God's Personal Revelation and Covenant with Humanity

 

Summary

In the third chapter of Exodus, God declares, "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." This statement is foundational to understanding the Christian faith. It emphasizes God's personal nature and His covenantal relationship with His people. Moses, once a prince in Egypt, now a humble shepherd, encounters God in a moment of despair. This encounter reveals that God is not an abstract concept or a distant deity but a living, personal God who intervenes in human history.

The historical context of Moses and the Israelites is one of bondage and hopelessness. Yet, God appears, changing the entire situation. This is the essence of the biblical message: God intervenes in a world of sin and despair, offering hope and salvation. The knowledge of God and our relationship with Him is of utmost importance, especially in times of crisis. The world, in its confusion, often fails to recognize God, leading to lawlessness and chaos. However, God reveals Himself not through philosophical reasoning but through personal encounters and His covenantal promises.

God is not the God of philosophers, an abstract idea, or an impersonal force. He is a personal God who reveals Himself to individuals like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. This revelation is not limited to intellectuals but is accessible to all who seek Him. God is the living God, actively involved in His creation, and He is the God of the covenant, committed to His promises and purposes. He is unchanging, eternal, and faithful, ensuring that His plans for redemption and salvation are fulfilled.

Key Takeaways:

- God is personal and living, not an abstract concept or philosophical idea. He reveals Himself to individuals, offering a relationship that is intimate and transformative. This personal nature of God is foundational to our faith and understanding of His character. [13:20]

- The historical context of Moses and the Israelites highlights God's intervention in times of despair. Despite their bondage and hopelessness, God's appearance changes everything, demonstrating His power and faithfulness. [18:38]

- God is the God of the covenant, committed to His promises and purposes. His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a testament to His faithfulness and His plan for redemption and salvation. [24:05]

- God is unchanging and eternal, ensuring that His promises and purposes are fulfilled. Despite the passage of time and changing circumstances, God remains the same, offering hope and assurance to His people. [36:05]

- Our knowledge of God and our relationship with Him is of utmost importance, especially in times of crisis. In a world that often fails to recognize God, our faith and understanding of His character provide stability and hope. [46:39]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - Introduction to God's Declaration
[00:30] - The Foundational Statement
[01:08] - Importance for Individuals and the Church
[02:03] - Historical Context of Moses
[03:13] - Moses' Humble Circumstances
[04:37] - God's Intervention in Despair
[06:21] - The Importance of Knowing God
[07:29] - The World's Confusion About God
[09:03] - God is Not an Abstraction
[10:26] - God is Personal and Living
[13:20] - God Reveals Himself
[19:13] - God of the Covenant
[24:05] - God's Plan and Purpose
[32:56] - God's Unchanging Nature
[39:12] - God's Faithfulness and Power
[46:39] - The Importance of a Personal Relationship with God

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Exodus 3:6: "Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."

Observation Questions:
1. What was Moses' initial reaction when God identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Why do you think he reacted this way? [00:09]
2. How does the historical context of Moses' life as a shepherd contrast with his previous life in Egypt? [03:13]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the world's understanding of God and the resulting consequences? [07:29]
4. How does the sermon describe God's nature in contrast to the philosophers' view of God? [09:19]

Interpretation Questions:
1. Why is it significant that God identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, rather than as an abstract concept? [10:26]
2. How does the sermon explain the importance of God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the context of redemption and salvation? [24:05]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's unchanging nature provides hope and assurance to believers? [36:05]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the personal nature of God through His interactions with Moses and the Israelites? [22:21]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt hopeless or in despair. How did your understanding of God as a personal and living being impact your situation? [18:38]
2. In what ways can you seek a more personal relationship with God, similar to the encounters described in the sermon? [46:39]
3. How can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness and covenantal promises during times of crisis or uncertainty? [24:05]
4. Consider the world's confusion about God as described in the sermon. How can you be a witness to God's true nature in your community? [07:29]
5. Identify an area in your life where you need to trust in God's unchanging nature. What steps can you take to strengthen your faith in this area? [36:05]
6. How can you actively seek God's intervention in your life, as Moses did, when faced with challenges or decisions? [22:21]
7. Reflect on the personal encounters with God described in the sermon. How can you create space in your life for such encounters? [19:13]

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Personal Nature and Transformative Relationship
God is not an abstract concept or philosophical idea; He is a personal and living God who reveals Himself to individuals, offering a relationship that is intimate and transformative. This personal nature of God is foundational to our faith and understanding of His character. In the biblical narrative, God introduces Himself to Moses as the God of his ancestors, emphasizing a personal connection that transcends generations. This encounter with God is not just a historical event but a reminder that God desires a personal relationship with each of us. He is actively involved in our lives, seeking to transform us through His love and presence. [13:20]

Exodus 33:11 (ESV): "Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent."

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt distant from God. How can you invite Him into your daily life to experience His personal and transformative presence today?


Day 2: God’s Intervention in Times of Despair
The historical context of Moses and the Israelites highlights God's intervention in times of despair. Despite their bondage and hopelessness, God's appearance changes everything, demonstrating His power and faithfulness. The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, and their cries for deliverance reached God, who responded by sending Moses to lead them to freedom. This story illustrates that no matter how dire our circumstances may seem, God is capable of intervening and bringing about change. His faithfulness is unwavering, and His power is unmatched, offering hope to those who trust in Him. [18:38]

Psalm 107:13-14 (ESV): "Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart."

Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you feel hopeless. How can you trust God to intervene and bring about change in this situation?


Day 3: God of the Covenant and His Faithfulness
God is the God of the covenant, committed to His promises and purposes. His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a testament to His faithfulness and His plan for redemption and salvation. Throughout the Bible, God makes covenants with His people, promising to be their God and to bless them. These covenants are not just historical agreements but are relevant to us today, as they reveal God's unchanging nature and His commitment to His people. His faithfulness is evident in the fulfillment of His promises, offering assurance to those who trust in Him. [24:05]

Genesis 17:7 (ESV): "And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you."

Reflection: Reflect on a promise from God that you are holding onto. How does His faithfulness to His covenant encourage you to trust Him more deeply?


Day 4: God’s Unchanging and Eternal Nature
God is unchanging and eternal, ensuring that His promises and purposes are fulfilled. Despite the passage of time and changing circumstances, God remains the same, offering hope and assurance to His people. In a world that is constantly changing, God's unchanging nature provides stability and security. His eternal nature means that He is not bound by time, and His plans are not thwarted by human limitations. This assurance allows us to trust in His promises, knowing that He will fulfill them in His perfect timing. [36:05]

Malachi 3:6 (ESV): "For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel uncertain. How can the knowledge of God’s unchanging nature provide you with peace and assurance today?


Day 5: The Importance of Knowing God in Times of Crisis
Our knowledge of God and our relationship with Him is of utmost importance, especially in times of crisis. In a world that often fails to recognize God, our faith and understanding of His character provide stability and hope. When we know God personally, we are better equipped to navigate the challenges and uncertainties of life. Our relationship with Him becomes a source of strength and comfort, enabling us to face crises with confidence and peace. [46:39]

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"

Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your knowledge of God to better prepare for times of crisis? What steps can you take today to strengthen your relationship with Him?

Quotes


This extraordinary men This brilliant men there men who had been brought up as the son of Pharaoh's daughter there men who according to tradition was greatly endowed with gifts in a military sense and in governmental sense I me no could have been the chief men in the land of Egypt he's here as just a Shepherd he' had to escape for his life from Egypt and he'd had to leave all the Glamour and the pump and the ceremony of the court and here he is performing one of these most menial of all tasks especially as it was regarded in those times his circumstances then I say were not only low but they were very discouraging and he'd been there for some 40 years or so. [00:02:37]

The Bible comes to a world of sin and shame and failure and it comes breaks in with this great message, and here it is in a sense all summed up in this one great phrase you see the situation you look at it you examine it you dissect it you issue your reports on it all right it's all very good it's descriptive but the question is what can be done is there any solution is there any hope and from the standpoint of men there is none at all then suddenly what the answer is God God Appears and the whole situation is entirely changed. [00:05:19]

Nothing matters ultimately but our knowledge of God and our relationship to him I say that deliberately nothing matters ultimately there is finally a position in which we shall all find ourselves in which nothing at all will matter but this one thing God our knowledge of him our relationship to him life brings us all eventually to the position of mes and the children of Israel sickness accident deathbed and there we are and there I say there's only this one thing that matters our knowledge of God. [00:06:23]

He is not the god of the philosophers you remember that great Frenchmen brilliant mathematician blae Pascal who lived 300 years ago His Brilliant thinker this astonishing philosopher he was a religious man and he was concerned about these problems and he thought much about these matters and then on that famous occasion he had that wonderful experience he met God face to face God revealed himself to him and he put it on a bit of paper which he pinned inside his inner garment and there it was always with him the light the glory and then he goes on to say the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob not of the philosophers. [00:09:18]

God is personal I I am now this is the Most Blessed thing that one can ever come to realize in this world of time God is a person God is essentially personal he he speaks like that I am God isn't mere Force he isn't mere energy he isn't mere power we all tend to think like that of God some great Storehouse of power impersonal people talk about fate people even talk about Divinity in that wrong sense there is a Divinity that shapes our ends no no it's God personal I am who shapes our ends not Divinity even although Divinity is in another sense true of God but as it is commonly used it is not only misleading it is actually wrong. [00:13:16]

God is the Living God I am this is the fundamental postulate he lives he is he is the author of all being he is essential being in and of himself there is no life apart from him he thinks he speaks he acts now you will find running right through the Bible this great contrast which is always drawn between God and every conceivable form of idolatry whether it is the crude form of making a God or an idol out of gold or silver or out of wood or whether it's your modern sophisticated philosopher talking about his absolute or the ground of all being this is the this is the great contrast the Living God. [00:16:21]

He is a God who can be met he is a God who can be known you don't merely read of about him and think about him and argue about him he's not just some great force of or abstraction because he's the Living God and because he's personal he can be met he can be known here he is he comes to Moses he speaks to him he addresses him and Moses is able to speak to him this I say is the very basis and foundation of the whole of our religion the whole of our faith we believe in and we worship a living God we can speak to him we can pray to him we can go to him we can meet with him we can address him we can take our burdens and our problems to him because he is this living God. [00:22:01]

He's The God Who has covenanted himself to do certain things and here you see we get the whole basis and Foundation of the Christian Revelation and the Christian way of Salvation now let me put it to you like this there were men 200 years ago and there of course there are still such people and I suppose we all of us by Nature tend to subscribe to this kind of view people who were called theists now the deists believed in God they believed in a personal God they believed in a God who had created the whole universe God the Creator and they believed everything you may want to say about the power of God and the ability of God. [00:24:25]

I have surely seen the Affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their Cry by reason of their task Masters for I know their sorrows now my dear friends that's the truth about God is that the God you know or is your god some abstraction or even the god of the deists who's made the world and then has left it no no God I say is a God who is concerned about this world and about this life I have seen I have heard I have felt this is God he's essentially personal and if we don't always think of him in this way as living and personal I say we are not believing in the true and the Living God. [00:26:11]

He is a changeless God I am the god of Abraham the god of Isaac the god of Jacob don't be in any doubt he says to Moses as to who I am I am the god of those men the god of your fathers now remember this that some 600 years had past since the time of Abraham 600 years but God assures his servant Moses that he is still the same God he doesn't change again the 103rd Psalm puts it very perfectly he made known his ways to Moses his acts and to the children of Israel that was probably some 400 years after again after Moses I mean here it is a thousand years after Abraham but you see it's still the same God. [00:36:05]

God cannot change God cannot deny himself God cannot be tempted with evil God cannot lie those are all quotations from the scriptures and God cannot change why well because he is the father of Lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning a thousand ages in his sight there nothing a thousand years is but as one day and one day is as a thousand years isn't it good to realize this this morning that God is and ever will be as he always has been and he cannot change change and decay in all around I see oh thou who changest not abide with me. [00:37:46]

The whole subsequent history of the Christian church is but a demonstration of this great fundamental postulate that God is the Living God the god of the Covenant and the purpose the god of Abraham Isaac and of Jacob the God who cannot change the God who is all powerful The God Who is above all circumstance and GS and as the whole of the past history proves this the present and the future will prove it even more it's an evil hour in the history of the Christian Church small despised rejected derided dismissed and the scoffers are still saying in all their ancient arrogance where is now your God and there's only one answer to give them our God is in the heavens and he is the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob he remains what he ever was and his promises are ever sure and his Covenant is absolutely certain. [00:43:29]

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Transcript
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