EXODUS LESSON 40

    We will begin this lesson in Exodus 23:1 "Thou shalt not raise a
false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous
witness."

    False accusations are very dangerous.  In a court of law, if you
are caught witnessing falsely, you can be put in jail.  God will not
allow us to testify falsely, because it damages the person you are
testifying against.  This is not just for court, either.  God will
hold us responsible for the false reports, or rumors, we tell on others.

    Exodus 23:2  "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to [do] evil;
neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest
[judgment]:"

    We, or these Hebrews, are not to follow the crowd. The way of the
crowd leads to destruction. That is what is wrong in our churches
today. They have compromised with the world so, that it is difficult
to tell what is of God and what is the world.  The New Age Movement,
which has penetrated the church, brings the way of the world into the
church.  We read in the 7th chapter of Matthew, verses thirteen and
fourteen: Matthew 7:13 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is]
the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and
many there be which go in thereat:" Matthew 7:14  Because strait [is]
the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it." You see, the way of the multitude leads to
Hell. As we learned in our last lesson, we must be a separated people.
Our only leader must be God. We must at all times tell the truth, even
if we are the only ones telling the truth.

    Exodus 23:3  "Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his
cause."

    We see in this Scripture, that we are not to be on the side of the
poor, just because they are poor. Justice is to be fair, whether they
are poor, or rich. People have a tendency to be on the side of the
poor, but we must be honest and give a fair deal to all, poor and
rich.

    Exodus 23:4  "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going
astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again."

    Romans 12:20-21 says the same thing in essence. Romans 12:20
"Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him
drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."
Romans 12:21 "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
The Bible teaches us to be good to our enemies.

    Exodus 23:5 "If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying
under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely
help with him."

    This would be for the animal's benefit, as well as the enemy's.
Probably, this would cause these enemies to forget their differences.
Helping all who are in need is always the thing to do, whether they are
friends, enemies, or strangers.

    Exodus 23:6 "Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his
cause."

    We are not to look down upon people, because they are poor.

    Exodus 23:7 "Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent
and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked."

    We must tell the truth all the time. It is especially important to
tell the truth, when a falsehood would hurt someone else. God will not
overlook us lying, when we hurt someone else. If you have done this,
ask God to forgive you, and don't tell a falsehood and hurt anyone,
anymore.

    Exodus 23:8  "And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth
the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous."

    This is speaking of taking a bribe.  Being paid to lie is even
worse than just lying to get something done. Lying is a sin.  Being
paid a bribe to lie is two sins.

    Exodus 23:9  "Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know
the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of
Egypt."

    These Hebrews should be able to relate to being a stranger.  Of
all people, they should not oppress strangers.  The 430 years they
were strangers in Egypt, should make them kinder to strangers.

    Exodus 23:10 "And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt
gather in the fruits thereof:" Exodus 23:11 "But the seventh [year]
thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may
eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like
manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, [and] with thy oliveyard."

    This was a sabbath of rest for the land, as well as the sabbath for
the people. We have talked before of the l,000 year sabbath that will
occur at the end of the six, 1,000 years of work here on the earth.
This is called the millennium reign of Jesus; the 1,000 year day of
rest for the believers. God set everything up on this six days of work
and one day of rest. There would be a voluntary crop of fruit.  The
poor could benefit from this.

    Exodus 23:12 "Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh
day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son
of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed."

    This is just saying, that sabbath was for everything, and everyone,
to rest.

    Exodus 23:13 "And in all [things] that I have said unto you be
circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither
let it be heard out of thy mouth."

    "Circumspect" means to take heed to, or observe.  God, here, was
just telling them to observe all the ordinances that He had given
them.  He warned them, again, that He was jealous of other gods. They
were not to even speak the name of a false god.

    Exodus 23:14  "Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the
year."

    There were to be three special times a year, when all of the men in
the family were required to go to wherever the tabernacle was, and
worship, and praise God.

    Exodus 23:15 "Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou
shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the
time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from
Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)"

    The Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover were in the same time
element. Jesus is the Lamb of God (the sacrificial Lamb of Passover,
the first day). He is, also, the Bread of Life (unleavened, free from
sin). Jesus, at His crucifixion, was the Unleavened Bread and the
Passover Lamb.  He fulfilled this feast.  Passover was the fourteenth
day of the first month (Abib or Nisan).  April, on our calendar, would
be a similar time. Good Friday and Easter would fall during this
period. The killing of the Passover Lamb (Jesus) was followed by the
Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus' body was symbolic of unleavened
bread. This Feast of Unleavened Bread continued through the twenty-
first. The first day and the eighth day of this feast, or festival, were
holy days. No one was to work on either of these days.  The 81st Psalm
commemorates this festival. This was a commemoration of Israel's
deliverance from Egypt. It, also, commemorates the Christians'
deliverance from sin by Jesus.

    Exodus 23:16 "And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy
labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of
ingathering, [which is] in the end of the year, when thou hast
gathered in thy labours out of the field."

    These were two different feasts. Firstfruits was the same as Pentecost
and Feast of Weeks. Pentecost occurred 50 days after the resurrection
of Jesus. "Fifty" means jubilee, or setting the captives free.
"Pentecost" means fifty. Certainly the disciples, and in fact the
whole 120 people present, were set free when they received the Holy
Spirit of God. This "firstfruits" is of the harvest. The Bible speaks
of the great harvest at the end of the world. This "Pentecost" was a
firstfruit of this harvest. It was at the beginning of the harvest, and
"ingathering" was at the end of the harvest (The Feast of
Ingathering).  The Feast of Ingathering is known by several other
names: Festival of Tents, Feast of Tabernacles, Feast of Ingathering,
Festival of Jehovah, and Feast of Trumpets.  This feast was celebrated
at the end of the farm year. By our calendar, it would be about the
month of October. By Jewish calendar, this would occur on the 15th day
of their seventh month (Tisri): five days before day of atonement.
There were sacrifices made of bullocks, rams, lambs, and goats. These
three feasts were to be celebrated every year by all the males. This
does not mean that women could not participate, it just means they
were not required to come if they were unable because of family
duties.














































                          Exodus 40 Questions


1.  Raising a false report would classify a person as what type of
    witness?
2.  If you are caught lying in court, what can happen to you?
3.  Who are we warned not to follow?
4.  What is a major problem in our churches today?
5.  Enter in at the --------- --------.
6.  Should we be on the side of the poor all the time?  Explain.
7.  If you see your enemy's animal straying, what should you do?
8.  If your enemy hungers, what should you do?
9.  Overcome evil with ---------.
10. Verse eight was, actually, talking about what?
11. How many years was Israel in Egypt?
12. How many years should you work the land before it rests?
13. Is the sabbath of rest just for you?  Explain.
14. What does "circumspect" mean in verse 13?
15. Make no mention of -------- -------.
16. How many times a year was every male to keep a feast to God?
17. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was to be eaten how many days?
18. What other feast was covered in the same time element?  Actually,
    the first day.
19. Jesus, at His crucifixion, was what two things?
20. What two days do Christians celebrate that fall at the same time
    as Feast of Unleavened Bread?
21. What month was "Unleavened Bread"?
22. What Psalm commemorates this festival?
23. What did the Feast of Unleavened Bread remember?
24. The Feast of Firstfruits was known, also, as what?
25. What does "fifty" mean?
26. When did "Pentecost" occur?
27. Pentecost was a -------- ------- of harvest.
28. What was "Ingathering"?
29. Name several other names for Ingathering.
30. When was it celebrated?
31. What month on our calendar would this be?
32. Name four animals sacrificed at this festival.