One of my favorite movies growing up was The Ten Commandments starring Charlton Heston. It is a retelling of the events found in the book of Exodus. The story of the rise of Moses, his exile, and his ultimate return as a messenger of God. It is one of the more compelling stories found in the Bible. In some ways, it is no surprise that it was adapted as a feature film.
One of the central themes of the movie is that of deliverance. The idea was that God would provide the means for the rescue of the nation of Israel from the slavery it endured in Egypt. This deliverance came through God’s use of an unlikely person.
Moses was spared from the annihilation of all the Hebrew male children by the ingenuity of his family. God’s protection of Moses would place him into circumstances that would prepare him for what God had in store for his life. No one could have foreknown how God would accomplish the deliverance of his people. There had been 400 years of difficulty and hardship. God remained faithful to his word.
The story of the Exodus is one of the key motifs of understanding the work of Christ to deliver us from the bondage of sin. Through the story and the events of the Hebrew people, we get a glimpse into how God brings about deliverance. There are too many facets to the story to be covered here but we will focus on the one that most closely connects the events in Exodus with Jesus. Namely that God’s deliverance of his people would involve a supernatural and miraculous set of events.
The work of Christ on the cross is the fulfillment of everything God promised for the generations of descendants of Adam and Eve. We all share in the same image that God put in them. And we all share in the same fallen nature that keeps us from having a relationship with God. But God is able to overcome this separation by entering into the world he has created. Through this entrance, God demonstrates his willingness to not only save but to be the one who leads us out of our captivity.
When I think about deliverance I find that there is a personal connection involved. That someone has come to where I am because I cannot get out of those circumstances on my own. This is deliverance. That Jesus Christ entered into the world to set us free. And that without his coming and his sacrifice we would have remained separated from God.
The season of Lent is an opportune time to remember that while we were sinners God sent his son on a rescue mission for us. And even more remarkable than this is Jesus accomplished the work God the Father had given to him.
As we continue drawing closer to Easter Sunday may remember we have been saved from the clutches of sin. We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God. And we have been delivered from what seemed to be an impossible situation and have been restored to fellowship with God.
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