According to Plan: Exodus 1-15 (Exodus: Pattern of Redemption)

Three Rivers Grace Church

Sunday, March 1, 2015

The Captivity in Egypt: “Expresses the ultimate challenge to the covenant promises. The people of the covenant are shown to be subjects of alien powers in a land not their own ”[1]

The “meaning of captivity lies in its opposition to the covenant”.

Q: In what way(s) does captivity oppose God’s covenant?

Q: Why is freedom so important to humans?

Often, key figures Old Testament, such as Moses, seem to have foreshadowed Christ.

Q: Were the key biblical figures of the Old Testament chosen by God because of their righteousness and faith?

Q: Give an example of a key figure and his associated human-ness.

The Covenant in action:“Means that God acts to fulfill his promises of which the captivity in Egypt is a denial. Israel is God’s son and will know him by his name YHWH, which identifies him as the God who is faithful to his covenant.”

God assures a dubious Moses that the Israelites will listen to him based on 2 things: (1) His name (i.e., “I AM”, aka YHWH or Yahweh, in addition to Jehovah or the Lord), and (2) His use of signs and wonders. (Ex. 3:13-4:5)

Signs and Wonders: “Are miraculous events which accompany the saving acts of God. They act as judgments on Pharaoh because his heart is hardened against God’s word. At the same time, they work for the salvation of Israel.”

There are miracles all over the bible, but there are two places in the bible where they seem to be a cluster of them occurring around the same event or person.

Q1: Where are these 2 places? Q2: Why do you think God adds miracles to his plan?

Hebrews 2:3-4; Mark 16:20

There were 10 plagues on Egypt from God.*

Is it surprising that Pharaoh was not convinced enough to let the Israelites go during the plagues?

Why did he not let them go?

Ex. 9:34-10:1 & Rom. 9:14-18

Q: After the signs and wonders of Exodus, and the associated events, what do we know about God that we did not know in Genesis?

The Passover: “Shows that redemption involves not only the release from slavery, but also the shedding of blood as a means of escape from judgment.”

How do we know the final plague is the first to impact the Egyptians and the Israelites?

Redemption: “Is God’s act of releasing his people from an alien power, and of bringing them to freedom so that they can live as his people according to the covenant promises.”

In Moses’ statement in Ex. 14:13-14, what can we see is the condition of the people of Israel?

[1] Quotations taken from chapter 13 of According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy