The covenant in the book of exodus

My purpose in this article is not to trace the history of scholarly opinion about covenant and law in the old testament, but rather to survey the role of covenant and law in the book of exodus. Throughout the book of exodus, we see god fulfilling his covenant, but more important, we see gods redemptive action toward his wayward people. Chapters 118 narrate the history of the egyptian bondage, the exodus from egypt, and the journey to mount sinai under the leadership of moses. Having heard the ipsissima verba spoken by god to moses, they repeated their previous acceptance see. The exodus experience was the defining moment in the history of the children of israel. It has its own quirks, subtleties, and superweird moments. The ark of the covenant according to the book of exodus. Title exodus is a latin word derived from greek exodos, the name given to the. At mt sinai, in exodus 19, god proposed marriage to israel. This foreshadowed jesus, the lamb of god without spot or blemish 1 peter 1. A careful reading of exodus 19 reveals the use of the term book of the covenant.

Its the most detailed yet condensed summary of gods divine administration for redemption that outlines the work of restoration of his godly people and holy land. The book is strategically important to both old testament history and a proper understanding of hebrew customs and institutions. Sinai, where he establishes abrahams covenant with them through a special set of laws in the book of exodus. The covenant code, or book of the covenant, is the name given by academics to a text appearing in the torah, at exodus 20. The glorious new covenant involves not only a full and total restoration of the broken relationship between god and his people, but also a few hints of something more. The book of genesis has many entertaining stories and people, but exodus is the real beginning of the hebrew people. The books of leviticus and deuteronomy also delineate the law. The original form of the book of the covenant jstor.

This summary of the book of exodus provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of exodus. The book of the covenant ends with some warnings and final instructions. The original purpose of exodus was to help the people of israel understand their identity as gods special people, and to learn about their covenant obligations to him. Now moses reads from the book of the covenant, the ten commandments and ordinances that moses had told the people about previously exodus 24. It does not contain the 10 commandments because they were written directly by god whereas the book of the covenant was written by moses at gods direction. Intro to exodus biblica the international bible society. The book of exodus, is the second book of moses and the old testament.

The covenant of the torch made with abraham is the most significant among all the covenants in the bible. Nothing is said in the books of genesis or exodus about any law being. Exodus 2123, the book of the covenant west palm beach. The global message of exodus the continued story of redemptive history. After the exodus out of egypt the people of israel received the law of jehovah and erected. The glory of yahwehs new covenant lies in total restoration and a more intimate relationship than ever before. The book of exodus may be the most consequential story ever told. The covenant is more than just an agreement between god and the israelites. Covenant, book of the definition and meaning bible. The second book of the pentateuch is called exodus, from the greek word for. A number of years ago, fred appel gave me the idea for a book on exodus. The covenant code, or book of the covenant, presented in chapters 2023, immediately following the decalogue ten commandments, opens with a short passage on ritual ordinances, followed by social and civil law applying to specific situations case law, including the treatment of slaves, capital. Free online bible library the book of the covenant.

Exodus is the second book of the pentateuch the five books of moses, and its where we find the stories of the ten plagues, the first passover, the parting of the red sea, and the ten commandments. The books of reference used for this study of the book of exodus were the bible, king james version, called the companion bible, publisher kregel. But its spectacular moments of heavensent plagues and parting seas overshadow its true significance, says jan assmann, a leading historian of ancient religion. Therefore in response to the pleadings of the terrified people moses went up again into the mountain and received from yahweh for them the rest of the words and ordinances exodus 24. Book of exodus overview insight for living ministries. The covenant that god made with abraham was renewed with his son. In the exodus out of egypt yahweh took a downtrodden group of canaanite slaves and formed them into his holy covenant nation, making them the vehicle of. Continuing the history of israel from the point where the book of genesis leaves off, exodus recounts the egyptian oppression of jacobs everincreasing descendants and their miraculous deliverance by god through moses, who led them across the red sea to mount sinai where they entered into a covenant.

A forgotten encounter in the history of the exodus and wilderness journey book 2 history of redemption. Twopage spread from johannes gutenbergs 42line bible, c. The book of exodus continues the story of the redemptive history that god began in the book of genesis. The book celebrates and memorializes this great saving event in song and story and also the awesome revelation and covenant at mt. Then he took the book of the covenant and read it to the people.

Faith and covenant in the book of exodus jan assmann, robert savage on. The book of exodus is the second of five parts which comprise what scripture calls the book of moses. Moses is attributed as the author of exodus, although there were theories in the early twentieth century that rejected that. Exodus 24 new international version niv the covenant confirmed.

The main theme in exodus is god remembering his covenant with abraham. Various dates have been suggested for the compilation of the book of the covenant, ranging from the period of moses to postexilic times. Dominated by the personage of moses, we follow the travails of the hebrew people from their life in egypt to the banks of the jordan as. A groundbreaking account of how the book of exodus shaped fundamental aspects of judaism, christianity, and islam. You are to worship at a distance, 2 but moses alone is to approach the lord. The title in the greek, latin, and english versions means a going out, referring to the seminal event of the liberation of israel from egyptian bondage through the wondrous acts and power of god. The book of exodus is the second book of the bible and describes the exodus, which includes the israelites deliverance from slavery in. Bible survery exodus hebrew name velleh shemoth these are the names greek name exodus departure author moses date from 1635 to 1490 bc approximately theme gods covenant with the hebrew nation types and shadows in exodus jesus is the lamb of god. The book of exodus tells us that when moses climbed sinai to receive the law delivered to the israelites after their escape from egypt, he was instructed to build an ark upon which the glory of god would rest. Among the symbolic presentations of christ in the book of exodus is the story of the water from the rock in exodus 17. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. In the hebrew bible, the opening line, and or now these are the names, pr. The english title, exodus, comes from the greek translation septuagint, lxx because the departure of israel from egypt is the dominant historical fact in the book 19.

Witness encounters with god in the book of exodus part 2. Summary of the book of exodus the story of the bible. Various dates have been suggested for the compilation of the book of the covenant, ranging from the period of. Collins, holmes professor of old testament criticism and. The covenant sealed 6 moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar.

Exodus relates the story of freedom for gods people from slavery and the beginning of national identity. The book of exodus furnishes an excellent paradigm for studying the covenant and the law throughout the old testament. This study is about rightly dividing the word of god contained in torah. Strongs exhaustive concordance of the bible, numbered to the hebrew, chaldee, and greek, and english, coded to the strongs concordance numbers. Behold, i send an angel before you to guard you on the way and. Book of the covenant biblical literature britannica. Covenant, book of the definition and meaning bible dictionary. In exodus, god invites the israelites into a covenant. We see his miraculous interventionthe plagues, the parting of the red sea, the pillar of fire by night and the pillar. Baden, associate professor of old testament, yale divinity school.

But there is something stunning about what god says as he ends the book of the covenant. Biblically, the text is the second of the law codes given to moses by god at mount sinai. The book of exodus assumes that god had made a covenant with the patriarchs. The book of numbers also covers some of the same time period as the book of exodus. If this covenant were based on works or on strict justice alone israel would be done for. And in many ways, exodus is the covenant book its the rules, the history, and the contract all wrapped up into one you probably remember abrahams covenant with god from genesis. Exodus begins in the egyptian region called goshen.

God heard their groaning, and god remembered his covenant with. A forgotten encounter in the history of the exodus and wilderness journey book 2 history of redemption park, abraham on. The book of exodus is the story of god rescuing the children of israel from egypt and forging a special relationship with them. He wants to make them his representatives to all the nations and come to personally live in their midst. Sinai, where god invites them into a covenant relationship. In this direct and unequivocal manner the narrator connected the book with the. The israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out. The second half of the book tells of the covenant that was established between god and israel at sinai and promulgates laws for the ordering of israels life. The book of the covenant, wherein moses had written the conditions of this covenant, to wit, the words and laws of god, above, exodus 24. The title exodus comes from the septuagint, which derived it from the primary event found in the book, the deliverance from slavery and exodus or departure of the israelite nation out of egypt by the hand of yahweh, the god of their forefathers. Exodus 24 the covenant confirmed then the lord bible. Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to god.

But to show that the covenant is based on grace, god renews the covenant and uses words which make this gracious foundation clear. Its landmarks are the passover and the passage through the red sea see explanation in 1 corinthians 5. Watch our overview video on exodus 1940, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. The foundation of biblical ethics and morality is laid out first in the gracious character of god as revealed in the exodus itself and then in the ten commandments and the ordinances of the book of the covenant 20.