January 25, 2013 Exod 1–3, Matt 16:1–20, Ps 16:1–4,
Prov 3:5–6
The
key verses of Exodus are 19:4–6a: “You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians,
and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now
therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you
shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is
mine. And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.”
There are many times this book
foreshadows what is to come through Christ and the New Testament. Let me give
you a few examples:
1. The office of
high priest is an important concept. The book of Hebrews frequently refers to
the ministry of the high priest and the superior ministry of our high priest
Jesus.
2. Baptism is likened
to the crossing of the Red Sea in 1 Corinthians 10:2.
3. Christ is our
Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7).
4. Manna was
bread from heaven which Jesus professed himself to be (John 6:48–51).
5. The rock from
which water sprang forth foreshadowed the water of life provided by Christ (1
Cor 10:4).
The Tabernacle seen
in Exodus is spoken of many times in the New Testament as representing aspects
of what was to come.
1. The bronze
altar. Hebrews declares that Christ is the Christian’s altar (Heb 13:10).
2. The bronze
laver is used in Titus 3:5 to portray baptism.
3. The incense
altar points to the prayers of the saints of God (Rev 8:3–4).
4. The golden
lampstand points to Christ the light of the world, and to the Christians who
reflect that light.
5. The table of
showbread seems to be a type of Christ, the bread of life, and of the Lord’s
table which commemorates the body and blood of the Lord (1 Cor 10:21).
6. The holy of
holies was a picture of heaven into which the Christian’s high priest, Jesus,
has entered upon his ministry (Heb 9:24; 10:34).
It is also noteworthy to see the
comparisons between Moses and Jesus. This is seen most in the Gospel Matthew as
it was written to Jewish people. Moses was a prophet (Acts 3:22); a priest (Ps.
99:6, Heb. 7:24); a servant (Ps. 105:26, Matt. 12:18); a shepherd (Ex. 3:1,
John 10:11–l4); a mediator (Ex. 33:8–9, 1 Tim. 2:5); and a deliverer (Acts
7:35, 1 Thes. 1:10). In his character, he was meek (Num. 12:3, Matt. 11:29),
faithful (Heb. 3:12), obedient, and mighty in word and deed (Acts 7:22, Mark
6:2). In his history, Moses was a son in Egypt and was in danger of being
killed (Matt. 2:14ff), but was providentially cared for by God. He chose to
suffer with the Jews rather than reign in Egypt (Heb. 11:24–26, Phil. 2:1–11).
Moses was rejected by his brothers the first time, but received the second
time; and, while rejected, he gained a Gentile bride (picturing Christ and the
church). Moses condemned Egypt, and Christ condemned the world. Moses delivered
God’s people through the blood, as did Christ on the cross (Luke 9:31). Moses
led the people, fed the people, and carried their burdens. The contrast, of
course, is that Moses did not take Israel into the Promised Land; Joshua had to
do that. “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ
(John 1:17).
Exodus 1-3
Exodus
1 begins where Genesis ends.
A
new dynasty comes to power and with it a new policy toward the Jewish people.
History tells us that the eighteenth dynasty had to force out a foreign people
to get their power. They were not going to take a chance of another foreign
force threatening their power, thus the Jewish people become slaves.
How
could God use this to His glory?
Why
did God allow this to happen?
We
are called to follow the law of the land, unless it defies the law of God. We
must obey God before any man. Thus the women could not kill the baby boys.
Satan is a murder, but his scheme did not work nor did it work some 1400 years
later with Herod. Pharaoh wanted to babies to be drowned, but when God
intervened years later Pharaoh would lose his first born boy and his army would
be drowned. We reap what we sow.
What
are some examples today in and in the near past of when we should disobey the
government to follow the law of God?
Chapter
2
There
can be no doubt that God’s hand is all over this situation. The babies were to
be killed in the Nile, but it is through the Nile that Moses is saved. The
Hebrew babies were hated but the tears of the baby Moses broke the heart of the
princess. His own mother became is nurse. There is irony, love, and Divine
Sovereignty seen all through this text.
Were
there long term consequences for Moses’ actions?
What
was the purpose of the forty years of Moses being a shepherd? What did he learn
during this time? How did this prepare him for what was to come?
Forty
years is a long time to prepare, eighty is even longer. However, God’s timing
is perfect. Our patience is often so different than God’s. What is God
preparing you for in your present situation?
Chapter
3
What
is the significance of the burning bush?
Why
would Moses have reason to be afraid?
Moses
is given the Divine name of God, what does it mean?
God
outlines what is to come to Moses, why does He do this?
Matthew 16:1-20
The
Pharisees and Sadducees were united against Jesus. It is amazing how a common
enemy can bring enemies together. If only we could realize that we do have a
common enemy in Satan and his dominion think what we could accomplish as God’s
people.
One
of the problems of the religious leaders was they were so concerned with the
physical that they were blind to the spiritual. Are you sometimes like this as
well?
In
what way were the disciples only looking at the physical and missing the spiritual?
Please
note that rock that Jesus refers to is the confession of faith, not Peter.
The
keys to the kingdom were used in Acts 2 (Jewish), Acts 8 (Samaritans), Acts 10
(Gentiles).
Psalm 16:1-4
What
can we learn from these verses?
Proverbs 3:5-6
These verses
give a great promise of God’s leading if we do what things?
Are you doing
these things?
Pray
today for discernment to see what God is preparing you to do.
Pray
that you can see the spiritual and not be overwhelmed by the material.
Pray
and consider the two verses from Proverbs.
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