A paper presentation on the subject of the Pentateuch.

Topic:
Theological themes in Exodus:
Liberation, covenant, Law and Worship.

Submitted to: Miss. Juvina

Submitted By: mithin Mohan and Shivani.
Submitted on: 25-09-2024

For the studies of M.Div. in Living Water Institute of

Theology, Punalur
 Page |1

Index:

1) Introduction pg.2

2) Covenant pg.5

3) Liberation. pg.5

4) the law. pg.7

5) worship. pg.11

6) conclusion. pg.13

7) Bibliography pg.13
 Page |2

Introduction:
This paper explores the theological themes in the Book of Exodus, focusing on Covenant,
Liberation, Law, and Worship, which are crucial for understanding the Bible's theological
meaning.
1. Covenant: Exodus emphasises the covenant made with Israel, which began with Abraham. At
Sinai, God establishes a formal covenant with the Israelites, choosing them as His people and
emphasising both divine loyalty and human obedience.

2. Liberation: The Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt in Exodus symbolizes God's redemptive
action and concern for justice, paving the way for future theological reflections on God as the
liberator of sin and injustice.

3. Law: After delivering His people, God gives them the Law, which is included in the Ten
Commandments and other commandments. This guideline is more than a legal code; it
explains how the Israelites should act as God's covenant people. It expresses God's will and
establishes a framework for ethical and moral conduct.
4. Worship: The Tabernacle's construction emphasizes worship, a place where Israelites express
their devotion to God, symbolizing the pinnacle of the covenant relationship.

The presentation explores the themes that define Exodus' structure and contribute to the
theological story of Scripture, highlighting God's essence, purpose for humanity, and the call
for human response.

I) Covenant
The term “covenant” is frequently used in Christian theology. but with various shades of
meaning. I shall use it to identify, the personal, binding, structural relationship among the
Persons of God and His people. The covenant, thus, is a social structure. According to His
Word, God is a Person, and He is also three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The three Persons have a personal relationship among Themselves: They love each other, and
they communicate with each other. The covenant is a personal-structural bond which joins
the three Persons of God in a community of life, and in which man was created to
participate.1
In Exodus, the liberation of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt in the 13th century BC,
under the leadership of Moses; and the Old Testament book of the same name. The English
name of the book derives from the Septuagint (Greek) use of “exodus” to designate the
deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and their safe passage through the Sea of
Reeds (traditionally misplaced as the Red Sea).
Chapters 1–18 narrate the history of the Egyptian bondage, the Exodus from Egypt, and the
journey to Mount Sinai under the leadership of Moses. The second half of the book tells of
the Covenant that was established between God and Israel at Sinai and promulgates laws for

1
Martin Anstay, Chronology of the Old Testament., (Grand Rapids, Kregel, 1913.p.26
 Page |3

the ordering of Israel’s life. Since Exodus continues the sacred story of the divine promise to
Israel, which began in Genesis.2
The Sinai covenant is a conditional agreement between God and the Israelites that takes place
on Mount Sinai. Building on the covenant made with Abraham, which created a link between
God and Abraham's descendants, the Sinai covenant's fundamental accord is God's
affirmation of the Israelites as his people on the condition that they follow certain norms of
conduct. The occurrence at Mount Sinai is portrayed in Exodus, one of five books (Torah) of
the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) believed to provide God's revealed law to the Israelites. 3
In the book of Genesis, God promised to make the patriarchs (Israel’s ancestors) a great
nation, one blessed with both land and offspring. In the book of Exodus, God begins to keep
his promise by freeing the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and providing for them in the
desert (despite their recurrent failures to believe and obey). The formal name for this promise
is the “Covenant” and it stipulates that in response to God’s blessing, the people must obey
God. The covenant, therefore, doesn’t just refer to something that happened in the past; it also
provides the present basis for the Israelites’ identity and life in the wilderness. For example,
the major events of the Israelites’ wilderness journey—like God’s provision for the struggling
people, the obligation to obey God’s commandments, and the establishment of a system of
worship—all refer back to the covenant. The purpose of the covenant is that the people will
live as God’s set-apart, holy people when they arrive in the promised land. With the recurrent
covenant motif, Exodus demonstrates the basic pattern of Israelite identity and life: that
because God remembers his covenant and blesses the people, they must live faithful, holy
lives in response.
Even when the Israelites’ circumstances suggest otherwise, God still remembers the covenant
he made with their ancestors. While the Israelites are living in Egypt, they don’t possess their
ancestral land. Yet even when the people aren’t living in the land God promised to them in
Genesis, God still blesses them with an abundance of offspring: “The more they were
oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the
Israelites.” It might seem like God has overlooked part of his covenant with Israel, yet their
thriving amidst oppression suggests that God hasn’t abandoned them.4
God sees his people’s suffering and rescues them, citing his former promise to give them the
land of Canaan. God informs Mosses, “I have come down to deliver them from the
Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing
with milk and honey ” God not only witnesses what’s happening to the Israelites, he is
personally drawing near to doing something about it, and bringing them from deprivation to
abundance (“milk and honey” refers to the overall fruitfulness of Canaan).

2
Jordan. b. James., The Law of the Covenant., Texas: Institute of Christian Economics., 1984.
3
Harrison, R.K. Old Testament Times: A Social, Political and Cultural Context, Baker Books. 2005.

4
Botterweck, G. Johannes and Ringgren, Helmer. Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, volumes 1-7.
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1990.
 Page |4

Everything that occurs during the Israelites’ wilderness journey—daily provision, legislation,
and worship—highlights the covenant relationship between God and the people. Because of
his faithfulness to the covenant, God provides the people with daily food, despite their
frequent ingratitude. When the Israelites get hungry in the wilderness, they complain to
Moses, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the
fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this
whole assembly with hunger.” Though they were released from slavery so recently, the
Israelites only remember the plentiful food in Egypt, not their suffering. Yet, soon after, God
rains bread on the people—clearly because of his loyalty to them and not because they
deserve it.
Because of the covenant, the people must carefully obey God’s laws. One of the commands
God repeats most often is that the people must not assimilate with the inhabitants of the
promised land. When God “brings you to the [foreign nations], and I blot them out, you shall
not bow down to their gods […] but you shall utterly demolish them and break their pillars in
pieces.” Because God has fulfilled his promise to restore them to the promised land, the
people must fulfil their end by rejecting religious practices that might pull them away from
God. Indeed, they can’t just ignore foreign practices; they must “utterly demolish” evidence
of those gods to remove temptation and focus on their covenant with God.5

The Renewed Covenant

The last part of Chapter 32 together with Chapter 33 tells how Moses interceded for Israel
and God forgave their sins. God had cancelled the plans for the construction of the taber nacle
(33:3), but later he changed his mind and promised that his presence would go up with Moses
and the people in the Tabernacle (33: 14-17). Then the covenant was renewed. The Lord told
Moses to cut two tables of stone like the first and he (the Lord) would write the words on
them that were on the first tablets (34:1). Then Moses had a great experience. At the Lord’s
direction, he stationed himself in the cleft of a rock on Mount Sinai and the glory of the Lord
passed by (34:2-9). In that moment the covenant was renewed (34:10). The Lord gave Moses
some additional laws (34:11-26), and told him to “write these words; by these words, I have
made a covenant with you and with Israel” (34:27, RSV). So in the book of Exodus, we are
reminded of the covenant God made with the Fathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That
covenant included a promise of a land. The call of Moses included the purpose of God to
fulfil his promise to the patriarchs by leading Israel out of Egypt and into Canaan.
At Sinai, the covenant was made between God and the people, not between God and a
patriarch or a leader. The conditions of the covenant were spelt out in the Decalogue and the
law not as a way of salvation but as a way of revealing the will of God for his people and as a
5
Botterweck, G. Johannes and Ringgren, Helmer. Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament,
volumes 1-7. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1990.
 Page |5

guide for their daily lives. Israel’s weakness and sin were demonstrated almost as soon as the
covenant was made. While the people were still at the foot of the mountain, they built a
golden calf and worshipped it, thereby breaking the covenant. But because of Moses’ inter
cession and God’s great mercy, Israel’s sins were forgiven and the covenant was renewed.
That was not the last time that Israel broke her part of the covenant with God. Her history is a
history of rebellion, but where sin abounded grace did much more abound. God has remained
faithful to his covenant and is still working to accomplish His purpose.6

II) Liberation
A) Liberation from slavery: -
God liberated the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, slavery is not universally prohibited in the
Bible. Slavery was permissible in certain situations, so long as slaves were regarded as full
members of the community (Gen. 17:12), received the same rest periods and holidays as non-
slaves (Exod. 23:12; Deut. 5:14-15, 12:12), and were treated humanely (Exod. 21:7, 26-27).
Most importantly, slavery among Hebrews was not intended as a permanent condition, but a
voluntary, temporary refuge for people suffering what would otherwise be desperate poverty.
“When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, but in the seventh, he shall go
out a free person, without debt” (Exod. 21:2). Cruelty on the part of the owner resulted in
immediate freedom for the slave (Exod. 21:26-27). This made male Hebrew slavery more
like a kind of long-term labour contract among individuals, and less like the kind of
permanent exploitation that has characterised slavery in modern times.
Female Hebrew slavery was in one sense even more protective. The chief purpose
contemplated for buying a female slave was so that she could become the wife of either the
buyer or the buyer’s son (Exod. 21:8-9). As a wife, she became the social equal of the
slaveholder, and the purchase functioned much like the giving of a dowry. Indeed, she is even
called a “wife” by the regulation (Exod. 21:10). Moreover, if the buyer failed to treat the
female slave with all the rights due to an ordinary wife, he was required to set her free. “She
shall go out without debt, without payment of money” (Exod. 21:11). Yet in another sense,
women had far less protection than men. Potentially, every unmarried woman faced the
possibility of being sold into a marriage against her will.7
In addition, an obvious loophole is that a girl or woman could be bought as a wife for a male
slave, rather than for the slave owner or a son, and this resulted in permanent enslavement to
the owner (Exod. 21:4), even when the husband's term of enslavement ended. The woman
became a permanent slave to an owner who did not become her husband and who owed her
none of the protections due to a wife. The protection against permanent enslavement also did
not apply to foreigners (Lev. 25:44-46). Men taken in war were considered plunder and
became the perpetual property of their owners. Women and girls captured in war, who were
the vast majority of captives (Num. 31:9-11, 32-35; Deuteronomy. 20:11-14), faced the same
situation as female slaves of Hebrew origin (Deut. 21:10-14) including permanent
enslavement. Slaves could also be purchased from surrounding nations (Eccl. 2:7), and
6
P. J. Verdam, Mosaic Law in Practtce and Study Throughout the Ages (Kampen:Kok, 1959), p.5.
7
George V. Pixley, On Exodus: A Liberating Perspective., New York: Orbis Books, 1987.p.236.
 Page |6

nothing protected them against perpetual slavery. The other protections afforded Hebrew
slaves did apply to foreigners, but this must have been a small comfort to those who faced a
lifetime of forced labour.8
B) Liberation from physical oppression:
Moses' freedom effort involves first convincing the people's natural leaders of their chances
of success and then demanding concessions from Pharaoh. The continual rejection of these
mild requests proved the Pharaoh's stiffness, the impossibility of internal reform, and the
need for revolutionary action. The deployment of force against the ruler took the shape of a
series of plagues, ending in the death of Egypt's firstborn. Pharaoh had turned Egypt into a
country of death for the peasants. He would only release them when they had turned it into a
place of death for him and his supporters. The resources required for the escape were
gathered from the oppressors through Egyptian plunder. The book of Exodus has to say to
oppressed peoples, struggling to free themselves from the grip of tyranny and they followed
the commandments of the lord for their freedom. 9
C) Liberation from the political realm
Moses always keeps his eyes on the prize of liberating the Children of Israel from bondage
but, as noted above, does not specifically demand that of Pharaoh. Rather, six times Moses
asks the Israelites be allowed to go into the wilderness to worship God, according to
conditions Moses spells out (5:1; 5:3; 8:16; 8:23; 10:9; 10:25). Ironically, the Hebrews will
worship God for the first time not in the wilderness but in Egypt, with the first Pessah Seder
(12:1-51) “not too far away” (8:24) as Pharaoh had requested early in his negotiations with
Moses. Moses did not come up with the petition to bring the people into the wilderness to
worship God; as mentioned above, it was God who directed Moses at the Burning Bush to
ask the Hebrew slaves to be allowed to journey three days into the wilderness to worship God
(3:18).10
D) Liberation from spiritual Bondage:
Exodus starts then by giving us a quick reminder of the closing events of the book of Genesis.
I'm sure you know the story so here is the lazy man's version... Joseph is betrayed and sold as
a slave by his brothers and ends up in Egypt. After a series of trials and hardships, God turns
the whole thing around (as He loves to do!) and Joseph ascends to the Egyptian throne, with
only the Pharaoh above him. Severe famine strikes the land of Israel, forcing Joseph's
brothers to come to Egypt in search of food. After a cunning reconciliation, Jacob, his eleven
other sons, and their family also come down to live in Egypt. And there they live.
The Beginning of the Bondage was started in Exodus 1:8-11 “Then a new king, who did not
know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt.” 'Look,' he said to his people, 'the Israelites

8
George V. Pixley, On Exodus: A Liberating Perspective., New York: Orbis Books.1987
9
Bullinger, E.W. Figures of Speech Used in the Bible Explained and Illustrated. Baker Book House. Grand
Rapids, Michigan. 1968.

10
Michael m Cohen., "Moses, a diplomatic negotiator"., (the Jerusalem Post newsletter. (January,2021):03
 Page |7

have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they
will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against
us and leave the country.' So, they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced
labour, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh and here the bondage
began. the Egyptian empire exuded power, wealth and control, and it was from this empire
that God called His people out so that they would be separate from him, and was even
worshipped as a god by his subjects. In the actions of Pharaoh, in stubbornly refusing to
allow God's people to leave Egypt; As the time of Israel's deliverance grew closer, the
bondage and slavery that Egypt enforced over them increased. God longed for a separated
people for Himself and so He allowed the bondage in Egypt to increase so that they would
see the true nature of Egypt, and in doing so, separate themselves from the Egyptians and
their deities.11

III) The Law:

The English word law is a traditional yet inaccurate rendering of the key Hebrew word
‘Torah’. Because this term is so central to the entire discussion at hand, it will help us to
clarify how this Hebrew word works in the Bible. The word Torah appears once in Genesis in
the sense of instructions from God that Abraham followed. It can refer to instructions from
one human to another (Ps. 78:1). But as something from God, the word Torah throughout the
Pentateuch and the rest of the Old Testament designates a standard of conduct for God’s
people about ceremonial matters of formal worship, as well as statutes for civil and social
conduct.12The biblical notion of the Torah conveys the sense of “divinely authoritative
instruction.” This concept is far from our modern ideas of law as a body of codes crafted and
enacted by legislators or “natural” laws. To highlight the rich and instructive nature of law in
Exodus, we shall sometimes refer to it as Torah with no attempt at translation.
In Exodus, it is clear that the Torah in the sense of a set of specific instructions is part of the
covenant and not the other way around. In other words, the covenant as a whole describes the
relationship that God has established between himself and his people by his act of deliverance
on their behalf (Exod. 20:2). As the people’s covenantal king, God then specifies how he
desires Israel to worship and behave. Israel’s pledge to obey is a response to God’s gift of the
covenant (Exod. 24:7). This is significant for our understanding of the theology of work. The
way we discern God’s will for our behaviour at work and the way we put that into practice in
the workplace are enveloped by the relationship that God has established with us. In Christian
terms, we love God because he first loved us and we demonstrate that love in how we treat
others (1 John 4:19-21). The categorical nature of God’s command for us to love our
neighbours means that God intends for us to apply it everywhere, regardless of whether we
find ourselves in a church, cafe, home, civic venue, or place of work.13

11
https://jesusplusnothing.com/series/post/exodus1.
12
Peter Enns, “Law of God” in New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and
Exegesis, ed. Willem A. Van Gemeren (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997),p.893.
13
Peter Enns, “Law of God” in New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and
Exegesis, ed. Willem A. Van Gemeren (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), p.893.
 Page |8

The case laws correlated with the Ten Commandments, are: -

The First Commandment:
The first commandment speaks of the uniqueness of Yahweh, the LORD, and reminds the
people of their redemption from Egypt. In Ex. 23: 20-33, the people are exhorted to worship
the Lord only and to do so with a view to his bringing them into the land of Canaan. The
Lord Who brought them out will bring them in. Deuteronomy 6-11 makes the same points
over and over again.
The Second Commandment
"There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man," says Paul in 1 Timothy 2:5.
The second commandment concerns the uniqueness of the Mediator, by affirming that there
is no contact between God and man except in the way God has instituted. No image of
anything at all can be made by man to regard it as a contact point between God and man (see
Judges 17 for a clear instance of this). The laws concerning the construction of the
Tabernacle and of the sacrificial system all fit in here (Ex. 25-Lev. 10).
The sin of the people in Ex. 32 was a violation of the second commandment, for they made
an idol and regarded it as the contact point with God. Deuteronomy 12, 13 can be divided as
follows: 12:1-14 There is to be only one place of mediation and special worship. 12:15-28
Animals may be slain for food anywhere, unlike during the wilderness wanderings when they
were to be slain only at the sanctuary (Lev. 17:3, 4); but tithes and sacrifices only at the
sanctuary. 12:29-31 Do not imitate the rituals (service) of the pagans. 12:32-13:5 The
uniqueness of God's mediating Word. 13:6-18 The punishment for enticement of apostasy
and idolatry.
The Third Commandment:
The third commandment orders us to wear God's Name properly, not in a way connected with
vanity and death, but in a way connected to life. Thus, the third commandment concerns
ceremonial life and death, cleanness and uncleanness. These are the concerns of Lev. 11-24:
11:1-47 Unclean animals involve identification with death, not with God. 12:1-8 The
woman's loss of blood in childbirth is a sign that the child is born ceremonially (and
Spiritually) dead until God's Name is placed on him by circumcision (v. 3). 13-14 Leprosy
signified a living death. Death was not allowed in the presence of God, where His Name was
placed, so the leper had to stay away. 15:1-33 Any discharge from the private parts was a loss
of life and an exposure of nakedness. The naked dead are not clothed in the Name of God.
16:1-34 The atonement, or covering, for sin, which was spreading death even to the
sanctuary. 17:1-16 Life is in blood, but man is not to try to get life from the blood of the
creature, but solely from God.
Life is to be returned to God, who gave it. 18:1-30 Uncovering nakedness through
abominable practices. When Adam and Eve sinned, their nakedness was exposed, and they
were cast out of God's presence, where His Name had been placed (the garden). 19:1-37
Various laws predicated on the need to fear the Name of God. The rationale for obedience: "I
am the LORD." That is, fear my Name. 20:1-27 Punishments for uncovering nakedness.
 Page |9

21:1-24 The priests are especially associated with God's Name, and thus must especially
separate from ceremonial death. 22:1-33 The sacrifices offered must not be "profane My holy
Name" (vv. 2, 32). 23:1-44 Worship in the presence, before the Name, of God. 24:1-9 The
light of God and the Name of God. 24:10-23 The punishment for cursing the Name of God.
Similarly, in Deuteronomy:3 14:1-2 Excessive mourning is not compatible with wearing
God's Name. 14:3-20 Unclean animals. 14:21a Do not eat dirt, flesh rotting and returning to
dirt. 14: 21b Do not confuse life and death by cooking a kid in its own mother's milk, which
had been its source of life. 14:22-29 Rejoice at the place where God has established His
Name (v. 23).
The Fourth Commandment:
The fourth commandment has to do with rest, festivity, and release from bondage. The
Ordinances in Exodus 21 - 23 begin and end with laws related to the fourth commandment:
21:1-11 Release of slaves from bondage into dominion-rest. 23:10-13 Sabbaths. 23:14-19
Festivals. Leviticus 25 also connects with the fourth commandment, following as it does
immediately after the stoning of the man who cursed the Name of the Lord. In
Deuteronomy:4 15:1-11 Release of debts. 15:12-18 Release of Slaves. 15:19-23 Consecration
to God; rest in God. 16:1-17 Festivals.
The Fifth Commandment:
The fifth commandment has to do with submission to God in the form of submission to His
earthly authorities. In Numbers 1-4, the leaders are set up for battle, and the Levitical
authorities are established. In Deuteronomy: 16:18-20 Judges. 16:21-17:1 Submission before
God. 17:2-13 The judgments of the judges. 17:14-20 Kings. 18:1-8 Levites. 18:9-22
Prophets.
The Sixth Commandment:
The sixth commandment has to do with preserving life from violence. This is different from
the third commandment, which has to do with avoiding death in the presence of God. In
Deuteronomy: 19:1-13 Cities of Refuge and the regulation of the Avenger of Blood. 19:14
Violence against covenant life and property. 19:15-21 Murder as attempted by the tongue.
20:1-20 Laws of war, regulating violence. 21:1-9 Laws for unsolved acts of violence. 21:10-
14 Laws protecting the war bride from violence. 21:15-17 Laws for protecting the firstborn
from violence. 21:18-21 Laws removing incorrigible criminals before they turn to violence.
21:22-23 Laws against degradation in death; violence to God's image. 22:1-8 Laws to
promote life: vv. 1-4 Return lost property. v. 5 Distinguish male and female, promoting
sexual life. vv. 6-7 Preserve the environment for future generations. v. 8 Protect against
accidental violence and harm.
The Seventh Commandment: The seventh commandment has to do with
chastity and purity, in the bride of Christ and the earthly marriage. In Numbers: 5:1-4
Chastity and Covenant membership. 5:5-10 Chastity and faithfulness to God. 5:11-31 The
"ordeal" of jealousy. 6:1-21 The vow of the Nazirite, especially chaste and separated to God.
In Deuteronomy: 22:9-11 Covenant chastity, is signified by not mixing things that differ
 P a g e | 10

symbolically. The ox is clean, and the ass is unclean. Wool causes sweat, while linen does not
(Ezek. 44:18; Gen. 3:19). 22:12 Reminder of covenant chastity (Num. 15:37-41). 22:13-21
Laws to protect the integrity of marriage. 22:22-29 Laws against adultery and rape. 22:30
Law against incest. 23:1-8 Chastity and the bride of the Lord. 23:9-14 Chastity and the war
camp, seen as the house of the heavenly Bridegroom.

The Eighth Commandment:

The eighth commandment has to do with the preservation of propriety, the preservation of
what is proper to one sphere or another. It is difficult to establish the boundary in
Deuteronomy between the seventh and eighth commandments because covenant chastity and
covenant propriety are so closely conceptually as to overlap. Moses may be deliberately
blending the two commandments here: 5 23:15-16 Foreign slaves who covenant with God
become God's property (or, become part of His chaste bride). 23:17-18 It is improper to
contribute a harlot's wages to God (or, a harlot cannot be part of God's bride). 23:19-20
Interest. 23:21-23 Money vowed to God. 23:24-25 Respect of the neighbour's property. 24:1-
4 Propriety in divorce. 24:5 Newlyweds may not be "stolen" from one another. 24:6 Pledges.
24:7 Man-stealing.
The Ninth Commandment:
The ninth commandment has to do with justice, impartiality, and false witness. In
Deuteronomy: 24:8-9 Libel and leprosy. 24:10-13 Justice for the debtor. 24:14-15 Justice for
the hired man. 24:16 Impartiality in punishment. 24:17-22 Justice for the stranger, orphan,
and widow. 25:1-3 Justice in punishments. 25:4 Justice for all creatures.
The Tenth Commandment:
The tenth commandment prohibits the coveting of the neighbour's wife and house. It refers
to any attempt to obtain something to which one has no right, even if one avoids violating the
letter of the law. In Deuteronomy A. Not coveting the neighbour's wife (Dt. 5:21a): 25:5-10
So far from coveting the other man's wife and children, one should do good to the neighbour
(in this case a brother), and build up his family as much as possible. 25:11-12 Any attack on
the neighbour's ability to give pleasure to his wife and build up his family is to be severely
punished. B. Not coveting the neighbour's house) etc. (Dt. 5:21b): 25:13-16 The Christian is
not to have the tools of a thief, lest he be tempted to use them. 25:17-19 The punishment of
the envious Amalek. (On the grounds for this envy, see Numbers 24:20.) 26:1-19 The cure
for covetousness: confession of grace and free payment of required money. (Compare Paul's
advice, Eph. 4:28, "Let him that stole steal no more, but ... share.") Leviticus 27 also has to
do with paying vows.14
1. The Law was concerning the social situations:
a) Laws Concerning ‘Slavery (21:2-11)
b) Five laws concerning the freeing of male slaves (21:2-6)
14
Jordan. b. James., The Law of the Covenant., Texas: Institute of Christian Economics., 1984.pp.
 P a g e | 11

c) Five laws concerning the freeing of female slaves (21:7-11)

These laws are positioned first because of the deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, and
to correspond to the first sentence of the Decalogue: "I am the LORD, your God, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.' They relate to the fourth
commandment, rest from bondage, of! these laws focus on the release of slaves (vv. 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 11).
2. Laws Concerning Violence (21:12-36)
d) Assault to death (21:12-14)
e) Wilful equivalents of assault to death (21:15-17)
f) Assault to wound (21:18-27)5
g) Violence: animal property to man (21:28-32)
h) Violence: dangerous inanimate property (21:33-34)6
i) Violence: animal property to animal (21:35-36)
Each of these laws seems clearly to be associated with the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt
not kill." (I discuss below a possible correlation with the fifth commandment for verses 12-
17.) The word for "kill" in this commandment is not the word for murder but has more to do
with offering violence. Thus, Jesus expounds the law in terms of verbal violence and
unrighteous anger (Matt. 5:21£.). Moreover, as we shall see in Chapter 6, these laws are
arranged in descending order of severity in terms of punishments.
3. Laws Concerning Property and Stewardship (22:1-15)
A. Theft (22:1-4)
B. Pollution (22:5-6)
C. Safekeeping (22:7-13)
D. Borrowing and Rent (22:14-15) It is not clear why we skip to the eighth commandment
here, before going to the seventh. Most likely it is because the laws against violence are
organized in such a way as to lead to laws against theft. This demonstrates the overlap
between these two root norms.
4. Laws Concerning Marriage and Faithfulness (22:16-31)
A. Seduction (22:16-17)
B. Spiritual adultery (22:18-20)
C. Mistreatment of God's bride (22:21-27)
D. Respect for God as Divine Husband (22:28-31)

IV) Worship
Worship is a subject of immense importance. A considerable mass of Biblical text is
occupied with instructions, patterns and source material for worship, and worship
 P a g e | 12

encompasses much of what faith communities do. Within the context of the OT and the
worshipping community of ancient Israel, Exodus 24 holds a prominent place for
understanding worship. This is due to the climactic function of Exodus 24 in the tradition of
the Sinai covenant and the close connection between covenant-making and cult.15

Conclusion:
As we conclude this presentation on the theological themes in Exodus—Covenant,
Liberation, Law, and Worship—it's important to reflect on how these themes are
interconnected and what they reveal about God’s relationship with humanity.
Together, these themes—Covenant, Liberation, Law, and Worship form a comprehensive
picture of the theology of Exodus. They show us how God acts in history, not just to free His
people but to establish a lasting relationship rooted in love, justice, and holiness. These
themes remain relevant today, offering profound insights into how we understand our
relationship with God and His call to faithful living.
Thank you.

Bibliography

 Martin Anstay, Chronology of the Old Testament., (Grand Rapids, Kregel, 1913.
 Jordan. b. James., The Law of the Covenant., Texas: Institute of Christian Economics.,
1984.
 Harrison, R.K. Old Testament Times: A Social, Political and Cultural Context, Baker
Books. 2005.
 Botterweck, G. Johannes and Ringgren, Helmer. Theological Dictionary of the Old
Testament, volumes 1-7. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Grand Rapids,
Michigan. 1990.

 Botterweck, G. Johannes and Ringgren, Helmer. Theological Dictionary of the Old

Testament, volumes 1-7. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Grand Rapids,
Michigan. 1990.
 P. J. Verdam, Mosaic Law in Practtce and Study Throughout the Ages (Kampen:Kok,
1959), p.5.

 George V. Pixley, On Exodus: A Liberating Perspective., New York: Orbis

Books.1987.
15
F. C. Fensham, “Father and Son as Terminology for Treaty and Covenant,” Near Eastern
Studies in Honor of William Foxwell Albright (ed. H. Goedicke; Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 1971)
121–135.
 P a g e | 13

 Bullinger, E.W. Figures of Speech Used in the Bible Explained and Illustrated. Baker
Book House. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1968.

 Michael m Cohen., "Moses, a diplomatic negotiator"., (the Jerusalem Post newsletter.

(January,2021):03

 F. C. Fensham, “Father and Son as Terminology for Treaty and Covenant,” Near
Eastern

 Studies in Honor of William Foxwell Albright (ed. H. Goedicke; Baltimore: Johns

Hopkins, 1971)

 .https://jesusplusnothing.com/series/post/exodus1.

 .PeterEnns, “Law of God” in New International Dictionary of Old Testament

Theology and Exegesis, ed. Willem A. Van Gemeren (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1997), p.893.
