Bible Study Week 4
Part 1
The Exodus
Israel in Egypt
Nearly four centuries passed after the Israelites came to Egypt in the days of Joseph. "And the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph" (Exodus 1:7-8). The new Pharaoh set harsh taskmasters over the Israelites and set them at hard labor in the fields and in constructing the cities and walls. But the more the Egyptians afflicted the Israelites (Hebrews), the more the Israelites multiplied and grew. God was preparing them for the great exodus from Egypt back to their promised land of Canaan. The deliverance of Israel from bondage illustrates God's plan of redemption for fallen humanity. First Corinthians 10:1-11 teaches that we can use the flight from Egypt as an example for us today.
Forty Years in Egypt
The Birth of Moses
Pharaoh became fearful that the Hebrews would rise up and overthrow the Egyptians, so he commanded the midwives to every newborn male Hebrew at the time of birth.
"But he midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive" (Exodus 1:17).
The Pharaoh commanded all his people to destroy the baby boys by throwing them into a river (Exodus 1:22). After Moses was born, he was hid three months by his parents, Jochebed and Amram. When they could no longer hide him in their home, his mother made an ark of bulrushes and waterproofed it with slime and pitch. She hid him each day in the reeds along the river. His sister, Miriam, watched the baby Moses from the shore.
One day while on her way to wash herself at the river, Pharaoh's daughter found the ark among the reeds. She had the ark brought to her, and when she opened it, Moses wept and Pharaoh's daughter had compassion on the small baby. She determined to take the child and bring him up in the palace. Miriam offered to contact a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for the daughter of Pharaoh. "And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and nursed it" (Exodus 2:9). The woman who was Jochebed, took the child to her home, nursed him, and received wages for nursing her own baby. "And the child grew, and she brought him {Moses] unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son" (Exodus 2:10). The same river that could have been the means of destruction of Moses became his salvation, just as Jesus becomes our Savior instead of our judge if we follow His plan of salvation for us.
At the crisis of the Civil War, a New York farmer was drafted into the army. His wife had died, leaving him as the sole supporter of a family of little children. He was wondering what to do, when a young man of the neighborhood who had no one depending upon him came to his house and offered to go in his place. For the sake of his children the farmer accepted his offer.
The generous friend marched off to war. In the first engagement he was shot and killed. The news filtered back to the New York farm. The man took his horses from the field and drove to the scene of battle. There he sought until he found the body of his friend. He carried him back to his home and laid him tenderly in a grave in the village churchyard. From the hills he hewed and cut upon these words, "He died for me."
Moses' Choice
When Moses was grown, he went out one day among his brethren and saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. He killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he saw two Hebrews fighting and attempted to separate them, One of them said, "Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killdest the Egyptian?" (Exodus 2:14) Because Moses had acted out of Gods will, his efforts to lead were rejected by the people. He was unprepared at this stage for the task he would later preform. (See also Hebrews 11:23-29)
>>> Moses ran away from his problems just as many people try to do today. How does running from problems usually work out?
Typically our problems follow us in life. It's usually best to begin by taking our problems to God. In Moses' case, God came looking for him.
Moses' Call
One day as Moses was tending sheep, he beheld a bush burning. Upon closer examination, he was amazed when he saw it was not consumed with the fire. God called him out of the midst of the bush, giving him his call for his life's work. God told Moses that He had heard the cries of the people and that He would use him to deliver them from bandage and lead them to their promised land.
God Proves Himself to Moses
Moses expressed doubts that he could do the job, so God had him cast down the rod he held in his hand. When he did so, the rod changed into a serpent. God had him pick it up by the tail, and it turned back into the rod. God then told Moses to put his hand into his bosom, Moses obeyed, and when he took his had out it was white with leprosy. Then Moses was told to thrust his hand back into his garment. When he removed his hand, this time it was healed. Thus he was shown that God could make him victorious over everything that would confront him. Likewise God's people today can totally trust in the Lord, Knowing that He will bring triumph over the devil, the world, and the flesh.
Moses the Deliverer
Moses before Pharaoh - Ten Plagues
Mases obeyed the Lord, returned to Egypt, went to Pharaoh, and told him that God had said, "Let my people go." Pharaoh desired to keep the Hebrews in bondage and rebelled against God's will. Disaster came to Egypt in the form of ten plagues from God. Significantly God used thee things the Egyptians worshiped - frogs, cattle, the sun, and the Nile River - To demonstrate His great power. After each of the first nine plagues, Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites go, but each instance, he later had a change of heart. His deceit set the stage for the most dreadful plague yet to come.
Passover--Deliverance by the Blood
The Lord told Moses to speak to the congregation and tell them to take a male lamb of the first year without blemish for each household. He instructed them to kill the lamb and eat it that night, along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They were to eat in haste with shoes on their feet, belts on their waist, and a staff in their hand, because it was time to leave Egypt. At midnight the Lord passed through the land of Egypt and killed the firstborn of every household that did not have blood upon the doorpost. When he saw blood on the doorpost, He passed by that house and the inhabitants inside were safe.
>>> How is the blood of the lamb in the first Passover similar to Jesus as our Passover Lamb?
Salvation in this age is dependent upon the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. "For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (I Corinthians 5:7). If the Lord did not find blood applied to the doorpost, instant death resulted. The blood of the innocent lamb is symbolic of the blood of the Lamb of God that delivers us from spiritual bondage.