MESSAGE FOR PEOPLE TODAY FROM THE BOOK OF EXODUS |
2 of 39 lessons Theme: Faith |
Background Information: We asked in the book of Genesis, “How can the creation, humanity, know how to repair the broken relationship with the Creator, God?" |
Statement of Faith to Say Amen to for the Book of Exodus: I can be awakened to know that being saved by grace through faith includes a living sacrifice. |
Essential Question: How can I be saved by grace through faith when I live in a world that does not have faith in God? |
Book of Exodus: Have students read pages 17-24 in The Rock of Faith. After students read the information ask them, "What do you want to talk about?"
The Issue: Remembering that we love because God first loved us is important (1 John 4:19). When the world tries to turn us away from God, God will “stir up” our spirit to awaken us to turn to God and away from the world. This is how we are offered spiritual gifts from God.
The Truth is Important: Abraham’s descendants, the Hebrews, were enslaved by the Egyptians. The Egyptian government treated the Hebrews unfairly and harshly. The Hebrews were made to work seven days a week as slaves, and they were beaten and treated as less important people. The book of Exodus begins with the Hebrews (Israelites) being held captive in Egypt. Remember, God told Abraham in the book of Genesis that Abraham’s descendants, the Hebrews, would be held captive for 400 years in a land where they were sojourners. This happened, and at the end of 400 years, Moses led the people out of Egypt. God performed miracles to free the Hebrews. The miracles were a way for God to awaken the Hebrews and to “stir up” the Hebrews’ hearts to realize how faith includes a sacrifice (choice). The miracles were also a way for God to awaken the Pharaoh and his servants to know that God knows what is in their hearts. God searches a person’s heart and knows why a person makes a choice.
The Promise of God: Moses asked the Pharaoh ten times if the Hebrews (Israelites) could leave Egypt so they could worship the Lord. Each time Moses asked to leave, the Pharaoh said, “No!” Each time Moses asked to leave, a plague was inflicted upon the Egyptians: (1) The water turned to blood (2) Frogs came from the Nile River (3) Lice (4) Swarms of flies (5) Death of cattle and livestock (6) Boils and sores on the Egyptians skin (7) Hail rained down in the form of fire (8) Locusts sent from the sky (9) Three days of complete darkness (10) Death of firstborn Egyptian children.
Before the first miracle, Moses went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord said. He threw down a rod before the Pharaoh and his servants, and the rod became a serpent. The Pharaoh’s sorcerers in Egypt threw down their rods, and their rods also became serpents. Then the rod of the Lord swallowed up the Pharaoh’s rods. Pharaoh's heart was hardened because he did not listen to Moses, and he turned not to God. Pharaoh refused to listen to Moses or turn to God, and the Pharaoh said he did not know the Lord, and he would not let Israel go. Pharaoh is an example of having faith in the world and not God.
Pharaoh refused to obey God. With each plague, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened more. However, after the second plague, the Pharaoh had to beg Moses to have the Lord stop the plague. Pharaoh would not allow Moses and the Hebrews to go and make a sacrifice unto the Lord. The Pharaoh would not choose God over his false gods.
The Pharaoh finally let the Hebrews leave after the Egyptians endured the ten plagues. After they let the Hebrews leave, the Egyptians changed their mind and started chasing the Hebrews. The Egyptians had the Hebrews trapped against the Red Sea with no way to escape. God parted the Red Sea and the Hebrews passed through it. When the Hebrews were safe on the other side, God closed the Red Sea on the Egyptians. The Hebrews were awakened by the miracles of God to realize that faith includes a sacrifice (choice). This is how the Israelites were saved by faith. The Pharaoh was awakened by the miracles of God to know that God searches a person's heart. The Pharaoh is an example of someone who was not saved by faith because he continued to make sacrifices (choices) with worldly love.
God gave Moses directions to build the Ark of the Covenant, a portable chest that contained the Ten Commandments of God. God’s Spirit, or presence, dwelt in the Ark of the Covenant. God’s holiness was witnessed around the Ark of the Covenant, and the Hebrews were able to witness how God is different from humanity. The Hebrews were learning how to worship a Holy God. God then told Moses to make an altar and sacrifice to Him. God then established a conditional covenant with His commandments. The Ten Commandments were linked to the sacrifice, and when people would obey God’s commandments and sacrifice, God would protect them from people who were serving false gods. The Hebrews were saved by faith because they had faith that God’s love for them would protect them when they did not serve false gods. This includes a binding covenant promise made with love.
When Jesus came, He established the new covenant. Now we are saved by grace through faith. The Rock of Faith was built in the pre-church age with the sacrifices (choices) that the Israelites made when they obeyed God’s commandments. Jesus established the new covenant on The Rock of Faith that God built in the pre-church age. The new covenant is a better covenant with better promises. The new covenant promised that God would put his laws in the minds and hearts of humanity. Jesus added love to the law with his sacrifice. Now we are building our internal temple for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within us. With the new covenant, we are to build an internal temple where the presence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit can reside and dwell.
Just as the Hebrews were awakened to know that being saved by faith included a sacrifice (choice), we are to awaken to know that being saved by grace through faith includes a living sacrifice (behaviors). Just as Old Testament salvation included a choice of sacrificing to God or false gods, the New Testament is a living sacrifice that turns with actions to God or the world. In the next lesson, we see how the Hebrews are taught directly by God to be witnesses who choose to have faith in the holiness of God by connecting the sacrifice to the choices they make and not sacrificing to false gods. |
Activity: The activity directions are located in Appendix 2 – Step 1. Students will perform a simulation by building a temple with one group denying others social justice. |
Conclusion: The Hebrews did not have a temple to worship in or anyone to teach them to sacrifice until they exit. |
Next Lesson: God teaches the Hebrews to be witnesses who do not let false gods influence their sacrifice (choice). |
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Question One:
Will the government and schools always make standards and laws that include the promises of God?
Question Two:
When someone bullies you, they will treat you like you are less important than they are. Do you get frustrated when someone treats you like you are less important than they are?
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