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A practical guide to

understanding and applying

faith lessons from the Book of

Hebrews

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Answers to last week’s quiz on Hebrews…

T The central doctrine of the epistle is that Christ is mediator between God and humanity.

T The purpose of the letter is to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution.

T The letter contains many Old Testament references mostly from the Psalms and the

Pentateuch.

T Because of extensive use of “tabernacle” terminology and the reference that Timothy is still

alive, the letter’s composition date may be placed before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 AD.

F Hebrews is not a very "literary" epistle; in fact its Greek is crude,

provincial and stylistically poorer than the writing of any other NT letter.

T Commentators generally believe this letter was originally a

sermon.

T The letter is one of the antilegomena -- a New Testament book

whose canonicity has been disputed.

T The letter has 154 hapaxlegomena -- words that are found in

Hebrews but nowhere else in the New Testament.

T The letter may have been written to prevent Jewish-Christians

from leaving the Christian assembly to return to the synagogue.

T The most frequent title applied to Jesus in the letter, used thirteen times, is "High Priest."

F In ten other New Testament letters, Jesus is called our High Priest.

F The recipients of the letter were familiar with Greece.

F The author of the letter has been positively identified as St. Doritovius.

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What do these have in common?

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What is a sacrifice and why perform it? A Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or a living creature to a higher purpose or to God as an act of propitiation, atonement and/or worship. While sacrifice implies ritual killing, the term offering or oblation is used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts. For offerings of liquids by pouring, the term libation is used.

Offering sacrifices appears early and often in Genesis. Place the correct picture in each blank:

Genesis 4:4 Abel offered a sacrifice right after _______.

Genesis 8:20 Noah built an________ after the flood subsided.

Genesis 12:6 Soon after obeying God’s command to leave, Abram offered sacrifices at the __________ of Moreh.

Genesis 12:8f Abraham pitched a_______ between Ai and Bethel, and built an altar there.

A sacrifice can involve one or more of the following:

A gift to God;

A request to establish fellowship with God;

An expiation of a debt or obligation;

A ritual made effective only by the spirit;

A solemn act recognizing the “otherness” of God and a desire to approach Him.

What does a sacrifice look like?

Many religious ceremonies have included sacrifice, the act of giving up something of value and offering it to a deity. Worshipers may make a sacrifice to win the favor of the deity, to give thanks, or to maintain a good relationship with the god. Myths from around the world contain many examples of sacrifices in which animals, humans, and even gods shed blood or die. Sometimes the sacrifice is linked with creation or with the continuation of life on earth. People also make offerings of precious items such as flowers, wine, and incense or a portion of the fruit or grain collected during a harvest.

Sacrifice has meaning only in the context of a goal, dream or mission. In pursuing these, we often face obstacles which require us to forfeit physical or emotional comfort in the service of something that matters more. Often, the greater the dream or vision, the greater the shared sacrifice required to attain it. Sacrifice is easier when we stay focused on what we are choosing rather than what we are giving up.

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Match the penalty with the offense

If you land on their property and they have a hotel there, you have to pay them rent or go to jail.

If you are captured off their coast, pay the Somali pirates $2 million for your release.

If you fight during the game, you get to sit in the penalty box for 90 seconds. If you repeat, you are ejected.

If you are convicted of drunk driving, spend 6 months to 2 years in the county jail.

How is each penalty determined? Is each one “fair?”

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You are the Deity of an ancient tribe. Briefly describe the essential elements of satisfactory

worship for the people of your tribe.

How will the tribe know you are

pleased?

What are your ritual stipulations?

What special requirements do you have – music, light,

smells, etc.?

Who is the worship leader?

How frequently must they worship

you?

What will they get in return?

Why do you require worship?

Where and when do you want to be worshipped?

What materials may they use as offerings?

Any ‘no-nos”?

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The Five Offerings in the Old Testament

NAME ELEMENTS PURPOSE GOD'S PORTION PRIEST'S PORTION

OFFERER'S PORTION

Burnt Offering Lev 1; 6:8-13; 8:18-21; 16:24

Bull, ram or bird (dove or young pigeon for the poor); wholly consumed; no defect

Voluntary act of worship; atonement for unintentional sin in general; expression of devotion, commitment and complete surrender to God

Entire animal Skin (to be sold) Nothing

Grain Offering Lev 2; 6:14-23

Grain, fine flour, olive oil, incense, baked bread (cakes or wafers), salt; no yeast or honey; accompanied burnt offering and peace offering (along with drink offering)

Voluntary act of worship; recognition of God's goodness and provisions; devotion to God

1. Priest's own offering: Entire portion to God

2. Others: Memorial portion (a handful)

1. Priest's own offering: none (all the remainder to be burnt)

2. Others: all the remainder (had to be eaten within court of tabernacle)

Nothing

Peace Offering Lev 3; 7:11-34

Any animal without defect from herd or flock; variety of breads

Voluntary act of worship; thanksgiving and fellowship (it included a communal meal); included vow offerings, thanksgiving offerings and freewill offerings

Fatty portions (fat covering inner parts; fat tail, kidneys, lobe of the liver)

Breast given to High Priest (wave offering), right foreleg given to officiating priest (heave offering)

1. Thanksgiving offering: all the remainder (to be eaten the same day); no left over allowed

2. Vow or freewill offering: remainder (to be eaten the same day and the next day); any left over to be burnt on the 3rd day

Sin Offering Lev 4; 5:1-13; 6:24-30; 8:14-17; 16:3-22

1. Young bull: for High Priest and whole congregation. The blood was to be sprinkled in front of the veil and put on the horns of the altar of incense (see notes)

2. Male goat: for leader. The blood was to be put on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. Dove or pigeon: for the poor. The blood was to be put on the horns of the altar of burnt offering 1/10 ephah of fine flour: for the very poor

3. Female goat or lamb: for common person. The blood was to be put on the horns of the altar of burnt offering.

4

Mandatory atonement for specific unintentional sin; confession of sin; forgiveness of sin; cleansing from defilement

Fatty portions (fat covering inner parts; fat tail, kidneys, lobe of the liver)

1. Atonement for High Priest and congregation: none (all the remainder was to be burnt outside the camp where the ashes were thrown)

2. Atonement for others: all the remainder (had to be eaten within court of tabernacle)

Nothing

Trespass Offering Lev 5:14-19; 6:1-7; 7:1-6

Ram Mandatory atonement for unintentional sin requiring restitution; cleansing from defilement; make restitution; pay 20% fine

Fatty portions (fat covering inner parts; fat tail, kidneys, lobe of the liver)

All the remainder (had to be eaten within court of tabernacle)

Nothing

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A profusion of Offerings Daily the priest offered a lamb in the morning service and a lamb in the evening service. On a Sabbath, two additional lambs were offered after the morning service. Seven high holy days are designated in Leviticus 23 (verses 7, 8, 21, 25, 28, 30-32, 35-36). These high holy days are Sabbaths, even though they could occur on a day other than the seventh day (Saturday) of the week - which was the normal Jewish Sabbath. On a high holy day, besides the daily regular offerings, the priest offered two additional lambs after the morning service, and additional sacrifices for the day. Besides the daily regular offerings, additional sacrifices were offered on special festivals:

Festival Burnt Offering Sin

Offering

Bulls Rams Lambs Goat

New moon 2 1 7 1

Feast of Unleavened Bread

2 1 7 1

TOTAL for 7 days 14 7 49 7

Feast of Weeks

2 1 7 1

Feast of Trumpets

1 1 7 1

The Day of Atonement

1 1 7 1

Feast of Tabernacles - Day 1 13 2 14 1

Feast of Tabernacles - Day 2 12 2 14 1

Feast of Tabernacles - Day 3 11 2 14 1

Feast of Tabernacles - Day 4 10 2 14 1

Feast of Tabernacles - Day 5 9 2 14 1

Feast of Tabernacles - Day 6 8 2 14 1

Feast of Tabernacles - Day 7 7 2 14 1

TOTAL for 7 days 70 14 98 7

The Last Great Day

1 1 7 1

So if we do the math, at least 1,384 animals are sacrificed annually BEFORE any personal offerings are

made by the people. Lots of blood and smoke, feathers and fur…

Do you think the system

worked? Why or Why not?

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Match the admission price with the activity

If by faith, you place your eternal salvation in the completed work of Jesus at Calvary, you are welcome to heaven.

If you pay the discounted price for your group, you all are admitted to the park and get to see the game that day.

If you pay a variable fee based on where you sit, you can watch the show once.

If you pay an initiation fee and a monthly fee, you and your family can use the facility.

What is each party implying or expressing when the

admission price is paid?

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A quick Covenant quiz

T or F The words “Covenant” and “testament” basically

mean the same thing.

T or F Most Bible scholars recognize eight major

covenants – Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and the New Covenant

T or F An unconditional covenant puts all the

responsibility on God for keeping the covenant terms.

T or F The covenant through Adam created the rainbow as an "everlasting sign"

that God would not again destroy the world with a Hello Kitty.

T or F The covenant through Noah applies to all of humanity and to all living

creatures.

T or F The covenant through Enoch forbids

eating meat that dropped on the ground for more than 3 seconds.

T or F The fullest account of the covenant

through Moses is given in the book of Deuteronomy.

T or F The covenant through Noah says that

violent men will be repaid by violence

T or F Covenants in biblical times were often sealed by severing an animal in half,

with the implication that the party who breaks the covenant will suffer a similar fate. Hence to “cut a covenant”

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Thinking about Moses, what are his…

Three greatest accomplishments:

1. ________________________

2. ________________________

3. ________________________

Three greatest setbacks:

1. ________________________

2. ________________________

3. ________________________

If were filming a movie on the life of Moses, which accomplishments and/or setbacks would

you feature? Why?

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A theatrical tech director wants to build a set for a play. What does s/he need to know to build the set? How useful is a model?

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The layout of the Tabernacle

150 feet long by 75 feet wide

7.5 feet high, copper bases, cloth walls

Pillar of cloud by day and fire by night

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The first piece a worshipper would encounter as he came through the door was the altar. It was wood covered with copper. It was a perfect square with horns on each of the 4 corners. It was where the blood sacrifices of clean lambs and goats would be offered in the heat of fire unto God for atonement (the covering and forgiveness of sins) (Exodus 27:1-8, Leviticus 17:11).

The second piece of furniture was a washing basin for the priests called the laver (lavatory – place of washing). It came after the altar of sacrifice and before the entrance to the sanctuary. It was made of polished copper. Its purpose was “to wash”. The priests had to daily wash their hands and feet from dirt and contamination before they worshipped God at the altar or entered the sanctuary to serve. The laver was not for the shedding of sacrificial blood for sin but for the washing of dirt. One had to be clean to serve. (Exodus 30:18-21).

On the south side of the holy place stood the pure golden lampstand. The gold was formed into the shape of an almond tree in the full bloom of life. It had six fruitful branches with a central shaft or trunk. They were designed to hold seven bowls filled with olive oil to provide light. Light and life merged together in one unit. The light was continual and was never to go out. There was no light at all in the holy place except that which came from the golden lampstand. The varied colors and beauty of the inner sanctuary could only be seen in this one light.

Directly opposite the lampstand stood the table of showbread on the north side. One could only see the bread by the one light. Twelve loaves of bread were set on it once a week. During the week the bread was to be displayed before God. On the Sabbath the priests were to eat it. Thus God and man shared the same table together in fellowship of the same bread.

The third piece of furniture in the holy place was the altar of incense with its four horns. This stood by the veil, which separated the holy place from the holiest of holies. This altar was for one purpose only: to burn incense, not sacrifice. The incense was a special God-prescribed formula, which sent out a rich fragrant smoke when the priest lit it at morning and evening.

The Ark was a chest made out of wood covered with gold and trimmed with a crown border like the table and incense altar. It, however, rested in the holiest place where the presence of God dwelt. The chest contained the two tablets of the Ten Commandments: God’s standard of righteousness; a golden pot of manna: Gods provision to sustain His people in life; and Aaron’s rod that budded with life: God’s choice as High Priest to be our continual mediator and intercessor (Psalm 40:6-10, John 6:51, Hebrews 4:14). The Mercy Seat was the cover of the ark. It was solid gold beaten into winged cherubim; one at each end looking down where God’s presence was. Cherubim are involved with the protection of God’s holiness. Here, once a year, the high priest alone went in with sacrificial blood from the brazen altar to sprinkle it on the mercy seat to obtain forgiveness of sins for Israel.

The furnishings of the Tabernacle

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The significance of the Tabernacle

Justification: Sanctification: Glorification:

Some helpful questions: 1. Why is there only one entrance to the Tabernacle?

2. What’s the significance of first giving sacrifice?

3. What does “passing through water” symbolize in the believer’s life?

4. What is the role of prayer and communion is the life of a believer?

5. When did we encounter a seven-flame lampstand?

6. What’s the significance of the law in the Ark of the Covenant?

7. How is the tabernacle a pattern of heaven?

8. How is a believer like the Tabernacle?

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Learning Log – What insights did you gain tonight? What will you apply this week?

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God and covenants with people "A covenant is a sovereign pronouncement of God by which He establishes a relationship of responsibility (1) between himself and an individual, (2) between Himself and mankind in general, (3) between Himself and a nation, or (4) between Himself and a specific human family. A covenant made in one time may overlap others...The covenants are normally unconditional in the sense that God obligates Himself in grace, by the unrestricted declaration, 'I will' to accomplish certain announced purposes, despite any failure on the part of the person or people with whom He covenants. The human response to the divinely announced purpose is always important, leading as it does to blessing for obedience and discipline for disobedience. But human failure is never permitted to abrogate the covenant or block its ultimate fulfillment." (C.I. Scofield)

The Garden of Eden Covenant Man is charged with responsibility for making babies, subduing the earth, exercising dominion over the animals, caring for the garden in Eden, and refraining from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The Covenant after Adam and Eve disobey In Genesis 3, we see the consequences of humanity's fall means a radically altered relationship between humanity and God including:

A curse on the serpent: ( also Rom. 16:20; 2 Cor. 11:3, 14; Rev. 12:9).

The first promise of a redeemer. The Messiah would come in the line of Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and David;

A changed state of woman;

Loss of the garden in Eden as a dwelling place

A light occupation is changed to hard work;

Inevitable sorrow and disappointment in life;

Shortened life span and death.

Covenants in Genesis

And God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.' And God said, 'Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.' And it was so."(Gen. 1:28-30) "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.'" (Gen. 2:16, 17)

Then the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”(Gen. 3:14-20)

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The Covenant with Noah In Genesis 8 and 9, God makes the first of several unconditional covenants. This is with Noah and it affects all humanity. It establishes principles for all government, and includes the following:

Sanctity of all human life established.

Man is now responsible to protect life;

A Promise that another universal flood will not occur;

The ground will not be cursed further;

Humanity's relationship to the animals and to nature is confirmed;

Likely vegetarian before the flood, we are now allowed to eat meat;

Special characteristics are assigned to Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The Covenant with Abraham

Even after the purging effects of the flood, evil returns. So God makes another unconditional covenant, this time with Abraham:

God gave Abraham the promise of a great nation---primarily meaning Israel, but also including great peoples in the line of Ishmael and Abraham's others sons. In all, Abraham had eight sons, six through his second wife Keturah after Sarah died, (Gen. 25:3). Two peoples descended from Abraham are named specifically. They are an earthly group (Israel) "as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore," and a heavenly group (the true church) "as numerous as the stars in the heavens." These two "family trees" form the subject of the mainstream of redemptive history in the Bible.

Abraham was chosen to be the father of numerous descendants, to be blessed personally, to be personally honored, to be a channel of blessing to others.

Those who bless Abraham are to be blessed and those who curse him will be cursed. Blessings on the nations are to come through Abraham.

Reaffirmation of the promise of a Messiah was made by God

The Covenant with Abraham is restated and confirmed to Isaac by God in Genesis 26:1-5, and is restated and confirmed to Jacob in Genesis 28:10-15.

Genesis Covenants

"And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, 'I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.' And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the air, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything…Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image....And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.' God said to Noah, 'This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth." (Gen. 8:21-9:17)

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"Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and

I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.' (Gen. 12:1-4) "The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, 'Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your descendants also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." (Gen. 13:14-17) "After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, 'Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.' But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, 'Behold, thou hast given me no offspring; and a slave born in my house will be my heir.' And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, 'This man shall not be your heir; your own son shall be your heir.' And he brought him outside and said, 'Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.' Then he said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.' And he believed the LORD; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness. And he said to him, 'I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.' But he said, 'O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?'

He said to him, 'Bring me a heifer three years old, a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.' And he brought him all these, cut them in two, and laid each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram; and lo, a dread and great darkness fell upon him. "Then the LORD said to Abram, 'Know of a surety that your descendants will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and will be slaves there, and they will be oppressed for four hundred years; but I will bring judgment on the nation which they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation;

for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.' When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites." (Gen 15:1-21)

"And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, 'By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I

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will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice." (Gen. 22:15-18)

The covenant with Moses and the people of Israel

Up to this point God has made unconditional or unilateral covenants. Something new happens with Moses. He offers a conditional covenant. This one is connected with the giving of the Law at Sinai, and it will be administered by a priesthood. The covenant spells out in granular detail what God requires.

The Mosaic Covenant was made between God and the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-24). God reminded the people of their obligation to be obedient to His law (Ex. 19:5), and the people agreed to the covenant when they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” (Ex. 19:8). This covenant would serve to set the nation of Israel apart from all other nations as God’s chosen people and was as equally binding as the unconditional covenant that God made with Abraham because it is also a blood covenant. The Mosaic Covenant was centered around God's giving His divine law to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Mosaic Covenant differs significantly

from the Abrahamic Covenant in that the blessings that God promises are directly related to Israel’s obedience to the Mosaic Law. If Israel is obedient, then God will bless them, but if they disobey, then God will punish them. The blessings and curses that are associated with this conditional covenant are found in detail in Deuteronomy 28. The Mosaic Covenant is especially significant because in it God promises to make Israel “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6). Israel was to be God’s light to the dark world around them. They were to be a separate and called-out nation so that everyone around them would know that they worshiped Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God. It is significant because it is here that Israel received the Ten Commandments and other laws. The Mosaic Law would reveal to people their sinfulness and their need for a Savior.

Exodus Covenant

"And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, 'Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." (Exodus 19:3-6)

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Holy Moses! Moses is mentioned more frequently in the New Testament than any other Old Testament figure. He’s a symbol of God's law, as reinforced in the teachings of Jesus. New Testament writers often compared Jesus' words and deeds with Moses' to explain Jesus' mission. In Acts 7:39–43 the rejection of Moses by the Jews who worshiped the golden calf is likened to the rejection of Jesus by the Jews that continued in traditional Judaism.

Moses figures in several of Jesus' messages. When he met Nicodemus at night, Jesus compared Moses' lifting up of the bronze serpent in the wilderness, which any Israelite could look at and be healed, to his own lifting up (by his death and resurrection) for the people to look at and be healed. In John 6, Jesus responded to the people's claim that Moses provided them manna in the wilderness by saying that it was not Moses, but God, who provided. Calling himself the "bread of life", Jesus stated that He was provided to feed God's people. Moses, along with Elijah, is present at the Transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9. Even Jesus' escape from the slaughter by Herod in Bethlehem can be compared to Moses' escape from Pharaoh's designs to kill Hebrew infants.

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A brief chronology of Moses: A gap of 300 years gap between the end of Genesis and Exodus

c1730-1570

Oppression in Egypt by the Hyksos Dynasty (Exodus 1:8-12). Israelites were oppressed for three reasons: (1) The new Hyksos ruler "knew not Joseph" - he did not have historical knowledge of Joseph, nor did he have reasons to respect it if he had; (2) Israelites were "more and mightier" than the Hyksos; (3) A military alliance with the former Egyptian regime was seen as a possible trouble area.

1548-1528 Amenhotep I commands the midwives to kill Hebrew boys (Exodus 1 15-20)

1537? Birth of Miriam

1528-1508 Thutmose I commands Hebrew boys to be thrust into the Nile (Exodus 1:22)

1528? Birth of Aaron

The First 40 years of the life of Moses

1525

Birth of Moses by Jochebed and Amram (Exodus 2:1-4). Moses parents hid him for three months and when no longer possible, laid him in a basket of bulrushes where the daughter of Thutmose 1 found him. The daughter was the only living child of Thutmose 1 and his official wife, Ahmose. Miriam the older sister of Moses who kept a sisterly eye on him while he was in his boat. Exodus 2:1-10

1525-1485 Moses in Pharaohs Court (Exodus 2:5-10)

1485 Moses slays an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and flees (Exodus 2:11-15). Moses flees to Midian

Second 40 years

1485-1445 Moses in Midian Wilderness. (Exodus 2:16-4:17)

c1450 Burning Bush -God talks to Moses. Moses married Jethro’s daughter Zipporah. Moses', area of work seems to have been near the Gulf of Aqaba and Mt. Sinai, the very region which he would lead Israel. Birth of his son Gersham by Zipporah.

1446 Moses' youngest son born

Third 40 years

1445

Moses returns to Egypt (Exodus 4:18-7:13). Moses appears before the Pharaoh of the Exodus, Amenhotep 11. Upon the request of a leave of three days, Amenhotep took away the straw from bricks forcing a great deal of hardship. (Exodus 5:1-21). Aaron now 83 and Moses 80 (Exodus 7:6-7).

Oct-Apr 15 1445

The Plagues and Passover (Exodus 7:14-12:30). Probable length of plagues is 6 months, October - March. Following are suggestive reasons: 1st plague, the Nile to Blood, is suggested at its flood stage which is Sept to October and 7 days following was the second plague, Frogs; (2) 10th plague, Death of Firstborn, was noted as Mid Nisan Mar/Apr. The Passover was instituted on the 14th of April in the evening. The month of April was commanded by God to be ''the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you". (Exodus 12: 2).

Apr 15 - June 15, 1445

The Journey from Egypt to Mt. Sinai (Exodus 12: 31 - 19:2). Pillar of Cloud by Day and fire by night. Exodus 13:20-22. Crossing the Red Sea. May be the Red Sea crossing was in the Gulf of Aqaba so Mt Sinai was in the Land of Midian. Journey took three months and was about 150 miles Exodus 19: 1, or if Mt Sinai was in Arabia, time to travel would have been longer. Song of Miriam and Moses Exodus 15. Waters of Marah and Elim (Exodus 15:22-27)

May 15, 1445 Manna begins exactly one month after leaving Egypt. (Exodus 16: 2, 14) and ends forty years later in Canaan after the great Passover Commemoration (Exodus 16:35; Josh 5:11 – 12). Water from the Rock (Exodus 17:1-7)

June 15, 1445 Encampment at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:2 - Numbers 10:11). Israel camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai for 11 months and 5 days

Moses went up Mount Sinai and got the Ten Commandments or Laws on two tablets of Stone. (Exodus 20:1-17)

July 1445 The Law/Covenant Given (Exodus 19:2- 24:18). Golden Calf (Exodus 32: 1 - 33: 23). Moses with New Stone Tablets (Exodus 34:1-35). Psalm of Moses Psalm 90. The High Priests instructions.

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(Exodus 39:1-31). Construction of the Tabernacle (Exodus 35:4 - 40:38). Levitical Laws Given (Exodus 40:17; Numbers 1:1 and Lev 1:1 - 27:34)

May 20, 1444 First Census taken of 603,550 warriors (Numbers 1:1 – 46). Preparations to leave Mt. Sinai takes 20 days. (Numbers 1:47 -10:10)

June 10 – June 21 1444 Journey From Mt Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 10:11 - 12:16) Also Deuteronomy 1:2 calls this a journey of 11 days. Probably, it took much longer with the great mass of people and animals to travel the 150 miles.

c July - Aug. 1444? Encampment at Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 13:1 - 14:45). Moses Inspects the Tabernacle (Exodus 39:32-40:38). Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses (Numbers 12:1-16). Twelve spies searched out the Promised Land for 40 days.

c Sept. 1444 -March 1406? Wandering In Wilderness (Number 15:1 - 19:22). Wandering approximately 37 years 6 months.

During these wasted years very little is recorded. The people wander from Kadesh as far southeast as the tip of the Gulf of Aqaba – about 85 miles. Korah rebels (Numbers 16:1-50). Budding of Aaron's Staff (Numbers 17:1-17). Sixteen different locations are mentioned.

c Mar 1406-Sept 1405 Journey from Kadesh-Barnea to Plains of Moab (Numbers 20:1 - 21:35). Water from the Rock (Number 20:1-13)

Apr 1405 Death of Miriam at Kadesh (Numbers 20:1).

Aug 1405 Death of Aaron who was 123 years old at Mt. Hor. In the fifth month (Numbers 20:28). Edom Denies Israel transit through their property (Numbers 20:14-21).

Arad Destroyed (Numbers 21:1-3). The Bronze Snake (Numbers 21:1-9). The Journey to Moab. Israel defeats Sihon and Og.

Sept 1405 Israel crossed Zered 38 years after Kadesh. (Numbers 21:12- Deuteronomy 2:4)

c Sept. - Mar. 1405

Encampment at Plains of Moab/ Jordan River (Numbers 22:1 - Deuteronomy 34:12). Balaam Encounter (Numbers 22:1 - 24:25). Moab Seduces Israel (Numbers 25:1-3). Plague on the people (Numbers 25:1-18). Moses takes the second census: 601,730 Warriors (Numbers 26: 1 – 65).

Feb 1405 Three Sermons of Moses: Covenant Renewed (Deuteronomy Past 1:1-4:43; Present: 4:44 -26:19; Future: 27:1 - 30:20)

March 1405 Death of Moses after 120 years (Deuteronomy 34:1 -7). Moses views the promised land from Mt. Nebo

What are the

dominant

features that

stand out about

the life of Moses?

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF SOUTH HAMILTON 24

Find the six yellow highlighted events of Moses’ life (above) on the map below:

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF SOUTH HAMILTON 25