Concordia Adult Bible Class

No matter what obstacle we may face, God can make a way! When the Israelites believe they are backed up against a sea, God parts the sea. In what area do you believe there is no way out? Even if there is no way out, God can give you a way through, just as He does with the Israelites.

God has judgment against sin, as is seen in His judgment of Egypt. But He does not treat Israel as their sins deserve. Instead, He passes over them because judgment for them has fallen on lambs. God also passes over our sins because judgment for them has fallen on the Lamb.

God reveals His glory to Egypt in a series of ten plagues, many of which directly confront elements of the false Egyptian pantheon of Gods. The Nile, for instance, was considered divine and life giving. But the true God takes what gives life and turns it into a place of death. In His Son, however, He takes a death and turns it into life!

When the Israelites are in Egypt, they are not only oppressed, they are disparaged. When sin oppresses us and people disparage us, we can trust that God is right there, working for our rescue and good!

After Moses grows up, God appears to him in a burning bush. God first reveals to Moses who He is before He gives something to Moses to do. In order for us to do the right things in our lives, we must first become intimately familiar with who God is so we trust Him to have our best interests at heart.

The story of Moses’ birth is one that is fraught with peril. Yet, God rescues one man so that, through him, God can rescue many men. Likewise, when Christ is born, God rescues Him from the murderous intents of Herod (cf. Matthew 2:13-15) so that through one rescued man, God can rescue many men!

Solomon concludes his book by inviting us, instead of learning the hard way, to trust and obey what God has revealed. Solomon has learned the hard way and does not want us to fall prey to his same mistakes. This book, then, though it can at times seem depressing, is ultimately written in love for those who will read it.

Our culture loves and desires money. Greed, however, will never be satisfied. It will always leave you wanting more. Being content with what you have is key to fulfillment!

Some people center their lives around their careers. They define themselves by what they do. Solomon says such a path is folly. Defining yourself by your work often leads to refusing to trust God for rest. And our work, for the most part, simply does not last. Only God’s work endures, which is why we trust in Him.

Some people can be educated beyond their intelligence! Learning about complex mysteries without understanding the simple arc of life and death only results in foolish, because such learning fails to answer the most fundamental foundations and fears of people’s lives.