Day 35: Crossing the Red Sea

 Today's readings: Exodus 13-14, Leviticus 10, and Psalm 53.

I. Moses told the Israelites that on this day they were leaving Egypt, they would keep remembrance of it in the Feast of the Unleavened Bread afterward (13:3-10). Also, the final plague that the Egyptians suffered would be remembered by the consecration of all firstborn males, both human and animal (13:11-16). God led the Israelites out of Egypt, not by the direct route to Canaan but further south into Sinai to avoid the Philistines. He did this by means of a miraculous pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night (13:17-22).

That must have been an extraordinary and frightening sight.

You'd think at this point, Pharaoh would just let them leave. He and his people had suffered 10 plagues for his stubbornness, the final one particularly painful.

No. Of course not.

Pharaoh's heart hardened again, and he missed having the Israelites do the dirty work in Egypt. So "all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army" went off after them, overtaking them while encamped at the Red Sea (14:1-9).

Seeing Pharaoh's army charging towards them, the Israelites were understandably terrified and cried out to Moses, who reassured them that God would save them (14:10-14). Moses called out to God, who told him to miraculously part the Red Sea and cross it. The Israelites did with Pharaoh's army in hot pursuit (14:15-25).

That must have been an even more amazing sight to behold, and the terror the Israelites felt during all this would have been indescribable.

When the last Israelite had successfully crossed the Red Sea, and the Egyptians in pursuit were all in the passway that had been created, God told Moses to close the gap and let the waters flow back and drown them. So he did, and thus God had saved them (14:26-31).

The Ignatius Bible notes that this miraculous event was seen in even deeper lights by early Christians:

Paul interprets the sea crossing as a type of Baptism, which brings salvation anew through water and the power of God (1 Cor 10:1-2) (CCC 1221). Allegorically, the sea is a type of Baptism, for just as it caused the demise of Pharaoh, so our washing is the end of the devil's tyranny. In the sea the enemy is slain, and in Baptism our enmity with God lies dead. From the sea the people emerged unharmed, and from the water we step forth saved by the grace of the One who called us (St. Basil, On the Holy Spirit 15, 31). (p. 144)

II. In Leviticus chapter 10, a sad incident occurs where Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu are consumed them both for acting against what he had commanded for worship (10:1-2). 

Aaron must have been on the verge of freaking out, as any father would in this case, but he was calmed by what Moses told him from the Lord and "held his peace" (10:3).

At this point, God spoke of other instances where going against His commands for proper worship will result in death, I guess to reiterate that He wasn't kidding (10:4-11).

Aaron is still shaken by the death of his sons, as can be seen at the end of the chapter. Moses gets angry that he doesn't eat the sin offering, but was "content" once Aaron explained his fear (10:16-20).

III. Psalm 53 is one of lament. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

The speaker is distressed by the corruption that surrounds him (53:1-2), but he is confident that God will bring inners to judgment (53:5) and will restore the fortunes of Israel (53:6). (p. 874)

The opening line of this psalm is powerful, not only against atheism but also against a slack attitude as if following God's will isn't important in our lives:

 The fool says in his heart,

“There is no God.” (53:1)

That's all for today!

Day 34: The Passover Instituted

 Today's readings: Exodus 12, Leviticus 9, and Psalm 114.

I. God establishes perhaps one of the most sacred days for Israel to remember every year: Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread. These are also heavily significant for Christians too, as they foreshadow the sacrifice of Christ and the Eucharist. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

The feast of Passover is charged with typological significance: the lamb offered in sacrifice prefigures Christ as the unblemished lamb slain for our redemption (Jn 1:29; 1 Cor 5:7; 1 Pet 1:19), and the lamb eaten in the meal looks ahead to our communion with Christ in the Eucharist (Jn 6:52-58; 1 Cor 10:16). both ideas are present at the Last Supper, where Jesus transforms the Jewish Passover into the memorial meal of a new exodus from sin (Mt 26:17-29) (CCC 608, 1340). (p. 140)

He outlines how the Israelites are to all gather together with their families in their houses, with no one left outside, and sprinkle a lamb's blood on the "doorposts and lintel" of their houses, how they are to eat (lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs), and that they must eat all of it; how they are to be fully clothed with their sandals on, ready to travel; that they must keep this service every years in remembrance of their exodus from Egypt (12:1-28).

The final and most terrible of the Plagues then struck: the death of all Egypt's first-born. God said that "on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments..." (12:12), and for this last plague, Osiris, their false god of life and patron of Pharaoh, was the main target. As for the death of the first-borns, that's of all Egyptians, high and low, as well as their cattle (12:29). There was a great cry, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and finally told them that they should all leave, with their flocks (12:30-32). Fearing all of them would be killed, the Egyptian people rushed the Israelites along, and the latter were "thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry" (12:33-42). Lastly, God gave a command to Moses and Aaron that no foreigner or uncircumcized male was to eat of the Passover meal (12:43-50).

II. In Leviticus chapter 9, the inauguration of Aaron's priesthood and "the beginning of public worship at the Tabernacle" commence. Interestingly, the Ignatius Bible notes:

[T]he initial sin offerings prescribed for Aaron and the people are connected with specific sins of idolatry. (1) Aaron sacrifices a calf for himself because of his leadership role in the golden calf apostasy. (2) Aaron sacrifices a goat for the people because the tribes worshiped goat idols in the wilderness during the encampment at Sinai. The lesson implied: worship of the true God (the Lord) entails a cultic renunciation of false gods (idols). (p. 192)

III.  Psalm 114 is a short one of historical remembrance. The wonders of God during the Exodus from Egypt are expounded, with poetic language employed that personifies nature "fleeing in fear from the Lord's presence" and the divine establishment of their homeland in Canaan (p. 931).

That's it for today!

Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the First Born

 Today's readings: Exodus 10 & 11,  Leviticus 8, and Psalm 50.

I. Moses goes again to Pharaoh to give him God's demand that he let the Israelites go (10:1-6). Pharaoh agrees only to let the Israelite men go, but not the rest, for in his mind, if he doesn't hold the women and children essentially as hostages, the Israelites will "have some evil purpose in mind" (10:7-11).

Big mistake.

The Eighth Plague is unleashed: a huge swarm of locusts over all the land (10:12-15). 

Again, Pharaoh begged Moses to intervene and stop this plague, but once more he reneged and "did not let the children of Israel go" (10:16-20). This plague could also be seen as an attack on the false Egyptian god Senehem.

The Ninth Plague is unleashed: darkness over all of Egypt, except for where the Israelites lived. Pharaoh tries again to get Moses to intercede for him, saying that only the flocks and herds of the Israelites must stay behind. Moses says they are needed for sacrifice to God, but Pharaoh responds angrily, "Get away from me," and says that Moses will die if his face is ever seen again. Moses leaves his sight (10:21-29). Interestingly, the text doesn't say if the Ninth Plague ended or not.

Regardless, God gives Moses a warning of the Final Plague: "all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die" (11:1-10).

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, has some good commentary on this:

Through the plagues, God not only inflicts punishment on Pharaoh for refusing to free his people from slavery and not only demonstrates his power over Egypt's false gods, but he is also seeking to reach the hearts of the Israelites. The Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for four hundred years, so they have been affected by its culture and religious practices. Through the plagues, God is releasing his people from the influence of the Egyptian gods. (p. 74)

II. In Leviticus chapter 8, a detailed description of Moses ordaining Aaron and his sons as priests, the first being the high priest, and consecrating all the vestments, objects, furniture, and tent as commanded by God.

III. Psalm 50 is one of prophetic exhortation. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

It announces that God is coming in judgment because his people have become lax in keeping the covenant. Two problems are noted: (1) some wrongly think that sacrifice is something God depends on, rather than an expression of Israel's dependence on God (50:9-15), and (2) some recite God's commandments with their lips but fail to observe them in their relationships with others (50:16-20). What truly "honors" the Lord and leads to "salvation" is a sacrifice of thanksgiving and a life of obedience (50:23). (p. 872)

 That's all for today!

Day 32: Cattle, Boils, and Hail

 Today's readings: Exodus 9, Leviticus 7, and Psalm 49.

I. The next Fifth Plague strikes Egypt: "all the cattle of the Egyptians died," but not those of the Israelites (9:1-7). You'd think that Pharaoh would have been moved by this, but what must have seemed like an attack on his false god of Apis, made sure that he wasn't, and "he did not let the people go."

With the Sixth Plague, "boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt," this did nothing to shake the pigheadedness of Pharaoh (9:8-12). I suppose he was too enthralled with the false goddess Sekhmet.

Moses then went to Pharaoh and gave him God's message that He could have wiped out all Egyptians through pestilence, but He did not; Pharaoh was still "exalting yourself against my people and would not let them go" (9:13-17). He was warned that a great hailstorm "shall come down upon every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home, and they shall die" (9:18-19). No hail fell upon where the Israelites lived, of course, and Pharaoh was moved briefly to sue for peace with Moses (9:20-33).

So all was good then, and everyone lived happily ever after, right?

No.

Spoiler alert: Pharaoh reneged yet again. You'd think that after the last couple of times, he would have learned his lesson. Nope. Not at all, and "the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the sons of Israel go" (9:34-35). You could say the false goddess Nut smiled at his persistent stubbornness.

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, has some good commentary on this:

When the Bible says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, this does not mean that God removed Pharaoh's free will or caused his heart to harden. God is like the sun. In the heat of the sun, wax melts but clay hardens. If our hearts are like wax, they will soften in God's presence, but if they are like clay, they will harden. (p. 72)

II. In Leviticus chapter 7, more specific laws are given for the guilt and peace offerings. Most significantly, for Jewish dietary restrictions, animal fat and blood are strictly prohibited (7:22-27).

III. Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

It is a call to attention for all people (49:1-2) to gain wise instruction about life and the laws that govern it (49:3). At issue is whether God or wealth is the most secure basis for our trust. Since death robs men of riches (49:16-17), and God alone can ransom from death (49:15), fear of the wealthy is rejected (49:16) and trust in worldly belongings is exposed as "foolish confidence" (49:13). Death comes to all, wise and foolish, rich and poor (49:10). (p. 871)

All this on wisdom reminds me of some of Job and Proverbs that I've been recently reading.

 That's it for today!

Day 31: Frogs, Gnats, and Flies

 Today's readings:  Exodus 8, Leviticus 6, and Psalm 48.

I. Moses went to Pharaoh again and, through Aaron, gave him God's demand to "let my people go" (8:1), which he would not do, so the Second Plague struck: frogs infested the land of Egypt, which the court magicians again did the same "by their secret arts" (8:2-7). Pharaoh agreed to release the Hebrews if the frogs would be destroyed, which Moses called upon God to do, but then reneged when "there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and would not listen to them" (8:8-15). 

A truly stubborn cuss, who might have been annoyed that this second plague could also be seen as an attack on the Egyptian false goddess Heket.

Interestingly, the Ignatius Bible notes this:

Ironically, the sorcerers [court magicians] worsen the frog plague and compound the hardships pressing upon Egypt. The frog goddess, Heket, was supposed to control the frog population of Egypt by protecting the crocodiles that ate them. (p. 135)

Pharaoh's stubbornness brought on the Third Plague: gnats "throughout all the land of Egypt" (8:16-17). The court magicians again tried their tricks, but couldn't replicate this plague, yet "Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them" (8:18-19).

Thus, the Fourth Plague was unleashed: swarms of flies "in all the land of Egypt [and] the land was ruined by reason of the flies" (8:20-24). Again, Pharaoh asked Moses to intercede and destroy what plagued Egypt, but then "hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go" once the flies departed (8:25-32). 

What an obdurate man, who would cause Egypt to suffer even more. This fourth plague was also likely an attack on their false goddess Uatchit.

I do like the BIY Companion, Vol 1, link's Pharaoh's stubbornness to all of us:

Today in Exodus, Moses tells Pharaoh that he can stop the plague of frogs whenever he says the word. Pharaoh responds, "Tomorrow" (Exodus 8:10). Here, Scripture acts like a mirror. Sometimes, when God tells us he can deliver us from something harmful or help us start something good, we respond, "Tomorrow." (p. 70)

II. This one from Leviticus (6:1-7) seems needed and just. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Property that is stolen, withheld, or confiscated must be restored to its rightful owner, along with a fine of 20 percent, and a guilt offering must be brought to the sanctuary. These scenarios require a guilt offering because the offender swore falsely, i.e., he lied under oath and thus profaned the Lord's holy name (Ex 20:7; Ps 24:4; Jer 5:2). (p. 186)

So, no benefit from such underhandedness and deceit, or a simple apology. Nope, restitution to the one you wronged, a penalty, and a guilt offering required. I like that. 

Specific details on the law of offerings are outlined in verses 6:8-30.

III. Psalm 48 is a praise to God for Zion, a celebration of the glory and strength of Jerusalem, which He gave to them.

That's all for today!

Day 30: Nile Turned to Blood

 Today's readings: Exodus 6-7, Leviticus 5, and Psalm 47.

I. God reassures Moses that He will free the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, make them His people, and that they will be given "the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (6:1-9). Moses told them, but they didn't believe him, "because of their broken spirit and their cruel bondage" (6:9). Bypassing further reassurance it seems, God commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to "let the people of Israel go out of his land" (6:10-11). 

Oddly enough, we then get a genealogical digression detailing the ancestry of Moses and Aaron, brothers from the Levi clan (6:14-27). It seems out of place in this part of the story, interrupting the flow of the narrative. At the beginning of the tale would seem to me to have been better, but I'm sure it served a sort of cultural purpose for them at the time unknown to me.

The story continues with God telling He will speak to Moses and that Aaron will speak for him to Pharaoh, who will not listen and then be chastised by divine power. Interestingly, both are quite old: Moses is 80 and Aaron 83 (7:1-7). It's not those the world considers strong and of prime age that God always chooses to do His will; many times, He surprises us by doing the opposite of our expectations. So the brothers do as God commanded, with Aaron throwing his staff down to miraculously turn into a serpent, as a sign to Pharaoh. His court magicians somehow do likewise, but Aaron's ends up swallowing them up, but "Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he would not listen to them" (7:8-13). I've always been curious if what the magicians did was some kind of illusion trick or perhaps demonic power. Regardless, Pharaoh's poor choice brings the first of the Ten Plagues: the water of the Nile is turned to blood (7:14-24). Given the importance and sacredness of the Nile River to Egyptian pagans, this must have seemed like quite the blow. As shall be seen, each of the Ten Plagues will also be an attack on the Egyptian false gods and goddesses, as can be seen in the Ignatius Bible, p. 134. Hapi, their Nile god, was the first target.

Yet even this first plague didn't faze Pharaoh, for his court magicians again pulled some trick to imitate this, so "Pharaoh's heart remained hardened and he would not listen to them" (7:22).

I do like how the BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments on the repeated reminders to Moses here:

We can have short-term memory regarding God. We can easily forget what he has done for us due to our anxiety about the present or future. We study Scripture to be reminded of who God is, so he can reveal himself to us and we can know him even more deeply. (p. 68)

II. Leviticus continues listing offenses that require a sin offering. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Three offenses requiring a sin offering. The first is a sin of omission: a witness who declines to testify in court despite having knowledge relevant to the administration of justice (5:1). The second and third offenses are sins discovered after the fact: a person who touches uncleanness is liable for the offense as soon as he learns of it (5:2-3), as is the person who comes to learn that he has violated a careless oath (5:4). (p. 185)

As this doesn't apply to us today, it can seem boring, which is why many readers tend to get bogged down in Leviticus while trying to read Scripture from the beginning to the end. Nevertheless, I did find it interesting that even in this list, God thinks of the poor in 5:7-13. 

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments on this:

In Leviticus, regarding the sin offering to be presented, God is merciful. If someone cannot afford a lamb or a goat, he can offer two pigeons or turtledoves. If he cannot afford even that, he can offer fine flour. God does not want anything to get in the way to stop people from receiving his mercy. (p.68)

III. Psalm 47 is a royal celebratory one. Even the way it begins speaks of this praise:

Clap your hands, all peoples!

Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

For the Lord, the Most High, is terrible,

    a great king over all the earth. (47:1-2)

That's all for today! 

Day 29: Moses Returns to Egypt

 Today's readings: Exodus 4-5, Leviticus 4, and Psalm 46.

I. Moses protests to God that he is not a good choice, saying that the Hebrews "will not believe me or listen to my voice" and even after being shown miracles by God, saying that he was "slow of speech and of tongue" (4:1-10). Basically, giving every excuse he could think of not to do what God wanted him to do. God persisted, telling Moses that He "will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak," but of course the latter pleaded with Him to "send, I pray, some other person" (4:11-13).

It's quite understandable that Scripture next tells us that "the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses." God tells Moses that He will speak to him and he will speak to Aaron, his brother, who will then speak to the people (4:14-17).

'Tis a good thing that Scripture says God is "slow to anger" (34:6-7), but clearly Moses was pushing it.

Moses stops his protesting, gathers up his kin, and heads off back to Egypt. God tells him what he is to say to Pharaoh, but warns him that the latter will not believe him even under divine threats (4:18-23).

Then an odd episode occurs "at a lodging place on the way" where God "sought to kill him" (4:24-26). The Ignatius Bible explains:

Original meaning obscure. Moses may have followed the Midianite custom of waiting to circumcise boys until just before marriage. If so, he neglected the Abrahamic covenant, which required newborn males to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth (Gen 17:9-13). Failure to observe this rite meant being "cut off" from the covenant people (Gen 17:14)... (p. 131)

Moses and Aaron meet, then convince the Hebrew people in Egypt of what God had commanded (4:27-31). They next meet with Pharaoh and deliver God's command to "let my people go," but he refuses (5:1-5). Angrily, he increases the burdens on the Hebrews, who react negatively to Moses and Aaron, who themselves turn to God, asking Him, "Why have you done this evil to the people?" (5:6-23). 

As readers, we know how this will all turn out, but for Moses, Aaron, and the Hebrew people, it was happening in real life, with the future uncertain.

II. The first three offerings were voluntary, but this fourth, for sin, is not. A listing of sins for which this mandatory sin offering must be given is outlined, requiring a bull, goat, or lamb (4:1-35). The Ignatius Bible comments on this:

The sin offering, which cleanses the worshipper of impurity, moral (4:20; 16:30), as well as ritual (12:6-7; 14:19), since both defile the Lord's sanctuary (16:33; 20:3). For this reason, it is sometimes called the purification offering. The law differs according to the offender's position and level of responsibility: a bull is offered for the high priest or the congregation (4:1-21), a goat for a tribal ruler (4:22-26), a female lamb or goat for a common citizen (4:27-35), and a pair of birds or a patch of flour for the poor (5:7-13)... (p. 184)

Given the detailed description of how these animals are to be offered, even down to "the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver" (4:8-9) gives an idea of how serious God considers sin to be. It's as if these details are meant to disgust the sinner for what they have done and the cost for their sin, though this could probably be more the reaction of a modern person to an ancient practice. After all, most ancient religions I'm aware of practice animal, and sometimes human, sacrifices to their gods. Though I'm not sure many of the pagan ones went to such detail in their sacrifices as outlined in Leviticus.

III. Psalm 46 is one of praise for His defense of Jerusalem and the people of Israel, as can be seen in is deliverance of them time and time again.

"Be still, and know that I am God.

    I am exalted among the nations,

    I am exalted in the earth!"

The Lord of hosts is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our refuge. (46:10-11)

That's all for today!