The third episode of Testament: The Story of Moses is all about the story of how Moses rescued the Israelites from the clutches of the Pharaoh, guiding them through the Red Sea. With God by their side, there was no force that could stop the Israelites from becoming free! However, this episode is focused more on the struggles of the Hebrews after they attained freedom and the way God managed to protect them. How did the Israelites flee the Pharaoh? Why did Moses go up to Mount Sinai? What were the 10 commandments? Did Moses get to see the promised land? Let’s find out!
Spoilers Ahead
What Was The Final Plague In Egypt?
The final plague that hit Egypt was so deadly that it killed all Egypt’s firstborns that year. However, God commanded Moses to save all the Hebrew families by asking them to feed off a sacrificial lamb made with bitter herbs and eat it with bread. Then they would have to smear lamb’s blood on the walls to mark the Hebrew territory, so that the angel of death would pass over. Right after the 10th plague started, all the firstborn children collapsed, which could be taken as a sort of poetic justice, as the Pharaoh had started by killing the male Hebrew children.
However, Moses regretted the deaths of so many innocent people. Even the Pharaoh’s son met the same fate, and this event disturbed him greatly, making him come face-to-face with Moses. He said that his God was a murderer and that they should all go to the desert before they could cause any more destruction. Right after the Pharaoh’s command to leave, they started packing, planning to leave before he changed his mind. Meanwhile, the mourning Pharaoh blamed his sister, Bithiah, for all the destruction. When she questioned his invincibility instead, he asked her to bow, to which she refused and decided to follow Moses on his exodus. Bithiah was a firstborn child who was saved by the Lord (from being killed), as she was Moses’ savior. She is also a figure of an oppressed woman (by the Pharaoh) who decided to break free.
Did The Pharaoh Really Agree To The Hebrews Moving Out?
Meanwhile, as the Hebrews were getting ready to leave Egypt, they were offered gold, silver, and clothes (as payment for their services for 400 years). However, as the Israelites were leaving, the Pharaoh decided to pursue them, as he was afraid that the other worker tribes may revolt and that the foundation of his rule may crumble. He chased the Israelites to Canaan (the promised land). Meanwhile, God led the Israelites away from the Philistine country, even though it was a shorter route. They had rounded the desert road to reach the Red Sea, and they were guided by a storm pillar of clouds. At night, a pillar of fire had been giving them light, and when they reached the Red Sea, the Pharaoh managed to tail them.
Moses was sure that God was on his side and decided to stay by the Red Sea. Meanwhile, the Pharaoh announced that whoever would get him down to the sea bed for the Israelites would get to inherit his kingdom. When Moses began to feel helpless, God appeared before him and asked him to lift his staff, asking him to stretch it over on the sea, causing it to part. God himself made a way for the people, and Moses asked them to have faith in the almighty. The Israelites believed in the Lord and started walking on the path shown by the Lord, but when the Pharaoh decided to pursue them, the sea engulfed him and his army.
How Did The Israelites Suffer Even After Their Liberation?
After the Israelites realized that they had been freed from the Pharaoh, Miriam started singing a victory song, gracing God. The people then went walking over the desert, continuously walking for three days without water or food. When Moses tried to reach out to God, there was no sign from him, and the people got afraid. Just when Moses thought that God had left him, he saw a dream about a voice at Mount Sinai asking him to show the people the way. When they said that they had to turn south to Midian, the people grumbled.
The very next morning, they found frost-like substances on the ground, and it was evident that God had not abandoned them. He had sent manna from heaven to help feed his people. The substance that was found on the ground was a flour-like substance that they used as a substitute for flour and turned into bread. The difficulties of the people had not yet come to an end as they faced the desert people (many people near the East weren’t Israelites and were enemies). The Amalekites attacked them and took children and women, but Moses kept praying to God, which eventually gave them the power to fight the Amalekites and win the battle. After the win, Moses decided to walk his people towards Mount Sinai. Upon reaching the place, he met Jethro, who advised him to choose his servants wisely.
Why Did Moses Go To Mount Sinai Again?
Moses again goes to Mount Sinai to talk to God and finds the top of the mountain covered with smoke. He requested that God speak to him, as he would be lost without him. God finally answered, saying that if he would listen to his commands, then the Israelites would form a holy nation together. Moses was up at the mountain for 40 days, and people were left with uncertainty as to whether he would return.
People asked Aaron to reclaim the position of leader, as they thought that Moses was gone. Being the high priest of Israel, he ordered to make a golden calf (a deity) for the people, as he was threatened by the uproar among them. Just as they carved the idol of a golden calf and were about to worship it, Moses came down from the mountain. The very sight of his people worshiping an idol broke his heart. He told them that he had toiled hard enough for them just to secure nothing. Out of anger, he threw two tablets containing inscriptions of the 10 commandments from God.
Moses lamented, saying that God had given him the greatest gift, which was his laws, but the people had not waited for him. Later, God appeared to Moses and told him that he could burn all his people, sparing his life, as they were not suitable to go and live in the promised land. Moses, however, managed to talk God out of his plan to destroy the Israelites, asking him to have mercy upon them.
What Were The Ten Commandments?
Moses told his people that God had sent them 10 commandments and wanted them to abide by them. He said that there should not be any engraved images; no God should be worshiped rather than the one and only divine being; they were not to take the name of the Lord in vain; they shouldn’t covet; they shouldn’t commit adultery; they shouldn’t remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy; they should honor their parents; they shouldn’t give false witnesses; and they shouldn’t covet anything that belongs to the neighbors.
Later, Moses’ mother appeared before him and said that she was proud of her son, who had led the Israelites out of the bonds of slavery and given them laws. She encouraged him to lead them to the promised land, just as he had been leading the people through the desert for 40 years. It was, however, ironic that the man who had led the people towards the promised land could never join them there and eventually died in Moab.
Final Thoughts
There are no prophets to date who are as great as Moses. He was said to have had direct contact with God. Even though there is no proven scientific evidence of the events, the fact that the Israelites were able to revolt against the Pharaoh is proof enough of the faith in their hearts. In my opinion, even though there are exaggerations to the story of Moses, I believe he was a true warrior with incredible courage who must have revolted against the tyrant to take the working-class people out of Egypt to form a new nation with them.
