Youth Devotional

Creation to Christ- Week 6

©Tad Wychopen 2009

Day 1
Daily Reading: Genesis 46:28-34; 47:27-31; 49:29-33; 50:12-26; Psalm 52

God works in wonderful ways; that was clearly demonstrated in the life of Joseph. His brothers despised
him, but eventually, he was the one that helped save them from a terrible famine. Jacob was stunned that his
son was still alive! The life of Joseph must make us realize that God is in control of all things. Joseph did
many wonderful things for his family, but he was NOT the promised one.

1.) What did Joseph do when he saw his father Jacob? (46:29-30)

Explanation: After years of thinking that his son was dead, Jacob was finally able to know the truth. He
was thrilled and amazed to see that Joseph was alive! Imagine the joy they must have had when they saw
each other!

2.) Where did Joseph’s family dwell? What was their occupation? (46:32-34)

3.) What did the Egyptians think of shepherds? (47:34)

Explanation: Since the Egyptians hated the Hebrews, it helped the sons of Jacob stay separate from the
Egyptians. God would make a great nation out of Jacobs’s sons without having to intermarry with the
Egyptians.

4.) Read Genesis 47:27-31. Did Jacob’s family begin to grow?

5.) Read Genesis 49:29-33. Where did Jacob want to be buried?

6.) Read Genesis 50:12-26. Did the sons of Jacob bury their father where he wanted?

7.) What were Joseph’s brothers scared of after their father died? (50:15-18)

8.) Joseph responded in an awesome way. Whom did he say was responsible for turning some terrible
intentions into a good situation?

9.) We read in verse 50:26 that Joseph died. He knew that God would bless Israel. Joseph was one of the
most faithful dedicated men of God. What are some characteristics from his life that you would like
to copy?

Explanation: God worked through Josephs life in quite amazing ways. God turned a situation filled with
evil and hate into something profitable for His people. Joseph was a man that simply trusted and obeyed
God. Joseph was not the Promised One that was told about to Adam and Eve; however, he did set a
wonderful example for others to see. Faith in God leads to obedience to Him!

Application: Do you trust and obey God as Joseph did? Your first responsibility on earth is to obey your
parents. That is where trusting and obeying God must begin. If you want to be like Joseph, you must trust
God, obey Him, and obey with respect those that are in authority over you.
~Do you struggle with obeying your authority?

Read Romans 8:28 and compare it to Genesis 50:20

Day 2
Daily Reading: Exodus 1:1-22; Proverbs 9

God promised that He would make a great nation out of Abraham’s descendants. God also promised Adam
and Eve that one would eventually crush the head of the serpent. Very soon in Exodus, we see that one of
these promises comes true.

1.) How would you describe the population of the children of Israel? (1:7)

Explanation: The children of Israel really did grow quickly. They 70 people mentioned in verse 5 grew to a
population of over 603,000 males. This would be about 2 million people including women and children!
God’s promise to Abraham came true!

2.) Why was the Pharaoh nervous about the growth of the children of Israel? (1:9-10)

3.) What did this Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, do to the children of Israel? (11-14)

4.) What were Shiphrah and Puah supposed to do when a male child was born?

5.) Did they obey the command of Pharaoh? Why or why not?

6.) According to Proverbs 9:10-11, why is it so important to fear the Lord?

Explanation: Pharaoh commanded these women, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill the baby boys. They
understood that it would be sin against God to kill the children! Killing a baby, whether outside of the womb
or inside of the womb, is ALWAYS murder. Abortion, although commonly practiced today, is wrong and
sinful. These women were blessed because they did what was right according to God.

7.) What was the command of Pharaoh in verse Exodus 1:22?

Explanation: Pharaoh was a very wicked man. He did not honor God or the life that God gives. He
commanded all of his servants to kill the Hebrew newborn boys by throwing them into the river. This is a
sad testament to the sinfulness of men. God’s Word always comes true. He promised Abraham a multitude
of descendants; that promise clearly came true.

Application: It is foolish to doubt the Word of God. It is foolish to sin against God! God blesses obedience.
Make a commitment in your heart to obey God at all times! Remember, the Word of God always comes
true; do not doubt God!

Day 3
Daily Reading: Exodus 2:1-24; Psalm 53

Have you ever broken a promise? Maybe you had good intentions, yet you still broke your promise. Men
and women may do many good things; however, humans are sinful. Humans continually break laws made
by God and we break promises made by ourselves. However, God can be trusted. His Word is true. God
promised a great number of descendants to Abraham; we noticed that promise came true in the last chapter.
The promise of one from the woman’s seed that would break the Head of the Serpent has not been fulfilled
yet.
1.) Read Exodus 2:1-2 and 1:2. Was the son that this woman bore a descendant of Abraham and Jacob?

2.) What did this woman do instead of killing her son as Pharaoh commanded?

3.) Who miraculously found the baby in the river?

4.) Who was asked to take care of the child? (7-10)

Explanation: This woman knew that there was something special about her son. The baby was a beautiful
child. She trusted God to protect this baby. It is interesting, Pharaoh wanted people to kill their babies by
drowning it in the river. God used the river to protect this baby, Moses. God clearly protected this baby by
allowing the Pharaoh’s daughter to find him. God worked in a miraculous way to save a very special baby.
Do you think that this is the Promised One?

5.) When Moses was grown up, what situation caused him to kill an Egyptian?

6.) What was Moses’ response after he realized that many people knew that he killed an Egyptian? (14-
15)

7.) Do you think that the description in Psalm 53 fits Moses? Why or why not?

Explanation: Moses must have been upset with the Egyptians beating the Hebrews. He probably thought
that the Hebrews would really like him for doing them a favor. Moses did wrong in killing the Egyptian.
Moses was not the Promised One, but God still wanted to use him.
8.) Was Moses content to live in the land of Midian with his father in law and his wife? (Ex. 2:21)

9.) What important person died while Moses was gone from Egypt? (2:23)

10.) Had God forgotten the children of Israel? (23-25)

Explanation: God protected Moses in his birth, but Moses was not a perfect man. He was not the Promised
One. He was a fallible man that God chose to use. The children of Israel had become a great nation, but they
were under great oppression. They have become enslaved in Egypt. God did not forget them. God never
forgets His people.

Application: God’s Word is true and able to be trusted. Men fail, but God never fails! What are you trusting
in for the truth- God’s Word or Man’s Word? Think about Moses- He was a man that God wanted to use and
gave him special protection at birth. However, Moses still disobeyed by killing an Egyptian. No matter what
position you have, or what status you are in life, you must obey God!

Day 4
Daily Reading: Exodus 3:1-22; Proverbs 10

When someone fails or makes a terrible mistake at work, they are in danger of losing their job. It is up to the
boss if they get another chance or if they have to be fired. Moses made a terrible mistake by killing an
Egyptian. He fled from Egypt because he knew of his terrible mistake. Despite this terrible mistake, God
still wanted to use Moses.
1.) What is the name of the special mountain mention in Exodus 3:1?

2.) How did the Angel of the Lord appear to Moses?

3.) What was Moses’ response once he realized that it was God in the midst of the burning bush?

Explanation: Moses was curious when he saw that a bush was burning but the fire was not consuming it.
He looked at it and learned that it was the Lord God. Complete fear came on Moses. Throughout the Bible,
people display fear when they are in the presence of the Lord. In the presence of the Lord, man realizes how
he is completely sinful and unworthy. Remember Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? They were
immediately afraid of the Lord after they sinned. God is holy; sin cannot be allowed into His presence.

4.) Explain why the Lord appeared before Moses. (Exodus 3:7-10)

5.) What were the two objections that Moses had to doing this task? (3:11&13)
Explanation: Moses had plenty of reasons why he should not be the one to help deliver the children of
Israel out of Egypt. However, God had all the answers and all the power that Moses needed to do this task.
God sometimes asks us to do things that are extremely difficult. We want to run from those difficult things,
but God is the one that will give us what we need for the tasks that we must do.
6.) What was Moses supposed to ask the king of Egypt to allow the Israelites to do? (3:17-19)

7.) Would the Pharaoh allow them to leave?

8.) How does Proverbs 10:27-29 relate to the response of the Lord to the Egyptian king?

Explanation: God wanted to use Moses even though Moses had sinned. God is merciful and gracious to
Moses. Even though Moses had plenty of reason why he should not be the one to do this task, God had the
power that Moses needed to fulfill His task. God made a promise to deliver the children of Israel through the
hand of Moses. Pay attention to the next few chapters in Exodus. See if God will keep his promise.
Remember, God’s word ALWAYS comes true.

Application: When you understand God’s command for your life, don’t be afraid that you cannot do it.
Whatever God wants you to do; He will give you the strength and needed things to fulfill His task. Don’t
question God and His commands; trust and obey Him and He will guide you.

Day 5
Daily Reading: Exodus 4:1-23; 5:1-9; Psalm 54

Excuses, excuses, excuses! Excuses keep people from doing all sorts of things. People give an excuse so
they don’t have to go to work. Some make an excuse so they don’t have to go to church. Others give excuses
for never obeying the will of the Lord. Excuses keep people from doing what the Lord wants them to do.
Moses was not an exception. Despite all that God told Him in chapter 3, Moses still had excuses.

1.) What was the excuse that Moses had in Exodus 4:1?

2.) What were the two signs that God showed Moses? (4:3-9)

3.) In Exodus 4:10, Moses had another excuse. What was it?

Explanation: Moses stopped doubting God and started doubting himself. Moses didn’t have confidence in
his own ability. God is the make of our bodies. He gives us our life. If He asks us to do a task, we can be
sure that HE will give us the ability to do it.

4.) What person would help Moses with the speaking? (4:14)

5.) Did Moses finally return to Egypt to obey what the Lord had said? (4:18-20)

6.) If Pharaoh disobeyed the Lord and did not let the children of Israel go, what would happen? (4:23)

7.) How is Psalm 54 an accurate description of what God would do to Pharaoh and Egypt?

8.) Read Exodus 5:1-9. Did Moses obey the Lord by asking Pharaoh to let the Israelites go?

9.) Did Pharaoh let them go? What terrible thing did Pharaoh do instead of letting them go?

Explanation: God can use whoever and whatever He wants to accomplish His purpose. Even though Moses
had many excuses, God used him to accomplish His goal. Moses finally surrendered to the Lord’s will.
However, Pharaoh did not surrender to God and let the people go. God’s Word always comes true. God told
Pharaoh that terrible things would happen to Egypt if he would not obey. We will soon see that God’s Word
came true in the life of Pharaoh.

Application: What does God want you to do? If you have been reading Proverbs, you have seen many
things that you should do to obey God. Are you obeying? God’s Word always comes true. Obedience is
blessed of God; disobedience is punished. What would you rather have: blessing or punishment? Obey the
Word of the Lord!

Day 6
Daily Reading: Acts 11-12; Proverbs 11
Read Acts 11-12. In three or more sentences, explain the events of these chapters in Acts. Specifically look
for events that show God’s sovereign control in the lives of the apostles.

Day 7
Daily Reading: Proverbs 12; Psalm 55
Read Psalm 55.
1.) Even when the entire world seems to be against you, who will remain steadfast for you?

2.) When will the Lord hear your prayers according to Psalm 55:17?

3.) Write out Psalm 55:22. Try to memorize this great verse.

Read Proverbs 12
1.) The person that hates corrections is described as what kind of person?

2.) Write down three things from Proverbs 12 that describe a wicked person.

3.) According to verse 22, what is an abomination to the Lord?

4.) Read Proverbs 12:24. What does it say will happen to the lazy person? Are you a lazy person?