Discover the Book - Oct. 23, 2008

Christ in Genesis and Exodus

Genesis “Christ Calling the universe into Being” The Book of Genesis [Greek for ‘origin, source or beginning’] starts with the Hebrew word bereshith which means ‘in the head of all things’. This speaks of the absolute beginning, before which is nothing as we know it - but God in Three Persons. This book introduces in the first eleven chapters, most of the major doctrines of Christianity. These are, the Doctrines of: God, creation, man, sin and the coming redeemer, divine love, judgment, consequences of sin, fellowship with the Creator God, worship and the family. These ten areas are enlarged upon throughout the Scriptures. The book of Genesis covers more time than all the rest of the Bible. Genesis starts at Creation [at least 4000 BC] and continues to the death of Joseph [1915-1805BC], which is about 2,195 years. The rest of the Bible is covering about 1,900 years, from 1805BC to AD 95. The entire book revolves around Four Great Events and Four Great People. The EVENTS are: The Creation [1-2], The Fall [3-5], The Flood [6-8] and the Tower at Babel [10-11:9]. The PEOPLE are: Abraham [11:10-25:18] whose life is one of faith and failure, covenant and promise. Isaac [25:19-26:35] who is a link for the covenant. Jacob [27:1-36:43] a man God transforms and who fathers the Twelve Tribes. Joseph [37-50] who is a tool in God’s hand.

I.                  Genesis yeilds great lessons to live by. Look at just two events and the practical application of both.

A.                The Facts of the Fall

1.                The Search by God of the fallen: God wants Voluntary Worship

2.                Availability of God before the Fall: God wants Personal Fellowship

3.                The Promise of God: God wants to Save us

B.                The Lessons of the Fall

1.                Eve’s Choice: Our vulnerability to Temptation

2.                Adam and Eve’s Fall: Our susceptibility to do our own thing, thus self-rule.

3.                Adam and Eve’s Response: Our inability to accept responsibility, blame shifting.

C.               The Facts of the Flood

1.                The Heart of God: He Grieves for Fallen Man

2.                The Wrath of God: He Destroys by Holy Judgment

3.                The Love of God: He Saves by Sovereign Choice

4.                The Truth of God: He Reminds by Divine Revelation

D.               The Lessons of the Flood

1.                The Sin of Mankind: Reminds us we are sinners

2.                Deafness to the Message: Warns us to Listen

3.                Response of Noah: Challenges our Availability

4.                Second Chance for Mankind: Offers Hope for All

E.                The Lessons of the Book of GENESIS:

1.                God is HOLY, He will judge sin. Gal. 6:7

2.                God is LOVING, He will seek out individuals.Luke 19:10

3.                God is GRACIOUS, He will transform fallen sinners First Peter 5:5

Exodus “Christ Calling his own out of Bondage” Now join me in the Dark splendors of ancient Egypt in the midst of Moses and Egyptian Plagues. Before him stretched the wonders of the Nile. The forest of 50 to 70 foot red granite and limestone pillars ornately carved and painted with cartooshes and hieroglyphics was impressive. To stand before the living god-Pharaoh himself was threatening. To be eighty years old [as Moses was] and to face the most powerful King of the Ancient Near East World of that time would be overwhelming! But God wanted to give His people a special message. He wanted them to know the way out. We need the same truths today.

I.                 EXODUS has a three part message about - The WAY OUT . . . He showed them how to get out of Bondage, Ignorance and Earthliness. We can follow the same paths!

A.               The WAY OUT OF BONDAGE [1-12]INTO FREEDOM, SHOWS GOD IS POWERFUL

1.                A Prepared Servant [1-6]

2.                A Powerful Display [7-11] = Plagues

3.                A Permanent Reminder [12] = Passover

B.               The WAY OUT OF IGNORANCE [13-24] INTO GOD’S LAW AND PROGRAM, THIS SHOWS GOD IS HOLY

1.                God Protected Them [13-15] = Red Sea

2.                God Provided for Them [16-18] = food & water

3.                God Prepared Them [19-20]

C.               The WAY OUT OF earthliness [25-40], INTO GOD’S PRESENCE, THIS SHOWS GOD IS FRIENDLY

1.                The Tabernacle Points to God:

a)                Articles Point to Christ:

b)                Brazen Altar = total devotion Christ

c)                 Laver = Christ the Eternal Cleanser

d)                Lamp Stand = Christ the light of the world

e)                Show Bread = Christ the Bread of Life

f)                  Altar of Incense = Christ constant Intercessor and Priest

g)                Holy of Holies

2.                the Colors speak of Christ:

a)                White = perfection, parallel to Luke, Christ the Perfect Man .

b)                Blue = Heaven, parallel to John’s Gospel of the Deity of Christ.

c)                 Scarlet = sacrifice, parallel to Mark’s Gospel as Christ the Perfect Servant.

d)                Purple = Royalty, parallel to Matthew’s Gospel of Christ the perfect King.

II.              Moses and the Finger of God (Exodus 7-11). Ancient Egypt at its Zenith fifteen centuries before Christ was awesome. The Pyramids were over a thousand years old, and stood towering ominously over this proud and powerful people. The ‘God-Kings’ or Pharaohs as we call them, were sons of Khnum, descendants of RAH and the bearers of divinity to the masses. Astride the Mighty Nile, Egypt knew prosperity, fertile and productive agriculture and great peace. But, a nation had grown up in their midst for 400 years. It had started with just an old man and his twelve boys. Jacob and his twelve sons, his daughters and their families had flourished. In Goshen they now numbered nearly three million. As God had promised to his grandfather Abraham, his descendants would be as numberless as the sands of the sea. From one man to three million is a vast multiplication. And so, the stage is set: THE GREATEST ANCIENT EMPIRE: EGYPT vs. THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF GOD. In lightning fast flashes, we have a succession of TEN POWERFUL imprints upon the fabric of Egyptian Society. A land of mystery and false worship of false gods - brought face to face with the TRUE God of the UNIVERSE. Turn to Exodus 6:1-7; 7:3

A.                NILE PLAGUE [7:14-25] This plague was an unmistakable message. It was to drive a wooden stake into the very heart of the worship of Egypt. Simply stated, God is powerful and you are impotent.

B.                FROG PLAGUE [8:1-15] All this was a death blow to the closed system of their worship. God was true and powerful, their gods were not. HEQT was hit to show who really created Egypt. God is very concerned that all know the CREATOR.

C.                GNAT/LICE PLAGUE [8:16-19] GOD alone is holy. No priests are, or could make anyone holy!

D.               FLY PLAGUE [8:20-32] Only GOD can protect from pestilence.

E.                CATTLE PLAGUE [9:1-7] MNEVIS was hit to show that even the union of the sun god and the sacred APIS bull was powerless to keep the sacred bull on display at the Heliopolis alive! This plague was devastating to Pharaoh who had vast herds of cattle [Gen. 47:6, 17] The economy was so dependent on oxen for plowing and carts, cattle for milk and worship. Camels, donkeys and horses for transportation.

F.                 BOIL PLAGUE [9:8-17] SEKHMET was hit to prove he could not regulate epidemics and diseases. The magicians of Pharaoh’s court, Jannes and Jambres, found that when they withstood Moses his god was REAL! SERAPSIS was hit to demonstrate that only GOD is the One who is the god of healing.

G.               HAIL PLAGUE [9:18-35] ISIS and SETH were not really responsible for the crops, they were as all else, under the TRUE GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!

H.               LOCUST PLAGUE [10:1-20] GOD alone marshals his creatures to do His bidding.

I.                  DARKNESS PLAGUE [10:21-29] GOD, who is light, struck the heart of all Egyptian religion , the worship of the sun god, RAH. GOD alone gives the true light to guide individuals to the way, truth and life.

J.                  DEATH OF FIRSTBORN PLAGUE [11:1-12:32] What is it about the Passover we must remember? Two main areas are presented in the Bible, God’s Word.

III.           THERE WAS A FINAL, DARK PLAGUE TO FEAR:

A.                An UNSPEAKABLE Plague - to even imagine a supernatural messenger of doom was to hunt and kill the first born, was beyond words. That anyone could pick out the first born of man and livestock in the unlit blackness of an Egyptian night, is imperceivable. And to know it was tonight, was beyond words to express.

B.                An UNAVOIDABLE Plague - there was no place he would not visit. Each family would be noticed and examined from poorest to the richest. From the huts of farming peasants to the ivory halls of palaces, all would see the dark shadow of the Death Angel.

C.                An UNSTOPPABLE Plague - there was no power on earth then or now that could have stopped that stalking death. Nothing to deflect his sword of death.

D.               An UNEXPECTED Plague - life was moving along as expected. Business as usual. Yes, that old fanatic was still crying judgment. But, we live in a real world, not some God we can’t see who can judge us. Remember, the god’s of Egypt were put to bed each night in their temples by the priest. Awakened each day, fed, clothed and put on display...

E.                Sounds just like Hell and the wrath of God facing unrepentant sinners today. Remember that Jesus says!

IV.            THERE WAS A FULL SALVATION TO SEEK:

A.                God’s offer was Salvation - He gave the ones who would listen the only solution to avert the disaster of the Death Angel’s sword.

B.                God’s plan was Substitution - He detailed a simple act of taking an innocent, spotless lamb to die in the place of the family members.

C.                God’s method was the Sprinkling of Blood - in the dark, a sprinkle of blood on the door posts was all it took to find protection.

D.               God’s promise was Sufficient - it included deliverance from death, provision of all needs for life, and the hope of a land of promise flowing with milk and honey. All this with a personal guide to assure safe arrival!