Liberation from Slavery

 Author:  Unknown, gathered through Oral tradition  Theme:  Salvation through liberation  Context  Historical  During the time of Egyptian oppression  Literary  Epic Story;  Exaggeration  Grand event  Epic Hero (Moses):  Humble beginnings/ set apart  The instrument used by God  Bravery, wisdom, speaks with power and authority  Chapters 1-18 slavery, deliverance  Chapters at Mt Sinai  Account is at the heart of both Jewish and Christian belief  Jesus’ life death and resurrection cannot be fully appreciated without knowing these stories  These accounts prefigure the actions of Jesus

 At the end of the Book of Genesis the Israelites are happily living as guests in Egypt due to the generosity of the pharaoh.  The Beginning of the Book of Exodus finds the Israelites laboring as slaves in Egypt.  Moses is saved (Ex.2: 1-10)  Moses kills an Egyptian and flees Ex. 2:  Moses settles in Midea, marries and starts a family  Moses is called by God

 Mysterious setting  God initiates the call  Candidate is hesitant  God reassures  Acceptance of the mission  What is revealed?  God calls on imperfect people  God provides what we need to accomplish the task  God is persistent Ex.3 & 4

 Water turns to blood  Epidemic of frogs  Gnats/ fleas  Flies  Animals die  Skin disease  Hail  Locust  Sun blotted out  Happened when and how Moses prophesied.  Happened more intensely than would be normal  Happened only to Egyptians

The 10 th Plague Angel of Death Death of the Firstborn Passover “Sacrifice an unblemished lamb, mark the door posts and lintel of the home and death will “passover” that home”

Ex. 12:31-36 Ex. 12: Pharaoh dismisses the Israelites The Departure of the Israelites *God has power over earthly rulers*

When the pharaoh changes his mind, God again shows his power over nature by using the water of the Red Sea to save the Israelites and destroy the Egyptian chariots and charioteers Foreshadows baptism

Arrival at the Mountain of God, Mt. Sinai God Speaks to Moses on the mountain God gives Moses the 10 Commandments Moses descends the mountain with the tablets of the Law Mt. Sinai

Moses breaks the tablets upon seeing the golden calf Moses pleads with God on behalf of the people The Golden Calf The people tire of waiting for Moses and build a golden calf to worship

God: In addition to the promises made to Abraham, God promises to be their God and they will be His people. Gives them the 10 Commandments (Decalogue, Covenant Code) Israelites: Promise to obey God’s commands. Offer sacrifice and are sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice (Blood covenant) Terms Signs God and the Jewish people are still bound by this covenant

 Natural Moral Law  The God given ability to discern good and evil through the use of reason. We are born with it.  Ten Commandments  The Law given by God, in writing, to Moses that prescribes moral obligations for the Israelites as part of their covenant with God. It is the core of the covenant.  The Two Great Commandments  The Law of Love given to us by Jesus. They summarize the 10 Commandments

 Saved at birth  Pharaoh  King Herod  Egypt saves them as children  “Shepherd”  Real shepherd  “Good Shepherd”  Delivers the people from “bondage”  Physical slavery  Slavery to sin  Gives people the “Law”  Ten Commandments  Law of Love (Two Great Commandments)

 Celebration of thanks and remembrance  Deliverance from Egypt  Deliverance from death  Blood of sacrifice  Lamb  Lamb of God  Death is avoided by participation in the sacrifice  First born  Eternal death

 Book of Leviticus  Written by Levites, priests  Continuation of the listing of laws and commandments of God  A handbook for worship  Stresses the centrality of formal worship in the spiritual and moral lives of the Israelites  Contains both civil and religious laws  Book of Numbers  A consequence of the Israelites actions at Mt. Sinai  God provides for and protects His people, Manna, water,  It stresses God’s insistence that they maintain their faithfulness and holiness in order to be worthy recipients of God’s promises  Contains  A record of the experiences of the Israelites while they wandered in the wilderness  A census of the Israelites prior to their wandering in the desert and again before they enter Canaan  A record of how the land was divided before entering the Promised Land  Book of Deuteronomy  Moses is called a prophet in this book  Contains a second listing of the 10 Commandments  People are called to obey the Law not because of duty, but because of Love  If the people obey the Law they will succeed, if they disobey they will fail  Joshua is chosen to succeed Moses and lead the people into the promised land.