2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 3, Q8~Q12

FIFTH DAY: Read Exodus 4:18-31.

Q8. From verses 18-20, how did Moses prepare his family for the trip back to Egypt?

I do not find him well prepare for the trip but asked his father-in-law’s permission and took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. He took the staff of God in his hand and trusted God would lead the way.

Q9. What was Moses to tell Pharaoh about Israel?

Israel is the firstborn son of the Lord.

Q10.

a. From verses 24-26, what had Moses apparently left undone?

His son has not yet been circumcised.

This part of passage is fragmentary. Literally, after God said He would kill the firstborn of Egyptian the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him because Moses neglected the rite of circumcision of his son. However, there is no scriptural basis for taking the life of a father who does not circumcise a son.  Punishment for failing to be circumcised falls upon the child, not the father (Genesis 17:14). Therefore, it is possible the narrative is about Moses worried about God would kill his son because he’s yet been circumcised. So Moses and his wife circumcised the boy then.

b. Who had to do what Moses should have done?

His wife, Zipporah.

c. What obligation to God for your family or friends have you left for someone else to do?

The gospel I should bring to my family to help them desire to repent their sins, which I have not done yet.

Q11. From verses 14-16 and 27-31, what do you learn about Moses’ brother, Aaron?

From 14 Aaron the Levite, he can speak well. He will be glad to see Moses.” 16 “He will speak to the people for Moses. He obeyed God’s instruction 27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. .

29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He (Moses) also performed the signs before the people, 31 and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

Q12. How did Moses and Aaron carefully obey the Lord, and what was the result in the lives of the Israelites?

They followed God’s instructions. They told the Israelites everything the Lord had said to Moses and performed the signs before the people. They brought the people back to God they bowed down and worshiped the Lord. Then the relationship between God and the Israelites was reconnected.

2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 3, Q7

FOURTH DAY: Read Exodus 4:1-17.

Q7.

a. What three additional objections did Moses make?

1: What if they do not believe me or listen to me.

2: I am not eloquent. I am slow of speech and tongue.

3: Please send someone else.

b. How did God answer these three objections? Give verses.

1: What if they do not believe me. 2-9 God provides Signs for Moses by his staff to perform the signs with it, then the people would believe that God sent Moses to Israelites. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

2: I am slow of speech and tongue. 11 The Lord said “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

3: Send someone else. God provides helper to Moses. 14 …“What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.”

c. What objections have you used when God has asked you to take part in His work? How did God deal with your objections?

Not qualified to take part in His work because lacked of knowledge of Bible. God led me attending Bible study classes.

2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 3, Q5~Q6

THIRD DAY: Read Exodus 3:11-22.

Q5

a. Give the two ways Moses objected to God’s commission in these verses.

1: I am nobody. How can I go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt. [11 “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”]

2: You are my God but the Egyptians don’t know You though. What shall I tell them about You? [13 “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”]

b. What was God’s answer to these two objections? Give verses for each.

1: I am nobody. 12 God said, “I will be with you.”

2: What shall I tell them about You? 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

c.  Which of God’s answers encourages you most today and why?

God will be with us and let us know what to say. So we don’t need to worry how to glorify His kingdom by sharing gospel to people.

Q6.

a. Read John 8:58-59. How do these verses compare with Exodus 3:14?

In John Jesus said, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

In Exodus God said, “I am who I am.”

b. What do you learn about the Lord Jesus Christ from these verses?

Jesus is God Himself.

2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 3, Q3~Q4

SECOND DAY: Read Exodus 3:1-10.

Q3.

a. Why did God show Moses a burning bush that did not burn up?

God descended on it in fire and smoke often. He showed something wonders to Moses to reveal Himself is the Lord, the Almighty one.

b. What did the fire symbolize? (See Exodus 19:18; Hebrews 12:28-29.)

The Lord.

c. Why did God tell Moses to take off his sandals?

God said the place where Moses standing was holy ground. Then Moses would humble himself in front of the Lord.

d. Read Genesis 16:7-13; Judges 6:11-17. Who is the angel of the Lord who appeared to Moses?

God Himself.

Q4.

a. In one short sentence, state God’s message to Moses.

Your God is sending you to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

b. What do you learn about God’s relationship with His people from this message?

God is faithful God to those who believe in Him. God sees our misery. God heard our crying, and He is concerned about our suffering.  And God will rescue us from our enemies and bring us to the eternal life.

2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 2, Q10~Q11

FIFTH DAY: Read Exodus 2:23-25.

Q10.

a. How was God preparing the Israelites for their deliverance from Egypt?

God prepared their hearts by disciplining them through Pharaoh’s hands and waited until they were ready to leave.

b. What did the Israelites do when their condition became unbearable?

They groaned in their slavery and cried out for help from God.

Q11.

a. What four verbs tell us what God did in response to their cry for help?

God heard their groaning and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on them and was concerned about them.

b. What do these verbs tell you about God’s covenant relationship with His people?

God is faithful to those who have faith on Him that God will deliver them from all their troubles.

c. (Personal) Do you have the assurance of this kind of response from God when you face something that seems unbearable? What do you learn about God and the suffering of His people from these verses?

It becomes a habit of mine now. 

2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 2, Q8~Q9

FOURTH DAY: Read Exodus 2:15-22.

Q8. Why did Moses agree to stay in Midian?

Reuel gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. Zipporah gave birth to a son of Moses.

Q9.

a. What does the name of Moses’ first son tell you about his attitude toward life in Midian?

His son named Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.” In Moses’ heart Midian was not his home.

b. When have you ever felt like a foreigner or stranger somewhere?

When doing my postdoc training in New York City I was a foreigner there for four years.

c. What did you learn or what did God teach you in that place?

I couldn’t achieve a thing just by my decisive heart or diligent work. I need the strength from my God. I must learn to live a life dependent on God only.

d. How was God preparing Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt?
When Moses first came to Midian the people saw him as an Egyptian but not a Hebrew. Later Moses settle down and became a real foreigner in Midian, so he could better understand the felling of the Israelites lived as foreigners in Egypt.

2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 2, Q6~Q7

THIRD DAY: Read Exodus 2:15-22.

Q6. From these verses, how would you describe the physical characteristics of Midian?

Those Midian shepherds came along and drove the women away from a well. So those women must wait till late to get water. I think they were quite competitive, selfish and no mercy to the weak.

Q7.

a. What character traits did Moses display when he watered the flocks of the daughters of Midian?

Moses was not afraid of those strong Midian guys. He was brave and merciful to help the weak even he watered their flocks.

b. Had Moses’ methods for helping the oppressed changed since he left Egypt?

I don’t see the change yet. He was still brave, integrity and merciful. He’s not afraid to get up for the weak.

c. What will you ask God to change in you so He may use you more fully?

I ask Jesus to get rid of my fear and timid. And provide me the courage and confidence those what I need for I can fully be used by the Lord. 

2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 2, Q3~Q5

SECOND DAY: Read Exodus 2:11-14.

Q3.

a. Did Moses plan beforehand to kill the Egyptian? Why or why not?

Moses was looking this way and that and seeing no one before he killed the Egyptian and after that Moses hid the body in the sand. So he did plan beforehand.

b. Read Acts 7:23-29. What information do you find in Acts that is not in Exodus?

25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.  29 He fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.

c. Why might Moses have thought the Hebrews would see him as their deliverer?

In God’s will, Moses grew up in Egyptian royal family. His position is superior to the Israelites. He has never been persecuted, but seeing his people be persecuted by Egyptians.

Q4. Read Hebrews 11:24-26. Moses chose to identify with the Hebrews.

a. Which happened first, Moses’ visit to the Hebrews or his choice to identify with them? Give reasons for your opinion.

Says in Hebrews, by faith Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter first. And than he visited his people.

b. Why might Moses have made this choice?

By faith Moses believes it’s God’ plan for him to rescue the Hebrew.

c. What did Moses’ choice cost him?

Because Pharaoh tried to kill Moses, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner.

d. Use simple words to explain each phrase of Hebrews 11:26 as you might to a child.

Moses thought it was a greater value for himself to be disgraced for Christ than having the treasures from Egypt.

Q5

a. What character traits, good or bad, do you see in Moses from these verses?

Good: Brave, integrity, and merciful. Bad: Self-righteousness, simple-minded, violent, hasty, and reckless.

b. Which traits needed to be changed before God would use Moses to deliver the Hebrew people?

Righteousness only in God.

2014 BSF "The Life of Moses" Lesson 1, Q11~Q12

FIFTH DAY: Read Exodus 2:1-10.

Q11.

a. List ways God arranged for Moses’ safety and adoption by Pharaoh’s daughter.

God let the Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank.  

God arranged she saw the basket among the reeds.

In God’s will that she felt sorry when she saw the Hebrew baby crying. Hence she allowed the Hebrew women to nurse the baby.

b. How might she have known that Moses was a Hebrew baby?

It’s the Pharaoh’s order that: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile.”

c. What characteristics do you see in Moses’ sister, who would have been at least 8 years old at this time?

Moses’ sister showed her love and care to her baby brother that she stood at a distance to see what would happen to Moses. She’s also smart by saying to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”  Moses’ sister went and got her mother.

Q12.

a. List the advantages to Moses of living as a young child with his own mother.

Besides the better nurturing and careful babysitting, the culture and law from God to Israel also have imprinted in Moses’ heart.

b. Read Acts 7:20-22. What advantages did Moses receive as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter?

Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

c. What advantages have you experienced because of the family or families in which God placed you as a child? How will you thank God for these things?

Both my mother and father came from destitute families and they were diligent people. I appreciate they taught me became a diligent worker and have been educated well. I thank God for what I have and what I've lost. I’d like to use what I have learned to glory God’s kingdom.

d. How do the circumstances of Moses’ birth and childhood encourage you to trust God?

Moses is an adopted kid. I guess there must be contradictions in his childhood because the Egyptian and himself see he is not an Egyptian, neither the Israelites see him an Israelite. However, those arrangements all came from God’s great plan to train Moses as a leader to bring Israelite out of Egypt.  As well as the challenges we had or will have in our life may be the same case.