From Eden to Egypt
“God Delivers”
Mike Steiner
March 8, 2015
Music video: “It Must Be You” by Bart Millard (stop the video at about 3:10 – fade sound out and move
to the next slide) (SLIDE) The Story is all about God’s relentless pursuit to remove the barrier of sin that
separates you and me from His great love – to lay the ground work for restoration of the relationship that we
witness in the Garden of Eden at the point of creation – a return to the tree of life – an eternal relationship. It’s
truly amazing as we try to grasp God’s plan as it plays out in the lives of people like Abraham and Joseph – and
so many others we’ll see in the course of this study – people living in the Lower Story being touched by God’s
Upper Story. Of course, one story that’s been immortalized probably more than any other is God’s deliverance
of His chosen people through Moses – the music video you just saw provides a touching review of that story
and God’s work through Moses.
Today let me first set the stage for Moses’ story. It had been over 400 years since Joseph had risen to
prominence in Egypt. Exodus 1 makes two important points: 1) the Israelites had prospered in Egypt and had
grown significantly in numbers; 2) a new king who didn’t know about Joseph came to power and became the
Hebrews would join Egypt’s enemies. If you’ve ever studied history, you know that this pattern happens
frequently – a minority population grows in size and power; out of fear or out of a pursuit for greater political
power and control, a ruler demonizes and targets a minority; persecution and oppression of that minority
follows. The historical context: Egypt had emerged from under the control of a foreign people (the Hyksos)
who had ruled Lower Egypt for more than 100 years. Egyptian military power was now reaching its peak – we
can assume the Pharaoh would do all he could to secure his power – to include controlling and enslaving his
growing minority population. One of the Pharaoh’s first steps was to order the killing of every Hebrew baby
boy that was born. Exodus 2, of course, details the story of Moses’ birth in the middle of all this turmoil, how
the Pharaoh’s daughter saved him, that he was raised in the Pharaoh’s household, and how he killed an Egyptian
who was beating one of his own people. When Moses realizes someone witnessed the killing, he runs off to
Midian, where he meets his future wife and becomes a shepherd – setting up the moment of his calling from
God.
We can’t leave Exodus 1 and 2, however, without touching on (SLIDE) verses 23-25 in Chapter 2: During that
long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry
for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and He remembered His
covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned
about them. Those words are reassuring – that God hears prayers, God has compassion, that God remembers.
Through the pages of the Bible we’re being continually reminded that this is the God we worship – a
compassionate, caring God - this is again another one of those “footprints” of Christ – at a later time when we
were dead in our sin, God recalled His covenant with mankind, and provided a way of restoration of a
relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ – in other words, God delivers!
(SLIDE) Then comes the burning bush incident - 40 years later while he’s tending his father-in-law’s flock of
sheep, Moses sees a bush on fire, and the fire didn’t burn the bush up. That, of course, stoked his curiosity
(after all, it has to be pretty boring tending sheep in the middle of nowhere, day in and day out – and this is
clearly an amazing sight – this was something extraordinary in the middle of his ordinary life). Then God calls
from out of the bush: “Moses, Moses!” God tells Moses He’s seen the misery of His people, He intends to
rescue them - take them to a special land flowing with milk and honey. Now the whole moment would have
been very surreal to Moses. We can imagine Moses thinking (from his Lower Story perspective) – “Wow,
God, that’s great! I’m really glad you’re going to take action, but why are you telling me this?” Then
God drops the “bomb” on him: (SLIDE) “So, now, go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the
Israelites out of Egypt.” God’s choice of Moses does make a lot of sense – he’s really a great candidate for
this mission. He grew up in an Egyptian household – the Pharaoh’s home – he knew the Egyptian people –
spoke their language, he knew what it was like to live as an Egyptian - he had been well cared for, He also
obviously knew right from wrong – had a passion for his own people and bringing justice to them. The 40 years
tending flocks of sheep had surely humbled this once brash man to the point of really being of service to God
and His plans. But Moses didn’t see it that way – in fact, he quickly tried to make the case that he was the least
qualified to do this great mission by issuing a series of excuses. What we see with Moses is, of course, not
unusual – you might say that each of us is like Moses when God comes calling – we can be pretty good
ourselves about making excuses:
(SLIDE) EXCUSE 1: “I’m not qualified.”
Exodus 3:11 – “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt.”
God’s answer: “I will be with you.” God is on his side – God called him to this task, and God will help him
through it.
(SLIDE) EXCUSE 2: “I don’t know what to say.”
Exodus 3:13 – “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘God of our fathers has sent me to you’,
and they ask, ‘What is His name?’ Then what shall I tell them.”
God’s answer: “I AM WHO I AM!” God is speaking to the power of His name and the power of His
promises made to the Israelites in the past..
(SLIDE) EXCUSE 3 – “They won’t believe me.”
Exodus 4:1 – “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”
God’s answer: “I’ll show them My power. I’ll give them a sign.” The staff and the leprous hand.
(SLIDE) EXCUSE 4 – “I can’t.”
Exodus 4:10 – “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to
Your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
God’s answer: “I gave you the ability to speak – I will help you and teach you.”
(SLIDE) EXCUSE 5 – “I don’t want to do this.”
Exodus 4:13 – “O Lord, please send someone else.”
God’s answer: “I will provide”. God relents a bit to this reluctant servant - Aaron, Moses’ brother, can speak
for Moses.
Moses through this entire conversation is expressing his “Lower Story” perspective – and that perspective can
be expressed in one word: (SLIDE) FEAR! – an emotion of self-concern. You know what’s on his mind.
“I’ve been out here in the wilderness tending sheep. I’m a nobody. I don’t know how to lead others; I’m not
even a good speaker. Besides, I’m a fugitive from Egyptian justice. I’m afraid. Just let me live a quiet, carefree, peaceful life!” Moses is afraid – perhaps for good reasons – but that fear was closing his eyes to this grand
moment and this grand calling- and God’s message to him. God is answering his excuses with a great truth:
“This is not about you, Moses. This is about Me; this is about My will and My plans. I have prepared you for
this moment – I will provide – and I will deliver. The only thing I’m asking from you is to have a willing and
obedient heart.”
(SLIDE) We’re not unlike Moses are we? We may not ever see or speak to God in a burning bush, but God
still calls each and every one of us through the power of His Spirit – who prompts our heart – to take steps of
faith and action. And all too often, our answer to God is the same: “I’m not qualified. I’m not ready. I’m
afraid.” But God’s answer to us is “I AM WHO I AM. You’re my seed sower – not the Messiah – I’m not
looking for a superman. I use ordinary people – broken sinners, weak people to achieve My purposes. I’ve
made you for this task – I am with you – you aren’t doing this alone. It’s all about My power and My plan.”
God used Moses’ weakness as a conduit for His power – that’s what God does – over and over again through
this great “story” He didn’t want a Moses who was a brash, arrogant leader who would claim God’s glory and
claim credit for victory. He wanted a humble and willing servant. Moses was humble, but unwilling at first.
He eventually got it. My question - do we get it? For all of us, the answer God wants to hear as He claims our
life, as He calls us to serve, is simple: “Here I am, Lord.”
(SLIDE) DEVOTION LEADING INTO COMMUNION:
Of course, Moses finally got off his excuse bandwagon and gave into God’s will – and the rest of Part 4 of The
Story of God’s deliverance of His people plays out in a powerful sequence of events – the 10 plagues, the
parting of the Red Sea, the provision for His people to help them move on to the Promised Land. As we close
today with sharing the bread and juice to remember Christ’s sacrifice, it’s instructive to look back to the first
“Passover”. The 10th plague would bring death to the first born of Egypt, and God told Moses (Exodus 12:1112) “On that night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn – both men and animals
and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on
the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Of course, this is another one of
those “footprints” I keep mentioning of God’s eventual deliverance that came through Jesus Christ. The blood
of their animal sacrifices they put on their door frames would protect them. This is surely a picture of the once
and for all sacrifice of Christ and the shedding of His blood – to cover our sins – to save us from eternal
judgment – to save us for eternity. God delivers – how can we know that? - through His Son, our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ – whose blood covers us.