Israel is Delivered from Egypt

January 29, 2012


Background Scripture: Exodus 1 – 15
Lesson Passage: Exodus 15:1 – 5, 19 – 26

Today we will look at another phase of Israel’s history that revolved around deliverance. In fact, this is the most widely known and greatest physical deliverance of all. There is a certain irony to it all since Israel is now being delivered from the place that was used to deliver them from famine four hundred years earlier. Deliverance has served as a point of interest through much of the history of Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. Abraham went to Gerar as a place of sanctuary for his wife and himself during a famine and then had to be subsequently delivered from there by God. Isaac, likewise, also went to Gerar during a famine after the death of Abraham. God was with Isaac and blessed him greatly but he too had to leave there and return to Canaan. Jacob had to flee Canaan and go to Padan-aram to his uncle’s house to escape the threat of his brother. Later, Jacob had to be delivered from there so he could return to Canaan. Once again, Jacob and his family had to leave Canaan as a result of a famine and they relocated to Egypt. There the small family of seventy would grow into an exceedingly large number over a period of four hundred years. As their numbers started to multiply, the Egyptians enslaved them as a matter of self-defense. It was out of the conditions of slavery in the land that had once served as their sanctuary that the children of Israel cried out unto their covenant God for deliverance. God commissioned Moses for the task of leading this nation out of Egypt and back to the land of Canaan. Although it could have been done quickly by God, He chose instead to use a rather intricate process that involved ten plagues. These plagues each judged a different deity of the polytheistic Egyptians. This would be far more than deliverance but it would also be a severe judgment upon the Egyptians who had treated Israel badly. Even after the judgment of plagues, the Egyptians still persisted because God had hardened their hearts to pursue after Israel. Their pursuit brought them to the Red Sea where it seemed as though the Egyptians had the upper hand and all of the advantages. Here, God would make sure his ultimate deliverance of the children of Israel from the Egyptians. A pathway was made through the Red Sea by God for Israel but it was a trap for the Egyptians. Israel was able to see with their own eyes the destruction of the mighty military of Egypt at the hands of their God. Most of Chapter 15 of Exodus contains the song of victory for Israel after the Egyptian destruction. They sang praises unto their God for the wondrous works He had performed in destroying their enemy. What was once their sanctuary had become a snare. Likewise, what was once their pursuers became prey for their God. This was the final step when Israel was delivered from Egypt.


Robert C. Hudson
December 30, 2011