FREEDOM / PASSOVER

 

A popular topic in media and in society in general today is “Freedom”.

Sadly, “Freedom” can mean different things to different people;

To a politically oppressed people, it may mean choices, a voice,
 

To a person trapped in an unhealthy relationship or lifestyle, it may mean release, a fresh start in life ,

to a person in great debt, “Freedom” may mean debt dissolved, paid in full!

 

Individual interpretation of “Freedom” has created societies in which anything and everything is OKAY….the reason being, “You are free to do as you choose.”

 

Is that really what “Freedom” is all about?

Where does the definition of “Freedom” originate?

Is G-d part of the answer?

Today, people all over the world will celebrate the longest recognized event in human history.

This event began more than 3500 years ago and today is enjoyed by people all over the world.

This celebration is known as Passover and it is one of the Lord’s Feasts mentioned in the Bible.

Passover is all about the character of G-d, His power, His desire to liberate, and His faithfulness.

It’s an “AGAINST-ALL-ODDS” story. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 430 years!!! I don’t think any other people group can match that!

Then there’s Moses, the Israelite who led his people out of Egypt. When Moses was born, the ruling Pharoah gave the order that “every Hebrew boy born must be thrown into the Nile River, but the girls can live.” That’s an evil ruler!

 Moses, supernaturally escaped the order, because his mom had a “G-d Plan”. Instead of crying, moaning and biting her nails, she hid her baby 3 months, and when she could no longer keep him hidden, she prepared a basket for him covered it with tar and floated him down the Nile river.  Moses’ mom posted his older sister to watch the basket and to see where it went.

Now, that basket could have floated to Ethiopia! It could have come on shore where only wild animals were there to greet it!

Instead, Pharoah’s daughter was walking by and saw the basket stuck in the reeds! She opened the basket and saw the baby Moses crying. She recognized he was a Hebrew and could have thrown him into the river! But, instead she felt sorry for him.

Now she could have found a nearby slave to take him and find the parents….but Pharoah’s daughter wanted to keep the child and happened to find Moses’ mom to nurse him while he was an infant! What are the odds of that?

 

So, Moses is weaned, and his mom takes him to Pharoah’s daughter and he becomes her son! A baby boy, destined to be murdered, becomes the son of the daughter of the leader of an empire!

When Moses grew up, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and murdered the Egyptian! When Pharoah heard about it, he tried to kill Moses. Again, that should have been the “END” of Moses! But, he escapes, flees to the desert, and there he is befriended by “Midianites” and becomes a shepherd. So, he is taken from the highest point, to the lowest point of existence.

He was a shepherd many years. In modern times, he would have been forgotten, written off as a failure, but not so with G-d! One day G-d suddenly appeared to Moses in the desert! He even spoke to Moses!

Pause a minute……if suddenly, in the middle of your life, in your most low hour, G-d just appeared and spoke to you…..what do you think He would say?

“What are you doing?”

“Boy, you really missed my call on your life!”“You are not the person I expected you to be!”

THAT”S NOT AT ALL what G-d said!!!!

First, he introduced himself, and told Moses he was on Holy Ground! Then G-d told Moses that he has seen the misery of his people, their suffering.

 

G-d said He was going to rescue them from the hands of their oppressors and bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey.

Then G-d told Moses that he was His choice for the one to lead them out of Egypt! Moses, the rescued baby, adopted grandson of Pharoah, on Egypt’s hit list, a shepherd in the desert for years! That Moses was G-d’s choice to lead His people into freedom!
 

G-d even tells Moses His name, Yaweh, I AM!  Then tells him to tell the Israelites that “I AM” sent him to lead them out of Egypt. G-d promises to lead the people out of their misery, but He says He will do it with mighty signs and wonders! He even promises the Hebrew slaves will have favor with the Egyptian people and will not leave the land empty handed! The slave women are to ask their Egyptian owners for silver, gold, and clothing!

Can you imagine? For 430 years the Hebrews had only slave clothes to wear. They had never been able to make choices about their future, their homes, their families.
Then suddenly, the creator of all life, shows up, personally introduces himself and presents a picture that is only possible with G-d!

Oh, and Moses had one other disqualifying trait on his resume! He stuttered! He tells G-d face to face that he doesn’t want the job because he’s not a public speaker!
G-d is angry with Moses, but His love always rules and He allows Moses’ brother to accompany him.

Moses and Aaron’s first meeting with Pharoah was not quite what anyone would have expected. In fact, “back-fired” might have been the way reporters would describe it today. Pharoah wasn’t at all impressed with Moses and Aaron. He saw them as trying to steal his labor force and answered their request by adding impossible work to the Hebrew slaves. The slaves came to Moses very angry because he had made them a stench to Pharoah!

Moses goes to G-d and explains that his plan didn’t work at all. I think we can all relate to that at some time in our lives! But, how does G-d answer this complaint?

I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as G-d Almighty, but by my name, I AM, I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving and I HAVE REMEMBERED MY COVENANT!

Therefore, say to the Israelites, “I am Yahveh and I will bring you out from undr the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I willtake you as my own people and I will be your G-d.

Wow! He just describes who He is! No discussion!
So, Moses and Aaron make what some would call “unsuccessful” trips to Pharoah, resulting in 9 judgments against Egypt. The plagues that were released across Egypt devastated the economy and the society as a whole,

BUT they did not touch the land where the Hebrew slaves lived! 
 

After all this, G-d supernaturally made the Egyptian people favorable to the Israelites. The Israelites asked their taskmasters for their silver and gold, and it was given to them as the Lord had promised.

Then came the last judgment upon Pharaoh and his people.
Up until this point, the Israelites were protected in their homes from the plagues, but this last time was different.  This time involved the death of every first-born son. This time involved a sacrifice, a one year old male lamb without defect. 

The male lamb was to be brought into the home for four days and cared for there. Then, at twilight on the 14^th day, the lamb was to be slaughtered. 

The lamb’s blood was placed on the homes as a sign of protection. 

The meat must be eaten after it is roasted over a fire with bitter herbs along with bread made without yeast. The Israelites did just what Moses told them.

The destruction came upon Egypt, but not upon the Israelites. Every first born offspring in Egypt from the throne, to the prison were dead.

 Pharoah then allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt,…….but, the Lord spoke to Moses again and told him to change direction in their departure.

Pharoah once again changed his mind.  One last time, Pharoah led his army to retrieve his Hebrew slaves.

The Israelites saw the Egyptian army coming at them and water behind them, and they panicked, questioning Moses why he led them to such an awful destiny….Pause again……have you ever followed G-d’s  instructions, his plan and things are ok until suddenly everything starts to fall apart? …but it’s not over yet…

Moses finally understood this and said to the people:
DO NOT BE AFRAID!
STAND FIRM!
YOU WILL SEE THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE!
THE EGYPTIANS YOU SEE TODAY, YOU WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN!
THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!

The Angel of the Lord who had been in front of the Israelites, went behind them as a pillar of cloud coming between the army and the people. All night, the cloud brought darkness to the Egyptian Army and light to the Israelites.

Moses stretched his staff over the Sea and the Lord drove the water back so the people could cross on dry land.

 

When the “slave master army” pursued them, they were drowned.
 

The freedom the Israelites finally experienced came at a great cost.
Moses, his mom, Pharoah’s daughter, and the Israelites all took risks that G-d was there to meet with great miracles!

Freedom was not given to them to do what they “felt” like, to sin against G-d and His ways and His plans.

The Israelites freedom demonstrated that G-d is faithful!

He will do what He promises! He wants His people free! Free to worship Him! Free to know Him! Free to live for Him!

A person who is the property of and totally subject to another is a “slave.”  We can be slaves to “things” as well when those things own us and control  us. G-d wants us FREE!

The G-d of Israel loves ALL He has created. He doesn’t want anyone enslaved. This exodus from Egypt was a picture of another liberation, 1500 years later. The blood of “a lamb” liberated the Israelites from their taskmasters in Egypt, AND the blood of “the Lamb” liberated all mankind from the taskmaster Satan.

The Israelites applied the blood of “a lamb” to the doorways of their
homes as protection.

Now we can apply the blood of “The Lamb” to
our lives as protection from death, robbery and destruction.

 

In the Book written by John, chapter 10, verse 10, Jesus says, “The thief (Satan) comes ONLY to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.”

Just as the Israelites left Egypt with all their needs met and no longer under any oppression, so G-d wants all people to live in His blessing, free from the bondages of evil and sin.

Again John writes the words in chapter 1, verse 29, when John the Baptist saw Yeshua walking towards him, “Look! The Lamb of G-d who takes away the sin of the world!”

The prophet, Isaiah said it like this, in chapter 53, verse 5:

                     But he was pierced for our transgressions,
                        He was crushed for our iniquities:
                       The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him
                       And by His wounds we are healed.
 
You can accept the blood of Yeshua, THE LAMB OF G-D, as the
payment for your freedom and you can live the abundant, free life
He desires for you!