Israel In The Wilderness- Part 5

God has come down on to the top of Mount Sinai and has told the children of Israel the basic foundation for His laws- the 10 Commandments.
But, the sight of God's power and the sound of God's voice scared the people so much that they asked Moses if he would talk to God and then tell them what God said.
Exodus 19:20- And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
God told Moses all the different laws that He would require of the people. There were laws about slaves, laws about when people got injured, laws about property rights, laws for crimes against humanity, laws about the land and Sabbaths, laws about what to eat and not eat, even laws about how to worship. There were laws on what clothes to wear and how to wear them. So many laws!
God even told Moses about three special feasts that they should observe and keep every year.
Exodus 23:14-16- Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, [which is] in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
There were a lot of rules!
Then, God told Moses how to build the Tabernacle. This would be the special place where the priests would sacrifice to God. This would also be where men could go to pray and get things right with God. God also told Moses about the clothes that the priests would wear. Those were going to be special, too. God even told Moses who the priests were going to be.
Exodus 24:3-4- And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Moses told the people what God had said, and then he built an altar and 12 pillars. Then they offered sacrifices to the LORD.
Exodus 24:6-8- And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
Covenants with God usually are made with blood. Moses made the sacrifice and then told the people what God's words were again, just to make sure they understood. When they agreed to what God said, Moses sprinkled the blood to confirm the covenant.
Exodus 24:1, 9-10 - And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
These men saw God. They saw where he sat and what his feet were like. They got to see something that most people don't ever get to see- A part of God.
Exodus 24:12-15- And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
God called Moses to come up onto Mount Sinai. Moses said he was going to have Joshua come with him to the borderline, where Joshua would wait for Moses. Then he told the elders that Aaron and Hur would be there if they had any problems.
Exodus 24:16-18- And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Israel In The Wilderness series coloring pages

Israel In The Wilderness- Part 4

Exodus 19:1- In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
It had been three months since the Lord brought the Hebrew children out of Egypt. He had been leading them through the wilderness while God proved that He could provide their needs.
Now, God was going to make them very different from any other people on the face of the earth. God was going to give them laws. Other nations had laws that they expected people to obey, but none of these other nations were given laws by God!
Exodus 19:Exodus 19:9-13- And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
God told Moses that He was coming down to talk to the people. He told them that they had to do some specific things before this could happen. They had to wash up- that's why some people say that cleanliness is next to godliness. They also had to put up a boundary line around the mountain. If anyone or anything crossed that boundary line, they were to be killed!
Do you think the people were excited? Maybe.
Exodus 19:16-19- And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
The people may have been excited when they heard that they would hear form God, but when they saw some of the power of God they were afraid! God came down on the mountain and it looked like a thick thundercloud. There was lightning and thunder and the earth shook like an earthquake. Then, when God started talking, it was like hearing the loudest trumpet they could have imagined!
God then spoke the 10 commandments to the Hebrew children. These ten main laws were the foundation for the guidelines that Israel was to follow. These 10 Commandments have become the foundation for the laws of many nations around the world!
Exodus 20:1-3- And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:4a- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
Exodus 20:7- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
That means that you shouldn't use God's name as a curse word.
Exodus 20:8- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:12- Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exodus 20:13- Thou shalt not kill.
Exodus 20:14- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
That means don't act like you're married if you're not married. You are only to act like you're married with your spouse.
Exodus 20:15- Thou shalt not steal.
Exodus 20:16- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
That means that you shouldn't lie.
Exodus 20:17a- Thou shalt not covet
That means that you shouldn't want something that you shouldn't have.
These are the 10 commandments. The first four deal with how man should treat God. The last six deal with how man should treat each other.
Do you think the people appreciated the laws of God? I think they did. But, the voice of God and the sight of God's power scared them.
Exodus 20:18- And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
The people got back as far as they could from Mount Sinai. But, they were still scared!
Exodus 20:19- And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
They asked Moses if he would speak to God and then come and tell them what God said.
Exodus 20:20-24- And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

Israel In The Wilderness series coloring pages

Israel In the Wilderness- Part 3

The children of Israel had just won their first battle. Moses had needed help while holding up the rod of the Lord, and he found that help in Aaron and Hur.
But I'm sure that Moses was missing his family. And God knew that, so He arranged a family reunion.
Exodus 18:5-11- And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God: And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her. And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
Moses' father-in-law had heard about all the wonders that God had done in Egypt. He was so grateful that God showed His power to help the Israelites escape slavery.
Exodus 18:12-13- And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
Jethro stayed around and watched how things were done in Israel. He saw that all day long Moses was judging problems that the people had. Moses never seemed to have time for himself. So, Jethro decided to help Moses out and give him some advice.
Exodus 18:14, 17-22- And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?  And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
Jethro told Moses to find some wise men that would fear God and do right. He then told Moses to make these men judges. The judges could help the people with simple problems. Moses would only have to help with the really hard problems. That would give Moses a chance to have a break and rest.
Exodus 18:24-26- So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
This was very good advice. Moses thanked his father-in-law.

Exodus 18:27- And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Israel In The Wilderness series coloring pages

Israel In The Wilderness- Part 2

The Hebrew children are going through God's boot camp. He's already shown them that He could provide water and food. He's given them a simple commandment to obey to see how well they could follow orders.
Exodus 17:1-3- And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
Why do they keep saying that Moses brought them out of Egypt to kill them? What would make them think that?
Exodus 17:4-7- And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?
Moses obeyed God and took his rod and hit a rock in Horeb. The rock gushed out water and the people drank! God had proven once again that He could take care of their needs.
But, the people of the Lord are never without trouble for very long. The devil always seems to have someone who is ready to stop them from reaching the goal that God has set for them.
Exodus 17:8-9- Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
Amalek wanted to fight with the Hebrew children. Moses told Joshua to take some men and go out to fight.
Who was Joshua? How were these slaves suppose to fight?
Exodus 24:13a- And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua:
Joshua was the guy that made sure Moses had what he needed. And right now, Moses needed an army captain. So, guess who got the job?
Joshua went and chose out some strong men who looked like they could fight.
Exodus 17:10-11- So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
Joshua was fighting his hardest. But the battle was long!
Exodus 17:12-But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
Some times, a man of God needs a little help or encouragement. Moses certainly did. Aaron and Hur stepped up to the task. They put a stone for Moses to sit on and they helped him hold his hands up so that Joshua could win the battle.
Exodus 17:13-16- And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Not since the flood had God sworn to destroy a people. But the Lord was going to annihilate the Amalekites. And he was going to prepare the children of Israel to be the army He needed to eventually do that.

Israel In The Wilderness series coloring pages

Israel In The Wilderness- Part 1

God had led the Hebrews across the Red Sea. He had destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. And the Hebrew children were singing and praising God for His goodness to them.

Exodus 15:20-21-  And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Everything was going good. But, it was time for the Hebrew children to enter God's boot camp. God was going to turn these slaves into a mighty army. And He had to get them to learn to obey what He said, even if it didn't make sense to them.
Exodus 15:22-24- So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
Not long after this great song fest, the children of Israel came across their first hardship. After travelling for 3 days, they came to a place with water, but the water wasn't good to drink.
They people started to complain and whine to Moses! What do you think Moses, the Egyptian prince, would have done? He killed an Egyptian! I don't think he would have done so well leading these people. But God didn't call an Egyptian prince!
God called Moses, the Shepherd. For 40 years Moses took sheep around a wilderness. He made sure they had food and water. He protected them from wild animals and thieves. He searched for the wandering, lost sheep to bring them back to the fold. He healed their sickness and bound their wounds. This Moses was just what the people needed!
Exodus 15:25-26- And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
God showed them that He could provide their needs. He gave them water. And He promised them that if they would keep His commandments that they wouldn't have to deal with any of the diseases that the Egyptians had to deal with.
Exodus 15:27- And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
God took them to a nice place to rest and recouperate for a while. But they weren't there to stay. God had promised to bring them into the land of Canaan- the land that He promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Exodus 16:1-3- And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
Only a month after leaving Egypt and the people were whining about how they should have stayed there! They started talking about all the food they had to eat. Hold on! Did you forget that you were slaves?
Exodus 16:4-5- Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
God was going to show them that not only could He provide water, but that He could provide food. But, they had to learn to do it God's way!
Exodus 16:6-12- And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings. And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.
This may be the first time that the Hebrews had heard the voice of the Lord! They had seen His wonders in Egypt and at the Red Sea, but up until this point God had only talked to Moses and Aaron.
Exodus 16:13-27- And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.  And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.  And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
God gave the people Manna. It was  small, round white  thing that they could make bread out of.
But, God had rules to be followed. They were to gather enough for them and their families for 5 days (Sunday through Thursday). And then they were to gather enough for 2 days (Friday and Saturday).
This food was to make them healthy, not fat. It would only last one day, except when it was the Sabbath (Saturday).
God was trying to teach them how to obey His commandments. But, they were not doing too good of a job following His directions.
Exodus 16:28-30-  And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.
God knows that we need a day where we aren't working. We need a day to rest. God also knows that we should set aside a day to worship Him. And that is why He created the Sabbath. He created the world in 6 days and rested on the seventh. He rested to be an example for us, not because He was tired.
Exodus 16:31-34-  And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
Moses tried very hard to describe Manna for us. He had never seen Manna before, and he didn't know what it was. Do you know?
Psalm 78:24-25- And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
God fed the children of Israel angels' food, the corn of heaven- that's what Manna is.
Moses had Aaron gather some up to keep so that they could remember how God provided for them.

Exodus 16:35- And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

Israel In The Wilderness series coloring pages

The Book of Revelation (video)

As America Has Done To Israel book review

Have you ever wondered why bad things happen? Not just the crimes that people commit, but the natural disasters that strike around the world? Do you think there's a reason to them?
John P. McTernan has an interesting take on it in his book As America Has Done To Israel.
Mr. McTernan takes the verse from Genesis 12:3- And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.- literally as he looks back through America's history and their treatment of and relationship with the Jews.
There is a ton of historic fact and some wonderful side-by-side comparisons for those who are wondering if God's blessing to Abraham so long ago is still relevant today.