Today's video is part of our Fig Tree Five series - five-minute videos to help broaden your understanding of the Bible! 

Join us as we learn about the amazing Hebrew word - Midbar! 

Midbar is the Hebrew word for wilderness or desert but is derived from the Hebrew word DBR which means "to speak" (verb) or "word" (noun). 

The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the "wilderness" (Matt. 4:1) in the desert east of Jerusalem (see photo below). 

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​In today's lesson, we look at the connection between the events in Exodus, where God delivers the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai, and the Acts chapter 2 – Pentecost event – where God delivers the Holy Spirit.

To make this connection, we must know about the Biblical holiday system God implements in Exodus and Leviticus. 

The holiday of Pentecost (Acts 2:1) is not a Christian holiday, and Pentecost is the Greek word used for the holiday of Shavuot - the feast of Weeks - found in Leviticus chapter twenty-three. 

When we understand the holiday system and the associated symbolism of each holiday, the world of the New Testament opens up in ways that most cannot imagine! 

God commanded the holidays, and Jesus and the disciples observed the holidays. And most important, Jesus fulfills the holidays! 

How much more then should we be paying attention to God's canlendar?

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In today's lesson, we use Jesus' parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) as a tool to review the book of Exodus.
 
The parable of the Ten Bridesmaids is about redemption and reflects the story of Exodus and the common Rabbinic interpretations of Exodus found in the first century.

As with Jesus' other parables, we must pay close attention to the symbols and what they represent. 

Understanding these symbols is the key that unlocks the meaning that not only applies to that first-century context but to our own lives.

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​In this week's lesson, we look at the Golden Calf incident found in Exodus 32. 
 
The sin of idol worship - placing an idol or false god ahead of God - is the most common sin for humanity to commit and the sin that Israel will struggle with throughout the Old Testament. 

What can we learn about this type of sin? What can we learn about ourselves and why false idols still plague us today? 

We attempt to answer these questions and more, as well as the Biblical solution to overcoming the inherent suffering we experience in the world.

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Exodus 34:6-7 - the divine attributes of God - includes three different words for the types of sin God is willing to forgive.

The Hebrew language has numerous words that denote different aspects of sin - whereas, in English, we tend to use one word - sin - that covers all violations of God's will.

In this lesson, we explore these words for sin and how the Hebrew mind conceptualizes the nature of sin.

How does sin interact with a human being, and what are the ramifications often felt beyond the individual that committed them?

All of these questions and more are addressed in these two verses.

​Understanding the underlying Hebrew words - and their implication for the human soul - helps us understand our own walk with God and why we must seek his voice to avoid the many pitfalls that surround us in the world.

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​In Exodus 34:6-7, God reveals his character to Moses. 

These two verses are foundational for understanding the nature of the God we follow and the basis for our continued relationship with him. 

In this lesson, we will see that our English words do not convey the depth of meaning that the original Hebrew words carry. 

So today's lesson and the next (Exodus pt. 27) will explore these attributes and see how they can give us the confidence to walk forthrightly in the world in our covenant relationship with God through Jesus.

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Class Handout (2) - Definitions

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​Today's lesson examines the concept of an ancient Near Eastern Covenant. In Biblical times covenants were everywhere.  

God uses the idea of a covenant to help the Israelites understand the type of God he is and the nature of the relationship they are entering. 

Simply put, God is a god who covenants and wants to covenant with us. 

But what does that mean? What is the nature of an ancient Covenant that can help us understand our relationship with God? 

To begin, our Bible is comprised of a series of covenants. From Adam to Noah, Abraham to Moses, to David, and finally, the latest covenant through Jesus.  

Even though we refer to the two sections of the Bible as "Testaments," they are, in fact, Covenants - the Old Covenant (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David) and the New Covenant (Jesus). 

When we understand the nature of a covenant relationship and the significance of Jesus' death, we begin to see deeper into our amazing relationship with God.

Class Handout (1)  and Ancient Near East Covenant

This week's lesson has two handouts! Be sure to download both!

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In today's lesson, we explore the structure of the final fifteen chapters of Exodus and look at how the concept of creation or re-creation is woven into the narrative.

We mentioned in our previous lesson that the final chapters in Exodus are written in a Chiastic structure.

A Chiasm – which gets its name from the Greek letter chi – is a method of helping the reader or listener focus their attention on the main idea that the author intends to convey.

Tonight, we take a closer look at this chiastic structure and what the author of Exodus intends as the turning point.  

Within this structure, we find something interesting – creation itself is being revisited.

Building the tabernacle is creating a space for the presence of God to dwell with the Israelites. In this sense, it mimics creation as a dwelling place for God's presence and his people.

As we follow Exodus to its close, we see a motif of renewal, rebirth, or recreation.
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God and his people are back together – stepping forthrightly into the future. 

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​There is a concept within spirituality known as "Awakening from Above/Awakening from Below." 

God's revelation comes down from Heaven, but an aspect of our spiritual growth emerges from below. 

When we implement God's commands and become "doers of the word," a lasting transformation takes place. 

When we "do," we gain insight. We learn at a deeper level and begin to experience the wisdom behind the command that solidifies our spiritual transformation.

This concept is expressed in the book of Exodus through a literary device called a chiasm or a chiastic structure. 

The structure of the biblical text itself shows us the principle in action as the Israelites are transformed into a community where the presence of God can dwell. 

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The section of Exodus that scholars refer to as "The Book of the Covenant" consist of chapters 21-23. 

Within these chapters are numerous commandments that, contrary to popular belief, do not concern individual holiness. 

Instead, they focus on structuring a good and just society where the presence of God dwells and humanity flourishes.

Additionally, most of these commandments are found within the law codes of other ancient Near East cultures.  

In today's video, we will explore how the commandments in the Bible are always an improvement on the prevailing laws of Israel's neighbors and how those improvements are always in support of the individual that is made in the Image of God. 

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So often, in the modern Western context of Christianity, we view the commandments in the book of Exodus only through the lens of individual salvation and getting into heaven. 

This is a misreading of the biblical text. 

The concern of Exodus, and the commandments within, is found in the final two paragraphs of the book, where the presence of God finally dwells within the community.

God dwelling with his people – what both the ancient Near Eastern culture and the Bible call redemption – is the ultimate goal of the entire bible. 

So when we read the commandments in Exodus, it is essential to view them through the lens of building a community or society where the presence of God can dwell. 

Most of the commandments in Exodus should be read and interpreted at the societal level, NOT the individual level.

​The concern for the individual is only as far as we all, as individuals, participate in society as a whole and therefore have responsibilities toward society for how we conduct ourselves. 

Today’s video will review the book of Exodus and then introduce this foundational concept of reading the commandments through the proper lens. 

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We hope you have enjoyed this series on the Transfiguration of Jesus and that it helps you see deeper into this fantastic event.
 
Today's lesson is the seventh and final in our series on understanding the background to the Transfiguration of Jesus.
 
In this video, we summarize what we discovered during the first six lessons and see if we can't come up with two overarching categories that will help us understand the overall message being communicated.
 
Finally, we will look at a biblical allusion that connects the account at Caesarea Philippi - just prior to the Transfiguration - with Psalm 42 and Psalm 43.

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In today's lesson, we arrive at what I believe to be the foundation of understanding the overall message of the Transfiguration.

This foundation is Psalm 42 & 43 and then a subsequent interpretation - called Midrash - of Psalm 43.

The number of details shared between the Rabbinic interpretation of Psalm 43 and what we find in the Gospels, and the Transfiguration is simply remarkable.
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Finally, in this lesson, we will see how a translation issue can help us understands Peter's behavior and his question about putting up tents.

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In today’s lesson, we explore the literary progression found in the Gospel of Mark that concerns “seeing” and “hearing” as the disciples ascend on their journey toward the Transfiguration.

The rabbis taught that the kingdom of God comes through “seeing” and “hearing.” Through the prophet Isaiah, God chastises Israel for having “eyes” but not being able to see and having “ears” but the inability to hear. 

This is the same question Jesus is going to ask the disciples after the Feeding of the 4000 (Mark 8:18).  

The progression in Mark shows us the opening of ears and eyes that prepares the disciples for the Transfiguration event.
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At the Transfiguration event, the disciple’s eyes and ears are opened, allowing them to see into the mystical and observe Jesus' true nature.  

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In today's video, we explore the Transfiguration through the lens of Mystical Judaism. 

A concept prevalent in first-century Judaism concerned the existence of a "Heavenly Man" - or, as in Mystical Judaism, the Adam Kadmon - the Original Adam.

Humanity is made in the image of God, yet God has no image. The "Heavenly Man" solves this paradox." 

Join us as we connect  Paul's use of the term "Heavenly Man" in 1 Corinthians and other second temple period writings to a deeper understanding of Jesus and the Transfiguration.

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