Exodus
In the Book of Exodus, we discover a relentless God who will do whatever it takes to redeem hopeless people in inescapable bondage. God delivers us so profoundly that we should devote our lives wholeheartedly to Him.
The Unexpected & Unstoppable Plan of Our God
As the Book of Exodus commences, God reminds us of how He kept His promises to an unlikely family to fulfill an uncommon calling. God sets the stage to use His people to accomplish His purposes, and nothing can stop Him.
The Ferocious & Futile Plan of Our Enemy
The Israelites intimidated the Egyptian Pharaoh, so he used all forces at his disposal to reduce their presence. No matter how much God’s enemies oppose His people, they will never fully succeed.
Divine Rescue and Placement
In what seemed like a random set of events surrounding the first few months of Moses’ life, God orchestrated details to save Moses and God’s people. God rescues us from danger to place us in the center of His plans.
Attempting God’s Work Through Your Power
Moses desired to deliver God’s people through his strength, but his efforts would never suffice. If God calls us to something great, we must realize His power must accomplish it.
The God Who Calls Us
Moses received the LORD’s instructions at the burning bush and immediately provided excuses for why he could not do what God asked of him. When we consider what God calls us to do, we must never forget who He is and who we are not.
I AM and I Am Not
Moses received the LORD’s instructions at the burning bush and immediately provided excuses for why he could not do what God asked of him. When we consider what God calls us to do, we must never forget who He is and who we are not.
God Equips Us for What He Calls Us
As Moses added to the excuses for why he couldn’t do what God called him to do, God kept providing assurances of why he could go forward. When God calls us to do something, He always equips us with exactly what we need.
Hardened Hearts All Around
As Moses prepared to return to Egypt, God prepared him for the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, but a curious event on the way showed that Moses wasn’t exempt from that very thing. We must prioritize assessing our own personal obedience.
When Things Get Worse Before They Get Better
Moses’ initial efforts only increased Pharaoh’s narcissistic rage and the Israelites’ horrific conditions. We must hold on to God’s promises when things get worse before they get better.
There’s Not a Situation God Can’t Redeem
God reassured Moses that He would be able to redeem the people no matter how bad the opposition seemed to be. In the circumstances that impact our lives, we must remember that there’s not a situation God can’t redeem.
Your Family Tree Doesn’t Disqualify You
Before the plagues commenced, Scripture provides a genealogy for Moses and Aaron, highlighting their unsavory family line. Just like these two who were used mightily by God, nothing in your family tree can disqualify you from God’s service.
Introducing the Nations to the One True God
While the planned Exodus served to rescue God’s people, He also intended it to wake Egypt up to His supremacy compared to the gods of this world. Never overlook how God uses His work among His people to bring the nations to Him.
When God Attacks Affluence
In the first five plagues, God shows His power over the gods of Egypt and attacks the Egyptians’ many sources of affluence. Nothing in this world deserves our wholehearted trust and allegiance.
When God Confronts Pride
In the final five plagues, God humbles a man who considers himself a god and a people who thought themselves untouchable. God opposes the proud and will use any means necessary to humble us.
Remember How God Passed You Over
In the final plague, God passed over those who believed in the power of a sacrificial substitute. Jesus’ sacrifice satisfies our deserving punishment, and we are given life through His death.
Remember How God Brought You Out
When the Israelites emerged from Egypt, God gave them a chance to live again. Jesus has defeated our greatest enemies and set us free to follow Him all the way to the Promised Land.
God Leads Through Paths Unexpected
God led the Israelites through unexpected paths by unusual guides as they left Egypt. We must maintain trust even when God leads in ways we do not understand.
The LORD Is My Waymaker
With the sea in front of them and the enemy behind them, the Israelites were out of options unless God did something miraculous. The LORD has proved to be a waymaker time and time again for the people of God.
The LORD Is My Strength and My Song
At the banks of the Red Sea, the victorious Israelites worshiped the God who had saved them. We should live lifestyles of worship, constantly expressing gratitude to our faithful Deliverer.
The LORD Is My Healer
When the Israelites discovered bitter water at the beginning of their trek through the wilderness, God instructed Moses on how to make it sweet. God reminded them that He is their Healer, and we must remember that no situation is behind His remedying.
The LORD Is My Provider
The Israelites grumbled against the LORD when the conditions worsened, but He provided food for them still. God’s provision is as constant as His character is reliable.
The LORD Is My Rock
To provide the Israelites with water, God curiously instructed Moses to strike a rock in the side from which life-giving nourishment would run. This moment, and the event it foreshadowed, reminds us all that the LORD is truly among us.
The LORD Is My Banner
The Israelites fought against the Amalekites and prevailed under unique circumstances during the conflict. As our banner, the LORD unites and mobilizes the people of God to victory.
Organization Precedes Continuation
Jethro encouraged his son-in-law, Moses, to alter his leadership practices to focus on what God had called him to do. This simple yet significant change at Rephidim paved the way for what would happen at Sinai.
Redemption Precedes Regulations
Before God gave commandments, He reminded the people about what He had already done for them. We don’t do good works to be loved by God, for redemption precedes regulations.
No Rivals
Exodus 20:1-3 – The first commandment forbids the people of God to have any other gods besides the LORD. To obey this command, we must rid ourselves of any rivals threatening His place in our lives.
No Idols
Exodus 20:4-6 – The second commandment warned the people of belittling God to any type of idol. We must ensure we worship the God who made us, not the gods we attempt to make.
Keep God’s Name Holy
Exodus 20:7 – The third commandment discouraged the people from vainly using God’s name. God’s name represents who He is, and we must never frivolously use it for any type of sinful agenda.
Keep God’s Day Holy
Exodus 20:8-11 – The fourth commandment standardized a week by six days to work and one day to rest. Keeping the Sabbath day holy is about ordering our time to remember who we are not.
Honoring Parents
Exodus 20:12 – The fifth commandment instructs all people, regardless of age, to honor their parents. God has created the family structure to be a training ground for how we embody care and respect authority.
Protecting Life
Exodus 20:13 – The sixth commandment forbids the taking of innocent life. As people distinguished by the image of God, we must respect and protect that same image in any and every life we encounter.
Cherishing Marriage
Exodus 20:14 – The seventh commandment warned the people against breaking marriage vows and entangling themselves in forbidden relationships. To avoid adultery, we must cherish marriage.
Safeguarding Possessions
Exodus 20:15 – The eighth commandment discouraged the practice of stealing. If we trust God for what we need and work diligently to provide for those around us, we will never need to take what belongs to another.
Upholding Honesty
Exodus 20:16 – The ninth commandment prohibited the people from bearing false witness against each other. God is truth, and His people should be known for being truth-tellers.
Practicing Contentment
Exodus 20:17 – The tenth commandment cautioned against coveting anything that belongs to someone else. We cannot practice contentment if we constantly compare what God has provided us with what we see adorning others.
Revering God and Respecting Others
Exodus 20:18-21:32 – After the Ten Commandments, God provided Moses with additional instructions that seemed varied and extensive. At the heart of these commandments, we understand that God is expounding on how we fulfill the first ten in our respect for Him and others.
God Loves Justice
Exodus 21:33-23:9 – In addition to God’s commandments instructing individual behaviors, He also provided a type of order in which society could thrive. In these multifaceted commands, we realize that God loves justice and a culture that embodies it.
Rituals for Renewal
Exodus 23:10-33 – God expected His people to observe weekly rhythms and calendered festivals to recall His presence in those moments they needed Him most. We ought to build patterns into our lives that remind us and the generations behind us of God’s continued faithfulness.
The God Who Draws Us Near
Exodus 24:1-18 – After God provided the commandments, He ratified a covenant with His people. A sacrifice was essential so that the people could experience close fellowship with God.
Giving Out from What You’ve Been Given
Exodus 25:1-9 – God instructed the people to give in specific ways to create a place to meet with Him. The offerings of these formerly enslaved people are much like ours – given from the overflow of God’s provision.
God Desires to Dwell with Us
God’s determination to build a tabernacle to dwell with His people reveals an astounding truth – God actually desires to fellowship with us. This passage beckons us to consider His unwavering mercy and astounding grace.
How to Reenter the Presence of God
Exodus 26:1-27:21 – Within the structure of the tabernacle, God architected details to remind us of how sin separates and how sacrifice restores. Our sin has separated us from God, and our only hope to reenter His presence is upon His conditions.
Dressed in His Righteousness Alone
Exodus 28:1-29:46 – God provided precise instructions regarding His expectations of the priests’ covering and consecration. As a kingdom of priests, our hope is being clothed in the righteousness of a perfect sacrifice.
How to Prepare for Worship
Exodus 30:1-38 – God explained how He desired His people to approach Him in worship. Through their prayers, offerings, and purifications, God showed them a sure path to engage Him.
The Spirit Fills Us to Work and Rest
Exodus 31:1-18 – At the beginning of the tabernacle’s construction, God showed that He had filled specific individuals with His Spirit to complete the design and assembly. God gives each of us skills to do His work and wisdom to experience His rest so that we never confuse the One deserving of credit.
The Sin We Embrace So Quickly
Exodus 32:1-14 – The people grew impatient with Moses’ apparent delay on the mountain and decided to take idolatrous matters into their own hands. Through their example and Moses’ response, we discover what we must do with the sin we embrace so quickly.
The Substitute We Need So Desperately
Exodus 32:15-35 – The people’s sin with the golden calf was so grave that God had to do something about it. Through the willingness of Moses and God’s rejection of his plan, we understand the substitute we need so desperately.
Dependent Upon God’s Presence
Exodus 33:1-23 – God invited Moses into a staggering type of intimate friendship with Himself. Moses became so accustomed to that level of proximity with God that He refused to go forward without it.
Rediscovering Who God Is
God provided Moses with a description of Himself that became one of the most repeated characterizations in the Bible. As we unpack who God says He is, we discover the beauty and balance of His nature.
Remembering Who We Are
Exodus 34:10-35 – Before reminding the people of some of His expectations, God restated His unique commitment to them. The distinguishing characteristics of our lives are wrapped up in the promises of God.
Generous Givers & Willing Workers
Exodus 35:1-36:38 – With the commencement of the tabernacle’s construction, God called for givers and workers to mobilize for the task. Like the Israelites, we get to join God in His efforts if our lives are available to His invitations.
Calling All Overcomers
We will be unable to overcome the world until obedience to God’s Word is desirable. Once God’s commandments are no longer seen as burdensome, we can experience the victory intended for us.
God’s Work Done God’s Way
Exodus 37:1-40:33 – After receiving detailed instructions on how to build the tabernacle, the people archived how they fulfilled them precisely. If we are to complete God’s work, we ought to attempt it in God’s way.
God’s Glory Came Down
Exodus 40:34-35 – With all the growing anticipation of meeting with God after the tabernacle’s completion, God’s glory was so intense that Moses was surprisingly unable to enter. This blockade reminded the people of the great chasm between them and God that only the coming Messiah could rectify.
God’s Guidance Leads Out
Exodus 40:36-38 - Throughout all the Exodus journeys, God had proved Himself faithful for the path still yet to come. Like the Israelites, we are grateful for God’s deliverance in the past and dependent upon God’s guidance in the future.