1 Corinthians 10 11 These things happened to

Ø 1 Corinthians 10: 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. Ø Acts 7: 3 -7 ● Eventually the whole land (Canaan) would belong to Abraham and his descendants ● His descendants would live in a foreign land, oppressed as slaves for 400 years

Innocent Captivity The Believers Promised Land

I. Israelites In Egypt Ø Joseph - Genesis 37 – 50

● Sold into slavery by his brothers

● Rose to leadership in Egypt

● Preparation for preservation ● Famine ● God sent Joseph (45: 5 -8) – to preserve the family

● Jacob (Israel) moves his family to Egypt

● Genesis 50: 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Ø Israel in Egypt by the will of God ● Through Joseph and his favor ● Temporary – Genesis 50: 22 -26 ▪ God will lead you out of this land ▪ He will bring you back to the land promised to Abraham ▪ Take my bones with you

II. Israelites Captive in Egypt Ø Exodus 1: 6 -16 ● Descendents multiplied and became extremely powerful

● A new king came into power who did not know Joseph or what he had done ● We must control these people

▪ Made their lives bitter ▪ Oppressive slavery ▪ Population control by full-birth abortion

Ø Innocent Captivity ● In this place by the direction of God ● Natural circumstances changed – the government changed ● Freedoms were lost

Ø Israelite’s response – Exodus 1: 17 -22 ● Faithful to God – fear God more than man ● Crying out to God – Exodus 2: 23 -25; 3: 7 -10

▪ I have heard their cries ▪ I am aware of their suffering ▪ Time to act ▪ Moses must lead the people of Israel out of Egypt

III. When Government Changes Ø Constitution that protected religious freedom is being misconstrued to remove freedoms Ø Separation of Church and State - The phrase "separation of church and state" is derived from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to a group identifying themselves as the Danbury Baptists. In that letter, referencing the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Jefferson writes:

“Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, " thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. ”

Ø Scholars have distinguished between what are sometimes called "friendly" and "hostile" separations of church and state. The friendly type limits the interference of the church in matters of the state but also limits the interference of the state in church matters. The hostile variety, by contrast, seeks to confine religion purely to the home or church and limits religious education, religious rites of passage and public displays of faith.

Ø Justice Scalia, considered to be a core member of the conservative wing of the Supreme Court, has criticized the metaphor as a bulldozer removing religion from American public life.

Ø Freedoms lost ● Discrimination ● Pressure to conform ● Laws to obey Ø Warning against cultural compromise among God’s people ● Hate crimes legislation – passed in the House on Thursday attached to a military spending bill

Ø Think it not strange to endure persecution ● 1 Peter 4: 12 -14 - Partners together with Christ in his sufferings ● 2 Timothy 3: 12 "And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. "

Ø What to do? ● Pray for all those in leadership – 1 Timothy 2: 2 ● Stay faithful to God - In the midst of persecution ● Cry out to God – 2 Chronicles 7: 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

● Anticipate Deliverance ▪ 2 Timothy 3: 11 You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it.

IV. Innocent Spiritual Captivity Ø Romans 5 – Adam’s sin brings condemnation for everyone Ø Born with the nature of sin ● Awakened to find ourselves in captivity ● Under the dominion of darkness

Ø Innocent? - Age of accountability ● Deut 1: 39 – I will give the land to your little ones, your innocent children ● Isaiah 7: 14 -16 – Messianic prophecy – before the child is old enough to know right from wrong ● Romans 7: 9 -10 – Alive until the law came then I died

Ø Delivered - Romans 5: 18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Ø Colossians 1: 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

Reflection Time Ø What examples and warnings do you see from these scriptures that apply to you personally? Ø In what ways have you expressed the fear of man more than the fear of God? Ø God responded to Israel’s cries to him. Have you developed a 2 Chronicles 7: 14 and a 1 Timothy 2: 2 strategy? – Israelites were also known for grumbling and complaining. What do you do? Remember, these things are given as examples and warnings.

Ø Have you experienced the deliverance from spiritual captivity?

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