LESSON 5 • A Redeemed People (Exodus)

Identity—the nature of a person. Although someone might possibly describe me as a five-foot-seven-inch, slightly-hairy, somewhat-nerdy, youthfully-idealistic college graduate, that is not the nature of my identity. I am more than this. The history of my life—a childhood in Africa, a Christian education, a world-traveled couple of years in college—as well as the various communities I have been a part of—a missional community in Africa, a vital church in Little Rock, and a group of friends born out of the first floor of Armstrong dorm freshman year—speak to and define who I am as a person. Similarly, Israel cannot base its identity on initial appearance, a ragtag group of tribes trying to hold together a promised land. The book of Exodus is about identity—Israel’s identity as a redeemed people and God’s identity as Yahweh, the ever-present “I AM.” Thus the book serves as a narrative of the introductions between God and Israel, a prologue to God’s continued involvement in the community of Israel, his chosen people. I invite you to read Exodus through this lens of identity, letting this concept shape how you understand the narrative. 

The story of Exodus opens by describing a scenario in which Israel’s identity is not yet fully developed or seems skewed, and in which the power structures of the world seem all wrong. Israel thus far defines itself by its relation to the patriarchs, who have previously encountered God. The Patriarchs’ experience with God informs Israel about his nature. The author of Exodus then describes Israel with the words of the creation account, “the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly.” Israel has fulfilled the divine commission mandated at the beginning of creation. They are following the will of God. There is a dark side, however, to this introduction. Pharaoh—the villain of the Exodus story—as the king should be working alongside of God’s creative purposes in his kingdom. However, he uses his power to commit anti-creational acts, forcing hard labor upon the Israelites for the mere purpose of oppression. Besides oppression, Pharaoh also chalks up genocide on his to do list, mandating the death of all male Israelite babies. Enter the hero, Moses. Indeed, the very circumstances of Moses birth have the feel of a legendary figure. Placed in a basket into the Nile, Moses “happens” to be found by Pharaoh’s daughter. Ironically, the one who will lead the Israelites out of Egypt grows up in the palace of the oppressor. When Moses kills an Egyptian, he is forced to flee Egypt, and the stage is set for a redemption story. All the major characters seem awry and in need of redemption…Moses is in exile, the people are enslaved, and even Yahweh seems to have forgotten his covenant with Abraham’s descendents. 

As the story unfolds, it serves primarily to disclose the identity or personality of God. God reveals himself explicitly as Yahweh—the I AM. Yahweh’s identity cannot be explained in words but is witnessed as he acts within the lives of his people. Moses’ initial encounter with Yahweh already shows an aspect of God’s nature—he remembers and keeps his covenants (i.e. the one made to Abraham). The very language Yahweh uses in his speech to Moses at the burning bush conveys God’s genuine compassion for his people. He has “seen the misery,” “heard them crying,” so Yahweh has “come down to rescue them.” These words make Yahweh seem almost human—or at least like us in regard to his emotions. The Sinai narrative further informs us of God’s desire to be with his people. As Moses speaks with God on the mountain, the Israelites, soon to be God’s covenant people, have a tryst with a golden calf. When scorned, God demonstrates all the emotions of a jilted lover…disappointment, anger, and the shaming conflict of having been made a fool of by his beloved. It is this that Moses is able to appeal to in the end to save the people and repair the relationship. Through all this God demonstrates that one of is identifiers is his love…not abstract and distant, but fierce, violent, and passionate. God is the lover of Israel, one who is willing to stand up and fight for (and with) his love. 

Exodus also identifies God as a being who is powerful. Yahweh is a God of action. He “comes down” to rescue his people; he remembers his promise to Abraham. To redeem his people, Yahweh must disclose his power, becoming a “man of war.” The ten plagues are intended not only to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, but also to manifest Yahweh’s power over the gods of Egypt. Albert Baylis describes the pantheon of Egypt’s gods overcome by the plagues, including: Heqt, represented as a frog; the sky goddess Nut, who could not stop the hail; and the sun god Re, who seemed to be lacking in power during the three days of darkness. After Yahweh defeats Egypt’s gods, he deals a personal blow, not only against Pharaoh’s ability to be the king protecting his people, but even against Pharaoh himself, smiting the firstborn sons of all of Egypt. Still, Pharaoh cannot lose his ego, and after freeing the Israelites, pursues them with his army. God exerts his power over nature in this scene, creating a barrier of cloud to protect Israel and ultimately parting the sea for a miraculous escape before crushing the Egyptians in the wake. Yahweh further proves his sovereignty over nature by making sweet the waters of Marah and producing manna and quail for the hungry Israelites. The story of Exodus identifies God as the powerful one, who employs all his powers for his love. 

In relation to this loving, powerful God, Exodus forms Israel’s identity as the recipient of his love, the beneficiary of his love. As God is described, he gives Israel her most important identity. The story relates how God woos Israel, and has to win her affections by coaxing her t come along with him. The choice seems obvious to the reader, who begins by seeing that this is a rescue story. But Israel throughout the story protests the risks of following Moses and the Yahweh he is sent by. So the story is one in which Israel must witness God’s powerful acts in order to accept his offers of love. Israel then lays claim to this ever important aspect of her identity: She is the Witness of God’s mighty acts. That past of the story was a great gift that the writer of Exodus left to future generations of God’s people. It could become the voice that bore witness to God’s love, his power, and the actions that demonstrated both. 


FOR FURTHER THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION

What do you think the importance of the Exodus account would have been to you if you were an Israelite living in the following times:

• During the conquest under Joshua
• During the period of the Philistine oppression in Judges
• During kingdom of David
• During the oppression of the Assyrians, 
• In the time of the exile to Babylon
• After the return from exile

At what places of the story do you think doubt would be the greatest threat to Israel? What parts of identity did doubt threaten? 

What different lessons can you learn if you take the story from the following perspectives:

• Moses
• The people of Israel
• Pharaoh
• The Egyptian people

How does this story lead to the meeting at Sinai? Why couldn’t the giving of the law occur first, then the Exodus? 

How is the identity theme reinforced by God’s meeting with his people at Sinai? 

How does the church fit into this story? What can we appropriate from such and identity story? 

What kinds of stories need to be told in our midst about God’s actions. How have we witnessed God’s power and love among us? 

If we were to outline our fundamental identity, what elements might we lay out? 

What if we were confined to talk about our identity as reflected in our actions? How would the list change?