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Post by arthurpare on Sept 29, 2012 14:00:04 GMT -5
Last week we looked at how God brought His people to Egypt and sets the stage for the great deliverance that was prophesied to Abraham in Genesis 15 The text is Exodus Chs. 1-17 or Chapter 4 in the Story. You can read Exodus 1-17 here: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%201-17&version=NIVWe know this primarily as the story of Moses, the Plagues, and the Red Sea Crossing. However, as always, there is a lot more to it than just the narrative. So, as you read, you might reflect on the following: Who are the main characters and what role do they play in the events? How do these events connect to Genesis? What is different in the text from popular portrayals (movies) of the Exodus? How does this section affect your personal understanding/relationship to God? What connection do you have with this story? How does this connect to the larger story of the whole Bible? |
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Post by Admin on Sept 29, 2012 14:40:25 GMT -5
Jacob's blessing on his son's in Genesis 49 serves as a great segue between Genesis and Exodus (as we know the titles, in the original the titles were closer to In the beginning and These are the names). It gives the book continuity.
Jacob said:
“Simeon and Levi are brothers—
their swords are weapons of violence.
Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly,
for they have killed men in their anger
and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
and their fury, so cruel!
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel.
We know very little about Moses through his first 80 years. He was born, raised by Pharaoh's daughter, killed a man, ran away, got a wife and son. But we also know he was of the tribe of Levi. The blessing referred to one point in time, and to another, and to another ...
We also come to find out that (despite our Charlton Heston impressions) Moses considers himself to be a poor speaker. He is just an old shepherd; not a leader, a savior to his people.
At Horeb he encountered God, Yahweh, the great I AM, LORD.
But God sees Moses differently, uniquely qualified of all the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Born to what would become the priestly tribe, perhaps the first taught to read and write (studying as Egyptian royalty), known to the Israelites, known to Pharaoh, used to living in the desert, and attentive to, even predestined to God's will.
Moses repeatedly does a 'Thanks but no thanks' routine. He is not all interested in going back to Egypt and confronting Pharaoh - and who would blame him?
But God again chose a non-first born, less likely person to be the significant player.
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Post by arthurpare on Sept 29, 2012 14:50:04 GMT -5
Israel's identity is crucially identified with the Exodus. This defining moment is referred to again and again in both the New and Old Testaments.
Deuteronomy 7 states: "... it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."
We also repeatedly see the imagery of "So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders."
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Post by arthurpare on Sept 30, 2012 21:42:14 GMT -5
Just wanted to Thank Jim Brewer for great job in sermon. I really like the cohesiveness of the classes, worship, and group on this intense study. I also referenced Jim's sermon on Moses' Song in class. I thought that was a great series on the various songs.
I want to encourage all class members to say what they like or remember from what their teacher presented, or previous studies, to help us all better appreciate the Word.
This forum is designed for use by all the classes, maybe we have not done enough to promote its availability, or nobody wants to just jump in and make a comment. But I do encourage you to share as you read each week, as you reconsider the class message, or as you prepare for class each week.
Share with the group what you are thinking, learning, seeing.
Thanks!
Arthur
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