THE BOOK OF BIBLE STUDY CHAPTER BY CHAPTER

THE BOOK OF BIBLE STUDY CHAPTER BY CHAPTER

READ THE CHAPTER Please say a short prayer and then take 10 minutes to read the chapter. MESSAGE & DEEPER STUDY When Men Question God In Exodus chapter 5 we see people questioning Pharaoh questioned Who God is, the Israelites questioned God s messengers, and Moses Himself questioned God s purpose for his life. While it is true that life is full of questions, what are the results when men question God? This is what we will learn in our lesson today... Let s begin our study. Who is the Lord? // Pharaoh questions Who God is... MESSAGE 01 In the first part of the chapter we read about how Pharaoh responded to Moses and Aaron. He said - quite boldly - that he did not know Who this supposed God was that Moses spoke of. And he continued by emphasizing that he would neither listen to His voice, nor do what He instructed. There was no hint of fear in Pharaoh s heart. He did not respect God, neither did he seem to care Who God is. His stubbornness would be his downfall. Who is God? What does it mean to know God? Luke 10:22 John 17:3 What are the results of not knowing God? Psalm 14:1 Romans 1:28 What does the Bible say about stubbornness? 1 Samuel 15:23

Opposition and Persecution // An almost inevitable response to the children of God... MESSAGE 02 Moses and Aaron requested that the Pharaoh allow the children of Israel to go and worship God, but they were met with opposition and persecution. Pharaoh said that Moses and Aaron were taking the people from their work. He said they were making them rest when they should have been working. He pushed back and refused to grant their request to worship God. And then the persecution came Pharaoh made the people make bricks without straw. He said that they would have to get straw for themselves, while still producing the same amount of bricks. This was an impossible demand. So, when the Israelites were not able to fulfill it, they were beaten by their masters. As children of God, we also can expect opposition and persecution. It will come in many different forms, but the Word of God gives us encouragement as to how we are to respond to people and to our situations... John 15:20 Acts 14:22 What does the Bible say about the children of God and persecution? MESSAGE 03 Misguided blame // The influence Pharaoh s words had on the Israelites... In life, we are constantly surrounded by things and people that influence us. Our friends, our coworkers, and even people that we may pass on the street can affect how we look at situations. The same was the case for the children of Israel. Pharaoh s stubbornness and lack of respect for the God of heaven had resulted in the persecution of the children of Israel. And this very persecution, led the Israelites to begin to question the messengers of god. When they questioned why they were being treated in such a way, Pharaoh put the blame on their God. But, instead of knowing that this was not the truth, the children of Israel complained to God s messengers. They began to complain to Moses and Aaron and to say that they were causing their suffering... How are we supposed to respond when we are persecuted for God s sake/when we suffer? Matthew 5:11-12 What does the Bible say about complaining? Philippians 2:14-15

Doubt turns to desperation // Questioning God s calling and purpose once again MESSAGE 04 The opposition and persecution that came from Pharaoh and the complaints of the people, eventually affected Moses as well. Moses began to focus more on the situation and the complaints of the people instead of the calling that God had placed on His life. He did not keep the Words of God in his heart that were spoken to him on the mountain, nor did he remember all that God had done for him to prove Himself to him thus far. No, instead Moses own personal faith in God began to waiver because of the pressure from the people around him. And all of this led Moses to cry out to God and question why he was sent. It caused Moses to question God... What does the Bible say about the danger of wavering in our faith? James 1:5-8

WORDS FOR REFLECTION Have you ever questioned God? In Exodus 5 we again saw people doubting God and His calling. But, we also saw something that is very key for God s children to realize. Pharaoh did not know or even respect the God of heaven, and this led to the persecution of God s own people. The Bible is clear when it says that the children of God will suffer persecution. It is clear that we will also suffer opposition. However, the Word of God tells us this because we are to stand firm under the pressure. Our faith in God is to remain strong and to increase not decrease. But, when the persecution came, the children of Israel also began to question. They questioned God s messengers. This led to God s messenger also questioning God. What can we learn from this chapter? We can learn the dangerous effects of allowing persecution or suffering to lead us to question Who God is These are not a sign of God s lack of power. Instead, just like it says in Mark 5:11-12, we should rejoice God wants us to remember Who He is. Today, let us make it a point to have faith in Who God is and not to question Him when we don t YOUR LETTER TO GOD please write down your response... Exodus chapter 5 taught me... This week, after studying Exodus chapter 5, I ask that You help me to... My commitment...

REVIEW QUESTIONS QUESTION ANSWER Why did Moses say the people of Israel needed to go into the wilderness? How many days did they request to go into the wilderness? What did the Pharaoh take away from the Israelites? Where did the Israelites go to look for the straw? What did the taskmasters do them? What were the people called when they couldn t produce the bricks? How did Moses respond when they people complained to him? PRACTICAL APPLICATION We must know God. As children of God we will be persecuted, but we are to remain strong in our faith. We must be careful not to doubt God s work in our life. EXTRA RESOURCES QUESTIONS WWW./QUESTIONS/GUIDE29 Submit your personal questions.