Why did God do the whole Exodus event in the way that He did?
You know, the plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea, the Wilderness, the Manna, the Law… Your typical Charlton Heston stuff – or Val Kilmer, depending on your generation.
Actually, those are both for older generations – I just saw that the Prince of Egypt turned 25 this year. Which is funny, because it came out in the 90s, which was only a few years ago. But also, have you seen the cast for that movie? Incredible! There can be miracles when you believe…
But what was God’s intention, His goal in rescuing His people in that way.
Let me give you a handful of verses to see if they help. Just 10 of them. 10 is a good Exodus number. 10 plagues, 10 commandments. 10 Verses – all from the book of Exodus.
Exodus 6:7 - I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God…
Exodus 7:5 - The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt …
Exodus 7:17 - Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood.
Exodus 8:10 - … Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.
Exodus 8:22 - But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
Exodus 9:14 - For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.
Exodus 10:2 - and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”
Exodus 14:4 - And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.”…
Exodus 14:18 - And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
Exodus 16:12 - “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’”
Are you noticing any themes there? I can give you more.[1]
Or, maybe I just ask the question this way? Does God want to be known? And the answer is an obvious yes. And yet, we run into a problem.
Problem – Creator/Creation Distinction
God is God and we are not. How can a creature know it’s creator?
How does Hamlet know Shakespeare or Kermit know Jim Henson? How does Spiderman know Stan Lee? It’s an impossibility.
Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 11:27… no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son…
If God wants to be known by the world, that’s quite the conundrum He’s facing.
But then He adds… and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
That is, it’s only through God’s own revelation of Himself that we can know Him.
Hence, the first topic we’re going to hit in this series on theology is the Doctrine of Revelation. And the doctrine of revelation answers this question:
How can we know God?
Answer: Because God has made Himself known to us.
Where has God made Himself known? Well, the best Sunday School answer is “Jesus.” And that’s a great answer. John 14:9. When Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father,
Jesus [says] to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
But I want to speak a little bit broader first.
When Calvin spoke of God’s self-revelation, he said God wrote 2 books. The book of scripture – or special revelation – and the book of creation – which we call General revelation or Natural Revelation.
Next week, I’ll post an overview of Natural Revelation. Then in 2 weeks, special revelation. And then we’ll move on to specifics about the Bible – it’s inspiration and trustworthiness in weeks to come.
[1] See also Exodus 9:29; 11:17; 16:6; 18:11; 29:46; 31:13