Please read Chapters 1-20 and 32-34 of Exodus.Of the stories here, which one seems to you the most interesting or the most important? Explain how that story is particularly appropriate as an example of Torah "law," or explain how that story shows the Torah to be something more than just a law code.
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I really like the story of Moses and the burning bush. This story is a long loved story that most of us have heard along the way as a child through a song, a joke, or through sunday school. I think that it is interesting that God picks Moses. Moses even said it himself that he is not fit for the job. He feels he is not very eloquent in his speech and he feels that he doesn't have the connections he needs to free Gods' people.
Through out the Old Testement one can see over and over again that God picks under dogs. The story of Moses is no exception. I think there is something to be said about this and something to learn from it. God wants us to do great things. He calls us each for a certain mission in life. Sometimes we don't think we're up to it or can handle it, but some how God keeps knocking at our door and never gives up.
This passage shows that who ever we are and how ever we come God loves us and wants us to be succesful in life through him! It may not always be easy or make sense, but God is working through everyone and He has great things planned for everyone. Even though the Hebrews were living and working as slaves, this story provides hope so that even the underdogs of slavery will rise up and have a better life.
I find several of the stories in this reading to be important and interesting. Moses and Aaron when they go to free the people of Israel from the Pharaoh they do what the Lord tells them and a series of plagues fall upon Egypt. Later in the reading Moses encounters the Lord on mount sinai and brings down the commandments of the Lord. These two stories I find important in attempting to understand the law of the Lord. For instance, Moses and Aaron show faith and obediance to the word of God and God uses them to fulfill the promise of bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt. In Chapter 20 the commandments of God are stated and laid out. This seems to be a point where the people are given specific guidelines for the way to live their life. The first commandment on verse 3 "thou shalt have no other Gods before me" seems to be an important first commandment. It sets the idea in place that the people of Israel are to follow one God. This seems to be a statement against the polytheism that existed at that time and in future times.
The story of Moses and the Israelites exhibits the Torah as more than just the law but instead as an example of both God's and Moses' patience. For centuries the Israelites begged and pleaded with God to free them from Egyptian bondage. When Moses comes about they plead with him to lead them to freedom. With the help of God Moses does eventually lead the Israelites out of the land of Pharoah. However, once the Israelites make it across the Red Sea to the land of Marah they have no water to drink and begin the complain to Moses. Moses turns to the Lord who makes the water sweet enought to drink. As they continue through the wilderness they find themselves without food and again start to complain to Moses. They even go as far as saying that they would rather be back in Egypt but the Lord answers their pleas and gives them manna. As their journey continues, the Israelites once again find themselves without water and again complain to Moses. This time the Lord brings water forth from a rock for the people. All of these examples show just how patient God as well as his servant Moses really are. The Israelites complain about their situation in Egypt expressing their desire for freedom yet when the going gets tough they wish to be back in Egypt. Their lack of faith that God will provide for them would have been extremely frustrating to me. About the second time, when they started whining about food I would have told them to deal with it themselves because I was leaving. God, however, being much stronger than I, proved the great amount patience that he has for humankind regarding our lack of faith during rough times. We need to remember that no feat is too great for God and if we just have faith he will provide.
The reading that means the most to me is where the true law is laid out, i.e. the Ten Commandments. if Torah is considered law, then the Ten Commandments are truly Torah. I mean you cannot get much more blunt and to the oint than that. Law is law. God gives the people of Israel rules to follow, and follow them they must. So if one is looking for an examle of law, there is nothing much more to the oint than this. God gives some simple ones, such as "Do not misuse the name of the Lord.." or "Do not murder" or Do not steal".
there is nothing simpler than that.
Un fortunately, these simple laws are seldom followed today.
One of the most interesting stories in this reading would have to be the golden calf. While Moses is up the mountain having a chat with God, about the commandments no less, his people were down on the ground growing very impatient. They wanted something else to worship so they melted gold into a calf. Now we know that this is wrong and in itself is a great example of Torah, but there is more here.
When God sees what is going on he is furious. He tells Moses to go so that he can destroy the people and make a great new nation. But Moses doesn’t let it go, he pleads with God. He reminds him of what led them here in the first place, that he led them out of Egypt. He also reminds him of his covenant with all of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After this talk, God decides that he will not harm his people.
I find this really interesting. Back in the beginning of Exodus when God first speaks to Moses, he is not sure that he can do what God is asking. Moses claims he isn’t a very good speaker. Now we find him speaking to God in such a way that gets him to change his mind and let his people live. I think that God could not have picked a better man for this job.
Exodus is such an interesting book with great stories, ones that we can all learn from. But one that I particularly like is that of the Passover.
God gave such specific directions to his people. The Israelites have been wanting and asking to freed from Eygyt for such a long time. Their faith in God after such a long wait for deliverance seems so much more important to me than the Passover Torah law. People now seem so quickly to leave and give up on God when they don't think things go the way they want or should. The Israelites waited for so long and yet when he commanded this they just trusted Him and didn't give up on faith. I think that this proves that his Passover law was much more than just a law.
These chapters are rife with grist for the mill of Torah "law". To start with, the ten commandments seem to be a good code of law, unless you want to put them in front of a court-house. Thanks democrats.
God also tells Moses, He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His covenant is with them. I take this as a form of "law". The covenant is not with Abraham, Ishmael, and Esau.
One of the better examples of Torah "law", has to do with circumcision. After God picks Moses to be His representative before pharaoh, the Lord tries to kill Moses because he was not circumcised. I'll go out on a limb here and guess that God is serious about this "law".
I liked the story in Chapter 34. It ends up being in itself both an example of how Exodus is Torah law and of how Exodus is more than just a law code.
34:8--"O Lord, if I have found favor in yoru eyes," [Moses] said, "then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance."
The first half of the chapter is an example of Exodus being more than just a law code. It reveals some of the character of God, mainly his compassion and forgiving nature. He had set the Isrealites apart and brought them our of Egypt, yet when Moses was with God and the first tablets creating the Ten Commandments were being created on Mount Sinai, the Isrealites faultered and created an idol, the golden calf, and worshiped it. This act immediately broke the first two commandments alone. Yet, with some convincing by Moses, God kept his rage and anger back and did not punish the Isrealites. Instead, in Chapter 34, we see new tablets with the Ten Commandements on them being created, as Moses had broken the first set in anger with the Isrealite people. Thus, we see the character of God in Exodus and not just a law code.
However, the last part of the chapter is a good example of how parts of Exodus are a fine law code created for the Isrealites to follow. Starting in verse 10, the Lord lists off several things which the Isrealites are to do or to abstain from doing. For example, they werent supposed to make treaties with foreign nations, they were supposed to faithfully celebrate all the sacred festivals of the Hebrew people (many of which commemorated events just preceeding or following the exodus from Egypt), and they werent supposed to "cook a young goat in its mother's milk." If I remember right, this verse has led to a common practice among Jewish people, where they carefully separate meat from milk products while cooking, serving, eating, and cleaning up after a meal.
A favorite chapter of mine is found in Exodus 17, when Moses gives the Israelites water from the rock.
The Israelites complain constantly to Moses, claiming everything from how he brought them to the desert to die to how they should have stayed in Egypt.
There is a major lesson to be learned here: Never test God. He will take care of you in your darkest hours; he will not abandon you. The Israelites were being impatient, and not putting their faith and trust in God.
This is a law that is maintained in religions across the world today: trust in God, for he will take care of you in times of need. As we go through the rest of Exodus, God continually helps the Israelites with manna and water. This shows us how he takes care of us in our times of need.
well. as far as law goes the 10 commandments are the truest form of law given in exodus. laws that go beyond just religion and into modern life. such as " you shall not murder" "you shall not steal" "you shall not give false testimony" these laws are universal regardless of religion. and set a moral standard of human nature.
and i side note that i noticed while reading exodus, moses always seems to have someone with him when things happen, when god tells him to bring aron up the mountain with him, moses has the elders with him when he strikes the rock for water in exodus 17. i find it interesting becosue then it creates a witness to every event. i find that very interesting.
I agree with Matt about God picking the underdog in stories like that of Moses, but also picking the doubters. We have not seen a character that steps up to the plate and does exactly what he/she is told. This doubting notion relates back to human character and makes Moses and the rest of the people more believable. How can one read Exodus and not talk about the most important law code? Definitely shows that the Torah is a particularly good example of law.
The passage I enjoyed was in chapter 12: verse 12, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.” The Lord is the only one that has the power to execute judgment on the Egyptians or on people in general. The passage also discredits the idea of a Polytheistic Egypt.
When Moses finally got his people out of the hands of pharaoh what did the people do? These people sinned, doubted, and tested God. One would think when conditions got better, which they did, these flaws would stop, but they didn’t. Sin, doubt, and testing God were not left in the ancient world. It is still very prevalent today. Happy Blogging!!!!
I like many of the stories in Exodus as they all have an important message to relate. One that stood out for me was that battle with Amalek in Chapter 17. Moses appears to be praying for the Isrealites and it seemed to be a pretty powerful prayer for when he lowered his hands, Amalek would have the upper hand. But, as long as he kept his hands up the Isrealites were winning. He kept his arms raised until he could no longer continue the prayer alone, then Aaron and Hur helped him.
Prayer is a powerful weapon and has been shown to do miraculous things. I believe we could use more prayer in our lives – let us not forget to be like Aaron and Hur and send up a prayer for those people who touch our lives (both good and bad).
I find several of the stories in this reading to be important and interesting. Moses encounters the Lord on Mount Sinai and brings down the ten commandments of the Lord. God promises Canaan to the Israelites if they obey but warns against the paganism of its inhabitants. God calls Moses up into the mountain to receive a set of stone tablets containing the law, and further instructions. The commandments themselves are a moral law code.
I can relate to the story of the quail and manna that God gave to the people on a daily basis except Saturday when they were to get double for Sunday.
These people of God complained of starving, they did not remember what God did for them when they were in Egypt.
Moses reminded them they were complaining to God and not him. Moses would interecede for the people to get what they wanted which was physical food.
Today as a people we forget how God helps on a daily basis when hard times come, so have we learned a lesson? I get better with each lesson.
I find the story of Moses and the 10 commandments to be very important. When the commandments were given they were not only laws, but an important way of life. It was, and still is, seen as the right way to live.
Today people still view them as the correct way of living, even if a majority of them are not against the law. We won't go to prison if we don't honor or parents or observe the sabbath. However, some of the time breaking a commandment might be worse than a broken law. If I had committed adultry I know I would feel much worse than if I had parked in a no-parking zone. I think that the Torah is MUCH more than a law code.
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