This month, we're concentrating on the book of Exodus in our sermon time. Here are some guidelines from The Student Bible to help you read and understand this very important book.

Exodus divides neatly into two parts. The first 20 chapters, on the Israelites' flight from Egypt, read like an exciting novel. Everything else in the Old Testament flow out of the events of the Exodus.

As you read Exodus, look for important lessons that apply to your life. For example, study the life of Moses, one of a handful of truly great leaders in history. Chapter 18 shows Moses learning an important leadership principle, and chapters 32-35 include encounters and conversations with God that have no equal in the Bible.

Exodus contains much material about the nature of God. Search for each place where God makes an appearance. Exodus shows a greater proportion of miracles - direct supernatural acts of God - than any part of the Bible except the Gospels. Why were these miracles done? Can you see a pattern? What should the Israelites have learned from them? Did they?

The last 20 chapters mainly consist of laws and regulations, given at Mount Sinai, to govern the life of the nation. Read them to note the concerns and priorities important to God as He designs an entire culture.

The instructions are usually clustered in groups, encompassing every area of life:
1. Moral rules, such as the 10 Commandments
2. Civil and social rules, much like a criminal code
3. Religious and ceremonial rules for the Israelites

The religious rituals with their many sacrifices and feasts seem strange to modern Westerners, but they were not unusual then. Also, they prepared the way for a Redeemer who was greater than Moses: Jesus Christ. If you have the time, grab a commentary or study book to find all the symbols that apply to Jesus' life, as shown, for example, in the Passover. Good reading!