Find your stride as you navigate Exodus
The bike ride didn’t get any easier, but I started to find my stride in a clunky, awkward sort of way. As you read through these first five books of the Bible, see if you can find your own stride as you navigate Exodus.
Moving from Genesis to Exodus
As I rode through the tunnel, pedaling, praying, focusing on the path, avoiding the other bikes, I started to settle into the journey, well, as much as I could under the circumstances. Though the situation was not any easier, I became accustomed to my environment and how to move in it. As we move from Genesis to Exodus in these first few books of the Old Testament, we can use some of the processes we developed in Genesis to navigate our way through Exodus, mainly looking for people or points of recognition in the contents of the book.
Exodus focuses on Moses and the Israelites
Where Genesis can be identified by recognizing who is in the storyline, Exodus focuses on Moses and the Israelites. If we remember what is happening in the storyline with Moses, we have a way to keep track of what’s in the book of Exodus.
Connection between Genesis and Exodus
Did you read Genesis? The first few verses of Exodus tie in the connection between Genesis and Exodus, setting up the story of what is coming. The rest of Exodus tells the story of Moses and the Israelites.
The story of Moses and the Israelites
Ch 1 The oppression of the Israelites
Ch 2 Moses’ birth (the baby in the basket, Exodus 2:1-10) backstory chapter 1.
Ch 3-4 Moses’ encounter with God, God’s instructions to Moses
Ch 5 Resistance from Pharaoh
Ch 6 God’s Promise
Ch 7-11 The Plagues
Ch 12 The Passover, Exodus out of Egypt
Ch 14 The parting of the Red Sea
Ch 16 Manna (Remember the reference? Now you’re in the know.)
Ch 19-20 Mount Sinai and the Ten Commandments
The next chapters include the laws and the building of the Tabernacle and instructions for the High Priest, plus the people’s big guffaw (the Golden Calf – a demonstration of impatience).
This may seem like a lot of information, but this is the kind of material that carries great significance in other areas of the Bible, especially where Jesus is concerned.
Exodus summarized
In summary:
Moses’ encounter with God
Plagues
Passover
Parting of the Red Sea
God’s instructions for laws (Ten Commandments)
The Tabernacle
The Golden Calf (the people’s mess up)
Instructions take two
See how this works? In no time you can navigate Exodus with ease.