RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-01-05	What Is The Meaning of the Exodus From Egypt
		God is omnipotent. That is, He possesses all power. Whatever He wills comes to pass. The Exodus story is full of detail and remarkable miracles. To be brief, Moses and Aaron came to Egypt's Pharaoh saying, “Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness” (Ex.5:1). Pharaoh refused because Israel was valuable to Egypt because they provided slave labor for his kingdom. Pharaoh became angry at Moses and Aaron's demand that he accused them trying to stop the Israelites' work (Ex.5:9). At this point neither the oppressor (Pharaoh) not the oppressed (Israel) are listening to God. Pharaoh is not listening because he trusts in his own power, and believes nothing bad can happen to him. The Israelites are not listening because they are broken and unable to believe anything good can happen to them. The next few chapters change the perspectives of both. What follows is a succession of plagues sent from God upon the Egyptians. Systematically the plagues get worse. Egypt is being destroyed. Pharaoh Eventually pleads with Moses to make the plagues stop, and he would let the Israelites go. But each time God takes away the plague, Pharaoh again hardens his heart and refuses to let them go. As a result of Pharaoh hardening his own heart, God hardens it even more (Ro.9:17-18). Rom 9:17  For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I HAVE RAISED YOU UP, THAT I MAY SHOW MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MAY BE DECLARED IN ALL THE EARTH." Rom 9:18  Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. Moses prophesied to Pharaoh that the next  plague would be the death of all the firstborn of Egypt. Pharaoh persisted in his stubbornness. So God initiated the Passover and told the Israelites to mark the doorposts of their doorways with lamb's blood. Every door marked with the blood would be “pass over” when the Lord came to take the firstborn of every household in Egypt (Ex.12:23-27). After this plague, Pharaoh relented and drove the people to leave in haste. They were forced to leave so quickly that took their dough before it was leavened (Ex.12:34). After Moses led the people out of Egypt, Pharaoh chased after them. God split the Red Sea to allow His people to escape the Egyptians and reach the other side on dry ground (Ex.14). Then Pharaoh and his army attempted to follow them, but God closed up the Red Sea and they perished. The account of the exodus assures us that what God says will happen, will happen. Sometimes people are like Pharaoh, so proud and stubborn that they resist God despite evidence His will always comes to pass. Sometimes people are like the Israelites, so broken in spirit and exhausted that they cannot believe God will bless them. The meaning and significance of the exodus from Egypt is captured in the observance of the Passover. For Israel the significance is seen by the many places it is mentioned in Scripture (Du.5:6; 1Sm.12:6; Ps.77:20; 78:13; 105:26; Is.63:11; Mi.6:4; Ac.7:36). For the church the exodus is seen in that Moses, like Jesus, sets His people free. But Jesus “has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses” (He.3:3). Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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