The book of Exodus (overview)

The book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible and serves as a continuation of the story of
the Hebrew people that began in the book of Genesis. It is both a historical narrative and a
foundational text in Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Here's an overview of the key aspects of
the book of Exodus:

Introduction: The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old
Testament. It is a foundational text in the Abrahamic faiths, narrating the liberation of the
Israelites from slavery in Egypt and their journey towards the Promised Land. The book of
Exodus continues the story of the Israelites after their time in Egypt. It tells the story of their
deliverance from slavery and their journey with Moses to Mount Sinai.

Title: The title "Exodus" is derived from the Greek word "exodos," meaning "departure" or "exit,"
referring to the Israelites' departure from Egypt. Hebrew title of this book (we'elleh shemot)
originated from the ancient practice of naming a Bible book after its first word or words. "Now
these are the names of" is the translation of the first two Hebrew words. Exodus cannot stand
alone. It would not make much sense without Genesis. The very first word of the book,
translated "now," is a conjunction that means "and." The English title "Exodus" is a transliteration
of the Greek word exodos from the Septuagint translation meaning "exit," "way out," or
"departure." The Septuagint (the Greek Bible) translators gave the book this title because of the
major event in it, namely, the Israelites' departure from Egypt.

Date and Writer: Traditionally believed to have been written by Moses, the book is thought to
have been composed between the 15th and 13th centuries BCE.Moses, who lived from about
1525 to 1405 B.C., wrote Exodus. He could have written it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
any time after the events recorded (after about 1444 B.C.). He may have written it during the
year the Israelites camped at the base of Mt. Sinai. He may have done so during the 38-year
period of wandering in the wilderness following the Israelites' failure to enter the land from
Kadesh Barnea (cf. Num. 13-14; ca. 1443-1405 B.C.). On the other hand he may have written it
on the plains of Moab just before his death (cf. 16:35)

Authorship: External Evidence: Exodus has been attributed to Moses since the time of Joshua
(compare Exod. 20:25 with Josh 8:30-32). Other Biblical writers attribute Exodus to Moses:
David (1 Kings 2:3), Ezra (Ezra 6:18), Daniel (Dan 9:11), Malachi (Mal 4:4), the disciples (John
1:45), and Paul (Rom 10:5). This is also the testimony of Jesus (Mk 7:10; 12:26; Luke 20:37;
John 5:46-47; 7:19, 22, 23). Jewish and Samaritian tradition conssitently held the Mosaic
authorship of Exodus.

Internal Evidence: Portions of Exodus are directly attributed to Moses (Ex 15; 17:8-14; 20:1-17;
24:4, 7, 12; 31:18; 34:1-27). Moses usual procedure was to record events soon after they
occurred in the form of historical annals. It is clear form Exodus that the author must have been
an eyewitness of the exodus and an educated man. He was acquainted with details about the
customs and climate of Egypt and plants, animals, and terrain of the wilderness. There is also a
consistency of style and development of the wilderness. There is also a conssitency of style
and development that points to a single author. Its antiquity is supported by its frequent use of
ancient literary constructions, words and expressions.

Scope: Exodus covers a broad range of events including the oppression of the Israelites in
Egypt, the leadership of Moses, the plagues on Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the giving of
the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, and the construction of the Tabernacle. And it also
embraces about 431 years of history, from the arrival of Jacob and his family in Egypt (ca. 1876
B.C.) to the erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai (ca. 1445 B.C.). However 1:1-7 is
a review of Jacob's family. If we eliminate this section, the narrative resumes the story of the
Israelites where Genesis ends, after the death of Joseph. About 364 years elapsed between the
death of Joseph and the building of the tabernacle. The bulk of the book (chs. 3—40) deals with
only two of these years, the year before and the year after the Exodus from Egypt. The Exodus
event is clearly the focus of this book. The Israelites lived in Egypt 430 years (12:40). Genesis
15:13 has the round number 400 years as the time of Israel's oppression in Egypt

Purpose: The central purpose of Exodus is to recount the formative events in the history of the
Israelite nation, emphasizing God's faithfulness, and to celebrate God's gracious deliverance of
His chosen people Israel from Egyptian slavery to the freedom of covenant relationship and
fellowship with Him

Importance: Exodus is essential for understanding the foundational narrative of Israelite identity,
the covenant relationship between God and His people, and the establishment of key moral and
religious principles. No other biblical book surfaces elsewhere in the OT as frequently as the
Book of Exodus does; in the NT only the Books of Psalms and Isaiah are cited more, and that for
the fairly obvious reasons of liturgy and messianism.

Message: The primary message of Exodus is that God is a delivering God who rescues His
people from oppression and establishes a covenant relationship with them based on obedience
to His commandments. Though it might seem that God is being too bossy and and he will do
whatever he wants to do and his people shall do what he commands them to do but the hidden
message is in exodus 20:4-6 that though he is jealous God and punish the children for the sins
of the parents to the 3rd and 4th generation but the core message follows that he will bestow
his love for a thousand years to those who obey his commands and that those little who obeyed
his commands for them he sent his only begotten as the symbol of his love( jn 3:16).

Key Verse: Exodus 20:2 sets the tone for the book: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."

Overall Outline:

1. Oppression in Egypt (Chapters 1-2)

2. God's Call to Moses(Chapters 3-4)

3. Plagues on Egypt (Chapters 5-12)

4. The Exodus and Crossing of the Red Sea (Chapters 13-14)

5. Journey to Mount Sinai(Chapters 15-18)

6. Giving of the Law (Chapters 19-24)

7. Construction of the Tabernacle(Chapters 25-31)

8. Golden Calf Incident (Chapters 32-34)

9. Completion of the Tabernacle (Chapters 35-40)

Detailed outline:

I. The liberation of Israel 1:1—15:21

A. God's preparation of Israel and Moses chs. 1—4

1. The growth of Jacob's family 1:1-7

2. The Israelites' bondage in Egypt 1:8-22

3. Moses' birth and education 2:1-10

4. Moses' flight from Egypt to Midian 2:11-15

5. Moses' life in Midian 2:16-25

6. Moses' call 3:1—4:18

7. Moses' return to Egypt 4:19-31

B. God's demonstrations of His sovereignty chs. 5—11

1. Pharaoh's response to Moses and Aaron's initial request 5:1— 6:1

2. Moses and Aaron's equipment as God's messengers 6:2—7:7

3. The attestation of Moses and Aaron's divine mission 7:8-13

4. The first three plagues 7:14—8:19

5. The fourth, fifth, and sixth plagues 8:20—9:12

6. The seventh, eight, and ninth plagues 9:13—10:29

7. The proclamation of the tenth plague ch. 11

C. God's redemption of His people 12:1—13:16

1. The consecration of Israel as the covenant nation 12:1-28

2. The death of the first-born and the release of Israel 12:29-36

3. The exodus of Israel out of Egypt 12:37-42

4. Regulations concerning the Passover 12:43-51

5. The sanctification of the first-born 13:1-16

D. God's completion of Israel's liberation 13:17—15:21

1. The journey from Succoth to Etham 13:17-22

2. Israel's passage through the Red Sea ch. 14

3. Israel's song of deliverance 15:1-21

II. The adoption of Israel 15:22—40:38

A. God's preparatory instruction of Israel 15:22—18:27

1. Events in the wilderness of Shur 15:22-27

2. Quails and manna in the wilderness of Sin ch. 16

3. The lack of water at Rephidim 17:1-7

4. The hostility of the Amalekites 17:18-36

5. The friendliness of Jethro the Midianite ch. 18

B. The establishment of the Mosaic Covenant 19:1—24:11

1. Preparation for the Covenant ch. 19

2. The Ten Commandments 20:1-17

3. The response of the Israelites 20:18-21

4. The stipulations of the Book of the Covenant 20:22—23:33

5. The ratification of the Covenant 24:1-11

C. Directions regarding God's dwelling among His people 24:12—31:18

1. The revelation of these directions 24:12-18

2. Contributions for the construction of the sanctuary 25:1-9

3. The tabernacle furnishings 25:10-41

4. The tabernacle structure ch. 26

5. The tabernacle courtyard 27:1-19

6. The investiture of the priests 27:20—28:43

7. The consecration of the priests 29:1-37

8. The service of the priests 29:38—30:38

9. The builders of the tabernacle 31:1-11

10. The sign of the Sabbath 31:12-18

D. The breaking and renewing of the covenant chs. 32—34

1. The failure of Israel ch. 32

2. The re-establishment of fellowship ch. 33

3. The renewal of the covenant ch. 34

E. The construction and dedication of the objects used in Israel's worship chs. 35—40

1. Preparations for construction 35:1—36:7

2. Execution of the work 36:8—39:43

3. The erection and consecration of the tabernacle ch. 40

Summary Statement: Exodus portrays God's promises and establishes a covenant with His
people through the giving of the Law and reveals that Yahweh is the sovereign God who
provides deliverance for man from the slavery in which he finds himself. God accomplishes
salvation through redemption and deliverance by his power. This salvation expresses itself in
two ways: Worship and Obedience.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of Exodus is to recount the historical and theological
significance of God's deliverance of His people and to encourage the generation entering the
promise land to celebrate their deliverance by God’s grace from Egyptian slavery to the freedom
of covenant relationship and fellowship with Yahweh through mosaic law.

Content Statement: The content of Exodus includes historical narratives, laws, rituals, and the
giving of the Ten Commandments, all of which highlight God's redemptive work and the
responsibilities of His chosen people.

Major Plots in Exodus:

1. Bondage in Egypt , Call of moses (ch 1-6)

2. Ten plagues, Passover, crossing the red sea, journey to mt.Sinai (ch 7 - 18)

3. Ten commandments, book of covenant, plans for tabernacle, priest and levities, golden calf,
completion of the tabernacle (ch 19-40)

Contribution to the Bible: Exodus contributes significantly to the biblical narrative by

establishing key theological themes such as redemption, covenant and worship, which further
accounts for many of the religious ceremonies and customs of Israel, the creation of the
tabernacle, the formation of the priesthood, the Mosaic Law, and the sacrificial system. As such,
Exodus is foundational for the following history of Israel. It describes how the Israelites escaped
from Egypt, became the covenant people of God, and came to know His presence and his ways.
Exodus stands at the heart of the Old Testament as the greatest example of the saving acts of
God before Christ. It provides the framework for the rest of the Old Testament message. The
Passover, the exodus, Moses, the Law, and the tabernacle dominated the thought of Israel for
centuries to come.

Christ in Exodus: Exodus has no Messianic prophecies, but it is full of types or foreshadows of
Christ, such as the sacrificial work of Jesus and the role of Moses as a deliverer pointing to the
ultimate deliverance brought by Christ. (1) Moses: In dozens of ways Moses was a type of
Christ (Duet 18:15 Moses predicts Christ – a prophet like me). Both Moses and Christ were
prophets, priests and kings; both were kinsman-redeemers; both were endangered in infancy;
both voluntarily renounced power and wealth; both were delivers, lawgivers and mediators. (2)
The Passover: John 1:29,36 and 1 Cor 5:7 make it clear that Christ is our slain Passover Lamb.
There are many parallels between the Lamb of God and the Passover Lamb. (3) The seven
feasts: Each of these feasts portrays some aspect of the ministry of Christ. (4) The Exodus:
Paul relates the concept f baptism to the exodus event because baptism symbolizes death to
the old and identification with the new (Rom 6:2-3; 1 Cor 10:1-2). (5) The manner and water: The
New Testament applies both to Christ (John 6:31-35, 48-63; 1 Cor 10:3-4). (6) The Tabnernacle:
In its materials, colors, furniture and arrangement, the tabernacle clearly speaks of the person of
Christ and the way of redemption. There is a progressive development from suffering, blood and
death to beauty, holiness and the glory of God. The tabernacle is theology in object form. (7)
The high priest: In several ways the high priest foreshadowed the ministry of Christ, our great
High Priest (Heb 4:14-16; 9:11-12, 24-28)

Application: The story of Exodus continues to resonate with believers today, serving as a
reminder of God's faithfulness and His power to deliver His people from bondage. It encourages
individuals to seek liberation from various forms of slavery, whether physical, emotional, or
spiritual, and to trust in God's provision and guidance.

Conclusion: Exodus stands as a testament to the enduring faithfulness of God and His
commitment to His people. It is a story of liberation and redemption that continues to inspire
and challenge readers to live lives of faith, obedience, and freedom.

Submitted By Rev. Richard jeeva Oli