God Heard Their Cry Discovery Guide: Finding Freedom in the Midst of Life's Trials
256
God Heard Their Cry Discovery Guide: Finding Freedom in the Midst of Life's Trials
256Paperback
-
PICK UP IN STORECheck Availability at Nearby Stores
Available within 2 business hours
Related collections and offers
Overview
In this eighth volume of the series That The World May Know, journey with teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan to the places where God heard his people's cry and delivered them—places like Luxor, Egypt; Deir al Medina, Ramesseum, and the Red Sea. You'll gain a new understanding of the Bible and a greater conviction in God's power.
This discovery guide includes passages of Scripture explored in the DVD (sold separately); questions for discussion and personal reflection; personal Bible studies to help you deepen your learning experience between sessions; as well as sidebars, maps, photos, and other study tools.
Lessons include:
- How Big Is our God? – Filmed in Luxor, Egypt
- Israel in Bondage: God Heard Their Cry – Filmed at Dier al Medina
- Finger of God: The Plagues – Filmed at Ramesseum
- Watch with Me: Israel Leaves Egypt – Filmed at the Red Sea
- The Lord Reigns: The Red Sea – Filmed at the Red Sea
Designed for use with the God Heard Their Cry Video Study (sold separately).
_______________
THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW
Join renowned teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan as he guides you through the land of the Bible. In each lesson, Vander Laan illuminates the historical, geographical, and cultural context of the sacred Scriptures.
Filmed on location in the Middle East and elsewhere, the That the World May Know film series will transform your understanding of God and challenge you to be a true follower of Jesus.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780310879749 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperChristian Resources |
| Publication date: | 09/15/2015 |
| Series: | That the World May Know |
| Pages: | 256 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d) |
About the Author
Stephen and Amanda Sorenson are founders of Sorenson Communications and have co-written many small group curriculum guidebooks, including the entire Faith Lessons series.
Read an Excerpt
God Heard Their Cry Discovery Guide
By Ray Vander Laan
ZONDERVAN
Copyright © 2009 Ray Vander LaanAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-310-87974-9
CHAPTER 1
HOW BIG IS OUR GOD?
God loves a story. In fact, one could describe the Bible as one story made up of many stories. Yet when we read the Bible, we tend to concentrate on the individual stories without considering how each story fits into and contributes to the greater story that God is unfolding. This is particularly true of the story of the exodus of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt. God's protective care for his chosen people thrills us. His demonstrations of power through the plagues and the dividing of the Red Sea amaze us. Yet we seldom consider God's greater story of which the exodus is but an early chapter. So let's begin by discovering where the story of the exodus fits into that greater story.
God's greater story began when he created the universe out of a watery chaos (which he also had created). God's creation culminated in his formation of two humans, Adam and Eve, who were to partner with him in caring for his world. However, they rebelled against the terms of their partnership with God and reintroduced chaos to the harmony of God's creation.
Fortunately, God's story did not end with the return of chaos. Instead, he began a long process of restoring harmony (the Bible calls it shalom) to his creation. What is truly amazing is that he chose to accomplish this process in partnership with people — the same created beings who had ruined it in the first place! He commands his created human beings to live lives that bring harmony to his creation and forbids whatever causes brokenness or prevents the restoration he desires. Into this story he invites the Hebrews, the descendants of the patriarchs, to partner with him so that through them the whole world will know of God's restoration of shalom.
But God's story is not the only story. The other story can be traced to the evil one, the snake, the deceiver who tempted Adam and Eve. He loves chaos and seeks to destroy the shalom of God's creation. The evil one promises harmony and the defeat of the chaos that causes pain, but his definition of harmony actually creates the very brokenness from which he promises deliverance. By the time of the exodus, that story had become the story of all cultures, including the culture of Egypt. That is why the story written in the stones of Egypt is so important. The spectacular temples, architectural details, and carvings in stone found in ancient Egypt are, in effect, the sacred text of that other story.
God's plan required a confrontation between these two stories (or worldviews as some would label them). People need to know the truth about chaos and the shalom, or restoration, that God promises. People need to understand that the way of this world is a lie that only increases the brokenness that permeates life. Perhaps that is why Jacob and his descendants found themselves in Egypt, where they saw and experienced the stark contrast between the two stories. If they were to be God's partners in defeating the lie and restoring shalom to God's creation, they needed to know both stories and commit themselves to living out his story in his way.
So while the fact of the Hebrews' miraculous delivery from slavery in Egypt is a dramatic historical event, it is much more than that. The presence of the Hebrew slaves within the culture of the great empire of ancient Egypt brings into focus the cosmic conflict between the stories of chaos and shalom. As part of his unfolding story of the restoration of shalom to his broken creation, it is no wonder that God used a great and mighty demonstration of his power over chaos to deliver the Hebrew slaves from Egypt.
The experiences of God's people in the exodus are not only the first chapter of God's great story of restoration but are a metaphor, a paradigm, of that restoration as well. God's plan of restoration for his people (or salvation as it is sometimes called) is rooted in the exodus and built on the exodus experiences. The two stories — God's restoration of shalom versus the chaos of the evil one — are present at all times and in all places, including our own. Thus the most important question for us is the same one both the Hebrews and the Egyptians had to answer: "If you understand the stories, whose story will you believe and live by?"
Opening Thoughts (3 minutes)
The Very Words of God
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day.
And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning — the second day.
And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:1–10
Think About it
The structures people create and build — museums, bridges, tombs, government buildings, churches, performing arts centers, stadiums — say something about the people who built them and what those people value.
Consider some of the extraordinary structures people of our day build, such as the towering skyscrapers of Dubai, the Sydney Opera House, the "Bird's Nest" stadium built for the Olympics in Beijing. In what ways do these structures tell the "story" of our world? What do they reveal about who we are and how we believe the world works?
DVD notes (35 minutes)
The story of Egypt in stone — pyramids, temples, and architecture
God's story in the hearts of people — creation, chaos, and shalom
The temple of Amun Re — a theology of chaos and order
The job of Pharaoh: to maintain Ma'at
Each story has a price tag
DVD Discussion (5 minutes)
1. The pyramids, temples, and gigantic stone carvings of ancient Egypt are truly amazing, but to realize that every detail — from the design and shape of the structures to the placement of Pharaoh's name in a cartouche — reveals something of the sacred story of the Egyptian culture is astounding. What did you learn about the Egyptian story that helps you to better understand what was at stake in the intersection of God's story and the Egyptian story in the exodus?
2. According to the Egyptian story, why was it essential for Pharaoh to be responsible for all of the religious ritual in Egypt?
What would be the consequences in daily life for all Egyptians if he failed?
3. What insights have you gained into the role that the story of a culture plays in shaping who people are and how they live?
What have you realized about the cost of joining a culture's story?
What might you gain by reexamining the importance of God's creation story to your beliefs and daily life?
Small Group bible Discovery and Discussion (11 minutes)
Ma'at from Chaos — the Egyptian Story
Most of us are familiar with God's story of creation as told in the Bible, but Egypt had a creation story too. We can still read the "sacred text" of Egypt's story in the structure and carvings of its ancient temples. Like God's story, the Egyptian story tells about the establishment of order from chaos followed by the breakdown of that order and the resulting pain and suffering of life. But the Egyptian story has a different solution. It declares that chaos can be defeated by their gods and their ruler, Pharaoh, who was viewed as divine and brought harmony and order — called ma'at — to their world.
1. We may not expect to discover similarities between God's creation story and the Egyptian story, but it really should not surprise us when we do. The Egyptians experienced in their lives the same brokenness of sin — failed relationships, famine, violence, immorality — that we experience in ours, and their story certainly reflects a longing for order. What would be the source of their awareness of and longing for God's shalom? (See Psalm 19:1–4; 97:6; Acts 14:17; Romans 1:18–20.)
2. In a sense, the creation story in Genesis can be viewed as part of a preamble to the exodus story. So we might ask, why did Moses write it in the manner in which he did? Perhaps we can discover at least part of the answer by reading Genesis 1 — 2 and comparing God's creation story to the Egyptian creation story (see Profile of a Culture: Egypt's Creation Story below). As you read, take note of and discuss the similarities and differences between the two stories and why they are significant.
PROFILE OF A CULTURE
Egypt's Creation Story
The Egyptian culture was a blend of several civilizations, so its religious traditions were actually a composite of several mythologies. It is not surprising, then, that there is some overlap and diversity in Egypt's creation story. Depending upon the era of Egyptian culture and the location, one god or another may be viewed as the supreme creator god.
Atum, for example, was the primeval god of Heliopolis, but in Thebes during the Middle and New Kingdom periods Amun Re (pronounced Ra) was the favored creator god. In Memphis, Ptah, one of Egypt's oldest gods, was revered as the sculptor of the earth and humans. This is why some accounts name one god as the creator while others name another god who seemingly does the same thing. Although these blended stories may be confusing or seem contradictory to Western thinkers, ancient Egyptians had little discomfort with these differences. So, in general, what follows is one rendering of Egypt's creation story:
Atum, the great creator god, stood on a mound that rose out of the watery, primordial swamp and spoke creation into existence. He created a space, like an air bubble, in the chaos of the cosmic ocean. He made the waters above the sky, and the waters below the earth. Between the sky and the earth he established the space where all life exists. So Atum brought order out of chaos.
Atum was considered to be the "self-engendered one" who arose at the beginning of time to create the world and the other gods (the gods of life and nature such as the sun, earth, sky, fertility, justice, the afterlife). As the father of Egypt's gods, he created these gods from his spit. The ram-headed god Khnum is also said to have used silt taken from the Nile to form a person on his potter's wheel. The goddess Heket then gave the breath of life to the clay figure.
3. Try to imagine what it would be like if you had spent your life surrounded by representations of the Egyptian creation story and were hearing or reading the Genesis creation account for the first time.
What might be familiar to you?
What questions would you have, and what else would you want to know?
How might this new story change your perspective on what brings harmony and order to life?
4. In what ways does it make sense to you that Moses included the details he did in writing God's creation story for the Hebrews?
Faith Lesson (5 minutes)
The Egyptian story, written in the stone of ancient Egypt, presented a worldview — a picture of what was most important in life and how life was supposed to work. That story matters because it was powerful. It shaped who people were and how they lived. And it came at a price. The focus of life according to the Egyptian story was to preserve ma'at — to maintain the harmonious order of the system — and to do so at any cost.
God's story presents a worldview too. In that story, there is one creator who is God, and he wants people who will join with him in restoring shalom to the chaos that results when people live according to the wrong story. But in order to join him, we have to know both stories. We then have to buy into God's story with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength (Deuteronomy 6:4–5).
1. To what extent do you think the creation story, the religion, and the gods of Egypt affected the Hebrews' worldview and shaped who they were?
What evidence do you see that indicates they were being shaped by Egypt's story?
DID YOU KNOW?
Beginning with the exodus, and for generations thereafter, God repeatedly identified himself to Israel by saying, "I am the Lord your God." While that statement might seem obvious from our perspective today, Ezekiel 20:7 gives us a hint as to why God expressed his identity so emphatically: "Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt."
Had the Hebrews actually bought into the Egyptian story to the point that they worshiped the gods of Egypt? It would certainly appear that that was the case. Joshua 24:14–24 makes it clear that the Israelites must choose between the two stories: "Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord" (v. 14).
2. How would you (briefly) describe the "story" of your culture?
3. To what extent has your culture's story and its "gods" affected your worldview and shaped who you are?
What in your life indicates that you are being shaped by that story?
What do you find in the opening chapters of God's story in Genesis that compels you to grab onto his story with all your heart, soul, and strength?
Closing (1 minute)
Read together Deuteronomy 6:4–9: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
Spend time in prayer, asking God to help you remember that the story we believe in and live by matters. Ask for his wisdom in recognizing the story of the evil one wherever it appears in our culture and for the strength to live according to God's story each day. Thank him for the invitation to join in his unfolding story and for the privilege of living and working in partnership with him to defeat the chaos of sin, thus restoring shalom to his creation.
Memorize
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4–9
Choosing God's Story
In-Depth Personal Study Sessions
Day One | God demonstrates His Power over Chaos
The Very Words of God
On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. And I said to them, "Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God."
Ezekiel 20:6–7
Bible Discovery
God's Plan to Restore Shalom
In a sense, the exodus experience is a paradigm for God's ongoing work to exert his power over chaos and restore shalom to his broken creation. Since creation itself is a demonstration of God's power over chaos, it is not surprising to find parallel experiences in God's creation story and the exodus story. Perhaps that is why Genesis, or Bereshit to the Hebrews, is the first book of the Torah. It not only provides a counter-perspective to the Egyptian story, it provides the background the Hebrews needed to understand their own story: who God was, who they were, and what God was doing in his world. It also helps convey the idea that through the exodus God is beginning something new in his plan to restore his shalom.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from God Heard Their Cry Discovery Guide by Ray Vander Laan. Copyright © 2009 Ray Vander Laan. Excerpted by permission of ZONDERVAN.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction, 7,Session One How Big Is Our God?, 15,
Session Two Israel in Bondage: God Heard Their Cry, 57,
Session Three Finger of God: The Plagues, 103,
Session Four Watch with Me: Israel Leaves Egypt, 151,
Session Five The Lord Reigns: The Red Sea, 199,
Notes, 243,
Bibliography, 245,
Website Resources, 247,
Related Subjects
Customer Reviews
Explore More Items
