God Delivers His People

GOLDEN TEXT: “Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known.” —Psalm 106:8

EXODUS 11:1; 12:23-28; 14:27-31

THE reigning king of Egypt from whom Moses previously had fled was now dead, and his son reigned in his stead. But the lot of the Israelites had not improved. Apparently the younger Pharaoh was just as cruel with his oppressive measures as his father was. And with such a disposition, and in view of the vast amount of slave labor he was forcing from the Israelites, it was not to be expected that he would willingly let them leave Egypt, for it would be giving up a very valuable asset to the country.

The method employed by Jehovah to induce Pharaoh to liberate the Israelites was to bring plagues upon the people. Nine of these had already fallen upon them, as a result of each of which the king agreed to let God’s people go, but each time he changed his mind. The Bible says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. This resulted from the lifting of the plagues each time the king showed signs of relenting. He apparently concluded that the issue would never really be forced, so he became increasingly obstinate.

Finally there came the tenth plague, which was the death of Egypt’s firstborn. This was more than the king could bear, and he commanded that the Israelites leave Egypt at once, which they did. The Israelites were saved from the tenth plague through the blood of the passover lamb, which they were commanded to sprinkle upon the door posts and lintels of their homes. Where this blood appeared the firstborn in the home was passed over.

In Hebrews 12:23 reference is made to “the general assembly and church of the firstborn.” From this we gather that the firstborn of Israel were typical of a class later to be called out from the world to become associated with Jesus as the “household of faith.” As in the type these were the first to be delivered, so in the antitype the “church of the firstborn” are delivered prior to the deliverance of the world in general, as prefigured by the deliverance of all Israel from their bondage in Egypt.

In I Corinthians 5:7 we read that “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” Thus we see that Israel’s passover lamb pointed forward to Christ whose blood was shed to accomplish the deliverance of both the church and the world. But, thank God, in the antitype the deliverance is much more than from slavery to an oppressive Pharaoh. It is the deliverance from bondage to sin and death.

And this antitypical deliverance will include restoration from actual death. The basic provision for this glorious deliverance is, of course, the shed blood of the antitypical passover lamb. But the imposing of plagues upon Egypt to bring about the deliverance of Israel is also used as an illustration in one of God’s promises to deliver mankind from death. This is found in Hosea 13:14, which reads, “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.”

As Egypt was plagued to bring about the deliverance of Israel from bondage, so Death will he plagued in order to secure the deliverance of its captives. This, of course, is not to be taken literally. By the use of this language the Lord is reminding us of his miracle-working power in Egypt, and that it will again be employed to bring about deliverance from death.

Our Golden Text is significant. The preceding verse of the psalm reads, “Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea.” Here we are told that despite the miraculous deliverance through the Red Sea, the Israelites as a whole “provoked” the Lord.

But our Golden Text explains why God continued to work in their behalf. It was for his own name’s sake. Israel’s record as a nation was much the same in every generation. However, there doubtless were faithful individuals at all times. Elijah concluded that he was the only one in his day who was faithful to the God of Israel, but was informed by the Lord that there were then more than seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal.—I Kings 19:14,18; Rom. 11:2-4

These truly faithful souls will experience a “better resurrection,” and be made “princes in all the earth.” (Heb. 11:35; Ps. 45:16) But God’s dealing with this wayward people as a nation was for his own name’s sake. The prophecies reveal that this would again be so at the end of the present age. See Ezekiel 36:21-38

QUESTIONS

How many plagues were visited upon Egypt, and what was the final one?

Explain the antitypical significance of the Passover lamb and Israel’s firstborn.

What was represented by the deliverance of all Israel from slavery in Egypt?

Explain the meaning of the Golden Text.

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