THEME: Exodus

The book of Exodus has some of the most thrilling narrative and dialogue in the Bible, with the exodus theme a key one throughout the Bible, including as a metaphor for how God frees us from sin. But there are also tougher passages to interpret and apply, including how we are to understand the law, given as part of the Old Covenant, as New Covenant believers. This issue explores this and other themes.

CONTEXT: The word of God

Richard Briggs, considers the perils and pitfalls of preaching from Exodus, particularly the way in which the law provided freedom to God’s people. Phil Greenslade looks at the key themes of the book, and how they develop throughout the whole canon of Scripture.  Bazil Bhasera offers an African cultural perspective on the interpretation of Exodus, contrasting it with European readings of the text.  With so many sceptical about whether the events of Exodus actually happened, Mark Hendley examines the archaeological evidence behind the stories we read in the book. Rachael Newham gives a very personal account of how the wilderness years in the book fit so well with her own journey in mental health. Columnist Ian Paul considers the way in which so much of the New Testament is understood in the light of Exodus.

APPLICATION

In his column James Catford unpacks a theme from the writer on spiritual  formation, Richard Foster, where he argues that  a recurring pattern in the way God works with His people is through: promise, problem, provision

SUB-THEMES

Ashley Hubbard posits that the worship suggested by the tabernacle worship in Exodus probably resembles a crime scene – with ‘blood’’ everywhere as the Israelites offered animals to God.

There is a fascinating Q and A with Kirsty Birkett looking at the book of Proverbs with hints on how to preach from it.

We also have an Interview with Professor David F Ford and his insights on John’s Gospel based on his recent book.

CASE STUDIES

Krish Kandiah meets a man who pastors City Church, Cardiff and is convinced that seeking  justice is allied to preaching the gospel and that we can unite  all nationalities and backgrounds in Christ.

PREACHING POINTS
Andrew Ollerton looks at themes from his book, ‘Tackling the toughest  topics in God’s book’.

1.Read the Bible in Community: Hard texts are meant to be wrestled with together.

2. Read the Bible in Christ: Jesus is the climax of the story;

3. Read the Bible in Community: Hard texts are meant to be wrestled with together

READING
1. Mark Scarlata, The Abiding Presence: a theological commentary on Exodus (SCM, 2018)

2. Terence Fretheim, God and the World in the Old Testament (Abingdon Press, 2005);

Exodus: Interpretation: A Bible  Commentary for Teaching and Preaching

(Westminster John Knox, 1991)

3. JD Levenson, Sinai and Zion: An Entry into the Jewish Bible (Harper & Row, 1985).

4. D Alexander, From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch (Baker Academic,

2022)

5. JA Motyer, A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Loving the Old Testament (Christian Focus, 2015)

6. D Gill, Doing Right: Practicing Ethical Principles  (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2022)