The Exodus: History or Myth?

This passage examines archaeological and textual evidence to show that the Exodus was not simply a myth but a historical fact. Scholars dismiss the Exodus as myth on grounds such as the absence of records from the time of Ramesses II, but artifacts from the Middle Kingdom period that match the order of the biblical record are being found. A site thought to be Joseph's tomb, traces of canal works on the Nile, and the text of an Egyptian sage's warnings all contain things that fit the biblical account remarkably well.

In particular, the archaeological traces of the period when the people of Israel were exploited as slaves connect with traces of a sudden mass departure from Egypt after the ten plagues. This evidence shows that the Exodus was not an accident but an event thoroughly planned according to God's covenant with Abraham. If this event were not historical fact, the credibility of Jesus explaining his own ministry by comparing it to the Exodus would also collapse.

When the biblical record is shown to be historical fact, beyond mere parable or lesson, we can think again about what the foundation of our Christian faith is. We invite you to consider together what assurance God's work of salvation, actually carried out in history, gives our faith, and why the reasoning of scholars who try to turn away from this fact is dangerous.