By Pr Isaiah White
Jacob is one of the three great patriarchs of Israel. It is from him that we get the 12 tribes of Israel.
‘Israel’ was a name given to Jacob by God and the ‘children of Israel’ are the people from the twelve sons of Jacob.
These, due to famine, went to Egypt when Joseph was premier there (Genesis 47:1) but after his death, they were turned into slaves (Exodus 1:8).
Slavery
The children of Israel were subjected to slavery of over 400 years. People were born, raised and bred in slavery.
They got married to each other in slavery and their careers were pursued within the constraints of slavery.
It was a slave life characterised by tears and laughter. People died and others were born.
They conducted sorrowful ceremonies to mourn the dead, but also threw parties in their houses and celebrated what was considered success.
This is the nature of slavery that goes as long as 400 years. It becomes a way of life, and people got used to it.
Pain and suffering become part of life and way of living. While the children of Israel were getting used to this perpetual abuse, God was not willing to continue seeing them in this pain.
He, therefore, decided to send them a redeemer who was a slave as well. That redeemer was Moses to whom God entrusted with the Exodus.
Has it ever occurred to you that we might be slaves in this world? Some might be happy and successful as slaves, while others might be groaning slaves.
The life of the children of Israel in Egypt reminds all of us that failure to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour makes us slaves.
No matter how much you have or do not have, as long as the Son has not set you free, you are not free indeed.
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
The Exodus
In the history of the nation of Israel, the Exodus has a great significance to who they are. It reminds them of their miraculous departure from the slavery of all their lives.
In the Jewish understanding, when they celebrate the Passover, it is a commemoration of the deliverance from slavery in Egypt.
In slavery, these people had spent all their life in exile, and had been erased of the knowledge and worship of one true God.
Therefore, the Exodus restored their relationship with God.
For matters of confirmation, when God gave them the law, the opening words were: “I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage” (Exodus 20:2).
Having no other God means giving no absolute status to other forms of divinity or to any human value that demands absolute commitment.
Neither money nor power, economic or political system has the right to demand absolute loyalty.
All human claims are relative in the presence of God. The event of the Exodus ranks number two of the most significant events recorded in the Old Testament.
God had not rescued them from Egypt to dump them in the wilderness. He had a purpose and destiny for these people.
It is important for you our reader to understand that God did not just redeem you from oppression for the sake of rescuing you.
He has a purpose and is not done with you yet. He has not yet effected that breakthrough for you just to survive.
God does not want us to merely survive, He wants us to thrive as well. Just because He has redeemed you from the worst, does not mean He is done with you; there is more to your salvation than survival.
The Promised Land
The Israelites overcame Egypt and went through the wilderness, and were now at the borders of their promise.
“Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, ‘Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess” (Joshua 1:10-11).
God transformed the former slaves into proprietors. He wanted them to prepare a provision for possession.
God is about to do something in our lives, and all He requires of us is to prepare a provision for such possession. Are you ready?
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