“Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.” Exodus 2:23-25
Did you know that there are glimpses of Jesus throughout the Old Testament? The Old Testament, also known as the Law and the Prophets, tells the story of God’s relentless, redemptive pursuit of His people to prepare the way for a Savior – a Savior named Jesus Christ. Take the story of Moses. If you grew up in church, then the name Moses might ring a bell as the man God used to save the Hebrew people from enslavement in Egypt. But there’s so much more to the story. In fact, the life of Moses has many parallels to that of Christ.
- A Child of Destiny
Both Moses and Jesus were born during seasons of persecution. Moses was born during Pharaoh’s decree that all Hebrew baby boys be thrown into the Nile in a pre-emptive attempt to stifle the growth of the Hebrew people and maintain the upper hand (Exodus 1).
In the same way, when King Herod discovered that the prophesized “King of the Jews” had been born, he ordered the slaughter of all the Jewish baby boys in Bethlehem (Matthew 2). Both acts of violence stemmed from a place of fear when the ruler’s power felt threatened. Yet, God’s sovereignty prevailed, as both Moses and Jesus were spared.
- Freedom for the Captives
After generations in Egypt, God called Moses to lead the Hebrew people out of slavery and into the long awaited Promised Land. Jesus, however, later freed not just one people group, but ALL mankind from their enslavement to sin. Through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, EVERYONE can now have freedom from sin and have access to eternity’s Promised Land in heaven. How? If you choose to accept it, through faith in Jesus Christ. The children of Israel had to have faith that Moses was sent from God to set them free. The children of God have to have faith that Jesus was sent from God to set US free from slavery to sin.
We see in the life of Moses the foreshadowing of what God would do through the ultimate child of destiny and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ life would transform not just the history of one nation, but of everyone in the world who chooses to trust Him.
