A BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE OFFERED BY THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST
"And you shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).
TRUTH FOR THE WORLD
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TESTAMENT
SURVEY
The second book of the Pentateuch is called Exodus. “Exodus” means
“going out.” This book tells how Jacob’s family grew into a nation in
Egypt. It tells how the Egyptians became afraid of God’s people and made slaves of
them. Exodus also reveals how God delivered His people from Egypt.
Genesis recorded the beginning of God’s chosen family through which the Savior would
come into the world. Exodus continues their history by showing how they actually grew from
a family into a nation. Exodus deals with two themes: (1) Deliverance; (2) Law.
Moses is the chief character in the book of Exodus. He is also one of the greatest leaders
who has ever lived. His lifetime of 120 years can be divided into three periods: (1) forty
years as a prince in Egypt; (2) forty years in the wilderness of Midian as a shepherd; (3)
forty years as the leader of God’s people.
Moses is the human author of the book of Exodus. The book itself claims Moses as its
author (Exodus 17:14; 24:4). Jesus said Moses wrote Exodus (Mark 1:44; John 7:19-23). The
Apostle Paul also gave Moses credit for writing Exodus (Acts 26:22,23). From ancient times
the Jews have believed Moses wrote Exodus. It was written during the time Israel was in
the desert. This was sometime between 1500 B.C. and 1400 B.C.
Genesis and Exodus are very closely connected. Genesis closes with Israel in Egypt. Exodus
begins at that point and continues Israel’s history. Exodus covers a period of about
360 years. It begins with the death of Joseph and continues to the building of the
tabernacle at Mt. Sinai.
Israel Escapes from Egypt (Chapters 1-18)
The people of Israel multiplied rapidly in Egypt. After a time, a new Pharaoh came to the
throne. He did not know about Joseph and how he had saved Egypt from famine. He feared the
people of Israel because of their growing numbers. Therefore, he made them slaves. The
people of Israel were treated very badly. However, the more they were afflicted, the
faster they grew. Pharaoh commanded the midwives to kill the male babies, but they did not
do it. Finally, in order to stop Israel from growing so rapidly, Pharaoh commanded that
all male babies should be cast into the river.
Moses was born during this time. His parents feared God. They refused to kill their baby.
They hid him for three months. Then they made a little ark (boat) of bulrushes and put
Moses in the river near the place that Pharaoh’s daughter came to bathe. Miriam,
Moses’ older sister, watched nearby. Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby. At her
request Miriam called Jochebed, Moses’ mother, to be his nurse. Therefore, Moses was
brought up as a prince in the palace of Pharaoh. He was cared for by his own mother who
must have told him about the true God and his people.
When Moses became a man, he gave up the pleasures of Egypt. He chose to be a slave with
his own people instead of a prince (Please read Hebrews 11:24-26). One day he saw an
Egyptian beating an Israelite. He defended the Israelite by killing the Egyptian. When
this became known, Moses fled from Egypt. He went to the land of Midian where he met Reuel
(also called Jethro), a priest of God. He married Reuel’s daughter Zipporah and
became the father of two sons.
After forty years the Lord spoke to Moses out of a burning bush. He told him that he must
deliver His people from bondage. Moses made many excuses, but God answered them all.
Aaron, Moses’ elder brother, was sent to be Moses’ spokesman. Moses asked
Pharaoh to let Israel go, but the wicked ruler refused. God sent a series of ten plagues
upon the land of Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to free His people. First, the water was turned
to blood, but Pharaoh hardened his heart. Then the land was filled with frogs, but
Pharaoh’s heart was still hard. After this the dust of the land become lice. Still
Pharaoh refused to let the people go. God then sent a plague of flies upon Egypt. Only the
Egyptians were affected. The land of Goshen where Israel lived was not touched by the
flies. This time Pharaoh said Israel could go. Then he changed his mind and refused. Next,
God sent a murrain (sickness) upon all the cattle, sheep, camels, horses, and donkeys of
Egypt so that they died. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened once again. After this God sent
boils (sores) upon the Egyptians. The Bible says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. He did
this by giving him a command which Pharaoh refused to obey. Then God sent hail (ice) upon
the land. All the crops were destroyed. Pharaoh confessed he had sinned. However, when God
took away the hail, he hardened his heart again. After this God sent a plague of locusts.
Again Pharaoh admitted he had sinned. Then he changed his mind and would not let Israel
go. The next plague God sent was thick darkness over all of Egypt. This lasted for three
days. Still Pharaoh would not let Israel go.
Finally, God sent the last plague. All the firstborn of both men and animals would die.
Israel, however, was spared. They were told to kill a male lamb. It had to be one year
old. It also had to be without spot or blemish. It was to be eaten the night God destroyed
all the firstborn. The blood of the lamb was put on the doorposts of the houses where
God’s people lived. If the blood was seen on the door, God passed over them and the
firstborn lived. If the blood was not applied, the firstborn died. This was the beginning
of the Feast of the Passover. Jesus Christ is the passover sacrifice for us today (1
Corinthians 5:7). If His blood has been applied to us, we will be saved. If not, we will
be lost forever.
That night Pharaoh let the people go. Israel marched to the Red Sea. Pharaoh changed his
mind and sent his army after Israel. The sea was in front. The Egyptian army was behind.
Moses raised his rod and God parted the waters. Israel crossed over on dry land. When
Pharaoh’s army tried to follow, the waters closed over them. They were all drowned.
In the desert God provided for His people by giving them manna to eat. He gave them water
from a rock. He also gave them victory over the Amalekites who attacked them.
The Giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai (Chapters 19-24)
The Israelites camped at Mt. Sinai where God had appeared to Moses in the burning bush.
God called Moses up into the mountain. Moses was alone with God for forty days. God
revealed His Law for the people of Israel to Moses during this time. The heart of this Law
is the ten commandments. The first four commandments concern man’s responsibility to
God. The last six concern man’s responsibility to his fellow man. These commandments
are found in Exodus 20:1-17. The Law given at Sinai was God’s Law for Israel. It
continued until Christ died on the cross (Colossians 2:14). Now we live under the Law of
Christ, which is also called “the New Testament” (Hebrew 7:12; 8:6-13).
The Building of the Tabernacle (chapters 25-40)
The tabernacle was a tent made up of two rooms. These rooms were known as the holy place
and the most holy place. It was surrounded by an outer court. Here the priests offered up
sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. The tabernacle was a tent which could be taken
down and moved whenever Israel moved. It was built according to the pattern (plan) God
gave to Moses (Exodus 25:9, 40).
As God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, so today He delivers us from slavery to
sin. Moses was Israel’s Lawgiver and Deliverer from physical bondage. Jesus Christ is
our Lawgiver and Deliverer from spiritual bondage.
STUDENT INFORMATION
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