Week 19 Exodus Part I

Small Group Week 19

The Exodus Narrative

- The first word or Exodus is “and” this shows that it is not meant to meant to read separately but as a continuation of the story that began in Genesis.

Q. What words, phrases, or concepts do you recognize from Genesis? 

-  The people of Israel were “fruitful and multiplied” they “filled the land”  

Q.  What is the text trying to communicate by the repetition of these phrases?

-  This is creation language and connects Exodus back to the very beginning.

-  Adam’s original commission was to be fruitful and multiply and fill the land.  

-  As God’s image they would fill the earth with His glory.

- The text also repeats Genesis 46:8 to connect us to the earlier story.  Exodus even uses the participle form of the verb “come” so it actually reads, “These are the names of the sons of Israel who were coming to Egypt.”  The choice of the participle is striking because you would expect the past tense to be used in the context of this passage and most translations actually use the past tense came.  

-  Furthermore Genesis 46:8 is followed by a list of the names of those who journeyed to Egypt.  Exodus 1:1 is followed by the same list.  

-  The take home message is that Exodus is not merely the next thing that happens, but part of the larger story begun in Genesis.  

Q.  Adam was originally given the commission to be fruitful and multiply. Did Adam’s fall end this plan?

 -  The commission to be fruitful was passed on to Noah.  It also repeated to Abraham but this time instead of a command it is repeated as a promise.  

-  The plan is to continue but this time it would be the descendants of Abraham who would carry on this commission.  God would bless them and in turn they would bless all the nations.  

-  Exodus is trying to tell us that God is in fact blessing the descendants of Abraham and causing them to be able to fulfill the creation commands by making them fruitful and multiplying them.  Exodus 1:7 even use the word “swarm” a reference to Genesis 1:21 to show how much God was blessing His people in accordance with His plan for Abraham.  

- The Pharaoh is troubled by the increasing number of Hebrews and enslaves them and orders the execution of the Hebrew sons. 

Q.  Moses' mother makes the decision to save Moses once she sees that he is a fine child.  In Hebrew, the word is tov which means good.  Doesn't every mother think their child is great?  What is going on here?

-  Good is used by God in Genesis to describe His creation.  Once again we see Exodus using creation language.  What Moses' mother realizes is that Moses is God's creation and is good.  Pharaoh wants to kill God's good creation.

Q. Pharaoh is hostile to the Hebrews, but who is Pharaoh really opposing?

-  Pharaoh is opposing God’s command for the Hebrews to become fruitful and multiply and to fulfill the earth.  He is not just committing genocide, which is dreadfully tragic, but he is standing in the way of God’s plan for creation and the redemption of the world.  Pharaoh is in far deeper and tangling with forces far deeper than he realizes.

Q.  Should we be surprised by the opposition to God’s people?

-  God had explained that He would place enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.  

Q.  Where have we seen examples of this enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent?  

1.  Cain and Abel

2.  By juxtaposing the sons of god with Noah and noting Noah was the only righteous man, the text implies that the violence of the sons of god was leading to the extermination of the seed of the woman.

- Exodus connects Pharaoh to this larger story of opposition to God’s plan by using similar language to the builders of the tower of Babel.  Compare Exodus 1:10 to Genesis 11:3-4

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.

Exodus 1:10

Then the said come, let us build ourselves a city and tower with its top in the heavens and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the earth.

Genesis 11:3-4

- In both instances the creation commands are being opposed.  Pharaoh wants to end the multiplication of the Hebrews, the tower builders are attempting to concentrate rather than fill the earth.  

Exodus 1 is part of the larger battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent that arises in different forms throughout the Bible.  We see it in the Amalekites, the Moabites, and the Canaanites who would prevents God’s people from entering the Promised Land.  We see it in the Philistines and Goliath and the stories in Judges.  Despite this opposition God delivers His people.  Revelation 12 graphically depicts this battle.

Q.  Why does the text use creation language and connect so much of Exodus to Genesis?  

-  Wants to emphasize that Exodus is part of a larger story

-  The God who created the universe has a right to His people.  Pharaoh’s actions are indeed wrong and God’s outrage is justified.

-  As the creator of the universe God not only has the right but also the power to free his people.

-  God has a plan for the creation and a purpose and despite opposition to His plan, His plan will be accomplished.  

-  The Hebrews could have faith in God because he has a right, he has a plan, and he has the power to accomplish that plan.  God gives facts as a reason for faith - otherwise all we have is superstition. 

-  Other parts of scripture will link salvation to creation.  For example Isaiah 45:18 roots salvation for Israel from the Babylonian captivity in creation:

For thus says YHWH who created the heavens (he is God!) who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!) I am YHWH, and there is no other, no god besides him.