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Category: Pentateuch Genesis-Deuteronomy

IN THE BEGINNING… Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy – Pentateuch [5 books] It’s the LAW of GOD!
Forgive us our trespasses. Jesus teaches many lessons from these books of the Bible and we have forgotten MANY of the issues and applications to our 21st century life. How can you SHARE from the beginning of the Bible with your SOCIAL ‘Friends’ and talk of Jesus as Lord? Please TITLE your post by the topic, not the verse. Include links to scriptures and helpful references. — Please post or tell us in a COMMENT how you talk of Jesus through this topic and these Old Testament scriptures.

  • A River of Redemption Flowing from Eden – The Ten Commandments

    Then all the people responded together, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.” So Moses brought the people’s words back to the Lord. – Exodus 19:8 CSB

    Everyone knows The Ten Commandments – 

    As we noted previously, commandment implies both authority and relationship. Jesus’ answer to a lawyers’ question, “Master, which is the greatest commandment?” did not mention even one of the Ten Commandments, but rather pointed toward our relationship to God.

    When someone asks you about the Ten Commandments, what is your immediate response?

    Do you know them? (It likely depends on your religious upbringing.)

    I was raised in a family which worshiped the Lord where children and youth were weekly schooled  in a primer of faith. Therefore, from my Sunday-school training I instantly regurgitated, ‘Exodus 20,’ as response of quick recall about the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20 is actually just one place the Commandments are mentioned, but let’s start there.

    How many of the Ten Commandments can you name?

    How did you do? According to a source quoting a USA Today poll, if you could name five Commandments you did better than six out of ten Americans. If you correctly named all Ten Commandments, you are one of only fourteen in one hundred Americans [14%] who could do so. Sadly, this knowledge of Scripture is even lower in many countries on other continents.

    Background and Context of the Ten Commandments

    Did you realize that the Ten Commandments appear multiple times in the Bible? Though not listed every time, the record of the Ten Words gives context to their application and emphasis to their authenticity.

    Exodus 20

    Exodus 24:3 Moses came and told the people all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. Then all the people responded with a single voice, “We will do everything that the Lord has commanded.”

    • 4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD… 7 He then took the covenant scroll and read it aloud to the people.
    • 12 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

    From the Hebrew:

    24:12  וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וֶהְיֵה־שָׁם וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ אֶת־לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן וְהַתֹּורָה וְהַמִּצְוָה כָּתַבְתִּי לְהֹורֹתָֽם׃

    Law – תּוֹרָה – Torah and Commandment – מִצְוָה – Mitzvah

    The Two Stone Tablets

    18 When he finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God.

    “…and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.”

    The word of the LORD, of His chosen nation.

    Violation of the LORD’S spoken Word!

    Exodus 32:

    7 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. 8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them…

    9 The Lord also said to Moses: “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

    11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God: “Lord, why does your anger burn against your people you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? … Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel…

    15 Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides—inscribed front and back. 

    16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God’s writing, engraved on the tablets.

    19 … Moses became enraged and threw the tablets out of his hands, smashing them at the base of the mountain.

    We will not here today dwell on Moses’ role as the hand of the Lord’s vengeful wrath. You may recall a sanitized image of the idolatry of the golden calf, but consider from scripture what took place.

    25 Moses saw that the people were out of control… 26 And Moses stood at the camp’s entrance and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.”

    … “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”

    28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about three thousand men fell dead that day among the people. 

    Did you remember this terrible refining of the camp of the Hebrews and slaughter of three thousand men?

    I didn’t, for I had not read this scripture recently.

    31 So Moses returned to the Lord… 

    33 The Lord replied to Moses: “Whoever has sinned against me I will erase from my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, my angel will go before you.

    But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin.”

    Would you have been among those slaughtered for your idolatry? Or would you be among those enduring earthly plague, never entering the promised land?

    Is it not a fearful for us to be held accountable for our sin?

    The Lord Again Writes Down The Ten Commandments

    Exodus 34:

    The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.

    4 Moses cut two stone tablets like the first ones. He got up early in the morning, and taking the two stone tablets in his hand, he climbed Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded him.

    34:5  וַיֵּרֶד יְהוָה בֶּֽעָנָן וַיִּתְיַצֵּב עִמֹּו שָׁם וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם יְהוָֽה׃

    5 The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed his name, “the Lord.” 6 The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed:

    The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, 7 maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.

    But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the fathers’ iniquity on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.

    8 Moses immediately knelt low on the ground and worshiped.

    Ten Words and More Commands

    10 And the Lord responded: “Look, I am making a covenant… 11 Observe what I command you today… 

    27 The Lord also said to Moses, “Write down these words, for I have made a covenant with you and with Israel based on these words.”

    28 Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat food or drink water. He wrote the Ten Commandments, the words of the covenant, on the tablets.

    This hearing of the Law: To be continued…

     

  • A River of Redemption Flowing from Eden – Commandment

    Master, which is the great commandment in the law? – Matthew 22:36 KJV

    Commandment

    צָוָה tsä·vä’ 

    • – to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order

    The King James Version of the Bible uses ‘Master,’ rather than teacher in this most important question. Our contemporary culture dilutes both the teaching component of leadership and the degree of its authoritarian necessity.

    A teacher, father, president or king may give a command, but obedience depends on a relationship between the master and one receiving the command.

    Commandment implies both authority and relationship.

    From before creation and man, God was and IS in charge. The Lord commanded Adam not to desire to know of good and evil; but now obedience to God requires discernment between good and evil. 

    Now command comes to man less directly through other men and women. Though implicit authority of command requires obedience, mortal men command those with whom we have relationship and assume responsibility. Ultimately, our authority relates to God, even when spoken through the command of others.

    Law and Scripture also imply the Authority of the Lord God. Obedience, however, will follow only out of our love of  God. Respect, honor and obedience to a ‘commander’ of mortals ultimately reflects their relationship with Almighty God.

    Although we will not examine it here, the Authority of God the Holy Spirit also commands those who accept the Lord as our loving Master.

    “Which is the greatest commandment…?”

    Christ Jesus answers quoting the law of Moses, who was given authority by God Almighty

    Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. – Deuteronomy 6:5

    Command: Love the Lord your God. What an appropriate answer for all of us. So simple.

    Jesus answers our question about obedience at the most personal level. Not a specific detail of law, but a relationship with God as our Lord. 

    Moses states God’s commandment reminding faithful servants to love THE EXISTING ONE, THE LORD.

    Returning to the LORD יְהֹוָה

    DEUTERONOMY 30:

    “When all these things happen to you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you come to your senses…

    Look back before the Law and you will discover that command was simple, specific, relational and purposeful. The LORD is our Maker and our Master.

    Yet Moses reminds the Lord’s followers:

    11 “This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach.

    12 It is not in heaven so that you have to ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ 13 And it is not across the sea so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’

    14 But the message is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may follow it.

    The Relationship of Command to Obedience

    The Father-Son relationship provides a good illustration of the loving advocacy for the commanded son. The Hebrew followers of Moses viewed him as a father like Abraham, with the authority of God the Father.

    ‘Obey me: to be blessed, or safe, or that you (my children) might prosper.’

    Moses continues: 15 See, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity.

    16 For I am commanding you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and multiply, and the Lord your God may bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

    17 But if your heart turns away and you do not listen and you are led astray to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I tell you today that you will certainly perish and will not live long in the land you are entering to possess across the Jordan.

    19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.

    Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20 love the Lord your God, obey Him, and remain faithful to Him.

    For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land the Lord swore to give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

    The Command of the LORD includes Commandments of the Law

    Moses had led the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt. Many credit him for saving Israel, but the Nations witnessed that their Savior IS the LORD.

    God gave this new nation a Commandment and Law through Moses. The LORD gave rules and regulations to be judged and administered by leaders; initially Moses, Aaron and God’s anointed elders. 

    Next, we will briefly examine the Commandments and the Law of Moses. 

    To be continued…

     

  • Disaster From Disobedience, A Savior From Before Eden – 8

    A Savior From Before Eden

    I introduced this series about a savior, Christ Jesus, who had confirmed to the religious authorities: “Before Abraham was, I AM!” Our evidence in Disaster From Disobedience, A Savior From Before Eden – 1  points back toward Jesus, our personal savior, who was here before the first adam. 

    We then examined Adam’s relationship with God both before and after original sin. Disobedience and consequence of sin follows. Brief glances at scripture will confirm man’s disobedience to the Lord God. Just from part 1 of our series scriptures about disobedience include: Exodus, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and the Gospels of Luke and John.

    Scripture – Reading, Study & Application

    We have spent nearly a month [June 2018] just scratching the surface of man’s disobedience to God. Although I have touched on topics preceding the narrative of Genesis, we have much more to consider.

    Our most recent look at Noah brings us only to Genesis 9, on page 15 of 1804 in my HCSB. I could easily envision a ‘Disaster from Disobedience – 30,’ but this is neither a novel nor exhaustive commentary. Today our brief attention spans require both an end to this series and connection to the next. 

    I trust the Lord will lead you deeper into scripture, revealing personal application of good and evil. I encourage you to study books of the New and Old Testaments in depth. To remain obedient to the Lord, we must apply the truth of scripture to our daily lives. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

    These serial scriptural posts designed to incite specific study contain frequent links to Bible verses and study. Take a look as you read.

    Before Israel, Before Abraham and After Noah

    Moses’ five books do not and cannot explain everything. Yet in addition to creation, good and evil, sin, law and some subsequent history, parts of the Pentateuch  provide God-given foundation to scripture’s purposeful truth. I would point you to a handful of concepts not to be missed in these scriptures.

    Noah demonstrates one principle on dry land related to knowing good and evil, after the Lord’s cleansing and recreation of mankind. Although related to worship by Abel and Cain, this principle of good remains more important than any historical detail of the flood.

    The rainbow becomes symbol of the Lord’s agreement. Sacrifice by Noah to the Lord is man’s continuing evidence of faithfulness, gratitude and obedience. Worship of the Lord always requires sacrifice. And right relationship with the Lord becomes a most-personal committed relationship.

    The principle of this solemn agreement is known as covenant.

    Covenant, consequential promise to inviolable truth.

    We cannot study it in any detail here, but covenant always connects a sacrifice to an action with a sealed approval. 

    There is no good without God and no disobedience without disbelief.

    Therefore, inviolable truth always relates both to the Lord and our relationship to others of mankind.

    Truth has no foundation without God and human life no purpose without relationship to both our loving Creator and our fellow man.

    Israel, Abraham, Joseph and other Jews

    One concept important to our understanding of the Lord and promise involves the who, what, where and why of God’s chosen. It is a promised land, you  are a chosen people. Again, concepts too important to slight, yet this series’ focus is on broken promises, followed by inclusion of others in the Lord’s redemptive plan.

    (You can learn much more about God’s redemptive plan by study of adoption;  an inclusive personal demonstration of God’s love we will not explore here.)

    Moses explains nations and outlines their genealogies. Israel had been redeemed by the Lord from Egypt, where Joseph became powerful in the land. Understand that Joseph’s father Jacob holds promise of the Lord’s inheritance for his twelve sons. 

    Genesis 28:

    Isaac summoned Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him: “Don’t take a wife from the Canaanite women… 

    3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you so that you become an assembly of peoples. 4 May God give you and your offspring the blessing of Abraham so that you may possess the land where you live as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.”

    Doesn’t this blessing sound somewhat familiar, like the Lord’s command to Adam and also to Noah?

    ‘Be fruitful and multiply…”

    But Jacob is a liar and a deceiver. For he has purchased the blessing of the firstborn, Esau, who had no regard for the Lord. Now Jacob fears the fate of Abel, murdered at the hands of his brother.

    Although the Lord will drive his descendants into Egypt from the promised land, Jacob will receive an inheritance. 

    10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. 11 He reached a certain place and spent the night there because the sun had set. He took one of the stones from the place, put it there at his head, and lay down in that place…

    “I am Yahweh, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land that you are now sleeping on. 14 Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

    There it is: God’s promise, as Jacob flees this ‘promised land,‘ an oft-repeated scenario in Israel’s history.

    Does it seem a familiar story, a middle-east refugee fleeing danger in one land and living as an alien in another?

    Israel’s Serial Soap Opera

    So Jacob’s story gains in complexity (once again, not examined here) and the drama continues. He has four wives (not recommended) and twelve sons. (Daughters receive no inheritance and seldom receive mentions in these genealogies).

    Many years pass and a married Jacob with children hears of and fears Esau’s approach. Once again Jacob hears from the Lord. In fact, he wrestles with the Lord (a most personal encounter).

    Genesis 32:

    Here is first mention of “Israel,” because the LORD makes Israel Jacob’s new name.

    27 “What is your name?” the man asked.

    “Jacob,” he replied.

    32:28 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עֹוד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּֽי־שָׂרִיתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָֽל׃

    28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” He said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.”

    29 Then Jacob asked Him, “Please tell me Your name.”

    But He answered, “Why do you ask My name?” And He blessed him there.

    Before Israel, God Prevails

    Jesus the Messiah proclaimed, “before Abraham was, I AM!” His reference means more than genealogy, place, Law, leadership or religion, per se. 

    Israel’s father was Isaac,  יִצְחָק Yitschaq (laughter), given by the Lord when a childless old couple doubted any possibility of fulfillment of a promise in their old age.  In fact, controversy yet remains about the first born of Abraham and Hagar, the Egyptian. 

    The continuing drama of Genesis 17 could warrant much more study; but let us concede the meaning of Israel’s name. God prevails. Yes, God prevails even when life drives us in a direction away from God’s promises.

    The Lord’s covenant though Abraham is confirmed:

    18 So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable to You!”

    19 But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his future offspring.

    Before Abraham, many descendants of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth chose between good and evil as they populated God’s creation. And we will see in our next series a continuing theme of disobedience to God by Israel’s descendants as well.

    Why would the Lord choose Israel as a people led by Him? Remember Jacob’s new name means, God prevails.

    Joseph and Israel’s Eleven Other Sons

    We have not yet spoken of the Law of Moses and its defining choices of good and evil. The sojourn of Israel into Egypt and back is yet another story and illustration that God prevails. 

    If you have never noticed a connection between Genesis and Exodus, you may want to focus on Joseph. We tend to see Israel (Jacob) and then Moses and later David as most important to Israel’s history. Yet we often overlook the role and connection of Israel’s preeminent son, Joseph.

    A continuing theme of man since Adam has been disobedience, a theme which we will continue. Moses will give us God’s Law and Joseph will demonstrate God’s goodness. 

    May the Lord walk with you in the wilderness of your heart.

    To be continued in our next series, God willing…

     

     

     

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