Going Home: Two Great Journeys of Israel

What about the Journeys?

The Exodus

The Return from Exile

Where were they?

Egypt (430 years)

Babylon (70 years)

How many?

About 1 million

60,000

How long did the journey take them?

40 years and 2 attempts

100 years and 3 journeys

Who led them?

Moses/Aaron/Joshua

Zerubbabel/Ezra/ Nehemiah

What was their purpose?

To reclaim the Promised Land

To rebuild the Temple and city of Jerusalem

What obstacles did they face?

Red Sea/Wilderness/Enemies

Ruins/Limited Resources/ Enemies

What failures did they experience?

Complaining/Disobedience/ Retreat—all of which turned a journey of a few weeks into a 40-year ordeal

Fear/Discouragement/ Apathy—all of which turned a project of a few months into one that required a century to complete

What successes did they have?

Eventually entered the Promised Land

Eventually rebuilt Jerusalem's Temple and wall

What lessons did they learn?

God will build his nation. God is both faithful and just. God will accomplish great acts to make his promises come true

God will preserve his nation. God will continue to have a chosen people, a home for them, and a plan to offer himself to them