Sabbath School lessons are part of a global study initiative undertaken by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As we enter the third quarter of 2025, we will explore the theme “Exodus.” This week’s lesson, titled “Rough Start” covers the period from July 12 - July 18. Join Pastor Mark Finley for a brief preview of what to expect in this week’s study.

<p>Sabbath School lessons are part of a global study initiative undertaken by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As we enter the third quarter of 2025, we will explore the theme “Exodus.” This week’s lesson, titled “Rough Start” covers the period from July 12 - July 18. Join Pastor Mark Finley for a brief preview of what to expect in this week’s study.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

HopeLives365

Sabbath School 3rd Quarter 2025: Exodus

Mark Finley

01 Oppression: The Background and the Birth of Moses

02 The Burning Bush

03 Rough Start


Welcome back to Sabbath School. The story of Exodus is the story of God's providential, miraculous works. We see in the book of Exodus, God's power, God's sovereignty, but we also see God's care, God's love for his people. Moses, the principal character in the book of Exodus, is constantly learning lessons of faith to depend upon God. In lesson 3 in this week's study, it's titled A Rough Start.

We'll see why shortly, but let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you with all of our hearts for Jesus. We thank you that although sometimes We have rough starts and sometimes life is up, sometimes it's down, sometimes we walk through the valley, sometimes we're on the mountain peak, but we're thankful that God is with us, not only in the good times, not only we're on the mountain, but also when we're in the valley. So Lord be with us in our study today, in Christ's name, amen. You know, some Christians feel that if you're a Christian, you will have health, wealth, and happiness.

You'll have prosperity and success, but that is not necessarily so. We see that in the life of Moses, and the life of the Israelites. Did God call Moses? Very definitely. God said to Moses when he was wandering in the wilderness, go to Pharaoh and tell Pharaoh to let my people go.

Did God work miracles in the life of Moses to assure Moses of his divine guidance? He did. You remember the rod would become a snake and then Moses would pick it up by the tail and become a rod again. Remember Moses would put his hand in his bosom, it'd become a leprous, he'd take it out, it'd be healed. Remember he'd sprinkle the blood on the water.

Sure, God would work miracle after miracle after miracle. So Moses had the assurance that he was called of God. He had the assurance that God's power would sustain him, but Moses faced challenges. In Sabbath afternoon's lesson, the second paragraph says, those who trust in God will face numerous trials. When we persevere, however, God brings solutions that come on his terms and in his time.

His ways may conflict with our expectations for quick and instantaneous solutions, but we must learn to trust him regardless. So God is constantly leading us to deeper trust. When Moses went to Pharaoh, Pharaoh's response was 1 of defiance. In Exodus chapter 5 verse 1 and 2 we read, and afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, thus says the Lord God of Israel, let my people go that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.' And Pharaoh said, who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." What defiance, What rebellion against the true God.

Here, Pharaoh says, I do not know the Lord. Who is the Lord? Pharaoh had every opportunity to know God. The Israelites had been in bondage in Egyptian for decades, centuries. Moses was in the very court of Pharaoh.

So Pharaoh could have known. Here in our lesson, third paragraph down, says, Egypt with the Pharaoh as king is symbolic of a power that denies God's presence and authority. It is an entity that stands in opposition to God, his word, and his people. So Egypt would represent atheism, an atheistic philosophy of life. This becomes important because later in the French Revolution, in Revelation chapter 11, France during that Revolution when it denied God and championed atheism, said that France says, who is God?

And France denies the existence of God during the 18th century French revolution. So Egypt is used as a symbol of godlessness, of rebellion, of defiance, of atheism in the French Revolution. Interesting though, you go to Daniel chapter 11, you have that battle between the King of the North and the King of the South. North and South are always directions in relation to Israel. Jerusalem, Jerusalem represents God's people, His church.

North, you had the Babylonian attackers, but then the flag passes on in North to false religion, onto Romanism and the papacy. In the South, you have Egypt, King of the North, King of the South, last days, battle between the religious powers under the auspices of the papacy, in the King of the North symbol, King of the South symbol, you look at the concept of Egypt, concept of atheism, defiance against the true God. So false religion, united with the kings of the earth, the politicians, and the financiers of the earth, the economic entrepreneurs of the earth. So there's this triumphant of union represented all in this king of the north. It is Babylon, false religion, politics, moneyed people.

Do you have that union together? And then in the King of the South in Egypt, you have atheism and eventually false religion united with the political and religious and economic powers triumphs over atheism and ushers in a time similar to what Moses experienced where Pharaoh says, I will not let my people go. In other words, there would be a union of church and state, a vice-like grip on God's people. But we go to Monday's lesson, and this is a rough start for Moses. Life became harder for the Israelites.

Exodus 5, verse 3 and onward says, And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, 3 days, journey into the desert and sacrifice unto the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence with the sword. The king of Egypt said to them, wherefore to you Moses and Aaron, let the people go from their works, get you into your burdens. And Moses said, behold, the people of the land are many. You make them rest from their burdens.

You see that word rest in the Hebrew, it's sabotage. You make them keep the Sabbath. And so here, the Israelites were attempting to worship the true God, so here's a conflict between the true and false gods. Verse 6, so Pharaoh commands the taskmasters. He says to them, look, don't give them any straw for their bricks.

Now in the making of bricks for the ancient buildings, most of them in Egypt were made out of these bricks. So you have mud, but that's not going to stick together. So you need straw. Not long ago, I visited Egypt and saw piles of these mud bricks and took pictures of the straw that they still use today. So they would make these bricks out of mud and straw, then they would face them with a plaster lining.

So as the sun danced off these Egyptian buildings, they would be incredibly beautiful. But you get Pharaoh's point. Moses and Aaron go down, there's high expectation, there's high energy, there's this feeling that Israel will be delivered from Egyptian bondage, but things don't get better, they get worse. Moses says, okay, You're a little lazy here. You go get your own straw.

Previous this time, straw was being brought to them and you mix it with the bricks. So they go to find their own straw. They have less in their quota of bricks. And as the result of that, the taskmasters are beating the Israeli foreman. And it becomes a terrible, terrible situation.

If you look, for example, at the second paragraph under Monday's lesson, Moses then went to the king of Egypt with God's commands and things became even worse for the Israelites. Their suffering increased, their daily labor became more burdensome and demanding. They were accused of being lazy. They were treated more harshly and their service became more difficult than it already had The leaders were not happy and the confrontation between them and Moses and Aaron was ugly So when you look at this story Moses is following God's command Aaron is doing what God said But yet there are problems and difficulties. We should never think that when we do what God has said and obey God, that in the immediate term, we will always have health less than happiness.

No, the devil was angry. God then speaks to Moses and we call this the divine eye. You find it in Exodus chapter 5, where God is speaking to Moses. And as God speaks to Moses in Exodus chapter 5, we'll look at the last verse or 2, and then go over to Exodus chapter 6, Exodus the fifth chapter. Moses returns unto the Lord and says, Lord where have you entreated us?

Why have you brought evil upon this people? Why is it that you send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, since I came in your behalf, Lord, he's done evil to this people, neither has you delivered your people at all." So Moses is concerned. You know, it's interesting when you look at the discussions between Moses and God. Moses talks to God as he would a friend.

God, you told me to go down there and tell Pharaoh let my people go. And Lord, I went down there and look at what has happened it's a disaster Lord have you ever felt at times that you were trying to do what's right in your family and it's become a disaster have you ever felt you were trying to do what's right in your marriage and it became a disaster. Have you ever felt you were trying to do what's right in your finances and they became a disaster? Trying to do what's right in the church and it became a disaster. Look, God speaks to Moses now.

Chapter 6, verse 1 and onward. We call this the divine eye, it's Tuesday's lesson. Then the Lord said unto Moses, now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh, for with a strong hand will he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And God spoke unto Moses and said, I am the Lord. Moses never forget it.

Moses never forget it. I am the Lord. Verse 3, I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Why does he say that? Because God had made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

And God was gonna fulfill his covenant. He was gonna lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage. My name is Jehovah. Was I not known to them? Verse 4.

And I have also established my covenant with them. Verse 5. And I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage. I have remembered my covenant. Verse 6, we are foreseeing the children of Israel, I am the Lord, I will bring you out.

Last part, verse 6, I will redeem you with a stretched out hand and with great judgments. And I will, verse 7, and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God that brings you out from the, under the burdens of the Egyptians. Moses, 1 of your problems is this. You've heard the voice of Pharaoh, but now I want you to listen to the voice of God. You've heard the voice of Israel when they've complained, but now I want you to hear the voice of God.

You have heard the doubts of the Israelis. You've heard the cajoling and the threats of Pharaoh. But Moses, now I want you to hear the promises of God. When we go through challenges in our life, when we go through difficulties in our life, When the journey is long, when the mountain is high, when the road is rough, listen to the promises of God. God says, Matthew 28 verse 20, I'll never leave you or forsake you.

God says through the Apostle Paul, my God shall supply all your need. Philippians 4 verse 19. Philippians 4 verse 13, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. When you are going through a difficult time, claim the promises of God. God is still God, no matter what you're going through.

God is the God of the mountain, God's the God of the valley. God is the God who is with you wherever you are. Even when things don't seem to be going well, the divine eye speaks to us and his promises are true. He says in Exodus chapter 6, verse 6 and 7 in the New International Version. We read it in the King James, but there's something about the New International that really captures the thought of Exodus 6, verse 6 and 7.

He says, I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment I will take you as my own people and I will be your God God says I am going to redeem you in Wednesday's lesson we see God's covenant formula in Exodus 6 verse 9 to 13 we read And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Go to speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me. How then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? And the Lord spoke unto Moses and to Aaron and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel and unto the Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

God said, Moses, the children of Israel may not have listened to you, but ultimately Pharaoh is going to listen to me. Trust my word, believe in my promises, Understand that I have a purpose in all this. I want all of Egypt to see the power of the living God over all the gods of Egypt. Moses, soon you will understand my strategy. Egypt must come to recognize the frailty and folly of believing in their gods.

I want Nodo not only to deliver Israel, but I want Egypt to see, God says to Moses, the power of the living God. In the note under Wednesday's lesson, right after the question, it says, the Hebrews are so disheartened in their grief and suffering and hard labor that they do not listen to Moses' words of reassurance that God will act to fulfill what he's promised. They've waited so long for it and their expectations have not been met. We shouldn't be too critical of them. They had very high expectations.

But yet, God was teaching them, although they were depressed, disappointed, dissatisfied, They felt abandoned by God at times. God was teaching them trust, trust, and more trust. You know, in Psalm 73, verse 23 to 26, We see God urging Israel for this deeper trust. And there's a lesson in this for you. There's a lesson in this for me, my friend.

And that lesson is that whatever we go through, we can learn deeper trust. Here, God speaks to Israel. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me in glory.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside you, Lord. My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. My flesh and my heart fail. When I don't have the physical strength to go on to solve the problem, when I don't have the mental, emotional strength to solve the problem, what does David say in Psalms?

He says here, My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. When we are weak, he is strong. When we are frail, he is almighty. When we are ignorant, he is wise. When we think we can't take another step in Jesus, by Jesus, through Jesus, because of Jesus, we can go on through sacred history.

God has assured his people that he's with them. He gives them his peace, his comfort. He strengthens them to make it through life's challenges. He says, I will take you as my people. I am your God, hang on.

Moses speaks to Pharaoh, but you remember what Moses said? Moses says, God, I stutter. I've been out there with the sheep for all these years. God, I can't do this. I'm gonna mess it up.

God, I won't know what to say. I'll get all tongue tied. Now, God would have been with Moses. God would have given him eloquence, but God respected Moses' doubts. And God said, okay, Moses, I'm going to use Aaron.

He's going to be your mouthpiece, but you will speak to Aaron and Aaron will give the message. That's rather interesting, isn't it? It Sounds almost prophetic. I like the way the author of our lesson puts it. If you look down in 4 paragraphs down in Thursday's lesson, God in his mercy gives Aaron to help Moses.

When we feel frail, when we feel we can't do it, God often in his mercy finds a way when there is no way. He brings people to our side to give us strength, encouragement, and hope. God in his mercy gives Aaron to help Moses. Moses will speak to Aaron, who will then speak publicly to Pharaoh. Thus Moses will play the role of God before the Egyptian king, and Aaron will be his prophet.

In other words, Moses bears God's message to Aaron, Aaron bears it to Pharaoh. This account provides an excellent definition for the role of a prophet. A prophet is a spokesperson for God. He or she is his mouthpiece to transmit and to interpret God's word to the people. As Moses spoke to Aaron, and then Aaron announced it to Pharaoh, so God communicates with a prophet who then proclaims God's teaching to the people.

So the prophet's function is to present God's teaching to humanity. Now we have to be careful with that illustration because Moses spoke verbally to Aaron and Aaron then repeated Moses' words. In the inspiration of the Bible, God gives visions and God gives dreams. But then the prophet, in the context of his own words and his own culture, writes down the concepts of God and that becomes then the very word of God. In other words, we do not believe in verbal inspiration, where God dictates to Moses, the book of Exodus, every single word.

No, God impresses Moses when he's out there in the wilderness with the concepts of scripture. Genesis, first book written there, and Job, and Moses writes it down. So although Aaron represented God to Moses, to Pharaoh, Aaron represented God to Pharaoh, Aaron did and received verbal instructions from Moses. Aaron speaks as a prophet, but prophecy does not come necessarily by this verbal inspiration. It comes through the impressions of the Holy Spirit, comes from visions and dreams, then the prophet writes in the context of their own language and word and experience.

That's why the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3, verse 16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. God inspires the prophet. Here, on a second time, last sentence in Thursday's lesson, for the second time God stresses to Moses that Farron will be very stubborn, he'll harden his heart. The result however will end in something good. For the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.

Even amidst the chaos that follows, God indeed will be glorified. Here is the takeaway from today's lesson. Here's what you want to take away from Sabbath school today. In spite of the challenges we face, in spite of the valleys we walk through, in spite of our dark days, God is still in control. God will never leave us.

He'll never forsake us. He was with Moses in those very challenging times before Pharaoh and he will be with you. Second lesson that's a takeaway is this, when we feel we can't, God says we can. When we feel unqualified, God says I'll qualify you. When we feel that we are too ignorant to do God's work, God says, I'll give you wisdom.

Little in the hands of Jesus is much. Small is in the hands of Jesus is great. God used Aaron. God used Moses. And God will use you, my friend.

Let's pray. Father in heaven, thank you that when we're weak, we're strong. When we're frail, we're mighty. When we're ignorant, we're wise. All through the power, the grace, and the goodness of God.

Teach us too, that at times life's gonna be tough. At times serving you is gonna be difficult. But teach us Lord, that you indeed will be faithful to us and take us through any crisis we face. In Jesus' name, Amen. This media was brought to you by AudioVerse, a website dedicated to spreading God's Word through free sermon audio and much more.

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Series

Sabbath School 3rd Quarter 2025: Exodus

03 Rough Start

Description

Parent Series

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Other Teachings in Series

01 Oppression: The Background and the Birth of Moses

22m

02 The Burning Bush

22m

03 Rough Start

24m

Sound Doctrine