Unit 2: God’s Power to Deliver
Unit 2 begins with Moses’ return to Egypt and confrontation with Pharaoh. When Pharaoh refused God’s message, God began to send a series of plagues on Egypt. These miraculous actions demonstrated God’s power in the face of Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. At last came the terrible night of the tenth plague, which was commemorated by the Hebrews in the institution of Passover. Shocked and grieved by the loss of firstborn people and livestock all across Egypt, Pharaoh at last agreed to let the Hebrews go.
Lesson 3: The Futility of Resisting God
Exodus 4-10
The Sunday School teacher had just told her class of second graders that David showed great courage in going out to face Goliath. A little girl in the class interrupted her and told her it wasn’t David but Goliath who showed courage. When asked how this was so, the little girl replied, “Goliath had to go out there alone, but David had God with him.” So it is and today we see how much can be realized when God is on our side. Moses takes his leave of his father-in-law, Jethro, and leaves for Egypt with his wife Zipporah to carry out God’s mission.
Before, we discuss the events leading to the Exodus, there is a curious event that is recorded in 4:24-26.
1. What is the significance of the phrase that God was ready to “kill” Moses?
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2. Why is it important for the person of God to be right with God? ____________________________
Read 5:1-22
3. How did Pharaoh respond to Moses’ first demand that the people be released?
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4. How did the people respond to Pharaoh’s action? _______________________________________
Read 5:22-6:8
5. How did God reassure Moses? ______________________________________________________
6. How did the people respond to this reassurance? _______________________________________
7. What were the indications that Moses’ courage was failing him? (6:12, 30)
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8
Read 7:8-13
8. What sign did Moses use in this meeting with Pharaoh? ___________________________________
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9. Should the display of power by Satan weaken our faith in God? ____________________________
10. What were the ten plagues that God inflicted on Egypt?
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11. Pharaoh is often described as having a “hardened heart.” How does such an attitude affect our effectiveness as a Christian witness? ______________________________________________________
12. What was the significance of God having Moses announce plagues (1st, 4th and 7th) to Pharaoh as he went to the Nile to bath each morning? ____________________________________________________
13. Were the plagues simply punishment for mistreating the Hebrews or was there a deeper reason?
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In our next session we will cover in detail the 10th Plague, Death of the First Born, so as we conclude this session, we should take away these points. God’s actions always serve his purpose. He was simply not punishing the Egyptians for past misdeeds but he was establishing his place and the Supreme Being. The great I AM is not one among the several idols worshiped by man then and now but he is the creator of all things. As Christians today we continue to struggle with the conflict between the God of the Bible and the various gods and idols of our age. On one hand we have the Lord God Jehovah who delivered Israel in the Exodus, and provided for our salvation in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. He calls us to trust him and to follow him. On the other hand, we have the gods of our world – materialism, greed, self-centeredness and power. All call us to give our allegiance to them. What will we do? We can not give our total allegiance to both so we ultimately must choose – so who will you serve?