The Exodus We all Need - EXODUS START
Join me as I spend some time in Exodus.
We tend to believe Exodus is about escape from slavery. While that is the plot, the theme of Exodus is much much more than a simple and powerful story of deliverance. The key theme of Exodus is coming to "Know the Lord." The phrase, "know that I am the Lord" will appear at regular intervals throughout the book.
In Egypt, Israel will grow large but shallow in her relationship to the Covenant Lord of Creation. Egypt will defy the Lord and Pharaoh will state this phrase, "Who is the Lord?"
The first half of the book will illustrate WHO the Lord is. The second half of the book will illustrate what knowing the Lord means. If we are to grow in our relationship with the Lord, this book is a wonderful place to start.
So we begin:
Exodus 1:1–8 (ESV) These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
A book about knowing the Lord starts by introducing us to everyone but the Lord. Could it be on purpose?
By looking back at the primary characters from the end of Genesis the author is subtly introducing us to something common in the Church. We can know "about" our history or even of Christ himself. We can know about what we should and should not do. We can come from a family of faith or even have a church upbringing. But if we do not know the Lord personally, we are headed for enslavement.
Notice the phrase, "Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph."
Harkening back to the "good ole days" or basing our faith on something we were raised with always fades to black. Every generation needs a fresh encounter with the Lord. It is only in Knowing our Creator can we flourish in His Creation. The temptation is to rest on our laurels or maybe even a past experience with God at a youth camp or weekend retreat. Maybe you made a commitment to Christ at a church service once when the moment hit you just right. But where did it go from there?
Think of this: no family on Earth at this moment knew the Lord more than Joseph's family. They had a long and powerful history of personal intimacy with God. Abraham believed God, Isaac trusted and feared God, Jacob depended totally on God and his life turned from terrible to triumphant. Joseph spoke of God more than anyone in Genesis, obeying Him in the darkest moments of his life and believing all the evil he experienced was leveraged by God for His good purpose.
YET... in spite of that rich heritage, Israel got to a point where they grew a mile wide and an inch deep. Life can do that to you. Especially in the west. You can get so blessed so easily that you get caught up in the life of your own making and the money you're earning that you totally lose touch with the Lord who formed you. Eventually life sucks you in. Not knowing the Lord always leads to slavery.
If there's an Exodus we all need it is this one: to leave our ignorance and past experience behind and press on to KNOW Him. Paul had it right:
Philippians 3:7–11 (ESV) whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... 10 that I may know Him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
We tend to believe Exodus is about escape from slavery. While that is the plot, the theme of Exodus is much much more than a simple and powerful story of deliverance. The key theme of Exodus is coming to "Know the Lord." The phrase, "know that I am the Lord" will appear at regular intervals throughout the book.
In Egypt, Israel will grow large but shallow in her relationship to the Covenant Lord of Creation. Egypt will defy the Lord and Pharaoh will state this phrase, "Who is the Lord?"
The first half of the book will illustrate WHO the Lord is. The second half of the book will illustrate what knowing the Lord means. If we are to grow in our relationship with the Lord, this book is a wonderful place to start.
So we begin:
Exodus 1:1–8 (ESV) These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
A book about knowing the Lord starts by introducing us to everyone but the Lord. Could it be on purpose?
By looking back at the primary characters from the end of Genesis the author is subtly introducing us to something common in the Church. We can know "about" our history or even of Christ himself. We can know about what we should and should not do. We can come from a family of faith or even have a church upbringing. But if we do not know the Lord personally, we are headed for enslavement.
Notice the phrase, "Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph."
Harkening back to the "good ole days" or basing our faith on something we were raised with always fades to black. Every generation needs a fresh encounter with the Lord. It is only in Knowing our Creator can we flourish in His Creation. The temptation is to rest on our laurels or maybe even a past experience with God at a youth camp or weekend retreat. Maybe you made a commitment to Christ at a church service once when the moment hit you just right. But where did it go from there?
Think of this: no family on Earth at this moment knew the Lord more than Joseph's family. They had a long and powerful history of personal intimacy with God. Abraham believed God, Isaac trusted and feared God, Jacob depended totally on God and his life turned from terrible to triumphant. Joseph spoke of God more than anyone in Genesis, obeying Him in the darkest moments of his life and believing all the evil he experienced was leveraged by God for His good purpose.
YET... in spite of that rich heritage, Israel got to a point where they grew a mile wide and an inch deep. Life can do that to you. Especially in the west. You can get so blessed so easily that you get caught up in the life of your own making and the money you're earning that you totally lose touch with the Lord who formed you. Eventually life sucks you in. Not knowing the Lord always leads to slavery.
If there's an Exodus we all need it is this one: to leave our ignorance and past experience behind and press on to KNOW Him. Paul had it right:
Philippians 3:7–11 (ESV) whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... 10 that I may know Him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
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