Week 4: Exodus 16 – 36 – A Pilgrim's Journey

This week narrates the continuing journey to the Promised Land, the giving of the 10 Commandments, and specifications for the Tabernacle and priests.

Key people this week:

Key events this week:

The people continue to grumble when they come up against a seeming obstacle – this time a lack of food – as if God wouldn’t provide. They continue to look back to their life in Egypt, forgetting the harshness of their slavery, and remembering only the good things about it. Not trusting God will be a continuing theme. Paul said that these things were written “to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope,” (Romans 14:4).
God provided quail to eat in the evening and manna in the morning with instructions to gather only what they needed for that one day except the 6^th day when they could gather enough for the Sabbath, as well.
The Sabbath is instituted.
God provides water from a rock.
The Israelites, led by Joshua, defeat the Amalekites – winning as long as Moses kept his hands up.
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law advises Moses to set up a hierarchy of judges over the people, bringing only the difficult cases to Moses, so he would not be worn out.
God gave the Law, the 10 Commandments, written on tablets of stone to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

God provided additional instructions on idols, altars, Hebrew servants, personal injuries, protection of property, social responsibility, justice and mercy, the Sabbath.
God instituted three annual festivals. These are the three festivals of the year that all Hebrew men had to appear before the Lord – the ones that later they would have to go to Jerusalem to celebrate.
- Festival of Unleavened Bread (Immediately follows Passover),
- Festival of Harvest (first fruits),
- Festival of Ingathering (end of harvest).
God specifies the borders of the Promised Land (Ex. 23:31).
God confirms the Covenant.
God provides instructions for constructing the Tabernacle and its furnishings, including the Ark of the covenant.
Aaron and his sons set apart and consecrated as priests plus description of the priestly garments.

The infamous Golden Calf incident. Moses was so mad that he smashed the tablets with the 10 Commandments. [Did I select the photo of the Golden Calf on Wallstreet on purpose? Yes.]

Moses pitches the “tent of meeting” outside the camp for anyone who wanted to inquire of the Lord.
Moses asked the Lord, “Show me your glory,” (Ex. 33:18).
Moses goes up on the mountain again and God gives him new stone tablets.
God chose men with great skill to build the tabernacle – Bezalel and Oholiab – and the tabernacle was constructed.

Week 4: Exodus 16 – 36