Exodus 15 & 16
Exodus 15
Exodus 15:1-21 constitute what is called "The song At The Red Sea." Of course, we now know that the Israelites did not cross the Red Sea at all, but the much shallower Sea of Reeds, located to the northwest of the body of the Red Sea, and is part of a tributary to that Sea. Red Sea verse Sea of Reeds? Either way a great miracle occurred� It is nonetheless a miracle. In fact, the real miracle was not in parting the shallow waters -- a strong wind could do that -- but in the gathering of sufficient waters to drown the pursuing Egyptian army.
The LORD shall reign for ever and ever. (Exodus 15:18)
With this verse, the song officially ends. It is noteworthy that the song ends, not with a celebration of material gain and temporal freedom, but rather with the assurance of the reign of the LORD for ever and ever. Too often, victories are viewed in terms of our own gain, rather than on its effect on the ever-enlarging kingship of God.
V22-24 after all the good that has happened to them what is the first thing that they start to do? Start to complain so what does Moses Do? v25 turns to the Lord for help Then how does the Lord respond? v26 the Lord says to throw certain tree into the water
25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them [Conditional sorts of covenants start being imposed upon Israel. The connection between the two incidents of the water and the "statute and...ordinance" suggests the statute is reactionary to the murmuring. The entire exodus from Egypt was solely based upon covenants made with Abraham. Now the Lord is imposing individual and corporate covenant relationships upon Israel which are completely conditional upon their own merits and not upon Abraham's. Preparation to receive the Law of Moses],
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
Exodus 16-- Dad how much longer, I�m thristy, I�m hungry?
Imagine that you are going to take a long journey deep into the jungles of the Amazon, what would you take with you and why? One major item should be a guide
What would you look for in this guide? Know the area, many skills, trustworthy
Who was the guide for the children of Israel? The Lord
How did he guide them?
What makes a Prophet?
A prophet of God is anybody who teaches by the Spirit truth that has already been revealed (Ex. 4:15-16; 7:1-2; Num. 11:25-29; Rev. 19:10; D&C 133:26). A prophet, seer, and revelator, then, is a person who teaches revealed truth, clarifies revealed truth, and reveals more truth.
D&C 21:4-6
4 Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;
5 For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
6 For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory.
What is the 4th Article of Faith? 4th Article of Faith . It is important to stress that the first principle of our religion is not just faith, but is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not put our faith in the prophet because he is not a perfect man (D&C 64:5-7)--we put our faith in Jesus Christ. Now then, the question is: Do we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that He is not lying to us in verses 4 and 5 of this Section?
Do we omly need to listen to the words from the prophet when he says �Thus saith the Lord�?
The prophet is going to speak on many different subjects. sometimes he will speak about spiritual things and sometimes, about things that will just help us live from day to day. But the Lord said to obey all the prophets words.
President J. Reuben Clark said: "There are those who insist that unless the prophet of the Lord declares, 'thus saith the Lord,' the message may not be taken as a revelation. This is a false testing standard. For while many of our modern revelations as contained in the Doctrine and Covenants do contain these words, there are many that do not" (ST, 1:91-92).
Verse 5. President Harold B. Lee said: "There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that 'the gates of hell shall not prevail against you'" (CR, Oct. 1970, 152-153).
Is it necessary to understand why the Lord instructs us to do something?
We can put our trust in the Lord and follow His words that He gives to us through His prophet even when we do not understand why the Lord gave them. President Wilford Woodruff said: "The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray" ("Official Declaration--1," D&C, p. 292).
Why does the Lord call a Prophet? - A society, no matter how perfect and well meaning and caring its leader, cannot last unless all of its citizens are trained in the truth and are given responsibility and accountability for their actions.
Then what is the next problem that the children of Israel face? They are hungry
And how does the Lord respond this time?
Exodus 16: 4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
They have been used to being saved and ruled and told everything that they need to do�every little thing�they are helpless. 1.
1. so the Lord needs to see if they will obey him v16:4, 16-31 2.
2. Provides daily reminders for the people v16:12 3.
3. Begin teaching them that they do not live by bread alone Deut. 8:3) 4.
4. Humble the people that they might be able to receive salvation. Deut 8:16
How did sending manna accomplish these purposes?
Does the Lord accomplish these purposes in our lives today? How?
How is Manna a representation of Christ? John 6:35
How does Christ�s living bread differ from manna? John 6:48-51
How can we liken want the Lord teach the Israelites that they need to gather manna everyday for physical strength to our lives?
V19-20 What happened when they keep the manna overnight? Symbolism here? Can�t store up daily need for spiritual strength
V22-25 What happen when they kept it the day before the Sabbath?
What would have been the result of the Israelites in the wilderness without the help of the Lord?
What is our plight in life like without the Lords help?
The blessings Israel is currently enjoying are regardless of worthiness, as a result of the Abrahamic covenant, with the minimum requirement being circumcision. The Abrahamic covenant encompasses the entirely of the gospel, the Priesthood, and the blessings of immortality and eternal life. But, the Israelites in general were doing the minimum (i.e., circumcision), so they were getting the minimum, that is they were receiving physical sorts of blessings such as protection from their enemies, prosperity in their families, physical sustenance, and so on (note the big quarrels in this and the next couple of chapters deal with the basics of physical life: water, bread, meat; all of which the Exodus account suggests the Lord provides despite their lack of worthiness). But the spiritual aspect of the Abrahamic covenant were not generally sought for. As a result of their lack of religious conviction, the Lord gets tired of being bound by the Abraham covenant so He imposes the Law of Moses (cf. Gal. 3:19), which raises the minimum considerably. And this is why the account here varies so greatly from that appearing in Numbers 11. Here the mercy of the Lord is emphasized, out of His respect for the Abrahamic covenant. But in the Numbers 11 account the justice of the Lord is emphasized according to the rebellion of Israel. so, both stories taken together give you the full view of the role of the two separate covenants, why the latter was imposed, as well as the Lord's character when it comes to mercy versus justice.
v3-8 Notice what is happening with the grumbling of Israel. Why are they complaining against Moses and Aaron? "ye have brought us forth into this wilderness" (v. 3). Notice how they are not directly complaining against the Lord, but rather His servants, questioning their inspiration, and perhaps their sanity. Do we ever do this? How does Moses respond? Moses responds to this in v. 7-8 by equating complaining against the Lord's servants and complaining against the Lord.
5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. 23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath [once a week Sabbath as we know it appears to be formally instituted here, weekly Sabbath precedes the institution of the Ten Commandments] unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna [exactly what this substance is remains a mystery Does anyone know the meaning of the word Manna? The word "manna", it is believed, is derivative of a Mesopotamian word, "man-hu," which means, "What is it?" Yes, they lived on a diet of "what is it?" for the duration of their wandering!
] : for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
Show Manna that I gathered this morning�.Frosted flakes omer = 2.2 liters 2 Quarts of mana per person per day�
The Interpreter's Bible (IB) exegesis states:
In the early summer several types of desert trees and shrubs, notably the tamarisk, exude a sweet sticky substance such as this appears to have been. It drips to the ground, crystalizes and turns white. The comparison which likens manna to hoarfrost and the observation that it tasted "like wafers made with honey" (v. 31) show that this material substance was the origin for the manna story. Instead of describing it as a flakelike things the [Septuagint] here compares it to the coriander seed (cf. v. 31), which is small, flat, and white.
And the IB comments also state:
The historical foundation: A sweet, sticky, honeylike juice exudes in heavy drops in May or June from a shrub found in the desert near which the people were wandering. It melts in the heat of the sun, after falling on the earth in grains. It has the flavor of honey. It is the natural juice of the shrub, but the Arabs believed it fell from heaven with the dew.
Exodus 17�Hold your hands up
The post-exodus experience is filled, first with jubilation, then with murmuring. It didn't take them long to regret leaving Egypt. Note the intensity of the complaining:
1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and [there was] no water for the people to drink.
2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink[command Moses their Prophet to fix the problem]. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? [What principle is Moses teaching the children od Israel here? That their complaining is not against Moses but against the Lord as Moses is only doing what he is instructed by the Lord]
3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore [is] this [that] thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? [oh ye of little faith! Must the Lord fix everything for you�yes he always has because of the covant that he made with Abraham�the physical side anyway] (Exodus 17)
Can we ever harp too long that we cause even a prophet to break? Joseph Smith and Martin Harris�Moses numbers 20:1 One more time here the people continue to complain excessively��Why have ye brought us out of Egypt to die in this evil place?� Then the Lord once again instructed Moses and Aaron to strike the rock in the presence of the people just as he had done before, and they should have plenty of water. Moses does as he is told but this time the people have brought him to the point that he lashes out at them and says �Hear now, ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of the rock?� Numbers 20:1. And as a result, the Lord is upset with Moses because he has taken the credit unto himself. Moses loses his right to enter the promised land with the people. Numbers 20:12
Now may I digress for just a moment a speak about this�Moses was one of the greatest leaders of all time. Imagine his pain as he is instructed that he cannot accomplish the very objective of his life. He has been working on one goal for forty years, and while he is just eleven miles away he hears these words �Thou shalt not lead this people into the land of promise�
Moses pleads with the Lord, But the Lord is firm and finally says �Let it suffice. Speak no more unto me of this matter.�
Imagine if you will Moses now having to complete the Lord�s next commands to strip the priestly garments from Aaron and put them on Eliaser his son. Aaron was responsible too, and so his life long month piece, friend and brother was relieved of his godly office. Even thought his heart was broken, He was after all the Law giver and knew he too was subject to the law. So like the many painful times before he would carry out this difficult assignment.
Then when complete he must replace himself. The Lord had selected Joshua. While Moses was not permitted to enter into the promised land he was shown some concession by the Lord for his many years of faithful service. He was instructed � Get thee up to Mt. Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jerico, and behold tha land of Canaan, and die in the mount whither thou goest up� Deut. 32:49-50
Now paint this picture in your mind. The Great prophet Moses standing with tears in his eyes, alone a top a mountain. Imagine the thoughts going through his mind as he reflects on what could have been, and he has to remain behind to die alone. Think of his last sad hours there and remember that if this great man , his associate in the pre-existence, his guess on Mt. Sinai and his faithful servant for forty years in the desert cannot escape the burden on his sins, neither can I escape mine.
Murmuring is defined as 'a half-suppressed or muttered complaint' (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1979 ed., s.v., 'murmur'). Instead of open expression of concern and criticism so a problem can be dealt with, it is behind-the-scenes grumbling. That problem was not unique to the Israelites or to
Laman and Lemuel. It is too often prevalent among Latter-day Saints today. Elder Marion G. Romney said:
Exodus 17: Hold your hand up�
Now the war with Amalek that just happens why we don�t know�
"Moses had barely started settling the people in this new camp sight near Horeb when the war like tribes from among the descendants of Esau came charging down from their mountain headquarters and began despoiling the hapless Israelites. The attack was not against the main body of Israel but against the stragglers who were weary and faint and had fallen behind. The attackers turned out to be Amalekites who were descendants of Amalek, grandson of Esau. Since Esau was Jacob's twin brother, the people of Israel were kinsmen of the Amalekites, but after so many generations who cared about relatives? The Amalekites attacked with great ferocity" (Third, p. 276).
9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
In this moment of crisis, Moses called forth a trusted young Ephraimite who was destined to become a famous personage in Hebrew history. His name was originally Hoshea, son of Nun, but Moses changed his name to Joshua (meaning savior), the very name which the son of Mary would be given some 1,500 years later" (Third, p. 277).10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur [Josephus, who is supported by the oldest Jewish scholars, say Hur was Miriam's husband and therefore the brother-in-law of Moses" (Third, p. 277, footnote).] went up to the top of the hill.
How are the Israelites able to win at war?11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12 But Moses' hands [were] heavy; and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
v8-15 Again, we have here a stylized and carefully edited account. Note the conflict between Amalek and Israel is given no historical background at all, no explanation as to why they came out to war, and no real details of the battle are offered. The text is deliberately arranged to emphasizes the intercessory role of Moses between Israel and God, a figure of vicarious salvation. The symbol of Moses lifting up his arms to God obviously connotes an appeal to one exalted above you, but it also has rhetorical links to the hand/arm being a symbol of the Lord's prophet on earth (cp. Isa. 40:10, Isa. 49:22, Ezek. 20:5, 15). The raising of the hand is symbolic of covenant making (cp. Exod. 6:8, Dan. 12:7). The arm is a symbol of might and power (cp. Exod. 15:16, Isa. 33:2, Job 40:9), and relying on the arm of the Lord as opposed to the arm of flesh obviously implies you fear God more than man. When Moses gets tired, he is supported (sustained) by his two closest assistants (councilors) such that he can continue to act in his capacity as leader of Israel (similar to the sustaining of the living Prophet until death, even if he becomes physically tired or weak; physical infirmity does not preclude or commute the office).
So long as Moses hands were stretched up to God, Israel prevailed. The symbolism would be that so long as the Prophet was pleading to God in behalf of his people, and so long as the people were sustaining the prophet then God heeded their call. The result is they prevailed against their enemies by divine fiat.
Then the story concludes with the Lord commanding Moses inscribe a reminder to the victory of Israel over Amalek. And then Moses builds an altar, the JPS rendering of v. 15-16:
What kind of spiritual battles do we fight today?
Does supporting the prophet help in those battles?
How can we hold up the hands of the prophet today?
Does this include our local leaders?
15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
And Moses built an altar and named it Adonai-nissi [Literally "The Lord is my banner"]. He said, "It means, 'Hand upon the throne of the Lord!'The banner is a military device used as a rallying point for troops in the midst of the confusion of battle. The banners were typically large, colorful, held high above the head so they could easily be seen, and well protected from the enemy. so, when Moses says the Lord is Israel's banner he is saying the Lord is Israel's warrior, strength, and might. Compare this with the song appearing in Exod. 15. The final phrase, "Hand upon the throne of the Lord!" is obscure, but I would take it to mean when Israel has their hand outstretched to the Lord He allows them access to His power (the throne being an authority symbol) on earth and in heaven.
Exodus 18 � Moses gets a second councilor, as wise Father-in-law
What concern does Jethro have for his son in law Moses? 18:13-18
What counsel does Jethro give Moses? 18:19-23
Moses doesn�t understand yet that he doesn�t have to do it all by himself. This chapter recounts Moses' interaction with his father-in- law Jethro, and his ultimate suggestion to institute a formal bureaucracy. First off, we should notice that Jethro is not an Israelite, but is labeled a "priest" (v. 1), blesses the Lord (v. 10-11), and sacrifices to the Lord with Moses, Aaron, and all of the elders of Israel partaking in that sacrifice (v. 12). So we have a non-Israelite priest worshiping and sacrificing to the Lord, which violates dogmatic notions about who can and cannot be a "priest". Next, we have the institution of a bureaucracy wherein there is no distinction between Church and State. The Church was the State, and this is the ideal for Israel and will return in a Millennial setting (cf. Isa. 2:3, Isa. 9:7).
Brings us to the story of Jethro, Moses' father-in-law. Verses 9-11 are of interest:
and Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10 And Jethro said, Blessed [be] the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
11 Now I know that the LORD [is] greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly [he was] above them. (Exodus 18)
14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What [is] this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: [phrase may mean to obtain a legal judgment from God. Judgment and justice were considered to be God's province, not man's. see below]
The phrase "enquire of God" has some interesting implications. Consider the following:
And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If [it be] so, why [am] I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. (Genesis 25:22)
And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you. (Numbers 9:8)
Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; [but] ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment [is] God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring [it] unto me, and I will hear it. (Deuteronomy 1:17)
16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make [them] know the statutes of God, and his laws.
"Of course all of this had the highest motivations and the best possible intentions, but it did not please Jethro at all. The High Priest of Midian had several generations of Priesthood training and experiences behind him, extending clear back to Father Abraham" (Third, p. 279).23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee [so *], then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
* "The remarkable quality of this powerful declaration is enhanced by the humility of this master teacher who gave it. So far as the scriptures show, Jethro had never divided the Red Sea. Jethro had never changed a staff into a serpent, nor performed the miracle of the leprous hand. Jethro had never been called upon to liberate between two and three million people from slavery nor command ten terrible plagues to ravage the Egyptian court. Jethro had never produced honey-dew bread from heaven nor made water gush forth in a flood from a rock. Jethro had not done any of these things for the simple reason that God had never commanded him to do them. Nevertheless, he knew that the Priesthood which he, Jethro, had conferred upon Moses, was the channel of power through which these mighty deeds were done. And now, when he saw Moses, this same mighty miracle-worker, this beloved son-in-law and husband of Zipporah, foolishly failing to delegate Priesthood responsibility to others, the wise old patriarch knew it was time to speak out.
But when he was all through, when he had given the best advice which the principles of Priesthood procedure would seem to require, he humbly concluded by asking Moses to verify this advice with the Lord. 'If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.' These were the last words recorded in scripture from this wise and humble man. Jethro thereupon bade his loved ones farewell and departed once again into his own country.
Moses never forgot these inspired instructions from Jethro. At the very first opportunity he carried them out. But that opportunity did not come for nearly a year" (Third, p. 280-281).
27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
"'Jethro made a valuable contribution to Moses in suggesting an organization of leaders over units of ten, fifty, one hundred and one thousand to instruct and to judge the people in all but the most difficult of matters, which would be passed up through the system of inferior and superior courts if necessary, until they reached Moses at the head. Moses showed commendable humility and wisdom in accepting the old Priest's advice. (A modern use of the same type of organization is seen in D&C 136.)' (Rasmussen, Introduction to the Old Testament, 1:82-83.)" (Student Manual, p. 124).
"Joseph Smith changed Exodus 18:1 to read 'the high priest of Midian', confirming what is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 84:6-7, that Jethro held the Melchizedek Priesthood" (Student Manual, p. 124). "Moses did not know it but he was about to pass through the most tempestuous and frustrating experiences of his entire career as a prophet.
The next stop was Sinai. There he would become engulfed in a rapid-fire sequence of events which would toss him alternately from the celestial heights of glorious heavenly visions down to the fathomless depths of darkness where he would have direct personal contact with the forces emanating from the satanic labyrinths of Lucifer's subversive, conspiratorial kingdom. During this series of experiences Moses would find himself caught in the furious vortex of a titanic struggle between eternal beings -- a combat which began as 'the War in Heaven' but which continues on the earth as Lucifer seeks to dethrone God and wipe out the human family with his 'abomination of desolation.'
Moses was about to feel the fury of that violent and very real war between the hosts of heaven and the hosts of hell" (Third, p. 281).
"Within three months of Israel's entering the wilderness, the Lord wanted to establish his covenant with them. (Exodus 19:5-6) As part of this covenant he revealed the Ten Commandments to Moses" (Teacher's Manual, p. 65).
Exodus 19�Prepare first, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me In order for the Israelites to be obedient to God's commands, they first had to be liberated from their enslavement. So many times we see freedom as a result of obedience, but Scripture makes it clear that freedom, an act of grace, must precede obedience. Without the liberty to disobey, there cannot be the liberty to obey.
v1-2 Israel approaches Sinai, the Mountain of the Lord. That the time period was precisely three months to the day may be connected with Moses original request that they be allowed to travel three days into the wilderness to the worship the Lord, cf. 3:18.
v4-6 The Lord is pushing Israel into a conditional relationship. The preceding chapters have shown Israel as generally complacent and eager to whine when they don't get the material comfort they want. The Lord was forced into the position of supplying their needs as a result of the Abrahamic Covenant, but things change drastically once Israel enters into a conditional covenant of their own.
Note the Lord appeals to the fact that they have witnessed firsthand an overwhelming number of miracles in their delivery from Egypt (v. 4) when He appeals to them to accept Him as their God. He then states that if they will keep the covenant and attendant sayings of the Lord then they will enjoy a special relationship with Him wherein they will be set apart from all other nations (v. 5-6).
v4 "I bare you on eagles wings", cp. Isa. 40:31, ct. Deut. 28:49. The symbolism here is that of being higher up than, or militarily superior to, your enemies. In conventional warfare the higher ground always has the military advantage, and in the case of an eagle swooping down upon its unwitting prey the attack is swift and decisive with little resistance.
v7-8 Moses, in the role of intercessor, relates all the Lord said to the elders of Israel (who vicariously represent all Israel) and asks them for their answer. They indicate they will keep the Lord's sayings, and Moses returns and reports their reply to the Lord.
What does the Lord promise them if they are obedient? 19:3-6 �a peculiar [being the Lord�s own special people, not odd or eccentric. In Hebrew and Greek originally means something precious that is laid up or reserved] treasure,�a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation� What does this mean? The promise is that Israel would become the Lord�s covenant people,favored above all others and chosen to bear the priesthood and the gospel to all people Duet 7:6; 14:1-2; 1 Peter 2:9 How does it apply today?
Why does Moses ask that they wander for three months in the wilderness? 19:11 - The Israelites would not be ready to receive this blessing �
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.[Lord told them to be ready on the third day�where they?] Ex. 20:19. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die[.Why?
D&C 84:19-24.
19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory. ]
v9-13 The Lord responds by instructing them how to prepare for the third day wherein He would manifest Himself to them. First, the Lord will visibly appear to Israel in a cloud and speak to Moses in the hearing of them all so that they may know for certain that the Lord does in fact speak to Moses (v. 9, ct. 16:3-8 where Israel was questioning Moses' inspiration).
The Lord then instructs them to keep themselves completely physically clean by abstaining from sexual relations and washing their clothes (v. 10, cp. v. 14-15). While the physical cleanliness is obviously intended to be symbolic of spiritual cleanliness, the prohibition on sexual relations is unique being unparalleled in the Scriptures. At no other point are sexual relations between husband and wife prescribed or prohibited. As background, I would point out that having sexual relations rendered the husband and wife "unclean" until sundown (cf. Lev. 15:16-18), a nocturnal emission rendered the man "unclean" until sundown (cf. Deut 23:11-12), and menstruating rendered the woman "unclean" for seven days (cf. Lev. 15:19-24), and all of them required ritually bathing oneself in order to become clean (these regulations were formally instituted after this event, but general practices such as these were observed previous to their being codified in the Law -it is unclear if these rules were novel at their institution or if they pre-existed the Law, as many aspects of the Law clearly pre-existed it). Thus, I would assume that, in part, the prohibition is designed to make the theophany as inclusive as possible, or in other words, since they know that on the third day the Lord will reveal Himself they need to be certain that they will be clean on that day so they may participate in the theophany. In addition to this, there are numerous covenant blessings associated with chastity and progeny. This temporary abstinence in obedience to the Lord's command can be interpreted to be indicative of the blessings of progeny He is willing to bestow upon them as a result of the Sinatic Covenant. It makes matters of chastity and progeny explicit in the Sinaitic covenant.
v16-19 The theophany is visible, audible, and tangible, all of Israel can see, hear and feel the presence of God. Such a pervasive manifestation indicates that all of Israel was aware of the events on Sinai, and not just a few of the elders. Thus, when the covenant is agreed upon by Israel, all of Israel is aware of it and not just some few individuals acting on their behalf without their knowledge as appears to be the case in v. 7- 8. Here, however, the Lord certainly has the attention of all of Israel. That the Lord can show forth such a powerful manifestation which manipulates nature is obviously an authority statement.
16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet [a better translation would be "horn", as the Hebrew is "shofar", meaning a ram's horn fashioned into a musical instrument. The shofar becomes a religious symbol of ingathering as it is blown at all of the ceremonial feasts so as to common worshipers to the Temple.
] exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
Exodus 20 -- The Ten Commandments Check out the difference in the commandments given between and Deut. 5 How can we explain the difference between the two?
It is to be noted that these "ten commandments" are, in actuality, "ten words." It is thought that the tablets themselves contained only a single word for each commandment. For example, the Sabbath commandment (the fourth) contained only the word "Shabbat" -- or Sabbath. Moses enlarged upon the rest of it. Given the sacredness of the Law, this is the only explanation satisfactory to explain Moses' re-wording of the commandment in Deut. 5. Had each word appeared verbatim on the tablets, he would not have dared change a single one.
Review each of the ten comandments�what does each mean?
Ten Commandments
Commandments 1-4 are man's duty to God.
Commandments 5-10 are man's duty to man. They stand as the definitive measure of man's civility, and will never be excelled in their brevity and completeness.
1 AND God spake all these words, saying, 2 I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
"The first commandment gives mankind their first priority in life. If God is not first, then all other things are affected.
Read Matthew 10:37 'He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me' (Matthew 10:37).
What do you suppose that this verse means? Nothing in life, not even such treasured things as families or even life itself, can take priority, or come before, God. Christ specifically taught his disciples,
Isn�t this demand for exclusive worship and devotion by God for himself a little selfish? Why or why not? But two things should be remembered. First, as Lord and Creator of all the universe, and as one who has all power, knowledge, and glory, God does not need man's adoration and worship to add to his state of being. so, his jealousy is not a protective concern for his own status. The second thing to remember is that the Lord taught Moses that God's work is 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (Moses 1:39). That one thing Anytime his children set anything before god in importance, anything at all, at that moment they begin to thwart his work for them. To set anything above him lessens their ability to draw on that power and knowledge for their salvation. That is why he first and foremost says to his children, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me' (Exodus 20:3).
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity [does God really mean to punish the 1st , 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation for the sins of their fathers? What about Adam? Are we not taught that we are punished for our own sins and not for Adams transgression? How do we resolve this? I suggest that it is not so much the Lord punishing them as the Lord knows the results of those actions and they can very likely have impact on the generations even to the third and fourth generations] of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;
Idolatry is among the most serious of sins. some are of metal and plush and chrome, of wood and stone and fabrics. They are not in the image of God or of man, but are developed to give man comfort and enjoyment, to satisfy his wants, ambitions, passions and desires. some are in no physical form at all, but are intangible.
Many seem to 'worship' on an elemental basis they live to eat and drink. They are like the children of Israel who, though offered the great freedoms associated with national development under God's personal guidance, could not lift their minds above the 'flesh pots of Egypt.' They cannot seem to rise above satisfying their bodily appetites. As Paul put it, their 'God is their belly.' (Phil. 3:19.)
Modern idols or false gods can take such forms as clothes, homes, businesses, machines, automobiles, pleasure boats, and numerous other material deflectors from the path to godhood. What difference does it make that the item concerned is not shaped like an idol? Brigham Young said: 'I would as soon see a man worshiping a little god made of brass or of wood as to see him worshiping his property.' [Journal of Discourses, 6:196]
Intangible things make just as ready gods. Degrees and letters and titles can become idols. Many young men decide to attend college when they should be on missions first. The degree, and the wealth and the security which come through it, appear so desirable that the mission takes second place. some neglect Church service through their college years, feeling to give preference to the secular training and ignoring the spiritual covenants they have made.
Still another image men worship is that of power and prestige. Many will trample underfoot the spiritual and often the ethical values in their climb to success. These gods of power, wealth, and influence are most demanding and are quite as real as the golden calves of the children of Israel in the wilderness" (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.40-42).
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
"The explanation given as a footnote to verse 5 is helpful. Commenting on the phrase 'visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children,' the note says: 'insofar as the children learn and do the sinful things the parents do; but see v. 6 concerning those who repent and serve the Lord' (Student Manual, p. 128-129).
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his nam in vain.
Third commandment implies that his children must have a deep and reverential attitude about God and his name.
There is an additional implication in the commandment to avoid taking the name of God in vain. An integral part of living the gospel is the making of oaths and covenants to take the name of Christ upon himself (see D&C 20:37). If he forgets that solemn oath made at baptism, he has taken the name of the Lord in vain. At temple alters men and women solemnly swear to abide by sacred commitments. If they leave those temples and live as though the promises have no meaning, they violate the third commandment even though they may not speak actual profanity. Those who partake of the sacrament each week with little or no thought for the covenant to take his name upon them, keep his commandments, and always remember him, take his name in vain. Such light treatment of sacred things constitutes vainness in the sight of God. The Lord himself said in modern revelation, 'Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their lips--for behold, verily I say, that many there by who are under this condemnation, who use the name of the Lord, and use it in vain, having not authority' (D&C 63:61-62).
During the dark days of the Civil War, Lincoln issued an order to the Army and Navy which contained the following statement: 'The discipline and character of the National Forces should not suffer, nor the cause they defend be imperiled by the profanation of the Sabbath Day or the name of the Most High.'
We are told that he went 'so far as to admonish a certain general, who was addicted to the habit of Profanity, to abandon the habit himself and to use his authority to discourage it among the soldiers.'
Profanity is incompatible with reverence. Surely at this critical time in our nation's history, when we need the sustaining help of God, we should see that we offend Him not by reason of our language. I appeal to our young people everywhere to hold in reverence the sacred name of Deity, that they may walk acceptably before the Lord and so that should there come a time in their lives when they need His sustaining help they may go to Him with good conscience and call upon Him with faith that He will hear their plea" (Conference Report, October 1952, p.92).
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:
11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Our strength for the future, our resolution to grow the Church across the world, will be weakened if we violate the will of the Lord in this important matter. He has so clearly spoken anciently and again in modern revelation. We cannot disregard with impunity that which He has said. [general conference, Oct. 5, 1997]
What is the promise that the Lord gives us with this commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy? (D&C 59:16)
'
Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth' (D&C 59:16)" (Church News, March 14, 1998, p. 14).
"The doctrine of the Sabbath, as taught throughout the scriptures, includes the following important concepts.
1) The commandment has a dual aspect of promoting both work and worship. The commandment is to labor six days and rest the seventh. . . .
2) The Sabboth was given as a token or sign of the rest of the Gods after the work of the Creation. . . .
3) Under the Mosaic dispensation, the violation of the Sabboth was a capital crime. . . .
4) The Lord indicates that keeping the Sabbath was a 'sign . . . that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you' (Exodus 31:13). The Lord teaches a similar concept of holiness or spiritual cleanliness in modern revelation: 'And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day' (D&C 59:9).
5) The concept of sanctification and the idea of rest as used in the scriptures seem closely related. The rest of the Lord is defined as 'the fulness of [God's] glory' (D&C 84:24). Alma taught that certain early Saints entered the 'rest of the Lord' after being made pure through a process of sanctification (Alma 13:12). In other words, God's work is the sanctification of his children to the point where they can enter into the ultimate rest, which is the fulness of his glory. Once each week man is commanded to cease his own labors and allow God to perform his work of sanctification on him. Resting on the Sabbath, then, implies far more than taking a nap or stopping normal activities. Mankind must enter into the Lord's work on that day. This work involves making themselves and others more godlike, another way to speak of sanctification. Doing the work of the Lord (sanctification) often involves great activity on the Sabbath day, and the day may not be restful in the usual sense. Once can assume that if doing good to an animal on the Sabbath is approved by the Lord (see Matthew 12:11; Luke 13:15), then doing good to men is an even higher good. The two commandments for the Sabbath are rest and worship. (See D&C 59:10). The Hebrew verb la-avodh, 'to worship,' means also 'to work' and 'to serve.' This holy work then creates a new and holy man; therefore, the Sabbath is tied into the work of creation.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
"The fifth commandment establishes very clearly the importance of the family in the sight of the Lord. One needs to contemplate seriously the implications of the commandment to honor father and mother and the promise included with it. . . . Though in most cases honor includes obedience, the two are not the same. To honor means to 'bring honor to or to have an attitude of honoring.' Obedience means 'to follow direction or example.' To obey one's parents in the Lord means to obey them in righteousness. Anytime a child lives righteously he brings honor to his parents, whether those parents are themselves righteous or wicked. . . so, honoring parents may not always imply obeying them. (Student Manual, p. 131).
Elder S. Dilworth Young taught, "Too many of our children do not realize that obedience to parents is a principle of the gospel.
Young people feel some responsibility for obedience to the law of tithing and of obeying the law of the fast. They know they should attend Sunday School or MIA or Primary. They feel guilty if they do not attend sacrament meeting, and they generally know enough to understand that to break the law of chastity is to break the law of God. But too many of our children do not consider disobedience to their parents as breaking the law in the same manner as is breaking the law of tithing. The fault for this lack does not necessarily lie at the feet of the children. Children know what they are taught, and if they are not taught to understand and obey this first law of heaven, they cannot be expected to obey it" (Conference Report, October 1966, p.27).
Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets" (The Family, A Proclamation to the World, September 23, 1995).
13 Thou shalt not kill.
President Harold B. Lee wrote, "One of the most serious of all sins and crimes against the Lord's plan of salvation is the sin of murder or the destruction of human life. It seems clear that to be guilty of destroying life is the act of 'rebellion' against the plan of the Almighty by denying an individual thus destroyed in mortality, the privilege of a full experience in this earth-school of opportunity. It is the in the same category as the rebellion of Satan and his hosts and therefore it would not be surprising if the penalties to be imposed upon a murderer were to be of similar character as the penalties meted out to those spirits which were cast out of heaven with Satan" (The Sixth Commandment, pt. 1, The Ten Commandments Today, p. 88).
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
President Spencer W. Kimball taught, "We find ourselves rationalizing in all forms of dishonesty, including shoplifting, which is a mean, low act indulged in by millions who claim to be honorable, decent people.
Dishonesty comes in many other forms: In hijacking, in playing upon private love and emotions for filthy lucre; in robbing money tills or stealing commodities of employers; in falsifying accounts; in taking advantage of other taxpaying people by misuse of food stamps and false claims; in taking unreal exemptions; in government or private loans without intent to repay; in unjust, improper bankruptcies to avoid repayment of loans; in robbing on the street or in the home money and other precious possessions; in stealing time, giving less than a full day of honest labor for a full day's compensation; in riding without paying the fare; in all forms of dishonesty in all places and in all conditions.
To all thieveries and dishonest acts, the Lord says, 'thou shalt not steal.' Four short common words He used. Perhaps He wearied of the long list He could have made of ways to steal, misrepresent, and take advantage, and He covered all methods of taking that which does not properly belong to one by saying, 'Thou shalt not steal.''" (Ensign, November 1976, p. 6; Student Manual, p. 134).
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Elder Adam S. Bennion wrote, "Murder, adultery, and stealing, dealing respectively with life, virtue, and property, are generally considered more serious offenses before the law that the bearing of false witness. And yet, what the latter may lack in severity, it more than makes up for in prevalence. As a matter of fact, most of the readers of these lessons will likely shun--as they would a plague--the first three of these major social offenses; but consciously or unconsciously, we may all at times be tempted into the carelessness of rumor and other forms of bearing false witness. . . .
To bear false witness is to testify to or to pass along reports, insinuations, speculations, or rumors as if they were true, to the hurt of a fellow human being. sometimes the practice stems from a lack of correct information--sometimes from lack of understanding--sometimes from misunderstandings--sometimes from a vicious disposition to distort and misrepresent.
Whereas murder involves the taking of human life, bearing false witness centers in the destruction of character or its defamation. It reaches to the ruin of reputation" (The Ten Commandments Today, p. 134-136; Student Manual, p. 134).
President Ezra Taft Benson said, "Have you ever asked yourself why one person is honorable and another dishonorable; why one is honest, another dishonest; why one is moral, another immoral? Most individuals do not intend to be dishonest, dishonorable, or immoral. They seem to allow their characters to erode by a series of rationalizations, lies, and compromises. Then when grave temptation presents itself, they haven't the strength of character to do what they know to be right. ("Be True to God, Country, and Self," Young Adult Fireside, Logan, Utah, 11 February 1979.)" (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.367).
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's.
Elder Richard L. Evans wrote, "This is the last of the Ten Commandments, and if it were not so involved with all the others, some might suppose it to be one of the least. But all the commandments are so intertwined that none can be broken without weakening all the others. To illustrate (and to remind ourselves of the other nine):
He who covets the mere material 'things' of life may have 'other gods before him,' and may 'bow down before them,' in thought and in spirit, if not in physical fact.
He who covets may become coarse and careless in other things also, such as taking 'the name of the Lord God in vain.'
He who covets may desecrate the Sabbath day to get gain.
He who covenants may fail to sustain his father and his mother in their need.
some who have coveted have killed to get gain.
Many who have coveted a 'neighbor's wife have committed the grievous sin of adultery.
He who covets is more likely to steal (or to swindle or embezzle or engage in sharp practices).
He who covets may bear false witness to get gain.
And so again: The tenth commandment is inseparably integrated with all the others, and coveting could lead to infraction of all the others--for there is a wholeness in life in which each part complements the other. And there is a wholeness and harmony in the word of God, and it all comes from the same source.
And whenever we ignore any divine counsel or commandment, we can be sure that we weaken ourselves and increase our susceptibility to other sins. . . .
The commandment against covetousness does not mean that we should not have a wholesome discontent or a wholesome desire to improve ourselves or our situation. It does not mean that we should not have an honest ambition to have more of the better things of life. It does not mean that we may not admire what our neighbor has, and seek by our own industry to earn things of like worth. The earth holds plenty for all--and the urge to acquire for ourselves such good things as other men have is a productive quality of character--provided that we acquire them by honest effort, by lawful means, and by keeping life well-balanced. The danger comes when mere 'things' begin to matter too much." (The Ten Commandments Today, p. 142-144; Student Manual, p. 134-135).
v19-22 The Lord gives Moses a series of commands emphasizing the prohibition of idol worship, even to the point of prohibiting them from carving stones for sacrificial altars. To carve the stone would be considered risking the creation of an idol, so the Lord tells them to leave the stones as is, or as He has created them.
v23 The Israelites apparently adopted the Egyptian custom of wearing relatively short skirts as opposed to the traditional full length robes of the nomads. Here, the Lord tells them not to expose themselves to onlookers by ascending wearing such clothing. In other words, the Lord expects them to dress modestly. This command is modified in 28:42. Exodus 21-- The Law of Moses
Why does the Lord even bother to give the Law of Moses? Galatians 3:23-24, Mosiah 13:29; Alma 34:15-16; D&C 84: 19-27 - Again, obedience to God's law was (and still is) essential to the long term preservation of a free society. God's law promotes freedom. God emphasized this principle before laying down the law (Ex. 20:2). Basic keys and design of the Mosaic Law are described in D&C 13; 84:26-7; 107:14, 20. They include faith, repentance, and baptism. How was Mosaic Law to teach the Israelites faith in Christ (Alma 34:14-15; D&C 84:26-27 Mosiah 13:30)?
2 systems - The Law of Moses is a combination of: 1) the higher law of the Gospel (most of which was retained), and 2) the law of carnal commandments added as a "schoolmaster" to bring Israel to Christ (Gal. 3:19, 24). After Christ fulfilled the law of carnal commandments, this "schoolmaster" part of the law was taken away (Gal. 3:24-6).
The permanent law includes the Ten Commandments, the law of sacrifice, and repentance and reparation. The law of carnal commandments included laws of purification, dietary laws, and an elaborate system of sacrifices and offerings.
Case law - Broad principles stated first. Then a number of example cases follow to demonstrate the boundaries of the law. Negative(?) law - some feel a negatively phrased law (thou shalt not) restricts freedoms, but it can give greater freedom. A negative law serves two purposes. First, it explicitly states what behaviors the society considers immoral. Second, it implicitly restricts the government. For example, the government can prosecute lying, but has no authority to prosecute other forms of speech.
Quiz: What does "eye for and eye" mean?
Eye for an eye - The Law of Moses is not a law of retaliation, but of reparation. The genius of the Mosaic law is that it provided justice for the victim, not just the state. "Eye for an eye" does not mean the offender had to poke out his eye. It means he had to provide satisfaction to the victim or lose an eye. In most cases, "satisfaction" was a monetary payment to the victim (Ex 21:22, 30). If the offender could not pay money, he could work up to six years to raise the money (Ex 22:3; 21:2). Instead of watching MTV and costing victims $25,000/yr., an offender could continue his life while "paying" for his crime by working out "satisfaction" for the victim. (Also note that innocent tax- payers were not "robbed" to pay back the victim.) The modern justice system often robs justice when it penalizes the offender and does virtually nothing for the victim.
Capital crimes - Many offenses had the maximum penalty of death. However, the only compulsory death sentence was for first degree murder (Num. 35:31). For other crimes, there were 2 alternatives: 1) to leave the country--voluntarily leave a society based on laws that provide long-term freedom, or 2) "make satisfaction"--repent to be able to stay in a prosperous society. This is how Zion will operate. There are certain laws that people must obey to maintain a free society. People who do not want to live by these laws will not be permitted to stay in Zion.
Not saved by the law - Read Mosiah 13:27-32 (the whole chapter is a good lesson on the Law of Moses).
Mosiah 13:27-32
27 And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses. I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.
28 And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.
29 And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God;
30 Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him.
31 But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come.
32 And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved except it were through the redemption of God.
Exodus 22
Ex 22:20 - 20 He that sacrificeth unto any god[*], save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed
*Alma 36:14 Idol worship=spiritual murder. Remember when Alam was racked with the pain of his sins he recalls:
12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.
14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
Exodus 24
Ex 24:1-8 - The Law of Common Consent - Two purposes of this law: 1) To protect us from being deceived - all things done in the Church be known to the members (D&C 26:2; 42:11); 2) Let us choose to accept God's will. When we are asked to vote on or sustain our leaders, we are not normally voting whether or not that person is worthy to be our leader, we are voting whether or not we desire to follow the leader that God gives us. When should we cast a vote of opposition? "Only on the grounds that he is guilty of wrong doing, of transgression of the laws of the Church which would disqualify him for the position which he is called to hold" (J.F. Smith, DS, 3:124).
24:6-8 �
6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7 And he took the book of the covenant [where is this book today? Its not part of the bible], and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words. [Note the symbolism. Both God and the people are bound by the covenant of the atonement (the blood of Jesus Christ).]
Tabernacle means "tent" or "dwelling." It would serve as the Lord's home.
25:10 - Shittim, pronounced shee-teem', is a hard wood desert acacia tree.
25:18 - Look cherubim up in the Bible Dictionary.
25:20 - Wings symbolize power (D&C 77:4).
25:21 - The mercy seat was also called "atonement place" (where sacrifices were made). Think about that juxtaposition of mercy and atonement.
25:30 - Shewbread is the "bread put before the face of the Lord." Scholars and tradition agree that wine was also placed on the table along with the bread. The "spoons" referred to were probably containers or cups for the wine. This was the "sacrament table."
25:32 - The menorah - seven symbolizes wholeness or perfection. The oil was consecrated olive oil (Ex 27:20) and represents the Holy Ghost (D&C 45:56-7). Therefore, the menorah symbolizes the light (the spirit) that guides us to perfection. And note that burning incense symbolizes our prayers going up to heaven (Rev. 8:3).
29:20 - Symbolic of hearing (ear), acting in or doing (thumb), and walking (toe) in the commandments and covenants of the Lord. Exodus 32 -- Israel rejects the High Priesthood See D&C 84:25-27 Exodus 34:1-2
32:1-6 - Worshiping God through idolatrous medium is no good either.
1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who shall go before us, for that man Moses, who brought us from the land of Egypt - we do not know what has happened to him."
2 Aaron said to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
3 And all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 This he took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf. And they exclaimed, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!"
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron announced: "Tomorrow shall be a festival of the Lord!"
6 Early next day, the people offered up burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well- being; they sat down to eat and drink, and then rose to dance.
I say "guys", and I mean specifically the males of the species. In v. 1-3 the "people" in Hebrew is masculine. In v. 2 Aaron says to them "your wives...your daughters...your sons". He must be talking to men, as he is telling them to go back to their wives. so, we have here a group of men, and this group of men is hostile as v. 1 in the JPS states they "gathered against" him.
But why were they even doing this? They had just seen a series of incredible miracles that delivered them from slavery, and the making or worshipping of idols was explicitly prohibited. Are they that hard- hearted, or is something else going on? Let us back up for a moment to 24:12-18. There Moses is summoned up into the mountain by the Lord. In v. 14 Moses tells the elders that he will be ascending the mountain, and in the mean time Aaron and Hur are in charge. No mention is made of how long Moses will be gone. This is only pointed out to the reader in v. 18, this is not part of the discussion between Moses and the elders. so, it is only known after the fact that Moses was gone for 40 days, upon his leaving none of them knew exactly how long he would be gone. so, in 32:1 the people are sitting around waiting for Moses to come back, forty days have elapsed and where is Moses?
Now, lets look at the latter half of v. 1, where the people indicate that Moses has led from Egypt but now he is gone and they now need someone to "go before us"? Go where? The Promised land of Canaan. They are looking for a replacement leader to lead them into Canaan, as Moses had said the Lord would do. Again, lets back track and look at 23:20-24 where the Lord tells them He is going to take them into the Promised land:
Exodus 23:20-24
20 I am sending an angel before you [Hebr: malach l`fanecha] to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have made ready.
21 Pay heed to him and obey him. Do not defy him, for he will not pardon your offenses, since My Name is in him;
22 but if you obey him and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
23 When My angel goes before you [Hebr: malach l`fanecha] and brings you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I annihilate them,
24 you shall not bow down to their gods in worship or follow their practices, but shall tear them down and smash their pillars to bits.
Here is the Strong's entry for the Hebrew malach:
04397 mal'ak {mal-awk'}
from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy;
1) messenger, representative
1a) messenger
1b) angel
1c) the theophanic angel
so, they had previously been told malach l`fanecha, or an angel would go before them and lead them into Canaan. Previously they had probably assumed the malach was Moses, but now that Moses appears to them to be gone, they need this promised malach. And this is what the people in 32:1 demand "Come make as an elohiem - asher yalchu l'fa'neinu". They don't know where Moses is, and for all they know he is dead. So they are demanding Aaron produce a new leader, this promised messenger, to lead them into Canaan.
Now, I am not saying that what they did was just, not at all. What they did was use some bit of information out of context as a proof text to suit their own desires, as is so common among people today. Again we see the need for a prophet on the earth. The suggestion is that the men here were not idiotic idolaters, but rather were probably self- promoters who sought to use the image as a means of taking over the leadership of Israel, exercising unrighteous dominion over her in the absence of Moses.
And What was Aaron thinking?
Is Aaron an idolater, a coward, of was he trying to be clever in order to get out of a difficult situation? As pointed out above, Aaron was confronted and outnumbered by a group of hostile men. Lets look at what he does with them. First, they demand he make a god to lead them, his reply is "Go back to your wives and children and get all their gold and bring it back and I will make a god from it". Look closely at what he is doing. He is sending back these hostile men to their families, thereby attempting to dismiss and disperse them and also to force them to confront their families and strip them of their gold. Naturally, once the mob was split up their mobocrat attitudes would wane, and I am sure their families would not be in any rush to give up their gold. so, the men would have been censured by their own wives and kids. Thus, Aaron is trying to avoid a mess with these guys by sending them away thinking he is willing to acquiesce to their demands. Notice however that the men do not do what Aaron has suggested, they do not go back to their families but rather take the gold from among themselves and demand he use that. so, his initial clever ploy is thwarted.
But Aaron has another idea. When he sees the men proclaiming the calf to be the god of Israel, he goes and calls a feast to the Lord on the next day (cf. v. 5). He knows all will be present for such a feast, the pious and these others as well. The next day all the people gather in and participate in the feast, but afterwards they start partying it up (cf. v. 6). Aaron has done this on purpose so the miscreants will be exposed for what they are in the eyes of all of the people in v. 25:
Moses saw that they were out of control -since Aaron had let them get out of control -so they were a menace to any who might oppose them (JPS).
Moses saw that the people were out of control -for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies (NAS).
Aaron's intent here is at least to expose the foolish behavior of these men. He probably is also hoping the pious people of Israel will outnumber the miscreants and take actions to stop them. Previously, the men had come out against Aaron in a threatening manner, outnumbering him and demanding he make a god. Here I suspect he is trying to turn the tables on them, having them outnumbered by Israel and putting them into a situation where they get totally out of control. It would also serve as a good object lesson to the pious among Israel, as these men who desire idols are making fools of themselves publicly, showing forth a bad example. so, does that mean Aaron is off the hook? Not at all. In v. 21 Moses censures him (in v. 22 Aaron's makes a rather weak attempt to justify himself) and in Deut. 9:20 we are informed that the Lord was angry enough with him to have killed him over it. I would guess what the Lord expected of Aaron was the same thing Moses did, namely confront the sinners outright and deal with the matter expediently. Aaron tried to avoid a difficult situation by being clever where Moses stood up to it and boldly and unequivocally addressed the matter at hand. Aaron's actions are far from unequivocal, and as a prominent leader among Israel his example in dealing with these men was less that ideal.
v20 The calf was probably made from wood and plated with gold, which was a common means of making idols, cp. Isa. 40:19, 44:13- 17.
19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger [Moses, in indignation (not anger, as in some translations), breaks the tablets of the Law. The golden calf is ground to powder, mixed with liquid. The guilty are forced to drink it and die. An awful picture.
] waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
v25-29 Here we have a sharp contrast between the Abrahamic Covenant and the Sinaitic Covenant. The Abrahamic being lineage based and the Sinaitic being righteousness based. The unrighteous who indulge in the idolatry are destroyed from Israel by those who dedicate themselves to the Lord.
v30-35 Follows the same theme as that of v. 25-29, wherein the Lord strikes Israel for their sin. Previously in Exodus the Lord is presented as ultra-tolerant of Israel's incessant whining and complaining against Moses and Him. Only after entering into the conditional covenant at Sinai is the Lord now presented as striking them down as a result of their wickedness.
32:25 - Much of the "idol worship" of the nations of this time had more to do with sexual frolic than worship. Early hippie movement
32:25-30 - Aaron was also condemned for his role in the golden calf incident (Dut. 9:20).
32:31-32 - Moses as mediator for Israel. He offers his own life for his people Exodus 33
v1-6 The Lord is so angry with Israel over the idol incident He must leave them, otherwise His Justice will require Him to destroy them. This forms the basis for the Semitism of God hiding His face from you when you are sinning. He turns His face away from you in Mercy lest His Justice require you be punished.
v7-11 While the Lord has left the general presence of Israel, those who seek after Him may still do so in the Tabernacle. Thus, the Tabernacle is akin to the Temples today where the Lord is not generally found among the Gentiles, but those who seek after Him can find Him there.
v12-23 Moses again acts in the role of intercessor between Israel and the Lord. He reminds the Lord of his calling and requests the Lord honor prior commitments.
v20-23 This matter of not seeing God's face receives quite a lot of attention. What it boils down to id when you are in His favor you may speak with Him face to face, as Moses did in v. 11. However, when He is angry with you, He will hid his presence from you out of mercy as is the case in v. 1-6. There are numerous references establishing plainly that this is the correct interpretation, and not any nonsense about it being impossible to see God's face, cp. Gen. 4:14, Deut. 31:17-18, Deut. 32:19-22, Num. 6:22-27, 2 Chron. 7:14, Ps. 11:17, Ps. 17:15, Ps. 27:8-9, Isa. 54:8, Jer. 18:17, Ezek. 39:23-24, Dan. 9:17, Micah 3:4, 1 Peter 3:12, Moses 5:39. Exodus 34
34:1-4 - What was the difference between the first and second set of tablets? See the JST Exodus 34:1-2
"The Lord said he was now prepared to enter into a covenant with Israel and give them a great blessing if they were obedient. He told Moses to return to the people and ask them if they were willing to enter into such a contract. If so, the Lord said He was willing to make the children of Israel his 'chosen people' through whom God would do his great work among the children of men in that day. . . .
This was the same covenant and blessing given in the days of Enoch when that prophet was allowed to raise up a people who became so powerful and righteous that 'The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish. And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.' (Moses 7:17-18)
This same covenant and blessing was offered to the Brother of Jared and his people around 2,200 BC when they were brought to the western hemisphere and told by the Lord, 'I will bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who shall go with thee, a great nation. And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth.' (Ether 1:43)
This is the same covenant and blessing received by Melchizedek, Prince of Salem, who avoided the abomination of desolating war in his day by getting the people to repent, live under this covenant, and eventually refine themselves through righteous living until they were able to be translated like the people of Enoch. The scripture says: 'And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order [the higher order of the Priesthood]; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace. And his people wrought righteousness and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken....' (JST Genesis 14:33-34)
This same covenant and blessing was offered to the Saints in the days of Christ which led Peter to exclaim: 'But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people: that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; which in the time past were not a people, but are now the people of God....' (1 Peter 2:9-10) Unfortunately, apostasy overtook the early Christians so they never did enjoy the complete fulfillment of this blessing.
In the latter days the Lord has promised to build a great civilization with this same covenant and blessing. As He ushered in the last dispensation of the fullness of times the Lord declared: 'For Zion must increase in beauty, and in holiness; her borders must be enlarged; her stakes must be strengthened; yea, verily I say unto you, Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments. Therefore, I give unto you this commandment, that ye bind yourselves by this covenant, and it shall be done according to the laws of the Lord.' (D&C 82:14-15)
These passages help us catch the point of view of the Lord when he was talking to Moses on Sinai. These Hebrews were being offered the kingdom of God on earth, a restoration of the golden age of Enoch, a duplication of the orderly society achieved by Melchizedek, a taste of government and glory such as the whole earth will enjoy during the millennium. All this was being offered to Israel. The fact that they bungled this opportunity is one of the greatest tragedies in human history" (Third, p. 285-286).
The Law of Moses a great step forward (although not as great as Israel could have taken). It was a greater challenge to get Egypt out of Israel than to get Israel out of Egypt. Why were higher laws taken away? Are we cursed similarly today? Yes!
Read Alma 12:9-12. Now read D&C 84:54-8
54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received--
55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of
Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written--
58 That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father's kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion..
President Benson said: "This condemnation has not been lifted, nor will it be until we repent. *** In our day the Lord has inspired His servant to reemphasize the Book of Mormon to get the Church out from under condemnation--the scourge and judgement. *** I promise you that as you more diligently study modern revelation on gospel subjects, your power to teach and preach will be magnified and you will so move the cause of Zion that added numbers will enter into the house of the Lord as well as the mission field" (A Witness and a Warning vii-viii).
v1-3 Following Moses' appeal in the preceding chapter, the Lord relents and decides to go ahead with the Sinaitic covenant. But the Lord excludes Israel in general from His presence and only allows Moses, the interceding prophet, into His presence.
v4-7 Moses does as he is instructed and prepares a second set of tablets, and then goes into the presence of the Lord. The Lord announces His name and emphasizes His merciful nature, but makes it very clear His mercy is not permissive.
v8-9 Moses responds to the Lord's announcement of His mercy and appeals to Him to be merciful with Israel, forgive them their folly over the idol, and take Israel as His people as He said He would in 19:5-6.
v10-17 The Lord acquiesces to Moses' request to forgive Israel and taken them as His people and go ahead with the Sinaitic Covenant (v. 10-11). However, He vehemently emphasizes the absolute necessity of utterly stamping out all idolatry from the land of Canaan, every last vestige (v. 12-14). And he demands that they not intermingle with the current inhabitants by covenant (i.e., legal contracts) or by marriage, as that would result in Israel being led astray to worship false gods (v. 15- 16). The Lord then ends the admonition in v. 17 with a final command directly reactionary to the events of the preceding chapter, "Thou shalt make thee no molten gods".
v18-26 The Lord then reaffirms the Passover Festival (a.k.a. Pesach) and institutes the Feast of Weeks (a.k.a. Shavuot, Pentecost) and the Feast of Tabernacles (a.k.a Sukkot). These three feasts are known as the Regalim, or ingatherings, which name is derived from the Hebrew regel or "feet" because the people are to gather in to the Tabernacle to observe the Feasts. The Lord emphasizes the weekly Sabbath, even during the harvest, as all three of the Regalim are additional Sabbaths as well (v. 21). And He prohibits the mixing of local idolatrous fertility rituals with the divinely instituted Feasts (the v. 26 statement about not boiling a kid in it's mother's milk).
v27-28 The Lord commands Moses to write down the commands associated with the Sinaitic Covenant. After 40 days, which parallel the previous 40 days he spent upon Sinai, of fasting Moses returns out of the mountain, and writes down all of the instructions of the Law.
v28 "he did neither eat bread, nor drink water", the fasting without food or water for 40 days is clearly intended to tell us that Moses was miraculously sustained while in the presence of the Lord. The connection is akin to that of Deut. 8:3, and emphasizes that the Divine Bread (i.e., the Torah) is more valuable and more sustaining than any earthly material bread.
v29-35 Moses acts as intercessor again in imparting the Law to Israel after departing from the presence of the Lord. The matter of Moses' face shining would indicate that the Lord is sanctified, and those who enter His presence must be sanctified by Him in order to abide with Him. Thus, Moses was sanctified by the Lord and this sanctification persisted even outside the Lord's presence. The mortal takes on the element of the divine, by virtue of the divine and not the mortal. This occurs whenever Moses goes into the Lord's presence. The people fear this manifestation, so Moses veils his face from them, just as the Lord veils His face from Israel. But lest we forget Moses' humanity we are reminded of it in passages such as 16:6-8, 18:17.
Leviticus -- Is the "Priesthood Handbook" of the time, Sacrifices and Offerings
Lev 5:5; 6:6-7 - For a good summary of the main sacrificial ordinances, see the display in the back hall of the chapel.
Blood sacrifice was fulfilled by Christ. The sacrifice He now commands is a broken heart and contrite spirit (3 Ne. 9:19- 20). D&C 13 teaches about the offering of the sons of Levi. This offering will take place in the temple and mainly concerns doing work for the dead (D&C 128:24). The sacrifice of animals as in the time of Adam (Moses 5:5) will also be restored as part of the restoration of all things. This sacrifice will be done in a part of the Temple of Zion for ordinances of the Aaronic priesthood at the beginning of the Millennium. It will most likely only be done once and as part of a ceremony that will go through each ordinance representing the atonement and second coming of Christ. After this, it will no longer be required (McConkie, MD, 666 and Joseph Fielding Smith, DS 3:94).
Lev 7:21 - Symbolism--cannot sin (touch "uncleanliness") and have peace (the "peace offering") at the same time (1 Ne. 20:22).
Lev 10:8-11; 16:1-4 - How should we prepare ourselves when we go to the temple?
Lev 16:20-22 - The "scapegoat."
Lev 16:29-33 - The Day of Atonement - Cross reference to Paul using the symbolism of the Day of Atonement to teach the mission of Christ. Christ is the high priest (Heb. 3:1). He is without blemish of sin, worthy to atone for Israel (Heb. 7:26-7). The true temple (tabernacle) is in heaven (Heb. 8:2-5; 9:1-9). Christ is the Lamb of Jehovah (Heb. 9:11-14, 24-28; 10:11-22).