God's Plan

God’s Plan

It never ceases to amaze me the people that God chooses to do His work. We would choose “the wise, the mighty, the noble”.Vs 26

1 Corinthians 1:27 – 31

We often think that God cannot use us.

We have no talents that God can use.

We have no ability

We have no education.

We have no experience.

We have no strength

We have no “know-how”

We have no opportunity.

Let’s look at what God uses

I. The Foolish things of this world

a. A bleeding lamb (Exodus 12)

You cannot look at a lamb and not go “Ahhh.” A living lamb was a lovely thing, but it could not save! We are not saved by Christ’s example or His life; we are saved by His death. Heb. 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Of course, killing a lamb seemed like foolishness to the wise Egyptians, but it was God’s way of salvation.

The blood of the lamb had to be applied to the door of the house (12:21-28). The blood was then applied to the lintel over the door and the posts at the sides of the door. Christ was slain on the fourteenth day of the month, just at the time when the Passover lambs were being offered, to God, there is only one Lamb — Jesus Christ. Isaac asked, “Where is the lamb?” (Gen. 22:7), and John the Baptist answered in John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” All of heaven says, “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev. 5:12)

The blood of the lamb was sufficient to save from death, but the people had to feed on the lamb to get strength for their pilgrim journey. Salvation is just the beginning. We must feed on Christ if we are to have the strength to follow Him. The lamb was to be roasted with fire, which speaks of the sufferings of Christ on the cross.

It took faith to be delivered that night! The Egyptians thought all these things were foolishness, but God’s Word had spoken and that was enough for Moses and his people. You see, the people were saved by the blood and assured by the Word (v. 12). No doubt many of the Jews were safe under the blood who did not “feel safe,” just as we have saints today who doubt God’s Word and worry about losing their salvation. God did exactly what He said He would do. And the Egyptians urged the Jews to leave the land, just as God said they would (11:1-3). God was not one day late. He kept His Word.

b. A smitten rock (Exodus 17:1 – 7)

The children of Israel had thirsted before (15:22) and God had met their needs, but, like some people today, they forgot God’s mercy. Moses illustrates what the trusting Christian does in the hour of a trial; he turned to the Lord and asked for guidance. The Lord instructed him to take his rod and to smite the rock and water would come out.

This rock is Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. The smiting of the rock speaks of Christ’s death upon the cross, where He felt the rod of the curse of the law.

The order here is awesome, In Exodus 16 we have the manna, illustrating Christ’s coming to earth; in chapter 17 we see the smiting of the rock, which pictures His death on the cross. The water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, who was given after Christ had been glorified.

Have you ever wondered why God got so upset with Moses when he was supposed to speak to the rock in Numbers 20:1 – 13 and he smote it? By striking the rock twice he spoiled the type – Christ can die only once. The Spirit was given once, but the believer can receive added “fillings” by asking God.

c. A brass snake (Numbers 21)

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: This is our authority for making this a type of Christ. Note how it pictures for us the salvation we have in Christ.

The people had sinned in two ways: they had spoken against God, and they had spoken against Moses. Because of this, they were dying. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Here we have the two aspects of the Law of God: behaviour toward God and behaviour toward one another. Because of sin, death is in the world and all are condemned. Every person born into this world has been bitten by the fiery serpent of sin and is destined to die.