Exodus
I. Introduction
A. Oppression and Deliverance
1. A theme throughout history
2. Many people have found themselves under a tyrannical hand,
in despair
3. Many cry out for deliverance!
B. The state of Israel in Egypt
1. Pharaoh reduced Israel to slavery and hard bondage
2. God delivers them from their misery
3. Leads them into the wilderness to reach the promised land
C. Such is the story of Exodus
D. An instructive book for many reasons
1. Describes how Israel comes out of Egypt, their covenant
with God
2. Provides types of the Christ
3. Instructive for us (1 Corinthians 10:1-12)
E. Let us consider Exodus in greater depth
II. Exodus: The Details
A. Authorship
1. The author of Exodus is most certainly Moses
2. Affirmed by Jesus in Mark 12:26 and Luke 20:37
3. Inspiration is likewise affirmed by Jesus, all NT personages
B. Dating
1. From best textual evidence, Moses lives around 1450 BCE
2. The events of the narrative are roughly contemporaneous with
writing, up to 40 years beforehand
C. Audience
1. Original audience is Israel after the Wilderness
2. As Christians, we learn from the example of Israel
(1 Corinthians 10:1-12)
D. Purpose
1. To describe the story of Israel from the birth of Moses to
Sinai
2. To record for later Israelites the story of God's redemption
of Israel from Pharaoh with a strong arm and mighty hand
3. To preserve the Law as given by God to Moses, along with the
specifications for the Tabernacle, its furniture, and the
garments of the priests
4. Demonstration of physical types of the spiritual reality
in Christ
5. A negative example to Christians-- how not to act
(1 Corinthians 10:1-12)
III. Exodus: The Story
A. Main Sections
1. Moses' Birth and Calling (Exodus 1-4)
2. God Delivers Israel (Exodus 5-15:21)
3. Israel to Sinai (Exodus 15:22-18)
4. God speaks to Israel (Exodus 19-23)
5. God speaks to Moses (Exodus 24-40)
B. Israel's Situation (Exodus 1)
1. Jacob's descendants (Exodus 1:1-5)
2. A new Pharaoh who did not know Joseph (Exodus 1:6-8)
3. Enslavement of Israel (Exodus 1:9-14)
4. Command to execute Israelite male infants (Exodus 1:15-22)
C. Moses' Early Life (Exodus 2)
1. Moses born, put in basket, found by Pharaoh's daughter
(Exodus 2:1-10)
2. Moses kills the Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-14)
3. Moses exiled to Midian, marries (Exodus 2:15-22)
4. New king of Egypt, God hears Israel's cry (Exodus 2:23-25)
D. God Calls Moses (Exodus 3-4)
1. Moses on Horeb/Sinai, sees burning bush (Exodus 3:1-3)
2. God calls Moses (Exodus 3:4-9)
3. Moses' first protest: who is he? (Exodus 3:10)
4. God affirms He will be with Moses (Exodus 3:11)
5. Moses' second protest: who are You? (Exodus 3:12)
6. God reveals His name YHWH, promises deliverance
(Exodus 3:14-22)
7. Moses' third protest: Israel will deny Moses' claims
(Exodus 4:1)
8. God makes signs: Moses' staff and hand (Exodus 4:2-9)
9. Moses' fourth protest: inability to speak (Exodus 4:10)
10. God affirms that He will put words in Moses' mouth
(Exodus 4:11-12)
11. Moses' fifth protest: just send someone else (Exodus 4:13)
12. God makes Aaron the mouthpiece (Exodus 4:14-17)
13. Moses heads toward Egypt; Zipporah saves him by circumcising
his sons (Exodus 4:18-26)
14. Moses meets Aaron; they speak to the elders of Israel, and
they believed (Exodus 4:27-31)
E. A Disastrous Beginning (Exodus 5-6)
1. Moses goes before Pharaoh; Pharaoh dismisses YHWH, Moses
(Exodus 5:1-5)
2. Pharaoh increases burden on Israel in retribution
(Exodus 5:6-19)
3. Israel complains to Moses who complains to God
(Exodus 5:20-23)
4. God re-affirms His promises to Israel (Exodus 6:1-13)
5. Heads of father's houses in Israel, Levi's descendants
(Exodus 6:14-26)
6. God again charges Moses to speak with Pharaoh
(Exodus 6:27-30)
F. Prelude to Plagues: God will demonstrate His power
(Exodus 7:1-7)
G. Signs and Plagues (Exodus 7:8-10:29)
1. Aaron's staff to serpent; magicians' staffs to serpents;
Aaron's serpent eats their serpents (Exodus 7:8-13)
2. Aaron and magicians turn Nile to blood (Exodus 7:14-25)
3. Aaron and magicians bring up plague of frogs (Exodus 8:1-15)
4. Aaron alone able to bring up plague of gnats (Exodus 8:16-23)
5. Pharaoh begins to cave in, but heart remains hardened
(Exodus 8:24-32)
6. Egyptian livestock killed; Israel's remain (Exodus 9:1-7)
7. Plague of boils on Egyptians (Exodus 9:8-12)
8. Plague of hail on Egyptians (Exodus 9:13-35)
9. Pharaoh tries to compromise, fails; heart remains hard
(Exodus 10:1-11)
10. Plague of locusts (Exodus 10:12-20)
11. Plague of darkness (Exodus 10:21-29)
H. The Passover (Exodus 11-13:16)
1. God tells Moses who tells Israel of the death of the Egyptian
firstborn (Exodus 11)
2. God ordains the Passover for Israel; provides legislation
(Exodus 12:1-14)
3. God ordains the Feast of Unleavened Bread for Israel;
provides legislation (Exodus 12:15-20)
4. Moses commands Israel to keep the Passover (Exodus 12:21-23)
5. Moses ordains the perpetual observance of Passover,
explanation to children (Exodus 12:24-28)
6. God kills all the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:29-30)
7. Pharaoh commands Israel to go; Israelites plunder Egyptians
(Exodus 12:31-36)
8. Israel travels from Ramses to Succoth; unleavened bread
(Exodus 12:37-39)
9. Encapsulation of sojourn (Exodus 12:40-41)
10. Commandments regarding the Passover (Exodus 12:42-51)
11. Redemption of firstborn (Exodus 13:1-2)
12. Institution, regulation of Feast of Unleavened Bread
(Exodus 13:3-10)
13. Institution, explanation of redemption of firstborn
(Exodus 13:11-16)
I. Israel's Deliverance at the Red Sea (Exodus 13:17-15:21)
1. God leads Israel to the wilderness by the Red Sea
(Exodus 13:17-18)
2. Moses and Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19)
3. Israel to Etham; pillar of cloud and pillar of fire
(Exodus 13:20-22)
4. Israel back to Pi-hahiroth; promise of deliverance
(Exodus 14:1-4)
5. Pharaoh repents, takes army to meet Israel (Exodus 14:5-9)
6. Israel complains to Moses, expects death (Exodus 14:10-12)
7. Moses promises God's deliverance; cloud between army and
Israel (Exodus 14:13-20)
8. God parts the Red Sea; Israel passes through; Egyptians
pursue (Exodus 14:21-23)
9. Egyptian army in panic; chariot wheels in mud; Red Sea
returns, drowns the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:24-28)
10. Israel recognizes its deliverance (Exodus 14:29-31)
11. Song of Moses recounting deliverance of Israel at the Red
Sea (Exodus 15:1-19)
12. Miriam takes up the song (Exodus 15:20-21)
J. From the Red Sea to Sinai (Exodus 15:22-18:27)
1. Israel to Marah: the log makes the water potable
(Exodus 15:22-26)
2. Israel to Elim (Exodus 15:27)
3. Israel to the wilderness of Sin (Exodus 16:1)
4. Israel grumbles about food; God provides quail and manna
(Exodus 16:2-13)
5. Israel instructed about the manna; lack of belief; its nature
explained, some kept as a memorial throughout the generations
(Exodus 16:14-36)
6. Israel to Rephidim; no water there; grumbling; rock struck,
water comes forth (Exodus 17:1-7)
7. Amalek fights Israel; Israel successful when Moses' arms
raised (Exodus 17:8-12)
8. God's promise to blot out Amalek (Exodus 17:13-16)
9. Jethro, Moses' family meets Moses (Exodus 18:1-7)
10. Moses relates events of Exodus (Exodus 18:8-12)
11. Moses judges people; Jethro suggests appointing judges to
alleviate burden; Moses does so (Exodus 18:13-27)
K. Israel at Sinai (Exodus 19)
1. Israel to Sinai; God intends to make covenant with them
(Exodus 19:1-6)
2. Israel agrees to God's covenant (Exodus 19:7-8)
3. God plans to speak personally with Israel; preparations made
(Exodus 19:9-17)
4. Sinai, people sanctified; Israel comes forth to hear God
(Exodus 19:18-25)
L. The Ten Commandments and the Covenant Code (Exodus 20-23)
1. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
2. Israel afraid before God; wants Moses to be intermediary
(Exodus 20:18-21)
3. Legislation against idolatry; altar specifications
(Exodus 20:22-26)
4. Legislation about Hebrew slaves (Exodus 21:1-6)
5. Legislation about marriage of slave to master or master's son
(Exodus 21:7-11)
6. Legislation about murder, intentional or otherwise
(Exodus 21:12-14)
7. Legislation about dishonoring of parents (Exodus 21:15, 17)
8. Legislation about kidnapping (Exodus 21:16)
9. Legislation regarding fights, violence (Exodus 21:17-27)
10. Legislation about oxen (Exodus 21:28-36)
11. Legislation about theft (Exodus 22:1-4)
12. Legislation about situations requiring restitution
(Exodus 22:5-15)
13. Legislation regarding fornication (Exodus 22:16-17)
14. Capital punishment for sorcery, bestiality, idolatry
(Exodus 22:18-20)
15. Legislation regarding mercy toward poor, dispossessed,
sojourners (Exodus 22:21-27)
16. Legislation to not revile authorities (Exodus 22:28)
17. Legislation of the offering of the firstborn/firstfruits
(Exodus 22:29-31)
18. Legislation of justice, fairness (Exodus 23:1-5)
19. Legislation of justice in judgment (Exodus 23:6-9)
20. Sabbath legislation, the day and the year (Exodus 23:10-12)
21. Need to heed what was said, to honor God only (Exodus 23:13)
22. Legislation of observance of festivals (Exodus 23:14-19)
23. Angel going before Israel; do what he says; dispossession
of the nations, removal of their idols (Exodus 23:20-24)
24. God's blessings to Israel (Exodus 23:25-31)
25. Warning against idolatry (Exodus 23:32-33)
M. Moses Before God (Exodus 24-31)
1. Moses, elders, Aaron et al before God (Exodus 24:1)
2. Affirmation of law; building of altar and pillars;
sacrifices inaugurating covenant (Exodus 24:2-8)
3. Moses on the mountain 40 days and nights (Exodus 24:9-18)
4. Contribution of Israel for Tabernacle et al (Exodus 25:1-9)
5. Specifications for the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:10-22)
6. Specifications for the Table for the Bread of the Presence
(Exodus 25:23-30)
7. Specifications for the lampstand, its utensils
(Exodus 25:31-40)
8. Specifications for curtains and accessories for Tabernacle
(Exodus 26:1-13)
9. Specifications for the coverings, panels, pillars, bars, and
bases of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:14-29)
10. Construction and layout of the Tabernacle planned
(Exodus 26:30-37)
11. Specifications for the altar and its accessories
(Exodus 27:1-10)
12. Specifications for the court of the Tabernacle
(Exodus 27:11-21)
13. Specifications for priestly garments: ephod, Urim and
Thummim, breastpiece, Aaron's sons' clothing (Exodus 28)
14. Specifications of ordination of Aaron and his sons
(Exodus 29:1-37)
15. Specifications of offerings on the altar (Exodus 29:38-46)
16. Specifications for the incense altar (Exodus 30:1-10)
17. The census and the tax (Exodus 30:11-16)
18. Specifications for the bronze laver (Exodus 30:17-21)
19. Ingredients of the anointing oil; directions for
consecration (Exodus 30:22-33)
20. Ingredients of the incense; its regulations (Exodus 30:34-38)
21. Charging of Bezalel and Oholiab to construct all these things
(Exodus 31:1-11)
22. Sabbath regulations (Exodus 31:12-17)
23. God writes the Ten Commandments on the tablets (Exodus 31:18)
N. Israel and the Golden Calf (Exodus 32)
1. Israelites get fidgety; demand Aaron to make a calf; he does
so (Exodus 32:1-6)
2. God informs Moses of it, burns in anger; wishes to kill them
all (Exodus 32:7-10)
3. Moses intercedes for Israel; goes down; destroys tablets;
destroys calf, makes Israel drink it (Exodus 32:11-20)
4. Aaron explains the situation, lies (Exodus 32:21-24)
5. Levites kill 3000 of the people (Exodus 32:25-29)
6. Moses goes to plead for the people; people plagued
(Exodus 32:30-35)
O. Moses and the People (Exodus 33-34)
1. People charged to go; chastised and humbled (Exodus 33:1-6)
2. God and Moses in the tent (Exodus 33:7-11)
3. Moses seeks to see God's glory; sees His back
(Exodus 33:12-23)
4. God writes again on tablets (Exodus 34:1-4)
5. Re-establishment of the covenant (Exodus 34:5-10)
6. Re-establishment of the basic laws of conduct
(Exodus 34:11-28)
7. Moses before the Israelites; the veil because of his shining
face (Exodus 34:29-35)
P. The Building of the Tabernacle (Exodus 35-40)
1. The contribution, calling of Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 35)
2. Construction of the Tabernacle according to the pattern
(Exodus 36-38)
3. Creation of the priestly garments (Exodus 39:1-31)
4. Completion of the work (Exodus 39:32-43)
5. Instructions of erection of Tabernacle (Exodus 40:1-15)
6. Execution of erection of Tabernacle (Exodus 40:16-33)
7. Nature of the Tabernacle, God's presence there
(Exodus 40:34-38)
IV. Exodus: Important Passages
A. Exodus 12: The Passover
1. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8: Christ as our Passover
2. Lamb as leading to deliverance
B. Exodus 14:13-31: God's deliverance at the Red Sea
1. cf. 1 Corinthians 10:1-2
2. Salvation as accomplished by God
3. Israel still had to walk through!
C. Exodus 19 / Hebrews 12:18-29
1. Israel as trembling before God at Sinai
2. Christians as coming into God's presence in Zion
D. Exodus 20: The Ten Commandments
1. Romans 13:9-13
2. Basis of the entire law
E. Exodus 25:40: The Pattern
1. Need to follow God as established
2. Hebrews 8:5-6 also
F. Exodus 32: The Golden Calf
1. Israel's idolatry and apostasy
2. 1 Corinthians 10:1-12!
G. Exodus 34:29-35: Moses' Shining Face
1. 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
2. Hardening of Jewish mind as the veil of Moses-- veil
removed in Christ!
V. Conclusion
A. From slaves to God’s chosen people: Israel's story in the
Exodus
B. Indication of God’s power and majesty and sufficient reason
for Israel to accept YHWH as their God
C. Many of its elements foreshadow Christ
D. We can also learn from Israel's sinful patterns!
E. Let us serve God fully under our covenant!
F. Invitation/songbook