One objection to the Exodus

• Could not have happened
  • Describes Moses as having written Exodus accounts (Exodus 34:27; et al)
  • Describes the Law written by God’s own finger (Exodus 31:18)
  • Archaeologists and historians denied existence of written Hebrew language that early

Written communication

• Three main types of written communications:
  • Syllabary – language dependent, symbols expressing sounds
  • Pictograms – symbols independent of language, depict things, ideas
  • Alphabets – language dependent, make sounds of the language
• Dr. Miles R. Jones, former professor of education at Texas A&M University) – The Writing of God
  • Purports that written ancient Hebrew is the first alphabet in history

Syllabary

• Sound from combinations of consonant and vowel
  • Ca, Ce, Ci, Co, Cu
  • Da, De, Di, Do, Du, etc.
• Cuneiform was a type of syllabary
• Syllabary requires about 200 symbols
• Communication is language dependent
• Neither writing nor pictures, but symbols
  • Made with stylus
  • Makes wedged imprints on clay
  • Not carved in stone
  • Cumbersome in writing and preserving

Pictograms

• Symbols express things, ideas, or states of being
• Not language dependent
• Requires huge number of symbols
• Dynamic lexicon

Hieroglyphics

• Type of pictogram
• Symbols of things and ideas
• Borrowed by Hebrews
  • Hebrews borrowed symbols to depict sounds in Hebrew language
    • Took symbols for items beginning with a sound
    • Used that symbol to express that sound
  • When did they do this?
    • Some time in the 2nd millennium B.C.
  • When did Joseph’s family come to Egypt?
    • Early in the 2nd millennium B.C. – approximately 1850 B.C.

“A” is for cow

• In Hebrew, Aleph means Cattle or Oxen
  • Hieroglyph is a cow’s head
  • Symbol of cow’s head used for the “A” sound
  • Symbol evolved into a sideways “A”
• The Hebrews took 22 symbols from Egyptian hieroglyphs
  • One for each of the sounds in the Hebrew language
  • The symbols were for the sounds, not the things or ideas
  • Established a 22-letter alphabet
  • By the Exodus, the symbol for cow had morphed into a sideways “A”

Hebrew experience with writing

• Abraham – cuneiform
• Joseph – cuneiform, hieroglyphics
• Moses – cuneiform, hieroglyphics, alphabet

The term “alphabet”

• Taken from the first two letters
• Greek?
• Hebrew?
• You decide

Archaeological evidence

• El Arish inscription
  • Dates from 325 B.C.
  • Problem?
• Ipuwer papyrus
• Mernepta Stele
  • Presence of Israelites
  • When?
• Four-room houses
  • Typical of Hebrew houses
  • Found in both Egypt (pre-1440 B.C.)
  • And in Canaan (post-1500 B.C.)

Effect of archaeology

• Can’t probe the Exodus
• Much of it puzzle pieces
• Wide range of interpretations
• Will always be a matter of faith

Where was Mount Horeb?

• Also called Mount Sinai
• Traditional – Sinai Peninsula
• Bible – Midian – Exodus 3:1, 12

Introduction

• James 2:21-23 – Abraham was called a friend of God.
• Abraham was justified by an active faith – his works. Works here are works of obedience – not works that earn one salvation.

Sacrifice

• Hebrews 11
  • Nouns (faith, belief)
  • Verbs (prepared, offered, etc.)
• I John
  • Walking, confessing, keeping, loving, abiding, practicing, guarding, purifying
  • If we say we have faith in God, we prove it by what we do!
• James 2
  • “Faith was completed by his works.”
• Chronology of God’s promises to Abraham
  • Genesis 12:1-3 – 75 years old when promised a seed/offering
  • Genesis 16:15-16 – 86 years old when Ishmael (not the promised offspring) is born
  • Genesis 17:1-19 – 99 years old when he and Sarah would have a son named Isaac
  • Genesis 18:9-14 – 99 years old – in one year Sarah to give birth to Isaac
  • Genesis 21:1-5 – 100 years old when the promised son Isaac is born
  • Genesis 22:1-2 – Age unknown – God tells Abraham to offer Isaac.
• Did Abraham actually sacrifice Isaac?
• James 2:21
• God got the sacrifice He wanted: He wanted Abraham.

Abraham the friend of God sacrificed his logic

• II Kings 5:9-12 – Naaman didn’t think Elisha’s instructions made any sense!
• Baptism may not make sense to us from a human standpoint.

Abraham the friend of God sacrificed his emotions

• Matthew 10:34-38

Abraham the friend of God sacrificed his will

• Matthew 16:24 – We must deny ourselves.

I Corinthians 15, continued:

• I Corinthians 15:29-32 – If the dead are not raised, continued
  • I Corinthians 15:29
    • “For the dead” might mean “for the purpose of refilling the ranks of our fallen brethren.”
    • Paul might be illustrating his point by referring to an erroneous practice.
    • Whatever explanation is correct, Paul’s point in this section of scripture is easy to understand: the coming resurrection is a fact. We also know what it doesn’t mean – that we can be baptized for the benefit of people who are dead.
• I Corinthians 15:35-58 – Details of the resurrection
  • I Corinthians 15:42-44
    • See I John 3:2. We don’t know what our spiritual bodies will be like, but in some way we will be like God.

• I Corinthians 15:45-49

• I Corinthians 15:50 – We put a lot of effort into maintaining our physical bodies, but they can’t take us where we really want to go – heaven! We need a spiritual body for that.

What is the good news (the gospel)?

God authorizes local churches to teach the gospel.

Let’s make sure Benchley continues to teach the gospel!

Renewals

• Exodus 34
• Moses cut, God rewrote tablets at the top of the mountain
• Same rules as before
• God reveals Himself – Exodus 34:6-7
• Moses worships and pleads His presence with Israel
• God renews His covenant – all the same terms as before
• Moses’ shining face and the veil
• Command to obey all that God had spoken

The Tabernacle

• Exodus 35
  • Moses restates the Sabbath edicts
  • Contributions for the tabernacle
  • Workers for the tabernacle and contents
  • All offered as free will offerings
  • All who were so moved, contributed
• Exodus 36-37
  • Materials and workers pour in
  • Moses had to issue a command to stop
  • All the work was finally performed
  • Exodus 37 – Ark, table, lampstand, altar of incense made
• Exodus 38
  • Altar for the burnt offering made
  • Bronze basin
  • The court
  • Listing of materials for the tabernacle

The priestly garments

• Exodus 39:1-31
• All made to specifications as God commanded
• Every stone in order to total twelve stones
• Crowns engraved with “Holy to the Lord”

Tabernacle delivered

• Exodus 39:32-43
• The workers brought it all to Moses
• Everything that had been commanded
• Moses inspected it all
  • All was in accordance with God’s commands
  • Moses blessed them

Tabernacle erected

• Exodus 40:1-33
• This was one year after leaving Egypt (minus 14 days)
• The tabernacle was erected
  • All of its elements were exactly placed
  • All utensils and articles were arranged
  • Everything consecrated as instructed
  • Priests purified and dressed in priestly garments
  • Court was erected, veil hung
  • Lamps lit, incense burned, offerings offered, laver filled
  • All as the Lord had commanded

God’s glorious presence

• Exodus 40:34-38
• The cloud covers the tabernacle
• God’s glory fills the tabernacle
• The cloud signaled Israel’s movements
• Cloud by day, fire by night
• God present with the people as Moses had prayed

Capstone

• What was Exodus about?
  • In general terms
  • In thematic content
• What was God’s desire?
  • Israel’s love – OR –
  • Israel’s obedience?
  • I Chronicles 29:18-19
  • Circumcision of the heart
    • Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6
• Does God hear the cries of the oppressed?
  • Of the obedient?
  • Of the disobedient?
  • Exodus 2:23-25