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Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 12:37-13:21 God reiterates the importance of the Passover feast, gives a command to sacrifice or redeem the first-born, both humans and animals. Finally, the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt begins. All three Psalms (53, 54, and 55) are described as “maskils” (well-written songs, as per the NET Bible). And [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 12:1-12:36 The Passover feast is established today, and the first Passover is used to mark the houses of the Israelites when God’s angel kills all the first-born children of Egypt. Pharaoh is finally compelled to act, and the children of Israel will leave to form a new nation, defined [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 10:1-11:10 Today: locusts and darkness in Egypt. Why is God doing all of this? Would Pharaoh have relented by now if God did not continue to “harden his heart” time and again? Another Psalm by the Korahites, this time about the inevitability of death, and a call to become [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 9:1-9:35 Today: plagues 5, 6, and 7, with a dual theme at play: God is at once turning up the heat and at the same time making allowance for mercy and forgiveness – both for the Jews and the more faithful of the Egyptians. More Psalms from the Korahites, whose style [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 8:1-8:32 The “plagues” or “blows” (the image here is perhaps God beating Pharaoh over the head with Moses’ staff) continue in Exodus: following blood, we have frogs, gnats, and flies. Slowly but surely, the intensity and severity are being ratcheted up. Psalms 44 and 45, written by the Korahites (as [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 6:10-7:25 Today Moses and Aaron show Pharaoh the signs, and the plagues begin, with water being turned to blood. Pharaoh is unimpressed, though, and remains unmoved. All is going according to God’s plan. In Psalms, we end Book 1 and begin Book 2-a historical division that is part of [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 5:1-6:9 Pharaoh, as God predicted, disallows the Jews’ pilgrimage into the desert. Worse, he increases the workload of the already overburdened Jews, making them even more discouraged. What is God thinking? In Psalms, David reflects on the ephemeral nature of life. How should we respond? And in Acts, Peter [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 4:10-4:31 God promises that Aaron will help Moses in his mission, and, after a near miss (almost being killed by God), Moses returns to meet the Israelite elders, who are duly impressed with his signs. David paints the apparent success of the wicked as a temporary illusion, and (not surprisingly) advocates [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 2:16-4:9 Moses flees to Midian, finds a wife, has a son, and meets God after being self-reflective enough to take interest in a burning bush. David gives us some insight into a particular group of enemies he is asking God to vanquish-in particular, enemies toward whom David has been kind in [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Exodus 1:1-2:15 Exodus begins, and we fast-forward through 430 years (!!!!) during which the Hebrews serve the Egyptians as slaves. Moses is born, and, though he has grown up in Pharaoh’s house, he feels kinship with his Hebrew roots. David is in a happy praise place for both his Psalms today. And [...] |
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