In our scripture readings for Exodus Sunday, the Israelites have been released from Egypt on the basis of God's displays of power – in many plagues and especially, in the final plague known as the Passover, resulting in the death of the firstborn of all Egyptian humans and animals. And yet, the Israelites quake in their boots at the sight of approaching Egyptian chariots, and they long for a return to the security of slavery....
What would it take to convince you that God was with you and your group, and that God had your back? Would you be convinced if there was a sudden infestation of locusts in your enemies' territory, such that nothing green remained in the land? Would you be convinced if there was total darkness for three full days, and yet your buildings all had light? Would you be convinced if your leaders conversed with God audibly? Would you be convinced by the presence of God's angel with you? What would it take to convince you that you were secure in God's care?
God had given the Israelites camped at Pi-hahiroth all of these signs and a dozen more. And God recognized that the faith of his people would be shaky – that's why he decided not to take them to Canaan by the direct route, where a fight would immediately ensue. And that's why he provided the shekhinah, the visible sign of God's glory in the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, directing the Israelites, and enabling them to travel by night. That's why God planned another demonstration of his power, and hardened Pharaoh's heart to come after the Israelites. Because even after all that God had done for them, when the people saw the Egyptians approaching, their first thought was “What have you done to us, bringing us out of slavery?”
You would think that slavery is the NATURAL STATE of humanity, based on how we respond to opportunities for freedom! You can see it in our relationships – don't flee from the abusive partner, just put up with the bruises and the manipulation and the yelling, a little while longer. Don't confront the family bully, just be quiet and do everything their way. You can see it in our politics – those who advocate for MORE freedom are called “dangerous”, those who advocate for LESS freedom are called “compassionate and responsible”. You can see it in our patterns of behaviour – the comfortable ruts we get into and never get out of, the substances we enslave ourselves to, the sins we find ourselves committing over and over again. It's almost like we WANT a tyrant of some kind, forcing us to do its bidding, because then WE are not responsible for the results. Or, because we want the security of the tyrant's vested interest in making sure we have the meat, and leeks, and onions of Egypt.
But what does God think about slavery? Some point to the Bible's supposed ambivalence toward slavery as a sign that God doesn't care about it. Paul tells the church in Corinth, “whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is a slave belonging to Christ.” Paul says slavery is irrelevant. Some point to Exodus chapter 8, where God says to Pharaoh through Moses, “Let my people go, THAT THEY MAY SERVE ME.” Slavery is only bad in God's eyes in that it inhibits full slavery to God. But the reason the Exodus is the most important story in the Old Testament is that it forges the identity of God's people – the Israelites ARE the people God rescued from slavery in Egypt. That's what GOD is known for. And Jesus himself says to his disciples in the gospel of John chapter 15, “I do not call you slaves any longer, because the slave does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” The Exodus, the book of Judges, the return from exile, Jesus' response to the Pharisees - the overwhelming tendency of God is to steer his people out of slavery in the direction of freedom. And our normal response is, “What is he doing to us, bringing us out of slavery?”
God wanted to inspire his people to have enough faith in him, to reject the false security of slavery, and to embrace freedom. And so, God showed his glory at the expense of the tyrant who enslaved them. He goaded Pharaoh to pursue the Israelites, and then, in an awesome display of God's power, he parted the water of the Red Sea, allowing Israel to cross on dry land. When Pharaoh followed, God closed the sea, and drowned the mighty chariots of Egypt. In the process, God had Moses stretch out his hand over the sea, increasing the people's trust in him as leader. And as a result, Egypt ceased to be a threat – all of its military might was gone, and its power to re-enslave was dissipated. “Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.”
WE are people whose identity has been forged in the most important story of the NEW Testament. We ARE the people God rescued from slavery to sin, death, and Satan. In the process, God had his son Jesus stretch out his arms on the cross, increasing our trust in God's love and grace. And then, in an awesome display of God's glory, he raised Jesus from the dead, breaking the power of death, and frustrating the plans of the tyrant, Satan. Satan's power to re-enslave is dissipated, unless we offer ourselves to him.
And so, we live as people of freedom! We can move forward in confidence, with the Holy Spirit guiding us like a pillar of fire. We can venture into the unknown, with the presence of Jesus like the presence of an angel of God. We can lean into freedom, choosing freedom, knowing that God has our back. Because we fear and believe in the Lord, and in his son Jesus.
Heavenly Father, show us the path AWAY from those people or things that try to enslave us, and keep us striving toward freedom. Make us your agents of rescue for others, in Jesus name.... Amen.