What were they waiting for? (Exodus)

If Exodus was ever adapted into a novel, the first chapter might well be titled "Horrendous atrocities". In Exodus 1 we read of a betrayal of friendship. Instead of generational faithfulness from Pharaoh to the descendants of Joseph, we read of a drastic change in Egyptian domestic policy. A word came from the new King in Egypt to systematically destroy the descendants of Joseph. With our modern concepts of reproductive biology we may miss out on some of the meaning conveyed by this command. Pharaoh's goal was to irradiate the future of Joseph's family line by killing any Israelite boy who was born. From the very beginning, we're asking questions, where is the future for this people, where is the hope for this people, what could change their desperate situation? 

In chapter 2 we begin to see an answer to these questions. A boy is born to the house of Levi who is hidden and grows up. The boy Moses grows up and eventually God uses him in a mighty way. God himself brings about the rescue of his people. This is a repeated theme throughout Exodus. God's people are in danger, God himself provides for his people. The source of danger is varied. The danger sometimes come an external source, and sometimes from an internal source. The source of Israel's future, hope, and change is always consistent: God's divine faithfulness. 

When a lawless people left Egypt, they waited at Sinai for a law from the Lord. When the people saw the Lord descend onto Sinai and encompass the mount in thunder and smoke they waited for the Lord to instruct. An internal danger arose as the people stopped waiting for the Lord. The people and Aaron made idols (the golden calves) to worship while Moses had seemingly gone "missing". We see repeated throughout Exodus the people of God waiting for the Lord to act, and the Lord proves faithful every time. 

As the book of Exodus closes the tent of meeting, a physical place on earth, was established and erected to be God's dwelling among the people. 

33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels. (Exodus 40:33-38)

Rather than dwelling in the midst of Horrendous atrocities the people are dwelt among by the very glory of the Lord himself.