The Book of Exodus
Exodus means“exit” or “departure.” Specifically,Exodus refers to the nation of Israel leaving slavery in Egypt and moving towards the Promised Land. The book describes how God interacted with the Israelites through His chosen leader (Moses) in order to lead the nation to the land that He promised to give to Abraham’s descendants. The book has three settings: in Egypt (1-12); the trip to Sinai (12-18); at Sinai (19-40).
Central Theme:
Deliverance comes from the one and only God of the Universe. He alone can release us from the confinement and burdens of this life. This release frees us to serve Him exactly the way He has instructed us. He is the solution to and freedom from life’s hardships. He is the “way out,” the “exit,” the way of escape.
Outline:
| 1-12 | Preparations to exit Egypt – Egyptian slavery (1); Moses’ birth (2); Moses’ orders from God (3-4); Moses faces Pharaoh (5-7); plagues and escape (7-12) |
| 12 | The Israelites exit Egypt |
| 13 | Firstborn consecrated; God leads Israel by cloud/fire |
| 14 | Red Sea crossing |
| 15 | Victory song |
| 15-17 | Grumbling—bitter water (15); food (16); water (17) |
| 17 | War with Amalek |
| 18 | Advice to Moses regarding leadership responsibility |
| 19 | Commitment to covenant |
| 20 | Ten Commandments |
| 21-23 | Various rules and guidelines on how to treat others |
| 23 | Sabbaths; feasts; commitment |
| 24 | Covenant confirmed and God’s glory revealed |
| 25-31 | Tabernacle preparations |
| 32-34 | Golden calf incident |
| 35-40 | Tabernacle built |
REPRODUCTION & DISCLAIMERS: We are happy to grant permission for this article to be reproduced in part or in its entirety, as long as our stipulations are observed.
