Exodus

Author : Keith Sharp

AuthorMoses is the author of the book of Exodus (17:14; 34:27) as well as the rest of the Pentateuch.

NameThe name “Exodus” is from the Greek word meaning “way out” or “departure.” Thus, it is the story of Israel’s “going out” of Egyptian bondage.

ThemesExodus has two intertwining themes. The first eighteen chapters of the book are a narrative, the story of the great Exodus of Israel from Egyptian bondage. This narrative continues the story of the book of Genesis. The word “Now,” the very first word in Exodus, ties the events of Exodus to the story of Joseph, the last event chronicled in Genesis. In fact. Exodus 1:1-8 specifically refers to Joseph and his generation as the background for the story of Exodus.

But chapters nineteen through forty of the book are a completely different type of writing. This marks the first great division of the Pentateuch, so far as type of literature. Now, rather than historical narrative, the text becomes law, legislation. This legislation was given in order to organize Israel as a nation, a theocracy, a nation in which civil and religious law are combined. Thus, the second great theme of Exodus is the establishment of Israel as a nation.

God’s great promise to Abraham is the key to the entire Old Testament, and that is especially obvious in Exodus. At the beginning of the events recorded in Exodus, none of the three parts of the promise had been fulfilled. But the Lord delivered Israel out of bondage in Egypt to begin the fulfillment of the land promise. At Mt. Sinai he fashioned them into a nation (19:5-6). Thus, at the end of Exodus, the nation promise, the first part of God’s promise to Abraham, had been fulfilled (cf. Deuteronomy 26:5).

The two themes of Exodus are Exodus from Egypt and Israel Becomes a Nation. Old Testament Israel was God’s own, special people. But Israel as a nation was cast off for rejecting Christ (Matthew 21:33-46). Now the church is God’s special people (1 Peter 2:9).

DivisionsThe two major divisions of Exodus, corresponding with its twin themes, are Deliverance from Egyptian Bondage (chapters 1 – 18) and The Covenant at Mt. Sinai (chapters 19 – 40).

E. Legislation On three different occasions God gave Israel legislation to prepare them to be a nation in the land of Canaan: first, at Mt Sinai, recorded in Exodus and Leviticus; second, in the wilderness, recorded in Numbers; and third, in the plains of Moab, recorded in Deuteronomy.

Simplified Outline of Exodus1. Deliverance from Egyptian Bondage – chapters 1 – 18

a. Egyptian Bondage – 1:1 – 7:7
b. The Lord’s Wonders in Egypt – 7:8 – 12:36
c. Exodus from Egypt – 12:37 – 18:27

2. The Covenant at Mt Sinai – chapters 19 – 40

a. The Law at Mt. Sinai – 19:1 – 24:18
b. The Divine Plan for the Tabernacle and the Priesthood – 25:1 – 31:18
c. The Covenant Broken and Renewed – 32:1 – 35:3
d. The Building of the Tabernacle – 35:4 – 40:38