Exodus 17-19

What I Noticed Today (Exodus 17-19)

Exodus 17

Chapter 17 opens up with the Israelites complaining about a lack of water again, and they face their first enemy in battle.

In verses 1-7, the Israelites journey from the Desert of Sin and camp at Rephidim:

• The people complained to Moses again that there was no water, saying Moses had brought them into the desert to die of thirst.
• Moses cried out to the Lord for help.
• The Lord told Moses to gather some elders and go to the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock and water will flow out.
• Moses did this, water flowed out of the rock, and they named the place Massah (testing) and Meribah (arguing) because the people tested the Lord saying, is the Lord among us?

In verses 8-16, the Amalekites came and attacked the people of Israel:

• While they were camped at Rephidim, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites.
• Moses appointed Joshua to select some men to fight the Amalekites.
• The next day Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill.
• As long as Moses held up his hand with the staff of God, the Israelites prevailed in the battle; when Moses put his hand down, the Amalekites prevailed.
• So they put a stone under Moses so he could sit on it while Aaron and Hur stood on either side of him and held up his arms until the sun went down and the Amalekites were defeated.
• The Lord told Moses to write this down on a scroll as a reminder to Joshua that He would completely blot out Amalek.
• Moses built an altar to the Lord and named it, “The Lord is my banner.”

Exodus 18

In Chapter 18, Jethro, Moses’ father in law, comes to visit and advises Moses.

In verses 1-6, Jethro arrives with Moses’ wife and children:

• When Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about the Exodus, he visited Moses while they were camped at Rephidim. He brought with him Moses’ wife Zipporah and his sons Gershom and Eliezer (Moses had sent them to Jethro when he started to leave Egypt).

In verses 7-12, Jethro praises Moses and God:

• Moses went out to meet Jethro and greeted him respectfully. Moses told Jethro about all the Lord had done for the Israelites in delivering them from the Egyptians and the hardships they had endured.
• When Jethro heard all this, he praised God for all He had done for the Israelites. He said Yahweh is greater than all gods because of what He had done.
• Then Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God.
• Moses, Aaron, and Jethro ate a meal in God’s presence.

In verses 13-27, Jethro advises Moses:

• The next day Moses went out and received people from morning to night as he judged between them teaching them God’s statutes.
• Jethro asked why are you doing this by yourself. He said you will wear yourself out because you cannot do it alone.
• Jethro suggested that Moses should represent the people before God, and he should instruct them in God’s statutes. However, he also suggested Moses select able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes and place them over commanders of thousands, hundreds, and fifties. These men should judge the people.
• Any difficult cases they can bring to you, but all the minor cases they should judge themselves.
• Moses listened to Jethro and did all he suggested. He chose able men and put them over groups of thousands, hundreds, and fifties, and they judged the people.
• Then Moses said goodbye to Jethro, and he returned to his own land.

Exodus 19-40

These next 21 chapters through the end of Exodus involve the establishment of God’s Law and the worship of God in the tabernacle.

Exodus 19

Chapter 19 describes the Israelites as they arrive at Mount Sinai:

• Three months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites arrived at Mt Sinai and camped there.

• Moses went up on the mountain of God, and God told Moses to explain to the Israelites what He had done to bring them out of Egypt.
• God proposed a covenant with the people. If they would listen to Him and keep His covenant, He would be their God, and they would be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and His holy nation.
• Moses came back down the mountain and told the elders what God had said.
• Then all the people responded they would do all the Lord commanded. So Moses went back up the mountain and told God.
• The Lord told Moses He would come to Moses in a dense cloud so the people would see and believe all that Moses told them.
• Then the Lord told Moses to go and consecrate the people for two days and wash their clothes. No person was to come to the mountain or set foot on it, or they were to be stoned. When a ram’s horn sounded, the people could then advance toward the mountain.
• On the third day, God came down the mountain. Moses gathered the people and moved toward the mountain. The entire mountain was shrouded in smoke because God came in the fire.
• The Lord spoke to Moses, and Moses went up the mountain. The Lord then told Moses to go back down and warn the people not to come up the mountain in an attempt to see God, or they would die.
• The Lord told Moses to go back down the mountain and bring Aaron back with him. But the people must not try to follow them up the mountain. So Moses went down and told the people.

Some additional thoughts for consideration:

• The people actually ask Moses is God among us or not (Exodus 17:7). Seriously? See the tower of clouds and the pillar of fire? How can they question God’s presence when He is clearly right there with them!
• There are several important lessons in these chapters: 1) Every difficulty that confronts us in life is an opportunity to trust God, 2) Leaders need to delegate tasks. They need to be very careful in selecting the right kind of men and women to help, 3) Because of Jesus and His sacrifice we can now draw close to God, and 4) God cares about equal and appropriate justice in all matters of life.

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: Exodus 20-22