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Did Jesus save the people out of Egypt (Jude 1:5)?

Did Jesus save the people out of Egypt (Jude 1:5)?
God Son

TL;DR:

Jude 1:5 presents Jesus as the one who rescued Israel from Egypt, showing that the eternal Son of God was already active in the Exodus before His incarnation. It highlights the unity of Scripture by identifying the same divine Savior at work throughout all of redemptive history.

what does the bible say?

Jude 1:5 demonstrates the early church’s belief in Jesus’ divinity and His activity in the Old Testament. While some translations say “the Lord” instead of “Jesus,” the manuscript evidence leans heavily toward “Jesus” as the original word. In Jude 4, Jesus is called “Lord,” which is the Greek kurios and the term the New Testament authors used to translate Yahweh when linked to Jesus (e.g., Romans 10:13, quoting Joel 2:32). Jude 5 makes the same connection, presenting Jesus as kurios in the Old Testament. Scholars almost universally identify the Angel of Yahweh as the preincarnate Son of God, and He was the one who appeared to Moses to rescue His people from Egypt (Exodus 3:2) and was instrumental in destroying Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18–19, cf. Jude 7). Note that Jesus in His humanity did not rescue the Israelites from Egypt because He did not add on humanity until His birth. However, since Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31), it’s accurate to say that “Jesus” rescued the Israelites, though they knew Him as “the Angel of Yahweh.” Just as Jesus (the Angel of Yahweh) rescued the Israelites from Egypt, He is coming in the future to rescue all His people from this sinful world. To be rescued, one must have repented and trusted in Jesus as the only way to be saved.

from the old testament

  • The Angel of Yahweh is the preincarnate Son of God. That means He and Jesus are the same member of the Trinity. In the Old Testament, the Angel of Yahweh accepts worship (Exodus 3:2–6), speaks as God in the first person (Exodus 3:6), and is identified by others as God (Judges 13:20–22).
  • Regarding the Exodus, we read, “the angel of the LORD appeared to [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2). The Angel of Yahweh was in the burning bush and was the one who commissioned Moses to rescue the Israelites. Not only that, but “the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them” (Exodus 14:19). As they escaped, the Angel of Yahweh was the one bringing them out. Thus, the Son of God (the Angel of Yahweh) rescued the Israelites.
  • Jude also says that “Jesus” destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and in the Old Testament, it is the Angel of Yahweh who was instrumental in that (see Genesis 18–19; cf. Jude 7). Given the consistency of the Angel of Yahweh being involved in the events of Jude and that both Jesus and the Angel of Yahweh are the same divine Person, there’s no difficulty with saying that “Jesus” rescued the Israelites.

from the new testament

  • In New Testament Greek, the authors used the word kurios to translate Old Testament passages about Yahweh when referring to Jesus. For example, in Romans 10:13, Paul quoted Joel 2:32 and applied it to Jesus, saying, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [kurios] will be saved.” Joel itself reads, “everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be delivered” (LSB). Thus, when they called Jesus kurios (Lord), it sometimes was used to refer to Him as Yahweh.
  • Jude 4 does this. It refers to Jesus as kurios (“Lord”). Thus, in Jude 5, it is reasonable to understand Jude’s use of “Jesus” as referring to Yahweh. Because of the difficulty of “Jesus” working in the Old Testament, many English translations use “the Lord” instead of “Jesus” (KJV, NASB, etc.). However, the manuscript evidence for “Jesus” is undeniably strong, making it likely that Jude explicitly said “Jesus,” not “the Lord.”
  • Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31). As explained in the Old Testament section, the Angel of Yahweh is also the Son of God. They are the same divine Person, with the distinction that the Angel of Yahweh only appeared as human temporarily, whereas Jesus assumed a permanent human nature to save mankind (Philippians 2:6–8).
  • Because they are the same Person, just at different ends of God’s redemption plan, it is appropriate for Jude to say that “Jesus” rescued the Israelites though the Israelites knew Him only as “The Angel of Yahweh.”

implications for today

We must be careful not to think of Jesus as only a New Testament character. It’s true that the Son of God was not born with a human nature until that time, at which point He was called Jesus (Matthew 1:21). However, as eternally divine (John 1:1), the Son of God has always existed and was active in the Old Testament and a major figure in the early life of Israel.

Indeed, it’s fascinating to realize that while Israel was looking for her Messiah (Daniel 9:25), the preincarnate Messiah, the Angel of Yahweh, had already been operating in her midst, saving the people from captivity and leading them into the Promised Land.

Now, Jesus is on a global mission of salvation. The Exodus pictures God’s future salvation of people from every nation, tongue, and tribe (Revelation 7:9). While Jesus has already been saving people one at a time through faith in Him, there is coming a day when He will return to free His people from the world (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). After that, Exodus (known as the Rapture), Jesus will then return to destroy His enemies and establish His reign on earth (Revelation 19:11–20:6), just as God destroyed the Egyptians who tried to follow and recapture the Israelites (Exodus 14:26–28).

If you have not yet trusted in Jesus, you are still outside the rescue He offers in the final deliverance to come. But right now, He extends that same saving grace to you, calling you to repent and believe in His life, death, and resurrection. When you do, you will be kept by Him forever, whether in death or at His return, and brought safely into eternal life.

understand

  • Jude 1:5 identifies “Jesus” as the eternal Son of God, who rescued Israel from Egypt.
  • Jesus is the Angel of Yahweh, who led, delivered, and guided Israel during the Exodus.
  • The passage shows the unity of Scripture by presenting Jesus as the same divine Savior working across both the Old and New Testaments.

reflect

  • How does the reality that Jesus was actively present and working in the Old Testament change the way you read and appreciate the Old Testament?
  • In what ways does recognizing Jesus as eternally present and working across all of redemptive history deepen your trust in His involvement in your life?
  • How does the unity between the God of the Exodus and Jesus challenge the way you think about who Jesus is and how personally He engages with His people?

engage

  • What implications does Jesus’ identity as the divine Savior in both Testaments have for how Christians should interpret the Old Testament?
  • How does the kurios connection (New Testament authors' use of the Greek word for Yahweh when applying Old Testament passages to Jesus) reveal the early church's understanding of Jesus' divine identity, and why is that theologically significant?
  • What does the Exodus as a picture of salvation reveal about God’s consistent pattern of rescue throughout Scripture and history?

More Resources

Books of the Bible Survey of the Book of Exodus

Survey of the Book of Exodus

The book of Exodus tells the dramatic story of God rescuing His people from slavery in Egypt and establishing them as His covenant nation, revealing His power, holiness, and faithfulness. Exodus points forward to Christ as the ultimate deliverer and sacrifice, calling us today to trust God’s promises and live in obedience to Him.
Spiritual Realm Who or what is the angel of the Lord in the Bible?

Who or what is the angel of the Lord in the Bible?

The angel of the Lord in the Bible is the preincarnate Christ. Christ’s presence is still with His people, guiding, providing, and empowering us to live for Him.
Theology What does theophany mean? What is a Christophany?

What does theophany mean? What is a Christophany?

A theophany is a visible or tangible manifestation of God to humans, while a Christophany is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Theophanies and Christophanies reveal God’s presence and often communicate His will in a direct, personal way.
God’s Plan Can Jesus be found in the Old Testament?

Can Jesus be found in the Old Testament?

Jesus isn’t just a New Testament figure—He is woven throughout the entire Bible. The Old Testament sets the stage for the Messiah’s coming, and Jesus fulfills these promises, showing God’s grand plan to redeem humanity from beginning to end.