Passover to Pentecost – What Is Important        Week 2 Day 3

Genesis 15: 13 “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own….they will come out with great possessions. (NIV)

Abraham and Moses both lead groups of people out of Egypt.  When they left they were given riches, and had other people added to their groups.  The focus today is those things that you take with you when you leave Egypt.  Face it, I have not met anyone who has “left Egypt” that has not had some kind of “baggage” with them.

People

It is significant that Abraham and Moses both had family with them when they left.  Moses’ wife and kids must have been sent to Jethro because he returned them to Moses in Exodus 18.  It is the “other people”, non-family that we need to look at. Hagar and the other slaves are the “shadow” (Genesis 12: 16).  We know that Abraham made a mistake and their child would spawn enemies for Israel for many centuries. (See Enemies Part 1)

Exodus 12: 38 states, “Many other people went up with them.”  These people may have been other slaves, etc. but they did cause Israel to stumble in Numbers 11: 4.  There are many references to how God expected aliens or foreigners to be treated.  No, special rules against them, but they did have to follow the laws of the land (Israel).  Leviticus 24: 10 is the story of an Egyptian and Israelite son who blasphemed and was stoned.  God made it possible for aliens to participate in Passover, they just needed to be circumcised (Exodus 12: 48).

Water

It seems they had enough to make it three days into the desert before they ran out.  Remember, this was the length of time for the original trip to worship God (Exodus 15: 22).  I have heard creative preachers say that the piece of wood Moses threw in the water stuck upright and resembled a cross.  For sure this was a test and God reminded them that He was their healer (26 + 27).

Food

We know they brought their bread dough out of Egypt (no yeast), but Exodus 16 tells that the food lasted thirty days before it ran out.  This was another test and the people failed it.  God would have met the need, and He did, they just needed to learn to ask.

Riches

They asked for and received silver, gold, and clothing from the Egyptians.  They had more riches than ever had in their lives.  They could have bought anything they wanted.  It seems, however, all of the money that they now possessed was not all that important when they ran out of water and food.

All of the riches did come into play in Exodus 25 when they gave for the building of the Ark and all of the furnishings and tent of the Tabernacle.  It took a minute of reflection to realize that the Egyptians paid to make the items of worship for a God they did not believe in.

Skills

Exodus 35: 30 is the beginning of the story where they assembled the Tabernacle and the Ark.   As you read this and chapter 36 it repeatedly talks about skilled men, craftsmen, and designers.  Some of these people were doing other things than make bricks.

Yeast

They should not have had yeast because of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  So they just let the bread dough “sour” and they were back in business!  The thought hit me though that yeast (connected to a goddess) was not usable once they started using the manna.  It would not have had time to rise well (or kept) before it had to be thrown away because they could not keep it overnight.  God did not want “yeast” in His miracle.