Exodus 4:18-6:12 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Go Back To Egypt
Comments for Study 3

Exodus 4:18-6:12
Memory Verse: 5:3

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I. And They Believed (4:18-31)

>1. Why might Moses want to receive his father-in-law's permission to return to Egypt? (18-20)

* Exodus 4:18-20 "Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive." Jethro said, "Go, and I wish you well.Exodus Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead." So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand."

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>What was he sure to bring with him?

* "And he took the staff of God in his hand"

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>2. What did the Lord reveal to Moses concerning his future? (21)

* Exodus 4:21 "The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go."

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>What are some reasons Pharaoh might want to keep the Israelites?

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>What message was Moses to give Pharaoh concerning Israel? (22-23)

* Exodus 4:22-23 "Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'"

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>Concerning the result of Pharaoh's disobedience?

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>3. What had Moses not done that nearly cost him his life and what does his show about him and his family life at this time? (24-26)

* Exodus 4:24-26 "At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met [Moses] and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched [Moses'] feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)"

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>Who came to meet him just as the Lord had said? (27-28)

* Exodus 4:27-28 "The LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the desert to meet Moses." So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and also about all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform."

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>How did the elders respond to Moses and Aaron and what does that say about them at this time? (29-31)

* Exodus 4:29-31 "Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped."

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II. Let My People Go (5:1-21)

>4. What fundamental heart condition is revealed in Pharaoh's response to the Lord's command? (1-2; Luke 10:22; Eph. 4:17-18)

* Exodus 5:1-2 "Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.'" Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go."

* Luke 10:22 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

* Ephesians 4:17-18 "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts."

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>Why did the king's greedy heart forbid them to worship the Lord? (3-5)

* Exodus 5:3-5 "Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword." But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!" Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working."

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>What cruel and foolish decree was give? (6-9)

* Exodus 5:6-9 "That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies."

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>What did Pharaoh believe about himself and the people he was ruling? (Matt. 20:25-28)

* Matthew 20:25-28 "Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

* Many people in positions of authority throughout history have had this twisted view of their lot in life, including some in Israel's history and in the church.

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>5. What was Pharaoh intending to prove? (10-14)

* Exodus 5:10-14 "Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.'" So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw." The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?"

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>Did the Israelites understand the spiritual battle taking place? (15-16)

* Exodus 5:15-16 "Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way? Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people."

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>How does the same type of battle take place today? (Eph. 6:10-12)

* Ephesians 6:10-12 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

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>6. What kind of man was Pharaoh? (17-18)

* Exodus 5:17-18 "Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are--lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks."

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>7. How did Israel foreman respond to all that was happening to them? (19-20)

* Exodus 5:19-20 "The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,"

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>What does their words to Moses and Aaron reveal about them? (21)

* Exodus 5:21 "and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."

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>How did their hearts change so quickly from when Moses spoke to the elders to now?

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III. I am the Lord (5:22-6:12)

>8. What did Moses do when it looked like his mission failed? (5:22-23)

* Exodus 5:22-23 "Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."

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>What did the Lord tell him again? (6:1)

* Exodus 6:1 "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country."

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>Why?

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>9. Why did the Lord give him a history lesson? (2-5)

* Exodus 6:2-5 "God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant."

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>What is the difference from knowing Him as God Almighty and the LORD?

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>What can we learn about God by the way he appears to different people? (John 17:25-26)

* John 17:25-26 "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

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>10. What message was Moses to deliver to the Israelites? (6-8)

* Exodus 6:6-8 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.'"

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>What can we learn about the heart of sinful man from the Israelites response? (9)

* Exodus 6:9 "Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage."

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>What did Moses think was the problem with the message? (10-12)

* Exodus 6:10-12 "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country." But Moses said to the LORD, "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?"

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>What is more important, delivering God's message by faith or with great ability?

* 1 Corinthians 1:17 "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."

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