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Study No.6 : Song of Triumph : Exodus 15:1-12

A. Find Out:

        

1. Why was the Lord exalted? v.1

2. What (?5 things) is the Lord? v.2,3

3. How had He dealt with Pharaoh? v.4,5

4. What had He actually done? v.8,10

5. What had Pharaoh boasted? v.9 (6 "will"s)

6. hat 3 fold description is given to the Lord? v.11

 

B. Think :

1. How are physical characteristics attributed to the Lord to describe how

    He did things?

2. How does the song confirm the factual account of the previous chapter?

3. How has it helped Israel 's thinking about the Lord?

 

C. Comment :

     The first half of this song extols the Lord for what He has done. It clearly confirms and ratifies the factual account of Pharaoh's destruction. It confirms that he and his army had perished in the sea when they sought to follow Israel through the parted sea, which then swept back over them. A song or a poem is a useful device to convey knowledge of God because it enables figurative language to be used to convey the emotions felt. It allowed them to express their feelings and their enlarged understanding of the Lord.

     This God whom their fathers had come to know was clearly a warrior, a God who fought against and destroyed armies. Suddenly they feel very differently about Him. If only they would continue to feel like that!! They have seen His greatness, His power, His majesty. He rules over mighty events, He is awesome, there is no other like Him! We should note that it is easy to feel like this after a great triumph, but not so easy to maintain that sense when we come down into the valley of ordinary, everyday events. We need to learn to hold onto our testimonies of good times while in the not-so-good!

 

D. Application?

1. Acclaim the Lord that He IS like the Israelites said in their song.

2. In a valley? He is still the same!

Study No.7 : Song of Confidence : Exodus 15:13-21

A. Find Out:    

        

1. What would the Lord do with Israel ? v.13

2. How will that affect the nations? v.14,15

3. What will happen as Israel pass by? v.16

4. What will the Lord eventually do with them? v.17

5. What will be the Lord's position? v.18

6. Who danced in celebration? v.20

 

B. Think :

1. Give the part of the song we have read today another title.

2. If Israel acted on their apparent belief what would you think their future

     ought to be?

3. Why were Israel able to sing like this?

 

C. Comment :

      The second half of this song moves from recounting what the Lord HAS done to what He WILL do. It is a song of FAITH built on the past experience of the Lord. Faith comes from hearing (Romans 10:17 ) or experiencing the acts of God. These people have just experienced the wonder of God's releasing them from Egypt and from Pharaoh's vengeance. They are full of expectation of what He will now do for them in the future. How sad that this expectation was so short lived. This was a tremendous proclamation of faith. It needed to be repeated again and again and again, even in the face of adverse circumstances. Faith is firmly established by repeating the truth!

      We will see, sadly, that Israel allowed difficult and trying circumstances to quench this faith. Instead of being pushed into God's arms, they allowed the circumstances to come between them and God, and that was their undoing. Similarly we can allow difficult circumstances to push US into God's arms OR separate from Him; those are the two options open to us with every trying circumstance. Which will it be today, or later this week or next?

 

D. Application?

1. An obstacle either hinders us, or we can climb on it to be able to see

     further and more clearly!

2. God is there with YOU in all circumstances.

 

Study No.8 : Bitterness & Healing : Exodus 15:22-27

A. Find Out:

          

1. How long had they travelled without water? v.22

2. What was wrong with the water at Marah? v.23

3. What was the people's reaction? v.24

4. What was Moses' response? v.25a

5. What decree did the Lord make there? v.26

6. What was at Elim? v.27

 

B. Think :

1. How had the Lord "tested" Israel ?

2. What was necessary for Israel to have health?

3. What two ways did the Lord provide in this passage?

 

C. Comment :

      Israel are being led by God (Exodus 13:21 ); it's easy to forget that. For three days they have not seen water; has the Lord made a mistake? When eventually they do come to water it is polluted and undrinkable. Sadly the people grumbled against Moses, because he's the middle man, he's God's representative. It's easy to blame leaders when all is not going so well. What they don't realise is that God is testing them, and they are badly failing the test! God allows us to get into trying circumstances sometimes, to see how we'll react. Will we turn to Him for help or just grumble against leadership? David was to learn this well many years later (see 1 Samuel 24:6)

      When there is a crisis the Lord knows how to deal with it and he shows Moses how to quickly remedy the situation; His wisdom is always there to help (James 1:5). Do we ask Him for it in such circumstances? The Lord then promises health in return for obedience. Possibly there had been a fear of disease at the polluted water, and the Lord takes the opportunity to promise them health as part of the package! Finally they come to a plentiful supply of water. It had been there all the time, just over the horizon. God's provision of abundance was there all the time, He just wanted to reveal their hearts first.

 

D. Application?

1. Do we respond to difficult circumstances like Israel , or in faith?

2. Ask God for grace to handle them.

Study No.9 : Grumbling for Food : Exodus 16:1-12

A. Find Out:

         

1. Who grumbled against whom? v.2

2. What was their complaint? v.3

3. What did the Lord say he would do? v.4

4. Against whom were they really grumbling? v.7,8

5. As they gathered what happened? v.10

6. What 2 things did the Lord say He would do? v.12

 

B. Think :

1. What test were Israel now obviously going through at the start of this

     passage?

2. What second test was soon to follow?

3. How is grumbling against leaders seen here?

 

C. Comment :

      Having been through a testing over provision of water, the nation next go through a testing over the provision of food. Obviously with a large body of people like this, food runs out after two months. They have a problem, but they don't resolve it by speaking to God about it, they just grumble! Next the Lord promises provision of food, but He is going to do it in such a way that will require their obedience and faith, for He is seeking to train them to follow instructions. The believer or follower of God who can do that has learnt much. Moses points out to the people that when they grumble against his leadership they are in fact grumbling against God, because God called him to lead and called them this far. If you "blame" anybody, then "blame" God, is what he is saying. But of course there's no need for blame, simply to trust and enquire of God.

     How we respond to difficulties reveals just how mature or immature we are. The Israelites had recently been singing God's praises, but twice now they had quickly forgotten and allowed grumbling to replace praise. Do we learn from our experiences with the Lord, so our faith gets stronger each time?

 

D. Application?

1. Do we praise on a Sunday and then grumble on a Monday?

2. Philippians 4:6,7 Share everything with the Lord.

Study No.10 : Provision : Exodus 16:13-26

A. Find Out:

         

1. What came that evening? v.13

2. What came after the dew in the morning? v.14

3. How much were they instructed to gather? v.16

4. What were they told not to do? v.19

5. What happened when some of them disobeyed? v.20

6. What happened on the sixth day? v.22

7. What happened to the extra? v.24

 

B. Think :

1. Note all the characteristics, both natural and supernatural of this daily

     food provision from God.

2. How was the Sabbath shown to be special by God?

3. How were many of the Israelites shown to be still disobedient to their

     leadership and to God?

C. Comment :

     God has promised food provision and it comes first in the form of quails arriving in the evening, and then in the daily arrival of manna. This manna is quite remarkable! First of all it just appears after the frost. Second, it melts as soon as the sun comes up so you had to collect it first thing or not at all. Third, it provided sufficient food for all Israel , presumably for the whole day. Fourth, it didn't last twenty four hours, it had to be used on that day. Fifth, on the sixth day, that which was collected lasted two days. Sixth, on the seventh day there was no manna. That happened for forty years! Wow!

      Every day they received God's provision, just sufficient to meet the needs of THAT day, except on the Sabbath when they could rest without having to go out and collect it, because the previous day's provision lasted through. A miracle of provision every day. A special miracle of provision every weekend. In a similar way God wants to provide for us spiritually every day, sufficient for that day as we meet with Him.

 

D. Application?

1. Do we allow the Lord to provide for us at the beginning of the day?

2. We need to learn to feed on the word for our daily provision.

Study No.11 : Manna : Exodus 16:24-36

A. Find Out:

         

1. How did some disregard Moses again? v.27

2. What did the Lord tell them? v.29

3. What was the manna like? v.31

4. What did Moses say they should do with some of it? v.32

5. So how did they do that? v.33,34

6. How long did they eat manna? v.35

 

B. Think :

1. What does the action of some of the people say about them?

2. What was the purpose of the Sabbath?

3. What must have been miraculous about keeping a portion of the manna

     for future generations?

C. Comment :

      We see here, and in yesterday's reading, that the Sabbath, the day for resting up was instituted by God before they reached Sinai and received the Ten Commandments. In their march through the wilderness a day's rest would be essential (as it is in our march through the wilderness of modern life). Foolishly, some of the people in unbelief went out looking for manna on the seventh day, but it wasn't there! It was there for six days but every seventh day, none! People who try to explain away the manna tend to ignore the many miraculous aspect of it. Look back to yesterday's study to see just how many miraculous aspects there were to this!

       Yet a further miracle was the placing of a portion of it in a pot to be kept for years to come so that future generations could look at it - without it ever going mouldy! But of course, this is God's provision, handled as God instructs, so whether it is five loaves and two fishes (Matthew 14:17 ) or a pot of manna, when God directs, the impossible becomes possible. The Lord can do wonderful things with our provisions when they are surrendered to Him.

 

D. Application?

1. Do I never know the miraculous provision of God? Perhaps I've never

     surrendered all to Him.

2. Unbelief leads to disobedience.

Study No.12 : Dissent Again : Exodus 17:1-7

A. Find Out:

         

1. How did Israel decide where to go? v.1b

2. What was the problem at Rephidim? v.1c

3. What was the reaction of the people? v.2

4. So what did Moses do? v.4a

5. How desperate was the situation? v.4b

6. How was the problem resolved? v.6

 

B. Think :

1. What does this passage show about Israel ?

2. What does it show about Moses?

3. What really was the crux of the problem?

 

C. Comment :

      First, we observe that the nation was going where God led, and apparently He led them into a place with no water. At such a place you can do one of two things: either a) question whether God led you there or b) ask Him for help in some way thanking Him that He will not let you be tested beyond that which you can bear (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). Second, we see the people going for the first option, they blame Moses (v.7) and query whether the Lord is with them. No, they hadn't learnt the lesson! Third, we see Moses response, which is to pray. The temptation is very similar for a leader: to respond harshly to the foolish people or to seek God. Fourth, we see the Lord's response: to give Moses something to DO that will release miraculous provision from natural sources.

      Israel had already had a similar testing, but with impure water at Marah ( 15:23 ). The Lord had provided an answer for them there but they apparently hadn't learnt from that. It is interesting to note that the Lord did not bring judgement on them for their grumbling BEFORE Sinai. They were largely still in a state of ignorance about the Lord. He is quietly giving them lessons about Himself.

 

D. Application?

1. Do we count it joy (James 1:2) when our loving Heavenly Father allows

    us to go through a learning time that tests us?

2. The Lord is in control, rest in that.

Study No.13 : Amalakites : Exodus 17:8-16

A. Find Out:

         

1. What "problem" next occurred? v.8

2. Who was to lead the army? v.9,10

3. Who went with Moses where? v.10

4. What seemed to decree Israel winning? v.11

5. How did they ensure that continued? v.12

6. How was this to be remembered? v.14

 

B. Think :

1. Look up the following: Exo 7:20, 8:5, 8:16, 9:22, 10:13, 10:22, 14:16,26

    What was Moses doing, as he stretched forth the staff?

2. Of what do you think this is a picture for us?

3. What does it also teach us about "body" or team ministry?

 

C. Comment :

      There is no indication that the Lord brought the Amalakites against Israel , they are "just another one of those things that happen in life"! Again it has several important lessons for us.

     First of all we see that Moses gave them different tasks, Joshua to lead the actual battle, himself to intercede over it, and Aaron and Hur to support him. They each have different things to do. Ream Romans 12:4-8. We aren't called to do everything!

      Second, we see the importance of Moses' role. He was to take the place of authority over the situation (with the staff upheld). The key here is that he is exercising faith. While he exercises faith, they prevail. It is sometimes said that this is also a picture of interceding prayer, although in fact there is no mention of Moses calling on God. This picture can provoke us to prevail in prayer but its primarily is of a man of prevailing FAITH holding authority.

      Third, we see he needed help to stand in this place. Normally we are NOT called to stand alone (occasionally, yes). We are to have others close to us who can help, strengthen and encourage us (Ephesians 4:16 )

 

D. Application?

1. Are we able to rest in being the person God made us to be, PART (only)

    of the body of Christ?

2. Faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6)

  

    

Study No.14 : Moses' Family : Exodus 18:1-8

A. Find Out:

         

1. Who was Jethro? v.1

2. What had Moses done with his family? v.2

3. What did "Gershom" mean? v.3

4. What did "Eliezer" mean? v.4

5. To where did Jethro come? v.5

6. What did Moses tell Jethro about? v.8

 

B. Think :

1. How do you think Jethro had come to hear what had been happening?

2. What do the names of Moses' sons indicate about the way he had felt

     about his life at different stages?

3. Why do you think Jethro now brings Moses' family to him?

 

C. Comment :

      Moses had fled to Midian in the early part of his life (Exodus 2:15 -22) where he had married one of Jethro's daughters. There he had established his family and as an outcast he named his firstborn, Gershom (see note at bottom of page in Bible). Presumably while still there he had his second son who he named Eliezer because he was beginning to realise that God had in fact delivered him out of Pharaoh's hand. After meeting with God he had then taken his family back to Egypt (Exodus 4:20 ). At some point Moses, presumably for their safety, had sent the family back to Jethro in Midian. Now news of the exodus and the wandering of this people had spread to this chief priest in Midian and so he takes his daughter and Moses' children to be reunited with his son-in-law at the mountain of God .

      Moses had been here before (Exodus 3:12 , 4:27 ) and it may well have been special a special religious place for Midian as well. It is important that at such a place Moses is together with his family. Families should be united, wherever possible, before God.

 

D. Application?

1. Families are important to the Lord and He doesn't want them divided.

2. Pray for the unity of your own family today.

Study No.15 : Jethro & the Lord : Exodus 18:9-16

A. Find Out:

         

1. How did Jethro feel about what he heard? v.9

2. How did he feel about the Lord? v.10

3. What did he conclude about Him? v.11

4. So what did he do? v.12a

5. What did he see Moses doing? v.13

6. About what was he questioning? v.14c

 

B. Think :

1. What had Jethro been up until now?

2. How does he now change?

3. What does he obviously feel when he saw Moses with the people?

 

C. Comment :

      Moses has been telling Jethro about all that has been happening to them. Up until then Jethro had been a priest of Midian, and Midian were not a people with a revelation of God, or if they did it was a limited revelation, but as Jethro hears all that the Lord has done, his heart is warmed and he praises the Lord as THE Lord above all others. We might say he was converted and became a believer in the one true God. We should note in passing that the Bible uses the word "LORD" here which is the means it uses to express God's name that was revealed to Moses at the burning bush, "I AM" (see Exodus 3:14 and note at bottom of page). Jethro is acknowledging the one eternal God that Moses has come to know.

      We should also note Jethro's response, to sacrifice, which was probably a part of his previous religion's ritual, but it is soon to become an essential part of Israel 's activity, to offer to God the best you have. The picture here is of this elderly priest providing hospitality for the leaders in God's presence. Great! Finally as he observes Moses in action, something seems wrong to him. Why do all these people have to stand round queuing, waiting to see Moses. Tomorrow we'll see his wisdom.

 

D. Application?

1. Testimony to the Lord often brings a response in those who are open.

2. Worship means total giving to God.

 

Study No.16 : Wisdom : Exodus 18:17-27

A. Find Out:

         

1. What does Jethro say will happen? v.18c

2. Why? v.18b

3. What does he say Moses role should be? v.19b,20

4. What else should he do? v.21,22

5. What will be the twofold result? v.23

6. So to what was Moses limited? v.26

 

B. Think :

1. What, up until then, had been Moses' problem?

2. Why do you think he had not seen it for himself?

3. What does this say about leadership?

 

C. Comment :

      Jethro saw something that was patently obvious: the job was too big for one man! One man trying to settle disputes for probably nearly two million people was impossible, but Moses was doing it! Why??? Probably it just grew as a problem and he did it without thinking. Perhaps others hadn't the care for Moses that he needed, to point out he was running himself into the ground. It needed a gracious and caring father-in-law to point out the obvious, Moses needed help! Delegate the job to others, Moses; you teach them the rules and they can apply them. If there are particularly difficult cases, you handle those ones, otherwise leave the day to day stuff to others.

      No leader is called to do it all. Jesus calls us his body and it is made up of many members, ALL of which should be active (Romans 12:4,5 / 1 Corinthians 12:14 ,27 / Ephesians 4:12 ,16). Christian Superstars often arise because the body isn't fully active, and they then hinder the body being fully active, and that is NOT God's will. Jethro's wisdom is needed in many parts of the church today if it is to function as God wants it to, in harmony and unity with each part fully operating as God designed it to.

 

D. Application?

1. Am I functioning as part of Jesus' body, the church, today?

2. Am I letting others do it all?

RECAP No.2  "In the Wilderness"  Exodus 15 to 18

SUMMARY :  

         

In these 11 studies we have seen:

- Israel singing at the Lord's triumph

- polluted water, Israel grumbling, God providing

- lack of food, Israel grumbling

- no water, Israel grumbling, God providing

- the battle against the Amalakites

- Jethro coming to see Moses & bringing wisdom

- Moses delegating the judging of the people

 

COMMENT :

      As the Lord led them through the wilderness towards Sinai , Israel act like a bunch of spoilt, badly behaved children. At every difficulty they don't bother to seek God for help, they just complain. They have not yet learnt that God is for them and He will provide if they ask. This Part has been all about a) the God who can provide and b) the people who don't ask for help. Are we hearing what the Lord is saying to us???

 

LESSONS :

1. Obstacles help or hinder, depending on our attitude

2. Obstacles reveal our level of maturity

3. We should turn to God in difficult situations

4. The Lord wants to provide for us

5. Unbelief leads to disobedience

6. God IS in control

7. We are to work as part of the body

8. Family unity brings blessing

 

PRAY :

      Ask the Lord to help you learn to rely on Him for His provision in good and bad times.

 

PART 3 : Meeting God at Sinai

      Holiness starts with God. It is about Him being separate and clearly utterly different from anyone or anything else. Sense something of that as Israel come to meet up with Him at Sinai in this next Part.