Walk Through the Bible Series

Exodus

by S. Sebastian Campbell

Bible Study 3 - Exodus 2

Exodus

Author: Traditionally Attributed to Moses. In Ex. 34:27 God tells Moses, “Write thou these words, “and James in Mark 12:26, quotes from Exodus as “the book of Moses”.

Date: Approximately the mid 1400’s BC.

Objective: To show how God delivers His people, The Israelites, from slavery in Egypt.

QUIZ 2

1. From what part of the scriptures was Jesus quoting when He said, “You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth”?

a) Books of Moses b) Psalms c) Books of Prophecy d) New Testament

2. Which one of the following is not one of the Ten Commandments?

a) Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind…

b) Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy c) Thou shalt not commit adultery d) Honour thy father and thy mother

3. Moses Wife was?

a) Miriam b) Zipporah c) Rachel d) Leah

Bible Study 3 - Exodus 3

4. The land at the mouth of the Nile is called:

a) Israel b) Egypt c) Babylon d) Greece

5. Which of these bodies of water is north of Jerusalem?

a) Jordan River b) Dead Sea c) Sea of Galilee d) Nile River

6. The day of atonement:

a) Is called Passover b) Was the only day the priest could enter the Holy of

Holies c) Is still celebrated by the Jews as Hanukkah d) Was the festival of the harvest

7. What land was described in the Old Testament as a land flowing with Milk and honey?

a) Egypt b) Canaan c) Greece d) Babylon

8. The Passover was not to be eaten by:

a) Israelites b) Foreigners c) Slaves d) Temporary residents

Bible Study 3 - Exodus 4

9. Who was Aaron’s younger brother?

a) Joshua b) Caleb c) David d) Moses

10. What term(s) can be used to describe Moses?

a) Fugitive b) Murderer c) Impatient d) Committed

11. The 10 commandments can best be described as?

a) Imperatives b) Options c) Rules d) Suggestions

12. What annual celebration commemorates the Exodus?

a) Passover b) Exodus c) Purim d) Day of Atonement

SUMMARY

The Israelites prosper in Egypt, having settled there at the invitation of Abraham’s great – grandson Joseph, who entered the country as a slave and rose to second in command. When Joseph dies, a new Pharaoh sees the Israelites as a threat-and makes them his slaves. God hears the Israelites groaning, remembering his “covenant with Abraham, Isaac and with Jacob. “(2:24) and raising up Moses as their deliverer. God speaks through a burning bush, and Moses reluctantly agrees

Bible Study 3 - Exodus 5

to demand the Israelites release from Pharaoh. To break Pharaoh’s will, God sends ten plagues on Egypt, ending with the death of every first born child-except those of the Israelites. They put sacrificial blood on their doorposts causing the death angel to “Passover” (12:13) their homes. Pharaoh finally allows the Israelites to leave the country (The “Exodus”), and God parts the Red Sea for the people, who were being pursued by the Egyptian soldiers. At Mount Sinai, God delivers the Ten Commandments, rules for worship, and laws to change the family into a nation. When Moses delays on the mountain, the people begin worshipping a golden calf, bringing a plague upon themselves. Moses returns to restore order, and Exodus ends with the people continuing their journey to the “Promised Land” of Canaan, following God’s “pillar of cloud” by day and “Pillar of Fire” by night.

EXPLORATION

1. Why did Pharaoh order all male babies to be killed but female babies saved, as a way of dealing with the growing population of the Israelites? (Ex. 1:15-16) (It seemed as though Pharaoh intended to assimilate the Hebrew women into the Egyptian population. They could bear the children of the Egyptian men and thus increase Pharaoh’s kingdom. Removing the “seed” of Israel would in Pharaoh’s estimation, exterminate the entire lot without the violence of a bloodbath. Pharaoh did not calculate the strength of the interpersonal bond between midwife and mother. He wanted to place the burden of genocide on the midwives. However, it back fired; the midwives speared the boys and lied to cover up.)

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Bible Study 3 - Exodus 6

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2. Is violence okay when fighting violence? (Ex. 2:11-17) (Moses observed violence against a fellow Israelite and responded by killing the perpetrator. What were the other options? Another occasion Moses intervened when some annoying shepherds pestered a group of young women. This time he did not kill but simply drove off the nuisances.)

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3. Is there an appropriate personal distance between humans and God, a space we cannot invade? (Ex. 3:5-6) (From the burning bush God warns Moses not to approach any closer. Moses has come close enough to feel fear, apparently God wants to keep some space between himself and human beings. This kind of physical distance that an Old Testament theophany (divine appearance) required disappears completely in the New Testament- Discuss).

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Bible Study 3 - Exodus 7

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4. What did God mean by identifying Himself to Moses as “I Am Who I Am”? (Ex. 3:14) (When you ask for someone’s identity, you normally get a name. What’s in a name? God describes himself to Moses not by name but by a declaration of character. The verb in this quotation are common imperfect tenses of the verb “to be”, suggesting continuing unfinished action. God is neither past tense, “was”, future tense “will be”, nor static present tense “is”. God is ongoing present active.)

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5. Why was Pharaoh so stubbornly resistant to what God had told him through Moses? (Ex. 11:10) (Because his heart was hardened. This begs the question, “why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart”? Pharaoh was stubborn, hardening his own heart throughout the six plagues. He flip-flopped. God didn’t make Pharaoh

Bible Study 3 - Exodus 8

reject Him; instead, God had given Pharaoh every opportunity to change his mind, but Pharaoh refused.)

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6. Why did the Israelites complain so much? (Ex. 16: 2-3) (It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Think of our own responses to stressful situations and difficult times. How often have we complained in spite of all the blessings? They were human.)

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7. Should people obey the Ten Commandments today? (Ex. 20:1-17). (Certainly no Christian observes all the regulations and laws of the Old Testament. See Mth 22:37-40 or 5:17 or 5:21-22)

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Bible Study 3 - Exodus 9

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8. A word on the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day as related to the commandment (Ex. 20:8-10). (God’s intention since the creation of the world is that one day a week should be set aside for rest and worship. For most Christians that one day is Sunday).

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9. Should children obey parents? (Ex. 20:12). (The order is to “honour”, what does it mean? A child should have compassionate care, not hatred or vengeance for his parents).

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10. Relate situational ethics and or ethical behavior to our understanding of the commandments.

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Bible Study 3 - Exodus 10

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11. Was the ancient “eye for an eye” punishment more effective than now? (Ex. 21: 23-25) (Eye for an eye punishment has social disadvantages. It is usually irrevocable. Mistakes in judgment cannot be entertained. Corrections cannot occur. Wouldn’t this lead to social ruin? How does this fit into us being Christians?)

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12. What does God Glory look like? ( Ex. 34:5-7) (Moses has asked to see God’s glorious presence 33:18. God responded by passing in front of Moses with all his glory. What is God’s Glory? It is His character. We can respond by giving glory to God when our character resembles His.)

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Bible Study 3 - Exodus 11

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13. Aaron is instructed to make robes for the priest. What can we learn from this for our worship today? (Ex. Ch 28).

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14. Read Ex. 4:2. How does this “stick”/ rod” feature in the Exodus?

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15. What do you understand by the “Jethro Principle?”? (Ex. 18). Discuss.

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Bible Study 3 - Exodus 12

QUOTES THAT ARE HELPFUL

Discuss other quotations meaningful to you.

1. God said to Moses, I am that I Am (3:14)

2. Thus says the Lord, let my people go. (8:1)

3.

4.

5.

UNIQUE FEATURE

God told the Israelites to celebrate the “Passover” with a special meal of bread made without yeast (12:14-15). Three thousand years later, Jewish people still commemorate the event.

INSPIRATION

The story of redemption is on clear display in Exodus as God rescues His people from their slavery in Egypt. In the same way, Jesus breaks our bonds of sin (Hebrews 2:14-15).

What additional inspirational thought can you add?

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