INTRODUCTION
When it comes to the
four gospels, no single narrator, in a single telling, from a single
perspective, could do full justice to the expansive nature of the good news.
The good news is rich and multifaceted. Yet there is a tendency to reduce the
good news down to just one aspect of many. To avoid this pit fall we must read
Scripture more and see that when Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God, He used
themes of slavery/release, death/life and exile/return from OT books like
Exodus, Psalms and Isaiah.
Exile and return is a theme Jesus used over
and over again. This theme also stretches from Genesis to Revelation
making it fall under the category of Biblical Theology. Adam
was exiled from Eden. Abraham and Sarah were exiled to Egypt. Israel was exiled
to Egypt and also to Babylon. Many other exiles happened in Scripture. The
prophets gave a message of hope to Israel and the nations by using the theme
of exile and exodus. In Christ there is
an exodus that all other exoduses point to.
Messiah will gather His scattered and exiled people and lead them in an exodus
to carry them home. Jesus spoke on this exodus on the Mount of Transfiguration
(Luke 9:31).
THE FIRST EXODUS: ABRAM AND SARAI
There is interplay between the narrative books of Genesis and Exodus.
Abram and Sarai set foot in the promised land, travel southward through it when
a famine sends them to Egypt to get food (Genesis 12:10). The same thing
happens to Jacob’s/Israel’s sons which are Abraham’s great grandchilden
(Genesis 41:57-42:3). What is happening to Abraham is happening to his
descendants. The actions of the fathers are a sign for the sons (ma’aseh avot
siman l’vanim). In other words, the fathers or patriarchs are paradigms whose
lives set a pattern for that which is repeated in future generations. This is
the first connection that we see been Abraham and Israel.
The second connection has to do
with good looks. Abraham’s wife was beautiful and out of
fear, Abraham asked her to lie and say that she was his sister (Genesis
12:11-13). This lie led to Pharaoh taking Sarah into her house. Abraham
prospered through this lie (Genesis 12:14-16) and God brought plagues upon
Pharaoh (Genesis 12:17) which led to Sarah being released.
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Abram and Sarai
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Israel
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Famine
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Genesis 12:10
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Genesis 41:57-42:3
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Good Looks
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Genesis 12:11
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Genesis 39:6
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Plagues
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Genesis 12:17
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Exodus 7-12
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Command to Go
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Genesis 12:18-19
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Exodus 12:31-32
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Let’s quickly look at Adam and Eve to see the first exile. In
Genesis 3:24 they were expelled or driven out (garash) from the garden
of Eden. God also drove out the Canaanites from the promised land so that
Israel could live there (Exodus 23:28-30).
We also seeing and exile
and return in the life of Jacob (Genesis 28:10).
Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. His exile lasted 20 years where
Laban defrauded and locked Jacob into staying away from his homeland. Jacob
eventually made and exodus and left a very wealthy man (Genesis 30:43-31:1).
Then we see yet another exile and
exodus with Israel and Moses. This stands out at the most
well-known exile and exodus in the Old Testament. When the OT says that “the
Lord brought us up from the land of Egypt”, it carries the same salvific force
as “Jesus was crucified and raised for us.”
Under Joshua, Israel’s exodus
and return continued under Joshua as they took over the promised land. Under
Moses, Israel left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea on dry ground (Exodus 14:21).
Under Joshua, Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground as they continued
on towards the promised land (Joshua 3:17). The Scriptures actually make a
connection between these two events (Joshua 4:23).
Gideon, Naomi and David also has
their own kind of exodus as well. Israel experienced exodus under Gideon. Naomi
was exiled and return home in the story of Ruth. David had to run from Saul and
was able to return home after Saul’s death. Once we see the connections in
these accounts, we can see that the authors of Scripture are telling these
stories to amplify the theme of exile and return, which comes to its fullest
sense in Christ. The gospel isn’t just about saving us from hell. It’s not only
about justification. It’s not only about reconciliation. It’s not just about
forgiveness. It’s also about exile and return.
ISAIAH 11
The prophet Isaiah explains God’s grace in terms of redemption or
being bought back. God will bring back His people that were
scattered to the four winds. Isaiah 11:1 begins with a description of the
Messiah, Son of David. This first second ends with a declaration that the earth
will be full of the knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah 11:9). This provides a basis
for a worldwide exodus that Isaiah transitions to next. Isaiah continues in
11:10 to say that the “root of Jesse” will arise as a signal for the gentile
peoples, not just Israel. Notice in 11:11 that God describes a second gathering
of His scattered people from the nations; the first time being the original
exodus of Israel from Egypt. That means this second gathering of His people
from among the nations is not just a people composed of Israelites but also of
gentiles. The Lord will recover (qanah) His people which
means to buyback or to purchase. Isaiah
describes this gathered people as people who are victorious over their enemies
like Joshua and the Israelites were in the promised land conquest
(11:13-14). Isaiah explains that this exodus will be greater than the
first (11:15-16). God dried up the Red Sea in the first exodus but in the
second the great Euphrates River will be divided into seven parts making it
easy to cross in sandals. The Lord will create a highway to bring them home
(11:16). This whole chapter is describing final historic salvation as one
massive exodus.
ISAIAH 51
This chapter describes Zion’s restoration to Edenic like conditions (Isaiah
51:3). Later, to describe salvation, Isaiah will move from a Genesis-based
oracle to an Exodus-based oracle. The Lord’s strength and faithfulness is
described in Isaiah 51:4-11. Verse 9 highlights the “arm of the Lord”
which is what God used to redeem Israel from Egypt (Exodus 6:6). It’s like
Isaiah is saying “O Lord, get to exodusing again!” In Biblical Theology the
theme of chaos to cosmos is present in all of Scripture. Rahab,
sea, sea monster and leviathan are often used to
describe a chaos from which we need to be delivered. Isaiah 51:9 mentions Rahab
being cut into pieces and the dragon being pierced. This might be Isaiah’s way
of borrowing from Canaanite texts to show that evil/chaos is defeated so that
we can be delivered through exodus. Then verse 10 connects these victories over
chaos to the drying up of the Red Sea (the exodus of Israel). This is God’s way
of describing salvation as deliverance from chaos so that we can be free to be
with Him in a new land. Those who are ransomed will return to Zion with singing
(51:11). We see these connections even in Revelation 20:2 where Satan, the
ancient serpent, is defeated. We, too, have come to Zion (Hebrews 12:22).
Sorrow and sighing shall be gone (Isaiah 51:11) just as Revelation 21:4 tells
us. God’s mighty deliverance, as described in Isaiah 51, is an exodus by
His mighty arm.
ISAIAH 52
In Isaiah 51 two exoduses are contrast: the first one (Egypt) was smaller than
the second one (Global). In chapter 52 the two exoduses are contrasted
again: the first one was hurried, the second one will not be (Isaiah 52:1).
They are getting ready to shake of chains of slavery (52:2). Both Egypt and
Assyria remind us of evil powers that enslave humanity (52:4). But an evangelist
is coming with good news (52:7). The messenger is bringing a news of a military
victory. All God’s foes have been vanquished just like Egypt was. God’s people
are liberated. Then they are told to depart or to make an exodus in
(52:11-12). They won’t have to hurry in this exodus because God will be
guarding them in front and from behind. Paul quotes 52:11 in 2 Corinthians
6:17. It’s his way of saying that living in idolatry is living in captivity.
Communion with idols is living in chains of death. Salvation requires a certain
way of living. Isaiah is using metalepsis in 52:12 when he says that “you shall
not go out in HASTE”. That word is only used in
reference to the exodus of Israel from Egypt. Isaiah is pointing us back to
Exodus without telling us directly. In New Testament terms we might say,
“Jesus’ death and resurrection means that we are free to live with God. We don’t
have to look over our shoulders to see if the enemy is coming after us. In our
exodus, we don’t have to worry.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What various themes have you begun to notice that the authors of
Scripture use to explain the gospel?
2. Explain the terms exile
and exodus.
3. How are you accustomed
to thinking about Jesus’ departure in Luke 9:31?
4. How does Galatian 5:1
point us back to the exodus from Egypt to show us our freedom in Christ?
5. Does this change how you
see Scripture?
6. What insights have you
gained from Isaiah 11, 51 & 52?
