I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith… 1 Timothy 4: 7

1. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith… 1 Timothy 4:7

2. God Delivers His People Weekend of October 26/27, 2013

3. What’s our study today? God delivered His people from oppression and bondage in Egypt. What difference will this study make for you? This lesson can help you affirm that God compassionately expresses His power on behalf of His people.

4. God Cares – Exodus 3:7-107 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…

5. … 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

6. Last week’s message was God’s covenant with Abraham. We now fast forward 400 years. • Abraham’s descendants have multiplied more than the stars in the heaven, just as God had promised. • The family grows: Son Isaac; grandson Jacob; and great-grandson Joseph. • Joseph is sold into slavery by his brother and ends up in Egypt, where he is mistreated and finally raised to second in command of all Egypt. • Fortunately, Joseph being in Egypt keep people, including his own family, from starving to death. • As the Israelites continued to grow, the new Pharaoh felt threatened and decided to enslave the people.

7. Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush. • Notice how much God cares for His people: • I have observed their misery; • I have heard they crying out under oppression; • I am aware of their suffering; • I have come down to rescue them; • To bring them out to a good and spacious land, flowing with “milk and honey;” God is just as intimately aware of your life!

8. The true God of the Old Testament Scriptures is NOT the God of Deism, one who started creation and then just let it run its course doing whatever. • The true God of the Old Testament Scriptures is the God of Theism, one who not only started creation but then continues to oversee it and especially interacts with His people. • God’s timing an reasons are pure and righteous, so we do not always get relief from every discomfort. • God does not always rescue us immediately, as the ongoing sufferings of the Israelites so well illustrate.

9. God said that He would come down and deliver the Israelites from slavery. • God works through people to accomplish this delivery; • God is recruiting Moses to be the person through whom God would work this delivery; • Because God had heard the cries of the Israelites and seen their oppression, He commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh as His human instrument of deliverance. • What deliverance is God asking you to be the human instrument to bring about?

10. What can we take away from this text? • We can pray that God would make us sensitive to the things He cares about! • God wants us to be available to be used for His purposes just as Moses. • We can be assured that God wants to deliver our world, using us as His human instruments.

11. God Judges – Exodus 12:12-13, 29-3112 "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn--both men and animals--and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

12. 29 At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

13. After the first nine plagues, Pharaoh hardened his heart and continued to trust in his own gods. • Now, the true God would bring one last decisive plague. • He would pass through Egypt and claim the lives of each firstborn male. • Why the firstborn male? In Exodus 4:22-2322 Then say to Pharaoh, “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.'"

14. Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to release God’s firstborn son resulted in the forfeiture of each firstborn male of Egypt. • But the Israelites would have protection from this judgment. • Blood smeared on the doorposts and lintel of their houses. • God promised to “pass over” the houses with this distinguishing mark. • The blood indicated that those within the house believed God and obeyed Him, just like Abraham did. Jesus’ Cross

15. God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” One commentators paraphrased it saying, “I will spare all those who show that they have placed their trust in Me.” • God’s story consistently underscores the need to trust and obey the Lord. • When we do, God intervenes on our behalf.

16. This rescue is yearly commemorated in the celebration of the Passover. • For the Jews today, it is a celebration of their cherished past of God’s rescue and delivery; • For us Christians, it is a celebration that foreshadows a greater work of redemption through Jesus’ shed blood on the cross; • Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7 “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. “

17. At midnight, the Lord struck every firstborn male in Egypt. None was spared except those protected by the blood. • From the very poor, even prisoners in the dungeon, all the way to Pharaoh’s castle; • Firstborn male of all the animals; • So complete was this destruction; • Loud crying pierced the Egyptian darkness; parents agonizing over their firstborns’ death.

18. In His perfect judgment, God made the oppressive Egyptians cry just as they had made His people cry. • The judgment was so complete, there was not one household without someone dead. • Finally even Pharaoh gives in; Summons Moses and Aaron; and tells them to leave • The Egyptian people urged their Jewish neighbors “to hurry and leave the country, or otherwise, we will all die!" NOW!

19. Ever ignore God’s efforts to keep you from a disaster? “Your angry,” God said, “I sent you a boat and a helicopter.”

20. God Delivers – Exodus 14:5-6, 13-14, 21, 264 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. 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done?

21. We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" …[with Pharaoh’s army bearing down] 13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." …

22. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided [and all the people crossed on dry land. The Egyptians tried to follow.] 26 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen."

23. After the Israelites leave, Pharaoh has a change of heart. • The Bible says that God “hardened his heart.” • God had given Pharaoh ample time and numerous occasions to believe. • Each time Pharaoh refused and hardened his heart. • The opportunity God gave for Pharaoh to come to faith had come to an end. • We sometimes think we have all the time in the world to believe and come to faith. Do you know that for sure? • How many opportunities does God offer you to come to faith? Dozen? Hundred?

24. But if time after time, God’s gracious offer is rejected and refused, could God just stop offering? • The Bible says in Romans 13:11 “The hour has come for you to wake up, because our salvation is nearer now…” • Again in 2 Corinthians 6:2 “I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” • “I sent you a boat and a helicopter…what do you thing?” • Pharaoh got his chariot and his troops together and went after the Israelites to bring them back.

25. In the meantime, Moses and the people of God have run into a problem – the Red Sea. • We do not know exactly where this crossing occurred. • Today, there is not much water in that part of the world.

26. The Red Sea today is quite beautiful:

27. The problem got worse as you look at the terrain around God’s people. • Mountains on either side; • Red Sea to the front; • Pharaoh’s army attacking from behind; • Now what?

28. The people started to complain against Moses, “we would have been better off in Egypt, then to come out here to die.” • Notice what Moses said to the people; “"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

29. Stop fearing! • “Don’t be Afraid” – • “Stand firm” – • “See the Lord’s deliverance” – • “You will never see these Egyptians again” – • “Be still, the Lord will fight for you” - Plant your feet! Do nothing, just watch! What a statement of faith! Life’s hopeless situations never considers the “God Factor!”

30. No more dramatic scene…

31. The Egyptians did not count on the “God Factor” either but marched right into the sea after the Israelites. • Pillar of fire between them; • Moses again raised his staff, and the waters came back; • The Egyptian army drowned.

32. How about Your? • Do you know the same God who so powerfully delivered Israel centuries ago stands ready to use that same power on your behalf? • When seemingly invincible forces desire to swamp you, will you trust God? • God is both mighty and trustworthy to help us! Why do I say that?

33. How about Your? • The Exodus event in the Old Testament serves as a picture of the Exodus in the New Testament – when Jesus Christ delivered sinners from sin’s enslaving consequences. • That’s why we can trust God during our difficulties, because “if God is for us, who or what dare stand against us?”