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Exodus: Second Book Of The Old Testament And Pentateuch

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Exodus, meaning “departure,” is the second book of the Old Testament and Pentateuch. The book is made up of multiple, intertwined accounts and lists of regulations, recording the events of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The chapters cover the most significant events; for example: the introduction of Moses as leader; the differing signs from God; the Passover; the Covenant; and the formation of religious worship. Exodus portrays the moral, social and religious life of the Israelite’s, and establishes the main component of law in the Pentateuch.
Chapter 16, verses 1-36 of Exodus, introduces the Manna and Quail from Heaven. This chapter falls into the structure of Exodus’s overall journey from Mount Sinai to the Promised Land. It …show more content…

However, theologians struggle in finding an exact time in which this particular event took place. Kenneth Baker, a theologian, is an example of many, believing it was written during the exile in Babylon, around 550BC. This chapter refers to the journey of the Israelites, led by Moses, in the Desert of Sin, and their encounters with God. It focuses on laws of the manna and the importance of the Sabbath. This chapter follows on from the praise of the Israelites in chapter fifteen of Exodus, when they sang, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed; horse and rider has thrown in to the sea.” The Israelites, overwhelmed with happiness, had just crossed the Red Sea and had been freed from Egypt. The chapter following sixteen has Moses asking for God to provide water for the Israelites. God shows Moses a rock, and again, a miracle is performed, where the rock splits and water pours out. Passage 16:1-36 uses metaphors, such as “thin flakes like frost on the ground” and use of speech to deepen the meaning conveyed. It introduces words such as manna; the substance miraculously supplied as food to the Israelites in the wilderness. It also refers to the Third Commandment about the Sabbath; the day of religious observance and abstinence from …show more content…

The allegory of faith portrayed in this passage reveals God as the Father of His people, providing protection and guidance. Through His endless love and mercy, God sends manna and quail from heaven. Another element presented is remembering to keep the Sabbath day holy. The Sabbath stems from the Creation Story in Genesis, where God rested after all He had created. Morally, enveloping the Sabbath in to our life and respecting it as the Holy Day of Obligation, brings individuals closer in entering the Kingdom of God. In this passage, God stresses the seventh day as a day of rest. Therefore, as individuals we should consider the work we do and understand the importance of taking a break. The most significant element, grasping all three aspects of the scriptural sense, is the Blessed Eucharist. The Blessed Eucharist is symbolically foreshadowed in Exodus to memorialise the Israelite’s hasty, liberating departure from Egypt. The Eucharist is a “pledge of future glory,” filling individuals with grace and heavenly blessing. It emphasises our life’s pilgrimage and our long for eternal

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