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This section gives the account from Egypt to Mount Sinai
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After the Pharaoh who favoured Joseph died, the new Pharaoh "enslaved and mistreated" the Jews,which were now living in the Egyptian province of Goshen about 320 years. The new Pharaoh made them build the store cities of Pithom and Ramases and had all Jewish male new born babies executed( Ex.1:8-22).
Moses (who was a type or pictured the Christ as the prophet of God~ Dt.18:15-19 with Acts 3:19-26) was the one God called to represent Him to fulfill prophecy and His Covenant with the Patriarchs( Ex.2).
The 400 years (of Gen.15:13 and covered in Section1) expired when Moses was nearly 80 years old( Acts 7:23-34 ).
The succeeding Pharaoh had "his heart hardened by God"(an idiom meaning God gave him an opportunity to obey but he refused) so reaped the judgements stated to him for sowing stubbornness.
God gave Pharoah an opportunity before each judgement to avoid them, but it took the death of Egypt's first born before he would give in( Ex.3-11).
Israel began to leave Egypt on the 15th of Abib(march/April) the day of Passover, a feast in remembrance of the passing over or sparing the Jews from death (and allegorically pictured the Savior who was crucified the same day and time the Pascal lamb was sacrificed over 1700 years later Mt.27:46; 1Cor.5:7; 1Pet.1:18-19).
The day before the Passover(or the 14th which ended after twilight-is from 3p.m. til sunset) the blood of the lamb was sprinkled on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses ( Ex.12:1-14~
Over one million people(perhaps as many as 6 million) with their many flocks and herds left Egypt for Mt. Sinai( Ex.12:37-38).
The power in signs and wonders in Egypt and on the way to Mt. Sinai proved that their God was the true God( Ex.13-18).
There they would ratify the Law Covenant before entering the Promised land and begin to fulfill prophecy of becoming a "great nation".
Great for it would be governed by people chosen by the living God(called a theocratic government) who were to evangelize the world to the coming Christ(who, in addition of giving salvation, is to lead a theocratic commonwealth of nations under the Father from Israel and the promised land~ Isa.9:6-7;Dan.2:44-45; Dan.7:13-14; 7:18; 7:27; Zech.14;Lk.1:32-33; Rev.5:10; 11:15; Rev.22:5).
Israel arrived at Mt. Sinai and set up camp at its base( Ex.19:1-2).
Moses begins a series of mediations between God and Israel travelling back and forth from the summit of Mt. Sinai.
The Lord our God instructed Moses to remind the "house of Jacob"(Israel) of all God has done and if they obey and fully keep His Covenant, Israel would be treasured above all other nations(or be head of all other nations).
Israel was to be "a holy nation"(meaning a nation connected to God) and a "Kingdom of priests"(needed to evangelize the world to the coming Christ-for the whole Earth is God's as stated~ Ex.19:3-6).
Israel agrees to fully obey and keep God's Covenant, so God decided to allow Israel to hear Him speak to Moses to convince them that Moses was His prophet and this was to happen in three days( Ex.19:7-11).
In preparation for receiving the rules and regulations of the Law Covenant, consecration by washing their clothes and abstaining from sexual relations was commanded. Boundaries were also set around Mt. Sinai and the penalty of death instituted for trespassing the boundary when the Law was given( Ex.19:10-15).
Thunder and lightning and a very loud trumpet blast that scared everyone singled the time to receive the Law ( Ex.19:16).
Moses leads the people to the set boundaries around Mt. Sinai.
It was covered with smoke and fire and trembled violently, perhaps because God's arrival was with "myriad's of holy ones"( Dt.33:2~referring to angels Acts 7:53, or perhaps because the trumpet grew louder and louder.
Moses then spoke to God who answered him so all could hear and fulfilled Ex.19:9. ( Ex.19:17-19).
Moses ascends up the Mountain as requested and is ordered to return with Aaron and, no doubt, for that reason, was to warn the people and priests again of the consequences of transgressing the set boundaries to also see the Lord( Ex.19:19-24).
After Moses descends and warns the people( Ex.19:25) God began to "proclaim in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire" the 10 commandments( Ex.20:1-17 with Dt.5:1-22).
The site and sound was so terrifying that the leading men of the tribes and elders came to Moses saying, "The Lord our God has shown us His glory and majesty and we have heard His voice out from the fire. Today we have seen that man can live even if God speaks with him. But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer"( Dt.5:23-25).
They wanted Moses to "go near and listen to all the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey"( Dt.5:27).
The people from a distance also said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die"( Ex.20:19).
Moses tries to calm them down before going up the mountain(perhaps with his brother Aaron~ Ex.19:24) by explaining that "God has come to test you[or to show you His awesome power]so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning"( Ex.20:20-21).
At the summit of Mt. Sinai, God tells Moses, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good"( Dt.5:28)and confirmed the explanation Moses gave for the site and sounds caused by God's awesome power( Dt.5:29).
Even so, God agreed it would be best for Israel not to hear His voice nor see the great fire anymore, therefore decided to speak through prophets from this time forward and that the coming Christ would be a prophet like Moses( Dt.18:15-19 with Acts 3:19-26~
It would seem that Aaron was with Moses at the summit of Mt.Sinai and was sent back down to tell the people to return to their tents( Dt.5:30) but Moses was to stay to receive "commands, decrees and laws" to teach to follow in the promised land( Dt.5:31).
If they would remain obedient, God promised that they would "live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will posses."( DT.5:32-33).
Then the Lord our God began to give Moses commands, decrees and laws( Ex.20:22-23:33).
Moses wrote them down after returning to camp and after the people said,"everything the Lord has said we will do"( Ex.24:3-4).
The next morning the Covenant Agreement to this point was ratified by the blood of animals( Ex.24:4-8).
After the inauguration, the cabinet of God(the 74 people to govern under God)went up Mt. Sinai as commanded in Ex.24:1.( Ex.24:9-11)
It would seem that after these men "saw God ,and they ate and drank," were led down the mountain by Moses "to worship at a distance"( Ex.24:1-2).
Perhaps Moses led them down the mountain in order to get Joshua before returning up the mountain again to receive a copy of the "law and commands" written by God on tablets of stone( Ex.24:12-13~
Moses and Joshua went up the mountain leaving Aaron and Hur in charge. On the 7th day there, Moses enterd the cloud at the summit. To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain( Ex.24:13-18).
Moses was there receiving additional commands, decrees and laws that dealt mostly with the Tabernacle( Ex.25-31 cp. Heb.8:1-5).
But Moses being inside what looked like a consuming fire to the Israelites for about 40 days without any food or water made them believe Moses was dead so quickly lost their faith and returned to idolatry.
They made an idol cast in the shape of a calf(which was the chief Egyptian god called Apis Ex.32:1-8 with Dt.9:7-12).
Justifibly angry, the Lord determined to destroy Israel because they are "stiff-necked people"(breaking the Covenant Agreement) and determined to make Moses "into a great nation" thats "stronger and more numerous than they"( Ex.32:9-10 with Dt.19:13-14).
But Moses humbly seeks a different kind of favour, that of sparing Israel.
His arguement causes the merciful Lord to relent( Ex.32:11-14).
Moses with the two tablets of stone, which were engraved on both sides by God, and Joshua went down the mountain while it was ablaze with fire( Ex.32:15-17 with Dt.9:15).
When Moses saw for himself that the people turned aside so quickly by making an idol and dancing to it caused him to be as angry as God was.
Moses breaks the tablets and soon after makes Israel drink the ground up idol with water and has those who refused executed( Dt.9:16-17 with Ex.32:17-29).
The next day Moses decides to go up to the Lord to make atonement( Ex.32:30).
He observes another 40 day fast because Moses "feared the anger and wrath of the Lord, for He was angry enough with you to destroy you."( Dt.9:18-19~
But to fast a second period of 40 days the day after completing the first fast period is impossible without help from God.
Perhaps the glory of the Lord as He passed by Moses(since it radiated from Moses) was sufficient to sustain him during his second period of fasting( Ex.33:22-23~ Ex.34:29-35 cp. 2Cor.3:7-18).(e)
Moses pleas with the Lord to forgive their sin or to "blot me out of the book you have written( Ex.32:31-32 cp. Rev.3:5~ Rev.20:15).
The Lord confirmed of blotting names out of His book for sin( Ex.32:32-33)which apparently were restored upon their repentance and intercession of Moses.
Nevertheless, the Lord promised to also punish them for their sin(perhaps with the plague of v35) and since Moses had already dealt with them, the Lord's punishment was to come at a later time( Ex.32:34-35).
Again the Lord commands Moses to lead Israel into Canaan in order to fulfill His promise to the Patriarchs ( Ex.33:1 cp. 32:34).
But the Lord contemplated to send an angel with them instead of Him- fearing that He would destroy them for they are "stiff-necked people"( Ex.33:2-3).
Israel was ordered to remove their ornaments while the Lord made a final decision( Ex.33:4-6).Meanwhile, the "tent of meeting" with the Lord was now pitched outside the camp ( Ex.33:7).
The people would worship each at the entrance of their tents whenever the Lord would come down to meet with Moses "face to face, as a man speaks with his friend" ( Ex.33:8-11).
During one of these meetings with the Lord, Moses convinced the Lord to go with them into the Promised land( Ex33:12-17).
Moses was now confident enough to ask the Lord to "show me your glory"( Ex.33:18).
The Lord agreed to show His glory as He proclaimed His name, but could not show His glory radiating from His face ( Ex.33:19-20).The compromise was to shield Moses "with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back, but my face must not be seen" ( Ex.33:21-23).
Evidently, this was to take place on top of Mt. Sinai the next morning.At this time,the Lord was to also re-write the words spoken ou loud by Him (Ex.34:1-4).
The Lord does as He said and proclaimed,"the Lord,the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God,slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaing love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness,rebellion and sin. Yet He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation"( Ex.34:5-7~see Section 1 for an eg.of punishing to the 4th generation).
After hearing this encouraging proclamation, Moses worships the Lord( Ex.34:8-9).
The Lord renewed the Covenant,having Moses "write down these words"( Ex.34:10-27).
The Lord also "wrote on the tablets the words of the Covenant-the Ten Commandments"( Ex.34:28).
It would seem that seeing the Lord's back while in His glory( 33:22-23) was enough to cause Moses face to radiate( Ex.34:29).
Moses relayed "all the commands the Lord gave him on Mount Sinai" ( Ex.34:30-39:43).
Finally, the new "Tent of Meeting was erected in the midst of Israel( Ex.40).
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