The sermon notes are embedded in my power point. - If you like the power point, email me - samsyoung@hotmail.com
Slide 1:
At 80 years old, Moses was resigned to a life of tending the sheep in a peaceful Midian wilderness.
The life of the Egyptian court was a fading memory of 40 years past.
But God had a different idea. He called Moses through a burning bush to go back into Egypt to lead His people out.
Moses returns to Egypt and demands the release of God’s people, the Children of Israel.
Slide 2:
God wanted to prove to His people that He is worthy to be worshiped by showing His people that the gods of Egypt were powerless compare to the great “I am.”
So what are some of the most powerful Egyptian gods:
-Hapi – god of the Nile
Heket – goddes of fertility, water and renewal – symbolized by the frog
Geb – god of the eart
Khepri – god of creation
Hathor – goddess of love and protection.
Isis – goddess of medicine and peace
Nut – goddess of the sky
Seth – god of storms and disorder
Ra – The Sun God
Pharaoh – The Ultimate Power of Egypt lies in the hands of Pharaoh
And on the other side was Yahweh
Slide 3:
Pharos refuses to let the Children of Israel go so God strikes Egypt with 10 plagues.
Water to blood ? Hapi – god of the Nile became a pool of blood
Frogs ? Heket – goddes of fertility symbolized by the frog became an annoyance
Gnats or Lice ? Geb – god of the earth – But the dust of the earth became lice that bit them.
Flies? Khepri – god of creation was powerless as flies just appeared.
Livestock Diseased ? Hathor – goddess of love and protection could not project cattle and livestock from disease.
Boils ? Isis – goddess of medicine and peace could not heal them from the boils and sores.
Thunder and Hail ? Nut – goddess of the sky could not control the hail in the form of fire coming from heaven.
Locusts ? Seth – god of storms and disorder would not prevent the locusts sent from swarming the sky and eat what ever vegetation was left.
Darkness? Ra – The Sun God, is the most powerful of Gods, could not stop God from covering the sun up.
Death of the Firstborn ? Pharaoh – The Ultimate Power of Egypt lies in the hands of Pharaoh, yet Pharaoh could not protect is own son.
Not only did God destroy the crops, livestock and people of Egypt.
God showed His people that the gods of Egypt were powerless compare to Himself.
The Children of Israel also took a lot of riches from their masters as they left Egypt.
The document on the upper right is the corresponding account of the ten plagues in Egyptian. It is not exactly the same but it is close enough that most scholars believe the two accounts describe the same event.
Slide 4:
Israelites traveled across the Wilderness of the Red Sea.
Slide 5:
As they came to the Red Sea, they discovered that the Egyptian army was right at their heels.
God prevented the army from catching them and parted the sea for them to cross.
After the Israelites had crossed over God released the Egyptian army. They charged into the parted sea only to discover the water returning to wash them all away.
Here are some chariot wheels found near the site believed to be the crossing.
Slide 6:
God had prepared a land bridge for them to cross. They crossed the land bridge under the Red Sea into the land of the Midianites. The Rea Sea is very deep. The deepest point of the Red Sea is about 500 feet. But at one spot, there seems to be a land bridge that is about 15 feet under water.
The land of Midian is modern day Saudi Arabia. Moses spent 40 years in this land while tending the sheep. He knows the land and was able to lead the Children of Israel safely. See how God has prepared a bridge and a leader that knows the land?
From the crossing, the Israelites traveled to Mt. Sinai.
Slide 7:
The Children of Israel gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai. God showed Himself at the top of the mountain. In Exodus 19:16 - And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
God appeared to them in thunder and lightning. Notice that the top of the mountain is blackened. That black part is not a shadow but rather the top of the mountain is totally blacken by fire. None of the other surrounding mountains have this phenomena. This is the only mountain that God descended and this is the only mountain that has been scorched.
Slide 8:
God invites Moses up to the mountain where he stayed for forty days and forty nights.
Moses received the ten commandments and various instructions. God tells Moses: “Make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8
God gave him to blue print of the Sanctuary. Every thing in the sanctuary helps the Children of Israel understand who they are worshipping, His character and His Plan of Salvation.
Slide 9:
So the Children of Israel brought their gold, silver, jewels, linen and other materials to help this tent so God could dwell with them.
The Sanctuary was built in the middle of camp. In the daytime cloud spread across the camp to keep them cool. In at night, the cloud turned into a pillar of fire to give them light.
I would like to lead you through some of these symbols to further understand the God we worship.
Slide 10: Outer Courts
The wall surrounding the court yard is made of white linen. White linen symbolizes purity. The purity of Jesus is what separates holy and the unholy.
Slide 11: Alter of Burnt Offering
The first item of furniture you would encounter as you enter the sanctuary’s court year is the Alter of Burnt Offering. This Alter of Burnt Offering allows a person to come before Yaweh, confess their sins, and through a sacrifice of a lamb their sins are forgiven. As you know, the lamb represents Jesus. The lamb takes the place of the person and is sacrificed for the person’s sins.
Slide 12: Laver
The wall surrounding the court yard is made of white linen. White linen symbolizes purity. The purity of Jesus is what separates holy and the unholy.
Slide 13:
Then we enter into the Holy Place.
Slide 14: Holy Place
The walls of the sanctuary is covered with gold and embedded with large angels. There are three pieces of furniture in this compartment.
Slide 15: Table of Shew Bread
On the right side is the Table of Shew Bread. On top of the Table of Shew Bread is the bread that the priests eat. Bread symbolizes the word of God. Just accepting the blood of Jesus for our sins and being cleansed by the Spirit is not enough. We also must constantly eat the Shew Bread by continually learn from the word of God.
Slide 16: Lamp Stand
On the left side is the seven light lamp stand. This light is constantly feed by oil. The oil represents the Holy Spirt and the light symbolizes our responsibility to witness. God says: “Ye are the light of the world.” We are to give light to those in darkness. It is not enough to accept Jesus, be cleansed and sit at home read His word. We must also bear witness to others with the help of the Holy Spirit so that they may also learn of God. Jesus told his believers: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19.
Slide 17: Table of Incense
In the middle, right in front of the curtain dividing the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, is the Table of Incense. The Table of Incense symbolizes our prayers going up to God. The fire that burns the incense is never distinguished. The fire is started by God Himself. The holy fire symbolizes the Holy Spirit. When we have followed all the other steps, the heart of our worship is our constant prayers towards God. These prayers are ignited and directed by the Holy Spirit.
Slide 18: Curtains
There are two large angel embroidered in the curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. In heaven, there is no divider between the two compartments. But on earth the glory of God is too holy for most people. If the curtain did not exists, all the people would be consumed by fire.
Slide 19: Ark of the Covenant
When we enter the Most Holy Place we find just one piece of furniture. You find a box with two angels on top of it. The space between the two angels is is called the Mercy Seat. There a very bright light called the Shekhinah Glory. This is the glory of God. Inside the box are three things – the Ten Commandments, the flowering Rod of Aaron and a bowl of Manna. By having the Ten Commandments as the foundation of the Mercy Seat gives us undeniable evidence that the law of God is the foundation of God’s government. But it is tempered with Mercy. This mercy is the plan of salvation
Slide 20:
Here is a diagram the sanctuary, but if you take away all the curtains and walls.. What do you get?
Slide 21:
Yes, the cross.
The plan of salvation is described through the Sanctuary furniture
Slide 22:
God removed all the god of the world by showing the Children of Israel that they are useless.
He then instructed them to build Him a sanctuary so he can deal among them.
He used this Sanctuary to help instruct them of His plan of salvation.
In Exodus, God instructed the building of the Sanctuary so He can be among His people.
In the New Testament, Paul says that we are the temple of God. Our personal worship must have these components:
Purity of Jesus to protect us
The admission and forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus
The washing of our thoughts and deeds to make us pure by the Water of Life
The partaking of the word of God
The component of witnessing through the Holy Spirit.
The constant prayerful spirit directed by the Holy Spirit.
The recognition of the authority of God and His law
These are the components of personal worship.
But in Revelation 19, the New Jerusalem will not need a Temple because God has restored His people and He will dwell with them forever.
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Slide 23:
God wants to restore man to God through the cross.
He wants to restore man to our rightful position.
He has given us a path.
Slide 24:
Would you accept that path be clothed by accepting His clean holy robe?
