Overview of Exodus 1-18

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The book of Exodus can be split into two parts. In the first part (chapters 1-18), Moses leads the people out of slavery in Egypt (as depicted in numerous movies). In the second part of the book (chapters 20-40), God gives Moses the 10 Commandments and plans for the building of a special tent. These two halves are connected by Exodus 19, which explains God’s dealings with his people at Mt. Sinai.

God’s People in Trouble

Exodus continues the story of God’s people, which was started in Genesis. At the end of Genesis, the Israelites (Abraham’s descendants) are living in Egypt. Four hundred years have passed since Genesis, and the people are in slavery under Pharaoh the king of Egypt.

Pharaoh is worried because the Israelites have grown large. He already mistreats them, but now he decides to kill the Hebrew male babies in order to lessen the population. This is where Moses enters the story.

Moses is placed into the river in a basket by his mother in order to keep him safe. He is found by the Pharaoh’s daughter who adopts him, and raises him in Pharaoh’s family.

Many years later, Moses is in the wilderness and he encounters a bush that is on fire, but is not burning up. In the bush, God commands Moses to go back to Egypt and lead the people to freedom.

Moses Before Pharaoh

Moses goes to Pharaoh and asks that the people be freed from slavery. Pharaoh refuses and makes the people’s slavery even harder. As a result, Moses goes back to God because he feels like the plan has failed.

But God renews his promise to save Israel and he uses a new word in the Bible, “redemption,” which means to purchase a slave’s freedom. God uses this word to describe what he will do for Israel.

In response to Pharaoh, God sends ten plagues to Egypt. All of these plagues are God’s judgment on Pharaoh due to his treatment of the Israelites and his unwillingness to acknowledge God. In the tenth plague, God kills the firstborn son of every house in Egypt, which is done in response to Pharaoh’s killing of the Hebrews boys.

After this, the book of Exodus has two long chapters where God gives the people instructions for throwing an elaborate dinner party called the Passover. The dinner party centers on a lamb, which is prepared to be eaten. The blood of the lamb is to be spread around the doorframe of the house, and anyone in the house will be spared from the plague. For later generations, the passover meal remembers how God brings justice to evil, and mercy through the substitute of the sacrifice of the lamb.

Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart

After this tenth plague, Pharaoh agrees to let the Israelites go, but quickly has a change of heart. The Bible also tells us that God hardens Pharaoh’s heart. Why would God do that?

Pharaoh has grown progressively evil over the course of these events. Even Pharaoh’s advisers believe he has gone too far. So, God uses Pharaoh’s evil against him to bring about his final destruction. Pharaoh’s army is destroyed in the Red Sea as the Israelites pass safely through into freedom.

At the conclusion of these events, we find the first worship song in the Bible. We also find the introduction of an important concept, salvation, which will be repeated throughout the Bible. Salvation means to be rescued from danger.

Now, you might think that this all leads to a happy ending, but things quickly deteriorate for the Israelites. They are tired, hungry, and they begin to wonder if they weren’t better off in slavery. And we learn how all this unfolds in chapter 19.