Category: Bible Trekking

The Tent of Meeting

February 8, 2020

A mobile sanctuary is discussed in Exodus 25.  Not like the converted mobile homes that are used in some mission areas in this country.  This is a tent like their living conditions.  God gave specific directions on materials and how to build it.  He is very detailed in the design.

He also gives instructions for the construction of the Ark of the Covenant.  He tells Moses to put the tablets in it.  This is the Ark that the Mana must be placed in.  It is to be carried by poles and not touched by any but the chief priest who will succeed Aaron.

Exodus 26 continues the description of how the tabernacle is to be built.  Why is it important for the Israelites to build this to God’s specifications?  This is an attempt to show them how to be obedient.  If they had non-specific instructions, the design would have been a source of argument as it is in many churches today.

Human beings tend to want to do things their own way.  God left no chance for discussion of design.  Moses had been shown how to do it.  Jehovah was allowing no chance for disagreement.

We are still going through the instructions in Exodus 27 for the Tent of Meeting and all its utensils, garments and necessary items.  As we read this chapter, consider all the items of worship that God instructed Moses to create.  Why was this required?

One option is to have something to represent God and His presence.  Other gods had temples.  God knew that it would be years before they entered the promised land even though the spies had not yet gone in.  Once in the land, it would take many years for the people to get settled and decide they needed a place to worship Jehovah.  This Tabernacle was to serve until a permanent temple could be constructed. Unbeknown to the people this structure would be used in the wilderness for forty years.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Civilized society

February 6, 2020

We continue with statutes that are to be observed upon arriving in the Promised Land in Exodus 22.  Each person is expected to obey these laws to create a civilized society.  Basic court procedure is established in this law as well as guidelines dealing with negligence and loss of property and accidental death.

Rape and rights of women, what few they had at this time, are also dealt with.  Sorcery is condemned as are all other types of worship of other gods.  Another area that is dealt with is general hygiene and food preparation.  These rules were for safety even before the FDA, USDA and OSHA.

The statement of the law continues in Exodus 23.  Much of these instructions are common sense and we wonder why God felt it necessary to tell people not to follow the crowd and pervert justice in that way.  Shouldn’t everyone know that if you see livestock that has wandered away from the owner, it should be returned to them?  Is bribery something that we don’t know is wrong?

The Sabbath day and the Sabbath year is also a procedure that should have been learned by every farmer.  As a child, I remember reading that agricultural specialist George Washington Carver teaching crop rotation in the late 1880’s.  Why aren’t these things passed down and continued with each generation?

Every new generation wants to rebel from the old-fashioned ideas.  They also want to come up with something new that they can claim.  These selfish reasons seem to be the answer for many of our mistakes.

God even promises at the end of this chapter to send an angel to drive the other nations from the Promised Land.  He tells them that it will not be all at once.  He warns them that they will be led astray if they do not kill them and remove them completely from the land as He has instructed.  As usual, they will not listen

In Exodus 24 Moses is the only one that is to get close to Jehovah on the mount.  An altar is built, sacrifices travel up to God, and promises are made by the Israelites.  Certain of the elders could come to a certain point and view Yahweh from a distance.  Moses continued with God for over a month.  This was a problem for the people as we will see tomorrow.

When we complain

February 4, 2020

A month after leaving Egypt and all the miracles that Jehovah used to rescue the Israelites, they are complaining again about their situation in Exodus 16.

God chooses to provide manna and quail for them. The quail fly into camp in the evening and manna is on the ground the next morning. Manna is roughly translated from the Hebrew as “What is it?” It, literally, was unknown to the people. This is another miracle. It is also placed in the Arc of the Covenant after it is built.

Exodus 17 begins with a statement that the Israelites traveled at the discretion of Yahweh.  Despite His direction they still complained about occasional discomforts.  They do not fully trust in His provision.  At His instruction, Moses struck a rock and water flowed from it.

Joshua led the fighting forces as they faced the Amalekites and defeated them.  The staff of God was the symbol of His fighting for the Jews.  A scroll is written to remind Joshua to continue this battle until Amalek is completely wiped off the face of the earth.  Their sin will not be forgiven.  Individuals may survive, not the nation.

Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law is brought back into the picture in Exodus 18.  We are again told that he is from Midian and is a priest.  The stories that Moses told his Father-in-Law, made him acknowledge how great the God of Israel was.  Even outsiders seemed to believe in God more than the Jews.

He also helped Moses streamline the way that disputes and questions were handled.  A hierarchy was established with only the most difficult situations being brought to God through His servant Moses.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

The long road home

February 4, 2020

The dedication of the firstborn to God is directly related to the Passover because they were saved by the blood of the lamb. As we read Exodus 13, think about this. Handing down the tradition for this festival to future generations is given as a reason.

Moses takes the bones of Joseph with them as they return to the land of Canaan. The presence of Jehovah is always with them in a cloud or fire.

Moses and the people were led a long way around because they might want to return to Egypt if they had to fight too soon. Before they must fight, God will show what He can do.

In chapter fourteen of Exodus, it appears that Yahweh wants to prove to both the Egyptians and the Israelites that He is the one in control. The cloud and fire directed the Jews to camp by the sea. God put in Pharaoh’s mind to follow.

He also delayed the Egyptians while all these people walked across on dry ground. Verse twenty-five tells that the chariots were bogged down in the mud. Mud for the pursuers and solid ground for the pursued.

This is another miracle that takes both nations by surprise. History records a period where Egypt was a feared world power, but without explanation falls to a second-class country in military might.

Most Biblical scholars attribute this lapse of strength to the loss of troops in the sea. The Jewish confidence in Jehovah will be short-lived.

Exodus chapter 15 is a song about the great things God did for the Israelites. Song lyrics help us remember many thoughts. It is too bad this did not work for them.

Verse 3 says The Lord is His name. This is the word Jehovah or Yahweh. It literally means “I am that I am.” We could elaborate to say that it means “I exist, and I have always existed.”

One last story in this chapter talks about a water shortage and God providing a way to make bad water good. Will the Jews respect this proof of His power? When has God shown His power to us and we forget it almost immediately?

The plagues begin

February 2, 2020

Locusts come in the tenth chapter. The officials of Egypt try to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites. He wants the men to go alone. That will not do because they have no intention of returning.

Three days of darkness is next and following it the Jews can go worship God if they leave the cattle and sheep behind. They refuse and Pharaoh promises to kill Moses and Aaron if they ever come to him again. The tenth and final plague will come next.

The tenth plague is discussed in Exodus 11. The firstborn of all humans and animals will die after midnight. The Jews will not be affected. The Egyptians are giving jewels and gold to them. This will be the plague that puts fear into the hearts of all nations. The rest of the plan tomorrow.

Exodus 12 tells us how this event of the Passover changes everything for the Israelites. The calendar is changed. Each family will sacrifice a perfect lamb. This is a prophecy about the life and death of Christ. The ceremony established now is followed by Jesus and His followers.

The blood and unleavened bread are used in the last supper. The meaning of these symbols is very important. Pharaoh sends for Moses and Aaron and throws all the Jews out of the country. The plot thickens.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Failure may be God called

February 2, 2020

God does something unusual in chapter seven of the story of the Israelites exit from Egypt. He compares Moses to himself and Aaron is his prophet.

Moses may have been the first of those who are called by Jehovah to experience failure for a time. He won’t be the last. Do you have experience with failure in a circumstance that God directed you in? Or was it your own idea and that is why it failed? Sometimes we are not certain of the real reason for failure.

What happened to the leprous hand? Moses skips it and goes straight to the water into blood trick. Next, comes my favorite plague. The frogs invade the land.

Exodus 8 is not the origin of the saying, “If you want a Prince, you have to kiss a few frogs.” Princes were few but frogs were in their beds, ovens and literally everywhere.  There were so many they couldn’t clean all the frog legs.  The magicians duplicated the miracle.

This second plague was the first time the King said he would release the Jews to worship if the frogs were destroyed.  After the crisis ended, he changed his mind.  That led to the gnats.  The magicians could not duplicate all the dust becoming gnats.  Maybe because there was no more dust.

Pharaoh still did not relent.  The next plague was flies.  They were in the houses, the palace and everywhere.  The King wanted them to sacrifice in Egypt.  Moses held out for traveling for three days.  To get rid of the flies the agreement was made and once again canceled after the plague ended.

Three more plagues in Exodus 9. Livestock died, festering boils appeared on people and animals and hail fell and destroyed crops, animals, and people. We find that the Israelites are not harmed by these plagues. Moses even gave a warning to those who would listen before the hailstorm.

Why does Pharaoh tell Moses he will release them and change his mind each time? It will take ten tragedies before he lets them go.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet

February 2, 2020

As is common when someone tries to help others, the strategy backfires. Chapter 5 of Exodus presents Pharaoh making the lives of the Israelites harder because of Moses and Aaron. The people reject them as leaders and question their calling. This is a problem that many of God’s servants experience.

Yahweh’s plan is even questioned by Moses. Again, this is not unusual for the called. We often do not understand why circumstances worsen when we are being obedient. This often causes Christians to quit. Has this ever happened to you?

Exodus 6 has Jehovah telling Moses to watch what He will do to Pharaoh. The plan is not developing the way any of the Jews expected. There is a method in this scheme. Power will be demonstrated, and the gods of Egypt will not be able to stand against Him.

The called once again tries to provide an excuse for expected failure. This is all part of what is predicted. Nothing surprises God. What unexpected twists has He given you in your efforts to follow Him?

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

We begin the leaving

January 30, 2020

EPSON MFP image

1st Chronicles 1 does not follow the normal structure of the Bible. It does revisit the genealogy we read earlier in Genesis. Some points of interest:

Egypt and Canaan are two of Ham’s sons and became great nations. The nations that descended from them were constant foes of the Israelites.

Verse 19 refers to the time the earth was divided. Scientists believe that our seven continents were connected at one time. Today they are not. This could be a reference to that event.

The Israelites come from Shem. Descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s other sons, and Esau have a common history but become enemies.

1st & 2nd Chronicles repeat, and supplement history given in other Bible books. We will read those in conjunction with the other books.

Today we begin with chapter one of Exodus. A new pharaoh is in power in Egypt. The Israelites are prospering, and it intimidates the rulers as their numbers increase. They are made slaves to try to control them.

The next step is to start a genocide against them. The midwives are instructed to murder all the Hebrew boy babies. They report that they cannot because the babies come before they arrive. The chapter ends with a death sentence being announced on every male child.

Exodus chapter two begins with Moses’ parents. They are descendants of Levi. He is hidden to save his life. After six months he is transferred to a floating basket. He is adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh.

The young man steps in to aid a fellow Israelite and kills an Egyptian master. Contrary to what he expected, this does not gain approval. When he realizes he is marked for execution he escapes to Midian.

Moses defends the seven daughters of a Midianite priest. He is invited to their home and is given one of them in marriage. The chapter ends with Israel crying out to God.

A bush burning in the wilderness near Horeb is not unusual. We are told that the heat will cause the dry brush to burst into flames. In Exodus chapter three, Moses encounters one. For some reason, it does not burn up quickly. This bush needs to be investigated.

God stops him and has him remove his sandals. What does He mean by the ground being holy?

We usually focus on Moses’ hesitation. Let’s consider the name that he is given for his God. What did I am that I am mean? Two transliterations are normally given for the Hebrew phrase. Yahweh or Jehovah is the two spellings used. Which do you prefer?

In Exodus 4 God gives Moses three signs to show Pharaoh to prove he has been sent by the God of the Hebrews. Why did He go to the trouble to, provide these three signs, when He knew it would take the ten plagues to finally allow the Israelites to leave Egypt?

Another interesting question. Why would God choose a man and then threaten to kill him because he had not circumcised his son? God could have led Moses to take care of this before they left on the journey.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Blessings for the twelve sons of Israel

January 30, 2020

JACOB BLESSING HIS SONS

The blessings of Israel on Joseph’s sons are given in Genesis 48.  Manasseh and Ephraim are brought to their Grandfather to be blessed and he crosses his arms to give the blessing for the elder to the younger as he tricked his Father into doing with, he and Esau.  Jacob tells his son that any more children born to him will be counted as the sons of these two boys who become his own sons instead of their Father.  This increases the Israelite tribes to thirteen.  We will see the reason for this in Exodus.

The promises of God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are passed to the next generations.  The land of Canaan is not all that is included.  Many nations will come from this line, including these two youngsters.

The blessings that Jacob gives to his sons are in chapter forty-nine of Genesis. Reuben, the oldest is strong, but will not excel. Levi and Simeon are violent and will be scattered throughout Israel. Judah will be a ruler. This is the clan that produces David and his heirs.

Zebulun will live by the sea. Issachar will submit to forced labor. Dan will provide justice. Gad will be attacked and defend himself. Asher will feed a King. Naphtali will have beautiful children.

God’s blessings will fall on Joseph. Benjamin is described as a wolf.

Just before Israel dies, he requests his sons to return him to Canaan and bury him where Abraham and Sarah are buried. He will not be the last to rest there.

We have reached the end of the first book of the Bible. The fiftieth chapter of Genesis sets the scene for Moses’ second book, Exodus.

Israel’s death brings up the problem of revenge by Joseph against his ten brothers.   After the burial of their father, the brothers believe their lives are in danger. They beg Joseph to spare their lives and make them his slaves. The second highest ruler in Egypt informs them that God planned this for good despite their evil intentions.

Joseph requested that his remains be taken to Canaan when the Israelites return home.  We leave The Beginnings to go to The Exit in two days.

Tomorrow we make a detour, to be chronological. Be ready for some riveting reading.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Joseph and Israel

January 28, 2020

Joseph Kisses JacobJoseph stops at the beginning of Genesis 46 to sacrifice to the Lord.  Once again, the covenant with Abraham’s family is confirmed.  A promise is made to bring them from Egypt after their number has increased greatly.  Here is a reason Jehovah wanted the Israelites in Egypt.  They arrive in Goshen and Joseph greets his Father once more.

The Israelites represent themselves as shepherds to be allowed to live in the area that is one of the most fertile.  Pharaoh gives them the area they want.

The introduction of Jacob and five of his sons to Pharaoh is told in chapter forty-seven.   As planned before, they represented themselves as shepherds.  The best land in Goshen was set aside for them.

Working for his employer as he always has, he proceeds to secure all the money, property and people for the King of Egypt.  Even after the famine years, a fifth of all crops is paid to the Pharaoh.

Jacob makes Joseph promise to bury him in Canaan, not Egypt when he dies.  Tomorrow the blessings from Jacob.