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Echoes of Exodus: Tracing Themes of Redemption through Scripture
The exodus stands as a pivotal event in the Old Testament—God delivering his people from slavery in Egypt. But if you listen closely to the overarching narrative of the Bible, you will hear echoes of this story of redemption across the pages of Scripture. After exploring the account of Israel's exodus from Egypt, the authors then look at precursors to the exodus in the book of Genesis, as well as echoes of the exodus throughout the rest of the Old Testament and in the New Testament—shedding light on Scripture's unified message of redemption from slavery to sin through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
176 pages, Paperback
Published March 31, 2018
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1165 people want to read
About the author
Alastair J. Roberts
15 books82 followersAlastair Roberts (PhD, Durham University in England) writes in the areas of biblical theology and ethics, but frequently trespasses beyond these bounds. He participates in the weekly Mere Fidelity podcast, blogs at Alastair’s Adversaria, and tweets at @zugzwanged.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
June 17, 2019
Like Alastair Roberts, I've been profoundly influenced by both James Jordan and Peter Leithart. I'm not familiar with Andrew Wilson, but this book thoroughly impressed me, and I'll be paying close attention to both in years to come.
"Echoes of Exodus" is the kind of book that the contemporary church needs desperately. We need to better see the themes in Scripture so that we can better understand it. Apart from biblical theology, interpreters will (and do) flounder in understanding what the Bible is actually saying. Not only that, but we gain an unhealthy confidence in our understanding of Scripture, when in fact we've scarcely scratched the surface of meaning. Without biblical theology, we become bored with Scripture because it seems flat and "contained". But in fact, the Bible is bursting with layers of meaning that we too often miss because we fail to see the themes that recur and build on one another.
In the beginning of the book, the authors compare the Bible to music--where themes recur, often slightly altering and enriching the theme as the piece progresses. Scripture is like this--multi-layered, rich, and as in music, the themes help us to better understand the story.
Roberts and Wilson together help show not only the theme of Exodus so pervasive throughout the Bible, but provide the tools necessary for readers to find them on their own. The authors take the reader through many key passages in the Bible, Old Testament and New, drawing out the theme of Exodus in surprising places.
What reader hasn't struggled to understand Exodus 4, where God nearly kills Moses for having not circumcised his son, when his wife, Zipporah, rescues Moses by circumcising their son herself, and then touched Moses's feet with their son's foreskin?
Roberts and Wilson help us see this is a type of Exodus. They write:
"It is night. Moses has just been told to warn Pharaoh that his firstborn son may be killed because Israel is God's firstborn son. But Moses's own son has not been circumcised, which is the nonnegotiable mark of divine sonship for Israel. Moses has neglected God's commandment and now stands outside the mark of sonship, under the same judgment as Pharaoh. So, not for the first time, a woman comes to Moses's rescue: Zipporah circumcises their son and puts the blood on display, 'covering' Moses with it so that the Lord will not kill him. His son's foreskin becomes the Passover lamb, spread over the beams of his house at nighttime, and Moses is saved. You wonder whether one of the reasons Moses stressed obeying every detail of God's instruction on the first Passover (Exodus 12) was that, in this incident, he had seen something of what happens when you don't." p. 38-39
The book is full of lessons on things such as the "boundary-marking power of water" that we moderns almost entirely fail to comprehend "in our world of bridges and tunnels, ferries and airplanes." p. 44 They also remind us that "Escaping from Egypt is only the first half of the Exodus." p. 47 Roberts and Wilson emphasize the Bible's emphasis on freedom from the bondage of false Lords for bondage to the Only Lord--leading to the Covenant ceremonies and law-giving at Sinai. They argue that there are, "two halves of the exodus--freedom from serving Pharaoh and freedom to serve God..." p. 48
So while they tell and show the themes, they take time to instruct on what to look for ourselves, in our own study. For example, they write, "Desert prophets, associated with water, make way for land prophets associated with rescue." p. 55 They give a longer list of "clues when an exodus story is about to begin." They list "Famines, Journeys into foreign lands, women outmaneuvering powerful men, battles between gods, the oppression of the innocent, a barren woman crying out for a child... gets pregnant and bursts into song..." p. 88
They see themes of Exodus all over the Bible--Hagar (in Genesis), Naomi (in Ruth), David (in Samuel), Solomon becomes a Pharaoh (in 1 Kings), and more.
Much like the emergency circumcision to save Moses's life, the unnamed "man of God" from Judah is an elusive character and episode in the Bible. This was another area where biblical theology helps us understand this otherwise cryptic passage. They write God raises up:
"a mini-Moses, to judge Jeroboam...confronts the king (as Moses did), confirms his word with a miraculous sign of judgement against him (as Moses did), sees the altar split (as the tablets of stone were split), and sees its ashes poured out (as the golden calf was ground to powder and poured out). More ominously, this prophet gets distracted on his journey, disobeys God, and dies before he reaches his destination (as Moses did). But before he does, he speaks a word of judgment, which is also a word of promise... Like Moses, this man of God can see a future in which God will once again act to deliver the nation by raising up a leader who will abandon foreign gods and unite the nation." p. 102
The last five chapters are focused on the theme of Exodus in the New Testament. I won't elaborate on anything in those chapters, but suffice it to say, the whole book helps us better see this theme in the New Testament, with the authors again helping illuminate Scripture. in very instructive ways.
This is, page-for-page, the best book on biblical theology that I've read. I'll be referring to this book frequently as I seek to better use these tools myself in my own reading of Scripture. I have recommended this book widely in person, and will do so again now. This is an outstanding book, and I am heartily encouraged that a "mainstream" publishing house like Crossway was courageous enough to give Roberts and Wilson a platform for bringing this message "to the masses."
"Echoes of Exodus" is the kind of book that the contemporary church needs desperately. We need to better see the themes in Scripture so that we can better understand it. Apart from biblical theology, interpreters will (and do) flounder in understanding what the Bible is actually saying. Not only that, but we gain an unhealthy confidence in our understanding of Scripture, when in fact we've scarcely scratched the surface of meaning. Without biblical theology, we become bored with Scripture because it seems flat and "contained". But in fact, the Bible is bursting with layers of meaning that we too often miss because we fail to see the themes that recur and build on one another.
In the beginning of the book, the authors compare the Bible to music--where themes recur, often slightly altering and enriching the theme as the piece progresses. Scripture is like this--multi-layered, rich, and as in music, the themes help us to better understand the story.
Roberts and Wilson together help show not only the theme of Exodus so pervasive throughout the Bible, but provide the tools necessary for readers to find them on their own. The authors take the reader through many key passages in the Bible, Old Testament and New, drawing out the theme of Exodus in surprising places.
What reader hasn't struggled to understand Exodus 4, where God nearly kills Moses for having not circumcised his son, when his wife, Zipporah, rescues Moses by circumcising their son herself, and then touched Moses's feet with their son's foreskin?
Roberts and Wilson help us see this is a type of Exodus. They write:
"It is night. Moses has just been told to warn Pharaoh that his firstborn son may be killed because Israel is God's firstborn son. But Moses's own son has not been circumcised, which is the nonnegotiable mark of divine sonship for Israel. Moses has neglected God's commandment and now stands outside the mark of sonship, under the same judgment as Pharaoh. So, not for the first time, a woman comes to Moses's rescue: Zipporah circumcises their son and puts the blood on display, 'covering' Moses with it so that the Lord will not kill him. His son's foreskin becomes the Passover lamb, spread over the beams of his house at nighttime, and Moses is saved. You wonder whether one of the reasons Moses stressed obeying every detail of God's instruction on the first Passover (Exodus 12) was that, in this incident, he had seen something of what happens when you don't." p. 38-39
The book is full of lessons on things such as the "boundary-marking power of water" that we moderns almost entirely fail to comprehend "in our world of bridges and tunnels, ferries and airplanes." p. 44 They also remind us that "Escaping from Egypt is only the first half of the Exodus." p. 47 Roberts and Wilson emphasize the Bible's emphasis on freedom from the bondage of false Lords for bondage to the Only Lord--leading to the Covenant ceremonies and law-giving at Sinai. They argue that there are, "two halves of the exodus--freedom from serving Pharaoh and freedom to serve God..." p. 48
So while they tell and show the themes, they take time to instruct on what to look for ourselves, in our own study. For example, they write, "Desert prophets, associated with water, make way for land prophets associated with rescue." p. 55 They give a longer list of "clues when an exodus story is about to begin." They list "Famines, Journeys into foreign lands, women outmaneuvering powerful men, battles between gods, the oppression of the innocent, a barren woman crying out for a child... gets pregnant and bursts into song..." p. 88
They see themes of Exodus all over the Bible--Hagar (in Genesis), Naomi (in Ruth), David (in Samuel), Solomon becomes a Pharaoh (in 1 Kings), and more.
Much like the emergency circumcision to save Moses's life, the unnamed "man of God" from Judah is an elusive character and episode in the Bible. This was another area where biblical theology helps us understand this otherwise cryptic passage. They write God raises up:
"a mini-Moses, to judge Jeroboam...confronts the king (as Moses did), confirms his word with a miraculous sign of judgement against him (as Moses did), sees the altar split (as the tablets of stone were split), and sees its ashes poured out (as the golden calf was ground to powder and poured out). More ominously, this prophet gets distracted on his journey, disobeys God, and dies before he reaches his destination (as Moses did). But before he does, he speaks a word of judgment, which is also a word of promise... Like Moses, this man of God can see a future in which God will once again act to deliver the nation by raising up a leader who will abandon foreign gods and unite the nation." p. 102
The last five chapters are focused on the theme of Exodus in the New Testament. I won't elaborate on anything in those chapters, but suffice it to say, the whole book helps us better see this theme in the New Testament, with the authors again helping illuminate Scripture. in very instructive ways.
This is, page-for-page, the best book on biblical theology that I've read. I'll be referring to this book frequently as I seek to better use these tools myself in my own reading of Scripture. I have recommended this book widely in person, and will do so again now. This is an outstanding book, and I am heartily encouraged that a "mainstream" publishing house like Crossway was courageous enough to give Roberts and Wilson a platform for bringing this message "to the masses."
June 19, 2018
A number of years ago I read A House for My Name by Peter Leithart. I didn't remember everything I read (it was, for one thing, far too rich) but it greatly enriched my reading of Scripture. Not only did I now see the theme of tent and house everywhere in the Bible, but I started to notice other narrative threads on my own.
This book, which has a recommendation from Leithart, does something similar. It is smaller and less academic (it never even mentions chiasms!), but it alerts the reader to one of the Bibles most prominent themes: Exodus. And it does so with brevity, humor, and great style.
Of course, like A House for My Name, it has a few points that look stretched. But overall it is deeply convincing and thoroughly enriching.
Loved it. And plan to read it again, soon.
This book, which has a recommendation from Leithart, does something similar. It is smaller and less academic (it never even mentions chiasms!), but it alerts the reader to one of the Bibles most prominent themes: Exodus. And it does so with brevity, humor, and great style.
Of course, like A House for My Name, it has a few points that look stretched. But overall it is deeply convincing and thoroughly enriching.
Loved it. And plan to read it again, soon.
August 30, 2023
Echoes of Exodus” Tracing Themes of Redemption through Scripture by Alastair J. Roberts and Andrew Wilson is an absolute gem. Wow! The beauty, the prose, the typology, the connections, the pictures, the metaphors, the sounds, and instruments all pointing to the glory of Jesus and how he has brought us out of the bondage of slavery and death, to a redeemed life filled with praise and awe to the God of Exodus.
The story of Exodus truly echoes throughout the entire Scriptures and these authors did a wonderful biblical theology in demonstrating this. I highly recommend this book, and it might serve as a great introduction in how to do biblical theology! Read this.
The story of Exodus truly echoes throughout the entire Scriptures and these authors did a wonderful biblical theology in demonstrating this. I highly recommend this book, and it might serve as a great introduction in how to do biblical theology! Read this.
April 30, 2018
A very beautiful and enriching theology book.
March 31, 2020
Very good Bible overview that looks at the theme of exodus throughout scripture.
Very short, readable chapters with discussion questions at the end of each chapter.
Very short, readable chapters with discussion questions at the end of each chapter.
April 11, 2018
If you've read Peter Leithart's A House for My Name, then this way of reading the Old Testament won't be a stretch for you. This book was pretty short and consequently felt like a mad sprint through the Bible, but there were numerous illuminating tidbits that had never occurred to me before. It's one I'll definitely reread sometime in the future.
Want to read
August 10, 2021Dedicated to Derek Rishmawy and Matt Anderson. Review here.
August 7, 2020
Excelente obra que demonstra como os temas tratados no livro de Êxodo estão presentes em toda Escritura Sagrada.
May 10, 2018
Those familiar with Peter J. Leithart and James B. Jordan will recognize the same sort of typological reading in Wilson and Roberts' survey of Exodus-motifs from Genesis to Revelation. Most of it will not be surprising to those who are used to this sort of reading, but the book does contain a few "echoes" that were new to me. For instance:
And again:
As you can see from this last quotation, the echoes vary considerably in "volume", and their volume can sometimes be artificially enhanced by how Roberts and Wilson phrase the retelling. (Does the author of 1 Samuel really intend us to think of Pharaoh's daughter and the infant Moses? Is the targeted hostility of King Saul against David really to be compared with the blanket edict of extermination issued by Pharaoh against all male infants of the Israelites? Perhaps so, perhaps not.)
I laughed out loud when, after surveying Exodus themes in the Pauline epistles, the authors rightly conclude that Paul's use of these themes is a confirmation that they are "there" in the OT. They then exhale: “It may be reassuring to hear that we have not just been blowing smoke in this book.” It is an admission that the identification of echoes does not admit of exact proof. In some cases, more argument would be welcome, but that isn't really this book's style: its persuasion comes from heaping up "echoes" until their cumulative weight is overwhelming. If there is a bit of chaff still in the heap of grain — an unconvincing or forced "echo" here or there — it does not much detract from the weight of the whole. Yet the lack of argumentation is surprising to me, for if Alastair Roberts is known for anything, it is his ability to reason and persuade. A discussion of the book on the Mere Fidelity podcast (Roberts and Wilson are both regular participants) reveals that it had its genesis in Alastair's attempts to persuade Andrew of this way of reading. Given that the two co-authors are quite different in their handling of the Bible at other times, and that Wilson may not embrace all of Roberts' hermeneutical assumptions, perhaps we should see the book as the fruit of their interaction, and not expect the sort of deeper argumentation that Roberts is known for providing in other writings.
There is one passage of the book that most piqued my interest:
Here Roberts – I feel sure it was Roberts, and not Wilson – hints at the possibility of making "Exodus" a model of atonement in Christian theology. That's a radical proposal, all the more daring because it undercuts the other models with its greater Jewishness and more obvious prominence in Paul's discourse about justification. It is the sort of observation that N.T. Wright might make, and it entails a narrative worldview. Atonement-as-Exodus is not incompatible with other models (e.g. Christus Victor or penal substitution), of course. But it may be more important than the others, and exploring it may be more productive of insights into the logic of Paul's thinking. The chapter on the Exodus in Paul was my favourite, and its suggestions would bear further investigation.
“When slaves, like Israel, love their masters, they will choose lifelong service over walking away. And the fact that the process for doing this involves blood and a doorpost (21:6) cannot help but remind us of the Passover.”
And again:
“Like Pharaoh, Saul tries to kill the anointed leader while he is still young, but fails, ironically through the intervention of his own daughter.”
As you can see from this last quotation, the echoes vary considerably in "volume", and their volume can sometimes be artificially enhanced by how Roberts and Wilson phrase the retelling. (Does the author of 1 Samuel really intend us to think of Pharaoh's daughter and the infant Moses? Is the targeted hostility of King Saul against David really to be compared with the blanket edict of extermination issued by Pharaoh against all male infants of the Israelites? Perhaps so, perhaps not.)
I laughed out loud when, after surveying Exodus themes in the Pauline epistles, the authors rightly conclude that Paul's use of these themes is a confirmation that they are "there" in the OT. They then exhale: “It may be reassuring to hear that we have not just been blowing smoke in this book.” It is an admission that the identification of echoes does not admit of exact proof. In some cases, more argument would be welcome, but that isn't really this book's style: its persuasion comes from heaping up "echoes" until their cumulative weight is overwhelming. If there is a bit of chaff still in the heap of grain — an unconvincing or forced "echo" here or there — it does not much detract from the weight of the whole. Yet the lack of argumentation is surprising to me, for if Alastair Roberts is known for anything, it is his ability to reason and persuade. A discussion of the book on the Mere Fidelity podcast (Roberts and Wilson are both regular participants) reveals that it had its genesis in Alastair's attempts to persuade Andrew of this way of reading. Given that the two co-authors are quite different in their handling of the Bible at other times, and that Wilson may not embrace all of Roberts' hermeneutical assumptions, perhaps we should see the book as the fruit of their interaction, and not expect the sort of deeper argumentation that Roberts is known for providing in other writings.
There is one passage of the book that most piqued my interest:
“Debate often swirls as to which “model” or “image” of the atonement is most central to Paul—reconciliation, justification, victory, penal substitution, and so on—but when it is laid out like this, it is difficult to avoid concluding that the language of redemption, understood through the story of Passover and exodus, is at least as important as the others. ”
Here Roberts – I feel sure it was Roberts, and not Wilson – hints at the possibility of making "Exodus" a model of atonement in Christian theology. That's a radical proposal, all the more daring because it undercuts the other models with its greater Jewishness and more obvious prominence in Paul's discourse about justification. It is the sort of observation that N.T. Wright might make, and it entails a narrative worldview. Atonement-as-Exodus is not incompatible with other models (e.g. Christus Victor or penal substitution), of course. But it may be more important than the others, and exploring it may be more productive of insights into the logic of Paul's thinking. The chapter on the Exodus in Paul was my favourite, and its suggestions would bear further investigation.
July 31, 2018
9/10 (excellent): A first glance, this looks a fairly ordinary biblical theology book — a look at how the theme of the exodus keeps reoccurring through Scripture. This idea is far from new, but Roberts' and Wilson's approach is rather different from that, for example, of N.T. Wright. So there's very little on exile, nor on larger echoes of the exodus motif. Instead, Roberts and Wilson focus on small details of the biblical story that both amplify and echo the exodus story. There's so many fascinating snippets. Here's just one, to give you a flavour:
Overall, thoroughly recommended to anyone who knows their Bible well enough to know there's plenty more to be discovered.
The book of Exodus, for most of us, has an exciting half and a boring half: the blood and thunder and escape (Exodus 1–19), followed by the law and the preparation of the tabernacle (20–40). The story of David, likewise, comprises two biblical sections, one of which is vastly more dramatic than the other: the tense, intriguing plot of 1 and 2 Samuel, and the more pedestrian detail of 1 Chronicles, which largely consists of preparation for temple worship. Yet in each case, the authors conclude with the focus on the house of God rather than the fights and betrayals. Exodus ends with the glory of God filling the tabernacle. Second Samuel ends with the purchase of the land on which the temple will be built. First Chronicles ends with a financial offering for the temple, and David’s prayer of thanksgiving. It is as if the authors are saying that David and Moses saw rescue and failure, victory and loss. But more than anything else, they had a passion for the house of God.
Overall, thoroughly recommended to anyone who knows their Bible well enough to know there's plenty more to be discovered.
July 31, 2019
My favourite (particularly for a first reading of biblical theology) book for getting a strong overview of the Bible (biblical theology). A huge number of insights, each chapter very short and very understandable, and strongly devotionnal (with questions at the end of each chapter).
May 21, 2024
3.5
Great introduction, and conclusion, with an unfortunately sparknotes quality middle.
I loved the authors' opening assertion that the metaphor of music is superior to the metaphors of drama or picture for speaking about the Bible. I also appreciated their concluding emphasis that the celebration of the sacraments is the primary way in which the Christian recalls and enacts the themes of the Exodus.
Unfortunately, they often neglected the music analogies in favor of the garbled bit of imagery that is the phrase "exodus-shaped," as in, "we see that David sang exodus-shaped songs [what kind of songs...?] because from start to finish, he lived an exodus-shaped life." You know what they mean, but it's not well articulated and threatens to turn the book into tidy pattern recognition rather than compelling storytelling.
They also speed through the narrative elements with a little too much efficiency (perhaps they were trying not to bore their already Biblically literate readers?). Spark notes summaries are usually correct and can be helpful, but are unlikely to help you catch a vision of significance or beauty. (The chapter on Revelation does the best.)
I had a couple moments of particular disagreement - their tidy defence of Abraham lying to Pharaoh about his wife, and a phrasing in ch 21 suggesting that Christians find it easy to think about God's work for us but challenging to think about the work God has called us to do. I am much more compelled by my teachers who have emphasized the inverse - that Christians are really good at thinking about ourselves and what we should be doing, and not nearly as good at staying focused on God and His work.
I appreciate the spirit of this book and I'd likely recommend it for a church study. The themes are important and the questions at the end of the chapters are thoughtful. Unfortunately, I was invested enough in its authors and premises to be little disappointed by the execution.
Great introduction, and conclusion, with an unfortunately sparknotes quality middle.
I loved the authors' opening assertion that the metaphor of music is superior to the metaphors of drama or picture for speaking about the Bible. I also appreciated their concluding emphasis that the celebration of the sacraments is the primary way in which the Christian recalls and enacts the themes of the Exodus.
Unfortunately, they often neglected the music analogies in favor of the garbled bit of imagery that is the phrase "exodus-shaped," as in, "we see that David sang exodus-shaped songs [what kind of songs...?] because from start to finish, he lived an exodus-shaped life." You know what they mean, but it's not well articulated and threatens to turn the book into tidy pattern recognition rather than compelling storytelling.
They also speed through the narrative elements with a little too much efficiency (perhaps they were trying not to bore their already Biblically literate readers?). Spark notes summaries are usually correct and can be helpful, but are unlikely to help you catch a vision of significance or beauty. (The chapter on Revelation does the best.)
I had a couple moments of particular disagreement - their tidy defence of Abraham lying to Pharaoh about his wife, and a phrasing in ch 21 suggesting that Christians find it easy to think about God's work for us but challenging to think about the work God has called us to do. I am much more compelled by my teachers who have emphasized the inverse - that Christians are really good at thinking about ourselves and what we should be doing, and not nearly as good at staying focused on God and His work.
I appreciate the spirit of this book and I'd likely recommend it for a church study. The themes are important and the questions at the end of the chapters are thoughtful. Unfortunately, I was invested enough in its authors and premises to be little disappointed by the execution.
July 8, 2019
So much I love about this book. It is beautifully written with a forward-moving drive and cadence. Some of the specific Exodus “echoes” might be a stretch for some, but it’s clear that this redemptive theme is peppered throughout Scripture. In some ways, I felt this was too short of a book; I would’ve given the authors 100 more pages to unpack. Still, this is a devotionally rich book that will cause you to worship the God who rescues us from slavery to sin and will one day take us home to the Promised Land.
August 21, 2025
Simplesmente fantástico. Period.
March 28, 2020
Echoes of Exodus helped me see Bible in a new way, specifically through the lens of The Exodus. Alastair and Andrew highlight how themes of the Exodus run throughout all of the Bible just like musical themes. It gave me a better understanding and greater appreciation for the uniformity of scripture. Often, people in present day look at people of the past and the Bible as unsophisticated, but this book shows that mindset simply lacks imagination. The Bible contains great riches for those who search them out. This book is short, but it took me a long time to read because it challenged me to read large portions of Scripture to better see the connections. It is tightly packed with numerous references of passages that are related. Its format allows it to be used many ways, for individuals and groups. The chapters are short, and each ends with questions to encourage the reader to search the Bible for answers and discuss with others. I can't recommend this book enough.
May 2, 2018
This is an odd book to review, because it somewhat falls between two stools, and I still find myself liking it. On the one hand, you can approach it as someone who has deeply imbibed James Jordan deeply, in which case you had already figured out much of what is in here, or you could approach it as someone who is unfamiliar with biblical typology, in which case it will feel stretched and thin. I would certainly hope that people would be open-minded enough to believe this book, and I think it's actually more defensible than most Biblical Horizons type explorations, but I think slow, detailed engagements with texts are the way to go for initiating people to the literary typology method.
If you are already familiar with Jordan though, you may very well be refreshed anyway, as I was for long stretches of the book. I think the most valuable stuff is the first few chapters leading up to Genesis, and the chapter on Acts. I had already known that each of the patriarchs had something of a descent-re-ascent with Pharaoh, Abimelech, Laban, and Egypt more generally, but seeing it here in detail was immensely helpful, as were the "pre-Exodus" parts of Exodus. And the stuff on Acts I don't think we've really figured out, but the Ananias and Saphira as Achan parallel was powerfully persuasive, as were the other echoes of Exodus in the book. I will have to return to it soon.
In many ways, choosing to limit themselves to just the Exodus was a genius move, since it allowed them to really dig in on one thing while going all over the place, but sometimes I felt like the book could be longer and could have quoted more verses. It commonly would make a list of parallels to the Exodus and then leave us to draw them, which although I appreciate the respect it renders the reader sometimes makes it feel Platonic and detached from the individuality of the texts. The stuff that was especially thin on the ground was the zoom over 1 Samuel and 1 Kings, and worst of all Isaiah and Jeremiah. There are so many little hints of Exodus in Jeremiah (and Leithart says the same of Isaiah) that I was expecting to be able to get a broader vision of the books and an idea of how they develop, but it was more along the lines of "see, it's here too!" It would have been interesting if they could have shown how Isaiah and Jeremiah were different from the other Exoduses and that brings me to my conclusion.
It is unusual that we have spent so much time pondering typology and the literary connections found in Scripture, without asking the fundamental question, "Why?" Why is it that Jesus does not simply die on the cross right after Adam gets kicked out of the Garden? Why do we have all these little pictures of Jesus scattered throughout Israelite history? At times, the author allude to what is at the least a part of it and may be the whole: that God loves to remind his people and that seeing him delivering his people again and again is how He strengthens our faith. Still, I can't confess that I am a little dissatisfied, and to confide in you the reader, this brings me to a point that I'm still working through: is it possible that there is a progression in the Old Testament? Is it possible that God is putting Exodus in different keys and giving us different typologies at different moments because He is trying to develop a multi-dimensional picture of Jesus? Is it connected to the fact that there are four Gospels? Can we connect this to the maturation of Israel, as found in Galatians? That's the question I'm asking, and though this book didn't answer these questions, it did remind me that they are legitimate questions when we face such an abundance of Echoes.
If you are already familiar with Jordan though, you may very well be refreshed anyway, as I was for long stretches of the book. I think the most valuable stuff is the first few chapters leading up to Genesis, and the chapter on Acts. I had already known that each of the patriarchs had something of a descent-re-ascent with Pharaoh, Abimelech, Laban, and Egypt more generally, but seeing it here in detail was immensely helpful, as were the "pre-Exodus" parts of Exodus. And the stuff on Acts I don't think we've really figured out, but the Ananias and Saphira as Achan parallel was powerfully persuasive, as were the other echoes of Exodus in the book. I will have to return to it soon.
In many ways, choosing to limit themselves to just the Exodus was a genius move, since it allowed them to really dig in on one thing while going all over the place, but sometimes I felt like the book could be longer and could have quoted more verses. It commonly would make a list of parallels to the Exodus and then leave us to draw them, which although I appreciate the respect it renders the reader sometimes makes it feel Platonic and detached from the individuality of the texts. The stuff that was especially thin on the ground was the zoom over 1 Samuel and 1 Kings, and worst of all Isaiah and Jeremiah. There are so many little hints of Exodus in Jeremiah (and Leithart says the same of Isaiah) that I was expecting to be able to get a broader vision of the books and an idea of how they develop, but it was more along the lines of "see, it's here too!" It would have been interesting if they could have shown how Isaiah and Jeremiah were different from the other Exoduses and that brings me to my conclusion.
It is unusual that we have spent so much time pondering typology and the literary connections found in Scripture, without asking the fundamental question, "Why?" Why is it that Jesus does not simply die on the cross right after Adam gets kicked out of the Garden? Why do we have all these little pictures of Jesus scattered throughout Israelite history? At times, the author allude to what is at the least a part of it and may be the whole: that God loves to remind his people and that seeing him delivering his people again and again is how He strengthens our faith. Still, I can't confess that I am a little dissatisfied, and to confide in you the reader, this brings me to a point that I'm still working through: is it possible that there is a progression in the Old Testament? Is it possible that God is putting Exodus in different keys and giving us different typologies at different moments because He is trying to develop a multi-dimensional picture of Jesus? Is it connected to the fact that there are four Gospels? Can we connect this to the maturation of Israel, as found in Galatians? That's the question I'm asking, and though this book didn't answer these questions, it did remind me that they are legitimate questions when we face such an abundance of Echoes.
June 11, 2019
Thanks Mr. Caneday for sending this book to my husband, and thanks Mike for letting me read it first!
This book was so readable. The chapters are short, the writing is good, the information is all very interesting essentially making it a non-fiction-pageturner.
The authors opened my eyes to all sorts of things to see and look for when reading my Bible. There are so many connections mentioned, most of which I'm sure I would never see on my own.
I loved the music analogy laid out in the introduction and carried throughout. It seems very fitting to think about the Bible in this way: listening to a piece of music and listening for recurring themes throughout the piece.
I loved this book! Are there more like it somewhere?
This book was so readable. The chapters are short, the writing is good, the information is all very interesting essentially making it a non-fiction-pageturner.
The authors opened my eyes to all sorts of things to see and look for when reading my Bible. There are so many connections mentioned, most of which I'm sure I would never see on my own.
I loved the music analogy laid out in the introduction and carried throughout. It seems very fitting to think about the Bible in this way: listening to a piece of music and listening for recurring themes throughout the piece.
I loved this book! Are there more like it somewhere?
October 12, 2022
So intrigued was I with Andrew Wilson’s book, The God of All Things, that I was eager to read a book that he co-authored. Echoes of Exodus explores the theme of exodus which is throughout the Old and New Testaments.
Most of us, when we hear “Exodus”, think of Moses and Pharaoh, Egypt and slavery, plagues and Passover, and crossing the Red Sea; however, if you think the exodus is simply a story in the Pentateuch, this book challenges you to think more broadly.
The authors compare and contrast many exoduses in the scriptures. One example: Abraham leaves his home to sojourn in a foreign land only to return home with riches, “people going out empty and coming back full” (84; Gen. 15:14; Ex. 12:36). In the book of Ruth there is a polar opposite variation of this theme since Naomi left full and returns empty (Ruth 1:21). In her case, she personifies Israel’s frustration during the period of the judges. “We have had our exodus but are now back in the land—and we are not living in the abundance we had hoped for”.
Authors Roberts and Wilson selected to explore music as a metaphor of understanding the Scriptures. Personally, though I love music, the use of metaphors and understand the musical analogy, I found it distracting from the predominant theme of Exodus.
And so we begin - from Exodus through Joshua, introducing basic elements like wicked kings, defeated gods, and rescued people. The second part goes back in time to reflect upon the exodus of Adam and Eve and to Abraham. The remainder of the Old Testament, including Ruth to Esther, is explored and the authors content that the exodus didn’t technically end until the building of the temple under Solomon. The crescendo occurs in the New Testament with examples in the Gospels through the Apocalypse. In a biblical-theological manner, we offered a view of this crescendo as a two-part and already-but-not-yet-realized finale, leaving all believers as redeemed from slavery through Jesus yet still awaiting His return and our entry into the Promised Land.
Exodus from, and exodus towards:
This is one of the concepts made in the book which caused me to ponder and wonder. Most of us think of an exodus as an exodus from something or somewhere. Israel was freed from Egypt, its slavery and wickedness; however, we might overlook the purpose that God leads us from darkness so that we can be led towards Him. As Paul puts it, we are no longer a slave to sin and to the law but a slave to Jesus. We are not just freed from sin, but we are free to worship and submit to God and His ways. The book emphasizes this point and it demonstrates the repeated failure of God’s chosen people to do that. Yes, Israel was brought out of Egypt, but it failed to do so (example: the golden calf). This same failure is repeated time and time again despite God’s faithfulness.
This book is short but challenged me and required me to read large portions of Scripture unfamiliar to me in order to understand. I am not a Biblical scholar and did not fully understand all the references. I would not recommend it to a new believer; rather, a comprehensive understanding of scripture is necessary to fully understand this book. It would be great for a church group Bible study as long as it is led by someone qualified to address and answer participant questions and concerns.
Most of us, when we hear “Exodus”, think of Moses and Pharaoh, Egypt and slavery, plagues and Passover, and crossing the Red Sea; however, if you think the exodus is simply a story in the Pentateuch, this book challenges you to think more broadly.
The authors compare and contrast many exoduses in the scriptures. One example: Abraham leaves his home to sojourn in a foreign land only to return home with riches, “people going out empty and coming back full” (84; Gen. 15:14; Ex. 12:36). In the book of Ruth there is a polar opposite variation of this theme since Naomi left full and returns empty (Ruth 1:21). In her case, she personifies Israel’s frustration during the period of the judges. “We have had our exodus but are now back in the land—and we are not living in the abundance we had hoped for”.
Authors Roberts and Wilson selected to explore music as a metaphor of understanding the Scriptures. Personally, though I love music, the use of metaphors and understand the musical analogy, I found it distracting from the predominant theme of Exodus.
And so we begin - from Exodus through Joshua, introducing basic elements like wicked kings, defeated gods, and rescued people. The second part goes back in time to reflect upon the exodus of Adam and Eve and to Abraham. The remainder of the Old Testament, including Ruth to Esther, is explored and the authors content that the exodus didn’t technically end until the building of the temple under Solomon. The crescendo occurs in the New Testament with examples in the Gospels through the Apocalypse. In a biblical-theological manner, we offered a view of this crescendo as a two-part and already-but-not-yet-realized finale, leaving all believers as redeemed from slavery through Jesus yet still awaiting His return and our entry into the Promised Land.
Exodus from, and exodus towards:
This is one of the concepts made in the book which caused me to ponder and wonder. Most of us think of an exodus as an exodus from something or somewhere. Israel was freed from Egypt, its slavery and wickedness; however, we might overlook the purpose that God leads us from darkness so that we can be led towards Him. As Paul puts it, we are no longer a slave to sin and to the law but a slave to Jesus. We are not just freed from sin, but we are free to worship and submit to God and His ways. The book emphasizes this point and it demonstrates the repeated failure of God’s chosen people to do that. Yes, Israel was brought out of Egypt, but it failed to do so (example: the golden calf). This same failure is repeated time and time again despite God’s faithfulness.
This book is short but challenged me and required me to read large portions of Scripture unfamiliar to me in order to understand. I am not a Biblical scholar and did not fully understand all the references. I would not recommend it to a new believer; rather, a comprehensive understanding of scripture is necessary to fully understand this book. It would be great for a church group Bible study as long as it is led by someone qualified to address and answer participant questions and concerns.
July 18, 2022
3.5
Very helpful in understanding Exodus and how it relates to other books of Bible. Easy to understand.
Very helpful in understanding Exodus and how it relates to other books of Bible. Easy to understand.
Read
March 30, 2022Wow 🤩 I cannot unsee the exodus! I learned so much and will certainly reference again
January 30, 2020
A thorough review of the exilic patterns from Genesis onward. I thought I knew most of them, but the book pointed out even more. A very enjoyable and eye-opening read.
July 7, 2022
Fantastic. A must read.
June 22, 2018
You can read my full review at SpoiledMilks (6/20/18)
The exodus was God’s grand display of his mighty arm. He drowned the world’s greatest army, Egypt, in their own sea and rescued his people who had been their slaves for 400 years. Israel had been redeemed, and this language permeates both Testaments. I have missed most of these connections. Roberts and Wilson take the whole image of the exodus and show how the exodus resonates in different passages of Scripture.
The authors present the analogy of the Bible as a song. The exodus, like a song, and like a joke, must be heard. It cannot so easily be explained, but it must be understood for Israel’s story is ours. The authors express our generation’s desire for freedom. But yet despite all of the liberation, people continue to fall into bondage, often by their own doing (Prov 26.27). The Church needs to understand that the God who redeemed Israel, and who has redeemed his Church through the blood of Christ, has played exodus riffs all throughout his story.
This book is really only about 150 pages, yet it took me a long time to read.
- Adam and Eve were out-crafted by a serpent.
- In Egypt, God’s people are fruitful and multiplying, yet they are building a kingdom for the serpent-king.
- Moses is put in an “ark,” passes through the water, and is saved by the serpent-king’s daughter, just as Israel will be saved from the waters.
- When Israel passes through the Re[e]d Sea, the waters divide and they walk on dry land, just as at creation when the waters above and below divided and dry land came to be (Gen 1.6-10).
- Jesus, the one who tabernacled among men, housing the presence of God, walked through the Jordan just as Israel had done before.
- Sinai brought national apostasy; Pentecost brought national blessing. Instead of 3,000 people dying at Sinai, 3,000 are cut to the heart at Pentecost and repent.
There is so much more to say, but so little space.
There are four movements. In the first, Israel moves from Egypt to the wilderness to the promised land. In the second, we see the exodus in Genesis in the lives of the patriarchs (see especially the wonderful section on Lot). The third movement leads the reader through Israel’s prophets and writings: Ruth, Samuel, Kings, the prophets, and Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. In the fourth movement, the reader is brought through the greater work of God—the second exodus.
The Spoiled Milk
If there’s a downside to all of these connecting webs, it’s that some are hard to believe. Perhaps because there are too many connections between the stories, but cross-references *really* would have helped. Although perhaps that would have caused the book to feel more like a chemistry book than a concept album. Regardless, some connections are too difficult to find in the text.
Already in the Prelude the authors have tipped their hats that their readers won’t agree to everything. Sometimes it may feel like they’re reaching, but sometimes some over-extending needs to be done to get us to use our imagination.
Recommended?
I highly recommend this work. I was baffled that I had neither seen nor heard of too many of these exodus riffs. Yet nonetheless, here I was hearing many of them for the first time. And for those riffs which were not new to me, I could listen and hum along as they were played.
Disclosure: I received this book free from Crossway. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
The exodus was God’s grand display of his mighty arm. He drowned the world’s greatest army, Egypt, in their own sea and rescued his people who had been their slaves for 400 years. Israel had been redeemed, and this language permeates both Testaments. I have missed most of these connections. Roberts and Wilson take the whole image of the exodus and show how the exodus resonates in different passages of Scripture.
The authors present the analogy of the Bible as a song. The exodus, like a song, and like a joke, must be heard. It cannot so easily be explained, but it must be understood for Israel’s story is ours. The authors express our generation’s desire for freedom. But yet despite all of the liberation, people continue to fall into bondage, often by their own doing (Prov 26.27). The Church needs to understand that the God who redeemed Israel, and who has redeemed his Church through the blood of Christ, has played exodus riffs all throughout his story.
This book is really only about 150 pages, yet it took me a long time to read.
- Adam and Eve were out-crafted by a serpent.
- In Egypt, God’s people are fruitful and multiplying, yet they are building a kingdom for the serpent-king.
- Moses is put in an “ark,” passes through the water, and is saved by the serpent-king’s daughter, just as Israel will be saved from the waters.
- When Israel passes through the Re[e]d Sea, the waters divide and they walk on dry land, just as at creation when the waters above and below divided and dry land came to be (Gen 1.6-10).
- Jesus, the one who tabernacled among men, housing the presence of God, walked through the Jordan just as Israel had done before.
- Sinai brought national apostasy; Pentecost brought national blessing. Instead of 3,000 people dying at Sinai, 3,000 are cut to the heart at Pentecost and repent.
There is so much more to say, but so little space.
There are four movements. In the first, Israel moves from Egypt to the wilderness to the promised land. In the second, we see the exodus in Genesis in the lives of the patriarchs (see especially the wonderful section on Lot). The third movement leads the reader through Israel’s prophets and writings: Ruth, Samuel, Kings, the prophets, and Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. In the fourth movement, the reader is brought through the greater work of God—the second exodus.
The Spoiled Milk
If there’s a downside to all of these connecting webs, it’s that some are hard to believe. Perhaps because there are too many connections between the stories, but cross-references *really* would have helped. Although perhaps that would have caused the book to feel more like a chemistry book than a concept album. Regardless, some connections are too difficult to find in the text.
Already in the Prelude the authors have tipped their hats that their readers won’t agree to everything. Sometimes it may feel like they’re reaching, but sometimes some over-extending needs to be done to get us to use our imagination.
Recommended?
I highly recommend this work. I was baffled that I had neither seen nor heard of too many of these exodus riffs. Yet nonetheless, here I was hearing many of them for the first time. And for those riffs which were not new to me, I could listen and hum along as they were played.
Disclosure: I received this book free from Crossway. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
March 29, 2021
I read this book as part of a study group at church. Overall it brought new links and insights of the biblical narrative of the exodus for members of the group and the questions were sometimes helpful for discussion. A few members were quite vocal about disliking the book. They felt that it over-stretched the theme of exodus where the meaning of the passages/books could become overlooked in attempts to fit an interpretation into a previous agenda. On a similar note, rather than enabling the revelation of Jesus to interpret the exodus, it limited Jesus to this particular interpretation. The brief and short chapters turned the book into more of a check-list of what is mirrored in Exodus and other books, rather than taking time to explore these in more depth. For that reason, grand and sweeping statements were sometimes made without explanation and many chapters simply listed parallel references without taking the thought any further. However this is a good book if this way of reading the Bible is new to you and makes some important points about the importance of the figure of Moses and the exodus story, which are often overlooked in traditions I have been a part of that favour a telling of the Biblical story exclusively through Paul's rendition of the gospel.
February 13, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. The authors draw parallels between Israel's exodus from Egypt into the Promised Land, and a lot of other stories from the Bible, both from the Old and New Testaments. My favorite part of the book was that they used music as an analogy for Scripture, and used musical terms to talk about it, e.g., prophets are different instruments in the orchestra, the silence between the testaments is a rest, seemingly contradictory statements are dissonances, etc.
April 16, 2018
Studying theology should be delightful. It is sometimes regarded as boring, daunting, intimidating, but really it should be delightful. Echoes of Exodus is a book that will push you towards rediscovering the delight of biblical theology. This quick review will cover 3 aspects/highlights of the book which contribute towards that.
Reading Scripture musically
The book introduces the concept of reading the entirety of Scripture as a musical piece. As the title suggests, Roberts & Wilson (the authors) demonstrate that echoes of Exodus can be seen throughout the Bible, both pre and post Exodus. The use of echo is deliberate, the book deliberately uses musical metaphors to describe Scripture. References are made to the gospels written in different keys, identify different books with specific themes/genres, identify recurring themes, rhythms and echoes that build to a crescendo, and even identifies a clash as a discordant note.
The resulting analysis can be quite abstract at first, but as somebody with a musical background (albeit not that great), it is fascinating to see the different parallels unfold. The story and themes in Exodus that re-appear throughout the rest of the Bible no longer seem like mere coincidences or reaches. Suddenly when taking into account the harmony of God’s Word and plan, it makes sense that we see everything building up towards the coming of the Messiah and His eventual return. I see Exodus and Joshua differently, I see Daniel and David differently, I see Samson differently. This book has challenged me to think back on how it relates to Exodus, and how it ultimately relates to Christ. That’s exactly what good biblical theology should drive us and challenge us to do.
Exodus from, and exodus towards
This is just one of the many themes and narratives that are expounded in the book, but I chose this one to give a preview and highlight what goodness you can expect.
Roberts & Wilson correctly identify that most of how we read Exodus is focused on the first part: the exodus from. We see how Israel has been freed from Egypt and the forces of darkness. But we often neglect that equally as important, if not more important, is that God leads us from darkness so that we can be lead towards Him. It is the same reasoning as Paul when he describes himself as a slave to Christ, because the alternative would be a slave to sin. This is important because we need to identify that we are not just freed from sin, but we are then free to worship and submit to God in His fullness. Echoes of Exodus does a great job hammering home this point throughout, and it does this by showing the failure of God’s people to do that. Yes, Israel was brought out of Egypt, but they failed to do so in their worship of the golden calf. Yet this story and lesson constantly resurfaces throughout the Bible, despite God’s faithfulness. The reminder therefore rings heavy for us today not only in the corporate church’s life, but our personal lives.
It’s a short book
The book length is 178 pages, although in reality it’s probably around 140 ish with its blank pages and index. It is split into 4 “movements” over 22 chapters, with each chapter only spanning around 5-7 pages.
Brevity and conciseness isn’t a bad thing, but you might perhaps be wanting something more substantive, longer and more detailed. This is not meant to be a book that goes into detailed exegesis of each book to show the links to Exodus. Rather it is meant to be a “hey, did you miss this reference when reading the Gospels?” type thing. That might be a consideration before you purchase.
Each chapter also comes with review and study questions, so it is possible to use this for a group or Bible study, although I note that you would have to do your own self-study to do this, the book alone I don’t think is sufficient.
Overall, this is a book that I am happy to recommend, and I plan on revisiting it again with greater scrutiny to really identify and study closer on the finer details of the exodus themes throughout Scripture.
Note: I am aware that there is another book also entitled Echoes of Exodus: Tracing a Biblical Motif by Bryan Estelle. I have not read this so I can’t compare with that, although it seems that one looks longer at 384 pages.
I was provided with this complimentary copy of Echoes of Exodus as part of the Crossway Blog Review Program to review. Feel free to check them out to learn more!
Reading Scripture musically
The book introduces the concept of reading the entirety of Scripture as a musical piece. As the title suggests, Roberts & Wilson (the authors) demonstrate that echoes of Exodus can be seen throughout the Bible, both pre and post Exodus. The use of echo is deliberate, the book deliberately uses musical metaphors to describe Scripture. References are made to the gospels written in different keys, identify different books with specific themes/genres, identify recurring themes, rhythms and echoes that build to a crescendo, and even identifies a clash as a discordant note.
The resulting analysis can be quite abstract at first, but as somebody with a musical background (albeit not that great), it is fascinating to see the different parallels unfold. The story and themes in Exodus that re-appear throughout the rest of the Bible no longer seem like mere coincidences or reaches. Suddenly when taking into account the harmony of God’s Word and plan, it makes sense that we see everything building up towards the coming of the Messiah and His eventual return. I see Exodus and Joshua differently, I see Daniel and David differently, I see Samson differently. This book has challenged me to think back on how it relates to Exodus, and how it ultimately relates to Christ. That’s exactly what good biblical theology should drive us and challenge us to do.
Exodus from, and exodus towards
This is just one of the many themes and narratives that are expounded in the book, but I chose this one to give a preview and highlight what goodness you can expect.
Roberts & Wilson correctly identify that most of how we read Exodus is focused on the first part: the exodus from. We see how Israel has been freed from Egypt and the forces of darkness. But we often neglect that equally as important, if not more important, is that God leads us from darkness so that we can be lead towards Him. It is the same reasoning as Paul when he describes himself as a slave to Christ, because the alternative would be a slave to sin. This is important because we need to identify that we are not just freed from sin, but we are then free to worship and submit to God in His fullness. Echoes of Exodus does a great job hammering home this point throughout, and it does this by showing the failure of God’s people to do that. Yes, Israel was brought out of Egypt, but they failed to do so in their worship of the golden calf. Yet this story and lesson constantly resurfaces throughout the Bible, despite God’s faithfulness. The reminder therefore rings heavy for us today not only in the corporate church’s life, but our personal lives.
It’s a short book
The book length is 178 pages, although in reality it’s probably around 140 ish with its blank pages and index. It is split into 4 “movements” over 22 chapters, with each chapter only spanning around 5-7 pages.
Brevity and conciseness isn’t a bad thing, but you might perhaps be wanting something more substantive, longer and more detailed. This is not meant to be a book that goes into detailed exegesis of each book to show the links to Exodus. Rather it is meant to be a “hey, did you miss this reference when reading the Gospels?” type thing. That might be a consideration before you purchase.
Each chapter also comes with review and study questions, so it is possible to use this for a group or Bible study, although I note that you would have to do your own self-study to do this, the book alone I don’t think is sufficient.
Overall, this is a book that I am happy to recommend, and I plan on revisiting it again with greater scrutiny to really identify and study closer on the finer details of the exodus themes throughout Scripture.
Note: I am aware that there is another book also entitled Echoes of Exodus: Tracing a Biblical Motif by Bryan Estelle. I have not read this so I can’t compare with that, although it seems that one looks longer at 384 pages.
I was provided with this complimentary copy of Echoes of Exodus as part of the Crossway Blog Review Program to review. Feel free to check them out to learn more!
June 11, 2022
A decent primer on biblical theology, this brief and accessible volume grounds the narrative of God’s mighty deeds of redemption in the paradigm of exodus. After introducing and laying out the Exodus account, Roberts and Wilson take readers on a tour de force of the Scriptures from Genesis through Revelation. However, the authors wholly omit the sapiential literature (i.e., Ketuvim and James). The punchy writing is gripping, but sometimes a bit flat when reading the book in large chunks. The authors are indebted to Tom Wright and Peter Leithart for most of their insights requiring citation (which are not many in number), and I was surprised by a somewhat generic (and needless) quotation from David Foster Wallace toward the end of the book (opposite a block quotation from the Heidelberg Catechism). However, there does not seem to be anything that is too avant-garde or provocative in their presentation of the exodus motif. The most useful chapter is the one on David in which the authors present a compelling case for David as a second Moses (anticipating Christ the Greater Son of David and New Moses). I would recommend this to high schoolers, college students, and adults of all ages looking for an introduction to biblical theology.
December 27, 2019
When we hear the word “exodus”, we usually think of Moses and Pharaoh, Egypt and slavery, plagues and Passover, and crossing the Red Sea. But if you think the exodus as simply a story in the Pentateuch, think again. In their book, “Echoes of Exodus: Tracing Themes of Redemption through Scripture”, Roberts and Wilson make a persuasive argument that the exodus is a pervasive pattern that runs through Scripture. The authors have chosen to explore auditory metaphors in what they call a “musical reading of Scripture.” They believe that reading Scripture is like taking in a symphony; every note is important and contributes to the whole. Moreover, they believe that there is a common tune—the exodus—that recurs throughout the Scriptures for those who have ears to hear. This musical reading structures the entire book. The chapters are organized into five parts: an “overture” followed by four “movements.”
“Echoes of Exodus” is full of valuable insights and demonstrates the importance of exodus motifs for biblical interpretation. The prose is often beautiful. Nevertheless, a small degree of criticism is warranted. Roberts and Wilson have written a shorter work (159 pages) aimed at a popular audience; the book might have benefited from being a little longer and more technical, something suited for higher-level study. The proposed connections are at times strained, stretching the limits of your credulity. But more often I was stunned at the textual connections they were making. Even if you hear only half the echoes of exodus they want you to, you’ll likely be hearing twice as many as you do now. So, prepare to be challenged and hopefully transformed.
“Echoes of Exodus” is full of valuable insights and demonstrates the importance of exodus motifs for biblical interpretation. The prose is often beautiful. Nevertheless, a small degree of criticism is warranted. Roberts and Wilson have written a shorter work (159 pages) aimed at a popular audience; the book might have benefited from being a little longer and more technical, something suited for higher-level study. The proposed connections are at times strained, stretching the limits of your credulity. But more often I was stunned at the textual connections they were making. Even if you hear only half the echoes of exodus they want you to, you’ll likely be hearing twice as many as you do now. So, prepare to be challenged and hopefully transformed.
February 3, 2022
Because of the height of my TBR pile, I tend to be a year (or three) behind the reading trends in whatever particular circle(s) I happen to be in. I added Echoes of Exodus to my pile back when everyone else was reading and loving it, but it only just worked its way to the top of the stack. And I am delighted that it did. It's an excellent addition to any theological library. Using an overarching musical metaphor, Roberts and Wilson demonstrate how the Exodus story (slavery, redemption, and freedom) is repeated over and over again through scripture. The writing is clear, straightforward, and insightful. It's not a book aimed at children, but is one I would like to take my kids through in a couple years.
October 5, 2022
Nothing is more rewarding than being a Bible student. I remember the first time I opened my Bible in earnest. I was immediately assaulted with insight. The very first sentence was pregnant with profundity, and it only builds from there. I still enjoy that sense of discovery. It's thrilling.
Echoes of Exodus describes one of the big reasons why. Like all great literature, and truly the Bible is the greatest, there are themes. Threads that meander through the stories. Shadows and portends. Types and peeks behind curtains. Roberts and Wilson show how the Exodus lays a thematic foundation that reverberates throughout the whole of Scripture. It's a joy to read, and it serves to make me that much more impressed with my Bible.
Echoes of Exodus describes one of the big reasons why. Like all great literature, and truly the Bible is the greatest, there are themes. Threads that meander through the stories. Shadows and portends. Types and peeks behind curtains. Roberts and Wilson show how the Exodus lays a thematic foundation that reverberates throughout the whole of Scripture. It's a joy to read, and it serves to make me that much more impressed with my Bible.
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