This is something I wrote back in the beginning of March and
just never posted…
During the end of camp I started reading through the
Bible chronologically (like I’ve always wanted to!). While I was reading
Exodus, I couldn’t help but see the parallels between then and now, them and us
and I just wanted to share. I feel like this is a good demonstration of God’s heart
on the matter of slavery, and especially in the light of the 27 Million who are
enslaved today, I think it’s worthy of our attention.
(Not trying to add or subtract anything, I put all of the
parts that were specific to the Israelites situation in brackets.)
"During those
many days [the king of Egypt died, and] the people [of Israel] groaned because
of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came
up to God. And God heard their groaning [and God remembered His covenant with
Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob] God saw the people [of Israel] and God
knew." (Ex. 2:23-25)
Then the Lord said, “I
have surely seen the affliction of my people [who are in Egypt] and have heard
their cry [because of their taskmasters], I know their sufferings, and I have
come down to deliver them [out of the hand of the Egyptians] and to bring them
up out of that [land] to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and
honey, […] And now, behold, the cry of the people [of Israel] has come to me,
and I have also seen the oppression with which the [Egyptians] oppress them.
Come, I will send YOU [to Pharaoh] that you may bring my people, the children
[of Israel], out [of Egypt]. (Ex.
3:7-10)
This freaked Moses out, and just like I (and I’m assuming
you, but if not good) do, he started making excuses…
But [Moses] said to
God, “Who am I that I should go [to Pharaoh] and bring the children [of Israel]
out [of Egypt]?” HE said, “BUT I WILL BE WITH YOU, […]” (Ex. 3:11-12)
Then [Moses] answered,
“But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say,
“The Lord did not appear to you.” […] “Oh, My Lord, I am not eloquent, either
in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of tongue.”
Then the Lord said, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or
seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore GO, and I WILL BE WITH
YOU and teach you what you shall speak.” (Ex. 4:1,10-12)
Moses went to Egypt, and with the help of his brother Aaron,
he approached Pharaoh and the people.
And the people believed;
and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people [of Israel] and that
he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshipped. (Ex. 4:31)
Pharaoh, angered with Moses and Aaron’s request, increased
the burden of the people.
Then [Moses] turned to
the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you
ever send me? For since I came [to Pharaoh] to speak in Your name, he has done
evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” Then the
Lord said [to Moses], “Now you shall see what I will do [...]” (Ex. 5:22-6:1)
Then God began sending plague by plague to display His glory
to Pharaoh and the Egyptians and convince
him to free the Israelites. If you
aren’t familiar with the story, check out Exodus 7-12 for yourself and keep in
mind this is still the same God and He knows the suffering of the 27 million
slaves of today!
And the Lord had given
the people favor [in the sight of the Egyptians], so that they let them have
what they asked. Thus they plundered the [Egyptians]. And on that very day the
Lord brought the people [of Israel] out of [the land of Egypt] by their hosts.
(Ex. 12:38,51)
According to Exodus 12:37, the number of Israelites that
left Egypt that day were 600,000 men (not including their wives and children). Today
there are an estimated 27,000,000 enslaved. God is not deaf or blind to their
suffering, and this is our opportunity to be used by Him as displays of HIS
glory in proclaiming freedom to those in physical (and spiritual) bondage!
“For if you keep
silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise [for the Jews] from
another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to
the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
One last note, we should never forget the bondage WE have
been freed from! God literally and physically sent His own Son, Jesus Christ to
DIE to buy our freedom:
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and
pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one
another. But when the goodness
and loving kindness of God our Savior
appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in
righteousness, but according to his
own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy
Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by
his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
(Titus 3:3-7)
For more information on modern-day slavery you can check
out:
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