Women in the Word

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12/31/2014 2:45 pm  #1


Exodus Overview

Introduction
Exodus is a continuation from Genesis.  As Genesis closes, we see Joseph once again showing his confidence in God.
 
Genesis 50:24
And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."

 
But God…Joseph was dying and had not realized God’s ultimate plan.  He knew that he was in a situation where he would not see Israel restored, but God was acting to fulfill His will and His promises.  Joseph knew that regardless of what he saw around him, God was acting.  We experience circumstances and trials, but God is faithful.  In Hebrews 11:22 Joseph was commended for his faith.  Yet it will be another 350 years until the exodus.
 
During the 350 years, the people who had directly received theses promises had long since died.  It seems as if God may have been silent during this time.  The people seem not to have remember or been focused on God’s promise to return them to the land.  Perhaps the promises were not just stories told by great-grand parents. 

Life Application
Here are some tips to help you gain greater insight into Exodus and apply it to your life.
 
When you read a chapter, look at how the Israelites respond and act. 
Fearful, trusting, faithful, unbelieving, righteous, wicked, selfish, materialistic?  How do they respond?  Try to identify what responses you are seeing. Then consider the following three themes.
 
I. Contrast the faith of Joseph to the faith of the Israelites.
What similar circumstances did Joseph face and how did he respond?
What is the difference and root motivation or heart attitude in the responses?
 
II. Examine Your Faith
It is easy to judge Israel, but look for parallels in your own life when you have been both faithful and unfaithful.
 
1) How are you like or not like the Israelites? 
2) Do we struggle in our faith?
3) Is it hard for us to believe God is at work during long periods of silent waiting?
4) What were the consequences of Israel’s good and bad behavior?
5) What have been the consequences of your good and bad behavior? 
6) How did God show grace and mercy to Israel?
7) How has God shown you grace and mercy in spite of your behavior?
 
Look for patterns or principles in the people’s actions and God’s response.  In the midst of the people’s unfaithfulness and God’s anger, there is always a thread of mercy and a way of atonement (making amends to cover the sin and to reconcile the relationship).
 
Do you see these patterns in your life?
 
III. Passing on Our Faith
How do we keep the passion alive in our children’s children and maintain a culture of faith in our families? 
How do we ensure that our children know that God is real and how he has been faithful in His promises to us?
 

 

1/03/2015 5:22 pm  #2


Re: Exodus Overview

Chapter 1
Going Deeper
Israel was positioned in a strategically sensitive place for Egypt’s defense. And as they multiplied, they Egyptians felt threatened by them. They had a very different culture and since the death of Joseph and the former Egyptian leaders, there was no longer a strong relationship between the two people groups.

In the 350 from Joseph’s death until the Exodus, why did they not try to return?
Had they forgotten the promise? Did they not believe the promise?

1) Did they not want to return because they preferred it in fertile Egypt? Perhaps they so enjoyed their lives in Egypt prior to slavery that they had no desire to return.  Then when the Egyptians enslaved them, it was too late to leave. 
 
Do we love the pleasure of our current circumstances more than we desire to follow God? Do we stay in sinful circumstances, or circumstances that are not in line with God’s will for us because of our own pleasure and desire?  Can staying in these situations allow us to become enslaved to them and entrapped in the circumstance?

2) Did they just not know how to return, where to do, how to get land, how to support their families? Sometimes we let fear of the unknown stop us from following God.

3) Maybe it was not fear but there really were not options yet and they had to wait on God, and to wait until God clearly spoke and made a way.

Based on what we will later see, I feel the people were hesitant to leave because of pleasure. So God had to apply painful measures to get them to respond, follow, act.

Reflection
Have you seen yourself in any circumstances listed above? What did you learn or what do you need to learn? How can looking at Israel’s responses inform how you respond in the future? As you read, look to learn lessons from Israel’s mistakes and triumphs.

Key Verse
Exodus 1:17 - But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.

Last edited by TBG (1/03/2015 6:02 pm)

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1/03/2015 5:25 pm  #3


Re: Exodus Overview

Chapter 2
Going Deeper
Two themes are evident in this chapter.

Pharaoh’s Daughter
There is no record that she objected to her father or tried to save other babies. However, when she was confronted, not with the idea of killing Hebrew kids, but with the actual real person, she had pity. It is easier for us to harbor ill will or apathy to the plight of others when we don’t know them.

How can we deal with people with greater compassion and understanding? How have we been apathetic to wrong doing or not spoken up for what is right? Do we see people we don’t know as valued people and have compassion on them?

Moses Kills the Egyptian
Exodus 1:12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

What emotions do you see Moses display in verse 12?
What issues do you see with his response?

Exodus 1:13-14 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?"Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known!"

Why do you think the Hebrew responded in this way?
What do you see in the response by the Hebrew?

Key Verse
Exodus 2:24-25 - And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel--and God knew.

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1/03/2015 5:27 pm  #4


Re: Exodus Overview

Chapter 3
Moses felt unqualified, but God promised to be with Him. Do we feel unequipped to fulfill or realize God’s plan for our life?

Exodus 3:14 will be pertinent later when we read about the life of Christ in Matthew (which is the next book) and we see Jesus call Himself by this name. It reads: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'’”

This is why we study Old Testament scripture because it gives us insight into the history and background that allows us to properly understand and interpret New Testament scripture and gives us insight into who God is and His long term plans.

In Exodus 3:21 we see God redeem from slavery, restore them, and pay them back for the years of slavery. This is like how He redeems us from sin. He does not just free us, but lavishes on us spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1)

Key Verses
Any of these three sets of verses would be great to focus on.
Exodus 3:7-8, or Exodus 3:9-10, or Exodus 11-12

Last edited by TBG (1/03/2015 6:04 pm)

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1/03/2015 5:30 pm  #5


Re: Exodus Overview

Chapter 4
The Lord will give us the ability and resources to do what He has called us to do; notice I said what God wants us to do not what we want for ourselves.
 
God says He will equip Moses, but Moses still worries because he is relying on his own abilities.  When we rely on our own abilities it causes anxiety and stress because we must succeed in our plan based on our strengths.  Focus on God doing a work for His purpose and to fulfill His plans.
 
It is OK to question God, but Moses just could not trust that God could do the work He stated.  Sometimes we do not really trust God to work in and through us; we need to see something tangible in the flesh to have confidence in just as Moses needed Aaron.

Key Verse
Exodus 4:30-31 Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people.  So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.

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1/03/2015 5:31 pm  #6


Re: Exodus Overview

Chapter 5
Pharaoh not only rejects God’s Word, but then goes on the active attack against God’s plans.  He shows a hostility to God and His Word.
 
How do we see this in our society?  Have there been times in our lives when we have also reacted like this?

Key Verse
I am not going to comment, but encourage you to SOAK these verses and honestly examine yourselves for application of what you see.
 
Exodus 5:20-23 -  They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; and they said to them, "The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."
 
Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all."
 

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1/06/2015 7:22 pm  #7


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 2:24-25. This passage reminds me of the Parable of the Persistent Widow who never gave up when she wanted something from the Judge. She remained Persistent. The Isrealites continued to pray and God remembered them. This passage in the scriptures is meant to encourage us to pray for whatever it is we want without ceasing. Being persistent does not mean unending repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. It simply means keeping our requests constantly before God and always remember that delay is never denial. God will always have his eyes on us!
My prayer is that I be patient with God when I want something from him and always remember he has my best interest at heart

 

1/07/2015 6:08 am  #8


Re: Exodus Overview

TBG wrote:

.

Pharaoh’s Daughter
There is no record that she objected to her father or tried to save other babies. However, when she was confronted, not with the idea of killing Hebrew kids, but with the actual real person, she had pity. It is easier for us to harbor ill will or apathy to the plight of others when we don’t know them.

How can we deal with people with greater compassion and understanding? How have we been apathetic to wrong doing or not spoken up for what is right? Do we see people we don’t know as valued people and have compassion on them? 

This set of questions and commentary really struck me. I have read Exodus before but not thought about it from this perspective (one of the reasons we study the Word together) and what an amazing example that Pharoah's daughter is of the difference of taking action about injustice that is happening versus just hearing about it. She was   confronted face to face with the injustice that was happening to the Hebrew boys, and that led to action, her taking Moses in.

I have been experiencing something similar with my experience at our church's homeless ministry. The more time I spend in contact, getting to know the brothers and sisters that attend, the more I care, truly care about their struggles. The more I think about it, the same thing happens with co-workers, neighbors, or other people I have taken the time to get to know. It all starts with relationship, being in contact with one another. I see how God uses that to change our hearts and work through us, just as he worked through Pharoah's daughter. I pray God continues to teach me about this and to shape and change my heart so that I may be moved to action more.
 

 

1/07/2015 6:22 am  #9


Re: Exodus Overview

TBG wrote:

Chapter 3
Key Verses
Any of these three sets of verses would be great to focus on.
Exodus 3:7-8, or Exodus 3:9-10

In reading these key verses, I can't help but think about how many people/ and groups of people are waiting for a response from the Lord, just as the Israelites were- waiting for Him to rescue them from their suffering and oppression. It reminds me that God sees it all, is aware of it all. He sees the misery, he hears the cries. Reflecting on this truth overwhelms me in thinking of just how much suffering there is, that I know about and do nothing about, but also that I am not even aware of. It reminds me that God is aware though. He hears, He sees, He knows. It also gives me hope, reminding me that He is a God of healing, restoration, redeption. He is our rescuer and deliverer!
 

 

1/07/2015 8:36 am  #10


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 3
When God called Moses to deliver the Israelites, Moses doubted himself. How many times have we (I) done that! God assured Moses that He would be with him. We must not forget that God is with us. God promised that he would deliver his people. Throughtout scripture we see God making promises. He ALWAYS delivers. When He makes a promise, we can trust that it is true. We can have confidence in HIM. 

 

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