Be Delivered [Exodus]: Finding Freedom by Following God

The "Be" Commentary

by Warren W. Wiersbe, Ken Baugh (Foreword)

Getting free is only half the story

Freedom is a central theme in our world. It’s become a rallying cry for people, groups, even entire nations. But freedom without boundaries can be costly. Based on the book of Exodus, this study offers an eye-opening look at the pitfalls of deliverance without discipline, and shares the freedom found through a loving submission to God and His will for us.

Part of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe’s best-selling “BE” commentary series, BE Delivered has now been updated with study questions and a new introduction by Ken Baugh. A respected pastor and Bible teacher, Dr. Wiersbe explores the need to balance freedom with responsibility. Filled with real-world examples that resonate today, this study uncovers how you can experience true freedom in [every area of] your life.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Reference, Theology, Christianity, Old Testament, Religion

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

Warren W. Wiersbe, former pastor of the Moody Church and general director of Back to the Bible, has traveled widely as a Bible teacher and conference speaker. Because of his encouragement to those in ministry, Dr. Wiersbe is often referred to as 'the pastor's pastor.' He has ministered in churches and conferences throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Central and South America, and Europe. Dr. Wiersbe has written over 150 books, including the popular BE series of commentaries on every book of the Bible, which has sold more than four million copies. At the 2002 Christian Booksellers Convention, he was awarded the Gold Medallion Lifetime Achievement Award by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Dr. Wiersbe and his wife, Betty, live in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Reviews

[Mike Eccles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again I have found that reading slowly through a book in the Old Testament supported by an analytical, insightful and accessible commentary is a very rewarding experience. Wiersby's "Be" series of commentaries meet my needs almost perfectly. Here I learn about freedom. In his introduction the author says " Fools use freedom as a toy to play with, wise people use freedom as a tool to build with." Exodus shows us so much of this in the experiences of Moses and the Israelites. I commend this volume to all.

[Lynn's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be Delivered is a commentary on the book of Exodus from Warren Wiersbe’s the “BE Series.” I read Be Delivered and the book of Exodus side by side and was blessed by the insight this commentary provided. Warren Wiersbe has a simple writing style that makes his books easy to read and understand. If you’re looking for a commentary that’s in-depth and needs an academic approach to Bible interpretation, this one isn’t for you. Instead of being in-depth, Wiersbe simply explains the events of Exodus in a verse by verse study of the book. It’s worthy to note, that the verse by verse study will cease when you reach chapter ten and is followed by a topical study of the Tabernacle and priesthood. Because there are several verses about the Tabernacles furniture in different chapters of Exodus, it was easier to understand each one when discussed together instead of whenever they happen to appear in the Biblical text, as would be the case in the traditional verse by verse study.

My favorite quote from the book was from page 95, addressing the children of Israel when they did not have enough food in Exodus chapter 16. Israel asked, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to starve us to death?” (My paraphrase.) Wiersbe’s take on this portion really touched me. He said, “In our pilgrim journey through life, we live on promises and not explanations.” And later, “Explanations don’t heal broken hearts, but promises do, because promises depend on faith, and faith puts us in contact with the grace of God.” I thought that was beautiful. From this small example, you can see how Wiersbe crafts his teaching in a way everyone can learn from and apply to life. A great book!

[Jill McSheehy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing study aid for the everyday learner

This book made reading Exodus more understandable. The difficult concepts are explained clearly, pointing to the overarching theme of the Bible and specifically the New Testament fulfillment. Perfect for a daily companion study guide, as it's concise and not too heady.

[Clara Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this commentary on the book of Exodus, Wiersbe points out that "The thing that distinguished Israel from the other nations was that their God was present with them." "Israel's relationship to God in sacrifice and worship determined the strength and extent of their witness." "Faith and fear can't live in the same heart." "Faith is obeying despite consequences". I read this book in February but forgot to include in in my review. I have enjoyed all of Wiersbe's Be seris. These books give insight to the Bibical text and and add cultural significance to the text.

[Anne Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Bible study and looking forward to Be Amazed and going through the minor prophets. This book is great for any one, or Sunday school class, to learn more about Exodus. Learned things I hadn't learned as a child or in my reading on my own. Great commentary. Be sure to read the end notes as you go through each chapter. Some of the best information is in the end notes!

[Frans Kempe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good edition by Wiersbe. It contains more general outlines of the content and not so much of historical and cultural background.

[Barbara Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book of Exodus contains some of the most dramatic passages in the Bible: baby Moses being placed in a basket in a river after Pharaoh’s command to kill Israelite male babies and being found and rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter, God speaking from a burning bush, the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, Moses receiving the Ten Commandments, the golden calf.

But Exodus also contains chapters that seem a little tedious at first, like the instructions for the tabernacle and all its furnishings and the priests’ wardrobe.

A good study Bible like the ESV Study Bible and a short commentary like Warren Wiersbe’s Be Delivered (Exodus): Finding Freedom by Following God help fill out understanding of these passages.

Wiersbe’s overarching theme was freedom: the Israelites needed to be freed from Egypt physically but also in their hearts.

There was one place where I disagreed with Wiersbe. He says of Moses’ famous argument about why he couldn’t do what God commanded in Exodus 3-4 , “Moses was clothing his pride and unbelief in a hollow confession of weakness” (p. 26). I don’t think his claims of weakness were hollow. When Moses left Egypt, he was a wanted man. His misguided attempts to help his brethren had backfired. God didn’t say Moses was wrong when Moses listed his weaknesses. But God promised to be with him and give him everything he needed. I can identify with Moses a lot in these passages and have to lean on the same truth: that it’s through God’s presence and ability that I can accomplish anything for Him.

One aspect I noticed in this trek through Exodus was how Moses grew as a leader from quaking in his boots to confident in God’s working.

Overall I found this commentary very helpful and informative.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, Dr. Wiersbe has produced an erudite summary of both the life of Moses and the book of Exodus, with practical applications for today. Since Dr. Wiersbe passed on earlier this year (2019), I can only look forward to meeting this highly intelligent gentleman in the afterlife.

There were a few problems that I found in the text of the Kindle version:

Page 8, have this problem too / have this problem, too ; 8, through 13 we find / through 13, we find ; 18, the years Joseph served / the years THAT Joseph served ; 18, the way the Egyptians treated / the way THAT the Egyptians treated ; 24, God's statement "Behold, I will send you" must have / God's statement, "Behold, I will send you," must have ; 33, the miracles Moses and Aaron / the miracles THAT Moses and Aaron ; 35, last time Moses would be / last time THAT Moses would be ;

Page 35, the promises God had given / the promises THAT God had given ; 38, judgments Jehovah sent / judgments THAT Jehovah sent ; 49, possible the insects / possible THAT the insects ; 60, the wonders God has worked / the wonders THAT God has worked ; 93, Jehovah-Ropha, the Lord who heals / Jehovah-RAPHA, the Lord who heals ; 97, that the Jews get up early / that the Jews GOT up early ; 141, know one field from another anyway and / know one field from another, anyway, and .

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Wiersbe I've read, but I appreciated how he can always boil down grand themes and concepts into clear and simple takeaways. Exodus when read straight through can come across as a disjointed book: a really thrilling escape from Egypt followed by a clunking grind to a halt in the desert where rules are given (and broken almost immediately) and architectural designs described. However, context is key, and Wiersbe breaks the latter half of the book up into manageable chunks in order to show how relevant these parts of the narrative are to both Israel then and the church now. It is important to remember that freedom is always costly.

[Rachel Mellema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wiersbe skillfully unpacks the rich narrative of Exodus, revealing layers of meaning and relevance for contemporary readers. Through compelling storytelling and insightful commentary, he brings to life the journey of the Israelites from bondage to liberation, drawing parallels to our own quest for spiritual freedom. In particular, what sets this book apart is its ability to bridge the ancient text with modern day challenges. Wiersbe's analysis and application of Exodus' lessons offer practical wisdom on navigating life's trials and finding deliverance through faith and obedience.

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of fantastic information in this commentary. However, I found I didn’t need this for the purpose of gaining something more out of Exodus than what my own study bible already provided. It was written in a way that was easy to understand, but it didn’t deliver as the style of a bible study book that I was looking for.

[Lynnae Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Depth

An in depth study of Exodus. I particularly suffered that Weirsbe divided the last chapters according to a study on the different elements of the temple, rather than sticking strictly to the chronological order of verses and chapters.

[Jan Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A better understanding of Exodus

Warren Wiersbe has a way of taking God’s Word and making it understandable to the average person. I always learn new things when I read his writings

[Betsy Lynn Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Commentary

Warren Wiersbe's books are excellent, not only for solid Biblical teaching, but for giving interesting background information. I am working my way through the complete series as they are one of the best set of commentaries I've read.

[Dawn Traylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Insight

This is a must read if you are studying the book of Exodus. Wiersbe dives deep into each chapter and discusses it in a way that is easy to understand while giving great insight.

[Teresa Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delivered, Freed, Glorified

I am always challenged by Wiersbe’s writing. This book brought fresh thoughts from my personal walk through Exodus. Highly recommend.

[S.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned a whole lot

Men's group for the BE books. Amazing insight and lots of lessons. Very thankful for the BE series. Won't regret reading it

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

17/50 of be series. i read alphabetically.
one of the longest and most compact books in the series.

[Penny Abbott]

Delivered indeed

A great study into the life of the Nation of Israel. We, as Christians and a Nation, can learn a lot from the Book Of Exodus.

[Carolee DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so happy that we have this series by Warren Wiersbe. I brings the Bible to life. Thank you!

[Yuri Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehh. Good points here and there. Nothing too exciting

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes it’s difficult to follow the format and organization of this commentary but overall a helpful resource.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exodus

Great explanation with deeper meanings of the events in Exodus. I have used several of The BE Series as I have studied the Bible.

[Laura The Book Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great "Be" book in the series.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be Delivered is part of the “Be Series” Bible study books by Warren Wiersbe. This one focuses on Exodus and analyzes the early life of Moses, his calling by God, God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the events at Mount Sinai, the building of the Tabernacle, and God filling the Tabernacle. Ken Baugh, who wrote the introduction to Wiersbe’s book, says the “big idea” in Exodus is that God is faithful to deliver His people, so we can replace our fears of “What if?” with confidence in Him. Wiersbe notes that after Israel was freed from Egypt, they did not manage that freedom well. He says that “the book of Exodus explains what true freedom is, what freedom costs, and how it must be used.“