Nothing is impossible

Theme: God demonstrated His power

Objectives

Know: God parted the sea to deliver the children of Israel from the armies of Egypt.

Think: Be at peace with the assurance that God is in control and will accomplish His plan.

Do: Fight the urge to doubt God when faced with difficulty and uncertainty. Trust Him to see you through the situation.

Scripture: Exodus 14:1-31

Notes and questions:

B1 Outline

• God's instructions Exodus 14:1-4
• Pharaoh's actions Exodus 14:5-9
• Israel's fear Exodus 14:10-14
• Go forward Exodus 14:15-18
• God's protecting glory Exodus 14:19-20
• The people in the sea Exodus 14:21-25
• God delivers Exodus 14:26-31

B2 Exodus 14:1, Since Moses was a prophet, God talked directly to him.

B3 Did the Exodus really occur?

• Most rabbis and scholars agree that it did not and that it makes no difference.
• But if it did not then the Bible is unreliable as to historical events, and the Lord Jesus made errors
• Consider some evidence for an Exodus and Israel in Egypt.
• http://www.biblicalchronologist.org/answers/exodus_egypt.php
• http://creation.com/egypt-chronology

B4 Exodus 14:1-4

• Despite the clues of the cities and mention of the "desert has closed in on them," the exact location of these cities is not known.
• Did God deceive, trick, fool, Pharaoh? Is this wrong? Will He do the same to me?
• Evidently Pharaoh had already crossed over the line from the possibility of mercy to that of guaranteed judgment. After his first born had died, Pharaoh still wanted to bring back Israel to be slaves. It must have been a shock the next day, to realize that they have would to do all the work.
• When Pharaoh arrived at the Israelite camp, he saw the "cloudy pillar" move between Israelite and Egyptian camps. You would think that Pharaoh would say, "This is unusual. I think this might be the Israel god that killed all the firstborn. He might fight and kill us." But Pharaoh did not change. God continued to harden Pharaoh's heart, after Pharaoh resisted reality.
• He might do that to us, but He will give warnings first. If we neglect the warning, we will pay for it. James 1:6-9, Romans 1:20-21

B5 Since the lesson has to do with impossibilities, is anything impossible with God (Matthew 19:2)? This does NOT mean that God can lie or make a rock too big for him to life, etc. All things are things in accordance with His character.

B6 Exodus 14:5-9,

• Does God allow us to face difficult times?
• What about those TV preachers who claim that Jesus wants us to be rich, not sick, etc.?
• If this was only a sea of reeds (shallow water), would Pharaoh have thought the Israelites to be trapped?
• Why does God harden hearts? (Because they are resistant to His grace and truth. See Romans 1:18-32).
• From the lesson book:
• Why do you think God allows us to face difficult and seemingly impossible situations?
• When have you seen God move and work in what seemed to be an impossible situation? What lessons did you learn through this situation?

B7 Exodus 14:10-20,

• Israel feared the Egyptian army greatly in spite of great miracles that had already happened. Was God angry with them? No.
• How much are we responsible for in fighting our battles? Does God do everything, something, nothing, or does it depend on the situation? Can you think of any examples?
• Can a leader who fears God be helpful in times like this?
• How did God get glory by killing Pharaoh and his army? (Rebellion leads to judgment. Pharaoh was evil, and it was time for punishment).
• Most interpret the cloud to be dark to the Egyptians but gave light to the Israelites. Why is this? What is God telling Israel by this?
• From the lesson book:
• What are some specific situations in which we need to trust God, but we have a difficult time doing so?
• What attributes of God make Him worthy of our trust in difficult times?

B8 Exodus 14:21-31

• What specific blessings did God give Israel for their deliverance?
• What problems happened to the Egyptians? What did the Egyptians feel when they realized that God was fighting for Israel?
• What blessings does God give us in our problems?
• Why did the wind have to blow all night? Was this a warning to Egypt?
• The Egyptians and Israelites both went into the sea. Why did Israel live, but Egyptians died?
• Would the dry path through the sea be wide or narrow? What difference would it make?
• From the lesson book:
• How can we encourage other believers to trust and believe God when they are going through uncertain times?
• How has God demonstrated His power in your life?

B9 Does God have power today? How do we see it?

B10 Do we need God's power today?

Next week:

• God provides
• Theme: God met the needs of His people
• Scripture: Exodus 16-17:7

Judgment Passes Over

Theme: God delivered His people

Objectives:

Know: God struck down the firstborn of Egypt but passed over the Israelites who sacrificed a lamb and applied its blood to their doorposts. The yearly Passover celebration was instituted.

Think: Abide in the confidence that Christ's blood covers your sin and protects you.

Do: Trust in Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose shed blood washes away your sin!

Scriptures: Exodus 12:1-42

Notes and questions:

B1 Outline

• Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread Exodus 12:1-30
• Exodus Exodus 12:31-42
• Specific Instructions Exodus 12:43-51

B2 Exodus 12:1-11,

• When is Passover 2016? It began at sunset Friday, 22 April 16 and ended at sunset Saturday 30 April 16. The Passover celebration was at sunset 22 April 2016 and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was 23-30 April.  For 2017 see here. The whole time is considered the Passover.
• What is the Passover mean regarding the calendar? (It is the start of their New Year).
• What is the significance of the Passover? (It is the day that God begins the deliverance of Israel from Egypt.
• God warned Pharaoh and Egypt that He would kill their firstborn, because of disbelief in God's warnings and lack of repentance (change of mind which results in change of life). The lamb was killed and its blood applied to the doorposts as a sign of believing God and a substitute that died for them. How does 1 Corinthians 5:7 ("Purge out the old leaven, in order that you may be a new batch of dough, since you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us") apply to us Christians? See also John 1:29.
• Why keep the chosen lamb for 4 days before slaughter? (The ancient Egyptians worshipped lambs. Taking a lamb, the Egyptians' deity, into their homes for four days, with the intention of slaughtering and eating it, was an act that was sure to be noticed by the Egyptians. It was extremely likely that they would be infuriated by this disrespect of their god. This act of courage, standing up for their beliefs and following G‑d's command in the face of possible danger, was a merit for the Jews, one that made them worthy of being redeemed. Nowadays, for the most part, standing up for our beliefs doesn't put us in physical danger. But we should still use the example set by our ancestors to inspire us to have courage in living according to our principles. Source)
• What is the importance of believing God?

B3 Exodus 12:12-13

• Why did God warn that He would kill the firstborn? (To Pharaoh, the first born would be the heir. Jesus Christ is the firstborn and the only begotten Son).
• How did God bring judgment of the Egyptian deities? Could Egyptians deities help people? Who could help them?
• What did God have to see in order to not kill the firstborn? What is the significance of this? (Humanity was doomed, without hope, to go to hell for eternity. Jesus Christ did not offer money to God, but His blood. The penalty that was to be meted to humanity was paid in full by the death of our savior, Jesus Christ, and the offering of His blood as proof of death).

B4 Exodus 12:14-16, why could they not work the first day and the seventh day, except to cook? (Probably to do holy work rather than physical work. It would also show defiance of the Egyptians).

B5 Exodus 12:17-20,

• Not having any leaven in the house was very serious to the Israelites. It represents contamination and thus sin. It spreads throughout the dough, so does sin.
• "Probably the most significant observance involves the removal of chametz (leavened bread) from homes and property. Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water (Ashkenazic Jews also consider rice, corn, peanuts, and legumes as chametz). The removal of chametz commemorates the fact that the Jews left Egypt in a hurry and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing the “puffiness” (arrogance, pride) from our souls. In fact, Jews are not only prohibited from eating chametz during Passover, but they may not own or derive any sort of benefit from it either, including using it to feed pets. This important stipulation requires Jews to sell all remaining leavened products before Passover begins, including utensils used to cook chametz. The grain product we eat during Passover in place of chametz is called matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread made simply from flour and water and cooked very quickly. This is traditionally viewed as the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt. Matzah is also referred to as Lechem Oni ("Bread of Affliction"). The process of cleaning the home of all chametz in preparation for Passover is an enormous task. To do it right, most Jews spend several days and even weeks scrubbing down their kitchens, thoroughly cleaning the insides of stoves, fridges, and ovens, and covering all surfaces with foil or shelf-liner that came in contact with chametz during the year." From http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holidaya.html

B6 Exodus 12:21-23, what is the importance of applying the blood? Why would God then not kill the firstborn?

B7 Exodus 12:24-28, for how many years was Israel to observe the Passover? How many years are we to remember what Messiah, Jesus, has done for us?

B8 Exodus 12:29-32

• Does God keep His word?
• Does socioeconomic status affect God's judgment?
• Who did the killing?
• Remember that God had warned them in advance, so they deserved their foolish decision. They did not believe God.
• Was Pharaoh truly humble and repentant? See Exodus 14:5.

B9 Exodus 12:33-36, what did the Israelites do? (They packed up and left, after asking and being given much riches).

B10 Exodus 12:37-39

• What might be a reasonable number for the crowd that left? (There were 600,000 men, probably 600,000 women, maybe 1,200,000 children, plus the mixed multitude. So there might have at least 2,400,000 but probably more than that).
• In light of Exodus 12:39, God had instructed them to be ready to leave. How was that warning relevant?

B11 Exodus 12:40-42

• What does the text indicate how long the Israelites had been in Egypt?
• When did the timing start? (Most believe it started with Abraham entry into the Promised Land. See http://www.biblicalcalendarproof.com/HebrewCalendar/430Years

B12 Questions from the study guide

• Think about your life before you came to Christ. What were you like? What sins were you in bondage to?
• Now think about your life since you came to Christ. What difference has Christ made in our life? How has He set you free?

Who, Me?

Theme: God executed His plan

Objectives

Know: God called Moses to free the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.

Think: Live with an awareness that my purpose is to accomplish God's mission.

Do: Follow God's direction as He executes His plan for your life.

Scriptures; Exodus 3:3-22

Notes and questions:

B1 Outline

• The burning bush Exodus 3:1-3
• God's instructions Exodus 3:4-22

B2 What is God's plan for humanity?

• God does not need anything.
• God does not need fellowship with humanity.
• God wants all to be saved.
• God wants us to be saved.

B3 Exodus 3:1

• The setting.
• Do you think God would directed Moses to be at this tree/bush?

B4 Exodus 3:2-3

• Was this an ordinary bush?
• Was this ordinary fire or a divine fire?
• What does the fire signify?
• Why did God choose this method to reveal Himself? ("See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape, having refused Him who warned them, how much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who warns from heaven; whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven." Now the phrase, "Yet once more," signifies the removal of the things being shaken, as having been made, so that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. " (Hebrews 12:25-29, EMTV). Fire refers to holiness and judgment).

B5 Exodus 3:4

• How did God get Moses attention?
• How does God get our attention?

B6 Exodus 3:5, why was Moses commanded to remove his sandals?

B7 Exodus 3:6,

• How did God describe Himself?
• What does this mean?
• What was Moses response?
• What is our response about God?

B8 Exodus 3:7-8

• Often God in the Old Testament is described as cruel. Do these words from God reflect that cruelness?
• How can God hear and know the suffering of His people? Does He still have this compassion?
• How many years passed from here until there was deliverance? (~1 year).

B9 Exodus 3:9-10

• What did God ask Moses to do?
• Was Moses willing? Why not?
• What did it take for Moses to be willing? (Exodus 4:14-17)
• What does it take for us to be willing and go?
• Why didn't God go Himself?
• Does this reflect a style of leadership? (Delegation)

B10 Exodus 3:11

• What attitudes are displayed by Moses? (Making excuses, hesitation, indecision, doubt).
• How can we deal with these in ourselves?

B11 Exodus 3:12,

• If God commissions us, who will give us the ability to do it?
• Is there any excuse for us to not serve?
• When the Lord Jesus called the Apostles, He knew some were "sons of thunder" (hot-tempered), doubters, impulsive, etc. Did He still use them? He knows us, as well. Can He still use us? Are there any legitimate excuses?

B12 Moses was ready to be the deliverer of Israel when he killed the Egyptian. Now, he wishes to not be a deliverer. What changed in him?

B13 Exodus 3:14, what does "I Am" signify to us?  (“I Am” shows 2 things (at least): that He is the eternal now and self-existing). How then should we live?

B14 Exodus 3:18, what message was Moses and the elders of Israel to give to Pharaoh? Was this a reasonable request?

B15 Exodus 3:19, did God decree Pharaoh to resist or does the words of this verse show the Pharaoh chose to resist? The word know means know, not decree. See "And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses." (Exodus 9:34-35, NKJV)

B16 Exodus 3:20, what was God's response to Pharaoh's resistance and disobedience?

B17 Exodus 3:21,

• Who gave the Egyptians the desire to give money, jewels, gold, expensive clothes to Israel? The word make is God sovereignly willed what certainly would happen.

• What did the Israelites have to do to receive all this?

B18 Does God work in us to do His will? (God initiates the impulse, the desire, showing us the need, conviction, etc., to do something. It is up to us to do it).

B19 The Bible teaches us God's will that we are to do.

Next week:

Judgment passes over

Theme: God delivered His people

Scriptures: Exodus 12:1-42