Exodus

We begin a new series in the epic encounters of the book of Exodus. In Genesis we hear God promise to establish a great people, in their own land, to enjoy him and bless the nations. Alas, the story closes with just a small band in Egypt. Exodus picks up the narrative and immediately expectations rise. The people of Israel multiply greatly, filling the land… but ominously, it is not their land. There then arose a Pharaoh who did know their heroes of old and fearing the growing swarm of Israel set about their oppression. However, Israel may be in the land of Pharaoh, but they are in the hand of God – so begins the rescue that defines the nation and lays down the pattern for the greater and ultimate redemption story to come.

Last week we opened the book of Exodus to discover the God who brings victory out of defeat and life out of death. The people of promise were in peril in the land of Egypt, but they were in the hand of the God who sovereignly moved to preserve and protect. We pick up events with a reassuring motif, God sees the misery of his people, he hears their cry and he is moved by concern for them. However, not only is he the God of compassion, but also commitment and capacity. The self-existent ‘I am’ stooped down to rescue from slavery for freedom through the mediation of his servant-shepherd Moses, so working into history the pattern for the greater Moses, the greater rescue and the greatest freedom he will secure.

Remember, remember! We build commemorations into our calendar and culture to celebrate, to reflect. In the Passover narrative the call to remember recurs time and again. This was a defining moment in their history. This was the night the mighty arm of the Lord was revealed. With the final plague God comes personally to deliver. However, as soon as the Lord steps into the situation the pressing issue is no longer Egypt, but standing before a righteous God. They needed a refuge. God provided through the Passover, through a substitute, there was safety and shelter under the blood of the lamb. Remember, remember the Lord’s redemption, it points beyond itself, to the greater rescue, the sufficient substitute, to Jesus himself ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29).

We left the Israelites piling out of Egypt, redeemed by the lamb, heading for the land. However, when Pharaoh realised he’d lost the service of the Hebrews he rallied his troops in pursuit. The people found themselves stuck between the devil and the deep Red Sea. This was no mishap but the Lord’s design, to reveal the reality of his glory. For generations to come the people would remember this mighty act of salvation as the Lord, present in the pillar of cloud and fire, once again drove back the waters to produce dry ground. His people walked through the sea of death to emerge safely on the other side, their enemy sank to utter defeat. This is the rescue that points us to the great salvation, through the greater Moses, to reveal the greatest glory.

Egypt was in the rear view mirror, the arm of the Lord had performed a great rescue, with songs of praise the Israelites marched towards the promised land. However, it didn’t take long for glorifying to become grumbling. Three times in as many chapters we learn of Israel’s discontent and distrust (15-17). How quickly the people forgot their previous plight, how readily they feared the future and lost perspective in the present. Three times the Lord responded with grace, demonstrating both his patience and provision. His people could trust his keeping on the day, for the day. As we travel from liberation to homecoming, how much more can we trust him for ‘daily bread,’ his keeping now and forever, for we have the living water and true bread from heaven.

God. Here the Lord established his covenant with his people. He had rescued them, ‘brought them to himself,’ as they responded in faithful obedience, so they would be his treasured possession and advertise to the world the goodness of being in relationship with him. As the Lord proposed, so the people said ‘we will’. Of course faithfulness was beyond them, however, it was not beyond the true Israel, the Son called out of Egypt, Jesus himself. As we come to him, the better mediator, through the better word, so in him we come to a better mountain, to Zion, to the great assembly of God, to the fellowship of those made righteous, so it is ours to declare and demonstrate the wonder and joy of being his.

Exodus is the story of God redeeming his people for relationship. Having ‘carried them on eagle’s wings’ he brought them ‘to himself’. At Mt. Sinai the relationship was sealed. The rest of the account concerns how God and his people would dwell together, the house and house rules. However, sandwiched between the instructions for the tabernacle and the building of it, comes the curious incident of the calf, a counterfeit worship. Moses pleads for the people, offering to be blotted out in their place. Of course that required a greater mediator, one able to ‘stand in the breach’ and accomplish reconciliation… Thanks be to God, for ‘there is one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom…’ (1Tim. 2:5).

Nearly half of the book of Exodus concerns the Tabernacle, God’s dwelling amongst his people. Reflecting the days of creation, the instructions fall into seven sections, this is a kind of re-creation, where God and his people dwell together under the canopy of his blessing. Like Eden (and Sinai), the Tabernacle had three zones with the presence of God at the centre. However, in their sin (ch. 32) the people could not get too near. For their protection, a curtain barred the way, thus the Tabernacle also communicates inaccessibility… until Christ stepped in, and by his life, death and resurrection opened the way. He is the atoning sacrifice, the Great High Priest, the curtain, the one by whom we enter with confidence, redeemed for new creation relationship (Heb. 10:19ff).