Genesis tells of humanity’s
failure under test and Exodus is the epic of God hastening to the rescue. This
is the book of redemption work of the sovereign God. Without Genesis, Exodus
has no meaning. Exodus means – Way Out. Here we will see God giving the Law –
Moral law and ceremonial law and the Tabernacle. If Genesis is the book of a
family history, Exodus is the book of National History.
In Genesis we saw only 70 people
went to Egypt. But before they left, they have grown into a nation of thirty
lakh. The Pharaohs, wishing to break Israelites, reduced them to a slavery of
the worst sort. Through the long years of bondage, they clung to the promise
that one day God will take them to Canaan. When God calls you as his children,
he will make sure you are safe as you walk with him. Israel was called by God
and God is there with Israel and the new Israel, which are us who believe in
Christ Jesus.
God called a person called Moses,
who was rescued by God when he was born, and made him to grow in Pharaoh’s
palace. If we walk with God, God will help us to grow in the middle of our
enemies, even with their help. According to a man of God (D L Moody) Moses
spent, 40 years thinking he was somebody, Forty years learned he was nobody and
40 years discovered what God can do with a nobody. Two things which we can get
from the life of Moses are the greatest experience in a person’s life is to be delivered
from the bondage of sins – Romans 4:7, Psalms 32:1. Second greatest experience
in a person’s life is to be an instrument through which someone else is
delivered. We also see, in the work of God, the important things is to be long
on availability.
We see the plagues and the
negotiations Moses had made with Pharaoh would have lasted for nearly a year.
We can compare Exodus in order to see God’s way of delivering sinful people, and
his purpose in thus rescuing them. Here in the midst of these plagues, we see
God not allowing Pharaoh to let the people go. Sometimes we see enemies,
problems and temptations about to leave but come back as hard as ever. Remember
God is letting it so to show a mighty miracle in your life so that you and your
dear ones will see the Glory of God in life.
Then we see the prominent feature
of Exodus – The Passover. It is better to study Exodus 12 in detail to know
about the Passover. The lamb represents Christ for us and it is the death of
Christ that saved us. Also not all the blood shed on the cross can save a soul
from death unless it is applied. We should understand the Leaven of unrighteousness
must be removed from our lives if we are to eat with God.
Even after coming out from Egypt,
God provided them food for eating. But the people always went against God by
looking back to Egypt. Egypt symbolizes our sinful life and through the passage
of Red sea, teaches us through Christ we are saved and delivered from Egypt.
Now, when pressure and trials comes, keep faith in the God who delivered you,
instead of looking back to your Egypt - the sins. The provision of Manna
teaches us not to trust in country’s economy and other big things. But trust in
God and in the midst of all problems, God is able to deliver you and provide
you what you need. He knows your needs more then you yourself know.
From now on we see the
Law given, then broken and after restored. Only one man was able to keep the
law perfectly and it was Christ. He not only kept the law, but he also paid the
complete penalty for the broken law. We should understand about the law given
to us by God. A doctor or physician does not make you ill, but he reveals that
you have illness. Same way the law did not make us sin, but it shows us that we
are sinners. It is a mirror to show us our exceeding sinfulness. Personally, my life changed 24 years ago when
I was taught in detail about the Ten Commandments using the Martin Luther’s
Catechism book. We also see that Israel promised that they will obey the
law and when God was giving the law to Moses at Mount Sinai, Israelites were
dancing around the golden calf and worshiping a god they had made. The Laws
given include,
- · Ten Commandments
- · Idols and Altars
- · Hebrew Slaves
- · People injuring other people
- · Animals injuring people
- · People causing injury to animals
- · Laws about property
- · Laws about social problems
- · Laws about how to be good and kind
- · Laws about Sabbath day and 7th year (I likes this very much – how perfect God is!) and
- · The three annual feasts
Then we see an unbelievable thing
happening. Moses came down from Mount Sinai and saw people sinning,. He asked
who is in the side of God and the tribe of Levi came and stood with him. When
you study the book of Genesis you would have seen how Jacob cursing Levi and his
descendants as telling them that their weapons are swords and violence, since
they destroyed the city of Shechem. Leviticus will not obtain a land of their
own. But they were blessed at this time with Moses as they were called to be
the priests over the entire nation. This is a meaningful message to us. If you
are cursed or being put down by people, when you stand with God, God will lift
you high and your curses will turn to blessings.
Now we see another important
event, the building of the Tabernacle. We see how God describes in detail about
building the tabernacle and how to worship him. God separated it to Outer Court where the burnt offerings were sacrificed. We should
understand that Christ is our sin-offering. Bronze basing was for cleansing of
the priests before entering the holy place.
In the Holy Place was there a golden lampstand, typifying Christ the light
of the world. I have seen this model of lampstand in some churches which I
believe is a good custom. There you have a table for Bread Symbolizing Christ
as the bread of life. We have a golden alter of intercession symbolizing Christ’s
intercession for us. Here priests will intercede for the sinners.
In front of it we have the veil
which typifies the body of Christ and then after the veil we see the Ark of Covenant
in Holy of Holies, the symbol of God’s
presence. Here the High priest comes in a year to sprinkle the blood of atonement.
Christ is not only our High Priest, but he is also our atonement, and now we
can go into the holy of holies at any time with boldness.
The high priest will offer a
blood sacrifice for the sins at the Holy of Holies. I have seen a video documentary regarding the present location of Ark
of Covenant. In the Bible this name disappears at the time of Jeremiah. In the documentary
an Archaeologist went to Israel, went to Old Golgotha, and started excavating
the place. In the video he tells he found the Ark and right above the ark in
the rock was the place Jesus Christ was crucified. And one more things what I
heard gave me goosebumps as he told Christ’s blood flew from the cross, went
through the gap of rock under and fell into the Ark of Covenant where in Old
testament High priest use to offer blood sacrifice for sins. If the documentary
is true, think about how perfect our Almighty God is.
Descriptions are given on how a
priest should enter the tabernacle and offer sacrifices. The tabernacle had a
cloud of glory which made the people understand God was dwelling. We also see
how the face of Moses was radiated whenever he had a conversation with God.
This ends the chapter of Exodus and I pray that all the people who studies the
word of God should lead a life accordingly and show the glory of God in your
face and life.
I always search updated news about the nation of Israel. Israel was captured before the birth of Christ and they had to go through sufferings
which we cannot imagine. You can search google how the Jews suffered at the
Nazi camp and know about how they went through. They called the name of God and
God gave them a land from nowhere in the year 1948. A small nation between the
Arab nations is now one of the powerful nations of the world. As an Indian we
are blessed with Israel at the time of Kargil war in 1999 where Israel helped
India defeating Pakistanis at Kargil.
