Journey through the Bible 3

Exodus: Learning to Trust

Bible readings: Exodus 16:1-32 (page 51)Mark 8:1-21 (Page 713)

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Mass migrations in Modern History

1946-7: 9 million Germans transferred to East Germany from Poland and Czechoslovakia.

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Mass migrations in Modern History1947: When India was partitioned, 16 million people fled from Hindu India or from Moslem Pakistan.

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Mass migration from Egypt 1400 BC

God initiated and sustained the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

The descendants of Jacob lived in Egypt for 400 years

Enslaved by Pharaoh Thutmose III to build the storage cities of Pithom and Rameses.

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Why Exodus?To prepare for the Saviour God had to prepare a stable nation.

The new nation had to be:

• A nation separated from all other nations.

• A nation that knew and loved God.

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The Book of Exodus

11 Chapters of Laws

6 Chapters of Tabernacle plans and designs.

Relevant for today?

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How do we read Exodus today?

1. God’s attention to the smallest detail. Everything had meaning.

2. A unique travelling place of worship.

3. A physical parable teaching the awesome holiness of God.

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Learning from the Tabernacle

1. God is concerned about justice and fairness in every aspect of daily life.

2. Compared to other legal codes of the time the punishments were just and reasonable.

3. Unique principle: the same laws applied to every person; rich or poor, king or servant.

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Learning from the Laws

How do we read Exodus today?

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Focus: Where was Mt. Sinai?

Problems:

1. No biblical or archeological evidence for the traditional location.

2. This location was declared to be Mt. Sinai by monks in 300AD.

Traditional Location

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Focus: Where was Mt. Sinai?

Problems:

1. Nowhere for 100,000+ people or animals to camp.No water no grass.

2. Barren steep desert mountain which is difficult to get to.

Traditional Location St. Catherine’s

Monastery

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Focus: Where was Mt. Sinai?

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. )Exodus 3:1, NKJV(

“So 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. )Exodus 3:12, NKJV(

Midian

Why would Moses lead his sheep 800 km to the Sinai Peninsular?

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Where did they cross the sea?

Traditional maps show the Israelites crossing one of the shallow lakes or the head of the Gulf of Suez.

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Where is Mt. Sinai and where did they cross the sea?

Mt Sinai is in volcanic plateau in Saudi Arabia on the Red sea coast.

The Israelites followed a well known trade route which had oases )water & grass(.

A Minority Opinion

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Where is Mt. Sinai and where did they cross the sea?

The outgoing tide plus a strong wind pushed the sea back.

When the tide turned and the wind stopped at Moses command the water raced back like a tidal bore drowning Pharaoh’s chariots.

A Minority Opinion: They crossed at the head of

the Gulf of Aqaba.

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What can we learn from Exodus?

The theme of Exodus is learning to trust and obey God.

On the journey they were totally dependent on God they had to trust and obey or die in the desert.

The way God provided the manna and quail tested their obedience.)Exodus 16(

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What can we learn from Exodus?

We have seen God heal and provide yet too often we doubt.

How often do we try solve problems our way without asking God first?

Exodus reminds us to listen, trust and obey even when we think we know better.