September 1 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Exodus is about the liberation of an oppressed people. For that reason it's been a favorite book among oppressed people of all times and places.

African slaves sang the songs of Exodus on plantations in the southern United States. Workers in sweatshops have compared themselves to the Israelites under Pharaoh; their Moses was a labor leader. The Zionist movement, which led many Jews to resettle in Palestine, made frequent references to the Egyptian oppression. When we begin reading this book, we should answer these questions:

* For whom is this book written?

* Who are the oppressed?

* Who is Pharaoh and who is the liberator, and what kind of freedom does he give?

Actually, it's a question of interpretation. One of the basic rules of Bible interpretation is that every verse and every paragraph must be seen in its connection with the other verses and paragraphs. And every book of the Bible must be seen in its connection with all the other books. Otherwise anybody can use any part of the Bible for virtually any purpose.

Exodus is a historical account of the birth of the nation of Israel, an epic in which Moses is the central figure. The story begins in the labor camps. We are told how Pharaoh attempted to enrich the strength of his kingdom while reducing the size of the Jewish population. Then God acted. God forced his will on Pharaoh and gave Israel freedom and a covenant.

Exodus has lasting lessons about tyranny, oppression, and freedom. But we should understand it as only one mighty movement in the whole liberation story of the Bible, an epic in which Jesus is the central figure.

The God of Moses and the Father of Jesus will destroy the tyranny of Satan and of every oppressor. This great God will give his children their freedom in Christ, who is his Son and their Lord.

REFLECTIONS

Recall a time in your life when you felt trapped in a highly unpleasant situation and wanted "out." Then think of what it must have been like for Israel to have been "worked ruthlessly" year after year in Egypt.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.