When you read through Exodus 14, you hear of the escape that the Israelites had from Egypt. God had done great miracles, driving Pharoah to send them away, especially after the last plague, the death of the firstborn, had caused Pharoah to lose his own son. However, this escape seemed to be short-lived.
It may have seemed to the Israelites that God wasn't all that good at giving directions. He led them down to a place where Pharoah's army (after his change of heart) were pursuing them, and they were cut off against the Red Sea. No place to go. Had God led them to a dead end for a reason?
That's when God told Moses to stretch out his staff over the water, and the waters parted, and the Israelites walked across on dry ground. Once they were through, then the waters crashed down, destroying the pursuing Egyptians, and bringing Israel to a place of freedom.
As people who are descendants of Abraham through our faith, this is a story from our history. In a sense, God did this for our ancestors. He saved our ancestors from slavery, and He did it all by His own mighty hand and outstretched arm. There was no way that the Israelites could claim that they had freed themselves. God had brought them through the water, rescuing them from slavery and death as they passed through on dry ground.
This is our story. It's the story of our faith, as well. God brings us out from the place of death and slavery, and the way He does so is through water. That's what the water of Christian baptism is. In that action of God, He rescues us from the death our sins deserve and our slavery to sin. He brings us to new life as His Spirit is placed in us, and as we receive His promise of hope, forgiveness, and eternal life.
That's how we are connected to the story of the Israelites escaping Egypt through the Red Sea. In a way, they were baptized in their rescue, and we are baptized in our rescue. In both cases, it is the work of God, God making us His own, and doing so as He designs.
It may have seemed to the Israelites that God wasn't all that good at giving directions. He led them down to a place where Pharoah's army (after his change of heart) were pursuing them, and they were cut off against the Red Sea. No place to go. Had God led them to a dead end for a reason?
That's when God told Moses to stretch out his staff over the water, and the waters parted, and the Israelites walked across on dry ground. Once they were through, then the waters crashed down, destroying the pursuing Egyptians, and bringing Israel to a place of freedom.
As people who are descendants of Abraham through our faith, this is a story from our history. In a sense, God did this for our ancestors. He saved our ancestors from slavery, and He did it all by His own mighty hand and outstretched arm. There was no way that the Israelites could claim that they had freed themselves. God had brought them through the water, rescuing them from slavery and death as they passed through on dry ground.
This is our story. It's the story of our faith, as well. God brings us out from the place of death and slavery, and the way He does so is through water. That's what the water of Christian baptism is. In that action of God, He rescues us from the death our sins deserve and our slavery to sin. He brings us to new life as His Spirit is placed in us, and as we receive His promise of hope, forgiveness, and eternal life.
That's how we are connected to the story of the Israelites escaping Egypt through the Red Sea. In a way, they were baptized in their rescue, and we are baptized in our rescue. In both cases, it is the work of God, God making us His own, and doing so as He designs.
No comments:
Post a Comment