Lesson No. 3—Make this Course your Daily Bible Guide.

LESSON THEME:—EXODUS

Exodus 1:7-14.

• KEY WORD—”REDEMPTION.”

• KEY VERSE—Exodus 3:10.

• KEY PHRASE—MAN IS REDEEMED OUT OF THE WORLD.”

LESSON THEME:—Home Readings.

Read the whole of Exodus this week. If not then the following selections:—

• Sunday—Bondage,—Exodus 1:7-22.

• Monday—Moses Call,—Exodus 3:1-10.

• Tuesday—First Plague,—Exodus 7:14-25.

• Wednesday—Passover,—Exodus 12:1-14.

• Thursday—Ten Commandments,—Exodus 20:1-17.

• Friday—Tabernacle,—Exodus 25:1-9.

• Saturday—High Priest,—Exodus 28:1-14.

NAME means DEPARTURE, or going out. The book is given this name because it relates the deliverance of the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt. They had been in Egypt 215 years, and in bondage about 140 years of this time. They entered as a family of 70 people, and left as a nation of two million. Exodus may well be called “Israel’s Birthday book!” God calls Israel “My first-born.” Exodus 4:22.

AUTHOR—Moses. Place where written Sinai. Time about 1490 B. C. Book cover period 1635-1490 B. C. From death of writings to birth of Moses was 63 years, from birth of Moses to Israel’s departure from Egypt 81 years, from departure to erection of Tabernacle, one year.

PURPOSE—To give the history of the deliverance from Egyptian bondage, and the establishment of Israel as God’s chosen nation, and the nation is set apart to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, Exodus 19:6.

The patriarchal Dispensation ends and that of the Law begins.

GREAT FACTS:—

1. Bondage.

2. Moses.

3. Plagues.

4. Passover.

5. Law.

6. Tabernacle.

7. Priesthood.

STORY OF THE BOOK—After the death of Joseph in Egypt, a new king arose who oppressed the Israelites. Under these conditions Moses was born. His parents defied the king’s edict that male children should be destroyed, and they hid Moses three months. After being raised as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses forsook Egypt, went to the Arabian desert as a shepherd, and after 40 years there he was called at the Burning Bush to lead Israel out of Egypt. Because of the obstinacy of Pharaoh, power was given Moses to send 10 plagues on Egypt. The tenth plague was the climax, when the first born of man and beast was destroyed among the Egyptians. The Israelites, to commemorate their merciful deliverance instituted the Passover feast. The Israelites were led through all their difficulties to Sinai, and God provided manna and clothing for His people in the wilderness. At Sinai God gives the Ten Commandments, the Ceremonial Laws and certain civil laws that were to be the basis of their social life. God also instructs them in the building of the Tabernacle, and sets up the Priesthood.

Great Facts. I. Bondage,

Exodus 1; Exodus 2.

The Israelites entered Egypt while their kinsman Joseph, was a ruler there. While he lived they were happy and prosperous, but later, a change of dynasty took place, and the new government viewed their increasing numbers with alarm and jealousy. They were oppressed in every way by hard labour and cruel taskmasters. They were used as slaves to construct great monumental buildings and cities, the ruins of which may be seen today. An attempt was made to destroy all male children of the Israelites. Satan who is a murderer from the beginning showed his cunning and power this way. He desired to destroy the seed of Abraham, so as to make the coming of the Promised One impossible. The murder of Abel was the first attempt. Here is an effort on a larger scale, which was followed by many others.

LESSON—Egypt is a type of the world. Pharaoh is a type of the prince of this world. The bondage of sinners still undelivered is pictured here. God is ever listening for the sighs for deliverance. A hatred of bondage opens the way for redemption by blood and power.

Great Fact II. The Birth and Call of Moses,

Exodus 3; Exodus 4.

Moses was a descendant of Levi, the third son of Jacob. Moses was in danger of death, but his mother prepared an Ark of bulrushes, which reminds us of the salvation provided by Noah’s Ark. Thus Moses is saved by faith which depended upon God’s Word and God’s power. Name Moses means “Saved from water.”

The devil is foiled again, for while Satan was using Pharaoh to destroy Israel God was using Pharaoh’s daughter to raise up a deliverer

After 40 years in Egypt, Moses became an exile in the desert of Midian, and in the quietness of the desert, and beneath the majesty of the mountains, he was prepared to be a vessel fit for the Master’s use. Thus all great men in communion with their Lord, are trained for service.

At Burning Bush near Sinai, God called Moses to be the deliverer of Israel. It was a thorn bush, and thorns being the result of sin it typifies the sinfulness and worthlessness of the people. Fire is a symbol of their suffering and tribulation. All the fires of persecution could not consume Israel. This is true of the Bible, the church and the Christian.

Great Fact III. The Plagues.

Exodus 7; Exodus 8; Exodus 9; Exodus 10; Exodus 11.

Because of Pharaoh’s refusal to let God’s people go, and because he hardened his heart, God sent 10 plagues upon him as follows:—

1. Water turned into blood.

2. Frogs.

3. Lice.

4. Flies.

5. Murrain.

6. Boils.

7. Hail.

8. Locusts.

9. Darkness for three days.

10. Death of first-born.

The book of Revelation tells us that, after believers have been caught up at Christ’s second coming that another state of plagues will come upon the earth—also that the rejecters of Christ, like Pharaoh, will harden their hearts, and thus ripen for the day of wrath.

Great Fact IV. The Passover.

Exodus 12.

In the dreadful night when the angel destroyed the first-born of man and beast among the Egyptians, the blood of a slain lamb on the door-posts of the Israelites was the sign for the death-angel to pass over and spare those homes. In commemoration of this merciful deliverance, Israel ever afterwards celebrated the Passover Feast.

It is the fullest type of Redemption in the Old Testament. It meant:—

1. Escape from death.

2. Deliverance from bondage.

3. Entrance into Canaan—symbolizing our salvation, both from the guilt and power of sin, and rest in the tidiness, of Christ. It was not character, but the application of the blood, that was required. Titus 3:5.

Great Fact V. The Law.

Exodus 19; Exodus 20; Exodus 21; Exodus 22; Exodus 23; Exodus 24.

Israel, numbering two million souls, now assembles in the wilderness at Sinai to worship Jehovah, and to receive the law.

The Law is divided into three parts:—

1. 1. The Moral Law in the Ten Commandments.

2. The Ceremonial Law in the ordinance and priesthood. Together they form one religious system, called the Law.

The Ceremonial Law was a provision of Grace for the violation of the Moral Law without which the sinner would have met with instant death. In the sacrifice, the sinning Israelites had a cover for his sins until Christ, the great Antitype of all these sacrifices, should appear to put away sin once and for all by the sacrifice of Himself at Calvary, Hebrews 9; Hebrews 10; Hebrews 11; Hebrews 12. Since Calvary, God’s people are not required to keep the ceremonial law.

1. Civil laws were given which were the basis of their social life, and of our modern statutes. These cemented the nation together.

Great Fact VI. The Tabernacle

Exodus 25; Exodus 26; Exodus 27.

Jehovah gave Moses plans for a Tabernacle that was to be the centre of Israel’s worship for 400 years, until the erection of Solomon’s temple. It was 185 feet long by 91 1-2 feet wide, and was made up of the:—

1. The Outer Court, which contained the BRAZENALTAR for Burnt Offerings, which typifies our Justification, and also the LAVER, where the priests were ceremonially cleansed before entering upon their sacred duties. This typifies our Baptism.

2. The Holy Place, whose was the table of show-bread representing Christ, the Bread of Life, as our spiritual food, the GOLDENALTAR of incense, symbolizing Christ’s intercession for us, and the SEVENBRANCHEDCANDLESTICK, representing Christ as our Light.

3. Holy of Holies, containing the ARK which was sprinkled with the Blood of Atonement, once a year, thus making the Ark a MERCY-SEAT instead of a Judgement-seat.

Great Fact VII, The Priesthood.

Aaron was the first High Priest. The priests were to come from the tribe of Levi, and be the descendants from Aaron.

They were in holy garments, and consecrated to the service of the Tabernacle. The support of the High Priest was a tithe paid to him by the Levites from the tithes paid to them by the people. The people gave one-tenth to the Levites, and the Levites gave one-tenth of what they received to Aaron.

Aaron wore upon his heart the names of the twelve tribes engraved upon precious stones. Here we have a blessed type of how Christ carries all His people upon His heart of Love!

With the precious stones, were two called the Urim and Thummim, which names mean Lights and Perfections. When the High Priest wanted to know God’s will about a matter, he would put on the Urim and Thummim, go to the Holy Place, and if God was willing to hear him a cloud would hover over the Tabernacle.

The Holy Spirit is the believer’s Urim and Thummim, guiding and directing all our steps.

Questions on Exodus.

1. What does the name Exodus mean?

2. Why was the book given this name?

3. How long was Israel in bondage?

4. By whom, where and when was the book written?

5. Name the Key Word and Key Verse.

6. Name the great facts.

7. Tell in your own words the story of the book.

8. Have you read your Home Readings?

9. What did Satan hope to gain by the destruction of Israel’s male children?

10. Of what is Egypt and the deliverance a type?

11. What are the lessons from the Burning Bush?

12. How many plague and why were they sent?

13. What three things did the Passover mean and what did they typify?

14. Name the three parts of the Law.

15. Name the three parts of the Tabernacle.

16. Who was the first High Priest?

17. What was the Urim and Thummim and what its teachings for us?