Finding the Missing Exodus

Book excerpt: One of the pivotal moments in history relating to the Bible is the departure of the children of Israel from the slavery of Egypt to settle on the Promised Land. From this exodus came the Old Testament Law of Moses and the celebration of the feast of the Passover. It was an event that was recounted numerous times throughout the books of the Old Testament as an important salutary message. For Christians, the Passover foreshadowed the redemption associated with the sacrifice of Christ, and the crossing of the Red Sea is seen as a pattern of baptism. The entry into the Promised Land by the Israelites is seen as a pattern to be fulfilled when Christians inherit eternal life. The problem is that the history of ancient Egypt doesnt appear to support the account of the exodus. There seems to be no sign of Israelites sojourning in Egypt, no sign of a departure of hundreds of thousands of slaves, no devastating plagues decimating Egypt. Quite the reverse seems to be the case. Egypt was prosperous and healthy. The pharaohs built themselves lavish tombs, and their mummified bodies are in museums around the world, not lying at the bottom of the Red Sea. On top of that, the city of Jericho, which was supposed to have been captured by the Israelites when they entered the land, was actually unoccupied ruins at that time. Does this mean the entire foundation of both Judaism and Christianity is flawed? In this book, the question is examined, and it is shown that the answer to this mystery actually confirms rather than disproves the Bible account.