Exodus 1

• 70 blood relative of Jacob enter Egypt–>Joseph dies as well as the Patriarchs.
• Israelites grow in number.
• A pharaoh who did not know Joseph enslaves the Hebrews, yet the Hebrews flourish in number.
• Pharaoh orders every male infant be cast into the Nile:
  • Spiritual significance seen in the plague of blood.
  • Foreshadowing of the murder of male children murdered by Herod at Yeshua’s birth.

Exodus 2

•  Birth of Moshe–>Pharaoh’s daughter adopts him as her son.
• Moshe knew he was a Hebrew, despite being a member of the Egyptian royal house (vss. 13, 14).
• Moshe slays an Egyptian he catches beating a Hebrew unjustly.
• Word gets out that Moshe murdered the Egyptian and Pharaoh issues a death order against Moshe.
• Moshe flees Egypt and makes his home in Midian–>Marries Zipphorah–>bears son Gershom.
• YHVH hears the cries of the enslaved Hebrews and remembers His covenant with Avraham, Yitchaq and Ya’achov (vss. 23-25).

Exodus 3 

• While tending Jethro’s (Moshe’s father-in-law) flocks around Mount Sinai, Moshe has a face-to-face encounter with YHVH.
• YHVH commissions Moshe to lead the Hebrews out of bondage and explains how it all is going to work, noting that Pharaoh is going to be a tough nut to crack. But the people of Egypt were also going to have a close encounter with the Creator of the Universe that will ultimately lead them releasing the Hebrews.

And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Mitsrayim (ie., Egypt) with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he (ie., Pharaoh) will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Mitsriym (ie., the Egyptians): and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourns in her raiment: and yet shall put them upon your sons and upon your daughters: and ye shall spoil the Mitsriym (vss. 20-22).

Exodus 4

•  Moshe is a defeated man who has and expresses unto YHVH reasons why he was not a good fit to lead the people out of bondage.
• Moshe gives 3 excuses why he believes YHVH’s plan won’t work:
  • What name would Moshe give to the Hebrews to identify who He is to them: YHVH–I am that I am (refer back to Chapter 3).
  • The Hebrews nor the Jews will believe Moshe: YHVH tells Moshe that He will work wonders through Moshe. For through Moshe YHVH would provide a demonstration of Yah’s power and authority.
  • Recall that the Jewish leaders of Yeshua’s day demanded of Yeshua a sign so that they may believe that He was who He said He was and had the authority to teach and do what He had been doing. Recall Shaul (Paul) reminded the Corinthians that he did not come to them with eloquence of speech, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and Power (2 Corinthians 2:4).
  • Which leads to Moshe telling YHVH he was not an eloquent speaker (suggestive that Moshe was a stutterer which YHVH knew.
• YHVH revealed His overall plan for deliverance of the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage:

And Yahuah said unto him, Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I Yahuah? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall say. And he said, O my Adonai, send, I pray you, by the hand of him whom you will send. And the anger of Yahuah was kindled against Moshe, and He said, is not Aharon the Leviyiy your brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he comes forth to meet you: and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. And you shall speak unto him and put the words in his mouth: and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be your spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be  to you instead of a mouth, and you shall be to him instead of Elohiym. And you shall take this rod in your hand, wherewith you shall do signs (vss. 11-17).

 

And Yahuah said unto Moshe, When you go to return into Mitsrayim (ie., Egypt), see that you do all those wwonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand: but I will harden his (Pharaoh’s) heart, that he shall not let this people go. And you shall say unto Pharaoh, Thus says Yahuah, Yisrael is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto you, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your son, even your firstborn (vss. 21-23).

• Moshe is reunited with his brother Aaron and Moshe and fills Aaron in on the plan and they travel back to Egypt to brings the news of deliverance to the Hebrews.
  • Moshe performs some of the wonders of YHVH for the Hebrews.

Exodus 5

•  Moshe has his first set of confrontations with Pharaoh and demands Pharaoh release the Hebrews to go out to the wilderness to worship YHVH.
• The Hebrews had stopped working.
• Pharoah responds to the work stoppage by increasing the labor demands on the Hebrews (making brick without providing them the straw they needed).
  • Pharaoh recognized that Moshe had the great potential of inciting the Hebrews to resist and revolt against the authority of their Egyptian overlords.
  • Pharaoh thus put forth a heavy hand against the Hebrews to dissuade the Hebrews–to soften them/their resolve.

Exodus 6

•  Moshe finds himself between a rock and a hard place:
  • The people had stopped listening to Moshe because of the increase labour demands Pharaoh placed upon them.
  • Pharaoh stopped listening to Moshe because he wanted to show them that Pharaoh was the authority to be heeded, and not Moshe (politics).
• YHVH reaffirms with Moshe that He held the ultimate authority in this world. Thus He reiterates His Name (His authority) to Moshe and to the Hebrews:

Then Yahuah said unto Moshe, Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And Elohiym spoke unto Moshe and said unto him, I am Yahuah: And I appeared unto El-Avraham, unto El-Yitschaq, and unto El-Ya’aqov, by El Shaddai, but by my name Yahuah was I not known to them (vss. 1-3).

Themes:

• Deliverance

• Redemption

• YHVH claims Israel for Himself as His Son

• YHVH will be Israel’s God

Exodus 7

•  YHVH moves Moshe into the next phase of the plan to free the Hebrews.
• Before this point, it was reasoning.
• Now YHVH moved the strategy into the realm of wonders.
• YHVH starts out with the demonstration of Moshe’s staff being turned into a serpent (vs. 11), which the magicians–Jannes and Jambres are recorded to be the ones (2 Timothy 3:8).
  • At least one sect of Gnosticism that the evangelist Timothy was contending with held Jannes and Jambres as the founders of their religion.
• When this and other demonstrations fail to sway Pharaoh, vs. 15 takes us into the series of 10 plagues.

The 10 Plagues of Egypt

Judgment Against the Gods of Egypt–The People of Egypt–The Might of Egypt–YHVH would show the world (including the demigods of Egypt) who He was and what He was all about (Exodus 7:15-11:10).

 Jews throughout the world this coming Wednesday will rehearse the 10-plagues as they celebrate Passover.

1. Blood (Directed to gods of Egypt)–“Hapi” was the god of the annual flooding of the Nile in ancient Egyptian religion. Hapi was greatly celebrated among the Egyptians. This plague likely took place with the flood or rising of the Nile which took place between June and September each year. So we see that the 10 plagues that Father heaped upon Egypt took place anywhere between 6 to 9 or so months.
2. Frogs (Directed to gods of Egypt)–“Heqet” was an Egyptian goddess of fertility represented in the form of a frog. To the ancient Egyptians, the frog was a ancient symbol of fertility, related to the annual flooding of the Nile.
3. Lice or gnats (directed against the well being of the people)–a great deal of uncertainty as to what Moses meant in terms of lice or gnats. It is certain, however, that this plague involved some form of biting insect. And despite the magicians’ attempts to vanquish this plague, they were unable to reverse what YHVH had set in place (Exodus 8:19, 20).
4. Flies–(directed against the well being of the people) “Khepri” was the god of flies having what is described by at least one website as a having the head of a fly. (www.stat.ric.edu). According to blogs.ucl.ac.uk, flies were worn as protective amulets as well as symbolising persistence: soldiers were awarded golden flies by the pharaoh as reward for heroic efforts in battle.
5. Livestock–Apis–The mighty bull. At the foot of Mount Sinai, the Israelites worshiped the Golden Calf. The other thing to take note of here is that Yahweh extended His grace upon the people of Egypt and tested them to see if they would heed words–as YHVH gave the Egyptians advanced warning of what would before the livestock of Egypt.
6. Boils–(directed against the well being of the people) festering–referred to as Zaraath; seen as a form of leprosy.
7. Hail–first of the plagues taking effect in the heavens, showing YHVH controlled all areas of universe. YHVH said that “I will send all my wonders to his (pharaoh’s) heart” (Exodus 9:14). Moses had instructed the Egyptians to “send all animals into their houses.” This was an extension of the grace of YHVH towards the Egyptians. For YHVH offered Pharaoh and the Egyptian nation an escape route. Thus, those that feared YHVH’s words removed their livestock from the fields and those that didn’t take to heart Father’s word, left their slaves and animals outside and they were harmed (Exodus 9:20). This was an opportunity for the Egyptian people to turn themselves away from the god they knew and worshiped, none of which could stand up to YHVH, and turn to Him–the one and only true God (Elohim). Now, we learn that some of the Egyptians did heed the word of YHVH and took their livestock in doors, while of course, other Egyptians did not heed YHVH’s words. However, we see here that YHVH is a God that searches the heart. For we see later on down in verse 27 of the same chapter where Pharaoh makes a rather surprising pronouncement regarding the series of plagues his nation has endured: “This time I have sinned, God is righteous, and I and my nation are wicked.” Interestingly, Moses informs Pharaoh that he and his people did not in fact fear YHVH. For “it is only before the removal of the plague that you possess fear. In other words, once the plague was to be removed, the Egyptians would revert back to their old ways and serve their false gods. At this time, the barley was in an aviv state of maturity while the wheat and spelt were still in an immature throughout the land of Egypt (Exodus 9:31,32). Barley, when it is aviv, the stalks are brittle, while wheat and spelt, when it is immature, the stalks are very pliable. Thus a principle grain crop of Egypt, barley, was destroyed by this 6th plague, showing the Egyptians that YHVH is in control of everything. Remember: grain was one of Egypt’s major source of commerce and wealth. In fact, Egypt was the breadbasket of the known world at that time. And by Father striking at a major source of Egyptian commerce, He showed forth to the world that He was the Creator of the Universe and no demigod could match Him. We see this very thing being played out today with this coronavirus pandemic. Could this thing be YHVH’s judgment upon the various sectors of our world. For Father informed the Egyptians with this plague: “I will send all my wonders to your heart, and in your servants and in your people, in order that you shall know that there is none like Me in all the land” (Exodus 9:14). Thus when such things as happened to the Egyptians, and now the world around us, these are extensions of YHVH’s grace as He educates us of His sovereignty and power and might. Regardless which road one takes (ie., to fear Him or not) YHVH is either going to get the glory or His going to get the glory.
8. Locust–And because the people refused to fear YHVH despite the devastation left behind by the hail, that which the hail did not destroy would be destroyed by an invasion of locust from the east between the Nile and the Red Sea. And since this plague essentially devastated Egypt’s commerce and world power status in the region, Pharaoh was brought to a place of full acknowledgment of YHVH’s sovereignty and greatness (Exodus 10:16). Yet again, we see that once the locusts were swept away by the winds, Pharaoh’s heart showed forth its true colors.
9. Darkness–described as a darkness so thick that “people could not see one another.” In fact, it was darkness that could be felt (Exodus 10:21-23).
10. Death of firstborn which leads to the establishment of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Exodus 12:1-36

• Establishing the calendar–Opposing the Egyptian calendar (vss. 1, 2).
• Hebrews select an unblemished male yearling lamb on the 10th day of the month of Aviv (vss. 3-5).
• On the 14th day of Aviv the lamb was to be slaughtered at twilight. Some of the blood from the lamb was to be smeared upon the doorposts and lintel of each Hebrew’s home (vss. 6-7).
  • The blood covenant discussion of ancient near east practices.
• YHVH institutes the Passover meal (vss. 8-11):
  • Roasted lamb
  • Unleavened bread
  • Bitter herbs
  • The meal was to be eaten in haste with the participants dressed to leave their homes at a moment’s notice.
• YHVH reveals His plan to judge the gods of Egypt and to kill the firstborn of Egypt (vss. 12-14) and the commandment to keep Passover as a feast for all generations. The blood was to be a sign that He will pass over the homes with that blood on its doorposts and lintels and no harm would befall the members of that home.
• YHVH institutes the Feast of Unleavened Bread (vss. 15-20).
• Moshe instructs the Hebrew elders to do all that YHVH had revealed to Moshe and that this would be a commandment for the Hebrews to keep in perpetuity (vss. 21-27).
• The Hebrews did as they were instructed (vs. 28).
• YHVH as promised goes throughout the Land of Egypt and strikes down the firstborn (vss. 29-30).
• Pharaoh calls Moshe before him and releases the Hebrews (vss. 31-32).
• The Hebrews are rushed out of Egypt with the wealth of Egypt in their possession as the Hebrews had curried favor with the Egyptian people despite what had happened to the people of Egypt (vss. 33-36). The Hebrews took with them for food unleavened bread.