I hope you’ll let me tell you a story today–one whose meaning has largely been hidden from us but is now coming into focus. It’s an important story that contains profound insight into the heart and soul of design.

LIVING IN EGYPT
Let’s start with the Jewish people who are living in and enslaved by the Egyptians. You may remember that the nation of Israel found themselves in Egypt after Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (also called Israel) migrated to Egypt during a time of famine. Jacob’s long lost son, Joseph, ruled over Egypt through some amazing circumstances at the time of the famine. Joseph’s family and brothers settled in Egypt and numbered in the hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) by the time Moses came along to deliver them. There’s a lot of important detail during the Jews’ time in Israel, but it’s important to know that they were basically slaves by the end of their time in Egypt. The Pharaoh was concerned with their growing population and influence, so he made it very difficult for them. I think that despite being slaves, the communal life of the Jewish people at this time must have been rich. You’re probably familiar with the plagues, their deliverance from Egypt, crossing the Red Sea in supernatural fashion and heading for the Promised Land.

WANDERING THE WILDERNESS
But before they could get to the promised land, they had to travel through the wilderness/desert. Normally this journey would take about two to three weeks for a group that size on the most direct route, but it took them forty years. During this time in the wilderness Israel received the ten commandments (THE Law) and a bunch of lesser laws to govern society and culture. They had no king and were led only by a pillar of fire representing God’s presence with them. Yet, they grumbled and complained. They wanted to go back to Egypt. They even saw the Promised Land with it’s fortified cities and fierce inhabitants, but didn’t think they could take conquer it. So, God made all but a handful of people he brought out of Egypt wander in the desert until they died…including Moses.

TAKING THE PROMISED LAND
After forty years of wandering and dying and learning, a whole new generation crossed the Jordan River and to conquer the Promised Land. Their orders are to destroy everything. They do a fair but not complete job of carrying out this task from God to wipe the land clean. In the process they decide they need a “real” king. And God in His anger gives one to them (with a lot of warnings about what kings will do…all of which prove to be true). Over the years, they intermarry with other nations, worship their gods, and follow their ways. They experience great prosperity under rulers like Solomon and the depths of evil under rulers like Ahab. The Temple is built. They extend their boundaries short of the Euphrates River. All the while worshiping the God that brought them out of Egypt in one generation and ditching Him in the next.

INTO EXILE
This relationship between the nation of Israel and God goes on for hundreds of years, until Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonian Empire, invades Israel (now divided into Israel and Judah) and hauls most of the county off in exile. During this period Israel gets some very different sets of orders given them by God through various prophets. The first is that you’re going to be hauled off into exile, don’t resist it. Once in exile they get orders to marry, settle down in the foreign land and be productive. They are captives once again and without a king.

RETURN, BUILD, WAIT
Exactly 70 years after their exile though, they receive another set of orders–return to Jerusalem, rebuild the Temple of Solomon and await a Messiah. Which is exactly what they do. And that’s exactly where this ancient story ends for our purposes. Awaiting a Messiah.

And how does this story relate to design? We’ll start on that journey next week.