Live-Wire Bible Study - Day 25 - Exodus 13–15 · Ephesians 3 · Psalm 114 - FeedTheGoodHorse
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Day 25 - Exodus 13–15 · Ephesians 3 · Psalm 114 · Commentary · Commentary² · Video
The Bible text is included for reading continuity; it is accurate in substance, aligned with major modern translations, and may be read alongside any Bible you prefer.1
Exodus 13
Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, “Set apart to me every firstborn—the first opening of every womb among the sons of Israel, among humans and among animals—it belongs to me.”
Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, on which you came out from Egypt, from the house of slavery, for by a strong hand Jehovah brought you out from here. Nothing leavened is to be eaten. Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. When Jehovah brings you into the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your ancestors to give you—a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to keep this service in this month. Seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to Jehovah. Unleavened bread is to be eaten for seven days, and nothing leavened is to be seen with you, and no leaven is to be seen with you in all your territory.
You are to tell your son on that day, saying, ‘This is because of what Jehovah did for me when I came out from Egypt.’ It will be a sign for you on your hand and a memorial between your eyes, so that the instruction of Jehovah may be in your mouth, for with a strong hand Jehovah brought you out from Egypt. You are to keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.
When Jehovah brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your ancestors, and gives it to you, you are to transfer to Jehovah every first opening of the womb, and every firstborn of the offspring of animals that you have—the males belong to Jehovah. Every firstborn of a donkey you are to redeem with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. Every firstborn of a human among your sons you are to redeem.
When your son asks you in the future, saying, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to say to him, ‘By a strong hand Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from the house of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Jehovah killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of humans to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah every male that opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ It will be a sign on your hand and a frontlet between your eyes, for by a strong hand Jehovah brought us out from Egypt.”
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although it was near, for God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Reed Sea. The sons of Israel went up in battle formation from the land of Egypt. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely attend to you, and you are to carry up my bones from here with you.”
They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. Jehovah was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day and by night. He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.
Exodus 14
Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, that they turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon. You are to camp facing it, by the sea. Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ I will make Pharaoh’s heart heavy, and he will pursue them. I will be honored through Pharaoh and through all his force, and the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah.” And they did so.
It was reported to the king of Egypt that the people had fled. The heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” He made his chariot ready and took his people with him. He took six hundred select chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. Jehovah made Pharaoh’s heart heavy, the king of Egypt, and he pursued the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly.
The Egyptians pursued them—all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his force—and overtook them camping by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.
When Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and look—the Egyptians were marching after them, and they were very afraid. The sons of Israel cried out to Jehovah. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the wilderness? What is this you have done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the deliverance of Jehovah, which he will perform for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you will never see again. Jehovah will fight for you, and you are to be silent.”
Jehovah said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Speak to the sons of Israel, that they go forward. You—lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the sons of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. As for me, look—I am making the heart of the Egyptians heavy, so that they will go in after them. I will be honored through Pharaoh and through all his force, through his chariots and through his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his horsemen.”
The messenger of God who was going before the camp of Israel moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. The cloud was darkness to one, and it gave light to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all night.
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Jehovah drove the sea back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea into dry ground, and the waters were divided. The sons of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, with the waters a wall to them on their right and on their left.
The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea—all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. At the morning watch Jehovah looked down on the camp of Egypt from the pillar of fire and cloud and threw the camp of Egypt into confusion. He removed the wheels of their chariots and made them drive with difficulty, so that the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for Jehovah is fighting for them against Egypt.”
Jehovah said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the waters return over the Egyptians, over their chariots, and over their horsemen.” Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared. The Egyptians fled toward it, but Jehovah shook the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen—all the force of Pharaoh that had gone in after them into the sea. Not one of them remained.
But the sons of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea, with the waters a wall to them on their right and on their left. Thus Jehovah saved Israel that day from the hand of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great hand that Jehovah used against Egypt, and the people feared Jehovah, and they trusted in Jehovah and in Moses his servant.
Exodus 15
Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to Jehovah, and they said,
“I will sing to Jehovah,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has thrown into the sea.
Jehovah is my strength and my song,
and he has become my deliverance.
This is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Jehovah is a man of war;
Jehovah is his name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his force
he cast into the sea.
His chosen officers were sunk
in the Reed Sea.
The deep waters covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Jehovah,
is majestic in power.
Your right hand, O Jehovah,
shatters the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty
you overthrow those who rise against you.
You send out your burning anger;
it consumes them like stubble.
At the blast of your nostrils
the waters piled up.
The flowing waters stood upright like a heap;
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue,
I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil.
My desire will be filled on them.
I will draw my sword;
my hand will dispossess them.’
You blew with your wind;
the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
Who is like you among the gods, O Jehovah?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
fearsome in praises,
doing wonders?
You stretched out your right hand;
the earth swallowed them.
In your faithful love you led the people
whom you redeemed.
In your strength you guided them
to your holy dwelling.
The peoples heard; they trembled.
Anguish seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
the leaders of Moab—trembling seized them.
All the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.
Terror and dread fell upon them.
By the greatness of your arm they were still as stone,
until your people passed over, O Jehovah,
until the people whom you acquired passed over.
You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain of your inheritance,
the place, O Jehovah, which you made for your dwelling,
the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands established.
Jehovah will reign
forever and ever.”
For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and with his horsemen went into the sea, and Jehovah brought back the waters of the sea over them. But the sons of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea.
Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a hand drum in her hand, and all the women went out after her with hand drums and with dancing. Miriam sang to them,
“Sing to Jehovah,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has thrown into the sea.”
Moses led Israel onward from the Reed Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore its name was called Marah. The people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” He cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah showed him a tree. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There Jehovah made for them a statute and a regulation, and there he tested them. He said, “If you will carefully listen to the voice of Jehovah your God and do what is right in his eyes, give ear to his commands and keep all his statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians, for I am Jehovah who heals you.”
They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there by the water.
Ephesians 3
For this reason, I—Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for you who are from the nations—assume that you have heard about the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you. By a revelation, the mystery was made known to me, just as I wrote briefly before. When you read this, you are able to grasp my understanding in the mystery of Christ.
This mystery was not made known to people in earlier generations as it has now been revealed to his holy emissaries and prophets by the Spirit: that those from the nations are co-heirs, members of the same body, and co-participants in the promise in Christ Jesus through the good news.
Of this good news I became a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. To me—the least of all the holy ones—this grace was given: to announce to the nations the untraceable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery hidden from the ages in God, who created all things.
This is so that now, through the assembly, the multi-faceted wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places, in line with the purpose of the ages that he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we have openness and access with confidence through trust in him. Therefore I ask that you not lose heart over my hardships on your behalf, which are your glory.
For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in the heavens and on earth takes its name. I pray that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner human, so that Christ would dwell in your hearts through trust.
I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, would be strong enough to grasp—together with all the holy ones—what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you would be filled toward all the fullness of God.
Now to the one who is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us—to him be glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Psalm 114
When Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of another language,
Judah became his holy place,
Israel his domain.
The sea saw it and fled;
the Jordan turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs.
Why was it, sea, that you fled?
Jordan, that you turned back?
Mountains, that you skipped like rams?
Hills, like lambs?
Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
the one who turned the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a flowing spring.
Commentary - Day 25
Day 25 - Exodus 13–15 · Ephesians 3 · Psalm 114
The opening instructions return immediately to first things: firstborn, first days, first months. Memory is not treated as recollection but as placement—set apart, transferred, marked on hand and between eyes. The language stays concrete and bodily. What happened in Egypt is not left behind as story but carried forward through repeated acts, questions, and answers. The statute anticipates inquiry, not obedience alone. Meaning is preserved through retelling, not explanation.
The route through the wilderness reinforces this pacing. The nearer road is refused, not because it is wrong, but because it would force a response the people are not yet prepared to hold. The detour is purposeful. Joseph’s bones travel with them, binding the present movement to an older promise that has waited centuries. Guidance appears as constant presence rather than instruction: cloud and fire remain without interruption, shaping time and movement without commentary.
At the sea, reversal intensifies. The people move out boldly, then turn back, then are pursued. Fear erupts immediately when escape appears closed. The complaint names a preference for known bondage over uncertain freedom. Moses’ words frame the moment as sight rather than strategy, but even that speech is cut short. Movement, not reassurance, becomes the command. The staff stretches, the wind blows through the night, and division opens only after the step forward is named.
The pillar shifts position, becoming both barrier and illumination. The same presence functions differently on each side. The sea itself is described as structure—walls to the right and left—while the Egyptians follow into the same passage. The undoing comes not from sudden force but from disorder: wheels removed, movement slowed, recognition arriving too late. Morning restores the sea to its strength. The text records completeness without embellishment. Not one remains.
Song follows sight. The language changes register, repeating what has already been seen but now in heightened speech. The enemy’s intent is voiced only to be answered by action already completed. Time stretches forward again as surrounding nations are named in advance, reacting before encounter. The song plants the people on a mountain not yet reached. Praise runs ahead of arrival.
Immediately afterward, scarcity returns. Water is bitter, then sweetened by a single tree. Statute and testing appear not at Sinai but here, in the wake of deliverance. Elim follows Marah without explanation: abundance after lack, twelve springs and seventy palms. The text does not pause to reconcile the sequence.
The epistle reading speaks from a later vantage but preserves the same ordering. Access, belonging, and dwelling are named as gifts already established, not achievements earned. The mystery concerns inclusion—those once far now placed within the same structure. Growth is described as collective and ongoing, built on what has already been set.
The psalm condenses the whole movement into motion itself. Sea, river, mountains, and earth respond as if recognizing an arrival that displaces them. The question is left unanswered. The final image returns to water from stone, echoing both bitterness and provision, without resolving how often such turning must occur.
This day centers on order before understanding. Memory is carried forward through concrete acts—firstborn, festivals, marked time—rather than explanation. The wilderness route avoids speed, not failure. At the sea, fear erupts, speech falters, and movement precedes clarity. The crossing opens only after forward motion is named. Deliverance is complete, but trust is brief; song rises before scarcity returns. Bitter water follows triumph, then provision appears without comment. The pattern does not stabilize.
Ephesians names the same logic from a later horizon: belonging and access are given before growth is finished. Psalm 114 compresses the whole movement into creation itself reacting to departure. Freedom happens first. Meaning catches up later.
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