God is Mighty to Save- Exodus

After reading through Exodus, I was really moved by God's mighty ability to save His people.  Most of you probably can easily recall the most popular story from Exodus, God bringing His people out of Egypt. As I read through the whole book though, there were so many other rich details that surprised me:

• The exodus happens because God hears His people's groanings and cries for help and because He remembers His covenant (Ex. 2:23-25) 
• Moses pleads with and cries to God on behalf of Pharoah and the Israelites -- And God answers him (Ex. 10:16-20, 15:22-25)
• The parting of the Red Sea only happened because God told Isreal to turn back so that He could 'get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that [He] is the Lord.' (Ex. 14:1-4)
• The people of Israel continually forget God's previous provisions for them (Ex. 17:1-7)

Here are a few of my favorite passages out of Exodus:

God showing His mighty saving hand through the Red Sea:
   "When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly.  And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord... And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.  For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.  The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent... [Isrealites cross through the parted waters of the Red Sea and then the Egyptians drown in it.]...  Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  Isreal saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses." (Ex. 14:10-14, 30-31)

Later in Exodus, Moses is given the Ten Commandments.  These verses (preceding the commandments) show that God wanted the people to trust and follow Him because of what He had already done for them in saving them from Egypt:
    "The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, 'Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.  Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'" (Ex. 19:3b-6a)

God's declaration about himself:
    "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children to the third and fourth generation." (Exodus 34: 6b-7)


Of course, the Israelites couldn't and didn't obey God's voice or keep the covenant.  They, like we are so prone to do, continued forsaking the Lord by forgetting what He had already done for them and even turning against Him and worshipping other things.  Thus, what I really love about Exodus is that it not only shows God's mighty hand saving His people from oppressive Egypt and keeping His covenant, but it also shows our endless need for a Mighty Savior-- One would keep God's covenant and bear the guilt of the world. 

For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. 

(John 3:17)

The Lord is the strength of His people; 

He is the saving refuge of His anointed. 

Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!

Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

(Psalm 28:8-9)