Last week we covered the time period between Genesis and Exodus, and the evidence for the dating of the Exodus at about 1446 BC, making the entry into the Promised Land by Joshua about 1406 BC. This time period contains much of the archeological evidence uncovered concerning Goshen and Jericho (bookend cities to major events and time periods in the Bible), but there is skepticism in academia on this dating because it does not fit their historical model with a later date, and many academics ignore the Biblical accounts altogether. It is ironic that archeology and other historical documents do bear evidence too strong to be ignored in support of the Biblical dating (see the documentary “Patterns of Evidence” for an in-depth presentation of this evidence).
At the end of Genesis we leave a story where Joseph and his family, seventy in number, lived separately but in favor with the Egyptian rulers. At the beginning of Exodus we find that they have grown to over two million in number and no longer have the favor of the Egyptian rulers who have now put them under slavery conditions. This change in attitude by the Egyptian regime and the ruling Pharaoh may be due to the change in the ethnicity of the ruling party:
- The Egyptian Hysoks dynasty during the time of Joseph were “Shemites” and so were the Hebrews – they would have been more welcoming to each other, although the Egyptian practice of extreme cleanliness would keep them from intermarrying (for the most part) with this Shepherding class of Shemites.
- A change of dynasty occurred before the time of Moses and the new regime was composed of “Hamites” who would naturally be opposed to Shemites and their previous ruling dynasty, thus fearing a revolt they put the Hebrews into slavery.
At Moses’ birth the ruling Pharaoh had gone so far as to decree that all males babies under age two be killed and thrown into the Nile River in order to stop the growth of the Hebrew population. At this point we might recognize a similar story to that of Jesus. One of the main focus points in our studies is to look for places where the Old Testament contains people and events that foreshadow Jesus. Moses’ story is real history but God uses it to give a picture of what was to come. The following are some important details that standout in this respect:
- Both Moses and Jesus had evil rulers try to kill them as babies: Rulers decreed to kill all boys age two and under
- Both Moses and Jesus were sent into Egypt as babies to avoid being killed: Moses as the adopted daughter of Pharaoh, and Jesus when his father Joseph was warned by an angel of God to flee there
- Both had long periods of silence in the Biblical story from their childhood to adulthood
- Moses tried to save his Hebrew kinsmen first, and then later he returned to save the entire nation (for God’s purpose of fulfilling the Covenant); Jesus came to save His Jewish kinsmen first, and then all people from every nation (He will return a second time for the final judgment and final fulfillment)
- Moses became a shepherd; Jesus is the ‘good shepherd’
- Moses was loved and supported in his ministry by his sister Miriam; Jesus was loved and supported in his ministry by his mother Mary (In Hewbrew=Miryam)
- Moses was rejected by his own people; Jesus was rejected by his own people
- Moses was given God’s Law on a mountain (Old Covenant); Jesus gave God’s law on a Mountain (New Covenant)
- Moses spent 40 days fasting on the mountain; Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert
- Moses’ mission was to redeem Israel from slavery to Egypt; Jesus’ mission was to redeem all of humankind from slavery to sin
- Moses and Jesus both mediated a covenant between God and man
- Moses and Jesus both interceded for the people and had a special relationship with God: Moses with YHWH and Jesus with God the Father
- Moses performed signs and miracles to prove his authority; Jesus performed signs and miracles to prove His authority as the Son of God
- Moses offered his life to save the people after the sin of the golden calf; Jesus gave His life to save all people from their sins since the time of Adam and Eve
- Moses is the prophet of the Old Covenant who said their would be one to follow him; Jesus is the fulfillment of that as the not only the New Testament Prophet, but as Priest and King of the everlasting New Covenant
- Moses was a type of Messiah; Jesus is the Messiah, God incarnate
In one of Moses’ final speeches, he gave this messianic prophecy: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him” Deuteronomy 18:15. The prophet whom Moses foretells bears these qualities: He will be raised up by God, He will come from among the Israelites, He will be like Moses, and He will be worthy of being heard and obeyed. The prophet who fulfills these words is Jesus Christ, the prophet like Moses.
Bible Study Focus Points:
Read Exodus Chapters 1-4
Chapters 1 and 2: The birth Moses is told here, and Miriam his sister, under the direction of his mother, places him in just the right place along the Nile River for the daughter of Pharaoh to find him because of Pharaoh’s decree to kill all the male babies.
Note: Fitting the earlier Exodus date, Bible scholars believe that Pharaoh’s daughter was Hutshepshut who was married to Thutmose I. Hutshepshut could not have children, so Thutmose I had a son by another woman, and this son, Thutmose II, became heir to the throne. Hutshepshut would have considered Moses a gift from the gods because now she had her own son who would be the legal heir to the throne (the old movie got it right with the battle between Charleton Heston and his Egyptian brother!) Moses grew up in the most sophisticated culture, groomed to possibly be the next Pharaoh, and received the highest education and training available.
Moses knew of his heritage as a Hebrew and regularly saw the plight of his people. At one point (when he was 40 years old) he tries by his own hand to save a Hebrew slave, but is shunned by his own people and betrayed to the Egyptians, so he flees for his life to the land of Midian.
Ch. 3: This chapter tells the story of Moses meeting God as the great “I AM” in the form of the burning bush (representing God’s glory). This is the first time we hear this name. The Hebrew people, not wanting to speak the name of God, will use YHWH, pronounced Yaweh, or the term Jehovah. This is indicated in our English Bibles when you see LORD. This chapter also has God giving Moses foreknowledge that Pharaoh would harden his heart and that Moses would have to demonstrate the power of God through miracles (to be later known as the ten plagues).
Note: Some scholars have researched and noted that the type of bush common to the area at this time was a thorn bush and they have made an interesting connection: The curse of the ground by God, in Genesis chapter 3, to be thistles and thorns—the burning bush, a thorn bush—and the crown of thorn that Jesus wore demonstrating that He overcame the Genesis curse!
Ch. 4 : In this chapter Moses argues with God about being a spokesman, showing his weakness, yet God in His sovereignty allows Moses to rely on Aaron to speak for him, but as the story goes, Moses does gain confidence and ends up doing most of the talking himself. As Moses returns to Egypt God demonstrates the importance of the Covenant of Circumcision that Moses had neglected with his son.
Bible Study Review Questions:
- Why were the people of Israel put into slavery at this time in Egypt when previously they had been welcomed guests? (Ex. 1:6-14)
- How did the Hebrew boys survive even though the Pharaoh tried to put them to death? (Ex. 1:15-22)
- How did Moses survive the command of Pharaoh to kill all of the Hebrew boys by throwing them into the Nile? (1:22-2:10)
- What did Moses do when he got older that caused him to run into the desert, and what became of him? (2:11-25)
- Summarize Moses’ experience with God, and what God asked him to do. (3:1-22) How did Moses respond to God? How does God’s response to Moses show God’s foreknowledge of the events (4:1-23)? Cross-reference Isaiah 46:8-11. What does this passage say about God’s knowledge?
Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the Old Testament” with a focus on the plagues!
——————————————————————————————
You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.