Faith That Inspires: How Big is Our God?
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.—Hebrews 11:28–30, NASB95
Our Faith That Inspires series has covered many impressive people, but today we come to the One who stands alone. Today’s lesson taught us about God through three of His most breathtaking miracles. These stories are among the most familiar in the Bible, but sometimes familiarity also dulls their impact. As you study this lesson, ask God to give you a fresh perspective - not only about the miracles themselves but, more importantly, how they apply to your life today.
Our Faith That Inspires series has covered many impressive people, but today we come to the One who stands alone. Today’s lesson taught us about God through three of His most breathtaking miracles. These stories are among the most familiar in the Bible, but sometimes familiarity also dulls their impact. As you study this lesson, ask God to give you a fresh perspective - not only about the miracles themselves but, more importantly, how they apply to your life today.
Discussion Questions
1. Has God performed a miracle in your life? Tell the group about it. What was it, and how did it change you?
2. How do we limit God by depending on things other than Him, like science, education, or even ourselves? Have you ever limited God in that way?
3. Read Exodus Chapters 11 and 12. How was this plague like the others? How was it different?
4. Read 1 John 1:7, Hebrews 9:14, and Romans 3:25. How do these verses expand our understanding of Passover?
5. Read Exodus 14:11-16. Have there been situations in your life where you felt like the Israelites, trapped between Pharaoh and the Red Sea? Have there been times when God has stepped in to help you and to make his presence and power known? Discuss what these meant to you at the time.
6. Read Joshua 6. Joshua’s success hinged entirely on his obedience, even when God’s plan to march around Jericho for seven days sounded foolish. What lesson does Joshua offer you, and to what current situation can you apply that lesson?
7. Miracles grab our attention. Why is that necessary in our age of distraction? How are we most often distracted by self-centeredness?
8. Miracles show the supremacy of God. The plagues of Egypt directly countered the gods of Egypt (see Dig Deeper below.) What are our lesser gods?
9. Miracles are counterintuitive. How does Isaiah 55:8 help us understand that which cannot be understood? What difference does that make in your life right now?
2. How do we limit God by depending on things other than Him, like science, education, or even ourselves? Have you ever limited God in that way?
3. Read Exodus Chapters 11 and 12. How was this plague like the others? How was it different?
4. Read 1 John 1:7, Hebrews 9:14, and Romans 3:25. How do these verses expand our understanding of Passover?
5. Read Exodus 14:11-16. Have there been situations in your life where you felt like the Israelites, trapped between Pharaoh and the Red Sea? Have there been times when God has stepped in to help you and to make his presence and power known? Discuss what these meant to you at the time.
6. Read Joshua 6. Joshua’s success hinged entirely on his obedience, even when God’s plan to march around Jericho for seven days sounded foolish. What lesson does Joshua offer you, and to what current situation can you apply that lesson?
7. Miracles grab our attention. Why is that necessary in our age of distraction? How are we most often distracted by self-centeredness?
8. Miracles show the supremacy of God. The plagues of Egypt directly countered the gods of Egypt (see Dig Deeper below.) What are our lesser gods?
9. Miracles are counterintuitive. How does Isaiah 55:8 help us understand that which cannot be understood? What difference does that make in your life right now?
Dig Deeper: The Plagues Against the Gods of Egypt
Water turned to blood (Exod. 7:19–25): The fertility of the land of Egypt depended upon the overflow of the Nile River to bring it both fertilizer and water. Therefore, this river was sacred to the god Osiris—whose all–seeing eye is found in many Egyptian paintings. Pagan rites were held every spring when the river brought life out of death. When the water was turned to blood, it brought death instead of life. The wise men of Egypt also imitated this plague with their sorcery.
The plague of frogs (Exod. 8:1–15): One of the most beautiful temples in Memphis was the temple to Heka, the ugly frog–headed goddess. It was an offense to kill the sacred frog, but if you found them in your house, bed, food, and underfoot everywhere, as the Egyptians did, you might feel like killing them. But they were sacred. The wise men also duplicated this plague which might indicate that their success up to this point was accomplished by sleight–of–hand tricks or some similar magical device.
The plague of lice (Exod. 8:16–20): The Egyptians worshiped the earth–god Geb. But “the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.” This which was sacred to Geb, they now despise. Pharaoh did not ask that this plague be taken away, and the Egyptian sorcerers could not reproduce this pestilence. They seem to have acknowledged that the One who brought this plague was supreme over the gods of Egypt.
The plague of flies (Exod. 8:20–32): It is thought by some that the swarms of flies were masses of the sacred beetle. And Khepara was the beetle–god. The beetle, or scarab, is found in Egyptian tombs and speaks of eternal life. These beetles were sacred to Ra, the sun–god.
The plague of murrain (Exod. 9:1–7): Murrain was a disease that affected cattle. The second largest temple that Egypt ever built was in Memphis and was for the worship of the black bull Apis. You could say that this plague caused the Egyptians to worship a sick cow!
The plague of boils (Exod. 9:8–17): The priests of all the religions of Egypt had to be spotless—with no mark or blemish on their bodies—to serve in the temples. They had a moratorium on worship in Egypt during this period because of the boils on all the priests. None of them could serve anywhere. It was a judgment on the entire religion of Egypt.
The plague of hail (Exod. 9:18–35): God demonstrates His power with the plague of hail over the sky–a goddess who is powerless in her domain.
The plague of locusts (Exod. 10:1–20): The judgment of the locusts was against the insect gods. The plague of locusts meant the crops were cursed. This was evidence of the judgment of God as found in the books of Joel and Revelation also.
The plague of darkness (Exod. 10:21–29): God moved in with darkness against the chief god that was worshiped—the sun–god Ra. The sun disc is the most familiar symbol found in Egyptian ruins. The plague of darkness shows the utter helplessness of Ra.
Death of the firstborn (Exod. 11–12:36): According to the religion of Egypt, the firstborn belonged to the gods of Egypt. In other words, God took what was set aside for the gods of Egypt. God was teaching the Egyptians who He was. He was convincing Pharaoh that he was God. Also, He was bringing His people to the place where they were willing to acknowledge Him as their God. This final act of judgment would free Israel from Egyptian bondage.
The plague of frogs (Exod. 8:1–15): One of the most beautiful temples in Memphis was the temple to Heka, the ugly frog–headed goddess. It was an offense to kill the sacred frog, but if you found them in your house, bed, food, and underfoot everywhere, as the Egyptians did, you might feel like killing them. But they were sacred. The wise men also duplicated this plague which might indicate that their success up to this point was accomplished by sleight–of–hand tricks or some similar magical device.
The plague of lice (Exod. 8:16–20): The Egyptians worshiped the earth–god Geb. But “the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.” This which was sacred to Geb, they now despise. Pharaoh did not ask that this plague be taken away, and the Egyptian sorcerers could not reproduce this pestilence. They seem to have acknowledged that the One who brought this plague was supreme over the gods of Egypt.
The plague of flies (Exod. 8:20–32): It is thought by some that the swarms of flies were masses of the sacred beetle. And Khepara was the beetle–god. The beetle, or scarab, is found in Egyptian tombs and speaks of eternal life. These beetles were sacred to Ra, the sun–god.
The plague of murrain (Exod. 9:1–7): Murrain was a disease that affected cattle. The second largest temple that Egypt ever built was in Memphis and was for the worship of the black bull Apis. You could say that this plague caused the Egyptians to worship a sick cow!
The plague of boils (Exod. 9:8–17): The priests of all the religions of Egypt had to be spotless—with no mark or blemish on their bodies—to serve in the temples. They had a moratorium on worship in Egypt during this period because of the boils on all the priests. None of them could serve anywhere. It was a judgment on the entire religion of Egypt.
The plague of hail (Exod. 9:18–35): God demonstrates His power with the plague of hail over the sky–a goddess who is powerless in her domain.
The plague of locusts (Exod. 10:1–20): The judgment of the locusts was against the insect gods. The plague of locusts meant the crops were cursed. This was evidence of the judgment of God as found in the books of Joel and Revelation also.
The plague of darkness (Exod. 10:21–29): God moved in with darkness against the chief god that was worshiped—the sun–god Ra. The sun disc is the most familiar symbol found in Egyptian ruins. The plague of darkness shows the utter helplessness of Ra.
Death of the firstborn (Exod. 11–12:36): According to the religion of Egypt, the firstborn belonged to the gods of Egypt. In other words, God took what was set aside for the gods of Egypt. God was teaching the Egyptians who He was. He was convincing Pharaoh that he was God. Also, He was bringing His people to the place where they were willing to acknowledge Him as their God. This final act of judgment would free Israel from Egyptian bondage.
Posted in Sermon Notes