David's Sin in Numbering

Exodus 30:12 - When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

NOTE: This explains God's wrath against King David when he numbered the people. David ordered a census but not the collection of the redemption money, II Samuel 24; I Chronicles 21.

VM

Notes in Ten Commandments

Called the "First table of the Law," Commandments 1 through 4, man's duty toward God.  Exodus 20:1-11.

Called the "Second table of the Law," Commandments 5 through 10, man's duty toward his fellow man.  Exodus 20:12-17.

The two tables of the law summed up in two sentences, Matthew 22:35-40, our duty to God and our duty to man.  See also second table summed up (our duty to man), Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8.

These rightly called "The Ten Commandments" as Scripture calls them: Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 10:4.

On the second commandment (verses 4-6).  "...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, etc..."  Not teaching "generational sin" or "family curse," but generational teaching of sin.  Example, children of smokers are generally smokers.  Here, idolatry passed on but for God's great mercy and grace!

On the Sabbath day: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Not a spiritual rest.  Physical rest for spiritual activity.  Included also is the requirement to work six days.  Those attempting to "keep the sabbath" today generally take two days of rest, violating the command to work six.  Sabbath "nailed to the cross" and "taken out of the way," Colossians 2:13-17.  This the only one of the ten commandments not repeated for Christians in the NT epistles.

On the fifth commandment (verse 12).  Notice man's duty to fellow man begins with honoring parents.  The nuclear family is God's primary pattern for human relationships.  Family relationships are the proper foundation for understanding all other human relationships.  Important cross reference: Ephesians 6:1-3.

Exodus 20:13 - Thou shalt not kill.  Literally, murder, including negligent death ("manslaughter").  Is not a prohibition of all killing, for the same law requires death to the offender.

VM

Jethro's Advice to Moses

Exodus 18:23 - If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so....

Always good when giving advice or counsel to impress that your advice not infallible, so do as the Lord leads.  In this case, God confirmed Jethro's counsel, Numbers chapter 11.

VM

Jesus In the Passover

Exodus 12:3-6 - The lamb is to be kept and examined from the tenth day to the fourteenth day.  Jesus entered Jerusalem on the tenth day and stayed daily, publicly in the temple, till the fourteenth day, when He was sacrificed.  He could be examined by the chief priests and elders, fulfilling the passover lamb.

Exodus 12:10 - "And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning...."  Fulfilled in Christ, John 19:31.  See also Deuteronomy 21:22-23.

Exodus 12:13 - Famous hymn, "When I see the blood, I will pass, I will pass over you."

Exodus 12:16 - With John 19:31 and John 19:42 explains how Jesus was crucified on a special sabbath beginning the feast, not necessarily on the weekly sabbath.  There is no reason to insist on a "Good Friday" crucifiction and then contradict the three days and three nights in the grave.

Exodus 12:43 - "...there shall no stranger eat thereof."  Nor of the Lord's Table, but those within the covenant (the saved).

Exodus 12:46 - "In one house shall it be eaten...."  And so with the Lord's Table, I Corinthians 11:33.  "Thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house."  The Communion bread and cup are not to be taken out to those who didn't gather for it.  Catholics have severely corrupted this with "mass for shut-ins."

Exodus 12:46 - "...neither shall ye break a bone thereof."  And so Jesus on the cross, Whose legs were not broken like the other two.  See John 19:33-36.

VM

Egypt's Ten Plagues Outlined

For an explanation of outlining certain scripture passages for quick reference, see this post.  The ten plagues of Egypt are an excellent thing to mark so you can easily find the one you are looking for at a glance.  This is the kind of marking I would do even in a Bible that did not have a wide margin.

Egypt's Ten Plagues Outlined:

In margin next to Exodus 7:5 - God's reasons for the plagues.  See also Exodus 9:14-16, 10:2, 12:12.

Next to 7:8 - Preview of miracles

7:14 - Plague 1: Water becomes blood.
8:1 - Plague 2: Frogs
8:16 - Plague 3: Lice
8:20 - Plague 4: Flies
9:1 - Plague 5: Livestock diseased
9:8 - Plague 6: Boils
9:13 - Plague 7: Hail & fire
10:1 - Plague 8: Locusts
10:21 - Plague 9: Darkness
11:1 - Plague 10: Firstborn struck dead.

VM

It Often Gets Worse Before It Gets Better

Summary of Exodus chapter 5: Moses & Aaron confront Pharaoh.  He refuses to let the Israelites go and in fact increases their work load.  They now have to provide their own straw for bricks, but the number of bricks required is still the same.  The Israelites murmer against Moses & Aaron.  Moses passes their complaint to the LORD.

Lessons for our difficulties / Lessons on God's deliverance:

1. It often gets worse before it gets better!
2. God's plan was already at work, even when things were getting worse.
3. God's perfect plan included allowing things to get worse, so that He gets the glory He deserves.

Exodus 5:21 shows three of the causes for murmuring.  1) Desire to appeal to the world, and 2) unwillingness to suffer reproach: "because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants."  3) Fear: "to put a sword in their hand to slay us."

VM

Notes on Moses' Calling

Exodus 2:11 - And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

Moses here about 40 years old, already knew his calling as deliverer, Acts 7:22-25; Hebrews 11:24-27.

Exodus 3:13 - And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

Not an objection (yet) but a valid question.  Moses had already been asked, "Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?" and he had no answer then.  (Exodus 2:14).

Note at Exodus 3:14 - "I AM THAT I AM" / "I AM hath sent me unto you."

Jehovah, commonly LORD in small caps in the Bible text, means "I AM" - the self existent, self sustaining, all sufficient, unchanging One.  Jesus Christ applied it to Himself, John 8:58 (so Jews tried to stone Him for claiming deity).  Jesus has these attributes of this name: Hebrews 13:8; Revelation 1:4, 1:8, 1:17, 4:8.

VM