Trapped! Their faces etched with despair. Their situation bleak. Where will help come from?
Does this remind you of a movie scene just before a rescue? Well, it is a movie, but it isn’t fiction. It’s more of a reenactment from the book of Exodus chapters 1-14 before God rescues the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Each spring this story is retold by Jews around the world during Passover.
For 430 years the Israelites experienced harsh conditions as slaves to the Egyptians. Their situation was bleak. There was no rescue in sight. Then God stepped in. God didn’t send thousands of chariots, a lone ranger on a white horse or a super hero suited in iron. He sent Moses.
DO YOU FEEL TRAPPED? IS YOUR SITUATION BLEAK?
LIKE GOD RESCUED THE ISRAELITES,
HE WILL RESCUES US.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE RESCUED FROM TODAY?
Do we need rescuing from a disaster, a terrifying situation, poverty or addiction? Perhaps a heartbreaking memory, guilt evoking event, a nagging health problem or a stressful relationship? We don’t have to be slaves like the Israelites to need rescuing. We can be slaves to whatever things control or monopolize our lives or minds in harmful ways.
Just like God rescued over 600,000 Israelites from slavery, He can rescue us. No, I don’t mean He will send Moses. But like He rescued the Israelites hearts and redeemed their situation, He will for us too.
For with God nothing will be impossible, Luke 1:37
WHAT DO WE DO TO BE RESCUED?
FOUR THINGS;
1. DESIRE FREEDOM
The Israelites certainly desired freedom! Our hearts also have to desire freedom from whatever enslaves us. We have free will, so the choice is ours. God will not force anything on us.
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you,
then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,
Joshua 24:15a NIV
2. CRY OUT
God heard the Israelites cry asking Him to rescue them. When we need rescuing, He wants us to cry out to Him.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses,
Psalm 107:6
3. BELIEVE GOD CAN FREE US
Many Israelites likely believed in Egypt’s multiple gods. If the Israelites were to follow Gods’ instructions, their hearts needed to change. They had to have faith that God was the only true god, powerful enough to rescue them. God sent 10 plagues demonstrating His power to both the Egyptians, who were struck, and to the Israelites, who were unscathed. Each of the 10 plagues showed God’s power over a specific Egyptian god.1
10 PLAGUES! 10 gods!
And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord
displayed against the Egyptians, (the plagues),
the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him
and in Moses his servant,
Exodus 14:31 NLT
Because God loves each of us, His will is to rescue us, no matter who we are or what we have done. Knowing it’s His will, we can pray in faith believing He can make us free. If we don’t see the result of our prayers, try praying about step #4.
Therefore, I say to you,
whatever things you ask when you pray,
believe that you receive them, and you will have them,
Mark 11:24
4. ACT IN FAITH
The Israelites demonstrated hearts of faith as they acted on the Lord’s instructions to apply the blood of the lamb on their doors. This act of faith saved them from the final plague, death of the first born, and opened the way for their release from slavery.
In order to be free, we may need to act in faith following the Lord’s instructions too. If we are not sure what His instructions are, we can find them in the Bible. For example:
Feeling Guilty?
Ask the Lord’s forgiveness & believe you have it.
If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,
1 John 1:9
Nagging Health problems?
Follow and meditate on God’s Word.
My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh,
Proverbs 4:20-22
Poverty?
In faith, give.
“Bring all the titzes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it,”
Malachi 3:10
WHATEVER ENSLAVES US,
JESUS CAN RESCUE US. HE CAN MAKE US FREE.
Therefore, if the Son makes you free,
you shall be free indeed,
John 8:36
REFLECTION
Are you enslaved to something?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write, John 8:36 and say it aloud, reveal any act of faith I need to do. In faith I ask You to set me free from ___(insert request)_____________________. Thank You. In Jesus name. Amen.
IN FAITH, TRUST GOD TO RESCUE YOU
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*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
1. owlcation.com, biblicalarchaeology.org
Photos squirrels, Ennif Pendahl
