The Book of Exodus and Leviticus Summaries!

In 2013, I felt challenged to read the entire Bible that year, but also provide and type or write out summaries of each book. Some of them  are summaries of chapter by chapter. I was reminded of them this year, and I wanted to be obedient in sharing these with others. I really made an effort to detail each chapter for the first five books of the Bible. This post is for the books of Exodus and Leviticus.

The Book of Exodus

Author: Moses – Exodus is about deliverance. The Israelites had moved in Egypt during the famine. While there, they had been made slaves by the Egyptians under an evil king and Pharaoh. Because the Israelites were God’s people, He appointed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and into the Land of Canaan (God’s Promise Land). On the way there, the Israelites stop at Mount Sinai, where God gives His people the Ten Commandments. Exodus deals with the events that set Israel apart as a nation. First, was Moses’ acceptance of God’s instructions to return to Egypt in order to lead God’s people to freedom. God sent ten devastation plagues because Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews go, but God hardened Pharaoh’s hard so He could show is miraculous signs and wonders. The ceremony of the Passover was established during the last plague and became and become a celebration for all time of God’s liberation of Israel. The Israelites walked across the bottom of the Read Sea on dry ground, and arrived at Mt Sinai, where again, as mentioned above, God gave the Ten Commandments, in addition to the plan for the Tabernacle. And God’s relationship with the nation was renewed. 

Theme: God demonstrated His power over evil by defeated the enemies of the Hebrew people. But God expected His people to respond by trusting and obeying Him. Worship in the Tabernacle and obedience to the law were two demonstrations of Israel’s relationship to God. *Note: The Passover Lamb is seen in the New Testament as an early symbol of Christ, the Lamb of God (1 Corinthians 5:7)
 
Key Points from some of the chapters in Exodus:
 
Exodus 1 – the Israelites in Egypt – 12 tribes of Israel – Jacob’s son listed:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph (again 70 people of Jacob’s family lived in Egypt)
After all of Jacob’s sons died, including Joseph, an evil king who wasn’t named came to power in Egypt. He knew nothing about Joseph or what He’d done. He didn’t want Israel to outnumber them even more, so the Egyptians made Israelites slaves; they were brutal slaver drivers… Pharaoh ordered Hebrew midwives that all boys were to die when born to Hebrew women, girls could live. But the midwives feared God and refused to obey Pharaoh, allowing the baby boys to live… saying Hebrew women delivered more quickly and they couldn’t get to them in time… so then Pharaoh orders every Hebrew boy to be thrown into the Nile river
 
Exodus 2 – the birth of Moses – to a man and woman from the tribe of Levi, she kept him hidden for three months, because he was a Hebrew boy, when she knew she could no longer hide Moses, she waterproofed a basket, laid him among reeds on the bank of the Nile river. Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses, knowing he must be one of the Hebrew babies, and sends for his mother to nurse him. Pharaoh’s daughter ends up adopting him and names him Moses, which means “I lifted him out of the water”
Moses escapes to Midian, because he saw an Egyptian beating on of his fellow Hebrews, and kills the Egyptian, hiding his boy in the sand. Two Hebrew men saw it, were fighting, and sure enough Pharaoh heard and tried to kill Moses. In Midian, Moses rescues girls from shepherds… their father Reuel, invites him to live with them. Moses marries one of girls in Midian, Zipporah and she gives birth to a son, named Gershom “foreigner there”…. Well the evil king of Egypt dies, but the Israelites are still under burden of slavery. God heard groaning and remembered covenant promise He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
 
Exodus 3 – Moses and the Burning bush – while tending to flock of his father-in-law Jethro, priest of Midian, Moses comes to Mt. Sinai with his flock (Mt of God). He sees a bush on firing but it’s not burning up. God called Moses, and he answers “Here I am”…. Lord instructs him not to come closer, but take his shoes off because he is standing on Holy ground. He tells Moses he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob… Moses covers his face, as he is afraid to look at God… God wanted Moses to be the one to go and bring the Hebrews out of bondage and slaver in Egypt…but Moses protests, and God says to tell the people when they ask that God is, “I am who I am”.
 
Exodus 4 – signs of the Lord’s power – gives Moses a staff to show signs and miracles (throw it down it becomes a snake, puts his hand in cloak and has a skin disease when he takes it out, puts it back in cloak and takes it out, his hand is healed… turning the Nile river into blood with the staff) … Moses tells God he is a clumsy speaker, so God sends his brother Aaron with him to be Moses’ spoke person… no excuses God will accept remember that!
 
Exodus 5 - Moses Returns to Egypt with Aaron and they speak to Pharaoh to tell him what the Lord had said about letting the people of Israel go… Pharaoh’s heart is hardened and he orders the Israelite slaves to make bricks without straw being provided by the foreman, then Moses went back and protested to God as to why He let Pharaoh mistreat His people more. Moses didn’t understand why God didn’t rescue them immediately.
 
Exodus 6 – Promises of Deliverance – God’s plan for Israel – He would deliver them from Egypt, make them His people (fellowship of believers), He would be their God, He would bring them to the land of Canaan (the Promise land)
 
Exodus 7-11 – These chapters cover Moses’ staff becoming a snake, but Pharaoh has the magicians and wise men do the same. The 10 Plagues …. Blood, Frogs, Gnats, Flies, Livestock, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, Death for Egypt’s Firstborn sons (when Pharaoh will let the people go)

Exodus 12 – The First Passover, the firstborn would be killed of all Egyptians, Israel firstborns would be spared, as the blood of a sacrificed lamb was smeared on top and sides of door posts, the death angel would see this and pass over the house.
 
Exodus 13 – dedication of the firstborn (first born sons and firstborn male animals) – Israel’s wilderness detour, He didn’t lead them straight into the promise land because he knew the Israelites weren’t ready for battle and they would change their minds
 
Exodus 14 – The Egyptians purse Israel, but they escape through the Red Sea
 
Exodus 15 – a song of Deliverance – sung to the Lord --- the bitter water at Marah, Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea and moved into the Shur Desert. They traveled this way for three days without water, but when the found water in Marah, it was bitter which is why the place was called Marah, and so they couldn’t drink it, the Lord showed Moses a branch he threw into the water, and it made the water good to drink. It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” 27 After leaving Marah, the Israelites traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the water.
 
Exodus 16 – Manna and Quail from Heaven – provided everyday but the Sabbath
 
Exodus 17 – Water from the Rock – Moses’ shepherd staff , struck the rock at Mount Sinai and water came pouring out for the people of Israel to drink. 7 Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) and Meribah (which means “arguing”) because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord here with us or not?” – Israel defeats the Amalekites led my Joshua, as long as Moses help up his staff with his hands Joshua and the Israelites were winning, so Aaron and Hur helped him hold is arms up so they could defeat them.
 
Exodus 18 – Jethro’s visit to Moses and his wise advice (father-in-law), appoint wise and honest men to help Moses’ in groups of 1000, 100, 50, and 10
 
Exodus 19 – the Lord reveals himself at Sinai – they arrive in wilderness of Sinai exactly two months after leaving Egypt … couldn’t come up to the top of mountain or they would die... Moses couldn’t only see God’s back and not His face
 
Exodus 20 ---- here come the TEN COMMANDMENTS - 20 Then God gave the people all these instructions 2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. 3 “You must not have any other god but me. 4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[b] who love me and obey my commands. 7 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. 8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You must not murder. 14 “You must not commit adultery. 15 “You must not steal. 16 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor. 17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”
 
-----the 2nd Half of Exodus -----
The ordinances necessary for the culture of the Israelites were set forth by God in the law. 

Chapters 21 and 22 - contain ordinances about the keeping/treatment of slaves, consequences and punishment of injury-related crimes and stealing...and other punishable actions and their consequences. 

Chapter 23 - continues to outline laws including ordinances concerning the land and observance of the Sabbath. Feasts that the people were to observe were given in this chapter as well, the feast of unleavened bread (no yeast), the feast of the harvest, and the feast of the ingathering. Also, this chapter gives instruction about their movement into the land which God had promised them. Chapter 23:20 reads, "...I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared." 

Chapter 24 - it is recorded that Moses recounted to the people all of these laws/ordinances, and the people responded (verse 3)..."'all the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!'" Moses went up on Mount Sinai and stayed for forty days and nights. scripture says, (v 17), "and to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top."
 
Chapters 25-31 - Record instructions for the design and construction of the tabernacle, the garments of the priests who would serve there, and the ark of the covenant.... as I read these passages, I noted phrases that referred to the purposes of all of this. "For glory and for beauty" (28:2b)-in reference to the holy garments. "For a memorial before the Lord continually" (28: 29b)-in reference to the breast piece that Aaron wore containing the names of the sons of Israel. (etc.)

 

Chapter 32 - Of course, is disturbing. God is giving instruction about anointing Aaron and his sons.. Then Aaron is making them a golden calf/giving it credit for bringing them out of Egypt. The sons of Levi brought war upon the people who had rejected God, as Moses instructed.

Chapter 33 - moves into instructions for the journey... (V3) "Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey...." He was faithful to continue to guide them on their journey/and to keep His promises to them though they had forgotten Him... we do read about His reference to them as "an obstinate people" (v 3, v 5). And we read about how Moses interceded for them. I LOVE 33:15, "...if your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here." but more than that, God's words that Moses was responding to, (33:14), "and He said, 'my presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.'" *they were blessed.*

Chapter 34 - is amazing...I love how God wrote on the tablets again (because Moses had broken the original ones). I feel like this is illustrative of God’s patience... His giving a second chance to Moses and the people... from 34:6 notes: "the Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth; who keeps loving-kindness for thousands, who forgives…” 

Chapters 35 through 40 - emphasis on the Sabbath is significant in chapter 35. Also recorded in this chapter is the account of how blessed the tabernacle project was... skilled craftsmen's gifts of their time and talents/contributions brought to the tabernacle/in the next chapter, we read that they had to tell people to stop giving!...(36:6b, "the people were restrained from bringing any more.") chapters 37-39 record details of the construction of the tabernacle and its court/and its completion.... 39:32: "thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed; and the sons of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses." The last chapter -40- of Exodus records the anointing of the tabernacle and the priests, and we read in 40:35b, "the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." 

Note***scarlet, purple and blue colors used for garments, robes, curtain clothes, etc. during the Tabernacle building and Ark of the Covenant building instructions and the thread colors for clothing that priests would wear ***
 
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The Book of Leviticus
 
Author: Moses – Leviticus deals with the worship of a holy God. Here God gives the priests and people rules to live by to present themselves holy before Him, sacrifices of burn offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings…this book was designed to be a handbook for the priests (who came from the Levite tribe of Israel). It set down the regulations for governing the nation’s life in general, and it gave specific regulations concerning animal and crop sacrifices and worship. All of the major rituals of sacrifice are described, as well as the way they were to be offered. All of the festivals, special days, and special years are discussed. There are also special sections devoted to the priesthood and regulations about religious ceremonies and objects. 

The theme of Leviticus is God has provided a way for the sins of the people to be ‘paid for’ by sacrificing the blood of animals. This whole system was pointing toward the shedding of Christ’s blood as the one great sacrifice for the sins of the world. Leviticus also shows that early worship was orderly and followed a regular pattern.
 
Leviticus 1 – procedures for the burnt offering (usually male animals with no defects)
 
Leviticus 2 – procedures for the grain offering
 
Leviticus 3 – procedures for the peace offering
 
Leviticus 4 – procedures for the sin offering
 
Leviticus 5 – sins requiring a sin offering, procedures for the guilt offering.
 
Leviticus 6 – sins requiring a guilt offering, further instructions for the burnt offering and grain offering, procedures for the ordination offering  (on the day Aaron and his sons are anointed), further instructions for the sin offering
 
Leviticus 7 – further instructions for the guilt offering, the forbidden blood and fat, a portion for the priests (give the breast and right thigh of your peace offering to the Lord to the priest as a gift)
 
Leviticus 8 – ordination of the priests, Aaron and his sons had to stay in the entrance of the Tabernacle for seven days and nights, and do everything the Lord required with sacrificing or they would die…. During the ordination a priest, blood from the sacrifice animal (ram with no defects) would be dab on the right ear lobe, right hand, right big toe 

Conclusion Leviticus:
In chapters 1-7, laws about the offerings are outlined, including the law of burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, the law of sin offerings and guilt offerings....note that throughout chapter 4, the idea of atonement and forgiveness is repeated. when the priest made atonement, the law said that they would be forgiven. (I am so thankful for the once-and-for-all atonement of Christ for our sins and the forgiveness that is ours following confession....) chapter 8 records the consecration of Aaron and his sons for service, and chapter 9 illustrates Aaron’s offering of the sacrifices followed by the picture of the fire of the Lord which came out of heaven...consuming the burnt offering. from verses 23 and 24: "when they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces." wow.... then, chapter 10 records the death of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons who did not follow the instructions of the Lord, offering "strange fire"...and lost their lives. this is sobering and I’m sure much more than that for Aaron and the people. 

In chapter 11, we learn of God's law for the use of animals for food and in chapter 12, His laws about motherhood (including infant circumcision on the eighth day). in these sections of text, we are reminded again of God's protection and care for His people. there were health reasons for these statutes.... seen again in chapters 13 through 15 concerning the test for leprosy, cleansing of the leper and his home, and cleansing of other unhealthiness. I think the picture of the scapegoat is beautiful as explained in chapter 16... a visual of the iniquities being kind of carried far away from them. significant and notable in chapter 17 is the idea that blood represents life... verse 11: "for the life of the flesh is in the blood... for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement." and in verse 14: "for as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life...for the life of all flesh is its blood." This idea makes the whole concept of the need for the shedding of blood for the atonement, make sense! It is needed because it represents life. 

Chapters 18-22 record necessary laws on immoral relations, on idolatry, laws concerning many other aspects of life and relations between men and between God and men/also regulations concerning priests. note chapter 20, verse 26, "thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine."
 
Chapter 23 outlines laws for religious festivals to be observed and the day of atonement. I love the idea of the feast of booths... such a cool remembrance... They actually lived in booths for seven days to physically remember their time in the desert and how they were brought out of the land of Egypt. I love how they were instructed to take the foliage of beautiful trees and to rejoice before the Lord in this way… this just seems glorious to me. I’ve never waved branches and boughs of leafy trees before the Lord in worship; this is beautiful! Then, Chapters 24-25 record instructions about the lamp and the bread of the sanctuary...other laws and practices (here we see the "eye for an eye" mandate)...instructions about the sabbatical year and the 50th celebration year/the year of jubilee.

Also, we see the laws of redemption for the poor.... See, chapter 26 gives a very clear outline of the blessings of obedience and penalties of disobedience of these laws set forth. He is to be their God...He is the Lord. Chapter 27 records rules concerning valuations (assessments, judgments, evaluations) ....and the chapter (and the book of Leviticus) ends with verse 34, stating, "these are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the sons of Israel at Mount Sinai."