Cover to Cover Q&A from Genesis 37-Exodus 14

   At our church we have begun a 42 week series where we will be doing an over-view of all of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation!  Throughout these 42 weeks we are encouraging the people at Bethel to follow the Bible reading plan which will bring us all through the whole Bible chronologically over the next 42 weeks!  Each week at Bethel the texts that we read during the week is what the sermon will be based on.  As a part of this series we are giving people opportunities to ask questions about what they are reading that they would like answered.  So every Thursday on this blog myself, alongside the elders, will seek to answer those questions the best we can!  So here we go for the questions we received on Genesis 1-11.

Question #1:  1.) What does it mean to consecrate the firstborn males?  What didi it mean to redeem every firstborn male?  Exodus 13.  It sounds like the firstborn livestock were to be sacrificed but what was it to redeem the firstborn male children?"  (Answered by Josh Robertson and Keith Kinder).

          The consecrating and redeeming of the firstborn males, both for animals and for humans, was for the purpose of reminding the Israelites of how God redeemed the firstborn males of the Hebrews in Egypt by the sacrifice of the lamb that they were commanded to kill and place the blood on their door.  It seemed to be a process by which the works and provision of God in Egypt would be remembered and passed onto the coming generations (vs:14-16).  With animals they would be given the option of either sacrificing the first born to the Lord, or if they refused to sacrifice them, the first born animal would need to be killed (11-13).  It is clear that all firstborn sons were to be redeemed (not sacrificed, or killed) and they were to be redeemed by the killing of a lamb- again pointing back to the God's redeeming the firstborn of Israel in Egypt by the blood of a lamb and also a foreshadowing of what Christ was going to do on the cross in the near future.  
       When we get into Leviticus there are many instructions on redeeming and consecrating things and people through ceremonial sacrifices and/or offerings that the priests were teach the people to do in devotion and submission to YHWH, their God, who was contrasting His expectations versus the demands of the pagan "gods" around them, several of whom demanded child-sacrifice.

Question #2:  When and why did Moses send away his wife and sons in Exodus 18?  In Exodus it sounded like his wife was with him on his return to Egypt (Answered by Keith Kinder and Josh Robertson).  

 Good question.  Seems like Jethro, his father-in-law and a priest of God,(but not clear if he was a believer in JHWH or like Melchizedek a believer in God most High) had a mixed relationship with Moses that also may have influenced his daughter and grandsons, that they were in and out of Moses' life as he led children of Israel.  There is no indication when (or why) Moses sent away his wife and son between Exodus 4 and Exodus 18.  It is very possible that they never go further than the lodging place along the way that is referenced in Exodus 4 and therefore they never actually went into Egypt. Possibly they traveled together part way to be together a bit more but Moses not wanting them in Egypt when everything was taking place in God working to redeem His people.  

Question #3:  "At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood", referring to circumcision."  Exodus 4:24-26  Why was the Lord going to kill Moses when he had just given him such detailed instructions for what he was to do?  What does this circumcision act by his wife have to do with anything?  This thoroughly confused me and seems to not fit with the rest of things (Answered by Keith Kinder).  

Moses' mission was a life-and-death mission that was to reclaim all Israel to true worship of God which included circumcision as a sign of that covenant.  Moses going to his people with a non-conforming son would have been a bad start.  Therefore it was Moses' wife who was able to discern God's displeasure at Moses and was able to act appropriately and circumcise her son.  


 As we move through this series please keep the questions coming!  You can ask questions on the connect card attached to your bulletin on Sunday's, by emailing me at joshrobetson52@gmail.com

We certainly don't have all the answers and at times will not be sure how to answer but seek the one who grants wisdom to help us understand what we can.  At the end of the day it is not about having greater knowledge, or to simply know more stuff, it is to know more by which we can continue together to strive to Exalt God's Name, Equip God's People, and Evangelize God's World in our homes, communities, and world.  

At our church we have begun a 42 week series where we will be doing an over-view of all of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation!  Throughout these 42 weeks we are encouraging the people at Bethel to follow the Bible reading plan which will bring us all through the whole Bible chronologically over the next 42 weeks!  Each week at Bethel the texts that we read during the week is what the sermon will be based on.  As a part of this series we are giving people opportunities to ask questions about what they are reading that they would like answered.  So every Thursday on this blog myself, alongside the elders, will seek to answer those questions the best we can!  So here we go for the questions we received on Genesis 1-11.