The God of Exodus

Now that we are finished with Exodus, let's look at how God was portrayed in that book.

*God (Yahweh) speaks only to Moses, most of the time, but everyone else is expected to believe him. The Egyptians and the Israelites do not appear to have heard of Yahweh before. It is explained that he is the same God Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob worshipped, but they called him God almighty. It seems that Yahweh had not appeared to anyone else for over 400 years. He considers the Israelites his " first born."

* God says his name is "I am" but the Hebrew Scriptures, including Exodus,  call him Yahweh, which supposedly  means " he is."

*God talks from a burning bush that is not burnt up, on a mountain that belongs to him.  He tries to kill Moses for an unknown reason, but stops when Zipporah touches Moses with their son's foreskin. He sends plagues and hardens Pharoah's heart. He puts power in Moses's staff.

*He travels in a pillar of cloud and fire, and looks down from it. He does not concern himself with any other people besides the Israelites. In fact, he favors them to the extent of promising to drive people groups out of their homelands so the Israelites can take over. He still expects animal sacrifices, and still likes the smell of burnt offerings. He expects people to wave some offerings in front of him.

*God is personally responsible for the deaths of all the first born males in Egypt, plus their livestock. He is also responsible for the deaths of over six hundred Egyptian soldiers.

*Chapter 15 says Yahweh is a warrior. He says he is a jealous God. All other gods must not be worshipped, but he does not say they don't exist. He expects obedience, or death is likely to ensue. He gets angry with the Israelites but Moses is able to talk him out of destroying them.

*God says he is compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, but he will punish children for the sins of the fathers down to the third and fourth generation.

*In various places, God is said to have a hand, a finger, feet, a back, and a face. They seem to be literal in context. He also has something called "glory" which people can not look at. He can speak, hear and smell, but does not seem to do any walking, eating, or other physical activity. He also carves stone with his finger.  Conversing with him makes Moses glow.

*He gives elaborate instructions for the construction of religious items to be used in his service.