Lost In Translation: Exodus 20-40
A guide to understanding the most difficult passages of Exodus 20-40.
Video transcript of Lost in Translation: Exodus 1-19, created by Church of the City:
Welcome back to Lost in Translation!
Last time, we made our way through some of the most challenging parts of Exodus by looking at how they connect to God’s covenant partnership with Israel and God’s name or reputation. Today, we’ll continue our journey through Exodus, still relying on those same ideas of covenant and name to guide us when we get lost.
Let’s start with the Law.
The Law (Exodus 20-)
We have a lot for questions about the Law — like What is it and do I have to follow it? Well, let’s start with why we even call it “The Law.”
The first five books of the Bible are known as the Torah in Judaism, which is often translated as “The Law." But that translation can be problematic for English speakers because it makes us think of rules. And the Torah is so much more than that!
While these books do include a lot of laws—over 600 of them—they’re primarily telling a story. It’s the story of how God is forming a community that loves Him and loves others. The laws are woven throughout that story to guide people in becoming that kind of community.
Also, "Law" doesn’t fully reflect the Hebrew word Torah. Its root means “to throw” or “to shoot an arrow.” God is pointing His people in the right direction—toward loving Him and loving others. That’s why some teachers prefer words like “instruction,” “guidance,” or “path” when talking about the Torah.
It’s fine to call it “the Law,” though. But remember that it’s more than just rules. It’s God showing His people how to live in relationship with Him and with each other.
Now, let’s connect the Law back to the ideas of covenant and God’s name from our last episode. In the Ancient Near East, covenants usually came with terms and conditions, and that’s what we see in Exodus. God gives Israel a chunk of Law as the terms of their covenant partnership. If they follow this Law, Israel will be like no other nation — holy — set apart to embody God’s unique character and represent His name to the nations.
The Law in Exodus is often grouped into three categories:
Moral laws, like the Ten Commandments, reveal how God designed humans to live. They reflect God’s ideal for all people, everywhere, in every time and place. Commands like “Do not murder” and “Do not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:13, 16) aren’t just about ethical behavior—they call those in covenant with God to be holy, set apart, and uniquely reflect His character to the world.
Ceremonial laws guided Israel’s worship and rituals, showing them how to approach a holy God. These laws, like instructions for building the tabernacle (Exodus 25-31) or offering sacrifices, were specific to Israel’s time and place. Following these laws wasn’t just about worship—it was about being holy, set apart, and reflecting God’s character to the nations.
Civil laws governed Israel as a nation, addressing practical matters like property disputes and conflict resolution. For example, laws about what to do if an ox falls into a neighbor’s pit. The Civil laws were meant for Israel, a theocratic tribal federation. Obeying these laws wasn’t just about proper governance—it was about being holy, set apart, and representing God’s justice and compassion to the world.
So, why don’t Christians follow all the laws in Exodus? The Law’s purpose was to shape a people who represent God in the world by loving Him and loving others. Jesus accomplished this purpose. In Matthew 5:17, He said He came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it. The ceremonial and civil laws, specific to Israel’s historical context, are no longer binding. But the moral principles behind the Law remain timeless, calling all God’s people to love God and neighbor, just as Jesus taught and modeled.
The Law in Exodus reveals God’s character—His justice, compassion, and holiness—and His desire for His people to reflect these qualities to the world. Jesus perfectly did this and, through His Spirit, transforms people of all nations into a global community that loves God, loves others, embodies His character, and carries His name well in the world.
Instructions for the Tabernacle (Exodus 25-30)
Now, let’s talk about another part of the Law—another set of instructions—that were only for Moses to follow: All those instructions for building the tabernacle.
Sometimes we get lost in the complexity of the Bible. Other times we’re turned around because we’re disturbed or shocked by what we’re reading. But other times? We’re bored out of our minds with what we’re reading. Am I only one who zoned out trying to get through Exodus 25-31? Be honest.
Those detailed building plans for the tabernacle are not riveting but they are packed with meaning and are really essential to the story of Exodus. The tabernacle is not just a fancy tent.
It’s a portable Garden of Eden.
The materials and furnishings are designed to remind us of Eden. Gold, everywhere in the inner sanctuaries, symbolizes purity and God’s presence. The Ark of the Covenant, overlaid with gold and topped with cherubim, is like God’s throne—the place where His presence touches down on earth. The menorah, this giant lampstand shaped like a tree with branches and blossoms, is like the tree of life in Eden. Every inch of the tabernacle is a visual theology lesson, pointing to God’s holiness, His presence, and His plan to be reunited with humanity on earth again. Even the seven speeches God gives Moses about the tabernacle echo the seven days of creation, framing the tabernacle as a kind of new creation.
These chapters aren’t just building plans — they’re rebuilding plans. God longs to live with His people on earth again. This is the next phase of God’s covenant partnership with humans—to join them here. The story of the tabernacle ends with God’s glory filling the space. God moves and will travel with Israel through the wilderness.
The Golden Calf Incident (Exodus 32)
Some scholars compare God’s covenant with Israel to a marriage. The giving of the Law at Mount Sinai isn’t just like a peace treaty between a suzerain and a vassal—it’s also like a wedding ceremony, uniting bride and groom. That adds another layer of drama to what happens in Exodus 32.
Here’s the scene: Moses is on Mount Sinai, receiving the covenant terms and the tabernacle blueprints from God. He’s been gone for 40 days—a period often symbolizing testing or preparation in the Bible. And a test is certainly coming.
Down below, the Israelites are panicking. They’ve just been rescued from Egypt, a culture full of idol worship, and in their fear—maybe thinking Moses had died up on that mountain—they ask Aaron to make a physical image of God to lead them.
Aaron gives in and organizes the construction of a golden calf. In the ancient Near East, a golden calf was associated with strength and fertility and was sometimes seen as a pedestal for a deity. Scholars generally agree that the Israelites weren’t trying to replace Yahweh but were attempting to represent Him with this image—a direct violation of God’s command against making images of God in Exodus 20:4. Some think they may have been worshiping another deity from Egypt or Canaan instead.
Regardless, when Moses comes down from the mountain and sees the people celebrating around the calf, he smashes the stone tablets—symbolizing that Israel’s covenant partnership with God has been broken. Then, he calls for those loyal to Yahweh to step forward, and the Levites do. Moses commands them to execute those persisting in their rebellion. About 3,000 were killed.
There’s some debate about who stepped forward and who was executed. And that’s important. The minority view is that Moses called only those who had never worshiped the calf to step forward and then ordered the execution of everyone who had worshiped it. But the majority of scholars believe Moses called for those willing to stop worshiping the idol and turn back to God to step forward. They also believe the executions only targeted those who remained unrepentant—likely still worshiping the calf even while Moses was speaking!
Why such harsh consequences? A small number of scholars think this was a loyalty test for the Levites—a way to prove they could prioritize God above all else, a necessary quality for their future role as priests. Others say the executions were a deterrent against future idolatry, though this clearly didn’t work. Israel will worship idols throughout the Old Testament.
The majority view, however, is that the executions were about purifying Israel. Those refusing to stop worshiping the calf posed an ongoing threat to Israel’s covenant partnership with God. You see, idolatry is like infidelity in a marriage—it has to stop for the relationship to move forward.
But this isn’t just a story about judgment—it’s also a story about mercy. Despite Israel’s rebellion, God renews the covenant with her in Exodus 34. Aaron, who oversaw the building of the calf, is forgiven and gets to continue serving as high priest. This story highlights both the seriousness of idolatry and God’s deep desire to forgive and restore the relationship with His people when they turn back to Him.
This tension between judgment and mercy runs throughout the Bible: God who is holy and just but also “abounding in love and faithfulness…forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7).
Punishing Children for the Sin of Parents (Exodus 34:6-7)
That’s what Exodus 34:6-7 tells us. And that’s the last passage from Exodus we’ll take a look at today.
These verses are quoted again and again throughout the Old Testament — more than twenty times — more than any others. They’re the words of God describing the character of God.
In Exodus 34:6-7 God says: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
These verses raise some tough questions: Is God punishing innocent children for their parents’ sins? Or does He somehow curse future generations to repeat those sins?
A small number of scholars think so—that this passage is about God actively punishing or cursing future generations. But the vast majority of scholars disagree. They see this as describing the ripple effects of sin—how one generation’s choices can profoundly shape the lives of the next, especially in tightly-knit Ancient Near Eastern communities.
From what I understand today, the majority view makes the most sense. Here’s why.
First, other parts of Scripture clearly state that individuals are accountable for their own actions. Ezekiel 18:19-20 says, “The one who sins is the one who will die. A child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child.” Deuteronomy 24:16 makes the same point: “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children for their parents; each will die for their own sin.” Whatever Exodus 34:6-7 means, it can’t contradict what is clearly stated in these passages.
Second, the Hebrew word paqad is translated as “punishes” here. That word is used 381 times in the Old Testament — that gives us a lot of examples to learn from. When we look at how this word is used in other passages we see that its primary meaning is “to carefully inspect, to observe closely.” It usually conveys serious concern, not punishment.
For example, Exodus 3:16 says, “‘The LORD, the God of your fathers...has watched over (pāqad) you and has seen what is being done to you in Egypt.’” God has seen his people enslaved and is concerned, not punishing. Or Genesis 21:1 says, "The LORD visited (pāqad) Sarah as He had said he would, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.” He visited Sarah to give her a child, not a punishment.
So, because of what paqad usually means, most scholars believe God is seeing the ripple effect of sin on future generations and is troubled by the impact it has on families and communities.
Finally, these words come right after the golden calf incident, where only those who persisted in idol worship were punished. Those who repented were spared, and God renewed His covenant with them. In that story, God confronted sin but extended mercy to those who changed course.
When God says the sins of parents affect the third and fourth generation, it’s likely a warning about the destructive power of sin. But God’s loyal love extends to thousands of generations. Mercy, not judgment, is God’s dominant attribute in this passage.
God is just and committed to confronting evil but also loving and always working toward restoration—breaking cycles of sin and forming a people who reflect His character to the world.
Recap
So, that’s it for Exodus. We’ve covered a lot of ground. We’ve seen how, when we find ourselves lost or turned around in this book, two key ideas can help us find our way: God’s covenant with Israel and the importance of God’s name and reputation. These aren’t just helpful for getting our bearings in Exodus—they’re foundational for understanding the whole story of Israel in the Old Testament.
Thanks for watching. We’ll see you next time!
