Over the course of 500 years, Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites, became slaves in Egypt. But God remembered the covenant with Abraham, and set out to redeem Israel.

Moses was born a slave; and though he was raised as Egyptian royalty, he fled Egypt as a murderer.  Still, it was Moses to whom God appeared in the desert, calling him to be his spokesman to Pharaoh and the Israelites, and revealing for the first time the divine Name, Yahweh, I AM WHO I AM, through which he would deliver Israel.  Moses took God’s message to Pharaoh—“Let my people go!”—and with each of Pharaoh’s refusals, called down plagues on Egypt.  After the Angel of Death took the firstborn of Egypt, but passed over Israelite homes marked with the blood of lambs, Pharaoh released Israel, but then changed his mind and pursued them to the sea.  Moses lifted his staff, and God parted the waters, allowing the Israelites to escape.  This supernatural deliverance is the most celebrated event in Hebrew Scripture, and marked the birth of Israel as a nation.  Later, on Mt. Sinai, Moses entered the presence of God to receive the Law, the (Mosaic) Covenant, which God made with his people.  Finally, Moses led Israel to the borders of the Promised Land.  There he died in the land of Moab, where we are told he was buried by God.  In the entire Old Testament there was never again a prophet like Moses, who had such a unique and intimate relationship with God.

The Exodus and the Mosaic Covenant are the ground from which the New Testament understanding of Jesus grew, and allusions to Jesus fulfilling these themes are everywhere.  St. Paul called Jesus our Passover Lamb, and the early Church connected baptism with the passage through the sea.  Beautiful parallels are also drawn between Jesus and Moses.  Yet Moses in all his glory was only the shadow of Jesus.  Moses was the servant, but Jesus is the Son.

Moses’ extraordinary relationship with God is underscored in this window.  He was first brought into God’s presence at the burning bush, removing his sandals on “holy ground.”  At Mt. Sinai, he ascended into the stormy darkness to receive the Ten Commandments from the hand of God.  The golden radiance of Moses’ face was a perpetual witness to the glory and nearness of God.

Like Stars Appearing:  The Story of the Stained Glass Windows of St. George's Episcopal Church, Dayton, Ohio
copyright 2004 by Anne E. Rowland.  All rights reserved.
Stained Glass Windows copyright 2000 by St. George's Episcopal Church, crafted by Willet Stained Glass.