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Landmarks of Exodus #1
The Case of the Missing Mummy
Lakeside Seventh-day Adventist Church – Sermon for Sabbath 14th March, 2009
Introduction
In a previous series, we studied some of the landmarks of Genesis – the first book of the
Christian Bible. Today, we move on to a short series of sermons looking at some of the
great events in the book of Exodus.
Some facts about the book of Exodus:
It is part of the Pentateuch (5 books of Moses): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Exodus, in the Hebrew Scriptures was called We’eleh shemoth (“And these are the names”). Later it was
known as “The 2nd Book of Moses.”
“Exodus” is the English word adapted from the Vulgate, which in turn is from Greek translation of the Old
Testament (The Septuagint or LXX - 2 Greek words meaning “way out” or “going out”).
Who was the author? This would seem to be an easy question. However, if we are serious about studying the word
and being sure that we are “not following cunningly devised fables” then we need to answer this question.
First, there are the claims of the book of Exodus itself.
Exodus 17:14 Moses told to record “in a book”
Numbers 33:2 Moses kept a diary
Moses wrote down Ex.20:21-23:33 (24:4)
He authored 34:11-26 (see verse 27)
What about the language and knowledge that is evident from the book?
Evidence that the author had an Egyptian education
Use of many Egyptian words
Describes Egyptian life & customs accurately
Perhaps the most telling evidence comes from the NT & in particular, the testimony of Jesus.
Evidence from the New Testament
Acts 7:22 Moses “learned all the wisdom of Egypt”
Mark 12:26 Jesus quotes Ex.3:6 as being from “the book of Moses”
Historical Setting
Genesis surveys the period from creation to end of patriarchal period – many centuries
Exodus 1,2 cover about 80 year period
Exodus 3-40 record the history over 1 or 2 years
Joseph & Jacob go to Egypt during rule of the Hyksos
The Hyksos ruling class were Semitic (racially related to Israelites)
They ruled over the native Egyptians
First revolt occurred after the Hyksos had ruled
for c150 years
Sekenenre revolts against the Hyksos
The mummified body of Sekenenre Taa II was
discovered in 1881 and is now stored in the
Egyptian Museum in Cairo. He was killed in
battle against the Hyksos and his badly wounded
body shows that he came to a grizzly end from the
combined attack of a dagger, mace and battle axe
(see the picture on the right).
Kamose, son of Sekenenre
Kamose drove the Hyksos out of southern Egypt and into
the north eastern delta region c 1750 BC.
The Kamose stela was erected to commemorate the victory of the pharaoh Kamose over the Hyksos ruler.
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Ahmose expels the Hyksos
Yet, Kamose did not live to see the ultimate expulsion of the Hyksos. This was accomplished by his
younger brother Ahmose, who … forced the surrender of their capital city, Avaris. With the fall of Avaris
the Hyksos lost their last stronghold in Egypt. They then withdrew to Sharuhen in southern Palestine,
which in turn was conquered by Ahmose after a three years’ campaign. The loss of Sharuhen, and the
resulting retreat of the Hyksos to the north, marked the end of their power and their disappearance from
history.
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing
Association) 1978.
This was a great victory. Ahmose was
now pharaoh of a united Egypt that
stretched from the borders of Nubia in the
south, to the Mediterranean in the north.
When he got back home to Thebes,
Ahmose was a hero and was worshipped
as a god.
http://www.pbs.org/empires/egypt/newkin
gdom/ahmose.html
(Left) Stela of Ahmose
The 2 Pharaohs that followed Ahmose were (the
following dates are approximate)
Amenhotep I (1546-1525 BC)* then his
son, Thutmose I (1525-1508 BC)
Thutmose II (1508-1504 BC) who was a
weak son of Thutmose I
After his death, Queen Hatshepsut ruled for 22
years
Hapshetsut 1504-1482 BC – the probable
foster mother of Moses
She suddenly disappeared – possibly because she had promoted Moses with a view to her dominating the
political scene. When Moses fled in disgrace, Hapshetsut also went down in the political stakes. Thutmoses
tried to remove all traces of Hapshetsut from public places
Moses fled Egypt a few years before the sole reign of her nephew, Thutmose III (1482 – 1450 BC)
Amenhotep II (1450 – 1425 BC)
His mummy was discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 1898 by Victor Loret
His was a cruel reign – possibly his son, the Crown Prince, died in the plague of the death of 1st born son
as he did not become ruler - another of his sons became Pharaoh
Thutmose IV (1425 – 1412 BC)
The Themes of Exodus
God intervenes in the history of His people
God delivers from slavery
Through grace, God enters into a covenant relationship with His people
God’s plans cannot be turned aside by our unfaithfulness
God is still choosing leaders for His people today and
We can confidently and faithfully follow them
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The family of Jacob move to Egypt
In Genesis we read of 66 members of the household moving to Egypt.
In Exodus 1:1-3, Moses adds four more names (viz. Jacob, Joseph, & his two sons)
Jacob’s sons & 1 unmarried daughter
12
Reuben’s sons
4
Simeon’s sons
6
Levi’s sons
3
Judah’s 3 sons and 2 grandsons
5
Issachar’s sons
4
Zebulun’s sons
3
Gad’s sons
7
Asher’s 4 sons, 1 daughter & 2 grandsons
7
Dan’s son
1
Naphtali’s sons
4
Benjamin’s sons
10
66
Moses adds Jacob, Joseph & his 2 sons
4
TOTAL
70
A new Pharaoh after death of Joseph
Verses 6-8 - not just a new king but a new Egyptian dynasty after the overthrow of the Hyksos
Verse 11 - they set the Israelites to work in
the eastern delta region (Goshen) to build
store cities
(Left) The area where the store or treasure cities
were built
Israelites continue to multiply
Verses 12-14 - Stone was used on great
monuments but brick was used for palaces,
city walls, fortifications, temples, etc
Field work – canals, embankments, flood
control, agriculture on the Nile flood plain
A 2nd strategy
Verses 15-21 Pharaoh turns from
oppression to murder
Verse 15 Hebrew names Shiprah means
“beauty” & Puah means “brightness”
Verse 16 “Stools” – literally “two stones”
The real meaning of this word was
discovered by the Egyptologist
Spiegelberg, thus confirming the
knowledge that Moses had of Egyptian
words and customs
A 3rd strategy
Verse 22 - Cast sons into the Nile River
Hymns were written to Hapi, the deity personifying the Nile
The goddess Tawaret was derived from the hippopotamus
The crocodile god – Sobek
Frog deities – Heqet – deemed powerful in fertility and childbirth
A child is born – a redeemer
Chapter 2:1,2
Aaron was 3 years old (7:7)
Miriam older again
Exodus 6:20 (ESV)
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Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father's sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the
life of Amram being 137 years.
How Moses was saved
Verses 3-10
The words “ark” or “basket” and “bulrushes” (papyrus) are Egyptian words (v.3)
Bitumen or pitch was imported from the Dead Sea and used in embalming (v.3)
The saving of Moses was an act of faith
Hebrews 11:23 (ESV)
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that
the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
Hatshepsut –the unmarried daughter of Pharaoh (v.5)
Angels guide the princess
“… his sister, Miriam, lingered near, apparently indifferent, but anxiously watching to see what would
become of her little brother. And there were other watchers. The mother's earnest prayers had committed
her child to the care of God; and angels, unseen, hovered above his lowly resting place. Angels directed
Pharaoh's daughter thither. …She determined that he should be saved; she would adopt him as her own.”1
Moses was in the home with Jochabed for about 12 years2 – she gave him up that she might receive him
back again (some commentators have Moses in the home of his mother for only 2 or 3 yrs)
At 12 years, Moses was no longer considered to be a child
“Moses” is comparable to the Egyptian word for “child” or “son”
For example, Ra-mose = son of, or born of Ra (sun god) – [later Ramses]; Ahmoses = son of Ah (moon
god); Thutmoses = son of the god Thoth, etc
Moses no doubt dropped the name of the god (possibly Hap-mose – “born of the river god”) when he no
longer considered himself a son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Heb. 11:24)
Moses flees to Midian
Chapter 2:11-22
30 years of education in Egypt, royal tutors, priests, army commanders etc is passed over in silence.
At about 40 years of age, he rejects his Egyptian upbringing and flees to Midian. “Moses’ flight was certainly not
an easy one. The eastern border of Egypt was guarded from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Suez by a system
of manned towers, each in sight of the next. An Egyptian story parallel to the flight of Moses, that of Sinuhe, shows
how difficult an escape into Asia really was. Sinuhe, a courtier of King Amenemhet I, for some reason unknown to
us, felt at the king’s death that his own life was in danger, and accordingly fled to Syria, where he spent many
years as an exile. He gives a vivid description of the dangers connected with crossing the frontier. Crouching for
some time in a bush, lest the watchmen see him, he crossed at night. Pressing on into the desert, he would have
perished of thirst except for certain Asiatics who found him and gave him water and boiled milk to drink. We have
no record of the hardships Moses suffered during his flight, but it is not amiss to assume that it was a trying
experience for one who had thus far known only the luxuries of court life and was unacquainted with hardship.”3
(v.21) Moses is being prepared for the Exodus
And he marries
The Plans of God
Moses could have stayed in Egypt and died there and been mummified
God had a better plan for him – not to be mummified but to be glorified! His was The Case of the Missing
Mummy. Sometimes God’s plans take time to work out. I know that this has been the case in my own
experience as I have come late in life to full time gospel ministry.
What about your life? Does God have plans for you that He is now preparing you for?
What is Christ preparing you to do?
Perhaps it is:
Small group ministry, Youth Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Prison Ministry, Teaching, Preaching, Seminar
Ministry, Health Ministry.
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2
Ellen White, Patriarchs & Prophets (Pacific Press Publishing Association) 243
Ibid, 244
3Nichol, Francis D., The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, (Washington, D.C.: Review and
Herald Publishing Association) 1978.
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Whatever it is, God is calling you today to respond and make a full surrender to God’s leading in your life – to no
longer hold back.
Please give your all to Him. You will never be really satisfied until you do this. He will be content with nothing
less.
I am reminded of the powerful poem, “God Needs All of Me” by Adrian Plass.
When I became a Christian, I said
“Lord, now fill me in.
Tell me what I’ll suffer
In this world of shame and sin.”
He said, “You will be killed
And left to rot and stink.
Do you still want to follow me?”
I said, “Amen – I think?!!
“I think, Amen, amen I think,
I think I say AmenLook, I’m not completely sure
Could we just run through that again”
You say my body may be killed
And left to rot and stink?
It sounds terrific, Lord –
I say, Amen – I think.”
“Lord, there must be other ways
To follow You,” I said.
“I really would prefer to end up dying in my bed.”
“Well, yes,” He said. “You could put up
With sneers and scorn and spit.
Do you still want to follow Me?”
I said, “Amen – a bit.
A bit I say Amen, Amen a bit.
“A bit I say Amen
Look, I’m still not completely sure.
Let’s just run through that again.
You say I could put up with sneers and scorn and spit?
Well, yes, I’ve made my mind up
And say Amen a bit.”
Well I sat back and thought a while
And tried a different play.
“Now, Lord,” I said, “The Good Book says
Christians live in joy.”
“Yes – that’s true,” He said.
“You’re going to need the joy –
To bear the pain and sorrow
So do you want to follow Me?”
I said, “Amen – tomorrow!
“Tomorrow, Lord, I’ll say it then
That’s when I’ll say Amen
You see, I need to get it clear –
Could we just run through that again?
You say that I will need the joy
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To bear the pain and sorrow,
Well, yes, I think I’ve got it straight –
I’ll say Amen tomorrow.”
He said, “Look, I’m not asking you
To spend and hour with Me.
A quick salvation sandwich
And a cup of sanctity.
The cost is you – not half of you
But every single bit.
Now, tell Me, will you follow Me?”
I said, “Amen – No I quit.
I’m very sorry Lord,” I said.
“I’d love to follow You, but
I don’t think religion is a manly thing to do.”
He said, “Forget about religion then
And you think about My Son
And tell Me if you’re man enough to do what He has done?
Are you man enough to see the need?
Are you man enough to go?
Are you man enough to care
For those who no one wants to know?
Are you man enough to say
The things that people hate to hear
And battle through Gethsemane in loneliness and fear?
And listen – are you man enough
To stand it at the end
The moment of betrayal
By kisses of your friend?
Are you man enough to hold your tongue,
Are you man enough to cry?
And when the nails break your body
Are you man enough to die?
Man enough to take the pain
And wear it like a crown?
Man enough to love the world –
Turn it upside down?
Are you man enough to follow Me?
I ask you once again.”
I said, “O Lord, I’m frightened – “
But I also said, “Amen
Amen, amen, amen, amen.”
I said, “O Lord, I’m so frightened.”
But I also said, “Amen.”
Pastor Clive Nash, Lakeside Seventh-day Adventist Church
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