by Ann Johnstone

Created on: July 09, 2010

The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is the pivotal event in Old Testament history and colours not only the story of the nation of Israel but the whole of God’s dealings with His people. It is referred to either directly or symbolically throughout scripture and adds vital meaning to the relationship between Yahweh and His people.

 The book of Genesis tells us why and how God called, led and preserved one family out of all others to be His chosen representatives on earth. He promised Abraham, patriarch of Israel, the most amazing things. Through his son Isaac he would become the father of a great nation, and his descendants would inherit all of the land from north-eastern Sinai to the Euphrates river – a far greater land mass than what comprises Israel today.

 In the book of Exodus we see how God revealed Himself to His people by a new name. He would become Yahweh, a name derived from the four Hebrew letters comprising the word translated “I am who I am”. He spoke with Moses as His friend and chose him, despite his imperfections, to deliver His people out of slavery in Egypt. Because of Moses’ reluctance to speak to the Egyptian Pharaoh, God elected his brother Aaron to be his mouthpiece.

 It is clear that Moses was not an eager volunteer for the job God was calling him to perform. He came up with several objections, each of which were quickly resolved. It is interesting that, throughout the history of Israel, God tended to choose those who were seemingly insignificant to do His work: David, the youngest son; Gideon, the timid; Ruth, the Moabitess, and Jonah, the unwilling. Moreover, He even further diminished small armies until they were bound to lose the battle in their own strength; they were forced to trust in Yahweh alone to bring them victory.

 The Exodus event is the story of how Yahweh, God of Israel, delivered His people supernaturally from the hands of the Egyptians. The Pharaoh, proud and arrogant as he was, and unwilling to let his slaves go, initially countered Moses’ demands with even harsher conditions for the Israelites. Then he called in his magicians to compete with Moses by demonstrating their skills. However they were no match for the God of Israel. Finally, when Yahweh enacted the harshest of all the plagues, the death of every firstborn son of every Egyptian family (including the son of Pharaoh himself) the king told Moses his people could leave.

 Before the angel of death

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