Getting started: after the exodus from Egypt, God led Israel to Mt. Sinai. In His own words, “I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to myself” (Exodus 19.4). What do you think God meant by that statement? How did God bring Israel to Himself?
In Genesis 15 we read of how the Lord made a covenant with Abram, giving surety to the Patriarch that God would in fact keep all of His promises. Significantly, God also revealed to Abram that his “offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years… and they shall come back here in the fourth generation” (Genesis 15.13,16). Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation while in Egyptian bondage (Exodus 1.7), but it was the Exodus that would form them into the people of God. And as we shall see, the Spirit had an integral part in the formation of God’s people.
The Spirit & Joseph
“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5, ESV)
Joseph spoke those words to his brothers years after they sold him into bondage (Genesis 37) and after he had risen from slave to Pharaoh’s right-hand man (Genesis 41). While Joseph had the power to execute vengeance on his brothers, he recognized that God was at work in his life and had exalted him so that he could provide for his family. However, the Lord had been at work in Joseph’s life even when he was a slave.
Genesis 39 details Joseph’s life as a slave in Potipher’s house and then as a prisoner. Note that we twice read how “the Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39.2,21). Interestingly, that the same phrase is used for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Genesis 21.22; 26.24,28; 28.15). Now, the phrase could simply mean that Joseph experienced the Lord’s favor (note “showed him steadfast love” in vs. 21), but it could be that more is intended; it could be that we are to understand God’s presence was in fact with Joseph (and the other patriarchs).
I believe Genesis 41 sheds some light on what it meant for the Lord to be with Joseph. In this chapter Joseph is finally brought out of prison in order to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh. Recall that Joseph had previously interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker, having exhorted them with the words “do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me” (Genesis 40.8). Joseph would also declare to Pharaoh that the interpretation of dreams “is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer” (Genesis 41.16). Now note Pharaoh’s declaration after Joseph gives the interpretation: “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Genesis 41.38). “The Lord was with Joseph”; the “Spirit of God” was in Joseph. It would seem that the two expressions may mean the same thing. God’s Spirit was at work preparing the people of God.
The Spirit & Moses
Let’s fast forward to Exodus 3-4. Jacob’s family had spent four hundred years in Egypt and Israel had become a great nation (Exodus 1.7). Moses had been born, but raised in Pharaoh’s house. He had then fled from Egypt after he slew an Egyptian who was oppressing one of the Hebrew slaves. The Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush and declared that He would “send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt” (Exodus 3.10). Now note the Lord’s words to Moses in vs. 12: “But I will be with you…” How was the Lord with Moses?
Exodus 3-4 detail two ways in which the Lord was with Moses. First, there were the “signs” that Moses would be able to perform (see Exodus 4.1-9). Second, the Lord promised that “I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak” (Exodus 4.12; cf. vs. 15). Now note the summary statement of Moses and Aaron’s work in Exodus 4:30: “Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people.” Now consider this summary statement of the apostles’ work: “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs” (Mark 16.20). Moses engaged in the same work as the apostles (inspired teaching plus signs); the Lord was with them. How? Through His Spirit (cf. John 16.13; Acts 2.1-4; etc.).
The Spirit & The Exodus
Recall from our previous lesson that the Hebrew word rûah is translated as both “spirit” and “wind” in our English versions. It may be significant that wind (rûah) was prominently used in God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. The eighth plague, locusts, was brought by a strong east wind (Exodus 10.13) and then taken away with a strong west wind (Exodus 10.19). I doubt anything more is intended in those texts than God used actual wind. However, the same may not be true in Exodus 14.21 when a strong east wind was used to part the Red Sea. Note these statements in Moses’ song following this deliverance:
- “At the blast (rûah) of your nostrils the waters piled up” (Exodus 15.8).
- “You blew with your wind (rûah); the sea covered them” (Exodus 15.10).
Paul would say that Israel was “baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1Corinthians 10.2). It would seem that baptism was one of both water and the Spirit (cf. John 3.5).
God’s presence was with Israel in the pillars of cloud and of fire (Exodus 13.21-22) and He (His angel according to Exodus 14.19) led Israel to Mt. Sinai. In that sense, the Lord literally “brought you to myself” (Exodus 19.4). But it was also at Mount Sinai that the Lord gave instructions for the construction of His tabernacle where “I may dwell in their midst” (Exodus 25.8). Significantly, immediately following the Lord giving these instructions to Moses, Israel would sin with the golden calf (Exodus 32). As a consequence, the Lord declared that He would send an angel before Israel to the promised land, but “I will not go up among you” (Exodus 33.3). Moses was able to intercede for the people and the Lord promised “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33.14). Now note this observation of Moses: “Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face on earth?” (Exodus 33.16).
Some seven hundred years later, the prophet Isaiah recounted “the steadfast love of the Lord” (Isaiah 63.7ff). Note how the prophet declared how the Lord “put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses” (vss. 11-12) and that “the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name” (vs. 14). The Lord’s presence, His Spirit, formed Israel and brought them to Himself. And as we will explore further in a subsequent lesson, His presence/Spirit is what would make Israel His special people.
Built By Him 
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