| EXODUS |
| page 3 |
| promised land. |
 |
 |
| How to read Exodus |
| Exodus divides neatly into two parts. The first 20 chapters, on the Jews' flight from Egypt, read like an exciting novel. Movies based on the action here have strained Hollywood special-effects crews. Everything else in the Old Testament flows out of the events of the exodus - these 20 chapters simply cannot be missed. As you read Exodus, look for important lessons that apply to your life. For example, study the life of Moses, one of a handful of truly great leaders in history. Chapter 18 shows Moses learning an important leadership principle, and chapters 32-35 include encounters and conversations with God that have no equal in the Bible. Exodus contains much material about the nature of God. Search for each place where God makes an appearance. Exodus shows a greater proportion of miracles - direct supernatural acts of God - than any part of the Bible except the Gospels. Why were these miracles done? Can you see a pattern? What should the Israelites have learned from them? Did they? The last 20 chapters mainly consist of laws and regulations, given at Mount Sinai, to govern the life of the nation. Read them to note the concerns and priorities important to God as he designs an entire culture. The instructions are usually clustered in groups, encompassing every area of life: 1. Moral rules, such as the Ten Commandments 2. Civil and social rules, much like a criminal code 3. Religious and ceremonial rules for the Jews. See "A National Law Library" for more information on these laws. |