Sermon Central
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The Basket That Changed History Series
Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 23, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: It seems God allow history to run its course. But His unusual interventions demonstrate that He was never absent in the first place.
The Basket that Changed History
(note: I used Chapter 3 of DVD "The Exodus Revelaed" (about 4 mintues) as an introduction to the sermon. Then I found internet images of Tutmose I (Thutmosis I) and Hatshepsut; words in CAPS are for power point).
INTRODUCTION
1. Fractured Bible History
Let me begin today by sharing "Bible history according to kids."
IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.
ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH’S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.
SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.
MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS.
THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.
MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA . THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.
THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.
DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.
SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.
WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.
WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.
ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.
THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.
THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.
ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.
CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.
2. Real Bible History
Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. And God’s Word is accurate, even in the realm of history. Since such is the case, it is often possible to expand our understanding of Scripture by taking into account possible historical correlations.
And the truth we find often helps us to understand the daily struggles of life.
Main Idea: It seems God allow history to run its course. But His unusual interventions demonstrate that He was never absent in the first place.
I. Israel’s WOE and God’s WORKING (Exodus 1:1-2:10)
A. The Israelites ENSLAVED (1:1-14)
application --- Satan’s tactic is also to keep us busy and tired so that we do not have time to build up God’s Kingdom and thus fight against him and his kingdom....
How would it have felt to grow up in slavery, to give birth to children who were slaves, and then to die in slavery? Wouldn’t you wonder, "Where is God in all this? If we are God’s people, why isn’t he doing something?" But God thinks in the long term --decades, centuries, and even millennia. If we are in that "in between" period, we cannot understand God’s purpose. It is like viewing an oil painting close up, a bunch of disconnected swirls. But if we stand back, it might be beautiful. Our fear is that it might be ’modern art’ and still be ugly. But God promises us a beautiful painting -- when all things finally work together! And that working together may be centuries away.
B. INFANTICIDE (1:15-22)
Exodus 6:20 names Moses parents….
C. A SYMPATHETIC Princess and Moses (2:1-10)
Where did she get the idea of the basket.
Many scholars have been impressed by a similar story about another Semite, Sargon of Akkad from the second half of the third millennium B.C. He, too, was placed in a basket of rushes coated with pitch and cast on a river only to be found by Akki the gardener who rescued him and raised him as his son
It seems God allow history to run its course. But His unusual interventions demonstrate that He was never absent in the first place.
II. The PEOPLE Involved
A. WHO was the Pharaoh who enslaved Israel ?
1. Possibly the King of the new 13th dynasty (family) who came to power about the time Joseph died.
2. It is probably much later, after the name of Joseph had been forgotten and his great achievements perhaps attributed to Imhotep. This is supported by Stephen’s sermon in Acts 17:18, "Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, became ruler of Egypt."
3. The population of Israel had to be large and the element of fear of allying with Egypt’s enemies was the primary motivation.
4. These enemies could have been either the Hyksos, Canaanite & Phoenician people who eventually controlled the northern 2/3 of Egypt,
5. OR -- if later, the Hyksos Pharaohs were afraid that the Israelite might align themselves with the southern part of the Kingdom, controlled by Egyptians.
