Day 17 – September 23, 2023: Exodus 14-18 and Psalm 90
September 25, 2023Can you see why these two Scriptures are joined together for our reading? Whenever you read the Psalms it is always good to see what is in the beginning portion of the Psalm, before you get to verse 1. Often there are hints as to who wrote the Psalm, the purpose for why the Psalm was written, and even at times what specific life event prompted the writing of the Psalm. Keep in mind that the word Psalm simply means in English song. So, the beginning of Psalm 90 states that this is a Psalm of Moses, which gives us the impression that Moses was attributed as the one who composed this Psalm. Now, keep in mind that he wouldn’t have been writing with pen and paper, he probably didn’t write it at all. Everything up to this stage is in oral history so as the people of Israel were sitting around their nomadic campfires and the stories of Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt were being told, this Psalm, and his song in Exodus that we read, would have been attributed to him.
In the Exodus Scripture we find ourselves now at the time where the people of God have left Egypt and the Pharaoh decides to pursue them. As you know from history this was not a good idea and he pays for it with his life, so that the glory of God could be revealed. Do not forget that last part. The glory of God being revealed is key to this entire story. Pharaoh’s heart is hardened so God can be revealed, Pharaoh is defeated so that God’s glory can be revealed. Remember what the disciples of Jesus ask him in John about the man born blind? Why was he born blind? Jesus answers, so that God’s glory can be revealed through him.
Well that happens in this story with the conquest of the Egyptians. It also happens with the manna and the quail It also happens with the defeat of the Amalekites and so on. God’s glory is revealed in a way that the hope would be that all of the generations to come would remember. Yeah, well, that doesn’t really happen. But more on that later.
I always thought they were wandering lost in the desert. But then I read that someone from back home, Jethro, visits Moses. So I figured he can’t be lost. If he were, why wouldn’t he just follow Jethro home. So, what exactly is Moses doing with these people in the desert if he isn’t lost?
Great question Jeff, the wandering time period doesn’t come until when Moses disobeys God and the Israelites disobey God continuously in Numbers 20 so you have to wait for a while before we get to that point. At this point God is leading them to the promised land and the plan is that Moses will take them into the promised land. Jethro is living not far from the promised land so just stopped in to see his son-in-law and lend a halping hand. They are not lost yet, or wandering. They don’t actually get lost, they more or less just wander.