Era 3: Egypt and the Exodus
Era 3: Egypt and the Exodus: Red for The Red Sea (Hmmm….I think I see the correlation)
Introduction: This era covers the Book of Exodus (Narrative Book)
(Leviticus is the supplemental book, it is the book of the Law)
The Second Book of Moses Commonly Called Exodus
AUTHOR AND DATE:
Exodus is the second of the five books of the PENTATEUCH. As with the rest of the “Books of Moses,” it is a 6th Century B.C. re-editing of various materials, both written and oral traditions, compiled over the course of several centuries.
Some of the oral traditions date from the 13th Century B.C., the approximate date of the Exodus.
AUDIENCE:
Exodus and the rest of the Pentateuch were edited around the time of the return of the exiles of Israel from Babylon in the 6th Century B.C.
These sacred books were presented to the people to help restore and purify Israel after its long and devastating division and the insidious influence of pagan neighbors and oppressors.
The Third Book of Moses Commonly Called Leviticus
AUTHOR AND DATE:
Leviticus, like all of the first five books of the Old Testament, was likely edited into its present form in about the 6th Century B.C. with materials taken from a number of sources dating back several hundred years.
AUDIENCE:
The entire Pentateuch in its final form was intended for ALL OF ISRAEL, both the returning exiles and the people who had remained in Judea during the Exile, as a means of aiding the faithful restoration of Israel as a people. (*The Didache Bible RSV-CE, Ignatius Edition 2006)
Begins in the 19th century B.C.
Jacob (Israel) and his family live in the land of Egypt as Pharoah’s guests
It takes place 400 years after GENESIS with their descendants about to be liberated from slavery and setting out from Mount Sinai for the Promised Land
KEY EVENTS:
The Exodus from Egypt
The Sinai Covenant
The building of the Tabernacle
This is the first complicated area of the story of Salvation History (oh man…..Genesis seemed a bit complicated already)
The new Pharaoh is kind of a jerk
The people of Israel are slaves now in Egypt
You could say they were “quarantined” for 400 years
They cry out to God for help and He sends some dude named Moses aka Moshe which means “To Draw Out” (think I’ve heard of him, reminds me of Charlton Heston)
What are some stumbling blocks with reading the Book of Exodus?
We are going to be introduced to a number of new major things in the story
God sends Moses to break the Israelites from Egyptian bondage
Not just slavery
They eat like Egyptians
They worship like Egyptians
They dress like Egyptians
They even WALK LIKE EGYPTIANS (Thank you, thank you I’ll be here all week)
They were ADDICTED to Idolatry
God had to do something AMAZING to draw them out and turn them to Him
He does this through the ten plagues and the exodus through the Red Sea
For 3 months they travel down to Mt. Sinai
God even provides food for them (Manna)
“Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Jesus also said this to Satan in the 40 days fast in the desert)
They remain at Mt. Sinai for ONE YEAR and everything changes so pay close attention
God is taking these people who are addicted, and SETTING THEM FREE
This is going to be a painful freedom
Freedom comes at a cost
The Israelites start thinking that maybe life wasn’t so bad back in Egypt with their addictions and they start to blame Moses
At Mt. Sinai God makes a COVENANT with the people of Israel (repeated theme)
Adam & Eve (one holy couple) -------> Noah (one holy family) -----> Abraham (one holy tribe) ------> The People of Israel (ONE HOLY NATION)
It goes south (AGAIN VERY QUICKLY)
The craziness is in the midst of three of the most important things to understand in this period:
THE LEVITES - Laicization of the nation with one tribe rising up as the PRIESTS *This happens in Ch 32 of Exodus and technically, this is where the Book of Leviticus belongs
THE TABERNACLE - comes about from Moses having a Heavenly Vision of what it looks like to worship at the top of the mountain (We also see this in The Book of Revelation, and also at Mass at Catholic Church)
THE LAW (TORAH) - it is not meant to put the Israelites down, it is not meant to control their lives, it is meant to get the people to FOCUS ON THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
Once you grasp the above three things, it will be easier to understand books like Hebrews in the NT, the works of Jesus as High Priest, and how Jesus FULFILLS EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE ARE READING
We will also be reading The Book of Leviticus concurrently
What should we pay attention to in this book?
In Jesus’ day, all children who started their Biblical studies in Israel started with LEVITICUS
Not Genesis
Not Exodus
Not Numbers
Not Deuteronomy
LEVITICUS talks about HOLINESS (KADOSH)
God brought Israel out into the desert TO DO SOMETHING
Six different times, God says to the Israelites “Be Holy as I am Holy”
God also says they need to learn to discern between the good and the bad, that which is clean and that which is unclean
God also tells them not to obey the laws of the place they came from, nor the place they are going
OBEY MY WORD
This is the foundation of DISCIPLESHIP
God is discipling a nation which has come out of bondage and addiction
If you want to be my people and you want to truly live free, you have to imitate ME
I am going to be with you in your midst in the Tabernacle
Listen carefully for how God is forming a nation
What they wear
What they eat
Who they hang around with
How they treat their neighbors
We learn a great lesson here: IMITATION IS THE FOUNDATION OF DISCIPLESHIP
This lesson carries on to the New Testament with Jesus
We have the same temptations that the people of Israel had
We want to be like everyone else (secular world)
The law God gives them is how they will live out a relationship with God, not to control them
God knows their hearts and how they want to NOT be like God, but like the Egyptians
Leviticus is not just about distant rules that don’t have much to do with us today
It is a key for DISCIPLESHIP
God is laying the groundwork for WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH that Jesus will eventually fulfill
When you read these books, it’s good to look in the mirror and ask ourselves : “What is it in my life that God is trying to bring me out of? Are there addictions? Are there ways of thinking? Are there habits that are keeping me from the relationship with God that He wants?”
Take these principles and apply them to YOURSELVES
The Bible is for YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT
Pay attention to the 3 important things in this era: The Levites, The Tabernacle, and The Law
Ask God to illuminate those 3 things and to recognize them in Church, in life, and give thanks to God for ALL THREE
ANDREW'S PARALLELS
As we prepare to begin Exodus and Numbers, we should keep in mind how the story of Moses freeing his people from Egypt and leading them to the Promised land prefigures our own "Exodus" from sin and our own journey through the Wilderness towards the Heavenly Promised Land.
Throughout Exodus, onward, there will be times we hear something in God's Law that is going to really hard to stomach. This is something I encourage everyone take time to read and remember when we encounter these moments in Scripture.