Outline for Exodus 1-12

This is what I'll be using to teach 6th-graders tomorrow about the first third of the book of Exodus.

1.           From Joseph to Moses (Exodus 1)

a)      What did the Lord prophesy to Abram? (Genesis 15:7-21, esp. vv. 13-14) your descendants will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs … slaves … oppressed for four hundred years; but I will bring judgment on the nation which they serve … they shall come out with great possessions.

b)      What happened to the descendents of Jacob in Egypt? (Exodus 1:7-22) They multiplied in number and made slaves because a new Pharaoh did not know of Joseph.  Pharaoh wanted the male children killed at birth (compare to Herod, China), then he told the midwives to drown the boys in water.  Water = major theme.

c)      Allegory:  Egypt is to Israel, as what is to what? Pharaoh=Satan, Egypt=sin, Israel=us.  Egypt separates Israel from God.  Israrel forgets who they are and who God is.  God is going to take Israel out of Egypt, and Egypt out of Israel.

2.           Moses (Exodus 2-4)

a)      Why learn about Moses? Summary in Acts 7:17-45.  He prophesied and prefigured Christ:  Deut 18:15; Luke 24:27,44; John 1:45; 3:14; 5:46; 6:32; Acts 3:13-26; 7:37

b)      Birth and life in Egypt (Exodus 2)

1.      What was supposed to happen to Moses at birth? He should have been drowned.

2.      How did Moses survive? His mother hid him for three months, then put him in a basket ("ark") in the river.  Pharaoh's daughter saw him and adopted him.  His own mother was chosen as his paid nurse!

3.      What does his name mean? "Drawn out"

4.      How did he grow up? Nursed by his mother (knowing his culture) and then he lived as an Egyptian until he was 40. (Acts 7:20-22)

5.      What did he do that lost him the favor of Pharaoh? He slew an Egyptian that was beating a Hebrew.  The next day he saw two Hebrews fighting, and one asked "Who made you a prince and a judge over us", a prophetic question.  Pharaoh finds out about the murder and Moses flees.

c)      Exile and Mission (Exodus 3-4) Moses spends next 40 years in the wilderness.  He is like Joseph, sent ahead of Israel for their good. 

1.      How is Exodus 3:2-10 similar to Genesis 15:13-21?

1.      How did God manifest Himself to Moses? Mysterious fire (flaming torch, burning bush)

2.      What does God say about Israel's condition? They will be enslaved but He will liberate them

3.      Which covenant-promise to Abraham does God say He will fulfill? Land

2.      What does Moses say the people will ask, and what does God reveal? What is His name?  "YHWH", "I AM WHO AM"

3.      For what purpose is God freeing the Israelites? So that they can offer sacrifice (render worship) to Him

4.      What will happen when Egypt lets Israel go? They will despoil the Egyptians

5.      How does Moses complain, and how does God respond?

1.      First time (Exodus 4:1-9) They won't believe me or listen to me – God gives him signs to perform

2.      Second time (Exodus 4:10-12) I'm not a good speaker – God will give him the words

3.      Third time (Exodus 4:13-17) Send someone else – God will send Aaron, Moses' brother, with him

6.      What is God's message to Pharaoh? (Exodus 4:21-23) Let My firstborn (Israel) free to serve Me, or I will slay your firstborn.  (The other nations are God's "other" children.)  God sends Aaron to meet Moses.  Moses and Aaron return to Egypt and speak to the elders of Israel, showing them the signs God had given him.

3.           The 10 Plagues (Exodus 5-13)

a)      Moses and Aaron meet Pharaoh (Exodus 5-6) Moses' last 40 years are spent taking Israel out of Egypt

1.      What does God want of the Israelites? He wants the Israelites to take a three-days journey into the desert to serve Him (via sacrifice).

2.      What does Pharaoh want of them? He wants the Israelites to stay and serve him (via slave labor).

3.      What is Pharaoh's reaction to Moses' request? He makes the work harder for the Israelites, not supplying them with straw and expecting the same output of bricks.  The Israelites are angry with Moses and Aaron.

4.      How does Moses respond? He complains to God that since he came to Egypt Pharaoh has made it worse for the Israelites, and He has not saved them yet.

5.      What does God say He will do? (Exodus 6:6-8) I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment, and I will take you for my people, and I will be your God … And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.

b)      The First Nine Plagues (Exodus 7-10) Moses has Aaron throw his staff to the ground and it becomes a snake.  Pharaoh's magicians can do the same thing, but Aaron's staff consumes theirs.  God proclaims judgments on Egypt's gods.

1.      What is the first plague? (Exodus 7:19-22) Nile turns to blood, copied by the magicians

2.      What is the second plague? (Exodus 8:1-3) Frogs overrun the land, copied by the magicians

1.      What does Pharaoh promise?  Does he keep his promise? He will let the Israelites go to sacrifice if Moses removes the frogs; no.

3.      What is the third plague? (Exodus 8:12-15) Gnats from the dirt

1.      How is this plague different from the previous ones? Pharaoh's magicians can't copy it

4.      What is the fourth plague? (Exodus 8:16-19) Swarms of flies

1.      What happened to the Israelites? No flies for them

2.      What is the compromise Pharaoh offers? Sacrifice to God here, but it would be an abomination (because of the animals which would be sacrificed)

3.      What does Pharaoh promise?  Does he keep his promise? Sacrifice but not too far away; no.

5.      What is the fifth plague? (Exodus 9:6-7) Cattle dying

1.      What happened to the Israelites? Their cattle didn't die

6.      What is the sixth plague? (Exodus 9:10-11) Boils

7.      What is the seventh plague? (Exodus 9:22-26) Hailstorms

1.      What happened to the Israelites? No hail

2.      What does Pharaoh promise?  Does he keep his promise? Stop the hail and I'll let you go; no.

8.      What is the eighth plague? (Exodus 10:12-15) Locusts

9.      What is the ninth plague? (Exodus 10:21-23) Darkness

1.      What happened to the Israelites? No darkness.

2.      What is the compromise Pharaoh offers? Go worship God but don't bring animals.

3.      What does Pharaoh threaten Moses with? Death

c)      Passover and the 10^th Plague (Exodus 11-12)

1.      Remember God's words in Exodus 3:21-22 vs. Exodus 11:2-3. Israel will leave Egypt with plenty of possessions.

2.      How does God respond to Pharaoh's threat? (Exodus 11:4-7) He will take the life of the firstborn of Egypt.

3.      What is the Passover ritual? (Exodus 12:1-11) Get a lamb on the 10^th of the 1^st month (Nisan), inspect it until the 14^th, then kill it and mark the doorposts with its blood, then roast it and eat it with unleavened bread.

4.      Why is it called Passover (Pesach / Pascha)? (Exodus 12:12-13, 26-27) God would pass over where the blood of the Lamb is on the doorposts.  Israel would also be passing through the Red Sea, and passing over the Jordan into the land promised to them.

5.      What happened through Egypt? (Exodus 12:29-30) All the first-born of the Egyptians died, from the lowest slave all the way up to Pharaoh.

6.      Is this the lamb of God? (Exodus 12:3) No, each family has its own lamb

4.           Links between the Passover and Christ

a)      Get the lamb on 10 Nisan – Christ enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday

b)      Lamb is inspected until 14 Nisan – Christ is "inspected" by the Pharisees and everyone; Pilate says he finds no fault in him (John 18:38)

c)      Not a bone is to be broken (Ex 12:46; John 19:36)

d)      The Eucharist is the new Passover sacrificial meal

1.      "Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed" (1 Cor 5:7)

2.      "You know that you were ransomed … with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot" (1 Pet 1:18-19)

3.      "I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain" (Rev 5:6)

4.      "The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready … Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev 19:7-9)