I. God keeps His promises

Ge 15:13 He said to Abram...seed shall be a stranger in a land not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, which they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.16 But in the fourth generation they shall come here again: for the iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet full.

Ex 1:6 And Joseph died 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and became exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.

2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 3:6...God of thy father...Abraham...Isaac...Jacob...8 And I am come down to deliver...bring...land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanites...3:14 And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall thou say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. 6:3 And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name YHWH was I not known to them. 4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan...5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel...remembered my covenant. 6 Wherefore say to the children of Israel, I [am] the LORD, and I will bring you from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with outstretched arm, and with great judgments: 7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God...

II. People want deliverance but aren't willing to pay the cost

4:31 And the people believed...they bowed their heads and worshipped. 5:21 And they said to Moses and Aaron, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made us odious in the eyes of Pharaoh...to put a sword in their hands to slay us.

III. God wants our faithful obedience, not our results

7:4 Pharaoh shall not hearken to you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt...5 And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD 10:1 And the LORD said to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart...servants, that I might show these my signs

IV. God isn't the only one dealing in the supernatural

7:22 magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken to them; as the LORD had said. 8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, This [is] the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not to them; as the LORD had said.

V. God gives to us so we can give

11:2 let everyone ask their neighbor, jewels of silver...gold. 3:21 And I will give people favour in the sight of the Egyptians...when ye go, ye shall not go empty: 22 ask neighbor...jewels of silver, gold, and raiment...ye shall plunder the Egyptians.

36:5 The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, So the people were restrained from bringing.

23:19 The first of the firstfruits bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shall not boil a kid in his mother's milk.

30:12 each give a ransom for his soul to the LORD...15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less

VI. God protects us from temptations too great for us

13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not [through] the way of the land of the Philistines, although that [was] near; for God said, Lest the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

VII. God's presence is a refreshing comfort if we look for it

13:21 LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way; by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light

VIII. God uses us as pawns in His power (glory) struggles [but makes us rulers in the end].

10:16 Pharaoh called for M&A in haste; he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

14:4 I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow them; I will be glorified over Pharaoh, all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I [am] the LORD...5 And it was told to the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

IX. God wants us to have complete victory while we're content with mediocrity

14:11 And they said to Moses, Because no graves in Egypt, have thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?...13...Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day...see them again no more for ever.

X. God cares more about His glory than about our stubbed toes.

14:17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get glory over Pharaoh, host, chariots, horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, 28 waters returned, covered chariots, horsemen, host of Pharaoh...there remained not so much as one of them. 31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

XI. Our major difficulties come from unsanctified desires

16:3 children of Israel said: O that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, [and] when we ate bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

XII. We are to be witnesses of what we've seen and experienced

18:8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake...LORD delivered them. 10 And Jethro said, Blessed [be] the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians...11 Now I know that the LORD [is] greater than all gods: for in the thing in which they dealt proudly [he was] above them.

XIII. God always blesses according to plan

19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a special treasure to me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine: 6 And ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. 8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD has spoken we will do. 20:19 And they said to Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said to the people, Fear not: for God is come to tempt you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land should become desolate, and the beast of the field should multiply against thee. 30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou shall be increased, and inherit the land.

XIV. God wants us to DEAL exclusively with Him, taking steps to avoid entanglements

23:32 Thou shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee to sin against me: for if thou shall serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to thee.

24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD has said will we perform. 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the hearing of the people: and they said, All that the LORD has said will we do, and be obedient. 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled [it] on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you concerning all these words.

34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their idols: {images: Heb. statues 34:14 For thou shall worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous God:

XV. God gives wisdom to his people so they can do what pleases Him

31:3 I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom...4 To make beautifully wrought works, 5 And in cutting of stones,

31:13 sabbaths ye shall keep: for it [is] a sign between me and you...that may know that I [am] the LORD that doth sanctify you. 14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it [is] holy to you: every one that profanes it shall surely be put to death

XVI. Sometimes it's better to do nothing than head off in the wrong direction

32:1 Moses delayed...Aaron...Arise, make us gods, which shall go before us; for [as for] this Moses, the man that brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. 4...fashioned it with an engraving tool...a molten calf...thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. 7 And the LORD said to Moses, Go, go down; for thy people, which thou brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted [themselves]: 8 They have turned aside quickly from the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, These [are] thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt.

XVII. God really gets ticked off by stubborn people

32:9 stiffnecked people: 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.

XVIII. God reveals Himself to those who seek and serve Him

33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory.

XIX. God requires work of His people so He can share His glory with them

39:43 And Moses looked upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them. 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Does knowing that God has a greater concern for His glory than your discomfort comfort or unsettle you?

2. Can you discern some of the bigger plan God has for your life as you live through the plagues?

3. Can you cite an example of how faithfulness can get in the way of results?

4. What desires are most likely to cause God to get ticked off at you? Do you ever grumble? 

5. What steps can you take to safeguard against making a DEAL with the "other side"?