The Book – Way Out

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 7^th 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.