God Chooses a People The Exodus and the Sinai Covenant CHAPTER FOUR

The Israelites in Egypt -When we last saw the sons of Jacobs – now called the Israelites – they were coming into Egypt to escape a terrible famine. -Thanks to Joseph, the Israelites were welcomed into Egypt as friends! They ended up staying in Egypt for awhile. -Eventually Joseph dies and a couple of generations pass. The Israelites begin to become prosperous and numerous. -Remember, they had God’s blessing! That blessing includes lots of descendants! -But! A new Pharaoh came to power who did not know Joseph, and became afraid of the Israelites– he said they were getting too numerous. So, he enslaved them! -Worst of all, the Pharaoh commanded that all the male newborns of Israel would be put to death! -YIKES! BUT…. -REMEMBER SALVATION HISTORY AND GOD’S PROMISES! IS GOD GOING TO SIT IDELY BY?

-Birth stories are rare in the Bible. When they occur, it is an indication that the person born is going to be someone important -Exodus begins with the story of Moses’ birth. -Moses’ Mother doesn’t want him to be put to death, so he is set adrift in an “ark” (basket) down the Nile River to escape the Egyptians. An Egyptian princess finds him, and raises him. -He is called Moses because he was “drawn out” of the Nile – which points us toward his efforts to draw the Hebrew people out of Egypt! Call of Moses

Moses Grows Up -Moses Grows up in the Palace, as an Egyptian Prince. -However, as was common in those times, slaves would provide care for infants so that the royalty didn’t have too. -Moses’ biological mother took care of Moses as a baby and young child. -This meant that Moses probably knew he was an Israelite. 7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” 8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, [b] saying, “I drew him out of the water.”b

-Main theme of entire Moses tradition: -Slavery of the Hebrew people, and deliverance. BUT…. Moses never had any intention of freeing the Israelites, but God works in mysterious ways and through unlikely people. -Moses seemed to live most of his life unconcerned with the suffering of the Israelites. But, one day, he sees an Egyptian taskmaster who was beating a slave! -Moses fights and kills the Taskmaster, saving the life of the Israelite slave. Moses is afraid of Egyptian Justice, so he flees. -Moses has to flee Egypt! He leaves his life at the Palace, and runs away from his People. -Things seem pretty hopeless! -This intro shows us something: it will be God, not Moses own efforts, which will save the people of Israel. Call of Moses

-Moses ends up in Midian – and is welcomed into the family of Jethro. -Moses seems to like things in Midian and he settles down – even marries a woman named Zapporah. -One day, while tending a flock of sheep, Moses meets God in a fiery bush in the desert (Exodus 3) -Moses doesn’t really know he he’s talking to! -God reveals his name to Moses as -“I am who I am” - Moses’ objections (reluctant hero): Who am I? Who are you? I’m not a good speaker Send someone else Call of Moses