1. Lesson 21: God Preserved Israel Enslaved in Egypt; God Called Moses
Firm Foundations
Lesson 21:
God Preserved Israel Enslaved in Egypt;
God Called Moses
2"No one is holy like the LORD,        For there is none besides You,        Nor is there any rock like our God.
Key verse: I Samuel 2:2

2. Introduction What is the book of Exodus about?
Remember that God is the same today as He was then
God keeps His promises
God is still holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, and ruler of the universe

3. Israel increased in number and riches
Exodus 1:6,7
Joseph died
Israel did not return to the promised land after the famine
350 years passed
Israel prospered in Egypt
Things would soon change
6And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. 7But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

4. The new king’s evil plan
Exodus 1:8-11
Who was really behind this plan?
The promised deliverer would come from Israel
Satan didn’t want anyone to stop his plan
8Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; 10come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land." 11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.

5. Exodus 2:1-4
1 And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. 2So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank. 4And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
1 And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. 2So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank. 4And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.

6. Moses adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter
Exodus 2:5-10
Who did God use to protect Moses?
God placed Moses in Pharaoh’s household for a reason
Nothing can stop God’s plans
Romans 8:28
5Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. 6And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
    7Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?"
    8And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the maiden went and called the child's mother. 9Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses,[a] saying, "Because I drew him out of the water."
28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

7. Moses, when he reached manhood
Exodus 2:11-22
Israelites held captive by evil pharaoh
No human being could free them
11Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?"     14Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?"
    So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known!" 15When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.
    16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
    18When they came to Reuel their father, he said, "How is it that you have come so soon today?"
    19And they said, "An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock."
    20So he said to his daughters, "And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread."
    21Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom,[a] for he said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land."

9. Moses saw the burning bush
Exodus 3:1-3
What was unusual about how the bush burned?
God’s people were in danger of being destroyed
God’s people would not be destroyed as long as God was with them
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn."

10. God gave His message to Moses
Exodus 3:4
Moses didn’t know God was in the bush until God spoke
Exodus 3:5-6
Why did God tell Moses to take off his sandals?
Exodus 3:7-10
God chooses whomever He pleases to do His will
Ps. 115:3
Exodus 3:11
Moses had failed when he tried to help God’s people
Exodus 3:12
God gave Moses a sign
4So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!"
    And he said, "Here I am."
5Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." 6Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
7And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."
3But our God is in heaven;        He does whatever He pleases.       
11But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
12So He said, "I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."

11. Mount Sinai today

12. What does your name mean?
Angelic
Advisor, protector
Bright fame
“my God is abundance”
“from Lucania”, light
Victory of the people
Kind, gentle, handsome
Yahweh supports
“God has heard”
Ewe
Black, dark
“Yahweh has given”
From Carolus
Stone, rock
Beloved
Helmet, protection
Nobleman
Noble strength
Anjelica - angelic
Raymond – advisor, protector
Robert – bright fame
Rachael – ewe
Melanie – black, dark
Jonathan – Yahweh has given
Caroline – from Carolus or Charles?
Peter – stone, rock
David -- beloved
William – helmet, protection
Elizabeth – “my God is abundance”
Lucas – “from Lucania”, light
Nicholas – victory of the people
Patrick -- nobleman
Kevin – kind, gentle, handsome
Audrey – noble strength
Josiah – Yahweh supports
Samuel – God has heard

13. “I AM” Exodus 3:13 Exodus 3:14 Exodus 3:15-18
Moses wanted to know what to tell the Israelites
The Israelites had rejected him last time
Exodus 3:14
How could God give Himself just one name?
Exodus 3:15-18
13Then 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?"
14And 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."'
15Moreover God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: "The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.' 16Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, "The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, "I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; 17and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey."' 18Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, "The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.'

14. God knew what the king would do
Exodus 3:19-20
God knows our thoughts, words, and actions before we ever do or say them.
Hebrews 4:13
Proverbs 21:1 – The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord…
19But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 20So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.
13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

15. God gave Aaron as Moses’ assistant
Moses told the Lord to send someone else
What did the Lord think of Moses’ suggestion?
Exodus 4:13
Exodus 4:14-17
13But he said, "O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send."
14So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: "Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. 17And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs."
   

16. Moses obeyed the Lord Exodus 4:18 Exodus 4:19-20
   18So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, "Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive."     And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."
19Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead." 20Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

17. The Lord sent Aaron to meet Moses
Aaron was to go along with Moses and help him
Exodus 4:27-28
Moses and Aaron went back to Egypt
They called the Israelites and told them what God said
27And the LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. 28So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.

18. Israel believed Moses Exodus 4:29-31 The Israelites believed
They were thankful that God had heard their cries
29Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. 31So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

19. Conclusion This is more than a story about a man
This is the true history of Israel
This is God’s story
It’s a plan to send a Deliverer to save mankind