The Book of Exodus: Moses, Covenant, and Redemption

Introduction: The Exodus as Foundation of Faith

Many scholars refer to the Book of Exodus as the bedrock of faith in Israel. The book links two key foundational encounters: the Israelites' exodus from captivity in Egypt, and their reception of the covenant of God at Sinai. The exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is symbolic of the very existence of Israel, primarily through the delivering power of God, while the covenant shaped the nation's relationship with Him. This relationship entails both parties keeping promises, and holding to Yahweh's key promise of a brighter future. Together, these two encounters — the exodus and the reception of the covenant — are the source of Israelite identity as a people delivered by God.

The exodus is also a key basis for the two main religions related to the Messiah: Christianity and Judaism. In Christianity, the exodus is commemorated at Easter, where Christ represents the Passover lamb, while in Judaism it is and has long been the festival of Passover, celebrating the liberty and freedom of the Israelites. The very name "Exodus" comes from the miraculous escape from captivity that forms the book's central event ("CHAPTER THREE Exodus: Deliverance and Covenant" Para. 1&2).

The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, following Genesis, and it can be divided into two main sections: chapters 1 to 18, covering the traditions surrounding the people's departure from captivity, and chapters 19 to 40, covering the traditions linked to God's revelation to the people on Mount Sinai ("CHAPTER THREE Exodus: Deliverance and Covenant" Para. 1&2).

This paper assesses the Book of Exodus through the narrative of Moses, examining the purpose and authorship of the text, the culture and traditions of the time, and the various elements that may have influenced its writing. It also considers how the covenant agreement is interpreted in the modern world.

Authorship of the Book of Exodus

It has been assumed since the compilation of the first Bible that Moses is the author of the Book of Exodus, although the book does not explicitly assert this. Even though many biblical scholars view Moses as a key player in the events recorded in the book, he is not considered the sole author in the contemporary sense. As with the Book of Genesis, many historical Jewish sources identify Moses as the most likely individual to have written the text. This assertion is supported by several factors. First, Moses had been educated in the Egyptian royal household, which gave him both the literacy and the experience to write the book. Additionally, several passages within the book itself support Mosaic authorship (Swindoll, Para. 1&2).

Many topographical details, conversations, narratives, and events in the text could only have come from an author who personally witnessed them. For instance, at one point the scripture states that "Moses then wrote what the Lord had said" (Exodus 24:4 NIV). Even in the Gospels, there is an occasion where Jesus quoted from Exodus 20:12 and 21:17, prefacing the quotation with "for Moses said," providing explicit confirmation of Mosaic authorship. The name "Exodus" itself originates from the Septuagint, which derives the title from the book's central event — the deliverance of God's people from captivity and their departure from Egypt through His grace (Swindoll, Para. 1&2).

Purpose and Message of the Text

The birth of Moses took place at a time when the oppression of the Israelites was at its worst and Hebrew boys were being slaughtered by their Egyptian captors. The Egyptians had set out to make the lives of the Israelites as difficult as possible, forcing them to toil in fields and construct pyramids. Fearing that the Jews would eventually outnumber them, the Egyptians decided to murder all newborn Israelite boys and to intensify the labor demands on the people in order to break their resolve (Marshall, Para. 6–8).

In the Book of Exodus, however, we see Yahweh beginning to fulfill the promises He had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Despite years of captivity, God delivered the Israelites to freedom in a land of their own. He then founded the nation of Israel as a theocratic nation, based on the covenant He made with them on Mount Sinai (Swindoll, Para. 5).

The ten plagues, the passing over of Israelite houses by the angel of death, the parting of the Red Sea, God's presence at the mountain, the issuing of the Ten Commandments, and their placement in the tabernacle are the main events that form the basis of Judaism. These events also offer the modern reader an important glimpse into the environment surrounding the writing of the text and provide an overall understanding of God's plan of redemption. The frequency with which the authors of other biblical books quote Exodus — and even Jesus's own references to it — testifies to the book's profound significance (Swindoll, Para. 5).

The running theme in the Book of Exodus is God's plan of redemption and how He delivered the Israelites from captivity. After their deliverance, God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments to guide their relationship with Him. He also gave instructions on how sacrifices were to be made as an act of worship, and how the tabernacle and the tent enclosing it were to be constructed, because He wished to dwell among His people and display His glory (Exodus 40:34–35). The Sinai Covenant, represented at first through the Decalogue, is the basis of the beliefs of Judaism. Through His Law, God establishes that all of life relates to Him and that nothing lies outside His power (Swindoll, Para. 6&7).

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, provides the situational context behind the deliverance of the Israelites from captivity, while the third book, Leviticus, completes the Mosaic covenant stipulations introduced in Exodus. Leviticus elaborates on the structure and function of worship to be performed in the tabernacle by the Levites and on the standard of righteousness to be upheld by the nation of Israel. Thus, the Book of Exodus fits logically and theologically between Genesis and Leviticus. The act of redeeming the Israelites from captivity in Egypt is God's fulfillment of promises He had made to their ancestors, including Abraham and Isaac (DeCanio, Para. 24).

Bringing the people into a covenant agreement with Him constitutes not only the redemption of the nation of Israel as a whole, but also that of each individual Israelite. This redemption, however, requires that the people of Israel also be redeemed from sin, so that Yahweh might dwell among them (DeCanio, Para. 25).

Exodus reveals how God made the Israelites a special people through the covenant and by dwelling among them as their King. The book is also transitional in that it shows how God's promise to Abraham is fulfilled through His Law. Even though the promises made to Abraham and later to Jacob form the basis of God's relationship with the people, His Law also becomes the ground for either blessings or curses on succeeding generations, depending on whether or not they obey it. For God to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham in our lives, faithfulness to God is required — a faith demonstrated through obedience to His Laws (DeCanio, Para. 26).

Chapter 1 of Exodus describes how the Egyptians mistreated the Israelites. When forced labor failed to curb the growth of the Israelite population, the Egyptians decided to kill all newborn Israelite males. They did not succeed in killing Moses, however. Upon Moses's birth (chapter 2), his family hid him for a time and then devised a plan to save him.

They placed him in a basket and floated him down the River Nile to a spot frequently visited by Pharaoh's daughter. She found the baby and, taking compassion on him, decided to raise him as her own. When Moses had grown to adulthood, he attempted to help some Jews who were being mistreated by their Egyptian overseers and, in the process, killed an Egyptian. He then fled the royal court and Egypt, hiding in the Sinai desert. While in the wilderness, he met and married Zipporah and had children with her.

While herding sheep for his father-in-law Jethro, God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush (chapters 3–4). God commanded him to return to Egypt — an instruction that would obviously have been difficult to obey. Nevertheless, Moses returned to Egypt and was used by God to deliver His people from oppression and captivity. Through several natural and supernatural occurrences, God demonstrated His all-powerful nature (chapters 12–13) ("CHAPTER THREE Exodus: Deliverance and Covenant" Para. 3&4).

The Egyptian army pursued the Israelites, and when it appeared the Israelites were about to be destroyed — trapped between the advancing army and the Red Sea — God parted the sea, creating a pathway. The Israelites crossed without harm. When the Egyptians attempted to follow them through the parted sea, they were drowned (chapters 14–15). Moses then guided the people to Sinai (chapters 16–18) ("CHAPTER THREE Exodus: Deliverance and Covenant" Para. 3&4).

At Sinai, God gave the people His Law and formed with them a binding covenant (chapters 19–24). He also instructed them in how He was to be worshiped and how the tabernacle was to be built (chapters 25–31). Not long after the Israelites had agreed to the covenant, they broke it by worshiping the golden calf instead of God (chapters 32–34). Even though the Israelites deserved to be destroyed, God spared them and restored the covenant. The Israelites then built the tabernacle — the tent in which God would dwell among them in their camp — while still encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai ("CHAPTER THREE Exodus: Deliverance and Covenant" Para. 5).

Conclusion

Even though God allows the descendants of Abraham to be oppressed, He promised Abraham that He would judge the nation that oppresses them and deliver them from bondage to a land of great possessions (Gen 15:14, 16). The judgment promised upon their oppressors is documented in Exodus 7:14–11:8, 12:29–30, and 14:23–31. The deliverance of Abraham's descendants from captivity is recorded in Exodus 12:31–34, 40–41, and 51. The importance of recording all these promises — and the many others God made to Abraham — is to demonstrate that if the Lord had already begun bringing these promises to fulfillment, He would surely fulfill all the others as well. The beginning of these fulfillments therefore generates a sense of expectant hope for the completion of every remaining promise. In the same way that the Israelites were redeemed from captivity, all believers have been redeemed from sin and consecrated to the Lord.

Works Cited

DeCanio, Frank. "Analysis and Synthesis of Exodus." Bible.org. 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

Minnicks, Margaret. "Bible Customs: Book of Exodus." Examiner.com. 25 Sept. 2014. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

Swindoll, Charles. "Book of Exodus Overview — Insight for Living Ministries." Insight for Living Ministries. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

"CHAPTER THREE Exodus: Deliverance and Covenant." Chapter 3. Exodus. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

Marshall, Logan. "The Story of Moses, the Child Who Was Found in the River." Web. 2 Oct. 2015.