Introduction.
Exodus is the second of five books written by Moses commonly referred to as the Pentateuch. By definition the word Exodus means, “coming out”. In the latter chapters of the book of Genesis we read how the family of Abraham grew with Jacob the younger of two brothers receiving the birthright.
Some of the sons of Israel (Jacob) had sold their brother Joseph to the Egyptians, through jealousy, because Joseph was the father’s favourite. In due course the land of Canaan where they were pleasantly living had a severe seven-year drought. Father Jacob sent some of his sons to Egypt to buy corn where there was plenty. They unknowingly had to deal with their brother Joseph, who was now leader of the land. In time reconciliation was bridged with Joseph and the whole family were invited to live in Egypt.
Over a period of generations the Egyptians became wary of the Israelites as they grew in population, so they began to oppress them with hard labour.
Through a set of miraculous events, one of the members of the Hebrew (Israelite) children was brought up in Pharaohs Palace, his name being Moses. God called Moses at a burning bush, to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt’s bondage, having had all the experience of living in Pharaohs Palace.
The book of Exodus describes the deliverance out of Egypt and how they spent forty years in the Wilderness before coming back into the land of Canaan the land God had originally promised them.
