EXODUS

(Book of Redemption)
INTRODUCTION
Historically, the book of Exodus speaks of the liberation of Israel from the
slavery of Egypt; but viewed doctrinally, it is also about the
Redemption. Just as the first book of the Bible teaches us that God
choose for salvation, and it also teaches us how God saves, by name, to
redemption. Redemption, then, is the dominant theme in Exodus.
Next, we see that we are redeemed to worship, and these
characteristics in Leviticus, where we learn about the requirements
saints and of the provision of grace that He has established for us. In
Numbers we have the step and the war of the desert, where we
we have a typical representation of our experiences when we
we traverse this scene of sin and trial - our repetition of failures and
of excuses, and God's long-suffering and his faithfulness. And so that we
we can continue.
But let's return to Exodus. Just as we emphasize (just as others
before us have done) talking about redemption. For the writer this
it seems to fall under five divisions that we will summarize below:
First, we see the need for redemption - through the panorama of
slave town: chapters 1 to 6.
Secondly, we see the power of the Redeemer—it is shown in the plagues of
Egypt: chapters 7 to 11.
Third, we see the character of redemption—Bought with blood,
manifested with power: chapters 12 to 18. Fourth, we see the
Duties of redemption—obedience to the Lord: chapters 19 to 24.
Fifth, we see the provision made for the faults of the redeemed—we see
in the tabernacle and its service: chapters 25 to 40. In proof of what
we have just referred to the reader by Ex. 15:13, who
these verses are the key in this book, "You led in your mercy to this
people you redeemed; You brought it with your power to your holy dwelling
here is involved the need for redemption—the mercy of God;
reference to the power of the Redeemer—His "strengths;" the character of the
redemption—'let my people go;'

The responsibilities of the redeemed and their privileges are mentioned and are
established as references for participating in the tabernacle—"enter into the
holy room.
In early times, God apparently did not communicate with His people in a formal way.
explicit and systematic the doctrine, on the other hand, instructed them, mainly, to
through his providential dealings and by means of the types (Announcements) and
symbols. Once this is clearly within our reach, it gives us
new interest in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. The initial books of the
The Bible contains much more than an inspired story of events that
they happened thousands of years ago, they are full of omens (announcements) and
illustrations of the great doctrines of our faith that are established
categorically later in the epistles of the New Testament.
So, "Because the things that were written before were for our teaching
they wrote, so that through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures,
let's have hope” (Rom. 15:4), and we lose a lot if we
we deny the historical study of this portion of the Old Testament with this
done before us.
The liberation of the people of Israel from Egypt shows us a complete
shows like a type of what our redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ will be.
The details of this are before us, as the will of God, in our
latest studies. Here, we draw attention to this interesting
sketch. Israel in Egypt illustrates the place where they were before the
Divine grace will save them. Egypt symbolizes the world, according to the course in
the one we all were at one time. Pharaoh, who did not know the Lord, it
he challenged, and he became the inveterate enemy of God and His people, but
In the end, he was overthrown by God, which is a shadow of the great adversary, the
Diablo. The cruel slavery and the images of the Hebrew slaves under a
tyrannical dominion of sin over its captives. The groaning of the Israelites
loaded with their heavy burdens speaks of the painful exercises of the
consciousness and of the heart when one is condemned to a lost condition.
The liberator raised by God in the person of Moses points to the Liberator.
Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ. The night of the Easter night speaks of the
the security of the believer under the refuge of the blood of the Lamb of God. The
the exodus from Egypt announces our liberation from the yoke of slavery of
sin and the judicial separation from the world. The crossing of the Red Sea represents
our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. The journey through
desert the tests, with God's willingness to satisfy all the
needs of their people, which also represent the experiences of our
pilgrimage.
The delivery of the law to Israel teaches us obedience and submission that
we owe to our new Lord and Master. The tabernacle with its accessories and
Beautiful furniture shows us the varied and coming excellences and glories.
of Christ. Therefore, you will find that almost everything in this second book of the
The Bible has a spiritual message and its application for us today. The story
it repeats, and what is recorded in Exodus will be found to foreshadow a coming
chapter on the vicissitudes of the descendants of Abraham. The lot of Israel in
the period of the Tribulation will be even worse than it was in the day of Moses. A
A tyrant greater than Pharaoh will still be 'raised up' by God to reprimand them.
A more determined effort will be made at this age to cut them so that they are not
a nation. Groans and cries more intense and lamentable even worse will rise to the
sky. The most terrible plagues were sent upon the land of Pharaoh that
even worse will be poured out upon the world of the vile by the wrath of God. God
He will send two witnesses again, empowered by Him to perform miracles and
wonders but his testimony must be rejected just like Moses and Aaron were
before Pharaoh. Emissaries of Satan, supernaturally endowed, will carry out
greater wonders than those performed by the magicians of Egypt. A remnant of
Israel will meet again in the desert, to be sustained by God. And to the
finally the great Liberator will emerge, who will defeat the enemies of his people by a
the most painful sentence than the one that surpassed the Egyptians at the Red Sea. By
lastly, there will still be an even greater exodus than that of Egypt, when the Lord
gather in the land of Israel all the exiled of Israel from the ends of
the earth

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Exodus 1:1-22

The first verse of Exodus takes us back to what is recorded in the

last chapters of Genesis, where we read that Jacob and his family found
the solution to your problem in the land of the pharaohs. Upon their entrance they were
offers a warm welcome, in Goshen, which was 'the best of the land'
from Egypt, (Gen. 47:6),
That place was assigned for your use. But it was not allowed for long.
to be there in peace and comfort. It seems that after his entry into Egypt a
the spirit of enmity began to manifest itself towards them, brought forth in a
At first, perhaps, because they were shepherds (See Gen
46:34.), and that they were forced to end in harsh servitude with a yoke of
slavery in the days of a new king who 'did not know Joseph'. His peace of
thirty years was disturbed after its settlement in Goshen, this
It seems clear from a comparison of Acts 7:6 and Ex. 12:40: in the
first we are told that they were 'The time that the children of Israel dwelled in
Egypt was four hundred thirty years.
The time that the children of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred thirty years.
years.
Several questions, of course, arise at this point. What was the reason
What did God have to allow Israel to spend so much time in Egypt? Why?
Did he allow them to be treated so cruelly? God's purpose was that the
descendants of Abraham were to occupy the land of Canaan, which had to be
to be delivered to her father. But why an interval of more than 400 years?
Did the events occur before this purpose was realized? I believe this is worth it.
a double response to understand the purpose. First, to prepare
to Israel for its inheritance. The gross enrollment that they had in Egypt served
to develop their muscles and strengthen their nerves. Additionally, their bitter
luck in Egypt and its trials in the desert were designed to make it so that
they will enjoy more the land where milk and honey flowed.
The second answer suggested by Genesis 15:16: "And in the Fourth
Generation They will return here; because the wickedness of
Dios le dijo a Abraham que su descendencia sería extranjera en tierra.
strange for four hundred years, but in the fourth generation they should return
to Canaan, and the iniquity of the Amorites was completed. The time for the deal of
God in the judgment with the Amorites was not fully mature in the days of
Abraham: their iniquities had not reached the limit that God had
designated.
Thus, God ordered that for the moment the iniquity of the Amorites be
it would be completed (cf Mt. 23:32 and 1 Thess. 2:16) Israel was ready, as a nation, to
that it would be an instrument of God to destroy them. "Whatever they may be the
actions of men in evil and arrogant rebellion, are
subordinate to the constitution of the divine councils of grace and love.
Despite the anger, man is under the yoke of the wheel of the cart of the
decrees of God" (Ed. Dennett).
But why did God allow the descendants of Abraham to suffer?
such humiliations and trials in the hands of the Egyptians? The book of Genesis
again provides us with the answer. What treatment was given to José by the
brother was evil, did he have to go unpunished? No, not that
it could be. They, like everyone else, had to reap what they had
sown; to harvest the bitter crop not only for them but also for their
children, for the sins of the parents the consequences fall upon the children
up to the third and fourth generation. This happened here, because it was the 'Fourth
generation" (Genesis 13:15), the one that came out of Egypt. Four generations,
then, they reaped what they had sown, and they reaped precisely
"everything" that had been sown;

Because just as Joseph was sold into slavery and taken to Egypt, for that reason
also his brothers and their children suffered in Egypt! And what was a portent
of the bitter experiences that Israel was going to suffer during these nineteen
past centuries, for their wicked treatment of the Blessed one whom Joseph so
Surprisingly typified! They, too, have reaped what they sowed.
Israel delivered Christ into the hands of the Gentiles, and thus into their hands as well.
they were delivered. Christ was treated shamefully by the Romans, and
by the same people who were employed by God to punish the
Jews. Christ was "cut off from the land of the living, and since the year 70 AD Israel,
also, has been "cut off from the land of his parents." Thus, we see again
how is the inexorable external manifestation of this law of sowing and the
harvest.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Why did God allow the Israelites to suffer at the hands of the
Egyptians?
1 Peter 4:1-21

What does Egypt symbolize?

Is Ex 1:17 the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham in Gen 12:2?

Make a comparison of the slaves of Israel who are under the yoke of
Pharaoh and how Satan enslaves us through fear, emotion, desires.
natural, accepting falsehoods as truth, etc. How to be free from
Ourselves and of Satan? Is Pharaoh a type or example of Satan?
2 Peter 2:19

Éxodo 2:1-10

In the first verses of our chapter, we have a wonderful image.

of salvation. The child Moses was placed on the riverbank, instead of
death, the last place we would have chosen for him. That's how in the
salvation, death is the payment for sin, and from this no one can escape.
After having flagrantly broken the holy law of God, justice demands the
execution of their sentence. But isn't this closing the door to hope in
against ours, and seal our fate? Ah, it is precisely at this point that
the Gospel of the provision of God's grace is announced to us and we are told (it
that we would never have conceived by ourselves) that life comes to
we through death.
Although Moses was taken to the place of death, he was surely saved through
from an ark. And this speaks to us of Christ, who descended to death for us.
God's justice is an imperative fact that demands payment for the horrible.
sins, and therefore sent His unblemished Son to die for them in the
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be
Always prepared to present defense with gentleness and reverence
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have in you" (1 Pet.)

3:15). Therefore, in Christ our Substitute, we have also been

in the place of death just like baby Moses. And keep in mind that already
what was the 'faith' that put him there, it is faith that identifies us with Christ.
Once again, just as Moses was taken out from the place of death, so was
also when Christ resurrected, we were raised with Him (Eph. 2:5,6).
The typical image can be traced even further.
In the merciful provision of the providence that God has arranged for the
baby Moses (Ex. 2:4) we have illustrated the tender care of the Heavenly Father for
each child in Christ. And later, at the entrance of Moses into the home
And the palace of the Pharaoh has prefigured the heavenly 'mansions' that
Jesus is preparing for us!

It was neither by chance nor does chance exist that the daughter of Pharaoh came down.
until the river that day, because there are no accidents or random events in a
world presided over by the living God. Whatever happens in time is nothing but
the perfect execution of his eternal decrees, "for whose sake are all the
things, and by whom are all things "(He. 2:10). God is behind the
scenes, arranging everything for His own glory, for what our little
actions are controlled by Him. "I know, oh Jehovah, that man is
It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
10:23
Then the daughter of Pharaoh said to her: Take this child, and I will give you your wages. And the
the woman took the child, and raised him "(v. 9). This incident of Divine protection of the
the life of the child Moses provides a surprising and blessed example of the
preservation of God of His chosen ones during their time before being
regenerated - a fact that few believers are able to see, of how the
grace is about those who are determined for salvation. We believe that
this explains a point that has been an enigma for many
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of
Jacob, to the called, sanctified in God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.
called. "The order of the verbs here is very significant. The 'sanctification' by
the Father manifests our eternal election, before the foundation of the
world, God, in His counsel, separates us from the mass of our fallen race, and
He appointed us for salvation. The 'calling' evidently refers to that.
invincible and inner calling that reaches each one from God choosing us
for the time of regeneration (Rom. 8:30), when the dead will hear the voice of the
Son of God and they will live (John 5:25). But notice that in Jude 1 there it is
It is evident that the reference is to the temporary preservation prior to salvation.
As the writer looks back at his days of not being regenerated, and remembers with
tremor a number of occasions when he was in danger
imminent, face to face with death. But even so, when I was still
in their sins (FOR in Christ it was appointed for an eternal election)
It was miraculously preserved. What a reason for gratitude and praise this is!
Certainly, every Christian reader will remember similar rescues from danger of the
death. This is beautifully illustrated in Ex. 2:6-9. Even in his days of
regenerated, like a baby, the Angel of the Lord encamps around the baby
Moses and he protects him!
And the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter: and he became her son.
And he named him Moses, and said: Because I drew him out of the waters.
This is a surprising example of Job 5:13 - it mentions that they are
"preserved" in Jesus Christ, and "called"
Who traps the wise in their own cunning, and frustrates the plans of the
"perverse" Pharaoh proposed "wise men for the children of Israel, and this, in order to
that they could not rise from the ground" (1:10), and yet, in the end, God
forces to provide accommodation, maintenance, and education for the man who would achieve
the same thing that the Pharaoh was trying to avoid!
So the wisdom of the Pharaoh became foolishness, and Satan and his emissaries
they were defeated.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Show How. Moses typifies Our Great Redeemer, Who would carry the
brothers out of this world present in their spiritual heritage.
(Ex. 2:1-2 He. 2:14)(Ex. 2:10 Fil. 2:6 He. 1:2) (Fil. 2:7-8 He. 11:25-26) (Ex.
2:3 Mt. 2:14-16)(Ex. 2:11-25 Mt. 4:1-11) 1 Juan 3:8
(Num. 12:3 Mt. 12:19-20) (Ex. 20:22 Gal. 3:19 1 Tim. 2:5) (Ex. 3:18 Mt. 17:5)
Example 3:7-8 Galatians 4:4-5
One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

There are two passages in the New Testament that shed light on the interval.
he passed between verses 10 and 11 in Ex. 2. In Acts 7:22 we read: 'And he was
taught Moses in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his
words and works". But his heart was not in those things. There was something that
he had a more powerful attraction for him than the honors and comforts of the
Egyptian court. Without a doubt, her believing parents had familiarized her with the
promises of Jehovah to his parents. That the time was not very far off, when
the Hebrews were to be freed from their slavery and must travel to the land of
Abraham, Moses had heard, and upon hearing he believed. The result of his faith is described.
In Hebrews 11:24-26: "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son
from the daughter of Pharaoh, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God,
to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, considering them greater
the riches the reproach of Christ than the treasures of the Egyptians; for he had
set the gaze on the award". Regarding the nature of his faith and this renunciation
notable that we can only comment briefly.
The first thing that is observed is the nature of his resignation: he "refused
to be called the son of the daughter of Pharaoh". Josephus tells us that Pharaoh had no others.
children, and that his daughter, Thermutis, did not have any children of her own. Therefore, the most
It is likely that Moses would have succeeded in reaching the throne. That some
offers were made to Moses, after he had reached adulthood, he
clearly deduce from the words 'he refused'. What he refused then was to
riches, honors, power, and, very likely, a throne. Had there been
accepted, that could have easily mitigated the suffering of his own
people, and lightened their heavy burdens. However, "he firmly refused."
Second, consider the nature of your choice: "he/she chose
better to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of
sin was for a brief time." It was not that he was pushed into suffering, but
that voluntarily chose to do it. It was not that there was no escape from that
life class, but rather has deliberately decided to unite with a people
despised and hunted. He preferred difficulties over comfort, the
shame and reproach more than fame and honor, the afflictions instead of
the pleasures, the desert, instead of the city party.
This was a surprising election, and it marks that it was not a choice of a
child, but of an adult man, not of a fool, but of an expert with all the
wisdom of the Egyptians.
Thirdly, observe the satisfaction that he liked: "the vituperation that the
greater riches of Christ than the treasures of Egypt." The place of Moses was
a very tough place, in every aspect, the opposite of the one in which he had been
created. However, Moses did not complain or murmur, far from being
satisfied with his part of the deal, he valued the 'reproach' that led him to that
instances. Far from complaining about the affliction, he valued what he had to live through. Not
not only endured suffering, but valued it as more important than the
riches of the richest and largest country on earth. In this, it puts many of
us exposed.
What a shame!
In fourth place, mark the main reason for your actions: "For faith
Moses ... refused .... chose .... regarded." As someone said: "There must be
heard from God that he was not going to accept this great privilege. Since the 'faith
it's because of the hearing," Moses must have heard! And, since it comes through hearing it comes through the
Word of God', God must have communicated or spoken to Moses his
will; because Moses heard, Moses believed, Moses obeyed. God had others
counselors and purposes regarding the life of Moses. Moses must have been
spoken by God so that he would believe with such conviction and could free the
people of Israel from the slavery of Egypt. All the things that were going to happen
they were revealed to him. The 'things of Christ' have been made known
part." He knew God. He knew that Jehovah had a people, and that he
was suffering a harsh slavery in Egypt. He knew that they also
they should be freed from that yoke. How, should he accept the position
of privilege on the throne of Egypt?
Lastly, attend to the set of objects in front of him: "because he had the
gaze set on the award. Moses must have heard "of the eternal weight of the
glory", and that's why the "things that are seen" were not visible as main ones. The
pleasures of sin are of short duration - only for "a time", but their
Consequences are eternal. In view of the eternity of glory, the 'affliction' gives you
it seemed brief, but "for a moment", and then the "light". Moses, then,
walked by faith and not by sight, had his eyes set on the invisible, not on the
tangible; he was busy with the future and not with the present, and,
consequence, it was an easy matter to exchange the palace for the desert, and the
pleasures of sin for the reproach of Christ.
May an equally precious faith characterize both the reader and the writer.
Returning to the narrative, we are told next:
, "In those days it happened that when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers, and they
he saw in his hard tasks, and observed an Egyptian who was beating one of the
Hebrews, their brothers. Then he looked around, and seeing that it didn’t seem
nobody killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand" (Ex. 2:11,12). One of the
characteristics of writing is that it always impresses the writer by the
absolute fidelity with which it describes the lives of the heroes of the Bible. A
difference from what many human biographies, the characters of the
Scriptures are painted with the colors of nature and truth. They are
describe how they really were. An instance of this is before us here.
Moses was truly a wonderful character, and endowed with a faith
common and, however, the Holy Spirit has not concealed its defects. Moses
I was in too much of a hurry. I was running ahead of the Lord. The time of
God had not yet come to free Israel. Another forty years
they still had to pass. Of course, tired and feeling Moses trapped and
impatiently acted in the energy of the flesh, hastily. Some
writers have tried to reclaim it, but the words " he looked sideways and
for the other one, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian "he condemns
as immature and impulsive.

(The Spikes in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Here it can be easily seen that Moses had never forgotten his nanny.
(birth mother) or her estate, and that she had no true compassion.
regarding the sufferings of the people of Israel who were under the
cruel treatment in Egypt. However, their actions did not bring any
help for them, but it led him to flee the country for his safety. Can the
Can man alone solve the problems of humanity and its suffering?
What great component is not found here, in this story? Did Moses have
Any thoughts on this or did you pray to resolve this situation? Could it be
that it was not yet God's time for the liberation of his people? And he took a
decision to quickly change history, without being able to depend on God
to obtain a definitive answer.
13Andwhenhewenotuh
tesconddaby,ehod
w
tl,omenoh
tfeHebrewsrtoveotgeh
tera:ndhesadiothm
ih
tadtdih
tewronW
g, hereofresmetih
stouh
tyoeflw?14Andhesad
W
i, homadeh
teeaprniceandau
jdgeoverus?nietndeh
tsouotm
kliaeh
ts,ouk
eldih
tseEgypaitn?AndMosefsared
an
,dsad
S
i,ureylh
th
tsinik
gsinown
15.NowwhenPharaohheardh
th
tsinih
g,esoughotaslyMosB
es.uM
t oselfsdrfomh
teafceoP
fharaoh
an
,ddwnieh
tlaelndoM
f diaina:ndhesadtownbyaw
16.elNowh
tepreiosM
tf diainhadsevendaughetras:ndh
teycameanddrewwaaetrn
,ed
lifh
tertoughotswaetrh
terafih
teorlfs'ck
17.Andh
teshepherdcsameanddroveh
temawayb:uM
t osesotodupandhepledh
tem
an
,dwaetredh
toerlfick
18.Andwhenh
teycameotReuh
telerafih
th
er,esad
H
i,ow
h
tisaytearecomesosoonotday?19Andh
teysaA
di,nEgypaitndveilereduosuoh
tfehandoh
tfeshepherdasn
,dasoldrewwaetrenoughofruasn
,dwaetredh
toelfck
20.Andhesadiunothd
siaughetA
rs,ndwherh
seie?whtiysaytehaveh
tlfeman?ch
alm
ih
t,ahtemayeabtread
21.AndMosew
sacsonetnotdww
elh
tih
temana:ndhegaveMoseZ
spiporahhd
siaugh2etr2.Andshebarehm
i ason
an
,dhecaeldhn
siameGershomof:rhesad
h
Ii,avebeenasrtangen
riasrtangaelnd
23.Ancdtaimeotpan
siprocesom
itfh
te,ah
teknigoE
fgypdteida:ndh
techdlirenoIsfragseilhedbyreasonoh
tfebondagaen
,dh
teycreid
an
,dh
tercirycameupunotGodbyreasonoh
tfebondag2e4.AndGodheardh
tergiroanniagn
,dGodrememberedhcsiovenanw
th
tiAbraham
w,h
tiIsaaacn
,dwh
tiJacob
25.AndGodolokeduponh
techdlirenoIsfraen
,ldGodhadrespecutnothem.

The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting; and he said to the one
He mistreated the other: Why do you hit your neighbor? And he answered: Who has
put over you as prince and judge over us? Do you think to kill me as you killed
to the Egyptian? Then Moses was afraid, and said: Surely this has been
discovered. Hearing Pharaoh about this fact, he sought to kill Moses;
but Moses fled from before Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian
This confirms our interpretation of the verses immediately
previous. Moses' eye was not on God, but on man, and the fear of
the man will always tie a knot. Fearing that the pharaoh might take revenge
he fled to Midian. And yet, while this is true from the side
human, we must not overlook Providence - the ruler of God. The
the time of the Lord for the liberation of Israel had not yet come, and what is
Moreover, Moses' act was not at all in accordance with the methods.
that he intended to employ. Not because of the insurrection on his part, nor because of a system
of murder, the Hebrews were to be freed from the house of bondage. God,
therefore, he made this act of Moses (which he believed had passed without
witnesses) was known, both by his own brothers and by the king.
This is how he taught a healthy lesson to the one who had not yet been employed.
as your servant. And is there also a necessary lesson here for us?
when a servant of God is not allowed to perform a certain service for
He, in which his heart is placed, should not be thought to necessarily
this is due to some fault in the same servant, as it may be due to that
God's timing for that proposed service has not arrived. Such was the case of
David, who, driven only by a burning desire to give glory to God, did not
allowed him to build a house for Jehovah, however in the end this 'house' was
built, although not by David nor in David's time. "And being seated
Next to the well, seven daughters of the priest of Midian came to draw water.
to fill the troughs and to give water to his father's sheep. But the shepherds
they came and threw them out of there; then Moses rose up and defended them, and gave
to drink from their sheep. And when they returned to Reuel their father, he said to them: Why
Have you come so early today? They answered: An Egyptian man us
he defended at the hands of the shepherds, and also brought us water, and gave drink to
the sheep. And he said to his daughters: Where is it? Why have you left that
Man? Call him to eat. And Moses agreed to live with that man;
and he gave his daughter Zipporah as a wife to Moses" (2:16-21). Also in this case
we can discern God working behind the scenes. Moses must have
raised
that the Lord was on his side, and as for the daughters of Reuel,
Moses was able to earn his father's esteem.
The sequel shows how the Providence of God opened up to Moses thus
doors of a home during its long exile from Egypt. Thus God made all the
things to help him for his good. We saw how Moses' attempt to
liberating Israel was untimely, because the time of God had not yet come
arrival. On the other hand, the leader himself was not fully prepared, nor
the Hebrews were ready to leave Egypt. The impetuosity of Moses led him
It led to acting with passionate zeal, but without reason, that was not in agreement.
with the knowledge and this, as is often the case, it put him in serious
problems. The king sought his life, and to escape from him, Moses fled to Midian.
This always happens from the human perspective. As for the Divine, we have
what to ask ourselves in front of the infinite wisdom of God who brings forth anger from
man to praise him and who brings good out of evil.
 God had an important work for Moses to do, and for that reason he had to
to be well prepared. That job was to lead his people of Egypt, and take them to
to possess the promised inheritance. And for this task, Moses was not yet
equipped. It is true that this one had become the adopted son of the
daughter of Pharaoh and who had received a good education, because she had
"learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians". He was not so young anymore,
he was forty years old, in the prime of life. He was not just a
a student or a mere theoretician - He was 'powerful in words and deeds'
(Acts 7:22). What was, then, His fault? Undoubtedly, here was one who
he possessed all the qualities necessary for leadership. Ah, how different
God's thoughts are not like ours!
Then he said to them: You are the ones who justify yourselves.
in front of men; but God knows your hearts; for what
What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight." (Luke 16:15).
What we have listed above were nothing more than natural achievements and
acquisitions that a natural man can have to offer to God, but
nothing is useful, because no flesh can boast in His presence (1 Cor.
1:29)
The 'wisdom of the Egyptians' was held in high regard by the
men, but after all, it was just "the wisdom of the world" that is
madness for God. The schools of this world cannot equip us for it.
Divine service, for that one must be taught in God's school. And that
It is something that the natural man cannot perceive—"And the Jews were amazed.
saying, How does this man know letters, if he has no education?
academies (John 7:15). To learn in the school of God, then, Moses
he left the land of Pharaoh. It is so quiet. The heart must be separated,
divorced from the spirit of the world, if progress is to be made in things
spirituals. "The hand of man can never shape the one who is to serve the
Almighty Lord. He only requires a clean vessel and one that is well disposed to
the obedience to prepare it.
In a retreat place, Moses spent the next forty years of his life,
a place where all opportunities for communion with God are given to him
he conceded. Here he learned about the total vanity of human resources and
the need for every dependency to be on God Himself. To be alone
Having God is the first requirement for every servant of God. But why is it
that the details of the relationship between God and his servant are not recorded during that
interval? Practically nothing is said to us about the experiences he went through.
Moses, neither of the discipline to which he was subjected, nor the exercises of the heart.
that required her graduation.
Just like in the case of the formation of the prophets, John the Baptist,
Pablo in Arabia, this is often overlooked. Is it because the dealings of
God with one of his servants is not available for another? Is there not something that ...
Can we learn so that it serves as an example for us? It is true that there is no
curriculum in God's school. Each servant is treated according to
with their individual needs and disciplined, with a view to the work in
particular that God has for him to do.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Moses was educated in the ways of God through revelation and the
experience. Nowadays, besides having the word of God to guide us
Are we also guided by revelation and experience? Give a brief.
commentary on God's care for Moses and his future as one would make
to free their people from slavery. Can any of us begin to
to explain the calendar and the ways of God?

Éxodo 3:1-9

Horeb was the name of a mountain range; Sinai, the 'Mountain of God.'
While Moses was tending the sheep of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, he took
the sheep through the desert, and reached Horeb, the mountain of God” (v. 1).
Exodus 24:12,13), was a particular peak in that range. It was in this
same setup that, centuries later, the Lord met with the commissioner and
Elijah (1 Kings 19:4-11), as, perhaps, was also in the same place where
The Gospel of His glory was given to the apostle Paul (Gal. 1:17; 4:25).
And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in the midst of
a bush; and he looked, and saw that the bush was burning with fire, and the bush was not consumed
consumed. Then Moses said: I will go now and see this great vision, why
because the bush is not consumed" (Ex. 3:2,3). Here there was a marvelous sign that
all the magicians of Pharaoh could not reproduce. Here was something that must
to disconcert all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Here was a manifestation of the
same God. The Hebrew word here for "mountain" appears in Deuteronomy
33:16, where we read: "And with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness, and for
the good will of the one who dwelt in the bush." In this verse the
The word 'habitó' is 'shah-chan'. It was, then, the Shekinah glory that was being shown.
now before the amazed eyes of Moses. We take this as the
the meaning of the 'angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame' here manifests
the Shekinah, the glory of God.
The 'Angel of the Lord' was none other than the Lord Jesus in a manifestation.
theophanic, because in verse 4 He is called 'Lord' and 'God'. This establishes
a vital truth for the servant of God. Before Moses
may be sent on its important mission must contemplate the ineffable glory
of the Lord. To serve acceptably we must work with our eyes set
only in giving Glory to God, but to do this, we must first
to contemplate that glory. It was so with Moses. It was also so with Isaiah (Is 6).
This was the same case for the great apostle of the Gentiles (Acts 9:3, etc.) He did not
mistaken coworkers, a vision of the glory of God is a
essential prerequisite if we are to serve you adequately.
When Moses approached to contemplate the astonishing spectacle of
the burning bush and yet not consumed, the voice of God spoke to
He. First, God reminded Moses of His holiness (v. 5). Next,
revealed in relation to His Covenant (v. 6). Next, he expressed his compassion (v.
7). Then he declared his purpose: "I have come down to deliver them from the hand of
the Egyptians", etc. (v. 8). Finally, he turned to his servant: "Come now, and
I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may lead my people, the children of Israel from
Egypt (v. 10).
Finally, admire the typical blessed painting here, a prophetic painting of the
Divine Incarnation. Firstly, the divine compassion that led to the Gift
ineffable, Christ: "I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt" -God
he contemplated the miserable condition of sinners and the need for the
liberation. Secondly, the Incarnation itself: 'I have come down.' Thus
It was not until a hundred years later that Jehovah-Jesus left the house of His Father in
tall and descended into these scenes of sin and suffering. Thirdly, the
purpose of the Incarnation: "to deliver" his people and "to educate them in this land"
what the world symbolizes. Fourth, the beneficial design of the Incarnation:
to bring them to a good and wide land, to a land that flows with milk and honey
bring us later to the plane of resurrection, where everyone there will be able to delight and
Rejoice with all your heart in the Lord.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Who was it that spoke to Moses in the burning bush?

Gen. 16:9, 10, 13Gen. 21:17 Mal. 3:1

Éxodo 3:10-14

Come, therefore, now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
my people, the children of Israel" (Ex. 3:10). Note the small word that we have
in italics. God must not be rushed: our business is not
to try to rush God, rather it is to wait on Him for His
time. For many years, the moans and cries were rising from the
anguished Hebrew slave, but heaven was silent. Forty years
Earlier, Moses had become impatient with that delay, and thought that taking
taking the matter into your own hands would be the best, only to discover that the
the time of liberation had not yet arrived. But 'now'. Now the
four hundred years of servitude and affliction (Gen. 15:13) had followed their
ordered course and reached the end. Now the time for Divine intervention had
beaten. Now is the time for Jehovah to confront the proud
oppressors of their people. And the children of Israel would be in a position to
appreciate the promised inheritance. The pleasant pastures of Goshen and the
carnal attractions of Egypt, without a doubt, all the repressed desires of
Canaan, but now that his afflictions are becoming unbearable, the
land that flows with milk and honey would be a pleasant and encouraging prospect. And
now that the moment of liberation had arrived, what is the method of
Divine Procedure? A people in captivity to be emancipated, a nation
from slaves to be freed. So, what is the first step for this to happen?
did you succeed? If God could have chosen or sent his angels, and destroyed in a
Only one night to all the Egyptians. If I had wanted, I could have appeared.
before the Hebrews in person and take them out of the house of bondage. but this
it was not his way. Instead, he appointed a human minister to carry out
a Divine salvation", that's why He said to Moses: "I will send you ......so that
You can take my people ... out of Egypt." We have little need to apply
this to ourselves. The form of God is like now the same form of
act. He uses human instruments whom he uses with total availability to
help in the liberation of the people.
Now therefore, come and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring out my
people, the children of Israel from Egypt "(v. 10). So, what is the answer of
our patriarch? Surely he bowed down in worship before the great I Am
for being so highly honored. Surely he also asked in the most
complete submission, "Lord, do You intend for me to do that?" But, how
Moses answered: 'Then Moses said to God: Who am I that...'
go to Pharaoh, and let the children of Israel go out of Egypt?" (v.11). Moses to the
Eighty years old was not as anxious as at forty. Loneliness had
very serious and cautious position. Keeping the sheep had tamed him. He saw the
difficulties within himself, in the village, and in his task. He had already tried once
and it failed, and now, after long years that he had been out of touch with his
people. But while all of this was true, it was God who was now
calling this work, and He did not want to make mistakes.
 The Lord, therefore, kindly encourages him with the promise that He will
being with Him all the time ensures the final success of the mission. 'And he said:
Certainly I will be with you, and this will be a sign for you, that I have you
send: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on
this mountain "(v. 12). What God did was very comforting. Moses would not go to
move forward alone: an All-powerful would accompany him to the end. And this is
also the divine promise for each divinely called servant. I do not doubt
that the apostles must have felt very identified with Moses when
the resurrected Salvador commissioned them to go and preach the gospel
to every creature - Who am I to go? If so, his heart calmed down with the
the same promise that Moses received - "Behold, I am with you always." And
workmate, if the Lord has clearly called some, tasks
for those who feel completely inadequate, rest in this promise-
precious "Certainly I will be with you." This is a word that each of
Those who spend their time in Christian service must take it very seriously.
When we think, it implies bringing a soul from the darkness to the light; when
we encounter the fierce opposition of the devil when we confront
the frowns and disdain of the world, small and large, is not of
to miss that we doubt, and we ask ourselves: 'Who is enough for all
But take courage, you who are weak of heart, and remember this blessed
indefectible promise: "Certainly I will be with you." "And God said to Moses:
I AM WHO I AM; and He said: Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: I AM has sent me
sent to you "(v. 14). At first glance, this may seem strange to us and
mysterious, but a small reflection should uncover a profound truth
for us. "I am" is the great name of God Jehovah. The teacher tells us
says, 'it contains every tense of the verb 'to be', and could be translated, I, I am, and
I will always be.
Moses contains timely instructions for us. We have to go out.
declaring the name and nature of God as He who has revealed Himself.
No attempt could prove its existence, without time to waste on the
men in the efforts to reason about God.
Our business is to proclaim the Being of God as He who has revealed Himself by
through Jesus Christ. The "I am" of the burning bush is now found
completely declared in the blessed Person of the Savior, who said: "I
soy el pan de vida", "Yo Soy el buen pastor", "Yo soy la puerta". "Yo soy la luz
of the world
life ", " I am the true vine ". He is the eternal " I am " - " the same yesterday, today,
and for the centuries.

The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink

The apostle Paul could say in 1 Cor. 15:10: By the grace of God I am
What I am. And so, how do they differ from what the Lord says in Exodus 3:14?
I am who I am.

15 God also said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites,

In the remaining verses of Ex. 3 we learn how God further reassured

his official when declaring what the result of his mission should be (see vv. 16-
22). And once again I noted that he used positive terms: "I will take you out of the
affliction of Egypt .... And they will hear your voice. . . . I am sure that the king of Egypt
He will not let you go .... and I will hurt Egypt with all my wonders .... and I will give to
this town grace in the eyes of the Egyptians", etc. Everything is determined
Definitely. There is no possibility of failure in Divine Providence. No
There are contingencies; each one does their part if they choose to be responsible. The
The Lord has sworn, 'that I announce what is to come from the beginning, and from the
antiquity what was not yet made; that I say "My counsel will stand, and I will do"
everything I want" (Isa. 46:10). May this be the foundation of our
trust. Despite all the powers of evil against ourselves, everything
what God has called us to do will be done precisely as He has
and you will hear your voice; and you, and the elders of Israel, will go to the king of Egypt, and
you will tell him, the Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us, and now we are going to go,
we beg you to let us go on a three-day journey into the desert, so that
let us offer sacrifices to Jehovah our God. And I am sure that the king of
Egypt will not let you go, no, except by a strong hand (vv. 18,19). This presented another
test for the faith of Moses. Then he stopped to ponder over the commission.
what God was giving him, it probably would have seemed like madness to him. Here is
He commanded them to go, accompanied by the elders of Israel, to Pharaoh, and present him the
Message from Jehovah. He went to ask for the Hebrews to make a three-day journey.
days in the desert to be able to worship God. And yet, before that
God assures you: "I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go
He could have asked: What is it? But he doesn't because the servant
question their master orders: it is only to obey. But not yet
he was ready to respond to Moses to the call of God.
And Moses answered and said: Behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice;
because they will say: The Lord has not appeared at that time (4:1). If it were not because
we were somewhat familiar with our own hearts
desperately wicked, it seems to us little less than
unthinkable that Moses continued to oppose and ponder (objections
trivial). But the memory of our repeated own failures and humiliating
it only serves to show how tragically true it is that the image of life that
he appears before us. The Lord had favored his servant with the
stunning view of the burning bush, had spoken of his tender request for
the afflicted Hebrews, He had promised to be with Moses, and had declared
explicitly that he would free Israel from Egypt and lead them to Canaan. And without
embargo, all of this is not enough to silence disbelief and subdue the
rebellious will. Oh! What is man that the Almighty must be
aware of him! Nothing but divine power working within us
it can lead the human heart to abandon everything to trust in God. "And
Moses answered, and said: Behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice.
this was a horrible presumption. The Lord also emphatically declared: 'They
they will hear your voice" (3:18), and now Moses's response, they will not do it. Here was
how the servant dared to contradict his Lord face to face. How solemn it is
this; even more so if we take into account that we are made exactly of the
the same material that was made by Moses. There is the same evil in us,
incredulous, with a rebellious heart, and our only safeguard is to kneel down
before God, pleading for mercy for our impotence and to sustain
null, and to submit, or to defeat, desperately all the incurable evil that
It dwells in us.
He was still not ready to respond to the call of Jehovah, he had
other difficulties that the fertile mind of disbelief was willing to
to suggest, but one by one the divine power and the long suffering, defeated them.
Let's take this lesson completely seriously and seek the grace that we
will allow us to put God between us and our difficulties, instead of putting
difficulties between God and us. In our next article, we will insist
in the three "signs" that God gave to Moses, to leave the reader
interested in providing a good meditation while studying Exodus 4, and
This is how to be prepared to put our presentation to the test.
 (The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

We are all tested by God in one way or another, and it is to be expected when...
It's about us being strong in faith and obedient to God's call.
our life. Below are eight verses from Scripture that allow us
reflect on faith, but must be read carefully, meditate and even
memorize what they suggest for our edification.

Stand firm in the faith - 1 Cor. 16:13

Based on faith - Col. 1:23
Continue in the faith - Acts 14:22
Hold on to the faith - 1 Tim. 1:19
But be strong in faith - Rom. 4:20-24
Pray for an increase in faith - Luke 17:05
Abound in faith - 2 Cor. 08:07
Having assurance of faith - 2 Tim. 1:12

Éxodo 4:1-9
Despite the guarantees of Moses' grace, they remained occupied.
with difficulties and objections: "Then Moses answered, saying: Behold
for they will not believe me, nor will they listen to my voice; for they will say: The Lord has not appeared to you.

"Jehovah" (4:1). Our current lesson summarizes the sacred narrative at this point.
In response to the third difficulty raised by Moses, the Lord equipped him with his
an official with the power to perform three wonders or signs, which had to be
forged in front of their compatriots with the purpose of convincing them that
Moses was an accredited ambassador of Jehovah. There is also a meaning.
deep in these three signs, and which were designed to teach lessons
important to both Moses and Israel, and to us. At the beginning of the
the history of Israel was God's method of teaching more through signs and symbols than
by the formal and explicit instruction. The fact also, that these three signs
they are the first recorded in the Scripture indicates that they are of primordial
importance and worthy of our more careful study. And the Lord said:
What is that you have in your hand? And he answered: A staff. He said: Throw it down.
on the ground. And he threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses fled from it.
Then the Lord said to Moses: Stretch out your hand, and take it by the tail. And he
he extended his hand, and took it, and it became a staff in his hand. For this they will believe that
The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, has appeared to you.
Isaac and the God of Jacob" (Ex. 4:2-5). The first of these signs was the conversion
from the rod into a serpent, and again into a bar. Three verses are
dedicated to the description of this wonder, but wonderfully complete
there is a hidden spiritual wealth. Our purpose for studying
this miracle from seven different angles, considering in turn: its
practical lessons, their doctrinal meaning, their evidential value, their evangelical
message, its historical significance, its dispensational forecast, and its typical
meaning (implicit meaning). May the Lord give us eyes to see and ears
to listen.
There can be no doubt that God's first design in
The relationship with this sign was to teach Moses a practical lesson. What this
It was not difficult to discover. The poster had to do with the stick in hand.
staff or personal (as the Hebrew word is sometimes translated) was their support. it was
what helped him while he walked was that which he leaned on
when I was tired, it was a means of defense in times of danger. Now,
In the light of Psalm 23:04, we learn that, spiritually, it was considered the
"vara" as a defense, strengthening, the protection of God's grace.
Here, then, is the first lesson that the Lord would teach his servant:
while Moses continues dependent (supporting himself) on God, everything
It would be fine, but let him throw his "staff" to the ground, meaning that he refuses to.
thanks to God, who casts away his trust in Jehovah, who tries to put himself in
he is alone, and he will immediately find himself defenseless before the ancient serpent,
the devil. Here, then, we say, this was the great first practical lesson
for Moses, and for us: the secret to overcoming Satan lies in
to rely on the simple and conscious dependence on our weakness, i.e.,
trust in the power of God! (2) However, this first sign was also
designed to teach Moses, and us, a great doctrinal lesson, a
Doctrine that is the priority according to what this sign indicates is of great importance.
fundamental. It also does not allow us to imagine what it will be.
Just as Psalm twenty-three allows us to interpret its practical meaning, for
What the second psalm provides is the key to its doctrinal meaning.
In Psalm 2:9 (cf. Rev. 2:27) we learn that during the Millennium the
Lord Jesus will rule the nations with a rod of iron. The 'rod', then,
It talks about governmental power. But what does 'knock down' mean, throw the bar?
on the ground? Without a doubt, it speaks of God delegating governmental power to
the rulers of the earth. And what has been the uniform history of the use of
man of this delegated power? The answer is exactly what the
snake, suggests: this was the state employed in the service of Satan! Thus
he demonstrated it with Adam, when his Creator gave him "dominion" over all the
earthly things. This was demonstrated with the nation of Israel after it
became the conquerors of Canaan. Likewise, with Nebuchadnezzar,
after the earthly sovereignty was transferred from Jerusalem to Babylon. And
thus it has continued throughout the Times of the Gentiles. But it is blessed.
notice that the 'snake' did not manage to escape from the hands of Moses the rod.
Moses, as God's representative before Israel, took the 'serpent' by the tail.
the time for his head to be "hit" had not yet come) and he
turned again into a 'staff' in the hand of Moses.
This tells us that Satan is not a 'free agent' as the concept believes.
popular of that term, but is completely under God's control, to
to be used by Him in the fulfillment of His inscrutable counsel as he
it seems appropriate. Thus, Jehovah guarantees his servant from the beginning
that the enemy is furious with him, but was unable to resist!
This sign was to be shown by Moses before the Hebrews as proof.
that God had called him and endowed him to be his deliverer. The test of courage
this wonder is easily perceived. To see the rod of Moses transformed
in a snake before its eyes show that it was gifted
of supernatural power. To take the serpent by the tail and transform it from
new for a rod, I would prove that Moses had not performed this miracle with
the help of Satan. Moses was showing that he was capable of doing
in front of the serpent on its own forehead, turning the staff into a serpent, and of
the serpent a rod at its whim. Thus in the realization of a wonder that
everything transcends because of man's ability, and something that clearly did not exist
was made with the help of the devil, proved that it was commissioned and authorized by
the same God.
This sign that Moses performed before the children of Israel also carries a
evangelical message, although perhaps this is harder to discern than the others
meanings it had. The rod on the ground did turn into a "snake", and
we are not told: that 'Moses was fleeing from her'. It is evident that this speaks of the
the impotence of man to confront Satan. The sinner is this
completely under the power of the devil, taking them captive to the will of
"he" (2 Tim.2:26). Such was the State of Israel at this time. Sentence that
they were subjected to a slavery much worse and more dangerous than
any other that the Egyptians could impose upon them, and the most that was,
it was that they were so incapable of freeing themselves. Nothing more than power
God could free them from that oppressive yoke, and this is precisely what
it was necessary to teach them. Furthermore, this was the power that was in
hands of a mediator, Moses, who put himself between Israel and God. He, and only he,
he was qualified to free them from the serpent. His power over the serpent was
manifested by taking it by the tail and reducing it to nothing - that disappeared when
it became a rod again. Beautiful figure of the Lord Jesus, the only one
Mediator between God and Men, of whom Moses was a type (A shadow)
of what was to come). In Him is your only hope, dear reader, only
He can deliver you from the power of the ancient serpent, the devil, Satan.
Let's consider the following historical significance of this marvel.
The "sign" itself consisted of three things: a rod in the hand of Moses (as
representative of God), the staff thrown to the ground and that it turned into a
snake, and the snake transformed back into a rod. These three things
they precisely symbolize the early history of Israel. From the calling of
Abraham at the time of his descendants going to Egypt, Israel had celebrated
(miraculously the support) by the hand of God, until, in the person of
José, they had reached the government's position on Egypt. But then
a king arose who "did not know Joseph," and the Hebrews were then "cast out by
land", humiliated with a harsh and serious servitude, until the time of
Moses, it seemed as if it were about being completely at the mercy of
Satan. But the time of his release had now come, and the Lord to them
he assured through this 'signal' that they would no longer stay in the place
from oppression, from which they would be freed. And not only this, the last part of the sign
it promised that they should be raised to the place of government, again. This was
when they arrived at the promised land and subdued the Canaanites. Thus, this
the sign prefigures the three great stages in the early history of Israel.
However, this sign also presents a dispensational forecast.
Not only did he foreshadow it accurately in the early history of Israel, but
which also anticipated even more astonishingly, the entirety of its history
future. The rod held in the hand contemplates the position of authority in
Canaan. This portion of Judah (the ruling tribe) held on until it arrived
Shiloh. However, after Christ's rejection, the 'rod' was cast to the ground,
And for nineteen centuries Israel has been a prey to the Serpent. But not
it will always continue like this. The time is approaching when Israel will rise from the
dust of degradation and, in the hand of one greater than Moses, it will be made
head of the nations (Dt. 28:13). Thus, this wonderful sign was foreshadowed.
that marked the past and the future destiny of the chosen nation.
(7) Even deeper is the typical meaning of this sign. We believe that its
the last reference is to the same Christ, and that the great mysteries of the Divine
Incarnation and Expiation are announced here. In Psalm 110:2 the Lord
Jesus is called the Rod of God: "The Lord will send the Rod (it is the same...
Hebrew word used in Ex. 4) of your strength from Zion: Rule in the midst
of your enemies." The reference in Psalm 110 is the second reference to
Christ, when his governmental authority and power is fully displayed.
But when he was on earth the first time, it was in weakness and
humiliation, and this is represented by the "rod" that is thrown to the ground. But,
It will be objected, surely there is no sense in which it is possible for the rod
to become a 'serpent'. But no one other than the Lord Jesus our
supreme authority for such a declaration of supremacy against the
snake. The 'snake' is inseparably connected with the curse.
(Genesis 3), and on the cross Christ was made a
He told Nicodemus, 'And as Moses lifted up the serpent in'
the desert, so it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up" (John 3:14).
But blessed be God, who is our victory: the Lord Jesus (the rod) is
now exalted at the right hand of God, and soon he will take for himself his power and
he will reign over the earth. It is wonderful and complete, then the meaning of
this first signal. The second was equally surprising, although it did not
Can you now try to do the same with the same length.

(The Spokes in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

What connection does the staff of Moses and that of Christ symbolize?
Sal. 110 2 Juan 3:14 Gal. 3:10-13

What is the meaning of this second miracle (leprous hand) and the third one?
miracle (the water turned into blood)?

Éxodo 4:10-17

Our current lesson offers show us the final stage of the

will of the Lord regarding the mighty deliverer Moses, and his mission.
It is important to keep in mind that Moses was the first man ever
he was formally called by God to dedicate himself to His service, just like he
first notice of anything in the Scriptures. This points to everything that is
fundamental in relation to the object of redemption.
Firstly, it is shown to us that no training of the natural man
it means nothing in the work of God unless it is through the Spirit
Saint. Not even the wisdom of Egypt, in which Moses was completely
qualified, nor the solitude of the desert, Moses was equipped for all the
spiritual activities. Forty years had passed in the court of Egypt, and
another forty years in the desert of Midian, and yet, when the Lord
he appeared to him, Moses was filled with disbelief and doubts. How is this
proves that the stillness of monastic life is just as powerless to destroy
the enmity of the carnal mind which is the culture of high society or the
instruction from the schools. It is true that Moses' stay had been
many in the warm sands of 'the back part of the desert', which tempered the
faith and value, in a spirit of obedience, which combined with grace, made it
different from anyone of his time. Secondly, we are shown how the
The Lord prepared His servant. God dealt personally and directly with whom
then he was going to honor as his ambassador: it was not a manifestation of his
holiness, the confession of his covenant of relationship, the guarantee of his compassion for
the suffering of the Hebrews, and the declaration of their independence as the
great "I am", and in summary, it was a complete revelation of his person and
character. Furthermore, Moses received a definitive call from Jehovah, the guarantee of
that God was definitely with him, a sign of the difficulties he had.
before him, and he promised that, ultimately, God's purpose must be
inevitably carried out. These have always been, and will continue to be, the
essential prerequisites for effectiveness in service to God. There must be
a personal knowledge of God on our part: a knowledge obtained
by direct revelation from God to the soul. There must be a definitive calling
from God for us guaranteeing participation in his service. It has to
to acknowledge the difficulties we face and the insurance
support in a promise of God to guarantee final success.
Thirdly, the Lord equipped his servant for the work before he did it.
did it by himself. This endowment was the grant that gives him the power to act
the three miracles. The first two were designed to teach lessons.
important things that God showed to his servant on how to overcome Satan, and he
he recalled the corruption of his own heart, things that he must understand each
servant of God as a vital moment to continue in victory. On the other hand,
these miracles or signs had a voice for the Hebrews: they were shown the
need to be freed from the domination of the devil himself and the
pollution of sin, things that every servant must continue teaching
about those to whom he ministers. The third miracle or sign speaks of judgment.
what awaits those who did not receive the testimonies that God gave them through
his faithful servant to declare. Fourthly, we are made to know the response
what Moses did at the call of God. Once again we have something more than what
It is local and transitory. The difficulties felt by Moses and the objections that
elevated before such a challenge, are those that most experience, initially and in
essence, it is what all the servants of God feel at one time or another - the
Perfect servants do not exist, only those who are on the path to perfection.
These objections are common and some do not dare to express them with their
lips, but they have them in their heart. The first three objections of
Moses, as we have pointed out in previous papers: they can be summarized
like: self-occupied (3:11), fear (3:13), and disbelief (4:1). The fourth, which
It has to do with pride, now it catches our attention.
And Moses said to the Lord: My Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before, nor since
that you speak to your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue (4:10).
How many of the servants of the Lord (and others who should be busy in His
service) consider this as a fatal flaw. They assume that the gift of the
Oratory is one of the main requirements for an effective ministry. Those who
those who are "prepared for the ministry" should certainly take some course in
rhetoric or oratory: as if the men dead in sins can be
vivified by the persuasive words of human wisdom of men,
as if carnal weapons could have a place in spiritual warfare. Sad
Some believe that such elements matter and at the same time they are so few.
understood in this 21st century. Have we forgotten the words of the apostle?
Pablo said: "So, brothers, when I came to you to announce to you the
testimony of God, I did not come with excellence of words or of wisdom" (1 Cor.
2:1)!
Despite the anger of God that was kindled against Moses, His anger was
tempered by mercy. To strengthen his weak faith, the Lord grants him
yet another sign to ensure that He would give him success. When
Moses returned to Egypt and would find Aaron coming to meet him. How wonderful!
illustration is when God works, He works at both ends of the line!
eunuch and Philip, Saul and Ananias, Cornelius and Peter provide us new
examples of this same principle.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

This lesson teaches us that, with the exception of Jesus who is the Lord, that
He was the Perfect Servant, all the servants of God pose similar questions to
Moses' objections when God calls him to serve. His objections are: This
very busy or self-employment, fear, disbelief, and pride. If some
Of them has worried you, take the example of how Moses resolved it.
And I studied the details, and also found God's remedy for all this. If
the four problems are (or have been), (a) of some verses of Scripture
that can be applied to these problems by seeking a solution, or (b) of a
illustration of someone who did not accept a commitment for some reason
these objections, and how God acted in the life of those who have been called to
your service transmitting security and confidence in the victory of the work that
God entrusted them.

Exodus 4:18-26

And Moses went up and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him: Let me go, I pray you, and I will return.
to my brothers who are in Egypt, to see if they are still alive. "We feel that
On this occasion, we cannot speak so favorably of the words of Moses.
His expression here was quite like Jacob's. Moses says nothing about
of the appearance of the Lord, of the communication that he had received, nor of the
positive declaration of God that He would free His people from Egypt and lead them to
Canaan. Evidently, Moses was, however, far from being convinced.
This is made clear in the following verse: "And the Lord said to Moses in Midian:
Go back to Egypt, for all the men who seek your life are
dead. "The Lord repeated his order, and at the same time graciously eliminated the
fears of his servant for him to venture into that danger from which he had fled
forty years ago, how suffering and merciful is our God!
Then Moses took his wife and his children, and put them on a donkey, and returned.
to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in his hand. And he said
Jehovah and Moses: When you have returned to Egypt, see that you do before
Pharaoh, all the wonders that I have put in your hand; but I will harden his heart.
heart, so that he will not let the people go. And you shall say to Pharaoh: The Lord has said
Thus: Israel is my son, my firstborn. I have already told you to let my son go, so that
let it serve me, but you have not wanted to let it go; here I am going to kill your son, you
firstborn. And it came to pass on the way, that at a lodging place the Lord met him
meeting, and wanted to kill him" (vv. 20, 24). Finally, Moses begins an era of
decisions regarding the mission. In obedience to God's mandate, he goes out
with a stick in hand, and accompanied by his wife and children, he returns to the
land of Egypt. But another thing was needed to be attended to, a matter
important that I had neglected for a long time, before it is ready
to act as an ambassador of God. Jehovah was about to fulfill his
covenant commitment with Abraham, and the sign of that covenant was circumcision,
that the son of Moses had not received, apparently due to the objections of his
mother. Such ignorance of divine demands could not be overlooked, and
Moses remembered again about the strength of holiness towards Him with
who had to do everything and be accountable.
And it happened on the way, that at a lodging place the Lord met him,
and wanted to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and circumcised the foreskin.
of your son, and threw him at your feet, saying: Indeed you are a husband to me
blood. So he let her go later. And she said: Husband of blood, because of the
"circumcision" (vv. 24-26). If it was the Lord himself in the theophanic manifestation that
Now it appears to Moses, or if it was an angel of the Lord, with the sword.
in the hand, as he later appeared before Balaam, We do not know either.
In what way did the Lord try to kill Moses' firstborn? It seems that
of course he was brought down and made powerless, because it was his wife who
he performed the act of circumcising his son. This is all the more surprising
because the inference seems very clear that Zipporah was the one who had resisted to the
God's ordinance, only in this way can His words to Moses be explained, and only in this way
We can explain here that Moses was sent back to his father (cf. 18:2).
However, it was Moses, the head of the house (the only one to whom God always gave
the primary responsibility for the care and behavior of children), and not to
Sephora. This signals a more solemn warning today to Christian parents.
A man can be united with a woman who opposes him at every step.
when he wants to maintain a Scriptural discipline in his home, but this does not
exempt from doing his duty.
We must also observe how the previous incident teaches us another
the most important lesson regarding service to God, mainly
when Moses was suffering for having to go minister to Israel as his
liberator. This service requires you to put your house in order first. Until that
this would not have been considered by Moses would not be qualified to fulfill his
mission. If there was faithfulness in the scope of his responsibility before God, it
I would turn into the channel of divine power. As someone said: 'Obedience in the
home must precede the display of power in the world." This same
the principle is the one that applies to all Christian dispensations evidently
from 1 Tim. 3, where we are told that, among the various qualifications of
a "bishop" (elder) is someone who must "govern his own well
house, having their children in submission with all honesty "(v. 14). As a rule
In general, God refuses to use someone who is weak in a public ministry.
without law in his own house.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Would you say that Moses had a great part of his human fear resolved?
when God told him that all those who had sought his life in Egypt
Was he now dead? Why was God telling him this, was it because
Did God know it was the perfect time for Moses to understand it?
His people, and this requirement came from God Himself (read here Gen. 17:10-14).
Moses, now that he is sent on a great mission from God, had forgotten about
do this to your son. Why do you think Zipporah performed this act herself?

Éxodo 4:27-31

And the Lord said to Aaron: Go to the desert to meet Moses. And he went, and he
found in the mountain of God, and kissed him. And Moses said to Aaron all the
words of Jehovah that he sent him, and all the signs that He had
commanded "(vv. 27,28). This is another example of how, when God works, He
works at both ends of the line: Moses was advancing towards Egypt,
and Aaron is sent to meet him. In comparing this verse with what is
It seems clear in verse 14 that the Lord had commanded Aaron.
enter the desert before Moses left for Egypt, because he did not
we found saying to Moses: 'Behold, he (Aaron) will come out to meet you'. What
This was a great encouragement for Moses. Many times the Lord, in His tenderness, gives
such stimuli to his servants, especially in their early days, for what he did
to Eliezer (Gen. 24:14, 18, 19), for Joseph (Genesis 37:7, 8); for the disciples
(Mr. 14:13), for Paul (Acts 9:11, 12), for Peter (Acts 10:17).

The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink

Speak of the perfect planning of the Lord, His grace and

stimulus to take Moses and his blood brother, and then
allows both to explain their mission to the elders of Israel.
When we are in the will of the Lord to serve Him, and some
the circumstances are not so favorable God takes care of arranging everything for
that it is convenient for us and we achieve the mission that He entrusted to us.
What do we say, perhaps that it was due to good luck?
Éxodo 5:1-5

Pharaoh said: "The people are mine, I will not let them go." God said: "The people are
mine; you must let them go, they have been created and chosen to serve me." The
conflict was fought over the destiny of a race, its place in history and in the
service of all humanity. Israel was to be a slave, or a people of
Priests? The beast of burden of Egypt, or the anointed of Jehovah? That was the
question, and was it possible that God could have made it not be that question,
written in large and clear letters, at the forefront of this great controversy?
And Pharaoh answered: Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let
Go to Israel? I do not know Jehovah, nor will I let Israel go.
Well, it was Pharaoh in 'response to the insinuations of God's grace'. Without
to know God for oneself, definitely refuses to submit to His
mandate. The character of the king of Egypt is fully revealed: 'I do not know'
Jehovah, nor will I let Israel go.
facts (if not verbally, clearly expressed by their attitude) by many of
Those who listen to God are 'arrogant and authoritarian:' Repent! and believe
says the gospel!", Through its servants today. First of all, the Gospel does not
it is an invitation, but a declaration of what God demands from the sinner—'But
God, having overlooked the times of this ignorance, now commands to
all men everywhere, repent" (Acts 17:30); "And this is
his commandment: that we believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ" (1 John
3:3). But the response of the unbelievers and the rebellious heart of man
Naturally it is 'Who is Jehovah that I should hear his voice?'. This speaks of pride.
of the man who hardens his neck against the blessed God. This expresses today
the heart of the sinner, and what makes it so terrible, is that it wishes to correct
this ignorance. For these two things, God will nevertheless take vengeance when
Christ will return. He will reveal Himself 'in a flame of fire, to give retribution to
those who did not know God, nor obey the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 1:8).
Observing a 'three-day path' was necessary before the Hebrews
they could sacrifice to Jehovah. What this is is profoundly important
"Three days" speaks of the interval between death and resurrection
Christ. It is only from the fact of the resurrection – having been raised
I live among the dead that we can finally celebrate a true party.
stop!

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

It is in his words the need and the importance of Moses' request that
let the Hebrew people be allowed a three-day journey through the desert, in order to
offer sacrifices to Jehovah your God.

Éxodo 5:6-9

The Pharaoh's disbelief is clearly seen here: 'Make the men

work much harder, so that they do not consider empty words that
they can distract them from their work." When God himself is unknown and
Her words are considered nothing more than idle tales. To speak
To sacrifice or to worship makes no sense to the worldly man. Such are
considered the Holy Scriptures today for the sinner. The Bible says that the
man is a fallen creature, he is not prepared to die, but neither is he
suitable to be in the presence of a holy God. The Bible speaks of the provision
wonderful grace of God, and presents a fully sufficient Savior that
it must be accepted. The Bible warns of solemn matters regarding the
fidelity that is at stake, and the Word asks how one can escape if one is
do not neglect such a great salvation. The Bible clearly says that whoever does not
he will be condemned, and the name of anyone who is not registered
In the book of life, he will be thrown into the Lake of Fire that will burn eternally.
But these solemn truths are nothing more than 'empty words' to him.
skeptical heart of the natural and sinful man. He refuses to accept this
message like from the living God directed to his own soul. But do not neglect it and
be very careful. Be warned by the terrible case that constitutes
Pharaoh. If he continues in his disbelief and stubbornness, Pharaoh's fate will be
shown by God clearly as the destiny of anyone - surely in
the day of judgment.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Here are some of the most common consequences it describes.

the Bible for non-believers:
Hinder the miracles Mt. 13:58
Exclusion from the blessings Heb. 3:15-19
Condemnation John 3:18, 19
Rejection Rom. 11:20
Judgment John 12:48
Death Juan 8:24, 25
Destruction 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9
The wrath of God John 3:36
Also, the guilt of the unbelievers is:
Stiff-necked Acts 7:51
Uncircumcision Jer. 6:10
Blindness Ephesians 4:18
Rebellion Num. 17:10
Study everything above in depth. Ask the Lord to give you a heart of
compassion and prayer for the non-believers that you know. Name someone in
the Scripture that has been an unyielding unbeliever, but whom God changed and
give a location in the Bible

Éxodo 5:10-23

The severe measures that Pharaoh ordered to be adopted by the

Hebrews illustrates the evil efforts of Satan against the soul that God
By His grace, He is trying. When the devil recognizes the first advances.
of the Holy Spirit towards a poor sinner, is at the same time that it puts everything
his effort to retain his victims. Nowhere is this more clearly seen
the most terrible evil that we see here. There are no pains or obstacles for
God can save and free people from slavery. Satan never surrenders.
to its prey without a fierce struggle. When a soul is guilty of sin, and seeks
to God for his freedom and peace, the devil will try the same way Pharaoh did with
the children of Israel, increasing their occupations in material things, and
try by all means to remove that desire from the heart so that it does not
draw near to God.
Then the foremen of the children of Israel were in distress, when
Tell them: Nothing will be reduced from your bricks, from the task of each day. And
finding Moses and Aaron, who were in their sight as they were leaving
from the presence of Pharaoh, they said: May the Lord look upon you and judge;
for you have made us abominable before Pharaoh and his servants,
putting the sword in their hands so they can kill us" (vv. 19-21). Poor
Moses! His problems were only just beginning. He had prepared himself
for the rejection that he himself had received from Pharaoh, because the Lord had
said clearly that he was going to harden the heart of the king. But, as soon as the
record inspired by informs us, nothing had been said that he would meet with him
discouragement and the opposition of his own brothers. The real test was this for
the servant of God, because he was much, especially since he was criticized by his
brothers whom he anxiously tried to help, of what it is to be
persecuted by the world. But it is enough for the servant of the Lord to be
like your Master. The Lord Himself was hated by His own brothers according to
the flesh, and those to whom he had ministered in incessant grace
they shouted unanimously, "Crucify him." We can add that what has been before
it provides us with a stunning image of what awaits Israel in the
next days. The serious afflictions that came upon the Hebrews in Egypt
shortly before the Lord emancipated them from his
harsh and cruel slavery foreshadowed the terrible experiences that were to come.
through his descendants during the troubles in the "time of Jacob"
only
before the arrival of the Liberator to Zion. Pharaoh did as described in
his chapter - a great challenge to Jehovah, his rejection of the testimony of the witnesses
of God, the cruel treatment of the children of Israel and accurately typifies the course
what will be followed by the Man of Sin. Thus, we can discern once
more the way these pages of the history of the Old Testament are
also prophetic in their advances warning of the coming events. With
the coming of the Lord opens up the future panorama before our eyes so that
we can perceive both the application for ourselves and also for
everyone who wants to follow him.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

When considering the weight of the heavy burdens placed on the Hebrews by
this Egyptian pharaoh, and recognize the almost impossibility of his fortune by virtue of
your foremen, could we (if we were in their place) see anything
good in all this of what God can take advantage? Many of
we do not need God nor do we truly seek Him until we
we see 'Trapped' in a difficult, hard, and impossible place to escape from.
same. Think about the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 would he have loved and
appreciated the love of his father and the kindness of not being in a distant country and
having endured so much hunger and feeling lost far from his heritage, until finally
I had nothing and no one to turn to?

Éxodo 6:1-30

The discouragements that Moses had were nothing more than his flesh could bear.
and he asks Jehovah: "Why do You afflict this people so much? And why is it that You
"Have you sent me?", he finished saying: "Because since I came to Pharaoh to
to speak to him in your name, you have afflicted these people; nor have you delivered your people
Absolutely 'it was Moses in full outlining the afflictions that were to come
about the Hebrews, because all things are 'from Him and through Him'
(Romans 11:36), but he did it without hesitating or questioning the Almighty and
murmuring against the external manifestations of His advice. Because it is
He knows our condition; he remembers that we are dust
Also: "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and great in
mercy "(Sal. 103:8). Totally manifested on this occasion. Instead of
punish his servant, the Lord encouraged him: He reminded him that 'we are dust', and a
time and again he said: 'The LORD is merciful and gracious; slow to anger, and great'
in mercy" (Ps. 103:8). It was fully manifested on this occasion.
Instead of punishing his servant, the Lord encouraged him; instead of putting him to a
side, renewed his commission, instead of killing him. He revealed himself to Moses in all his
thank you.
The divine titles are a very important subject of study because they are
inseparably united to a correct interpretation of the Scriptures. Elohim
And Jehovah is not used freely in the pages of the Holy Scriptures. Each
one has a defined meaning, and the distinction is carefully preserved.
Elohim (God) is the name that speaks of the Creator and Governor of His
creatures. Jehovah (the Lord) is his title as connected with his people by the
relationship of the Covenant. This is what explains the verses that concern us.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were familiar with the Jehovistic title, but not
they had experimental knowledge with everything that it represented. God has
entered into a "Covenant" relationship with them, but, as Hebrews 11:13 tells us
says, "in accordance with faith, all died. These could have received what
promised, but they looked at him from afar, believing him, greeting him, and confessing
they were foreigners and pilgrims on the earth." But now the time had
arrived when the Lord was about to fulfill his covenant commitment, and
Israel would witness the faithfulness, power, and liberation of his covenant. God was going to
to manifest as the faithful interpreter of his word, and as such, the
descendants of the patriarchs would know him personally as they had
known his parents.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

With the name of Jehovah in mind, make a list of the promises.

wonderful things that God gave to Moses for his people, which can be found in the
verses 4-8. Share your opinion on them as you wish. Show how the - I
"I am" of this chapter was fulfilled.

ThentheLordsaidtoMoses,'See,IhavemadeyoulikeGodtoPharaoh,andyourbrotherAaronwilbeyourprophet.YouaretosayeverythingIcommandyou,andyourbrotherAaronistotelPharaohtolettheIsraelitesgooutofhiscountry.ButIwilhardenPharaoh'sheart,andthoughImultiplymysignsandwondersinEgypt,hewilnotlistentoyou.ThenIwillaymyhandonEgyptandwithmightyactsofjudgmentIwilbringoutmydivisions,mypeopletheIsraelites.AndtheEgyptianswilknowthatIamtheLordwhenIstretchoutmyhandagainstEgyptandbringtheIsraelitesoutofit.'MosesandAarondidjustastheLordcommandedthem.MoseswaseightyyearsoldandAaroneighty-threewhentheyspoketoPharaoh.TheLordsaidtoMosesandAaron,'WhenPharaohsaystoyou,“Performamiracle,”thensaytoAaron,“TakeyourstaffandthrowitdownbeforePharaoh.”Itwilbecomeasnake.'SoMosesandAaronwenttoPharaohanddidjustastheLordcommanded.AaronthrewdownhisstaffinfrontofPharaohandhisofficials,anditbecameasnake.Pharaohthensummonedwisemenandsorcerers,andtheEgyptianmagiciansalsodidthesamethingsbytheirsecretarts:Eachonethrewdownhisstaffanditbecameasnake.ButAaron'sstaffswaloweduptheirstaffs.YetPharaoh'sheartbecamehardandhewouldnotlistentothem,justastheLordhadsaid.

The seventh chapter begins the second division of the literary work of Exodus.
The first six chapters refer more particularly to the person of
liberator, the next six months with a narrative of the work of redemption. In
In the first section, we had a brief description of the deadly pursuit.
against Israel, below is an account of the birth of Moses and of his
miraculous preservation by God, followed by its identification with His people
and his escape to Midian. Next, we have learned how God did
he got to know, sent him down to Egypt, and overcame all his fears and equipped him to
his mission. Finally, the way he delivered the message has been observed.
to Jehovah to the Hebrews and also to Pharaoh, and the way in which the king refused to
to attend to divine demand, and how, consequently, the people became discouraged
due to the increased burden placed upon them. Moses himself was overwhelmed.
deeply, and chapter 6 ends with the servant of the Lord lamenting for
the apparent hopelessness of his task. Thus, the weakness of God's instrument
it was completely evident to the point that it could be better seen, than the
power came solely from Jehovah, and only from Jehovah acting through
of faith, through the faithfulness of the sovereign grace covenant.
From chapter 7 onwards, there is a notable change: Moses is no longer
shy, hesitant, and discouraged. God's omnipotence is revealed in
each scene. The conflict from this point onwards was not one of words but
of concrete facts. The glove had been thrown, and now it is a war
open between the Almighty and the king of the Egyptians. It goes without saying that
What is before us in these early chapters of Exodus is something more
than just an ancient episode of history, something more than what it was
simply of local interest. An exciting drama unfolds before
our eyes, and although their movements are quick, however, there are
sufficient details and repetition, in principle, for us to discern
clearly. The great conflict between the
good and evil in what this comes within the range of the vision of the
human rights. As Scripture informs us, the Great Conflict is taking place
liberating in this world, therefore, this historical drama, with its profound
symbolic moral sense was staged in the land of Egypt. The great
mystery in relation to the conflict are the forces that show us the
prosperity of the wicked and the adversity of the righteous. The Egyptians
they celebrated that they had the upper hand: the Hebrews were groaning under a
unbearable oppression. The main characters in the painting are Moses
as the general of God, and the Pharaoh as the representative and emissary of
Satan. The powerful and arrogant king delights diabolically in pursuing the
people of the Lord, and openly challenges the Almighty Himself. In view
the exterior of the theme made the doubt long that the Pharaoh's kingdom was shaken
time and again—as the kingdom of Satan has been shaken in the course of
the centuries, such as in the wind of the flood, the destruction of the
cananitas, the advent of the Son of God, the day of Pentecost, the time of
the Reformation, etc., etc. — but each fresh intervention of the power of Jehovah and the
removal of their judgments only results in the hardening of the heart of
Pharaoh. The prolongation of the Egyptian conflict gave full opportunity to
full test of human responsibility, the processing of faith in the
saints, and the manifestation of all the perfections and attributes of the Deity, to
it seems, the three main purposes that the Creator has in mind in the
suffering from the entry and permanence of evil in their domains. The great drama
it ultimately shows the absolute triumph of Jehovah, the complete liberation of His
people, and the total overthrow of their enemies. Thus, we have revealed to the
eyes of faith the glorious consummation when the chosen ones of God-through
the work of the mediator - they are emancipated from all slavery, when each
What rises against the Almighty will be brought down, and God himself will be everything.
"I have made you a god to Pharaoh," that is, the Lord had
selected Moses to act as his ambassador, he had invested him
of divine authority, and was about to use it to perform prodigies that were
contrary to the normal course of nature. But to celebrate the title: 'I have you '
made - as a god for Pharaoh." Acting in place of God, Moses had to
to rule over the proud king of Egypt, and to command him what he should do,
to control him when he did wrong, and to punish him for his disobedience, for what
that Pharaoh had to beg him to end the plagues. And you
"brother Aaron will be your prophet." If this is compared with 4:15, 16,
we will find a divine definition of what constitutes a prophet. We
we find the Lord promising Moses to be accompanied by Aaron.
You will speak to him, and you will put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth, and
with his mouth, and I will teach you what you should do. And he will be the one who will speak for you
to the people; and he will be, he will even be for me in place of your mouth, and you will be for him in
place of God. A prophet of God is the spokesperson of God, who acts as
representative of God, the Lord puts on his lips the same words as He
he would pronounce. Thus, Moses was a "god to Pharaoh" in this additional sense.
in which I had to act as his prophet. But Pharaoh hardened his heart,
and the Scriptures affirm it explicitly, but it also states that the Lord
he hardened his heart too, and clearly this is not one, but the same one
what, or the two different expressions would not have been used. Our duty
Both statements should be considered to show the philosophy.
of their reconciliation, probably, since another has said, 'to try to
understand the infinite." In Ps. 105:25 it is said: "He changed their hearts
to make them hate their people, to think evil against their servants
. Nothing stronger or clearer than this. Are we denying it, because not
Can we explain the way God did it? In the same ground as
we could reject the doctrine of the Trinity, I can be asked that God
can, in no way harden the heart of man without Him being the
author of sin. But the most secure belief in the fact does not require that the
the answer should be given by me to this question. If God has not explained to the
regarding (and he has not done it), then it is not for us to pretend to be
wise beyond what is written. I believe that many things recorded
in the Scripture they cannot be explained by their reason for being, but because I know that
God cannot lie, and I must believe them.
I will put my hand over Egypt, and I will bring out my armies, my people, the children of
Israel, out of the land of Egypt, with great judgments, and the Egyptians will know that
I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand over Egypt, and bring out the children of
Israel among them "(vv. 4,5). These verses provide us with one of the
reasons why the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh and the Egyptians:
It was so that He could have a full opportunity to show His great power. A
a dark background is true, but a dark background is necessary to put
the white light of divine holiness. In the same way, we find the saying of the
Lord Jesus, 'It is necessary that obstacles come, but woe to that man for
Woe to the world because of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh! (Matthew 18:7). May Jehovah execute great judgments.

we will see in the following chapters. One might ask, how was it possible
that these Egyptian sorcerers would perform this miracle? The answer must be,
by the power of the devil. This theme is certainly mysterious, and too
great for us to finally get in. As mentioned at the beginning of
this work, what awaits us here, in these first chapters of the Exodus
It foreshadows the great conflict between good and evil. Pharaoh acts at all times.
as the representative of Satan, and the fact that he was able to summon
The wizards who could perform such wonders only serve to illustrate and
to exemplify the great powers that the devil has at his disposal. It is at the same time
absurd and detrimental to underestimate the strength of our great enemy. The one that
it was allowed for the transportation of our Savior from the desert to the
temple of Jerusalem, and the one who could show him "all the kingdoms of the world in
a moment in time "(Luke 4:5), would have no difficulty in the
empowering their emissaries to transform their staffs into snakes.
Each one threw down his rod, which became snakes: but Aaron's rod
devoured the other staffs" (v. 12). This is very striking. The magicians appeared
in the name of their "gods" (cf. Ex. 12:12 and 18:11), but this miracle made
it is evident that the power of Moses was superior to all the sorceries of Egypt,
and opposed them as well. This sign "announced the end of the great conflict that
Then it began, from each of the earthly powers and in which
it becomes an infernal contender with the Omnipotent. "The symbols of his authority
they had disappeared, and the one of 'Jehovah's servants remained' (Urquhart).

The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink

Why do you think God places such a strong emphasis on the fact that
Moses and Aaron had great authority before Pharaoh?
Why are the examples of these two men here? And, what is it that
What does God want to tell us? Regarding the superior power of Aaron's rod over
the ones of the magicians and sorcerers of Pharaoh, God has given to His followers today
a rod that also has great power (Ps. 23:4) Is the rod also
figurative of the coming of Christ? (Psalm 2:9) And his authority? (Isaiah 14:5, 29)

Éxodo 7:14-25

For more than eighty years, and probably much longer, the
Egyptians had oppressed the Hebrews, and with patience it had been given.
persecution of the people of God. But the time had come when God
was about to bring a case in the name of his 'firstborn' (4:22) and would take revenge on the
who had reduced Israel to the most servile slavery. The Lord is slow to
wrathful and great in mercy, but, "He will not always accuse, nor will He...
He will keep anger forever" (Ps. 103:9). A sequence of terrible judgments,
for it descended upon Pharaoh and his land, the judgments that are known as
the plagues of Egypt. There were ten. First, the waters of the Nile turned into
in blood (7:14-25). Secondly, the frogs that covered the land and
they entered the homes of the Egyptians (8:1-5). Thirdly, the lice that
they attacked the people (8:16 - 19). Fourthly, the swarms of flies
they invaded the houses of the Egyptians and covered the ground (8:20-24). In fifth
place, a serious disease struck the livestock (9:1-7). Sixth, the boils and
plagues were sent to men and beasts (9:8-12). In seventh place,
thunder and hail that were added to the terrors of these divine visits (9:18-
35). Eighth, locusts that consumed all the vegetation (10:1-20).
Ninth the thick darkness, which can be felt, spread over the earth.
for three days (10:21-29). Tenth, the death of the firstborn of the
man and the animals (11,12). A terrible summary can be found in the
Psalm 78: "He sent upon them the heat of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and
tribulation, through the sending of the evil angels among them. He made a way
to his fury; He did not exempt life from death, but surrendered his life to the
pestilence, and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the
"tabernacle" (vv. 49-51 and 105:27-36 cf. Sal.). The purpose of these plagues was
multiple. Firstly, they made a public demonstration of great power
God (see 9:16). This is what the magicians recognized: 'Then the magicians
they said: Pharaoh: This is the finger of God (8:19). Secondly, they were a
divine visitation of wrath, a punishment for Pharaoh and the Egyptians for their cruel treatment
to the Hebrews. Thus, the arrogant the monarch was forced to admit:
Then the Pharaoh hurriedly called Moses and Aaron, and said: I have sinned
against the Lord your God, and against you" (10:16). Thirdly, they were a punishment for
God over the gods (demons) of Egypt. This is taught in Numbers 33:4.
Because the Egyptians buried every firstborn that the Lord had killed.
of them, about their gods, the Lord also executed what was judged." In fourth
place, it was demonstrated that Jehovah was far above all gods.
This was later said by Jethro - "And Jethro said: Blessed be the Lord, who has...
delivered by the hand of the Egyptians and by the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from the
hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all
gods; because in what they did proudly, He was above them.
they". Fifth, provided a complete proof of human responsibility.
It is indicated by its number, by one of the main importance of ten, this
it has a direct relationship with the comparison of the Ten Commandments. In
sixth place, they were a solemn warning to other nations, that they are
cursed are those who curse the children of Israel and blessed are those who bless them
(Gen. 12:3). This is clearly seen in Rahab of Jericho - "Before they did"
she climbed up to the rooftop and said to them: "I know that Jehovah has given you this
land; because the fear of you has fallen upon us, and all the
Residents of the country have already fainted because of you, etc. (Joshua
2:8,9). This was also considered by the Philistines—"Woe to us! Who"
Will he deliver us from the hand of these powerful gods? These are the gods that
they wounded Egypt with all plague in the desert" (1 Sam. 4:8). Finally, these
Miraculous plagues were evidently designed as a series of tests.
for Israel as well. This is taught in Deuteronomy 4:33, 34, where Moses speaks to him
he asked Israel, "Have you heard the people the voice of God, speaking from the midst of the
fire, as you have heard, and lived? or does God have to come to take one for Himself
nation out of the midst of another nation, by tests, by signs, and by miracles, and
with war, and a strong hand, and he stretched out his arms and sent great terrors, like
everything that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? "He
the result of these tests was expressed in the words - 'Who like you, oh
Jehovah, among the gods? Who is like You, magnificent in holiness, Terrible in
wonderful deeds, maker of wonders? "(Ex. 15:11)!"
The first plague is described in Exodus 7:14-25 - whoever reads this passage, meditate.
with care. This initial sentence from the Lord was to turn the waters into
blood. Blood, of course, speaks of death, and death is the payment of
sin. It was, therefore, a more solemn warning from God to Egypt, a
warning that clearly indicated the fate that awaited those
that challenge the Almighty. Likewise, God gives a warning at the beginning.
from the Great Tribulation, so that then the moon 'turns to blood' (Rev.
6:12). The symbolic meaning of this first plague is easy to discern. The water
it is the symbol of the Word (John 15:3; Eph 5:26), and the water became
blood reminds us that the Word is 'the smell of death for death' (2 Cor.
2:16), as well as 'from life to life'. The contrast between this first plague and the
The first miracle performed by the Lord Jesus has been pointed out by others.
commentators before us. The contrast surprisingly shows the
great difference that exists between the two dispensations, "The law was given by
"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).
Everything that the law can do to its guilty transgressor is to condemn him to
death, and this is the symbolism, so the water became blood. But
through the incarnate Word, the believing sinner can rejoice, and this is what
the talk of turning water into wine. Before moving on to the next plague
we want to offer a word of explanation about a point that could have
disturbed some of our readers. The Lord's Mandate to Moses is
impactful: "Say to Aaron: Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of
Egypt, over the rivers, over the streams and over its ponds, and over all
their water deposits, so that they turn into blood, and there may be blood for
the entire region of Egypt, both in wooden vessels and in stone ones
And yet, after this, we are told, "And throughout all Egypt
they dug wells around the river to drink, why couldn't they drink from the
waters of the river" (v. 24): "And throughout Egypt, they made wells around the river to
What to drink the water.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

To carry out the study of the entire Bible, we find that God does not make
nothing by chance! God's judgments are behind all these plagues, and
thus it was directed to the same gods that the Egyptians worshipped, as well as
also to the same people. Through these plagues, God demonstrated that his gods
they were powerless, and now they are being judged by Him. Everything was so
important that affected all the waters of the Nile River and no one could drink anymore
more of its waters. So how did they come to drink water? Upon reading about
The ten plagues, what the Egyptian people finally realized is that their
Were the gods completely false? What was Pharaoh's reaction afterwards?
each plague?
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him,

The second plague is described in the example of the passage from Ex. 8:1-7.
After an interval of 'seven days' (7:25) separates this second plague from the
First. Pharaoh was thus given a full opportunity to repent before
God and act with judgment again. In light of the fact that the flood began
on the seventh day (see Genesis 7:10 margin), that is, Saturday, the conclusion is
very likely that each of these first two plagues were sent to
Egypt on the day of rest, as a divine judgment for the profanation of the
Egyptians of the same. This second plague, like the first one, was directed
Divinely against the idolatry of the Egyptians. The Nile River was sacred to their
eyes, therefore, the LORD turned their waters into blood. The frog was a
object of worship among them, so now God made Egypt to be plagued
of frogs. Their ugly shape, their hoarse noise, and their unpleasant smell, would make
these frogs were considered particularly unpleasant. Their number
abundant marked the severity of this sentence. Escaping from this plague was
impossible, since the frogs not only "covered the land of Egypt", but
they invaded the houses of the Egyptians, entering their beds and bedrooms, and
he profaned all his cooking utensils
The moral importance of these 'frogs' is explained to us in Rev. 16:13.
-where the only mention of these creatures appears in the New Testament.
There we read 'And I saw three unclean spirits like little frogs come out of'
the mouth of the Dragon, and from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the False Prophet.
Frogs are used to symbolize the power of evil and the essence of filth.
the conversion of water into blood was a solemn reminder of 'the wages of
"sin". The emission of the frogs manifests itself in the character of the filthy.
works of the devil. In relation to this second plague we read: "And the magicians
they did the same with their enchantments and produced frogs over the land of
Egypt "(8:7). This is very suggestive. The magicians could not eliminate the frogs,
they could not erect barriers against their usurpations. All they could do
was to give birth to more frogs. The same happens with the Prince of this world, he
is unable to exterminate the evil that has brought to the beautiful creation of God,
and he cannot control his progress. The only thing he can do is multiply the
evil.
The third plague is described in example 8:16-19. This judgment descended
without any warning. The dust of the earth suddenly sprang to life,
assuming the most unpleasant and annoying form. This blow was directed more
directly to the people of the Egyptians. Their bodies covered in lice,
It was to affect and reprimand his pride. Herodotus (2:37) refers to the cleansing.
of the Egyptians: "So scrupulous were the priests at this point that they
they use to shave their head and body every third day, out of fear of
harboring parasites while they were engaged in their sacred duties.
someone said: "This race to protect their humble pride and not tarnish their glory,
it indeed becomes an object of aversion and repugnance." The key to the meaning
The moral of this third plague lies in the source of the lice.
Aaron struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice in men and animals.
In the judgment that God pronounced for Adam's disobedience we read
that He said: 'Cursed is the ground for your sake' (Genesis 3:17), and also: 'for'
and the Scriptures affirm it explicitly, but it also states that the Lord
he hardened his heart too, and clearly this is not one, but the same one
what, or the two different expressions would not have been used. Our duty
Both statements should be considered to show the philosophy.
of their reconciliation, probably, since another has said, 'to try to
understand the infinite." In Ps. 105:25 it is said: "He changed their hearts
to make them hate their people, to think evil against their servants
. Nothing stronger or clearer than this. Are we denying it, because not
Can we explain the way God did it? In the same ground as
we could reject the doctrine of the Trinity, I can be asked that God
can, in no way harden the heart of man without Him being the
author of sin. But the most secure belief in the fact does not require that the
the answer should be given by me to this question. If God has not explained to the
regarding (and he has not done it), then it is not for us to pretend to be
wise beyond what is written. I believe that many things recorded
in the Scripture they cannot be explained by their reason for being, but because I know that
God cannot lie, and I must believe them.
I will put my hand over Egypt, and I will bring out my armies, my people, the children of
Israel, out of the land of Egypt, with great judgments, and the Egyptians will know that
I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand over Egypt, and bring out the children of
Israel among them "(vv. 4,5). These verses provide us with one of the
reasons why the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh and the Egyptians:
It was so that He could have a full opportunity to show His great power. A
a dark background is true, but a dark background is necessary to put
the white light of divine holiness. In the same way, we find the saying of the
Lord Jesus, 'It is necessary that obstacles come, but woe to that man for
Woe to the world because of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh! (Matthew 18:7). May Jehovah execute great judgments.

we will see in the following chapters. One might ask, how was it possible
that these Egyptian sorcerers would perform this miracle? The answer must be,
by the power of the devil. This theme is certainly mysterious, and too
great for us to finally get in. As mentioned at the beginning of
this work, what awaits us here, in these first chapters of the Exodus
It foreshadows the great conflict between good and evil. Pharaoh acts at all times.
as the representative of Satan, and the fact that he was able to summon
The wizards who could perform such wonders only serve to illustrate and
to exemplify the great powers that the devil has at his disposal. It is at the same time
absurd and detrimental to underestimate the strength of our great enemy. The one that
it was allowed for the transportation of our Savior from the desert to the
temple of Jerusalem, and the one who could show him "all the kingdoms of the world in
a moment in time "(Luke 4:5), would have no difficulty in the
empowering their emissaries to transform their staffs into snakes.
Each one threw down his rod, which became snakes: but Aaron's rod
devoured the other staffs" (v. 12). This is very striking. The magicians appeared
in the name of their "gods" (cf. Ex. 12:12 and 18:11), but this miracle made
it is evident that the power of Moses was superior to all the sorceries of Egypt,
and opposed them as well. This sign "announced the end of the great conflict that
Then it began, from each of the earthly powers and in which
it becomes an infernal contender with the Omnipotent. "The symbols of his authority
they had disappeared, and the one of 'Jehovah's servants remained' (Urquhart).

The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink

This trial is related to the torment of the bodies of the Egyptians, which
they are awaiting the eternal judgment of the lost, when their bodies will be
tormented forever in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. In this the
the people of God will have no part.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

First, the river turned into blood, then the frogs all over the
country, followed by lice everywhere and then various flies
species, everything about man and beast. In the first three plagues: both the
Israelites, like the Egyptians, suffered, but then with the following plagues.
Only the Egyptians suffer. Why is this? What is the
name of the part of the earth in Egypt, where the Israelites were taken, and
Why was this particular area chosen for them?

Éxodo 9:1-35

The following plague is described in the example of Ex. 9:1-7. This judgment was
directed against the property of the Egyptians. A serious illness struck their
herds so that "all the livestock of Egypt would die." But the Lord once again
He sent the book to his own people. 'Not one of the livestock of the children of Israel died' (9:6).
This produced a striking demonstration of God's absolute sovereignty. He
He completely controls all the things and creatures he has created.
Disease abounds only when and where He has decreed it. The flocks of
the Egyptians could be dying all around them, but the livestock of
Israel was as confident as if there had been no epidemic in it
absolute.
The spiritual meaning and application of the present sentence is not difficult
to perceive. The livestock are servants of man. He takes advantage to do his part
more difficult in their work. The destruction of all horses, donkeys, camels,
oxen and sheep of the Egyptians, because it tells us that God will not accept the
the thoughts of the wicked are sin
(Proverbs 21:4). This world and all its works will still be burned.
destroyed as completely as the beasts of Egypt. The
The preservation of the livestock of the children of Israel suggests that the works of the new
nature in the believer "will remain" (1 Cor. 3:14).
The plague of boils is recorded in Exodus 9:8-12. Just like the
third plague, this was sent without any warning. Moses received
instructions for taking a handful of ash from an oven and spreading it towards the
sky in the sight of Pharaoh "(9:8). The definite article implies that it was an oven.
in particular, meaning that Pharaoh was close to him, suggests that he was a
heating appliance. The Companion Bible says that this furnace: "that is,
it was one of the altars where human sacrifices were offered sometimes for
to worship the god Typhon (the principle of evil). These sacrifices were undoubtedly the
that were offered to prevent the plagues, and Moses used the ashes of the
same way to produce another plague instead of avoiding it. "Just like the
previously this plague meant the uselessness of all the works of natural man,
so this teaches us the absolute vanity of religious exercises.
The following plague is described in the example of Ex. 9:18-35. This marks the
beginning of a third series. We quote from the Numeric Bible: "Now we are
in the third stage, to show man what it is, what the attitude of the
Heaven must be toward him. The three plagues that follow everyone indiscriminately.
they point to the sky as their place of origin. Here too the rod, which in the three
last, had not been seen, appears again, - one thing is that the meaning
Typical as it would seem, this explains it. To this end, one can see that the pests
for men, they seem to be merely divine impositions, but rather they arise
more than man himself, although, in fact, the absolute government of God
you can see in all of them. But now we arrive again, just like in the first ones.
pests, to direct and positive influences. In other words, the last three
pests that were carried out, emblematically, show the natural state of the
man, the swarms of flies generated a lot of filth; the pestilence
(pest) of livestock and boils in people, they speak of impurities.
from within, which, through the corruption of sin, explode the
moral illnesses, which remind us of the terrible graphic or image of the
sinner drawn by Isaiah: "From the sole of the foot to the head there is no in
he is a healthy thing, but rather a pure wound, swelling, and rotten sore (1:6).
The severity of this plague (hail) is marked by several details. It was
Very severe hail
has so far founded. "The hail was accompanied by a thunderstorm of
fierce intensity, so "the fire rained down on the earth." The effects
that great hail struck all over the land of Egypt
everything that was in the field, both men and beasts; and the hail struck
also to all the grass of the field and he broke all the trees of the field.
This judgment was an expression of the anger of a holy God who abhors sin.
Similar expressions of your anger will witness the world during the Great
Tribulation Ex. 8:07 - see Revelation; 16:21.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

The fifth plague was the disease that fell upon the livestock, which could
It has been an attack on the mother goddess of Egypt, Hathor, who was depicted in the
shape of a cow. Due to the plague of boils, read carefully
Deuteronomy 28:27; these were probably tumors, blisters, and sores in
execution. Did God clearly show Pharaoh and all of Egypt why He
Was sending all those plagues? Ex. 9:13-17

What is said to us about the seventh plague of hail? What happened when it
Produced? What was the land of Goshen like? How genuine was Pharaoh to ask him?
to Moses and Aaron to bring the plagues to an end? What was it that he
Did I have to admit? Comment on verses 34 and 35?

Exodus 10:1-29

The eighth plague is recorded in Exodus 10:1-20. The locusts are one of the
Eastern terrors. They take advantage of the crops and consume them all.
vegetation. This pest, which comes at the top of the destruction of the
cattle, seriously threatens Egypt's food supplies. To
Regarding this plague, the psalmist says: 'He spoke and they came'
locusts, and caterpillars, and without number, and they ate all the grass of their land, And
"they devoured the fruit of their land" (Ps. 105:34,35). They came to the command of God, and
They left at their will. The same happens with all creatures, the most
weak, just like the most powerful, fulfill the secret advice of their Creator.
Joel 2:11 says: it speaks of a judgment still in the future on the Day of the Lord,
that locusts are referred to as 'Their army'.
We are not very sure about the deeper and spiritual meaning.
Of the importance of this eighth plague. It is evident that, just like the previous one,
it definitely manifests the wrath of God. But it would seem to be a line
additional to the thought suggested by these "locusts". In the second
The chapter of Joel and the ninth of the Apocalypse must be read carefully and
study this connection. In these two chapters we have a kind of
infernal lobsters
abyss, and the Antichrist, it is said to be its 'king'. It would seem then that the plague
of the Pharaoh and the Egyptians with the 'locusts' points to a future punishment of the
loss in the company of the infernal beings, as the Lord said: "They will be
cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels "(Matthew 25:41).
The plague of darkness is described in the example of Ex. 10:21-29. "In
In Egypt, the sun was worshipped under the name of Ra: the name came to be the
title of the kings, the pharaoh, or rather Phra, which means "sun" (Wilkinson
Ancient Egypt). Therefore, it was not only the source of light and heat that eclipsed
to the Egyptians, but the god they worshiped who was darkened by their lack of
demonstration of power - but if they had had eyes to see, that one more sun
strong, yes, the same Creator of the sun, was dealing with them in judgment.
Dennett). This ninth plague formed an appropriate climax to the third series. It is
easily interpreted. God is light: darkness is the absence of light. For the
Thus, this trial of darkness gave a clear indication that Egypt was
abandoned by God. Nothing remained but death itself. The darkness
it lasted three days that fully showed God's withdrawal. So this fear
it was thick 'darkness' that the Egyptians 'could not see each other, nor did they
They were raised. What stands out is the contrast that is presented in the
But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
This light was as supernatural as the darkness itself. It emanated, very
probably, from the glory Shekinah. The Egyptians had a darkness that did not
could illuminate nothing: Israel a light that nothing and no one could extinguish. Therefore,
is on earth today. The people of God are the 'children of light' (Eph. 5:8),
for God 'who commanded that the light shine in the darkness, is the one who shone
in our hearts, for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ '(2 Cor. 4:6). But' the way of the wicked is like the
darkness: They do not know what they stumble over" (Prov. 4:19), and this is because they are
without God in the world
About the land of Egypt, they remember the three hours of darkness over all the
earth, when they hung the Savior (in the crucified expression it was due to
(abandonment of God). There the Saint of God was "made sin" (2 Cor. 5:21)
for His people, and He is the One who is "very clean of eyes to see evil, nor can you
to contemplate iniquity" (Habakkuk 1:13), turned His face away from One who was
being punished in our place. It was this distancing from God that made it so
Salvador cried out: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'
Finally, these three days of dense darkness over Egypt pronounced a
solemn warning for all those who are now without Christ. Yes, dear
reader, if you continue in your current course, if you are going to underestimate the
mercy of God, if you refuse to pay attention to his warning and
to try to escape the coming wrath, unfortunately, will ultimately be thrown into
"the outer darkness" (Matthew 8:12), the "darkness of darkness for
always" (Jude 13). Do not be negligent concerning the salvation of your soul.
Return to God now that He is 'the light of the world,' and in His light we will see the light.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

As Moses predicted the plague of locusts to the Pharaoh, once again

he emphasized the need to hold a feast in honor of the Lord (Jehovah).
From verses 10 and 11, how does Pharaoh change in such a condition?
The locusts actually ate what was left after the storm.
hail, and because of these two plagues, the Egyptian gods Isis and Set were
condemned by the true God. God demonstrated His great power over the sun, and
The sun had until then been the greatest religious symbol of Egypt. What
What kind of attack would you say this was against Pharaoh, since the people of
Did Egypt see Pharaoh as the god Amo-Ra?

Exodus 11:1

These plagues provided a more astonishing prophetic forecast about

the future judgments of God on the world. This is, for us, one of the
most notable things related to the judgments of God upon Egypt. The
analogies between the visits of divine wrath to Egypt and those in the Scriptures
They predict for the last times, and announce for the future, there are many.
We are here to draw attention to only some of the most striking:
A diligent student can discover much more for himself if he dares to take.
the necessary measures to prepare: -
God will hear and respond (Jeremiah 31:18-20).
God will command their oppressors to let them go (Isaiah 43:6)
God will send two witnesses to perform miracles before their enemies.
(Revelation 11:3-6)
(4) His enemies will also perform miracles (Revelation 13:13-15)
God will execute judgments of violence upon the world (Jer. 25:15, 16).
God will protect His people from them (Revelation 7:4; 12:6,14-16)
The water will again turn into blood (Revelation 8:8; 16:4,5).
Satanic frogs will appear (Rev. 16:13).
A plague of locusts will be sent (Revelation 9:2-11).
God will send boils and blindness (Revelation 16:2).
Terrible hail will descend from heaven (Revelation 8:7).
There will be no terrible darkness (Isaiah 60:2; Revelation 16:10).
Just as the Pharaoh hardened his heart, so will the wicked do also.
the day to come (Revelation 9:20,21).
Death will consume multitudes (Rev. 9:15).
Israel will be liberated (Zechariah 14:3, 4; Rom 11:26). Sovereign grace only
It will make a difference. There can only be one answer to the apostle's question.
"Who distinguishes you?" (1 Cor. 4:7), but God. It is not because our hearts
(by nature) are more tender, or more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, than the
hearts of the believers, it is not that our wills are more flexible and
fewer Tuesdays. It's not due to any superior mental sharpness that
it allows us to see our need for a Savior. No, grace, it is grace.
distinctive, sovereign grace, the cause of discrimination. So let us see
What we give to God, for He deserves to receive all the glory! "But against all
"The children of Israel will not let a dog move its tongue." A surprising proof that
Every creature is under the direct supervision and control of the great Creator! It was of
night when the angel of death executed the sentence of God. Furthermore, the
"darkness" had wrapped the earth. On every side there was weeping and howling from
from the Egyptians, how they discovered that their firstborn had been affected.
In addition, there was the movement of the Israelites, with their hundreds of thousands of
people proceeded to leave the land of slavery. There was, then, no reason for
which all the 'dogs' had to bark and howl, but yes, the Hebrews had to
rush to leave. But not a single dog was wagging its tongue! An invisible hand
it blocked its jaws. Just like the lions of Babylon were
neutralized by God, when Daniel was thrown into his den, the dogs of
Egypt was made mute when the people of Jehovah were leaving for the land.
promised. What daily comfort and security is there here for the believer. Not a
only a fly can alight on you without the Creator's approval, nor
At least the demons could enter into the herd of pigs until Christ did not let them.
I give permission.
Now we have to say something about the spiritual condition of this.
people who are pointed out here as favored by God. Comparatively little
we were told in the first chapters of Exodus regarding the relationships of the
descendants of Abraham upheld by Jehovah, but one or two details of
the information is provided in the subsequent writings. We propose,
So, to gather what we can contemplate, in a few words, the image
what the moral state of the Children of Israel provides us at the moment in
that the Lord freed them from the house of bondage.
In Lev. 17:07 we read: 'And they shall no more offer their sacrifices to the'
demons to those who have fornicated. Mark the words "no more": the
it is evident that before reaching the desert, Israel had practiced the
idolatry. Also explained in Joshua 24:14, "Now, therefore, fear the Lord and
serve him with sincerity and truth; and put away the gods that your ancestors served
fathers on the other side of the river, and in Egypt, and serve the Lord." Here we learn that
the patriarchs served false gods before Jehovah set them free, and that their
descendants did the same in Egypt.

The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink

Did God harden Pharaoh's heart (11:10) or did Pharaoh himself harden it?
own heart?
Exodus 3:20

Exodus 12:1-51

In Exodus 11:4-7 we read: "Thus says the Lord: At midnight I will go through..."
middle of Egypt: And every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the
firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, up to the firstborn of the
maidservant that is behind the mill, and every firstborn of the beasts. And there will be great
a clamor throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor shall be like it.
more. But against any of the children of Israel not even a dog will move his
tongue against man or beast, so that you may know that the Lord makes a difference
between the Egyptians and Israel." Carefully observe the exact wording of the verse.
5: it was not 'every firstborn of the land of Egypt that would die, but rather 'every
firstborn in the land of Egypt." This divine sentence of judgment includes the
Israelites equally with the Egyptians. However, in the seventh verse we
it says that "not a dog will move its tongue against any of the children of Israel,
because the Lord "made a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites." This is
what the unfaithful would call 'a contradiction'. But since we are already
completely sure that there can be no contradictions in "the Word"
Indeed, for what we know there must be an interpretation that puts forward
I manifest the harmony of this passage. What it is, without merely wisdom.
humanity could have conceived. The phrase of universal condemnation that
proceeds from the justice of God, the 'difference' that was established between the
Egyptians and the Israelites were the exit of his grace. But how can justice
And mercy reconcile? How can the perfect justice of God not
exclude the exercise of perfect mercy? How does it manifest itself?
mercy saves at the expense of justice? This is really the problem that
is posed here. The solution to it can be found in Ex. 12. Everything
the firstborn in the land of Egypt was going to die, and yet, the firstborn of
Israel would be freed from the Angel of Death! But how can this be?
Possible? Surely it couldn't be true to such an extent. But it was, and in it we can
discover a perfect illustration that is also perfect content of the
Gospel. Ex. 12 records the last ten plagues. This was the death of the
firstborns, since death is "the wages of sin", we have none
difficulty in perceiving that it is about the issue of sin that is present here
presented and addressed by God. If this is the case, both the Egyptians and the
the Israelites were also sinners, and required a just judgment, because
both were sinners before him. Regarding the Egyptians, the Israelites
they were similar: both in nature and in practice they were sinners. "No
there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God (Rom. 3:22,23). It is true that God had intended to redeem Israel from
Egypt, but it would also do so only on a fair basis. Holiness does not
He can ignore the sin, no matter where it is found.
When the angels sinned, God "did not forgive them" (2 Pet. 2:4). The
chosen are "Children of wrath just like the others" (Ephesians 2:3). God did not make
no exception of his blessed Son: when he was "made sin for us"
(2 Cor 5:21), He did not spare Him (Rom. 8:32).
But all this just seems to be an impossible problem to solve. The
Israelites were sinners: the guilt was established irrefutably: only
God cannot "by any means justify the wicked" (Exodus 34:7): the penalty of
death passed over them (Ex. 11:5). Nothing remained but the realization of the
death sentence. A pardon was out of the question. Justice must
be satisfied, for sin must pay its wages. What is it, then?
Should Israel perish after all? Human wisdom could not
provide no solution to this problem. No, but the ends of
man, those are God's opportunities, and he made him seek a solution. "Where
"where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Rom. 5:20), and yet, the
Grace did not appear at the expense of justice. Each demand of justice was
satisfied, each claim of holiness was fully satisfied. But,
How? Through a perfect substitute. The death sentence was
executed, but fell upon an innocent victim. The one who was "without stain and without
"sin," died in place of those who had no "possibility" (Isaiah 1:6). The
The "difference" between the Egyptians and the Israelites was not moral, but it was made.
only by the blood of the Passover Lamb! It was by the blood of the Lamb
mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other
(Ps. 85:10). The entire value of the blood of the Paschal Lamb was the type
(Omen) of the Lord Jesus: "Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us:"
So, let us celebrate the feast "(1 Cor. 5:7,8). Here is the divine authority for
we regarding the contents of Ex. 12 as a type of the Cross, which was
for our blessed Savior. The first great truth to grasp this
This is what is told to us in verse 11: 'It is the Passover of the Lord'. This puts us in
relieve an aspect of the truth that is very forgotten today in preaching
Evangelical. Worship leaders have a lot to say about what the
the death of Christ achieved for those who believe in Him, but very little is said about
of what was the consummated death of Christ towards God. The fact is that the
the death of Christ glorified God, and not only one single sinner was saved in
virtue of it. And this is not simply a matter of theology. As much
more let us study the teaching of the Scriptures on this topic, and how much more
we will cling to the simple faith of what the Cross meant from God, more
Our peace will be stable and our joy will be deeper too.
praise. The particular aspect of truth that I now wish to highlight about it
The reader is clearly shown in many passages. Take the first (direct).
reference to the 'Lamb' in the Scriptures. In Genesis 22:08 we read that
Abraham said to his son: "God will provide a lamb for the burnt offering."
It was not simply that God "would provide" a lamb, but that He "would be
would provide a lamb." The Lamb was "provided" to glorify the
character of God, to vindicate his throne, to satisfy his justice, to
magnify His holiness. Thus, also, in the ritual of the annual celebration of the Day
from the Atonement, we read about the two male goats. Why two? Both
they prefigure the two great aspects of Christ's expiatory work - towards God and
towards us. "Then he will take the two male goats and present them
before the Lord at the entrance of the tabernacle of testimony. And Aaron will cast
luck over the two male goats, one lot for the Lord, and another for Azazel
(Lev. 16: 7,8). It is this aspect of the truth that is before us in
Rom. 3:24-26, "Being justified freely by His grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Whom God set forth as a propitiation for
through faith in his blood to manifest his justice... so that he may be the
just, and the one who justifies the faith of Jesus." In 1 Cor. 5:07 we read: "Christ,
our Passover." He is now our Passover, because He was the first in the
Lord's Passover (Ex. 12:11).
Yes, a new confirmation of what we have said above is necessary.
can supply another term that is used in the example. Ex. 12:27. Here
it is expressly stated that Passover was a 'sacrifice' - 'It is the sacrifice of the
"Lord's Easter." It is also not the only verse in the Scriptures where
celebrates Easter called a sacrifice. In Ex. 34:25 we read that God told him to
Israel: "You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, nor the sacrifice...
of the Passover feast will remain until morning." Again, in Dt. 16:02
we read:
You shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God.
Testament says: 'Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us' (1
2 Corinthians 5:7

Now there are two lines of thought associated with sacrifices in the
Writing.
First of all, a propitiatory sacrifice is a satisfaction rendered to God. It is
to appease his holy anger. It is to placate his righteous hatred of sin. It is to
to appease the demands of Your justice. It is about resolving the demands of your
law. God is "Light", just like "love". He whose "eyes are too pure to look
the evil, nor can you not see the offense" (Hab. 1:13). This truth is denied by
everywhere these days. However, this should not surprise us, it is
exactly what the prophecy predicted (2 Tim 4:3,4).
Simple and pointed is the teaching of the Scriptures on this topic.
After the rebellion and destruction of Korah, we read that the entire congregation
murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying: 'You have killed the
people." What was God's response? This: "The Lord spoke to Moses
saying: "Get away from the midst of this congregation, and I will consume them in a..."
"moment" (Numbers 16:45). How can one avoid being consumed by the wrath of God?
And Moses said to Aaron: Take the censer, and put fire in it from the
altar, and on it put incense, and go quickly to the congregation and make atonement.
for them, because the fury has come from the Lord, the plague has begun. And
Aaron took as Moses said, and ran in the midst of the congregation, and behold
that the mortality had begun in the town, and he put incense, and made
expiation for the people. And he remained among the dead and the living, and ceased the
plague "(Num. 16:46 - 48)! A similar passage can be found in the last chapter
of Job. There we read: 'The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: My anger was kindled against'
you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of me rightly, like I
servant Job. Therefore, take seven bulls and now seven rams and go to my
my servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves; and my servant Job will pray for you.
you all; because I accepted it, so that I do not have to deal with you after your
madness. " Here, then, is the primary thought connected with the
"sacrifice". It is a bloody offering to appease the holy wrath of which
odia the sin and the sin-punishment God. And this is the word that is used one and
again in relation to the Lord Jesus of the Great Sacrifice. Therefore, Eph. 5:2:
For Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, an offering
and sacrifice to God in a fragrant aroma. "Once more," Once at the end of the world,
He appeared to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Heb. 9:26). And of
new, "This man, having offered a single sacrifice for sins for
he always sat at the right hand of God (Heb. 10:12). The meaning of these
passages are explained by Rom. 3:25,26: Christ was to God a 'propitiation', a
appeasement, a pacification, a legal satisfaction. Therefore, it could the
precursor of the Redeemer saying: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin
of the world "(John 1:29).
The second thought associated with 'sacrifice' in the Scriptures is the
of thanksgiving and praise to God, which is the effect of the first. It is
because Christ has appeased God in their favor so that believers can
Now offer a "sacrifice of praise" (Hebrews 13:15). The Psalmist said: "the
my head will be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will sacrifice in
In His tabernacle, sacrifices of joy '(Psalm 27:6). In other words: 'I am going to
offer sacrifices to God with a voice of thanksgiving" (Jonah 2:9). This is because
what was said that 'Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us'
the exhortation continues "Therefore, let us celebrate the feast" (1 Cor. 5:7). The lamb
Pascual was first sacrificed to God, in second place, then he became
the food of those protected by their blood.
The ritual in connection with Easter in Egypt was very striking.
The lamb was to be killed (Ex. 12:6). Death must be inflicted on the
guilty transgressor or an innocent substitute. Then its blood had to be
taken and sprinkled over the door and the lintel of the house in which the Israelites were
They sheltered from the night. 'Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission'
"sins" (He. 9:22), and without the shedding of blood there is no salvation. The two
words in no way are synonyms. The first is for propitiation,
the last is the appropriation of faith. It is not until the converted sinner applies
the blood that takes advantage of him. An Israelite could have chosen a lamb.
suitable, it could even be, but unless his blood is not applied to the part
exterior of the door, the Angel of Death would have entered his house and
murdered his firstborn. In the same way today, it is not enough for me
to know that the precious blood of the Lamb of God was shed for remission
Of sins. A provided Savior is not enough: He must be received. He has
what it means to have 'faith in his blood' (Rom. 3:25), and faith is a personal thing. I have
to exercise faith. I have to take the blood by faith and take refuge under
I have to apply it to my sins and trust in Christ as the only reason.
of my acceptance with God.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and strike all the
firstborns in the land of Egypt, both of men and beasts, and against all
the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments, I am the Lord. And the blood shall be for you
signal in the houses where you are; and I will see the blood that I will pass
you, and the plague shall not be against you to destroy you when I strike the
land of Egypt (Ex. 12:12,13). When the executioner of God's judgment saw the
blood in the houses of the Israelites did not enter, why? Because death
he had already done his work there! The innocents had died on the spot of the
guilty. And so, justice was served. To unjustly punish twice
for the same crime. To demand illegal payment twice for the same debt:
Still, those who had sprinkled the house with blood were safe.
What a blessed and glorious truth this is. It's nothing but the mercy of God,
without their justice that is now in favor of their people. Justice demands the
absolution of all believers in Christ. Behold the glory of the Gospel. He said
the apostle Paul: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is
the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). And why should one not be "ashamed" of
Gospel? Listen to His following words: "For in Him the righteousness of God
it is revealed by faith and for faith.
And I will see the blood and pass over you.
the house, but about the blood. It could have been a humble house, a strong
house, a beautiful house, which made no difference, if there is no blood
there is judgment and its result is deadly. Its height, its strength, its magnificence do not
They are useless if the blood is deficient. On the other hand, the house can be a
miserable little house, falling apart due to age and neglect; but not
It matters: if the blood was on the door, those who are inside are safe.
perfectly safe.
It was at that moment that Moses heard from God what he had to do.
For the sense of smell and sight, it must have seemed very insufficient, and it is quite enough.
little probable to achieve the desired outcome. Why this latest plague
wait for me to achieve what the previous nine had failed to do with everyone
his accumulated terrors?
Why does the mere sprinkling of blood have such a wonderful effect?
And if they were indeed to leave Egypt 'that very night', why the people who
load with all the ceremonial observances also had to be
making the preparations for your departure? Nothing but 'faith' could be of
some benefit here, which opposes human understanding and reasoning
human.
But this is nothing more than the faith that makes it possible to obtain its greatest
victoria. Therefore, we read that: "By faith the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood
blood "(Hebrews 11:28), and therefore every difficulty was overcome and achieved
in the Exodus. Everything is based on 'hearing by faith.' The words of Jehovah produce
"faith, and they are at the same time the cause and the effect of all blessings" (Dr. Bullinger)
In a house, it will be eaten; you will not take any of the meat outside of the house, nor
you shall break bone of it (v. 46). "The lamb was to be eaten only
under the protection of the expiatory blood. Men can admire Christ,
since it is what should be done in a manner, while they do not deny reality
of his expiatory work, and the Lamb can truly be eaten only where his
virtue is recognized! Apart from this, it cannot be understood or appreciated. Thus
Well, the denial of his work leads to the denial of his person.
In fact, it is the blessing of God that marks the vigilance of compliance.
about this particular aspect of the type. There can be no uncertainty that
Christ Himself, the Lamb of God, was in view here, the Spirit of prophecy that
it was also made to be written (in one of the messianic psalms), "The guard
all their bones; not one of them will be broken" (34:20) And in John 19
we contemplate the anti-type (what had been foretold) of the example. And the
fulfillment of Sal. 34. 'The Jews, because it was the preparation of the cross
on the Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day was a special one), they begged
"Pilate that his legs could break" (v. 31). There was Satan, with his
enmity and malicious vain attempt to falsify and nullify the written Word.
Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and likewise of the other
who had been crucified with him" (v. 32). Up to this point, the agents of
Roman Empire, yes, but no further: "But when they came to Jesus, as they
they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs "(John 19:33). Here is
He shows us the Father "who maintains" (preserves) all the bones of His blessed one
Son. His side was pierced with a soldier's spear, and this was only
so that the prophecy would be fulfilled, because it was written: "They will look at Him whom
who were transferred, (Zac. 12:10). But they will not be able to break his legs," for neither
a bone of his will be broken," and so it was!

(The Ears of Corn in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Explain here in your own words how sinners themselves can

to give different judgments. We know that God's wonderful grace prevailed,
but in the order that God established complete justice, the true
Justice and true mercy must first be served. What did God want?
establish to make this tremendous difference of the death of the firstborn
from Egypt, and also from the liberation of the children of Israel? By God himself
to be remembered once a year, to help understand deeply the
glorious meaning of what God has provided for our redemption, and the
the ability to live daily to please him. The following are
statements regarding this teaching of faith, you must fill in the
blanks in the provided biblical references (Gen. 22:8)
Christ our ______________ is now ______________ for us (1 Cor.
5:7) And you shall sacrifice the ___________________ to the Lord your God, from the sheep and
from the cows, in the place that Jehovah shall choose for His name to dwell there.
This month shall be the beginning of the__________; for you it shall be
this is the ________ in the months of the year. (Ex. 12:2) But the place that Jehovah
your God_______________from among all your tribes, to place there his
___________for your room, that you will seek, and there you will go. . (Dt. 12:5) And walk
in_________, just as Christ loved us, and gave___________ himself for
we, ______ and ________ to God in a fragrant offering. (Eph. 5:2) Otherwise
________ of________, for those who pay this ______, clean once, do not
they would already have more ___________________________. (Heb. 10:12)
The next day Juan saw ________ coming towards him, and said: Behold the
_________________, who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
In your own words, describe in detail how this first Easter is a plan.
redemption for all who accept Christ as God's Plan for
redemption of humanity. 1 John 5:11-13, 20 From this study of
Exodus by AW Pink we are learning surprising truths that are
they refer not only to the liberation of Israel from Egypt, but also point to the great
future redemption for all who believe in the death and resurrection of God
The Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, where His sacrifice, blood, and death would pay for
the individual sins of all humanity and that becomes effective when the
A person puts their trust in Him. Take every directive given by God in Exodus.
12, and show how each was duplicated by the sacrifice of Christ in the
cross, and give it a more personal meaning. Example: a one-year-old lamb without
Imperfections talk about the nature of Christ, just as he was the lamb.
who had no defense for himself; but surrendered purely out of love. He
she delivered to adulthood, at the peak of her physical maturity, her flawless being
and impeccable devoted to death and the death of Cruz.
Is.53:6 Juan 1:29 Juan 3:3 Juan 19:33 Hch. 4:12 Rom. 12:1
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

The Lord said to Moses, 'Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.' So Moses said to the people, 'Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing made with yeast. Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving. When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites—the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ceremony in this month. For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the Lord. Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing made with yeast is to be seen in your territory, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.' This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time of year from year to year. In the future, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.' And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.

A redeemed people to be the property of the Redeemer. In the New

Testament God says to the saints: "You are not your own, for you have
bought at a price (1 Cor. 6:19, 20). It is on this same principle that
Here the Lord says to Moses: 'Sanctify to me all the firstborn.'
The reference to the 'firstborn' here must be taken into account. It was the firstborn.
from Israel who had been redeemed from death, the judgment that fell upon the
Egyptians, and now the Lord says this to Himself. Normally, this speaks of
the practice of holiness, set apart for God. Thus, the first exhortation of
Romans that follows the doctrinal exposition in chapters 1 and 2 is: "I beseech,
Well, brothers, by the mercies of God, present your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (12:1).
Personal devotion is the first thing that pleases God and gives Him the right to
apply the blood to the redeemed people who were bought at that price.

For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast for
The Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; and there shall be no leaven seen.
leaven raised with you, nor shall there be seen leaven with you everywhere.
Normally, this shows the nature of sanctification. Throughout the
"Leaven" in scriptures is a symbol of evil that spreads and corrupts everything.
with those he is in contact with, 'a little yeast ferments the whole dough' (1
Cor. 5:6). To eat "unleavened bread" means the separation from all that is bad,
so that we can honor Christ. That this feast lasted "seven days", which is a
full period, it counts for us that this will last throughout
our stay on earth. This is what 1 Cor. 5:7, 8 refers to. "Clean yourselves
for the old yeast, so that you may be a new dough, as you are without yeast.
For even Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. So then
let us celebrate the feast not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and of
evil, but with unleavened bread, of sincerity and of Truth. "Because
we are saved by grace, through the purifying sprinkling of the blood of
Christ, it's not that we can now enjoy sin without fear of its
consequences, or so that grace may abound. It is not so. The redemption by the
precious blood of Christ imposes an additional responsibility for
separate us from all evil, so that now we can show the virtues of the one who
he called us from darkness to his marvelous light. Negligence and proximity to evil
companies, worldliness, carnal indulgences are the things that we
they prevent maintaining this unleavened bread feast.
But much more is included in this figure of 'yeast' of the coarsest type.
things of the flesh. We read in the New Testament about "the leaven of the
Pharisees, (Matthew 16:6). This is the superstition, the void of what the Word of
God for the traditions of men. Formalism and legality are included.
also. Sectarianism and ritualism are the very essence of pharisaism. Then
we read that "the leaven of the Sadducees" (Matthew 16:6). The Sadducees were
materialists denied the spirit in man, and rejected the truth of the
resurrection (Acts 23:8). In its current form, Higher Criticism, Rationalism,
Modernism responds to the Sadducees. We also read about 'the leaven of
Herod" (Mark 8:15). This is worldliness, or more specifically, the
friendship of the world, like the various declarations that the gospel makes
about Herod. All these rigid things must be excluded. The inclination to
any of these things make the consecration to Christ impossible. It is not to
due to our inability to 'purge the old leaven' that the people of
Sir, enter into "the feast of unleavened bread"!
And when the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanite, as he has
I have dedicated you and your parents, and when I have given it to you, you will dedicate everything to the Lord.
whoever opens the womb, and every firstborn of your animals; the
males will be of the Lord. But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a
lamb; and if you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck. You shall also redeem the
firstborn of your children" (Ex. 13:11-13) The profound meaning of this
the statement cannot be overlooked if observed in relation to what
precede. In Ex. 12 we have had the redemption of the 'firstborn' of Israel, here
is the redemption of the 'firstborn'. In the second verse of chapter 13 the
they are definitely united - "Sanctify all the firstborns for me, All the
who opens the womb of the children of Israel, both of man and of
beasts, mine is "There can be no doubt about what is here.
view. The Lord gave precise orders that the firstborn was to be redeemed.
with a lamb, just as the firstborn of Israel was to be redeemed with a
lamb on the night of Passover In addition, the donkey that had the broken neck,
it had to be destroyed unless it was redeemed, just like the Israelites
the most certain possibility was to be wounded by the avenging angel to
less than if they had killed the lamb and splattered its blood over the
door. The conclusion is irresistible: God compares the natural man here with the
Donkey! This is profoundly humble! The 'donkey' is an unclean animal. Such is the
man, by nature, formed in iniquity conceived in sin. The "donkey"
It is a creature of the most foolish and senseless kind.
Thus is the natural man. With pride as he can boast of his
powers of reason, conceited as only he can be above his
intellectual achievements, the truth is that, it is completely devoid of
Any spiritual intelligence. What do the Scriptures say about it?
Walk, not as the other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds,
having their understanding darkened, alienated from the life of God through
the ignorance that is in them "(Eph. 4:17, 18) Once again,." If our
the gospel is still hidden, it is concealed from those who are perishing, in the
the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelievers
Col. 4:3,4). With what precision, then, is the 'donkey' compared to the image
of the natural man! Once again, the 'donkey' is stubborn and unruly, often so
difficult to move like a mule. So is the natural man. The sinner is
rebellious and defiant. He will not come to Christ so that he may have life (John
5:40). It is in view of these things that Scripture declares: "The vain man
He will understand, When a wild donkey's colt is born a man" (Job 11:12).
It is instructive to trace the different references to the 'donkey' in Scripture. The
the first mention of the "donkey" is in Genesis 22, from this we learn two
things. "Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his " donkey ", (v. 3).
The 'donkey' is not a free animal. It is a pack beast, saddled. Thus,
also, it is the sinner 'serving various lusts'. In second
And Abraham said to his servants: Wait here with the donkey, and I and the
boy, we will go over there to worship" (Genesis 22:5). The "donkey" does not
he accompanied Abraham and Isaac to the place of worship. Neither can the sinner
to adore God. Thirdly, in Genesis 49:14 we read: "Isachar is a donkey"
firm, lying down below between two loads." Thus, the sinner is also in great
measure "loaded" (Matthew 11:28). Fourth, God prohibited His people from
plowing with an ox and an ass together (Deut. 22: 10). The sinner is cut off from
his service to God. Fifth, in 1 Sam. 9:3 it says: "And the donkeys of
Cis, Saul's father, got lost, and although Saul and his servant searched for a long time.
A long time, they could not recover them. The sinner has also been lost.
far from God, and no human power can restore it. In sixth place, in Jer.
22:19 we read: "He will be buried with the burial of a ass, dragging him and
"throwing him outside the gates of Jerusalem." How solemn this is. The
the corpse of the donkey was thrown outside the gates of the holy city. So it will be
with every sinner who dies outside of Christ, they will not enter the New Jerusalem,
but will be "thrown into the Lake of fire." The last reference to the "donkey" is
Find in Zechariah 9:9 'Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem,
Behold, your king comes to you, He is just and Savior, humble, and riding on a donkey.
pollino son of a donkey." More blessed is this contrast. Here we see the
"donkey" enter Jerusalem, but only under the controlling hand of the Lord
Jesus! Here is hope-only to present the opportunity to the sinner
accept Christ!
In Genesis 16:12 we have a statement that is very pertinent in this
meaning, although its particular strength is lost in translation; we cite for
thus, from the RV, 'And he will be a fierce donkey among men, his
"my hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand against him." The words were from the
Mr. to Hagar. It was a prophecy about Ishmael. From Gal. 4 we find out.
that Ishmael represents the natural man, just as Isaac represents the believer,
the seed of the promise. In total agreement, then, with everything we have said
previously this remarkable description of the firstborn of Hagar,
man and wild donkey. The Bedouin Arabs are their descendants, and the
they totally bear witness to the truth of their ancient prophecy. But solemn
is to find that here we have the description of God of the natural man. And still
more solemn is what we read of Ishmael in Gal. 4, that "he persecuted the one who
He had been born according to the Spirit '(v. 29), and, consequently, he had to be
cast out
In light of what has been said above, the wonderful thing about grace that
He provided redemption for 'the firstborn of a donkey'! 'But God shows His'
love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us (Rom. 5:8).

The gleanings in the Exodus A. W. Pink

Using Ex. 4:22, 23, along with Ex. 13:1,2 and 11-16, an explanation is given of
what is understood by God's right over the firstborns, both in children
males and male animals. Based on these Scriptures, would you say that the
Was the firstborn male animal a sacrifice to the Lord? And how, and for what judgment of
God, would a son be the redeemed? (vv. 13 and 15) can overlook, God
requires that its people eat only unleavened bread for seven days (see Lev.
23:4-8). In the Scriptures, yeast has only one meaning, what is it? And
What is the meaning of the Jews having this holy feast of unleavened bread?
yeast for 7 days? Deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Éxodo 13:17-19

And it came to pass that when Pharaoh let the people go, God led them not...
through the land of the Philistines, which was near, because God said: 'Not
they see that perhaps people repent when they see war and they
return to Egypt "(13:17) As Psalm 103:13, 14 reminds us: "Like the
As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.
friends. Because He knows our condition; He remembers that we are dust.
This people that had spent many years in slavery was
starting in the promised land, and it was beautiful to see that tender concern
for them. It is an example of a principle of general application in relation to
the dealings of the Lord with His people. The Lord is not only very compassionate, but
that also His mercies are 'tender' (James 5:11). The Lord will not leave
that their children suffer trials beyond their own strength, when they were
witness to the various tests He subjected Abraham to - he suffered
when he offered to Isaac who was his son, but the last great test that he
received. It was here with Israel. Later, there would be much struggle when it arrived at
Canaan, but at first he did not lead them through the way of the land of the Philistines,
so that they would not have to get involved in the war. Because he believed that still
they were weak and unbelieving. "The Lord, in His condescending grace, and love
foresee the encounter with the hard tests, which can have the effect of
dissuade their hearts and lead them back to the world" (CHM)
"God" did not lead through the way of the land of the Philistines. "This is
the first thing that is noticed by the Holy Spirit after Israel left the
Land of Egypt, God chose the path for his people through the desert.
Indecidably bandit this is. "The steps of a man are ordered by the
The Lord, and He delights in His way (Psalm 37:23). We are not left alone to
choose our own way. "All who are led by the Spirit of God
they are children of God "(Rom. 8:14). And what is it that the Spirit uses in its guidance
us nowadays? In this, as in everything, it is the written Word 'Your word
es una lámpara a mis pies", revelan las dificultades y los obstáculos del camino
, and the lamp is to my path" –to make clear the ways there are
what a complete arrangement has been made to avoid - (Psalm 119:105).
we in her! Nothing is left to chance, nothing was left to our poor
reasoning: "Because we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared in advance for us to walk in
(Ephesians 2:10).
And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because he had
sworn to the children of Israel, saying: God will surely visit you, and you will make
to raise my bones from here with you" (13:19). This was not a relic of his
ancestor or relic of worship, but an act of faith, the declaration of belief
from José that the destiny of Israel was to be the land that God had promised
to give to Abraham and his descendants, and showed that Joseph had established himself
firmly in her. During his long slavery in Egypt, this man must
having established these principles, and it must also have been the subject of
conversation in many of the Hebrew homes, and now, taking their remains,
Moses showed his unwavering confidence that he would fulfill his promise. Nor was he
his trust misplaced, as Joshua 24:33 shows us: 'And the bones of'
Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought from Egypt, and buried in Shechem.
Hebrews 11:22 tells us that this command was given by Joseph 'By faith', and here,
hundreds of years later, we contemplate the 'response to the faith of His servant.'
Moses had a lot to deal with at this moment. An immense
responsibility and commitment was to organize the armies of 'Israel' and
to take them to the promised land. But in simple dependence, Joseph had placed
his confidence in his offspring and it was impossible for him to be disappointed.
Therefore Jehovah brought to the mind of Moses this commandment of Joseph, and it
he made it happen. What a blessed demonstration of God's faithfulness.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

What promise did Joseph make to his people before his death, and the request?
Especially for them? (Genesis 50:24, 25). Was that request fulfilled?

Éxodo 13:20-22

And they departed from Succoth and camped in Etam, on the edge of the desert.
The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to guide them on the way
I walk, and at night in a column of fire, to give them light, so that
they traveled by day and by night (Ex. 13:20, 21). This is very precious. Just as
Jehovah, the God of the covenant, the promising God, He who heard the groans
from Israel, the one who raised a deliverer for them - reminds us of God the Father,
just as to the Lamb without blemish, and having been slain and His blood sprinkled, it assured the
protection and the release of the avenging angel - It typifies God the Son, therefore
this pillar of cloud - given to Israel for its guidance through the desert,
He speaks to us about God the Holy Spirit.
Surprisingly complete, divinely perfect, these are the omens of the
Old Testament. At every point, the teaching of the New Testament. They
anticipates. But the anointed eye needs to perceive the hidden meaning of these
primitive images. A lot of prayer is needed for the search but it is
necessary if we are to discern its spiritual meaning.
This 'pillar' is the visible sign of the Lord's presence with Israel. This
called "cloud column" and "a column of fire", apparently, its part
the superior rose to the sky in the form of a column, and its lower part extends
about the camp of Israel. Note how in the example of Ex. 14:24 the two
descriptive terms are combined, showing that the "pillar" did not change its
shape, like a 'cloud' by day and a 'fire' by night as is popularly said.
suppose, but, as we said, it was only a "column of fire" on its part
superior, and a "cloud" below. "It is clear, however, from the writings
later (Nm. 14:14, etc), that every "cloud" was illuminating at night "to
"to illuminate the way they should go" (Nehemiah 9:12). Let's take a look now.
some of the points in which the cloud typified the Holy Spirit.
The 'cloud' was not given to Israel until they had been freed from
Egypt. First of all, the death of the paschal lamb, and then the handing over of the
cloud. This is the order of the New Testament. First of all, the death of
Lamb of God, followed by his resurrection and ascension, and then the descent
public of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Thus, it is also in the
Christian experience. It is in the same experience of the sinner that one appropriates.
by the faith in the death of Christ, and in the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell in His
life. The blood of Christ cleanses him from his sins, not because there is any
moral aptitude in us, so that the Spirit of God seals us for the day of
the redemption. Surprisingly, the epistle to the
Romans - the great doctrinal treatise of the New Testament. There, as in
Nowhere else is God's method of salvation displayed. But it is not
until after the believing sinner is "justified" (Rom. 5:1) we read
that the Spirit of God. In Rom. 2:4-10 we have repentance, in Rom.
3:22-28, faith, and then in Rom. 5:5 we read: "the love of God has been poured out"
in our hearts through the Holy Spirit that was given to us.
2. The "cloud" was God's gift of grace to Israel. Not a word was
says about the people asking for this guide. He approached them, like a
manifestation of the mercy of God. Do we not find the same in
the Gospels? At the end of his mission that the Lord Jesus gave to the disciples
about his departure, back to His Father. And although we read of them that they were
worried and sad, but there is no indication that any of the
the apostles asked him to send them another Comforter. The purpose of doing
This proceeded from Himself: "I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Comforter
(John 4:16).
The cloud was given to guide Israel through its journey in the desert.
What was also a disposition of mercy: an infallible guide
to carry them out through the desert. 'The Lord went before them by day
in a cloud column, to guide them on the way" (Ex. 13:21). Similarly
way, the Holy Spirit that has been given to Christians to guide their
steps along the narrow way that leads to life. "All those who are
led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God "(Rom. 8:14).
4. The cloud gave light. "And at night in a column of fire to
"to enlighten them" (Ex. 13:21). Nehemiah beautifully reminds them a sus
descendants of this hundreds of years later: "With a pillar of cloud the
You guided them by day, and with a pillar of fire by night, to light their way.
through which they were to go" (Nehemiah 9:12). Both by day and by night, Israel
He was fully prepared. For a similar purpose, the Holy Spirit was given.
to the Christians. He is 'the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord
11:2). The Lord said to his apostles, "When He, the Spirit of truth, comes,
He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).
The cloud was given as a cover: 'He spread a cloud as a cover.'
This cloud was for the protection of Israel from the heat.
blistering sun in the sand desert where there was no screen.
Masterfully, this has received the comment from someone who knew of a
experience of change, the bliss of this disposition of the
God's mercy for Israel: "To appreciate what the cloud was for Israel,
we must transport the imagination to a country without rain like Egypt. We have
I have lived for many years on the coast of Peru - hundreds of kilometers and without rain
like Egypt. We have remembered with horror that an English Anthem mentioned the
glories of a "cloudless sky, "a sea without waves." In a small schooner, without
wind, under a tropical sun on the coast of Ecuador, we have tasted the horror of
a sea without waves, and in Peru during half of the year there was a sky without clouds,
and always without rain. How beautiful the distant clouds are! I looked, far away from there,
in the peaks of the high Andes. We can only feel, 'What should be
to be the relief of being under a cloud like the Indians who lived there in that
fertile region happy for the clouds in the midst of valleys and mountains! " For the
So, that cloud must have been a welcome spectacle for the exes.
slaves, used to working in the fields under the burning sun of
Egypt. It was a test for the power of the Almighty Jehovah. He could give them
a cloud where there was nothing in nature to form clouds. He could
to provide shelter to your people when there are no others who had
a refuge (CH Bright). Thus, the Holy Spirit is also our Protector- and
we are 'sealed for the day of redemption' (Ephesians 4:30).
6. God spoke from the cloud: 'He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud (Psalm
99:7). The psalmist is here referring to passages like Ex. 33:9 - 'And it happened'
that when Moses entered the tabernacle, the cloud pillar would descend and
he put at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord spoke with Moses (Numbers 12:5).
Similarly, the Holy Spirit is today the Spokesperson of the Holy Trinity:
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev 2, 3).
7. This cloud was darkness for the Egyptians: 'And it went between the camp of
the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and it was a cloud and darkness to them
(14:20). This is solemnly fearful. God not only reveals but also conceals:
At that time, responding, Jesus said: I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and
from the earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding" (Matthew
11:25). This is the case with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, to whom the
world cannot receive "(John 14:17)."
This cloud was over the tabernacle as soon as it was erected.
Finally, he erected the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and placed the curtain.
at the entrance of the courtyard. Thus Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the
tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And could not
Moses entered the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud was upon it, and the
the glory of the Lord filled it" (Ex. 40:33-35). How remarkable this event
announced the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Blessed who dwelled among the
men of whom it is written: "We have seen his glory (John 1:14). Thus, also,
the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost and
all were filled with the Holy Spirit "(Acts 2:4).
 9. Throughout the pilgrimage in the desert of Israel, this cloud formed.
far from them: "But you in your many mercies did not abandon them in
the desert, the column of cloud did not depart from them "(Neh. 9:19). Despite
all the failures of Israel - murmurs, disbelief, rebellion - God never
he withdrew the cloud column. So too, the Holy Spirit given to the believers.
It is a sure promise: "He will give you another Comforter, to be with
you for ever (John 14:16).
It is a blessing to know that the cloud will once again descend and dwell.
in the midst of Israel. When God reveals Himself to His scattered people, when He
renew his covenant relationship with them, and lead them to a knowledge of his
Messiah, Redeemer, then the ancient promise will be fulfilled: 'When the Lord
wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and cleanse the blood of Jerusalem from in
in the midst of her, the spirit of judgment and with the spirit of devastation. And he will create the
Lord over all the dwelling of Mount Zion and over its assemblies, a cloud
and smoke by day and a blazing fire's glow by night; for over all
Glory will be a defense '(Isaiah 4:6). What a truly wonderful type
(foreseeing) is the person and the ministry of the Holy Spirit as a pillar for
we of fire and cloud.
The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink

Tell us about the two constant forms of protection for the road that
iOS provided for them, and some details about the scope of the
protections as they traveled to the land that God had given them
promised, in which there would be many dangers, including tribal enemies.
Psalm 105:38, 39

ThentheLordsaidtoMoses,'TelltheIsraelitestoturnbackandencampnearPiHahiroth,betweenMigdolandthesea.Theyaretoencampbythesea,directlyoppositeBaalZephon.Pharaohwillthink,“TheIsraelitesarewanderingaroundthelandinconfusion,hemmedinbythedesert.”AndIwillhardenPharaoh’sheart,andhewillpursuethem.ButIwillgaingloryformyselfthroughPharaohandallhisarmy,andtheEgyptianswillknowthatIamtheLord.'SotheIsraelitesdidthis.WhenthekingofEgyptwastoldthatthepeoplehadfled,Pharaohandhisofficialschangedtheirmindsaboutthemandsaid,'Whathavewedone?WehavelettheIsraelitesgoandhavelosttheirservices!'Sohehadhischariotmadereadyandtookhisarmywithhim.Hetook600ofthebestchariots,alongwithalltheotherchariotsofEgypt,withofficersoverallofthem.TheLordhardenedtheheartofPharaohkingofEgyptsothathepursuedtheIsraelites,whoweremarchingoutboldly.TheEgyptians—allPharaoh’shorsesandchariots,horsemenandtroops—pursuedtheIsraelitesandovertookthemastheycampedbytheseanearPiHahiroth,oppositeBaalZephon.AsPharaohapproached,theIsraeliteslookedup,andthereweretheEgyptians,marchingafterthem.TheywereterrifiedandcriedouttotheLord.TheysaidtoMoses,'WasitbecausetherewerenogravesinEgyptthatyoubroughtustothedeserttodie?WhathaveyoudonetousbybringingusoutofEgypt?Didn’twesaytoyouinEgypt,“Leaveusalone;letusservetheEgyptians”?ItwouldhavebeenbetterforustoservetheEgyptiansthantodieinthedesert!'Mosesansweredthepeople,'Donotbeafraid.StandfirmandyouwillseethedeliverancetheLordwillbringyoutoday.TheEgyptiansyouseetodayyouwillneverseeagain.TheLordwillfightforyou;youneedonlytobestill.'ThentheLordsaidtoMoses,'Whyareyoucryingouttome?TelltheIsraelitestomoveon.RaiseyourstaffandstretchoutyourhandovertheseatodividethewatersothattheIsraelitescangothroughtheseaondryground.IwillhardentheheartsoftheEgyptianssothattheywillgoinafterthem.AndIwillgainglorythroughPharaohandallhisarmy,throughhischariotsandhishorsemen.TheEgyptianswillknowthatIamtheLordwhenIgainglorythroughPharaoh,hischariots,andhishorsemen.'ThentheangelofGod,whohadbeentravelinginfrontofIsrael’sarmy,withdrewandwentbehindthem.Thepillarofcloudalsomovedfrominfrontandstoodbehindthem,comingbetweenthearmiesofEgyptandIsrael.Throughoutthenight,thecloudbroughtdarknesstotheonesideandlighttotheotherside;soneitherwentneartheotherallnightlong.ThenMosesstretchedouthishandoverthesea,andallthatnighttheLorddrovetheseabackwithastrongeastwindandturneditintodryland;thewatersweredivided,andtheIsraeliteswentthroughtheseaondryground,withawallofwaterontheirrightandontheirleft.TheEgyptianspursuedthem,andallPharaoh’shorsesandchariotsandhorsemenfollowedthemintothesea.Duringthelastwatchofthenight,theLordlookeddownfromthepillaroffireandcloudattheEgyptianarmyandthrewitintoconfusion.Hemadethewheelsoftheirchariotscomeoffsothattheyhaddifficultydriving.AndtheEgyptianssaid,'Let’sgetawayfromtheIsraelites!TheLordisfightingforthemagainstEgypt.'ThentheLordsaidtoMoses,'StretchoutyourhandovertheseasothatthewatersmayflowbackovertheEgyptiansandtheirchariotsandhorsemen.'Mosesstretchedouthishandoverthesea,andatdaybreaktheseawentbacktoitsplace.TheEgyptianswerefleeingtowardit,andtheLordsweptthemintothesea.Thewaterflowedbackandcoveredthechariotsandhorsemen—theentirearmyofPharaohthathadfollowedtheIsraelitesintothesea.Notoneofthemsurvived.ButtheIsraeliteswentthroughtheseaondryground,withawallofwaterontheirrightandontheirleft.ThatdaytheLordsavedIsraelfromthehandsoftheEgyptians,andIsraelsawtheEgyptianslyingdeadontheshore.AndwhentheIsraelitessawthemightyhandoftheLorddisplayedagainsttheEgyptians,thepeoplefearedtheLordandputtheirtrustinhimandinMoseshisservant.

And I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will follow them; and I will be glorified
In Pharaoh, and over all his armies, the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.
And so they did "(14:4). There was God's reason for sending Israel to
camping by the sea.
I still needed something more to bend the pride of the king and his subjects.
arrogant under the hand of God, and eliminate all fear in Israel beyond the
sexual abuse. There was a part of the strength of Egypt, its main glory, that
had escaped until now. His triumphant army had not been touched. A
Moses was told that when the Pharaoh's spies brought the good news to
what the Israelites had experienced along the Egyptian coast might seem to the king
that their hour of revenge had come. A force quickly advanced in the
the rear part of the Israelites that would block the only way to escape, therefore
that the defenseless crowd would be completely at their mercy "(Urquhart).
And it was reported to the king of Egypt that the people were fleeing; and the heart of
Pharaoh and his servants turned against the people and said: How have we...
Having done this, why have we let go of Israel, so that it does not serve us? And he anointed his.
carriage, and took with him the people; and took six hundred chosen carriages and all the
chariots of Egypt, and the captains over each of them. And the Lord hardened
the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he followed the children of Israel, and the children of
Israel had gone out with a strong hand. But the Egyptians pursued them, all the
Pharaoh's chariots and horsemen and his army caught up with them.
camped by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-Zephon
Everything happened as God had foretold. Pharaoh and his court realized.
of his madness of having let Israel go, and now a splendid opportunity
seems to be granted to them to rectify their mistake. The army was called up to all
hurry, Pharaoh and his noble armies mounted on their chariots. The cavalry
famous were the ones who had begged him to let go of Israel (10:7), it is
urgent that Israel must be pursued and captured. God's judgments are not
more about their land, and remembering the great service that the Hebrews had
granted in her, the advantages of having them as slaves, and the harm that
Their departure had caused them, now they were eager to recover them.
as quickly as possible.
And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes
And behold, the Egyptians corresponded after them, and they were greatly afraid, and
The children of Israel cried out to the Lord. And they said to Moses: because there was no
tombs in Egypt, that you have brought us out to die in the desert?
Why have you done this to us, to bring us out of Egypt? Is this not
what we spoke to you in Egypt, saying: Let us be, for what purpose should we serve the Egyptians?
Well, it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.
desert "(vv. 10-12). This was a tough test of faith, and unfortunately Israel
I was going to fail at the same time as the test. Oh! that this should be so to
What a case with us. After all that God had done in His
name in Egypt, they surely had good reasons to trust in Him
now. After such wonderful manifestations of divine power, and
after his own liberation by the grace of the Angel of Death, fear and the
desperation was present in them. But, how does it happen with us?
the same? Our memories are so short. It doesn't matter how many times the Lord
has delivered us in the past, no matter how markedly his power has been
exercised in our favor, when any new trial that may come upon
we forget about God and His previous interventions, and be
affected by the emergency of our present.
And they said to Moses: Was there no graves in Egypt, that you have brought us...
brought us out here to die in the desert? Why have you done this to us?
to take us out of Egypt?
Incredulity! If death at the hands of the Egyptians was to be his fate, why
Did Jehovah have to liberate them from the land of slavery? The fact that it had been
taken out of Egypt was sufficient proof that He was not going to allow that
they fell before their enemies. Furthermore, the Lord had promised that
they were to go out to worship Him at Mount Horeb (3:12). How, then, is it that
can now perish in the desert? But where faith is not exercised, the
God's promises are not fulfilled and cannot bless life. Mainly
because they must be in the heart.
Israel had been brought by God himself to its current situation. It was the
cloud column that had brought them to where they were now camped.
Truth and important for us. We should not wait for the path of faith.
it should be easy and problem-free. Faith must be tested, severely tried. But,
Why? May we learn to rest in the sufficiency of our
God! So that we can show by experience that He is capable of
provide for all our needs (Philippians 4:19), and find a
way to escape from every temptation (1 Cor. 10:13), and overcome - more and more
to receive from God help more abundantly than we ask or understand.
Isn't this what we were talking about in Egypt, saying: 'Ah! that we serve
to the Egyptians? Well, it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than
to die us in the desert" (v. 12). Behind Pharaoh's anger and his
hosts that were pursuing the Israelites, let us see the enmity of
Satan against those whom divine grace has liberated from their burdens.
It is not until a sinner hides from the Devil and turns against him
to be free from all captivity. It is now that he comes out like a lion's roar from the
lamb of God to devour. It is beautiful to see here the total failure of the
efforts of the enemy. Now that divine justice had been fulfilled by the
blood of the Lamb, which was only a matter between God and the enemy.
Israel did not have to fight—God fought for them, and the enemy was completely defeated.
defeated. This is one of the pending lessons from Ex. 14 - "If God is for
we who against us? "It is of vital importance that it has for the
believer, take a firm hold of this soul - the maintenance of the truth. With
how often it occurs (exceptions should surely be few in number)
as soon as a sinner has fled to Christ for refuge, Satan
immediately lets fly his fiery darts. The young believer is tempted,
now more than ever than when he was in his unregenerated days; his
my mind is full of bad thoughts and doubts, and is terrified by the
roar of the 'lion', until one asks who is really the one who is going to
to take hold of his soul, God or Satan. This was precisely the theme
posed here in the Red Sea. It seemed as if Jehovah had abandoned his
village. It seemed as if they were destined to fall victim to their powerful and
relentless enemy. But, how appearances deceive? The speed and the
the way in which the Almighty Lord effortlessly reversed every situation? The
history shows us everything sure on the other side of the Red Sea, and all the
Egyptians drowned and Israel walked on dry land! But how did this happen? The
the following account details what happened.
And Moses said to the people: Do not be afraid; stand firm, and see the salvation of
Lord, what he will do with you today, because the Egyptians whom you have
seen today, you will never see them again forever (v. 13). The first word was:
Do not be afraid. The servant of God must calm his heart and obtain absolute and
complete peace before God. "Do not be afraid" is one of the great words that
they are repeated throughout the Scriptures. 'Do not fear,' is what God said to
Abraham (Genesis 15:1). "Do not be afraid, nor be discouraged," was also his message to
Joshua (8:1). 'Do not be afraid,' was his command to Gideon (Judges 16:23). 'Do not
"themes," was David's counsel to Solomon (1 Chron. 28:20). This will be the word
of the Jewish remnant on a coming day: "Be strong, do not fear, behold,
your God comes "(Isaiah 35:4)." Do not be afraid," was the angel's advice to Daniel
"Fear carries within it punishment" is the Lord's message to us.
(Luke 12:32). "I will fear no evil," said the psalmist (23:4), "for you will be there."
with me." But how can this be achieved? How does it have to be
heart so that peace may be established? Isaiah 26:3 summarizes it all: "You will keep
in complete peace to the one whose thoughts persevere in you because in you he has
confident
"Don't move," was Moses's next word to Israel. Everyone the
self-help attempts must end. All activities of the flesh
they must cease. The works of nature must be contained. This is the
correct attitude of faith in the presence of a judgment - "Be still". This is
impossible for flesh and bone. All those who know, to any extent,
the worry of the human heart under anticipated trial and difficulty, may
to form an idea of what is involved in the defense still. The
nature must be doing something. They will run here and there. It would be
to pretend to have something to do with the matter. And although one can try to justify
sanctifying their worthless acts, by granting them the imposing and popular title of 'a
"legitimate use of means," however, they are the clear and positive result of the
unbelief, which always closes itself off to God. Unbelief creates or increases the
difficulties, and removes the possibilities of our own actions and turns them into
fruitless, which, in fact, is like raising a cloud of dust that us
surrounds us and prevents us from seeing the Salvation of God.
Faith, on the contrary, elevates the soul above difficulty,
directly to God And He Himself, allows one to "be still" and see the victory.
We gain nothing from our restless efforts and endeavors. We cannot.
to make a white or black hair, nor to add a cubit to our height, What
Can Israel do before the Red Sea that enclosed it! Could they do it?
something?
Could they level the mountains? Can they annihilate the hosts of Egypt?
Impossible! There they were, trapped behind an impenetrable wall of difficulties,
in light of the fact that human nature was feeling and trembling before its
his own powerlessness. But this was only the time for God to act. When he
incredulity activates in the scene, then God cannot enter the scene,
And in order to see Him act with power, we must trust and be still, waiting for Him.
intervention. Every movement of nature, that is to say, the extent to which it sees,
the problems and obstacles should focus on God and on the power to
"request your intervention in the name of Jesus" (C.H.M.).
And see the salvation of the Lord.
point of view. Most commentators believe that these words
they identify Israel which remained passive until the waters of the Red Sea
They opened. But this is clearly a mistake. Hebrews 11:29 tells us that these
"by faith they passed through the Red Sea," and faith is the opposite of sight. The error arises
to jump directly to the conclusion of 'seeing the salvation of the Lord' which is
refers to the physical vision. It was the spiritual vision that Moses mentioned, the
exercise of the eyes of the heart activated by faith. Faith is a not looking at the
things that are not seen, but a look at 'the things that are not seen' (2 Cor. 4: 18) - this
It is a strange paradox for the natural man. As we read in Heb. 11:13,
All these died in faith, without having received the promised, but only after
having seen it from afar. And of Moses we read: 'he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.'
invisible "(He. 11:13), that is, by seeing it with the eyes of faith." See the salvation of
Sir, "first we have to" be still, all carnal activity must cease.
For God to act. We must come to know that God is God (Ps.
46:10).
For the Egyptians that you have seen today, you will never see them again. The Lord
He will fight for you, and you will be at peace" (vs. 13, 14). Note the use
He will show you .... you will never see them again ....
The Lord will fight for you. "How is what I just said confirmed? For
To see Jehovah's 'salvation', one must first see with the eyes of faith before
What can be seen with the eye of the senses. What 'salvation' must be revealed.
and received by 'hearing with faith'. 'What He will show you today' was the reason for his faith.
It is noteworthy the closing words v. 14: "and you will be at peace", or,
like some do, "Be silent before the Lord." Six hundred thousand
men, not counting the women and children, were going to remain still in the
deep silence that corresponded to an unparalleled scene, a drama that was going to
it is declared to be the most important in its history, but it would have no
sound. How well calculated was such an order to draw in the heart
trembling of Israel a total faith in the Lord Almighty of Israel!
Dispensationally, Israel's passage through the Red Sea prefigures the future.
liberation and total restoration of the Jews. The "sea" is also here a figure
known among the Gentiles (Psalm 65:7; Daniel 7:2, Revelation 17:15). Among the
gentiles the seed of Abraham has been scattered, and to the eye of the
It seemed to us that it would be totally absorbed. Because God preserved.
wonderfully to the Jews throughout the centuries. The "sea" has not
totally consumed. They still live like 'a separate people' (Numbers
23:9), and the time is coming for when Jehovah will fulfill the promises
made to your parents (Ezekiel 20:34; 37:21, etc.) When these promises are
They will fulfill our type and receive its final realization. Israel will be in conditions
safe, not in the sea of the gentiles, but in their own land.
 (The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of

his death, so we will also be in his resurrection" Eph. 2:4-6: "But
God ... gave us life together with Christ ... and raised us up with him, and
he also made us sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. "Of these
two verses, to thank God for all those who put their full
trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. What does the Red Sea symbolize for the
believers? What does the Red Sea symbolize for non-believers?
Heb. 9:27 Eph. 2:1-3 How does the Red Sea foreshadow the future restoration?
Israel? Sal. 65:7 Ez. 20:34 Ez. 37:21 Dan. 7:2 Ap. 17:15

Éxodo 15:1-21

This first song of the Scripture has been correctly designated the
Song of Redemption, because it came from the hearts of a people
redeemed. Now there are two major elements of rescue, two parts in the same,
we can say: redemption by purchase and by power. Redemption therefore,
differs from rescuing, although these terms are often confused.
Rescue is a part of redemption. The two are clearly distinguished in the
Scriptures. Thus, in Hosea 13:14 the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of Prophecy
declares: "I will redeem them from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death."
Again. We read: 'For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and has redeemed him from the hand'
of one who was stronger than him '(Jer. 31:11). Thus in Ephesians 1:14 we read,
which is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the possession
acquired, for the praise of His glory.
To rescue is to pay a price, redemption, in the full sense, is
the release of the people for whom a price has been paid. It is this last one
sense, which is the most important element. What good is the rescue if the
Is the captive not released? Without real emancipation, there is no song of praise.
Who is going to thank a redeemer who left him in slavery? The word
Greek for 'Redemption' translates as 'liberation' in Hebrews 11:35 - 'And those who...
the others were tortured and did not accept the ransom". Not accepting the ransom
it means not freeing oneself from their afflictions, that is, not accepting oneself, in the terms
of his pursuers, that is, on the condition of apostasy. The double
the nature of redemption is the key to that wonderful and glorious vision
described in the book of Revelation 5. The 'title' in it is the 'Redeemer' who redeems
a property. Hence its dual nature: "Lamb", the Buyer; "Lion", the
Powerful liberator.
In Israel, on the night of Passover, the condemnation of the Egyptians was assured.
in the Red Sea who were freed from the power of the Egyptians. Thus liberated -
"redeemed," they sang. It was only the redemption of a people, aware of
his liberation, that they can truly praise Jehovah, the Deliverer. It is not only
impossible for those who still adore dead in their offenses and sins,
but intelligent worship cannot be given by professing Christians
who are in doubt about their situation before God. And they need to be
free. To praise with joy, which are the essential elements of worship, but
How can those who question acceptance in the Beloved, that do not
they are sure if they will go to Heaven or hell and that they can die at any moment
Moment,—how could I be happy and grateful? Impossible! The
uncertainty and doubt breed fear and distrust, and take away joy and
worship. There is a very striking word in Psalm 106:12, which sheds light
Then they believed in his words and sang his praises.
 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord.
Did they sing? Their song was entirely about Jehovah. They not only sang to
Lord, but rather that he sang about Him! It was all concerning God, and nothing
about themselves. The word "Lord" appears no less than twelve
times in eighteen verses! The pronouns 'he', 'He', 'Your', 'You', and 'you' are
they find thirty-three times! How important is this! How different it is
modern hymnology or the current songs! So many hymns today (if
hymns" as they deserve to be called) are full of sentimentality and
sentimentalism, instead of a divine worship. They announce our love for God.
instead of His love for us. They recount our experiences, instead of theirs.
mercies and works. They speak more of human achievements, instead of the
the expiation of Christ. It is a sad indicator of our low state of spirituality!
Different was, by far, the Song of Moses and Israel: The 'I will exalt Him' (v. 3),
I will sing to the Lord, for He has been greatly magnified:
He has thrown the horse and the rider into the sea "(v. 1). How many are there who imagine that
the first reason we must praise God is for our own blessing, or
what He has done for us! However, while the fact is of the
natural order, it is not supernatural. Where the Spirit of God is, there is freedom and
everything that flows comes from the very heart of God. It was this way that here,
liberator in everything he expressed has forgotten about himself. "From the abundance
"The mouth speaks from the heart", and where the heart is very busy with the Lord,
the mouth sings its praises. "The Lord is my strength and my song". Beautiful and
blessed was this first note shared by God to the redeemed. O, that
our hearts, in accordance with the things above, be filled with God
to be able to sing and constantly tell praises to Him - "Singing and
praising the Lord in your hearts to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19).
"He is my God, and I will praise you" (v. 2). This is beautiful. Here it expresses a
true spirit of devotion. A 'room' is a dwelling - a place. It was
the presence of the Lord in their midst so that their hearts would desire Him.
And is it not always so with the Lord who redeemed us to enjoy the
communion with Him who has saved us! It is true that He is our great
privilege of enjoying communion with the Lord even now, however
cry out for the moment when everything that hinders and spoils our communion
to have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which
it is much better" (Philippians 1:23). Blessed will be the day when the words
they are the full realization of our hope. Then we will say: 'Behold
the tabernacle of God with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His
people, and God himself will be with them and I will be their God. And God will wipe away all
tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor more sadness, nor crying, nor more
sorrow, because the former things have passed away "(Revelation 21:3, 4).
The Lord is a man of war: The Lord is His name
before us an aspect of the divine nature, which today is very ignored in
great measure. God is 'light' (1 John 1:5), just as 'love,' holy and just, so
as patient and merciful. And because He is holy, He hates sin; and
because He is just, He must punish him. This is something that the believer must
to be happy, if he doesn't do it, something is wrong with him. It is just sentimentality.
sickly of the flesh that is refuses to believe and meditate on these
Divine perfections. It was very different here with Israel at the Red Sea. They
they praised God because He had taken care of the judgment of those who had.
challenged. Things were seen from the Divine point of view. They referred to
Pharaoh and his hosts as enemies of God, not as they were.
The greatness of your power has overthrown those who rose up against you.
Surely Israel could cry out: "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?"
Who is like you, majestic in holiness, Awesome in glorious deeds,
miracle worker? '(v. 11). And we can well ask ourselves today: 'Who
like you, oh God of the Holy Scriptures, among the 'gods' of Christianity?
How is it totally different from the -Almighty Lord, immutable, sovereign,
triumphed over the other gods, weak, disappointed, and changing, and
defeated ones who today are objects of worship in thousands of churches! How little today is
the glory to the holy God" How today some praise him for his "fear" How much
Few are familiar with their 'Wonders!' today.
You in your mercy have carried this people whom you redeemed. You have them
guided in your power to your holy dwelling (v. 13). This was a new piece of information about
God, His presence. This is the true effect of redemption, communion.
with Him. This is the position of all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the
unjust, To bring us to God "(1 Peter 3:18). God redeemed a people whom
He bought for himself, to be with Him forever, 'so that where I
I am, you all are too." "You have guided us in your power to your holy
home." "This is our new place as redeemed. That is to say, we are
brought to God by all that He is. His moral nature was entirely and
Completely satisfied with the death of Christ, He can now be in
we in perfect complacency. The anthem therefore allows to express a
Biblical thought that says - 'So close, so close to God, closer than not'
It may be, because in the person of His Son, I am as close as He is.
a place is granted to us as a grace, but nevertheless in justice,
so that it is not only by the attributes of God's character that He seeks to lead us
there, but He Himself is also glorified there. It is a thought
immense, and one that, when held in power, imparts strength and energy
to save souls and bring them to God. The distance to measure everything by the
death of Christ on the cross, when He became sin for us, has been a
bridge over, and our position of closeness that is marked by the place that
now occupies as glorified at the right hand of God. In Heaven itself not
we are going to be closer, in terms of our position, since we are in
Christ. It cannot be forgotten that our delight is based on this truth, truth
what we must learn, and on which our current condition will depend.
God seeks a state corresponding to our position, that is, our
Responsibility is measured by our privilege. But until we know which
it's our place, there can also be no answer. First of all, we must
to know that we are led to God according to our degree of pursuit of
its presence. Only in that way can there be a glorious flow for having a
good relationship. Unless we teach this truth, we will not know it
the position we occupy in front of God, then, He will never respond to
"our souls, or in our daily walk and prayer" (Ed. Dennett).
The nations will hear it, and tremble; Pain will seize the land of the
Philistines. Then the leaders of Edom will be troubled; The mighty men of Moab
Fear will grip them; All the inhabitants of Canaan will be dismayed.
Let trembling and terror fall upon them; Let them be mute to the greatness of your arm.
like a stone; Until your people have passed, oh Jehovah, Until
You have passed this town that you rescued. You will introduce them and you will plant them.
on the mountain of your inheritance, in the place of your dwelling, which you have prepared, oh
Jehovah, In the sanctuary that your hands, oh Jehovah, have established" (vv. 14-17).
What firm confidence these words produce! What God did at the Red Sea
it was a guarantee for Israel that he had started a work for them, and it
It would end. They could not rely on their own strength. For the greatness of
your arm is that they (their enemies) will be as still as a stone. Your
trust was solely in the Lord: "You will bring them in" blessed illustration
from the liberation of the flood by a simple but sure faith! Oh, may this
such lovely simplicity has been lost so soon. Oh, how often it bends
the heart to become a bad heart of unbelief. Oh, how difficult it is
to reason as Israel did here, and as the Apostle Paul also did:
Who freed us from so great a death, and delivered us, and in whom we hope that
He will still deliver us" (2 Corinthians 1:10).
Fear and terror fall upon them; by the greatness of your arm they will be
"as still as a stone" (v. 16). The enemies raise opposition. But
Their efforts are completely useless and insignificant against the people.
of God. Although it is impossible to resist them if one does not rest in God as
protector. It is likewise impossible for our enemies, whether human or
demonic beings, prevent us from staying outside the promised inheritance. "Who
will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? "Who, indeed? Nobody.
For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor the present, nor the to come, nor the height, nor the
, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38, 39). This is the extreme, that
we must know from the beginning, and we can say just like Israel, and
sing the song of victory before we take the first step towards
desert road!
The Lord will reign forever and ever
in the next verse as the inspired record of the historian, which gives us
the cause and the reason for the Song. The song ends as it began, with 'The
Sir. Faith allows us to see the eternal future, without fear or trembling.
Completely assured that God is sovereign, sovereign, omnipotent,
immutable and eternal, and the conclusion is irresistible and certain that, "The Lord will reign
for ever and ever.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

What a change in the hearts of the people of Israel! Compare their joy.
Here with Exodus 14:10-12. Did their liberation also give them more faith in
the power of God to protect them from enemies in the new land? What
What lesson should we learn from these readings?
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

Of some verses from Scripture that teach us the truth of God as

a constant protection.

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What are we to drink?' Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. He said, 'If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.' Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.

Trial and humiliation are not "the end of the Lord" (James 5:11), but they are more.
Good occasions to show the fresh virtues of the Heavenly Father.
desert can and will reveal the weakness of its saints, and, alas! For their
failures, but this is only to magnify the power and mercy of Him
that led them to the place of the test. Furthermore: God has to do with the last one.
well-being that awaits your children - he can "do you good in your old age" (Dt.
6:18), and when the trials are over, when our faithful God has
supplied to "all our needs", everything, everything that happened with the
people on their journey through the desert was for their honor, and praise of their glory.
And not only to test them as some believe (Deut. 8:2-5). In this way, they ...
they would know God and understand that God will always be with them in everything
moment. The "desert", then, gives us not only a revelation of ourselves
the same, but also highlights the paths of God. It is only
when the Christian clings to Christ by faith and believes in his death and
resurrection, recognizing at the same time that he is a "new creature" in
Christ comes to be aware of the desert of life. To the same extent
what we learn is our new position before God and our
part in Your Son, for this world becomes for us a
sad and desolate desert. For the natural man, what the world offers him is
very attractive and seductive, but for the spiritual man everything that the world
It offers only 'vanity and affliction of spirit.' For the eye of the senses, not
there is as much as the world for everything it offers to be pleasant and
pleasant, but for the eye of faith what lies behind the scene is
decadence and death. "There are those who only let themselves be carried away by "the desires of
the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life", but nothing in
absolute for the new nature. Until now for spiritual life, the world
it is nothing more than a desert, arid and desolate.
The desert is the place of travelers, traveling from one country to another, but none
who would think of making their home there. That’s exactly how this world is. It is the
a place of passage, where man moves from the temporal to the eternal. And faith is what
what makes the difference in the way men consider this
world. The skeptic, for the most part, is the result of staying here. And
he settles in the world as if he were going to stay here forever. "His
intimate thought is that their houses will be eternal, and their rooms for
generation and generation; They give their names to their lands"" (Psalm 49:11). Each
effort is made to prolong his stay on earth, and when finally the
death comes, he is reluctant to leave. Very different is with the believer, the
true believer. His home is not here. He looks "to a city that has
foundations whose architect and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10). For the
Thus, he is a stranger and pilgrim here (Hebrews 11:13). It is from this 'desert' that
who speaks. Canaan was the country that God gave to Abraham and his descendants, and
the desert was simply a strange land of passage, through which they passed in
on their way to their ultimate inheritance.
And they walked for three days in the desert without finding water.
first lesson that life’s desert teaches us. There is nothing here that
can serve a minister who has received Christ. The pleasures of sin, the
places of interest in the world do not satisfy the human soul nor can they.
things that we used to like now repel us. The camaraderie with the
people of the world that we used to find so pleasant have become
unpleasant. The things that delight the wicked only make us groan. The
Cristiano
who is in communion with his Lord finds absolutely nothing to his
around to refresh his thirsty soul, but it is in Christ. For him the
shallow cisterns of this world have dried up. Their cry is the same as that of
psalmist: "Oh God, You are my God; early I seek You, my soul thirsts for
O God, my flesh longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (Ps. 63:1).
Ah, here are the resources of the believer: only God can satisfy the
longings of his heart. Just like he who accepts the words of grace from the
Savior: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink" (John 7:37), therefore he must
to reach the One who has the Water of Life.
Israel now only felt the nakedness and bitterness of the desert. With what
they discovered their hearts in the light of the journey they were making and the purpose that
they had to pilgrimage on it. They prepared little for what lay ahead
them. To spend three days and find that there was no water, and when they found
some water they noticed was bitter. What a difference it makes to wait on God!
How natural it was for them, after experiencing the great liberation, and that
God will provide them with a smooth and easy path. The same happens
with young Christians. They have no peace with God but they rejoice in the
knowledge of forgiven sins. Little they can do (or not) to
anticipate the tribulations that lay ahead of them. Surely they said: No
we expected that things would be nice here Didn't we make
a deal to be happy in this world? And we have not been disappointed and
discouraged when we encounter the "lack of water", and moreover the
little water that we found was "bitter?" Ah, we entered the desert, without
understand what it was! We did not think that our merciful God would
I would project onto sadness. Ah, dear reader, Only in the presence of God and not in
in this world, there are 'delights forever'. As we have said, the 'desert'
with precision symbolizes and represents this world, and the first stage of the journey it
foresee everything! Drought and bitterness is all we can expect where there is no
Here is Christ. How could it be otherwise? God teaches us that not
We must not establish ourselves or love the world, because this world hates Him, and
that they also threw out their beloved Son? Never then do we have to be
friends of the world!
Here, there is something of vital importance for the young Christian. That he should start
your journey through this world without God, only waiting for scarcity and pain. If
we hope for peace instead of persecution, we will be disappointed and will have
sooner or later we will moan, but not because we are suffering, but because of having
had false expectations. More than one experienced Christian has given
testimony that most of their failures in the desert have been attributed
a mistaken view of what the desert was. Happiness and rest were not
we find in it, and the more we seek, the sharper our disappointment will be.
The first stage of our journey should show us who we are, in terms of
Israel, what the true nature of the journey was. It is bitter, just like the water.
what they found.
Then the people murmured against Moses, saying: What are we going to do?
"drink?" (V. 24). This is very solemn. Three days ago, this people has been
singing, and now they are murmuring. Praising before the Red Sea and now
complaining in Mara! This experience was a real test, but sadly
for the teaching of Israel. Just like before, when they saw the Egyptians that
they came for them at Pi-hahirot, so now once again they reprimand
Moses for being in trouble. They seemed to have completely overlooked
the fact that they had arrived at Mara by the column of cloud (13:22). Their
The murmuring against Moses was, in fact, a murmuring against the
Sir. And the same happens with us. Every protest against our
circumstances, all kinds of complaints against the weather, about the way
how people treat us, about the daily trials of life, it is directed towards
against Him who "does all things according to the counsel of His own will"
will (Eph. 1:11). Remember, dear reader, that what is recorded here of the
the history of Israel was "written for our admonition" (1 Cor. 10:11). There exists the
same bad heart of unbelief and the same rebellious will within
we as it was with the Israelites. Therefore, we have to seek
seriously the purpose for everything, because it has it, and the grace to
bear it in victory.
And what was the cause of their 'murmuring?' There can only be one.
Answer: that their eyes were no longer on God. After the power of the
wonders of Jehovah that the Israelites had witnessed in Egypt, and their
glorious liberation in the Red Sea, which should have been unequivocally
it was evident to them that He was with, for, and on their side all the time. But,
Far from recognizing this, they only believe that Moses was to blame. And is this not the case?
Isn't it also not so frequent with us? When we arrived in Mara, no
we charge a colleague trying to hold them responsible for our hardship
work? A friend to trust, some councilor whose advice we respect,
some fleshly arms on which we relied and have failed us, and the
we blame them because of the 'bitter waters'.
And he cried out to the Lord" (v. 25). Moses did what Israel should have done-
he put the matter in prayer to God. This is the teaching: "Mara" has to
bring the Lord in prayer. I mean, the bad moments and tragic situations
they have to 'guide' us to God so that the influence of the flesh is absorbed
by the blessings of God. It is not, perhaps, that we are completely without
prayer, or that our prayers are so lacking in heart in them. This is
sad and solemn, and yet, less certain, that each one needs a 'Mara'
to make us cry out to God seriously. "They wandered lost in the desert, through
the solitude without a path, Without finding a city to live in. Hungry and
thirsty, His soul was fainting in them... That is why He was broken by the work
their hearts; They fell, and there was no one to help them. Then they cried out to
The Lord in his anguish, Delivered them from their afflictions; ..... His soul abhorred everything.
food, And they arrived at the gates of death. But they cried out to the Lord in
He delivered them from their distress... They tremble and stagger like drunken men.
And all their knowledge is useless. Then they cry out to Jehovah in their anguish, and he delivers them.
of their afflictions "(Ps. 107:4, 5, 12, 13, 18, 19, 27, 28). Alas, this is often
A truth for both the writer and the reader.
And he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree, which, when it had been...
thrown into the waters, and the waters were sweetened" (v. 25). Moses does not cry out to
God in vain. He who has provided redemption for his people is the God
of all grace, which always assists and even more so when suffering intensifies. The faith of
Israel could fail, and instead of trusting the Lord for the supply of its
needs, give rise to gossip, however, He came to their aid.
It is the same with us. How true is it that 'He has not done with us
according to our iniquities, nor has He repaid us according to our
sins." (Psalm 103:10). But on what basis does the thrice Holy make a
how tenderly he treats his wandering people? Ah, is it not beautiful to see that in this
point, also, our type is perfect, it is the answer to the cries of a
mediator who intercedes for God to act in His official capacity. Moses is
seen as the one who intervened between God and Israel. It was in response to his
cry that the Lord came to the aid of Israel! And blessed be God because today
there is also One who "always lives to intercede for us" (Heb. 7:25), and
For that reason, God deals tenderly with us as we go through
the deserts of life: "If anyone has sinned, we have an Advocate for
with the Father, to Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1).
The way God's response takes shape on this occasion is also
deeply significant and instructive. He showed Moses 'a tree'. The
The "tree" had evidently been there all along, but Moses had not.
seen, or at least I did not know its sweetening properties. It was not until
until the Lord "showed" him the tree that informed him of the provision of grace
of God. This shows how dependent we are on the Lord, and how blind
we are sometimes to acknowledge his provision. Of Hagar, we read: 'And God opened to her
the eyes, and she saw a well of water "(Gen. 21:19). And in 2 Kings 6:17 we are told
And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw, and behold the mountain was
full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. "It is clear that" the ear.
What ear hears, and the eye that sees, the Lord has made both one and the other (Prov. 20:12).
The "tree" also speaks of the cross of Christ: "He himself bore our
sins in his body on the wood" (1 Peter 2:24). The cross of Christ is the
what makes what is naturally sweet bitter for us. It is the
communion with his sufferings (Phil. 3:10), and the knowledge of what the
suffering may not sweeten! . . . . Let us remember here that these sufferings
of those who are spoken about, are sufferings that are also our own
as Christians. This 'Bitterness' of death in the desert is not simply
the experience of what commonly befalls man through his experience.
It is not simply the bitterness of being in the body and enduring the evils.
from an illness, they say, meat is the heir to all that is bad. It is the
bitterness that results from the connection with Christ in his own path of
suffering. "If we suffer with him, we will also reign with him." The water of Mara
then it is sweetened by this 'tree', the cross, the cross of shame, the cross
what was the mark of the world's verdict of condemnation regarding Christ, the
the cross is what sweetens the struggles. If we suffer the shame and rejection of Him,
Like Him, we too can bear it, and the sweet reality of being
"linked with him makes Mara drinkable" (Mr. Grant). A beautiful example is in
Acts 16. We see Paul and Silas in the prison of Philippi, who were
cruelly whipped, and then thrown into the deepest dungeon. Here is
that they in the darkness, with their feet in the stocks, and their backs
bloodied. That was actually 'Mara' for them. But how did it act in
they? They 'sang praises' and sang so vigorously that the others
the prisoners heard them (Acts 16:25). There we see the "Tree" sweetening the waters.
bitter. How was it possible for them to sing in such circumstances?
Because they rejoiced that they were "counted worthy to suffer shame for
his name" (Acts 5:41). So, this is how we are going to use the cross in
our daily life, and to consider our Christian trials and tribulations
as an opportunity to have communion with the sufferings of the Savior.
He did not make a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them and said:
If you carefully listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right before Him
his eyes, and give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes,
I will not send any of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the
Egyptians "(vv. 25, 26). It is very important here to be able to mark the context. Nothing
it had been said to Israel about the 'statutes and commandments' of Jehovah,
while they were in Egypt. But now that they have been redeemed, now that there was
has been bought for himself, there are government demands from
God pressing upon them. The Lord was dealing with them in His infinite
grace. But grace is not anarchic. Grace only transforms us into what
We are more in debt to God. Our obligations do not increase.
but are cancelled by Him Himself. Grace reigns 'through justice', not at
her cost (Rom. 5:21). The obligation of obedience cannot be the subject of
settlement, because God is always God. Grace is only established upon a
higher base than is recognized of God as creator and one as creatures
redeemed.
And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water, ……….and ten
palms, and they camped there by the waters "(v. 27). This does not have to enter
in conflict with our comments on the previous verses. Elim is the
Mara's complement, and this will be even more evident if one observes its order. In
first, the bitter waters of Mara sweetened by the tree, and then the
pure water wells and the palm trees for shade and coolness. Without a doubt, the
interpretation is obvious: when we are walking in communion with Christ and
the principle of the cross is faithfully applied to our daily life, it is not only the
the bitterness of suffering sweetened by love, but we enter into the
pure joys that God has provided for His own, even down here. "Elim"
He speaks, then, of the satisfaction that God gives to those who are walking with
He assists (sweetens) them in the midst of trials. If we suffer shame and the
rejection as He suffered, the bitterness of suffering is sweetened by love,
because we enter into obedience. This joy of heart, this satisfaction
from the soul, comes to us through the ministry of the Word, hence the
importance of the twelve 'wells' and the seventy 'palm trees', the same numbers
selected by Christ in the fourth sending of his apostles. (Luke 9:1-10:1)
May the Lord help us to pay attention to the lesson of Mara and Elim so that
may happiness and joy mark our path.

The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink

God wants us to pay attention (or really listen) to Him - He is

seeking a people that will hear his voice and not try to run and hide from Him.
He wants them to not only be able to hear him and take his words seriously and
obey them. (James 1:22-25) What is the meaning of the word-Mara?
What did he tell the tree and what does it represent that Moses saw that the s...
sweetened? Complete the following statement: It is the very nature of God
be the one that __________ to those who ___________________.

Exodus 16:1-36

The leader of Israel in the desert of Sin highlights the strength of faith of
Moses. Here, for the first time, the great deprivations of life in the desert
they confronted the people face to face. Every step they took took them farther away
of the inhabited countries and introduced them more deeply into the land of
desolation and death. The isolation of the desert was complete, and great courage and
the faith of their leader in bringing a crowd of at least two million
people to that horrible solitude, shows his firm confidence in God. Moses
I was not unaware of the character of the desert. He also lived for forty years in
its surroundings (3:1), and therefore, he knew that only a miracle, yes, a
daily series of miracles could meet the enormous needs of a
multitude. In this, his faith was superior to that of Abraham (Gen. 12:10).
In order for grace to shine brightly, it had to be in the dark background of
well of sin. Grace is an unmerited favor, and to increase its glory.
It is necessary that the merits of man are not displayed. It is there that it abounded.
sin grace abounded much more (Rom. 5:21). Thus we read the
And all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against
Moses and Aaron in the desert, and the children of Israel said: it would have been better for us.
better to die by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat down
next to the pots of meat, and when we ate bread until we were full; but now
He has brought us out to this great desert to kill this whole crowd with hunger.
An even darker background can hardly be imagined.
Here were the people who had been divinely saved by means of the
ten plagues of Egypt, which had been brought from the land of slavery,
miraculously through the Red Sea, divinely guided by a column of
cloud and fire, by day and by night, Now they were 'murmuring', complaining,
rebelling! And with no few words they were considered guilty.
It was not simply that they murmured among themselves, but that
they murmured against their divinely chosen leader. Their sin was also seen
aggravated by an oath, which took the name of God "in vain" - How
Did we not all die by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt? It is also
evident that in their need there is no basis to suppose that they "
they sat beside the pots of meat or they ate bread in abundance. Finally,
her wicked disbelief manifests in the words, 'for you have taken us out'
to this desert to make us die of hunger." It was Jehovah, and not simply
Moses and Aaron, who had given birth to liberation, and He had promised them
that they were to worship him on Sinai (Exodus 3:12). There was no reason then to
may they die of hunger in the desert.
 So, what was the Lord's response to this terrible outbreak of rebellion?
And unbelief? Verse 4 does not say: 'Behold, I will make it rain' - : 'fire and
sulfur, so that you may be consumed" No; "Behold, I will make it rain bread from heaven
for you. A wonderful display of God's grace was this; favor
sovereign, undeserved. The first word here is designed to call
our attention. In Scripture, 'behold' is the Holy Spirit sign of
"Behold" the mark of reverent astonishment. Here, then, is the
blessed strength of the mark of time in verse 1. The rain (which speaks of
an abundant supply) of bread from heaven for these murmuring Israelites
It was indeed a testimony of the grace of God that is fully manifested!
What follows here in Exodus 16 is very important. Every detail we
speak loudly to us, if we only have ears to hear. The manna that
Jehovah provided Israel with a beautiful type of food that God has.
provided for our souls. This food is His own Word. This meal
it is both His written Word and His incarnate Word.
Manna is not given simply to be seen, to be admired, but to be
food. The complaint was about the lack of food. Then it was God who "provided
to satisfy the needs of the body of his people Israel. Therefore, with the
spiritual mana. God the "Word became something practical. It is administered to
to provide food for our souls. But in order to derive from it the
food that we need, we need to learn to feed on the Bread of
Life. Just as one abandons a proper diet or healthy eating
natural results affect the health of our body, neglecting our
spiritual food or ignoring the laws of dietary results
spirituals produce a sickly state of the soul.
Our first need is to take possession of spiritual food.
the appropriate means and also to make it ours for ourselves
same. This was the initial lesson regarding our salvation. The
the difference between a nominal believer and a saved believer is the use of
personal pronoun. A nominal believer can speak of the Savior, but only
The true believer can honestly say "my Savior". It is who
about faith for personal salvation. Faith is personalized. When I read in
Isaiah 53 regarding Christ who "was wounded for our transgressions" is
the faith that individualizes and says: "He was wounded for my transgressions." This is the
What do we understand by appropriation of faith? We have placed it in Christ.
when we make him our personal Savior. Now, just as the
we deposit in Christ as Savior, so we also have to appropriate
the promises and precepts of the "Word of God." For example, when I read in
Matthew 7:7: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you;" faith
make it personal, and apply to the need I have when I say:
I asked, and it was given; I sought, and I found; I called, and it was opened to me. "And moreover, I have read in

Romans 8:32, 'He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all'
all of us, how will He not also give us all things
to say. I apply it to my own case, and I say: "How will he not give me all too?"
the things that I need?
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you.'
so that the people go out and gather daily for the day" (v. 4). The manna that
What Israel gathered today was not enough for tomorrow.
A new supply must be secured every day. The spiritual application of
this is very evident. The soul requires systematic attention just like the
body, and if this is neglected and also the spiritual foods are taken from
irregular form, the results will be equally disastrous. But, how many
They fall at this point! What would you think of a man who sat down to his dinner?
on Sunday and decided to eat enough, in a single meal, so that he
Will it last all week? And yet that is precisely the method followed.
by multitudes of people regarding their spiritual food. The only time
that we get an appropriate spiritual meal is on Sunday, and what do they do
they during the rest of the week. It's no surprise that for that reason
Many Christians are weak and sickly. Are we not going to face the
the fact that our souls may be in urgent need of
daily supply of the Bread of Life? Anything else can be left behind but not this.
let's ignore that we need spiritual manna daily. Remember that not
It is not the amount of time spent, but the amount of heart put into it.
time that counts for feeding. "And when evening came, quails ascended.
that covered the camp; and in the morning dew fell around the
camp. And when the dew ceased to fall, behold upon the face of the
desert a tiny, round thing, tiny like a frost on the
land" (vv. 13, 14). Here is a lesson that we all need.
seriously take. It was early in the morning, before other things took
account of our attention, that the people of God in antiquity gathered
to take his daily mana supply. And this was recorded 'for our
teaching." The Divine Word should not occupy a secondary place in our
life, if we want to have God's blessing upon us. What a difference
There would be many lives changed if each day began in the presence of God!
We are reminded that many work for the flesh, but in this case, not
They didn't have to do any work to bring the manna from heaven, their only job
it was to pick it up when it rained on them. And here we find ourselves with
They had to be diligent. They could not keep it, nor could they accumulate stock.
for the future: every day they had to search for it to be able to live. If it wasn't
before time and the sun rose over her, it melted. And here is where the
Our diligence is so necessary. God allow us to understand this, dear.
Reader! The manna did not fall into the mouth, but around his tent.
They had to use diligence to collect her. Do we understand the need to
diligence in the apprehension of divine things? Do we understand that the character
the Word of God is such that, no matter how simple it may seem, however,
ministers in fact owe their fullness only to those who have zeal for
heart to seek her. Only "if you seek discernment," says the wise-,
You lift up your voice; if you seek it like silver, and search for it like a treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will find the knowledge of God.
Because Jehovah gives wisdom.
from its own holy government. "The work is here, therefore, it is very
necessary, not for the job simply that by itself cannot
achieve nothing, because they are not the efforts of man to obtain by himself
the same as what God wants to provide us, but rather God seeks for us to with
diligence let us demonstrate true interest in the treasure that His Word. He does not
he wants us to be diligent workers who seek, not negligent or indifferent.
nourish the soul so that faith is expressed worthily for God" (Mr. Grant.)
"No one should leave anything of it for tomorrow" (v. 19). The divine truth must not
be accumulated, but rather produce great profits. We must use what
God has given us. We are the first to walk in the truth for ourselves.
the same, and then recommend others to do the same.
As the Lord gives us opportunities, it must be our happy privilege.
to transmit to others what He has given us. It is in this way that communion
becomes more useful - when we spend an hour, or even just a few minutes, with
a believing companion and we share the things of God together, instead of the
things of the world.
And when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, It is Manna.
because they did not know what it was "(v. 15) There was something about this manna
that the Israelites could not understand. It was different from anything else that
they had never seen. They had no knowledge of it. The same
The word 'manna' means 'that which is.' 'They did not know what it was.' It is also the same with
what the manna foreshadowed. The unregenerate are incapable of understanding the
Scriptures: "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of
God, because it is madness, nor can he know it because they must be discerned.
spiritually (1 Cor. 2:14).
And the foreign people who mixed with them had a vivid desire, and the children
from Israel also cried out again and said: Who will give us meat to eat!
We remember the fish we ate for free in Egypt: the cucumbers, and
the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our soul is
dry; there is nothing at all, besides this manna before our eyes
(Numbers 11:4-6). The people of Israel were not alone, as they came out of Egypt.
They were accompanied by 'a mixed crowd' that had undoubtedly been
deeply impressed by the plagues of Jehovah and the interventions in
favor of Israel, but also that they did not have knowledge of God by themselves.
Only what is today; side by side like the wheat that grows with the tares.
There is a 'mixed multitude' among professing Christians, who like
their ancient ancestors despise the manna. They have no taste for the
spiritual things. They may have a Bible, perhaps expensive and with
beautifully adorned golden bindings, but their content is ignored and
tasteless for them. "And Moses said to Aaron: Take a vessel and put a homer in it
full of manna, and you will keep it before the Lord to be kept for you
descendants" (v. 33). Hebrews 9:04 tells us that it was a pot "of
gold". This is very striking. The manna was not going to be stored in the
Israelites' camp for just one day, however, here we see that it
has been preserved for almost forty years in the Tabernacle. It was about
to keep it for the land of Canaan. And so, with the anti-type: while it is not
They can feed on things from yesterday, just as they cannot from yesterday's experience, and
satisfy today's needs, however, our
day-to-day experiences in the desert, they encounter once again a rich and
blessed fruit. The 'golden pot' in which the manna is stored speaks of what it is
the blessing of a God who attributes great value to that which He establishes.
typified. The fact that the Mana remained in the ark until it was reached
to the land of Canaan, it speaks of how God preserves the Scriptures throughout
the centuries as a permanent nourishment for his people. "And the children of Israel
They ate the manna for forty years, until they came to a inhabited land:
they ate manna until they came to the end of the land of Canaan (v. 35).
This speaks to us about the inexhaustible source that God has for His people.
At the end of the day in the desert, the manna continued. And thank God this is
true regarding spiritual manna. The grass withers and the flower
withered, but the word of the Lord endures forever. We can be
even with her in the 'last days' of this century, in 'dangerous times' perhaps
It may be about us, but we still have the blessed word of God. What a reward.
louder, read it more carefully, study more diligently and keep it
in our mind and heart. This is the great secret of a spiritual life
healthy and vigorous. Therefore, we must sincerely wish for the
pure milk of the Word of God, this is the only way to grow. It is to
to feed ourselves daily with the Bread of Life from which we gain strength
we need. It is only by having the Word of God in our
hearts that we can avoid sinning against God. And in this way that
we must be able to say together with Jeremiah, 'Your words were found'
words, and I ate them; and your word was joy and gladness to me
heart; because your name was invoked upon me, oh Jehovah God of hosts
(Jer. 15:16).
(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

What does the manna typify?

Exodus 16:33

What is your reflection on the complaints of the children of Israel in Exodus?

16:3?
Do you believe that the Israelites understood God's teachings?

Éxodo 17:1-7

Israel is once again face to face with a test of its faith. Its
dependence on God is once again put to the test. This time it is not the lack of
food, but the absence of water.
How does this illustrate the fact that the path of faith is a path of trials?
and of decisions. Those who are guided by God must expect to encounter
everything that displeases the flesh, and also in a constant and a
true test of it. God 'designed' everything that happens to us
here to draw us towards Him, so that we may have independence from things
earthly, material, and human, to fully immerse ourselves in them
arms.
Oh, how slow and painful it can be to learn this lesson! How...
miserable can make us feel if we do not consider the purpose that God
He has with us by allowing us to go through those trials. How long-suffering is the
Lord and loving towards us. This is what we see in the introduction.
"Y" is designed to point here, in Exodus 17 it is nothing more than a tragic
repetition of what the beginning of chapter 16 means. 'And there was no water for...'
"that the people drank." And what? This presents no difficulty to Him.
what can separate the sea into parts and then cause its waves to return to
correct cause to drown their enemies. It was not difficult for Jehovah.
provide water as well as supply them with the food they needed.
Wasn't He the Shepherd of Psalm 23 who would not let them lack anything? If so, it will be
Are they going to trust in Him? On the other hand, was it not the same Lord who guided Israel?
at Refidim? Yes, because we are here it expressly says, "The children of Israel"
They traveled according to the command of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim. 'He knew
that there was no water there, and yet He directed them to this very place! Well,
so that we remember this. Sometimes when we arrive at a place
particularly difficult, when the water currents take us out of our-
comfort or when the rivers have dried up, we tend to blame ourselves
the same, to our friends, to our brothers, or perhaps to the devil himself.
But the first thing to do in every circumstance and situation where faith is
test it, think that the Lord himself has brought us here! If this
he can be apprehended, it will not make it so difficult to trust that He has a
purpose and will also support us while we are there.
And the people were thirsty there, and the people murmured against Moses, and said: Why
What is this that you have done to us, bringing us up out of Egypt to kill us with thirst?
us and our children and our livestock? '(v. 3). As their
the increase in thirst grew, they became more impatient and furious, and they threw him out
all the blame to Moses. "If Israel had not been transported from Egypt to
Canaan would not have seen such sad displays of what the heart of the being is.
human heart, and, how it acts under pressure and the consequences it has
for not acting in faith and trust in God. But "their forty years wandering in the
desert shows us a volume of warnings, reprimands and
instructions, fruitful beyond what they suffered. From her we learn, among
many other things, the invariable trend of the human heart and of the
distrust that one may have toward the company and provision of God. That
sometimes they make some say that anything, except God, can be
better in these extreme cases. It makes it easier for the man to lean over
the arm of man, before that in the arms of the omnipotent, omniscient and
infinitely merciful God, and the smallest cloud is more than
enough to hide from his sight in the light of his blessed face. Well, in
thus, it can be called "a bad heart of unbelief", that never...
will show willingness to 'approach the living God' (CHM).
And Moses cried out to the LORD, saying: What shall I do with this people?
that they almost stoned me "(v. 14). It is beautiful to see that Moses did not respond to the
cruel reproaches that were thrown against him. Just like the Lord
Jesus, who when many cursed Him, did not respond with a curse;
when he suffered. He did not threaten, but entrusted the cause to the one who
judge justly "(1 Peter 2:23). This is what we see Moses doing.
here. Instead of giving an angry and bitter retort to those who accused him
falsely, he sought the Lord in prayer. What a blessed example for us.
This attitude was always his refuge in times of anguish (cf. 15:25, etc.) The
the fact that Moses "cried out to the Lord" indicates the seriousness and vehemence of his
"What am I going to do?" he expressed upon seeing his own inability to do.
in light of the situation, and also expressed his confidence that the Lord would come in
her help for her relief. How often should we be safe from the
sadness and lamentation, if instead of responding to the emotion of the moment,
The first thing we do is seek the Lord and ask Him: 'What am I going to do?'
Sir?
And the Lord said to Moses: Go before the people, and take with you some of the
elders of Israel; and take also in your hand your rod with which you struck the river,
and see. Here I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and
You will strike the rock, and water will come out of it, and the people will drink. And Moses did it.
thus in the presence of the elders of Israel" (v. 5, 6). This brings before us
one of the many types of the Old Testament (Prefigured) of which Jesus is
the Lord, for whom we have authority from the New Testament to
consider it as such. In 1 Cor. 10:1-4 we read: 'On the other hand, brothers, do not ...'
I want you to ignore the way our parents were all under the
cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized with Moses in the cloud
and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food; And all drank
of the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them
it followed, and the rock was Christ.
The 'Rock' is one of the titles of Jehovah, which is found frequently.
on the pages of the Old Testament. In his "song", Moses laments
that Israel abandoned God and took lightly the Rock of his
salvation "(Dt. 32:15). In his song, we also hear of the sweet singer of
Israel, saying: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer" (2 Sam.
22:2). The psalmist's offerings are like a 'shout of joy to the Rock of
our salvation" (Ps. 95:1). Although the prophet Isaiah tells us: "And it will be like
shelter against the wind, and as a refuge against the storm like streams
of waters in the land of dryness, like the shadow of a great rock in the land
warm" (32:2). In the New Testament we have a memorable word and
precious, "On this Rock (pointing to himself, he does not refer to the
"confession of Peter) I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18).
The first thing that is observed here in our type is that the rock was to be
wounded. This, of course, speaks of the death of the Lord Jesus. It calls the
Attention: observe the order of the typical teaching of Ex. 16 and 17. In the first
This case talks about the incarnation of Christ, in the second, what it prefigured of
the crucifixion of Christ. Ex. 17 is complementary to chapter 16. Christ must
descend from heaven to earth (as the manna did) to become the bread
of life in his village, he must also be violently struck by the judgment
Divine

If He was also going to be the Water of Life. Here is another reason for the
consideration of 'Y'. There are three details here that allow us to establish the
interpretation of the act of striking the rock as a type (omen) of the
death of the Lord Jesus. First of all, he was to be struck by the rod of
Moses. The 'staff' in Moses' hand was a symbol of judgment. The first
reference that undoubtedly determines that: when he threw it on the ground
converted into a "snake" (4:3)
Memory of the curse. With his staff, the waters of the Nile were struck and
became blood (7:17), and so on. Secondly, only the
"elders of Israel" witnessed the act of striking the rock. This raises
relieve the governmental character of what was announced here. Thirdly,
the Lord Himself was on the rock while it was being struck. 'Behold, I'
I will be before you there on the rock at Horeb (v. 6) - this gives an image
wonderful interpretation. Putting these things together so that the eye
spiritual do not stop seeing here a portrait of our Substitute who was struck
by the rod of divine justice, which was established by the hand of the Governor
of the Universe. Without a doubt, that word in Isaiah 53:4-5 appears again in this
the same type that was "wounded by God .... by his wound we were healed".
How solemn is here the sinful action of the people that led to the strike the
rock! Then the water flowed after the wounded rock. It was this beautiful kind of the Spirit
Saint, gift of the crucified Christ, and now glorified and Savior. Can it not be
Is this a reason why the Holy Spirit is said to be 'poured out'?
about your people (Acts 2:18)? This type of language speaks to us about this topic. The
the gift of the Holy Spirit was consistent about the crucifixion and the exaltation of
Lord Jesus. This is derived from your own words according to John 7:37, 38:
Jesus stood up and cried out, saying: If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. The
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within them.
Now mark the interpretation given to us in the following verse: "But
He spoke this about the Spirit, that those who believed in Him would receive, because the
The Holy Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been.
glorified.
The Holy Spirit has given us a complementary word through the
the psalmist highlights the beauty of the image found in Exodus 17. There
He said: "He opened the rock, and waters flowed; they ran in dry places like
a river. Because he remembered his holy word given to Abraham his servant
It was because of His covenant with Abraham that God gave the water to
Israel. So too. We read that God promised eternal life to His chosen ones.
before the ages
1 Corinthians 10 is also a supplement to Exodus 17. In the narrative
historically we read that Moses struck the rock in the presence of "the elders" of
Israel, but there is nothing said there about people's consumption of currents.
of water that flowed there from that rock. But in 1 Corinthians 10:4, we are told, "And
they all drank the same spiritual drink.
Affirms that all the children of God 'receives the Holy Spirit.' Although
we know that there are some who deny it.
There are those who teach that the reception of the Holy Spirit is a second work.
of grace. This is a serious mistake. Just like all the children of Israel (they are
under the covenant of grace) who drank from the water of the wounded rock. therefore in
the anti-type (What had been foretold), all of God 'of the children are made
participants in the Holy Spirit, gift of the "ascended" Christ. And since you are children,
God has sent the Spirit of His Son to your hearts, who cries out:
"Abba, Father" (Galatians 4:6). There is no such thing as a believer in Christ that
has not received the Holy Spirit: "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his."
it is not of Him" (Rom. 8:9).
Much of the blessing of our kind of Christ will come through being little.
appreciated, unless one carefully observes the occasion in which the
living water current that springs from the wounded rock. It was not when Israel was
bowed in worship before the Lord, nor when he was praised for all his
abundant mercies towards them. There is no happy scene in the
first verses of Exodus 17 from our point of view regarding the
The reality we live in. It is the complete opposite of what was described.
Israel murmured against Moses (v. 3), they were about to strike the servant of God.
And they were filled with disbelief, saying: 'Is the Lord among us?'
us, or not?
I act in favor of your servant in accordance with your marvelous grace.
Where sin abounded, grace abounded even more. But, let it be well
known, that grace acting on a fair basis. Not until the rock was
the wound waters flowed without stopping. And until the Savior had been
struck by God is that the Gospel was given for "every creature." What is,
dear reader, the response of your heart to this incredible and rich mercy of
God? Surely you will say, from the depths of your heart, 'thank you God
for your indescribable gift" (2 Cor. 9:15).
This article would not be complete if we do not mention even a few brief ones.
words about Numbers 20, where we find Moses striking again
the rock. "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Take the rod, and gather the
congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock in their sight; and it
he will give you water, and you will bring forth water from the rock, and you will give drink to the

congregation and its beasts" (vv. 7, 8).

What is recorded in Numbers 20 happened forty years later than what
what we are considering before us in Exodus 17. Almost everything here
is in sharp contrast. The rock in Ex. 17 foreshadowed Christ on the cross, the
rock in Num. 20 was He on high. The Hebrew word for 'rock' is not the same.
The word used here, in Num. 20 means an elevated rock, pointing
clearly to the Savior in His exaltation. Next, we realize that
that Moses had not been commanded to "strike" the rock, but simply had to
speak to him. In Ex. 17, the rock was struck before the 'elders' of Israel, here Moses
received the command to "gather all the congregation." And while Jehovah gave him
he ordered to take a cane, it was not the rod used in the example of Ex. 17. In the
first occasion Moses had to use his staff "Your own rod with which you touched
the river. "That was the rod of judgment. But there he was to take "the rod"
(Numbers 20:8), that is, Aaron's rod. This is made clear in verse 9,
And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.
we compare with Num. 17:10 - "And the Lord said to Moses: Return the rod of
Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious children;
and you will make them cease their complaints before me, so that they do not die." Therefore, this,
it was the priestly rod. Note also how this aspect of truth was made
emphasis on the type of the Lord, Moses, on this second occasion, to take to
Aaron together with him, Aaron does not refer to the first action of striking the rock!
 The interpretation of the typical meaning of Num. 20:08 is therefore very
Of course. The rock must not be hurt a second time, as that would ruin the.
type. "Knowing that Christ, having risen from the dead, no longer
he dies more, death no longer dominates him. Because as soon as he died,
died to sin once, but as long as he lives, he lives for God" (Romans 6:9)
10). But now, at the consummation of the ages, he appeared to take away the
sin for the sacrifice of oneself.... Likewise, Christ was offered only once
"once to bear the sins of many" (Hebrews 9:26, 28). The currents of
flow of spiritual refreshment for us in the realm of fulfilled redemption
and in relation to the priestly ministry of Christ. How solemn is this
sequel here. The servant of the Lord is nothing more than a perfect servant (Isaiah
The meekest man on the earth was upset by the murmurings.
repeatedly of Israel. He addressed the people of God's covenant as "rebels". He
he asked them: Do we have to bring forth water from the rock? Then 'he' struck the
rocks twice", indicates the heat of his temperament. And because of this, God gave him
he forbade directing Israel in the entrance to Canaan. He is very jealous of his servants,
more than one who was led by their instincts and not by the Spirit.
It is surprising to observe that although Moses struck the rock instead of
to speak to her, however, the refreshing waters sprang from her. How this
should put us on guard against the conclusion that the methods of a
A man must be upright if the Lord is pleased to use them. There are many.
to imagine that the method used in serving God must also be
pleasant so that your blessing may assist us. But this incident shows
clearly it is not safe to act this way. Moses' methods were
wrong; however, God gave him the blessing. But how did this incident
it is also manifested, once again, showing the wonderful grace of God. A
despite (not because of) Israel grumbling, and despite the failure
from Moses, the water was given to them, all their needs were
satisfied. Truly, our God is the God 'of all grace.' May these
realizations draw worship and praise from our hearts, and can
to incline our lives more and more for His glory.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

In Ex. 17:06 God tells Moses, 'I will be before you,' which is a
surprising statement, because man stands before God, not God
Before the man (Deuteronomy 17:8-13; 19:17). What was the meaning of that
Was Moses standing before the rock? Why did Moses hit the rock just once?
Isaiah 42:1 1 Corinthians 10:4 Hebrews 9:26-28

The people's complaint had been quite bad, but this Scripture says that
now they were 'contending' against Moses as their leader, threatening with
stone him unless I gave them water. "And he named the place
Massah and Meribah, because of the effort of the children of Israel, and because they tested the
Sir, saying: Is the Lord among us, or not? (Exodus 17:7 also)
"It is called 'quarrel', and 'Masá' is tempted. Jesus said in Matthew 4:7, 'Jesus said to him:
It is also written: 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God,' but these Israelites
They put the Lord to the test because of their complaints. What kind of people were they going to be?
as if they had not wandered in the desert for 40 years and given that the
Did the Lord allow them to go directly to the Promised Land?
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." So Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. While Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, "The Lord is my banner," saying, "A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

One thing that increasingly impresses the writer in their studies and in their
Meditations on the content of this book of Exodus is the wonderful
variety and the complete range of truth, covered by its typical teachings.
Not only to make their most important events and prominent figures that
they foresee what is coming ahead regarding their spiritual teachings and
divine, but even the smallest details have a profound
meaning. Moses is a type of Christ, the Pharaoh is a type of Satan, Egypt
it's a type of the world. Israel groaning under the bonds of sin and its great
misery. Israel is freed from its cruel masters - it speaks of our redemption in
Christ. His journey through the desert to the promised land, along the path of the
faith and the judgment we are called to face. And now we are going to see that
the history of Israel also outlines the conflict between the two natures in the
believer.
In our last article where the action of hitting the rock is contemplated,
from which the water flowed and from which all the people drank. This typifies
the act of striking our blessed Savior by the hand of divine justice,
and the consequent gift of the Holy Spirit to those who are His. But afterwards
of the Holy Spirit that comes to inhabit in the believer, after
a new and holy nature that God has implanted in his being, a stranger
conflict begins to be experienced by the believer, something until now
unknown. As we read in Gal. 5:17, 'The flesh is against the spirit, and the
spirit against the flesh; and these are opposed to each other.
it advances us for our understanding.
The typical scene we are about to study is of great importance and
of practical use. The ignorance of what is presented and the truth that illustrates it,
has led to great losses and has been responsible for unspeakable anguish
in many souls. How much has been thought, and how many have taught,
that when a sinner truly receives Christ as their Savior, God
change his heart, and from now on he will be a victor over sin. Without
embargo, "a change of heart is not promised anywhere in the
Scriptures. God never changes anything. The old does not depart nor is destroyed, and is
something completely new created or introduced by Him. Therefore, the Christian
is someone who has "been born again", and the new birth is neither the
elimination of anything in a man, nor the change of anything within him,
but rather the impartation of something new to him. The new birth is the reception
of a new nature: "what is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6).
In the new birth, a new nature, the spiritual, divine is
communicate with us. This new nature is created by the Holy Spirit,
the 'seed' (1 John 3:9) is the Word of God. (1 Peter 1:23) This explains
John 3:5: "born of water and the Spirit. "The" water "is the emblem of the Word.
pure and refreshing from God (cf. Eph. 5:26). This is what is in sight, for
general, in Exodus 17. But when the new nature is communicated by God
to those who are born again, the old nature of the sinner remains in him and does not
change until death or the coming of Christ, when it will just be
completely destroyed, because it is then that "the corruptible is clothed with
incorruption" (1 Cor 15:53). In the Christian, then, in every Christian, there are two
natures: one in sin, and the other without sin, one is born of the flesh, the
another born of God. These two natures differ from each other in their origin, in
character, in disposition and in the activities they produce. They have nothing in
common. They oppose each other. This is what is typically visible in the
second part of Ex. 17.
Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim (17:8). In light of
Génesis 21:25; 26:19, 20; Ex. 2:17; Num. 20:19; Jueces 5:11, donde
we learned that the possession of water (wells, etc.) was the drop of discord and
containment among the ancients, it is evident that the dissemination of the news that a
a river of water was springing from the rock in Rephidim, provoking the Amalekites
so they will try to gain possession. But this meant that first
They were to strip Israel, that is why it was the reason for their attack.
The first thing to consider is the identity of Israel's enemies.
It was Amalek. 'Amalek' means 'warlike', an appropriate name for one who
never ceases in the desires of war against the soul "" (1 Peter 2:11).
Amalek, grandson of Esau (Gen. 36:12): "who for a single meal sold his
primogeniture, and when he was about to inherit the blessing he was rejected, it is therefore without
doubt, a representative of the old man" (F.W.G.). Very striking in this
sense is the prophetic word of Balaam: "And when he sought Amalek, he took
his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations that fought against
"Israel, but its last end will be that which loses forever" (Numbers 24:20). The
the character of Amalek clearly emerges in the words of Moses about him in
a later date, 'He did not fear God' (Deuteronomy 25:17, 18) - how it is
also "the meat".
It is not until the Christian has become a partaker of the divine nature (2
Pedro 1:4) that the internal conflict begins. It is prior to the new birth,
he is dead in your trespasses and sins, and therefore quite insensitive to
the claims of the holiness of God. Until the Holy Spirit begins to
to pour out its light upon our wicked hearts, they do not realize the
depth and the power of evil within us. Sometimes the believer is
surprised by the discovery of the trends and desires within you, that
I never knew they were there. Religious teachers know nothing about the
conflict between the two natures, nor of the permanent sense of corruption
interior that conveys this experience. The unregenerated man is
completely under the control of the flesh, which serves its desires
sinful, and they are at the mercy of their will. The "flesh" does not fight against
his subjects, but governs them. But as soon as we received the news
nature the conflict begins.
It is surprising to note that it was not Israel who attacked Amalek, but
Amalek that attacked Israel. The new nature in the believer delights in
to eat of the Word, to be in communion with God, and to commit to
the spiritual things.
But the flesh does not let him live in peace. The devil delights in stealing from the believer.
his joy, and works on the flesh to carry out his diabolical plan. The
the prototype is in perfect agreement. Please note that the form in Galatians
5:17 clearly tells us that 'the desires of the flesh are against the spirit'
spirit", and not the other way around.
The first thing to consider is the success of Israel against Amalek.
It was determined by the lifted hand of Moses: "And it happened that when
Moses raised his hand, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered his hand
Amalek prevailed "(v. 11). The importance of Moses' attitude is
clearly defined in various writings. The raised hand was the emblem of
the prayer, and the supplication of God: 'Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry out to'
You, when I lift my hands toward your holy temple" (Ps. 28:2), "therefore, that
men should pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without anger or
contests (1 Tim. 2:8).
Secondly, we observe that "Moses' hands were becoming
heavy." This is where the beautiful real reliability of our type is yet to be
tested. How long have we been in prayer and without tiring, pleading to God!
Men ought always to pray and not to faint
But sadly we fail. How quickly our hearts become
"Heavy". And as soon as we lose the spirit of dependence on God the
meat prevails.
 Thirdly, Moses did not rely solely on himself. Blessed be it to mark this:
Aarony Hur were with him, and 'We were … on one side and the other in the
other side." Here again, the accuracy and beauty of our type are revealed.
Certainly, there is no difficulty in interpreting this detail. Aaron
he was the head of the priesthood of Israel, and here he clearly speaks of our great
High Priest. "Hur" means "light", the emblem of divine holiness, and the
points for the Holy Spirit of God. So God, in His grace has provided
for us support for both sides, both in the earthly and in the heavenly.
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses.
Because we do not know what we should ask for as is fitting, but the
The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that cannot be expressed.
pronounced"(Rom. 8:26);. this is the earthly side. And another angel (Christ as
"the Messenger of the Covenant") came and stood before the altar with a golden censer, and
there a lot of incense was given to him, so that he could offer the prayers of all the
saints on the golden altar that was before the throne" (Rev. 8:3): this is the
heavenly side, Christ receiving our supplications and offering them to God,
accompanied by the sweet fragrance of their own perfection.
In fourth place, the typical picture has been completed for us so that
it is said in verse 13: "And Joshua destroyed Amalek and his people with the sword
sword." The "sword" here represents the Holy Scriptures (see Hebrews
4:12). It is not only through prayer that we can fight against the flesh. The Word
it is also necessary. The Psalmist said: 'I have hidden Your Word in my heart'
to not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11).
Some may object to what we just said earlier about the
Cristiano and the struggle against the flesh. We cannot stop thinking about Rom. 6:11 and
in 2 Timothy 2:22 because much has been written about it. But there are scriptures
which present other phases of our responsibility. There is a struggle to fight.
(1 Tim. 6:12, 2 Tim. 4:7,). And this struggle has to do with the flesh. He said
the Apostle Paul, "So I do not fight like a boxer beating the air, but rather"
I strike my body, and I put it into servitude" (1 Cor 9:26; 27).
Another thing that is important to keep in mind here is the fact that
Amalek was not destroyed or completely defeated on this occasion. We
we read that 'Joshua destroyed Amalek.' Here too, the type is perfect.
agreement with the antitype. There is no way to destroy or eradicate nature
malignant within us. Despite how uncomfortable it is, the flesh still
survive. One might ask, why does God have to allow that the
Does evil nature remain in us? Many answers can
to give, among them. So that we can obtain a deeper understanding and
staff of the terrible ravages that sin has wrought
man, and the total depravity of our being, and thus appreciate grace more
wonderful that has undeservedly saved the most vile sinner from hell.
So that we may be humble before God and absolutely dependent on Him. To
that we ourselves appropriate all of its sufficient grace and know that
His power is perfected in our weakness.
So that we can appreciate His care more - the power of God assists us.
as we seek God for help and protection. A word
very useful that we should take seriously, is found in Deuteronomy
25:17,18: "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way, when you were coming out
from Egypt; how he met you on the way, and disrupted you
the rear guard of all the weak who were behind you, when you were
tired and worked; and he had no fear of God." How can we not
to warn this to maintain a permanent vigilance. It was the 'rear guard'-the
that were farther from their leader - that were defeated. The flesh does not us
can strike while we are walking in close communion with God. And
take into account that it was when Israel was 'weak and tired' that Amalek
it fell upon them. This is also a word of warning. What is the
remedy against fatigue? This: "The boys get tired and fatigued, the
young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength
They will lift up wings like eagles; they will run, and not be weary;
they shall walk, and not be weary." (Isaiah 40:30,31).
Very blessed are the final words of Exodus 17: "And the Lord said to..."
Moses: Write this for a memorial in a book, and tell Joshua that I will utterly blot out
the memory of Amalek from beneath the heavens. And Moses built an altar, and called it
name Jehovah-Nissi; and he said: Because the hand of Amalek was raised against the
God's throne, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
generation."(vv. 14-16). God promised here that in the end He will annihilate Amalek.
In the sure confidence that the faith of Moses anticipated the victory of God at
finally, by erecting an altar and declaring that God is Lord. What a blessing to know that when
Finally, Salvador will transform our vile body, so that it will be like the
body of glory according to the operation by which it can also subdue
all things to Himself. "(Phil. 3:21).

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

The Amalekites were the first enemies to attack Israel, who had
came from Refidim to the south of Palestine, and they were descendants of Esau. Esau was
Jacob's brother who thought little of his birthright. Who was he?
the man that Moses chose to fight against them in the valley? Through
What means does God give them to defeat this evil enemy, and how?
Was it that he/she held on? Who were the two that held the hands of
Moses in the middle of the battle? (Note: Hur could have been his husband of
Miriam, the sister of Moses). Most importantly, the Bible teaches us here the
great truth to which belongs everyone who receives Christ as Savior.
What is this truth and explain this principle in the best way? What did it do and
What does Amalec represent for us? You are experiencing the strength.
of these two principles in their daily Christian walk? What is his (or our)
remedy?

Exodus 18:1-27

Subtle was the temptation presented to Moses; he had to remember about the source.
of his strength, as well as his power to overcome. "Now listen to my advice," said Jethro
(v. 19). In light of that advice, Moses had nothing to do. "This will be easier
for yourself" (v. 22). But the grace of God was not enough. It is sad to see the
effect that this misleading suggestion had on Moses. In Num. 11
we found that Moses complained to the Lord: 'I am not able to bear'
"this whole town, because it is too heavy for me" (v. 14). Is there not a
Is there any servant of God to whom this advice might be useful? Then
Let's remember that he is not called to deal only with the people. No, he said
God: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God."
what strengthens you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness
(Isaiah 41:10) And if the burden is 'too heavy' for you, remember that it is
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you. (Ps. 55: 22)
It is here that the servant of Christ always fails, and it is the lack of the most
dangerous because it carries the appearance of humility. But it suffers from distrust.
in oneself, and the deep humility of the spirit, to reduce the size of the
heavy responsibilities, but we all have to ask ourselves: Has God
Are you willing to respond with great responsibility? If so, surely
you will be with me in its maintenance and God with us. With
God, the weight of a mountain is nothing, and without it, the weight of a feather is
overwhelming. It is completely different if a man, in the vanity of his mind,
he himself goes forward and carries a burden on his shoulder that God never
she wanted me to bear it, and therefore, she never asked me to endure it, then
Surely you can expect to see it crushed under the weight, but if God puts it
about him, He meets the requirements and strengthens us to carry it.
Surprisingly, this has been seen in the account. Moses complained to God about
the burden, and the Lord took it away, but in the removal was the high honor of having
has been called to carry it alone. 'And the Lord said to Moses: Gather for me seventy
men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of
town, and its leaders, and bring them to the meeting place, and wait there with you.
And I will descend and speak there with you, and I will take of the spirit that is upon you, and
I will put it upon them, and they will carry the burden of the people with you, that you do not.
"You can only endure" (Numbers 11:16, 17). Nothing was truly gained.
No fresh food was presented, only a distribution of
"spirit" that passed to the seventies. Man cannot improve the
appointments of God. If he persists in acting according to the dictates of his
Common sense will lose, but if it rests and depends on God, it will win.
A word to say about the closing verse of our chapter: 'And
Moses dismissed his father-in-law, and he went to his land." (v. 27). This text receives
an amplification in Numbers 10: 'And Moses said to Hobab, son of Reuel'
Madianita. Moses "father-in-law, We set out for the place from which the
The Lord said: I will give it to you; Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord
He had promised good to Israel. And he said to him: I will not go, but I will leave for
my land and my kin" (vv. 29-30). How does this statement reveal the heart
from Jethro (here he is called Hobab). The natural ties meant more to him than
with the blessing of Jehovah. He preferred his "land" over the desert, and to his
own 'tribe' to the people of God. He walked by sight, not by faith, and had no
I respect the 'look of the award' promised for the future, but I preferred the
things of the present time of this land. How poorly equipped it was such
person in relation to the servant of God!

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

This adjustment takes place in Sinai. What is Jethro's knowledge of

true God (let's remember, he was from Midian (Ex. 2:16))? Look at Exodus 18:10
23 and tell us your opinion on it.

Exodus 19:1-20:23

Now they have arrived at the base of the Sinai Mountains, and God calls aside to
Moses on Mount Sinai, and he announces to him that he is about to guide his people
in a solemn pact, and invites him to prepare for the manifestation that God
is about to show his people. He says: 'You yourselves have seen, what
I made the Egyptians, and how I took you on the wings of eagles and brought you to myself.
same. Now, if you obey me and keep my covenant, before all the nations
you will be my special treasure, for all the earth is mine, and they will be a kingdom for me
of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:4-6a). "and the people answered to
"a voice." We will do all that you have said, Jehovah" (19:8).
They were then ordered to prepare solemnly, and to
they will separate from all the other towns, and on the third day they will go up to the mountain, but
they had to be very careful, and they should not even touch it, under threat of penalty
of death.
 On the morning of the third day, Jehovah appears enthroned on the mountain in
in the midst of tremendous majesty and glory. Thick clouds of darkness are
around Sinai, and intense lightning that breaks the darkness into pieces
horrible that there is in the mountain, while outside of the darkness until everything
the people trembled, and even Moses was filled with irresistible fear and dread.
At last, God calls Moses in the darkness, and he disappears from sight.
the people trembling in the middle of the mountain of fire. Then the voice follows
long live God in the ears of all the people, and the proclamation of His power
law. Sentence after sentence falling from the mountain, every word of the 10 commandments,
that become for the Age the summary of justice and duty, in its double
double integrity, to respect God and all people and also to
creation of life.
As a testament to their authority and permanence, these words are written.
by the finger of God on stone tablets, and they are kept in the Ark of the Covenant,
and in the very sanctuary of the Hebrew Tabernacle.
Many different names have been given to this divine message. They are
called 'the Decalogue', 'the Ten Commandments', 'the words of the Covenant', 'the
Tables of the Alliance
law". Another account of the same events is found in Deuteronomy 5:22-31,
slightly modified in some subordinate expressions. Our present
purpose simply requires us to explain the meaning of this
dispensation of the law in its relation to spiritual life and ours.
They were given on Mount Sinai in the third month after the departure of
Israel from Egypt as an announcement of God's covenant with His people.
They were given in the midst of great fear and majesty (Exodus 20; Hebrews
12:18-21.
3. They were given through the mediation of Moses (Galatians 3:19-20), and thus they
the law of Moses (John 1:17).
4. They were given through the ministry of the angels (Acts 7:53; Galatians
3:19).
5. Spoken by the very voice of God (Hebrews 12:26).
6. They were administered by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Angel of the Covenant (Exodus
23:20-21; Acts 7:38; Malachi 3:1.
They were written by the finger of God on two stone tablets (Deuteronomy
5:22; Exodus 31:18.
The first tablets were broken in the hands of Moses, perhaps like a
sample of the fact that the contents of the tables had also been
broken by their disobedience and the sins of men (Exodus
32:15-19).
They were rewritten by God and renewed in the second and more loving.
covenant, and then deposited in the Ark of the Covenant to be there forever,
perhaps as a kind of Jesus Christ, who has led us to a new covenant with
God, and keep the law for us by virtue of this new covenant, and also
maintains in our hearts, as our holy dwelling (Exodus 34:1-28;
40:20.
10. It consisted of three parts, namely: the moral, which appears in the 10.
commandments, the ceremonial, with reference to the types of worship, and the judicial,
with reference to the social life and the civil government of individuals.

SECTION II—The design of the Law

THE HOLINESS OF GOD
1. It was intended to reveal the holiness of God. It had just been
to come out of the darkness of Egypt, and they did not have a true concept of God. A
And once again they showed in their short pilgrimage their contempt for authority.
and the law. They must learn about absolute justice and infinite holiness.
Without this, your mercy would not be considered at all.
So in our life, God has to reveal Himself in His majesty and purity,
as well as in love. So it came to Job, until he himself hated the
light of God. He came to Isaiah, until he fell at his feet feeling like
unclean and cried out for purity. So too comes to every soul before
thus it can be understood what sin or holiness is. The most
A simple faith will never be the most reverent. The more we know its purity,
the more we will become worthy of their love. And so, even in everything the
By the grace of the Gospel, we are taught that we must have grace and worship God.
pleasing him with fear and reverence, for our God is a consuming fire
(Hebrews 12:28 b-29).

THE CODE OF CONDUCT

The following design of the law was to reveal to man the perfect norm.
of duty and justice, by virtue of that period of divine revelation. It was
a wonderful embodiment of all the essential principles of justice and
virtue. Starting with God himself, first of all, it presents him as the
supreme object of worship and adoration. Below is taught the method of
worship, then the spirit of worship; and then the time of worship.
Then we are taught secondly about the relative rights of the
man, who begin first with the family, the root of all society, along
with our obligations that pertain to human life, and then to development
social purity, followed by property rights, and then about the
reputation, and it ends with the 10th commandment which is the very spring of the
action and character, our desires and motivations, and demand justice for them
and absolute purity.
They have been called, even by eminent jurists, 'A miracle of ethics'
transcendently before the highest productions of thought
humans in any time or country.

TO REVEAL SIN AND GUIDE US TO CHRIST

3. It was designed to reveal the sin of man and lead us to Christ to

salvation and sanctification. This was perhaps their main reason for the design: 'I do not
I would not have known sin except through the law" (Romans 7:7). Therefore, no
human being will be justified before God, observing the law, but through
"The law is the knowledge of sin" (3:20) God Himself declares: "God has
I have come to put you to the test, so the fear of God will be with you.
to prevent them from sinning" (Exodus 20:20). God knew that His people would violate the law, and
I never expected them to be saved by their own obedience to her, but rather to
through their demands for their helpless and lost condition, and for the
they are led to accept the atonement and the justice of our Lord
Jesus Christ. "So the law has been our tutor to bring us to Christ so that
we were justified by faith " (Galatians 3:24). Therefore, this salvation must
to reach all souls, to reveal oneself, to convince them of
sin, to kneel at the feet of God for His mercy," that every mouth may
"close and the whole world falls under the judgment of God" (Romans 3:19). And then,
when everything has been included under sin, He has mercy on all
that believe in Him.
A poor slave was dying. His master went to see him and they took him away carefully.
by the hand. The slave kissed his hand and said: "Blessings for this hand"
Why, Sam," said the teacher, "How can you say that? He never did that.
the hand But it has something more than harm in its possession, but it has hit and
Bruised hundreds of times, how can you bless my hand?
blessings from that hand," replied the poor slave. "It was the one that brought me
also from my comfort to my precious Lord Jesus, He calmed my pains, made
that my heart would be happy so that I could stop suffering
unnecessarily. If blessings through this hand, that leads me to You. Like this
that the law is like a tough old teacher, it can only condemn and punish, but
takes us to the cross and to the Savior.
Not only does the law show us our guilt, and lead us to Christ for our
salvation, but at a later stage in our experience, reveals to us
ourselves and to our absolute sinfulness, and also leads us to
He for sanctification.
The first operation of the law is to condemn the sinner and lead him to
Christ for forgiveness is presented in Romans 3:9-31. But it must also reach
the recognition of forgiveness. The soul must see its intrinsic wickedness and discover
for "No good thing dwells in me, that is, in my flesh" (Romans 7:18), and
who can receive Christ in his fullness, because of his inner purity and life.
This application of the law is clearly described in Romans 6 and 7.
But for some time now, like Israel in the first part of his journey, the
soul has gone in joy and confidence, but suddenly the sky is cloudy. It
deals with Sinai, which listens to the voice of the law, and considers that within which
it is neither nor can it be, nor wants to obey, but easily cries out: "We will do
everything that Jehovah has said" (Exodus 19:8), and then a mistake occurs, the
sins, they manifest, are brought to light and also under condemnation.
What is there in all this to sanctify? Why? This is the very root of
sanctification. It is finding our impotence, our total limitation. It
is reaching the end of the power of the self. And when, discouraged and defeated with
his vain efforts and his broken promises and thwarted intentions, he shouts
desperate: "Who will deliver me from this body of death! What a wretched man!
I am!
Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24). Then it
find the same friend who blessed him freed from guilt, standing again to
his side, and offering him a hand to save him from himself and from sin that
lives in us through the life of Christ and the power of the cross, and
then the shouts of joyful liberation are heard: 'Thanks be to God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:25).
Once again, the law has been your tutor, to lead us to Christ, this time to
sanctification. And now he realizes that even in the heart there is evil, so
As for his miserable past, he has paid the full penalty, so that
search inside yourself, which is already dead with Christ, through his cross, and
for we know that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of
sin and death, and that the justice of the law is fulfilled in Him, since He walks in
the new life of resurrection, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

The Christ in the Bible, A. B. Simpson

If today you hear his voice and keep his commandments, and this promise He gave
In verse 6—what is the foundation of His promise to them? And Him
the people responded (v. 8) -? What relationship does this have to the future of Israel?
to make such a bold statement?
And he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.' And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.'
Does God call us to be holy, as He is holy? Are we set apart by Him and
for His purposes, and His people is distinguished in nature and character from the
world? Are we going to be different in our way of thinking, acting, and living?
Is this difference visible and does it give glory to God? Gal. 3:10 says: 'Cursed is everyone'
Anyone who does not remain in all the things that are written in the book of
the law, to make them." Why is it the law of a curse?
How is this curse removed? How can we live the life of Christ according to
Matthew 5:1-48 in knowing that we have the same nature of sin as the
Israelites in us?
Jeremiah 31:33
Galatians 3:10-13
Explain how to be free from the curse of the law that allows us to live a life
Pleasing to God? If we say that today we are still under the law
So we are under a curse?

Éxodo 20:18-26

The ten commandments express man's obligations in their original.

state, while enjoying freedom and open communion with God. /But the
the state of innocence quickly departed from him, and like descendants of the
Adam, we fell. The children of Israel were sinners, they could not fulfill the
just requirements of God. Fear and shame took hold of them
before the terrible God, as He appeared to them in His holiness, like a fire
consumer. The effect of God's manifestation to Israel is seen in its
majestic presentation in Sinai.
The whole village watched the thunder and lightning, and the sound of the
trumpet and the mountain that smoked: and when the people saw it, they saw, moved, and they
heart from afar. And they said to Moses: Speak to us, and we will listen; but not
"Let God speak with us, so that we do not die" (20:18-19).
It was a clear recognition from Israel that they were incapable of
to deal with God directly on the ground of the Decalogue. They felt at the same time that
some provisions were necessary for what he did for them. A mediator is
necessary
Moses must deal with God on his behalf. This was acceptable as long as
what it was, but it didn't fully meet the demands of the situation. It
meeting with the need by his side, but he had to trust in God. The Legislator
he was holy, and required that his justice be fulfilled. The transgressor of his law did not
could be handled simply through a mediator as such. Justice
it must be satisfied, it must be done: the sin must be atoned for: only then
Could the inexorable demands of divine justice be fulfilled.
According to this, this is what is presented to us in the narrative.
The following is what is mentioned here in Exodus 20, it is an altar.
The 'altar' simultaneously speaks of the disposition of divine grace,
disposition that fully demands what the government of God requires, and that
makes it possible for sinners to approach Him without shame or fear, to the
death, a provision that ensures a peace agreement. On this basis it was
established and ratified the Sinai pact. This does not nullify or invalidate
what Jehovah had said in Exodus 19:5: "Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice,
And you will keep my covenant, you will be my special treasure above all the
peoples; for all the land is mine." The Sinaitic covenant was an agreement in the
what God proposes to do to Israel to bless him for his obedience in the
new land they enter. By their will this was never annulled. Without
embargo, its failure has been anticipated, and from the beginning, Israel establishes the
possibility of failure which only represents the most unforgivable evil
posterior.
We read that in Eden, man proposed his innocence, created to
in the image and likeness of God, needed nothing. He had no sin that
to atone on an altar: he had no sense of shame, nor fear of
God when He was in His presence and communion with Him directly. He was the
the sin of man that made an 'altar' necessary, and it was grace
divine, who established one. There are two things to take into account here in Exodus 20:
Jehovah was not dealing with Israel solely on the basis of His justice,
but also for His great mercy.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Was Israel able to deal with God directly, without a mediator? Are we
capable of dealing directly with God? Why? What were they for?
stones in Exodus 20:25 that should not be chiseled or touched by any tool
of man? Rom. 4:5 1 Cor. 1:29 Titus 3:5

Exodus 21:1–23:33

The law of Moses had three great divisions: the moral, the civil society, and the
ceremonial. The first is found in the Decalogue; the second
(mainly) in Ex. 21-23, and the third (mainly) in the book of
Leviticus. The first defines God's demands on Israel as human beings,
and the second was for the social regulation of the Hebrew community, and the third
I considered the religious life of Israel. In the first, we can see the authority.
governmental of God the Father, in the second, the sphere and the activities of
God the Holy Spirit - maintain order among the people of God: in the third,
we have a series of types about God the Son.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

We know that Christ came in His first appearance in the role of Servant.
Psalm 40:6-8, Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 52:13-15, Zechariah 3:8 and Philippians 2:5-8. How to study
this passage from Exodus shows a parallel of Christ giving his life as
servant of God, and this current plan of servitude by an Israeli servant? In
Chapters 21-23 of Exodus show us God giving the Israelites the laws.
so that they can be managed in all aspects over time. Can these
laws relieve the burden on Moses when he has to face disputes to know
everything concerning good and evil? Is God moving His people?
was it a self-accountability?
Who is the angel that speaks in Exodus 23:20 (Genesis 16:7, Genesis 21:17,
Ex. 32:34, Judges 2:1) and how Exodus 23:20-23 fits with the second
division of the law of Moses, which are the social norms of the
people

Éxodo 24:1-18

Chapter twenty-four of Exodus presents us with a scene for which we do not

there is no parallel in all the pages of history inspired before the
divine incarnation and that God may dwell among men. This could also
being designated as the Mountain of Transfiguration of the Old Testament, by
Here the Lord manifested his glory, like never before, after or during all the
time of the Mosaic economy. Here we are witnesses of Moses and Aaron, Nadab
and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel in the very presence of God, and
not only are we told that 'But he did not extend his hand over them.' but that
they were completely at ease in his presence, because 'they ate and drank.'
And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins, and the half of the
he sprinkled the blood on the altar. And taking the blood of the covenant, he read to the ears
of the people, and they said: Everything that the Lord has said we will do, and we will obey
(vv. 6, 7). For a complete exposition of the meaning of the performance of
Moses, we must refer the reader to Hebrews 9, lamenting much that here not
we can give a detailed interpretation of the most important aspects of this
chapter:
It will be observed that vv. 18-20 specifically refer to what is here before.
we in Exodus 24. It is enough to say now that, regarding the
importance historical reference of the sprinkling of the blood, denotes a
solemn ratification of the covenant in which Israel entered with Jehovah at Sinai.
Notice how the covenant that God made with Noah was also preceded by a
sacrifice offered to Him: Genesis 8:20 to 9, so it was in relation to the
covenant of Abraham (Gen. 15:9, 10, 17). "And Moses and Aaron went up, Nadab and
Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw there the precious God of Israel
(vv. 9, 10). These words show us the invaluable worth of blood, and
the wonderful privileges that are acquired for those who are with her
cutlery. Please note then the connection, that is, when the blood is
apply. A similar, equally forceful and blessed example can be found
In Revelation 7:14, 15, where we read: 'And he said to me: These are the ones who have...'
come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb. That is why they are before the throne of God, and serve Him
day and night in his temple. The "elders" of Exodus 24 were the representatives
of the Nation. Behold, therefore, it was the blood-splattered on people, who still did not
they had broken the pact, they were in communion with God. The food and the drink, which
it made them be in fullness and provoked peace, and this ruled their hearts in
the Divine Presence.
And concerning the princes of the children, he did not lay his hand, and they saw God, and
they ate and drank '(v. 11).' But yesterday would have been only death to them, but
now they "saw God". And such was their "boldness", due to the blood of the covenant,
they 'ate and drank' in the presence of God. The man of the world
Question: How is it possible that 'the blood of calves and goats' makes a
difference in their ability for us to approach God? And the answer
nothing in the same way that pieces of paper can pose a
change from poverty to wealth. The paper bill is intrinsically worthless.
but represents gold in the coffers of his country's bank. Just like without value
it was that 'the blood of the dead animals', but it represented 'the blood
"precious of Christ". And just as in a single day, the bills can elevate to
recipient of poverty to wealth, for which blood served to
to constitute the Israelites as a holy people in covenant with God "(Sir Robert
Anderson).
There is something here that is very solemn, namely, the mention of Nadab is repeated.
and Abiú, vv. 1, 9. 'Both were sons of Aaron, and with their father were
selected for this singular privilege. But neither the light nor the privilege can
to ensure salvation, nor if the believers walk in holiness and
obedience. So much later they met with a terrible end. They "offered
strange fire before the Lord, which He never commanded them. And fire came out from the presence
of the Lord, and they were consumed, and died before the Lord" (Lev. 10:1, 2). After
from this Dantesque scene in our chapter, they were consecrated to the priesthood
and it was while they were performing their tasks in this office, or rather to
cause of their failure in her, that they fell under the judgment of God. Let the
warning dissipator lights up in our hearts, in order to know
that there are no trades or special privileges that can make it possible for us to.
salvation, unless it is through Christ" (Mr. Dennett).
The history of Israel continued for almost fifteen hundred years after this.
memorable occasion, but they never returned to see their elders 'see God', and
they never ate or drank in his presence again. Sin entered; their
The next act was to break the holy law of making and worshiping a golden calf, and the
next time we see them drinking, it will be from the waters of judgment (32:20).
How ineffably blessed it is to remember that what Israel (through its
official leaders) enjoyed a brief season, now through Christ
it is ours forever. The door to enter was definitively opened to the
presence of God, and there, behind the veil, have communion with Him.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

The sacrifice and the shedding of blood are of utmost value in the
God's covenants with humanity and His efforts to reconcile them with Himself
same, all of which points directly to the Cross, and the Son of God poured out
voluntarily his holy blood for our sins. Read Leviticus 17:11,
take advice and memorize it. A Pact to be completely active,
It must be ratified (or accepted) by two parties, which are in this case? The
the blood of a lamb (or the blood shed in front of the altar) represents

Exodus 25:1-27:21

The tabernacle is one of the most important and instructive types. Here is
a variety of truths, here is the spiritual fullness and multiplicity of
lessons, that we have a great difficulty in combining all the lessons and
various aspects that it presents. The tabernacle has no less than three
meanings,
First of all, the tabernacle is a type, a visible example, of that place.
celestial in which God has his dwelling. Secondly, the tabernacle is a
type of Jesus Christ, who is the meeting place between God and man. And, in
third place, the tabernacle is a type of Christ in the Church of communion of
Jesus with all believers (Adolph Saphir).
The first of these meanings is clearly established in Hebrews 9:23-24:
It was, therefore, necessary for the figures of celestial things to be
purified with these things (that is, blood sprinklings according to Hebrews
9:21-22), but the heavenly things themselves, with better sacrifices than these.
Because Christ did not enter the sanctuary made by hand, which are the figures of
true, if not in heaven itself, to now present itself in the presence of
God for us." "The tabernacle was a symbol of the dwelling of God. There is
a sanctuary, where it is the special residence and manifestation of the presence
glorious of God. Solomon, although he confesses that the heaven of heavens cannot
to contain God, and yet prays that the Lord may hear in the dwelling
from heaven (2 Chron. 6). Jeremiah testifies: "Throne of glory, exalted from the
"the principle is the place of our sanctuary" (17:12). The visions of Ezekiel
they also bring before us the vision of the open heavens, and the likeness of
a throne, and the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, a likeness
that seemed like a man on the throne (1:26). From this heavenly place David
speaks, when asked, 'Who will dwell in your tabernacle? Who
Who will dwell in your holy mountain?
additional confirmation of this truth: "And after these things I looked, and I
Here the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony was opened in heaven (15:5)... Almost
all the expressions that are used to describe the meaning of
Tabernacle is also used in reference to heaven (A. Saphir).
Secondly, the tabernacle is a type of the Lord Jesus Himself,
particular of Him here on earth during the days of His flesh. Just as the
The Tabernacle was the dwelling place of Jehovah among Israel as it is told to us that
God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself" (2 Corinthians
5:19.), And again: "In Him dwells all the fullness of the Deity bodily"
(Col. 2:9). Clearly, this was an application of our type that was manifested
in the Incarnation. The Tabernacle was not something that originated in the mind
from Israel, or even in that of Moses. But it was designed by God himself. Thus
that the humanity of Christ, who consecrated his Deity to die on the cross, does not
He was begotten by man - He said, 'A body you have prepared for me' (Heb. 10:5)
He said. This second aspect of the type will be developed more extensively in
continuation.
But the tabernacle still has a third aspect. "There is no God and His
satisfied people. The ark of the covenant was nothing more than the throne where God dwells.
it manifested in His holiness, but it was also the throne of the relationship with his
people. In all the offerings and sacrifices, God has manifested Himself, only in
regarding sin, merciful towards the sinner, also God
and the sinner is satisfied, only through Christ. So in everything the
the tabernacle was the manifestation of God in order to lead Israel to the
communion with Himself. In the Tabernacle, the communion of man with God is
symbolizes through multiple mediations, sacrifices, or offerings. But in
Jesus, we have the perfect and eternal fulfillment of that relationship.
Sapphire)
This third aspect of our type is more than hinted at in Revelation.
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and
they will be his people, and God himself will be with them and will be their God.' The key
For the Tabernacle, then, is Christ. In the scroll of the book it is written of Him.
As a whole and in each of its parts, the Tabernacle prefigured the person
and the work of the Lord Jesus. Every detail typifies some aspect of his ministry or
some excellence of his person. Proof of this is mentioned in John 1:14:
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (RV). The reference here is to
the divine incarnation and the first coming of the Son of God to this earth, and
Your language takes us back to the book of Exodus. Many and varied are the
correspondences between the type and the anti-type. Let's cite from our comments
About John 1:14.
1. The tabernacle was a temporary appointment. In this it differs from the temple.
Solomon, which was a permanent structure. The Tabernacle was simply
a tent, a temporary convenience, something that was suitable
to be and he moved from one place to another during the pilgrimage of the children of
Israel in the desert. That was when our blessed Lord dwelled here.
among men. His stay was a short time - less than forty years, and,
like the type. Their stay will also be brief. Not much time was spent in
one place, but was constantly on the move, tireless in the
activity of his redeeming love.
2. The Tabernacle was for use in the desert. After Israel...
established in Canaan, the tabernacle was replaced by the temple. But
during the time of the pilgrimage from Egypt to the promised land, the
The tabernacle was God's provision for them. The desert surprisingly
it prefigures the conditions that in this world the only permanent thing is the Word
eternal that dwelt among men in his first advent. The desert was
place for the Tabernacle undeniably announced as the manger-crib
of Salvador. Showing that for the Son of man there was no place for
resting his head, the grave was borrowed for his burial. A study
Careful of the chronology of the Pentateuch seems to indicate that Israel used the
Tabernacle in the desert and no less than thirty-five years.
3. The Tabernacle was humble, and not very attractive in its outward appearance.
In total, unlike the expensive and magnificent temple of Solomon, there was nothing in
the exterior of the Tabernacle to please the fleshly sight. So it was also the
Incarnation of our Lord. The divine majesty of our Lord was
hidden beneath a veil of flesh. The wine, without the attention of the people, nor with
an imposing retinue of angels. To capture the incredulous gaze of Israel No
it had neither shape nor beauty, and when they saw its eyes, they found it without
attractive so that we desire him.
4. The Tabernacle was the dwelling place of God. It was there, in the midst of the camp,
who took possession of his dwelling. There, among the Cherubim.
propitiatory made His throne. In the Most Holy Place He manifested His presence in
means of glory (Shekinah). And during the thirty-three years that the Word
he lived among men. God had his dwelling in Palestine. The holy of the
Santos received his atypical one from the fulfillment in the town of the Saint of
God. Just as the Shekinah dwelled between the two Cherubim, for which in the
mount of transfiguration, the glory of the God-man shone forth from between two
men: Moses and Elijah. "We have seen his glory" It is the language of the type of
tabernacle.
5. The Tabernacle was, therefore, the place where God met with the
man. It was called 'the tabernacle of meeting.' If an Israelite has wanted
to approach Jehovah had to come to the door of the Tabernacle. Upon giving
Instruction to Moses regarding the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings,
God said: "And you shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put
the testimony that I will give you. And there I will manifest myself, and I will speak with you
25:21-22). How perfect is this kind person. Christ is also the place of
meeting between God and man. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
There is only one Mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus (1 Tim.
It is that which extends between the gap of Deity and humanity,
because He is the God made Man.
6. The Tabernacle was the center of the Israelite camp. In the vicinity
immediately of the Tabernacle lived the Levites, the priestly tribe: "but rather
you will place the Levites in the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all of them
utensils, and above all the things that belong to him; they will take the
tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they will serve in it, and camp around it
of the tabernacle" (Numbers 1:50), and around the Levites were grouped the
twelve tribes, three on each side, see Numbers 2. Once again, we read that when
the camp of Israel was to be moved from one place to another, then the
the tabernacle of meeting was set up in front of the camp of the Levites
in the middle of the field" (Num. 2:17). Once again, "And Moses went out and said to him
he spoke the words of the Lord and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the
people, and made them stand around the tabernacle. And the Lord descended in the
cloud and spoke to them "(Numbers 11:24-25). How striking this is!
The Tabernacle was the great gathering of the center. As such, it was a beautiful
omen that Jesus is in the Lord of our relationship with God. He is
our great meeting in the midst, and His precious promise is that where they are
two or three gathered in His name, He is right there in the midst of them
(Matthew 18:20).
7. The Tabernacle was the place where the law was kept. The first two
stone tablets, on which Jehovah had written the ten commandments
were broken (Ex. 32:19), but the second was placed in the ark of
tabernacle for its custody (Deuteronomy 10:2-5). Only there, in the holy of the
saints, that the tables of the Law have been preserved intact. How this, of
new, he speaks to us about Christ! He was the one who said: 'Behold, I come; in the scroll of'
the book is written of me, I delight to do your will, oh my God, and your law
is in the middle of my heart" (Psalm 40:8). Throughout his perfect life he
keep in thought, word and deed the divine Decalogue, to honor and
magnify the law of God.
8. The Tabernacle was the place where the sacrifice was made. In its outer courtyard.
there was the bronze altar, where the animals were brought, and on the basin were
dead. There was the spilled blood and atonement was made for sin.
So it was with the Lord Jesus. He fulfilled in his own person the typical meaning
from the bronze altar, made from all the pieces of the tabernacle furniture.
The body in which He dwelled on earth was nailed to the cruel beam. The Cross
It was the altar on which the Lamb of God was slain, where His precious
blood was shed, and where complete atonement for sin was made.
9. The Tabernacle was the place where the priestly family was fed. "And the
the remainder of it will be eaten by Aaron and his sons: with unleavened breads,
it must be eaten in the holy place, in the courtyard of the tabernacle of the
the congregation shall eat it... The priest who offers it for atonement shall
he will eat: in the holy place he will eat "(Lev. 6:16-26). How deeply
How significant are these Scriptures in consideration of the type! And how should it be
talk to us about Christ as the food of God for the family
priestly of today, that is, for all believers (1 Pet. 2:5). He is the Bread
of life. He is the only one upon whom our souls can feed and
to delight oneself.
10. The Tabernacle was the place of worship. For the pious Israelites, they brought
their offerings. There they would go when the people wanted to worship God and brought their
offerings. Within their courts, the priests ministered in the sacred
service. And the same happens with the anti-type. It is by Him that we must offer to
God a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15). It is in Him, and through Him, only.
we can worship the Father. It is through Him that we have access to
to the throne of grace.
11. The Tabernacle had more than one door. Think of a building so large,
but with a single entrance. The outdoor patio, with its solid curtain walls
whites, was crossed by a single door, which tells us of the only way to
the same presence of a holy God. How this reminds us of the words
from He who said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father
it's not because of me." Access can only be obtained through Him, who declared:
I am the door (John 10:9).
12. The Tabernacle was approached through the tribe of Judah, this is a
the most striking detail is not evident at first glance, but has been established
clearly when comparing Scripture with Scripture. Numbers 2 records the
arrangement of the twelve tribes of Israel, as they grouped around the
four sides of the Tabernacle, and verse 3 tells us that Judah was going to be in
the East side. Now Exodus 27:12-17 makes it clear that the door of the Tabernacle
was also on the East side. Therefore, the entrance to the Divine sanctuary
obtained through the tribe of Judah. The meaning of this is easy to discern.
It was through the tribe of Judah that the true Tabernacle obtained its
entry into this world. Therefore, it is our Lord designated "the Lion of the
tribe of Judah" (Rev. 5:5).
13. The suggestions are that the Tabernacle is related to the lordship.
Christ's universal. This can be easily demonstrated by the fact that
each kingdom of nature contributes its share to the construction and enrichment
from the Tabernacle. The mineral kingdom supplies the metals and precious stones,
the plant kingdom gives wood, linen, oil, and spices; from the animal kingdom it
they obtain the skins and hair curtains from goats, in addition to the multitude of
sacrifices that are constantly required. How do they remind us of these
words of Him whom the Tabernacle prefigures. "Silver and gold is
"Mine" (Haggai 2:8), and again. "The animals on a thousand hills are mine" (Psalm)
50:10).
14. The Tabernacle was served by women. Their role was to provide the
beautiful curtains and drapes: "And all the women who were wise of
they spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun: so much of blue, and
purple, and crimson, and fine linen. And all the women whose hearts urged them
"in wisdom they spun goat hair" (Ex. 35:26). How well, this prefigures the
loving devotion of women mentioned in the Gospels of the
who served Christ with substances: see Luke 7:37; 8:2-3; John 12:3, Luke
23:55-56
Thus we see fully and perfectly how the tabernacle announced the person.
of our blessed Lord, and why the Holy Spirit when it announced the
Incarnation, he said: 'And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us'.
note that there are a series of contrasts between the desert and the tabernacle with the
temple of Solomon in its respective prefigurations of Christ.
The tabernacle is like a type of Christ in His first coming; the temple
points us to Christ in his second coming.
The tabernacle was historically the first; the temple was built much later.
Some time later.
The tabernacle was erected only temporarily; the temple was a structure
permanent.
The tabernacle was erected by Moses, the prophet (who was the full office of
Christ during his first coming): the temple was built by King Solomon
(what is the office of Christ that will be fulfilled in his second coming).
The tabernacle was used in the desert and speaks to us of humiliation.
Christ, the temple was built in Jerusalem, and it is 'the city of the great King'
(Matthew 5:35), speaking of the future 'glorified' Christ.
The number that appeared most prominently in the tabernacle was five.
years, and it speaks to us about grace, and grace is what characterizes the ministry
earthly of Christ in his first coming, but the main number in the temple to
the twelve years, speaks to us about the government, for Christ who will pronounce in his
second coming and will point to the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The tabernacle was attractive in its external aspects, so that when
Christ was here before, he was like 'a root of dry ground', but the temple was
renowned for his exterior magnificence, so too Christ when He returns
he will come in power and great glory.
The tabernacle - the materials it was made of were seven pieces of furniture, the
priesthood that served in it, the offerings and the sacrifices, must be
considered as a great objective lesson, establishing spiritual truth.
For this reason, among others, it was designated 'the Tent of Testimony' (Num. 9:15).
There, he witnessed the good things to come (Hebrews 10:1). There it was proclaimed
the holiness and majesty of the great Jehovah. There the terms of the
communion with him. The way of approach was revealed through the pouring out of
blood. There, the urgent need for a designated mediator was displayed.
Divinely. There, the efficacy of atonement through sacrifice was shown to him.
innocent victim to the guilty. There, the propitiatory was established, in which God
he communicated with the representative of his town.
 Our great difficulty when trying to interpret the portions of the Scriptures
what is now before us is the multitude of the revelations contained in the
same.
Through the tabernacle, Jehová revealed His character and made known His
purpose of redemption. There, with holiness and righteous indignation against sin
he declared the fact that God is just, even to justify. The Tabernacle
it was the place of sacrifice, its most vivid spectacle where the sacrifice was sprinkled
with the blood, marking with this act the sufferings and death of Christ.
It was also the place of purification, where there was blood for atonement and
also the water to wash away the stains of pollution. In this way
Christ "loved the Church and gave himself up for her, to sanctify her, and
to cleanse her, in the washing of water by the word, in order to present her to
A glorious church, that has no spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
similar, but that she would be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:25-27). The
The tabernacle had inner chambers, which established the fullness of the
blessings that the believer has in Christ. In them was the light, the bread, and the altar
of prayer for all those who found their full fulfillment in our
blessed Redeemer.
Probably the outstanding lesson that the Tabernacle teaches us is the
the way a sinner can approach God. First of all, one must
he remembered the strength with which sin had separated him from God. The
The Tabernacle was the dwelling place of God, and it was enclosed, surrounded by walls of
pure white curtains. This at the same time teaches Israel the holiness of Him who
has come to dwell among them, and that they would be made white and that He
He would take away their sinful nature that made them unfit to enter into His holy.
presence. Oh, dear reader, you have already reflected on holiness
ineffable of God, and he realized that his sins have caused a separation
of Him?
But although the sanctuary of Jehovah was closed, there was a door to
through which the Israelites could enter the outer courtyard, although not yet
progress can be made. There, in the outdoor courtyard, was the appropriate Tabernacle,
with its two compartments, surrounded by wooden plank walls, and only
the priests were allowed to enter it, but only into the first chamber of the place
holy. Beyond, there was the holy of holies, where the glory of God, the Shekinah,
the visible representation of God's presence resided between the cherubim
of the propitiatory. Within this compartment Moses never entered
mediator, and Aaron, as high priest one day a year.
Wonderful is the progressive order of teaching in relation to the
various objects in the Tabernacle. At the bronze altar, sin was judged,
and by the shedding of blood it was atoned. The purification was carried out by the
washing. The holy provision was made through prayer, food, and the
lighting, while the holy of holies was displayed in the midst of its
glory like the enthroned King. The same principle of progress is what
it is also seen in the increase in the value of sacred vessels. Those that are in
the atrium was made of wood and bronze, while those of the compartments of
the interiors were made of wood and gold. Likewise, the various curtains were of the most
rich designs and beautiful, the inner veil was the most expensive and of highest quality
elaboration. Once again, the outer atrium, upon being opened, was illuminated by
the natural light; the sanctuary was illuminated by the light of the golden chandelier,
but the Most Holy Place was filled with the glory (Shekinah) of the Lord. Thus, the
the journey from the outer courtyard to the most holy place was from sin to the
purification and from grace to glory. How is this blessed truth illustrated?
that "the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which increases in
increase until what day is perfect" (Prov. 4:18).
 The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink

The Most Holy Place is the dwelling of God on earth, it was set apart for
to remind us of the importance of seeking the presence of God. What does it represent?
For us, what happened when Christ was crucified? Who can
to enter this holy place and how often can one do it?
Can you name the three items that were part of the Holy of Holies?
The first ceremonial worship object was the bronze altar of the burnt offering.
Why did all those who came start here, and what is offered there?
for them? (You will find that bronze is always synonymous with judgment.)
What was the next ceremonial cult object, for whom was it, and what is it?
What happened here? Can it be considered that all people fall into the
atrium?

Éxodo 28:1-29

In the previous article, we pointed out how the interpretation and application
of the typical teachings found in the Pentateuch related to
the priesthood of Israel demands wisdom and heavenly guidance. In light of the
Epistle to the Hebrews, it is clear that there are many points of contrast, thus
as a comparison. But what is more important to see is that when
we commented there, about the types of Exodus and Leviticus, the Holy Spirit has
expressly declared that the entire ritual of the Tabernacle was "a figure of the
present time" (Heb. 9:9), which was also "a shadow of the good things
upcoming, and not the very image of things" (10:1). They were not given to
Israel as a model for Christians to emulate, but rather as a foreboding of
the spiritual things that find their fulfillment in Christ himself. The
holy places made with hands were merely "figures of the true"
to say of the "same heaven" (Hebrews 9:24). A true apprehension of it is
our only safeguard against priesthood and ritualism in what
meat delights so much. Then, the arrival of death, of resurrection and
ascension of Christ, the shadows that fade before the reality of the
glorious resurrection. As someone has very well said: "To imitate a
the renaissance of what God has set aside for perfect fulfillment and
glorious, it is bold, and full of danger for the souls of men. Then,
it is not even the shadow of a substance, but it is the unauthorized shadow
of a shadow that was. "It is the non-compliance of this which has been carried out such
confusion and chaos of Christianity, resulting in the denial of that which
it is at the very foundation of Christianity.
Under the Mosaic economy, the priests were a special class.
designated to serve God on behalf of the people. They enjoyed
privileges that were not shared by others. Theirs was a closeness of their own.
of themselves to Jehovah. They were invested with authority and were allowed to
to do what was not given to those whom they represented. But on the Cross
A radical change took place. The old order came to an end, and a new one was inaugurated.
Judaism had ceased, and Christianity was introduced. Two actions.
symbolic clues clearly indicated this. First of all, in Matthew 26:65
we are told, 'The high priest tore his garments', something that was prohibited
expressly by the law, see Leviticus 21:10. God allowed this to show in
Israel that the civil priesthood had ended, that it had been made
pieces and that there was no more use for them. Secondly, the tearing of the
veil (Matthew 27:51): It was the barrier of the presence of God that no longer existed
for his people.
 In Hebrews 5 and 7, the Holy Spirit draws our attention to a number.
of contrasts between the priesthood of Aaron and that of Christ. One of the things that
It was necessary to take into account the office of the high priests in Israel.
that they should have compassion for those who were ignorant or were outside of the
path, because he himself was surrounded by a lot of weakness (5:2), but the
Christian high priest is "holy, innocent, pure, separated from the
fishermen" (7:26). Once again, in Hebrews 5:03 it is noted that the high
the priest of Israel needed to offer sacrifices for his own sins, but
that Christ is "the Holy One of God," and "did not know sin." Once again, the
the priests of the house of Levi were established "without an oath" (7:21), and,
consequence, some of them were isolated from the priesthood, as was the
case of Nadab and Abihu, from the lineage of Eli, but Christ was made a priest with a
oath for what he said: The Lord swore and will not repent, you are a priest
forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (7:21). Finally, Aaron was
made a priest according to the law of a carnal commandment (that is, that which
that referred to mortality), but Christ "according to the power of a life
indestructible (7:16).
In light of these differences, and of the superiority of the priesthood of Christ
exalted over the Aaronic, we are told, "there a change becomes necessary
also by law "(He. 7:12), that is, in its strictest sense, a "change" in
the legislation related to the priesthood, in its broadest sense, a 'change' in
relationship with ceremonial law. It is important to keep in mind that no part
The ceremonial law was given to Israel until after the priesthood.
was established. Therefore, this "change of the law" meant a change of
dispensation and everything related to the priesthood.
Well, this 'change' in the legislation is relative as it occurs in the
priesthood of the Papacy, and puts aside all those who are infected by the
priestly spirit. Romanism is largely a revival of
Judaism, in addition to the corruption of paganism. It is a deliberate rejection and
pernicious of what is distinctive in Christianity. It is a perverse denial
of the permanent effectiveness of the offer from one who fulfilled all the functions
priests of the Lord, Jesus. Rome perpetuates the Levitical order,
claiming that their priests, like Aaron and his sons, are especially
authorized and qualified to go to God on behalf of their peers. But 1
Peter 2:5, 9 states that all believers are now 'Priests', and that all
the people of God equally enjoy the freedom of access to the Place
Most Holy (Heb. 10:19, 22). As another has truthfully said: "The weakest
a member of the family of faith is both a priest and the apostle himself
Pedro. He is a priest - he worships spiritually in a spiritual temple, and
it is found on a spiritual altar, that offers a spiritual sacrifice, is
clothed in spiritual garments. "That spiritual temple is heaven itself,
who entered into the spirit through the veil torn by Christ, who is the altar
spiritual (Heb. 13:10) is the same Christ who presented his best offering before
from the altar. He "sanctifies the offering" (Matthew 23:19), that the spiritual sacrifice is the
praise to God (Hebrews 13:15).
Now moving on to the priestly robes of the high priests of Israel.
We would like to draw attention once more to the order of the instructions of
Jehovah and Moses. In Exodus 29 we are told about the consecration of Aaron and
your children to the holy office. But before this happens, in Exodus 28, there is the
description of the various garments they were going to wear in their performances. In
First of all, the garments of the high priest are detailed, and then those of the
children of Aaron. The anointed eye can easily discern property and reason.
of this. Typically, clothing foreshadowed the multiple glories of
Christ, the great High Priest, who perfected and demonstrated his suitability for
the office. The holy garments of Aaron were 'for glory and beauty': and he was given
dignity to his person, being the appropriate clothing for his position of eminence.
In the figure, Christ was pointed out in all his perfections with the Father beforehand.
that he was 'consecrated' to his mediating work with us.
And you shall make sacred garments for Aaron your brother, for honor and for
beauty" (v. 2). This should be compared to Leviticus 16:4," He shall dress in the
holy linen tunic, and linen underpants over his flesh, and he shall gird his loins
of linen, and with the linen mitre that will be worn: these are the holy garments.
There were two sets of clothing provided for the high priests of Israel:
the one mentioned in Leviticus 16 was the one they carried
in the annual celebration of the Day of Atonement. Then, wrapped only in a
immaculate white, foretold the personal righteousness and holiness of the Lord
Jesus, who equipped them to carry out the wonderful work of setting apart
the sins of His people.
It is worth noting that Aaron's garments were only seven 'for glory and
for beauty." "And these are the garments that will be: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a
tunic and an embroidered cape, mitre, and the belt, and they will be the sacred garments
for Aaron your brother, and for his sons, to minister in his office
priestly before me" (28:4). In addition to the six mentioned articles
here, is the 'pure gold plate' on which the words 'Holiness' were engraved
"to the Lord" (v. 36). This, as we are told in Leviticus 8:9, was "the holy diadem."
Note that in the enumeration of 28:4 the "breastplate" comes before the
elsewhere, but in the details that follow the order changes: there is the ephod, the
belt, the two stones, placed on the shoulders of the ephod, and then the breastplate.
The 'Armor' was the main and most expensive of the garments.
so to speak, one of base and another of background so that the center itself - this
pointing to the heart of Christ Himself.
The purpose or design of the armor was to provide support to the stones.
precious ones that were established in it, as well as to provide a
background so that your brilliant beauty can manifest. Therefore, there is little or
no difficulty in perceiving what is central in this type is
blessed. The names of the twelve tribes were inscribed on the jewels of
Israel. Therefore, what we have foreshadowed here is Christ, as our
great High Priest, carrying in his heart, and presenting before God, for
through His blood to the people. There is a slight distinction that can be drawn from what
what we have here and what is established later in Exodus 28:9-12. There,
We also have the names of the tribes of Israel in charge of the high priest.
priest before God. But he is not seen resting on his "shoulders", while
that here (v. 29) rests upon his heart. In which is the strength or the
power of Christ committed in favor of His defenseless people, with His affections
in favor of them.
Therefore, it can be seen that it is primarily perfect security and
durable for all believers who trust in Christ. Both the power and the
the love of Christ is for them, the guarantee of their eternal preservation: "And Aaron
he will carry the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his
heart, when I enter the sanctuary, for a memorial before the Lord
29). His position or standing before God was not affected or altered by the
changing circumstances, diseases, or sins. Every time Aaron
he entered the sanctuary, there he had in his heart the names of all the people
of God. Emphasizing this truth of security, pay attention to the
way in which their names were not simply written (which is why their
suppression was possible) precious stones, but "engraved" (v. 21).
Closely related to his name is what is said in the verse.
And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of
judgment about his heart, when I enter the sanctuary, for remembrance before
of the Lord continuously.” A notable word is the following: A "memorial"
it's a reminder, to call to memory. But, our Father who is in
Do the heavens need a reminder? Due to their omniscience, of course they do.
No, but rather he delights in his heart and is pleased to remind us of his love, yes.
And this, too, for the strengthening of our faith, so that His people may
to know who is in heaven and in their hearts.
The breastplate was placed over Aaron's heart. It is surprising to witness
that we find these words 'in his heart' three times (vv. 29, 30, 30).
As we have seen, the armor was suspended from the shoulders by chains of
gold connected with onyx stones, and the gold rings at the corners
The lower parts were attached to the ephod belt with a blue cord. Therefore, they
was firmly assured upon the hearts of the high priests of Israel. The
the people of God was doubly represented: first, over their
shoulders, the place of strength; and then, in his heart, the seat of affection. It was
so our Great Redeemer in His heavenly ministry presented, in exercise
of His power to defend His people, and show His profound tender love and
immutable to embrace them, bringing them close to his heart, and presenting them to the
Father in glory and in the precious splendor of His Person.
This is beautiful, and many times we need to refresh ourselves having in
Count on the Great Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Heb. 3:1). There is
moments when we forget that we have One higher than all, full
of grace, who cares for and watches over those who are walking the path of
And there are moments when, despite remembering this, we limit ourselves through the
incredulity his love and power. It is precious, then, to remember him of
agreement with what He can do, and what He is willing to do for His love, and
according to Who He is, who has the strength to carry it out
what he promised" (CH Bright).
It is beautiful to observe in the Song of Songs how the bride tells her
Beloved, 'Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a mark upon your
Arm" (8:6): may my name be deeply engraved in your heart, where
Love is as strong as death, and neither many waters can quench it.
love, nor the many floods will drown it because the Almighty
it holds. And that my name be also engraved in the seat of your power, to
that I may be freed from sin and madness, that I cannot be like him
adulterer and the adulteress who seek the friendship of the world. If such a prayer
it was in line with the desires of a fearful people, how much more can it express
this petition the devotion and desires of the people of Christ.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

In relation to us, what jewels in the place of the chest does it refer to?
What do the two onyx stones on the shoulders mean?
the priests? How does Christ fit into the example of the priests?

Éxodo 28:30-43

Now, regarding the Urim and the Tumim, there seem to be some of the
things that God has kindly kept 'secret'. Hence the benefit of
these many articles, that those who resorted to speculation, have written
much about this topic. Regarding the 'Urim and Tumim' no man, Jew or
kind, knows, or cannot know, anything, except what God has 'revealed' to
we through His Word. but like the humble student
attentively compare the different passages in which they are mentioned, and point out
what is said in them reveals that God has been gracious enough to keep it intimate
for us and to reveal a little about its nature, use and meaning
spiritual.
In addition to the names of these two objects (what they were in themselves)
foreshadowing what is in Christ, the purpose for which they were designed,
The use given to them also receives its typical fulfillment in it. As we have
seen, they were used to communicate to the people the knowledge of the mind
of God and what affects him. Fortunately, this pointed to the Lord
Jesus as 'the Wonderful Counselor' (Isa. 9:6). In Him 'are hidden all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). And for that reason, he was able to say:
I am the truth" (John 14:6). The mind and will of God are revealed.
perfectly in Him, by Him and for Him.
In Christ, then, we have the reality of everything that was prefigured by
the Urim and the Thummim. First, He is the 'Light and Perfection' of God–the
The radiance of his glory (He. 1:3). Secondly, in Christ the light and the life, the
justice and the grace of God come together, and their balance is perfectly
maintained. Third, Christ is He in whom we find as the center everything
the counsel of God. Fourthly, the counsels of God that focus on
Christ is inseparably connected with his people. Fifthly, with
Christ and through Christ the mind of God is fully known, because in Him
are hidden "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col.
2:3). Sixth, from Christ, through His Spirit, directions can be obtained to
each step of our pilgrimage. In seventh place, for Christ promised and it
will manage your purchased inheritance.
In conclusion, we can point out a dispensational application that the Urim
and the Tumim had for the Jews. Ezra 2:63 informs us that there was no
nobody with the Urim and Thummim to communicate the mind of God on the day of the
the return of Israel from its captivity in Babylon. The company seen with Ezra
it typifies the pious Jewish remnant during the period of the Great Tribulation. Although
supported by God, the Holy Spirit will not be on earth at that time, and
believers will find themselves without many of the spiritual privileges they have now
they enjoy. But at the close of the time of Jacob's trouble, the Lord Jesus
he will return to the earth: "He will build the temple of Jehovah, and He will bring glory, and He
he will sit and rule on his throne, and he will be a priest on his throne, and the council
there will be peace between both (Zech. 6:13).
At the beginning of the millennium, 'It must happen that the mountain of the house of the
The Lord will be established on the top of the mountains, and will be exalted over the
hills, and all nations will flow to it. And many peoples will come, and they will say:
Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will us
He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for out of Zion
The law will go out, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he will judge between the nations.
Oh house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord" (Is. 2:2 - 5). Then
Israel will enjoy what was announced in antiquity by the Urim and Thummim
on the breastplate of his high priest.

(The Ears of Corn in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

What did the Urim and the Tummim reveal? Does this have any application for us?
today? Num. 27:21 Prov. 16:33 John 5:20 John 14:6 John 15:15 Col. 2:3
What was the message written on the gold plate that is used on the forehead of the
priest (Ex. 28:36)? Zechariah 14:20-21
Éxodo 29:1-46

In order to connect our articles on Exodus 28 with the current one, which deals with
from the last verses of chapter 29, and those that follow in chapter 30,
we are going to give a brief review of the ceremonies that were to be observed in
the consecration of the priests. It is surprising to observe that they were not
exactly seven things he did for them. First of all, they took 'from
among the children of Israel" (28:1). How this clearly points to the Father of
choosing their chosen ones clearly marks those who are on the path for the
salvation, it is too obvious to require any further elaboration on
this. Secondly, they were taken to the door of the tabernacle (29:4): the anti
This type is found in 1 Peter 3:18: "For Christ also suffered once for sins."
once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.
Thirdly, they were washed (29:4): the regeneration of the believer was announced.
the sanctification through the Holy Spirit (John 3:5, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 5:26). In fourth
place, they were dressed in their official garments (29:4-9): this symbolized the
imposition of being clothed with Christ. Fifthly, they were anointed
this pointed to the gift of the Holy Spirit that was given to the believer
Cor 1:21; 1 John 2:27). Sixth, their hands were full (29:24) -
compare this with John 1:1-3 1. In seventh place, they were sanctified (29:44):
this principle includes our mediator set apart for God, see
And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
In fact, it is surprising to see that in the previous one, Aaron and his sons do not
they took no active part in the whole process, from the first to the
the last part was passive in the hands of another. They did not make ministers, but
They served. A lot has been done for them and on their behalf, but they did nothing.
Standing in the place of God, Moses did everything for them. It was by his word that
they were chosen and taken. It was by the hands that were washed, and that
they had to be dressed and anointed. It was Moses who also brought the bull.
from the sin offering, like 'the ram of consecration'. Thus also
the blood was applied to the various parts of their bodies was the work of
Moses (v. 20). Thus, with the wave offering: Moses arranged its various parts.
It was he who 'filled their hands'- so they could receive (v. 24). Finally,
It was Moses who received it again in his hands and gave it again to God.
that had been given first (v. 25).
However, there were four noteworthy and blessed exceptions, four
these are the requirements God has of Aaron and his sons regarding what they must do.
First of all, they were to 'lay their hands on the head of the calf' is
to say, of the offering for sin (29:10), which means that it is identified with
the victim that was to be sacrificed. Normally, this is the confession of the
But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our
sins: the punishment of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we were healed.
healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Secondly, they were to "lay their hands on the head of the
sheep (v. 15), which was a burnt offering offered to the Lord. This speaks of the
guarantee of the believer of his acceptance in the Beloved. Thirdly, also
they laid their hands on the head of the ram of consecration (v. 19).
This foretold that the saints are set apart by and for God, in and through Christ:
For with one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
separated" (He. 10:14). Fourth, they had to eat the meat of the sacrificed ram.
and the bread of the proposition (vv. 32:33). This game represents Christ as the
the food of your people: in its substance and life. It is like contemplating and trying to
to appropriate that Christ may be formed in us: see Galatians 2:20,
4:19
 Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of one day
for the first time this year every day continuously. You will offer the lamb in the
tomorrow, and the other lamb you will offer at twilight" (vv. 38, 39) In the verse
42 we learned that this offering was called 'a continuous burnt offering'. What it was
placed on the altar was in perfect harmony with his now anointed and
sacred character. The "burnt" offering is the highest type of sacrifice in
the Scripture. The first reference to it in the Word helps us to determine
its distinctive significance. In Genesis 22:2 we read that the Lord said to him
Abraham: "Take now your son, your only one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land
from Moriah, and offer it there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you.
What will be particularly noticeable there is Isaac's will and disposition.
according to the will of his father. Therefore, the central idea of this offering
it is devotion. The Hebrew word for burnt offering literally means, what
"go up". It could well be designated as an "ascending offering". The
her entirety, consumed on the altar, ascended to heaven like a sweet flavor.
Leviticus 1 provides complete information about the burnt offering. There it
reads in verse 3 that the offerer was to 'offer of their own will'. This
offering was really the basis of all the other sacrifices, as can be seen
not only because it is prioritized in Leviticus from chapters 1 to 5, but
also because the altar itself takes its name from this: "the altar of the offering of
"holocaust" (Exodus 40:10). It was therefore announced the perfect consecration.
from the Son to the Father, which was the foundation for his dedication at the best of his life
terrestrial, ministry and sacrificial death. He "not glorified for himself" When He spoke
or acted at any time was on behalf of the Father and of whom only his 'honor sought.'
He was able to say: "I have not come to do my own will, but the will
from the one who sent me." He could say: "I have set the Lord always before me"
(Ps. 16:8). Ephesians 5:2 speaks in the language of this particular type: 'Because
also Christ loved us, and gave himself for us, offering and
sacrifice to God in a fragrant aroma.
Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two yearling lambs,
day by day, continuously. You shall offer a lamb in the morning, and another lamb
you will offer in the afternoon." Speaking later in the manner that they would have
men, it was as if God established a constant as a reminder of the
devotion of his blessed Son. Therefore a 'lamb' instead of a (ox or
ram that foreshadowed Christ more in his strength and sufficiency was
named, appropriately for his meekness and submission to the
will of God. And, also, each time he presented himself before his people
it would also be established towards God about the work of Christ. Despite the fact that the
Lord Jesus came to atone for the sins of His people, He did nothing else but
I have come to do your will, cf. Hebrews 10:7 with 10:10.
Since the offer before us was perpetual, God laid a foundation
firm, therefore, in Israel could stand up and be accepted in all its
fragrance and flavor. It thus becomes a type of mediator of the believer,
revealing because of its acceptance in the Beloved, for just like the sweet
the taste of the continuous holocaust never rose to God in favor of Israel, thus
also Christ in all his acceptability is always before their eyes, in
the name of yours. We can therefore say: "Just as He is, so are we
we in this world" (1 John 4:17), because we are in the presence of God
in all the flavor of his sacrifice, and in everything, the acceptance of his person
Dennett.
We must not lose sight of practical teaching for our
souls in this morning and afternoon of the continuous holocaust. Appropriately, this
It has been expressed by others: "God encourages us to renew our affections."
continuously according to the conditions in which He is with us. He
wants every day to begin and end with a new sense of being
with Christ and with God, with us, in the sweet smell and the acceptance of Christ.
He never places in His saints any other reason before what He placed in Christ.
who perfectly glorified, to do his will, and in whom he delights
infinitely. He never departs from that, He never seeks His saints in the
land less than what he sought in Christ. And He is aware of achieving that in
may there be a renewed commitment to that purpose.
you have the same mindset as Christ Jesus
And with each lamb a tenth part of flour dough kneaded with the
a quarter of a hin (approximately 1/2 gallon) of beaten oil, and the quarter
part of a wine offering by a libation. And the other lamb will be offered by the
afternoon, and it must be done in the same way according to the offer of the
meat from the morning, and according to the drink that is offered for them,
in sweet fragrance, burning offering to the Lord '(vv. 40:41). This was the
accompaniment of the Holocaust. The offering is often talked about as a
appendix of the same, therefore, as 'the holocaust- offering and its
offering (Lev. 23:13, 18; Numbers 28:28, 31; 29:3, 6, 9, etc).
The 'meat', or rather the 'offering' is described in detail in Leviticus 2. It
announced the holy and perfect humanity through which the Son manifested his
devotion to the Father. Mixed with the food was the fourth part of a hin
whipped oil. This figure reveals the mystery of the supernatural birth of
Christ, under the action of the Holy Spirit: as the angel said to Mary:
The angel answered her, saying: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of
The Most High will cover you with His shadow; therefore also the Holy One who will be born,
he will be called Son of God" (Luke 1:35). Thus, too, the entirety of life
earthly of Christ and the ministry was imbued with the Holy Spirit. It was
by the Spirit, who was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew
4:1), and from the temptation He 'returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee' (Luke 4:14).
It was by the Spirit that he cast out demons (Matthew 12:28). It was through
of the Spirit through whom He offered Himself without blemish to God (Heb. 9:14). And even after
His resurrection was "by the Spirit" that He gave commandments to the apostles.
(Acts 1:2).
Accompanying the holocaust there was also a libation, which consisted of "the
fourth part of a wine hin. One of the meanings of "wine", when it
emblematically employs, it is joy, the pleasure - Judges 9:13, Psalm 104:15.
Thus, our current type is also, the accompaniment, the libation speaks of
joy of the Father fulfilled in Christ: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am pleased"
complacency." But more: it was offered here by the people of the Lord. For
thus, it also expresses its communion with the joy of God in the perfections
and the devotion of His Son. God has us at feast after feast in which He
delight. Very timely, this refers to the parable of the prodigal son.
When the vagabond had returned in the penance, the Father said: "bring the
fat calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry" (Luke 15:23), figure of the
Father who rejoices in His Son Christ.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Show how Christ acted as our High Priest and explain why.
he is interceding for us before God
Sal. 16:08 Zac. 2:10 Zac. 6:12-13 Juan 14:6 Ef. 5:02
He. 10:7, 10 He. Ap. 13:05 21:03
Are we now like priests and if so, how do we worship God?
Do we offer gifts to Him?
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
What does the sweet aroma of the offering do (Ex. 29:18, 41) and what does it symbolize?
does it ascend to God?
The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: 'Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood; and never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.'

The consecration ceremony (Ex. 29:35-39) was repeated in seven subsequent

day, in the morning and in the afternoon. How does it relate to us before and
After we go out to our daily tasks?

1 You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its width—it shall be square— and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. 4 Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides; you shall place them on its two sides, and they shall be holders for the poles with which to bear it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. 8 And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it; a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it. 10 And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.

There were two altars related to the Tabernacle. Both were made of
wood, but covered with a different metal: one of bronze, and it is named
then like 'the bronze altar' (Ex. 38:30), and the other of gold, and it is called 'the
"golden altar" (Ex. 39:38). That was placed outside the building in the courtyard, right
before the entrance, and the other was inside the holy place, and was in front of the
bike. These altars were closely connected, but it serves to
different uses. Their characteristic names indicate their distinctive designs: the
first being designated as "the altar of the burnt offerings" (40:6), and it was the
place of sacrifice, this last one was called "the altar of incense" (30:27), and it was the
place of worship. Both altars were necessary to expose our one and only
Altar, of whom it is written: "We have an altar, of which they have no right to...
eat those who serve at the tabernacle (He. 13:10).
Some have wondered why the altar of incense is not mentioned in
Exodus 25 and 26, where five of the other pieces of the Tabernacle furniture
They are mentioned, and the holy place is described where it is located. Three reasons may be.
they suggest for this. First of all, the omission of the golden altar from the chapters
previous ones may have been because what is usually established is presented
through the various sacred vessels. Those listed in Exodus 25 and 26
they speak of God in Christ, who goes out to his people, who shows the riches of his
glory and grace, while the two that are before us in Exodus 30
they speak of the provisions that God has made for us to go
to Him, who also expresses the fullness of His love. This is shown so
clearly in this other one:
Why, then, did the Lord give instructions about the furniture of the
"holy place" omits the altar of incense, and mentions the bronze altar that is
located at the door of the Tabernacle? The reason I believe this is
The first time the way in which He is described is
He would manifest to man. He took His seat on the throne as 'The Lord of all
the land" (Joshua 3:13). The rays of His glory were hidden behind the veil of the type
of the flesh of Christ (He. 10:20), but it was the manifestation of himself in
relationship with man, as in the clean table and by the light and the power of
Holy Spirit, like in the candlestick. Then they show us the character of
Christ who manifests as a man here on earth, as seen in the
curtains and the coverings of the tabernacle. And finally, we have the altar of
bronze as the great exhibition of the meeting point between a holy God and the
repentant sinner. This leads us, so to speak, to the extreme point, that
let us return, in the company of Aaron and his sons, back to the holy place, the
common priestly position, where the golden altar of incense was located. Thus
the order is surprisingly coincident and beautiful (C.H.M.).
A second reason may be suggested by the description of the golden altar and
the source should have been postponed until chapter 30 of Exodus. This
He made it clear in Exodus 28 and 29, where we have the quote, the
the investiture and the consecration of the priesthood. Thus, the golden altar was not
mentioned until there was a priest to burn incense about it.
It was at the fountain where the priests washed themselves, and it was at the gold altar that
they ministered; there, too, is where Aaron presented himself before the Lord. Thus,
then the content of chapters 28 and 29 was necessary to bring before
we to the priestly family before we learn about the two vessels
sacred with which they were more directly associated. Thus, also,
experimentally, we learn from what the chapters tell us
previous, before we assess what is established in chapter 30.
A third reason lies in the application of the doctrine of vessels.
sacred to the believers. The main application of each of them is the
the same Christ, but there is a secondary application regarding his people. A
As they are still being demonstrated, one of the fundamental things
prefigured by the altar of gold is worship, and since this is the greatest
exercise of our priestly privileges, duly this was the last
a piece of furniture that came together with the children of Aaron approaching Jehovah.
"Just as the golden altar was the last object reached in the journey from
the entrance to the veil that concealed the mercy seat from the sight of the people, only
It is in worship the highest state that is reached on earth and the object for it.
like all the other things are prepared. The Father seeks worshipers (John
4:23), and this is what led the Lord to pass through Samaria to fulfill that
sinner, to convert his heart from his sins, filling it with the part
satisfactory of grace, that could satisfy the desires of divine love and that
and praise, and worship, which only a clean sinner can give.
And this was what led the Lord to make that journey from the heaven of light and peace to the
cross of suffering and shame. He sought the sinners and the worshipers
to worship Him in spirit and in truth, like an angel, who possibly,
You can test the love of God. Can then a heart overflowing with joy
to have in your conscience the payment that the Savior made, and not to worship him with
excellence, giving the best in praise and gratitude? '(CH Bright).
And Aaron shall burn aromatic incense" (v. 7). The altar was used for a
one thing. We see in Leviticus 16:12, 13 and Numbers 16:46 that the fire in which
the incense was taken from the altar, where the sacrifice was consumed
through sin. There was, therefore, a very intimate connection between the two
altars: the activities of this last one are based on those of the first one, that is to say, the
incense was lit in the fire that had first fueled the sacrifice,
so the identification of the service is in both altars. This, to its figure,
tells us that our great High Priest has bought us with His blood, and
he imparts forgiveness from divine justice for the sins for which he has atoned.
The measure of God's blessings is the 'estimate' of the life He gave in
the cross. Note how in John 17, before presenting an individual request
about your people, that Christ said: "I have glorified you on earth, I have finished
the work you gave me to do "(v. 4). That was the basis on which all of his
pleas were based and urged them to do the same.
There are other passages where the two altars are joined together. Like another has
said: "As corresponds with what the psalmist says when speaking of the house and
mention the solitary sparrow and a nest of the restless swallow, consult these
two altars. "Even the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for
yes, where he puts his chicks, near your altars, oh Lord of Hosts,
My King and my God" (Psalm 84:3). Both altars are thus connected together and
they form something solid and permanent for the poor and needy soul. "Thus also,
when Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord in the temple, worshiping among seraphim with
veiled faces celebrating the majesty of the three times holy God one and
trino, he was overwhelmed by the feeling of his own filth, until
one of those ardent ones (suggesting, perhaps, the fire of God as seen in His
the executors of the judgment) flew like a burning coal that had been taken from
about the altar, and touched his lips, saying: "Behold, this has touched your
lips, and your iniquity has been taken away, and your sin purged" (Isaiah 6:7). The
the carbon of divine holiness had already been consumed in sacrifice and was also
consumed the aromatic incense. Thus, symbolically, the prophet purifies his
lips so they may be "purified according to God", thus estimating the value of the
sacrifice and the person of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Mr. Ridout).
A more solemn contrast to this is presented in the first verses.
from Leviticus 10. There it is said: "And Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, took each one
one on the censer, and they put fire on it, on which they placed incense, and
they offered strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And it went out
fire of the Lord, and burned them, and they died before the Lord "(vv. 1, 2). These
Aaron's sons were consumed by divine judgment because they "offered fire
strange before the Lord," that is, the incense in their censers was not
burned in the fire taken from the bronze altar, but rather it was from his own
fire. It had come from the clear word of the Lord, which had been instructed in
regarding the form of its worship. God was very jealous of its types (compare 2
Reyes 5:26, 27). Because of their actions, Nadab and Abihu were struck down, this
it means that worship cannot be offered to God on any foundation other than
the acceptance through a crucified Christ, and that is why he condemned them.
The incense was to be kept sacred for the service tabernacle and
not he who is manufactured for his personal or family use who does not respond to
this, has to pay the death penalty for his presumption (30:28). No one else
that the priests of the seed of Aaron could minister. When the king
Uzziah tried to usurp the priesthood and boldly challenged the saint.
the will of God in attempting to burn incense before God, his impiety was
severely punished - see 2 Chronicles 26:16-21. Even royalty must
to bow in humiliation before the Lord.

(The Ears of Corn in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

How does aromatic incense represent our intercessory prayers?

Éxodo 30:11-16

When you take the number of the children of Israel according to their count,
each one shall give to the Lord the ransom of his person, when you count them, so that
there may not be any death among them when you have counted them" (v. 12). Please note
the two words in italics. Every time the Holy Spirit supplies
a timestamp like this must be carefully considered: a
a valuable key is provided to the passage - for example: Matthew 13:1;
25:1, etc., such as the case here. The delivery of this ransom money was
connected with the 'numbering' of the children of Israel: observe that the reference
this fact will be done at least five times in vv. 12-14. Here,
so, it's the next step to be heavy as we try to
investigate the spiritual meaning of this ordinance. So, what is the
thought connected with the 'numbering' in the Scriptures?
This is not a minor issue as it is evidenced by the
the fact that the fourth book of the Old Testament is designated with the title of
Numbers: taken from the numbering of the children of Israel for the war,
for the ministry, and for the distribution of his inheritance in Canaan. For
thus, a fair understanding of Jehovah's design for these numbers is
essential for a spiritual understanding of the law. Now the most obvious thing that is
suggest by this "numbering" is the property. Take one or two simple ones
examples that illustrate this thesis. It is natural for me to number the books in my
library, but I would never think of doing it with my neighbors. The farmers
they give a number to the sheep of their flock, but not to those that belong to another
Herd. Property and rights are thoughts related to the
Numeration. The same happens in the Scriptures: when the numbers or the
God's orders are given by the census, taking their sum indicates that he
belong to Him, and that He has the sovereign right to do with them as He pleases.
pleasure. The action itself speaks of the numbered things: These are mine, and I
I assign your place as I want. The following passages confirm our
definition.
Lift up your eyes on high, and see who created these things; he brings out
He counts his army; he calls them all by their names; none will be missing; such is the
greatness of his strength, and the power of his dominion. "(Isaiah 40:26). The reference
here is to the celestial bodies. Property of God and the sovereign disposition of
them. So again in Psalm 147:4 we read, 'He counts the number of the'
stars, he calls them all by their names.
I will also destine you to the sword,
and all of you will kneel at the slaughterhouse, because I called, and you did not
you responded; I spoke, and you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my sight,
And you chose what displeases me" (Isaiah 65:12). This passage, in fact,
He claims that God has dominion over His enemies, but the expression
"destined for the sword," asserts his power to dispose of them; and the other is
clearly involved. The Lord "gives number" to the sword, because He "has
He has made everything for himself: yes, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
(Proverbs 16:4). A similar case is found in the ruling issued in
Baltasar: "This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and has
has put an end" (Dan. 5:26). This may be enough to show the meaning of
the divine sums. They uphold the rights of God's property and His
power to do what he wants with his own.
In the censuses of Israel, God was dealing with the people he had.
redeemed for himself, appropriating what was his, and assigning to each one a
place before Him. This is what is prominently done in the book of
Numbers where the soldiers and servants of Jehovah are highlighted in Israel, and
distributed by Him to each as He wished. Like men of war who
belong to the Lord, committed to making war, that His name was going to
to be glorified, and it was so that He would gather an army for Himself: "The
The Lord is a man of war; Jehovah is his name" (Ex. 15:3). "The Lord
Strong and mighty, the Lord is mighty in battle" (Psalm 24:8). All the
The hosts of heaven are his, and all the armies of the earth as well, for what
it is His prerogative to count. How the Lord carefully guards this
the prerogative can be seen, with terrible strength, in the history of David. He had
he was appointed as the leader of the squads of the living God, and always and
When they took their place in front of the hosts it was like this, but in the end David forgot the
glory of God, and sought his own: "And Satan rose up against Israel and
he incited David to take a census of Israel. And David said to Joab and to the princes of the
people: Go, take a census of Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the
number of them for me, so that I may know it. And Joab answered: The Lord does.
to his people hundred times more than what they are, but my lord the king, are they not
all servants of the Lord? Why then does my lord do these things? Why
What will this be a cause of sin in Israel? However, God was
displeased with King Joab, for which he struck Israel.

(The gleanings in Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Why is the money for atonements the same amount for everyone?
people, regardless of their status in society or their age?

Éxodo 30:17-21

Now we are going to consider the seventh of the sacred vessels of the tabernacle.
Although given for the last time in the divine description of its various pieces of
furniture, the sink was actually the second thing the priest found in
his path to the sacred building. He was in the outer courtyard, between the altar of
bronze and the curtain wall that marked the boundary with the holy place. Although it is
closely related to the altar, everything related to the Lavabo is
it contrasted starkly with the others. The first was made of wood and brass,
the second one was only copper. One was square in shape, and the other, very
probably, it was round. The dimensions of the altar are completely
specific, but there are measures that are connected to the sink. The
first they had rings and rods to carry her, the latter did not have them. They gave each other
precise instructions that the one should be covered when Israel departed
from one camp to another, but nothing is said about this on the other. The altar was
of fire, the Basin for the water. The first received the sacrifices of all for
likewise, this last one was only for the priests. Everything about them was distinguished.
notably.
What is most prominent in relation to the Lavabo was its water for the
cleaning. "The figure of the water is universally known, and represents one
of the most important and necessary elements in the physical universe. We
we found in the vast ocean, which encompasses, by far, the largest part of
the surface of the earth, and in our lakes and rivers, which constitute a
exquisite area of beauty and comfort and commercial value. We found in the
vapor from the heavens, and the dew that gathers on the vegetation of creation,
and preserves from extinction during the torrid summer. We also found that
forms the majority of our own bodies. It is a figure of purity and
freshness, acceleration of life and power, of immensity and abundance. Without
She, life could not exist even for a single month. And so we find her.
in the Bible also as one of the most important symbols of things
spiritual" (Dr. AB Simpson).

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Why did the priests have to wash their hands and feet with water?
from the sink? The bronze fountain was made of polished material and has a mirror.
as a main quality (Ex. 38:3). With Ephesians 5:26 and James 1:23 show
an application that has this source for us today?

Éxodo 30:22-38

As with everything related to the service of the house of Jehovah, the oil of the
holy anointing, with its fragrant ingredients, pointed to the person of the Lord
Jesus and the virtues that must be found in Him, in particular, those
thank you that the Holy Spirit manifests through Him. Although there may be
some difficulty in determining the importance of certain details in the
spiritual precision, however the main truth here is too evident
to lose sight of her. That our eyes spiritually 'anointed' by the
salvation (Revelation 3:18) may have the possibility of contemplating and
enjoy the wonders of God's law. The anointing of oil is used in the
Tabernacle and in the use of all its utensils (Ex. 30:26-29), and in the
consecration of the priests (30:30). It speaks to us of the sweet flavor of
Christ who was placed in everything he announced. The vessels of the sanctuary
they also represented the various trades and services of our great High Priest
Priest, some done by Him when He was here on earth, others in
what He is now committed to on High. The same eternal Spirit by which
who offered himself as a spotless sacrifice to God (Heb. 9:14) continues
being the power of his service in the resurrection–Acts 1:2: "About the 'flesh'"
of man will not be shed" (v. 32). Only those who belong to the
family of priests were anointed. Generally, this means that only the
people of God, who are in Christ (the "Anointed") are "anointed", and have the
Spirit of God. "And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son to your
he who establishes us with you in Christ
he also anointed us, it is God" (2 Cor. 1:22). This is something that man in the
meat has no, nor can it have. "The grace of the Holy Spirit cannot
connect with the flesh of man, the Holy Spirit cannot own the
nature. The fruit of the Spirit cannot be produced "in the carnal nature",
it is like sterile soil. It is necessary to be born again. This is only
connected with the new man, as part of that new creation, that he
can know about the fruits of the Spirit" (CHM).
No blood of man shall be poured out, nor shall you make another like it,
according to its composition; it is holy, and you shall keep it holy.
The type should not be an imitation or fail to realize that it was unimitable.
even the perfections of Christ, nor should any strange altar
to be constructed (Ex. 20:25), since no "strange fire" should be
used (Lev. 10:1, 2). So there should not be any strange oil either. How
this word condemns the imitations of the divine worship, the Spirit only operates
when there is 'fragrance of Christ,' and not in the midst of a religious Christianity.
When there is merely head knowledge, a mere ritualism,
exquisite music, emotional states, are so many human substitutes for it
true ministry of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Indisputably solemn is the final word: "Whoever composes
a similar ointment, and whoever puts some of it on a stranger shall be cut off from among
his people" (v. 33). "Therefore, it is a heinous sin to try to imitate the action of
Spirit. Ananias and Sapphira did it when they professed to be genuine and
dedicate completely to the Lord....the product of the goods they had
sold out for the service of the Lord (Acts 5). The same penalty was observed,
about those who had no property title and said they would give everything up to
The Lord. God is holy, and jealously guards His sovereign rights, and does not
You can stop visiting any violation of your orders with punishment
necessary. If He seems to overlook such sins today as his not
they happened, it is due to the nature of the present dispensation of grace,
but, even today, nevertheless all sins are still considered no less
in front of him" (Mr. Ed. Dennett)

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

How were the anointing oil and incense distinctive and holy? What was
What was the consequence for those who made their own oil and their own incense?
Explain how today's worship cult can offer strange fire and a
strange oil. Is it lawful to use oil to confirm baptisms and communions?
and in that way confer certain religious rights, etc?

Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do."
 Exodus 31 is a very important chapter, both for its typical teachings and
his practical lessons. There are three outstanding things in this chapter: first
place, we are shown the divine disposition that Jehovah made in giving instructions
related to the construction of the tabernacle and the creation of its furniture. In
second place, the divinely established day of rest in its special relationship
with Israel is defined here. Thirdly, the fact of giving Moses the two
tables of testimony, in which were written by the finger of God, the ten
commandments are recorded here.
The complete instructions on all the details of the tabernacle are already
they had been given; the provision for their execution is next to
to know. Nothing is left to chance, there is no allowed place for consumption
human. Everything is of God. Although Moses was an expert in all the wisdom of
the Egyptians, it was not left for him to design the plans of the dwelling of
Jehovah, but he was commanded to do all things after the model
he had shown it to him on the mountain. Now that the 'model' had been
completely placed before him, the Lord reveals to him who they are going to be
the main workers. The choice was His and not that of Moses, and his team
for the work was divine and not human.
The artisans were named Bezalel and Aholiab, one from the tribe of
Judah, the other from the tribe of Dan. "We do not have here what is seen in the chapters
36 to 39 of those who made the Tabernacle, but the divine call to be
competent people who were going to participate in that work. That Christ here is
announced, it is evident, because "in the volume of the book it is written of me" is
his own express statement. No one but Him was capable of building a
house for God, and all the details of our current type establish
Clearly this fact. May the Spirit of God grant us eyes to see.
From the tribe of Judah. The following image is a beautiful line. Judah was,
supposedly, the royal tribe, as well as the one that took the lead when Israel
he departed. But it is the meaning of his name that is very fortunate to have in
Judah means 'praise'. Does this not tell us of the spirit with which the
The Redeemer did His work, which involved such humiliation, such suffering,
such death? I heard your own words in Psalm 40:8: "I delight in
do your will, O God." Behold, he is there at the moment when he was
being despised and rejected among men: "At that hour Jesus
he rejoiced in spirit, and said: I thank you, Oh Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because you hid these things from the wise and the prudent" (Luke
10:21). It is added that although there are not a few, which of the Psalms recounts the
pains and sufferings of Christ, but many of them also express the
thanksgiving and praises.

(The Ears of Corn in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Can any comparison be made between us believers and Bezalel and

Aholiab?

Éxodo 31:12-18

Now, in trying to discover the typical meaning of the Sabbath, we cannot

to make better than returning to his first mention in the Scriptures: "And in the
On the seventh day God finished His work, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that.
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because in it he rested
of all the work that he did in the creation" (Genesis 2:2, 3). It will be noted that
Three actions of God in relation to the Sabbath are mentioned here: He
he concluded the work that he had done and 'rested on the seventh day'. He 'blessed the
seventh day." He "sanctified" the Seventh day. We believe that the order in the
that these three things are mentioned in order of spiritual importance
mentioned for the first time.
In order to properly grasp the spiritual importance of the Day of
rest, it is more necessary to observe that the first thing of all connected
with him is the rest of God. The fact that God rested on the seventh day is,
certainly recorded with the purpose of teaching that the Creator in His grace
he worthy established an example before his creatures of how to use and enjoy
the day of rest, and yet there is also a deeper meaning to this
statement that cannot be denied. Nor do we believe that the reference is not
only towards the Creator and the delight and satisfaction in the works that there were
done during the six days prior; but rather appears (from the writings
, that this 'rest' was a spiritual anticipation of the rest
that the Christian enjoys now; dispensationally, the millennial rest, by rule
general, of eternal rest.
Now, in light of what awaits us in the first eleven verses of
Exodus 31, is there any difficulty in discovering the perfect property of a
reference to the Sabbath in what follows immediately? What else?
Could it have been more appropriate? In the first part of this chapter we have
one of the most beautiful omens of what once inhabited the bosom of
Father, the Son of Light, voluntarily committing to work in
gold, silver, bronze, and precious stones. The superb work that was typified
it was gloriously finished in him, as we have mentioned that once
God finished, just resting from His works. How appropriate is this, how
Blessed is this connection? What cause is related to the tasks?
of the tabernacle, and the mention of the artisans on the Sabbath. The rest of God is the
consequence of the final work of Christ: first of all, that in which God
hall complacency, secondly, in which their redeemed are taken.
The wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest.
57:20). And why? Because they are far from God. Far from God, they are
seeking satisfaction in what cannot provide it. Theirs is a
relentless search for something that can bring her peace and joy. But many
they look for varied and broken cisterns to resort to. They write these
Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again
4:13). "There is no peace, said my God, for the wicked" (Isaiah 57:21), because they are
strange to the Prince of Peace, Jesus. It is not because the Spirit of God shows us
that everything under the sun is nothing more than 'vanity and affliction of spirit'. Everything
this points us to the sinful condition and condemnation in which one is
they find many who desperately need the Savior. That's why
Jesus said emphatically for us to hear: "Come to me all of you, that
you are worked and burdened, and I will give you rest." Then just
It becomes true that, 'we who have believed enter into rest'
(He. 4:3).
Surely you will keep my Sabbath: for it is a sign between me and
you for your generations, so that you may know that I am Jehovah who has you
I sanctify. Therefore, you shall keep my days of rest, for it is holy.
you all" (vv. 13, 14). Undoubtedly, the meaning of this is too clear to
that we lose it. The day of rest was then, for the first time, designated
as a 'sign' between Jehovah and Israel that they were his 'sanctified' - a people
set aside for himself. Therefore, also, that which he spoke about the
Saturday - the rest of God, was also part of a sanctified people, a
people "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). This
the people was sanctified by God the Father before they were called (Jude
1), even from all eternity. They were sanctified by God the Son.
"with his own blood" (Hebrews 13:12). They are sanctified by God the
Holy Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13) when they were separated and dead in their sins
and sins. And the 'sign' between God and His sanctified people is still the 'day of
rest", that is to say, the fact that they have entered into rest.
Dispensationally, the Sabbath rest was the Millennium in the seventh of the
land. In light of the inspired statement: "But, oh beloved, do not be ignorant of this
one thing: that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day" (2
We believe with many others that the 'six days' of Genesis 1 give us
a prophetic projection of the history of the world the history, and that the 'seventh
"day" of Genesis 2:2-3 marks the final dispensation. This is confirmed by
Revelation 20, where the kingdom of Christ is mentioned again and again
their saints are said to last for 'a thousand years.' The Millennium for the
the earth will be a great Day of Rest. Then this scenario that has been a witness
of six thousand years of struggle, confusion, spilling of blood, will enjoy
an unprecedented era of rest. The Prince of Peace will be here; and Satan
he will be in the abyss and wars will cease to the ends of the earth (Ps. 46:9)
the curse that now rests upon the lower classes of creation
will rise (Isaiah 11:6-9).
(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Amid all our work, there must be an observance of the day of

rest as an inner repose of the soul in the presence of the Lord. We are
by nature full of ourselves, and of our plans and projects,
but when the spirit of rest enters us, all of this is altered.
So we are not agents, but instruments. We do not work for
God, but rather God works through us, to enter into His rest, and to cease from
we ourselves (He. 4:10). How do we enter into that type of sabbath rest?
Show how the following two verses give enough reason why
Should we have a rest on the seventh day of our work? Genesis 1:27: -And
God created man in His image and likeness. Exodus 31:17: - for six days the
The Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was renewed.

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, 'Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.' Aaron answered them, 'Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons, and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.' So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, 'These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, 'Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.' So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward, they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said,

Aaron and Hur stayed to speak out on any issue that

could arise while Moses and his servant Joshua were traveling (24:14).
Aaron is now being tested. It was the first time he had been put in charge.
from the congregation, and did not respond to the height of the circumstances. Instead of
put your trust in the Lord, feared man and yielded to his demands.
Instead of bravely resisting the people, he, seemingly without any opposition,
he surrendered to his wicked designs. Oh, what a tragic example is the fact of
someone who has a committed responsibility towards man, and betrays
your trust in God. This has been the case throughout the history of Christianity: instead of
that leaders refuse to follow the worldly desires of their people, have
ignored it, and on the contrary, in some cases, they encouraged it.
And all the people took off the gold earrings that they had in their ears, and the
they brought Aaron. And he received them in his hand, and shaped them with a burin, and made from it
a molten calf, and said: These are your gods, oh Israel, that made you
to rise from the land of Egypt "(vv. 3, 4). Another has pointed out an analogy between the...
What we have here and what is recorded in Matthew 17:1-18. 'There is a notable
similarity, in one aspect, between this scene and that of the witness at the foot of the mountain of
the transfiguration. In both cases, Satan completely dominates.
In front of us, it is the nation that has fallen into the hands, in the
another, it is the child who has been possessed, but the child is a new type of born Jewish,
the one from a day later. The absence of Christ on high (which is shown in the
the figure is also that of Moses on Sinai) is the opportunity taken by
Satan - under God's permission for the exhibition of his wicked power, and the
man (Israel) in the evil of his heart becomes his miserable slave
(Ed. Dennett.)
The calf or ox was the main Egyptian god - 'Apis', with which it had been.
familiar in the land of slavery." These are your gods is revealed in Nehemiah.
9:18 in the sense of: "This is your God." The inspired commentary of the Psalmist is
very solemn: "They made a calf at Horeb, and worshiped the image of
casting. They exchanged their glory for the image of a bull that eats
herbs. They forgot about God their Savior, who had done great things
in Egypt" (106:19-21). The creation of that idol and the representation of the
worshiping him was an open act of apostasy, the bitter harvest of which
it continues to be harvested until they were taken to Babylon (Acts 7:43).
Such is the flesh; always ready to forget the liberation of God and to
they reject the light that He has given us, and disobey His orders, they act in the
free will, and they are effective in postponing everything holy.
And seeing this, Aaron built an altar before the calf.
dark clouds gather over this horrible scene of the
village. Not content with the substitution of a false god for the true one, they try
to cover their wickedness under the cloak of religion. An 'altar' has now been erected
to fulfill a false deity. Therefore, as it has always been, and continues
being: man always tries to hide the shame of his idolatry by putting
about him the name of a false deity. Therefore, the next thing that
we read here that, "Aaron made a proclamation, and said to him: -Tomorrow will be a feast
for the Lord" (v. 5). In fact, it was a pretext, since there was no
"feasts", whether in the third or fourth month. (See Leviticus 23).
What we have before us in this verse five gives the prototype of what
that today happens in almost all parts of Christendom. Men have
they put up their idols and then try to dignify and sanctify their inventions by
to worship them in the name of Christ. Romanism and ritualism give us
a clear way for us to recognize them: mundanity and carnality and
other indulgences. Just as Aaron proclaimed honors to an idol and promoted
the fleshly joy that was given as 'a feast for the Lord', many 'dinners of
the church", bazaar, religious carnival, etc., are officially carried out under the
name of Christianity. What a mockery all this is! Aaron had no Scriptures
to justify their proclamation, nor do today's leaders have any
word of God to justify their vain actions.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

The people never suggested to Moses, "Make us gods that will go before us.
nosotros", pero Aaron lo hizo en ausencia de Moisés. ¿Crees que las personas
Those who influenced Aaron were morally weak.

Éxodo 32:11-14

Man is the only creature that lives on earth and was created
originally with faculties capable of knowing God, and with a feeling
of veneration or worship for Him. It is true that all creation is for
praise of the Creator, but the man who praises Him does so because he has a heart
wise and uses the choice of his consciousness to prefer it. But this ability
to offer intelligent praise is necessarily accompanied by the
responsibility of being faithful. This became evident in relation to Adam. The tree
of the science of good and evil was the visible means by which the first man
To pay homage to God: refraining from eating the fruit was the evident test.
of their submission to the authority of their Creator. Obedience to the will
from God over that tree would not only assure him all the blessings of
Eden, but it was also the bond that connected him with the Creator. Therefore,
that man be united with God in the beginning was the obedience of the will,
and the submission of the heart. Indeed, as long as this was maintained, giving to God
the due honor, the man was blessed.
But when that bond was broken. Through disobedience of the
man he became an "alienated from the life of God" (Ephesians 4:18), and for
he lost his happiness so much and also the Garden of Eden. The link is broken,
could never be restored by man himself. If man wanted to
to be in a relationship with God again, I had to be a new creation,
namely, through the redemption of his soul, the resurrection of his life, to be
recreated again in Christ. In Eden, the fallen man could never return to
to enter. Life in the garden was a true delight, due to the innocence and lack
from guilt, once in sin they lost all those privileges. But God has
provided for all a new garden and mainly for his own town, the
God's Paradise" (according to Revelation 2:7), where those who were guilty, for
in the midst of repentance and turned to God, they are restored to the pleasures of
Eden. That new garden is foreseen by faith, and it is there where there is forgiveness of
sins and eternal life.
Now, when man fell, despite being separated from God
(what is the spiritual 'death') lost its original faculties, and also the
ability to please God. In his essential nature, man remained
after the Fall with everything he had before him, and could see. It is true that his
nature became corrupted by sin, and, consequently, all its being was
damaged, however, the 'breath of life' that God has breathed into him since the
At first, he continued with him after his expulsion from Eden. It is true that all
the faculties of their being have now become "instruments of iniquity of
"sin" (Rom. 6:13), but none of them have ceased to exist or function.
It is the very character of the nature of man (what distinguishes him and the
elevates above the beasts), which has made its fall its ruin. It has been
rather vulgar, to say that 'man is a religious animal', what it wants
to say is that man, by nature, is essentially a religious being, it is
to say, made, originally, to pay tribute to its Creator. Is this the
religious nature of man which, however strange it may seem, is
finds at the root of all idolatry. By being away from God, and therefore,
Ignorant of Him, he falls victim to Satan. It is to this fact that the 'nature
Christ was referring to when he said: "but if your eye is evil, all your...
the body will be in darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how much
Will they not be the same darkness?" (Matthew 6:23). The "light" in man is what makes him
it distinguishes from the beasts, and what is (potentially) capable of speaking with God.
But, as we have said, that ability in man makes him capable of having
communion with God. That is to say, as a result of sin, to an incorrect use, and
therefore the 'light' that he has can turn into 'darkness'. Instead of
to worship God, now serves his own lusts (bad desires), and gives himself
honor your idols that resemble the model of your lust.
Man unconsciously believes he is a god because he believes that from it
the opposite would not be a man, and because the 'natural man' is a creature
fall - has fallen and has lost his knowledge of the true God, he turns to
the resources of your own mind to fill the void. And, as another has said (of
you can’t get anything good there). "Because the image you have of yourself
the mind is a corrupt mind, it is nothing more than a small step for the idol of
gold or wood in the temple. All its forms are its prototype in the
imagination, which for the philosopher was complemented by material things
of nature, but rather, by what surrounds and is vulgar, objects that are the basis of
on which the superstructure of idolatry rests. Through the senses, the
imagination is fed by things seen and felt, and although these are not
the only source of idolatry, significantly modifies its form and multiplies its
gods all the time. For the mountains and valleys, rivers, forests, skies and the
the waters below have their deities, and in every part of nature of the
Man, what impresses the most soon takes on the rank of a god.
We must not forget the most important factor that produced this mass
confused by superstition and credulity. Not only does man seem not to have
knowledge of God and thus becomes a victim of his senses, but not
above all the seductive power of Satan, which had the man in captivity to
through their fears and desires. The loss of knowledge of
true God, a creature endowed with religious faculties, must give rise to
subjective idealization. Satan, the god of this world, appeared in a
tangible form and made it objective.
The religious element in the nature of man was not eradicated by the
sin, but while all the faculties of his mind and all the
instincts of his nature become vile and perverted, man enters into a
complete ruin and its greatest blame is seen in the degradation of the same
faculties, originally given as a means to worship God. The gifts of
man who is placed above all other creatures, now he
the dog under them" (The Hacienda Bible, 1882).
What has been said above not only serves to explain the universality of
idolatry, but it provides the key to what is recorded in Exodus 32. There the
the children of Israel favored making and worshiping a golden calf. They were
unforgivable, and united in an open and blatant idolatry. For a very
good reason, the first command that God had written with His own finger on
the stone tablets were: 'You shall have no other gods before me,' and here
there was a deliberate and concerted violation of it. So, what
Should it be the sequel? Jehovah directs Moses, he saw the terrible sin of the
People, and he says: 'Now, let me ignite my fury against them, and let...
I will consume them: and I will make of you a great nation.
Solemn and fearsome as the words sound, however, a further examination
it reveals an open door of hope for them. When the Lord told him to
Moses: "And I will make of you a great nation," He placed Himself in the hands of the typical
mediator. 'Let me' clearly suggests that Moses was between Jehovah and his
sinner town. This was indeed the case. But for Moses, they were lost.
without a doubt: it only stood between the holy wrath of God and its well-deserved
punishment. What was I going to do? When was I threatened by the Egyptians in the
Red Sea, Moses cried out to the Lord in His name (14:15). Thus, too, in the
bitter waters of Mara he had pleaded with Jehovah for them (15:25). When
in Rephidim they had no water, once again Moses cried out to the Lord and obtained
answer in his name (17:4). When Amalek came against Israel, they were the ones who
"they held up the hands of Moses" that they achieved victory (17:11). But
Now a much more serious crisis was approaching. Moses could not fail.
now and had to intervene before God in his name.
Then Moses prayed in the presence of the Lord his God and said: Lord, why
Why will your anger be kindled against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt
with great power and with a strong hand?
in this hour of your most urgent need. Blessed is the form it takes
This time: God said to him, 'Leave me alone, that my anger may be kindled.'
against them... and I will make of you a great nation," but Moses takes advantage of his
communion with God, and intercedes not for his own account, but for the good of the
town.
At an earlier date he had 'refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,'
choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the
the pleasures of sin for a season, he chose the reproaches of Christ over the
greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because it had respect for the gaze
in the reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26). So now he refuses to be made head
from another nation, choosing rather to be identified with these stiff-necked people
and disobedient. Is there not a blessed omen here that he did not "make himself of any
reputation" (Phil. 2:7), and that He became one with His sinful people? Yes, in
effect, and as we will see, in its aspects in more than one.
Then Moses prayed in the presence of the Lord his God, and said: Lord, why
What will ignite your anger against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt?
with great power and with a strong hand? "This was the typical response of the mediator to
what Jehovah had said to him in verse 7: "Go down, because your
the people that you brought out of the land of Egypt has corrupted itself." We believe that there is
a double force for these words. In their local meaning, God provides.
the responses to the false statements of Israel recorded in verse 1.
There the people had repudiated their Divine Liberator, here He justly them
denies. But there is a typical meaning as well, and this is the most precious of
to contemplate.
In verse 7, the Lord practically transforms the Nation through
Moses, they are claiming 'your people'; here in verse 11, the typical mediator,
so to speak, back again to God, saying: 'Your people'. Wasn't this a
plain foreshadowing of what we find in John 17? First, in verse 2, the
mediator Moses speaks of a people that God had given him: 'As you have
given power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him
Then, in verse 9, we contemplate what Jesus did, 'I pray
for them: I do not pray for the world, but for those you have given me, because they are
yours.
Let us now note the different reasons for which Moses pleaded before 'The
Lord your God.
God, and to the faithfulness of God. His appeal to God for grace is found in
the verse 11: "Lord, why will your fury be kindled against your people, that You
have you brought out of Egypt for your praise? "It was grace, pure and simple, that
The Lord had acted when he freed the Hebrews from the house of bondage.
There was absolutely nothing in them to deserve His esteem, but everything was
It was rather to provoke their anger. It was unadulterated grace, the express.
divine favor, undeserved. But it cannot be forgotten that divine grace, which
showed unworthy to Israel it was not exercised to the detriment of the demands of the
justice, because it is always true that grace reigns 'through justice' (Rom. 5:21).
So it was in Egypt: that the Passover lamb was slaughtered, its blood
spilled and applied. Therefore, it is in the realm of redemption that the
grace flowed. And it is still the same "Being justified freely by His
grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24).
Now it was Moses' turn to make his first appeal. Israel had
sin, and sin greatly, and Moses made no effort to deny or
excuse them. Later, he acknowledges that he finds the Lord's people to be a
burden, and says: "it is hard of neck" (34:9). However, it was the people of God-
for their redemption. It was their acquired property. Undeserving, ungrateful, profane,
but, however, redeemed of the Lord. Blessed, glorious, that melt the
heart: they cannot deny that as much as sin abounds, grace also abounds.
the grace that appeals to the blood of Christ shown through the precious
blood of the Lamb. Is it not written: 'My little children, I write these things to you so that
that you do not sin; and if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father
Father, to Jesus Christ the Righteous. "(1 John 2:1). And what is the basis of his defense?
What happened is that Christ shed his blood once and for all!
Why should the Egyptians speak, saying: He brought them out for evil,
kill them in the mountains and exterminate them from the face of the earth? Turn away from the
fervor of your anger, and repent of this evil against your people" (v. 12). This is the
second reason in which Moses pleads with God and now it is a calling for
His glory. Where would His honor be in the eyes of the pagans who were supposed to
consume the children of Israel in Sinai? The idea was about something more than
Moses could endure it, so he had to plead with Jehovah and yield against his
lost town.
Despite their shameful apostasy, Moses' plea was that they continued
being the people of God, and that His glory seeks to save them - lest the
the enemy boasts of his destruction, and therefore of the Lord himself. In itself
same, it was a plea with an irresistible force. Joshua does it as someone
of character when the Israelites were defeated before Him. He says that
the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear, and those of us
they will surround, and erase our name from the earth, and what do you want to do to your
big name? '(Joshua 7:9). In both cases, they appealed to the glory of God,
identifying with his own glory, and affirming, for that reason, the response to
his desires, a plea that God could not refuse" (Ed. Dennett).
This reason is not made by God for any of us nowadays almost.
as much as it should be done. Moses' prayer here in Exodus 32 is
also registered for our teaching. The elements are presented to us
essentials of the "Fervent and Effective Prayers of a Righteous Man", that
"they can do a lot". This was not the only occasion when Moses did a
call for the glory of the Name of the Lord: let the reader consult
carefully Numbers 14: 13-16 and Deuteronomy 9:28, 29; for others
people who use this motif, Psalm 25:11, Joel 2:17, etc. It is the glory of His
the proper name that God always has before Him in everything He does.
It was for the honor of His name that, originally, He brought Israel out of Egypt:
I have worked for the good of my name, which should not be contaminated before
the nations, among which were, in whose eyes I was known to them, by
"to bring them out of the land of Egypt" (Ezekiel 20:9). So, at a later date
in the sinful history of Israel. He declared: "For the sake of my name, I will defer
my anger, and for my praise I will restrain it so as not to destroy you..... For me, for love
I will do it for myself, so that my name is not tarnished, and my honor is not
I will give to another" (Isaiah 48:9, 11). It is "He will comfort my soul; He will guide me along paths of
justice for the sake of His name." (Ps. 23:3).
Blessed is he for contemplating the Lord Jesus in his priestly prayer,
registered in John 17, using this same plea before God. In that
He is heard in the presentation of many requests and of various
reasons why He intercedes. But beneath it all, first of all, He
He asks: "Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you" (v. 1), here
It is one of the first secrets of the prayer that prevails. Just as the
the inclination of the heart to submit to the will of a sovereign God is the
the first requirement of the soul that prays is also to have before us the glory of
God and the honor of His name, which above all guarantees a response to
our requests. "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1
Cor. 10:31), applies strictly to our prayer as to any other
spiritual exercise. Let's take to heart, then, this important lesson that
teaches us this successful prayer of Moses.
 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants, to whom You
you set apart for yourself, and have said to them: I will multiply your descendants
like the stars in the sky, and all this earth that I have spoken of, I will give to you
seed, and they will take it as an inheritance forever" (v. 13). This is the third
reason that Moses took in his intercession before the Lord. He made a
call to His faithfulness, and declared His promises, and also reminded Him of His
Oath. There was no reason to turn back, but rather one had to continue.
forward trusting that anything that would be encountered on the way of
Israel, God Himself was going to take account for Himself in defense of His people.
The energy of his intercession was surely the result of the action of the
Spirit of God that makes your promises absolute and unconditional for
to be fulfilled as it was with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, remembering the Lord of
the two immutable things, in which it was impossible for Him to lie (Hebrews 6:18).
A more beautiful example of prevailing intercession can be found in these
Scriptures. Indeed, in the emergency that had been created, everything depended on
mediator, and in His grace God had provided that he could stand in the
gap, and everyone who pleaded for the good of His people would be heard - no
based on what they were, for their sin they were exposed to the just
indignation of a holy God, but on the basis of what God was, and in that of his
revealed and confirmed counsel to the patriarchs, both by the oath and
for the promise" (Ed. Dennett).
And the Lord repented of the evil that he said he would do to his people.
These words do not mean that God changed His mind or altered His
purpose, because He is 'without change, or shadow of variation' (James 1:17).
There has never been and never will be the slightest occasion that could affect the
Almighty to change His plans or divert His eternal purposes,
because everything had already been prepared from the beginning, and all his advice
they were ordered by His infinite wisdom. When Scripture speaks of that
God repented employs a figure of expression, in which the Most High deigns
to speak in our language. What is meant by the above expression is that
Jehovah answered the prayer of the typical mediator.
And the Lord repented of the evil that he said he would do to his
"people" (v. 14). It is a blessing to see how Israel still speaks of him
same as "His people." What encouragement for faith! If there was ever a
an occasion when it seemed impossible for the prayer to be heard, it was
this, but the faith of Moses rose above all difficulties, and arrived
until being grabbed by the hand of Jehovah who came to His aid, and, as soon as
"that he could not deny himself, Moses' prayer was answered" (Ed.
Dennett). May this small meditation serve for the blessed of God.
enrich your spiritual life.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

What were the three reasons or motives - Moses' plea before the
Is Jehovah your God to forgive people?

Éxodo 32:15-35

Our current section presents us with a very different scene from the one
we contemplate in the previous verses. We do not see the typical mediator
pleading so kindly and effectively before the Lord, but giving it to Him
back to the people for their stubbornness. Here we see Moses coming down from the mountain,
where I had been in such a wonderful and blessed experience of
communion with God, angry with the sin of idolatry of Israel, breaking
the stone tablets, and grinding the golden calf into powdered form, and scattering it
about the waters and making the people drink. Here we see this man
to charge Aaron, the responsible and guilty leader, and then
call the Levites who put down their swords and "kill each one of them
brothers". The contrast is so radical, so strange, that many have
left stunned, and the grotesque thing is that some have tried to give
explanations.
Therefore, it is pertinent to ask at the same time, is our type failing now? Does this
Moses, in the current passage, is no longer a foreshadowing of Christ? Surely.
after everything that has been before us in the previous chapters of the
Exodus that we should be slow to respond to these questions in form
Affirmative. If we are not able to perceive the spiritual meaning and the
application of this table, which we certainly do not have to say even
to imagine that there is a defect in the holy Word of God. It is much better and
every time we meet in the dimness of our vision and ask him for the
Great Doctor of doctors, to anoint our eyes with heavenly eye drops
so that we can see (Revelation 3:18). It is only in His light that we ever
we will see the light (Ps. 36:9). If we have to take our pens to write
Regarding the Oracles of God, we must ask God for wisdom to be faithful and
do not obscure the counsel of his word with our limited interpretation (Job
38:2). It's not that we do not dare to suggest something, however, others
writers have done less than us to provide an explanation.
In his 'Notes on the Exodus', which are mostly very spiritual and
useful, and from which, under God, the writer himself has received His help, C.H.M.
says in the initial verses of our present passage: 'How different is
this of what we see in Christ! He came down from the bosom of the Father, not with the tablets in
his hands, but with the law in his heart. He descended, not to know the
state in which the town was, but with perfect knowledge of what
what her real condition was. Furthermore, instead of destroying the law, she executed the full
compliance with the ruling that she established, He magnified the law and made it
honorable for us for your full compliance in your own person and in the
"cross" (page 316). Here is a case at the point that shows the need for
all of us to heed the divine warning, "Test everything and
hold on to what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21.) - That applies to our own
written equally as to any other, for only in this way will we be able
to extract "the precious from the worthless" (Jer. 15:19).
First of all, what we have here is not a type, whether by comparison.
the contrast, from the first coming of the Son of God into the world. From coming here to
search and save what was lost. As could not be otherwise,
when the immediately preceding section gives us an idea of its intercession in
the heights for the chosen? Secondly, when Christ was here, He
came with the ten commandments in his hands, came to uphold his rights
demands, although not to execute his inexorable condemnation. He came here, filled
not only of 'grace', but of 'truth' (John 1:14), saying: 'Do not think that I have
come to abolish the law or the prophets: I have not come to abolish, but to
fulfill it" (Matthew 5:17). In the four Gospels we see the stone tablets in
the hands of Christ again and again: Matthew 5:27-32; 15:3-6; 19:16-19; 23:2-3. In
third place, until Moses came down from the mountain, he did not know the true
the state of the people, on the other hand, Christ already had a full understanding
of the state of horror and sin before He descended, like the
verses 7 to 9 show clearly enough.
Moses' action, in the passage we are considering, shows to
Christ in another character than the one that was before us in our last
article. There we see him as the Mediator, interceding for his people, here
We are contemplating it as Judge, who comes to bring order to the earth and
with the effect of a corrective execution. 'Moses coming down from the mountain to
exposing and judging what was happening in the field is very similar to the
attitude of the Lord in Revelation 2, 3. He takes His place in the midst of the seven
candlesticks and passes judgment on those who are wicked and idolaters, and also for
take into account the fidelity as it could be answered in the one found in
the sons of Levi" (CA Coates). We, I believe, are the first three
chapters of the Apocalypse, which provide the key to the meaning of our
current type.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Show how there is not a weak commitment on Moses's part. Who in the
The New Testament says something similar to what Moses says in Exodus 32:32: - Without sin
embargo, now, if you forgive their sins, and if not, I ask that you erase me from
book that you have written.
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race.

Éxodo 33:1-10

May the Lord not have unleashed His bolts of wrath to completely exterminate
Israel is something that should bow our hearts before Him with
admiration and adoration, even more so when we observe what it was and who it was
who averted his just anger against them, namely, through fervent supplications and
effective of the typical mediator. Blessed was the shadow of the one who has entered
in the same heaven, and now he is in the same presence of God interceding for
all of us (Heb. 9:24), and that is "also able to keep them to the utmost
(to the last extreme) in order to bring them closer to God because He lives always to
intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:25). If Moses had not been there to defend
because of him, Israel would have perished. And if we did not have a High Priest to
to plead before God for the merits of his atoning sacrifice on our behalf,
we would also perish eternally. It is the Superior ministry of
Christ, who helps and supports us as we move toward the inheritance
betrothed.
How much Moses must have loved his people! We have nothing more than a
indication of this in the words of the Spirit in Hebrews 11:24, 25, "By faith
Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the
temporary pleasures of sin. "His love for them is shown again in
Acts 7:23, "And when he was forty years old, it came into his heart..."
heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel." But one greater than
Moses was the one who also did not refuse to leave His heavenly glory and come to this
land of sin to save His "brothers" (Heb. 2:11), who were in the harsh
servitude of sin and of Satan. Thus was Moses' love for his people
that under the most severe tests one devoted oneself to fulfilling the mission
entrusted by God. Despite not being appreciated, despite the fact that in
on repeated occasions they murmured against him and even rebelled against him,
he likewise expressed his absolute and selfless devotion to them, and nothing
he interrupted his love for them. Thus we also read of the one whom Moses
he said, "having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end
the end" (John 13:1). Neither could the terrible sin kill His people, just like
that Moses: when the relentless judgment in the hands of a holy God was his
sole cause, entered the secret chamber, and stood between them and the wrath of
God. But, as we saw in our previous article, although the intercession of
Moses avoided the wrath of God consuming them, however, it does not exclude the
manifestations of their discontent in a governmental form. The nation does not
It was "Consumed" (32:10), although it was "plagued" (32:35). This was due to that
Moses' prayer did not fail, but the lack of repentance on the part of the.
town. This is for us the majority a solemn, and timely warning.
How easily we neglect this truth today! Today, there is little or nothing in the
preaching on the 'repentance' of the unconverted, even less for
the saved. However, concerning this we read: "But if you do not repent,
you will all perish likewise" (Luke 13:3); furthermore, on the other hand, it is of
to point out that the main admonitory word of Christ to the seven churches in
Revelation 2:3 says: 'Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen, and repent'
It is because there is so little repentance among the people of God today that
His punishing hand is thus largely placed on many of them.

(The Ears of Corn in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Why does God not want the people to wear their own ornaments?
33:4)?

Exodus 33:11

Our current passage presents us with one of the most wonderful and blessed
scenes described anywhere in the pages of the Scriptures of
Old Testament. Aside from the circumstances and the occasion that gave it
origin, the nature of this incident itself must move our hearts to the
deeper admiration and praise. Here we contemplate the typical mediator.
what prevails in his intercession for a sinful people, not only to avoid the wrath
of God, but in ensuring his continuous presence among them. Here we are
it is possible to only see the external symbol of their presence near men,
but the Lord God speaks to Moses "as one speaks to anyone else".
Here we hear the Lord not only in the promise of leading Israel through
from the hot desert, but saying: "I will make you rest." Truly, "Where
where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.
What was pointed out, however, in this precious revelation about the
abundant grace of God is that it was recorded not only for our admiration,
but also for our learning. This valuable instruction is found
here we take the order of events in this part seriously
divinely inspired account of the history of Israel. First of all, we have in
Exodus 32:1-6 the narrative of their horrible sin. Secondly, we have the
Moses' intercession to prevent them from being 'consumed' by the wrath of God
(32:2-14). Third, we have the wound of the people in punishment for Him (32:25-
In fourth place, we have the repentance of Israel (33:4-6). Fifth,
Moses set up the tent 'outside the camp', so that everyone
I sought the Lord, to Him I turned” (33:7-10). Now we have the answer from
Jehovah and this action of his servant: he speaks 'face to face' with Moses. That
astonishing condescension, and such wonderful grace, is manifested only
after sin had been the cause of the separation that had been
evidenced. The important and practical lessons that can be drawn from
this is noted in our presentation below.
At the beginning of Exodus 33, we hear the Lord say: 'I will not go up in
in the midst of you, because you are a people of stiff neck, lest He consume you in it
walk (v. 3). The terrible sin of Israel caused the withdrawal of a holy God from in
between them. If God had remained among them, He would have required their
total destruction. Moses' mediation had prevented it from breaking out.
the storm of God’s anger, but until Israel repented the Lord could not
to enter to take communion again among them. The same principle is valid today
in relation to any company that professes to be the people of God.
While sin is allowed voluntarily, the Lord does not
He will manifest among them, and for the people his words are worth: "Draw near to God, and
He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and
"purify your hearts, you of double mind" (James 4:8).
The next thing we read in our chapter is: 'When the people heard this'
bad news, they dressed in mourning" (v. 4). The greatness of their sin began to be
taken into account, so their 'drinking and playing' (32:6) turned into
sadness and mourning. Then we are told "and the children of Israel stripped themselves of their
"ornaments" (v. 6) This demonstrates the authenticity of his contrition: this was a
bringing forth "fruits worthy of repentance" (Matthew 3:8), was the
external expression of taking a humble position before God. Finally,
And it happened that anyone who sought the Lord went out to the Tent of
testimony, that was outside the camp" (v. 7). This corresponds to,
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but he who confesses them and the
"He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will find mercy" (Prov. 28:13).

After Moses who "went out of the camp and entered the tent of
campaign, 'the column of cloud descended and stayed at the door of the
tabernacle, and the Lord spoke with Moses." The effect of this repentance and the
people stripped of ornament - unleashed the blessing of God: "And everything
the people stood up and bowed down, each one at the door of his tent" (v. 10).
Jehovah once again took His true place. The false god (the golden calf)
was repudiated, the true God was now being worshiped. So it was that the
infinite grace began to manifest during their pilgrimage and they were forced to
to bow in deep worship before the manifest symbol of the presence
of Jehovah. This is the blessed experience that we are invited to contemplate.
And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
partner "(v. 11). This was the most glorious moment of his entire life.
Moses, and the most blessed revelation he had ever received from God. This
it even surpassed his experiences in the mountain, by receiving such wonderful
revelations of Jehovah. There was an intimacy of focus and a closeness in that
communion, as it had never been allowed to be enjoyed before. In the chapter
Numbers 12, where we read that Miriam and Aaron questioned the authority of
Moses, the Lord vindicated him by saying: "Not so with my servant Moses, who is faithful in
all my house" (v. 7), and then he added: "With him I will speak face to face, and
clearly, and not by figures.
And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.
These words should not be interpreted in such a way that they confront with the
last verse of our chapter: "After I withdraw my hand, you will see my
backs; but my face will not be seen." What lies ahead of us is the free
an intimate communion between the Lord and his servant. And this is noted as a
immediate experience of his separation from what was dishonoring to Jehovah.
Ah, dear reader, coming out to Him, outside the camp may imply: 'bearing your
vituperation" (Hebrews 13:13), but–His rewards for the manifestations of
Such fidelity is infinite. If we do not seek their presence, it is because we do not...
we enjoy your unconditional love for us, then us
we make distant and disdainful of their honor.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Show the intimacy that Moses had with God and then show the intimacy.
that Christ had with the Father.
 Proverbs 8:30

Éxodo 33:12-19

Genesis is the book in which we have illustrated the foundation of truth-about

the divine election. This is seen in God's singular call to Abram, and
making him the progenitor of his chosen people. Exodus establishes the blessed
truth of divine Redemption, God rescues and emancipates a people
enslaved from the household servitude, and places them in a location nearby
regarding Himself. Leviticus is the book of divine worship, of the privileges
priestly and spiritual exercises, revealing to us the dispositions that
God has made for His people how they should approach Him. Thus, it is to this that
they refer to these first three books of the Sacred Scripture that we have before
we, particularly, to each of the Persons of the Trinity. The Father
the 'predestination', the Son the 'propitiation', the Holy Spirit, the 'Inspiration'
for the worship.
As we have already said, the main theme that develops in the book of
Exodus is that of redemption. This has been pointed out by us several times in the
previous articles in this series, but I mention it again because it sheds light
about the chapter that concerns us. What catches our attention here is that
redemption not only seeks the liberation of the suffering and the slave, not only
makes the object of his favors in a place close to God, but rather, through
the mediation of the Redeemer ensures a continuity of God's grace, and the
mercy for the redeemed while they are still on the way to the
acquired inheritance; and ensures the continuous presence of the Lord in the midst of his
weak and fallible people through worship in spirit and in truth. In
Exodus 33:13-16 Moses is found pleading with God in the presence with
them. In verse 17 the Lord responds: 'I will do this also that you have
spoken". At the end of our book, here is the fulfillment of this word.
After Moses had erected the tabernacle, the visible symbol of the
the presence of Jehovah descended and filled the place, and we read: 'The cloud of the Lord'
I was in the tabernacle by day, and the fire was over it by night, in the sight of
the whole house of Israel, in all its journeys "(40:38).
Now the one who reads Psalm 106, where we have mercy shown in
the story of Israel's pilgrimage. Notice how often this Psalm
mention the sins of Israel: their unbelief (v. 7), their impatience
(v. 13), lust (v. 14), his envy of Moses (v. 16), idolatry (v. 19), their
murmurings (v. 25), their lack of faith (v. 28), provocations (v. 33), their
disobedience (V. 34), its wickedness (vv. 35, 37). In verse 43 it summarizes:
Many times he delivered them, but they rebelled against his counsel. So then
in the midst of sin, Israel still claims to be rewarded by grace
God's wonderful? What then? Is He not going to annihilate them? He could very well have done so.
made that. But instead, we are told, "And He remembered His covenant with them, and
he repented according to the multitude of his mercies" (v. 45). How great and
God is merciful!
From Sinai onward, the songs of Israel never mention grace.
from God. No, it was already too late because the golden calf had been
established. His grace had been subject to abuses, rejected, so to speak,
on his face. His law was not respected, and his covenant had been violated. But his
mercy "remained equally forever." Hallelujah! Mercy,
then, it is that the blessed quality of God's nature that fulfills with
depth and love for his sinful people in abundant grace. The background
from the grace of God is our emptiness, poverty, lack of courage. The leaf of his
mercy is our sin, wickedness, villainy. That is why the guests
to come to the Throne of God's Grace we can "obtain mercy and find
always grace for the timely help" (He. 4:16).

(The Spigots in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

How does God respond to Moses' request to show Him now His
way (Ex. 33:13). Romans 9:18
How can the mercy of God be truly appreciated?
2 Pe. 2:4-11
But he said, 'You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.'

And he said to them: You cannot see my face, for no man shall see me,
and he will live” (v. 20). We must always distinguish that in the character of God lies the
manifestation of oneself and its absolute. In its absolute character and essence
No man has seen God, nor can see Him, for He is "Spirit" (John
4:24), and therefore invisible. But relatively He has made Himself known to
we for His many names and titles, also for the manifestation of
its many and varied attributes, and even more fully and happily, by and in the
person of Christ. However, it remains true that, absolutely, God is the
Invisible God, who dwells in light and whom no man can approach:
whom no man has seen or can see" (1 Tim. 6:16). In the Old
Testament sometimes, when God made Himself known to Abraham, Moses, Joshua,
Gideon, who was the second person of the Trinity, but not in His Deity.
essential, but in human or angelic form. No human being is capable of
to perceive the infinite and eternal Spirit in all its majesty and ineffable glory.
And Jehovah said again: Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock;
When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you.
with my hand until it has passed. Then I will remove my hand, and you will see my
"backs; but my face will not be seen" (vv. 21-23). This is a great blessing.
But the sinful man is not able to clearly contemplate the
divine perfections of an infinitely just and holy being, like God. It is
it is extremely necessary that it be placed in a preferred location, where it reigns
the security and peace. This God, in His infinite condescension and grace, is
just what has been provided for us. When faith is placed upon the
"rock" that is Christ. Augusto Toplady represented it masterfully well in
this well-known hymn,

Rock of Ages, hiding place for me,

Let me hide in You
Oh, as we prefer to say,
Rock of Ages, a hiding place for me,
Grace that saves me in You

And I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face you shall not see.
23). This was in accordance with the Legal Economic Commission: the law only
it had 'a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of things'
But how blessed is this contrast now: 'For God, who commanded
that the light shone in the darkness, he who shone in our
hearts, for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6) Oh only divine grace can allow for so much
writer as the reader walk as is worthy of God, and have the revelation of Himself
same (1 Tim. 3:16) as he has done for us in and through Christ
(John 14:9).
 (The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Explain what it means for us to be hidden in the rock (Exodus

33:21-22), so that the goodness of God passes to us. Ps. 91:10-17

TheLordsaidtoMoses,"Chiselouttwostonetabletslikethefirstones,andIwillwriteonthemthewordsthatwereonthefirsttablets,whichyoubroke.Bereadyinthemorning,andthencomeuponMountSinai.Presentyourselftomethereonthetopofthemountain.Nooneistocomewithyouorbeseenanywhereonthemountain;noteventheflocksandherdsmaygrazeinfrontofthemountain."SoMoseschiseledouttwostonetabletslikethefirstonesandwentupMountSinaiearlyinthemorning,astheLordhadcommandedhim;andhecarriedthetwostonetabletsinhishands.ThentheLordcamedowninthecloudandstoodtherewithhimandproclaimedhisname,theLord.AndhepassedinfrontofMoses,proclaiming,"TheLord,theLord,thecompassionateandgraciousGod,slowtoanger,aboundinginloveandfaithfulness,maintaininglovetothousands,andforgivingwickedness,rebellionandsin.Yethedoesnotleavetheguiltyunpunished;hepunishesthechildrenandtheirchildrenforthesinoftheparentstothethirdandfourthgeneration."Mosesbowedtothegroundatonceandworshiped."Lord,"hesaid,"ifIhavefoundfavorinyoureyes,thenlettheLordgowithus.Althoughthisisastiff-neckedpeople,forgiveourwickednessandoursin,andtakeusasyourinheritance."ThentheLordsaid:"Iammakingacovenantwithyou.BeforeallyourpeopleIwilldowondersneverbeforedoneinanynationinalltheworld.ThepeopleyouliveamongwillseehowawesomeistheworkthatI,theLord,willdoforyou.ObeywhatIcommandyoutoday.IwilldriveoutbeforeyoutheAmorites,Canaanites,Hittites,Perizzites,HivitesandJebusites.Becarefulnottomakeatreatywiththosewholiveinthelandwhereyouaregoing,ortheywillbeasnareamongyou.Breakdowntheiraltars,smashtheirsacredstonesandcutdowntheirAsherahpoles.Donotworshipanyothergod,fortheLord,whosenameisJealous,isajealousGod.Donotmakeatreatywiththeinhabitantsoftheland,ortheywillprostitutethemselvestotheirgodsandsacrificetothem.Theywillinviteyouandyouwilleattheirsacrifices.Andwhenyouchoosesomeoftheirdaughtersaswivesforyoursonsandthosedaughtersprostitutethemselvestotheirgods,theywillleadyoursonstodothesame.Donotmakeanyidols."CelebratetheFestivalofUnleavenedBread;forsevendayseatbreadmadewithoutyeast,asIcommandedyou.DothisattheappointedtimeinthemonthofAbib,forinthemonthyoucameoutofEgypt."Thefirstoffspringofeverywombbelongstome,includingallthefirstbornmalesofyourlivestock,whetherfromherdorflock.Redeemthefirstborndonkeywithalamb,butifyoudonotredeemit,breakitsneck.Redeemallyourfirstbornsons.Nooneistoappearbeforemeempty-handed."Sixdaysyoushallwork,butontheseventhdayyoushallrest;evenduringtheplowingseasonandharvestyoumustrest.CelebratetheFestivalofWeekswiththefirstfruitsofthewheatharvest,andtheFestivalofIngatheringattheturnoftheyear.ThreetimesayearallyourmenaretoappearbeforetheSovereignLord,theGodofIsrael.Iwilldriveoutnationsbeforeyouandenlargeyourterritory,andnoonewillcovetyourlandwhenyougoupthreetimeseachyeartoappearbeforetheLordyourGod."Donotofferthebloodofasacrificetomealongwithanythingcontainingyeast.Themeatofmyfestivalofferingsmustnotbekeptuntilmorning."BringthebestofthefirstfruitsofyoursoiltothehouseoftheLordyourGod.Donotcookayounggoatinitsmother’smilk."ThentheLordsaidtoMoses,"Writedownthesewords,forinaccordancewiththesewordsIhavemadeacovenantwithyouandwithIsrael."MoseswastherewiththeLordfortydaysandfortynightswithouteatingbreadordrinkingwater.Andhewroteonthetabletsthewordsofthecovenant—theTenCommandments.

The law was a "shadow of good things to come" (Hebrews 10:1). A beautiful
Illustration and exemplification of this can be found in the final verses of the
Exodus 34, in which we see Moses descending from the mountain with the
radiant face of glory. Part of the key to our present is found in
indicating the exact position it occupies in this book of redemption. It comes
after the legal pact that Jehovah had made with Israel: comes before the
effective creation of the tabernacle and filled with the Shekinah glory. As we will see.
Later on, our passage is interpreted by us in 2 Corinthians 3.
what we have here in Exodus 34 provides both a comparison and a
contrast with the new administration, the dispensing of the Spirit, of grace,
and of life more abundantly. But before this dispensation was inaugurated,
God was pleased to have man approved and protected by the Law.
in order to demonstrate what the fall into sin means for his
creation.
As shown in our latest article, the judgment of man under the
Mosaic economy proved two things: first, that he is 'impious'; second,
What is 'without strength' (Rom. 5:6) But these are negative things: in Romans 8:7
the third characteristic of the terrible state of man is mentioned, namely:
that is "hostile against God". This became evident when God
The Son became incarnate and lived for thirty-three years on this earth.” He “came to the
his own, and his own did not receive him" (John 1:11). Not only that, but also
He was 'despised and rejected among men.' Moreover, he was hated even more.
not able (John 15:25). And that hatred was not appeased until they condemned him
like the most vile wrongdoer and they gave him death and death by crucifixion. A death that
it was determined for the worst criminals. And, let's remember, it wasn't that
not only the Jews were killing the Lord of glory, but also the
Gentiles: therefore, said the Lord, when looking ahead regarding
at his death: "Now is the judgment of this world" (John 12:31), and not only of
Israel. There, parole or the man's probation ended
definitely.
The man is not now on probation. He is under condemnation:
As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understands, there is none
who seeks God. All have turned away from purpose, they have all become
useless; there is no one who does good, not even one" (Romans 3:10-12)
In the judgment of man, he is not condemned by the sentence. There is no
allegations that may be beneficial: nor will excuses be accepted. The
The present issue between God and the sinner is: man must bow before Him.
verdict of a just God.
Here is where the Gospel brings us together. It comes to us as to those who
they are already 'lost', like those who are 'bad', but without strength, in
enmity against God. "We are announced the astonishing grace of God–as the
only hope for poor sinners. But grace will not be received.
until the sinner acknowledges his sin and repents and returns to God
seeking your forgiveness. That is why both repentance and faith are
required of the sinner. These two must not be separated. Paul preached the
repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
20:21). Repentance is the recognition of the sinner who finds himself
is under sentence. Faith is the acceptance of grace and mercy that is
they extend to him through Christ. Repentance is not turning around a
new page and promise that I will change, but it is returning to God and
to recognize him as the only and true God and to acknowledge that we do not have
forces. Also recognize that there is nothing good in us, and that
we are in a state of desperation searching for a change, and that we are not
capable of 'doing better next time'. Only when this is really
believed (Not as a result of my experience, but in the authority of the saint
Word of God), and really turn back to Christ and welcome Him, not
not as an ordinary helper, but as a Savior.
As it was dispensationally for what it is experimentally: it must
news 'a ministry of death' (2 Cor. 3:7) before there is a 'ministry of
"spirit" or life (2 Corinthians 3:8): - It should not be "the ministry of condemnation",
before the 'ministry of justice' (2 Cor. 3:9). Ah, a 'ministry of
condemnation and death "sounds strange to our ears, doesn't it? A
We can understand 'ministry of grace', but a 'ministry of condemnation'
it's not so easy to understand, but this last one was the first need of
man: it shows what he is in himself a hopeless ruin,
totally incapable of meeting the just demands of a holy God-before
to be ready to be a maker of mercy. We repeat: as it was
dispensationally, because it is experimental: it was about this (its own
experience) that the apostle Paul referred to when he said: "For I was living without the
I read once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
In his days of being regenerated when he was in his own estimation
"alive", but it was "without law", that is, apart from the demands. "But when
came the commandment", when the Holy Spirit worked within him, when the
Word of God came in the power of His heart, then 'revived the sin',
that is, they became aware of his terrible condition, and then he "died".
self-justice complacency, he saw that, in himself, his case had no remedy.
Yes, the manifestation of a mediator of glory comes not before, but after,
of the legal pact. "And he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights; not
he ate no bread and drank no water. And he wrote on tablets the words of the covenant, the ten
commandments" (v. 28). Our passage abounds in comparisons and contrasts.
The 'forty days' here immediately bring to mind the 'Forty days'
mentioned in Matthew 4. Here was Moses: there is Christ. Here was Moses in
the mountain: there Christ was in the desert. Here Moses was favored with a
glorious revelation of God: there was Christ being tempted by the devil. Here
It was Moses receiving the Law from the mouth of Jehovah: here Christ was attacked by
the devil for repudiation of the law. We barely know that it is the greatest wonder
great of the two: that a sinful worm of the earth rose to such heights of
honor that had permission to spend a time in the presence of the great
Jehovah, how could the Lord of glory fall so low as to be during
six weeks with the devil.
But you shall destroy their altars, and break their images, and reduce their
"groves" (v. 13). This also has its spiritual application for us. Not
Christians are called to reform society and improve it.
world or participate in crusades against vice and drunkenness. The counterpart in
our experimenting with what we have here in verse 13 is that
we must wage an unrelenting war against those things that prevent us
to enjoy our inheritance in Christ. Everything that would displace God from
Our lives and our affections must be demolished. Every idol - what is
interpose between the Lord and me, the heart must be hewn without mercy. 'Because not
you shall not bow down to any other god, for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is
a jealous God" (v. 14). A search, but very blessed is this. In first
Place, God is "jealous" for His own glory. Through Isaiah, He has
declared: "I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory I will not give to another"
That's why God has chosen the foolish things of this world, the things
weak, the despised, yes, not entities so that 'no one may boast in His
"presence" (1 Cor. 1:27-29)
Secondly, God is 'jealous' of the affections of his people. He is
offended when love is given to another. 'My son, give me your heart.'
Proverbs 23:26: It is his appeal. 'Put me as a seal upon your heart.'
(Song of Solomon 8:6) is His call to the faithfulness of each one of us.
Thirdly, God is 'jealous' of his people: 'Whoever touches you, touches the...
"apple of his eye" (Zechariah 2:8) is his own confession.

(The Spikings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Was there something in the covenant that Abraham had with God that said that his
Did the descendants have to do or maintain something? If the answer is no, why?
is this called a covenant of grace? Exodus 19:5 says: "Now then, if
If you listen to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special treasure.
about all the peoples, because all the land is mine" Would you consider this
a pact of law, because the man was obliged to do something to fulfill it?
Since God should not be obliged to endanger worshiping Him
same or its commandments how could I accept someone who broke their
pact with the law?
Ex. 24:3-8
How much does the pact of the law differ from the one acknowledged today?
Romans 10:4

Éxodo 34:29-35

And it happened that when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the...
testimony in the hands of Moses, while he was descending from the mountain, was returning
with the skin of his face shining, after he had spoken with Him.
This paragraph is to compare and contrast with the second descent of Moses.
of the mountain as mentioned in chapter 32. "And it came to pass that when he
he came to the camp, and saw the calf and the dances, the anger of Moses burned,
he threw down the tablets from his hands, and broke them at the foot of the mountain" (v. 19) Moses:
Here he comes back down with The Radiant Face. There he saw some people dedicated to the
idolatry, here it returns to an unbelieving and ashamed people. Moses threw the
tables to the ground (v. 19): Here he deposits them in the ark (Dt. 10:5).
And it came to pass that when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the
testimony in his hands, with the skin of his face shining, after that
"there has been talk with Him." This also reminds us of an episode from the New
Testament, which is very similar although related to Christ. It was on the mountain
where Moses' face became radiant, and it was also on the mountain that
our Lord was transfigured. But the glory of Moses was only a reflection of what
to come, while that of Christ was inherent. The radiance of the face of
Moses was the consequence of his appearance before the presence of glory
of Jehovah: while the transfiguration of Christ was the brightness of his
personal glory. The radiance of Moses was limited to his face, but that of Christ,
we read: "His garment was white as light" (Matthew 17:3). Moses did not know that
the skin of his face shone: while Christ perfectly knew what
what was happening with Him and His disciples. "When they descended from the
mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying: Do not tell anyone about the vision, until the Son
of the Man resurrected from the dead" (Matthew 17:9).
This verse 29a timely reveals what is certain.
consequence of the intimate communion with the Lord, and it occurs in one of two ways
ways. First of all, the soul can enjoy true communion with
the glorious God without being affected by it, and in a notable degree. Moses
he had absorbed the glory like a glow that affected his face and in
relationship with the glory of Him who spoke with Him, and His own people captured and
He kept some of that glory. For what it is still: as we read in Psalm 34:5.
Those who looked at Him, and their faces were radiant. It is communion.
with the Lord who conforms us to his image. We will no longer be similar to
Christ until we walk more frequently and closely with Him.
But we all, with unveiled face like in a mirror the glory of the Lord.
We are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, by the Spirit of
Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18).
The second consequence of true communion with God is that
let's be less busy with our miserable and egocentric beings. Although
the face of Moses shone with "a light that is not seen on earth nor in the
"mar". This illustrates a vital difference between the justice characteristic of Pharisaism and the
true piety: the first produces complacency and pride, the latter leads to
self-denial and humility. The Pharisee (and there are many of his tribe still in
the earth) accounts for its achievements, announces its imaginary spirituality, and does not know that
it's hypocrisy like the other men who live for appearances. But the one who,
by grace, enjoys a lot of fellowship with the Lord, learns from him who is
meek and humble of heart. And it says: "Not to us, oh Lord, not to
us, but to your name give glory" (Psalm 115:1). It is involved in
a relationship with the Lord frees you from self-justification or self-satisfaction, and
therefore is not aware of its own fruits, but of those of the Spirit, which
are the ones that occurred in him. But although he is not aware of his
growing conformity to Christ, others are.
And Aaron and all the children of Israel looked at Moses, behold the skin of his
his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him" (v. 30) This. us
show the third effect of communion with God: that's right, the same individual does not
he is aware of the glory manifested through him, others are aware of it.
This is how it happened when two of Christ's apostles were standing before
the Jewish Sanhedrin: "Then seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and knowing
they were unlettered and of the common folk, they were amazed; and they took
knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). Ah! No
we can have a very long communion with the Holy One without His impression not
I remained on and about us. The man who is completely dedicated to
Sir, you do not have to wear any badge or button on the lapel of your jacket.
nor proclaim with the lips that he is 'living a life of victory'.
It is still true that actions speak louder than words.

(The gleanings in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

What was the reason why Moses' facial skin shone?

But if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end.

Exodus 35:1–39:43

In the last six chapters of Exodus, four things are clearly presented.
before us. First of all, Saturday is mentioned once again (35:1-3).
Secondly, the people of Israel bring Moses all the materials.
necessary for the construction of the tabernacle (35:4-29). Thirdly, the
Adjustment for the work of the equipped assistants, and the actual implementation of the
Tabernacle and its furnishings (35:30-39:43). Fourthly, the creation of
Tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled the house of Israel (40). Almost everything that
we have mentioned in 35-39 it is a recap of what has been before for
we in chapters 25 to 31. What we find in Exodus 25-31
It is a description of the Tabernacle as it was given for its construction by the
the Lord Himself and directly to Moses on the mountain, while the chapters
35 to 39 registers what was actually carried out according to the model that
it was shown to Moses. Normally, this double meaning accounts for what,
in every part, he prefigured Christ, and tells us that everything was foreseen in heaven
it is what can still be achieved on earth.
What is central and distinctive about our current passage is the creation.
effective of the dwelling of Jehovah in the midst of his redeemed. Before attempting
extract something from the deep and rich spiritual meaning of this, some
observations must be made at the time of the opening in the sections of
Exodus 35. In verses 21-29 we see the children of Israel with an offering.
to the Lord, giving Him of his goods. At the beginning of 36 we see the
designated instruments that actively participate in their work, the work of
Sir. But before these, at the very beginning of 35, mention is made
of Saturday as "a day of rest for the Lord," in which there was no
work to be done. The doctrinal meaning of this is: before arrangements are made
to work for Him, we must rest in Him: before we can bring Him anything,
we have to receive from Him. It is more important for our hearts this
seventh and last mention of Saturday in Exodus. It was Solomon, "a man of
peace" (1 Chron. 22), the only one who could build a house in the name of
Jehovah.
It is worth noting that an additional characteristic is now added to the
Saturday restriction: "You shall not light fire in any of your
dwellings on the Sabbath day.” As someone said: "That speaks of the
consideration for the absence of one's own comfort to depend on a
natural way. Following this mandate, a true day of rest is not
occupies itself with no activity of its own, but considers everything natural. 'That has
What to keep in mind on this day of carnal ease and gratification
comfort. The Word of God for us at this point is: It must be 'If
remove your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your own pleasure on my holy day, and it
call upon delight, holy, glorious of Jehovah; and you shall worship Him, not walking in your
own paths, neither seeking your will, nor speaking your own words,
then you will delight yourself in the Lord; and I will make you ride on the heights of the
land, and I will give you the inheritance of Jacob your father to eat; because the mouth of
The Lord has spoken it" (Isaiah 58:13, 14).
In its deepest spiritual meaning, this mention of Saturday and
do not light the fire in our own dwelling, which comes right after the
what is recorded at the end of Exodus 34 means that the privileges of the new
alliance and our enjoyment of the glory of God that shines on the face of
Jesus Christ must also shine in ours by the annulment of desires of
the meat. We only rely on God, and only as they provide
Pay attention to that word, 'Therefore put to death the earthly things in you:'
fornication, impurity, disordered passions, evil desires, and greed, which is
"idolatry" (Col. 3:5), we will be free to celebrate the joys and the works of
kingdom through the new creation. On the other hand, the words "six days shall work"
they announce clearly that nothing related to our responsibility
Natural must be careless.
The second thing we have in Exodus 35 is the response of the people to the
Invitation from Jehovah in 25:1, 2. There we read: "Speak to the children of Israel who...
Take for me an offering: from everyone who gives it willingly, from their heart,
you will take my offering." The materials from which the Tabernacle was made
they should be provided by the voluntary offerings of the hearts
dedicated to God. Blessed is it to read what is said in chapter 35:21, 22: 'And came
every man whom his heart stirred, and everyone whom his spirit gave
will, they brought offerings to the Lord for the work of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and for all its work, and for the sacred vestments. And they came
thus men and women, all who were willing of heart, and
they brought bracelets and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all kinds of gold jewelry; and
Each man offered a gift of gold to the Lord. "What donors they were
these, who had to be begged and urged to give. Spontaneously,
freely, with joy, they must make it seem like a privilege.
Commenting on what we have before us, Mr. Dennett has said
Therefore, it is of greater importance to remember that everything that offers to
God must start from hearts that have been prepared by His Spirit, which must
be spontaneous, and not the result of persuasion or external pressure, but
from the heart. The church of God had been in a very different state.
Today this would have been remembered. What has caused more than many ruins.
they are the worldly schemes of money collection and the most humiliating
It is the fact that all kinds of requests have been made to induce the people.
of the Lord to offer His gifts? Moses was happy with the announcement that
the Lord was willing to receive, and left this kind communication for
to produce its proper effect in the hearts of the children of Israel. He does not
I needed to do something more, and if now the saints were in the current
of God's thoughts so that they could imitate the example of Moses, and
to avoid a single idea of obtaining even the smallest gift, except that
they voluntarily presented themselves, and with all their heart, as the pure effect of
the action of the Spirit of God. And it was observed that they were not lacking, for in the
next chapter we find that the wise who acted came to
Moses and they said, 'The people bring much more than enough' (36:5-7).
If the Pentecostal days are first excluded, they probably never will.
nothing has been seen in response to this even in the history of the church. The
Chronicle is now relative concerning the insufficiency of means to take.
in account in the work of the Lord. But one cannot be too meticulous, a
It is remembered first of all that the Church of God never had the
responsibility to obtain the means, secondly, that the Lord is the one who
He can do the work. He Himself will put it in the hearts of his people and
it will also provide what is necessary, thirdly, that we are traveling abroad
land of dependency, and acting according to our own
thoughts, if we carry out anything for which the provision
necessary has not been done and, finally, that the gifts acquired by means of
humans are rarely used for blessing.
It is very nice to take into account the relationship between the two things that now
We have before us: first, the observance of the Sabbath, second
place, the interposition of an offering to the Lord, an offering that was made from a
sincere and generous heart for God. "First of all, rest is,
delighting in the Lord, for being in communion with Him. This
it also finds its full realization in the new covenant - with its people. It is
a redeemed people, a people that contemplates the glory of the Lord, that are
dedicated to their cause. The giving of their offerings is not a legal matter, or a
my question of law, but a privilege and a joy. Also in this
This is the love of Christ that "constrains" us. We love Him because He
He loved us first, and we delight in giving because He gave Himself first. Nothing
it moves the heart more than the contemplation of God's love and grace
as it has now been revealed to us through the glorified Mediator
Jesus
We have already discussed the two main workers, Bezaleel and Aholiab.
meaning of the name of these workers, their provision for their tasks
assigned, and the special service that was assigned to them. Here we read: "Then,
Bezalel and Aholiab, and every skilled man in heart, whom the Lord gave
wisdom and intelligence to know how to work in all the work for service
from the sanctuary, in accordance with all that the Lord had commanded him" (36:1).
Please carefully consider the opening words, and also the
the expression 'to each one his heart moved him to come to the work' in verse 2.
Ah, as long as there is a spirit of devotion, which is manifested through
a free and liberal offering in the cause of God, He will not refuse to lift up
skilled workers, whose hearts have been moved by His Spirit, to
make a wise surrender of your life to God.
But now we are going to try to take note of the connection between this third
point and what has happened before. First, we have had the day of rest,
the soul rests in the very presence of God, secondly, we have
having the free and voluntary offering of the people, with a completely open heart
Surrendered to the Lord. Now we have an active job. This puts at the service of God.
its real capacity. Occupying as it does the third place, it shows us that
this service is acceptable to God when it comes from those who have passed
from death to life. Later, as he does, the other two imply that the
an essential condition for the service is: to delight in the Lord and that it
that we desire to be love flowing towards Him. Only then can we
truly "abound in the work of the Lord". Everything else is either the
result of tireless energy, of flesh, or is it merely 'bricks',
produced under the whip of the foremen.
In chapter 39 of Exodus, the work of the Tabernacle has been completed.
Blessed is it to point out that everything was done 'as Jehovah commanded Moses.'
Mark how this expression occurs eight times in that chapter: vv. 1, 5, 7,
21, 26, 29, 31, 43, while in verses 32, 42 it adds, "and the children of Israel"
they did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, thus they
they did... According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children
from Israel did all the work." "The Lord had given him the instruction more
meticulous about the entire work of the tabernacle. Each pin, each socket, each loop,
Each tachometer was set with precision. There was no room.
free left to the convenience of man, nor to his reason, or his common sense.
Jehovah did not give him a grand scheme and left man to fill it in. He did not leave
no margin in which any man could enter with his regulations or
Occurrences. No way. 'Look, do all things according to the model
What was shown to you on the mountain" (Exodus 25:40). This leaves no room for the work
human. If man had been allowed to make just one pin, a pin that with all
security had to be out of place in God's judgment. We can see it
that the tools of man produce in chapter 32. Thank God, not
take place in the tabernacle. They did, in this matter, only what was asked of them.
he said, nothing more and nothing less. This is a shock today for the professing church.
There are many things in the history of Israel that should seriously be avoided.
your impatience - murmurs, your legal vows, and your idolatry, but only in
Two things that can imitate them: That our devotion be more than everything.
heart, and that our obedience may be more implicit" (C. H. M.).
Yes, the obedience of Israel was recorded for our learning. We
we also have a commandment received from the Lord regarding the work that
wants us to do. His complete Word is now in our hands, it is
for us our guide and regulator of all things. It is established that
The man of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
If we desire the blessing of God, then His work must be
to act according to their appointments. Human convenience, comfort, or the
originality must not have a place. It is the approval of God, and not that of their
companions, it is what every servant of the Lord must continuously aim for. The
faithfulness, not success, is what our Lord requires. The quality of the
services should be verified not by the visible results, but by their
in accordance with the Word and will of God.
There is another detail in Exodus 39 that, in its spiritual application to us
they must be highly sought after: "And they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the
loan, and all its furniture, etc... And Moses saw all the work" (vv. 35,
Everything was brought before the typical mediator for inspection. Everyone had
to pass under the scrutiny of their eyes. The importance of this concept is
more than obvious. In 2 Corinthians 5:10 we read: "For we must all appear
to appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each one may receive according to what
it has been done, whether good or bad." This does not refer to a general sentence–
not the day on which the end of the world will come, but what follows the return of the Lord
for his people, and precedes his return to the land to establish his kingdom
millenary.
A word on this same subject can be found in 1 Corinthians 3:
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is
Jesus Christ. And if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, stones
precious, wood, hay, litter, the work of each one will be made manifest;
because the day will declare it, for it will be revealed by fire; and the work of each
whatever it is, the fire will test it. If the work of anyone remains that
Whoever has built upon it will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer.
loss, yet he himself will be saved, although as through fire" (vv. 11-15). The
reference here is to the Christian service: 2 Corinthians 5:10 specifies the type of
service to which we must pay special attention. Discrimination is made
between two classes of service. In the first group, it is like the 'gold', the emblem of
the divine glory, "silver", which speaks of redemption; "precious stones", which are
imperishable. Only what has been done for the glory of God will remain, in
the ground of redemption, and will pass the test of fire, and will receive the
reward. On the other hand, 'wood, hay, debris', which, although it may be
much greater in quantity, they will not withstand the upcoming test of the burning fire.
The difference between quality and quantity, what is of the Spirit, and what
what is of the meat.
And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as the Lord
he had sent; and he blessed them" (39:43). The same will happen with Christ on the day of
his arrival. That which has been done totally in accordance with the Word of
God, although despised by man, will be regarded and rewarded by
He. His own words, in the last chapter of the Holy Scriptures, are 'And,
Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
according to their work" (Revelation 22:12). In light of this, how serious and in
We must be, and pay close attention to the exhortation: 'And now,
little children, abide in Him: that when He appears, we may have confidence
confidence, and let us not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (1 John 2:28).

(The Epigeans in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Then Moses called Bezalel and to

Aholiab, and every skilled artist in whose heart the Lord had placed wisdom,
and to every man whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work.
 Exodus 35:25-27
For we must all appear2before
Tim.the3:17
judgment seat 2:7
Tito of Christ,
Ap.so22:12
that eachWrite
one mayareceive
few what is due
lines for what he
that has done in the body, whether good or evil.
express your understanding of God who establishes this holy and visible structure
not only to offer the forgiveness of their sins and set them aside, but to
that all humanity begins to understand the plan of Almighty God
loving and just who wants to fully reconcile his children again to
He himself. At the beginning, they tell us when this plan of God started.

Éxodo 40:1-38

It is noted that Moses is the only actor in this chapter: "And

Moses raised the tabernacle, set its bases, and placed its boards, and
put on its pillars, and raised its columns
subordinates disappear from sight and only Moses is seen: read vv. 19-33, to
At the end of which it is said to us, 'then' Moses completed His work. The present
the application is given to us in Hebrews 3:3-6: 'For so much greater glory than...
Moses is considered worthy of this, for he has more honor than the house.
made. Because every house is built by someone; but the one who made all things is
God. And Moses was indeed faithful in all God's house, as a servant, to
testimony of what was going to be said; but Christ as a son over his house, which
house we are, if we hold firm to the end the confidence and boasting
in hope.
Finally, we read: "Then a cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and
the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (v. 34). Then it returned, "thus ended
Moses the work of verse 33. The equivalent in the New Testament was what
it happened on the day of Pentecost: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were
all unanimous in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound
like a strong wind that blew, which filled the whole house where they were
sitting. And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, resting upon
about each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
As an appendix to this glorious incident, we are told in the closing verse.
of our book, "For the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day
and the fire was by night upon it, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout
of all their travels. "They just needed to keep their eyes on the cloud." The
The Lord carried it out for His people. He had visited them in their affliction in
Egypt. He had brought them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and he had
brought through the Red Sea in the desert. Now he himself leads them "through the
right way for them to come to the city." We can well exclaim
happily, blessed is the people whose God
He is the Lord. Because certainly there was nothing else that was a blessing for
Israel, the Lord was in their midst. The cloud of His presence was
rested, and His glory filled the tabernacle" (Mr. Dennett).

(The Harvests in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)

Think about how other religions teach that a person can reach the
Heaven for their good works and then contemplate what God teaches us
about what God has revealed to us about worship precisely in this book
from Exodus. Finally, think of One who made it possible for us to know
to God and enter heaven at the end of our earthly life and be with Him forever
eternity. This is the true reason for us to pray and worship.
Psalm 34:1-4
FINAL EMPHASIZED
MOSES - AS A TYPE (foreshadowing) OF CHRIST

The life of Moses presents a series of surprising antitheses. He was the

son of a slave, and the son of a king. He was born in a cabin, and lived in a
palace. He inherited poverty and enjoyed unlimited wealth. He was the leader of
the armies, and the guardian of the flocks. He was the most powerful of the
warriors, and the meekest of men. He was educated at the court, and lived in
the desert. He had the wisdom of Egypt, and the faith of a child. He was prepared
for the city, and wandered errantly through the desert. He felt the temptation of the
pleasures of sin, and suffered the hardships of virtue. He went backwards in the
he speaks, and spoke with God. He had the staff of a shepherd, and the power of the Infinite. He
he was a fugitive from Pharaoh, and an ambassador of Heaven. He was the giver of the Law, and
the precursor of Grace. He died only on Mount Moab, and appeared with Christ in
the Mount of Transfiguration in Judea. No one attended his funeral, but God did.
He buried. The fire has come out of Mount Sinai, but the lightning is still in its law.
Her lips keep silence, but her voice still speaks" (Dr. IM Haldeman).
Thus, in the final chapter of this book of redemption, we contemplate the full
perfect realization of the purpose of God's grace, despite the failure of
man, despite the sins of Israel for the golden calf, despite the
broken stone tables: in the end, grace overflowed over sin, and all
God's counsel was fulfilled through the type mediator. In its final application.
what has been before points us towards the new land: 'And I heard a great voice from the
Heaven that said: Behold the tabernacle of God with Men, and He will dwell
with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor will there be
no more crying, nor clamor, nor pain; for the former things have passed away" (Rev. 21:3,
4.)
(The Spigots in the Exodus, A. W. Pink)