Exodus: Fulfilled in Christ

Creation, law, worship. These are the three themes that we’ve been examining from the book of Exodus. We’ve seen how the point back to the start of the story of redemption in the book of Genesis. And we’ve seen how they point forward to the story of redemption applied to the church. Ultimately, however, the book of Exodus is about Jesus. His story intersects with it at very key points and reveals to us that ultimately Jesus is the fulfillment of Exodus.

If we could explore the theme of Creation as it applies to both we’d see that Jesus is not only the means by which Creation happens (both in Genesis, see John 1:1-3, and in creation of the church, see 2 Corinthians 5:17), but Jesus is also himself the new creation. In Revelation 3:4 that is the very self-identification that Jesus takes on himself, “the beginning of God’s creation.” What does he mean? Of course Jesus is identifying himself as the first fruits of this new creation which results in our being renewed (see Col. 1:15-20). But there is also a connection that we can draw to Exodus here. You see as we talk about Israel, the people of God, and we talk about their being “created” really in the book of Exodus we must also turn to the reality that Israel never really lived up to their title as “the people of God.” This “Kingdom of Priests” were terrible at their job. But the Old and New Testament often make allusions to the fact that God has a son, and sometimes this son is called Israel, but this son is unique and different. Matthew 2:15

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”  ¹⁴ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt  ¹⁵ and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15)

God calls His son out of Egypt and according to Matthew that Son is Jesus. Creation happens again! It’s not tha Jesus is a created being, though some erroneously teach that because they fail to grasp the theological continuity between the Old and New Testament. Jesus is not a “created” in that sense. Rather, He is being finally realized as the Son of God who will perfectly fulfill what Adam and what Israel failed to do as God’s children.

When we have discussed law we’ve clearly connected it to the theme of creation. The Law is what marks and identifies God’s people. Sadly, however, we note that the Scriptures are littered with the reports of rebellion and lawlessness. Israel could not keep the law, and Paul says in Romans 5-7 no one can. The church, too, does not have a covenantal relationship with God is based on law keeping. No, we have a covenant based on Jesus’ work for us, and that work involves his covenantal faithfulness to the law. One can turn quickly to consider Jesus’ experience in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1). Here the text tells us Jesus was tempted by the Devil. And where Israel in their wilderness wanderings had succumbed to Satan’s temptations and had worshiped a false god (Exodus 32), here stands Jesus rebuking Satan and obeying God! Jesus upholds the law where Israel in their wanderings could not. Jesus obeys the law as the perfect and true Israel.

Lastly, worship finds its climax in Jesus. The worship established first in the Tabernacle is not finalized their, it points forward to Jesus who is the true and the living temple. Revelation 21:22 reads:

²² And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

The Tabernacle began as the place where man could meet with God. Where sacrifice was offered for the sins of the people in order that they might commune with God and not be consumed. But we have no need of Tabernacle, Temple or Sacrifice post-cross. Jesus is the very presence of God, whose sacrifice has made it so we can stand before Him without fear of wrath. Jesus has made it so that man can commune with God. Jesus is the temple, Jesus is the epitome of worship!

These three themes don’t, of course, do justice to the whole book of Exodus. I am continually learning new things as I study it. I am also continually being captivated by the Gospel, ever-present in its pages. The themes of Creation, Law, and Worship merely give us a glimpse of how this compelling book fits into the narrative of redemption. I hope you will study it more and more, and may your love for the story of your redemption be increased as you read it.