April 2023
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13 Reads
Israel is pictured in the Old Testament as the segulla of YHWH, thus becoming his treasured or special possession through his redemptive love. This creates a special relationship between YHWH and Israel with obligations. How was Israel to respond to the redemptive love of God through which it became his elect? Through narrative analysis and the conceptual framework of redemption in the Old Testament, this paper explores the Old Testament theme of redemptive love of God in the book of Exodus. It traces and explains the redemptive love of God for his people and the consequences and the obligations of Israel in the face of this redemptive love. Due to this special love of YHWH, Israel was obliged to obey him through the observance of his commandments to remain his special people and a worshipping community. Obedience to God's commandment, meant to be Israel's reciprocal love for YHWH, was thus to become the determining factor in Israel's relationship to God. Nonetheless, Exodus witnesses as well to the infidelity of Israel in the face of its obligation to obey YHWH.