Exodus CONTEXT OF READING AND UNDERSTANDING HISTORICITY OF THE EVENT RELIGIOUS MEANING OF THE EVENT SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE EVENT

Exodus PROPHETIC USE OF THE ANALOGY OF EXODUS JESUS’ EXODUS CHRISTIAN APPROPRIATION OF EXODUS PATRISTIC EXPRESSION SPIRITUALITY OF THE EXODUS

Exodus THEMES OF EXODUS: §SLAVERY/FREEDOM §ESCAPE FROM BONDAGE §DIVINE INITITIATIVE §COVENANT §LAW §PEOPLE OF ISRAEL §WORSHIP OF YAHWEH

Exodus THE TEN PLAGUES l WATER TURNS TO BLOOD l FROGS l MOSQUITOES l GADFLIES l DEATH OF LIVESTOCK l BOILS l HAIL l LOCUSTS l DARKNESS l DEATH OF FIRST-BORN

Exodus THE PASSOVER: PESACH THE FEAST: UNLEAVENED BREAD, LAMB, BITTER HERBS CONSECRATION OF THE FIRST-BORN CROSSING OF THE REED SEA

Exodus ISRAEL IN THE DESERT §MANNA AND QUAILS §WATER FROM THE ROCK §BATTLES §SINAITIC COVENANT: DECALOGUE §INFIDELITY §ISRAEL’S RELIGIOUS PRACTICES

Exodus The Figure of Moses l Leader l Prophet l Man of God l Man of Prayer l Weakness l Strength

Exodus The Figure of Moses l Priesthood l Law l Provider l Judge l King l Exodus l Author l Mystery

The Story of Exodus The Desert Experience and the Covenant at Sinai

Exodus Story §Exodos - from the Septuagint meaning “going forth” from Egypt §Scholars believe the event occurred between 1300 and 1270 BCE §Root of Israel’s history: prior to this event traditions were centered on clans and individual persons §Documented in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy

Exodus Story (con’t.) §3 major parts: Deliverance from Egypt; Covenant at Sinai; Establishing God’s Home in Israel

Deliverance from Egypt §Call of Moses l Model for the call of the great prophets §Revelation of the divine name to Moses l Yahweh - I am who I am §Confrontation with Pharaoh l 10 Plagues §Escape through the sea l Red Sea or Reed Sea? §Hardships in the desert

The Route of the Exodus

Covenant at Sinai §Central event of the Pentateuch §Importance of Covenant to Israelite faith l binding agreement; solemn contract §Different types of covenants l Parity l Suzerainty §Israel’s response to God’s mighty acts §Provides a framework for God’s earlier promises

"Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Ex. 19:3-6) Eagle’s Wings Passage

The Ark of the Covenant §Repetition is for emphasis §Portable - could be carried with the people as they moved, or even into battle §The Tent and the Ark were likely separate traditions symbolizing the presence of Yahweh with his people

PURPOSES FOR THE BOOK OF EXODUS §To introduce Israel to her national beginnings by narrating the events which form the people and the nation and by instructing the people in the covenant relation and his ritual dwelling §To narrate the battle between Yahweh and Egypt on behalf of his people to bring about their deliverance from slavery §To explain the readiness of the people to accept Yahweh’s revelations of the Law §To describe the impatience of the people awaiting Yahweh's enthronement among the people according to his design

PURPOSES FOR THE BOOK OF EXODUS §To present the new constitution under which Israel will relate to Yahweh (the Mosaic Covenant) §To connect the people under God's promise to Abraham to the beginning of the theocratic kingdom under Moses §To reveal God as Yahweh--the one who will keep his promises §To express the importance of maintaining covenant relationship with Yahweh