Exile and Exodus – Introduction

The Bible

Though the Bible is comprised of sixty-six different books by over forty authors, God has directed history and scripture so that the the Bible is one unified story. That unity is part of its inherent beauty—the illustration of scripture as a mosaic is clichéd, but true and helpful. Unity out of diversity is just one mark of God’s sovereign creativity.

Part of what makes the Bible so diverse is that it contains a multitude of themes that intertwine in the story of God’s redemptive purposes. These themes act like a lens through which we come to a better understanding of God, his work, his people, and his heart. Though we cannot take the themes as dominant over one another, we can study each of them in depth in order to add to our comprehension. The goal of such study should ultimately result in a greater love for our God, and what he has done in saving us.

Exile and Exodus

One of these great themes that we see throughout the Bible is the themes of exile and exodus. This series will take an (unexhaustive) look at some of the places in scripture where we find these themes, and see how they terminate in Christ, the cross, and the new creation. Pit-stops on this thematic journey will include the Garden of Eden, the tower of Babel/the call of Abraham, Joseph/Egypt/Exodus, Israel’s exile and the Prophets, and finally the cross and new creation.

But before starting, we should define the terms “exile” and “exodus.” At first glance, they don’t seem all that different. In fact, both terms essentially mean a departure. For our purposes, there are differences in the terms that must be brought out. When I speak of “exile,” I primarily mean a departure that is the result of a punitive act on God’s part to punish his people. It is negative in scope. On the other hand, by “exodus” I mean a depature that has a destination in mind, particularly, the Promised Land—whether its retrospective place in the Garden of Eden, its actual place in the life of the Israelites, or its future fulfillment in the new creation and the Kingdom of God.

Next: Exile and Exodus in the Garden of Eden