{"id":3696,"date":"2011-10-19T01:00:11","date_gmt":"2011-10-19T09:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lighthousebc.com\/beacon\/?p=3696"},"modified":"2012-11-28T04:46:20","modified_gmt":"2012-11-28T12:46:20","slug":"bob-exodus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lighthousebc.com\/beacon\/2011\/10\/19\/bob-exodus\/","title":{"rendered":"BOB – Exodus"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

by Stephen Rodgers<\/em><\/p>\n

EXODUS IN 10 WORDS OR LESS<\/strong><\/p>\n

“God delivers His people, the Israelites, from slavery in Egypt.”<\/p>\n

TITLE<\/strong><\/p>\n

The English title \u201cExodus\u201d comes from the Greek word (exodos<\/em>) meaning \u201cgoing out,\u201d whereas the Hebrew title is derived from the books\u2019s very first word (\u0160emot<\/em>), translated \u201cnames.\u201d \u00a0(Ex 1:1) \u00a0The Greek title gives us a glimpse of the major event\/theme of the book, whereas the Hebrew title implies that this book was to be accepted as the obvious sequel to Genesis.<\/p>\n

As previously mentioned, it is sometimes referred to as the \u201cSecond Book of\u00a0Moses.\u201d<\/p>\n

AUTHOR & AUDIENCE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both Jewish and Christian traditions attribute the five books of the Pentateuch\u00a0primarily\u00a0<\/em>to Moses. \u00a0Unlike Genesis<\/a> which attests to Mosaic authorship indirectly<\/em>, Exodus lays direct<\/em> claims (Ex 17:14; 24:4; 34:4,27-29).<\/p>\n

Furthermore, both the OT (Num 33:2; Jos 8:31; 1Ki 2:3; 2Ki 14:6; Ezr 6:18; Neh 13:1; Dan 9:11,13; Mal 4:4) and the NT (Matt 8:4;Mk 12:26; Lk 16:29; 24:27, 44; Jn 5:46; 7:22; Ac 15:1; Ro 10:19; 1Co 9:9; 2Co 3:15) credit Moses as the author of the Pentateuch.<\/p>\n

For more information, see the \u201cAuthor and Composition\u201d section of the\u00a0Pentateuch article.<\/a><\/p>\n

The original audience were the post-Exodus Israelites and their succeeding generations, who likely read Exodus in order to understand the great saga surrounding their national origin (Ex 12:25-27).<\/p>\n

DATE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Depending on whether one subscribes to an early (ca. 1,446\u00a0BC) or late (ca. 1,260\u00a0BC)\u00a0date of the Exodus\u00a0would determine the time during which Exodus was\u00a0written<\/em>\u00a0(after the Exodus but prior to Moses\u2019 death). (It should be noted that while good arguments have been put forth in favor of both dates, the majority of scholars surveyed for this series tended to favor an early date).<\/p>\n

BACKGROUND & SETTING<\/strong><\/p>\n

Assuming an early date for the Exodus, Moses would have likely grown up in the courts of Pharaohs Thutmose I and II and Queen Hatshepsut during his first 40 years (Acts 7:22-23). \u00a0He would have been in exile during the reign of Thutmose III (Acts 7:30) and returned to Egypt early in the reign of Amenhotep II. \u00a0Given such experiences, Moses was uniquely suited to represent his people before the Egyptian monarchy as well as guide them through the wilderness of the Sinai peninsula.<\/p>\n

HISTORICAL & THEOLOGICAL THEMES<\/strong><\/p>\n

In broad terms, Exodus deals with four particular themes: 1)\u00a0Moses, 2)\u00a0Redemption, 3)\u00a0Covenant, and 4)\u00a0Tabernacle. \u00a0More specifically, one could say that the book deals with the story of how God raised up his servant Moses (1) to liberate his people from Egyptian bondage (2) and bring them into a covenant with Him (3) and to erect within Israel God’s royal tent (4). \u00a0Hopefully that reminds you of another story\/theme of how God raised up His greatest Servant and Mediator to liberate His people from bondage to sin and bring them into a covenant with Him and to ultimately re-establish His presence among them.<\/p>\n

In this and many other ways (preserved at birth, a sojourn in Egypt resulting in a “coming out,” etc.), Christ is seen as the true and greater Moses, and the Exodus is seen as the precursor for an even greater redemption story. In some ways, the passing through the Red Sea and the provision in the wilderness foreshadow both baptism and communion as well.\u00a0For more on types<\/em>, you might want to revisit the OT article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

LITERARY FEATURES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exodus should be understood overall as falling within the genre of historical narrative<\/em>. However, it specifically employs the genre of adventure story. It features a cruel villain (Pharaoh), an unlikely hero (Moses), overwhelming disasters (the plagues), a spectacular deliverance (the Red Sea), a mountaintop experience (where Moses received the 10 Commandments), and a grand finale (God Himself descending to fill the tabernacle). Along the way there are twists and turns, setbacks and delays, magic and sorcery, feasts and festivals, music and dancing, and many close encounters with God.<\/p>\n

INTERPRETIVE CHALLENGES<\/strong><\/p>\n

As mentioned briefly above, the date<\/em> of the Exodus has been the topic of some debate, although most scholars tend to favor the earlier date rather than the later one. \u00a0What has also been the topic of significant debate is the route<\/em> of the Exodus. \u00a0Three possibilities tend to come up more often then the rest: a northern route called the “way of the land of the Philistines” (Ex 13:17, which the Bible specifically denies), a middle route across Sinai to Beersheba, and a southern route along the west coast of Sinai. \u00a0Most conservative scholars tend to favor the southern route.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the typological significance of the tabernacle has been the subject of much discussion and debate. \u00a0While some authors and scholars have gone to great lengths to link furniture and building materials to Christ. \u00a0It is likely that while the tabernacle has some<\/em> typological significance, much of the detail regarding structure and ornamentation was intended to describe function and beauty rather than hidden meaning and symbolism.<\/p>\n

OBJECTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exodus has attracted two broad categories of objections: objections to possibility<\/em> and objections to content<\/em>.<\/p>\n