
Private Sin Made Public Joshua 7:1-26

a place for us to share ideas, talk about life, and learn together.
The Gospel B.C.
“Discovering God’s Redemptive Plan”
“In the Heart of the Earth”
Jonah 1:17-2:10
A young American engineer was sent to Ireland by his company to work in a new electronics plant. It was a two-year assignment that he had accepted because it would enable him to earn enough to marry his long-time girlfriend. She had a job near her home in Tennessee, and their plan was to pool their resources and put a down payment on a house when he returned. They corresponded often, but as the lonely weeks went by, she began expressing doubts that he was being true to her, exposed as he was to comely Irish lasses. The young engineer wrote back, declaring with some passion that he was paying absolutely no attention to the local girls. “I admit,” he wrote, “that sometimes I’m tempted. But I fight it. I’m keeping myself for you.”
In the next mail, the engineer received a package. It contained a note from his girl and a harmonica. “I’m sending this to you,” she wrote, “so you can learn to play it and have something to take your mind off those girls.” The engineer replied, “Thanks for the harmonica. I’m practicing on it every night and thinking of you.” At the end of his two-year stint, the engineer was transferred back to company headquarters. He took the first plane to Tennessee to be reunited with his girl. Her whole family was with her, but as he rushed forward to embrace her, she held up a restraining hand and said sternly, “Just hold on there a minute, Billy Bob. Before any serious kissin’ and huggin’ gets started here, let me hear you play that harmonica!”[1]
She wanted evidence of his being true to her. Today we will see that Jesus points to the book of Jonah as evidence that He is the Messiah. Jonah being in the belly of the giant fish points to and further explains God’s plan of redemption.
At the end of Jonah 1, the sailors did not want to harm Jonah so they tried to row to shore, but the storm on the sea was too great. The sailors, these lost men, are doing all they can to save Jonah. Jonah does nothing. The sailors prayed for a second time, “they called out to the LORD.” Jonah, still has shown no remorse or repentance for his actions that has put the sailor’s lives in jeopardy.
The sailors made vows, had a sacrifice – they are doing all that they can think of to be right with God, while Jonah won’t even throw himself into the sea, he tries to pull them into trouble with him. Jonah won’t go where is supposed to go, he won’t act when he needs to act, instead he sleeps. He won’t pray when asked to pray, and he won’t even jump into the sea to save the ships and it’s crew – Jonah’s rebellion is one of inaction.
So today we find Jonah, having been thrown overboard, floating on the water and the ship headed to Tarshish disappearing into the horizon.
Prayer –
The Sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:39-41)
Jesus says in Matthew 12:39-41 “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”
What is the sign of Jonah? This comparison is not meant to be exact. Jesus never sinned, whereas Jonah is far from the presence of the Lord until he repents. Jesus died and was buried, Jonah never died, but was thrown up after three days and nights. Jonah was a prophet, Jesus was the Son of God.
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was the only sign that will be given for people to place their trust in Him as their Savior. Jonah would be a picture of what to come in Christ. As we will see, when Jonah marches into Nineveh, the people respond to his message from the Lord with repentance. The sign of Jonah is him miraculous emerging from a giant fish, after three days, with a message for the people of Nineveh.
Imagine you are on the seashore picking up seashells, and a giant fish appears in the water. Then throws up a man, who then says, “I have a message from the Lord for you.” Would you listen to his message? What does God have to do to get your attention?
“the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign . . .”
Is it wrong to want proof that Jesus is who he says he is, or that if you were Nineveh to want proof that Jonah’s message was from the Lord? Why does Jesus call the generation “evil” and “adulterous” for wanting a sign?
There are many miracles surrounding Jesus’ birth, and fulfilled prophecies. The star that led the wise men, God the Father audibly speaking at Jesus’ baptism, miraculous healings, the calming of the storm, casting out of demons, raising of the dead, healing the blind, . . .
Jesus had already given them sign after sign, but here they want more. They simply are choosing not to believe, in light of many given proofs. But, there would be one ultimate sign that would be given for all generations that Jesus was God, the resurrection from the dead.
Luke 16:27 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” If you choose not to believe God’s message, then it’s not because there is not enough evidence.
The Appointed Fish (Jonah 1:17)
1:17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Another word for “appointed” is “ordained”, “called” or set aside.” God prepared a giant fish. It was able to house Jonah, and provide him with enough air to survive for three days. It’s really not important for us to identify the species of animal, or know it’s anatomy to see if this is a true story or not. But think about two things:
1) “Scientists were startled in 1980 by the discovery of a tremendous diversity of insects in tropical forests. In one study of just 19 trees in Panama, 80% of the 1,200 beetle species discovered were previously unknown to science… Surprisingly, scientists have a better understanding of how many stars there are in the galaxy than how many species there are on Earth.” – World Resources Institute (WRI). We are constantly discovering new animals on our planet that we had no idea even existed.
2) “These experts calculate that between 0.01 and 0.1% of all species will become extinct each year. If the low estimate of the number of species out there is true – i.e. that there are around 2 million different species on our planet** – then that means between 200 and 2,000 extinctions occur every year.”[2] There are many animals going extinct every year.
The Prayer of Jonah (vv. 2-6)
“2 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying,
Jonah’s Distress vv. 2-6
On two other occasions Jonah was asked to pray, so that perhaps the ship and its’ crew would be saved. Jonah wouldn’t do it, so facing the choice of total destruction of the ship and death of the entire crew or throwing Jonah over board – over Jonah went.
“Then Jonah prayed . . .” from the belly of the giant fish. God did what was needed to guide Jonah to repentance and to get Nineveh’s attention. We don’t know how far along into the three days that he prayed. Was it immediately? Was it day two, day three? But at some point, Jonah, cried out to the Lord. T. Kendall has said, “The belly of the fish is not a happy place to live, but it is a good place to learn.”[3]
“I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me;” From the following verses we see what kind of distress that Jonah would have endured. It would have been disorienting darkness, water would have surrounded him, seaweed wrapped itself around his body, pressure caused by the digestive process and the depths of the ocean.
There is a good possibility there would be acid from the stomach of the giant fish that would have corroded his skin. The constant taking in of water, sea animals, and air would have been exhausting because you don’t know when you will run out of air, and the giant fish will take its next bite from the ocean.
“I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; you of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. 3 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. 4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ 5 The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head 6 at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. 7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. 8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!”
Jonah’s Relationship With God (vv. 7-9)
Why not just get another prophet to do this? I think the answer to this question is found in the description of Jonah’s prayer. Jonah prayed “to the LORD his God” In this distress he called out to the Lord, and his God hears him. Jonah says in verse 8, that if you place your trust in “vain idols” then you forsake a hope of steadfast love.
Those that call the Lord their God, have a hope of steadfast love. The Bible uses the word Hesed to describe this type of love – this is a word that combines love with commitment. This is where one person in the relationship has determined or committed to love the other person (regardless of the other person’s actions or choices).
God loves us with a hesed love because He has chosen to do so. Committed, promised to love us (regardless of our sinful actions). Hebrews 13:5 “. . . I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
When we as Christians choose hesed love toward the world – to love them regardless of how they show love toward us, if at all, then we grow in our relationship toward God. Jonah should have a hesed love toward Nineveh as a prophet – but he hates them. How many churches have an us-verse-them toward the world?
John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
The book of John discusses how we a followers must remain in Christ, stay close to Him in our relationship. Jesus is talking about his followers, and those that do not bear fruit. A better translation for those that do not bear fruit, instead of “takes away” is to “lift up.”
There is a tendency for new vines to grow toward and along the ground. Down there they get covered in dirt, dust, mildew, and don’t produce much fruit if any at all. But the vinedresser will take some water and a rag, and wash those vines and move them up higher with the other vines, and then tie them off.
Then they begin to produce much fruit. When the vine falls into the dirt, the vinedresser doesn’t throw it away (it’s much too valuable), he lifts it up.[4] God doesn’t want to throw Jonah away because of his rebellion of hardheartedness – He is taking an action that will “lift him up” and get him back where he can begin producing fruit for the Lord.
The belly of the giant fish was a place of discipline not judgement. If you are not producing any spiritual fruit in your life, God will step in a discipline you.
Deuteronomy 8:5 “Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.”
God set aside a giant fish for Jonah. If we run away from God and His presence, isn’t it scary to imagine a God who we know loves us, and is the Creator of the universe and can do whatever and make what He wishes has prepared and set aside for you in your time of rebellion?
Many would see their time of discipline as being awful – it must have been horrible inside the belly of the giant fish. But Jonah sees it as wonderful. He understands that the belly of the whale, being swallowed, and held there for days was the means of him being saved from the depths of the ocean – an ocean grave. The giant fish is not seen as an act of judgment, but how God saved him from himself. He says” But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD.”
“Salvation belongs to the LORD” – being saved is found all throughout the book of Jonah. The sailors and captain are saved in chapter one, Jonah is saved in chapter 2, Nineveh is saved in chapter 3, and chapter 4 focuses on Jonah and God discussing salvation.[5] And in every situation that salvation comes from the Lord alone.
10 And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.” The word “vomit” was intentionally used to induce revulsion – it was supposed to gross us out. It is a graphic image of Jonah emerging, along with other undigested sea animals, seaweed, and land upon the sand upon the shore, “dry land.”
Some scholars believe that because the sailors tried to row back to shore when they were fighting the storm, and that Jonah was later thrown up on dry land that it probably is Joppa – the place where he started. He has a chance to reset, a do over, a second chance.
God of second chances – When you come clean with God, you open up and seek forgiveness from your Creator, he is ready, with arms wide open to forgive you. Don’t let discouragement wrap around you like that seaweed around Jonah, and take you down. God is with you, and wants you to get back on track.
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Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a “light bulb” and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work. You’ve probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That’s true forgiveness.
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[1] https://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/e/evidence.htm
[2]https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/biodiversity/biodiversity/#:~:text=These%20experts%20calculate%20that%20between,2%2C000%20extinctions%20occur%20every%20year.
[3] Billy K. Smith, The New American Commentary; Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (Broadman and Holman; Nashville, Tennessee, 1995) 241.
[4] Bruce Wilkerson, Secrets of the Vine (Multnomah Publishers; Sisters, Oregon, 2001) 34.
[5] New American Commentary, 252.
“Into the Wilderness”
A Sermon Series in the Book of Exodus
“A Change of Heart”
Exodus 2
Introduction
“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.”[1]
When all is said and done, it is not our abilities, or talents, or skill, that we will make a difference for the Lord in this world, but it the condition of our heart – are we humble enough to cry out to God and plead for His help and guidance?
Prayer
The Hebrew Child Becomes an Egyptian Child (Exodus 2:1-10)
“Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes1 and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
This man and his wife, from the house of Levi, as an act of faith had a child in this horrible time. God’s Word to them was, Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” They were seeking to obey and have faith in God, in spite of all the world’s darkness and despair.
God commends them later in Hebrews 11:23 “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”
(v. 3) “she took for him a basket,” – the author is very specific with the word that is used for basket, literally, “ark.” The only other place that it is used is in the story of Noah (Genesis 6:14-9:18). God saved Moses in the same way that he saved Noah – a savior is rescued from drowning. The ark was a vessel of salvation for them.
(v.3) “she took for him a basket made of bulrushes1 and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank.” The salvation of God’s people was tucked away in tiny basket and gently placed amongst the bulrushes. The child was exposed, delicate, fragile, but he was never in any real danger – God was with him, and it was God’s plan. The baby Moses was never safer than when he was in that basket. Moses was far safer when mom pushed him into the water, than had she kept him close to her. She had to let him go, for him to be safe. Why weren’t the parents afraid to do this dangerous thing? “they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” It was God’s plan to save their son, but also to save the nation.
The Pharoah’s daughter ignores her father’s order to kill all Hebrew males, she even acknowledges that he is Hebrew, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children,” And eventually adopts the boy, and names him Moses as her own son. This reminds us that the salvation that was to come was for not only God’s people but for the world, all those who put their faith in the one true God. When it was time to finally exodus there were many Egyptians who went with them, Exodus 12:38, “And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 A mixed multitude also went up with them,”
God had given Moses’ mother a plan, she told his sister to stay close by, and when the infant was discovered to ask the pharoah’s daughter to help her find a nurse maid – which, by design was his own mother, and then was even paid to take care of her own son. Moses’ mother was able to freely take care of and teach her son the ways of God’s people. She had three years to teach all she could about God to her son.
Moses was a type of redeemer, he was one that pointed God’s people forward to a future true and ultimate redeemer. Jesus’ birth was similar to Moses’ birth. A Deliverer, as a child his life is threatened by a king. All the males are killed in order to try and prevent him from becoming the Savior (Matthew 2:16).
At the end of this sections we see, “and he became her son. She named him Moses,” – the Hebrew infant boy, now becomes the adopted child of the Pharoah’s daughter – at three years old he becomes an Egyptian. Moses grew up in the Pharaoh’s palace and would have the best food, clothing, education, housing – everything would have been “the best.”
The Egyptian Man Acts Like An Egyptian (2:11-22)
11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.3 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.
In Acts 7:20-22 Stephen the martyr describes what Moses was like before Ex. 2:14-15 “At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.”
A running theme throughout the book of Exodus is the comparison of two ways, two gods, two cultures competing to see who is truly the most powerful, which way is the best way – the one true way. For three months the baby Moses was hidden by his mother, then for about three to four years his mother raised him, and way able to teach him the ways of the Hebrew people and their God. But then, for the rest of his life (by Ex. v. 11 he is 40 years old), as an adopted child of the Pharoah’s daughter Moses grew up in the Egyptian culture.
Look again at Acts 7:23-24 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand.”
Moses at 40 years old wanted his people to be free, he wanted them to follow him – but he made one huge mistake. He was trusting in his “mighty words and deeds.” Instead of following him, they say, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian.”
Moses is using Egyptian strength, Egyptian words, Egyptian deeds “he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.” – The way of salvation for God’s people is not to trust in the Egyptian ways. God never told Moses to do anything; Moses took action and then wanted God to bless his action; he never even took God into account at all. Egyptians don’t ask what the One True God wants. Moses thought like an Egyptian, he acted like an Egyptian, and he thought that the people would follow Egyptian ways (even though it was the Egyptians that had enslaved them!)
We go through life, and let’s face it – often times it is very difficult. We get sick, we lose our job, we don’t get the promotion, we struggle with debt, on and on – so how do we engage the struggle? Moses thinks that you should engage with Egyptian strength, words, and deeds? But that is not engaging the world as God would have us engage the struggle.
In the conflict between the two fighting Hebrew men Moses steps ins and seeks to mediate. “The use of the technical legal term for the offending party expresses succinctly that Moses’ concern is with the issue of justice.”[2] The Hebrew man says, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us?” – No one did, He took it upon himself to lead. Even later when God approaches Moses from the burning bush, when told to go back to God’s people in Egypt Moses gives the excuse, Ex. 4:1 “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice,” I tried to lead them, and they wouldn’t listen.
The Hebrew man used Moses’ decision to kill a man, as a threat against him, “Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” His ill planned attempt at a rebellion collapsed.
This failure and bad decision rocked Moses to the core, be became afraid, it filled him with self-doubt, and he abandoned any thoughts of leadership, rebelling against Egypt, and even being apart of the liberation of his people. He runs into the wilderness and hides. We wants to disappear. Later, when God goes to Moses and tells him that He wants to use him, Moses gives excuse after excuse and in Exodus 4:10 he says, “But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past (40 years ago when I tried to lead a rebellion) or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”
If Moses was ever to lead God’s people, then he would have to stop being Egyptian and start being Hebrew. This is not a racial thing, it is a mindset thing. Also, God allowed Moses to try it Moses’ way – and it took 40 years to get him to understand that Moses had to completely depend upon God. You can’t be Egyptian and lead God’s people. You can’t be lost and point people to Jesus.
One may even ask, “If Moses had not killed the Egyptian, and hid his body in the sand – he seemed to be destined to greatness.” Was it this one mistake that took him out of the picture of leadership for so long? No, Moses’ whole mindset had to change, he had to learn what it means to be a follower of God, before he could ever lead God’s people. With Moses we see that leadership is not about eloquence, physical strength, wealth, or power – it all comes to an identity (whose are you?) and the heart. So what does God do, to get Moses ready for leadership?
Hebrews 11:24-27 “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” “By faith,” From this passage we see that Moses wanted to please the God of his people, “by faith,” he rejected all the wealth and power that came with being Egyptian, and slowly became a Hebrew.
The Egyptian Man Becomes a Hebrew Man (vv. 16-22)
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. 22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”
It will take another 40 years before God goes to Moses in the burning bush (the first 40 years was in Egypt as the son the Pharoah’s daughter, the second 40 years was as a shepherd in the wilderness). God sends Moses to and places him in a family that will help him remove the Egyptian way of thinking. He would grow to think like a Hebrew shepherd and not like an Egyptian warrior. God puts us in a church family, and over time we become more like Christ. This is why being a part of a church family is so important, we must chip away at wrong thinking and sin in our lives.
Genesis 46:34 “for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”
By the time he has a son, he says, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.” Or “I am a stranger in a strange land.” Moses is lost – he’s not Egyptian and he’s not accepted as a Hebrew. He has the best education, training, and he thought he would be a great leader, and those who knew him said that he was “mighty in words and deeds.” but he has been moving sheep around for forty years – that all seems like another life, long long ago.
By the time God speaks to Moses in chapter 3, his heart as been humbled. Numbers 12:3 says, “Now the man Moses was very meek (humble), more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” Before you can be used by God, you must humble yourself. Moses not only is humble, but he is racked with self-doubt, and he doesn’t think he will ever be of any use for God (because he made a really big mistake, many years ago.)
In some parts of India the locals have a technique for catching monkeys, which they then sell in the market place. The technique is very simply and it works like this: First of all, they put some tempting tit-bits of food, maybe some fruit and nuts, into a heavy glass bottle which has a narrow mouth. They then secure the bottle to the ground or to the base of a tree, sprinkle a few more tit-bits around it, and leave it alone for a while. The monkey comes along, puts his hand through the narrow mouth of the bottle and grabs a fistful of goodies. – This is the monkey’s mistake! – You see, the monkey can’t get its clenched fist back out of the bottle, and it doesn’t have the sense to simply let go of its treasure! It becomes trapped in a blunder of its own doing.[3] Mistakes from our past are like those nuts in the jar, if you don’t let them go you are trapped.
Will Moses let go of his past? we will see next week in chapter 3.
Toward the end of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones is hanging perilously over a cliff, with his dad holding on to one hand. With the other hand, Indiana is trying desperately to grasp the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail has been the subject of his dad’s research, and most of his life has been spent searching for it. Now, it is within their reach. Indiana’s dad recognizes, however, that he can’t save him and get the cup, and so he tells Indiana Jones to let it go. Indiana ignores him, and his dad tells him, tenderly, again to let it go. It is a touching moment when Indiana’s dad is willing to let his life’s work go to save the life of his son. So often we give so much of our time—indeed, our entire life— over to something other than Jesus. But we only truly find life when we surrender our lives to Christ.
God Responds to the Hebrew People (2:23-25)
23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
While Moses was in the wilderness, hiding from his mistakes, and learning to be a follower of the One True God – God was preparing the day for him to return to Egypt. The king who wanted Moses dead or brought to justice is dead.
God’s name is repeated four times – all relating to the people coming liberation. Moses was saved from death, he was raised and trained with the best, and now his time of humbling is almost over. But when we see, “God heard, God remembered, God saw, and God knew.” It is clear that it is God who will save his people.
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Appendix – Things important to the text, but I don’t have time to get to in the sermon.
What do we do with the fact this account is very similar to other historical accounts? “The world of the ancient East provides the legend of the birth of King Sargon of Akkad who was an important ruler in Mesopotamia in the second half of the third millennium BC. According to this, when Sargon was born, he was put by his unnamed mother in a little box, made of reeds and sealed with pitch, and was then set afloat on the Euphrates. A peasant saw him and adopted him, and finally the goddess Ishtar grew fond of him and made him a great and powerful king.”[4]
“He (the author) may have been consciously employing this echo (the similarity between the Egyptian myth and the Moses birth narrative) from a well-known Egyptian myth for polemical reasons. What was no more than a myth in Egypt truly came to pass for Israel in Egypt. In other words, the author takes a famous pagan myth and turns it on its head in order to ridicule and taunt Egypt and then to highlight the truth of the biblical story.”[5]
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[1] https://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/p/pride.htm
[2] Brevard S. Childs, The Old Testament Library, The Book of Exodus (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Westminster Press, 1974) 30.
[3] https://accessinspiration.org/topic/mistakes/
[4] Martin Noth, The Old Testament Library, Exodus (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; The Westminster Press, 1962) 27.
[5] John D. Currid, A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2016) 76.