Chosen People. As Exodus opens the Hebrews are in Egypt as slaves building temples for Egyptians to their gods. Foreign gods. The chosen people are trying to remain faithful and they are surviving but they long to return to theie home and their God; to have the freedom of religion. They are doing well enough, in fact, the Pharoah considers them a threat and orders the first born killed. Moses' mother and sister save him by hiding him in a basket in the bulrushes. He is found by none other than the Pharoah's daughter. Think of yourself as a young girl finding a newborn in a creek. Who would not fall in love with the baby, irregardless of Pharoah's decree.
In Exodus, as Moses grows up we hear him say, "I am a stranger in a strange land." He seems to know of his mission early, afterall he is one of the few or only first born sons to survive. After many signs from God- the 10 plagues-, the Pharoah finally agrees to let Moses lead his people out. God knew their journey would be frightening and they would want to turn back so rather than send them through Philistine land he lead them across the Sea of Reeds 'that they knew they could not turn back.
Once they are in the desert, they begin to experience hardships and complain to Moses that they should not have left the comfort of their homes in Egypt. Moses seems to understand that to lead them effectively he must unite them and I see the beginnings of the Hebrews re-establishing themselves as a society with laws, religious ritual, property laws and other rules for living together well. Having one God and one set of laws will bring them together and keep them united. They had already experienced having multiple gods.
Their religious law-making begins at Chapter 23 Verse 10 and continues through Chapter 31 Verse 18. Laws about a tent dwelling as a sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant, the priests' dress, even down to the recipes for incense and anointing oil are adddressed.
When in Chapter 32 Moses goes to the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments the "stiff-necked" people get into more trouble and begin worshipping golden calves and the like. God is described as tired of their sinful natures and that Moses has to intervene on their behalf. I see this as first hint of Jesus mission. Moses begs the Lord to forgive his people.
Then the covenant is renewed and the rest of Exodus is about that renewal of the Tablets, the Altars, the Sabbath Laws, and how it serves to unify them for battle and amongst themselves socially.
History & Notes:
Moses is of the house(there are twelve tribes) of Levi. (Leviticus - the Levites became the priestly class. They do not own land and live instead from the donations of/offerings from the people. Their mission of unification of the people is necessary for the survival of the tribes' trek across the desert for 40 years.)
The Red Sea is the Sea of Reeds?? I wonder about the miracle of the sea swallowing the Egyptians in pursuit of the escaping Hebrews. Could there have been a natural explanation? Tides??? Monsoons??
The map on p 72 in my Bible shows the route they took.(The New American Bible - St Joseph Edition)
The night the chosen people leave Egypt they do so with little notice and hence the Passover is remembering this night when they wrapped their unleavened bread(unsalted or without yeast? Salt stops yeast from over-expanding and adds flavor - in Tuscany, bread is still made without salt) and fled Egypt. Imagine leaving a place where you had been for 430 years and going to the desert with very few belongings or foods. Passover marks the night the Lord kept vigil for his people and thus their Passovers since have been feasts of vigilance. We still feel this vigilance theme in many of our Christian holidays.
Read aloud Chapter 40 Verses 34-38 about God's presence in the dwelling. This is also a way Moses has to guide the people and see that they travel at safe times. The mention of dust storms. Fires in the tent would have been clear signal to gather up and move. Descriptions about how to offer sacrifice also very detailed and to the purpose of getting the people's attention.
In Exodus, as Moses grows up we hear him say, "I am a stranger in a strange land." He seems to know of his mission early, afterall he is one of the few or only first born sons to survive. After many signs from God- the 10 plagues-, the Pharoah finally agrees to let Moses lead his people out. God knew their journey would be frightening and they would want to turn back so rather than send them through Philistine land he lead them across the Sea of Reeds 'that they knew they could not turn back.
Once they are in the desert, they begin to experience hardships and complain to Moses that they should not have left the comfort of their homes in Egypt. Moses seems to understand that to lead them effectively he must unite them and I see the beginnings of the Hebrews re-establishing themselves as a society with laws, religious ritual, property laws and other rules for living together well. Having one God and one set of laws will bring them together and keep them united. They had already experienced having multiple gods.
Their religious law-making begins at Chapter 23 Verse 10 and continues through Chapter 31 Verse 18. Laws about a tent dwelling as a sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant, the priests' dress, even down to the recipes for incense and anointing oil are adddressed.
When in Chapter 32 Moses goes to the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments the "stiff-necked" people get into more trouble and begin worshipping golden calves and the like. God is described as tired of their sinful natures and that Moses has to intervene on their behalf. I see this as first hint of Jesus mission. Moses begs the Lord to forgive his people.
Then the covenant is renewed and the rest of Exodus is about that renewal of the Tablets, the Altars, the Sabbath Laws, and how it serves to unify them for battle and amongst themselves socially.
History & Notes:
Moses is of the house(there are twelve tribes) of Levi. (Leviticus - the Levites became the priestly class. They do not own land and live instead from the donations of/offerings from the people. Their mission of unification of the people is necessary for the survival of the tribes' trek across the desert for 40 years.)
The Red Sea is the Sea of Reeds?? I wonder about the miracle of the sea swallowing the Egyptians in pursuit of the escaping Hebrews. Could there have been a natural explanation? Tides??? Monsoons??
The map on p 72 in my Bible shows the route they took.(The New American Bible - St Joseph Edition)
The night the chosen people leave Egypt they do so with little notice and hence the Passover is remembering this night when they wrapped their unleavened bread(unsalted or without yeast? Salt stops yeast from over-expanding and adds flavor - in Tuscany, bread is still made without salt) and fled Egypt. Imagine leaving a place where you had been for 430 years and going to the desert with very few belongings or foods. Passover marks the night the Lord kept vigil for his people and thus their Passovers since have been feasts of vigilance. We still feel this vigilance theme in many of our Christian holidays.
Read aloud Chapter 40 Verses 34-38 about God's presence in the dwelling. This is also a way Moses has to guide the people and see that they travel at safe times. The mention of dust storms. Fires in the tent would have been clear signal to gather up and move. Descriptions about how to offer sacrifice also very detailed and to the purpose of getting the people's attention.
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