BRAGADAYJAH 228

The Lord did not stop short, nor failed to mention every human contingency as one who knows the beginning from the end.  One can just imagine the people, hearing all of those things and wondering, what on earth their Lord was talking about; for more likely than not, they never even heard or thought of most of those things at that time.

            So He told them, “you shall not make a false report, nor join with the wicked to be a false witness.”

            More specifically, the Lord said, do not join with a multitude to do evil, nor give evidence in a cause with a view to distort the course of justice.  This last was in fact a re-statement of the ninth commandment, not to be a false witness.

            Have pity on the poor man he warned; if you see the ox or an ass of an enemy going astray, catch it and take it to him. If you see the ass of one that hates you laboring under a heavy load and you can help, do help it.

            Do not distort the justice due to the poor, God again cautioned; “keep yourself far from a false matter; and the innocent and the righteous, slay not; for I the Lord will not justify the wicked.”

            Take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the eye of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous; and remember, do not oppress the foreigner; for you know the heart of the foreigner since you yourself was once one also.  More

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Justice Or Expiation

JUSTICE OR EXPIATION?

So Donald Sterling has been banned from Basket Ball in the capacity of owner or official; and while the whole Nation, at least on the face of it, has responded with righteous indignation as being highly offensive and harmful, speaking for myself I can’t resist the feeling that he is being punished as expiation for the Nation’s conscience.

Firstly, racism is not dead in America; it has just in recent years taken on a more subtle, but no less deadly aspect.  People don’t express racism openly; they just practice it more discreetly.

        Secondly, Mr. Sterling is an old man; he was no doubt jealous of his girl friend having a relationship with other men, especially black men.  What was so detrimental about his telling his girl friend to stay away from black men, or any men for that matter?

        Thirdly he was having a private spat with his girl friend.  A conversation not intended for the public ear.  Are there any of us who do not say things or have not said things in private that we would be terribly ashamed of if heard in public?

        Fourthly, I have heard the word “nigger,” and “nigga” used by black American men day in and day out on Television, Film, Radio, on the street corner, in conversation with one another, as easily and commonly as if offering a candy cane.

        Black people talk derogatively about “White People,” and to be sure White People talk derogatively about Black People.  White, Black for me are mere descriptive terms and mean nothing more.  The Words, “nigger or “nigga,” I have come to know are used with an insulting sting when used by mostly poor ignorant Whites; when used by black people, it is not intended to carry the same sting, although it is almost always used by equally stupid and or ignorant illiterate or semi illiterate Blacks.

        But it would seem that when it comes to race relations in the U. S, what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.  www.chaberbooks.com

STERLING - JUSTICE OR EXPIATION?

JUSTICE OR EXPIATION?

So Donald Sterling has been banned from Basket Ball in the capacity of owner or official; and while the whole Nation, at least on the face of it, has responded with righteous indignation as being highly offensive and harmful, speaking for myself I can’t resist the feeling that he is being punished as expiation for the Nation’s conscience.

Firstly, racism is not dead in America; it has just in recent years taken on a more subtle, but no less deadly aspect.  People don’t express racism openly; they just practice it more discreetly.

        Secondly, Mr. Sterling is an old man; he was no doubt jealous of his girl friend having a relationship with other men, especially black men.  What was so detrimental about his telling his girl friend to stay away from black men, or any men for that matter?

        Thirdly he was having a private spat with his girl friend.  A conversation not intended for the public ear.  Are there any of us who do not say things or have not said things in private that we would be terribly ashamed of if heard in public?

        Fourthly, I have heard the word “nigger,” and “nigga” used by black American men day in and day out on Television, Film, Radio, on the street corner, in conversation with one another, as easily and commonly as if offering a candy cane.

        Black people talk derogatively about “White People,” and to be sure White People talk derogatively about Black People.  White, Black for me are mere descriptive terms and mean nothing more.  The Words, “nigger or “nigga,” I have come to know are used with an insulting sting when used by mostly poor ignorant Whites; when used by black people, it is not intended to carry the same sting, although it is almost always used by equally stupid and or ignorant illiterate or semi illiterate Blacks.

        But it would seem that when it comes to race relations in the U. S, what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.  www.chaberbooks.com

BRAGADAYJAH 227

Seeking to protect the poor further from oppression by the more fortunate, God also provided that “If a man takes his neighbor’s coat or cloak by way of a pledge, he must return it to him by nightfall of that day; for so said the Lord, “it is the man’s covering; and if you keep it, with what shall he cover himself in the night? When he is cold and can’t sleep he is bound to cry our in the night; and I will hear him, and I will be gracious unto him.”

            In the midst of giving all these rules for the people to follow, God reminds his people not to revile God or curse the ruler of the people. He also reminded them not to forget or neglect to offer to The Almighty the first fruits, the outflow of the winepress, nor the first-born of their sons.

            As regards the young oxen and the sheep it shall be nurtured for seven days from birth; and on the eights day it shall be given to God. 

            In addition, God reminded them, “You shall be holy men unto me. You shall not eat any flesh that is torn by a beast in the field; it shall be given to the dogs.”  More

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BRAGADAYJAH 226

Now God continues to provide remedies for crimes against humanity.  So if a man were to entice a maid, who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he was called upon  to endow her to be his wife; but if her father utterly refused to give her to him, the man was compelled to pay money to her according to the custom of dowry for virgins.

            God also gave command that a witch should be put to death.

            Whosoever lies with a beast should also be put to death.

            It was also prohibited to sacrifice to any god other than the Lord; and who ever did so was to be destroyed.

            God’s people were also warned against vexing or oppressing a foreigner, reminding them that they, too, were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

            It was also prohibited to afflict or mistreat the fatherless and the widows.  For if they were afflicted or mistreated in any way, and they cried unto the Lord, He would hear their cry and kill the oppressor with fire and sword, and make widows and orphans of his wife and children.

            Turning to the poor, God said, “If you lend money to any of my people who are poor among you, you shall not be to him a usurer, not burden them with usury.

            Who but the Creator of the universe, the All-Knowing, All-Seeing, Provident God could have foreseen all there several contingencies?  More   www.chaberbooks.com 

BRAGADAYJAH 225

Reading English Legal History without knowledge of the Bible, one may be led to think that, at least to Western minds, the custom of trial by witnesses began with the English system of trial by “compurgation,” trial by attestation of twelve men touching one’s innocence, when accused of crime; but in fact it is written right there in God’s Ordinance to His people way back then on Mount Sinai.

            For it was written, “If a man delivers to his neighbor an ass, an ox, or a sheep, or any beast for safe keeping, and it should be reported by the keeper that the animal or animals have died, burnt, or driven off, and no sees it, that is to say no one can attest to the truth of the keeper’s claim, then an oath shall be taken of the Lord that he the keeper hath not touched his neighbor’s goods, and if the keeper so swears, the owner of the goods shall take his oath as being consistent with his innocence.

            But if the goods were stolen, the keeper shall make restitution to the owner. If the animals were destroyed by say a wild beast, then he had to take the remains in proof to the owner, and he shall be exonerated.      

            I cannot resist the temptation to recount here a very similar experience I had once appearing for an owner who was suing a person to whom she had given cattle under what was called a contract of agistment, which is in fact a contract of bailment such as being discussed here.

            Under the contract the bailee was under an obligation to take reasonable care of the animals, and in return he retained a half of the increase.

            At some stage there was a flood in the area and the bailee informed the owner that all her animals had perished in the flood.

            The owner did not believe the bailee’s account, and sued him for the loss of her property.

            The bailee gave evidence that he was not in the country when the flood occurred, but that his 16 year old son had called him and told him what had happened.

            Counsel for the bailee asked the lad, “What did you do when you discovered that the cattle had died?” 

            “I called my father and told him what happened.”

            “And what did you use to call him?” Counsel persisted.

            “I used to call him Daddy,” replied the boy.  Morewww.chaberbooks.com

BRAGADAYJAH 224

Every manufacturer or maker of goods knows, what those goods are made of, how they will behave in different circumstances, and under different conditions; so especially if they are expensive goods, or things made to last a long time, he includes or provides a manual or instructions regarding the repair, maintenance and use of such goods.

            Not surprisingly, therefore, God the Creator, not only laid down laws for his people to live by, but knowing their propensity for mischief and error, He gave them laws and by-laws, regarding not only how they should behave towards Him; but how His people should behave towards one another.

            Not only did the Lord provide remedy guidelines for trespass to persons inter se, and trespass to goods, and theft, he also provided remedies for negligence.

            So it was provided that, so if a man causes a trespass to another man’s vineyard to be eaten or cause his field to be eaten, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field.  If a man causes fire to escape from his own field and burns that of another, he shall make restitution.

            If a man undertakes to keep goods for his neighbor and he claims the goods were stolen, then if the thief be caught, then the thief would be compelled to pay double the price of the goods; but if the thief be not caught, then the master of the house from which the goods were stolen would be taken before the judges to enquire whether the goods were really stolen, or if the householder had dishonestly taken them himself.  If then the judges were not convinced that the goods were indeed stolen the bailee would have to make restitution up to double the cost.  More

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BRAGADAYJAH 223

The Lord God also gave ordinances concerning injury to a man’s servant caused by the ox of another.  If for example an ox shall injure a man’s servant, male or female, the owner of the ox shall pay to the master of the servant thirty shekels of silver and the ox shall be stoned.

            It was also provided that if a man dug a pit, or leave a dug pit uncovered so that an ox or an ass falls in it, the owner of the ox shall pay compensation to the owner of the dead or injured animal, and shall then be entitled to the dead or injured animal. If a man’s ox hurt another man’s ox so that it dies, they shall sell the live ox, and split the price and shall likewise be entitled to half each of the dead ox. If however the owner had previous knowledge of the propensity to push, then he shall pay to the owner of the dead or injured animal the full price thereof.

Rules For Theft

If a man stole an ox or a sheep and kill it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

            If a thief was found breaking and entering and he was struck down and he died, no blood was to be shed for him.  This provision really applied to a thief in the night.  For it was also given that if the sun be risen upon him, that is to say in daylight, then he should if not killed pay full restitution for what he had stolen or if he had nothing he would be sold for his theft.

            Further, is he was caught still in possession of the thing stolen, be it ox, or ass, or sheep, he was to restore double the value of whatever it was he had stolen. More

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BRAGADAYJAH 222

God Continued to Give Rules for his People Inter Se

“If men strive together and one smites the other with a stone or with his fist so that the man lives and is confined to his bed, and later recovers and is able to walk about even limping with the aid of a staff, the person who did the injury shall be cleared; but shall be liable to pay compensation for the loss of time and to do so until the injured man is completely healed.

            If a man smites his servant or his maid and kills him, he shall be punished; but if the servant lives a day or two, the master shall not be punished; for the loss of the servant is his financial loss.

            If men strive and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follows, they shall be punished according to the wishes of the woman’s husband or as ordered by a judge. If mischief follows, that is to say if the woman dies, then the law of life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, stripe for stripe. shall apply.

            If a man smites the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perishes, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake. And if he strikes out the tooth of his man-servant or his maid-servant, in either case the servant shall go free.

            If an Ox gores a man or a woman that they die, the ox shall be stoned to death and its flesh be not eaten; but its owner shall go free; but if the ox was accustomed in times past to push with its horn, and the owner was aware of it, and did not keep it under proper control, and it subsequently kills a man or a woman the ox shall be stoned, and the owner shall be put to death.  However, if the owner of the ox was adjudged to pay compensation for the injury caused by his ox, he may redeem his life by paying the amount so adjudged as compensation.  More

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BRAGADAYJAH 221

BRAGADAYJAH 221

Who other than a Law-Giver would dare make laws unilaterally for people to follow but a Law-Giver, be he a democrat, a Despot, or in this case a Theocrat?  We know that God is love, and has only love for his people in His heart when he makes laws and rules for them; but we also see Him as Lord of all creation; because His laws are not just for a piece of territory, a geographical unit, or an island; but for the entire earth. That makes him a ruler over all the earth; that makes Him God.

            So He gave law dealing with the legal relationship of Master and Servant; and next He gave the first law dealing with personal injury and negligence.

            “If a man smites a man so that he dies, he shall be surely put to death.  (Re-emphasizing the 6th. Commandment); but if a man lie not in wait, but the Lord deliver him in his hand, then I will appoint a place for him, (the manslayer) to hide. This is a reference to the places of refuge God provided for those who kill by accident, or unintentionally, the avenger of death and the like.  But if a man comes presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile, (malice aforethought) thou shall take him from mine altar that he may die.

            He that smites his father or his mother shall be surely put to death.

            He that steals a man and sells him, or if he be found in his hand, that is to say if he be caught with the stolen man before he gets a chance to sell him, he shall be put to death.

            He that curses his father and his mother shall surely be put to death.   More 

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BRAGADAYJAH 220

The Ten Commandments were what one may call the substantive law; but having enacted them, God proceeded to give a number of by-laws or ordinances also as follows:

            1   If you should buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve you for 6 years; and in the seventh year he shall be set free. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he was married, his wife shall go out with him. If the wife was given to him by the master, and she has children, the wife and children shall belong to the master; and he shall go out by himself. If, however, the servant when he was entitled to his freedom shall plainly say, I love my master, I love my wife and my children, then the master shall take him before the judges; and in their presence he shall bore his ear with an awl and he shall forever thereafter serve his master.

            2   If a man shall sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.  If she pleases not her master who has betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her to be redeemed; but he cannot sell her to a foreign nation as he would have been guilty of deceitfully dealing with her. If he had betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. If he takes himself another wife, then she shall be entitled to the same measure of food and clothing and duties, as if he had duly married her. And if he neglects to provide these three basic things, she shall be entitled to go out freely, without money.

            We note here, especially because many criticize the Bible, or seek to justify slavery by saying it was permitted in the Bible; but this is not the case.  Indentured service was paid and remunerated service, and beside it was voluntary.  People offered and still do offer their personal service to those who could afford to pay for them. What we have seen so far, therefore, is servitude more often than not free and voluntary, not forced enslavement.  More  

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BRAGADAYJAH 219

Now while God was speaking, the people heard the sound of the trumpets and the thundering, and they saw the smoke on the mountain, and the lightening, all of which make them very much afraid; so they moved afar off and implored Moses that he should speak to God on their behalf.

            “Whatever you tell us Moses,” they said, “We will surely hear.” But they begged him please don’t let God speak to us, lest we die. At their request Moses assured them that they should not fear; for so he assured them, “God is come to test you that you may see His awesome power, and that you may fear Him, and sin not against Him.

            So as the people kept at a distance, Moses spoke with them and then ascended unto the mountain in the midst of the thick fog where God was.

            Then the Lord told Moses, “Tell the children, that they should remember what they had seen; therefore, remember not to make to yourselves, gods of silver or of gold.”     “An altar of earth you shall make unto me, and sacrifice thereon your burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings; your sheep and your oxen in all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shall not built it of hewn stone; for if thou lift up the tool upon it, you shall pollute it. And neither must you go up by steps unto my altar, thereby exposing your nakedness upon it.”  
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BRAGADAYJAH 218

Before the giving of these Ten Commandments, the Lord God had been in touch with the children of Israel on a day by day, need by need basis; but in the past, he did not speak directly to or with them.  All that He commanded, all that He said, was via the lips of Moses.  He had delivered them out of the land of bondage; he had brought them through the Red Sea; He fought their fight and vanquished Amalek, and the people sang His praises.

            Now He spoke to Moses in their presence so that they could hear His voice, and He gave them commandments to live by.  In His day, centuries later Jesus was to summaries those commandments into two: (i) Our duty towards God, and (ii) our duty towards our neighbor. 

            Some short sighted expositors are often heard to say, that with the giving of grace the law has been abolish; but this is clearly a misunderstanding of the juxtaposition and working of law and grace; scripture itself says if there was no law there would be no need for grace.  This it is averred is a matter of common sense; if there was nothing to violate, then there could be no violation and so their would be no need to enter a plea in mitigation.

            The English law of Equity was initiated in order to temper some of the asperities of the law, especially the common law; and in its application, it is a rule that “Equity follows the law.” But at the same time it is provided that where the law and equity conflict, the law would give way to equity.  This clearly does not mean that the law has been abolished; but rather equitable principles override.  In relation to the Law of God and grace, the Apostle Paul puts it thus: “Before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed.  Wherefore the law was our school master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith.”  And again, he says, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

            Did the institution of grace abolish the law?  Not in anywise.  More.  
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BRAGADAYJAH 217

And when Moses went up to the Lord upon the mountain, the Lord told him to go down again and charge the people, and warn them not to try and break through the barriers to see His face; but Moses told the Lord the barriers are in place and the people were already warned what would happen if they tried to break through.

            “Anyway,” the Lord told Moses; “you go and make sure that none of them come upon the face of the mountain.  When you go down tell the priests that they too should stay away and not try to come near unto me; but when you come up again, bring Aaron only with you.”  So Moses went down again and spoke to the people.

            Once God was sure the people had been warned and re-warned, He began to speak His words saying:

            I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.   (1)   Thou shall have no other gods but me; (2)   Thou shall not make unto thee any carved image, or any likeness of anything whether in heaven or earth or under the earth; thou shall not bow down thyself to them or worship them; for I am a jealous God; and I will visit the sins of the fathers upon their children even unto the third and fourth generation of them that disobey me; but will show much mercy to them who obey me and keep my commandments; (3)   Thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will hold those who take his name in vain guilty; (4)   Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; six days you shall labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it thou shall not do any work, neither you or your children, nor your servants, nor those who are within your household; for in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it; (5)   Honor thy father and they mother that thy days may be long;  (6)   Thou shall not kill;  (7)   Thou shall not commit adultery;  (8)   Thou shall not steal;  (9) Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor;  (10)   Thou shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor; not his wife, his goods or any thing that is his.

            These ten commandments, the Lord specifically gave to his people.  More 
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BRAGADAYJAH 216

If there is any question from whence came the saying “cleanliness is next to godliness,” here is a good example of its origin.  For God not only told the people to wash their clothes, but implicit in the command was that they washed their bodies also.  For God told them that after they washed their clothes and cleansed themselves they should not go near their wives; for they were about to come near to the presence of God; and He clearly desired that they present themselves as clean vessels to His presence.

            And so it came to pass that in the morning of the third day, there were thundering and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mount; and the voice of the trumpet exceedingly loud, so that all the people in the camp trembled.

            And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the base of the mount.  And Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended like the smoke of a furnace and the whole mountain shook.

            And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and became louder and louder,  Moses spoke and God answered him by a voice.  And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai on the top of the mount; and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount and Moses went up.  More.   
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BRAGADAYJAH 215

At Sinai, Moses went up into the mountain unto God. And God called his name and said, “Moses, tell the children of Israel, you have seen what I have done unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle’s wings and brought you unto myself.  Therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine. And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.  These are the words I want you to speak unto the children of Israel.”

            So Moses descended and called all the elders and the people together and told them all the words of God as He had commanded him. And all the people answered in unison and said, “All that the Lord has commanded us to do, we will do.”  And so Moses told the Lord what the people said.

            And the Lord said to Moses, next I come to you in a thick cloud that the people may hear when I speak with you and believe forever. And Moses told the Lord the people were willing to listen to Him.  And the Lord told Moses, go tell the people to take a couple of days off.  “Sanctify them today and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready to receive me on the third day; for on the third day I will come down to them in plain sight and they shall see me.”

            But warn the people not to attempt to come up on the mountain or even touch the boundaries thereof; for anyone who touches even the border of the mountain shall be put to death.

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GRAGADAYJAH 114

So now, in the third month after their departure out of Egypt, the children of Israel arrived into the wilderness of Sinai and there they encamped before the mount.  It was here they received the law by way of God’s fifth dispensation to man.

            For the purpose of clarity, a dispensation may be defined as a period of time during which man is tested regarding his obedience to God in connection with God’s revealed will.  To put it in simplest terms there are three main components of a dispensation.

            First there is God’s direct communication to man in terms of what God specifically requires him to do.

            Secondly, man’s stewardship with regard to the divine revelation and his duty to obey;

            And thirdly, a time period, often referred to as an “age,” during which man is tested in relation to the divine will and in obedience to it.

            For example, God made Adam and Eve, and made them joint stewards over all the earth; “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth;” the first dispensation.

            And in relation to Adam and Eve after the fall, “they knew that they were naked; and God sewed fig leaves and covered them, the second dispensation.

            After the flood God told Noah to go forth from the ark with his wife and his sons and their wives and every living thing, to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, the third dispensation

            The fourth dispensation was given to Abraham, when God told him. “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee. And I will bless thee and make thy name great.

            These promises to Abraham were renewed in Isaac and Jacob; and now God was about to give to His people a fifth dispensation, law. More

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BRAGADAYJAH 214

So now, in the third month after their departure out of Egypt, the children of Israel arrived into the wilderness of Sinai and there they encamped before the mount.  It was here they received the law by way of God’s fifth dispensation to man.

            For the purpose of clarity, a dispensation may be defined as a period of time during which man is tested regarding his obedience to God in connection with God’s revealed will.  To put it in simplest terms there are three main components of a dispensation.

            First there is God’s direct communication to man in terms of what God specifically requires him to do.

            Secondly, man’s stewardship with regard to the divine revelation and his duty to obey;

            And thirdly, a time period, often referred to as an “age,” during which man is tested in relation to the divine will and in obedience to it.

            For example, God made Adam and Eve, and made them joint stewards over all the earth; “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth;” the first dispensation.

            And in relation to Adam and Eve after the fall, “they knew that they were naked; and God sewed fig leaves and covered them, the second dispensation.

            After the flood God told Noah to go forth from the ark with his wife and his sons and their wives and every living thing, to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, the third dispensation

            The fourth dispensation was given to Abraham, when God told him. “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee. And I will bless thee and make thy name great.

            These promises to Abraham were renewed in Isaac and Jacob; and now God was about to give to His people a fifth dispensation, law. More

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BRAGADAYJAH 213

So it was that the morning after, that Moses sat down to judge the people; and the people stood before him all day, from morning to night.

            Seeing this, Jethro asked Moses, “why is it that you have to sit alone in judgment all day?”  And Moses told him it was necessary, because the people came before him to enquire of God.  Also when they have a dispute they come to him and he rendered judgment and also let them know the laws and statutes of the Lord.

            Jethro did not like the procedure and told Moses so.  “Surely,” Jethro counseled Moses; “this matter of your sitting all day hearing complaints and the people standing before you all day is tiresome and will eventually wear both you and the people out.”

            “Teach the people,” Jethro advised Moses, “to know the laws and statutes of the Lord and show them how they should act and walk.  In addition, select good men out of the congregation; men that love and fear God; men who can be trusted to do justice; men who are not greedy and covetous, and set them over the people to rule over the people by thousands, by hundreds and be tens.  And let them judge the people at all times, referring only the grave matters to you.”

            What Jethro recommend to Moses made great sense, and so Moses adopted Jethro’s counsel and divided up the people by tens, and by hundreds and by thousands, and set rulers over them to judge the day to day matters, reserving only the more severe matters for himself.

            After the new judicial system was set up, Jethro took his leave of Moses and departed to his own land. 
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BRAGADAYJAH 212

Moses Reunited With His Father-in Law and his Family

            While Moses was leading his people in the wilderness and news of his defeat of Amalek was noised abroad, Moses’ father in law, Jethro, came to Moses returning his wife Zipporah, and his two sons.  The names of the sons were, Gershom, signifying that he was born an alien in a foreign land, and the name of the other was Eliezer, because he said, the God of my father said he was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

            Now Moses’ father in law found him encamped in the mount of God, and Jethro explained to Moses why he had come at that time and brought his wife and children with him.  Moses greeted his father-in-law warmly, and the two men embraced and kissed each other, and enquired about each other’s affairs.

            And Moses told Jethro how God had been good to him.  He told him all that God had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, as well as all the trouble they had been having on the way through the wilderness, and how the Lord had delivered them.          And Jethro rejoiced with Moses upon hearing the good news; especially of all the things He had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  So Jethro declared, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in that they dealt proudly, God was above them all.” 

            And Jethro took a burnt offering and sacrificed unto God; and in the company of Aaron, they all broke bread together.                                                                                                                                              www.chaberbooks.cpm 

BRAGADAYJAH 211

The children of Israel were sparring with Moses and with God over food and water notwithstanding His providence; but now they had a real fight on their hands; for while at Rephidim they were attacked by Amalek.

            Now Moses as their leader gave instructions to Joshua to choose out men for the battle the next day.  The strategy was that while Joshua and his men engage the enemy, Moses would take up position on the top of a hill with his rod in hand.

            So the next day, Joshua engaged Amalek, while Moses, Aaron and Hur took up position on the top of the hill.  The battle seesawed because as long as Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; but when his arm got tired and he lowered it Amalek prevailed.

            Eventually Aaron and Hur rolled a large stone and sat Moses down on it; and standing on either side of him they together held up his hand until the going down of the sun.  And by the evening, Joshua was able to vanquish the entire army of Amalek with the edge of the sword.

            At the end of the battle, the Lord said unto Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book and  rehearse it in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

            And Moses built an altar and called the name of the place Jehovah nisi; for he said, because the Lord hath sworn that He will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.                                                                                                                                              We may note – the Lord told Moses to write; so that completely nullifies any theory that writing was not known at the time of Moses; not only was writing extant; but Moses could write and writing materials were in existence; for the command was to write it in a book.    More   
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BRAGADAYJAH 210

What a set of people these children of Israel were? They loved God they hated God, they give praise they cursed; they said thank you Lord for delivering us; they said Lord why did you bring us out of Egypt to die?  If those very people who were the immediate recipients of his goodness, mercy and grace turned against Him in their day, is it any wonder that future generations shouted crucify Him?

            God gave them manna in the wilderness of Sin, and filled, they journeyed on from there to Rephidim where they found that there was no water there.  Of course they needed water.  The water they had drunk at Marah was water already past the gullet and could not refresh them there; it would have been reasonable and meet for them to cry out to the Lord and ask for water; but true to their fickle nature they murmured against Moses and against God.

            “Moses,” they shouted at him angrily, “why hast thou brought us to this place out of Egypt to kill us of thirst?”

            Therefore Moses took the complaint of the people to the Lord.  “Lord,” Moses cried unto Him, “What shall I do with this people?  They are ready to kill me.”

            God instructed Moses to go on before the people, taking the elders of the people with him and also the rod with which he had struck the red sea. “Behold said God, I will stand before you upon the rock at Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock and there shall come water out of it for the people to drink.”

            So in the presence of the elders, Moses smote the rock and water came out. And Moses called the name of the place Massah and Meribah; because of the striving of the children of Israel; and because they tested the Lord and said, “Is He still among us or not?”  More 

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BRAGADAYJAH 209

Violation of the Sabbath

Notwithstanding Moses’ caution to them, some of the people did go out on the Sabbath day to gather in and they found none. Seeing the disobedience of the people, God asked Moses, “How long will you continue to refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?  I have given you the Sabbath; on the sixth day, I gave you twice the bread you need and told you that there was to be no gathering on the seventh day. And I told you that no one was to go out on the seventh day.”

            So the people went out in disobedience to God’s commandment that first Sabbath, and Moses reiterated God’s command; so that the people got the message and went out on the Sabbath day no more, as among other things, they realized that it was futile to do so. 

            Thereafter, they marked the day and named the name of the place Manna.  And at Moses’ command, Aaron filled an omer to be kept by the people in perpetuity as a reminder of how they were fed in the wilderness.

            And the children of Israel ate manna for forty years from then until they came into the borders of the land of Canaan.

            One may tend to think that to eat the same thing day after day for forty years was no joy; but this view would ignore the fact that bread is one kind of food that most people eat every day.  In fact many people would admit that no meal for them is complete without some bread.

            On the other hand, manna was not a definitive meal with a definitive taste.  It has been suggested that manna was a sort of food, so that it catered not only to individual taste but individual yen. As a matter of fact the word manna comes from two Hebrew words that translate “what is it?”   This indicates that even after eating it for forty years, those who ate it would defer over a definition of what it tasted like, or even what it was. It has been described as bread of heaven, angel food, light bread, the corn of heaven; and so indeed one may ask, “What is it?”   More

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BRAGADAYJAH 208

Although Moses relayed to the people precise instructions regarding the gathering of the supplies; human nature took over; and some gathered more and some gathered less. God’s mandate was that each man should gather only such amount as he could eat in one day; and although some gathered more and some less, the more shrank to the specified amount and the less accrued to the prescribed amount, that is to say, 1 omer per person.

            In addition, Moses cautioned them not to leave any of the days gathering for the next morning; yet, human greed again, some of them did. However those who disobeyed did not benefit; for the food by the next morning was rotted and riddled with worms.  Also what was gathered in the morning rotted when the sun became hot; the idea was they should always only gather what could be eaten at once.  But on the 6th day it was different; each man was allowed to gather 2 omers, or twice as much as on the former days

            Then Moses addressed the congregational heads and told them; “Tomorrow, (the seventh day) is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which you can bake today, and boil what you can; and that which is left over, lay it up for tomorrow.”  And it came to pass, that that which they gathered on the 6th day and left over for the seventh day, did not rot as that before.

            And Moses commanded them, “eat that today, for today is the Sabbath unto the Lord; take and eat.” That is to say that which was prepared on the 6th day; but he warned them not to go out into the field on the Sabbath day; for it is the Lord’s Sabbath.  More

BRAGADAYJAH 208

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As we study this episode in Israel’s history of the Exodus, and the way God dealt the manna to them, we cannot but let our minds race forward to that time when Jesus was on earth and He taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father, Who art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread.” The more we know about God, the more we see Him being always consistent with Himself.  So we see further, that way back then, God held Himself out as the daily provider for his people.

            So Moses and Aaron told the people what the Lord would do.  “At evening said Moses you shall know that the Lord has brought you out from the land of Egypt; and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; because he hears your murmurings against Him and also against us; but in the evening flesh to eat and in the morning bread to the full.

            And while Moses and Aaron were yet speaking to the congregation of the people, the Lord appeared unto them in a cloud, and the people beheld his glory. And out of the cloud the Lord spoke unto Moses and said, “I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them and say, “At evening, you shall eat bread, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.”

            After God spoke, the whole camp was covered with quail at evening; and in the morning it became covered with heavy dew; and when the dew melted they saw a small round thing on the ground; and when they saw it, the children of Israel said, “It is manna.” But Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.

This is the thing that the Lord has commanded you; gather every man according to his eating, an omer for every man according to the number of persons within your dwelling.”  More.

BRAGADAYJAH 207

                                                                                                                                                

BRAGADAYJAH 205

How soon and how often those who call themselves people of God forget, or fail to remember what a mighty God we serve; that the God on the mountain is still God in the valley; that the God of the good time is still God in the bad time?

            The children of Israel murmured against Moses and at God’s command He turned bitter water into sweet water; He provided shade under which they could rest; and at last they took their journey from Elim and arrived at the wilderness of Sin which is midway between Elim and Sinai, which they did on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed out of Egypt.

            So now they are hungry.  Did they say to Moses, “please Moses, talk to God our Father our Redeemer our Deliverer and tell Him we need food?  No they did not. They murmured as was their wont. Not only did they complain against Moses and Aaron; but they had the ingratitude to tell Moses that they wished they had been left alone to die in Egypt, when they sat by the flesh pots and had their fill with bread, rather that to have brought into the wilderness to die of hunger.

            God did not even bother to remind them of their Redemption Song or their oath to serve Him through all their generations.  God simply responded by raining down from heaven, bread that was not made with hands.  It was called manna or angel food God send down to his murmuring and ungrateful children.

            And God told Moses, I will send them bread every day, for their food each day.  Six days shall I send them bread every day for six days; and on the sixth day, they shall take in enough for the seventh day.  I am dealing with them in this way, the Lord told Moses, that they may know I am their provider and not they themselves.”                                                                                                                                                                            BRAGADAYJAH 205 

BRAGADAYJAH 105

The children of Israel sang their song of redemption; God is good; God is great; He is glorious; He is our Commander in Chief; there is none like Him; He gave us victory over our enemies.  Having sang their song, they moved on, and one may add with great enthusiasm.

            They went out into the wilderness, led by Moses; they journeyed for three days in the wilderness of Shur, and of course they needed water; they were thirsty; but there was no water; and so they journeyed on until at last they came to water; but alas the water was bitter and so was their disappointment.

            Predictably, they turned against Moses once again, not to mention the very God whom they had so lustily praised in song.

            “Moses,” they screamed; “What shall we drink?”

            Moses turned to the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree and instructed him to take it and cast it into the water, which when he did so caused the bitter water to turn sweet; so they called the name of the place Marah, meaning bitter. And Moses made a point of making the people swear that if they would diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord their God, and do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear unto His commandments, and keep all His statutes, that none of the diseases which befell the Egyptians would befall them.

            After that the continued journeying on, and came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees which provided good cover for them; so they stopped and refreshed, and rested themselves there.

 BRAGADAYJAH 105          

BRAGADAYJAH 104

Let us continue to look at the song of praise and deliverance, the Song of the Redeemed, as it is sometimes called, because of the pivotal part if plays in the overall saga of the Exodus They sang of the Lord, Mighty, Glorious, Triumphant, a great leader in war; and on and on they sang.

            “Who is like unto Thee O Lord, among the gods? Who is like unto Thee, Glorious in Holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?  Thou stretches out Thy right hand, and the earth swallowed them.  Thou in Thy mercy has led forth the people whom Thou has redeemed; Thou has guided them in the strength of Thy holy habitation.  The people shall hear, and be afraid; sorrow shall take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold of them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of Thy arm they shall be as still as a stone; till Thy people shall pass over; O Lord till thy people shall pass over; whom thou has purchased.   Thou shall bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, the place, O Lord which Thou has made for Thee to dwell in; in the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hand have established. The Lord shall reign forever and ever.  For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.” 

            And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 

            And Miriam urged them, “Sing ye to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider has He thrown into the sea.” 

 BRAGADAYJAH 104

BRAGADAYJAH 103

The children of Israel are safe; their hero Moses has led them to safety; their God is again a mighty God; He delivered from the host of the army of Egypt. Not only that he destroyed the enemy in the process; so now they are happy.  They are no longer regretting having left Egypt; and now the heart is full, and they break into song.

            “I will sing unto the Lord; for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and the rider has He thrown into the sea.  The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation; He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; He is my God and I will exalt Him.  The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name.  Pharaoh’s chariots and his hosts has He cast into the sea; his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.

            The depths have covered them; they sank into the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand O Lord has become glorious in power; Thy right hand O Lord has dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of thine Excellency thou has overthrown them that rose up against Thee. Thou send forth Thy wrath which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

            The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, and my hand shall destroy them; but Thou blew with Thy wind; the sea covered them, and they sank as lead in the mighty waters.”  More.  

 BRAGADAYJAH 103

   

BRAGADAYJAH 202

“Lift up your rod,” the Lord told Moses. “Stretch it out over the sea and part the waters thereof, and let the children of Israel past through; and when the Egyptians try to follow them, you will see what I will do.”

            So Moses did as commanded, and the children of Israel began to passed over.  At the time when the children of Israel was going through the sea which was parted to let them through, the angel of the Lord who led them from in front in the pillar of cloud, changed position, and went behind them and formed a pillar of cloud behind them.

            Not only did the pillar of cloud go behind the Israelites, it placed itself between the Israelites and the Egyptians, blinding them as a cloud of darkness, while giving light to the children of Israel, and kept the two camps separate and apart all night.

            After the children of Israel had succeeded in crossing over, the Egyptians continued to pursue after them, Pharaoh’s horsemen, and horses and chariots, all plunged into the midst of the sea after them. At that stage, that is to say, when the Egyptians were crossing in the midst of the sea, the Lord took off their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily, that is to say they were slowed down; and such was their confusion and difficulty that they concluded that it was the God of the Israelites that was moving against them, and in their words, “fighting for the Egyptians,” and so, they decided to turn back.

            Therefore the Lord commanded Moses to stretch his rod once more over the water of the red sea, and caused it to come together again drowning the Egyptians, their horses and horsemen.

            And so the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and the Israelites were able to look at the dead bodies of their pursuers as they washed upon the seashore.  And the people seeing the awesome power of their God feared Him and his servant Moses.                                                                                                                                       BRAGADAYJAH 202                             

BRAGADAYJAH 201

Seeing the host of the Egyptians, the Children of Israel soon turned on their leader like cornered rats. “Moses,” they said, “Were there no graves in Egypt in that you have brought us here in the wilderness to die?  Why have you betrayed us thus?  Did we not tell you while we were in Egypt that you should leave us alone? Did we not tell you we were better off serving the Egyptians?   Don’t you think it would have been better to remain in Egyptian bondage than to come here to die?”

            But Moses said unto them, “Fear not.  Just stand still and see the salvation of the Lord what He will show you today, what He shall do to the Egyptians; for after today they will trouble you no more. So be still, for the Lord is fighting for you.”

            At this time the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you appealing to me? Order the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod and stretch it out over the sea and divide it and it shall be that the children of Israel shall go over in the midst of it as on dry land.”  More                                                                                                                                                                  

 BRAGADAYJAH 201

BRAGADAYJAH 200

        The Lord had Moses and Aaron meeting and communicating with His people; but He remained their commander-in-chief.  Even though they were released from Egypt, God knew they needed protection; so he provided protection by night and by day. By day they travelled as it were wrapped in a cloud, hidden from the enemy; by night He provided a lamp in the form of a cloud of fire which only they could see.

            As they moved on from Etham where they rested; but He continued to lead them until He decided they needed a safe place to rest again; so when they arrived at Pihahiroth-by-the Sea, he ordered them to encamp there.

            As always, God had a plan both for His people and for the Pharaoh; for He knew Pharaoh’s heart, and knew what he would do next. At Pihahiroth the children of Israel were boxed in. They could not advance as the sea was ahead of them; they could only retreat; so Pharaoh’s spies told him of the situation that the children of Israel had placed themselves in, and urged him to stop them.  “Why did we let them go?” they urged the Pharaoh. “Now we will have to do the work they used to do, and we are not used to hard work.”  So thus urged the Pharaoh hardened his heart and started off in hot pursuit after them.

            He ordered his chariot to be ready and accompanied by all the charioteer of Egypt and horses and horsemen and the whole Egyptian army, chased after them and saw them encamped before the sea.

            Seeing the host of the Egyptian army, the children of Israel were put in great fear and they cried out to their God.  What will God do, need we ask?”  More                                                                                                                                                                       

 BRAGADAYJAH 200

BRAGADAYJAH 199

The Lord wanted to make sure the people of Israel kept the Passover in perpetual memory; so He reminded them of and repeated his instructions over and over again.  So the order of the firstling was given; everything that comes out of the womb they were told belonged to God.  In addition, every firstling of an ass was to be redeemed with a lamb; the significance of this being the colt of an ass could not be eaten; so it was to be exchanged for a lamb.  And if it could not be redeemed, if for example, the owner could not obtain a lamb for its redemption, its neck was to be broken.

            In addition the order went forth that all the first-born children were also to be redeemed; and the children were to be told, when they enquired about the origin of the practice, they were to be told; “by strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage.  For so it was that when Pharaoh refused to let us go, that the Lord slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beasts; therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that opens the womb, being male; but all the firs-born of my children I redeem.  And it shall be a token upon thy hand and for frontlets between thine eyes; for by strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt.

            Now as God led the children of Israel out of Egypt, he led them not through the shorter route, which was via the land of the Philistines, but through the way of the wilderness through the Red Sea.

            One important thing Moses did not neglect to take with him out of Egypt, was the remains of Joseph; for Joseph before he died had caused his brethren to solemnly swear that when God would have visited them, they would take his bones with them out of the land of Egypt.

            As the children of Israel journeyed, the Lord went before them and led them by day and night; by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire. On the way of the journey the children of Israel encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness and rested themselves there.  More                                                       BRAGADAYJAH 199