REDEMPTION is the key word of the book of Exodus. We have redemption by blood—shelter from judgment—in chap. 12., and deliverance, or redemption by power, in chap. 14. The first eleven chapters show us, firstly, that the people who were thus the objects of divine love were poor, despised, and oppressed, having nothing whatever to recommend them. Secondly, that they were under hard taskmasters headed up in one mighty potentate, who hated them, and did all he could to keep them from deliverance from their heavy burdens, and from the service and blessings of the God of Israel. But God judged all their enemies, and brought them away from all their power.
Because they were redeemed, they were separated as a people God had taken up, and were to purge themselves from all leaven (evil), and go on to the land flowing with milk and honey, the inheritance God had in store for them. The children of Israel were thus an earthly people, whom God had separated from all the families of the earth to possess blessings in the earth. Exodus therefore shews us this people in relationship with God. First, from the 12th to the 19th chapter we find them dealt with in grace as objects of Jehovah's electing love. Their murmuring, therefore, because of the bitter water in chap. 15. is met by God she-wing Moses a tree to cast into the bitter water to make it sweet; their murmuring in chap. 16. because of hunger is met by God sending them manna from heaven; and their murmuring in chap. 17. because they had no water to drink is met by God bringing water to them out of the smitten rock. All this was before "law." In chapters 19 and 20 we have the account of God coming down with lightnings, thunderings, voice of words, sound of trumpet-giving the law, which the people willingly put themselves under. Man in the flesh always prefers "law" to "grace," because it gives importance to himself, and he knows not his utter helplessness and ruin. The people being thus "under law," chapter’s 21-23 give legal statutes and judgments suited to an earthly people under legal and righteous rule. In chap. 24 the book of the covenant and all the people are sprinkled with blood, and make themselves responsible by saying, "All the words which the Lord hath said we will do;" while Moses said, "This is the blood of the testament (covenant) which God hath enjoined unto you." Moses went then into the mount with God, but before he came down the people were dancing round a golden calf, saying, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt" (chapter 32:4). So much for man "under law." God must have now cut off all these law-breakers in judgment, had He not had thoughts of mercy and grace concerning them. While Moses was therefore in the mount with God, He sheaved him the pattern of the tabernacle, its sacrifices, priesthood, and worship (chap. 25-40). The law being enclosed in the ark, and covered by the mercy-seat, plainly spews, though man is a law-breaker, that God could establish the law, and yet cause mercy to abound. These were shadows of good things to come. In this way God still owned them as a people redeemed out of Egypt, and peculiar objects of His care and favor. The pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, and all the services of the tabernacle, the Aaronic order of priesthood, the daily manna, and water from the smitten rock, abundantly shew this.
It is worthy of remark that the first song recorded in Scripture is found in this book (chap. 15), and that its joyful subject was redemption. We are told in the book of Job (38:7) that at creation "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy;" but it was not till God had made Himself known in the way of redemption that we find men on the earth singing and rejoicing before Him. How could it be otherwise?