Exodus 5:1-6:27

Notes for BSF.

Exodus 3:13-14

Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

MOSES TO PHARAOH: LET MY PEOPLE GO (Exodus 5)

Moses and Aaron requested to worship God where the Egyptians could not see them

To the Egyptians, the Israelites’ sacrifice was an abomination, and if the Egyptians saw it, they would stone the Israelites to death.

Pharaoh did not want to let them go

Exodus 5:2

Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?

The Pharaoh thinks himself as a god. Look what he has: beautiful land, people, power. To him, he's thinking, how powerful could a god of 2-3 million slaves be? The Pharaoh wanted the Israelites working. He was clearly not aware of God’s sovereignty: This was God’s command for the Israelites to go into the wilderness to spend time with God. This was not some random request by a group people who were lazy and just didn’t want to work.

Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you.

The Egyptians had kept the Israelites under cruel slavery labor. It will be only a matter of time it all comes back around to the Egyptians.

The slave drivers were Egyptians, but the foremen were Israelites

There are always the easy way to live. We can only guess why some of the Israelites could work for those who are keeping their people under cruel bondage – Maybe they needed to feed the family or fulfill some very realistic needs. Although as humans, we can understand why we make certain decisions when we are desperate and are pushed into a very tight corner. However, God’s love and grace teaches us that when we are in these situations, we need to look UP, not around. When we depend on ourselves to find solutions out of impossible situations, we only get us further into desperation. Only when we relinquish our desire for control and let God take charge would we be shown the way out and taste true freedom.

Revelation 14:9-11 
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

What is more important? Eternal life in Christ or brief luxury in the flesh? Sure, it sounds morbid and cold-hearted to say we need to stand for God even in the face of sacrificing our own lives or worse, the lives of our loved ones. However, if we hold our lives in the flesh more precious than God, what we are saying is, “God, I am more important than you; I don’t trust you are powerful enough to save me from this situation, which is why I must take things into my own hands.” Do we or do we not have an all powerful God? We do. Then we ought to act like it. Yes, it sounds horrible to have to sacrifice our lives, to sacrifice the lives of our loved ones – But what is what is the value of living in the flesh without eternal life with Christ?

Matthew 18:9
It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

The Israelites blamed their suffering ONLY on the Egyptians

While the Egyptians should were in the wrong for taking advantage and horribly mistreating the Israelites (and God will judge them for it), they weren’t the only reason the Israelites were in bondage. Due to their lack of faith and their inability to walk with God, they fell away from the Way and ended up where they were. Their unfaithfulness led them to their own bondage. When they cried to God, they blamed their suffering on only the Egyptians, not once did they take responsibility for their actions.

Moses questioned his role once again

When we are stuck in a corner, and things look worse before they get better, it is very easy for us to lose hope especially when we’re on that downhill slide. As the Pharaoh loaded on an even heavier load onto the Israelites, Moses couldn’t help but ask the Lord two questions (Exodus 5:22):

1. Why have You brought trouble on this people?

2. Why is it You have sent me?

God had promised Moses and Aaron deliverance from oppression. Moses and Aaron also did as God had instructed them do and asked the Pharaoh to let them go in private to worship God. However, obeying such commands had only made their lives tougher. This was why Moses asked his first question. And since the lives of the Israelites were made harder, they blamed Moses for leading them into this situation. Moses never thought he was qualified for this job anyway (Exodus 3-4), and now being in this position, he thus asked God his second question.

Every time we follow the will of God, people whose goals are different from God would fight against it. We need to always remember that God loves us and would never put us in impossible situations. We might have to struggle through difficult situations, but He is always there to guide us through. We may have to go through valleys before we reach the mountain tops – But, we will always get to the mountain tops!

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good tot hose who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

GOD’S SEVEN I WILL’S (Exodus 6)

In response to Moses’ questions, God reminded Moses that He is God who remembers His promises and fulfills His promises, with emphasizing statements of, “I am the LORD.”

God is above all things. Instead of complaining and feeling entitled, like God should of course deliver them from Egypt, the Israelites could have humbled themselves and be thankful for God’s grace. They could have remembered that they put themselves in this situation. They chose to walk away from God and wanted the luxurious life of a human kingdom, and they fell into bondage. Instead of taking responsibility for their actions, they cried and remembered God only because they were suffering. And even in their suffering, they were never thankful that God still reached out and helped them. Instead, they continued to complain, complain, and complain. Everything is always about “me, me, me” and “What can you do for me?” Never once did they ever think, “How do I live for God?”

It is always easier to criticize. Hence, we shouldn’t just point our fingers at the Israelites and say what they could have done better. We should take this opportunity to reflect. When we are in a horrible situation, God is here to help us. He loves us like a daddy! Why would he ever hurt us? We must also remember that we are responsible for many of the bad situations that we get ourselves in.

To further comfort Moses, God reassured him with the following promises:

1. I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

2. I will rescue you from their bondage.

3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

4. I will take you as My people.

5. I will be your God.

6. I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

7. I will give it to you as a heritage.

Always approach God with humility. We get ourselves into bad situations, and we need help. If we’re going to ask for help, at least have a grateful heart, and at least take responsibility for the fact that we got ourselves in a bad place and at least recognize that we can’t get ourselves out of a bad situation, and that’s why we need help. To just expect God to reach in and take us out is prideful and ungrateful.

Don’t just think about God when we are in a bad place. God is here to be a part of every part of our lives. If we include Him more in our lives, more in our decision-making, we would less likely end up in bad situations in the first place!

Exodus 3-4

Exodus 3-4

Exodus 2:24-25

So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.  And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.

As we enter Exodus 3, forty more years passed by, and Moses had lost his fervor of younger age, where he aspired to save his people. Now, he just wants to be left alone, to follow God anonymously, and to raise his family.

Some may think it was a waste of 40 years to have Moses wander in the wilderness as a shepherd, but others would argue that it gave him the perfect training he needed: for the next 40 years, God would call Moses to shepherd His people across a similar area of the desert!

We may not always be aware of God's plan for us. However, if we abide by his will, then the training we receive goes beyond time and money. Even if we hate the situation, there is always something there that we will learn through it, always something that will come and help our walk with Him in the future. 

Moses' life was divided into three 40's:

First 40: In Egypt, Moses became something. 

Second 40: In the wilderness, Moses became nothing. 

Third 40: Moses learns how God can do something with nothing, by having him lead His people out of bondage.

GOD APPEARS TO MOSES AT THE BURNING BUSH (Exodus 3:1-10)

Exodus 3:2

So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.

The bush was a symbol of Israel in affliction. The fire was a symbol of God’s judgment (Exodus 19:18; Hebrews 12:28-29).

Like the bush, Israel will burn with God’s judgment, but God will not let it be consumed.

Exodus 3:5

Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.

As Moses approached the burning bush, God told Moses to not come too close and to take off his sandals because Moses was on holy ground. Moses couldn’t get any closer because God’s perfect holiness would turn all sin into ashes. Hence, God’s warning was to protect Moses from premature judgment. 

Joshua was also given the same commandment as he approached an angel who would help him defeat Jericho (Joshua 5:13-15). Only God ever allowed Himself to be worshipped. Hence, we know from this passage that the angel who helped Joshua defeat Jericho wasn’t just any angel. It was THE Angel of the Lord, pre-incarnate Jesus Christ.

God has heard the cries of His people, and He is sending Moses back to Egypt to take His people out of cruel bondage.

MOSES DOUBTS HIS ABILITIES & RELUCTANTLY ACCEPTS GOD’S PLAN (Exodus 3:11-4:17)

Exodus 3:10

Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.

Moses was not enthusiastic at all about this call. He was at a point in life where he just wanted to retire and go home to the Lord. And so, Moses comes up with five excuses (Exodus 3-4). 

Excuse 1. Moses didn’t think he was the right person for the job because he was a nobody.

Moses tells God that He has the wrong guy. And what does God say? He tells Moses he will succeed because He will be with him (Exodus 3:12). God wasn't sending Moses out alone. God was going to be with Moses every step of the way! Moses was not a nobody – He had God! Zero plus God makes the majority!

Excuse 2. Moses didn’t know what he would say to his people so that they would follow him.

Moses didn’t need to know what to say – God will tell him what to say. (Exodus 3:14-22)

We don’t need to be somebody famous or powerful or amazing to do God’s work. When we are in God, when we have God in our lives, we are capable of doing great and amazing things. Not because we are independently able, but because we have God guiding us from within. Moses, a great man known as the father who rescued the entire nation of Israel from Egypt, didn’t think he was good enough for the plans that God had envisioned for him. Moses believed that God should pick someone who was in higher power, or at least someone who would know what to do. In Moses’ own eyes, he saw himself as a tiny nobody who was so removed from the Israelites living in Egypt, that he wouldn’t even know what to say or what to do to get his people to follow him. However, God reassured Moses that as long as he had God on his side, Moses would have the power to accomplish such a daunting task. As long as Moses followed God faithfully, God would accomplish everything through Moses. This is the kind of faith we need to have, especially when we are faced with a great challenge that we doubt we could ever succeed!

Excuse 3. Moses didn’t think his people would believe him.

To help him over this obstacle, God gave Moses 3 signs:

God gave Moses a rod that would show the Israelites that God was in power (Exodus 4:2-4). The rod would become a serpent when cast on the ground but turn back into a rod when taken by the tail. The serpent was a symbol of Egypt. God is showing Moses here that God is in control of the situation. Egypt may be fearsome, but God is in control. 

God also gave Moses the ability to heal leprosy (Exodus 4:6-8), which was and still is an incurable disease! 

God gave Moses the ability to turn water into blood (Exodus 4:9).

Excuse 4. Moses didn’t think he was a good public speaker.

God told Moses that He would teach Moses what to say if Moses didn’t know what to say.

Excuse 5. Moses just really didn’t want to do it; he wanted God to send someone else.

Running out of excuses, Moses finally turned to straight disobedience. Because Moses was so reluctant, God told Moses that he could have the help of his brother, Aaron. Aaron was a more eloquent speaker than Moses (Exodus 4:14-16). Through Moses, Aaron was connected to God (Exodus 4:14-16, 27-31); he learned about God and His plans through Moses. It appears that Aaron was also more obedient than Moses; he certainly didn’t complain about his mission as much as Moses did!

We need to realize that when God calls us to do something, IT IS NOT ABOUT US. We will never succeed if we do it on our own. But with God, we will always succeed. And so, when God calls on us, IT IS ABOUT GOD AND HIS WILL. We are just His chosen vessel. We do not need to have confidence in ourselves because it's not about us anyway! We just need to trust that God will take the lead, and guide us to where He needs us to go.

GOD IS THE GREAT I AM

Exodus 3:14

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”  

John 8:58

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”  

Jesus revealed himself to the Israelites that He IS God. Why did they want to stone Jesus for saying this (John 8:59)? Because the Israelites rejected Jesus as their Messiah, they did not believe Jesus to be God. And if Jesus wasn’t God and dared to say He was, that was blasphemy in their eyes, and the punishment for blasphemy was death by stoning.

Jesus is God, the same God who created the universe, the same God who form an everlasting covenant with Abraham, the same God who rescued His people from bondage.

MOSES RETURNS TO EGYPT (Exodus 4:18-31) 

To prepare for his return to Egypt, Moses first sought permission from his father-in-law. Once Moses had his blessing, he then packed up his family and headed back for Egypt on a donkey, with the rod that God gave him.

As they got ready to leave, however, God exposed a serious mark of sin in Moses’ life: One of Moses' sons was not circumcised. This was an example of Moses' disobedience to God. Because of this disobedience, their son suffered through a life-threatening illness. Both Moses and Zipporah knew that it was their disobedience that led to their current circumstance. 

Nobody is above the Law of God, no matter the calling. Zipporah may have been against circumcision earlier, and Moses did not fight her on it, perhaps thinking God would be okay with this willful disobedience. Both Moses and Zipporah learned that God does not tolerate disobedience. Period.

The leader has to lead from the home. There is not tolerance for willful disobedience to avoid strife. God is telling Moses here that He will not let Moses lead His people if Moses thinks its okay to disobey His commands at will. Obedience needs to start in the home!

Having straightened things up at home, Moses faces no easy feat ahead. Moses was to tell Pharaoh that Israel belongs to God, and the Israelites are His people, His firstborn. Pharaoh should let God’s people go. Otherwise, just as Pharaoh killed God’s firstborns, God, too, will kill Pharaoh’s firstborns.

With Aaron on his side, Moses progressed with God’s commands. Both Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord exactly as God had instructed them to do. They didn’t leave anything out, and they didn’t add anything to God’s plan. Because of their faithful obedience, their lives were blessed: They led the Israelites, who looked upon them and respected them as their leaders. 

Forty years earlier, Moses' fire burned out after a few days of ministry (having been rejected by his own people), and he fled into the wilderness. Forty years later, Moses would be ignited again. Although he was at first reluctant, once his fire for God was lit again, it would not be put out. What's the difference? The presence of God in his life.

God loves us and always hears us. He will always protect us and take us to safety. And when we keep Him in our lives, we will always be under His love and care.

Exodus 2:11-25

Notes for BSF

Exodus 2:11-25

Exodus 2:10

When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.

MOSES KILLS AN EGYPTIAN (Exodus 2:11-14)

Acts 7:23-24

When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 

Moses killed the Egyptian while defending the Jew that was being abused. Moses could not stand injustice. Whenever he sees a weaker person being bullied or taken advantage of, he would step up and help the weaker person.

Although we can sympathize with Moses’ reaction, we still need to recognize that Moses ended up in this situation because he failed to look “up.” He looked right and left before taking things into his own hands, because he knew what he was about to do was not right. It is good that he felt the injustice and was compelled to take action. However, his method was wrong.

It’s always easier to criticize what other people can do better, and I’m not trying to do that here with Moses. Instead, I think we should learn from this situation. When we feel like we’re trapped in a hole, and our only option to get out of the trap is to commit a sin, we have to remember to look up! God is all powerful, and He can deliver us from anything. When we try to rely on ourselves, we will be limited by our imperfections and dig ourselves into a deeper hole. Take the time and look up when we find ourselves in a difficult situation. Let God tell us where to go next. Never rush into a decision made without having prayed to God about it!

Acts 7:25

Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 

Moses saw that his people were in bondage and treated with great injustice. Aware that God had promised His people that He would deliver them from bondage (Genesis 15:13), and aware that God was very present in his life, Moses thus thought his people would understand his bold stand against the Egyptians’ injustice. However, Moses was rejected by his own people.

Hebrews 11:26

(Moses) regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

By standing up for his own people, Moses lost his place as royalty of Egypt, the most powerful and richest country in the world at the time. He gave up his life of material luxury – Yet, it gained him eternal salvation in Christ!

Moses valued his life in Christ more important than the luxurious life as royalty of Egypt. To non-Christians, this would be a foolish thing to do, because, wow, look at all that power and riches Moses gave up! But to Christians, we understand what it means to “look ahead to our reward” – Our eternity in Jesus. To us Christians, we can comprehend why Moses willingly gave up the world (literally!) for Jesus. It’s an easy choice!

MOSES SEEKS REFUGE IN MIDIAN (Exodus 2:15-22)

As exhibited earlier, Moses didn’t hesitate to stand up for the daughters of Midian when he saw them being taken advantage of by the shepherds. This time, instead of punishing the oppressor, Moses went and helped the oppressed instead. That is, instead of killing the shepherds, Moses helped the daughters water their flock.

Reciprocating Moses’ act of kindness, Reuel (the father) invited Moses to stay with them. Seeing how he could no longer return to Egypt and had no place to call home, it was probably a good idea for Moses to take Reuel up on his offer. Despite having a new place to call home, Moses’ heart still longed for his homeland and his people. Prime example of his pining heart is that he named his son, Gershom, meaning, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”

During his exile in Egypt, Moses learned to be patient, learned to lead a flock, and smoothed out the edges of his young and over-zealous temper.

THE ISRAELITES CRIED OUT FOR GOD (Exodus 2:23-25)

Meanwhile, life only became harder for the Israelites under the Pharaoh. In fact, life got so difficult, the Israelites groaned and cried out to God to deliver them. God, being the loving Father, heard, remembered, looked upon, and acknowledged His people. Through Moses, God will indeed deliver His people from bondage!

God is actively involved in our lives. He hears us; He remembers us; He watches over us; He listens to us. If we feel like we are in a bondage (be it physically or spiritually), all we need to do is to look upon God, and He will come to our aid.