Exodus continues the “Big Story” – Creation to New Creation. There has been an apparent hiatus after the dramatic events recorded in in the latter part of Genesis. Around 400 years have elapsed but from God’s point of view everything is on track. Exodus begins with the words, “And these are the names of the sons of Israel”, linking directly to the final part of Genesis, as if there has been no interlude at all. The story moves on to a new level – a nation rather than a family. a new revelation of who their God is, the fulfilment of His desire to be present among them, and the prospect of realising another aspect of the Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Exodus Part 1 : Exodus in Context
Genesis is the foundation of the Bible – the revelation of the Creator God. Exodus builds on that foundation – the sovereignty of God in the story of Israel and the nations. It is the gateway to the rest of the story of Creation to New Creation…
Exodus Part 2 : A Nation of Slaves
There has been no fresh revelation since the Patriarchs. The first part of God’s promise has been fulfilled- the Seed. The second part of the promise to Jacob, awaits fulfilment – the Land. Meanwhile they are in cruel bondage – has God forgotten?
Exodus Part 3 : And God came down
Suddenly God broke into the silence of the centuries. He also broke into the personal silence of Moses – 40 years in the wilderness contemplating his personal failure. The incident has two main components – revelation and response…
Exodus Part 4: The Reluctant Leader
God has revealed His Name and His character and his concern. He has told Moses that he is to return to Egypt, the scene of his previous failed attempt at liberation. Now God reveals His plan to effect the release of His people. The problem for Moses is that it involves him.
Exodus Part 5: Disappointment and fresh revelation
Moses and Aaron are super confident but Pharaoh soon brings them down to earth. They have heard God’s promise of success but not His description of the difficult time in between…
Exodus Part 6: The Contest is Joined
The contest is now joined. It is a battle of wills from which there can only be one outcome. God makes a repeated, absolute and unconditional demand, “Let My people go that they may serve/worship Me!” Pharaoh sets his will in defiance to that requirement – he hardens his heart…
Exodus Part 7: The Contest Continues
The signs and wonders continue as the LORD applies greater and greater pressure on Pharaoh and as Pharaoh stiffens his resistance to the purpose of God. The LORD reveals His identity as the Creator as He reverses the processes of creation and returns Egypt to a state of chaos…
Exodus Part 8: The Final Blow
The contest is reaching its climax. Through a series of signs and wonders God has been demonstrating his lordship over all creation and holds the power of life and death in his hands. The ninth “plague” pierces to the very heart of the Egyptian view of reality.
Exodus Part 9: The Passover – What does it mean?
Exodus 12:7 – 28 The Passover has to be kept in detail – it’s a life and death matter and everything has significance. The essential elements are: eat the whole roasted lamb, splash the blood at the door, eat bread without yeast and bitter herbs, and stay inside all night…
Exodus Part 10 : Redemption and Consecration
Suddenly the tempo quickens. The time for action has come. Everyone prepares for the fateful night of the LORD’s Passover, a night of both judgement and of deliverance. It is the event that changes everything…
Exodus Part 11 : Leaving Egypt
God is faithful. Suddenly the 400 year promise to Abraham is made good and they are on their way – to freedom and nationhood. God is in personal charge. He has planned the route and leads from the front and they follow with confidence, until they find themselves in deep trouble…
Exodus Part 12: Reflections on the Exodus Event (OT)
We pause to consider how the Exodus event interacts with the rest of the Old Testament. In fact it permeates the rest of Scripture. It is recalled and remembered in the three great pilgrim festivals, especially Passover and revisited in times of national disaster…
Exodus Part 13: Reflections on the Exodus Event (NT)
The Exodus lies at the roots of many events in the New Testament – after all it is one continuous story and not two separate books! Jesus’ journey into Egypt and return to Israel is a Messianic fulfilment of the Exodus event…
Exodus Part 14: Testing Times
More testing times are at hand, just when they thought their problems were behind them. The LORD is continuing the school of discipleship. They have learned at the Red Sea that He is their protector; now they must learn that He is their provider as well…
Exodus Part 15: Hostile and Helpful Gentiles
Israel is a unique nation chosen and called out from the nations. God explained to Abraham how the relationship would work – “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you, and through you all the nations will be blessed”…
Exodus Part 16: An Awesome Encounter with God
At the burning bush God had made a promise to Moses, and it was to be the definitive confirmation of the truth of His word, “When you have brought the people out of Egypt you shall worship God at the mountain”…
Exodus Part 17: The 10 Commandments
Before any specific Covenant had been formulated Israel made a commitment, binding on all subsequent generations, “All that the LORD says, we will do”. This was based on God’s prior gracious actions on their behalf and the present revelation of His glory…
Exodus Part 18: Establishing the Covenant
The Ten Commandments were now amplified in what is generally described as “The Book of the Law”. Religious (cultic) regulations are intermingled with social laws in a holistic way…