Before beginning our study in Exodus, it is beneficial to start with a brief introduction to the book. Exodus is the second of the first five books of the Old Testament: the Pentateuch. As a result, this book should be read in context of the other four books in the Pentateuch. Jesus refers to this section of the Old Testament as the Law (Matt. 5:17; Lk. 24:44). The name of the book “Exodus” comes from the Greek translation of the book meaning “a going out” or “departure,” and the book records the story of the Israelites doing just that. As we will see, Chapters 1-18 provide the story of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, and Chapters 19-40 show us the glory of God at Sinai.
From the start, the book of Exodus provides the first, but not last, grand story of God’s deliverance of His people. It is not simply a story or history of Moses. The exodus is a redemptive event that occurs only through the power of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We will see acts of racism, murder, idolatry, justice, sacrifice, grace, and forgiveness. Exodus showcases the glory of God, the manifestation of His holiness. Its purpose is to record the judgment of Egypt, the deliverance of Israel, the giving of the Law, and the glory of God among His people. The judgment of Egypt is seen in the ten plagues and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea as Israel is delivered from the Egyptians. While the Egyptians had viewed the Israelites as slaves, God viewed them as heirs, heirs to His promise. This promise is continued from the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12-15) and is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. God’s promise with Moses – the Mosaic Covenant – is revealed in both His words and His actions. Both of these magnificently display God’s own glory. This book reveals God’s divine intentions of ushering in His presence among His people. He provides the Law as a means to maintaining the covenant relationship with Him by faith. This equips Israel with a theology of worship, which in turn points to the chief end of man – to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
As was mentioned before, Jesus often spoke of how He is the fulfillment of things written in the Law and the Prophets. With this in mind, we should recognize the use of “typology” in Exodus. Typology can be described as a key to understanding Christ and other events or things related to him through analogy and history. It is not a theological or technical term, but rather a word referring to a common way of understanding something. It is directly involved with analogy and history; yet, it is an overgeneralization to say that this is only a prefigurement or a foreshadowing. Moses is a type of Jesus, meaning he is a type or an image of Someone greater to come. For example, Moses is the deliverer of the Israelites, but he fails in many ways. However, Jesus, the ultimate deliverer, does not fail in any way. Instead, He fully accomplishes His purpose of seeking and saving the lost (Lk. 19:10). Other forms of typology are found throughout Exodus as well, including the Passover and the Tabernacle.
The exodus should not simply be reduced to the following thought process. First, just as God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, so the cross of Christ delivers us from our sin. While the two are closely related and both very true, they are not exactly parallel. The exodus is connected to deliverance from human oppression that prevents service to God, not deliverance from Israel’s sin. The cross likewise does this, but on an even greater level! The cross is victory over God’s enemies, both in the material and spiritual worlds. As a result, we can say that the cross provides us with victory over that which oppresses us and opposes God.
As we see in Philippians 2:5-11, Christ humbled himself by taking the form of a servant. He provides us with the example of how are to live in the world – as servants. The Incarnation is the greatest example of the mission of God. As a result, we too must learn to live as servants so that others might know the one, true God. As Exodus points us to the Lord Jesus, we seek to emulate Him as our Great Shepherd-King. This helps us understand how Exodus relates to us. In the words of Christopher Wright, “Exodus-shaped redemption demands exodus-shaped mission.” God’s concern for our needs is the model for our concern for the totality of human need. As a result, we should seek not only social justice, but also deliverance for those enslaved to sin.
I look forward to beginning this study!
Aaron Lumpkin
Growth Group Leader, IDC
Good read Aaron, thanks for sharing