Truth for Today Commentary - Exodus by Coy D. Roper

 Truth for Today Commentary – Exodus, Coy D. Roper

Many may recall the movie, “The Ten Commandments.” I was under the impression it was new when I first saw it on TV; however, it was released ten years before I was born! I can recall studying with great delight the story of the Exodus as a young person in Bible Class, which was taught by my mother. The story of the enslavement and liberation of the Israelites is among the greatest stories that have ever been told. One of the greatest things about the story is that it is true! The family of Jacob (called Israel by God) goes into Egypt as a family, but they come out as a nation in fulfillment to God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I enjoyed watching the movie at home, but I also recall my mother challenging me to pick out inaccuracies of the film based on Bible Class. I sometimes wonder how well I would do today.

I was reading some statistical studies about society’s knowledge of the Bible and found two interesting trends. First, atheists & agnostics know the Bible far more than some realize, even better than “Bible Believers”. Second, one study suggested that Christians, by the survey’s classification, overestimate how well they actually know the Bible. Perhaps you know where in the story Exodus begins, but do you know where in the story the Exodus ends? Do you really know what happened in the book, or has it become fuzzy now? This should be a wake-up call that we all need to learn the contents of our Bibles better. Bible classes help, so do sermons (at least these should); however, there is so much more to know which may increase our faith. Of course, we need good tools to fortify and enrich our study of God’s word. Some tools are better than others.

The Truth for Today Commentary series seeks to provide solid explanation of the text, plus applications of the text to our daily lives. Those familiar with the publishing work of Eddie Cloer have been appreciating his efforts along these lines for some time now. If you are looking for solid biblical research by faithful members of the church, then you do not want to let this series of commentaries escape your notice. Coy D. Roper is a highly degreed student of the Scriptures and has preached the gospel for over 50 years. He has served as Director of Graduate Studies at Heritage Christian University (formerly International Bible College). I have not had the pleasure of meeting him yet, but I hope to some day because his scholastic studies have enriched my study. I am thankful for him and others who “put themselves out there” so we can learn from them, regardless of the fact that others may scoff and criticize. I am not saying one will necessarily agree with every point in any of these books, but that does not mean you cannot learn from them. Remember, the Bible is always right!

I was blessed to have the late Dr. James Tollerson at Freed-Hardeman University for his instruction in the class of Genesis & Exodus. Recently I have just completed a series of lessons preaching through Exodus. I found my old class notes very insufficient, partially because I knew the material so well because of the diligent instruction of my mother. So, when I recently sat down to assemble a fresh study of the subject, I examined several reference works to aid me in my study. The Truth for Today Commentary on Exodus was one that I did not return to the church library shelf until my study was complete. I highly recommend pursing the Truth for Today Commentary series for your private and public study. These books are not inexpensive; however, there is a difference between the price paid and the value received. These books are of high value!

Originally printed in the West Virginia Christian, Vol. 22, No. 10, July 2015, p. 8. Reprinted by permission.