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The Lord Rescues Israel from Slavery

 

God made a promise to Israel and God keeps His Word and so God judged all the god’s of Egypt, to demonstrate to Israel, Egypt and the world that He alone is God, in heaven above and on the earth below. This was seen very vividly in Aaron’s snake swallowing the Egyptian snakes, which they regarded as gods.

 

There were various plagues that The Lord brought on Egypt. The plague of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, hail, locusts and darkness. The plagues did no harm to God’s son Israel.

Exodus 9:4

 

The final plague, the death of every first-born male in the land amongst the Egyptians and their animals was the last straw for Pharaoh. The Israelites were not harmed by the death angel that evening. The night before the Passover was instigated; all the people came under the blood sacrifice of the lamb. The death angel passed over Israel and did no harm.

 

Note:    See the lesson on the 10 Plagues on Egypt

This was the last straw for Pharaoh because the people and Pharaoh considered that the position of Pharaoh was the status of a God.

Now the next God of Egypt Pharaoh’s son was now dead, judged by the Lord. The Lord alone is God. The mighty hand of God had now judged all the gods of Egypt.

 

Israel was now a redeemed people, as indicated by their release from slavery. They kept the feast of the Passover year after year, generation after generation after their release.

 

After much testing Israel left Egypt under Gods Mighty Hand and were now heading for the Promised Land. God miraculously brought them through the Red Sea. They saw miracle after miracle. God tested them ten more times, yet they did not trust the Lord.

 

The Lord said in Exodus 19:4

“You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle’s wings, and brought you to myself”

 

The Lord led Israel by a pillar of cloud during the day, and a pillar of fire at night. They saw God’s provision, protection and care at every turn. Even their sandals and clothes did not wear out during the forty years of wandering in the dessert.

 

The Lord regarded Israel as His firstborn Son and His people. At Mount Sinai the Lord met with the seventy leaders of Israel, Moses and Aaron and they saw the Lord. They even ate in His presence.

Exodus 24:9-11

 

At Sinai God gave them His law. It was written on stone, by the finger of God. The tablets were written on both sides and were full of writing. God’s word is complete and nothing can be added to it or taken away.

 

Deuteronomy 12:32 – Context 12:1-32

“See that you do all I command you; Do not add to it or take away from it.”

 

Proverbs 30:6

“Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His Words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”

 

 

After The Lord had given His promises to Israel and requested their obedience to His commands. They all responded to what Moses said and promised to do everything the Lord God had asked of them.

 

Exodus 19:5

“Now if you keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”

 

Numbers 10:12

“Now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God , to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, an to observe the Lords commands and decrees, that I am giving you for your own good.

 

“For the Lord you God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the Great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless (orphans) and the widow, and loves the alien (foreigner), giving him food and clothing.”

 

Israel’s response could and should have been as stated below;

 

Psalm 135:19-21 -Ps 136

“O house of Israel, praise the Lord; O house of Aaron, praise the Lord;

O house of Levi, praise the Lord; you who fear Him, praise the Lord;

Praise be to the Lord from Zion, to Him who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.”

 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His mercy endures forever.”

“Give thanks to the God of God’s. His mercy endures forever.”

“Give thanks to the Lord of Lords: His mercy endures forever.

 

After God gave Israel the Law, in the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, they continually rebelled. They did not trust God. They made a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain talking with God. They bowed down and worshipped the calf, offering burnt sacrifices to it.

 

They committed adultery and fornication while engaging in the worship of the calf. Because of their idolatry and disobedience, they lost many blessings as a result, the blessings which God had promised them. In spite of their many sins, the Lord would forgive them. In spite of their failure God is loaded down with promises of mercy.

 

Exodus 34:6-7

“The Lord, The Lord God, compassionate (merciful) and gracious God, slow to anger (longsuffering), and abounding in love (goodness) and faithfulness (truth), maintaining love (mercy) to thousands, forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished “

 

Isaiah 49:15-16

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands”

 

They lost the blessing of being a kingdom of priests and the privileges that entailed, and became a nation under law. One family in the tribe of Levi became priests. The remainder of the tribe of Levi were to serve at the tabernacle and act as administrators for the nation.

 

God determined to test Israel to strengthen their faith and trust in Him, but they were very disobedient to The Lord. They were now a nation under law. The law was a tutor to lead them to their Messiah, Christ. The law taught them what sinners they were, and how God provided the solution through the sacrifice of Himself.

 

 The adoption of adult sons would have to wait now until sin was dealt with.

 

God forbid them to enter the land, as their trust in Him was not strong enough. They were banished from entering the Promised Land and had to wander around the dessert for forty years. The older people died off for their sin and rebellion, and the young people were spiritually prepared to take and enter the Promised Land.

 

Israel’s failures are posted throughout the Pentateuch

  1. Complained at the Red Sea
  2. Complained of No Water
  3. Complained of Bitter Water
  4. Complained of no food
  5. Complained of no meat
  6. Complained at God’s provision of Manna
  7. Committed Idolatry with the Golden calf
  8. Complained at Moses and Aarons Leadership
  9. Complained at Aarons Spiritual Role as the only High Priest
  10. Complained at Lords discipline
  11. Complained at not being able to take the Land of Promise

 

The children of Israel often said,

“If we had only died in Egypt

“If only we could sit by the pots of the leeks and garlic’s of Egypt

 

When they reached the edge of the land to enter it, twelve spies were sent to spy out the land and two spies reported to Israel how they could take the land with the Lords help, but the other ten spies brought back a bad report of giants and persuaded the children of Israel they could not take the land.

Numbers 13 & 14

Numbers 14:1

“That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them. If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert. Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt? And they said to each other, we should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

 

The Lord forbid them entry to the land and had to wander in the desert for forty years. After forty years of wandering and dying, the young people had begun to appreciate their freedom and responsibility and could now enter the land.

 

Below is a map showing Israel’s dessert wandering and eventual entry into the land of Canaan; a land flowing with milk and honey.

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Jeremiah 10:23

“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not His own; it is not for man to direct His steps”

 

Proverbs 3:5

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths”

 

In the desert God gave Moses the plans for the tabernacle, to explain in a ritual pictorial way, about their lost condition in their relationship with Him, and to show the way back to God, through His Love and sacrifice of Himself for them. He loved and wanted them so much, that He was prepared to sacrifice His one and only Son to bring them back too Himself!

 

The tabernacle was erected on the first day of the second year after leaving Egypt.

Israel’s history can be summed up as the whore of Ezekiel 16:9-23

 

Jeremiah 10:24

“Correct me, Lord, but only with justice-not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.”

 

Luke 5:32

“Jesus Christ did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, a change of heart”

 

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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