Session 3: Out of Egypt

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I.                 Prayer

II.             Purpose of Today�s Class: to understand...

A.               [Show schedule, timeline on overhead]
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B.                ... the formation of Israel as a nation born in Egypt.

C.                ... the election and adoption of Israel as a nation by God.

D.               ... the basis and purpose of the Mosaic covenant made with the nation.

E.                ... the conditional nature of the Mosaic covenant (it was broken)

F.                ... the history of Israel in relation to the blessings and curses of the Mosaic covenant.

III.         The Time in Egypt

A.               Abraham begat Isaac begat Jacob/Israel begat Joseph

B.                Joseph, favorite of father, hated by brothers, sold into slavery (Gen. 37)

1.                Interprets Pharaoh�s dream about abundance and famine (Gen. 41)

2.                Made second-in-command in Egypt

3.                Brothers come seeking food (Gen. 42)

C.                Eventually Jacob and family move to Egypt to be supported by Joseph (Gen. 46)

IV.            Spiritual similarities between the nation of Israel and individual believers

V.                born/adopted in Egypt

A.               Exodus 4:21-23 - My firstborn (vs. Pharaoh�s firstborn)

1.                purchased firstborn among Israel at Passover

a)                 Ex. 12 - Passover

b)                 purchased: Ex. 15:16

c)                 purchased by blood

B.                Hosea 11:1 - out of Egypt I called My son

C.                Romans 9:3-5 - to whom pertain the adoption

VI.            chosen by God[1]

A.               basis - love of Fathers and oath sworn to them (Abrahamic covenant and line of promise)

1.                Deuteronomy 4:37 - because loved the fathers

2.                Deuteronomy 7:6-8 - because of oath to fathers

B.                ownership

1.                Leviticus 20:26 - holy, separated

a)                 mystery of history - Jews are still identifiable, not assimilated

2.                Deuteronomy 14:2 - a people for Himself, a special treasure

3.                Deuteronomy 26:18 - His special people

4.                Psalms 135:4� - a special treasure

C.                purpose

1.                servant

a)                 Isaiah 44:21 - My servant

(1)              the commands to exterminate nations in promised land

(a)              not Israel initiating, then justifying with God

(b)              Israel as a chosen tool of God for his justice

2.                a kingdom of priests, a holy nation

a)                 Exodus 19:5-6 - kingdom of priests, a holy nation

b)                 1 Peter 2:5-9 - Jewish Christians reminded of this

(1)              Rev. 1:6 - believers in general

3.                recipients of God�s revelation and to record it (Law of Moses)

a)                 Deuteronomy 4:8 - statutes unique to Israel

b)                 Psalms 147:19-20 -unique to Israel, Gentiles don�t know

c)                 Romans 3:1-2 - oracles of God committed to Jews

d)                 Deuteronomy 6:6-9 - teach and meditate on the law

4.                to display God�s glory, especially by redemption

a)                 Isaiah 44:23 - Israel�s redemption manifests His glory

b)                 Isaiah 46:13� - salvation in Zion, Israel exhibit�s God�s glory

c)                 Luke 2:30-32 - salvation: Messiah as glory of Israel
For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to [bring] revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel."

(1)              avoid confusion!

(a)              revelation to Gentiles [saved non-Jews]

(b)              Your people Israel

(2)              John 4:22 - salvation is of the Jews

5.                an object lesson to the nations

a)                 Ezekiel 5:14-15 - Babylonian captivity

b)                 Ezekiel 39:23-27 (NKJV)

(1)              v23 - The Gentiles shall know

(2)              v27 - I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations,

VII.        Mosaic covenant

A.               Ex. 20:2-17 - given

B.                v.2 - notice connection to release from Egypt

C.                613 commandments, first 10 written directly by finger of God

D.               Ex. 24:3-8 - ratified

1.                Heb. 9:17-20 - not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood (speaking of how the second covenant - the New Covenant - was dedicated by Christ�s blood)

E.                purposes (primary)

1.                reveal the holiness of God, His standard of righteousness

2.                rule of conduct for the theocracy of Israel

3.                to keep the Jews a distinct people

a)                 Ephesians 2:14-16� - middle wall of separation broken down, the law of commandments

4.                to reveal sin (Rom. 5:20; 5:20; 7:7)

5.                to reveal the sinner�s inability apart from God�s free gift �- �to drive one to faith

6.                never was a means of salvation

a)                 Romans 3:20� Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.

b)                 Galatians 2:16� "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

c)                 Galatians 2:21� "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness [comes] through the law, then Christ died in vain."

F.                does not replace or change Abrahamic promises already in effect

1.                Galatians 3:15-19 - law cannot annul Abrahamic promises

G.                conditional

1.                Exodus 19:5-6 - conditions on giving of covenant

2.                Leviticus 26:15� - curses if broken

3.                Jeremiah 31:31 - New covenant because Mosaic broken

VIII.    Why the Jews? Should we be Jealous?

A.               To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required

1.                Rom. 9:3-5 - For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom [pertain] the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service [of God], and the promises; of whom [are] the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ [came], who is over all, [the] eternally blessed God. Amen.

B.                Blessings and Curses

1.                blessings on obedience

a)                 Lev. 44-45,44-45

(1)              26:3-5,9-10 productivity of harvest and reproduction

(2)              26:6-8, peace and military victory

(3)              26:11, God�s presence in midst

b)                 Deu. 28:1-14

(1)              to the new generation in the wilderness

2.                curses on disobedience

a)                 Lev. 26:14-43

(1)              26:15, covenant can be broken by Israel

(2)              26:16, physical disease and sickness

(3)              26:17, enemies will enjoy fruits of labor

(4)              26:18-20, lack of productivity

(5)              26:21, continued disobedience, multiplied plagues

(6)              26:22, wild beasts sent upon them

(7)              26:25-26, delivered to enemies, famine

(8)              26:29, cannibalism during famine

(9)              26:30-31, worship rejected, Jews become sacrifices to their own dumb idols

(10)         26:33, scattered among the nations

(11)         26:34-35,43 land enjoy its Sabbaths (Babylonian captivity)

(12)         26:36-37, fear and confusion

(13)         26:38-39, waste away in dispersion

b)                 Deu. 28:15-68

(1)              to the new generation in the wilderness

(2)              additional graphic detail

C.                Limits to the rejection!

1.                Lev. 26:42 - God remembers covenant with Abraham/Isaac/Jacob

a)                 not the Mosaic covenant - but the basis for it �- �the Abrahamic covenant

b)                 �I will remember the land.�

2.                Matthew 23:37-39 - Jesus said �house left desolate until�

D.               don�t divide

1.                blessings for church

2.                curses for nation

IX.           Implications

A.               The nation of Israel was sovereignly chosen by God.

1.                Romans 11:29 - For the gifts and the calling of God [are] irrevocable.

B.                The Ten Commandments (and other 603) were given uniquely to this nation as a witness to the rest of the world.

1.                The nation has various purposes in history - some of which await future fulfillment.

C.                Much of Israel�s history can be traced to breaking her failure to keep the Mosaic covenant and hence experiencing the attendant curses

1.                To whom much is given, much is required

D.               But blessings are also promised - and predicted - when she returns to God.

X.               Prayer
Are you �chosen� and �born of God?�� Are you his �special treasure?� Are you ready to leave Egypt?