Redemption: Freed by Jesus from the Idols We Worship and the Wounds We Carry

by Mike Wilkerson

Exodus is a real story about God redeeming his people from the bondage of slavery and how their difficult journey home exposed their loyalties—though wounded by Egypt, they had come to worship its gods. Most Christians don’t make golden idols like the Israelites in the wilderness, but we do set up idols on our own desert road—idols like substance abuse, pornography, gluttony, and rage. And even those who don’t know the pain of actual slavery can feel enslaved to the fear and shame that follow sexual abuse or betrayal by a spouse, for we suffer at the hands of our idols as well as those created by others. We need more than self-improvement or comfort—we need redemption. Redemption is not a step-oriented recovery book; it’s story-oriented and Bible-anchored. It unfolds the back-story of redemption in Exodus to help Christians better understand how Christ redeems us from the slavery of abuse, addiction and assorted trouble and restores us to our created purpose, the worship of God. Readers will discover that the reward of freedom is more than victory over a habitual sin or release from shame; it is satisfaction and rest in God himself. Part of the series.

Genres: Christian, Counselling, Christian Living, Theology, Nonfiction, Faith, Christianity

146 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2011

About the author

Mike Wilkerson, Founder of Redemption Group Network, spent ten years as a staff pastor in a large, multi-site church, developing discipleship and biblical counseling ministries, with an emphasis on training church members to minister to one another with biblical counseling skills in settings like standard small groups, or in Redemption Groups, which are a more focused group format for biblical counseling. He now helps other churches develop Redemption Groups and similar ministries through Redemption Group Network.

Before working in vocational ministry, he worked as a software engineer in Seattle's tech industry.

Mike is married to Trisha and they live with their six children in the Seattle, Washington area.

Reviews

[Leslie Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. The personal stories were interesting, even if one is not facing the kinds of trials that are depicted here...but what I enjoyed the most is the interwoven exposition of the book of Exodus. I am not normally a fan of Mark Driscoll (I guess though I am Reformed I am neither young nor restless :)
However, Mark Wilkerson is actually the author here and he does a great job of integrating the story of the Hebrews’ redemption from slavery with the stories of modern human beings also delivered from modern day slavery. He shows how the Exodus story points to Christ in all aspects, and how Christ is The Redeemer, then as now.

This would be a wonderful resource for anyone who has a counseling ministry, and a life changer for those who are dealing with the bonds of addiction of any sort.

[Jon Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gospel centered guide to recovery from "hurts habits or hang ups" which uses the exodus account as the main source for biblical parallels. He skillfully mines biblical truths while also making the story applicable to the reader. I learned so much!

Because he uses the exodus account for organization, at times it felt like the content was presented In a strange order. But each chapter itself was fantastic!

I don't think the book is practical enough to serve as the sole material for a recovery ministry or group as it would need to be supplemented with more discussion questions and material but it would be a great teaching component.

[Jeff Colston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid! I read this in a group setting at church and was very blessed by the discussion time. The questions at the end of every chapter foster helpful conversation.

I don’t know how much I would have liked reading this out of context of a true “redemption group,” but I would imagine it would still be a blessing. He does a great job connecting the Exodus story to your own personal story.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know of any other book that does what this writing does. It's gospel centered, wisdom rich, and repentance producing for the reader. What you won't find here is a "how to be happier and live better" self-help book that is focused on wounds or desires. Rather it is case-study rich exposition of the gospel throughout scripture relating to our human tendency to be slaves to sin. I believe this book will be beneficial for all sinners; especially those dealing with habitual sin.

One comment I would mention to prospective readers: The book has a little bit of a slow start; the first four chapters or so. But it really gets involved with the last four chapters and epilogue. But stick with the first chapters because that information is important.

I really like how Wilkerson includes scripture reading, recommended resources, and application questions with each chapter. This makes the book readily usable for small groups.

One thing I do wish about this book: that Crossway would make a hardcover print because I've worn mine out from use (but that's a really, really minor issue).

This book changed my life dramatically. I would encourage any person in a pastoral position where you are caring for your flock and dealing with their sins and the sins against them to read this book. And for anyone who loves Jesus and wants their heart to rid of its idols and solely worship Jesus. Pick it up!

--
It's all about Jesus.

[Maija · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book about addiction! What I appreciated the most about this book is that the author doesn't like categorizing sins or addictions, rather he points to the grander story of God redeeming ALL of us from the idols we worship. He also emphasizes that pursuing God is not a means to an end, meaning one who is suffering with addition shouldn't turn to God just because they want to be healed from the sins. Rather, they must desire to be healed from the struggles so they can focus more on the main thing which is Christ. He is the means and the end.

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book - thought provoking and helpful for anyone who has ever suffered or caused suffering! The book has lots of references, is full of scripture, and includes recommended resources, scripture reading and reflection and discussion questions for each chapter.

[Aleja Nieto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gran libro. Fácilmente puede cumplir su cometido para lectura en grupos pequeños, para tratar temas de sufrimiento, luchas, pecados, etc. Personalmente me llegó mucho, directo al corazón -quizás más de lo que alguna vez me había llegado otro libro, además de la Biblia-; y esto me impresiona bastante porque el libro es corto, pero asimismo concreto. Hay varios puntos más específicos mencionados por el autor que deberían ser llevados incluso a (re)considerar más profundamente -un ejemplo es su afirmación de que Moisés hablaba cara a cara con Dios mientras el pueblo estaba lejos, debido al becerro de oro; pero en Éxodo 33:23 (en ese mismo contexto) Dios afirma que Moisés no podrá ver su rostro al contemplar su presencia-. También hay afirmaciones algo simplistas sobre el perdón, pero más específicamente sobre la reconciliación entre hermanos. Sin embargo, vale tener en cuenta que el tema específico del libro no es tratar más a profundidad el perdón entre hermanos ni tampoco la reconciliación. Pero sí es algo que no debería pasarse por alto, puesto que podría acabar en afirmaciones simplistas. Me gustó mucho y lo recomendaría sin pensarlo.

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read!

[J.S. Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely one of the best books on grounding your identity in Christ beyond the troubles and treason of the past, Mike Wilkerson has written a theologically sound work with painful true stories and great application. Using the book of Exodus and tying it with the gospels, Wilkerson paints a big picture of the Bible that creates a big picture for us in God's story.

The most effective parts of Mike Wilkerson's work is the continual gutting of all excuses and rationalizations. In his lifetime of gritty ministry, he has seen and heard it all, and the prominent problem is our belief in The Lie. Wilkerson kills lies like a sniper. The best a book such as this can do is talk to you, and I found many lies in my own life that I had to rip out from the roots.

There are also many real stories here of broken people in the worst kinds of scenarios, so heavy that you can hardly believe they overcame. However, Wilkerson presents these stories abruptly throughout each chapter by telling a part of the story, going back to theology, then telling a little more of the story before going back to theology. This makes for an abrupt structure that is highly distracting because I kept wondering how the stories would end; half the time I had to re-read the theology since I couldn't focus. This awkward composition is the weakest part of the book; Wilkerson should consider either bookending the stories in each chapter, or saving them for the end as Francis Chan does to better effect in Forgotten God.

Using Exodus as the theme of our deliverance from sinful slavery really does bring the Bible to life. Wilkerson shows the redemptive power of God in our darkest moments of despair, and though I've read many books like this that rely on cliches and platitudes and cute preacher stories, this work is grounded in a strong reality with sound Christ-centered application.

Despite the weak structure, this book is worth reading more than once and in a group, for both leaders and laymen. It will bring alive the already living Word of God to help you overcome what you've done and what's been done to you.

[Chris Gisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second half of the book pushed me to give this 5 stars instead of 4.

In a book focusing on how God redeems us from our slavery to sin and the wounds we carry, it could be easy to leave the focus on us: our healing, our growth, our stories. But Wilkerson makes sure to emphasize that we are not to use God to "fix" ourselves because we want to be a better or different person... We pursue transformation and freedom as blessings that come to us in "God's presence and [that] lead us further into his presence. He is the greatest gift he gives." We are encountering God himself in this process of sanctification and healing. Worship of Christ and intimacy with him is the goal. He is not a means to an end.

At first this book was hard for me to engage with for some reason. About 1/4 of the way in I felt challenged and encouraged by it.

He goes through the Exodus story in 7 chunks, working through the themes of suffering, rebellion, idolatry, our desires, and ultimately the rest we find in God (he is our promised land). His treatment of these topics was not cliche or trite. Quite honestly, talking about idolatry in Reformed circles has sort of become played out and robotic. The way he explores these themes was robust and insightful.

I would highly recommend going through this book with an official Redemption Group, which I had the pleasure of doing. Just Google it for info on where to find one.

[Elizabeth Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What started as required reading for my church’s Redemption Group ministry became a very necessary reading for my soul. Wilkerson helps point out some of our spiritual blind spots as believers while leading us through the book of Exodus. God alone grants us freedom—not through self improvement, goal setting, or hiding from the truth, but through knowing and believing in Jesus. A very convicting read in the best possible way.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprisingly intriguing book. I confess I thought this would be a compilation of stories from mars hill and how they counsel people. Although I’m not against Mars hill that simply wouldn’t have been helpful. Instead, this was a well researched compilation of the exodus story and how that parallels our redemption as Christians. Not really anything new from a biblical “how people change perspective” but insightful nonetheless. If nothing else, a good reference work for definitions, scripture references, and other reading material.

“To be made in the likeness and image of God means you are designed to represent God, to make him known, to reflect his glory like a mirror, to look like him...for this reason, you have great dignity as a human being, not primarily because of your own goodness but because you are made of the kind of stuff that is capable of making Gods much greater goodness visible to others. This is the bedrock of which the enduring dignity of every person is established- no matter how sinful, abused, impaired, or oppressed.”

[Devon Tillotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life-changing. Heavily based in Scripture, with many, many specific verse-by-verse references through the whole Bible, both Old and New Testament. Also, many references to established Bible commentators and pastors throughout time and in the current era. Very practical, easy to understand and work through, all while covering the deepest of topics. This book tackles the hardest things of life and theology without sugar-coating, but with great hope and help! Paired with a group/Bible study/counseling sessions/etc., you can see a huge impact in people's lives who work through this book with The Holy Spirit (I can witness to this fact personally)! Cannot recommend this little book enough. It's not a cure-all, but it's an excellent resource and starting point when used appropriately, and with God. His Truth is in this book, and His Spirit moves sincere and broken hearts. Have hope, dear heart!

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was assigned to read this in a prison ministry class in summer 2022. Having just finished The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast, I entered with some trepidation.

Wilkerson does a pretty decent job of using the book of Exodus as a way to discuss our need for redemption in Jesus Christ. However, most of what he really has to say is contained in works by Piper and Keller, the two people he quotes the most. He did leave me wondering why I wasn’t just reading the two of them instead.

Furthermore, in all of the modern examples he gives – names changed to protect the guilty – he focuses overly much on sexual sin. In fact there is not a single example of a woman in need of redemption in this book who does not struggle with sexual sin, which could give rise to the idea that “all women are temptresses”.

The ministries and ministry websites shared in this book are also almost all entirely defunct by this point, perhaps a direct consequence of the fall of Mars Hill Church. Tread carefully!

[Jason Mkrtschjan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of these chapters came at just the right time for me. Sovereignly, chapters 7 and 8. A well thought out writing on the work of Jesus in our sanctification, Wilkerson reminds us that the work is God’s alone and he shall surely sanctify those who he chooses to love.

I have been challenged to make certain that my aim is on inheriting Jesus and not some false promise of rest or hope. We are called to sacrifice our own desires for the sake of Jesus’ name at every turn.

The Gospel is where the airplane cabin pressure protocols break down. To save our lives we must lose them. To win we must lose.

[Kevin McCarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me. This book has some really encouraging truths about how change occurs in people. And it offers hope to people enslaved by patterns, additions, struggles, etc. I was surprised to discover that the "case studies" that kick off each chapter were really powerful and effective. I have found that structure to be distracting in other books. On the other hand, the book was a tad repetitive, and I thought that the parallels to the Exodus story could have been more clearly delineated. All in all, though, I was very encouraged by this book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

He pointed out that in the book of Exodus, the same idols and worship of false gods was happening in the Israelites homes (they weren’t perfect people) and the only thing that differentiated them from the Egyptians was the blood of the Lamb above the door of their homes. And that similarly, it’s the blood of Jesus over my life that causes Him to pass over my sins. Helped me understand the “story” of the Bible.

[Cale Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

Presence. The presence of God with us and the ramifications of holiness, sin, and suffering, all comes to the focus of the heart. Is my gaze on my Redeemer? Or is something else stealing that affection?

Sometimes our actions are symptomatic of idolatrous hearts. Seek Immanuel. The expulsion power of a new affection is only fully served in the presence of the Eternal God

[Rudina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book! I was recommended to read this book, from a friend of mine. If you are going through a hard time, I would highly recommend this book. It has been several months that I have read it and I do not have fresh insights, but it has been definitely one of the best books I have read the past two years. Biblical, graceful, hopeful, insightful!

[Robert Darby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilkerson does an excellent job of walking through the exodus to relate it to counseling today. His use of heart wrenching case studies only amplifies his walk through exodus. Excellent read for anyone who is struggling or walking alongside others who are.

[Isaiah Sinnaeve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went in nervous, but was pleasantly surprised and challenged by the relevance of the Exodus to our own issues or suffering, oppression, addiction, and the underlying loves that drive us into slavery. Where is God trying to take us? Is He my promised land?

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perspective I had never heard before on idolatry. I found so much value in this book. I liked especially that he spoke about negative habits in our lives are not typically the idols, but the fruits of unsatisfied idols in our lives (ie affection, success, perception)

[Joshua Herchuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a solid piece of gospel work. Good systematic theology of Exodus while comparing it with Jesus. The case studies were compelling, but I definitely would not recommend this book to a sheltered person. The examples used could also be triggering for some people, but altogether great book.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHEW. Good stuff.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay... did not finish because book was due! Compares the Exodus and individual redemption.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle says it all...freed by Jesus from the idols we worship and the wounds we carry...as we study Exodus. “God IS our promised land.”

[Anna Grace Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life!

[Irina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so good! Planning to reread it because it is so full of depth I need to sink it all in!

[Emily]

dnf @ ??

didn't like how they were discussing people with issues

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff.