Exodus: The Greatest Birth Narrative of the Old Testament

This article was first published in French at TPSG.

Why the Book of Exodus?
In the opening pages of the Book of Exodus, we witness a birth. Yes, we read of the birth and deliverance of the Hebrew boys at the hands of two courageous midwives. And then we read of the birth and deliverance of Moses at the hand of two other brave women, his mother and his sister (not to mention Pharaoh's daughter). But these births and deliverances only serve as images of the greatest birth and deliverance emphasized in the book of Exodus, that of the nation of Israel. In the plagues of Egypt, we see a living image of the pains of childbirth. And in the act of the Exodus itself, marked by the crossing of the Red Sea, we see the very moment when the band of Hebrews becomes a singular nation.

What is the significance of these events and those that follow in the book of Exodus? Paul answers this question in 1 Corinthians 

Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:11-12)

Thus, these Old Testament accounts are not outdated stories that have no relevance to our lives today. On the contrary, they have much to teach us, if we take the time to dig deep and understand their universal message. 

Deliverance: Exodus 1-15
Let's think about Exodus 1: Where does the book begin? Under what circumstances are God's people at that time? Where is God? What happened to the promises made to Abraham and his descendants throughout the book of Genesis? 

The book of Exodus opens where the book of Genesis closes, with the genealogy of Jacob's descendants who came from Canaan to Egypt at the time of Joseph. In a few generations, the sons of Abraham grow from about 70 to a multitude so large that it becomes a real threat to the Pharaoh. They are no longer viewed favorably, as they were in Joseph's time, but instead become slaves of Pharaoh. Moreover, as they continue to grow in numbers despite their cruel oppression, they become victims of genocide, for Pharaoh orders the murder of all male sons born to the Hebrews. 

In the first chapters, we see how God responds to the cries of his people. He chooses a reluctant spokesman named Moses, whom he sends to Pharaoh with a simple message: "Let my people go, that they may serve me". (Exodus 9:1)

Saved to Serve
"Serve" is one of the key words in the book of Exodus. And we see that this is the purpose for which God brings his people out of slavery. He takes those who serve a pagan king and turns them into his children so that they may serve him. And what does their service consist of? Building cities for God as they did for Pharaoh? Certainly not! In fact, God promises to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey, with cities built by the hands of others (Deut. 6:10-12). No, God is not seeking a workforce. He is seeking worshippers.

So it is today. We too have been delivered from slavery to a harsh, cruel master. According to 1 John 3:10, we were once children of the devil. And instead of serving God, we served the enemy of our souls and the lusts of the flesh. But Christ redeemed us to serve Him, not under the yoke of sin, but as slaves of righteousness! In 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Paul writes to the church in Corinth urging them to live in the light of God's promises, the promises made to the people of Israel in the book of Exodus! He quotes in part from Exodus 29:45-46:

I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

What greater service could we render than to worship our great God and King! What a gift of grace!

The Ten Plagues
We see, then, that by a strong hand and an outstretched arm, God delivers his people from slavery in Egypt (Ps. 136:12). How? By a series of ten plagues. Pharaoh repeatedly promises to free the people, but he changes his mind as soon as God shows compassion and puts an end to the plague.  

Finally, with the last of the plagues, Pharaoh has had enough. Do you remember what it was? The death of the first-born of all Egypt. Pharaoh had killed the sons of the Hebrews, and now God takes away his own son, his heir. Pharaoh had nine painful warnings that he ignored.

The same is true today. God watches over His children in the face of opposition, in the face of persecution, in the face of spiritual attacks. We can remember His faithfulness in previous generations and be assured of His care in ours.

Penal Substitution
And what happens to the firstborn sons of God's people? They are spared. But how are they spared? By substitution. Here we see a principle that runs through Scripture like a scarlet thread. 

Where in Scripture do we see the first substitutionary death? At the fall. Adam and Eve take forbidden fruit. Their eyes open. They see their own nakedness. They hide from God. God sends them away from the garden, but not before providing clothing made of skin to cover their nakedness, their shame. 

What grace! Rather than judgment and immediate death, Adam and Eve receive grace and mercy. We see this repeated throughout Scripture. Every time God's people offer an animal as a sacrifice, it is the substitute that sheds its blood for sinners. It does not begin in Exodus, for Noah, Abraham, and his sons offer sacrifices. It is just in Exodus the sacrificial system is codified.

The Passover Lamb
God warns the children of Israel in Egypt that judgment is coming. He also gives them the remedy to escape the judgment. The Passover lamb is to be killed and its blood applied to the lintels of the doors of every household. Without exception. The implication is that any household that does not take these instructions seriously will not be spared.  

This is also true in this day and age. The Paschal Lamb, Jesus Christ, shed his blood to save sinners. But if we do not apply His sacrifice to the lintels of our hearts, we will not be spared from the coming judgment. 

We see, therefore, that the blood of an innocent lamb is a substitute, and that it covers every household of the children of Israel. However, Pharaoh and his people are not spared, and in his grief and shock, he frees his slaves. But he quickly recovers from that shock, and sets out in pursuit of his freed captives. 

Desert Pilgrimage: Exodus 13-19
You remember the rest, don't you? In chapters 13-19 we read how, caught between a mighty army in pursuit and a fierce sea, God's people waver in unbelief. In spite of all the wonders that the Lord has performed for them so far, they still accuse Moses, "Did you bring us here to die? (Ex. 14:11). 

Fortunately, God is patient and compassionate. He does not leave the people of Israel to fend for themselves. On the contrary, He splits the sea before them and leads them safely to dry land while drowning Pharaoh and his army in the depths of the sea. 

The Birth of the Nation
As I mentioned in the introduction and according to many theologians, this period marks the birth of the nation of Israel. Until then, they had been wandering nomads, then immigrants under the rule of a foreign power. But in the Exodus we witness their transformation into a free nation under the special protection of God, a chosen people on its journey towards a destiny promised centuries before, under the banner of their Deliverer and Master.

In the following chapters, God continues to demonstrate his patience with a rebellious people. In spite of their complaints and lack of faith, he provides water in the desert, as well as bread and fowl that falls from heaven. Then, right in the middle of the book, the Lord gives them the most precious gift of all: His holy law.  

To be continued...
This brings us to the second half of the book of Exodus. Stay tuned for my next article, in which I will continue with the second half of the book of Exodus and its application to the people of the New Covenant.