The Season of Joy!
By Pastor Pat Hadley
Just before the first Passover in Egypt, God made four great promises to his people. These promises correspond to the four cups of a Passover Seder. These promises had direct, immediate application and are beautiful prophetic promises for all who will freely join themselves to God’s people through the Messiah Yeshua. Here’s what God said:
"Therefore, say to the people of Isra'el: 'I am ADONAI. I will free you from the forced labor of the Egyptians, rescue you from their oppression, and redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as my people, and I will be your God.’” (Ex. 6:6-7 CJB)
The Four Promises: “I will free you...”
Literally, “I will bring you out from underneath your enemies.” In the Passover service, this is the Cup of Sanctification. God made a separation between his people and Egypt. So, God makes a separation between his enemies and those of us willing to follow his ways. God calls us: “Special, new creations, the apple of his eye, his prized possession, his sons and daughters, kings and priests on the earth, his beloved bride!” We are to be holy (separate, different) as he is holy.
What do you need to be set free from? From what do you need to be separated? Does it help you to know that God has drawn a circle around you to bring you out from underneath the weight of oppression?
The enemy wants to hold us captive to bitterness and anger and jealousy and many other things. God has promised and provided a way out!
“I will rescue you...”
It wasn’t enough for Israel to be separated from the Egyptians. They needed to get out of Egypt! In the same way, not only does our Deliverer separate us from the muck, but he offers to lift us up out of it! The important thing is to listen to his instructions and act on them.
“I will redeem you...”
God promised to act on his people’s behalf, just like the “kinsman-redeemer” figure in the Bible. He provided a Lamb to redeem his people! So, Yeshua was known as the Lamb of God. He offers to take away our sins through his death and resurrection.
As we confess our sins we access this great redemption. For example, as we confess to unforgiveness and turn away from it, He frees, rescues, and redeems us from bitterness.
“I will take you...”
This is the language of marriage. What a beautiful picture! God was and is preparing a bride. He does this because of His great love for us.
What is left for us to do? Simply, trust and obey. Trust that God’s way of deliverance is the only way. And trust that His ways bring life and freedom for all those who follow them. As it says in Revelation 19:7 "Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give him the glory! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his Bride has prepared herself."
May we prepare ourselves by walking in His ways.
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