Exodus (College Press NIV Commentary)
Overview
The book of Exodus functions as the sequel to Genesis describing God's deliverance of the children of Israel and the establishment of a new covenant between God and Israel. The rest of the Old Testament looks back on the exodus of Israel from Egypt as the primary redemptive event in Israel's history.
This primary redemptive event became central to the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. God's redemption of Israel became the foundation for the Israelite faith and proactive reflected in the many Old Testament allusions to the exodus as the basis for:
- Obedience to the covenant
- Proper ethical treatment of others
- The establishment of the sovereignty of God
- A national dateline marking the nation's history
- A standard for the measurement of all subsequent events
For the Christian, Exodus serves similar functions, pointing to the important work of redemption as seen in the New Testament's record of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These issues impact significantly the purpose and hermeneutics of this commentary.
The reader with a good understanding of both the Old and New Testaments sees in the exodus God's deliverance of Israel foreshadowing the death of Christ and the establishment of the church. The Christian's appreciation of the work of Jesus in mankind's salvation is understood and appreciated in a ratio equal to the understanding of the messages and themes of the exodus and the book which bears its name.
Top Highlights
“A simpler solution translates the terms with the nuance of ‘strengthened’ rather than ‘hard,’ ‘hardness,’ or the like. This focuses on the fact that Yahweh does not ‘change the king’s heart, but only gives the Pharaoh strength to follow his own resolve.’” (Pages 113–114)
“The entire ceremony represented a new start for the nation and served as a feast of gratitude, the blood signifying the mark of protection, the bitter herbs indicating their bondage, and unleavened bread representing the haste in their departure.” (Page 150)
“Both Israel and Jesus go down into Egypt. Both come out of Egypt. Both go into the wilderness following a baptism (40 years vs. 40 days), where one yields to temptation to rebel against Yahweh while the other successfully resists it. Both return to the promised land (Canaan vs. the Father in Heaven).” (Page 173)
“(Num 14:18–19; 2 Chr 30:9; Neh 9:17, 31; Ps 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Micah 7:18).” (Page 365)
“Ironically, the river that meant death to so many infants means life to Moses” (Page 72)
- Title: College Press NIV Commentary: Exodus
- Author: Randall C. Bailey
- Publisher: College Press
- Publication Date: 2007
- Pages: 399
