Exodus 27-28

Exodus 27-28

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned): 

Chapter 27: Altar of Burnt Offerings   

    

                The tabernacle of the Lord (the Temple) contains an altar for burnt offerings. The Temple also has a court, surrounded by pillars, which has a light to burn always.

Chapter 28: Garments/Urim and Thummim

                Aaron and his sons are consecrated and anointed to be ministers in the priest's office. The garments that Aaron wears includes; a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a coat, a mitre and a girdle. The Breastplate contains twelve precious stones, with the names of the tribes of Israel on them. The Urim and Thummim is to be carried in the breastplate.

Exodus 25-26

Exodus 25-26

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 25: Israel is Commanded to Build a Temple  

      

                The Lord speaks with Moses and tells him that the people of Israel need to donate property so that they can build a temple to the Lord.

                What is to be donated:

•          Gold
•          Silver
•          Brass
•          Blue, Purple, and Scarlet Linen
•          Goats Hair
•          Dried, and dyed red Ram's skin
•          Badgers Skins
•          Shittim Wood
•          Oil
•          Spices
•          Onyx Stones

                Israel is commanded to build the Ark of the Covenant: which is a chest of Aracia and Shittim Wood, overlayed with Gold. It is 2.5 cubits long and 1.5 cubits broad. This chest is also referred to as the "Ark of Jehovah".

                They are to build a room in the temple that has the mercy seat and cheribums. A table for the shewbread, and the candlestick according to what Moses was commanded.

Chapter 26: Temple Veil

                In the Tabernacle there is to be a veil with ten curtains of blue and purple, that have loops. These curtains have "taches" or marks on them and are to separate the holy place from the most holy place. The Ark of the Testimony is to be placed in the most holy place.

                What is really interesting to me is that Modern LDS temples have what the scriptures of old talked about. God has always called prophets and commanded them to build temples. That to me is a living testimony that the LDS church is indeed the same church that was lost in ancient times and restored today for our benefit and before the ushering in of the second coming.

For more information on Temples; I direct you to the official church website: http://mormon.org/faq/#Temples

Later down the road I will do a special on Temples, but for now I will only talk about them as they come up in my daily reading, which will be a lot!

Exodus 23-24

Exodus 23-24

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 23: Law of Moses

·         Thou shalt not raise a false report.

·         Do not follow a crowd of evil. - Just because everyone is doing it, doesn't mean it is ok.

·         Do not pervert justice.

·         6 years you can work the land and have crops, but the seventh year is a year for the land to rest.

·         Six days to work and 1 day to rest per week.

·         Thou shalt keep the passover.

·         Israel is required to keep 3 feast per year to the Lord.

·         An angel of the Lord will be set before the Israelites to guide them and to show them the way.

·         The Nations of Canaan will be slowly driven out as long as Israel does not worship or make covenants with their Gods.

Chapter 24: Israel Accepts the Word of God

                Israel accepts the word of God, and accepts the covenant. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the 70 Elders of Israel see God. The Lord calls Moses to come up Mount Sinai to receive two tables of stone with all the commandments written on them. The top of the mountain is covered with clouds for six days.

Exodus 21-22

Exodus 21-22

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Exodus Chapters 21 and 22 cover a lot of the Law of Moses. I have made a quick outline of what you can find in these two chapters.

Chapter 21: Law of Moses

                The Lord reveals his laws for, as part of the Law of Moses:

Servants:

·         If you buy a Hebrew servant, he will work for 6 years and on the 7th year he shall go free.

·         If he came by himself or with a wife, both shall go free.

·         If the master gave the servant a wife, then the servant shall go free. But the wife and any children born belong to the master.

·         If a servant is given a wife by the master and chooses to be with the wife, then he becomes property of the master for life.

·         If a servant is assaulted and has his eye damaged then he can be set free.

Plural Marriage:

·         If a daughter is sold as a maidservant she shall not go out and be free as the servant.

·         If a man take another wife, then his duty to both wives (to feed, clothe, shelter, etc) remains.

Death Penalty:

·         If a man kills, then he shall be killed.

·         If a man steals (kidnaps) or enslaves man, he shall be put to death.

·         If a man causes the "fruit to depart from her" killing a baby in a pregnant woman, then the husband can do with the man as he pleases, and the judges will decide how much he pays.

Eye for an Eye: 

·         Life for Life

·         Eye for Eye

·         Tooth for Tooth

·         Hand for Hand

·         Foot for Foot

·         Wound for Wound

·         Stripe for Stripe

Chapter 22: Law of Moses

·         If a man steal an ox or a sheep and kill or sell it. He shall restore 5 oxen for an ox and 4 sheep for a sheep.

·         If a thief is breaking in and is killed, the one who killed him will not be killed.

·         If a thief is unable to make restitution he will be sold.

·         If a thief is caught with an ox or sheep alive, he will restore to the owner double.

·         If a man eats from a field that is not his, he shall make restitution.

·         If a man causes a fire that burnt down a field he shall make restitution.

·         Anything stolen, once caught the thief must pay the owner double.

·         A witch shall not live, but shall be killed.

·         Anyone who lies with an animal shall be killed.

·         Anyone who sacrifices unto another God, other than the Lord shall be destroyed.

·         Thou shalt not oppress a stranger.

·         Thou shalt not afflict any widow or fatherless child.

o   Anyone who afflicts a widow or a fatherless child and that widow or child cries unto the Lord. The Lord will visit the person who afflicted and make widows and make them fatherless.

·         If you lend money, you cannot be a usurer.

Exodus 19-20

Exodus 19-20

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 19: Israel; A Chosen People

                Israel travels from the wilderness of Sinai and then from Rephidim to the desert of Sinai, where they pitched their tents. This being 3 months from the time that the Lord delivered them from the land of Egypt.

                Moses goes up to God on the mountain and the Lord tells Moses that if the children of Israel obey and keep their covenants, that God will make them a "peculiar" people, and a "treasure" above all people, a holy nation.

                The Lord appears on mount Sinai amongst fire and earthquakes. Moses and Aaron go unto God, but the rest of them people are not able to go and see God.    

Chapter 20: 10 Commandments

Moses speaks to God on the top of the Mount Sinai. Here he gives Moses the 10 Commandments.

The Ten Commandments:

1. Thou shalt hve no other gods before me. - Worship God and no other person or thing.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any lieness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. - You should not bow down/serve them, for God is a jealous God. Showing destrcution to those who hate him and mercy unto those who love him.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain - don't say God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, etc. Unless you are speaking of them. Do not use them as cuss words.

4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. - Sunday is to be observed to serve others,  read the scriptures, attend church and rest. You should avoid working on Sundays if you can, and should always avoid making others work on Sunday, by shopping.

5. Honour thy father and thy mother - Respect your elders!

6. Thou shalt not kill

7: Thou shalt not commit adultery. - Law of Chastity: No sexual relationships outside of the bonds of marriage.

8: Thou shalt not steal

9: Thou shalt not bare false witness. - Do not lie.

10: Thou shalt no covet. - Do not be jealous of what others have.

Exodus 16-18

Exodus 16-18

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 16: Israel Wants Bread!

                Israel takes their journey from Elim, and came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the second month on the 15th day after leaving Egypt.

                The children of Israel cry out to Moses and Aaron and complain of hunger, stating that if they were back in the land of Egypt, at least they would be eating. They accuse Moses of leading Israel into the wilderness to kill them all of hunger.

                The Lord speaks unto Moses and tells him that he will cause bread to rain from the heavens. That when the children of Israel see this, they will no longer murmur and know that God is all powerful. Moses has Aaron explain to the children of Israel that they Lord has heard their murmurings/complaints and he has answered them. At this same point the entire congregation of Israel looks to towards the wilderness and behold the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud. The Lord then spoke to Moses; "I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, at even ye shall eat flesh and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God" (Exodus 16:12)

                Quails appeared in the camp and in the morning, after the morning dew was gone, the children of Israel find small "round things", they call this "manna". Moses tells them that this "manna" is what the Lord told them would be the bread from heaven. Moses commands them to collect as much bread/manna as they would eat according to each person, but they are lazy and do not collect enough for the day. Because of this it collects worms and stinks. After that they gathered it every morning before the sun came out, otherwise it would melt.

                On the sixth day of the week, Moses commands Israel to gather enough to make two days worth of bread, because on the seventh day is the Sabbath and no manna will appear in the field. So some of the children of Israel do as Moses had commanded and they were able to eat on the Sabbath. But there were still some that went out on the Sabbath morning to collect Manna and found none. This upsets the Lord, and asks Moses "...How long refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?" (Exodus 16:28)

                The children of Israel eat Manna for forty years, until they came to an inhabited land, the land of Canaan. The Israelites describe the Manna like a  Coriander seed, white with the taste of a honey wafer.    

  

Chapter 17: Israel Wants Water!

                Israel travels from the wilderness of Sin and pitched their tents in Rephidim. When they arrive there, they find no water. So they begin murmuring/complaining about not having water. Saying that Moses had brought them out of the land of Egypt to kill them of thirst! They even get to the point of wanting to stone Moses. Moses then asks them; "...Why chide with me? Wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?" (Exodus 17:2)

                Moses speaks with the Lord asking him for guidance on what he should do. The Lord then tells him that he needs to go to the rock in Horeb, and with his rod he would smite the rock and water would come forth.

                Then Amalek comes to fight with the Israelites in Rephidim, but Moses tells Joshua to fight with Amalek, while Moses went to the top of the hill to raise his hands to God. When Moses raised his hands; Israel prevailed... but when he lowered his hands; Amalek prevailed. Moses' hands become heavy and Aaron and Hur help to keep his hands up, until Joshua injured Amalek enough with the sword to prevail.

                The Lord then commands Moses to write this in a book for memorial (this is part of the "lost books" of the Bible). Moses then builds an altar and names it "Jehovah-nissi" which is translated "The Lord is my Banner".

Chapter 18: Organization of Church Laws.

                Moses is near the mount of God, when Jethro (his father in law) comes to see him, bringing his wife Zipporah and his sons. Jethro offers sacrifices to the Lord and asks about Moses' welfare. Jethro then counsels with Moses.

                Jethro counsels that Moses teach the law, appoint righteous men of "truth" to be rulers/leaders of thousands, hundreds and tens. Essentially there needs to be good, trustworthy honest men and have the power delegated throughout from the higher to the lower leaders.

Exodus 13-15

Exodus 13-15

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 13: Leaving Egypt

                The Lord speaks to Moses and tells him that all the first born of the Hebrews needs to be sanctified to him, and that they need to continue the tradition of not eating leavened bread for seven days. On the seventh day a feast to the Lord would occur.

                Moses takes Joseph's bones out from Egypt and the Lord follows the Israelites by day in a cloud and night by a pillar of fire. 

Chapter 14: The Red Sea Divided

                The Lord speaks to Moses and tells him that he needs to lead his people to encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and Baal-zephon by the sea. He also tells him that he will harden the heart of Pharaoh and cause him to pursue after the Hebrews.

                Back in Egypt the Pharaoh is kind of sitting around and then thinks to himself; "...why have we done this, that we let Israel go from serving us?" (Exodus 14:5). So Pharaoh has his chariot made ready and commands an army of 600 chosen chariots (essentially he called his best men and equipment) and put captains over each one. Pharaoh and his army are on the horizon of the encamped Israelites, when they see the Egyptians coming the Hebrews cry out to God in fear, they yell at Moses "...Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?" (Exodus 14:11), then they go on to say that they had told Moses to just leave them alone and not try to save them, because "...it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness" (Exodus 14:12).

                Moses calls out to the Israelites and tells them to not be fearful, for God will save them this day and that after today the people of Israel shall no longer see the Egyptians.

                From what I understood next, a cloud separated the Egyptians and the Hebrews so that they Hebrews could get to the shore of the Red Sea. This all happening at night, and to the Egyptians it was night, but to the Hebrews it was as if it was day. Essentially buying the Israelites more time to make their escape. Moses stretches forth his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind, which made the sea turn to dry land and the waters of the Red Sear became divided.

                Just a side note: I always thought it would be interesting to try and explain (scientifically) how Moses with the Lord's power separated the Red Sea. I always thought that it could have been like a Tsunami, that caused the waters to really back down from the shore, but in verse 22; it says that the waters "...were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left".

                In the morning the Egyptians pursue after them and the Lord causes the waters to return again to their original state, ultimately closing the waters in on the Egyptians, killing them. The Lord saved his people that day, and that day the people of Israel feared the Lord, and believed in him and his servant Moses.

Chapter 15: Israel Sings With Moses

The Israelites or just Israel, sings songs of praises with Moses to the Lord. They rejoice in a God that would deliver them from their bondage to the Egyptians. Israel however runs out of power, and all the water they could find was bitter. So they murmur/complain to Moses that there is no water. So the Lord tells Moses to tell the people that they must do as the Lord commands and if they do this, they will not be diseased like the Egyptians. The Lord leads them to an oasis of ten palm trees and 12 wells of water.        

Exodus 10-12

Exodus 10-12

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 10: Darkness and Plagues

                The Lord tells Moses to go in unto Pharaoh and ask him (as if God was speaking) "...how long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Let me people go, that they may serve me." (Exodus 10:3)

                God tells Moses that he continues to harden Pharaoh's heart that he might bring about these plagues to show Egypt his power. Moses asks Pharaoh to let the people go and he asks Moses who will be going. Moses responds with everyone and Pharaoh tells him and Aaron to go and serve the Lord and removes them from his presence. So the Lord tells Moses to stretch his rod over the land of Egypt to bring the locusts. 

The Locusts come and cover the land, Pharaoh tells Moses and Aaron that he has sinned and Moses has a strong wind blow the Locusts into the Red Sea, but again the Lord hardens Pharaoh's heart and refuses to let them go. So the Lord commands Moses to stretch his hand toward heaven and cause a thick darkness to cover the land of Egypt for 3 days. Pharaoh agrees to let the Hebrews go, but does not agree to let the animals go with them. Moses tells Pharaoh that they need sacrifices and must go with the animals. Pharaoh's heart is hardened and tells Moses to come in unto him no more, or else he will have him killed. So Moses promises to not come back to see Pharaoh.

Chapter 11: Promise to Slay

                The Lord tells Moses that one more plague will occur in the land of Egypt, and then Pharaoh will let the Hebrew people go, but to be ready to quickly leave all together when the moment is right.

                All of the firstborn of the land of Egypt shall be killed at midnight, except the Hebrew first born children.

Chapter 12: The Passover

                The Lord speaks unto Moses and Aaron; "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." (Exodus 12:2) The Passover.

                Every household is to gather an unblemished male lamb of its first year; kill it and eat it. Then they are commanded to take the blood and strike it on two side posts and on the upper door post. They are commanded to eat the meat that night with unleavened bread and only cooked by fire. If meat is left after the feast it must be burned.

                The blood shall be a token for the Hebrews that when the Lord sees the blood he will pass by the house and will not destroy it. This will be an ordinance for the Jews for ever. But we learn in the Book of Mormon (when Jesus visited the Lamanites in America) that he will no longer require offerings, besides a broken heart and a contrite spirit (3 Nephi 9:19-20).

                In the first seven days the Hebrews are commanded to only eat unleavened bread. Anyone caught with leaven or eating leavened bread during those seven days shall be cut off from the presence of Israel. On the first day there will be a Holy Meeting and on the seventh day as well.   

                So the Lord commands them to do this and the night comes, at midnight the Lord killed all of the first born of the land of Egypt. Pharaoh wakes up in the morning and finds that in every house throughout Egypt there is at least one dead. Pharaoh calls Moses and tells him to gather all their people and things and make haste. The Egyptians push the Hebrews out of the land, for fear of more dead. The Egyptians give them what they need, supplies, jewels etc. The Israelites had spent a total of 430 years in the land of Egypt.

                The Hebrews leave Egypt and Moses tells them that no stranger may participate in the Passover without first being circumcised.

Exodus 7-9

Exodus 7-9

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 7: Pharaoh's Heart is Hardened

                God comes to Moses and Aaron and tells them that they need to go in and talk to Pharaoh, but that he will harden his heart and Pharaoh will not let the Hebrews go. Because of this the signs and wonders will be multiplied throughout all of the land of Egypt. Moses is commanded to speak these things unto Pharaoh and have Aaron be his spokesperson.

                Moses and Aaron go in unto Pharaoh and he demands a miracle or a sign. So Aaron throws down the rod and it turns into a serpent, so Pharaoh calls in some magicians of the land and all of them are able to re-create what Aaron did. Pharaoh's heart in once again hardened.

                The Lord commands Moses to go out on the river bank the next morning and wait for when Pharaoh goes out to the river. When he come Moses and Aaron are waiting for him and tell him that if he does not let the people go that they will turn all the water of Egypt into blood and the fish will die and cause the land of Egypt to stink.

                Pharaoh doesn't listen to them, so Aaron extends his hand and smite the water, turning all the water in the land of Egypt into blood. Pharaoh again calls his magicians and they are able to do the exact same thing. Pharaoh turns around and heads back into the house, kind of like he was telling them, so what? The Egyptians dig around the river to get water to drink.

Chapter 8: Plagues

                The Lord tells Moses and Aaron to go in unto Pharaoh again and tell Pharaoh that if he does not let the people go that he will cause frogs to come up all over Egypt.

                Aaron stretches forth his hand over the water of Egypt and the frogs came up from all of the land of Egypt, into houses and beds and all around. The magicians of the land use their enchantments and are also able to bring up frogs from all of the land of Egypt. Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron and asks for them to stop the frogs, and in return he will let the people go. The frog will remain in the river only.

                The next morning they gather up "heaps" of frogs throughout the land. But again Pharaoh hardens his heart and decides to not let the people go. So the Lord commands Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out the rod and smite the dust of the land that their might appear lice. The magicians try to bring about lice, but are unable to replicate it, the magicians tell Pharaoh that this is surely the finger of God. But Pharaoh still hardens his heart. So the Lord commands Moses to rise up early in the morning and warn Pharaoh that if he does not let the people go, he will send swarms of flies. So the next morning swarms of flies fill the air of Egypt, all the while not affecting the land of Goshen where the Hebrews dwell. Pharaoh agrees to let the people go, but that they may not go a very far distance. So Moses calls of the flies and they leave the land to the point that there is none in the entire land of Egypt. When Pharaoh sees that they are gone, he hardens his heart and does not let the people go.

Chapter 9: Rain and more in Egypt

                Moses go in unto Pharaoh and tell him that if he does not let the people go that all of the cattle in the land will be plagued and die, come the next morning. But the cattle of the Israelites will not die. Pharaoh hardens his heart and refuses, the next morning happens exactly as Moses had warned.

                The Lord commands Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of ash from the furnace and sprinkle it towards the heavens, it shall become small dust throughout the land of Egypt and causes sore boils upon all the Egyptians. The Lord harden Pharaoh's heart and he did not hearken unto Moses or Aaron.

                So Moses goes in unto Pharaoh and tells him that he will send rain throughout the land that will cause hail; big enough to kill animals and people if they are caught in the field when it happens. Pharaoh does not listen.

                Moses is then commanded by God to lift up his rod toward heaven to cause it to rain and hail. It was so strong that it had "fire" mixed with the hail. The hail killed the herb in the field and broke trees.

                Pharaoh agrees to let the people go, and pleads for the hail and storms to stop, the minute they stop... he hardens his heart and does not let the people go.