Exodus 1-13 What is the glory of God?

Review

Genesis: God is the creator. Out of his mercy there is a hand extended to us and by faith we can take it. If we walk with Him we will be whole. If we don’t we will be crushed by consequences and judgement.

Overview: What is God’s glory?

Joseph died and there’s a new king who is afraid of Israel.

They tried working them to death, but they multiplied. So they decided to kill all the sons of Israel.

Then Moses was born. He survived pharaoh's slaughter because his mom put him in a basket and sent him down the river. He’s picked up by the Pharaoh's daughter and kept as her son. Pharaoh’s daughter, unknowingly, hires Moses’s mom to raise him.

Moses kills an Egyptian. Then runs into the desert because Pharaoh wanted to kill him. Moses runs to Midian where he marry’s the daughter of a Midianite priest.

Exodus 2:23–25 (NIV) Even in the midst of ruthlessness, God is compassionate

23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

Exodus 3:5–6 (NIV) Moses at the burning bush

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

I think Moses regretted this for his entire life. He had a chance to see God, and he was too afraid. Later he’ll ask to see God but will only catch a glimpse behind a rock. The main story of Exodus is the glory of God, but Moses growing from a man who fears to look at God to a man who thirsts to look at God is an awesome secondary tale.

God tells moses I want my people to have the land I promised. Go get them from Pharaoh. Moses asks who should I say sent me? “I AM WHO I AM” He immediately follows that with I am the God of your fathers, so I don’t think he’s saying ONLY call me “I am” but the story is establishing God’s holiness, the way in which He’s set apart.

Exodus 3:19–20 (NIV) God prepares Moses

19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

God gives Moses many miracles to prove he’s a prophet of God. Moses resists, God lets him bring Aaron, who actually performs several of the miracles to pharoah. And God almost kills Moses for his disobedience, but the story continues.

Exodus 4:21–23 (NIV)

21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”

God does not fight against men as if He has no sovereignty. The purpose of this statement is to set the context of the contest. It’s to show Israel, that back and forth between pharoah and God was not because of pharaoh’s strength. God let him put up a fight, if He wanted Israel out in day one they would have walked right out.

Exodus 5:2 (NIV)

2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”

Who is the Lord? The ten plagues. The ten plagues are about judging the gods of the world. Think about the weight of this on Israel going into the land.

turning the Nile to blood was a judgement against Apis the god of the Nile, Isis goddess of the Nile, and Khnum guardian of the Nile.

2. Bringing frogs was a judgement against Heqet the goddess of birth.

3. Gnats was a judgement on Set, the god of the desert.

4. Flies was a judgement on the god Uatchit.

5. the livestock was a judgement on the goddess Hathor and Apis who were both depicted as cattle.

6. Boils was a judgement against Sekhmet, Sunu, and Isis gods of health and disease.

7. Hail was a judgement against Nut the sky goddess, Osiris the god of their crops, and Set the god of storms.

8. Locusts cleared everything left by the hail.

9. Darkness was a judgment of Ra the sun god.

10. The death of firstborn mails was a judgement on Isis, the protector of children.

Exodus 9:14–16 (NIV) For centuries the world worked to replace the God that created them with many gods, and God is screaming I AM NOT LIKE THEM. THAT IS NOT ME.

14 this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

Exodus 12:24–28 (NIV) Why did God do this? Let God explain. There’s a lot in hear and it’s about Christ, and the principles are ENDLESS but how does God interpret this story?

24 “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28 The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 13:7–10 (NIV)

7 Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. 8 On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. 10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.

Exodus 13:14–16 (NIV)

14 “In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’ 16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

The passover means, God is our savior, God is our savior, God is our savior. The same one who judged the false idols of Egypt is your salvation.

Exodus 14:4 (NIV) God has one more thing to show

4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.

Finally God judges Pharaoh. God doesn’t only sit in judgement over other gods and over Israel, but He judges the kings and the army’s of the entire world.

Moses and Israel walk through the Red Sea on dry ground. Pharaoh and his army are crushed.

Exodus 14:31 (NIV)

31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Outro

Exodus 15:1–18 (NIV) Who is God?

1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. 2 “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. 6 Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy. 7 “In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. 8 By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. 9 The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’ 10 But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 11 Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? 12 “You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. 13 In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. 14 The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. 15 The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away; 16 terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone— until your people pass by, Lord, until the people you bought pass by. 17 You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. 18 “The Lord reigns for ever and ever.”

Application

God is worth it.

That’s the difference between Christ and the gods of this world. They aren’t worth it. The greatest thing about Christianity is that it’s true.