6 BIBLE STUDIES BY KEN D. NOAKES

STUDY 1 - EXODUS 2:1-25

1. IntroductionWho Am I?I was born at a time of oppression of my people.I was born at a time when little boys we being killed by the king.I was born to a Hebrew woman.I was saved even though I was a male child.I spent some time as a child in Egypt.As a leader I faced opposition from my own people and from the oppressing leaders.I stood up for the care of women and associated with foreigners.I was integral to the plans of God for his people.I was a prophet of God and knew him face to face.I spoke the word of God to the people.My place of death remains a mystery.I am ....

This study is more like a history lesson with Moses as the key figure who we examine. There will not be as much application for us as a result of this study. Next week we move to apply what we learn – especially as we look at the privilege that comes with getting to know God personally.

2. Meet MosesRead Exodus 2:1-10. What do we learn about the child and his family?

What in these verses demonstrates that this child is going to be significant?

What don’t we (and would like to) know about Moses?!

Read Exodus 2:11-15. What do we learn about Moses in these verses?

What would a Jewish reader expect to happen next?

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Read Exodus 2:16-22. What details do these verses add to our understanding of Moses?

Read Exodus 2:23-25. How are these verses both a summary and an encouragement?

What was the covenant that God remembered?

Does the phrase ‘God remembered’ imply that God had forgotten?

3. A Bible Overview of MosesIn two groups (on butchers paper), think about the following questions as you look at the passages of Scripture below:-What does Moses do?-Why is he important?-What role/s does he play in Salvation history (the history of the way God has saved his people)?

Group 1 Group 2Exodus 3:9-12Exodus 14:30-31Numbers 12:1-9Deuteronomy 18:15-19 Deuteronomy 31:1-3, 24-26Deuteronomy 32:45-47Luke 9: 28-36Luke 24:44-47John 1:17John 6:14Hebrews 3:1-6

Exodus 19:7-9, 19-20; Exodus 20:21Exodus 32:30-34 Numbers 14:1-4Deuteronomy 18:15-19 Deuteronomy 34:1-12Luke 9: 28-36Luke 24:25-27John 3:13-15Hebrews 3:1-6

For a later read and a good summary look at Acts 7:17-39. How does the Bible speak about Jesus in relation to Moses?

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STUDY 2 - Exodus 3-4

1. IntroductionHow do your friends view ‘the divine’?

2. God SpeaksRead Exodus 3:1-6. What questions arise for you from reading these verses?

What do we learn about God, His identity and His relationships with humanity?

Read Exodus 3:7-10. How does God describe the situation of the people?What is his solution?

What follows are five rounds of discussion – question and answer between Moses and God.

Moses asks & God answers #1Read Exodus 3:11-12. What is Moses question? What is God’s answer?

Moses asks & God answers #2Read Exodus 3:13-22. What is Moses question?What is God’s answer?

What does ‘I am who I am’ (v14) mean?

What is significant about God giving his name to Moses?

3. God’s NameIn three groups, discuss the following questions. What had God been known as prior to Exodus 3?

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In Scripture God’s name is used in many ways – How?Group 1 Group 2 Group 3Deuteronomy 12:51 Kings 5:3-5Matthew 6:9

Joel 2:30-32John 1:9-14 (c.f. Jn 20:31)Romans 10:8-9, 13

Psalms 34:3Psalms 103:1Philippians 2:5-11 (esp 9-11)Colossians 3:16

Debrief as a big groupHow is our understanding greater than what the Israelites in Egypt had?

If Israel were privileged to have God’s personal name - how should we respond to what we know of God and his name today?

Read Exodus 4:1-17Moses asks & God answers #3What is Moses’ complaint to God? What is God’s threefold answer?

Moses asks & God answers #4What is Moses’ next complaint? What is God’s answer?

Moses asks & God answers #5What is Moses’ request? How does God respond?

4. The ResolutionRead Exodus 4:27-31. How do these verses act to tie up the threads of chapters 3-4?

5. The ApplicationWhat motivates our belief in Christ?

What do we ask of God? What does God ask of us?

How can we respond to God’s personal revelation to us in Jesus?

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STUDY 3 - EXODUS 5-10

1. Introduction‘The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misog-ynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomaso-chistic, capriciously malevolent bully.’ (Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion, 31)

Do you think this is a fair summation of what the world thinks God is like?

This is a big section to cover and so to do this we are going to ask the same four questions of three sections of Exodus 5-10.

-What are Moses’ requests or warnings?-What is Pharaoh’s response to the situation?-What are other people’s responses to the situation? (e.g. Israel, Egyptian wise men etc)-What is the purpose of God?

2. Exodus 5:1-4; 6:1-9Read Exodus 5:1-6:9. Fill in the first column of the appendix table by answering the questions.

3. Exodus 7-10Break into two groups. Debrief by reporting back to the other group what is discovered – making spe-cific reference to key verses.

Group 1 - Read Exodus 7-8.Fill in the second column of the appendix table by answering the questions.

Group 2 - Read Exodus 9-10.Fill in the third column of the appendix table by answering the questions.

4. Understanding the Purposes of GodWhy did God delay rescuing his people?

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What is the key issue at stake in this conflict?

What answer have we got through these chapters to Pharaoh’s question of ‘Who is the Lord?’ (Ex 5:2)

How do we reconcile in our minds the idea that God holds Pharaoh to account, yet for his purposes ‘hardens his heart’?

5. ApplyingWhat encouragement or reassurance can you take from Exodus 5-10 (as one who lives experiencing the mercy of God through Christ)?

There are many and various ways that we can ‘proclaim the name of the Lord in all the earth’. How do/can you?

How might we be in danger of not listening to God? How might Richard Dawkins be in danger of not listening to God? Does it matter?

6. Appendix 1Exodus 5:1-6:9 Exodus 7-8 Exodus 9-10

Plagues Water to blood (7:14-25), Frogs (8:1-15), Gnats (8:16-19), Flies (8:20-32)

Egyptian livestock (9:1-7), Egyptian Boils (9:8-12), Hail against Egyptians and live-stock (9:13-35), Lo-custs (10:1-20), Dark-ness (10:21-29)

a) What are Moses’ requests or warnings?

To Pharaoh:

To the Lord:

To Pharaoh:

To the Lord:

To Pharaoh:

b) What is Pharaoh’s response to the situa-tion?c) What are other people’s responses to the situation? (e.g. Israel, Egyptian wise men etc)

The Israelites

The Magicians

The Egyptians

The Magicians

The Egyptians

d) What is the purpose of God?

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STUDY 4 - EXODUS 14-17

1. After The ExodusRead Exodus 14:30-15:21. What events have occurred?

What is Israel’s response?

What does Moses’ song teach us of…-the events?

-how God deals with his enemies?

-God’s character?

-God’s relationship with Israel?

How would you sum up the mood of Israel’s response to God?

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Read 15:22-17:7. What is Israel’s response to their circumstances?

What is God’s reaction?

What do we learn about God’s provision?

2. The Bigger Biblical PictureRead Psalm 95. What response/s is the Psalmist calling for?

Read Hebrews 3:7-15. What response is the writer of Hebrews urging? Why?

3. ApplicationHow are we to respond and exhort each other?

How can we take on his warning this week?

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STUDY 5 - EXODUS 19-20

1. Coming to the Mountain of the LordThis ‘calling’ of Moses (Exodus 19:3) begins a great block of teaching that stretches from here through Leviticus to Numbers 10. All is represented as being given at Sinai. Read Exodus 19:1-6. Let’s get our geographical bearings. Where have Israel come from? Where are Israel now?

Israel encamps before ‘the mountain’ while Moses went up the mountain (vv2-3). What significance is already attached to this ‘mountain’? (c.f. Exodus 3:1; 18:5)

What do we learn of God’s initiative and relationship with the people?

This account occurs after Israel has clearly seen what God has done for them. Compare what God said he would do for Israel in Exodus 6:2-8 (before the Exodus) and what he has now done in Exodus 19:4-6 (after the Exodus). What is asked of Israel now as opposed to before?

‘All the earth is mine’ says God (v5). What does it mean for Israel to be regarded as God’s ‘treasured possession among all peoples’ and ‘kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ (vv5-6)?

Is there a conditional obligation for Israel to meet? God has brought Israel out of slavery, now they are to obey his voice and keep his covenant and if they do they will be his treasured procession, kingdom of priests and holy nations? Where in the New Testament do we get the ‘treasured procession, king-dom of priests, holy nation’ idea?

Read 1 Peter 1:3-4, 2:9-12. What are the similarities or differences that we can draw between Israel and Us today? How should we apply this practically into our lives – be specific?

 

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2. Approaching GodRead Exodus 19:7-25. How do the people respond to God’s covenant?

What do the details of verses 10-25 show about how God is to be approached? What does that demonstrate about God?

The 10 Commandments. Read Exodus 20:1-21 – and as you go, list the commandments using the table following.

Number Commandment Positive or Negative? Who benefits?12345678910

What is the immediate context under which God places the Commandments?

Using the table above, which of the commandments are in the negative and which in the positive? Why?

Using the table above, who receives the benefit of the commandment keepers obedience? What pattern can you see?

How do the people respond to God’s word?

What do we learn about salvation, law and lifestyle from the Exodus 20:1-21?

How relevant are the 10 commandments today? What do they achieve?

Read Matthew 22:36-40 (c.f. Mark 12:28-34). How does Jesus apply the 10 Commandments?How do we /can we apply the 10 Commandments? – be specific.

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STUDY 6 - EXODUS 32-34

1. IntroductionHas anything struck you about the relationship of God and the Israelites thus far in Exodus? What?

2. Mad Cow DiseaseRead Exodus 32:1-33:6. In groups of four - Draw a comic strip/ flow diagram/ picture book (i.e. visual representation) of the story?

What do you learn about:-the Israelites?-Aaron-Moses-God?

What key theological ideas do you notice?

How does this passage tie in with what we’ve studied so far?

How does it point forward to the New Testament or Jesus?

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3. God and MosesRead Exodus 33:12-34:10. What are Moses’ requests of God?

What does God say he will do?

What does God do?

How are these verses contrasted or affirmed in the New Testament?

4. Summing up ExodusIn two groups, discuss the following questions. What have been the key truths we’ve seen in studying Exodus in these studies?

What is one thing that you have changed/should change?

What is one thing you want to thank God for as a result of what we have looked at in Exodus?

Pray

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Naremburn Cammeray Anglican Church is a dynamic and growing Anglican Church on Sydney’s lower North Shore. It has multiple centres of ministry, yet we are one Church, with one staff team, that serves multiple congregations.

We are genuinely seeking to make a difference in our community and in our city and in the world to the glory of God.

We are not a church that uncritically spurns tradition and embraces everything new. We desire to be enterprising and creative, bold and winsome as we seek to continue to grow. Most importantly we want to help people to understand the importance and significance of Jesus Christ for their life and future.

For further information email us at office@ncachurch.com or call us direct on (02) 9906 7110

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