LEARNING MODULE

SALVATION HISTORY

LEARNING MODULE I. (WEEK I) TOPIC: THE EXODUS

Israel’s descendants (sometimes called Hebrews, Israelites, the Tribes of Israel, or the Children of Israel)
become a small nation. But, a newly dynasty came to power and made Hebrews slaves. Eventually, God told
Moses to bring them out from Egypt. To convince the Pharaoh to let his cheap labor go, God sent a series of
plagues, including the killing of the first-born sons. The Hebrews were saved by putting the blood of a lamb
over their doors. After the Hebrews left, Pharaoh sent his army to bring them back, trapping them at Red Sea.
God made the waters separate so the Hebrew people could escape; then God made the water falls back,
drowning the pursuing army. The Passover meal is celebrated to commemorate this victory.

MY STORY

The Philippines Government has filed a formal complaint to the Malaysian

authorities over reports that its neighbour is mistreating thousands of Filipino illegal
immigrants.

The protest follows an angry demonstration in Indonesia on Monday against Malaysia's

treatment of Indonesian immigrants.

Malaysian courts have already ordered scores of illegal immigrants to be jailed and caned in the first
cases to be tried under the country's tough new immigration laws which came into effect at the end of July.

Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines, Mohamad Taufik, was summoned to the country's Department
of Foreign Affairs and handed the complaint, said Philippines Foreign Secretary Blas Ople.

Mr Ople told a news conference that whilst the Philippines does not expec"Hilton-standard treatment"
for its nationals in Malaysia, reports indicate that the conditions in the detention centres are "unduly harsh".

Mr Ople said that Filipino migrants had been rounded up into crowded detention centres in Malaysia,
where they were sometimes deprived of food and water.

Officials have confirmed that three Filipino children have died while in the process of being deported,
one at a Malaysian detention centre on Saturday, one on board a navy ship prior to departing Malaysia, and a
third on Monday after returning to the Philippines.

Two of the deaths are thought to have been related to overcrowded conditions and the third was due to
dehydration, according to a spokesman for the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs.

BBC NEWS World Edition: Tuesday, 27 August, 2002,12:54 GMT 13:54 UK

Activity 1. Do this in a separate sheet of paper.

1. How you feel about their situation?
2. Cite at least one factor that contributes to the existence of oppression. Explain your answer.

KNOWING THE MESSAGE

Enslavement of the Israelites

Exodus 1:8-14

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 8 Then a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, rose to power in Egypt. 9 He said to his people, “See! The
Israelite people have multiplied and become more numerous than we are! 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with
them to stop their increase; otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies to fight against us, and so
leave the land.”
11 
Accordingly, they set supervisors over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. Thus they had to build
for Pharaoh the garrison cities of Pithom and Raamses. 12 Yet the more they were oppressed, the more they
multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians began to loathe the Israelites. 13 So the Egyptians reduced the
Israelites to cruel slavery, 14 making life bitter for them with hard labor, at mortar and brick and all kinds of field
work—cruelly oppressed in all their labor.

DEEPENING THE MESSAGE

Exodus tells the story of the Hebrew people’s enslavement in Egypt, Their miraculous
deliverance by the hand of the Lord and the launching of their new relationship with God. The
first section of the book (1-18) narrates the people’s escape from Egypt while the second section(19-40)
describes the formation of the new covenant with God at Sinai.

Exodus illustrates God’s power to redeem his people from oppression and his willingness to
forgive sin. It shows his desire for a loving relationship with his people and the shape he wants that relationship
to take.

The Old Testament tells the Jews were slaves in Egypt for many years. The Israelites had
been in Egypt for generations, and then they become so numerous that caused the Pharaoh to fear their
presence. He feared that one day the Israelites would turn against the Egyptians. Gradually and stealthily, he
forced them to become his slaves. The Pharaoh forced the slaves to work and build grand ‘treasure cities.

The Pharaoh was not satisfied and still worried that Israelites slaves would rise up against
him. So he ordered a terrible punishment – all the first-born male babies of the Israelites were to be killed.
Pharaoh gave orders to the midwives that ‘Every son that is born to you, shall be cast into the river.

The Church Says.

Authentic human freedom is a shared capacity with others in the community for choosing not anything
at all but what is the good, in order to become our true selves. It involves both:
 freedom from whatever opposes our true self-becoming with others in community, and
 freedom for growing as full persons before God and our fellow human persons, in authentic love.
(CFC 720)
We experience freedom most naturally in our free choices to act or not to act, to do or not to do
something. We accept responsibility for these acts. Beside our individual free acts there is the freedom of our
very self formed gradually by our free acts. Often called “fundamental freedom” or option, it is not primarily a
psychological term, but rather refers to our “moral being” as a human person. (CFC 721)

Freedom of the children of God?” It means the freedom we share by the power of Christ’s Spirit
within us, that liberates us from the enslavement of sin, the law, and death, for a life of loving service of our
fellowmen. This does not mean that
 we have no sin, no laws to obey, and we will never die; but that the grace of God offers us the real
possibility of:
 breaking out and overcoming the slavery of sin,
 living in true freedom as guided by law, and
 transcending our physical death by sharing in Christ’s eternal life (CFC 722)

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 The moral law is the work of divine Wisdom. Its biblical meaning can be defined as fatherly
instruction, God's pedagogy. It prescribes for man the ways, the rules of conduct that lead to the promised
beatitude; it proscribes the ways of evil which turn him away from God and his love. It is at once firm in its
precepts and, in its promises, worthy of love. (CCC 1950)

Alone among all animate beings, man can boast of having been counted worthy to receive a
law from God: as an animal endowed with reason, capable of understanding and discernment, he is to govern
his conduct by using his freedom and reason, in obedience to the One who has entrusted everything to him.

The equal dignity of human persons requires the effort to reduce excessive social and economic
inequalities. It gives urgency to the elimination of sinful inequalities. (CCC1947)

Oppresion in the country has been a vicious circle that seems to

find no way to slow down or lessen. Where can we come in to
make our concerns be felt or shall we just remain resigned that
this is a situation that we can never change? What can we do to
minimize oppresion? What can we do to alleviate the suffering of
oppresed people? Here are some suggestions:

1. Be kind.
2. Be compassionate and merciful.
3. Contribute to fund fund drives for deportees and the poor.
4. Walk your talk.

Activity 2. Do this in a separate sheet of paper.

3. Cite instances where the existence of oppression in the society is evidently displayed for so many
years.
4. What will you do this week to show kindness and oppression?

Activity 3. Do this in a long bond paper. (Content -20 pts; Artistry- 20 pts; Neatness -10 pts.
5. Draw/Paste a picture about a situation in where you felt oppression and write how it made you feel.

LEARNING MODULE II. (WEEK II) TOPIC: THE PROMISE LAND AND GOD’S COVENANT

MY STORY

THE FARMER AND HIS LAZY SIGNS

In Madhapur lived a very hardworking farmer named Gopal. He has three sons Ram, Laxman and Hanuman.
All three were strong and healthy. But they were all lazy.

Gopal was sad thinking about his sons and the future of his farmland.

One day, Gopal got a flash of an idea. He called all his sons and said, "Ram! Laxman! and Hanuman! I have
hidden a treasure in our farmland. You search and share the treasure among you."

The three sons were overjoyed. They went to the fields and started searching Ram started from one end.

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 Laxman searched from the other end. And Hanuman did so from the centre. They dug each and every inch of
the field. But they could not find anything.

Gopal said to his sons, “Dear boys! Now you have tooled and conditioned the field, why not we sow a crop!"
Off went the sons to sow the crops.

Days passed. Soon, the crops grew lushly green. The sons were delighted. The father said, "Sons, this is the real
treasure I wanted you to share"

KNOWING THE MESSAGE

God’s Covenant with His Chosen People

Exodus 19: 1-8

On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—
they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of
Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
 
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you
are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:  ‘You yourselves have seen
what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.  Now if you obey me
fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole
earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak
[

to the Israelites.”
 
So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words
the LORD had commanded him to speak.  The people all responded together, “We will do everything
the LORD has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

The Covenant
Deuteronomy 26:16-19

The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully
observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have declared this day that the LORD is your God
and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will
listen to him. 18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he
promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and
honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he

Activity 1. Do this in a separate sheet of paper.

6. If you were the one of the sons in the story, what will be your reaction if you will find out that there is
no treasure hidden in the farmland?

promised.

DEEPENING THE MESSAGE

Moses was the direct and sole mediator between God the people. He wrote down the
ordinance of the Lord and erected a special altar at the foot of the mountain with the pillar
symbols of the 12 tribes. The sprinkling of the blood marks the most solemn sealing of the
covenant between God and Israel.

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 The solemn agreement was called covenant. The sprinkling of blood on the person made them “blood
brothers”., bound to each other for life.

Upon hearing the conditions and demands of their covenant with Yahweh, the people proclaimed that
they are willing to abide by the Lord’s word and will. Half the blood Moses then splashed on the altar – here
representing Yahweh and half he sprinkled on the people. The covenant between Yahweh and Israel was now a
reality.

The New Covenant, ratified by the blood of Christ Himself, the Creator, brings all parties within the
scope of salvation and the New Covenant- Jew and Gentile. Jesus tells us in John 10:16 that “ And I have other
sheep, which are not of this fold [non-Jews]; I must bring them also, and they shall hear my voice; and they
shall become one flock with one shepherd.” Paul tells us that the great mystery is that the plan of God is to
include not just the Jew but also the Gentiles (Eph 3:3-6) the whole world. They would have a new covenant
and offer a new and pure sacrifices (Mal 1:11) which has been understood from the first century to refer the
Eucharist: “My name will be great among the nations [gentiles], from the rising to the setting of the sun. In
every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among
nations, “ says the Lord Almighty”.

THE COVENANTS OF GOD

Type of Covenant/ Group of Patriarch-Father figure and Sign of the Covenant:Promise

People (Successor and/or Deputy)

Individual/Couple Adam (son, namely Seth) Skin(sacrifice); Promise of future

seed and redemption

Family Noah (three sons) Rainbow; Promise to all creation

of no future flood

Tribe Abraham (Isaac, Ishmael Circumcision; name change;

excluded, and the Twelve Tribes Promise of seed to outnumbered
the stars

Nation Moses (Prophets, priests, judges) Passover; Sabbath; Promise of the

e.g., Ex 18:13 ff.; Mt 23;2 Land and prosperity for obedience
(endnote 2)
Kingdom ( Intended to eventually David succeeded to the throne bu Temple: Throne; Promise of a
include other nations drawn to his sons;(authority” over the future eternal kingdom and
God of Israel, thus the marriage house” to his Royal Steward, e.g. Messiah to inherit the throne of
contracts/treaties with other Is 22:15-24) (Endnote 3) David ( Is.9:6-7)
nations)

World/Church (covenant expanded Jesus succeeds David and re- Baptism ( Ez 35:25-26; Jn 3:5);
to Gentiles; visible establish the throne of David (Lu
patriarchy/hierarchy; qualitatively 1:32-33); ( re establish the Eucharist (Mal 1:11; Mt 26:28; 1
same as the previous covenants, dynastic office of Royal steward Cor 11;25; Heb 8:6); Promise of
but quantitively expanded) with Peter, e.g., Mt 16:13-20; Jn Eternal Life and Ressurection
21:15-17) ( e.g., Jn 6:54)

,5

THE CHURCH SAYS

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 After the patriarchs, God formed Israel as his people by freeing them from slavery in Egypt. He
established with them the covenant of Mount Sinai and, through Moses, gave them his law so that they would
recognize him and serve him as the one living and true God, the provident Father and just judge, and so that
they would look for the promised Savior. (CCC 62)

“For their part of the Covenant, the Israelites were called to keep the “Ten Words” given to Moses at
Mount Sinai (cf. Ex 20; Dt 5:6-21). These Commandments were to liberate them, as their preface declares: “I,
the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery” (Ex 20:2). But they
also demanded of the people a fateful decision: a persevering commitment to the liberating Covenant God.
(CFC 426)

Activity 2. Puzzle Solver

Search and encircle the word in the box that corresponds to the given description below.

C J K J O S H U A V

A O L A B K H N U A

I I V W C E L O C B

S H N E B S I N A I

R G O R N H I P N W

A E E V L A W S A C

E W R U D R N R A G

L D S T E K G T N H

T A B E R N A C L E

B C J U D G E S T S

1. These are local leaders raised by God Himself

2. Worship Tent
3. Agreement
4. A box Symbolizing God’s Presence
5. God’s promised land to the Hebrews
6. Mountain
7. God’s Order and Commandment
8. A tribe who was brought back to Canaan
9. The origin of the Twelve tribes
10. The leader of the Hebrews who invaded Canaan.

Activity 3.
1. How can having a special relationship with God change or transform a person?
2. How do you feel being part of this great story of salvation?

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