Sinai Covenant: Moses | High School CRE Form One - Esoma-KE

Ex.3:1-4:1-20
- Moses the shepherd was herding the flock of his father-in-law: Jethro, when he saw a fury bush that was not being consumed.
- The mighty scene was near Mount Sinai, also called Horeb.
- As he drew near the fury bush, God instructed him to remove the shoes for he was treading on holy ground.
- Moses wanted to know the name of God. God revealed himself as the God of the Jewish patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

- He commissioned Moses to go back to Egypt and rescue the Israelites from the affliction the Egyptians subjected the Israelites to.
- Moses hesitated, claiming that he not only feared Pharaoh, but was also a stammered and did not know the name of the one who was sending him.
- God assured Moses of his protection. He gave Moses his brother Aaron to serve as an interpreter. God gave his name as "I am who I am." He further assured Moses of the terrifying occurrences that would lead to the release of the Israelites.

- Still, Moses lamented of the Israelites, who, according to him, would neither believe nor listen to him. God told Moses to use the rod he had in his hand, which would turn into a snake and also place his hand in his pocket, which, on pulling out, would be affected with leprosy. Moses therefore accepted and took off to Egypt.

- Moses was hesitant to take up God's commission because:

• His life was in danger (Pharaoh had wanted to kill him/ he killed an Egyptian.
• The Israelites might not believe that he was talking on behalf of God.
• He was not an eloquent speaker i.e. he was a stammer.
• He feared that Pharaoh would not believe that God sent him.
• He feared that the Israelites would not accept him as their leader.
• He was already settled in median and had a family.
• He did not have enough knowledge about Yahweh
• Egypt was far away from median.

1. God does not give people impossible tasks.
2. God is loving/caring.
3. God commissions/appoints his people to do his work.
4. God is mighty.
5. God's nature is unspeakable, thus beyond human understanding.
6. God responds to peoples cry.
7. God's choice of a person to discharge his duties is unique.
8. God expects total obedience and faith.
9. God punishes the afflicters of his people

Ex 7:14-11:1-10

1. The plague of blood, whereby all waters turned into blood.
2. The plague of frogs.
3. The plague of gnats.
4. The plague of flies.
5. The plague of the death of animals.
6. The plague of boils.
7. The plague of hailstorm.
8. The plague of locusts.
9. The plague of darkness for three days.
10. Death of Egyptians firstborn sons.

1. God is more powerful than the Egyptian gods.
2. God loves His people. He does not want to see His people suffer.
3. God punishes the wrong doers as He punished the Egyptians.
4. God protects or rescues those He love.
5. God answers His peoples prayers.
6. God works through His prophets or people.

Exodus 12:1-30.
- God instructed Moses and Aaron to have all the Israelites to choose a lamb or a young goat for sacrifice.
- The sacrificial animals were to be one-year-old and without blemish.
- The sacrificial animals were to be chosen on the tenth day, but sacrificed on the 14th day.
- A small family that could not consume the meal was to combine with the neighbour.
- The sacrificial animals blood was to be smeared on the two door posts and lintel of each Israelites house to distinguish the Israelites house from the Egyptian, so that the angel of death would spare them when he killed the firstborn sons of Egyptians.
- The animal meat was to be roasted whole and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
- The Israelites were to dress up before eating in readiness for the journey.
- The Israelite women were to ask for jewellery from Egyptian women to compensate for the free labour they had given in Egypt.
- The Israelites were to remain indoors until dawn to be protected from the Angel of Death.
- That night, the Angel of destruction passed over the Israelites households, killing all firstborn males of the Egyptians. The execution picked up from pharaohs own son to that of Egyptian slaves.
- The firstborn male off springs of the Egyptian animal also did not escape that wrath.

1. Using young animals showed the innocence of the sacrifice.
2. Using an animal without blemish signified the purity of the sacrifice.
3. The smearing of blood on the lintel was to identify Israelite and Egyptian house.
4. Roasting of the meat showed the Israelites haste.
5. The bitter herbs signified the bitter experience of slavery in Egypt.
6. The unleavened bread was to be used for they had no time to ferment the dough.
7. They were to dress up and pack their luggage to show readiness for the journey.
8. The Israelite women were to borrow jewellery from Egyptian women to compensate for the free labour they had given Egypt.
9. They were to remain indoors until morning to be protected from the angel of death.

- An Exodus is a mass movement of people from one place to another.
- It was this journey out of Egypt through the harsh wilderness.
- During the Exodus, God took care of the Israelites in various ways as follows:

Ex 14:5-31
- God miraculously enabled the Israelites to accomplish when the Egyptians were pursuing them. He instructed Moses to use his rod and divide the water. All the Egyptians were drowned.

• Provision of water
  Ex 15:22-27, 17:1-6
  Moses sought Gods guidance in a bid to request for water. God told Moses to throw a tree into the water. The bitter water turned sweet, ready for consumption. This was at a place called Marah.
  At Rephidim, God told Moses to strike a rock with his rod and water flowed from it.
• God provided manna and quails
  Ex 16:1-35
  - Manna came each morning while quails came in large flocks.
• Defeat of the Amalekites
  Ex 17:8-16 God provided security from the hostile desert communities, especially the Amalekites. Joshua led the Israelites against the Amalekites while Moses held his hands up.
• Pillar of cloud and pillar of fire
  - God guided the Israelites throughout the weary journey in the wilderness. During the day, a cloud guided them while a pillar of fire gave them direction at night.
• Commissioning of Moses
  - God commissioned Moses to rule, govern and administer the Israelites through the wilderness.

Ex 19,20:18-21,24:1-8
- God summoned Moses to Mount Sinai. He enquired if the people of Israel were willing to obey him.
- If they accepted, then God would make them his people, a holy nation and a kingdom of priests.
- The Israelites accepted this.
- Thereafter, Moses instructed the Israelites to:

• Make themselves holy by washing their garments.
• Abstain from sexual relationship.
• Mark the boundaries on the foot of the mountain to prevent any person or animal going up the mountain.

- Moses led the Israelites to meet Yahweh at the foot of the mountain. On the third day, Moses ascended the mountain.
- God manifested his presence in the form of thunder, lightning, earthquake and a thick cloud. There was also a loud trumpet blast.
- Moses received the Decalogue/ten commandments on behalf of the Israelites.
- Moses descended the mountain and briefed the people about Gods laws and ordinances.

- He built an altar at the foot of the mountain, on which he placed twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. He sent young men to offer burnt and peace offerings to God.
- He took half of the oxen blood, sprinkled it on the altar and the other half sprinkled it over the people, thus sealing the covenant.
- He took the book of the covenant in which the divine laws had been written down by him and read it in the hearing of all people. They accepted to follow and abide by the content of the covenant

Ex 20:1-17
- These are laws that were given to Moses to deliver to the Israelites. These laws were written on two stone tablets. They are:

1. You shall not have any other gods before me.
2. You shall not make yourself any graven image of me nor bow down to any image.
3. You shall not use Gods name in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
5. Honour your father and mother that your days may be long.
6. You shall not kill.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbour.
10. You shall not covet anything that is your neighbours.

Ex 32:1-35
- After the sealing of the covenant, Moses went back to the mountain to receive the written Ten Commandments. He left Aaron and Her had been left in charge of the Israelites.
- Moses spent forty days on the mountain, which rendered people impatient.
- They mounted pressure on Aaron to make them a tangible and visible god to be worshipped.
- From the jewellery they possessed, Aaron moulded a golden bull to be their physical god.
- God revealed to Moses that the Israelites had become irreligious.
- God intended to destroy the whole Israelite generation, but Moses interceded and the gracious God changed his intension.
- Carrying the stone tablets, Moses descended the mountain.
- Moses found the Israelites dancing and singing in a boisterous and jubilant manner. In the same line, they practiced sex as they worshipped the god they had made.
- The Levites did not take part in the breaking of that covenant.
- Moses was filled with anger, so much so that he threw the stones down, breaking them.
- He burnt and ground the golden calf into powder, mixed it with water and gave it to the Israelites to drink.

Ex 34:1-35 - Renewal of the covenant was preceded by Moses plea to God.
- Out of mercy and grace, God promised not to destroy the Israelites.
- God instructed Moses to cut two stone tablets and to take them with him to the mountain.
- He was to write the laws on the stone tablets once more.
- God then assured Moses of the renewal of the covenant. God gave the Israelites the following obligations:

• To obey what God commands them.
• Not to make any treaty with those who live in the land where they were going.
• Not to worship any other god.
• To break down the altars, sacred stones and false gods.
• Not to make cast idols.
• To keep the feast of unleavened bread.
• To rest on the seventh day.
• To dedicate all their firstborn first born male sons animals to God.
• To offer to god the first fruits of their crops.

- After the commands, God promised the Israelites that he would:

• Protect and preserve them.
• Bless them.
• Make them prosper.

- God asked Moses to write these words in a new set of stone tablets.
- This showed that the covenant had been renewed.

Exodus 20:22-26, 23:14-20
Worship refers to the practice of showing respect and love to God.
During their period in the wilderness, the Israelites worshipped God as individual and as community. The Israelites showed respect to God in the wilderness in the following ways:

1. They kept the Sabbath day
   They regarded it a special day of rest. On that day no one was supposed to do any work.
2. They offered sacrifices and offerings to God.
   The animals used for the sacrifices included sheep, goats, and bulls etc. Offerings included grains, incense. The offerings could either be burnt or roasted.
3. The Israelites observed many festivals
   Such feasts included;
   • Feast of the unleavened bread/Passover-during the 14th day of the 1st month of the year.
   • There was also the feast of harvest.
   • This was also called the feast of week or Pentecost.
   • There was also the feast of the tabernacle.
4. The Israelites made altars
   They built alters to symbolized the presence of God amongst the Israelites. Moses built an altar during the sealing of the covenant.
5. The Commandments
   God gave the Israelites laws which were meant to guide them. These laws also included The 10 Commandments and Mosaic Law referred to as the Torah.
6. Religious leaders
   The Israelites had religious leaders. God also chose priests from the tribe of Levi. Their duties included:
   
   • Carried tabernacle.
   • Offered sacrifices to God.
   • Taught the law.
   • They also organized prayer services.
   • Organized choirs Songs.
   • They also sang songs in praise of Yahweh.
7. The Ark and the Tabernacle
   They carried the Ark and Tabernacle. The tabernacle was at times referred to as the tent of meeting.

Exodus 33,34

1. God is omnipotent.
2. God is loving and caring.
3. God keeps his promises.
4. God arrests difficult situations.
5. God is just.
6. God is peculiar in all ways.
7. God is forgiving.