Hope Deferred

Community Group Questions: Exodus 5:1 - 6:13 - "Hope Deferred"

Printing Instructions: To print these discussion questions for use in your Community Group or other study, first highlight the text, then right click and select "print" from the dropdown menu that appears.

Read Exodus 5:1 - 6:13 aloud as a group and work through the following questions together:

1. When we use the expression “hope deferred”, what do we typically mean? What do you think Proverbs 13:12 means? Share a time in your life when you experienced “hope deferred”.

When hope is deferred, we must trust that God has a reason for it. The story of Exodus chapters 5 and 6:1-13, is an example of hope deferred. It allowed God to show 3 things…

2. Hope deferred allows God to show the perfection of His timing (6:1-5)

• Why do you think God waited a period of time before allowing the Israelites to experience deliverance from slavery?
• How would the story be different if He had delivered them sooner?
• Do you really believe that God’s timing is perfect in your life? Are there some Scriptures that you can claim to be reminded of the perfection of His timing? Share them with the group.

3. Hope deferred allows God to show the fullness of His deliverance (6:6-9)

• How many “I will” statements can you find in these verses? What does that indicate to you about this plan of deliverance from slavery?
• In addition to promising deliverance from slavery, what else did God promise the Israelites that proves this was a comprehensive plan of deliverance?
• We find in the Bible that Jesus not only saves us, but does other things for us as well. What are some of those things?

4. Hope deferred allows God to show the certainty of His plan (6:10-13)

• Moses wondered if God’s plan had failed. Yet we find that Moses’ doubt and the Israelites’ discouragement did not change God’s plan. Have you experienced doubt in your own life when it comes to God’s plan?
• Notice that in this passage, God never rebukes Moses for his doubt and discouragement. What does that indicate to you?

5. What situation in your life right now has left you feeling discouraged, or maybe even hopeless? Take time to pray for one another!