The opening chapters of the Bible present a paradigm that is often referred to throughout the Scriptures, and the initial dwelling place of Adam and Eve is no exception. The garden of Eden repeatedly resurfaces in varying ways through the story of redemption, and in many instances it is the richness and beauty of the garden that is highlighted. The first reference appears in a surprising context, namely the description of Lot’s decision-making process as he separated from Abr

The end of the book of Exodus is simultaneously the beginning of a new chapter. It is, to be sure, a satisfying conclusion to the turn of events that have been narrated in this book, but much more must happen before the ideas and events from this book can be brought to their full conclusion. That the book of Leviticus begins where Exodus leaves off, without introduction or even disruption, proves the point. It also raises a question about the concluding verses of Exodus, espe

As I noted last week, Exodus 33 plays off the two concepts of knowledge and presence, and it seems that Paul had this chapter in mind as he wrote to the Corinthians, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6 ESV). With this summary statement, Paul brings the knowledge of an intimate communion with God together, using those key words “know” and “f

It is a well-established fact that repetition in the Scriptures serves as an indicator of what is important, what should be grabbing our attention. In Exodus 33, two key words are repeated frequently, namely “know” and “face.” This repetition grabs our attention and focuses it on the interrelationship between God’s presence and the knowledge of God. Ultimately, this interrelationship finds its fullest expression in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose presence with us by the Spirit n

John Calvin wrote in his Institutes of the Christian Religion  that the heart is a “perpetual forge of idols” [1] or colloquially stated that “the heart is an idol factory.” This is a reality we experientially know is true through our own struggles, but a concept that isn’t always clearly defined. In our narrative this morning, Exodus 32, we are given a picture of an idol, and that picture will help us define what an idol is, particularly for us as we live in a different cul

In Exodus 31, the Sabbath is once more raised as an important part of life with God. It was introduced in Exodus 16 in the context of God’s provision of bread from heaven, presented as one of the Ten Words in Exodus 20, and expanded on in Exodus 23. Now, in Exodus 31, the Sabbath caps the instructions for building the tabernacle as a way to underscore its priority. To end these instructions with a reminder of the Sabbath is to say that the construction of the tabernacle, for

In Exod 31:1-11, we are introduced to Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other artisans who will skillfully make the tabernacle and its...

In the opening chapter of James’ letter, he speaks of the implanted word, “which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21 ESV), as well as...

The gospels teach us that Jesus’ teaching and activity were disruptive to all kinds of notions related to the law, including Pharisaic...

Having laid out the blessings and curses of the covenant in Exodus 23 and prior to that the rules or judgments, i.e. the substance of the...

In Exod 23:20-33, there is a close connection between the promises and blessings of God’s covenant relationship with Israel and the...

The regulations in Exodus 23 that pertain to the Sabbath and annual festivals are interesting for a number of reasons. One of those...