A million slaves rescued, a face-off between God and Pharaoh, and a nation is born…

God’s covenant promises of unit 3 are beginning to be worked out. In Genesis 12 – Exodus 18 we see how God begins to make a people for himself by miraculously granting Abraham and Sarah children and then many descendants. We see again and again that evil, unworthy persons become God’s people and it becomes clear that it is God who saves and that no man can boast.

We see how God rescues his people from slavery in Egypt by substitution, by conquest, and by defeating their enemies. Once freed from slavery God begins to bless his people by giving them his law and by living amongst them. Things are beginning to look up, but there is much more to be fulfilled.

Your teacher will give you a copy of this handout, but you can also find a copy of it here.

This has an outline of the video that you are about to watch. You might want or take some notes on this as the video is playing.

Watch video: The partial kingdom: People Rule and Blessing

DISCUSS

Read Exodus 19:4-6

• What has God already done for Israel?
• What role does God want the Israelites to play in the world?
• How does this relate to his promises to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3?
• What must the Israelites do to fulfil the role?

GOD’S LAW: The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) The law makes the promises more beautiful (Galatians 3.15-29)

Read Exodus 20:1-17 and Galatians 3:15-29

• Group the commandments into different categories.
• Why do they begin as they do (v1-3)?
• What does God’s law reveal about:
  • Our sin? (Romans 3:20)
  • Our Saviour? (Galatians 3: 23-24; 3:13)
  • God’s standards? (Matthew 5:17-20)     
• Choose one or two commandments you find especially challenging to obey?
• What will obedience look like in practice?
• How does the gospel of Christ help us do this?