Two Children of Destiny

February 19, 2023

“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 foreshadowings 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 named Jesus Christ.

Look at the story of Moses. If you grew up in church, 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, ANYONE can have freedom from sin and have access to eternity’s Promised Land in heaven.

How?

By choosing 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 – our Savior, Jesus Christ. His life would transform not just the history of one nation but of everyone who chooses to trust Him.

Have you trusted Him?

Written by Bryant Wright, Founder, RFTH