Forgive me, for I have been on a hiatus due to the hectic schedule of being a full time mom. It is sometimes quite impossible to have the decency to read.
I can’t remember how many times I have read the book of Exodus. This book recently stirred me up again after I watched Prince of Egypt by Dreamworks; the last time I watched this animated movie was when it was released in 1998. Besides highlighting the storyline of Moses and the Ten Commandments, the book of Exodus is the thrilling epic of God rushing to the rescue of His people.
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Exodus means “going out” or “departure”; it means “way out” in Greek. This book connects to the Genesis the same way the New Testament and Old Testament stand in relationship. If you have read Genesis, the book of Creation tells us of humanity’s failure while the book of Exodus depicts the redeeming work of a sovereign God.
There are 7 things which I have gathered from the book of Exodus and how it inspires our daily lives.
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1. Moses, A Great Hero
Moses spent 40 years thinking he was somebody, 40 years of learning he was nobody, and 40 years of discovering what God can do with a nobody. (Read: Hebrews 11:23-29)
2. The Bondage
From the ending of Genesis to the opening of Exodus, it is about 350 years of gap. As we have read in Genesis, only about 70 people went down to Egypt (upon Joseph’s invitation), but before that generation died, the people had grown into a nation of 3 million. In this new dynasty in Egypt, the Hebrews were made slaves and the bondage lasted for many years.
3. The Exodus
We read about the plagues and wonders of the Almighty God in Exodus Chapter 3 & 4 before the exodus began. God has designed our salvation before the foundation of this world. From here, we see God’s ways of delivering sinful people (like us) and His gracious purposes to rescue them.
4. The Passover
Some of us would agree that the Passover is the heart of the book of Exodus. This is simply because it tells us about the pattern of our salvation. It is the Old Testament’s picture of our individual salvation through faith in the shed blood of our Christ. The blood of the Lamb makes us safe and our trust in God’s words makes us sure.
5. The Law
God heard the cry of their bondage and answered them. God trained a leader before them. God defeated their enemies. God fed them, yet they rebelled. And all these led to God giving His people The Law. The Law teaches us that the redeemed must do the will of their Redeemer, and thus, submitting to His control. One thing we must realize is The Law did not make us sinners, but it shows us that we are sinners.
6. The Tabernacle
The tabernacle was given by God as a detailed picture of the Redeemer to come, in His many offices, and as a dwelling place for His visible glory on earth. Here we find the altar on which the burnt offerings were sacrificed just as how we remember Christ is our sin offering. The golden lampstand signifying Christ as the light of the world. The Bread of Presence will be Christ as the Bread of Life. The golden altar of incense symbolizing Christ’s intercession for us. In the Holy of Holies, we will see the Ark of the Covenant, which represents God’s presence.
7. The Redemption
The redemption of the Hebrews was not an afterthought with God. Humanity has failed in the times of Genesis and we see how God has shown His grace and mercy to redeem His people.
“In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:7-8