Overview: The Exodus and Wilderness (Exodus-Deuteronomy)
2022-12-01
Moses
After Jacob and his sons died, their family ballooned into a huge multitude, just as God had said. After many changes of kings and regimes in Egypt, a king arose that saw the Israelites as a threat. He put them under hard slavery, and eventually made a decree to kill off all the male children. One of the male children that would have been killed was Moses. However, the king’s daughter rescued him and rose him as her own child. Moses was raised in the king’s household.
When Moses was 40 years old, he was found out to have killed an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite servant. He fled to Midian and was there 40 years, marrying and having two sons. The Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush, saying that he was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt the land of their bondage, and lead them into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The reluctant Moses agreed when Aaron his brother would help him.
The Exodus
At 80 years old, Moses went before Pharaoh king of Egypt to get release of his people, but Pharaoh only made their bondage harder. Moses went often before Pharaoh, with God showing 10 signs and wonders that proved that He was the Creator God. These wonders also proved the impotence of the false gods of Egypt. Every time the king made some sign that he was softening, he ended up hardening himself. Every time he hardened himself, it was followed by a hardening from God. The tenth plague was the death of the firstborn of every Egyptian.
For the Israelites to be exempt from this last plague, they had to perform a special sacrificial meal, while dressed and ready for a quick departure. A one-year lamb without blemish was to be prepared for each household a certain way, being roasted in the fire, with the blood being applied to the posts and lintels of every door in Goshen. The destroying angel would see the blood and spare the house’s inhabitants. In this, Israel was spared of the destruction. This became known as the Passover, which was commemorated throughout the Israelites’ history. It prefigured Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was crucified for the sins of the world. Whoever has applied his blood by faith would also be spared of the wrath of God.
It took the widespread death throughout Egypt for Pharaoh to expel them from the country. The people, numbering at a minimum of 600,000 other than children, left Egypt. The king later showed regret at the loss of all the free labor, sending troops out to them at the Red Sea. The Lord opened the Red Sea, and His people travelled across the dry land, and then He drowned the Egyptian army in the sea.
The people complained because of the lack of water, but the Lord provided clean water from the bitter. Later, they received water from an oasis and then out of a rock. These events of the people’s complaining followed by God’s provision is a theme throughout the wilderness journey.
The Law at Mount Sinai
They came to Mount Sinai, where the Lord descended to them and gave them the Ten Commandments. They also received many miscellaneous laws as well. The Lord showed them patterns for a Tabernacle that would serve as the place where God would meet with His people. Aaron and his sons were ordained priests of the Lord. While Moses was on the mount receiving instructions, the people below created a golden calf and worshipped it, with Moses praying on their behalf that the Lord would not destroy them.
After this, the Lord showed Moses the different types of sacrifices required of the people. After the consecration of Aaron and his sons, the two elder sons died for offering strange fire before the Lord.
The Day of Atonement was given for the high priest (the first which was Aaron), who would offer a series of sacrifices and enter the holiest place in the Tabernacle to meet with the Lord. This was to happen once a year. Subsequent chapters emphasize the holiness of the Lord, and the need for the people to be holy also. Feasts were established for the people to follow.
The Wilderness
After they left Sinai, 12 spies were sent to Canaan to see how the land and its inhabitants were. They confirmed to the congregation that the land was an abundant place, but the inhabitants were formidable foes. Ten of the spies turned the entire congregation against God’s plan, and the Lord condemned the congregation to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, where only the younger generation would take the land. Two of the spies were faithful to the Lord: Caleb and Joshua. These two alone were the only two of the older generation to get into the promised land.
A man named Korah with some others tried to rebel against Moses’ rule, but they were destroyed of the Lord, with some being swallowed in the earth. God gave them signs to reaffirm Moses’ authority and Aaron’s role of priest.
The prophet Balaam was hired by Balak king of Moab to curse Israel, but he could not do so. He followed the Lord’s command to bless His people. He found a workaround to lead them astray by enticing Israel to sin with fornication at Baalpeor.
Israel destroyed two kingdoms ruling east of the Jordan River, Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan. Two tribes and a half of another decided to settle on the eastern shores of the Jordan River. They had to swear they would fight with the rest of Israel once they crossed into the promised land on the western shore.
Before the people were to go into the promised land, half the tribes were to bless the people on Mount Gerizim, and the other half were to curse on Mount Ebal.
Moses died in Moab right before entering the promised land, and Joshua succeeded him to lead the people.
Despite the disobedience of the people at many junctures, the Lord was faithful to carry them through. Because of the promise of the Savior and the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God made sure He brought them through their trials. Through those trials, His people also learned to trust in the Lord.
The impossibility of keeping the Law and the resulting curse points us to a Savior, the same that was introduced in Genesis 3:15. The Savior would be like the Passover lamb; when the Savior’s blood is applied to us, we are saved from the wrath of God that will come upon the entire world. He also fulfills the Day of Atonement, where we all can go into the holiest forever. This Savior is Jesus Christ. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).