The Scarlet Thread - Pt.4 The Exodus
The Scarlet
Thread
Pt. 4 The Exodus
John 8:34-36
Let’s do a quick recap of the last
three posts from this series: God rules over all of creation. Mankind sinned
and ruined the perfect relationship. God is powerful enough to pour out grace
despite our sinfulness.
We ended the last post with Joseph’s brothers coming to Egypt for food
and Joseph forgiving them. He invited his entire family to live in Egypt with
him. But eventually the pharaoh who favored Joseph died, and the next one was
afraid of all of those Israelites living in their country. So he made a deal.
If you want to live here, you have to work for us. But this pharaoh was sneaky.
He broke the deal and made slaves out of the Israelites.
This sets the story up for one of
the most meaningful sections of the Bible. The story of the Exodus. Exodus
means, “A mass departure of people”. It’s the story of how Israel escaped their
enslavement. For a long time, I thought this was just a story about Israel’s
history, and it didn’t have a lot to do with me. I was dead wrong. I have since come to realize that the story
of Moses and the Exodus has within it the keys to a full, Christian life.
Think about it: hundreds of years
have passed since Joseph brought his family to Egypt. Several generations have
now been born into slavery. All these people knew in life was to serve the
Egyptian Empire. As each pharaoh died, the successor was even crueler. Doubling
their work. Even killing their children. There was no hope for the Israelites.
They didn’t have the power to overthrow such an empire as Egypt. They didn’t
have the weapons to attack. They didn’t even have the motivation to try to
escape. They were hopelessly enslaved to
their sin.
A thousand years later John, the
author of the Book in the Bible, explained that
this is the human condition every person is born with. We are all born into
slavery. (John 8:34)
The thing about slaves is they only
do what their master commands. Before a person is redeemed by Jesus Christ,
they must obey the sin nature in themselves. They can’t resist it. That’s why
this world is in such a corrupt state. Because this world is enslaved just like
the Egyptians were. The Scarlet Thread
in the story of the Exodus begins by telling us we were born into slavery.
The Scarlet Thread then moves on to
introduce us to a deliverer named Moses. Moses was actually found and adopted
by the Pharaoh’s daughter. She found him floating in a basket down the river.
She named him Moses which means, “Drawn out” and also “Son”. Because she drew
him out of the water and adopted him.
Moses eventually realized he was
actually a Jew just like the slaves, and chose to identify with them instead of
as Egyptian royalty. When he tried initially to help the Jews they rejected
him, and because of his choice, the Egyptians rejected him. This was now a man who had no place to go.
He was an outcast. And so he went into exile for 40 years, working for a
shepherd in no-man’s land.
I can think of another man who came
to earth and was rejected by His own people. I can think of an outcast who
wanted to free His people but was instead turned away. Moses is a shadow of the Christ, albeit an imperfect shadow. Moses
was drawn out of a river, but he was then sent to draw the Israelites out of
slavery. Israel couldn’t save themselves. They needed a deliverer, but they
were so stubborn and lost in their own slavery that they initially resisted
their deliverer.
This happens so often in reality,
doesn’t it? Even many of us were perhaps too stubborn to accept that we needed
a deliverer. We thought maybe we could save ourselves. But slaves need a deliverer, and for the Israelites, one was sent. For
us, the One has also been sent. (John 8:35)
The struggle to be free from the
slavery of sin is great. The sin nature doesn’t want to let go. But there’s a
point in this story that is so important, if you don’t get it, nothing else
will fit into place. Jesus Christ is the One who sets us free. Moses had a
battle with Pharaoh. He brought plagues and still Pharaoh didn’t want to let
the people go. Time and time again God had to battle the sin nature represented
by Pharaoh and Egypt.
You know what Israel did during
this time? Watched in anticipation. You know what they didn’t do? Try to do
God’s job.
So after several terrible, awful
plagues from God, Pharaoh decides to release the slaves. They pack up and start
heading out. Only to have Pharaoh change his mind and start chasing after them.
Your sin nature does not give up easily.
When God began working in your heart, or when He does begin, your sin nature is
going to pursue you viciously. (John 8:36)
Moses finally led them across the Red
Sea where God once and for all delivers them from the slave masters. The
crossing of the Red Sea is symbolic of the deliverance God gives His children
from the sin master over their lives. This is a beautiful part of The Scarlet
Thread that we should celebrate.
The Red Sea is interestingly named,
because it was when Jesus shed His blood that our slave masters were defeated.
When you put your trust in Christ and His sacrifice to save you from the
slavery of your sin, you are figuratively passing through His blood that was
shed in your place. And whoever the Son
of God sets free, He is free indeed!
But that’s not quite the end of
their story. Did you know the Israelites wished they were back in Egypt? The
slave masters were dead. They were free people, but they still longed for the
days of Egypt, because to them they felt a sense of security. Now that might
sound crazy to you, but that’s not totally unheard of.
On January 1, 1863, President
Lincoln established the Emancipation Proclamation that said “all slaves are and
henceforth freed from slavery.” But there were slaves who were born into
slavery that knew no other way of life. They didn’t know where else to go. In a
sense, the lifestyle of slavery meant security for them. And so they remained
on the farms and fields. They were proclaimed free, and yet they chose to
remain put.
I think there are many Christians
who don’t know they have a choice. I think many people believe they are still
slaves to sin. All the while God is saying, “I’ve declared you free. You don’t
have to go back to that sin. You can enjoy the abundant life of freedom.”
So here’s what I challenge you to
do. I want you to memorize this verse. “If the Son has
set me free, then I am free indeed.” Say that to yourself. When you’re
tempted, remind yourself of that glorious Gospel. You are free from the slavery of sin. But within you is a desire to
return to your sin. My word to you
is this, if you have passed through the blood of Jesus by putting your trust in
Him to save you and free you, then you are free! There’s nothing left for you
in Egypt. Live your life of freedom! Enjoy the costly liberty bought for you by
Jesus Christ Himself.
