We have been talking about Jacob and his family the last several weeks. As you recall, Joseph was one of Jacob’s twelve children. He was favored by his father and because of this special attention, Joseph was hated by his brothers. He had quite an eventful life. Joseph went from shepherd to slave to prisoner and finally to governor of Egypt.
Each event in his life bonded him closer and closer to his God. Joseph never complained because he knew God was in control of his life and as long as he was obedient and faithful to God, God would direct his steps.
When the famine started and people from all over Egypt and the surrounding countries were forced to come to Joseph to buy grain, Jacob and his children, Joseph’s brothers, who lived in Canaan, also came to buy grain.
Through the process, Joseph made himself known to his brothers and father and with Pharaoh’s permission moved his family from Canaan to Egypt. Jacob died and then sometime later Joseph died.
The family continued to grow and grow. The family grew exceedingly large and became mighty strong. Remember these people were Hebrews in an Egyptian country. When the new king took over Egypt, he realized that the children of Israel were many and mighty. The Egyptian taskmasters made slaves out of the Hebrew children or the children of Israel.
Pharaoh, king of Egypt even went one step further and told the midwives this: “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live” (Exodus 1:16).
This was the means of controlling the increase in population of the Hebrews. Bottom line is the Israelites were slaves for 400 years. They were oppressed and mistreated very badly. The Hebrews did not deserve the abuse brought upon them by Pharaoh and his taskmasters.
There are people in the world today who are in a similar position. They are being burdened by leaders in their country. The conditions under which they live are heartbreaking. They have no medical care, clean drinking water, housing, or food.
Is this the way God intended for his people to live? Are people supposed to be slaves to other people? I don’t believe the people of today are expected to live the life of slavery any more than the Hebrew people who were under Pharaoh’s jurisdiction after the death of Joseph.
God was in control during the time of Hebrew captivity just as He is in control today. He is as powerful today as He was then. God’s plan was to liberate the Israelites or the Hebrew people according to His time table and according to His way. The Israelites looked to God and prayed to God for help and He heard their prayers.
Some people who are being oppressed by strong leaders are looking to God for help. Some are also slaves to a number of sins; such as drugs, alcohol, and wild living, jealously, greed and so on. Many of these people are living worldly lives and have forgotten about the God who created them.
The Israelites never lost connection with their God. They were faithful, obedient and trusted in the Father. God knew what they were doing and the suffering they were under. God is the same today and He was yesterday. He knows each of His children, where they are and what they are doing.
God can and will liberate these people from the bondage of sin if they will keep their eyes focused on Him and their ears open to His voice speaking through the person of the Holy Spirit.
God spoke to Moses and Aaron and said, “I am the LORD. Tell Pharaoh King of Egypt everything I tell you” (Exodus 6:29). God was revealing a plan to Moses and Aaron that would result in the liberation of the Israelites from bondage.
God’s plan was to harden the heart of Pharaoh. It is interesting to note that Moses and Aaron informed Pharaoh about each one of the plagues before they came about. Pharaoh had the opportunity to let the Israelites go, but he was a stubborn man.
Pharaoh was a conceited, snobbish, selfish and proud individual. Exodus 5:2 tells us this: and Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel Go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.”
Pharaoh thought of himself as being divine or godly and did not believe that there was a power more powerful than he. As long as Pharaoh could keep the Israelites in Egypt, he had control over them, but as soon as they moved to other land, his control ceased to exist.
God said, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites” (Exodus 7:3-4).
God said this to reinforce His mighty power and to remind people that He truly was God. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by his actions, his disobedience, and his sinful nature. Each of us hardens our heart when we turn away from our God. When we believe we are in control of our life, when we live according to the standards set forth by the world and when we fail to live according to the Word of God, we are in essence causing hardening of our heart.
God’s plan was to send ten different plagues upon Pharaoh and the land of Egypt. After each of these plagues, Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened because of his own disobedience and unbelief in the power of God. After the final plague which involved the death of his first son, Pharaoh had a change of heart.
Just before the last and final plague, the LORD called Moses and Aaron together and told them what He wanted them to do. God told them that the very month they were in would be the first month of their year. Why do you suppose God changed their calendar?
Something new was about to happen which would give the Israelites a time to rejoice and start life anew. God was preparing to liberate them from the bondage of slavery. He wanted to lead them to the Promise Land. God was ready to initiate his plan of salvation for the Israelites.
On the tenth day of that month each family was to take a lamb for the family and if the family was small, the lamb could be shared between two families. The animal could be either a lamb or a goat, but it had to be perfect, that is, it could not have any blemishes or defects. Then four days later, the fourteenth day of the month in the twilight hours the perfect animal was to be slaughtered.
This was an innocent animal with no blemishes, but this animal would take the place of those who would have been killed in the plague. The animal shed its blood; consequently, saving the people within the household. This was a message to the Israelite people that the shedding of blood was necessary for their salvation.
After the animal was slaughtered, blood from the animal was to be put on the top and sides of the door frames of the houses of the people who would eat the animal. God went on to say that the animal must be roasted and not cooked in water or eaten raw.
Scripture says, “That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire – head, legs and inner parts” (Exodus 12:8-9).
As you can see, God gave the Israelites very specific instructions that would lead them to safety. God’s Word gives us specific instructions that will also lead us to a new and different life in His kingdom.
The LORD went on to say, “This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand” (Exodus 12:11).
The Israelites were told to tuck their robe in their belt that is to lift it up away from their feet so they would not fall when given the signal to move to safety. Their sandals were to be in place on their feet and their staff was to be in their hand. They were to eat the meal in a hurry so as soon as Pharaoh released them, they were to leave Egypt.
God said, “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn – both men and animals – and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD – a lasting ordinance” (Exodus 12:12-14).
The LORD followed through with His plan and the Israelites were liberated. This is a day of remembrance that the Jewish people celebrate. The people remember the blood of the lamb that saved them from the harsh rules and mistreatment of Pharaoh. They were given a new day, a fresh beginning in life and freedom to remember and worship God who saved them.
Today is the first Sunday in September and as you can see, the Lord’s Supper is spread out before you. You have participated in this celebration many times in your life and you will have another opportunity to do so this day.
Our Scripture reading talks about an event called “The Passover”. We call our celebration “The Lord’s Supper” or “Holy Communion”. The Passover was a picture of what God had in mind for us. Man has a sinful nature because of what Adam and Eve did. Man is born with that nature.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they were separated from God. In other words there was a void between God and them. Disobedience to God is a sin that places us distant from God. God has loved man from the very beginning, and had a plan to redeem him.
Before the birth of Jesus, people repented and sacrificed the blood of animals to show God they were sorry for their sinful acts and to show they wanted a right relationship with Him. This was a serious act because no one wanted to sacrifice a perfect non-blemished animal without a very just cause and assuring their relationship with God was a just cause.
God sent Jesus into the world so that believing, repenting, and accepting Him as our personal Lord and Savior our relationship with Him might be restored.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Jesus came into this world to bear our sins. He took every sin we have ever committed and ever will commit to the foot of the Cross. He took our punishment for us.
Just as that little lamb sacrificed his blood for the liberation of the Israelites, Jesus sacrificed His blood for the salvation of each of us. The blood of the Cross saves us just as the lamb’s blood was placed above and on the side of the doorpost of the Israelite houses saved them.
The shed blood of the Lamb, the shed blood of Jesus assures us of a safe journey into His presence where we will spend eternity. We are new creations because of our repentance and acceptance of Jesus as our Savior.
Paul said to the Corinthian people; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (I Corinthians 5:17-19).
We are new people on the inside because the Holy Spirit, who lives within our heart, gives us new life. The Cross has bridged the gap between us and God. We have been reconciled with the Father.
Conclusion:
God said to the Israelites: “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD – a lasting ordinance” (Exodus 12:14).
When Jesus was gathered around the table in the upper room celebrating Passover, He rose from the table and picked up the bread and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Then He picked up the cup of juice and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (I Corinthians 11:24-25).
God did not want the Israelites to forget what He did for them so He asked them to remember and celebrate “The Passover.” His Son does not want us to forget what He did for us, so we remember the significance of the Cross the first Sunday of each month and at other religious holidays.
In a few moments we are going to remember what Jesus did for us by partaking of the Lord’s Supper. As you partake, think for a moment what it means to you. Think of the love God has for you. God’s love for you is so great that He gave His only Son to die for you. The love God gives you should be a love that you are willing to give to those around you.
He gave his very best for you and you should be willing to give your very best to Him. God’s love enabled you to be redeemed, saved, and restored to a right relationship with Him. His love assures you a place in His mansion just over the hilltop where you will spend eternity with Him in His kingdom.
Story: “The One Insurance He Had Neglected”
A little boy climbed up on his father’s knee, and, looking up into his face, asked, ‘Papa, is your soul insured?”
“Why do you ask that question, Sonny?”
“Why, Papa, I heard Uncle George say that you had your house insured and that you had insured your barn and your life, but he was afraid you had not thought about insuring your soul and h is afraid you will lose it. Papa, won’t you go and get it insured right away?”
The father bowed his head and was silent. He owned broad acres of land, and his buildings were all covered with insurance. He had insured his life for the maintenance of his wife and little son; yet not one thought had he given to his own soul.
And, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Sunday School Times
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends….But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (John 15:13; Romans 5:8).
This is a time of rejoicing and praising because we have been saved by the “Blood of the Lamb.”
Amen.
