EXODUS REFLECTION - Week 6
Peter Enns writes:
‘The original purpose of Exodus was theological, to teach God's people about himself and their relationship to him. It was not to have readers enter into discussions of who the Pharaoh was or some other piece of historical trivia.’
We're not ever told which Pharaoh these passages are referring to, or indeed details of any other event or person that undeniably aligns with the history of Egypt and Palestine from known sources. However as this was not the primary purpose of the book, the lack of this information does not take away from the message being portrayed. It is history with theological purpose, not the other way round, and the events recorded are hugely important, but from a theological perspective not a historical one.
Exodus unfolds as a profound redemption story, illustrating God's faithfulness in delivering His people from slavery in Egypt and leading them towards the Promised Land. It serves as a pivotal chapter in the grand narrative of salvation history, tracing back to the covenant made with Abraham in Genesis.
In Genesis 12:1-2, Abraham is promised land, to be a great nation and to be blessed by God to be a blessing. This covenant is renewed with each patriarch: Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, and the Exodus is pivotal in the beginning of its fulfilment.
It is not only the journey to the land God had promised them, but also their election as His people. God's deliverance of the Israelites then lays the foundation for the covenant renewal at Mount Sinai, where He establishes His laws and establishes His covenant with His people. Out of the books of the Pentateuch, Exodus could most appropriately be named ‘history of salvation’, as although part of a wider context, it is in Exodus that we see God's plan for the salvation of His people.
It is crucial to focus on the significance of Exodus through the lens of Christ.
The redemption and deliverance of the Exodus points us forward to the greatest deliverance of all on the cross.
In the New Testament, the Exodus finds new meaning as Jesus' death and resurrection usher in a new Exodus for the people of God. Although the Exodus is a redemption story in it’s own right, it is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, the true Redeemer of Israel.
Just as the Israelites were rescued and called God's people, we too are redeemed and made God's chosen people because of Christ.
The narrative serves as a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty and His relentless pursuit of His people's freedom. God provided freedom for the Israelites when they had no other hope, and now we get to have freedom in Christ.
The significance of the Exodus for us is not found in what we do with it, but in what God has already done. Our faith finds its anchor in God's faithfulness throughout history, culminating in the redemptive work of Jesus.