THE 1310 Lecture 14

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Departure from Egypt

• God leads his people in a pillar of cloud by day, of fire by night
  • ... to the Red Sea
  • ... "to die in the wilderness" — people want to go back already?
• Waters miraculously parted
  • Israelites pass through
  • Pharaoh destroyed by waters
    • Once again God defeats evil by water (c.f. Noah and the Flood)
• Israelites sing a hymn of thanksgiving, referring to God as "warrior"

Manna

• People run out of food and water and start grumbling (a legitimate concern)
• God provides manna miraculous "bread from heaven" / "bread of angels"
  • manna - lit. "what is this?"
  • tastes "like wafers made with honey"
    • foretaste of the land flowing with milk and honey
  • Asked to rely each day: do not collect more than one day's-worth (except in preparation for Sabbath)
  • Demonstration of God's glory: manna belongs to the Lord
• Manna sustains Israelites through Sinai all the way to the promised land, and then it stops.
• Some manna kept in a container for posterity to behold
  • will eventually go into the Ark of the Covenant
• God also provided quail.

Meribah and Massah

• Ref. Ps 95
• Miraculous water from the rock

Arrival at Sinai/Horeb

Ex 19

• goal of liberation all along was to bring Israel to God's heart
• God chose to reveal himself to the world through Israel
  • Called the "election of Israel"
  • "nation of priests" - to approach the altar and offer sacrifice
  • "a holy nation" - set apart
• God reveals himself: "prepare yourself ... third day"
  • No one except Moses allowed to even touch the mountain
  • God gives 10 commandments
    • 1-3 are love of God
    • 4 is lynchpin of God and neighbor: parents
    • 5-10 are love of neighbor in society

The "Wedding" Covenant

• Reading of the laws/"vows" (Ex 24)
  • image of wedding between God and Israelites
  • response: build an altar, stones for 12 tribes, and offer sacrifice
• blood splashed on altar and sprinkled on people
  • "this is the blood of the covenant"
    • Intimate encounter: They behold God in his glory; the veil is lifted momentarily
    • They ate and drank
• recap: meal and sacrifice

Construction Instructions

• instructed to build Tent of Meeting, Tabernacle, and Ark of Covenant
• choose special "perfect" materials
• designs image the layout of God's "court"

Layout of the Tent of Meeting

• Note prominent placement of bread and wine
  • Hearken back to Melchizedek and Abraham
  • Shewbread to be eaten each Sabbath
    • Note: "Shewn" to people once a year: "behold God's love for you"
    • 12 cakes: one for each tribe