The Revelation of God

The Revelation of God

Lesson 2

Lesson Text—Exodus 3:7-8 Exodus 3:7-8 7And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

Lesson Text—Exodus 3:7-8 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Lesson Text—Exodus 3:9 Exodus 3:9 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

Lesson Text—Exodus 20:1-4 Exodus 20:1-4 1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Lesson Text—Exodus 20:1-4 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Lesson Text—Exodus 20:5 Exodus 20:5 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.

Focus Verse—Exodus 3:8 Exodus 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Focus Thought After the burning bush experience, God revealed Himself to Moses as deliverer.

Culture Connection A Two-Month Wait I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance Anyone who has ever waited for deliverance can certainly relate to American Renee Douceur. This brave lady has spent three stints as the winter site manager at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Research Station. As one might imagine, living conditions are beyond harsh in this most inhospitable climate in the dead of winter.

And so, when on August 27, 2011, Douceur began to exhibit symptoms of a stroke, the medical staff there recommended immediate evacuation. The horrific winter weather conditions, however, made this impossible, and her only hope was to be vested in the return of regular air service once the winter season’s conditions abated. Finally on Monday, October 17, over seven weeks after her need for care arose, a C-17 cargo plane was able to lift her from the continent of Antarctica to waiting medical personnel in Christchurch, New Zealand. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

What an amazing irony that this lady found her hope of deliverance fulfilled in Christchurch, and those who call on the name of the Lord find theirs in Christ’s church! Certainly His answers are not determined by our timing, but by His. There may be a season of waiting for the spiritual weather to clear so that we, as she did, may look up to see our deliverance approaching! Still, the words of Scripture give us comfort as they must have for Douceur on that day. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

Contemplating the Topic I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance The situation was impossible, or at least it seemed so. How could a slave population, unorganized, untrained, and unarmed possibly break away from the oppression of the most powerful nation on earth? It seemed Israel, after 430 years in Egypt, was so entrenched it could never get out. And now their plight had sunk to an all-time low. Along with their daily quota of bricks they had to scour the countryside for straw to mix with the clay.

When they fell behind, they suffered under the whips and rods of Egyptian taskmasters. The slaves’ desperate cries for deliverance must have seemed fruitless. The days and years stretched endlessly, filled with the Egyptians’ undisguised contempt and unmitigated cruelty. “And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour” (Exodus 1:14). I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

The future? There seemed to be no future. They had nothing to hope for and no prospect of anything getting better. The days had long since disappeared when they had basked in the reflected light of Joseph’s favor with the Pharaoh. After Joseph’s death the seventy souls that entered the land with Jacob had multiplied to several million, and the Egyptians feared such a large Hebrew population could easily revolt and overwhelm them by brute force. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance Pharaoh’s solution was to order that all newborn Hebrew baby boys be drowned in the Nile River. Grief stricken, the slaves watched helplessly as their screaming babies sank beneath the surface of the river. Where was Jehovah in all this suffering? Had He forgotten His covenant promises to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob?

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance Neither the Hebrews nor the Egyptians knew that imminent events would swipe Egypt’s powerful presence off the world’s stage to reveal the unprecedented and unrivalled power of Jehovah. As Lawrence O. Richards states in The Word Bible Handbook regarding the Exodus, “God [stepped] out of obscurity into revelation’s light.”

Searching the Scriptures Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance A. The Call The Call The Almighty saw tremendous potential in Moses that no one else saw, not even the man himself. God saw meekness, underlaid with a bedrock determination and character, and a great potential for leadership.

He saw that although Moses had lived in exile in Midian for forty years, his heart was in Egypt with the people of his birth. Long ago he had chosen to identify totally with the people of God. (See Hebrews 11:24-25.) In search of pasturage for his flocks, Moses came to a rugged, lonely place near Mount Horeb on the backside of a desert. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

There he encountered the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who said, “I have heard the cries of My people and will deliver them out of Egypt and bring them into the land of promise. I have chosen you as the instrument of deliverance.” The startled man stuttered a string of excuses, but God toppled Moses’ objections one by one. Moses put forth his strongest argument last: “You know I’m not eloquent; words have never come easily to me. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

I won’t be able to persuade my own people to following me, much less prevail upon Pharaoh to free his slaves.” God said, “I will give you words to say.” But Moses was not convinced. He had always dreaded standing in front of an audience and trembled to imagine himself a solitary figure facing a threatening wave of hostile looks. “No, please send someone else. Or at least find a spokesman for me.” I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance Exasperated, God said, “Aaron is coming to meet you. He can speak well and will help you. But do not forget My promise; I will give you the words to say.”

Moses as Messenger and Prophet B. Moses as Messenger and Prophet In Egypt Moses told the Hebrews the I AM had sent him to break Pharaoh’s grip and set them free. But their anguish smothered all hope. True to His word, over the course of a year God broke the back of the mightiest empire on Earth. He destroyed Egypt’s water sources, crops, animals, military, and finally her firstborn.

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance Plagues and pestilence humbled Pharaoh, persuaded the Israelites to believe, and transformed Moses into a powerful, confident leader. On the first Passover, Moses led the people out of Egypt. His messages and God’s mighty acts revealed Jehovah as deliverer in a way the world had never before seen or heard. As a deliverer, Moses prefigured Christ.

For example, during infancy they both were preserved from peril, both fasted and were tempted, both fed a multitude and were transformed (Exodus 16:26; Matthew 14:20-21). They endured murmurings and were discredited by their own kindred, spoke the words of God, and most important, delivered their people. God spoke to Moses as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). In spite of his initial protestations Moses became a great orator, leader, lawgiver, and historian. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

The Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write an account of God’s mighty acts. Besides the historical narratives, Moses’ writings reveal the dawn of Creation. They tell the world about the Tabernacle, sacrifices, and priesthood, all of which prefigured Christ. The books of Moses are the instrument that has for centuries governed the lives of Judaism and ultimately the Judeo-Christian world. Today believers can read the inspired narratives and learn about the divine Deliverer. The events in the lives of the Hebrews have become our examples. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

God’s Actions II. God’s Actions Our hearts rejoice when we know the Lord as Deliverer and Redeemer. He is our mighty fortress and deliverer (Psalm 18:2), our high tower (Psalm 144:2). Hannah prayed, “There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God” (I Samuel 2:2). After their deliverance Moses and the people of Israel rejoiced on the eastern shores of the Red Sea:

“Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). The books of Moses reveal the one true God. In Genesis we see Him as the active Creator, bringing all life into existence and maintaining that life through personal care and provision. In Genesis, Moses wrote of God’s covenant promises to the patriarchs of the future glory their descendents would enjoy. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

In Exodus we see Jehovah more clearly through the revelation of His name to Moses, through the deliverance and founding of a nation with a law code, and through the symbolism of the Tabernacle and the Levitical priesthood. At the top of Mount Horeb God told Moses, “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Again at the consecration of the priests God said, “I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 29:45-46). Never before had the Almighty manifested Himself so remarkably and intimately to a people.

One Who Sees A. One Who Sees Jehovah told Moses, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt” (Exodus 3:7). Not only had He seen their grief, but He identified with their suffering. Zechariah wrote, “He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8), which simply means anyone who injures His people injures what is most precious to the Lord.

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance God is deeply moved by the distress He sees in people’s lives. His view is unclouded by prejudice or favoritism. Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee in a boat while the crowds followed along on the shore, eager to see and hear more of Him. When Jesus saw the people, He “was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34).

Hebrews 4:15 in the New King James Version says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are.” The word sympathize means “to suffer with” and expresses the feeling of one who has entered into the suffering of another. When it comes to the Lord’s children, seeing their distress is the same to Him as feeling it. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

One Who Hears B. One Who Hears God not only sees, but He also hears those who call out to Him in their distress. He told Moses He had heard His people’s cry to be rescued from their slavery. The Deliverer not only sees the suffering of His children and empathizes, but His ear is also attuned to their cries. As a fugitive from her jealous mistress Sarai, Hagar fled into the wilderness where an angel of the Lord met her and said, “The Lord hath heard thy affliction” (Genesis 16:11).

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance He promised she would bear a son whose name would be called Ishmael, which means “God hears.” Years later when she thought her son would die of thirst in the desert heat, she could not bear to watch and moved a distance away as he wept. God heard the lad weeping, and sent an angel to Hagar: “Fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad” (Genesis 21:17). She opened her eyes to see a well of water.

We should never forget those special places in our lives where God has heard our prayers. Those places should become memorials and be cherished as places of personal encounter with the One who sees and hears and delivers. The memorials mark turning points, even as Bethel was in the life of Jacob and the Valley of Elah was in the life of David. They are experiences that change us forever. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

For example, a believer cannot forget where and when he first repented and felt the Lord touch his heart. He remembers the service where he committed his all to the Lord and received the Holy Ghost. Perhaps the memorial involved prayer for a sick child whom God healed or it may be that God heard a request for a better-paying job in a time of great financial need. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance Israel memorialized her deliverance from Egypt by celebrating the Passover, the most important of all their sacred feasts. The first Passover was a dramatic turning point, a major miracle in the history of Israel. “It [was] a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt,” a night “to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations” (Exodus 12:42).

One Who Cares C. One Who Cares With the message to Pharaoh, “Let my people go” (Exodus 7:16), Jehovah claimed Israel as His own. Sixteen times in the Book of Exodus the Lord referred to the Hebrew nation as His people. They were His “peculiar” (special) treasure (Exodus 19:5). (See also Deuteronomy 7:6; Psalm 135:4; Malachi 3:17.)

Today that same tender care and ownership has been extended to the Gentiles (Romans 9:24-25). Now believers of every race are called God’s people, “the children of the living God” (Romans 9:26). At one time we “were not a people” (I Peter 2:10); that is, we were not the people of God and knew nothing of His mercy. But that has all changed. Christians have become “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” (I Peter 2:9). I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

We, like the Israelites of old, belong to God, and He cherishes and protects His own. How deeply our God cares! Hebrews 13:5 assures believers God will never leave them or forsake them. When we face hardship, sickness, financial difficulty, family trouble, bereavement, or loneliness, He is there. The Lord has our interest at heart, even the miniscule issues. Jesus taught, “Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7). I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

If He cares for such small things, certainly God will involve Himself in the major issues of our lives. During the early stages of World War II as the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, some people approached the Dutch theologian Henry Cramer and expressed their concern that their Jewish neighbors had vanished, never to be seen again. They feared foul play. “What should we do?” the people asked. Cramer replied, “I cannot tell you what to do. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

I can tell you who you are. If you know who you are then you will know what to do.” The inquirers later joined the Dutch Resistance movement. Do we know who we are? If we have been born of the water and the Spirit according to John 3:5 and Acts 2:38, we are children of the King. We are members of a royal family. Romans 8:17 teaches that if we suffer with Christ we also will reign as joint-heirs with Him. I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

No matter what we may face or how difficult our trials may become, knowing God is committed to us brings comfort and assurance. After experiencing a time of great despondency in 1901, Frank Graeff felt inspired by I Peter 5:7 to write the following lyrics: I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

Frank Graeff Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth or song, As the burdens press, and the cares distress And the way grows weary and long? O yes, He cares—I know He cares. His heart is touched with my grief. When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares! —Frank Graeff

One Who Delivers D. One Who Delivers The dreadful news spread from house to house, from street to street. Mothers suffered inconsolable grief; fathers’ hearts were crushed. Death stole into every unprotected home from the poorest hovel to the finest palace to snatch the breath of life from the firstborn. In the stables and pastures beautiful young colts and oxen, donkeys and lambs lay lifeless. With this final, fatal stroke God brought the entire Egyptian nation to its knees.

“And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle” (Exodus 12:29). A terrible, heartrending cry resounded throughout the land. Before morning Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said, “Away with you from among my people, both you and the Israelites; go and worship the Eternal, as you have asked” (Exodus 12:31, The Moffatt Translation of the Bible). I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

God wrested His people from Egypt with a strong hand (Exodus 13:9). Their years of weakness and toil and suffering had been a prelude to an awesome act of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah declared of Him, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1). Jeremiah exclaimed, “Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee” (Jeremiah 32:17). I. Moses, the Instrument of God’s Deliverance

The Revelation of God