2 From Promise To DELIVERANCE ae Fret lseets historians and poets, Israel as « people came to birth in the experience of God's deliverance from bondage in Egypt. These exodus events, begin- ning withthe eal of Moses (Exodus 3) and culminating ‘with the deliverance atthe sea (Exodus 14-15), were for Israel the central salvation events of their faith. God was there revealed to them in new'and decisive ways. ‘The common experience of God's saving grace began the formation of a people of faith. Moses’ leadership modeled certain roles of faithful service to God and people. Exodus showed a pattern of God's grace that is ‘experienced in other settings and times and is remem- bered in Israel's worship. Yet, if Exodus is atthe center of Israel's faith identity, is not entirely without preparation. The stories of ‘God's promise to Abraham and the lives of Israel's ances- {ors lived in relation to that promise ae found in Genesis 12-50 and form an important prologue to the beginning ofthe salvation history in Exodus. In these stories, peo- plebood is promised but not yet realized. In fact, itis only as Israel's storytellers looked back long after coming from bondage in Egypt to final settlement in the prom- ised land that those stories of the promise were fully understood and could be told asa part of Israe's story.a oe Tr Can To Sajouns Aer toning the growth fin nd alitation in au heontind {Gone se1t he iba story abupey Sisto thc callofe single man and hs wife frm whom Shae peont wil comes eer thatthe bila “aioe ned ti ry of Abram ond Sash = Tebegnning of he ney 0 lac whom God ead eowtnens bet truest of rae at afl {Bd Gten wold ei story a begins witha ealiog toda proms ri dereis 2 God cals Abram (is pame i tet nun o Abraham) tle "our country and your TESMcd your iter house" I ie sematos 0 tal agpurcion fom tone thing ha ually ade pee ay te bbb mes Ind fay ad abe tet word fu hore mans household in he ese Pan Ste eye reir nd po) este taeril cari given Gods prom eee othe lnd that wil show you And Twill wSieef yous peat nation »-and by youl he aie Tease th sha bes themslver” (Gen 1-9) The oa eA and seo cam ce la bat Rea fonehr ends devas, 40d mine ee crs gc so cpt ort ine age wl saan He mun poe ls usin Gols ace and f° forward in sage to Gad cal cro bes mime tose the promis ony in terms of Ababa, he promis nls tlv something of God Toone dhmetsndiene to Abatam at 884 God “The as lime by pace (all rm on nd to a> Tees or Bm Gp generation) and who cing cay ek ural sae Ce Deng ol bua rom Promise Deliverance 4 Wind, Ts Abraham who Becomes par of God's seo coeeriaetoenle iar gaa bar opera pari one Toe ord wed aoe ofan Gece Ebvo dsb the sagen This eater in bbl Hebrew td to desrbe persons whe lve ina plo, ee soi ieee ae erupt trae preapeene ppeediar eneiepine deepen apt ae eo Fgrnage (Gen 479 aod this communion he aie ee a ee pene rich come trom God Tobe a sourneia evil pee epee a ane ene patie Geeee ra eeen ee a a ei cepa ee none ar io ioe that we ave prt of Ga ln fo the Ce ped el alae Following the promise given to Abraham, the stories tet sence in the eet haynes tent aeaeeproeey aati tee epee ia Py niente prep bribe pas pcre nd, Wil Lo sth ach ad tround Salm and Gomorth Sh grove od sod Sul paren Afr bas enrealcay form Abraham fd Sart old age Godel Abra otal ted outed merlin Ababa devbed uno bat Goa prone gx tad ont och cman Seinder ne odin om landforms Oy Tisbrtier Ev Thar re fo of teri, et tiny wre cnat dl aig toshow uw God's proaie peal nee mann—— a Wot Does the Lard Req? promite can slid move forward through many different human agents righteous or conniving tis God's fth- falaes tothe promise that counts Finally the story brings us to Joseph and bis brothers (Genesis 37, 39-50, On the surface iis the sory ofa young man who constantly tsamphs over adveny and finaly comes into « postion of great power in Egypt Hebrew tradition is justly proud of one ofits own who rikes good and who, in adition, forgives his bothers The tradition ses God sill moving in these evens Jo- seph says to hi brothers in 5020, "You meant evil aginst me; but God meant it for good, to bring it bout that many people should be kepe alive” Thee is however,» diference i the story of Joseph. God is more hidden. Nowhere does God speak fo Joseph aso Abraham and Jacob. Nowhere isthe promise re ‘ealed and reafirmed to Joseph or any of bs brothers. Go's activity is entirely through human ageny, and modern readers ate often more comfortable with this greater bursa role. But as God grows more hidden and oman action more prominent, & danger arises even in the mist of good toentions Joseph brings to Egy his father, Jacob, and is eleven brothers with thes families In Genesis 47 thy a to “‘ojour," but Pharaoh invite them “sel” they do. The lndlese poses land forthe fs time, nd one oftheir own, Joseph, posses poical power as ‘vel Famine is upon the land and Josephs intention i to preserve, but in providing food he frst ake peo. Dl's money (#:14-19, then their ete (16-17), ad Finally their elds, withthe people made slaves upon their own land (or 18-25) Only te land of the priests doesnot become centralized under Pharto's conto. ‘All this prepares the way forthe day when “tere From Prams te Dalveroce ” arose a new king over Egypt, who did noe know Joseph” Ex. 1:9), and larel's ancestors, the descendants of Joseph and his family, also become slaves. God and God's prom ises have grown dim in the story and are now eclipsed Israel has been in Egypt for four centuries, with no sto- ties of God or the children of Issel, [tis time of bond age and sufering, irocically made possible by centralized royal power put in place by Joseph. It isa terrible re- minder of the dangers of “settlement” and “power” when God's promise grows dim. Human action is not ‘tempered by a sense of God's constant gift, and with the best of intentions the tools of eyranny aze put in place. ‘Tux Goo Wao Saves (Over period of several generations the ancestors of Israel have been reduced to a position of slavery under cruel Egyptian pharaohs (Ex. 11-14). But the Hebrews in bondage maintain some spirit and resourcefulness, ‘The story of the Hebrew midwives outwitting Pharaoh in Exodus 1:15-22 isa bittersweet tale of women’s cour- age and resourcefulness contrasted with the brutal and chumanizing power of a tyrant, We are to make no mistake: Pharaoh represents the epitome of oppressive power in the world. The central question of the story quickly becomes “Where does real power lie?" The Hebrews are power- less to deliver themselves from their own oppressed con- dition, It is God who takes the initiative. God hears theit cries, calls Moses to be the instrument of deliverance, demonstrates power even over Phartoh and mighty’ Egypt, and leads the people forth in a great pillar of cloud and fre. ‘The great dramatic climax comes when the Hebrewsll a ‘What Does the Lord Regie? are seemingly cit off at the sex with the Egyptians in pursuit. In this apparently hopeless situation they are miraculously delivered through the sea and the Egyp- tians are destroyed. What bas happened? To the He- brews the answer w25 theological. God delivered them “swith a migity hand end an outstretched arm” (Deut. 268). They who were “no people” became “God's peo- [ Sess whew way seemed aly at ff sow found the future open before them. Tin this central experience something is revealed fo Is racl~and to us—about the chatacter of God. This is rst seen clearly in the dramatic encounter of Moses with God in the burning bush (Exodus 3), God says, “I have seen the affction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their ery because oftheir taskmasters; [know their sufferings, and [have come down to deliver them cout of the hand of the Egyptians” (Ex. 3.7-8). eis signif- cant in this pasage that God is revealed as one who sees and hears. This points toa caring God wha takes ooie of Israe’s oppression and sufering. Remarlably, in this verse God also claims to experience it with them. As we saw in the last chapter, che Hebrew verb fa row means far more than the intellectual knowledge our Word i plies. For the Hebrews, to know meant a total involve ‘ment with and experiencing ofthat which is knows. For God to know Israel's suffering isa revelation of unique involvement of the divine with the human condition, This isthe beginning point of the Christin conception ofa suffering God. God suffers as we surfer. God partici ‘pates in our pain and brokenness, OF couse, tis concept receives is fullest expression in the erucifixion. rom here on Israelite fith recognizes its God as one | who especially loves and cares for the oppressed, the allicted, the poor, and the hungry. Tes after text echoes From Promise to Deierance » the sentiment of Psalm 12:5, "Because the poor are de- spoiled, because the needy groan, I will now arise, says the Lord; ‘I will place him in the safety for which he longs.’ The God of Old Testament faith is especially the God of the dispossessed. God will not forget or for- sake them. Its within this tradition that Jesus stands in his radical ministry to the outcasts and the dispossessed of New Testament times. “As you did it to one of the least ofthese my brethren, you did itto me” (Matt. 2540), God's love for the powerless does not, however, imply ‘an acceptance of their condition. As Exodus 38 makes clear, God loves them in order to deliver chem The exo- dus events form the central witness for Israel to a God who saves, At severs! points in the Old Testament the tradition has preserved statements of faith that recite the great salvation events of Israel's story (Deut. 26:-11; Josh 2). ‘These are the events of Isra!’s salvation history, the ty acts of God, and exodus is always first among them. In God's saving activity, Israel comes to know God ‘not only as one who stands behind the ongoing created ‘order of things (the God who ereates and blesses) but as ‘one who has entered history in a decisive way to effect salvation. Alongside the universal realty of the Creator God stands the particulatity of the God who entered history and became a part of our story. God chooses to ‘relate toa group of insignificant slaves and cal them into being as God's own people. Ie is impossible to make such a God remote and removed from the realities of human events, especially ‘those manifesting the brokenness of the human cond- tion. The God who saves isto be found precisely where brokenness is most evident and where, therefore, the ‘need of God's grace is the greatest. This is not wherea oe ost churches tnd to seek the presence and activity of God Exopus As Lisekarion Goa seving sev inthe ex events reste i iieotion of the Hebrews from enslavement. an 9P- Teens power, This sv esablised a rlaonship be cere ed and God the Liberto. To speak of exis ibrnon serves to gsr guns 0 enya pial salon th snvation evens. Gos deliverance i 2 ita evene a well «spiral one “Pus bse image of Gots deliverance, een in exodus imps i ding powerful new expresion inthe 8 tant terion theloies These theloges aretoted in Cie snags of Amerean Blacks, Naive Americans in eran, Ain Ain gt ee {poverty and oppreson tat strip persons of her o¥. SEPoTny and teave them without hope. The exodos Anum of God's intervention against hostile for at dlverance proves the basi for hope and ation ihe comens out of which those theclogies coe Sova importan arse of sight beame clear when wees the eos events ha Hberation perspex 1. Bxodus as liberation reminds us of God's opposition to the powers of the world when they are exercised for ‘ppression. In the world of the Hebrew historians and ‘oryeliers, the pharaoh of mighty Egypt was the epi fine of earthly power. As is often the case with such powers claims to greatness were supported by Jastifeations. The pharaoh was himself said to be « go: Part ofthe drama ofthe exodus story isthe confrontation of leral's God with this Egyptian god king. Is our God From Promo Dalene a the equal of such obvious power? Can a God whe iden: tifles with oppressed slaves be more powerful than the forces that serve the king of such a mighty empire? Ie's important to be clear that Pharsoh and his repre- sentatives are recognized in the story as tyrants who New life/Hope—> Wieneis Sin/initede > Grace > Chureb Crucifixion > Returrection > Pentecost Confession > Word > Dedication ‘The pattern that emerged from the exodus experience leading to the formation of community at Sinai is still at the heart of Christian theology, In classical terms we speak of sin or finitude asthe source of our distress, grace as the experience of deliverance and new life, and the church as the community of response. The same pattern is reflected in the death and resurrection of Jesus fol- Towed by the calling forth of a community of response. In many patterns of church liturgy this exodus pattern may be seen in the movement from confession of our distress, hearing ofthe word of new possibility in scrip- ‘ture and preaching, and responding in prayer, gifts, and sending forth. The exodus experience and its reverbers- rom Prom Deliverance ” tions throughout the history of our Judeo-Christian faith are still present at the core of our faith today ‘Sauvariow as Pavstoat ano Seinruat ‘As a final insight to be highlighted from the exodus experience, we must cll attention to the comprehensive understanding of salvation demonstrated in this story Here, at the very birth of Israel as a people, itis made clear that God's salvation involves a concern for physical as well as spiritual well-being. Exodus is not just 2 spiritual metaphor. Indeed, tis out of Israel's experience of God's concrete physical deliverance that @ new rela- tionship to God is possible. In considering the exodus tradition, the argument is sometimes made that everyone experiences bondage of ‘some sort and isin need of liberation. While this is true, ‘it runs the risk of trivialzing or spiritualizing bondage and oppression. Some persons focus upon psychological Of spiritual alienation in such a way as to excuse our lack ‘of serious effort on behalf of those experiencing physicsl suffering in the world. We must be aware ofthe inward- turning, individualized character of this response as compared to the biblical concept. The bibliel under- standing of bondage includes physical and spiritual ele ‘ments. Likewise, the biblical concept of salvation is phys ical and spiritual. God desires our wholeness in every respect, and the exodus story tells s of God's action to ‘make it possible. Exodus reminds us that we must not fll vetim to the easy temptation of seeking to save the world’s soul while its body is in pain. God's salvation is the promise of deliverance for spirit and body, and God is active to« Whas Das the Lond Regie? bring us fullness of life as whole persons. We must be reminded that spiritual alienation in ovr time is wedded to great systems of physical dehumanization that crush the sprit of those who suffer, corrupe the spirit of those who oppress, nd dull the sprit of those who refuse to see and hear. 3 You SHatt Be My Propte es 4 1 the dramatic events atthe sea (Exodus 14-19) the Hebrews experienced deliverance, but deliverance was Jno she wilderness and aot the promised lend. They ‘escaped bondage only to encousrer the harsh realities of wilderness strugpe, At times there was not enough fd or water (Exodus 16-17) The journey was strenvous and Jong. In the midst of these hardships, the people “mur- :mured” agsinst Moses and longed tobe back in the slav- cy af Egypt where they had food (Ex. 162-3). To the Hebrews, a8 t0 many since thie time, the security of bondage looked preferable to the struggles of freedom, many will choose te path of minimal security ifthe way to freedem looks dificult and challenging. tn all these wilderness erses, God working through Moses provided the resources the people needed and rebuked them for thee ack of faith. They wees delivered bur were not yet 4 people. That was yet to be accomplished when the Hebrews finally made camp at Mount Sinai Exodus 19) ‘The deliverance from Fgypt represented God's initiae tive roward Israel, but at Sinai the modey group of for smer slaves was given the opportunity to respond by ‘becoming a community covenanted with God. They had experienced God's grace. How were they toi in ac nowledgment ofthat grace? Sinais eetral concern was