Introduction to Exodus

A. Authorship and Dates

1.      Exodus is the second of the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Pentateuch

2.      It was written by Moses, probably during the 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness

3.      The exodus of the Israelites from Egypt probably occurred about 1445 B.C., during the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep II.

a)      I Kings 6:1 states that Solomon began Temple construction 480 years after Israel left Egypt. Construction probably started around 965 B.C.

b)      Archeological finds prove that the pharaohs who ruled during this period lost their first-born heirs under mysterious circumstances, and did not pass their thrones along to the normal next of kin

B. Historical Setting

1.      Joseph sold into slavery in Egypt, eventually becomes a ruler

2.      Joseph's family is invited to live in Goshen, where they survive the famine

3.      The family grows, the Israelite population explodes

4.      A new regime takes over in Egypt and the Israelites become slaves

C. Themes and Key Ideas

1.      Exodus picks up the history of Israel where Genesis leaves off

2.      Redemption

3.      Salvation

4.      God's covenant with His people

5.      Worship and the nature of God

D. Structure and Sequence

1.      Israel in subjection to Egypt -- chapters 1 through 12

a)      Moses' call

b)      Pharaoh's response

c)      The 10 plagues

2.      Israel's deliverance from Egypt -- chapters 12 through 18

a)      Passover

b)      Exodus

c)      Red Sea crossing

d)      Into the Sinai

3.      Israel meets God in the Wilderness -- chapters 19 through 40

a)      The Covenant

b)      Israel's Apostasy

c)      The Tabernacle

Israel in Subjection to Egypt

Background from the OT: Exodus 1 - 4

Background from the NT: Acts 7:17-35

A. History of the Israelites in Egypt (ch 1)

1.      Jacob's 11 sons and their families join Joseph in Egypt (v 1-5)

2.      After 350 years or so they are several million strong

3.      The current pharaoh is concerned they'll take over or undermine the country in a war so he makes slaves of them to keep them under control. (v 8-14) (Acts 7:17)

4.      They kept increasing, so pharaoh said "kill all the baby boys" (v 15-22) (Act 7:18)

a)      Satan was even then trying to destroy the seed of the Messiah

b)      The midwives honored God, rather than men

c)      It was in this setting that Moses was born

B. Moses' call (ch 2 - 3)

1.      Moses was saved by hiding him in the reeds along the river bank (v 1-3)

2.      Moses' sister, Miriam watched from a distance as the baby was discovered by Pharaoh's daughter, offers to locate a wet-nurse for the child, who happens to be Moses' mother, Jacobed (v 4 - 8)

3.      Moses grows up in Pharaoh's household (v 9-10) (Acts 7:21-22)

4.      At the age of 40, Moses tries to become a Deliverer and messes up (v 11 - 15) (Act 7:23-29)

a)      Kills an Egyptian and hides his body

b)      Gets discovered and runs off to hide in Midian

5.      He befriends a Bedouin shepherd, joins his household, marries one of his daughters (v 16 - 22)

6.      Meanwhile, Pharaoh dies. The oppression and slavery continues, but God hears the cries of His people. Another 40 years have elapsed. (v 23-25)

7.      God speaks to Moses at the burning bush (3:1-6)

8.      God commissions Moses (v 7-10)

a)      Promises redemption FROM one thing and INTO another

C. Moses' Excuses (ch 3 - 4)

1.      "Who am I to challenge Pharaoh?" God says, "I'll be with you." (4:11-12)

2.      "Who will I say sent me?" God says "I AM THAT I AM" (v 13-15)

3.      "They won't believe You spoke to me" God says "I'll prove it." (4:1-9)

4.      "But I'm not a public speaker" God says "I'll teach you." (v 10-12)

5.      "Can't you just send somebody else?"   God angrily says "I'll send your brother Aaron with you."

D. Moses Goes Back to Egypt (4:18-31)

1.      God tells him it's safe to go back (v 19)

2.      God tells him to be faithful, but know that Pharaoh won't budge

3.      The incident at the Inn (v 24-26)

a)      Moses son, Gershom was not circumcised, probably because Zipporah didn't approve of the practice

b)      God almost killed Moses (maybe Gershom) because of that

c)      Zipporah performs the circumcision on the spot.

d)      Extra credit question: Why did God react this way?

4.      God sends Aaron out to meet Moses on his return (v 27-28)

5.      Moses and Aaron meet with the elders of Israel and tell them their deliverance is nigh (v 29-31)

Pharaoh's Response

Background from the OT: Exodus 5 - 10

Background from the NT: Revelation 8 - 9

A. God says Let My People Go! (ch 5)

Moses does as God instructs him, delivers the message to Pharaoh, who responds unfavorably. The very words of his mouth set the course of events.

1.      Who is the Lord? (God will answer that question)

2.      I don't know the Lord (he will soon enough)

3.      I won't let Israel go (yes he will, in fact, he'll drive them out)

4.      Give them more work to do ( vs 5-19)

a)      Forced to make bricks without straw for filler

b)      When the people complain, Pharaoh says 'if you've got enough time to sit around worrying about the Lord, you've got too much time on your hands.' Typical worldly reaction to matters of spiritual urgency.

5.      Moses' response is to question God's motives. We sometimes say, "God, why did you send me here then leave me hanging out to dry?"

B. God rolls up His sleeves (ch 6)

1.      I AM the Lord, and this is what I will do (v 3-8)

a)      God's "I Will" list: bring you out of Egypt, rid you out of bondage, redeem you, take you to me, be to you a God, bring you into the land of promise, give it for an inheritance.

b)      Compare that list of "I wills" to the ideas of Redemption, Sanctification, Justification

c)      Compare this to Satan's "I Will" list in Isaiah 14:13-14

2.      Moses relays this to the children of Israel -- they reject it (v 9)

3.      God tells Moses to deliver the message to Pharaoh also, but Moses makes excuses again (v 11-12)

4.      God records a partial genealogy of the Israelites. (vs 14 - 27) Verse 20 gives us the parents of Moses

C. The Plagues

Here we begin to see the wonders and signs that God does to answer the challenges of Pharaoh. There will be 10 ultimately, with the 10^th bringing the Passover and finally, the Israelites' departure.

The first nine can be grouped into threes. The first three were inconveniences. The second three caused pain. The last three caused terror. Each are calculated to defy the gods of Egypt.   (Also interesting to compare to the Trumpet Judgments of Revelation 8 - 9.)

Pharaoh responds to the plagues interestingly. He continues to harden his, he tries to negotiate, he makes promises then breaks them, he repents then changes his mind again. He's matching his will against God's will.

1.      Blood -- casting down the god of the Nile, "Hapi" (7:19-25) (Rev 8:8-9)

2.      Frogs -- casting down the fertility goddess "Heqet" (8:1-15)

3.      Lice or Gnats -- casting down the sky goddess "Nut" (8:16-19)

4.      Flies -- against "Nut" also (8:20-32)

5.      Livestock epidemic -- casting down the cow goddess "Hathor" (9:1-7)

6.      Boils -- casting down the god of medicine, "Imhotep" (9:8-21)

7.      Hail -- casting down the god of crops, "Seth" (9:22-35) (Rev 8:7)

8.      Locusts -- also against "Seth" (10:1-20) (Rev 9:1-12)

9.      Darkness -- casting down the sun god, "Ra" (10:21-29) (Rev 8:12)

Israel's Deliverance from Egypt

Background from the OT: Exodus 11 - 14

A. The 10^th Plague (ch 11)

1.      One last plague to ensure the Israelites' release

2.      They were to prepare by gathering up as much silver & gold as possible. The Hebrew "borrow" in vs 2 actually translates to an idea more related to collecting back wages.

3.      The Plague: every firstborn creature in Egypt will die. Casts down the Egyptian goddess of children, Isis. Also, Min, the god of reproduction, and Pharaoh's son himself, considered a god.

4.      The result: Pharaoh would drive the Jews out

B. The Passover (ch 12)

1.      God's instructions were clear and concise. Obey and live. Disobey and die. (vs 1-20)

a)      Households, whole homes were to be marked by the blood of the Lamb

b)      The event was to be kept in remembrance

c)      Put away all leaven (sin)

2.      Moses calls for the Passover (vs 21-28)

a)      Instructions for sprinkling the blood

b)      Keep the memory as a sacred annual sacrifice

3.      The Lord smote all the firstborn (vs 29-51)

a)      Man and beast -- all are affected

b)      Pharaoh says "get out of Egypt"

c)      The Egyptians give them more treasure to take (which will later be used to build the first tabernacle)

d)      600,000 men, plus women and children, probably numbered about 2 million

e)      more instructions for future Passover observances (note the requirement that no bone be broken in vs 46)

f)       They left at the end of 430 years of bondage, to the day

C. The Exodus (ch 13)

1.      The day is marked by sanctifying all of Israel's firstborn to God

2.      God leads them out towards the wilderness, NOT the easier route through the land of Philistines

3.      Carrying the bones of Joseph.   He thought he'd be resurrected some day in the Promised Land (Gen 50:24-26)

4.      Guided by fire and cloud

D. Crossing of the Red Sea (ch 14)

adapted from Robert Morgan's Red Sea Rules

1.      Realize God has put you where you are (vs 1-3)

2.      Be more concerned for God's glory, than your relief (vs 3-4)

3.      Acknowledge the enemy. Focus on God (vs 5-9)

4.      Pray! (v 10)

5.      Wait, and let God work (vs 13-14)

6.      When unsure, take the step of faith (v 15)

7.      Envision God's presence (vs 19-20)

8.      Trust God to deliver in His own way (vs 21-29)

Enroute to Mount Sinai

Background from the OT: Exodus 15 - 18

A. Songs of Praise (ch 15)

1. Moses: Who is like the Lord? (vs 1-19)

2. Miriam's praise (vs 20-21)

B. The First Test in the Wilderness (15:22-27)

1.      Three days into the desert and they run out of water

2.      Murmuring at the bitter waters of Marah

3.      A command to keep God's statutes

4.      Relief at Elim

C. God's Daily Provision (Ch 16)

1.      45 days into the desert they run out of food

2.      Murmuring again -- "better to die in Egypt with a full stomach"

3.      Enough manna and quail for each day, twice as much for the Sabbath

4.      God responds

a)      To their murmuring (v 11-12)

b)      To their disobedience (v 27-29)

5.      Manna to be saved for the coming Ark

D. Water from a Rock (ch 17)

1.      This is the first reference to God's provision of water from a rock. Compare this to a later account found in Numbers 20.

2.      This is also a Type for the coming Christ, the Rock of Our Salvation (I Cor 10:1-4)

3.      Notice what the Israelites said about God at verse 7.

4.      Another side note from Luke 24:27 -- these are the kinds of things that Jesus explained

E. Those Pesky Amalekites

1.      Descendents of Esau

2.      This is the first recorded act of warfare with the Amalekites, but it certainly won't be the last (vs 8, vs 16)

3.      God's intervention through Moses: lifting up the staff in the wilderness again, another Type of Jesus

4.      The preparation of Joshua, who will succeed Moses

F. The Wisdom of Jethro (Ch 18)

1.      After hearing about what God had done for Moses, his father-in-law comes to visit, and brings Moses' wife and children. (Note that news of the events of Egypt had already traveled to far countries.)

2.      Moses honors Jethro

3.      Note Jethro's "conversion" at verse 11

4.      Moses' dilemma: too much work for one man (vs 12 - 27)

a)      Jethro immediately sees the problem

b)      He offers sound advice

c)      He tempers it with "but only if God says so…"

The Covenant at Mount Sinai

Background from the OT: Exodus 19 - 24

A. God Proposes A Covenant (ch 19)

1.      God states His credentials" (v 4)

2.      He states the conditions: obey His voice and keep His covenant (v 5a)

3.      He promises a result (vs 5b - 6)

4.      The people's response: "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do"

5.      Three days of preparation

6.      Respecting the Holiness of God

B. The Commandments (ch 20)

1. The Ten Commandments are given (vs 1-17)

2. Note the people's response at verse 19

C. Various Personal Judgments ( 21:1 - 23:9)

1.      social and personal ethics

2.      laws of reciprocity

3.      property rights

4.      crimes against humanity

D. Sabbaths and Sacred Feasts (23:10–19)

1.      Seventh Year

2.      Seventh Day

3.      Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover)

4.      Feast of Harvest Firstfruits (Pentecost)

5.      Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacles)

E. Promise of Canaan Conquest. 23:20–33.

1.      "I send an Angel" -- Christ. See also 1 Corr 10:1-5

2.      Do not bow down to their gods

3.      God will drive away their enemies little by little

4.      No allowance at all for "tolerance"

F. Ratification of the Covenant (ch 24)

1.      The people again affirm their end of the bargain (v 3)

2.      At the consecration, they affirm it again (v 7)

a)      Blood of the covenant

b)      Half covering the alter, half covering the people

3.      Seeing God? (vs 10-11) Compare to John 1:18

4.      40 days and 40 nights on Sinai, receiving the stone tablets (vs 12 - 18)

Tabernacle Planning

Background from the OT: Exodus 25 - 31

These fascinating verses tell us of the appearance of God in a very personal way unto the children of Israel. We also see many foreshadows of the coming Christ, as if God was even then preparing their hearts for what was to come.

A. The Offering for the Tabernacle (ch 25)

1.      to be given willingly (v 2)

2.      purpose: to build a sanctuary "that I may dwell among them" (v8)

3.      compare to John 1:14: 'dwell' and 'tabernacle' are rough equivalents

B. The Tabernacle Furniture

1.      The Ark described (vs 10 - 16)

2.      The Mercy Seat described (vs 17 - 22)

3.      The Table of Shewbread described (vs 23 - 30)

4.      The Golden Lampstand described (vs 31 - 40)

C. The Tabernacle Coverings, Altar, and Court (ch 26)

Curtains and Coverings described (vs 1 - 14)

a)      1^st inner curtain: beautiful fine linen

b)      2^nd curtain: goats hair

c)      3^rd curtain: ram skin

d)      outer covering: badger skin (maybe sealskin), water-proof

2.      Boards and sockets described (vs 15 - 19)

3.      Veil and Pillars described (vs 20 - 33)

4.      Arrangement of the furnishings (vs 34 - 37)

5.      The Alter described (27:1-8)

6.      The Court described (vs 9 - 21)

D. The Priests’ Apparel (ch 28)

1. garments, clothing, ephod

2. first mention of the Urim and Thummim (vs 30)

E. Consecration of the Priests (ch 29)

1.      for Aaron and his sons

2.      spotless garments

3.      blood sacrifice

4.      daily sin offering

5.      "…that I may dwell among them…"

F. Guidelines for Tabernacle Worship (ch 30)

G. The Appointment of Bezaleel and Aholiab (31:1–11)

H. Last Words: Keep the Sabbaths (31:12–18)

1.      a sign for the generations

2.      violators will be cut off from among the people

3.      two tables of testimony, written with the finger of God

The First Apostasy

Background from the OT: Exodus 32 - 35

A. The Golden Calf (32:1-35)

1.      Aaron accommodates the people's wishes (vs 1-6)

a)      The people are walking by sight, NOT by faith

b)      He fails to rebuke their sin

c)      He blends pagan ritual with Holy worship

d)      3000 is a small percentage of the total population -- the whole matter was instigated by a few bad apples, but could have been prevented by one strong man of God

e)      Satan, sin and mob mentality.

2.      God, in His anger, tells Moses to go intercede (vs 7 - 10)

a)      They have turned aside quickly

b)      They're stiffnecked

c)      God proposes wiping them out and starting over, with Moses (vs 10)

3.      Moses intercedes on the people's behalf (vs 11-14)

4.      Moses & Joshua come down from the mountain and confront the people (vs 15-25)

a)      The noise in the camp they heard was actually a huge party

b)      The breaking of the stone tablets

c)      Moses confronts Aaron (vs 21-25)

(1)   This is the same Aaron that God sent to Moses in response to his objection that he wasn't a good speaker (Exodus 4:10-16)

(2)   Note Aaron's explanation for the forming of the calf at verse 24

5.      Judgment for Sin -- 3000 slain (vs 26-28)

6.      Moses' Intercession ( vs 29-35)

a)      Moses prays on their behalf, even for the forgiveness of sin

b)      God deals with sin on an individual basis

c)      God's acceptance is conditional -- He delays judgment

B. Israel's Journey Continues (33:1-23)

1.      God tells Moses and the people to get on with the journey: "go up hence" (vs 1 - 6)

a)      God won't be in their midst, but will send an angel before them

b)      The people respond to that bit of news by mourning

2.      Moses sets up the tabernacle away from the camp to meet with God (vs 7-17)

a)      God meets with him there

b)      Moses again prays on behalf of the people, and for the guiding presence of God

3.      God shows His glory to Moses (vs 18-23)

C. God Renews the Covenant (ch 34)

1.      Instructions to carve out two new blank stone tablets

2.      God comes down to Moses again on the mount (vs 5-6)

3.      God restates the terms of the Covenant presented earlier (vs 10-28)

4.      A transfigured Moses returns from the mountain after 40 days/nights (vs 28-35)

D. Moses Restates the terms of the Covenant (ch 35)

1.      Begins with the last thing mentioned the first time around: Keep the Sabbath (vs 1-3)

2.      Call for materials to furnish the Tabernacle (vs 4-19)

3.      The people respond (vs 20-35)

Tabernacle Construction

Background from the OT: Exodus 36 - 40

A. Construction Begins (36:1 - 38:31)

1.      God's endowment of talent, and the heartfelt willingness to work (vs 1-4)

2.      The people donate so much Moses has to tell them to stop (vs 5-7)

3.      Repeated description of construction, this time from the outside in. Compare to chapters 25 - 27 where the blueprint is described from the inside out.

4.      Description of the Ark and inner furnishings (37:1-29)

5.      Description of the alter and outer court (38:1-31)

B. The Priests' Garments (39:1–31)

1.      fine workmanship, gold thread, linen

2.      beautiful rich colors; blue, purple, scarlet gold

3.      designed so the various parts (ephod, breastplate, shoulder straps) would all be connected together by gold rope

4.      names of the tribes engraved on stones

5.      turban with a frontplate inscribed: "Holiness to the Lord"

C. Dedication of the Tabernacle (39:32–40:38)

1.      the disassembled parts are delivered before Moses (vs 33 - 40)

2.      Moses inspects the work and blesses it. It was constructed according to the precise specifications. (vs 42-43)

3.      God speaks to Moses about assembling it all (vs 40:1-11)

4.      Instructions for Aaron and all his generations (vs 12-15)

5.      Tabernacle raised the first day of the first month of the second year

6.      The appearance and leadership of the Shekinah glory of God (vs 34-38)