Beginning last week, and over the next few weeks, we are overviewing the notes from the study questions as our class presentation on the book of Exodus. The purpose is to gain a basic knowledge of the book, and its events, along with addressing some answers to a few tough questions we might get from secular culture, and even from Christians, today. The hope is that this study, with answers included, will encourage you to go deeper in your faith and in your study of the Bible. Having questions is good, searching for answers is even better! Our hope is that you take these studies and share them with others as you grow together in your relationship with the LORD!

Watch this short clip by Allen Parr to help motivate you to read, and study, the Old Testament!

Overview Notes From the Class Presentation

The Book of Exodus Study Questions and Basic Answers for chapters 5 – 10

God sends Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh; The First Nine Plagues and Pharaoh’s responses

1. (Exodus chapters 5 and 6) In these chapters Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh, but things do not go so well at first.

a. From chapter 5, summarize the conversation Moses and Aaron had with Pharaoh. What did Pharaoh do to the people of Israel because of this conversation?

In the beginning of the conversation, and throughout the plagues, we see the theme of Moses and Aaron saying to the Pharaoh “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go.’
The Pharaoh responds, in this case, saying, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go,” and then gives an order to the taskmasters to have the people of Israel gather straw themselves for the brick, but require the same quota of brick being made.
Archeologist have found evidence of this type of mudbrick in ancient sites dating to this era of time including hieroglyphics that show foreigners do this type of work in Egypt.

Note: The people were now angry with Moses and Aaron, but God’s plan will play out through the plagues specifically attacking the “gods” of Egypt, including the belief that the Pharaoh himself was a god, and therefore his son being “a son of god.”

b. (6:1-13) When the text says God “remembers” something, it means that it was now time for His intended action (God does not forget things). What did God say to Moses concerning His Covenant and what did He promise to do; and how did the people of Israel respond when Moses shared God’s message with them?

Note: (In verse 6:5 God says “I have remembered my covenant”) Biblical authors will often use human terminology and relate it to God, so that their readers can have a better understanding of the timing of the event, or the situation.
God told Moses: (6:2-9)…

“I am the Lord; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them. I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the Lord.’” So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.”

c. Discuss: The rest of chapter 6 gives a genealogy. What tribe is Moses and Aaron from, and why is it important to know?

Moses and Aaron are from the tribe of Levi

This is important information because:

Knowing what tribe a person was from gave them credibility and respect because they could trace their lineage back to an original “Son of Israel” (see 6:14 – “Heads of their fathers’ households”)
The tribe of Levi would soon be the tribe of Priests, serving and sacrificing to God for all the other tribes

Note: This genealogy list showed leaders from Reuben and Simeon, but stopped at the focus tribe of Levi (the 3rd son) because this is where the leadership credibility is given to Moses and Aaron – the tribe of Judah is not highlighted at this time, but there is still a “Seed Carrier” within that tribe (See the genealogies in Matthew and Luke)

2. (Exodus chapters 7 through 8:15) In this section the plagues begin, but Pharaoh’s sorcerers (also called magicians and wise men) are able to duplicate what Moses and Aaron do, and Pharaoh “hardens his heart.”

a. (7:1-7) What did God tell Moses and Aaron He was about to do; and how old were Moses and Aaron at this time?

Aaron was 83 and Moses was 80
God told Moses and Aaron that he was going to make Moses appear like a god, and Aaron like his prophet, in the site of Pharaoh – This would most likely be the reason that Pharaoh did not just have them killed, and instead allowed them to “compete” with his gods, and himself as a god
God also told Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh would not listen, and God would harden his heart – He would then multiply signs and wonders in the land of Egypt so that the people (all the people, including the Egyptians) would know that He was the one true God

Note: The importance here is going to be the humiliation and humbling of the gods of Egypt, especially Pharaoh (who was thought to be a god by the people as well)

b. (7:8-13) Describe the first miracle. What did the Egyptian sorcerers do in response, and what did Aaron’s staff do to their staffs?

The first miracle was done upon Pharaoh’s request – and, just as the LORD had said to do, Moses had Aaron throw down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it turned into a serpent.
The sorcerers (also known as wise men and magicians) were then able to duplicate this “with their secret arts” by throwing down their staffs and having them turn into serpents – HOWEVER, Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

Note: It is interesting to see that Moses’ staff will be used later on to heal the people who looked upon it, after they are bitten by serpents – and it is the medical symbol known worldwide today (a staff with a serpent wrapped around it).

c. (7:14 – 8:15) Describe the first and second plagues. Were the Egyptian sorcerers able to duplicate them?

First plague: After warning Pharaoh, and Pharaoh refusing to let the people go, Moses had Aaron stretch out his staff ”over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone” and the water turned to blood.
The sorcerers were also able to duplicate this plague (although this would have made it even worse) – so Pharaoh “turned and went into his house with no concern…”
Note: 7:24 tells us: “So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile” – and this lasted for 7 days.
Second plague: Again, Moses warns Pharaoh “Thus says the LORD, ‘Let My people go that they may serve Me. But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs, which will come up and go into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the house of your servants and on your people, and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls. So the frogs will come up on you and your people and all your servants.’”
The Pharaoh recanted, and again the LORD stopped the plague, but again, as soon as there was relief the “Pharaoh hardened his heart.”
Note: It seems that the frogs only affected the Egyptians (see underlined parts)

d. Discuss: Why do you think the Egyptian sorcerers were able to duplicate these miracles, and whose power do you think they were using?

The Egyptian sorcerers could only duplicate the first two miracles, but they could not erase or reverse them.
Unless they were able to use “tricks of the eye” the sorcerers’ power could only come from one source: Satan.
Note that once it got to the level of controlling the Creation, they could not duplicate nor affect God’s purpose in any way.
Ultimately God is the only one who could decide to let them duplicate it, or not.
Cross-reference the New Testament for the names of two of these sorcerers…

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, worthless in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their foolishness will be obvious to all, just as was that also of Jannes and Jambres. 2 Timothy 3:1-9 (NASB)

3. (Exodus 8:16 through 9:35) In these chapters we find increasingly severe plagues that the sorcerers are unable to duplicate, yet Pharaoh still “hardens his heart.”

a. (8:16-32) Describe the third and fourth plagues. What did the sorcerers say and what was the Pharaoh’s response?

Third plague: This was a plague of gnats (some versions read lice or insects) – this was the first time that the sorcerers could not duplicate the plague, and they said to the Pharaoh “This is the finger of God,” but Pharaoh did not listen.
Fourth plague: This was a swarm of flies (some versions read insects) – most likely “dogflies” that were common to the area and could cause blindness to the individual it infects – (It did not infect the people of Israel).
The response by Pharaoh to the fourth plague was to partly concede to letting the people sacrifice, but in Egypt – Moses said no because it would be an abomination to the Egyptians and “they may stone” the Hebrews – So Pharaoh agreed to let them go into the wilderness, but when Moses made supplication to the LORD to stop the swarm Pharaoh hardened his heart again and did not let the people go.

b. (9:1-35) Describe the fifth, sixth and seventh plagues. What was different about the effect of these plagues compared to the others?

Fifth plague: This was pestilence upon the livestock in the fields (horses, donkeys, camels and the herds), but ”the LORD made a distinction between the livestock of the Hebrews and the Egyptians.” The text seems to indicate that even if the Hebrew livestock was with or near the Egyptian livestock, they would not be affected, and also any livestock that had not been in the fields.
Sixth plague: This was a plague of boils, and it affected only the Egyptian people and their beasts, not the Hebrew people nor their beasts – the sorcerers could do nothing because they were sick with the boils as well. This was not necessarily a deadly plague, but one that crippled both human and beast.
Seventh plague: This was a plague of hail, “a very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day is was founded until now. (the flax and barely were ruined, but the wheat and spelt were not ruined for they ripen late)” – It is here we note in v. 20, “the one among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses,” yet there was no hail in the land of Goshen.

c. What did God have Moses say before the seventh plague, and how was Pharaoh’s response different after the seventh plague?

Before the seventh plague:

(9:13-17) “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews says: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me. For this time I am going to send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. For had I now put out My hand and struck you and your people with plague, you would then have been eliminated from the earth. But indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name throughout the earth. Still you exalt yourself against My people by not letting them go.”

Pharaoh’s response after the seventh plague was over:

(9:27-28) Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time; the Lord is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones. Plead with the Lord, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail; and I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”

This was the first time, it seems, that Pharaoh became scared, but it was not a true repentance because as soon as the hail stopped Pharaoh “sinned again and hardened his heart, he and his servants… and he did not let the sons of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.” (v. 34-35)

Note: The fifth through eighth plagues affected the animals and then the crops, which would ultimately damage the economy by destroying and limiting their food sources – only those who stayed inside and were not in the fields were saved [from the fifth and seventh).

d. Discuss: There are differing views on the “hardening of Pharaoh’s heart.” Discuss your thoughts, and any previous teachings you’ve had on this topic.

Calvanism (Reformed) view:

Calvinism is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Calvin and other Reformation-era theologians.
This view emphasizes the sovereignty of God and the authority of the Bible, with varying levels of thought on pre-destination, or God’s pre-determining of all events and situations throughout history.
Weakness in this view: Minimizes freewill

Arminian view:

Arminianism is a branch of Protestantism based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants.
This view asserts that God’s sovereignty and man’s free will are compatible, and that God’s election was an election of believers and therefore was conditioned on faith.
Arminius argued, God’s exhaustive foreknowledge did not require a doctrine of determinism.
Weakness in this view: Can maximize human freewill and diminish God’s control or sovereignty.

Molinism’s view:

Molinismis an attempt to provide a solution to the classic philosophical problems associated with God’s providence, foreknowledge and the freedom of humanity.
This view may be traced to the 16th century Jesuit theologian Luis de Molina.
Specifically, it seeks to maintain a strong view of God’s sovereignty over creation while at the same time preserving the belief that human beings have self-determined freedom, or libertarian free will.
Molinism holds that God’s knowledge consists of three logical moments. These “moments” of knowledge are not to be thought of as chronological; rather they are to be understood as “logical.” In other words, one moment does not come before another moment in time, rather one moment is logically prior to the other moments.
Molinism differentiates between three different moments of knowledge called natural knowledge, middle knowledge and free knowledge of God:

1.Natural Knowledge – This is God’s knowledge of all necessary and all possible truths. In this “moment” God knows every possible combination of causes and effects, and all the truths of logic and morality.

2.Middle Knowledge – This is God’s knowledge of what any free creature would do in any given circumstance, also known as counterfactual knowledge. It is sometimes stated as God’s knowledge of the truth of subjunctive conditionals.

3.Free Knowledge – This is God’s knowledge of what He freely decided to create. God’s free knowledge is His knowledge of the actual world as it is.

Weakness in this view: Rejects some ideas of freewill yet can seem to suggest God does not have advanced knowledge of all things (most difficult to comprehend)

4. (Exodus 10:1-29) There are two more plagues before the tenth and final one, and even though it seems he may relent, Pharaoh continues to “harden his heart.”

a. Describe the eighth and nineth plagues and the effect it had on the people.

Eighth plague: A plague of locust, “The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very numerous. There had never been so many locusts, nor would there be so many again. For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Therefore nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field throughout the land of Egypt”. 10:14-15 (NASB)
Ninth plague: A plague of darkness, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Reach out with your hand toward the sky, so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.’ So Moses reached out with his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.” 10:21-23 (NASB)

b. How did the Pharaoh and his servants respond to these two plagues?

After the eighth plague: (10:16-17) Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “I have sinned against the Lordyour God and against you. So now, please forgive my sin only this once, and plead with the Lordyour God, that He would only remove this death from me.” But as soon as the locust were gone, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened again.
After the ninth plague Pharaoh agreed to let them go, but not with their livestock, and then his heart was hardened again, and this time…

c. What was the last conversation Moses had with the Pharaoh (10:28-29)?

Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful, do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you shall die!” Moses said, “You have spoken correctly; I shall never see your face again!” 10:28-29 (NASB)
This would be the last real interaction Moses had with the Pharaoh, except for his command for Israel to leave after the tenth and final plague devastates the people of Egypt and the Pharaoh himself.

d. Discuss: Skeptics try to write these plagues off as just natural occurrences. What are some things you see in the narrative that tell you they must be miracles of God?

In these miracles we see God using the things that exist in His creation, but at heighten levels (as He did with the Flood of Noah’s time and will again with the Rea Sea Crossing).
The sorcerers could not duplicate the miracles after the second one, and they even exclaimed that it “was by the finger of God” because only God can alter things inside and outside the creation.
In most of the plagues, the people of Israel and the land of Goshen were protected and the plagues only affected the Egyptians, their possessions, their land and ultimately their Pharaoh.
The wall of protection for the Israelite was an obvious supernatural event.

5. Going Deeper: Set up a chart of the “ten plagues” (we will get to the tenth one next week). In you headings include, 1) the type of plague; 2) the result of the plague; and 3) the Egyptian god(s) or idol represented in each plague (showing YHWH’s supremacy over all of the Egyptian gods and idols).

Bonus: Add in the similarity found in the book of Revelation

Plague and Resulting Effect	Egyptian God(s) defeated	Similarity found in the book of Revelation
1. Blood in the Nile River •Killed all of the fish •Damaged the water supply	Nile River Gods: •Khnum (Guardian of the Nile) •Hapi (Spirit of the Nile) •Osiris (Guardian of the underworld and the Nile was his bloodstream) •Sepek (Crocodile god) •Neith (Lapes fish protector) Hathor (Chromis fish protector)	First and Second trumpets and the two witnesses bring blood Revelation 8:7-8 and 11:6
2. Hoards of Frogs •Covered the land inside and out	•Hapi (Spirit of the Nile, also fertility god associated with the arrival of the frogs •Heqt (Fertility god with head of a frog and body of a women	Frog –like demons released Revelation 16:13
3. Swarms of gnats/lice/insects •Invade the land •Infect both people and animals	•Uatchit (Protector of swarming insects) •Seb (Protector from lice)	Swarm of the plagues released by the two witnesses – “Every Plague” Revelation 11:6
4. Swarms of Flies/Dogflies/insects •Invade the land •Bloodsucking flies that would infect both people and animals •Specifically did not harm the Hebrews	•Baalzebub (god of the flies and a name that often references Satan)	Swarm of the plagues released by the two witnesses – “Every Plague” Revelation 11:6
5. Pestilence Invaded the animals/livestock outside in the fiends Hebrew animals/livestock and those inside were not harmed	•Apis (sacred bull kept out in the open) •Mnevis (sacred bull of the king of the gods/sun god – Ra) •Hathor (cow goddess) •Knom (ram-like god)	Fourth seal judgment Revelation 6:7-8
6. Boils •Infected the people except for the Hebrews	•Sekhmet (body of a woman, head of a lioness – god over epidemics) •Serapis (god of healing) •Imhotep (god of medicine)	First bowl judgment Revelation 16:2
7. Hail •Rained down on the land destroying all that was in the fields – humans, animals and crops – except for the Hebrews land	•Shu (sky god and son of Ra) •Nut (sky goddess) •Seth (agricultural god) •Isis (agricultural goddess)	First trumpet judgment and seventh bowl judgment Revelation 8:7 and 16:17-21
8. Locust •Swarmed and destroyed everything the hail left behind – except for the Hebrews land	•Seth (agricultural god) •Isis (agricultural goddess)	Fifth trumpet judgment Revelation 9:1-12
9. Darkness for three days •Covered the entire land except for the Hebrew people	•Ra (king of the gods/sun god) •Thoth (moon god) •Nut (sky goddess) •Many others related to the sky	Fifth bowl judgment Revelation 16:10

Reflection

You can click on the links to review these reflection points from previous posts:

Practice memorizing the twelve “Major Events” of the Old Testament (you can read them or recite them), then repeat by adding in the major players and covenants within the events
Practice memorizing and reciting the seven major “Focus Points” for studying the Old Testament

Bible Study

(review answers available in two weeks)

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us.

This week read Exodus Chapter 15:22 through Chapter 20 – Then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions. NOTE: The answers are found in the text (except for “Going Deeper” or “Discuss which may require research or your own thoughts on the passage)

Complaining in the desert; The Lord provides; Jethro and Moses; Israel at Sinai; The Ten Commandments

1. (Exodus 15:22 through 16:21) In this section we find the Israelites in the wilderness after the miraculous Red Sea crossing, and the problems begin:

a. (15:22-27) Why were the people complaining and what did Moses do? What did Moses say to the people and which of our “7 Focus Points” does it relate to?

b. What was the next thing the people complained about and what did they specifically say in 16:3? (16:4-21) How did God respond to the people’s complaint, and what did He do?

c. Going Deeper: What does the word “manna” mean, and what could the people do with it? What happened to the manna when the people did not follow God’s command, and why do you think God gave this command?

2. (Exodus 16:22 through 17:16) In this section we learn about the Sabbath, and we continue to see the people become increasingly disobedient to the LORD:

a. (16:22-31) Describe the Sabbath day and its purpose? Were the people obedient to this command, and if not, what was the consequence?

b. (16:32-36) What did God have Moses and Aaron do with some of the manna, and why?

c. (17:1-7) Here we find the people quarreling again with Moses. What were they upset about this time, and what did God have Moses do?

d. (17:8-16) In this section we find Israel’s first battle and an introduction to Joshua. Describe what Moses had to do in order for Joshua and the Israelites to prevail. Do you see a picture (foreshadow) of Jesus in this event, if so, describe what you observe?

3. (Exodus 18:1-27) In this chapter Moses’ Father-in-law visits from Midian and is able to give Moses some good advice.

a. Who came to visit Moses from Midian, and what do we know about them?

b. What did Jethro observe Moses doing, and what advice did he give him?

c. Discuss: Witnessing to family, or close friends, can be the most difficult thing to do as a Christian. What example did Moses and Jethro set concerning how to interact and take advice from family, or close friends?

4. (Exodus 19:1-25) In this chapter Moses meets with God on Mount Sinai:

a. (1-8) Summarize what God told Moses to say to the people, and how the people responded. What “focus point” does this relate to?

b. (9-25) God was going to come down from the mountain and speak to the people, but He ended up speaking only to and through Moses. What rules did He set in order to meet with the people, and why?

c. Discuss: The people appeared to have not fully understood who God is. What characteristic(s) of God do we see in this event (that continues on in chapter 20), and why is it important for us to know?

5. (Exodus 20:1-26) In this chapter we begin to learn about “the Law” given to Moses, specifically the Ten Commandments:

a. (1-17) Make a list, or chart, that highlights each of the Ten Commandments.

b. (18-26) The people perceived thunder and lightning when God spoke, and they trembled, so God spoke again through Moses. What part(s) of the Ten Commandments did God reemphasize, what did He require them to do and why?

c. Going Really Deep (optional): Do a word study on the meaning of each of the commandments, for example “You shall not murder:” What does the word murder mean in English and in the Hebrew?

Join us next week as we continue A Case for the Old Testament, The History Continues… with review answers for chapters 11-15

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

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Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15