THIS book seems to epitomize two very wonderful words, “I am,” (3:14), “I will” (6:6, 7); indeed we might almost say it is written around the words “Now shalt thou see what I will do” (6:1). It carries on the narrative commenced in Genesis and supplies yet more reasons why we should read the Bible, read it all and read it continually.
The Old Testament tells us many things about the Lord, which are not found in the New. The types picture Him, the prophets announce Him in much detail — over three hundred prophecies have their fulfillment in Him — and the Psalms, in the most beautiful sacred poetry in the world, tell of His sorrows and of the joy that was set before Him.
No book of the Bible is an isolated unit. It may be compared to a building of which the first stone is laid in Genesis, and the headstone put on in the Revelation with shouts of triumph. There is so much in Exodus, so many types and shadows, as well as actual history that in this short study it is only possible to allude to two or three points. We seek the Lord’s help to consider, the judgment, the lamb, and the sanctuary.
In Genesis we have read of the judgment on the first sinners, on the old world and on Sodom, here the judgment falls on Egypt. It has been asked, “Why should Egypt be destroyed for the sin of Pharaoh?” But apparently Egypt was as guilty as its king. “The Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with vigor; and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage” (1:13-14). We may be sure the Judge of all the earth does right and that all His judgments are in righteousness and truth. Here the word to Abraham, “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee” (Gen. 12:33And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)) has its first fulfillment. When Joseph ruled in Egypt and his brethren dwelt in peace there was prosperity and blessing; but when they were brought into bondage the results were sorrow, death, judgment; and in this history has repeated itself until now, and will doubtless continue doing so until the final blessing of Israel in a future day.
The Israelites were exposed to the same judgment as the Egyptians, and it was God who provided the way of escape through the blood of the lamb. A lamb had been offered by Abel in the early dawn of history. Isaac had asked the question, “Where is the lamb?” and Abraham had answered, “God will provide Himself a lamb”; but the lamb had been “a ram caught in a thicket by his horns” (Gen. 22:1313And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (Genesis 22:13)). The strength of the ram was the means of its sacrifice, a foreshadowing, dim indeed, of Him whose going forth was from everlasting, but who came to take the place of those on whom the shadow of death lay. In Exodus 12:13,13And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:13) the blood of the slain lamb on the lintel and on the doorpost was the protection from the judgment of Egypt, (apart from the blood, “there was not a house where there was not one dead”) and the flesh of the lamb, roast with fire, was the food of the people whom God had come down to deliver — figure of their appropriation of the sacrifice. Everything for Israel, for the world, for us, depends on the precious blood, shown in type here, and shed on Calvary.
We are told that this is “not acceptable to the modern mind,” but in a very few years what is the modern mind of today will be hopelessly out of date; yet the Word of God will still be living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword; and to eternal ages the theme of the praise in heaven will be, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” (Rev. 5:1212Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. (Revelation 5:12)).
The reader is doubtless familiar with the events that followed — the deliverance from Egypt, the passage of the Red Sea, the first days of the wilderness journey, the lack of water, the want of food, the need of guidance, all supplied by Him who had bidden them to go, and who had foreseen and prided for their every necessity.
Exodus 15 tells us what THE LORD hath done, it is He who hath triumphed gloriously, He who brought them out, He who will bring them in, leading on to the intimation of what is afterward more fully developed when God said, “Make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (25:8).
In Eden the Lord walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day, and throughout Genesis we read that He visited and spake with His servants, but it was a new and greater thing that He should dwell among them. We may well ask how shall this holy Lord God dwell in the midst of a sinful people? The answer is, the ark of the covenant would be there with the blood-sprinkled mercy seat, the morning and evening lamb would be offered on the altar., the fire of which should ever be burning and never go out, type of the abiding efficacy of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there would also be the high priest who would enter into the holy place, with the fragrant incense and the shed blood.
It was a wonderful thought to extend to all the people the privilege of helping to build the tabernacle. How many different workers were needed! how varied the materials! Read carefully chapters 25:1-7 and 35:20-35. The wisest and the weakest might help, men and women; the qualification was that they should be willing-hearted and wise-hearted. They did what each could do, not what someone else could do; they offered what they possessed, and it would seem, at the cost of some self-denial, for the gold, precious stones, spices and perfumes must have been costly. But what joy filled their hearts! They were to build a sanctuary for the Lord to dwell in!
The Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 3:10-1610According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:10‑16) shows us plainly how God’s people may build today. He had laid the foundation — Jesus Christ — but they were to take heed how they builded thereupon. Is it our joy to have a share in this building? No matter how young, or weak, or insignificant, there is work for such, and there is work too for the wisest and the most gifted. The work is the privilege of all who have been redeemed, and who are willing-hearted and wise-hearted.
Some one may say, “I would like to help but I do not know what to do; the Israelites had Bezaleel and Aholiab to teach them, but who will teach me?” We are not worse off than the Israelites but far better off; the Lord Himself is our Teacher and the Holy Spirit whom He has sent to be our Guide. Those who turn to Him very simply, saying, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” will be shown by Him the little task He has appointed them.
It is helpful to ask, what is it that I can do? Christians are sometimes hindered because they would like to do some great thing for which they are not fitted; most of us are only very small, fit only for small things. The Gospels furnish us with many illustrations of the great variety of the work and workers. One found his own brother, one brought costly spikenard, some ministered of their substance, a boy gave five barley loaves and two small fishes, some servants filled water pots, and some were sent forth to preach, but all were ready to do the Master’s bidding, and He knew all about the building He had in view, though as yet it was not clearly seen by them.
Ex. 40:3333And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. (Exodus 40:33) shows us the building completed, all of it done as the Lord commanded Moses. All the details were important because they were the patterns of things in the heavens. Moses could not enter because of the glory which filled the tabernacle, but, as forming part of God’s house today, we have One who has gone in for us, representing us in God’s presence. We have that which Israel never had.
L. R.