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EXODUS Part 1-The Roots of Human Freedom.
Input
The title means 'out' or 'exit'. The scribes say of this second of the five great books of one law which began the bible:
"In order to know God - live in Exodus" and
"Study Exodus for 30 years before you teach it"
Problem-We have only 3 group meetings to try and re-discover it!
In the monumental story of a journey of a few months which took forty years to complete but the bottom line is a breathtaking concept - namely 'the making of a missionary nation', Exodus 19 verses 4 to 6. Take time to discuss these verses first before anything else. The subject of this meeting is the Birth of a Missionary Nation (Chapters 1 to 18).
Remind each other of the story;The Isrealite famine refugees had outstayed their welcome in Egypt and became seen as a threat to Pharoah's Kingdom. Enter Moses,the baby,the upbringing,the crime and the escape to Midian, where he got married and grew old. End of story? No, the beginning.
The personal encounter which changed all history is seen in Chapter 3, focus on verses 13 to 15.Here, God the invisible power over all, reveals His personal name! It is "the I AM" and His purpose is first to free Israel from slavery.
Recount the reluctance of Moses and his eventual return to Egypt where the monumental deliverance began. Read Chapter 6 verses 2 to 8 remembering that the bible word for relationship is covenant. To expound the ten plagues on Egypt would demand ten extra studies, so we must incorporate the results in an even wider picture.Do find time to look at Chapter 12 however,which is the inauguration of the Passover commemoration and which Jesus transformed into the Last Supper.
The great deliverance of Israel from Egypt in Exodus is fourfold:
1.From Slavery (the ten plagues)
2.From the Sea (Note Chapter 14 verses 13 to 14 in this)
3.From Starvation (Chapters 16 to 17) and (even more difficult - still......)
4.From Themselves which will occupy us in the next session.
Output
One stain in particular has remained in the Hebrew memory through the centuries of its history.It was headlined in PSALMS 95 verses 7 to 11.It became part of Hebrew and Christian Theology (Hebrews Chapter 5 verses 3 to 4)
Questions
What did happen so tragically on the black day at Big Rock? (Remember the word Massah means rioting and the word Merribah can mean ungovernable.)
Are Christians today in danger of forgetting the cost of their deliverance by the work of Jesus?
Can out disobedience and rebellion against God cause him to change his plans for us?
Optional preparation for next session
Read Exodus Chapters 19 to 24.
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