The Promised Land Series covers the books in the Bible from Exodus to Judges. These books describe events from the birth of Moses to the end of the era of the judges of Israel.
In Genesis, God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan, so Canaan became known as The Promised Land. Modern Israel and Palestine encompass the majority of Canaan.
Abraham’s grandson was Jacob, whose name was changed to “Israel” by God. His descendants became known as the Hebrews or Israelites. During the later life of Jacob, the Hebrews moved to Egypt during a famine. The book of Exodus opens about four centuries later with the Hebrews still in Egypt, having become slaves of the Pharaoh.
The book of Exodus is primarily about Moses leading the Hebrews out of Egypt and into the wilderness, their covenant with God, and the construction of the Tabernacle.
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy tell of the Hebrews wandering in the wilderness, the laws given to the Hebrews by God, and their adventures on the way to the Promised Land. These books end with the Israelites poised to enter the Promised Land, and the death of Moses.
When the Israelites choose God, they are probably expecting to be immediately released from slavery and given plenty of food. Instead, their hardship increases as Pharaoh decides they should also gather the straw for the bricks they were making. Both Moses and the Israelites were quick to question God.
God uses Pharaoh to show God’s power. Think of each of the plagues as representing an important god or value of the Egyptians. Every time God imposes a plague, it demonstrates that he is much more powerful than the Egyptian gods.
The Israelites want immediate relief from their slavery, but God knows it is much more important to show his omnipotence, revealing the impotence of the Egyptian gods. God knows it will be simple to get the people out of Egypt, but nearly impossible to get Egypt out of the people.
The deaths of the firstborn of all the Egyptians was the last sign needed. This tenth plague is the basis for the Passover celebration that will be celebrated by God’s own firstborn Son on the night before he is crucified.
Shiphrah – Eleanor Threatt Hardy Zipporah – Giovannie Cruz First Israelite Elder – Bill Jenkins Second Israelite Elder – Sean McGraw Aaron – Phil Mendoza Moses – Eric Starkey Bezalel – Kenny Gardner Nadab – Philip Ngorima Caleb – Lynn Miller Phinehas – Parker Gray Rahab – Ashton DeGroot Joshua – Marcus M. Mauldin Paul – Brian Shoop King Solomon – Todd Terry Deborah – Sally Vahle Gideon – Cody Bagshaw Delilah – Vanessa DeSilvio Eli – Donald Hampton
