02.05. Deliverance of Israel From Bondage
DELIVERANCE OF HEBREWS FROM BONDAGE lesson text: Exodus, first fifteen chapters. memory verses:Hebrews 11:29.
HEBREW—ISRAELITE—JEW.
Hebrew. The name "Hebrew" was first applied to Abraham (Genesis 14:13). Later it was applied to that part of his descendants who went down into Egypt (Genesis 39:14; Exodus 1:19; Exodus 2:6-7). After this the name was often applied to God’s chosen people.
Israel, Israelite. The name "Israel" was first given to Jacob by the angel who wrestled with him by the brook Jabbok (Genesis 32:22-28). Jacob was the grandson of Abraham, and his family was that part of Abraham’s descendants who went down into Egypt and were called Hebrews. The descendants of Jacob were frequently also called the children of Israel, Israelites, or simply Israel. jews. After the kingdom was divided under the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1-16), the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained with Rehoboam, and his government was known as the kingdom of Judah. Those who went with Jeroboam were called the kingdom of Israel. During this divided condition the people of the kingdom of Judah were sometimes called Jews. Since the return of the Hebrews from the Babylonian captivity the name "Jew" has been applied to all the Israelites, regardless of their tribal relations (Esther 2:5). THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. The descendants of each of the sons of Jacob constituted a tribe, excepting Joseph, whose two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, each became the head of a tribe. THE HARDSHIPS AND GROWTH OF THE HEBREWS. The Hebrews were very few when they went down into Egypt, but they multiplied so rapidly that they soon became a great multitude (Exodus 1:1-7). For some time they were treated well; but after the death of Joseph the government changed hands, and there followed a series of oppressions against the Hebrews to keep them from multiplying so rapidly. They had taskmasters over Ahem, who made them serve with rigor, and their lives became bitter; but the more they were oppressed, the more they grew (Exodus 1:8-13). The mid-wives were commanded to kill all the sons born to the Hebrews (Exodus 1:15-22).
MOSES.
While the decree was in force to slay all the male children born to the Hebrews, Moses was born to Am-ram and Jochebed of the tribe of Levi (Exodus 2:1-10; Exodus 6:20). To save Moses, his parents hid him three months (Exodus 2:2; Acts 7:20-21). "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment" (Hebrews 11:23). How he finally fell into the hands of the king’s daughter and was brought up as her son is told in Exodus 2:3-10. his early training. In Pharaoh’s house Moses "was instructed in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in word and work" (Acts 7:22). But he did not forget his people—the impressions made on him by his mother in the few brief years that he was with her were never erased. "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26). His flight to midian. "When he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian: and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not. And the day following he appeared unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wouldest thou kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold. And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for. the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come, I will send thee into Egypt. This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. This man led them forth, having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years" (Acts 7:23, Acts 7:36). god’s call to moses. When God appeared to Moses in the land of Midian, he said: "I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt." Feeling unequal to the task, Moses said: "Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:10-11). But God replied: "Certainly I will be with thee." Again Moses objected, saying: "Behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee" (Exodus 4:1). Jehovah then gave Moses two signs to perform before the people to convince them that God was with them, adding: "If they will not believe even these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, then thou shalt take of water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land" (Exodus 4:2-9). Again Moses objected: "Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And Jehovah said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I Jehovah? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak. And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God. And thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs" (Exodus 4:10-17) .
"And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: and Aaron spake all the words which Jehovah had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that Jehovah had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their afflictions, then they bowed their heads and worshiped" (Exodus 4:29-31). they Go to pharaoh. "And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto his voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go" (Exodus 5:1-2). Pharaoh accused Moses and Aaron of hindering the people from their work, and sent them away. He then commanded the taskmasters to make the burdens heavier for the people. The people blamed Moses and Aaron for the increased hardships (Exodus 5:20-21). The Lord sent Moses and Aaron back to Pharaoh with signs to perform before him. "And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so, as Jehovah had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers: and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as Jehovah had spoken" (Exodus 7:10-13). the plagues. Then followed the ten great plagues which the Lord brought into Egypt. (1) Turning all the surface water into blood (Exodus 7:19-25); (2) frogs (Exodus 8:1-7); (3) lice (Exodus 8:16-19); (4) flies (Exodus 8:2024); (5) death of domestic animals from murrain (Exodus 9:1-7); (6) boils on man and beast (Exodus 9:8-12); (7) hail (Exodus 9:17-35); (8) locusts Exodus 10:1); (9) darkness (Exodus 10:21-29); (10) death of the firstborn (Exodus 11:4; Exodus 12:29-30). preparation for the journey. In Midian God said to Moses: "I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not be empty: but every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall despoil the Egyptians" (Exodus 3:21-22). Just before the final plague. God said to Moses: "Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. And Jehovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people" (Exodus 11:2-3). The people followed these instructions; "and Jehovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And they despoiled the Egyptians" (Exodus 12:35-36). THE PASSOVER
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month/they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household: and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbor next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man’s eating ye shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old: ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats: and ye shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at even. And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleaven bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roast with fire; its head with its legs and with the inwards thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes upon your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is Jehovah’s passover. For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am Jehovah. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall be no plague upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:1-13). THE DEPARTURE.
"And is came to pass at midnight, that Jehovah smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat upon his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve Jehovah, as ye have said. Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We are all dead men. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-throughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders" (Exodus 12:29-34). "And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, besides children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them" (Exodus 12:37-38).
"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt; but God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. And they took their journey from Succoth. and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night: the pillar of cloud by day, and pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people" (Exodus 13:17-22).
PHARAOH AND HIS ARMY FOLLOW.
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon: over against it shall ye encamp by the sea" (Exodus 14:1-2). And Pharaoh said: "What is this that we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us? And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them... And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea" (Exodus 14:5-9).
WATERS DIVIDE—ISRAEL SAVED. At sight of the Egyptians the Hebrews were filled with fear, and cried unto Jehovah, and complained against Moses: "For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness" (see Exodus 14:10-12). They had gone as far as Jehovah had directed; nothing more could be done till Jehovah spoke. Moses, with full confidence in God said: "Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you today." "And Jehovah said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. And lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground" (Exodus 14:15-16). As the Hebrews moved toward the opening in the Red Sea, the pillar of fire moved back to their rear, so as to shut them off from the view of the Egyptians, and they crossed the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall on either side of them. The Egyptians were pressing hard upon them—following them through the sea. Having crossed the sea, at the command of Jehovah, Moses stretched his hand over the sea, the sea returned to its strength, and the Egyptians were drowned. "Thus Jehovah saved Israel that day out of the hands of the Egyptians" (Exodus 14:30). "Thus," in the manner described, "Jehovah saved Israel." True, they had to do everything Jehovah commanded, but their salvation was none the less of Jehovah. They were saved the day they crossed the Red Sea—that day Jehovah saved them. Be it remembered: They were baptized the day they crossed the sea (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-2). Being delivered from bondage, saved from the hands of the Egyptians, they sang the songs of deliverance (see Exodus 15:1-27).
TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION.
God’s Providence as Illustrated in the Child Moses.
Moses’ Choice (Hebrews 11:24-26).
Signs and Their Purpose. The Character of Pharaoh. The Feast of the Passover.
QUESTIONS
By what names were Jacob’s descendants called?
To whom was the name "Hebrew" first applied?
Who was first called "Israel," and when?
Where does the word "Jew" first occur in the Bible?
To whom was it applied?
What constituted a tribe of Israel?
What happened to Israel after the death of Joseph?
Describe the severity of their bondage.
What measures were adopted to prevent their increase?
Why prevent their increase?
Of what tribe was Moses?
Tell how he came into the hands of Pharaoh’s daughter and how his mother became his nurse
What of his education and training?
How came Moses to leave Egypt?
Where did he go?
What was his age at this time?
With whom did he sojourn?
How long did he remain in Midian?
What was his occupation?
Where did an angel appear to him?
Tell what took place at this appearance.
On what mission did God propose to send him?
What is implied in Moses’ first objection?
What change does this indicate had taken place in his character since he killed the Egyptian in his first attempt to deliver his brethren?
What was his second objection to going?
What means did God give Moses to cause his brethren to believe?
What was Moses’ third objection?
Why was God’s anger kindled, and what did he say?
What was to be Aaron’s part?
Whom did Moses and Aaron first gather together?
What then did they say to Pharaoh?
What was Pharaoh’s reply?
What do you think of such a challenge?
What does it indicate as to Pharaoh’s character?
Of what did Pharaoh accuse Moses and Aaron?
What then did he command the taskmasters?
Tell what occurred at their second visit to Pharaoh.
Name the ten plagues.
Tell how they collected so much silver, gold, and raiment.
What were they commanded to do on the tenth day of the first month?
What should a small household do?
What kind of a lamb?
How long was the lamb to be kept up?
What do with the blood?
How was the lamb to be cooked?
With what were they to eat it?
How were they to eat it?
What occurred at midnight?
What houses did the destroying angel pass over?
What did Pharaoh do?
Why was he so urgent that Israel go?
How many Israelites went?
Did any others go?
From what place did they depart?
Whose bones did they carry? (see Acts 7:15-16).
Why did not God lead them through the land of the Philistines?
Tell how they were guided in their journey?
What did Pharaoh do?
What is said of his equipment?
Where did they overtake Israel?
How did the sight of them affect Israel?
What did Moses command?
What did God command?
How were the waters of the Red Sea parted?
What is said of the pillar of fire?
Tell how the Egyptians were destroyed.
How did the Lord save Israel from the Egyptians?
When did Israel sing the song of deliverance?