Posted on 03/02/2008 5:57:15 PM PST by Forgiven_Sinner
Old Testament Challenge 5 - The Most Famous Story of the Old Testament
From a book By John Ortberg with Kevin & Sherry Harney
On line links: Northwoods Community Church http://www.nwoods.org/storyWithChart.asp?storyid=393
Willow Creek Church http://www.willowcreek.com/resources/courses/otc/
10/6/07 Old Testament Challenge -
Nations also have stories. Americans believe our state at birth doesn't matter--anyone can become anything.
Exodus 1-14 The most defining story of who the Jews are is th Exodus. "Exodus" means "going out" in Greek.
A couple hundred of people moved to Egypt. Through the Pharoah who knew Joseph, Israel was given the land of Goshen in Egypt. This is the Nile River delta. It was very fertile and good for flocks and herds.
Israel grew so rapidly in numbers, they worried the Pharoahs. With ten children per family, in only 140 years, twelve people can become over a million. This population growth was God's blessing on them.
Moses grew up in Pharoah's household--a tremendous opportunity to get an education.
Moses killed an Egyptian in defense of an Israelite when he was 40 and fled Egypt. Moses then spends the next 40 years shepherding flocks in the wilderness.
Moses encounters God at the burning bush. Moses is afraid of where God is leading him.
Exodus 5:1-2, 6-9 When Moses asks Pharoah to let Israel go, Pharaoh responds with with persecution. The lesson for us is to not give up in the face of opposition.
Exodus 8:8-10 8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD."
9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile."
10 "Tomorrow," Pharaoh said.
Charlie found it ironic that Pharoah did not ask for immediate deliverance from the frogs, but the next day.
Exodus 11 The plagues continued, culminating the the death of the firstborn of all people and animals.
After Pharoah let Israel go, Moses led them to the bank of the Sea of Reeds, "Yam Soth".
Three reasons why the story of the Exodus is so important:
1. God's power is on display. Ancient people would war and claim their god was stronger than the gods of the people they conquered. The plagues were on the Egyptian gods--the Nile, frogs, cattle (Hathor) God defeated them, but Israel had no army and there was no war. God is more powerful than anything.
2. God's love is on display Exodus 11-12, 12:26-27 The Passover Lamb foreshadows Jesus' death on the cross.
3. Exodus 14 God is the Deliverer. We Christians celebrate the story of Jesus' blood and body. What stories do we tell to our children? Tell stories of our deliverance by Jesus.
Ping to Old Testament Challenge Bible study!
The most famous story in the OT is the story of the global flood; every ancient nation has its own version of the story.
And perhaps the most significant story in the OT is in Daniel 5; it connects to the resurrection and modern Physics concepts ... or at least I think so.
I would have said the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. People who have no idea that came from the Bible know it.
2. Moses
3. Noah
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