Exodus Beginnings...

BEGINNINGS....

Exodus is all about two things - knowing God and vocation. Exodus is an account of knowing God through personal experience and how it is that God would call a nation to their vocation of being a blessing to the whole world.

The plot centres around the relationship between God and the Israelites, from the dramatic meeting of God with Moses on My Sinai with the burning bush (3:1-4:17) to the glory (presence) of the Lord filling the newly constructed tabernacle or "tent of meeting" (40:34-38).

In Exodus, Gos always is the one to take the initiative in this relationship, whether it as warrior for his people, teacher of his people, judge of his people or promise giver and comforter of his people. God does all these things through both his words and his mighty miraculous acts.

Exodus can be put into two main parts, even though it is a continuous, chronological account. The first part is dominated by the theme of coming to know God personally. About chapter 1 to 15.

The second part of Exodus is about knowing God communally, focusing on God making a legal, binding contract or agreement with his people that establishes a special relationship between the Lord and the nation of Israel. About chapters 15-40.

The book of Exodus has two main locations or journey parts. One is the journey from slavery in Egypt, through the Sea of Reeds, the desert wilderness to the bottom of the Sinai Peninsular on Mt Sinai (ch's 1-19). The other is all that happens at Mt Sinai especially including the giving of the 10 Commandments as the people are worshipping a golden calf (ch's 20-32).

Overall, there's no doubt the overall theme of Exodus is KNOWING GOD. When we know God we are called and shaped into a community that is God's blessing for the world.

The links to the New Testament and the ministry of Jesus are huge! In fact, without what God did in Exodus, Jesus of Nazareth would make little sense. How could you believe in Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world without the Tabernacle and its worship set out in Exodus? How could you know Jesus as the "passover Lamb" without the Passover!? How could you know Jesus as the new Moses who is the great rabbi, priest and prophet of God without knowing Moses as the first prophet, priest and king of God's people - all in one?

The links go on. The transfiguration with Moses, Elijah and Jesus in the Glory cloud on the mountain; The seven "I AM" words of Jesus (I AM the good shepherd, I AM the door, I AM the bread of life........), Jesus, the Bread of Life (aka manna in the desert for Israel in Exodus....).

To top it all off, read Hebrews 12:18-24.......

We begin this Sunday.....