Views from an Evangelist

The Reformed Episcopal Church Book of Common Prayer has these two morning readings.

Exodus 22:23-3:22 and Hebrews 9:15-28. Click on the verses to see the full text.

Exodus recounts the time when Israel in Egypt cries out to God to save them and God sends Moses to deliver them and attempt to lead them to the Promised Land.

The reason Israel cried out was that a new Pharaoh had risen up who did not know Joseph and therefore treated Israel as slaves and worked them hard to build the cities of Egypt.

The goal of the Exodus passage is to show us God’s character, so we can get to know Him, and His work: how He planned to deliver Israel from Egypt. Knowing God’s character tells us how to interact with God and His work helps us identify His work in our own life.

Verse 24 demonstrates God’s character, “So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ²⁵ God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.”

This tells us God hears our cries due to His covenant with His son and He responds. Therefore we should be eager to cry to the Lord believing He hears us and will respond.

Exodus 3:1-6 detail God’s calling of Moses out of the burning bush. Another character trait communicated is when God says in verse 5, “Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

God told Moses up front He is holy and gave Moses instructions immediately on how to revere Him and acknowledge His holiness.  [Holy meaning separate from sin].

The lesson for us is that God has instructions for our interactions with Him.

God also identified Himself in verse 6 as the, “…God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

There is continuity in His own description.  He is not a God of our making but is a God whom we can look back into history to see His character and work.  This should stabilize our faith and lead us to build our lives upon His word.

God says in verses 7 – 9 He has heard the cry of His people and is planning to deliver them and bring them into a new land [the Promised Land] flowing with milk and honey.

Does God have a Land flowing with Milk and Honey for us?  Yes we call it heaven.  This story of redemption is a foretaste of the redemption of the world through Christ. God sent His Son into the world to deliver us and bring us to His heavenly city.

In verses 10 – 12 God tells Moses he is going to deliver them and initially bring Israel back to the mountain where they are. In other words Moses is bringing the people back to Himself. God’s goal is for His people to dwell with Himself.

Verses 13-22 is a narrative of God’s plan for Moses when he arrives in Egypt and what will happen during the course of his time there. If you are Moses God has just told you all that is going to take place before it happens.  When it happens as God says it should give Moses and Israel great faith in God.

Likewise with us Jesus tells us God’s plan for our redemption and subsequent entrance into the Father’s presence in heaven.  We should have great faith in Him and His promises since His words were fulfilled in His day.

Finally, one primary point of Moses and the law that was given through Him is to first prepare Israel and then the world for the arrival of the Christ who would take away sins forever.

The second reading of the day communicates this reality. The transition from Moses to Christ. From the Law of Moses that cannot take away our sins to Christ who does: Hebrews 9:15-28.