When the people of Israel were at Sinai, God told Moses to set boundaries around the mountain. This was the place where God would meet the people, where they would hear him and receive his word. Yet, for all but Moses, it was to be at a distance. One day, people were bringing their kids… Continue reading The true and better Sinai
Tag: Exodus
Are you washed in the blood?
Imagine if you had been stood amongst the people as Moses spoke and then demonstrated the covenant by sprinkling or showering you with blood from the sacrifices. We tend to be queasy about blood, ancient people were less so. The blood was significant and significant because it was not just something happening in the distance… Continue reading Are you washed in the blood?
Holiness as blessing and challenge
God’s holiness is a great theme in the Sinai passages. We see this in the way that the Law tells his people how to live in his holy presence and in the conditions that are set. There is a delineation between who can approach YHWH and who cannot. Some of the people can come so… Continue reading Holiness as blessing and challenge
The Law
Sinai It’s two months after the Israelites have left Egypt when the arrive at Sinai. The people camp around the mountain and Moses climbs up to appear before YHWH (Exodus 19:1-3a). God speaks to Moses and gives instructions to the people. The context is that they have seen what God did to the Egyptians, punishing… Continue reading The Law
What would you need to survive in the desert?
This was our starter question at a recent Life Group. There were suggestions about methods for storing water and food. One person suggested that a compass to help find your way out might be useful. We rule out “Bear Grylls” and “the Amazon app” as breaking the spirit of the rules of the game. The… Continue reading What would you need to survive in the desert?
Not consumed
Here’s my summing up talk from an all age service looking at Moses and the Burning Bush (Exodus 4-5). A sign and a sending
A hungry and thirsty people
Bitter-Sweet As the people move on from the Red Sea crossing, they search for water but find none in the desert for three days, until they come to a place they name Marah, the name is a play on the Hebrew for bitter. There is something off about the water, it tastes bitter. The people… Continue reading A hungry and thirsty people
Crossing over
A long cut The quickest route out of Egypt would have been directly out of Goshen and then the coast route around the edge of the Mediterranean but that would have taken the people through Philistine territory. God recognises that this will bring them into open conflict early on and at this stage the people… Continue reading Crossing over
Magicians and Miracles
Why were the Egyptian magicians seemingly able to replicate the miracles that Moses performed? There are a few possibilities. It could be that they were dependent on demonic power. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that there is real demonic power that sits behind idolatry. Alternatively, it may have been that they were tricksters, their… Continue reading Magicians and Miracles
Exodus and Easter
Our church have been enjoying a series working through Exodus. We’ve actually taken a break from it for ster. However, the Exodus story is intrinsically connected to Easter. The account of Jesus’ death and resurrection echoes the Exodus narrative. Here are a few ways in which it does. Jesus is betrayed, beaten, mocked, oppressed, identifying… Continue reading Exodus and Easter
Faithroots 