Our church recently concluded its sermon series (also noted here on this blogsite) on the book of Exodus, so herewith are some thoughts.
First, when you think about it, while of course Genesis discusses the origins of Judaism with the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Exodus is the first book about the Jews as a people rather than just an immediate family.
There are two overarching apologetic points to be made about Exodus: Why would the leaders of a people make up a narrative that presents that people in such an unflattering light, and why go to the trouble of making up all the details of not only all those historical events and laws, but inexplicably something like the extraordinarily precise construction of the tabernacle and all its contents (the ark of the covenant, etc.)? And if it’s not just made up, then what are we left with except the authors believing they were recording the truth?
Two ironies regarding the golden calf: It was being cast at the same time the Ten Commandments were being handed down, and soon thereafter it it was dissolved and drunk by the Israelites — all that gold they had just recently extracted from the Egyptians! (And think about this: Is God sometimes teaching us a lesson when we hit bottom and drink our idols?)
Finally, it is remarkable, is it not, that God wants passionately to be with us, with human beings, his people? Think about that. And yet, sadly, His love is so often unrequited. That old atheist Freud said that man needs two things for fulfillment, love and meaningful work, and God gives us plenty of both.