Days Of Darkness

EXODUS – DAYS OF DARKNESS | 200209 [SHOW INTRO VIDEO] • We said last week that God has a plan. • That plan is good • but that plan rarely works itself out like we think it's going to. • If we're not careful, we'll develop expectations • of how God does things • that are out of line with how God is actually going to accomplish that good plan. • Since that's going to happen • we need to weave some things into our lives • so we can be rooted well in the good God of the universe. • there has to be an acknowledgment of our limitations. • We are limited in a way God is not. • The infinite God of the universe is smarter than all of us • There is only one Sovereign who sits outside of time ◦ sees everything at once ◦ puts it altogether • There has to be an acknowledgment in me of my limitations when difficult days come. • I have to be able to go: I don't know. • if you ever hear someone who just doesn't want to believe in God • start talking about the Bible like it's been messed with and tweaked… • This is the worst propaganda job in the history of mankind: ◦ In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome… ◦ It's bad propaganda! • The Bible's heroes are so flawed • continually the Bible is talking about how we're going to suffer. • the only way we're going to come to Christ is to come and die. • bad propaganda! • Good propaganda ◦ Give your life to Christ, and your dreams will come true. • That's good propaganda and the testimonies that back that up • I gave my life to Christ and never hankered for a drink again. • I gave my life to Christ, and immediately my addiction to heroin was gone. • I gave my life to Christ • and all of a sudden my wife and I came together in ways you can't even fathom. • I gave my life to Christ, and my kids immediately will listen to everything I say. • I came to Christ and then put my ATM card in the account • got ZMK 100 out to go buy some more chocolates. • it said on the receipt there was already an additional K400,000 in my account. • Praise his name! • That's good propaganda. • The Bible has terrible propaganda, but it's true. • It meets us in the world we actually live in, and that's good news. • The griminess of the Bible • the faults of its heroes • the power of God working through broken people • should be a stunning encouragement to the people of God. • We need to read Scripture honestly. • regardless of what life's hurdles are ◦ we look to the cross ◦ the cross clears those hurdles. • Manie, there's just no way this can be for us… • I just think I've sinned too far. • The cross is Jesus dying for all of your sins (past, present, and future) • absorbing all of God's wrath toward those sins • so there's no wrath remaining for those who repent and put their faith in him. Ex 1: 8 Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. 9 He said to his people, “Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are. 10 We must make a plan to keep them from growing even more. If we don’t, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country.” 11 So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. They appointed brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down with crushing labor. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread, and the more alarmed the Egyptians became. 13 So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy. 14 They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands. 15 Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: 16 “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. “Why have you done this?” he demanded. “Why have you allowed the boys to live?” 19 “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women,” the midwives replied. “They are more vigorous and have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time.” 20 So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. 22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile River. But you may let the girls live.” • This is Genocide 101. • This is how to oppress, dehumanize, ultimately eradicate ◦ a people group from planet earth. • The first thing we see is political shrewdness based on fear. 9 He said to his people, “Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are. 10 We must make a plan to keep them from growing even more. If we don’t, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country.” • Pharaoh is beginning to create a narrative • that the downfall of the Egyptian Empire • actually tied to the Hebrew people • that there are too many • if they don't do something about them • then all the good jobs, safety, things • the Egyptians desire are going to be taken from them • via this migrant population. • You can't go straight to physical violence. • You have to start setting the tone early. • So in the back halls of the king's palace • there's political maneuvering going on • to deal with the Hebrew problem. • In the same way, in the back halls of Hitler's Germany • there was a lot of talk about the Jewish problem. • In Mao's China, there was a lot of talk about what to do with the Christian problem. • This is textbook genocide. • don't worry about political shrewdness based on fear. • We live in 2020. • There's no way that could happen. • Then from there, political shrewdness always moves to oppression and physical force. 13 So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy. 14 They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands. • This idea of hard labor or "ruthlessly" is really the idea of violence. • There was always violence around the Hebrews. • We see this later when Moses gets involved • and delays the deliverance of God's people by about 40 years. • no matter where the Hebrews go • there is legalized, sanctioned violence against them. • There are few things that rob a people of their dignity and value • like legalized oppression • where there's no one to call • when there are acts of violence against you • because those acts of violence have been sanctioned by a government. • Then from there, it moves to secret manipulation. 15 Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: 16 “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live. • Pharaoh knows he is trying with the hardness of his heart • to destroy this people. • But if this violence gets too public too soon • the Egyptians might even turn on them. • There must have been some relationships between Egyptians and Hebrews • that are warm and friendly. • he has turned to secret manipulation. • Tactic: kill all the boys. • why baby boys and not little girls? • little girls can be used as sex slaves / trafficked / sold • of no real threat to the empire. • Then finally he turns to popular feeling. 22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile River. But you may let the girls live.” • Here's the new law in the land. • So the conscience of Egypt is now so severed • that an edict can go out from the king • Kill all the Hebrew baby boys • the nation doesn't bat an eye at it. • repeatedly in this text you see the people of Egypt begin to ◦ dread / hate Israel ◦ work them harder. • Now you have a nation whose moral compass has been so severed • that they're willing to grab infant boys and chuck them into the Nile River. • TITLE: Days of Darkness ◦ doesn't get darker than that. ◦ It hardly gets more horrific than this. • want to show you something about the power of God in this. 9 Pharaoh…said to his people, “Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are. 10 We must make a plan to keep them from growing even more. If we don’t, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country.” • There's Pharaoh's plan. • We have to do something about this people. • There are too many of them. • We must dwindle their numbers down. • We have to get rid of quite a few of them • His plan is genocide. • Kill all the little boys. • He is executing that plan • 12 "But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad." 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread… • when the nation of Israel comes into Egypt • there are 70 men in households. • 600 000 grown men leave Egypt later • Every time Pharaoh acts, he tightens the noose around his own neck • loosens the bonds of God's people. • No matter what he tries, he fails. • Not saying no boys thrown into the Nile • Or to say wasn't horrific. • But to point out that the most powerful human inventions on earth • cannot stay / destroy the church of God. • 3 things in this text we need to grow in confidence of. 1. God is working behind the scenes • This happens over a few decades • God is working behind the scenes in secret and ceaseless care. ◦ it's hard for us to see. • We know God is active • We're just limited in a way that God is not limited. • there is more rest in feeling small • than there will ever be in feeling strong. • When you cannot trace his hand • you can trust his heart. • by looking at the cross. • We can always just see Christ dying for our sin • as the objective evidence • that he is for us and not against us. • Pharaoh finds himself serving the purposes of God. • Every time Pharaoh acts • in the hardness of his heart • serving the purposes of God. • to glorify his name • to make known his name to the nations • to rescue and ransom his people from oppression. • God's care is a secret care often. • sometimes we get glimpses of it • Most of the time we see his care in retrospect. • I almost guarantee we can look back on a season of our life • that felt dry / scary / like we couldn't find God. • Now we can see the Lord really was being merciful to me in that season. • God's care for us never ceases laid over • the experience of life in a fallen world. • How do you talk about God's ceaseless care to a ◦ woman who has been raped? ◦ child who grew up in an abusive home? ◦ woman who is married to an abusive man? • How do you talk about God's ceaseless care in those spaces? • This is the reason why church • above all else, should be a safe place • to struggle with doubt / fear • to be honest about us not being able to make sense of this together. • the version of Christianity that says • once you give your life to Christ • you don't wrestle with doubt anymore • you don't struggle to understand God's plan • you don't worry about what he is up to • that's a fairy tale version that's not rooted in the Word of God. • That's an insidious prosperity gospel nonsense • that doesn't line up with Scripture. • you find yourself in such great company. Abraham. King David. Jeremiah. • There should be no shame in that wrestle - also no secrets • We were not designed to wrestle with that alone. • We must be a safe place for people to go • I'm just really struggling with how the Lord is good in this • The church of Jesus Christ must be that kind of place. • We see God is working behind the scenes with secret and ceaseless care. 2. God reveals his glory by using weak and powerless to accomplish his purposes • God reveals his glory almost always in Scriptures by using the weak and powerless to accomplish his purposes. • He doesn't tend to go after the guy with six-pack abs who bench presses 47 • can kill a 100 men. • Cancel my gym membership! • v 15 - 21 • At this point in human history ◦ women are viewed just a step below cattle. ◦ Their word was not admissible in a court of law. ◦ You could trade women. • You would almost always trade your daughter ◦ for cattle / weapons / things to make your house stronger. • Women are seen in a very real way as subhuman. • Yet by the power of God • the most powerful nation on earth at that point in human history • falls and is destroyed and goes into the grave • by the power of God working through 5 women [midwives] ◦ Moses' mama ◦ Moses' sister ◦ Pharaoh's own daughter. • When men are described ◦ Men are strong / courageous. ◦ Maybe even called compassionate / a nurturer • What never finds its way into the female list? ◦ Masculine qualities. ◦ A woman will almost never be called bold and courageous and ferocious. ◦ Maybe only wonder woman • If I'm going into battle • give me these midwives over a lot of the guys I know. • This is a king who has declared, "Murder babies! • By this act of defiance they might sign their own death warrant • maybe the death of their friends and their parents. • These women, the Bible tells us, fear God more than they fear Pharaoh. • They're just not afraid. • we'll also see that later on a woman named Rahab • once again delivers the people of God out of the hand of God's enemies. • If you're a single woman in here • I want you to notice the midwives are blessed by God • then he gives them families • which means they didn't wait around for a husband to be relevant. • some of our single women are just kind of waiting around to get married. • Marriage is a good thing, • I'm sorry we don't have more godly men to pursue you in a way that honors the Lord. • I apologize for that. • There's just a large herd of morons here who are trying to grow up • In time, they will, but right now • we just have to preach and hope and pray • these midwives aren't going, I'll be relevant when I have a husband. • The power of this God is at play, and I will surrender to that power. • They are used mightily by the Lord as single women. • Never believe you're too small, • because it's the power of God at work in that tininess • that God reaps his glory and our joy. • When we know it's not us but him, • there's a freedom that is found in that place. • To not carry the weight of success and failure • but simply give yourself over to obedience • is one of the more beautiful surrenders a Christian can make. • God works through weak and powerless. • God is working behind the scenes with secret and ceaseless care. • All of us fear something. • All of us are in awe of something that kind of shapes our lives. • Awe and fear are almost interchangeable here. • The fear of the Lord is we're so struck by his majesty • have so much awe for who he is • that we're far more anxious about that awe • than we are the awe of anything else. • When the Bible is talking about a fear of the Lord • not talking about, ◦ He is going to crush me! • Although he is certainly able to do that. • more the feeling you get if you've ever been to the Vic Falls • or if you've ever stood in front of the Ocean. 3. Fear must be appropriately placed on who deserves to be feared. • I love the midwives here. • Why did you do this? • Can you imagine that moment? • They know what they had done. • They make up this really crazy lie. • The Israelite women are vigorous. • Before we can even get there • they've had the baby, • they're gone. • The Bible tells us what their motive really was • what was really going on. • They feared the Lord more than they feared Pharaoh. • What was actually happening • wasn't that the Israelite women were more vigorous. • It was the midwives feared God. • Fear was appropriately placed. • What your intake is, almost constantly, is overwhelmingly negative • our popularity as Christians is not skyrocketing. • Our sexual ethic alone makes us bigots and hatemongers. • We know the tide is changing a bit on how we're viewed • May we be a people who live fearlessly in action. • We don't withdraw because of hostility. • We actually fearlessly engage • as we engage, we engage with compassion and graciousness. • The more the temperature is heated up • the more we're gracious and compassionate. • The more we're belittled / mocked / marginalized • the more we extend grace and compassion • because our fear is not in what man can do to us but the God we serve. Heb 13: 6 So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” • Man can do a lot to us • but nothing when we compare it to eternal glory. • What are you going to do? Kill me? • That's glory forever for me. • The book of Hebrews is where you get beautiful passages • about what suffering accomplishes • what marginalization accomplishes in the hearts of God's people. • Watching the apostle Paul live his life • a good to think about what it means to be in awe of God • fear God more than you fear anything else. • What could you do to the apostle Paul? ◦ To die is gain. • Well, we'll leave you alone. ◦ To live is Christ. • We'll put you in prison ◦ I'm going to worship the Lord and convert all your guards. • We'll torture you. • I don't consider the current struggle and pain worthy to compare to the future glory. • This is what we see happening in this narrative. • God is at work in secret and ceaseless care • God uses the weak and the powerless to overthrow and conquer the strong and mighty • Fear / Awe when appropriately placed leads to freedom and fearlessness in action. • What it means to be a Christian in our day is to be active where we are • to be giving ourselves over to pushing back darkness wherever we find ourselves. • We can speak a kingdom language • even when we can't work a kingdom external voice. • We can be faithful teachers who love students well. • We can be faithful businessmen who operate ethically. • We can be strong husbands, good wives, great parents • given over to the flourishing of a community.