The God Who Makes Himself known, the missionary heart of the book of Exodus

The Lord's commitment to make himself known throughout the nations is the overarching missionary theme of the Bible and the central theological concern of Exodus.

Countering scholarly tendencies to fragment the text over theological difficulties, Ross Blackburn contends that Exodus should be read as a unified whole, and that an appreciation of its missionary theme in its canonical context is of great help in dealing with the difficulties that the book poses. For example, how is Exodus 6:3 best understood? Is there a tension between law and gospel, or mercy and judgment? How should we understand the painstaking detail of the tabernacle chapters?

From a careful examination of Exodus, this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume demonstrates that

the Lord humbled Pharaoh so the world would know that only God can save
the Lord gave Israel the law so that its people might display his goodness to the nations, living in a state of order and blessing
the Lord dealt with Israel's idolatry severely, yet mercifully, for his goodness cannot be known if his glory is compromised
In the end, Exodus not only sheds important light on the church's mission, but also reveals what kind of God the Lord is, one who pursues his glory and our good, ultimately realizing both as he makes himself known in Christ Jesus.

Publisher: IVP
Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9781844745739

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W. Ross Blackburn (Ph.D., University of St. Andrews) serves as the rector of Christ the King, an Anglican Fellowship in Boone, North Carolina, and teaches biblical studies at Appalachian State University.

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"Blackburn deserves our thanks for skillfully steering us through the whole of Exodus, enabling us to see not only the trees but also the forest itself. Not only does the text of Exodus come alive in a new way, but the God of whom it speaks becomes more clearly known. To this end, Blackburn truly guides his readers to the missionary heart of Exodus." T. Desmond Alexander, Evangelical Quarterly, 86.2 (2014)