Author Archives: Jefferson Vann
Exodus: the mountain
Exodus 19 Mount Sinai serves to transition the reader of Exodus from the theme of deliverance by grace to the theme of sanctification. The mountain is a dangerous place and should not be treated casually. God is there, and he … Continue reading
Exodus: teamwork
Exodus 18 Jethro’s advice showed wisdom because Moses could not have continued to serve as judge over every situation for the people. It was clear that an eldership had already existed (12). But Moses had not taken advantage of the … Continue reading
Exodus: one solution
Exodus 17 Moses used the same staff at Massah and Meribah that he had stretched over the Nile in Egypt. He held that same staff in his hands as he prayed for Joshua’s troops as the fought the Amalekites. It … Continue reading
Exodus: grace to the grumbling
Exodus 15:22-16:36 The deliverance at Mara and through the quail and Manna came in spite of the people’s grumbling against their leaders. Even the laws which the LORD was setting up for his people were symbols of his grace. The … Continue reading
Exodus: inspiration
Exodus 15 The deliverance at the Red Sea was not simply a last rescue from the menace of Pharaoh. It was intended to inspire the Israelites to look beyond their present difficulty and see God’s ultimate purpose for their future. … Continue reading
Exodus: safety or glory?
Exodus 14 When the Israelites saw the army of Pharaoh approaching, they rightly concluded that it would have been safer for them to have remained as slaves in Egypt. Their rescue taught them to fear God, and to believe Moses. … Continue reading
Exodus: remember
Exodus 12:31-13:22 Every element of their experience in departing Egypt was designed to be remembered. Whenever an Israelite celebrated the annual Passover feast, he remembered what God had done for him and his people. Every time he ate unleavened bread, … Continue reading
Exodus: life, grace and deliverance
Exodus 11:1-12:30 The symbol that the Israelites were told to produce on their doorposts looked like a letter of the Hebrew alphabet: the letter chet. It is the first letter in the word for life (chayim), and also the first … Continue reading
Exodus: warnings
Exodus 9:13-10:29 God had provided warnings to the Egyptians so that those who feared the LORD could avoid harm. He does not engage in random acts. We might not understand every thing that happens to us, but it should be … Continue reading
Exodus: distinction
Exodus 8:20-9:12 The second cycle of plagues highlights the distinction between Egypt as a whole, and Goshen, where the Israelites are living. For the purpose of this contest, God prevents his judgments from doing major harm to the Israelites. This … Continue reading
