We looked several weeks ago briefly at the theme of Eden in scripture (1). The second theme that we will discuss is Exodus. We are familiar with the book of Exodus. Here Moses is chosen to lead God’s people out of their Egyptian slavery into a land flowing with milk and honey (2). The historical story begins when Moses meets God in the burning bush, proceeds through the plagues in Egypt, the Passover, the pillars of cloud and fire, the crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground, and the journey to Mt. Sinai. The Exodus would have concluded in two years when Israel would have entered Canaan, but because of Israel’s disobedience, they spent thirty-eight more years wandering in the desert.

When Israel was preparing to cross over the Jordan River into Canaan, Moses repeated some of what God had done for the nation (Deuteronomy). It was a reminder of what they went through, how they were rescued, and the need for the people to trust God. Throughout its history, seers, judges, kings, and prophets reminded Israel of its Exodus story (3). These are constant reminders for the people, to teach them over and over, and to call the people in repentance. Psalm 78 is a psalm of praise that recalls God’s deliverance. The Passover was a yearly reminder of slavery and rescue. Yet by the time of the kings Hezekiah and later Josiah, the Passover needed to be restored to prominence (2 Chronicles 30 and 35).

The idea of the Exodus then is that of a people leaving slavery and headed to the Promised Land. That idea can be seen metaphorically in the New Testament. As Christians, God has come to us in Jesus Christ, who as the Passover Lamb and Deliverer, saved us from our slavery to sin, has led us through the Red Sea in baptism, and now we journey in the wilderness headed to our Promised Land, Eden. Paul expresses this very idea in 1 Corinthians 10:1-3. Notice what Paul refers to in this text. Our ancestors were under the cloud passed through the sea and were baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea. They ate spiritual food, referring to the manna God provided in the wilderness. They drank the spiritual drink from the spiritual rock who Paul states is Christ. We can think back to Moses striking the rock and water coming out after the people complained that there was no water. He goes on in verses 6-13 to warn the Corinthians of the dangers of rebellion and sin and states that these stories were written down as a warning for us.

The Hebrew writer spent most of his time looking at the giving of the laws that Israel lived under and how Jesus is much better than the various aspects found in Moses. He too looks forward to the Promise Land, a city whose builder is God (11:39-40).

The Gospel of John is rich in references to the Exodus story. “For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). John mentions the three Passovers that Jesus attended during His ministry, the last being the most important. It is here that Jesus speaks of His sacrificial death and the introduction of the Lord’s Supper which has Passover implications throughout. Another reference in John is to the snake in the wilderness that was fashioned so that when people looked at it, they would be healed. Jesus refers to that and applies it to His being lifted up and anyone who looks on or calls on Him will be saved. Jesus is our deliverer. One other reference in John that we are familiar with is that Jesus is the bread of life (chapter 6). Here Jesus refers to the manna in the wilderness and applies and expands on that idea in a somewhat difficult text.

We live in an Exodus world. As Christians, we have been delivered from our slavery: sin, and through baptism - our Red Sea - into the wilderness journey toward our Eden. Our Exodus wilderness is a daily living in a sinful filled world. God provides for us with, as Paul calls it, spiritual water and food. We can see that in fellowship and prayer, scripture and worship.

The wilderness is a dangerous place and we are warned about it. When we read of the wilderness journey of Israel, we find that disobedience and rebellion were a constant problem among the people. They were not satisfied with the provisions of God. In fact, they constantly looked back to Egypt where they had a variety of foods but forgetting their slavery. How often have we looked back to the way we were, to what some would call the pleasures of sin? How often have we wanted to be the slave masters and control others even in the wilderness? The Korah rebellion and Aaron and Miriam challenging Moses are two examples found in the Exodus.

We keep looking forward to the Promise Land. We might not see it in our lifetime; that depends on the return of the Lord. But we know that God keeps His promises and we look forward to the time that the new heaven and earth comes down to us. It will be a land of milk and honey, or at least as we read of the descriptions offered in scripture, a rich and lush place. Until then, we must continue in the difficulties of the wilderness as God leads us. The Hebrew writer states that we are to keep our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Jesus is the trailblazer leading us home!

George B. Mearns

(1) See the bulletin of 4/5/2009.

(2) More a metaphor than a reality, the land of Canaan was well suited to various grains such as wheat and barley, as well as grapes and olives. Sheep and cattle also became important food supplements over the centuries. See Nathan MacDonald, What Did The Ancient Israelites Eat?, Eerdmans, 2008.(3) Bobby Valentine lists some of the Exodus themes in both the Old and New Testament in a brief article entitled The Exodus Pattern … A Tie That Binds, at his web site,