Written by Sherry L. Worel Unpacking the Book #3 The Exodus from Egypt I. The Exodus A. Israelites under Egyptian Persecution Joseph’s family arrived in Egypt as his quests (Gen. 50). After a period of time, the Hebrews became Egyptian slaves. “There arose up a new King over Egypt who knew not Joseph” (Ex. 1:8). God raised up a leader named Moses who appears on the scene in approximately 1525 B.C. (See Ex. 1-4) God promises deliverance in Exodus 6:6-7. The Book of Exodus 1. Redemption from Egypt: Exodus 1-18 a. Pathway to redemption (Exodus 1-12) b. Deliverance (preservation) in the wilderness (Exodus 13-18) …about a 3 month journey to Sinai 2. Revelation at Mt. Sinai: Exodus 19-40 a. Revelation of the Old Covenant – the Law (Exodus 19-31) [moral, civil & ceremonial law, plus tabernacle instructions] b. Response of Israel to the Covenant (Exodus 32-40) [the golden calf, renewal of the covenant, obedience to the covenant, building of the tabernacle] He and his brother Aaron confront Pharaoh in an attempt to have him let the children of Israel leave and return to their land. (See Ex. 5-13). The Ten Plagues on Egypt: 1. Blood (7:20) 6. Boils (9:10) 2. Frogs (8:6) 7. Hail (9:23) 3. Lice (8:17) 8. Locusts (10:13) 4. Flies (8:24) 9. Darkness (10:22) 5. Livestock diseased (9:6) 10. Death of the firstborn (12:29) Note the “blood applied to the door posts” of the Hebrew homes. “…when I see the blood, I will pass over you…” (Ex. 12:13, Rom. 5:9 and I Peter 1:18-19) God’s purpose was to force everyone (Egyptian and Hebrew) to “know God” (See Ex. 5:2, 6:7, 7:5, 10:2, 14:4, 18). Edited and taught by Cathy Ulrich B. The Exodus Itself 1. Statistics (12:37-42) 600,000 men plus women and children…maybe 2-3 million people 2. Consecration of the first born and the Passover regulations (13:1-16) 3. Their route: God led them. But He did not take the direct route to Canaan (13:17-22) 4. The drama at the Red Sea (“yam suph”-“sea of reeds”) (14:1-15:21) Note: Note: there are a number of scholarly articles arguing for a particular location of the Red Sea. Some have it as the Gulf of Aqaba, others believe it to be the Gulf of Suez. Some even see crossing at a portion of the Mediterranean. None seem likely due to: (1.) Those bodies of water are not made up of actual reeds (2.) Their location does not square with the location of the Israelites first encampment in the Wilderness of Shur. It is likely that the Red Sea was located at the northern end of the Gulf of Suez. 5. The journey continues… (15:22-18:27) 6. Mt. Sinai -The giving of the Law (19:1-31:18) Note: The Law consists of 1) the mo ral Law [Ex. 20] (Ten Commandments), 2) the civil /social legislation [Ex. 21-23] (political, economical, dietary, clothing and other distinctions) and 3) the cerem onial /sacrificia l system [Ex. 25-31] (how to worship). This consisted of 365 negative commands and 248 positive for a total of 613 commands. a. The Ten Commandments (Ex. 20, Deut. 5) 2 ONE: 'You shall have no other gods before Me.' TWO: 'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.' THREE: 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.' FOUR: 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.' FIVE: 'Honor your father and your mother.' SIX: 'You shall not murder.' SEVEN: 'You shall not commit adultery.' EIGHT: 'You shall not steal.' NINE: 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.' TEN: 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.' Some 1400 years later, Jesus summed up the Ten Commandments in Matt. 22:36-40. Nine of the ten commandments are repeated in the New Testament. The believer is no longer under the law because Jesus Christ has set us free from the law (Rom. 6:14, 8:1-4). b. The Sacrificial System: Lev. 11:45 “…therefore be holy, because I am holy.” 1. Burnt Offering (Lev. 1:6, 8:18-21): Bull, ram or male bird Voluntary: As an act of worship, as an atonement for unintentional sin, as an expression of devotion 2. Grain Offering (Lev. 2 and 6): Grain, fine flour olive oil, salt, no yeast Voluntary: As an act of worship, recognition of God’s goodness and provision 3. Fellowship Offering (Lev. 3 and 7): Any animal without a defect Voluntary: As an act of worship, thanksgiving and fellowship 4. Sin Offering (Lev. 4-8 and 16): Young bull for priest, male goat for leaders, female goat or lamb for common person, dove or pigeon for the poor, tenth of an ephah of fine flour for the very poor. Mandatory: atonement for unintentional sin. 5. Guilt Offering (Lev. 5-7): Ram or lamb Mandatory: atonement for unintentional sin that requires restitution (likely 20% above) The Mosaic Law has no sacrifice for "intentional sin" as defined by the law, because intentional violation of the law was to be punished with death (cf. Lev.24:10-23; Heb.10:26- 28). The ritual sacrifices of the Mosaic Law were impressive lessons to pre-Christ Israel of two critically important facts: 1) even the process of atoning for their sins of ignorance alone was not an easy one - how much more guilty and accountable then are we human beings for all the manifold sins we willing and knowingly undertake? 2) complete atonement through blood sacrifice is clearly something impossible for man to achieve - therefore God will have to provide a Lamb for Himself. 3 c. The Plans for Worship The Tabernacle (Exodus 25:1-27:21) Note: The actual building of the tabernacle is found in Ex. 35-40 and it is erected in chapter 40. Issues and specifications regarding the priests, sacrifices, altars and construction supervisors are covered in chapters 28-31. C. The Spies are sent into Canaan (Num. 13-14) Background of Canaan: Genesis 10:6, 15-19 As a result of their lack of faith, God sent them to wander in the desert until that generation died off (except for Joshua and Caleb). See Numbers 14:22-39. One year for each day (40) that the spies were in the land. 4 D. The Wanderings of the Israelites (Num. 15-36) Almost nothing recorded about the transitional years from the old generation to the new. We don’t really know anything about where they wander. They stay around the wilderness, Paran, Zin, etc., then eventually make a loop and turn up to go around Edom and into Moab. E. The Encampment and marching order of the Tribes (Num. 2:1-31 and 10:11-33) In Deuteronomy, Moses recounts to the new generation, all that has happened to Israel. Now they are poised on the edge of the Promised Land. The theme of Deuteronomy (“2nd Law”) is “beware, lest you forget”. Two things they are to remember: 1) When you prosper, it is God who caused it. 2) When you disobey God, He will discipline you. Exodus 10:12-13 “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” 5.