Page 30 - Biblical Backgrounds

The Jewish people who took part in the exodus came from a totalitarian regime. They had operated
under an absolute ruler in the Pharaoh. The government transition for these newly freed people was
large. In many ways, the government of the people of God during this period resembled “theocracy.” A
theocracy is a government by immediate divine guidance. The reason for saying this is that God directed
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the movements of the people during this period. God frequently told Moses what to do during Israel’s
journey to the promised land.

During this period, Moses also served as God’s appointed leader. Moses’ authority involved legal and
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judicial administration. Early on in the wilderness wanderings, Moses sat all day and provided
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judgment on cases that members of God’s people brought before him (Exod. 18:13). Ultimately,
however, on the counsel of his father-in-law, Jethro, Moses established a legal system with a hierarchy
of courts. This allowed him to delegate much of this work to others. Moses also occasionally served as
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the commander-in-chief of the military in this period.

As we have seen, this means the people of God went from being under a Pharaoh to being under Moses.
Under Moses, they went to him directly for a time, and then Moses delegated this job to handpicked
men. Under this government structure, there were also leaders in the tribes. In the tribes, families likely
came under the authority of a patriarch.

Religious practice in the wilderness wandering.

In this period, God promoted holiness in the lives of the people. God provided specific laws, which were
to serve as a directive for living. God also provided festivals and feasts during this period as well as a
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tabernacle, which provided the basis for the Israelites’ corporate worship. Finally, God also established
the priesthood. The priests of Israel offered sacrifices on behalf of the people of God and represented
the people to God.
God gave the Mosaic Law at Sinai to Moses. The giving of the law was accompanied by several dramatic
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signs (Ex. 19:18-20; 20:18; 24:17-18). As is well known, the law is detailed and regulates much of
Israel’s life. On receiving the law, the people of Israel strongly committed themselves to follow it.

Many parts of the law deserve detailed comment—far more than we can go into here. The first part of
the Law is the Ten Commandments. As noted, God also provides legislation about special days, festivals,
and feasts. There were a number of these. These days and festivals included: the Sabbath, the Feast of
Passover, the Harvest or firstfruits, Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of
Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Space does not permit us to comment on each of these days
and festivals, but it should be clear that there was a deeply ordered and symbolic calendar that Israel
was a part of.

The Tabernacle was the central site of Israelite worship during this period. God communicated several
details about the tent. As is well-known, there was a holy place and the holiest place inside the

64 Ibid., 88.
65 Ibid., 89.
66 Ibid., 89.
67 Ibid., 89.
68 Ibid., 90.

69 Voss, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Manners and Customs, 90.

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