Exodus IntroductionThe Greek word, exodus means “departure. ” The Exodus is the Israelite departure from Egypt under the leadership of Moses, and the subsequent journey through the Sinai wilderness. [1] The biblical Exodus account has been understood on a number of different levels. [2] Historically, the Exodus represents the process of Israelite’s slavery under a Egyptian pharaoh, followed by their freedom flight from Egypt to the promised land, Canaan. Theologically the Exodus implicates important themes: divine promise and fulfillment of it, eternal covenant, human suffering and redemption.
Paradigmatically, the Exodus provides the powerful image of “the archetype for all subsequent redemption and liberation experiences, it has become a powerful symbol in Western political thought. ” [3] This essay chronologically considers the Exodus with its theological meaning. Historical Background of the Exodus: the Late Bronze Age In Western AsiaSeveral hundred years of relative silence separate the end of the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 from the beginning of the Book of Exodus where the story is picked up once again. [4]?
After Jacob had settled down in Egypt with his family to remain through the rest of the seven-year famine, the next of Scripture supplies no details other than to tell us that a new king “who did not know about Joseph” began to oppress the Israelites (Exod. 1:8). [5] Some scholars argue that the king who did not know about Joseph was Amois (1570-1546 BC), the founder of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Anther scholars suggest that the date of the Exodus is 1447 B. C or thereabouts. [6] There are scholars who argue that a date of 1300-1250 suits the majority of evidence better than other. [7]?
However the date is not clearly fixed. What we know is that the events of Egyptian bondage, exodus, and conquest must fall within the heyday of the Egyptian empire (ca. 1550 B. C to 1200 B. C). [8]? This time span coincides roughly within Late Bronze Age in Palestine. [9] During the period? , Egypt dominated the ancient middle Asia. According to the Script, sons of Israel went down to Egypt at the time of Joseph (Gen 46:8), and in the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelite had come out of Egypt. (1 king 6:1) Sons of Israel does not mean the twelve-tribes association.
Martin Noth suggests that several tribes migrated in Egypt, and after their leaving Egypt, the tribes were united with the tribes, staying behind in Palestine, and constituted the twelve-tribes association. [10]? The descendants of first settlers were oppressed by new king who did not know about Joseph. Ex 1:9 describes the reason why the new king oppressed Israelites: Look, the Israelite are more numerous and more powerful than we. (NRSV) Three separate pogroms (organized destruction or massacres) were carried out against the Israelites: (1) the slave labour of building the two store cities (Exod. :11-12), (2) the order for the midwives to kill all newly born male babies (Exod. 1:15-22), and (3) the order that Israel was to gather its own straw to make bricks while maintaining the same quote as before (Exod. 5:6-23). [11]? The early life of Moses, and his MissionThe Exodus is tied with life of Moses. Early Moses’ life is clearly revealed in the Scripture. Moses parents are the Levitical Couple Amram and his wife Jochebed (Exod. 2:2). When Moses was born, all newly born male babies were to be killed by Pharaoh’s command (Exod. 1:15). Exod. 2:1-10 describes how Moses were saved his life.
Moses was raised and educated in the palace of Egypt, thereby gaining one of the finest educations possible in that day. [12] The education might influenced the Moses’ mission. For example, a Egyptian text in the thirteen century, Papyrus Anastaisi I describes the geography of Palestine and Phoenicia. If Moses was introduced to documents or training such as this, it is no wonder that he had such advance understanding of the terrain, peoples, and situations he would encounter as he moved through the Sinai Desert into Transjordania and into Palestine. [13]? Exod. 2:11-21 records events in the middle years of Moses’ life.
One day Moses killed an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew. When his indeed became known later, he escaped to the Land of Median. He married Zipporah, one of the daughters of Jethro. Moses lived the Land of Median for 40 years. Many scholars favor the view that Yahweh had been Known among Midianite (Kenite) clans of the Sinai peninsula, and that Moses learned of him from his father-in-law, Jethro. [14]? He made a declared the greatness and power of the plagues and Exodus form Egypt. [15] ? Exod 3:2 describes the scene that Moses met God in Mt Horeb. The next passages illustrate Moses took his task from God (Exod. :3-4:17). In the Scene, God introduced Himself : I am Who I am. W. F. Bright states that the phrase I am who I am derives from the third person singular of the Hebrew language’s causative stem (hiphil) and therefore should be translated “He causes to be what comes in Existence”[16] There are various debates of Bright’s theory. However it is clear that God addresses Moses is the same God of Gen. 1-11. Other parts of Exodus, God revealed his name and nature. Previously, God had appeared to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob in the character and nature of El Shaddai; but now He would manifest Himself as Yahweh (Exod. :3) by delivering Israel and leading her into the land. He had sworn to give to the patriarchs (6:8; 33:1). [17]? His activity centralized one concept, remembering of His covenant (6:5). Moses was given the power and went to back to Egypt with Aron, his brother and spokesman (Exod. 4: 17-31). The Exodus from EgyptChapter 5 through 12 narrate Moses’ struggle with Pharaoh that is also a fight between deities, since Moses represents Yahweh and Pharaoh himself is thought to be one of the Egyptian gods. [18] ? Moses first request that Pharaoh permit Israel to take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord (Exod. :1-3), was turned down abruptly (Exod. 5:4-11). [19] ? As a result, ten plagues were brought upon the country (Exod. 7:14-12:36) . Exodus 7:14-12:36 records ten plagues. However Ps. 78:43-51 and 105:27-36 describes only seven plagues. Josephus records nine plagues. [20]? It might be the palmist and Josephus rewrote the ten plague story in their own theological purpose. Exodus 13:17-18:27 describes the scene the departure from Egypt and the journey to Sinai. Moses led Israel from Succoth to Ehtam, then toward Pi-haniroth, where they camped along the shoreline opposite a site called Baal-zephon. 21] The body of water was called yam sup in Hebrew, meaning “Sea of Reeds”, or “The Red Sea”. The climactic event of the Exodus took place here. Number 1:46 records numbers of Israelites who left Egypt, the total number of fighting men at 603,550. However more recent study calculates 5,000 males and a total population of 20,000. [22]? ?After crossing the yam sup, they went into the wildness (Exod. 15:22). Scholars cannot undertake to reconstruct the details of Israel’s wanderings in the desert. [23]? The location of Sinai, the first destination of the Exodus, is not certain as well.
Scholars assume three possible routes connected Egypt and Palestine: a northern route, a middle route, and a southeasterly route. The northern route was where presence of Egyptian forts rendered armed conflict likely, and for this reason was best avoided. [24]? A middle route headed straight across Sinai’ central limestone shield, but did not have adequate water supplies. [25] A third route is the one the Israelites probably choose. This route linked Pi-hahiroth to the land of Median, along a coastline of Red Sea.
ApplicationThe Exodus saga reveals major themes of God: divine promise with Israelites and fulfillment of it, human suffering and God’s compassion, and redemption. The themes centralized in the covenant, and all what he did come from his attributes: sincerity. These days, Australia is in a economic recession, caused by American economic depression. The unemployment rate dramatically surged in this year. The business market is starting to crumble. The economic condition affects the poor and the lower middle class. They feel fear and anxiety.
Ancient Israelites was oppressed by Egyptians; similarly, Australian is mentally oppressed by anxiety . The situation should be a chance to know who Yahweh is, and what He does with his sincerity. He might compassionate with Australians who is suffering. He will help Australians. However there are some conditions. Australians must be “new Israelites”, who believe in Jesus, and new covenant. Australian churches have to take a role for this: Australian churches help others to be new Israelites, and be Moses to lead them to new Canaan, where they can release from anxiety and fear with believing in Yahweh, sincere and credible God.
Bibliography Carl A. Redmount. “Bitter Lives: Israel in and out of Egypt. ” In The Oxford History of the biblical world, edited by Michael David Coogan. Oxford, Britain: Oxford University Press, 2001. Iain William Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman. A Biblical History of Israel. Lousville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003. John Bright. A History of Israel. 4th ed. Lousville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000. Martin Noth. The History of Israel. Second English. London: Adam ; Chales Black, 1960. Paul R. House. Old Testament Theology .
Downers Grove: INTER-VARSITY PRESS, 1998. Ronarld B. Dillard, and Tremper Longman III. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Leicester, England: APPLOS, 1995. Samuel Cheon. “Josephus and the Story of Plagues: An Appraisal of a Moralising Interpretation.. ” Asia Journal of Theology 18, no. 1 (April 2004): 220-230. Walter C. Kaiser. Toward an Old Testament Theology. Annotated. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991. Walter C. Kaiser, JR. A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age Through The Jewisy Wars. Nashiville, Tennessee: Broadman ; Holman Publishers, 1998. Willian Sanford
Lasor, David Allan Hubbard, and Frederic William Bush. Old Testament Survey. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. , 1996. ——————————— [ 1 ]. Carl A. Redmount, “Bitter Lives: Israel in and out of Egypt,” in The Oxford History of the biblical world, ed. Michael David Coogan, illustrated. (Oxford, Britain: Oxford University Press, 2001), 58. [ 2 ]. Ibid. [ 3 ]. Ibid. , 59. [ 4 ]. Walter C. Kaiser, JR. , A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age Through The Jewisy Wars (Nashiville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998), 79. [ 5 ]. Ibid. [ 6 ]. Ronarld B.
Dillard and Tremper Longman III, An Introduction to the Old Testament (Leicester, England: APPLOS, 1995), 59. [ 7 ]. Willian Sanford Lasor, David Allan Hubbard, and Frederic William Bush, Old Testament Survey, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. , 1996), 60. [ 8 ]. see. John Bright, A History of Israel, 4th ed. (Lousville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000), 107. [ 9 ]. Willian Sanford Lasor, David Allan Hubbard, and Frederic William Bush, Old Testament Survey, 52. [ 10 ]. see. Martin Noth, The History of Israel, second English. (London: Adam ; Chales Black, 1960), 85-138. 11 ]. Walter C. Kaiser, JR. , A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age Through The Jewisy Wars, 83. [ 12 ]. Ibid. , 89. [ 13 ]. Ibid. [ 14 ]. John Bright, A History of Israel, 127. [ 15 ]. Walter C. Kaiser, JR. , A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age Through The Jewisy Wars, 93. [ 16 ]. Paul R. House, Old Testament Theology (Downers Grove: INTER-VARSITY PRESS, 1998), 93. [ 17 ]. Walter C. Kaiser, Toward an Old Testament Theology, annotated. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991), 101. [ 18 ]. Ronarld B. Dillard and Tremper Longman III, An Introduction to the Old Testament, 62. 19 ]. Walter C. Kaiser, JR. , A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age Through The Jewisy Wars, 96. [ 20 ]. see. Samuel Cheon, “Josephus and the Story of Plagues: An Appraisal of a Moralising Interpretation. ,” Asia Journal of Theology 18, no. 1 (April 2004): 220-230. [ 21 ]. Iain William Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman, A Biblical History of Israel (Lousville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003), 129. [ 22 ]. Ibid. , 130. [ 23 ]. John Bright, A History of Israel, 124. [ 24 ]. Iain William Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman, A Biblical History of Israel, 133. [ 25 ]. Ibid.
