C.R.E Revsion Kit Chapter 5 and 6
The Sinai Covenant
State the importance of the Exodus. It marked the end of the Israelites‟ suffering/oppression and afflictions.
It marked the choosing of the Israelites by God as a special nation.
It fulfilled the promises God had made to Abraham.
It proved that God was more supreme than other gods.
It furthered the Israelites‟ and mankind‟s salvation.
It identified Moses as God‟s chosen leader. It united the people of Israel as a nation. It made them understand the nature or attribute of God.
The Israelites received the Ten Commandments, which guided them in their relationships.
It taught the Israelites that human obedience to /God was mandatory.
Describe how God entered into a covenant with the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai.
God summoned Moses to Mount Sinai. He enquired if the people of Israel were
willing to obey him.
If they accepted, then God would make them his people, a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. The Israelites accepted this.
Thereafter, Moses instructed the Israelites to:
a) Make themselves holy by washing their garments. b) Abstain from sexual relationship.
c) Mark the boundaries on the foot of the mountain to prevent any person or animal
going up the mountain.
Moses led the Israelites to meet Yahweh at the foot of the mountain. On the third day, Moses ascended the mountain.
God manifested his presence in the form of thunder, lightning, earthquake and a thick cloud. There was also a loud trumpet blast.
Moses received the Decalogue/ten commandments on behalf of the Israelites.
Moses descended the mountain and briefed the people about the laws and the
ordinances.
He built an altar at the foot of the mountain, on which he placed twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
He sent young men to offer burnt and peace offerings to /God.
He took half of the oxen blood, sprinkled it on the altar and the other half sprinkled it over the people, thus sealing the covenant.
He took the book of the covenant in which the divine laws had been written down by him and read it in the hearing of all people, whereby they accepted to follow and abide by the content of the covenant.
How was the Sinai covenant defiled/broken?
After the sealing of the covenant, Moses went back to the mountain to receive the written Ten Commandments.
Aaron and Her had been left in charge of the Israelites.
Moses spent forty days on the mountain, which rendered people impatient.
They mounted pressure upon Aaron to make them a tangible and visible god to be worshipped.
From the jewelry the possessed, Aaron molded a golden bull to be their physical god.
God revealed to Moses that the Israelites had become religiously irreligious.
God intended to destroy the whole Israelite generation, but Moses interceded
and the gracious God changed his intension. Carrying the stone tablets, Moses descended the mountain.
To his utter surprise, Moses found the Israelites dancing and singing in a boisterous and jubilant manner. In the same line, they practiced sex as they worshipped the god.
Moses was filled with anger, so much so that he threw the stones down, breaking them.
He burnt and ground the golden calf into powder, mixed it with water and gave it to the Israelites to drink.
The loyal Israelites, especially the Levites, were told to slay the wayward believers by the sword.
Describe the renewal of the Sinai covenant. Renewal of the covenant was preceded by Moses‟ plea to God.
Out of mercy and grace, God promised not to destroy the Israelites.
God instructed Moses to cut two stone tablets and to take them with him to the
mountain.
He was to write the laws on the stone tablets once more.
God then assured Moses of the renewal of the covenant. God gave the Israelites the
following obligations:
a) To obey what God commands them;
b) Not to make any treaty with those who live in the land where they were going;
c) Not to worship any other god;
d) To break down the altars, sacred stones and false gods;
e) Not to make cast idols;
f) To keep the feast of unleavened bread;
g) To rest on the seventh day;
h) To dedicate all their firstborn male children and firstborn male domestic animals to God;
i) To offer to god the first fruits of their crops.
After the commands, God promised the Israelites to:
j) Protect and preserve them;
k) Bless them;
l) Make them prosper i.e.
God asked Moses to write these words in anew set of stone
tablets. This showed that the covenant had been renewed.
How did the Israelites worship God in the wilderness?
They built altars for worship.
They honoured the Sabbath and kept it holy. They were led in worship by religious leaders, including Moses, Aaron and
priests.
They accepted and obeyed the Ten Commandments. They offered sacrifices and offerings to God.
They adored the ark and the Tabernacle, which stored the tablets containing
the commandments.
They worshipped God in songs and praises.
They marked the feasts like the Passover, Pentecost and the tabernacle.
They worshipped through prayer.
They disregarded the wayward worshippers.
Name examples of sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness.
Burnt offerings/Holocaust;
Grain offerings;
Communion offerings/peace/fellowship offerings;
Sin offerings/atonement;
Incense offerings;
Purification offerings;
Meal/drink offerings.
List the Ten Commandments given to Moses/Israelites.
You shall worship no god but God;
You shall not make for yourselves images of anything in heaven or earth or in the
water under the earth.
You should not use God‟s name for evil purposes.
Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. Respect your father and your mother so that you may live a long time.
Do not commit murder.
Do not steal.
Do not accuse anyone falsely.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not desire your neighbour‟s property.
List the problems that Moses/the Israelites faced in the wilderness.
Lack of water for the Israelites.
Lack of food for the Israelites.
They were weary out of the long tedious journey.
Hostility from the desert natives.
Attack by diseases.
Hostile climates.
Attack by desert insects/other creatures. The Israelites lacked total belief in God.
Bites from poisonous snakes. Threats/pursuit from the Egyptian army. Internal conflicts.
Why did God deliver the Israelites from the Egyptian bondage?
God was fulfilling the promise he bestowed upon Abraham.
The Israelites were God‟s chosen people and race.
God wanted them to inherit the Promised Land: Canaan.
God wanted to strengthen their faith in him as the God of their ancestors.
God had heard of their predicament, thus coming to their rescue.
State the characteristics of God as revealedto Moses during the renewal of the Sinai
covenant.
God is compassionate/merciful. God is gracious.
God is slow to anger.
God is loving/kind/intimate.
God is faithful and fulfills his promises. God is just/fair.
God is powerful/omnipotent/almighty.
God is holy. God is jealous.
Leadership in Gods plan: David and Solomon
What was the role of the judges in Israel?
Judges led the Israelites in war against their foes.
Some of the judges had prophetic functions. Judges like Samuel settled disputes among the Israelites.
They served as religious leaders, thus led the Israelites in worship.
State the duties of Samuel as a prophet of God
Samuel anointed the first two Kings of Israel i.e. Saul of Kish and David of Jesse.
As a prophet, he offered sacrifice to God.
He reminded the people to lead the covenant way of life.
He played an intermediary role between God and the Israelites.
He served as a judge.
He abhorred all forms of injustice.
He reprimanded Saul for his mistakes.
He condemned idolatry, thus reinforcing on monotheism.
He foretold God‟s plan for the future.
Outline the duties of Samuel as a Judge of Israel.
He led the Israelites into war against their foes.
He settled disputes among the warring people of Israel.
He served as a prophet, thus mediating between God and the Israelites.
He was a religious leader.
Why did the Israelites demand for a King?
Samuel the judge was aged and had become frail.
The two sons of Samuel had failed as judges due to corruption.
The Israelites wanted a King because other nations had Kings.
They wanted a King who could lead them to war against enemies.
They wanted a physical leader whom they could see and approach when in hardship.
They wanted a King who could stabilize them politically.
The sons of Samuel did not have the leadership qualities of their father.
Samuel had imposed his sons as judges.
What were the shortcomings of a King in Israel?
The Israelites would be rejecting God as their unseen King.
Their sons would be recruited forcefully into the army.
They would be led into forced labour.
The people would be enslaved.
The King would grab the people‟s land and property.
There would be overtaxation.
They would lose their identity as a covenant people.
The King would force their daughters to work in the royal houses.
Hereditary Kingship would lead to oppression
Click here to post comments
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Jobs in Kenya.
