Old Testament Bible Studies

The phrase “walking with God” is used to characterize a number of different people throughout the Bible, beginning with Enoch in Genesis 5:24. In addition to this, Noah is said to have been “a upright man, spotless among the people of his time, and he lived diligently with God” (Genesis 6:9). Micah 6:8 provides us with a glimpse of what it is that God wants for us: “He has demonstrated to you, poor mortal, what is of value. And what exactly is it that the LORD expects of you? must be righteous in your actions, merciful in your affections, and humble in your relationship with God.” The action of walking with God is not something that is only for a select few people. It is God’s heartfelt wish for every one of His children to walk with Him.

What occurs when we stroll alongside another person? Imagine that you and a good friend are out for a stroll down a rural road. The weather is perfect. You are quite close to one another. You converse, laugh, pay attention to one another, and share what’s in your hearts. Your attention is being directed toward this individual to the exclusion of practically everything else in the world right now. You are acutely aware of the splendor all around you as well as the occasional diversion, but the only reason you do so is to describe it to your travel buddy. You each have a portion of it. You are getting along great, and you both take pleasure in the relaxed camaraderie.

That’s what it’s like to walk with God. When we enter into a personal, heart-to-heart connection with God by having confidence in His Son (Hebrews 10:22), He becomes the object of our deepest longing in our hearts. Our entire being is centered on getting to know Him, listening to His voice, opening up our hearts to him, and doing everything we can to earn his approval. He transforms into everything for us. Having a conversation with Him does not have to take place first thing on a Sunday morning. We exist for the purpose of having fellowship with Him. According to the teachings of A. W. Tozer, the purpose of a Christian’s life should be to “live in a state of unbroken devotion.” Only when we walk with God can we hope to do this.

Walking with God needs letting go of everything that could serve as a distraction; in the same way that walking with a good friend takes saying “no” to many other things, walking with God requires letting go of anything that could serve as a distraction. If you and a friend went on a walk, but you brought a kazoo with you and played it the entire time, the walk would not be enjoyable for either of you. A lot of individuals make the effort to walk with God, but they drag their bad habits, their sins, their worldly entertainments, or their harmful relationships along with them. They are aware that these things are not God’s will for them, but they continue to act as though nothing is wrong. Neither one of them finds the connection to be fulfilling to them. To be in accord with God about how your life should be lived is what it means to walk with God. “Can two walk together unless they are in agreement with one another?” (Amos 3:3, KJV). To walk with God requires that your will be aligned with His will and that you make an effort each day to believe yourself to be “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). There is no need to worry about being flawless because none of us are (Romans 3:10). However, the deepest goal of your heart is to find favor in the eyes of God, and you are eager to allow God’s Spirit transform you into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

When the Bible refers to “walking,” it is usually referring to a certain way of living. Additionally, we are able to walk in the ways of the world (2 Kings 8:27; Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 3:7). Walking with God is frequently referred to as “walking in the Spirit” throughout the New Testament (Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:4). To walk with God means to make the decision to glorify Him in every possible manner, regardless of the financial or emotional cost to ourselves. Also, there is a price to pay. Because walking with God precludes having bad people as walking companions, we cannot also walk with them (Psalm 1:1-3). We have decided to take the one path that leads less directly to oblivion (Matthew 7:13-14). We don’t live to gratify the lusts of our fallen flesh (Romans 13:14). We make it a goal to get rid of everything in our lives that does not make our relationship with Him stronger (Hebrews 12:2). We take the words of 1 Corinthians 10:31, which say, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God,” in their literal sense. Because we spend a significant amount of time with God, His methods are mirrored in our thoughts, behaviors, and motives, as well as the decisions we make about our lives.

Finding folks who have a relationship with God is not difficult at all. Their lives stand in striking contrast to the world that is all around them, much like the stars in the night sky (Philippians 2:15). They give birth to the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), as opposed to the fruit of gratifying their fleshly desires (Galatians 5:19-21). Peter and John were hauled before the authorities in Acts 4:13 after they had been arrested for preaching and were brought before them. “The members of the council were taken aback when they witnessed Peter and John’s audacity because they could plainly see that Peter and John were just regular individuals who had not received any specialized training in the Scriptures. Additionally, they identified them as men who had been with Jesus during his ministry. “When we walk with God on a daily basis, the world cannot help but notice that, despite the fact that we are not perfect and may be ignorant in certain areas, we have been with Jesus. This is true even though we may lack knowledge in certain areas.

God had a plan to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, and Aaron’s rod or staff played a crucial role in that plan. In ancient Israelite society, a rod represented authority. Shepherds guided and disciplined their flocks using rods (Psalm 23:4). When God called the shepherd Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, He displayed His omnipotence by performing miracles using Moses’ staff (Exodus 4:1–5; Numbers 20:11). Aaron, brother of Moses, was also chosen by God to perform miracles with his own rod (Exodus 7:19; 8:5, 16).

Aaron’s rod was the one that became a snake in Pharaoh’s court; when the Egyptian magicians likewise changed their staffs into snakes, the serpent that had been Aaron’s rod swallowed up theirs (Exodus 7:8–10). God used Aaron’s rod to transform the water of Egypt into blood (Exodus 7:19–21). And it was Aaron’s rod that summoned the frog and gnat plagues (Exodus 8:5–6). (verses 16–17). God appointed Aaron and his sons as priests after Moses and Aaron had led the Israelites out of captivity (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 18:1). For the benefit of the entire people, the remaining Levites were to minister to the Lord in the tabernacle, present sacrifices, and hear from God.

The most well-known account of Aaron’s rod begins with a few Levites becoming dissatisfied with the additional authority granted to Moses and Aaron. In Numbers 16, the Levite Korah collaborated with Dathan and Abiram to instigate a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. Korah cries to Moses in verse 3, “You have gone too far! The Lord has set apart the entire community of Israel, and he is with us all. What gives you the right to act superior to the rest of the Lord’s people?” Due to their disobedience to the Lord’s authority, God allowed the ground to open and consume these three men and their families (verses 28–33).

Instead of submitting to the Lord, however, the other tribal leaders joined the rebellion. Numbers 16:41 states, “But the very following morning, the entire community of Israel started to murmur against Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘You have murdered the people of the Lord!’” The Lord wished to destroy the entire congregation, but Moses and Aaron begged Him not to do so on their knees. God relented and instead sent a plague throughout Israel’s unruly company, killing 14,700 of them (verse 49).

To stop the disturbance, God performed a second miracle with Aaron’s rod. God directed Moses to have the leader of each Israelite tribe bring his rod or staff to the tent of assembly, with Aaron’s rod representing the tribe of Levi. Each of the twelve leaders’ names were to be engraved on their own rods. The Lord spoke to Moses, “On the staff of the man I choose, buds will emerge. Then I will put an end to the muttering and grumbling of the people against you” (Numbers 17:5). They placed their rods before the Lord, and the next morning “Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, budged, flowered, and yielded delicious nuts” (verse 8). Aaron’s staff didn’t merely grow buds; it also produced blossoms and fruit, a striking indication of the life-giving One’s power. The Lord stated to Moses in verse 10, “Place Aaron’s rod permanently in front of the Ark of the Covenant as a warning to rebels. This should end their accusations against me and avoid any other deaths.’”

According to Hebrews 9:4, Aaron’s rod remained in the Ark of the Covenant as a symbol of God’s selection of Aaron and Moses to lead His people. God does not tolerate disobedience against Himself or His chosen representatives on earth, as symbolized by Aaron’s rod (1 Corinthians 10:10). Those inside the Body of Christ who murmur, complain, and sow discord are to be reprimanded (James 5:9; 1 Timothy 5:20; 2 Timothy 2:23). God’s designs for the world are incomprehensible to any one person. He desires that we labor in unison to obey Him and to show His glory.

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me], I shall not want.

He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.

He refreshes and restores my soul (life); He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.

When the apostle Paul traveled the world to form churches, one of the topics he frequently addressed was philanthropy. His encouragements on giving went beyond the gift of the “tithe,” which is equivalent to 10% of one’s income. In point of fact, there are three components to the giving in the New Testament. Donating money, time, and effort while maintaining a positive attitude.

Give with Open Arms

Paul was trying to encourage the church in the city of Corinth, and one of the things he highlighted was how generous the churches in Macedonia were being. He continues, “For I testify that they donated as much as they were able to, and even beyond their capabilities.” (For I testify that they gave as much as they were able to) (2 Cor. 8:3). His final words are, “Whoever sows sparingly will likewise reap sparingly, and whoever sows freely will also reap generously.” This is a follow-up to the earlier encouragements Jesus offered (2 Cor. 9:6).

The churches of the New Testament were not instructed to donate a certain sum or percentage of their income; rather, they were simply urged to give generously. Those who are curious in the answer to the question “Where does it say to tithe in the Bible?” should know that the New Testament does not contain a direct command to “tithe,” but it does contain several exhortations to “give generously.”

Give on a Regular Basis

One of the purposes of donating is to refocus the giver’s attention on the things that God values rather than the things that are valued in this world. It is an assertion that our relationship with God comes first, above all other considerations in our lives. Giving on a regular basis is necessary for the realization of the potential of this declaration.

Paul states in his first epistle to the church in Corinth, “On the first day of the week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in accord with his income” (I Corinthians 16:1-2). (1 Cor. 16:2). It was suggested that the congregation put aside some money on a weekly basis to give to the community. The purpose of this is not to establish a new law that each attendee of the church is required to adhere to, but rather a general guideline to encourage continuous giving.

Paul also emphasizes the difference in this verse that the offering should be “in harmony with his income” (in accordance with one’s financial situation). Giving generously is a good thing to do, but people with higher incomes should be encouraged to contribute even more, while those with lower incomes should give a smaller percentage of their income. According to the teaching of these passages, philanthropy ought to be both lavish and constant. However, the way in which we offer is also an important consideration.

Give with Cheer

If God wants a person’s heart, then the heart with which a person gives matters. If God wants a person’s heart, then give with your heart. Another one of Paul’s writings states, “Everyone must give as he has determined in his heart, not unwillingly or under force, for God loves a happy giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). Paul emphasizes that generosity is not something that should be done “reluctantly” or “under coercion.” In one of the available versions of the text, the word “grudgingly” appears. Instead, a follower of Jesus ought to be actively engaged in giving with gladness.

The joyful giver is aware that their existence on this globe is not all there is. Because of this, Jesus advised his followers not to store up things on earth, where vermin and moths cause damage, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves riches in heaven, where neither moths nor vermin can damage them, and where neither thieves nor robbers can break in and take from them. Because “where your heart is, there your riches will also be” (Matt. 6:19-21). These philanthropists appreciate the significance of making an investment in God’s kingdom and the ministry of the local church.

According to the Jewish tradition, Moses is the author of all five books that make up the Torah, including the book of Exodus. According to Lawrence Boadt, the authorship of the book Exodus has been definitively attributed to Moses ever since the return of the Israelites from exile in the year 539 B.C. According to Boadt, “other well-known Jewish authors such as Josephus the historian and Philo the Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, Egypt, took it for granted that Moses was the author of the five books of the Pentateuch.” Josephus was a historian, and Philo was a Jewish philosopher from Alexandria. In his conclusion, Boadt states that “Christians and Jews never seriously challenged Mosaic authorship up until the period of the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century.” This statement comes at the end of Boadt’s debate on the authorship of the book of Exodus.

Exodus 17:14 is one of the internal passages that provides proof that Moses was one of the authors. In this section of the Bible, God gives Moses instructions to write down his curse against the people of Amalek. In addition, the words of the law are to be written down in a book and placed inside the Ark according to the instructions given to Moses in Deuteronomy 31:24–26. Both of these things suggest that Moses was an author and that he was capable of having written the book of Exodus, but neither of them proves that Moses penned the book of Exodus.

The History and Context of the Book of Exodus

The remainder of the Bible contains a great deal of information and allusions to the Law of Moses. These verses are Joshua 1:7 and 8:31-32, Mark 12:26, and Luke 2:22-23. Others are 1 Kings 2:3 and 2 Kings 14:6. Even though the authorship of Exodus is not specifically attributed to Moses in these verses, it is asserted that the Torah, also known as the law, was given to Moses by God.

In contrast to this conventional viewpoint is the Documentary Theory, which posits that the Pentateuch is in fact a compilation of anywhere from three to four separate source manuscripts. It is believed that these papers were combined, edited, and revised over the course of time, and that they were completed in general during the exile to Babylon. This viewpoint is largely supported by the fact that each of the five books that make up the Pentateuch contain their own unique vocabulary as well as grammar.

At the beginning of the book of Exodus, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have been living as slaves in Egypt for four hundred years at that point. They had been welcomed like honored guests when they first arrived in Egypt, but throughout the course of their stay, their standing had changed. They had multiplied in number, which caused the Egyptian government to develop a sense of dread over them. The Israelites’ lives were made more difficult by the Egyptians, and they eventually started to ask for assistance.

Israel was a people that were enslaved in Egypt, and Egypt was the only country that provided them with a true government and a set of laws to follow. Additionally, it is quite possible that they had acquired the worship traditions that were prevalent in Egypt. Joshua, who was nearing the end of his life, issued a challenge to Israel, telling them to get rid of the gods that their ancestors had worshiped in Egypt (Jos. 24:14).

The Overarching Theme and Goal of the Book of Exodus

“Redemption” is what “the main concept of Exodus” is all about, according to Norman Geisler. It is the narrative of a people who were enslaved in Egypt and how God freed them from their servitude to their Egyptian overlords and brought them into a relationship with himself. The New Testament has a number of stories that deal with the concept of redemption. God is delivering individuals from their servitude to sin in order to forge a personal relationship with those he has redeemed.

Douglas Stuart, who believes this to be true, asserts that the book of Exodus focuses on two main ideas: “(1) the liberation of a group of people from submission to their oppressors to submission to God, and (2) the constitution of that group as a people who worship God.”

Geisler goes on to say that “the purpose of Moses in writing Exodus is to explain how the family of Jacob (which totaled some seventy souls) evolved into the country of Israel” (which is estimated to have over two million people). Exodus is divided into 18 chapters, with the first 18 focusing on Israel’s deliverance from the slavery of Egypt. It begins with Israel in the position of slaves, recounts how God freed them, and concludes with them at Sinai. The remainder of the book of Exodus is devoted to the establishment of a priesthood, as well as a worship center and a covenant between God and his people. These two sections of the book of Exodus work together to give a historical context for Israel as a nation.

What Relevant Lessons Can We Take Away from the Book of Exodus?

The story of Exodus is quite fascinating, particularly the opening few chapters of the book. Who here has not heard the story about infant Moses being carried around in a reed basket? Or the plagues that ravaged Egypt at the same time that Moses led the Israelites through the Red Sea. But the story of Exodus is about much more than just fascinating history.

According to Walter Kaiser, “Exodus contains some of the most profound theology found anywhere in the Old Testament.” First and foremost, it establishes the groundwork for a theology of God’s revelation of his person, as well as salvation, the law, and worship. In addition to this, it formally establishes the covenant relationship that exists between God and his people, as well as the major institution of the priesthood and the position of the prophet.

The book of Exodus serves as the cornerstone upon which everything else in the Old Testament is built. It is essential to have a solid understanding of the origins of Israel as a nation as well as the covenant that God established with them. It is the foundation upon which the message that the prophets brought to Israel and the distinctiveness of the Israelites as a people are built.

But what’s even more essential is that it still has a lot to say to believers in modern times. Believers in the New Testament are not subject to the covenant that was made in Exodus. On the other hand, our relationship with God is one of covenant. The tabernacle, the priesthood, and the system of sacrifice that were established in the book of Exodus are all physical symbols of the spiritual reality that we are currently experiencing. To get a better grasp of our present-day connection with God, it is well worth our time to familiarize ourselves with the “types” described in Exodus.

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