In the Old Testament, the meaning of "Judgment" (Hebrew: Mish'Pat) carries both legal and theological effect, embedded in the Covenant principles of the nation of Israel.
Deuteronomy 1 says, "In this Book are the Words (God's Laws and Teachings) that Moses began to explain to the people of Israel while they were in the Wilderness East of the Jordan River, in the territory of Moab. They were in the Jordan Valley near Suph, between Town of Paran on one side and the Towns of Tophel, Laban, Haze'Roth, and Diz'Ahab on the other.
It takes 11 Days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh Barnea by way of the Hill country of Edom.
On the 1st Day of the 11th Month of the 40th Year after they had left Egypt, Moses began to explain the people all the Words (God's Laws and teachings) the Lord had Commanded him to tell them.
This was after the Lord had defeated King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in the Town of Heshb'On, and King Og of Bash'An, who ruled in the Towns of Ash'Taroth and Endrei. (1:1-4)
God, Who is "Judge of all the earth," is not merely a distant magistrate but One whose Judgment expresses the continual unfolding of The Covenant relationship.
Exodus 20 says, "When the people heard the Thunder and the Trumpet blast and saw the lightning and the smoking Mountain, they trembled with fear and stood a long way off. They said to Moses, 'If you speak to us, we will listen; but we are afraid that if God speaks to us, we will die.' Moses replied, 'Do not be afraid; God has only come to Test you and make you keep on obeying Him, so that you will not sin.' But people continued to stand a long way off, and only Moses went near the Dark Cloud where God was.
The word "Liberation" is expressed in Hebrew by the verbal root "nsl," "deliver" and "pls," "rescue" along with "ys," "save"and "pah" "ransom." God merciful liberation from the Egyptian power occurred in Exodus.
Exodus 3 says, "One day while Moses was taking care of the "sheep and goats" of his father-in-law-Jethro, the Priest of Midian, Moses led the flock, across the Desert and came to "Sin'Ai, the Holy Mountain. There the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses as a Flame coming from the Middle of a Bush. Moses saw that the "Bush" was on Fire but that "the Bush was not burning up." (1-2)
"This is strange," Moses thought, "Why is not the 'Bush' burning up? I will go closer and see." (3)
When the Lord saw that Moses was coming closer, God called to him from the Middle of the Bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" He answered, "Yes, here I am." God said, "Do not come any closer." "Take off your sandals, because you are standing on Holy Ground." "I Am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." So Moses "covered his face," because he was afraid to "look at God."
Then the Lord said, "I have seen how cruelly My People are being treated in Egypt; I have heard them cry out to be rescued from "their slave drivers"(their cry went up to God, Who Heard their groaning and Remembered His Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). I Know All about their sufferings, and so I Have Come Down to Rescue them out of Egypt "to a spacious Land, one which is rich and fertile and in which the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites now live." (4-8)
Exodus 4 says, "Then Moses answered the Lord, "But suppose the Israelites do not Believe me and will not listen to what I say. What shall I do if they say that You Did Not Appear To Me?" So the Lord asked Moses, "What are you holding?" "A walking stick," Moses answered. The Lord said, "Throw it on the ground." It turned into a Snake, and Moses ran away from the snake. Then God said, "Moses, reach down and pick up the serpent by the tail." So Moses reached down and caught it, and it became a walking stick again. Then the Lord said, "Do this to prove to the Israelites that the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Has Appeared to you." (1-5)
God spoke to Moses again, "Put your hand inside your robe." Moses obeyed; and when Moses took his hand out, it was diseased, covered with white spots, like snow. Then God said, "Put your hand inside your robe again." Moses did so, and when he took it out this time, it was healthy, just like the rest of his body. God said, "If they will not Believe you or be convinced by the 1st Miracle, then This One will convince them. If in spite of these 2 Miracles they still will not Believe you, and"refuse to listen"to what you say, take some water from the Nile and pour it to the ground. The water will turn into blood."
(6-9)
Judgments and Commandments as expressions of the Covenantal relationship are to be kept by heart among God's People.
Exodus 24 says, "The Lord said to Moses, 'Come up the Holy Mountain to Me, you, and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 of the Leaders of the People; and while you are still some distance away, Bow Down in Worship. You alone, and none of the others, are to come near Me. The People are not even to come up the Holy Mountain.' (1-2)
In Exodus 4: 10- 17 Moses did not want to speak God's Law through his mouth since he considered himself a poor speaker: "Moses said, 'No, Lord, do not send me. I have never been a good speaker, and I have not become one since You Began to Speak to me. I am a poor speaker, slow and hesitant.' "
God said to Moses, "Who gives Man his mouth? Who makes Man deaf or dumb? Who gives Man sight or makes Man blind? It is I, the Lord." "Now, go! I Will Help you to speak, and I Will Tell you What to say." But Moses answered, "No, Lord, please send someone else."
At this God became angry with Moses and said, "What about your brother Aaron, the Levite? I Know that Aaron can speak well. In fact, Aaron is now coming to meet you and will be glad to see you. You can speak to Aaron and tell him what to say. I Will Help both of you to speak, and I Will Tell you both What To Do. Aaron will be your spokesman and speak to the People for you, Moses. Then you will be like God, telling Aaron what to say. Take this Walking Stick with you; for with the Walking Stick you will perform Miracles."
Exodus 24: "Moses went and told the People All the Lord's Commands and All the Ordinances,
and All the People answered together: 'We will do everything that the Lord has said.' Moses wrote down All the Lord's Commands and Ordinances." (3-4)
"Early the Next Morning Moses built an Altar at the Foot of the Holy Mountain and set up 12 Stones, one for each of the 12 Tribes. Then Moses sent Young Men, and they burned sacrifices to the Lord and sacrificed some cattle as Fellowship Offerings. Moses took half of the Blood of the Animals and put the Blood in Bowls; and the other half Moses threw against the Altar. Then Moses took the Book of the Covenant, in which the Lord's Commands and Ordinances were written, and Read It Aloud to the People. The People said, 'We will Obey the Lord and do everything that He has Commanded.' " (5-7)
"Then Moses took the Blood in the bowls and threw the Blood on the People. Moses said, 'This is the Blood that Seals the Covenant which God Made With you when He Gave All These Commands and Ordinances.' " (8)
"Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 of the Leaders of the People of Israel went up the Holy Mountain and they saw the God of the People of Israel. Beneath His Feet was what looked like a pavement of sapphire, as blue as the sky. God did not harm these leading Men of Israel; they saw God, and then they ate and drank together. "(9-11)
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