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Getting Started: Exodus

Thabiti Anyabwile

RESOURCES
Commentaries and Other Reading [pdf, 155kb]
Sermon Series Suggestions [pdf, 65kb]

Context

Exodus is narrative—the second book of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. It picks up right where Genesis ended.

The context is set in the opening verses of Exodus 1:

These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt. Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

Two things are worth noticing here:

  1. The old generation has passed. Joseph and his brothers are gone. Their memory fades, and a new Pharaoh arises who “did not know Joseph.”

  2. The Genesis promise continues. In Genesis 15:13–14, God promised Abraham that his descendants would live as strangers in a foreign land for 400 years but that He would deliver them. Exodus shows that promise moving toward fulfillment.

Yet at the outset, Pharaoh’s oppression and Israel’s slavery raise a desperate question: Will the Lord keep His promises? Exodus is the story of God answering that cry with a resounding Yes.

Structure

Exodus has 40 chapters, and there are a couple of ways to divide it.

  • Two-part division:

    • Chs. 1–18: The Exodus from Egypt

    • Chs. 19–40: The Covenant at Sinai

  • Three-part division (Dale Ralph Davis):

    • Deliverance (chs. 1–18)

    • Demands (chs. 19–34)

    • Dwelling (chs. 35–40)

This three-part outline not only captures the narrative but also the theological heart of Exodus: God delivers His people, calls them to covenant obedience, and comes to dwell among them.

Part 1: Deliverance (Chs. 1–18)

  • Chs. 1–2: The burden of slavery. Israel suffers under Pharaoh’s crushing oppression.

  • Chs. 3–4: The calling of Moses. God appears in the burning bush, commissions Moses, and declares: “Let my people go, that they may worship me.”

  • Chs. 5–6: Pharaoh’s defiance. Pharaoh resists, and the oppression worsens.

  • Chs. 7–12: The plagues and Passover. God judges Egypt and demonstrates His power. The climax is the Passover—blood on the doorposts sparing God’s people, pointing to the true Lamb, Jesus Christ.

  • Chs. 13–18: The Exodus itself. God leads His people out, parts the sea, provides manna and water, and proves Himself faithful to His promises.

Part 2: Demands (Chs. 19–34)

At Sinai, God gives His law.

  • Chs. 19–20: Covenant at Sinai. God descends in glory, thundering and terrifying, and gives His commands.

  • Chs. 21–23: Expansion of the law. Instructions for holy living.

  • Chs. 23–24: Covenant confirmed. God seals His relationship with His people.

  • Chs. 25–31: Instructions for worship. The tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priesthood are set out.

  • Chs. 32–34: The golden calf and covenant renewal. Even before the covenant is sealed, Israel turns to idolatry. Yet God, in grace, renews His covenant. Moses pleads: “Show me your glory,” and God reveals His goodness and mercy.

This section teaches that if deliverance takes Israel out of Egypt, God’s law takes Egypt out of Israel. His commands set them apart for covenant relationship and worship.

Part 3: Dwelling (Chs. 35–40)

Here the book reaches its climax.

  • Chs. 35–39: The tabernacle is built, the priesthood is prepared, and everything is set in place.

  • Ch. 40: God’s glory fills the tabernacle.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (Ex. 40:34)

God now dwells in the midst of His people. He goes before them by day and by night, and all of Israel encamps around His glory.

Themes in Exodus

  1. The Sovereignty of God. From calling Moses, to hardening Pharaoh’s heart, to toppling Egypt—the superpower of the day—God rules all things. (See Romans 9.)

  2. The Holiness of God. Sinai, the law, and the priesthood all reveal God’s holy character and the danger of approaching Him carelessly.

  3. God Dwelling with His People. From Eden, to the tabernacle, to Solomon’s temple, to Christ Himself, to the New Jerusalem—God’s plan is to dwell with His people.

  4. Covenant and Worship. God establishes His people by covenant. True worship flows out of covenant relationship.

Getting to the Gospel

Exodus is full of gospel connections:

  • The Tabernacle. John 1:14 says Jesus “tabernacled among us.” God’s presence in the tabernacle points forward to Christ in flesh, and ultimately to His Spirit dwelling in believers.

  • The Law. Israel couldn’t keep God’s law, and neither can we. But Christ fulfills it (Matt. 5:17), both in His obedience and in bearing its curse for us.

  • The Passover. Christ is our Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7). At the Last Supper, Jesus redefines the meal around Himself—His body broken, His blood shed for us.

  • The Pattern of Israel. Just as Israel was called out of Egypt, so Jesus fulfills Hosea 11:1: “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matt. 2:15). Jesus is the true Israel, the faithful Son.

Conclusion

Exodus is the great story of deliverance, covenant, and God’s presence with His people. It proclaims God’s sovereignty, holiness, and grace. Most importantly, it points us forward to Jesus Christ, the true Deliverer, the law-keeper, the Passover Lamb, and the One in whom God dwells with His people forever.

As you preach Exodus, may you unfold the glory of Christ from its pages.