs but that it is also based in the heart and free-will of earthly inhabitants.

I suggest that because the Kingdom has been established and will increase continually forevermore, and even though Ha Satan has been cast into the Lake of Fire along with His angels, that of those outside the New Jerusalem, which is a number that increases with the death of every non-believer, that in that spiritual realm there is the walled Kingdom full of His true Children of Light but and that there is a citizenry outside that might contain people and communities similar to this world, but that far outside of the Kingdom where God and Christ are the very light of it, there are those souls that actually love the Dark, hate God, and that these souls (if you will) may have the liberty to resist the Light there, and promote the Dark . . .
here.

I suggest that this continual conflict between Dark and Light overflows into this world and those who embrace and relish the Dark from that place possess powers to do many things in the lives of those humans who want and seek it.

Things that pay off in this world.
Things that have operational assignments dependent on the will wishes and hearts of those who pursue and receive them.

For this reason I am personally very very careful about where I place my faith and what I will pursue.

Signs? Forget about it. Schemes that bring fame and wealth, prestige and power? Don’t seek it. Don’t want it.
For the simple reason that while they MIGHT work here, they are creating the many wonderful works in the workers of iniquity Yeshua denounces.

To add confusion to the whole thing, I reject the notion of demons or Satan having the power to overtake a person of faith and possess them. That day is over but today it is a new generation of Dark.

When I was on an LDS mission we met a man named Mike who was a very troubled soul.

Mike told my companion and I that there was a man in town who would typically sit in a bar and was able to perform great wonders and signs.

Unlike my comp I wanted to see this man so I told Mike I would go with him to the bar to see this for myself his wonders and after convincing my companion to just stand outside while I broke the rules and went into a bar without him, he reluctantly agreed.

So, we went to this bar one night and it was dimly lit inside with booths of red ersatz fabric surrounded by dark wood.

Mike said, “that’s him. In the back.”

As we walked toward him Mike said, “Hey Ron. Hey Ron,” and Ron looked up from his drink and sort of waved his fingers our direction.

Mike explained that I was a Mormon Missionary who wanted to see someone do a sign and Ron looked at me, and without breaking eye-contact, pushed his drink glass to his left hand and then extended his right hand out over the flame of the candle in the middle of the table.

He didn’t flinch. He didn’t move. He just stared at me – and his hand was over the flame for a solid six seconds.

Then he slowly removed his hand – still looking me in the eye with a gray empty gaze.

I asked to see his palm. It was marred by carbon but was otherwise unharmed. I asked if I could feel his palm and he extended it out for me to examine. No barrier. No fake skin. Just carbon that transferred to my fingers.

Having inspected he used the condensation from the drink to wet his palm so I asked, “will you do it again? Same hand?

Without a blink he put the same hand that had not been in contact with the wet glass) over the flame for another six or seven seconds – which is a long time!

Nothing but carbon.

Then he motioned us to leave – which we did. But it was NOT so much the candle trick that impressed me. It was his coal black unfeeling hollow soul. It was terrifying as there was a dearth of light love or goodness. Just nothing there.

I’ve often wondered about this man, and others who I’ve met that run with the same Dark.

There is a very off-putting spirit about them. It’s both disturbingly and sad. Its all over and present in all walks of life.

I do not believe that they have been possessed. I believe that they have embraced and choose to live in and from Dark realms.

When Aaron throws his rod down and the priest do the same, it seems that there is a nod to the serpent in Eden being consumed now by YAHAVAH.

From this chapter all the way through chapter 15:21 we will read about what things YAHAVAH does to bring deliverance to these people from Bondage.

This narrative is actually in four parts, with each blending into the next.

The first, which we have just entered into, is the confrontation with Pharaoh (chapters 6:28-11:10) which begins with Aaron’s staff becoming a serpent and
swallowing the animated staffs of the Egyptian sorcerers.

The Jews preserved the names of the chief magicians even though the Old Testament does not list them.

Paul, in 2nd Timothy 3:9, say they were called Jannes and Jambres. These were not sleight-of-hand artists but wise men who were possibly members of the priestly caste of Egypt.

After Aaron tosses his staff down we read at verse 11, which says

Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

The Hebrew seems to describe the wise men as “men of learning.”

The word “sorcerers” speaks to people who reveal or uncover things or find hidden things, and “magicians” speaks to those who can interpret esoteric writings and strange texts.

And then to the line, “They also did in like manner with their enchantments,” comes from the meaning of “to burn, to set on fire” and probably signifies the incantations that used fire, smoke, drugs all as a means to invoke departed spirits, elohiyms and demons.

So present there in Egypt to offset Moses who was representing YAHAVAH were enchanters, sorcerers, and Magicians who were able to conjure spirits.

Who does that sound like?

In the Apostolic record, 1st Corinthians 10:20; Matthew 24:24; 2nd Thessalonians 2:9-10 and Revelation 13:13-14 all speak of such things being done by then power of Satan (again, in that day) and who I believe were the religious Jews in operation that day.

Since Satan is gone according to the scripture it seems we must look beyond him to what powers the world of Dark arts today.

Again, the rod represented regal authority and implied that YAHAVAH, not Pharaoh, was sovereign through it consuming the other serpents.

In any case, this first event is then followed by nine more plagues and the announcement of the tenth; each of which strikes at the heart of Egyptian idolatry and arrogance (each one of the things that was a plague was an Egyptian God, showing that YAHAVAH is the One true and living God).

We will cover these next week.

Before we go into our text, all around the world people are celebrating the birth of Yeshua the Word of God made flesh.

This event means different things to different people depending on their faith or lack of it.

Most believers, in what I see, paradoxically rejoice in the event in what is a very twisted perspective.

For them, they celebrate His incarnation because they have received and believed on Him, making them saved but the rest of the World condemned.

This view falls so short of what He actually accomplished.

For others, the rejoicing comes to Him only saving those who believe, but in addition to this paradox, for those who believe, most also paradoxically believe that everyone must be righteous in their flesh in order to keep His love and forgiveness.

The lists of illogical views goes on and on but I want to celebrate the incarnation as the beginning of of Yeshua having the total victory over the flesh, ways and will of this world, returning all of us to a spiritual state of choice – with the saving work of Christ being enough to reconcile the world to God and leaving the option now, the free and open option, for every individual to decide this day whom they will serve, and how they will live.

This Great New recites the following to support this succinctly:

2nd Corinthian 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

God has been reconciled to you, is the Great News, now be ye reconciled to Him.

I am fully personally and resolutely (from the heart) AGAINST any sin that caused our Lord pain and resist it as it does have the capacity, even in this day of the Great News, to take people captive.

But ALL THINGS – ALL THINGS – EVERYTHING – is now between each individual and the Living God WITHOUT ANY human interventions in the name of God, any authority, andy organized religions, idols or demands.

Any.

Nobody on earth can get you into the Kingdom. No rites, allegiance, attendance, Bible study, scripture memorization, tithes, obedience’s, donations, membership, or holy living.

It’s all rags. All idols. All over, done and fulfilled.

There is no demon that can overtake you, Satan cannot get you in his grasp, nor can you sell your soul to him in a Kingdom governed by the Victorious Christ.

But YOU – and me, and all of us – are responsible for what we choose to believe, pursue and adore . . . the things of this world or YAHAVAH.

And listen – it’s one or the other. It cannot be both anymore than someone can serve both God AND mammon.

This year I am beginning to celebrate Christmas because I understand it now. The incomprehensible victory by which we have all been freed. The Good News is now Great.

Have a very Merry Great News Christmas with family, friends, neighbors and all men.

Comments/Questions

Prayer

God had announced His overall purpose for the plagues in 7:4-5. (The egyptians will know that Yahweh is God)

The second part (12:1-30) is a careful weaving together of the institution of the Passover and the actual narrative of the tenth plague.

The reason for the instruction here is
that the Passover meal is to be an annual celebration in which the momentous event of deliverance is recounted.

Notice also the foreshadowing of redemption through the shredding of blood, which in the New Testament happens when God’s firstborn sheds his blood (Col 1:15-20), as he assumes the role of the lamb and thus lives out this narrative in reverse.

Part 3 is the account of the exodus itself (12:31-14:31). Note especially how reminders of the first two parts are carefully woven into this narrative: It begins with additional Passover regulations and the law of firstborn; the actual crossing of the Red Sea involves one final confrontation with Pharaoh – and ends with the demise of his whole army.

Here also you are introduced to the grumbling motif (14:10-12; cf 5:21) that will become the main theme of the next section of narrative.

Part 4 is the celebratory song of Moses, Israel, and Miriam (15:1-21). Note that it begins as a celebration of the triumph of God the Warrior over Pharaoh and his gods (vv. 112) and concludes by anticipating the same victory in the conquest of Canaan (vv. 13-16) and Yahweh’s future settled presence on Zion (vv. 17-18; cf. Ps 68).

It may be helpful to note how often this aspect of God’s victory continued to be celebrated in Israel’s hymns (Neh 9:9-11; Ps 66:5-7; 78:12-13; 106:8-12; 114:3, 5; 136:10-15)

15:22-18:27 The Journey to Mount Sinai

The first thing you meet after Israel’s great deliverance is a series of three episodes in the desert in which the people grumble against Moses and thus test God (15:22-17:7); these episodes foreshadow many such moments throughout the rest of the story.

This is followed by their first encounter with opposition along the way (17:8-16), which also anticipates future encounters of this kind, as well as the future leadership of Joshua.

The story of Moses as he takes Jethro’s advice about shared leadership, especially for judging (ch. 18), not only prepares for the later organization of the tribes but also for many of the laws in the Book of the Covenant (21:1-23:19; e.g. 21:6, 22; 22:8-9)

19:1-24:11 The covenant at Sinai

The prelude (ch. 19) is especially significant to the narrative. Note how it begins (vv. 3-6).

Here God combines his deliverance of Israel “on eagles’ wings” (v. 4) with the call to obedience and his adoption of them as his own treasured possession (much of the language in these verses is picked up by New Testament writers with reference to the church).
RETHINK

The rest takes the form of a great theophany, with the reminder of the awful distance between the holy and living God and his people.

Note also that God speaks the Ten Commandments (the Ten words 20:1-17) directly to the people (20:18-21) – a sign of their primacy.

Here fundamental responsibilities to both God and neighbor are addressed in proper order (first vertical, then horizontial).

When the people plead for indirect communication with God, the first order of business is to repeat the injunction against idolatry (20:22-26).

The Book of the Covenant (Chs 21-23) gives specifics as to what the Ten Words mean in practice.

Note that they primarily cover various aspects of societal living – treatment of slaves/servant (standing first in order and in stark contrast to their conditions in Egypt), compensations and penalties for injuries, property law, rape, fairness in dealings with others and worship.

They conclude with a promise of divine guidance and the eventual conquest of Canaan, predicated on the people’s obedience to the covenant (23:20-33).

The covenant is ratified by Israel’s consent, the sprinkling of blood, and a theophanic meal for Israel’s elders in the presence of God (24:1-11).

24:12-31:18 Instructions regarding the Tabernacle

The reason for the many and very precise details – that the tabernacle will be the place of God’s presence among them.

This is not only is said expressly (25:8, 22; cf. Lev 16:2), but it also accounts for the order of the instructions.

The ark where Yahweh dwells between the cherubim (25:22; cf. Lev 16:2), stand in first place, followed by the table on which will sit “the bread of the Presence “ (25:30).

All the rest of the furnishings, including the bronze altar and the priests’ attire, are predicated on the primary reality that Yahweh dwells between the cherubim (25:22; cf. Lev 16:2), stands in first place, followed by the table on which will sit “the bread of the Presence” (25:30).

All the rest of the furnishings, including the bronze altar and the priests attire, are predicted on the primary reality that Yahweh has chosen to dwell here on earth in the midst of his people.

Note, for example, that the reason for the priests attire is to give him/them dignity and honor (28:2, 40).

And when you come to Leviticus, you will see that the reason for the bronze altar is for sacrifices, so that the priests may approach Yahweh on behalf of the people.

Note how this section ends with a renewal of the Sabbath commandment, which is related especially to Yahweh’s “rest” (repeated here because this is God’s gift to former slaves who worked all day, every day of the week).

Now, how does all this typify and foreshadow Christ?

Well, first of all, the tabernacle was a tent, as were the dwellings of all the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness. As such, it went through everything during the journey that the other tents did, but it was, nevertheless, God’s unique dwelling place.

So in Christ, who became a man, and dwelt among us, experiencing the adversities and temptations that we experience. Yet, “In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” ( Col 2:9).

Secondly, the details and furnishings of the tabernacle typify the various phases and aspects of Christ’s saving work on our behalf.

For example, The Bronze Altar is a type of Christ our Substitute and Sacrifice,

The Laver is a type of Christ our cleansing and regeneration,

The Candlestick is a type of Christ the Light of the World,

The Table of Shewbread is a type of Christ the Bread of Life,

The Incense Altar is a type of Christ our Intercessor and Advocate,

The Mercy Seat is a type of Christ our Propitiation.

Thirdly, even the order or arrangement of the tabernacle’s furnishings typify Christ. At one end is the Ark of the Covenant, the seat of God’s gracious presence. At the other end is the Bronze Altar which typifies the cross of Christ. Access to the throne of God is given only through Christ’s work for us on the cross.

In the Holy of Holies we are surrounded by gold and grandeur with the Shekinah fire manifesting the presence of God above the mercy seat.

Then at the other end, at the Bronze Altar we see nothing but blood, suffering, and death; the substitute that dies in the place of sinners.

The Bronze altar right beyond the entrance shows us that Christ is our substitute.

Then we proceed to the Laver which shows us that Christ cleanses us and gives us new life.

Inside the Holy Place the Table of Shewbread teaches us to feed upon Christ the Bread of Life, the Candlestick shows us that Christ is our light and guide, and Incense Altar indicates that He is our intercessor, through whom our prayers are acceptable to God.

When Christ died on the cross the veil of the temple, the separation between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, was supernaturally torn in two from top to bottom, indicating that through the atoning work of Christ sinners have access to God.

Even the materials of the tabernacle speak of Christ. The wood speaks of His humanity and the gold, His divinity.

White is purity, blue is promise /prophecy, purple is royalty, and red is blood.

There is no black in the tabernacle because it denotes sin and judgment.

32:1-34:35 Rebellion, Covenant Breaking, Covenant Renewal

While Moses is atop Sinai receiving instructions for the place of Yahweh’s dwelling among them, his brother is below, leading the people in constructing and worshiping idols (32:1-26) – although note that they are allegedly worshiping Yahweh (v. 5).

This effected the Punishment (32:27-29) is followed by Moses’ intercession for the people, thus securing God’s promise that his own Presence will accompany them and thus distinguish them from all other peoples (32:30-33:23).

This is the significance of including here the brief narratives about the Tent of Meeting (33:7-11) and the (foretaste) vision of God’s glory (33:18-23).

Breaking God’s covenant resulted in the Israelites’ separation from fellowship with Him. It did not terminate their relationship with Him, but it did hinder their fellowship with Him.

Similarly when Christians sin we do not cease to be God’s people, but our fellowship with the Lord suffers. The chart below summarizes the change of relationship.