TO BE CONTINUED...
Notes
Transcript
EXODUS IS A STORY WITHIN A STORY
EXODUS IS A STORY WITHIN A STORY
CONTEXT IS KING.
IT’S HARD TO PICK UP A SEQUEL AND KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. (WANDA AND KOBRA KAI)
This story deals with a rather old fashioned lady, who was planning a couple of weeks vacation in Florida. She also was quite delicate and elegant with her language. She wrote a letter to a particular campground and asked for reservations. She wanted to make sure the campground was fully equipped but didn’t know quite how to ask about the “toilet” facilities. She just couldn’t bring herself to write the word “toilet” in her letter. After much deliberation, she finally came up with the old fashioned term “Bathroom Commode,” but when she wrote that down, she still thought she was being too forward. So she started all over again; rewrote the entire letter and referred to the “Bathroom Commode” simply as the “B.C.”. Does the campground have its own “B.C.?” is what she actually wrote.
Well, the campground owner wasn’t old fashioned at all, and when he got the letter, he couldn’t figure out what the lady was talking about. That “B.C.” really stumped him. After worrying about it for several days, he showed the letter to other campers, but they couldn’t figure out what the lady meant either. The campground owner finally came to the conclusion that the lady was and must be asking about the location of the local Baptist Church. So he sat down and wrote the following reply: “Dear Madam: I regret very much the delay in answering your letter, but I now take pleasure of informing in that the “B.C.” is located nine miles north of the camp site and is capable of seating 250 people at one time. I admit it is quite a distance away if you are in the habit of going regularly, but no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of people take their lunches along, and make a day of it..... They usually arrive early and stay late. The last time my wife and I went was six years ago, and it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time we were there. It may interest you to know that right now, there is a supper planned to raise money to buy more seats.....They plan to hold the supper in the middle of the B.C., so everyone can watch and talk about this great event.....I would like to say it pains me very much, not to be able to go more regularly, but it is surely not for lack of desire on my part....As we grow older, it seems to be more and more of an effort, particularly in cold weather..... If you decide to come down to the campground, perhaps I could go with you the first time you go ... sit with you ... and introduce you to all the other folks. ... This is really a very friendly community.
1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
The initial vav acts as a connective with Genesis, thereby suggesting continuity with the preceding narrative.
IN FACT IT IS A DIRECT QUOTE/CONTINUATION OF GENESIS 46:8: “8 Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn,”
5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
DESCENDANTS = “CAME FROM THE LOINS OF”
I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE NUMBER 70 AND THE WORD FILLED. LET’S START WITH FILLED.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
GOD'S PURPOSE IS BROKEN BY MAN'S SIN.
THIS IS THE STORY OF THE FLOOD - MANKIND IS FILLING THE EARTH NOT WITH GOD'S IMAGE BUT WITH WICKEDNESS!
BUT GOD DOESN'T GIVE UP!
HE SAVES NOAH AND HIS FAMILY.
1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
GEN 10 LISTS THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH AND HIS SONS AS NATIONS. TABLE OF NATIONS IS A SELECTIVE LIST THAT ADDS UP TO 70.
WHICH TAKES US BACK TO EX 1:5. 70. WHY? WHAT'S BEING COMMUNICATED?
IN GENESIS MANKIND IS MADE AS THE IMAGERS OF GOD – COMMANDED TO FILL THE EARTH.
MANKIND’S CONSTANT FAILURE AND REJECTION OF GOD MOVES GOD TO DISINHERIT THE NATIONS AT THE TOWER OF BABEL.
HE ESSENTIALLY GIVES THEM WHAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR.
7 Remember the days of old;
consider the years of many generations;
ask your father, and he will show you,
your elders, and they will tell you.
8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders of the peoples
according to the number of the sons of God.
9 But the Lord’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted heritage.
10 “He found him in a desert land,
and in the howling waste of the wilderness;
he encircled him, he cared for him,
he kept him as the apple of his eye.
11 Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,
that flutters over its young,
spreading out its wings, catching them,
bearing them on its pinions,
12 the Lord alone guided him,
no foreign god was with him.
GOD DISINHERITS THE NATIONS AND TURNS THEM OVER BUT HE CHOOSES FOR HIMSELF A NEW PEOPLE. THIS IS THE STORY BEGUN IN GENESIS 12-50 THAT IS NOW PICKED UP IN EXODUS...
8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
NEW KING DOESN'T MEAN NEXT KING! LOTS OF TIME HAS PASSED!
EGYPT IS THE NEW BABEL STANDING IN REBELLION AGAINST GOD AND HIS PURPOSES.
3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.
COME LET US...
THIS IS THE ONLY OTHER PLACE THAT BRICK AND MORTAR ARE USED TOGETHER IN THE OT.
SO EGYPT IS THE NEW BABEL AND ISRAEL IS THE NEW NOAH/ADAM WHO GOD HAS CHOSEN TO REDEEM HUMANITY WITH!
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
SO WHAT CAN WE LEARN?
REMEMBER: GOD IS WEIRD.
REMEMBER: GOD IS WEIRD.
WEIRD = SUGGESTING SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL OR UNCANNY
GOD MADE US LIKE HIM DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE IS LIKE US.
HIS WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS...
REMEMBER: SUFFERING IS NORMAL.
REMEMBER: SUFFERING IS NORMAL.
NO ONE WANTS TO OR SHOULD WANT TO SUFFER BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED BY IT.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
SUFFERING IS NOT A HINDRANCE TO GOD’S PLANS/PURPOSES.
12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.
VICTORY IS PROMISED BUT VICTORY IS A PROCESS.
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
YES GOD PROMISES VICTORY BUT READ THE CONTEXT - IT IS NOT IMMEDIATE!!!
10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.
REMEMBER: CHRIST COVERS IT ALL
REMEMBER: CHRIST COVERS IT ALL
CHRIST IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE EXODUS STORY
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
PART OF JESUS' MISSION IS TO BE THAT PROMISED SEED THAT BLESSES ALL THE NATIONS. THIS IS WHY PENTECOST IS THE REVERSAL OF BABEL. THIS IS WHY PAUL'S MISSIONARY JOURNEYS ALIGN WITH THE TABLE OF NATIONS.
CHRIST IS RECONCILING HUMANITY TO HIMSELF AS THE PROMISED SEED OF ABRAHAM. GOD'S PLAN WORKED AND GOD'S PURPOSES WILL BE REVEALED!