Exodus index  

The sequel's setup and a request from Moses
God made known through the plagues
God's power displayed in the rescue of Israel
God's provision, becoming his people, receiving the first laws
Instructions for a tabernacle for God to dwell in, Israelites worship an image
Moses asks God to forgive. The tabernacle is built triumphantly.
Thoughts on who God is so far.

The sequel to Genesis starts out with a lot of setup. Israel is now numerous but enslaved, a story about killing babies, Moses surviving the slaughter, God looking down and remembering his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Israel.

Then the action begins: Moses ends up an outcast but God meets him in the desert of Sinai. He tells Moses he will rescue the Israelites and give them great land but Moses is terrified and is afraid he won't be able to help. God tells him he will succeed and the sign of that will be that they will return to Sinai and worship God on Mt. Sinai.

Moses and his bro Aaron ask Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out to worship God and Pharaoh refuses, and in fact makes the Israelites' lives harder, so they complain to Moses who complains to God. At the same time, it's all going down just like God said.

God sends Moses to initiate 10 or so plagues in Egypt. This proves God's power and his love for Israel, solidifying Moses' faith in God. Pharaoh, however, is stubborn and even as Egypt is being destroyed by these plagues, won't let Israel go. Moses warns him that something terrible is coming.

God strikes down every firstborn in Egypt, sparing the Israelites, who had celebrated a festival and put the blood of firstborn livestock over their doors. This terrible event shakes Pharaoh to his core, who sends out Israel with God leading them by cloud/fire.

Pharaoh changes his mind and sets out after Israel (Moses trusts God while Israel panics), but God parts the sea for Israel to get through, while confusing Pharaoh's army and then bringing the sea down on them. Israel sings a beautiful song about God and his unparalleled love and faithfulness and power.

God provides for Israel in various ways, in battle, in food, in water and in health. Moses seems to have a complete trust in God while the Israelites are always complaining.

They arive at the desert of Sinai and Moses goes up to the mountain to meet God. God says that if Israel agrees to follow his law, they will be his people, he will show them favor and they will be in a special treasured relationship with him, which include him giving them the land he promised Abraham.

Israel agrees. The laws God give involved worshiping only God and not making an idol of him or any other god, treating each other justly and kindly, punishing violence, and celebrating certain festivals. Israel agrees to it all.

God then tells Moses all the instructions for a tabernacle Israel is to build. With the tabernacle God will be able to dwell among Israel.

But when Moses goes down the mountain, he finds Israel worshiping a cow made of gold. God is willing to start over with just Moses but Moses talks him out of it. There are lesser punishments, and Moses sends those faithful to God, the Levites, out to punish with death their family and friends who have turned away.

God insists he won't now travel with the Israelites.

Moses speaks with God regularly and asks him, as a friend, to PLEASE travel with Israel. God agrees and, at Moses' request, passes by where Moses is, covering only his face. He declares about himself his faithfulness, love, forgiving heart, power, just nature, etc.

Israel has a rare triumphant moment as the nation builds the tabernacle to EXACT specifications as worship to God. God then travels with them wherever they go as they move toward the promised land.

Wow! What a book! I found it to be very exciting. It is a direct sequel to Genesis and took God's plan from working with just a couple guys to setting off plans for a whole nation.

Not only did God free Israel and make his covenant with him, but he made him self known a whole bunch along the way. Moses comes to know and trust him through the plagues. He knows him as both God and best friend. Pharaoh and Egypt comes to know his power and punishment. Israel comes to know his power and faithfulness and love for them. Then, when they turn away from him, the end up knowing his forgiveness, and at the end of the book are being led by God through the desert.

I'd say those are the two main threads in this book: God historically taking Israel out of Egypt and kicking off their statehood while still in the desert, and God making himself known to the world, especially to Moses, Pharaoh, Egypt and Israel.