The book of Exodus is the second book of Moses and it records the deliverance of the people of Israel from their Egyptian oppressors. In Genesis, the story centers around the patriarchs such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Exodus will center around Moses, the man God called to be Lawgiver and leader of His people. The theme of Exodus is necessary deliverance, and you cannot have deliverance without a deliver. The book of Exodus reveals to us the truth that God is faithful to deliver His people out of what enslaves them. He is a Redeemer, and our only hope of rescue is found in Him and His gracious work on our behalf. God brought His people out of Egypt so that He might bring them into their inheritance in fulfillment of the promise He made to Abraham.
The story of the Exodus involves God calling Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. God would bring His people out by His mighty hand and outstretched arm. He would pour out judgment on the Egyptians through ten plagues, the last of which involved the death of the firstborn. God gave His people specific instructions to slaughter a lamb and apply its blood to the doorposts of their houses so that they would be spared from the plague. When the destroying angel saw the blood that had been applied, he would “pass over” the household. God wanted this passover observance to be kept in Israel for future generations. It was not the life of the little lamb that spared the people from judgment, but the death of the lamb. In this way, the Passover Lamb is a picture of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption. Only as Christ our Passover Lamb died in our stead can we be saved from God’s judgment on sin. Some people who claim to admire the life and teachings of Jesus don’t want His cross, and yet it is His death on the cross that paid the price of our redemption. There is no Christianity without the cross.
Most of the book of Exodus records the giving of the Law to Israel through Moses, as well as the construction of the Tabernacle. God redeemed and rescued His people so that they might live obedient lives of worship. His Law was an expression of His perfect and righteous character, revealing how short they themselves came to live up to it. Their redemption was on the basis of His grace, not their goodness. God wanted His people to know that He is their God, and they are His people. The Tabernacle reveals His desire to dwell among them and be their God. However, their sin separated them from Him. Thus, God had to make special provision through a priesthood and a sacrificial system in order for their sins to be temporarily covered. This system would remain in place until the perfect Lamb of God would one day come and fulfill the righteous demands of the Law. In this way, both the Passover Lamb and the Tabernacle serve as beautiful pictures of the work of Jesus Christ on the sinner’s behalf. When reading the book of Exodus, remember that He is both our perfect Lamb and faithful High Priest!