As we finish Genesis, there are so many threads and ideas that are wrapped up – and so many hopes and trusts that are laid out. Here are a few of my observations…
First, the book starts with blessing and promise – and it closes with blessing and promise.
Second, the whole of the account relies on the God who promises, and the promises of God.
Third, the book ends with the promise of God only being able to be fulfilled by the God who promises – will Joseph get back to the land? Will God come to take his people to be with him?
Fourth, the ending of the book is corporate – there is so much about what we do today that is individual.
Fifth, the truth that God works for the good of his desires for his people runs as a thread throughout God’s word – and it is both a description of his character and nature, and our inability.
Sixth, the good news of Jesus is the culmination of all of these.
The Passover is one of the seminal moments in God’s commitment to reverse the curse of sin in this world. It is the climax of His work to save His people from Egypt – for people to know Him, for His ‘firstborn son’ to be saved, for them to dwell with Him and be His people.
In this sense, the last of the signs and wonders is both a salvation and a preparation. As the LORD sweeps over Egypt, delivering His judgement of death on those who have refused Him, in each of the households of His people, a perfect lamb has died. This lamb’s death is a substitute for God’s firstborn son, taking the judgement of death. This lamb’s blood protects God’s people, preparing them to be acceptable to live with God.
As God’s mob obediently do as He commanded, they are trusting in His provision – they are trusting in His kind mercy.
And so, they are both saved out of Egypt, and they are made acceptable to dwell with the God who has visited this world. Can you think of any other event that is similar to this?
Last week we considered why God saves His people. But God’s salvation and judgement often go hand in hand. Indeed God’ s judgement of His enemies is often the means by which He saves His people.
In Exodus 7:8-10:29, we are given three reasons why God judges the Egyptians; To reveal Himself to the world, to display His power and authority and humble both His enemies and His people. The implication for God’s enemies is that they should repent and turn to Him for salvation while His people should learn to serve Him in humility because they recognise that except by His miraculous power, no one can be saved from his judgement.
Why does God save His people?
There are several reasons that the Bible gives for God saving His people; to rescue us from sin, because of his mercy and goodness towards us, because He loves us, to spare us from his judgement, to restore our broken world. All these are right reasons for God saving His people, but they are deficient. They are deficient because they reduce God’s saving purpose to our comfort.
In Exodus 5:1-7:7, God lifts our eyes beyond ourselves and shows us that the primary reason He saves His people is to reveal himself so that He might be worshipped by all.
