13-lesson Bible study through Exodus.
Welcome to a new series of studies on Exodus! We recently studied the story of Ruth and Naomi. Naomi left Judah because of a famine and moved to Moab where her son married Ruth. The book of Exodus begins with a similar story. Jacob and his family move to Egypt because of a famine in their land, the land which God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. They moved because there was food in Egypt, and this food was the result of God blessing Joseph, Jacob's son. (See Genesis 41.) The questions are, "Why did they stay in Egypt?" After the famine was over, "Why not return to the land promised to them by God?" As we will see, staying turned out to be a terrible mistake that plunged generations into slavery. Let's dive into our study of Exodus and learn more!...
Moses has a second chance! We learned last week that God supernaturally placed him in the Egyptian royal family where he is the grandson to Pharaoh. God's plan seems obvious. Moses will eventually become Pharaoh and arrange the release of the Hebrews from slavery. But Moses sinned by killing an Egyptian, and suddenly God's obvious plan blew up. Let's dive into our study of Exodus and find out what God has in mind for an alternative plan!...
Put yourself in Moses' place. You are demanding that the most powerful man in Egypt give you an asset that is central to his national economy. If you are not expecting a lot of resistance, you have no common sense. Recently, I was told that anyone who is faithful to God should expect trouble because Satan will target you. Maybe. My observation, supported by the Moses' story, is that most of our troubles result from our own bad decisions. We want to blame Satan instead of admitting our mistakes. Satan can resist God, but this story is about how one of the most powerful nations in the world was no match for our God. Let's plunge into our study of the Bible and begin the story about what happens to those who think they are superior to our God!...
This week I trimmed a door and then painted it - poorly. I'm such a terrible house painter that when my family gets together tales of my past wall painting adventures are recited for amusement. Am I insulted? No. If part of the family tradition was stories about my terrible teaching, that would be painful. Some criticism matters. We previously discussed Exodus 5:2 where Pharaoh said he did not know the God of Israel, and he had no reason to obey Him. We will learn this week that the plagues on Egypt were not simply punishment for disobedience, they belittled the gods that Pharaoh knew and presumably feared. Let's plunge into our study of the Bible and learn more!...
Have you heard Christians who say that they only study the New Testament? For those who think the New Testament stands on its own, our study this week demolishes that view. What we study this week is the historic and prophetic platform on which our salvation by grace alone rests. This week creates the practice that looks forward to Jesus' crucifixion and the defeat of sin and Satan. Let's turn our study to this amazing series of chapters in Exodus!...
What a change! Pharaoh is now throwing the Hebrews out of Egypt, and ordinary Egyptians are paying them to leave. Do you recall when you took a new job, or moved to a new town? Your life took a new direction. But you also faced new challenges. Assume that new direction is going from being a slave to a free person living in a fabulous place! You are now on a journey to your next home. Let's plunge into our study of the Bible and learn about the challenges and opportunities for the Hebrews in this new life!...
How do you feel when you are hungry or thirsty? What if getting a drink or food was not something you could easily do? The problem for most people, even poor people in the United States, is that we are "over secure" when it comes to food. For most of us the problem is having the will power to eat less. We die from eating too much, not from eating too little. While we might have a problem getting into the minds of the Hebrews for our study this week, let's do our best as we turn to our study of Exodus....
Think about the Lord's Prayer. What is the first point of the prayer? It is to give glory to God. What is the next point? It is that God should return soon, but in the meantime His will should be done on earth as it is in heaven. Is this a pattern of the exodus from Egypt so far? God's great glory is shown over the Egyptians. Then the people travel to Mount Sinai to learn about God's will and how it should be done on earth. Let's dive in and learn about the will of God for His people!...
Regent University School of Law, where I teach, has an introductory course called "Foundations of the Law." What amazes many students is that much of the American legal system finds its foundation in God's law, especially the rules given by God through Moses. Have you heard someone say, "You cannot legislate morality?" What should be meant by that is you cannot change a person's heart by outside pressure. The Biblically illiterate might understand that to mean that the law should not reflect moral principles. Almost all law reflects moral principles, the question is whose morality? Let's dive into our study of God's morality and how it affects our laws. We will only look at some of the laws God gave through Moses....
Do you have any new routines in your life? How many times do you need to be told about a new procedure before you are comfortable with it? God's initial conversations with Moses lead us to conclude that the Hebrews did not know God at all. Or at least did not distinguish between Him and other gods. Once God embarks on setting His people free to go to the land He promised Abraham, God repeatedly shows His power. This week we see a new and much more subtle lesson that God is teaching. That lesson, right in the midst of giving the Ten Commandments, is a combination of righteousness by faith alone, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the centrality of the Sabbath. Let's dive in and learn more!...
How should the church deal with members who actively rebel against God? Why do you think they rebel? If you have fallen away from God in the past, you may be more sympathetic to those who fall. If you are one whose life has generally followed God's rules, then you may have trouble sympathizing with those who make incomprehensible decisions to rebel. Our study this week is about what seems to be an outrageous rebellion against God and Moses. Let's dive into our study and see what we can learn as church leaders and church members about why rebellion exists and how we should respond to those in serious rebellion against God!...
If I asked you to "describe God's glory," how would you answer? Would you recite what God did to the Egyptians? How God bent nature to support His people on their desert journey? How God gave His people a better way of living? Would it occur to you to answer that the glory of God is that He decides to save some and not others? Let's plunge into our study of Exodus to see how God answers that question!...
How important are the requirements and lessons found in Exodus for those of us living today? Yes, we are saved by grace alone. But are we fools or enemies of God if our goal is anything other than doing His will? As we look at what God commands His people in our study of Exodus this week, we find that some of Christianity is doing or advocating just the opposite. Let's plunge into our study of Exodus and learn more!...
