FREED for a PURPOSE a Study in Exodus
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OCTOBER 2019 In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. Exodus 15:13 FREED FOR A PURPOSE A Study in Exodus A ministry of TODAY WITH MARK JOBE President of Moody Bible Institute Holy Hunger Have you ever gone In verse 15, Moses asks God not to for an extended period remove His presence, but to be present of time without eating? with the people of Israel on their journey. Maybe you were trying And when the Lord agreed (v. 17), Moses to reduce calories or pushed even further. Moses wanted you skipped meals for even more, “Now show me your glory” a lab test. When we (v. 18). Moses hungered for God; he are hungry, our appetite demands to be wanted to see God. satisfied. I wonder what would happen if we had that same type of insatiable In this dramatic passage, Moses is hunger for God? rewarded with a glimpse of God’s glory. In his present earthly state, he was In Exodus 33, Moses shows us an unable to look fully on God. Instead, example of spiritual hunger. Moses was God placed Moses safely in the cleft of on the mountain where he had received a rock with His hand covering his eyes. the Ten Commandments. After he had He is granted a glimpse of God’s back been gone 40 days, he came down to (vv. 22–23). What an incredible moment witness an all-out pagan party. God was that must have been! angry. He called the Israelites a “stiff- necked people” and told Moses that, in You and I have been created with holy order to honor His covenant with Israel, hunger. Our physical body parallels our they would still get to the Promised spiritual body. The Bible teaches that Land. But God would not go with them. all creation has been “groaning” as it He explained that if He went with them, waits for God (Rom. 8:22). Psalm 42:1 “I might destroy you on the way” (v. 3). describes this longing: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul Moses, in his reply, reveals his hunger pants for you, my God.” We cannot fill for God. His spiritual appetite had been this hunger with relationships, success, cultivated by the time spent in God’s addictions, popularity, or anything else. presence. Verse 11 says, “The Lord would Holy hunger is only filled by God through speak to Moses face to face, as one our relationship with Jesus Christ. And speaks to a friend.” So when God offered then, like Moses, we will be unwilling to Moses this lower-shelf deal of “I will move forward without His presence in bless you but my presence will not go our lives (vv. 14-17). n there,” Moses’ holy hunger kicked in. 800¡ 356£6639 THEOLOGY MATTERS by Dr. John Koessler The Theology of Exodus xodus is a book of history. We Miriam sang of God’s holiness, how learn how God rescued the He would lead the people He had E descendants of Abraham from redeemed and guide them to His holy slavery in Egypt, established them dwelling (Ex. 15:13). The law reinforced as a nation, and directed them to the this lesson of holiness and taught that Land of Promise. Exodus is also an God was separate from His people autobiography of sorts because the (Ex. 19:23). story of its author, Moses, unfolds within these pages. We might even think Yet the most important theological Exodus is an exposé since it reveals lesson of Exodus reveals God’s personal the faithfulness and faithlessness of nature. This all-powerful, holy God has God’s Old Testament people. But more a name (Ex. 3:13–15). According to Old than anything else, Exodus is a book of Testament scholar R. Alan Cole, the theology. While Moses and Israel play divine name YHWH or I Am indicated an key roles in this book, God is firmly at advance in God’s revelation of Himself: the center. “Henceforth, for the Old Testament, the name YHWH will mean all that the name God’s power is revealed in Exodus. We ‘Jesus’ means for the New Testament.” see a God clearly in control, even when Jesus claimed this name for Himself everyone else refuses to cooperate. (John 8:58). Further, Jesus embodied From Moses to Pharaoh to the people of all of the theological themes found in Israel, nearly everyone involved in this Exodus. He is the divine person who great story of redemption resists God, at shows us the face of God. His death is least at first. The book of Exodus reveals the only sacrifice that can fulfill the law’s how God used His power to bring Israel demand for holiness. And His power out of the land of slavery “with a mighty is the key to our salvation: “Salvation hand” (Ex. 13:3, 14). is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to Exodus also teaches us about God’s mankind by which we must be saved” holiness. When Moses encountered God (Acts 4:12). n in the burning bush, he was commanded to remove his sandals “for the place FOR FURTHER STUDY where you are standing is holy ground” To learn more about Exodus, read (Ex. 3:5). When the Lord defeated the Gleanings in Exodus by A. W. Pink Egyptians at the Red Sea, Moses and (Moody Publishers). TODAYINTHEWORD.ORG FROM THE EDITORS by Jamie Janosz Meet This Month’s Devotional Writer: Dr. Brad Baurain Brad Baurain, God created us to do. I love teaching is an associate at Moody because the eternal professor at Moody purposes that motivate me are also Bible Institute and at the heart of this great institution. Moody Theological We’re all about God’s Word and God’s Seminary. He is also glory. I’m currently the only TESOL a former editor and (Teaching English to Speakers of Other the author of more than 70 issues of Languages) professor at Moody and Today in the Word! One reader notes, lead both the BA and MA programs. “It was interesting to me to go through my stack of favorite past issues and How did you get interested in this realize the majority were written by one area of missions? author. Dr. Brad Baurain!” Brad and While in college, I got my start in this his wife, Julia, have four children and area as a World Relief volunteer and live in northwestern Indiana. ended up serving eleven years with a Christian organization in China and What did you take away from this Vietnam. Now I’m privileged to help month’s study of Exodus? train others to go! The English language Exodus is a rich narrative and awe- is in demand around the world, and inspiring book, by which I mean it excellent teachers can be used for inspires a deep awe of God. Egypt God’s glory literally anywhere—whether was a world superpower, but it didn’t in “creative-access” countries overseas stand a chance against the Almighty. or here in North America with refugees God kept His promises, liberated His and immigrants. people to become a “holy nation,” and proved Himself faithful. The treasures of Did you meet your wife on the mission idolatrous Egypt were transformed into field? a tabernacle for worship of the one We didn’t actually meet in China or true God. Vietnam, but in an even stranger place . southern California! We What do you love about teaching were both participating in training for at Moody? our organization. She was headed to One thing I enjoy most about teaching northeastern China, me to south central is learning. We always need to be Vietnam. It began as a casual friendship learning, which is something I believe and just kept growing. n 800 3566639 VOLUME 32 • ISSUE 10 MANAGING EDITOR Jamie Janosz SENIOR EDITOR Elena Mafter CONTRIBUTING EDITOR John Koessler Exodus: Freed for a Purpose WRITER Brad Baurain In our journey through life, we all experience setbacks, ART DIRECTOR Lynn Gabalec disappointments, and our own wilderness experience. GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Sometimes we feel powerless and not up to task. We Larry Bohlin, Rachel Hutcheson all need strength for the journey. We pray that our study MARKETING & PRODUCTION Paul B. Currie this month will show us that this strength comes from God, that He Himself is our strength. MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE PRESIDENT Mark Jobe As we read the book of Exodus with Today in the Word, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT we’ll trace Israel’s way from slavery to freedom, from Mark Wagner SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT idolatry and grumbling to trust in God and true worship, Greg Thornton from physical and spiritual poverty to the riches of the CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER tabernacle. We’ll learn about the covenant faithfulness Ken Heulitt CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER of the God of the Bible who controls history, who judges Samuel Choy His own people and His foes, and who stops at nothing CHIEF INFORMATION to bring His people to freedom. We’ll read about the OFFICER John Sauceda first Passover, the crossing of the Red Sea, the Ten Commandments, and the building of the tabernacle. VICE PRESIDENTS Tim Arens We’ll also learn from the life of Moses about leadership, Jim Elliott humility, God’s calling, and God’s perfect timing. Bruce Everhart Doug Hastings Bryan O’Neal Paul Santhouse Thank you for studying with us this month! May the Heather Shalley Lord be your strength as you follow Him.