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Exodus Chapter 23







 

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GiGi again's Exodus Chapter 23 comment on 7/06/2022, 8:27pm...

...continued

The first fruits are to be brought into the house of the LORD; and not to cook a goat in its mother's milk. (Don't know if this is part of the sacrifice or not).

Verses 20-33 Speaks of the Promises of God's Presence for those who are obedient to Him. The Angel (capitalized) will go before them. (Is this Jesus?) and lead them in the way they are to travel. God warns the Israelites to fear the Angel and obey His voice.

They were not to provoke the Angel for He will not pardon their sins, for God's name is IN Him.

If the Israelites are obedient God will uphold them and keep them from being overthrown by enemies. God names the peoples they will encounter in the land of promise. God says, do not worship their gods! But instead, completely overthrow these people (and their gods) breaking down their sacred pillars (Asherah poles). Eliminating the images by destroying them will lesson the temptation to bow to them in worship.

God promises to bless them with fruitfulness and increase of the womb; with daily bread and a steady supply of water, (which they cried out for before coming to Sinai; taking away their sicknesses and preserving their health as a whole group.

He will confuse the people who come against the Israelites and send pests to drive them away from His people.

However, God says He will take time to drive them out gradually, to avoid the wild beasts having an opportunity to take over the vacated land and multiply to become a threat the people and to allow for the Israelites to grow in number and strength do they can inherit the land promised to them. This gradual takeover will test the Israelites' obedience and dependence on God alone.

They are not to make a covenant with these people nor their gods, for they will cause the Israelites to sin against God and ensnare them.

These people had never been to the promised land yet. They only knew Egypt. Trusting God was a tall order, but God would be with them. In difficult times He is with us, too

 


GiGi's Exodus Chapter 23 comment on 7/06/2022, 8:00pm...

Exodus 23

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This chapter has several sections. Verses 1-13 speaks about fairness in the judicial process and in personal interactions. Be truthful, do not be a false witness in court against another, do not show partiality in court, whether the accused is rich or poor, or the plaintiff is rich or poor, do not follow the crowd when the crowd is advocating and practicing evil, do not pervert justice by testifying in such a way that interferes with due justice.

It goes on to say that we are to keep away from any false matter, do not side with what you know is false or spread false info, respect life and do not kill those who are innocent and righteous , defend these people when in danger. God warns those in power to judge, legislate, or govern to not take any bribes as buying influence perverts justice.

God goes on to say that we are not to oppress anyone, even strangers or foreigners.

God sets aside the seventh day and seventh year as a time of rest. 7th day rest from work, 7th year rest from sowing fields. Doing so allows man and beasts to rest up and renew energy for the coming week. Doing so allows nature to produce food for the poor and for the wild and domesticated animals.

Verse 13 is a change-Be circumspect-think about it!-do not even mention the name of other gods, do not speak it. We are to give no acknowledgment of the existence of these false gods.

Verses 14-19 discuss the three feasts God institutes for the nation of Israel-Unleavened Bread-to remember their meal before the passing over the Israelites in the plague of the death of the firstborn and of their flight in the night from Egypt; the Harvest-where they bring in the first fruits; and the Ingathering-where they harvest all of the fruit of their labors at the end of the growing year. Also, males are to appear before the LORD three times a year (assemble before the LORD for these Feasts?) not the women.

 


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