God Promises Freedom

Exodus 6:5-6 “Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under 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.’”
 
THE number 7 is often used in the Bible to signify completeness. In this and the next lesson, we’ll consider seven promises God declared to Israel as he began to free them from Egypt’s bondage.
   Through Moses, God tells Israel he has remembered my covenant. The faithful in Israel would know the LORD (Yahweh) was referring to the promise he made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates. (Genesis 15:17) God later confirmed this promise with the sign of circumcision. As generation upon generation practiced circumcision, they would wonder, “When will the LORD’s promises come true?” Now with, “I  have remembered my covenant.”, the LORD tells Israel with seven specific “I will” promises that he will now do as he has said.
   He first promises is release from physical burden. 1) I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. A wooden yoke is placed over a work animal’s neck to control it to do heavy work at the farmer’s will. Egypt heavily oppressed Israel: So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. (Exodus 1:11) Few of us can imagine a tyrant’s severe yoke completely controlling our physical, emotional and spiritual life through brutal laws and harsh consequences. God promised to remove Egypt’s oppressive control over the Jews’ lives.
   Then he promised freedom from any slave master’s control. 2) I will free you from being slaves to them. The Jews’ entire mindset will change. They will no longer need to consider a slave master’s desires intruding into their lives. Each person can have goals and live with a purpose that has no consideration of, “What does the slave master want today?” Israel will have the unshackled freedom to follow their LORD God.
   Will Israel believe God’s life-changing promises? Do you? These freedom promises are for you, too.
           Jesus came to remove the heavy burden of sin and religious bondage with this tender exhortation, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) We must learn from him that his commands are based on “Love God and love others.” In Jesus’ freedom, we have a new mindset to release the fear, guilt, regret, apathy and pride that can be as a slave master’s voice directing your life. Listen to the gospel’s freedom voice. Clear your mind from the bondage. Set your mind to know and live Jesus’ gentle yoke to guide you into his eternal promises.