Time & Place
- Time: c. 1876–1491 BC
- Location: Egypt → Midian → Horeb (Mount Sinai)
- Setting: Israel in bondage; Moses prepared and called
Where Are We in the Text?
- Israel multiplies and is placed under forced bondage in Egypt (Exod 1)
- Moses is born, preserved, raised in Pharaoh’s house, rejected, and separated to Midian (Exod 2)
- God reveals Himself to Moses and declares His covenant purpose (Exod 3)
- Moses is commissioned and returns toward Egypt under divine authority (Exod 4)
Where Are We in Time?
- It has taken approximately 430 years from Jacob’s entry into Egypt to the Exodus (Gen 15:13; Exod 12:40).
- Exodus 1–2 compresses multiple generations of Israel’s growth and bondage into a brief narrative span.
- Moses’ life prior to the Exodus unfolds in two forty-year periods:
- Age 40: Moses intervenes on behalf of an Israelite and flees Egypt after killing the Egyptian (Acts 7:23; Exod 2:11–15) — c. 1531 BC.
- Age 80: Moses is commissioned at the burning bush and returns to Egypt to confront Pharaoh (Acts 7:30; Exod 7:7) — 1491 BC.
Where Are We on the Map?
- Goshen (Egypt): Israel multiplies under oppression
- Midian: Moses is separated and prepared
- Horeb (Mount Sinai): God reveals His name and mission
Where Are We in God’s Program? (Dispensational)
- The Abrahamic Covenant remains in force despite national bondage (Gen 12:1–3; 15:13–14)
- God prepares a mediator for national redemption
- Israel remains under bondage, but deliverance is now formally initiated
Why This Matters
- God’s redemptive program advances according to covenant promise, not circumstance
- Deliverance begins with divine calling and commissioning
How This Reading Relates to What Follows
- God’s authority will be openly demonstrated before Pharaoh (Exod 5–12)
- Redemption will move from promise to public power
Summary Orientation
- Israel is preserved under bondage
- Moses is prepared through separation and calling
- The deliverer is commissioned, and the Exodus is about to begin