Second Exodus

 Imagine how the Exodus might happen today with social media. Moses is out with the sheep. He logs into Yahoo on his iPhone. Password? BasketBaby. He spots a Yahoo news headline. "Pharaoh Enslaves Jews. World Leaders Condemn Israel." Off to the left, he suddenly sees a burning bush! He asks Yahoo Answers, "Why is the bush on fire but not being burned up?" A Skype call from God interrupts him. "It's me, God! Go down, Moses. Way down to Egypt's land." Moses says, "I'm on it." He opens Google maps & looks for Pharaoh's Palace. (In Egypt, not Las Vegas. Not ones that serve pizza & beer). Moses then uses Google Translate to text Pharaoh. "Let my people go!" Pharaoh texts back, "Heart hardened." For several rounds this goes on. Finally, Moses goes on Amazon Prime & orders 10 plagues to Egypt, successive next day delivery. During the last one, while his "1st-born-son counter" drops to 0, Moses creates a Facebook event. "Meet me at Sinai." He invites all the Israelites. And he uses Google maps to create the route. At the Red Sea, Street View shows the waves parting so they can cross... Jeremiah says there'll be a new Exodus. What will it look like with the media we have then? The 1st Exodus started after midnight, when Pharaoh drove Israel out. Fear. Days later, he changed his mind, then pursued & trapped the people on the Red Sea's shore. Terror. The new Exodus won't be like that. Let's turn to Jer 31:7-14. 7aThis is what the Lord says. 7b"Sing with joy for Jacob. Jacob-Israel. God's people. A new Exodus. All joy! 7cShout for the foremost of the nations. 1st Jew, then Gentile. In Christ, it's Jew + Gentile. Gentiles have been grafted onto the vine. We're all included. We're all God's people, Christ's bride! In the new Exodus, it'll be all joy. How will God's people respond when He fills us with that joy? 7eMake your praises heard. And praise leads all prayer. God's new exodus will answer a specific prayer. 'O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.' His faithful remnant Israel-Jew + Gentile. What's this new exodus? The one about which Moses & Elijah spoke with Jesus in Lk 9:29-31. The one He started with His Resurrection. Who's in it? 8aI'll bring them from the land of the north. Everywhere Jews were dispersed into captivity (Assyria & Babylon). I'll gather them from the ends of the earth. Not just Jews, but Gentiles, too. Jew + Gentile. God's people. Everywhere they are. Who will God include? Those that can make the trek? Not just them! He'll include us all! 8cAmong them will be the blind & the lame, expectant mothers & women in labor. God won't exclude even those who wouldn't be expected to travel. He'll ensure that even they can make it. The handicapped. The injured. We're all included in Jesus' new exodus. There's room for everyone who'll come! The result? 8dA great throng will return (שׁוב, repent or return). They'll come back to God. They're the redeemed. The multitude of Rev 7:9, 13-14. They'll have much joy. But 9aThey'll also come weeping. Why? Sorrow for sin. How so? Think. How do we enter the Lord's new exodus? John's baptism to prepare hearts! Repentance! And how does repentance begin? In the heart: prayer. 9bThey'll pray as I bring them back to Himself. Mixed emotions-joy we're included, & tears for our sin. Repentance & thankfulness, but joy above-all. In Jn 10:14-15, Jesus says He's the Good Shepherd of Ps 23. Just so, in the new exodus 9cI'll lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they won't stumble. Jesus leads. His sheep follow. And on the level paths He leads us, all can follow. He'll lead us tenderly. 9dI'm Israel's father. Ephraim is my 1stborn son. Jesus will lead us as tenderly as a father leads his 1st born son. Why a 1st born? Rights of inheritance. We're all adopted. Ancient 1st born sons received a double portion. And in the 2nd exodus, God's grace, mercy, & bounty will be like receiving a double portion for all of us. Our inheritance is rich-priceless treasure. 10a"Hear the word of the Lord, O nations. It isn't just for Jews. It's for all nations. We all need to hear about Jesus' new exodus. 10bProclaim it in distant coastlands. The ends of the earth! Proclaim that 10c'He who scattered Israel will gather them & watch over his flock like a shepherd,' the Good Shepherd. He'll gather us to Himself. He'll make sure we all make it. Best of all? 11The Lord will ransom Jacob & redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. We may be captives in our Babylon. We may be captives of sin (addiction). Whatever holds us captive, He'll ransom us! He'll purchase & redeem us. His sacrifice on the cross paid for us all. He frees us to come on His new exodus! 12aWe'll come & shout for joy on Zion's heights. He'll take us to Zion, the promised land. For Israel in Babylon, it was Zion, her promised land. For us, it'll be His new creation in heaven. 12bWe'll rejoice in the Lord's bounty - the grain, new wine & oil, & the young of flocks & herds. The curse on our labors from The Fall in Eden? Reversed. 12cWe'll be like a well-watered garden. Robust! 12dNo more sorrow. All joy! 13aWomen & men, young & old, will dance & be glad. 13bHe'll turn our mourning into gladness. 13cHe'll give us comfort & joy instead of sorrow. In His new exodus, Jesus will fulfill Isa 61:1-3a. We'll be the temple in the new exodus. He'll fill us. Will there still be pastors? If so, 14aHe'll satisfy them with abundance. How? 14bMy people will be filled with my bounty," declares the Lord. And they'll share it with the priests. This Sunday, we begin a new year. Ahead lies the new exodus. How will you/I be ready? Jeremiah 31:7-14 - Second Exodus Page 1 of 1