Rooting Path · Old Testament Survey · Lesson 3 of 7 · The Exodus: Rescued to Be God’s People · about 20 min
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. On the timeline this is ‘The Exodus and the Wilderness’, with eight events: the birth of Moses, the burning bush, the ten plagues and the Passover, the crossing of the Red Sea, the law and the covenant at Sinai, the golden calf, the spies at Kadesh, and the death of Moses. A nation of slaves in Egypt is led out, walks for forty years in the wilderness, and arrives at the edge of the promised land.
On the night before the last plague on Egypt, God said to the Israelites:
13The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are. When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Exod 12:13 · WEB
In the third month after leaving Egypt, at the foot of Mount Sinai:
4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. 5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; 6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Exod 19:4–6 · WEB
The opening words of the Ten Commandments:
2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3“You shall have no other gods before me.
Exod 20:2–3 · WEB
The last lesson ended with Jacob’s family of seventy going down to Egypt. In this lesson that family has become a nation—but a nation of slaves.
Several hundred years passed, and “The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them” (Exod 1:7). The ‘great nation’ of the promise was there, but they were doing forced labor in someone else’s land: “all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve” (Exod 1:14). They cried out, and “God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Exod 2:24). The story of the exodus begins with God remembering his covenant.
From the burning bush God called Moses: “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt” (Exod 3:7). Then came the ten plagues. On the night before the last one, each household killed a lamb and put its blood on the door: “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” (Exod 12:13) That night they were spared not because they were better than the Egyptians, but because of the blood on the door. God told them to keep this feast every year: “This day shall be a memorial for you. You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD” (Exod 12:14)—this is the Passover. Then came the Red Sea: “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today” (Exod 14:13).
Three months later, at the foot of Mount Sinai, God made a covenant with them. Notice the order: first God says, “how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself,” (Exod 19:4) and only then, “if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant.” (Exod 19:5) The Ten Commandments are the same: the first sentence is not a command but “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” (Exod 20:2) The law was given to people who had already been rescued: not to earn rescue, but to tell the rescued how to be God’s “own possession from among all peoples.” (Exod 19:5) Which Old Testament laws are kept literally today is something churches understand differently; please ask your own church.
The covenant had only just been made when the people made the golden calf and said: “These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt” (Exod 32:4). Moses interceded for them, and God did not destroy them; he proclaimed his own name before Moses: “The LORD! The LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth” (Exod 34:6)—and the next verse also says he is one “who will by no means clear the guilty” (Exod 34:7). These two sides will be seen again and again through the rest of the Old Testament.
At the edge of the promised land, twelve spies came back, and most of them said: “We aren’t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we” (Num 13:31). Only Joshua and Caleb said: “the LORD is with us. Don’t fear them” (Num 14:9). The people believed their fear and did not believe God. As a result the whole nation wandered in the wilderness for forty years, and God said to that generation: “surely you shall not come into the land concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein” (Num 14:30). Only Joshua and Caleb would enter.
Forty years later, east of the Jordan, Moses retold the law to the next generation—this is Deuteronomy. At its center is one sentence: “Hear, Israel: The LORD is our God. The LORD is one… You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deut 6:4–5). At the end, God let Moses see the land from the mountain: “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob” (Deut 34:4). Moses died at the threshold. The one who led the people in was Joshua, in the next lesson.
The night before he suffered, Jesus said to his disciples: “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15). Writing later, Paul speaks of that night’s lamb even more directly: “Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place” (1 Cor 5:7).
The New Testament also mentions the wilderness generation, and it speaks of them to believers: “We see that they weren’t able to enter in because of unbelief” (Heb 3:19). Those who have been rescued still need to keep believing all the way.
Open the ‘Exodus and Wilderness’ section of the timeline and click through its eight events in order. For each, write one sentence about ‘what God did’, and one word for ‘how the people responded’—trust? fear? grumbling? rebellion? obedience?
For reference: God saw, heard and remembered his covenant; called Moses; protected them with the Passover blood; parted the Red Sea; made a covenant with them at Sinai; after the golden calf still proclaimed himself merciful and gracious; guided them for forty years in the wilderness. The people: after the Red Sea, feared and believed; made the golden calf; at Kadesh were afraid and did not believe; only Joshua and Caleb said ‘don’t be afraid’. What God did was always to save; the people’s response was sometimes good, sometimes bad.
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exod 20:2 · WEB
This week read Exodus 19–20: the covenant at Sinai and the Ten Commandments. As you read, notice: what did God say first, before he said ‘you shall’?
Just this one thing. When you do it, tap that day below; if you don’t, that’s all right—try again next week.
Good. Tap each day you do it this week:
Putting down roots is not something you do alone. Find a brother or sister you trust (ideally of the same sex) and talk this question over this week:
Do you often feel you have to make yourself better first before God will accept you, or that you are accepted first and then learn to obey? What does the order in this lesson remind you of?