Part 6: Back to Egypt

We are in a series called Redemption and we're studying The Exodus together and The Exodus is often referred to as the defining Act of Salvation in the Old Testament. Did you know that the stories in the Old Testament all of it points forward to Jesus but the exit is in particular really spells out the way that God fries and rescues his people and it points forward to Jesus work on the cross. And so we've really been in a lot of introductory things and we'll continue that way yet Sunday next Sunday will really get into the aspect workout begins to free his people. But today we're in Exodus chapter 4 and as we let me just bring you up-to-date of where we're at in the stories that sound good in case you missed a little bit. So we started out God's people were in Egypt for over 400 years.

There was a new Pharaoh that came to power obviously many pharaohs but one as we pick up the story in the beginning of Exodus who is not favorable to God's people he was afraid of them this large migrant population that it moved into his country and now they were a threat to their way of life and so in his fear, he began to oppress them and each has great burdens on them and made them become slaves for the rest of Egypt. They built store cities for Pharaoh. Are they built probably many other things that were not told about in the text and they were harshly oppressed and as they grew greater and greater at Pharaoh's oppression on them got greater and greater. and it is a pressing on them was really to try to confine them from growing and multiplying but what happened was that the more he oppress them the more they grew because God is with his people and he was remembering his promise to Abraham to make his descendants into a mighty nation. And so the people begin to cry out to God for help and this oppression got so severe. In fact that Pharaoh commanded that the firstborn any sons not just the first born but any sons born to the Hebrew people that they should be killed immediately. And there were some midwives who didn't obey this and so then he told all the people of Israel. Hey when you see an infant boy, that's a Hebrew throw him into the Nile River. And so there was this one family though. This one woman that was pregnant and she gave birth to a boy who is healthy and and whole and his name ended up becoming Moses and she puts him in a basket lays them alongside the river in the Reeds and a Pharaoh's daughter comes down to bathe and she finds him there and has compassion on him. She takes them into her home and raises him as her own. And so this boy this Hebrew boy Moses grows up in the Palace of pharaoh of the king. And overtime though, it becomes apparent when I told win but it becomes apparent to Moses that he wasn't in fact Egyptian but was Hebrew and was adopted into this Egyptian family ndec is the Egyptians of pressing his people the Hebrew People Israel and standing up for someone. He ends up murdering an Egyptian man, who is a pressing him. This gets back to Pharaoh. Some Moses takes off for his life and flees Into the Wilderness of Midian, which would be probably modern-day Saudi Arabia. And he takes off there and he lives there for 40 years and meets his wife there. He has a couple Sons there at least and after 40 years God Appears to him Jesus appears to him through the burning bush on Mount Sinai and says Moses. Text tells us that Moses was about 40 when he ran and now he's about 80 when the burning bush appears to him and says I'm going to use you to free My People Israel and Moses that gives all these objections about why he's not the guy to send we've looked at those the last couple Sundays and he's like, I don't speak very eloquently. I kind of stammer and stutter. I don't know if I can really go before pharaoh and talk and and any gives all these excuses and then finally it comes out. He's like, I just I don't want to do it, but I don't want to obey And so got this fine, you're going to miss out the buses going to go in park then to your brother Aaron but you're still going those us and so he sets it up to his brother Aaron we're going to see this week comes out to meet him in the wilderness. Aaron will be his mouthpiece and the story we pick up today is really them heading back to Egypt and contained in this narrative today is one of the weirdest passages and all the Bible. Are you ready for it? Hold on to that thought because I think you'll agree when we get there. And then we're going to pick up the story where Moses is preparing now to go back to Egypt. Let me pray father. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for your grace and look thank you for the example of Moses a guy who we can readily identify with a man who had shortcomings who had failures and yet you still called him and used him For Your Glory as he was obedient to you. The same is true for us. Lord has returned to you and trust you and that will pay you you desire to use us for your glory and for others good and for our Choi. Oyster, and I pray against the enemy has servants their works and facts with you instead. I come by and teach us and changed us and make us more like Jesus. Give us the confidence of who we are in Christ. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

One of the things about Jesus that we've talked about not going to hand over. The last few weeks is that when Jesus call somebody to himself and they respond and become a Christian. The next thing he does is he sends them out on Mission without fail every single person he send so if you're Christian you've been sent on Mission. Moses mission was unique in that he was going back to Egypt to free God's people things. We see in Moses and we seeing Jesus call to us and his promise to send us and go with us is that Jesus wants to use you. He wants to use you. In fact, he wants to use Moses here. We're going to see even in spite of of Moses, please like I'm not good enough. I I failed don't don't you understand? There's there's nothing about me that's worth using and in fact, I kind of stutter when I talk and how could you use me? I just was like Moses I made you and I want to use you to use you. I want you to go and rescue my people no matter who you are. No matter what you've done no matter what's been done to you. If you're a follower of Jesus, Jesus wants to use you. Do you believe that?

Some of you I'm guessing maybe deep down though. You don't know if you really believe that if God could really use you.

But the truth is he wants to and he can and he will pick up the text here with him sending Moses in Exodus 4. So you talked to him in the next 4 verse 18 and tells us after that whole encounter with the Burning Bush Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and he said to him, please. Let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive and Jethro said to Moses go in peace Moses asked to go back to see his people now if you like, okay, I thought Jesus said that if we're going to follow him, we're supposed to like Abandon everything and go like the one guy member the one guy who comes to Jesus and he's like, well Lord, I'll follow you. But first I need to go bury my father or my mother, whatever it was right unless you hate your mother and your father you you're no good to be following me. You can't put your hand to the plow and then turn back. What's Moses doing? What is this wrong of Moses to do this? I don't think so. I don't think so. I think Jesus teaching on that isn't that you quit respecting and loving and caring for your family after you become a Christian. Even if they're not followers of Jesus. It's that you just recognize your higher calling is to him and when the two conflict, you've got to follow Jesus what Moses is doing here is he's being a good son-in-law.

starts with an s ends with a bird shepherd shepherd shepherd and he had the means to his father-in-law Jethro and Moses being an honorable man in that used to taking back. What's not his to give it back to his father-in-law? He's got to take that flock back to him and then he also because he had been under his authority living under his house. He asked his permission to go back. Now, it's just throw had said no, I think we would have still seen Moses go. That's where Jesus teaching about on, you know, you need to honor me first. If you don't hate your mother and father, he's not literally saying hate them is just saying if you can't put me before then, you're not fit to follow me. So he goes back to them honors them. They see some Jethro says go and he begins to go. He said he wants to go back to my brothers in Egypt. He said to see whether they are still alive. That was a Moses identifies himself fully as an it as not as an Egyptian. But as an Israelite doesn't eat my brothers who are in Egypt but yet we still see a little bit of Moses timidity because he goes to find out if they're still alive if my family still alive got it already told him. They were still alive. You told them that are in his brother was coming to meet him. Right? So we see a little bit or he's not quite fully bald yet, but he's still following and guess what God is still going to use him.

So Jethro said to Moses go in peace. And then the Lord said to Moses in Midian at he says this passage kind of wines around giving an account in different ways. Go back to Egypt for all the men who are seeking your life are dead. Remember Moses and ran into the Wilderness because he had murdered a man and now all those people who are seeking his life or debt. So he's concerned about Moses safety that he can go back isn't he took his wife and his sons and have them ride on a donkey? We've been comparing Jesus to Moses Wright and Moses to Jesus and here's another example when Jesus was a young boy in Bethlehem. There was a need to put out to kill all the young boys wasn't there. And so what did God appeared to his adopted daddy Joe and said hey get up and go cuz parents coming there what they want to take the boys life. You need to flee go to Egypt. And so he Saddles up his family on a donkey and where do they go? the Egypt that's it. He was Jesus God was concerned about their safety. And I think it's the same thing here with Moses. God is concerned about their safety any Saddles at the donkey and he takes his family and goes in to Egypt.

And it says and Moses took the staff of God in his hand. That's no longer Moses staff. We saw it last week where God gives Moses three signs. And when it was specially was with his staff. We threw it on the ground and it became a serpent and then he picked it back up and it became a staff again. Right and it goes from being Moses staff to the staff of God and I told you if you remember I said we're going to see the staff as a symbol of God's presence over and over in Exodus and a symbol of God fulfilling his promise. Now what I didn't get into last week is that in that day your staff was like your primary ID. It was likely that men and women both had staffs. We only see them in the context of men having them in the in the Bible but chances are that women had them as well and your staff would have been akin to your identification in terms of travel if you like your passport, In terms of of purchasing something it be like your debit card it be your signature on a covenant your staff was what identified who you were and many of them likely had intricate carvings and things like that that clearly identified to the people who knew that person whose staff that was and so this staff Moses staff goes from being the staff of Moses to the staff of God and the staff than was the symbol of God's presence with Moses. It was his promise that through Moses. He was going to accomplish all these things and that he was going to be with Moses the whole time. It'd be kind of like any of you who have teenagers and your brave enough to give them your credit card. And you stay here go you can go with my authority. You can purchase something you can do. That's a very similar idea at least in our culture maybe of of a staff and it was God's Authority and his presence with Moses and you'll see Aaron's staff called the staff of God as well because God works through Aaron in the same way. Set the Mosasaur when you go back to Egypt see that you do before Pharaoh all the Miracles that I put in your power to take your staff throw it down and it'll become a serpent now.

List of the Israelites I believe and now it's clearly also sign for pharaoh to believe so we did that also put his hand inside and what happened to it when he pulled it out. It was a lot for us and Wyatt and I just an awful skin disease and it puts it back in and pulled it out and see how they're signed over to and sign number 3, which was geared more towards the Egyptian people. And so now it's obvious why that was because most God wants Moses to do these before pharaoh to see what turn the Nile. Pour water out and then turn blood and eventually turn the Nile to blood. The Lord said to Moses when you go back to see that you do all before Fair all the Miracles. I put in your power, but I will harden his heart. So that he will not let the people go. And then you still say the Pharaoh that says the Lord Israel is my first born son and I say to you. Let my son go that you may serve me and if you refuse to let him go behold, I will kill your first born son. Ennis foreshadows the final of the 10 plagues that God is going to inflict on the Egyptians at the Passover or God's raffle Passover. Anywho paint the door frame of their home with the blood of the Lamb which ultimately points for words Jesus anyone who would believe and paint the door frame of their life with the blood of Jesus the land God's Wrath will pass over you.

And now we get to verse 24 so you got the picture so far Moses is gearing up to go back and goes back to Jethro gives back the flock. He gets ready to go and your wife for dance recitals muff on a donkey that go back and he gives them in the instructions and then on their way. Look what happens. Remember, Jesus calls he sends and he goes with right. But maybe you weren't thinking about this on the way back. I don't Watson place on the way the Lord met him. And stopped to put him to death.

What? What do you mean they decide to put him to death? I thought you just said that God wanted to use Moses. But I told you this is this is a weird passage and it's going to get weird as we keep going if you think that's strange that God would only put Moses to death. What is going on here. Let's keep reading and then I'll give you some background to make it make at least a little bit of sense. How's that sound? Cuz it gets weirder. Let's keep breathing then zipporah Moses wife took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses feet with it and said surely you are a bridegroom of bridegroom of blood to me.

Just friends. Is any so he let let him alone and it was said it was then said her students could be it was then that she said a bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision. I think we can pray and go home. What do you think? You like what in the world is that about? Well, this doesn't make any sense unless we go back and explain kind of the context which is back in Genesis chapter 17. So maybe put your thumb there or if you're back to Genesis chapter 17 and here with me at Genesis 17. They're going to start in verse 9 of Genesis 17, but as you're getting there at let me just say the reason that God was about to kill Moses is because Moses it sounded up his sons and his wife. We've only been told that till this point that he had one son gershom. So evidently has at least one other now, and at least one of these sons has not been circumcised. Why would God choose to kill him? over that

What's that about? This might shed a little bit of light on what's going to Genesis chapter 17 starting in verse 9 and God said to Abraham Abraham In this passage is about 99 years old. his name previously had been Abraham father of a multitude of his father of Nations Abraham exalted father to father of a multitude or father of Nations and I got a pierce to him again says as for you you shall keep my Covenant Abraham you and your Offspring after you throughout their generations, and this is my Covenant, which is between me and you and your Offspring after you Every male among you shall be circumcised. You so certain you shall be circumcised In the Flesh of your fore skins and it should be a sign of the Covenant between me and you he was 8 days old among you shall be circumcised every male throughout your Generations. He said that a couple times every male weather born in your house or bought with your money from any Foreigner who is not of your Offspring both he who is born in your house and he was bought with your money in other words under your Authority or your slaves your workers. So it shall surely be circumcised social my Covenant be in your flesh and Everlasting Covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised In the Flesh of his foreskin. She'll be cut off from his people. He's broken in my Covenant. Pretty clear, right? This was this was a Mark that was given a mark That's all the male children in Abraham's family a mark on the flash that was not easily reversed that identified them as God's people and it was to happen in a very specific way like on the 8th day after they were born by the way. It's because of this that some Churches do practice infant baptism because they see baptism is the sign of the New Covenant. And so while they're young preferably 8 days you would get baptized as a symbol of being part of God's family and it would become effectual later when you trust Jesus that's a tradition I grew up and maybe some of you did too. But in any case though with with circumcision it was it was just that it was this physical symbol that that make you part of God's family, but there was a certain sense where it was by faith that this child would grow up to serve and love the Lord. And it was very clear that if you didn't do this what would happen to those children and to their families? They be cut off from God's covenant. If you didn't obey this simple task, you would be cut off. It's pretty clear. Would you agree? And some of you, you know, you've been following Jesus for a long time. You understand this little bit. That's clear but some of you who may be have been following Jesus for very long. You see that let me ask you a question, isn't it? Would you agree yes or no?

Well again, it was a mark on the flash not easily changeable. It was a physical symbol of of spiritual reality that they were part of God's covenant. Now it in that day Jews were the only ones to practice circumcision Egyptians did as well, but it was when a boy turned 14 years old. So if you Bertie or are another Traditions, it was before marriage circumcision would happen which all those were considered an Abomination by the Jewish people, but I kind of like the 8-day plan not the right. All right before marriage or right after puberty plan. Here's the deal God's gracious. And that is me. And it said Mark bring it back made you laugh a little bit. That's good. Here's the deal. It was clear that Moses hadn't obeyed this with at least one of his sons. Are all the whys and all the all that when I going to get into an and I know it seems strange and to us it is strange, but Moses hadn't obeyed. And because he had not obeyed. God's anger was kindled against him wasn't it? Cuz it was pretty clear. If you don't do this your family. You'll be cut off from the Covenant. To be cut off and that's what Moses it done. And now that's confusing and hard to understand but of why that is Isaiah tells us that my thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither. Are your ways my ways the first Lord for as the heavens are higher than the earth. So are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Deuteronomy tells us the secret things belong to the Lord in terms of why this sign why these things but the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever that we made we may do all the words of this law. So it is confusing.

but all of God's word is there to teach us something. Hotels Timothy all scripture is breathed out by God profitable for teaching for reproof for correction for training in righteousness that the man of God the person of God may be complete and equipped for every good work. So this account now of Moses on his way back to Egypt and this is just kind of really strange passage where he becomes sick and the veil gets pulled back and we see that it's because he's about to die and it's because I hadn't circumcised his son and so is wife zipporah steps in and she doesn't and then I'm Moses recovers and everything just goes on Auntie Dory the rest of the story. Let me tell you exactly why this happened right in my own write this down. I don't know.

I don't know other than the fact that Moses had obeyed that's the only clear thing and the other thing that's clear here is that we can learn something from it. All of God's word. Is there is there a teacher so here's a few things that I see that we can learn from this passage by the way the filling up to the top of the section c Jesus wants to use you, but he requires repentance and obedience. It requires you to repent and turn to him and he requires you to repent and to obey him.

The degree to which God will bless your life and use you as the degree to which you will repent and obey.

And Moses or was clearly in the wrong. Why hadn't he done this with one of his sons? We don't know. But he hasn't and the supporters actions satisfied God and and was obedient to the Lord but here's what I see about this than in terms of repentance in obedience. Never won It's All or Nothing. If you're going to follow Jesus.

It's not I'm going to kind of try this out and maybe just kind of see now. It's either you follow him or you don't.

It's All or Nothing

that Jesus himself said whoever is not with me is against me whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Listen, if you're thinking about following Jesus jump in with both feet. It'll be the best decision you ever make in your life. If you're on the fence, you're really not on the fence, you're on the other side of the fence. Jesus says you're with me or you're against me. It's all or nothing with Moses. It was either Moses. You need to obey and follow me or pack it up.

It's All or Nothing

Another thing. I see hear another point of application potentially is it starts at home? Play Portal 2 Timothy when he gave the requirements for a leader in the church. He said he must be he must manage his own household. Well with all dignity keeping his children submissive for someone does not know how to manage his own household. How will he care for God's Church? Moses wasn't leading at deleting and and shepherding his own kids. How in the world is he going to Shepherd the entire nation of Israel?

Starts at home, doesn't it? Jack is a lot of Grace in that. So if you failed at that, they're still grace to you and they're still the opportunity to do it. Well now I'm in that group of people who failed the different degrees but continues to give Grace to wear as we repent and as we obey and we lead our home as well. We care for our kids. Well that God uses us. Isn't that good news? What's really leads me to a third one? That's not on your paper, but it's never too late to obey. It's never too late. If you've been a disobedient and running from God for a lifetime. It's never too late to turn back to him. It's never too late to repent and to begin to obey. I may be some consequences you have to live with. Listen those pale in comparison to God's glory that will be revealed to you. If you turn and Trust Jesus now, it is never too late to a bay. And if you're breathing God is not done with you turn to him. Come back to him. He welcomes you with open arms.

Moses was 80 years old when this happens. It's never too late.

Well after this somewhat obscure passage, but from which we can learn some things even if we don't understand all the details and meaning behind all of it. The Narrative continues that and see Jesus wants to use you and I but he requires repentance in obedience before he accomplishes his will through you Because after this then now we see God use Knows Best. Just never too late Toby and when you come back, I will still use you. The Lord said to Aaron and then we pick up the story. We get a brief summary of all the things that are going to happen and got fulfilling his promises for today. Aaron Aaron was Moses brother. He said to him go into the Wilderness to meet your brother Mose this So Aaron went he went and he met him at the Mountain of God and kissed him. That's where he met his brother kind of a greeting a kiss on the cheek. And they they see each other for the first time in forty years. Since Moses is run from Egypt. And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with what she had sent him to speak over all these things that they just happened on that. Very Place Moses is back there now, he meets Aaron all the things I've got to him in the morning, but she sure is all of that with his brother trying with him a lesson that you're going to be the spokesperson are in God's going to use us. We're going to go back you're going to speak or can a rescue God's people. What's his power?

And then verse 29 Moses and Aaron went and they gather together all the Elders of the people of Israel. So they get back to Egypt and they gather together all the Elders of the people of Israel. And Aaron Stoke all the words that the Lord has spoken to Moses and did the signs in the side of the people that bring the staff down into the snake and his hand inside leprous and then stand back high heels and pour the water and it turning to blood and did all of this and remember Moses fear. What did he say believe that you want to use me? They're never going to believe any of this happened or that it was you.

Aaron spoke all those words and verse 31 but check it out Moses fears were maybe a little in vain with a and the people believed and when they heard that the Lord visited the people of Israel and they get seen their Affliction they bowed their heads and they worshipped. Few things here for us as we see God keeping his promise to Moses, don't we? We noticed that says and to blank guess whose name goes in that blank on your feeling. you He keeps all of his promises to Moses. What were some of those promises that Moses if you go back and find then I'm going to use you. I'll speak through Aaron you're going to do these signs and the people will believe but listen to believe and I'm going to use you to rescue then. I've heard their cry. I know what's going on, and I'm going to rescue them through you. Your brother's going to come out and meet you on this all of these things. I got it promised they happened. What's an all the promises God makes to you? He keeps just like you did to Moses. We read some scripture while we are singing this morning from Lamentations the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is his faithfulness, MN. But the song is your steadfast love of the Lord extends to the heavens your faithfulness to the clouds. Every promise. God makes he keeps Like what's been 2,000 years. When is Jesus coming back? I don't know but he is coming and he will keep that promise. Okay, but I'm still struggling with this. When am I going to be made new as you repent and Obey is going to make you do an eventual. You're going to be totally new. I promised promises it in Jesus name. He promised to complete what he started in you trust him.

She that was knows this. That was another thing. He probably still go with you. He goes with you wherever he sends you. Raise your doubts. You can be afraid it's okay, but trust him he goes with you into that whatever it is. trust him and Obey him the work as well through you. And God worked as Moses obeid.

Moses obeid he kept you if followed even on the way as wife steps in in obedience and as as he obeys God continues to work and he'll do the same as you obey him as well. It's worth noticing how little the Bible talks here about Moses meeting with the elders and Israel compared to how much it talked about his fear of going.

Isn't it true that often are fears so far outweigh reality?

And it was the same case with Moses. But what was the wise the Bible relay that because it's a real life situation. It's a real thing that happened in Moses was a real human being like us and he was afraid but as he obeyed. God kept his promise. He went with them and he worked mightily through him. Listen. He will do the same with you. He wants to use you. It requires repentance and obedience though Before He'll worked as well through you and then let's pray. We're going to sing and we'll call it a morning Father. Thanks for Jesus. Thanks that Jesus our ultimate obedient or ultimate obedience is on you because you obeyed and you rescued us and you saved us.

but in terms of your blessing and in terms of our joy

Another as good as if you work through us. There's a degree to which our obedience determines that so Lord as much as you want to use each of us help us all to be obedient help those who've never repented and never Jesus trusted you and saving Faith to turn to you today. For those who needs to repent the sin and the and Obey let them do that by the power of your spirit today. And we know that that is we do that or do you promise to go with us? You keep all your promises you'll be with us and you'll work through US you'll get Glory others will get good and we'll get joy.

So are we love you? We thank you for the truth of the gospel. And we pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.