Lynne's Old Testament Study Notes

 4/29/2022 – Exodus 34 In v 1, the Lord is making sure that the Israelites have the 10 commandments. He says to Moses: “Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.” The commandments have not changed, but the people have been given a second chance to have them, and to learn to live them. Moses is told to go up to the mount again to meet with the Lord. One of the first things the Lord says to Moses is that the Lord God is “merciful and gracious, longsuffering [His patience with us and his mercy toward us], and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin….” (v’s 6-7). He also warns Moses not to make covenants with other peoples, for they were all idol worshipers, and the Israelites needed to learn of the one God. (v 15) He also tells them that they must keep the yearly Passover, so that they will not forget.  In v 21 H...

4/28/2022 – Exodus 33 The Israelites made a very poor decision when they thought back to their times in Egypt, where many gods were worshiped, and when they decided to create the gold calf – they were temporarily  away from Moses, their leader for at least 46 days; they were on their own and evidently not strong enough to be on their own. In v 5, the Lord told Moses to “say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people.” And then the Lord begins the process of helping them repent of their poor behavior. They had come to a time and place they did not understand, and instead of going to the Lord, they fell back on the poor model that the Egyptians had given to them. The Lord told them to get rid of their ornaments—which they did for these were left-overs from their attempts to fall back on Egyptian ways.  Moses moved the tabernacle a great distance from where it had been within their camp. He now called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. (v 7) All of the Israelite...

 4/27/2022 – Exodus 32 This is the chapter that tells us about the Israelites making the golden calf. Once again the chapter synopsis is very good: “Aaron makes a golden calf, which Israel worships—Moses serves as a mediator between God and rebellious Israel—Moses breaks the tablets of stone—Levites slay about 3000 rebels—Moses pleads and intercedes for the people.” “Aaron makes a golden calf”: Moses had been up on the mountain at least 46 days. The Israelites went to Aaron saying basically what in the world has become of Moses??? He brought us out of Egypt, but where is he now??? The pillar of cloud and fire were no longer with them at this time. Aaron did tell them to prepare to “feast to the Lord the next day, and they did bring burnt offerings and peace offerings (v 6-7). But the scriptures seem to say that Aaron also encouraged them to build the golden calf. No matter who did what, things were going astray with the Israelites. And up on the mountain “the Lord said unto Moses, ...

 4/26/2022 – Exodus 31 The Israelites are now building a portable tabernacle and in v’s 1-4 we see how the Lord helps and blesses us to bring about His purposes. The Lord tells Moses that He has called  Bezaleel to help in building the tabernacle and “I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship.” (v 3) And in the cutting of stones, the Lord is speaking of the man Aholiab and He explains: “and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they make all that I have commanded thee.” (v 6) When we work WITH the Lord, He guides our growth in both talent and spirit. I need to take more heed, to recognize and to thank the Lord for His tender help and guidance! As the Israelites go to work on this amazing tabernacle the Lord commands Moses to teach them of the importance of keeping the Sabbath as He would have us do. “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabb...

 4/25/2022 – Exodus 24 It is in this chapter that Moses works to help his people in entering into a covenant with God. He has given them the 10 commandments which give the people progressive steps to come unto Him. D&C 84:23-27 tells us that these 10 commandments were a “preparatory gospel” that included the principles of repentance, baptism and remission of sins. Mosiah 13:29-30 tells us that it was a “very strict law” of “performances and ordinances” designed to keep the Israelites “in remembrance of God and their duty towards him.”  The law of Moses was highly symbolic. It was filled with types and shadows, all of which pointed toward Christ and His future Atonement. Galatians chapter 3 tells us that the law of Moses was given as a schoolmaster or tutor to bring Israel to Christ. And the JST of that chapter tells us that the law of Moses was added to the gospel, not given as a substitute for it. Moses, once again, goes to the top of the mountain and is instructed by the...

The Ten Commandments were given for us all! - April 23, 2002 The Ten commandments were not given just for the Israelites in that long ago time. They are commandments, and they are for all us who have come to this earth. They are part of the map that the Lord as given us---multiple times—to follow, and thus find our way back to Him. He we follow the map carefully, every day---we will not get lost, and we will not have to backtrack.  The Ten Commandments Then and Now Commandment Then Now  1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.        Exodus 34:10–14; D&C 76:1–4 Deuteronomy 5:6–7 1. 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.               Exodus 34:17; D&C 1:15–16 Deuteronomy 4:15–19 2. 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.                Leviticus 19:12; D&C 63:61–62 Deuteronomy 5:11 3.  4.   Remember the Sabbath d...

 4/22/2022 – Exodus 20:13-26 #6 Thou shalt not kill. Harold B Lee wrote: “One of the most serious of all sins and crimes against the Lord’s plan of salvation is the sin of murder or the destruction of human life. It seems clear that to be guilty of destroying life is the act of ‘rebellion’ against the plan of the Almighty by denying an individual . . . the privilege of a full experience in this earth-school of opportunity. It is in the same category as the rebellion of Satan and his hosts….” #7 Thou shalt not commit adultery. “Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife. God has commanded that sexual intimacy be reserved for marriage” (For the Strength of Youth) To keep the law of chastity before and during marriage, prophets have also taught that we are not to share, view, read, or listen to anything that depicts or describes the physical body or sexua...