1. What stood out to me from this chapter?
Although there are many really cool elements to the rescue story itself, the verse that stood out to me this time was verse 31. Israel saw God's redemptive power and they feared the LORD and believed in the LORD. God's desire was ultimately for his glory and to bring people to a greater level of belief in him.
2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know of?
Let's see, people were stuck in slavery, powerless to save themselves, so God sent his servant, who provided a way to be saved when there was no other way and destroyed the enemies along the way. I can't think of anything else that relates...oh wait...Jesus. He did the same and more to free us from slavery to sin and lead us into the promised life.
3. What does this mean for me?
I was just reminded as I read this chapter that when I come to a place in my life where I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, I can always trust that God will provide a way to get through it. I just need to trust him more.
4. Do I have any questions?
Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart? Why not soften Pharaoh's heart toward repentance?
I always wonder the same thing about Pharoah. I used to ask my dad, "But how is it Pharoah's fault if God hardened his heart? How could he help it?" Then I remember about God's sovereignty, but it is still hard for me to grasp.
ReplyDeleteI always remember that God is good. And in that story it repeats the theme of God getting the glory. I know that sometimes it says Pharaoh hardened his heart and sometimes it says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. In Romans 1 it talks about how God "gave them over" to their lusts and evil desires. I guess what made the most sense to me is that those two were related.
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