DB2_Moses

.docx

School

Arkansas Tech University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

500

Subject

Religion

Date

Oct 30, 2023

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by jschalow

Moses is credited with the human authorship of the first five books of the Old Testament canon of Scripture. Selected by God to be the messenger of His revelation and providence to the people of Israel, Moses was the key figure in the deliverance of the Israelites from their over 400-year bondage to Egyptian slavery. The first six chapters of the book of Exodus document the story of Moses from his birth, through his equipping, and into his calling. However, through these six chapters, you are also made aware of several struggles that he encountered on this journey to eventually be used by God to deliver the Israelites, which bears similarities to the struggles that the Israelites also faced later in the book of Exodus, documented in chapters 12-34. Hamilton points out, “In many ways the experiences of Moses in the first part of Exodus parallel the experiences of the Israelites in the latter portion of the book (Smith 1996: 38).” 1 Hamilton goes on to outline specific references including, both fleeing from Egypt (ch. 2 and ch. 12), both encountering God on a mountain (ch. 3 and ch. 19), Moses being called into service, and offers a covenant relationship to Israel (ch. 3-4 and ch. 19-24), and then renewing that call and the covenant with Israel (ch. 6 and ch. 34). 2 Specific theological principles communicated within these parallels include God’s sovereignty, and His providence. God called a leader of His people out within Moses, providentially preserving not only their present but their future as well. Hamilton validates this frame of thought when he observes, “If ch. 1 is devoted to a narration of God’s saving his people as a whole, ch. 2 is devoted to a narration of God’s saving one of his people, Moses. Both the group (ch. 1) and the individual (ch. 2) are in God’s hands.” 3 The pattern of human behavior exhibited within Exodus, as well as the sovereignty and providence of God, are also relevant theological principles in the lives of modern-day believers. God sovereignly called up the leader that Israel needed to intercede for the people, yet their deliverance did not come to them because of their deeds, obedience, or even their works. God was providential in carrying out the deliverance of the Israelite people for His purposes, setting them aside for His plans. This principle is echoed within the New Testament book of Ephesians, when Paul proclaims, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8-9, NIV). Paul is directly highlighting the providence of God alone to save His people as the only authority to grant salvation and contrasting this providential power with the powerlessness of humankind. Nevertheless, much like the Israelites, the modern believer continues to contend with the faith required to maintain faith in God’s plan, especially when those plans do not align with the design we had conjured ourselves. The Israelites no sooner got out of Egypt and had already begun to doubt the providence of the God who had delivered them saying, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?” (Ex 14:11, NIV). We are often quick to judge the Israelites for doubting so quickly after first-hand experiencing the power and providence of God, yet if we look intently at our own faith walk, we would likely find times when we have mimicked this same behavior. 1 Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Pentateuch, 2nd ed . (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005), 136. 2 Ibid., 136. 3 Ibid., 139.

Discover more documents: Sign up today!

Unlock a world of knowledge! Explore tailored content for a richer learning experience. Here's what you'll get: