Time Period/Setting: 1290 - 1250 B.C.
Title: Exodus means 'departure' and is the Greek-derived name; the book's Hebrew name is taken from the first words of the book, 'These are the names'.
Call To Moses. God's Call to Moses is instructive, wryly funny and depicts human nature in all its weakness. The reluctant Moses is another one of us average people who would be just as happy to carry on as usual (and be mediocre)except that now God has chosen him to do un-average things.
After Moses hears that he's the lucky one to be tapped by God to go to Pharoah, he begs off, as any but the most vainglorious would, and says (3.11) in so many words, Please. I'm nobody. Why me? God briefly explains that he will be with Moses. Not to worry.
But Moses, who is clearly looking for excuses to worm his way out of this job, tries again and wants to know what he should say if the Israelites ask for the name of the one who has sent him. God expounds at some length as to how Moses should respond to such a question and recapitulates his intentions for Moses.
Ever persistent (and clever, argumentative but not unrealistic), Moses has thought of a third angle to pursue that might get him off the hook. He asks God what to do if the Israelites won't believe him. For this one the Lord gives Moses some practical help. He instructs Moses in giving signs, first, the staff thrown down to become a snake, second the hand inside the cloak which then reappears as leprous. The patient Lord must be anticipating Moses' next objection because before Moses can ask what to do if neither sign works, the Lord advises that if you don't get anywhere with the first, you will with the second, pretty spectacular, but here's a third just in case, turn the water of the Nile into blood.
Amazingly, Moses comes back at the Lord with a fourth excuse reminding God that he, Moses, is slow of speech. The Lord in turn reminds Moses that He knows all about Moses' slow tongue, that He is God and can make people deaf, dumb and blind and that furthermore, He can tell them what to say and make them say it! With that, the Lord dismisses Moses with the equivalent of a human wave of the hand by commanding, Now, go!
Not be outdone, Moses again has a rejoinder! But this time he's beaten down. The only thing left to say to the Lord is what Moses was really saying in the first place which is, There must be somebody else. Send them.
Most remarkable to me about the interchange is that this is the Bible, inspired writing, and Moses is talking as if he's Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, challenging, questioning and negotiating with God (to paraphrase Tevye, would it really have been such a big deal for God to have made him a rich man). Equally remarkable, The Lord talks back and though Moses tries His patience (4.14), God listens. Not only does He listen, He finally accommodates and sends Aaron along to help.
Our God is awe-inspiring and mighty but not inaccessible or tyrannical. Just the opposite in fact. He sets high standards for even the most average of us, maybe standards that seem out of our reach, but He listens, He hears us, He's patient and, while He holds us to the high standards that He has set, He's more than willing to work with us, I guess, as long as we're willing to listen and work with Him.
Waters of Meribah. I paid particular attention to the waters of Meribah in 17.1-8. where Moses was instructed to strike the rock in order to bring forth water. I was unaware until very recently that Moses was denied entry to the Promised Land due to disobeying God's orders later (in Numbers 20.8) when he was supposed to simply command the rock to bring forth water. Though I've just finished saying how patient and loving God is, here His punishment seems harsh. Something to think about.
The Ark. Though detailed in the extreme, I did read with interest the instructions for constructing the ark (gold and acacia wood), the lampstand with cups in the shape of almond blossoms with "calyxes" and "petals," the tabernacle, the curtain (where did they get the crimson and purple yarns?), the breastplate (and whence the carnelian, emerald, sapphire, moonstone, beryl, onyx and jasper), the vestments (pomegranates around the hem with golden bells in between, very beautiful) and I was gratified to read about the ephod, having once made the acquaintance of someone named Ephod (a man).
Moses. Also food for thought is Moses' back-and-forth with God in 33.12. Is this generally known as Moses' Intercession" as it's called in my Bible? Moses seems to be challenging God to reveal himself--"show me your ways''-- asking for proof that God is there. Though God says he'll comply, there are limits--"my face shall not be seen." Why?
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