BOOK OF EXODUS

Liberation from Slavery

Book of Exodus

Liberation:Liberation from slavery in Egypt

“Great Escape”Liberation through the “Law”

“Great Law”

Author: Unknown, gathered from oral traditionand early writings

Purpose: To tell the story of the liberation of Israel both through the miracles of the “exodus” and the Sinai Covenant

Themes:God liberates people fromslavery and oppression

God sustains the Israelites in the wilderness

God forms a covenant marked by laws and rituals

IMPORTANT FACTS Epic Story;

Exaggeration Grand event

Epic Hero (Moses): Humble beginnings/ set

apart The instrument used by

God Bravery, wisdom, speaks

with power and authority

Chapters 1-18 slavery, deliverance

Chapters 19-40 at Mt Sinai

Account is at the heart of both Jewish and Christian belief

Jesus’ life death and resurrection cannot be fully appreciated without knowing these stories

400 YEARS OF SLAVERY1650BC-1250BC

At the end of the Book of Genesis the Israelites are happily living as guests in Egypt due to the generosity of the pharaoh.

The Beginning of the Book of Exodus finds the Israelites laboring as slaves in Egypt.(read Ex. 1: 1-14)

Why???

MOSES IS SAVEDRead Ex. 1: 15-22

What suffering is added to the Israelites lives?

Read Ex.2: 1-10

What are the circumstances surrounding Moses’ birth? What does

Moses’ name mean and why is it significant?

MOSES KILLS AN EGYPTIAN

Ex. 2: 11-14

Ex. 2: 15-22

The Call of Moses

Ex. 2:20-22

Ex. 3:1-22

Ex. 4: 10-17

Ex.4: 2-5

CALL NARRATIVE Mysterious

setting God initiates the

call Candidate is

hesitant God reassures Acceptance of

the mission

What is revealed? God calls on

imperfect people God provides what

we need to accomplish the task

God is persistent

Ex.3 & 4

Ex. 9: 13-34

Ex. 9:8-12Ex. 8:16-28

Ex. 8:12-15Ex. 7: 14-24

Ex. 10:1-20

Ex. 9:1-7

Ex. 7: 25- 8:11

Ex. 19:21-29

Plagues of

Egypt

*God has power over nature*

NATURAL OCCURRENCES OR MIRACLES Water turns to blood Epidemic of frogs Gnats/ fleas Flies Animals die Skin disease Hail Locust Sun blotted out

Happened when and how Moses prophesied.

Happened more intensely than would be normal

Happened only to Egyptians

The 10th Plague

Angel of Death

Death of the Firstborn

Passover

Ex. 12:31-36

Ex. 12: 37-51

Pharaoh dismisses

the Israelites

The Departure

of the Israelites

*God has power over earthly rulers*

When the pharaoh changes his mind, God again shows his power over nature by using the water of the Red Sea to save the Israelites and destroy the Egyptian chariots and charioteers

Foreshadows baptism

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE EXODUS?Descendants of the original Israelites

Slaves who left with the Israelites

The number is less than the exaggerated number given in the Bible.

Arrival at the Mountain of

God, Mt. Sinai

God Speaks to Moses on

the mountain

God gives Moses the 10

Commandments

Moses descends

the mountain with the

tablets of the Law

Mt. Sinai

SINAI COVENANT

God:In addition to the promises made to Abraham, God promises to be their God and they will be His people.

Gives them the 10 Commandments

(Decalogue, Covenant Code)

Israelites:Promise to obey God’s commands.

Offer sacrifice and are sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice(Blood covenant)

Terms

Signs

Moses breaks the tablets upon

seeing the golden calf

Moses pleads with God on behalf of the

people

Punishment for The Golden Calf

The people tire of waiting for Moses and build a golden calf to worship

Natural Moral Law The God given ability to discern good and

evil through the use of reason. We are born with it.

Ten Commandments The Law given by God, in writing, to

Moses that prescribe moral obligations for the Israelites as part of their covenant with God. It is the core of the covenant.

The Two Great Commandments The Law of Love given to us by Jesus.

They summarize the 10 Commandments

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS I am the Lord, your

God; You shall not have other gods before me.

You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain

Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day

Honor your mother and father

You shall not kill You shall not commit

adultery You shall not steal You shall not bear false

witness against your neighbor

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife

You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods

I. Place ones faith in God aloneWorship, praise and thank GodBelieve in, trust, and love God

2. Speak the name of God, Jesus and the saints with reverence. Don’t curseDon’t call on God to witness a lie

3. Gather to worship at EucharistRest and avoid unnecessary work on Sunday

4. Respect and obey parents, guardians and those in authority

5. Respect your life and the lives of others

6.Be faithful and loyal to spousesRespect God’s gift of sexualityPractice chastity, self-control

7.Respect what belongs to othersShare what you have with the needy

8.Be honest and truthfulAvoid braggingDon’t say negative things about others

9.Practice modesty in thoughts, words, actions and dress

10. Rejoice in the good fortune of othersDon’t be jealous of others possessionsDon’t be greedy

MOSES & JESUS Saved at birth

Pharaoh King Herod

Egypt saves them as children “Shepherd”

Real shepherd “Good Shepherd”

Delivers the people from “bondage” Physical slavery Slavery to sin

Gives people the “Law” Ten Commandments Law of Love (Two Great Commandments)

PASSOVER/ EUCHARIST Celebration of thanks and

remembrance Deliverance from Egypt Deliverance from death

Blood of sacrifice Lamb Lamb of God

Death is avoided by participation in the sacrifice First born Eternal death

LEVITICUS Written by Levites, priests Continuation of the listing of laws and

commandments of God A handbook for worship Stresses the centrality of formal

worship in the spiritual and moral lives of the Israelites

Contains both civil and religious laws

Book of Leviticus

Primarily a list of laws, rules and instructions to insure holiness and order in the people’s worship and

way of life

RITUAL

PURITY

JUBILEE

Social Justice

Book of Numbers

A record of the experiences of the Israelites while they wandered inThe wilderness

A census of the Israelites prior to their wandering in the desert And a record of how the land was divided just prior to reachingThe promised land, Canaan

It stresses God’s insistence that they maintain their faithfulness and

holinessTo be worthy recipients of God’s

promises

40 YEARS IN THE DESERT Punishment for the golden calf

Generation of Israelites who left from Egypt will have died off.

Their descendants will cross Jordan and enter the Promised Land.

Social organization based on the 12 tribes Experiences recorded in the Book of

Numbers, including God’s protection in the wilderness against the enemies they encounter Nourishment provided with a substance called

“Manna”. Foreshadows the Eucharist

Book of Deuteronomy The “Law” is repeated to the peopleSo that they will cross to the promisedLand knowing they must keep the laws ofGod. Second list of commandments

Moses passes authority to Joshua, son of Nun

God’s Law requires total commitment; Obedience brings success, disobedience brings failure

Moses does not cross into

Canaan, he saysFarewell to the

people

DEUTERONOMY Moses is called a prophet in this book People are called to obey the Law not

because of duty, but because of Love If the people obey the Law they will

succeed, if they disobey they will fail Joshua is chosen to lead the people into

the promised land.