Call Sealed with Promise

Unit 1: Called Out oj Egypt

(Lessons 1-4)

RECOGNIZING AUTHORITY
-~. __. _ . _ - - _.... __ ._----~---~--_. __ ...

INTRODUCTION DEVOTIONAL
A. THE POWERS THAT BE READING:
Since 1988, novels written by Frank Peretti have shaped how many PSAlM 10:1-14
Christians think about spiritual warfare. Books such as This Present Dark­ · BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE:
ness depict a fictional world where large armies of angelic hosts and de­ ExODUS 5:1-6:1

monic forces constantly battle one another for human souls. The more · PRINTED TEXT:
fervently Christians pray, the better the angels fare, as well as the humans EXODUS 5:1-9, 22, 23; 6:1

they defend. Peretti thus has influenced popular Christian thinking about
the "rulers and authorities" discussed in Scripture. This has been a positive
development insofar as it has encouraged Christians to take seriously the
power of prayer for winning spiritual battles. LESSON AIMS
But evil influences are nothing new, of course. The apostle Paul ac­ After participating in this
knowledged such influences (see Lesson 14 for spring). In Exodus 5-14, lesson, each student will be
Moses encountered "rulers and authorities" as he faced down demonic able to:
elements of Egyptian magic. The political powers of the Pharaoh cult and 1. Tell what happened

the economic powers of slavery and oppression found a comfortable home when Moses first delivered

alongside this demonic magic. Such powers beset the Israelites on all God's message to Pharaoh

sides. and the people complained

Evil powers still exert influence. Sometimes we feel helpless to do any­ about it.

thing about them. The experience of Moses can help us to distinguish be­ 2. Compare and contrast
tween godly and ungodly power structures. Pharaoh's response with the
response of unbelievers today
B. LESSON BACKGROUND ·when they hear God's
In Exodus 3 and 4, God called Moses to the seemingly impossible task message.
of freeing the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. God used miracles to 3. Determine a means of
overcome Moses' anxieties about his mission. God empowered him with entering into dialogue with
words to speak, signs to perform, and support from his brother. The Israel­ an unbeliever so that he or
ites' initial response was favorable (4:29-31). Then came time to confront she mcry be led to recognize
Pharaoh. God's authority.

I. CONFRONTATION (EXODUS 5:1-5)

It is important to read the following verse in light of Exodus 3: 18,
where God tells Moses exactly how he is to confront Pharaoh. Moses is to I
go with the elders of Israel and to tell Pharaoh that the Lord, the God of
the Hebrews, has met with them. In that context they are to beseech Pha­ KEY VERSE
raoh to allow them to take a three-day journey to the wilderness to offer Afterward Moses and
sacrifices. Aaron went to Pharaoh and
said, "This is what the LORD,
A. INQUIRY AND RESPONSE, PART 1 (w. 1, 2) the God of Israel, says: 'Let
1. Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the my people go, so that they
LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festi­
mcry hold afestival to me in
val to me in the desert. '" the desert. '" -Exodus 5:1
JUNE 21, 2009
LESSON 3 NOTES
WHAT Do You THINK?
Why do you think God
allowed several generations of may hold afestival for God. We should not make too much of the distinction
his people to suffer in Egypt
before coming to their rescue? in Israelite worship because sacrifices provide the meal for the feasts.
Why didn't he do it sooner?
How TO SAY IT
agnosticism. ag-NOSS-tuh­
sih-zum.
Assyrians. Uh-SEAR-e-unz.
Babylonian. Bab-ih-LOW­
nee-un.
Egyptian. Ee-lIP-shun.
Habakkuk. Huh-BACK-kuk.
Israelites. IZ-ray-el-ites.
Moses. MO-zes or MO-zez.
Persian. PER-zhuhn.
Pharaoh. FAIR-o or FAY-roe.
polygamy. puh-LIH-guh-mee.
Yahweh (Hebrew). YAH-weh.
412 _ _-----"'R~E.COGNIZINGAl)THORITY
I Moses does indeed appear before Pharaoh, but only Aaron is noted as ac-
I companying Moses. Perhaps the elders have come along, but only Moses and
I Aaron are admitted into the king's presence.
We also note that Moses calls God the God of Israel here rather than "God
of the Hebrews" as in Exodus 3: 18; 5:3; etc. The distinction is subtle. The
word Israel names a distinct, cohesive tribal group or political entity, whereas
Hebrews is more of a general indication of ethnicity. Of these two, the desig­
nation Hebrews should be much less threatening to Pharaoh.
Moses' demand is straightforward: Pharaoh is to free God's people so they
between festival (here) and sacrifices (in 3: 18). These terms go hand in hand
2. Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I
do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go. "
Pharaoh receives Moses' request as a religious threat. The mere mention
of another deity who claims jurisdiction over Pharaoh's slaves is enough to
I perturb him. Ancient Egyptians vest at least semi-divinity in their pharaohs.
I Moses and Aaron's acknowledgement ofIsrael's God is thus a serious chal­
lenge to Pharaoh's political authority and religious status.
Pharaoh's claim not to know the Lord (Yahweh) means two things. First,
since Pharaoh thinks he possesses divine knowledge, the fact that he does
not know Yahweh means that Yahweh is nobody from Pharaoh's perspective.
Second, to know an authority figure implies recognizing or submitting to that
. authority. Pharaoh is unwilling to do so. So Pharaoh's response is clear and
: decisive. Since he recognizes neither Moses' God nor his authority, Pharaoh
refuses to grant the request.
SELECTIVE AGNOSTICISM
The Washington Monthly ranked the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology (MIT)
number one in its 2006 list of American universities. Were Christians to draw up
a ranking of "best" universities, MIT might not make the list at all due to the pres­
ence of student organizations such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Atheists, Agnostics, and Humanists (MITMH).
Of course, we shouldn't condemn an entire university because we disapprove of
one of its student organizations. But the presence of organizations such as MITA­
AH puts us on guard concerning the mind-set that seems to dominate the secu­
lar campus.
We are to be on guard against creeping secularism (see Colossians 2:8). This
danger presents itself, in part, via agnostics (who neither affirm nor deny the
existence of God) and their first cousin the atheists (who claim with self-assur­
ance that God does not exist). Interestingly, Pharaoh doesn't really fit into either
of those two categories, although he said "Who is the Lord? ... I do not know
the Lord." Since the land of Egypt featured widespread worship of various gods,
we may pronounce Pharaoh guilty of "selective agnosticism." He indeed knows of
many gods, but he claims ignorance of the only God that counts--the Lord.
Those who claim to be agnostics and atheists today live as gods of their own
lives. Practically speaking, they too are guilty of selective agnosticism, since some­
thing is always sitting on the throne of a person's heart, ruling behaviors and
thoughts. The question is, who or what will it be? Our task as Christians is to take
the offensive and show the world that faith in the one true God is practical, rea­
sonable, and necessary. -co R. B.
LESSON 3 413 _______________----.J-'Iu"'-'cN~E_21, 2009
B. INQUIRY AND RESPONSE, PART 2 (w.3-5)
3a. Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take
a three-day journey into the desert
Rather than apologize for insulting Pharaoh and quickly retreating, Moses
and Aaron hold their ground and reword their request. This time they cite
nearly verbatim the words God originally gave Moses in Exodus 3: IS. Do they
think their initial request failed because they did not use the right words? Is
there something inherently powerful in the exact phrasing God gave them?
The rewording of the request to line up with 3: IS should soften the ap­
peal, making it more acceptable to Pharaoh. God is now introduced as the
God ofthe Hebrews; perhaps Pharaoh will accept the existence of what he may
view as a more limited deity of a specific group. Second, Moses now high­
lights the temporary nature of this trip. The people will be gone only three Visual for Lesson 3.
days. A short trip should be more appealing to Pharaoh. Start a discussion by asking,
3b. ... to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues "Under what circumstances
orWlt. h the swo1'id. " does
Wh ?"this question apply?
A third softening presents itself. Moses and Aaron clarify that the purpose of y.
their trip is to make sacrifices of appeasement (this is an addition to 3: IS). If the I

Hebrews do not make these sacrifices, God may afflict us. But who is included .
in that word us? If Moses and Aaron are referring only to the Hebrews, the ap­
peal is for Pharaoh not to take a chance on having his precious workforce de­
pleted. Should the Israelites perish, Pharaoh himself will lose out.
On the other hand, the us of the affliction may be broad enough to include
Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Given the overall softer tone of this second at­
tempt, the threat implied by this idea seems less likely.
4. But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the peo­
ple away from their labor? Get back to your work!"
Pharaoh does not budge an inch. Instead, he puts his own spin on the re­
quest of Moses and Aaron. According to Pharaoh, the two standing in front of
him are rebels trying to unsettle Pharaoh's smooth economic machine. So he DAILY BIBLE READINGS
sends them back to work. Monday,June 15­
5. Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and Making Bricks Without
you are stopping them from working. " . Straw (Exodus 5:10-21)
Pharaoh's observation that the Israelites are numerous can be taken in two Tuesday, June 16-The
ways. From an economic perspective, he may be concerned about the loss of Voice of the Lord (Psalm 29)
productivity. From a national-defense perspective, he may be worried about Wednesday, June 17­
rebellion. Either way, we have no record that Moses and Aaron are allowed Return to God and Heed Him
time for rebuttal. Pharaoh has the last word (so he thinks). The question is (Deuteronomy 4:25-31)
whether or not Moses and Aaron will accept Pharaoh's spin. Thursday, June 18­
God's Plan to Strengthen
II. RETALIATION (EXODUS 5:6-9) (Zechariah 10:6-12)
No one challenges Pharaoh's authority and then escapes with only a ver­ Friday, June 19-The
bal rebuke! If that were the only consequence, then Pharaoh would soon be Lord's Deliverance (Psalm
flooded with trivial complaints from "nobodies." His failure to retaliate would 18:13-19)
be perceived as weakness, and his oppressive grip over the people would be Saturday, June 20-All
diminished. Nations Shall Worship God
(Zechmiah 14:12-19)
A. FEWER RESOURCES (w. 6, 7) Sunday, June 21-Moses'
6. That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in Complaint (Exodus 5: 1-9,
charge of the people: 22,23; 6:1)
JUNE 21, 2009
: trust people like Moses and Aaron!
I Straw is a bonding agent that helps hold bricks together. Thus straw is
WHAT Do You THINK?
What strategies can Chris­
tian leaders use to stand
strong during a smear cam­
paign from enemies?
. liberate them are their worst enemies.
414 RECOGNIZING AUTHORITY
Pharaoh knows that slaves must not be allowed to have hope. This is why
Pharaoh acts that same day to crush any rebellion before it can grow.
7. "You are no longer to supply the people with strawfor making bricks; let
them go and gather their own straw
Pharaoh devises a scheme. He knows that one of the best ways to punish
Moses and Aaron is to alienate them from their own people. So Pharaoh gath­
ers those in charge of the Israelites; this includes both the Egyptian supeIVi­
sors and the Israelite foremen who serve under them (see also Exodus 5:10).
He commissions them to institute a new policy: the Jews must gather their
own straw rather than have it provided. That will teach those Israelites not to
an essential ingredient for making bricks. The Egyptians mix straw and other
stubble with Nile River mud, shape it all into molds, and leave the resulting
bricks to dry in the sun.
B. SAME QUOTA (w. 8, 9)
8,9. "But require them to make the same number ofbricks as before; don't
reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go
and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harderfor the men so that they keep
working and pay no attention to lies."
This additional task for the Hebrews to gather their own straw might not
be so bad as long as Pharaoh does not demand the same number ofbricks. But
like many tyrants, Pharaoh responds to challenges by tightening his grip and
depleting his servants' energy for further resistance.
Pharaoh also continues to put his own spin on these events. The official
message he publishes is that the Israelites are lazy. This is why they want to
get away and sacrifice to their God. Pharaoh is determined that everyone will
view Moses and Aaron not as liberators, but as deceivers.
Such false recasting is a critical tool for oppressive powers in every age.
Tyrants must keep the oppressed believing that they shouldn't mess with the
system. They shouldn't imagine that things can be better. Their suIVival (if
not prosperity) lies only in the goodwill of their oppressors. Those who try to
III. EXPLANATION (EXODUS 5:22-6: 1)
Exodus 5: 10-21 (not in today's text) describes the aftershocks of Pha­
raoh's decision. The people scramble unsuccessfully to meet the new de­
mands. Their taskmasters respond by beating them. This causes dissension
among the Israelites. Their immediate supervisors, fellow Hebrews, are re­
ceiving flak for the decreased productivity. So they must then come down on
their own people. This sets the Israelites against one another.
Pharaoh's false accusations regarding who is to blame begin to take
hold. The Israelites despise Moses for bringing Pharaoh's scorn upon them.
They doubt Moses' claim that God has sent him and instead call on God
to judge Moses for deceiving them (v. 21). Far from being their deliverer,
Moses has become the bane of their existence. The support of Exodus 4:31
has vanished as Pharaoh's sinister edict is enforced. Pharaoh can sit back
with a smile because he has single-handedly turned this whole scenario on
its head.
 ...

LESSO_~ _ 415 JUNE 21, 2009

A. MOSES' COMPLAINT (w. 22, 23) I WHAT Do You THINK?
22. Moses returned to the LORD and said, "0 Lord, why have you brought ! How can Christians pro-
trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? · tect against feeling disap-
Moses is definitely "feeling the heat." Pharaoh has Israelite and Egyptian II pointed with God when his
alike believing that Moses suffers delusions of grandeur and that Moses is response does not match ex-
guilty of sowing seeds of laziness and ingratitude among the Israelites. Moses pectations?
knows for certain that God has spoken to him. But the pressure is so great [Galatians 6:9, 10 and
that Moses now questions that calling. James 1:2-4 can inform your
POWER STRUGGLE
discussion.]
Colorado City and Hildale are twin towns on the Arizona-Utah border. This

area is infamous for the practice of polygamy. The Fundamentalist Church ofjesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints has long exerted strong influence in the area.

WarrenJeffs succeeded his father as the church's leader after the latter's death

in 200l_Jeffs solidified his power when he excommunicated two rivals some time

later. Jeffs used his position to "reassign" the wives and children of excommunicat­

ed men to others. In effect,leffs became the church's absolute ruler.

Jeffs ended up on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list in 2006. After his capture,

he was tried and convicted in 2007 as an accomplice to rape for performing in

2001 what the church called "a celestial marriage" between a 14-year-old girl

and her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs' role in that "marriage" was part of the pow­

er struggle.

Pharaoh also was a man willing to do evil to protect his position of power. He

could not tolerate Moses' threat to his position, so he tried to "excommunicate"

Moses from his position as leader of the Hebrews. This lesson about human nature

is still with us after all these centuries: those in power who perceive a threat to their

position may go to great lengths to eliminate the threat. -c. R. B.

23. "Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trou­
ble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all. "
We may find it difficult to blame Moses at this point. He has done what
God asked him, and the end result is the opposite of what Moses expects.
The people are still enslaved, and things have gotten worse. So Moses rightly
seeks God and asks him to make sense of this scandalous turn of events. He
is wrong, however, to blame God for Israel's misfortunes. It is one thing to
question what is happening and why; it is another to claim that one already
knows the answer and that God is lacking.
Moses commits Job's error. Job was right that God was somehow con­
nected with the miseries that befell him and his household. Job went too
far, however, when he assumed that God caused it all. Job prided himself in WHAT Do You THINK?
being immune to all charges concerning the situation Gob 40:8). So God re­ What are some things that
bukedJob for speaking out of ignorance Gob 38). prevent the average Christian
Christians today tend to toggle between two extremes in bringing their from praying appropriately
concerns to God. Some read passages such as Job 38 and conclude that it is when he or shefeels God is
never appropriate to question God about what they are experiencing. Others not following through on his
speak presumptuously to God, as Moses andJob did. promises? How do we guard
Biblical books such as Job, Psalms, Lamentations, and Habakkuk help us against these?
chart a better path. They teach us that it is appropriate to voice our concerns
to God. But they also show us that we must do so as ones who know we do
not see the big picture. We must trust that God will work all things for the
good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).
JUNE 21, 2009
PRAYER
Lord, we confess to you
that we, like Moses, some­
times lose sight ofyour power.
ThepowITsthatwefaceare
so real and immediate that
we often forget that they are
temporary. Remind us con­
tinually that you alone reign
supreme. Guard us against
the lies of this world and keep
us in your Word and truth.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
WHAT Do You THINK?
Why would it not be a
good idea for Christians to
live in the midst ofperpetual
miracles?
416 RECOGNIZING AUTHORITY
B. GOD'S RESPONSE (6: 1)
1. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh:
Because ofmy mighty hand he will let them go; because ofmy mighty hand he
will drive them out ofhis country."
God does not chide Moses for his complaint. Moses' concerns are valid
from the perspective of someone in the midst of a crisis who does not see
the end. God has indeed allowed Pharaoh to do everything he has done. God
does, however, set the record straight. Pharaoh certainly will let the people go.
In fact, Pharaoh himself will drive the Israelites out ofhis country.
Notice the emphasis God places on his own action. When Pharaoh releases
the Israelites, it will be God's work. If Pharaoh thinks this is a contest of divine
authority, he is right! In the end, Pharaoh will experience the authority and
power of Yahweh.
We must not think of this contest as a mere batde of egos. God is not as con­
cerned with teaching Pharaoh a lesson as he is with instructing Israel. God is
creating Israel to be a priesdy nation to mediate the glory of his reign. For the Isra­
elites to succeed in this mission, they must learn firsthand that none can compare
with him. God will demonstrate his power over Pharaoh so that Israel may not be
tempted to defer unduly to other human rulers later on, whether they be Egyp­
tian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, or even Israelite.
Furthermore, God is teaching his people that they are to depend fully on
him for their deliverance. If the first attempt at softening Pharaoh's hean
had convinced him to release the Israelites, they may be tempted to think of
Moses and Aaron as the source of deliverance. Instead, God hardens Pha­
raoh's hean (see Exodus 4:21) to the point that God will have to intervene
with signs and wonders that one may attribute only to the Lord of creation.
CONCLUSION
In Egypt, the Israelites found themselves confronted by powers that were
far beyond their control. They struggled against a hierarchy of self-serving
political powers, from local foremen to Pharaoh himself They struggled
against oppressive economic powers fueled by Pharaoh's insatiable desire to
build architectural monuments. They struggled against ideological powers of
manipulators who twisted reality and spread powerful lies that pitted victims
against one another.
However, God taught Moses that such powers remained wholly subservi­
ent to the God who allowed them to have power only temporarily. When the
right moment came, God turned his eternal might against them.
Christians today also face powerful authority structures that seek to exert
undue influence over their lives. In many parts of the world, political powers
persecute Christians for their faith. In other parts, Christians face economic
powers whose persecution is subder but no less real. We are often called to
work all hours of the day and all days of the week, since the economic ma­
chine cannot rest. We lose standing and compensation at work for refusing to
compromise our faith for the good of the business.
In various parts of the world, Christians appear to be losing a lopsided bat­
de in the war against false ideologies. Those endowed with the power to dis­
pense information routinely misrepresent Christ and his bride (the church)
by highlighting the church's failings and ignoring the church's positive contri­
butions. Thus they flood the world with faulty views of reality.
 ...

LESSON 3 ______ 417 JUNE 2L~D09

Yet Christ reigns at God's right hand. In that position, Christ has do­ THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
minion over all power and authority. He will indeed reign until all modem God's power and authority
pharaohs are subjugated under his feet (l Corinthians 15:24,25). May we . are final.
recognize daily that he alone is our ultimate authority.

Discovery Learning

The following is an alternative lesson plan emphasizing learning activities.

Classes desiring such student involvement will find these suggestions helpful. At the

back of this book are reproducible student pages to further enhance activity learning.

INTO THE LESSON
In preparation for class, collect recent newspa­
pers and magazines. Place all the newspapers and
magazines on a table in the room just prior to class.
Write the word Obey on the board; underneath
that word write these questions: 1. Whom did the
subject of the story disobey? 2. What was their rea­
son for disobeying? 3. What was the result of the
disobedience?
As class begins, form students into small
groups. Ask each group to send a representative to
grab a few of the newspapers and magazines. In­
struct the groups to scan through the material and
find instances of individuals who did not obey. For
example, crime reports would be excellent. Also
good would be stories about trouble that children
got themselves into that resulted from disobedi­
ence to parents. Injury due to a failure to follow
safety procedures or label instructions is a third
possibility.
After a few minutes, ask for groups to sum­
marize one or two of their news stories. After this,
have students stay in their groups and recount a
time when they disooeyed someone, answering the
same three questions. After a few minutes, ask vol­
unteers to share their personal stories of disobedi­
ence. Make a transition by saying, "We all disobey,
and sometimes even feel justified in doing so; but
what about when we disobey God?"
all participants to use the same version of the Bible.
After the reading, form the class into small
groups again. Distribute to each group a handout
that asks the following questions: 1. Did God make
it clear to Pharaoh what he expected him to do?
Defend your answer. 2. What specific request did
Moses and Aaron make? 3. Why did Pharaoh react
so harshly to such a simple request? 4. In what way
did Moses and Aaron's request make things worse
for the Israelites? 5. How did Moses respond to this
tum of events? What do his words to God teach us
about how to handle (or not handle) our times of
frustration? 6. In what way did Pharaoh's response
play into God's plan for delivering the Israelites?
After an appropriate amount of time, ask groups
to share their insights. You can do this by mov­
ing down through the questions in sequence, or
you can use a generalized opener such as "What
jumped out at you as you reviewed these ques­
tions?" Make a transition to the life application
portion of the lesson by observing, "It is easy to see
when others are disobeying God, but what about
ourselves?"
Option: As with last week, you may wish to con­
sider using a film clip from movies such as The Ten
Commandments, Moses, or the animated film The
Prince of Egypt in addition to reading the text. The
clip can introduce the Bible portion of the lesson or
j it could be used after the discussion.

INTO THE WORD INTO LIFE

Begin with a dramatic reading of the printed text
of Exodus 5:1-9, 22, 23; 6:1. Ask for fivevolun­
teers to read the following four parts: narrator (who
reads all nonspeaking parts of the text), Moses and
Aaron (who will read in unison), Pharaoh, and God.
To make sure that the reading goes smoothly, ask
Provide two or three index cards to each par­
ticipant. (If you have a large class, distribute only
two each; if you have a smaller class, distribute
three each.) Ask students to provide a reason that
either they or someone they know has used to
: justify disobedience to God. Put each reason on a
JUNE 21, 2009
separate card. After a few minutes, ask the partici­
pants to give the reasons. (If the reason was heard
from another, that person's name should not be
mentioned.)
As each response is given, write it on the board
and ask, "Does anyone else have this reason?" Tally
the number of occurrences for each. Make a note of
the three most frequent reasons (excuses).
Next, have groups discuss the best ways to re­
spond to these justifications for disobedience. (If
your class is smaller, this can be a whole-class dis-
418 _ _ _ _ _ _ _--"R~E""'C~OGNIZING AUTHORITY
cussion.) Ask, "How could we safeguard ourselves
from disobeying God? How can we help someone
not use these three common justifications for dis­
obedience?"
After sufficient time, ask the groups to share
their insights. If your class likes a more philosophi­
cal approach, ask, "Why is disobedience to God
another way of saying 'I know better than God'?
Alternative: Use the reproducible activity "Obedi­
ence Evaluation" from page 502 for your small­
group discussion.