Deliverance: Introduction to Exodus

The book of Exodus continues the history of Abraham’s family line, which started in Genesis. The word Exodus means “exit,” referring to the nation of Israel’s exit from Egypt to return to the land that God had promised to Abraham. Traditionally, scholars believe that most of the book of Exodus was written by the prophet Moses, and this seems to be suggested by the text itself. Exodus 24:4 tells how Moses wrote down parts of the book. In Joshua 8:31, it refers to a command in Exodus 20:25 and says that it was “written in the Book of the Law of Moses.” The New Testament refers to books written by Moses several times—for example when speaking about what happened at the burning bush and saying that it was written in “the book of Moses” (Mark 12:26). The exit of the Israelites from Egypt likely took place around 1300 or 1400 years BC. In 1 Kings 6:1, it says that the exodus took place 480 years before the fourth year of Solomon’s reign as king over Israel.

Exodus emphasizes how God kept his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It tells about God’s mighty deliverance of Abraham’s descendants, the nation of Israel, from the land of Egypt (Exodus 1-12). From there God led his people to the foot of Mount Sinai where he gave Moses many laws for the Israelites to follow (Exodus 12-19). These laws outline how they should act, how they should make sacrifices, and detailed instructions for constructing the tabernacle (which was to be God’s dwelling place among them), the ark and other equipment for worship at the tabernacle, and the priests’ special clothes (Exodus 20-31). Then after a terrible rebellion where Israel had made a golden idol in the form of a calf, Moses met with God again (Exodus 32-33). In the final part of the book, we read how the items outlined earlier were constructed (Exodus 33-40).

Exodus Outline:

• Chapter 1 explains how the Israelites had been enslaved in the land of Egypt.
• Chapters 2 through 4 introduce Moses and tell about his life up to the time when he was called to deliver God’s people.
• In chapters 5 through 15:21, the writer explains how God produced mighty wonders and plagues in Egypt in order to deliver his people from that land and from Pharaoh’s army.
• In chapters 15:22 through 22:19, we see the nation of Israel traveling to Mount Sinai.
• In chapters 20 through 31, we read how God gave Moses the Law, which contained detailed instructions for how God’s people, the Israelites, had to live and worship.
• In chapter 32, the Israelites rebelled against God by convincing Moses’ brother Aaron to make an idol in the form of a golden calf.
• Chapters 33 through 40 tell how Moses saw God’s glory and then instructed the Israelites about God’s Law and how to make the tabernacle, the ark and other equipment for worship at the tabernacle, and the priests’ special clothes.

Day 1 – God’s People Enslaved
Today’s reading shows how God’s people multiplied and became enslaved in Egypt.