September 12 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Jesus said that he came to proclaim freedom for the prisoners. With his coming, the hour of liberation had struck for those who were oppressed. He sounded like Moses speaking to Pharaoh. But Jesus was speaking in the synagogue of Nazareth, his hometown.

And the people of Nazareth reacted to Jesus the way Pharaoh and his servants had reacted to Moses.

This incident should make us realize anew that in the New Testament, the oppressors are not Egyptians or Romans, and the oppressed do not belong to any particular nation. God's people are all those who hope for the revelation of his kingdom. Jesus identifies with them, and they accept him as their Savior.

We must be careful not to "spiritualize" these words against the oppressors to such a degree that the liberation Jesus proclaimed is only religious. The Spirit who rested on Jesus and on all the messengers who went before and after him is the Spirit of justice, the Spirit of love for the needy and the afflicted. The freedom proclaimed is not "only" religious and not "only" social, economic, and political. It covers the whole range. And the oppressors who are attacked are not "only" spiritual powers but also political dictators and other slave drivers and profiteers.

When God's people boldly proclaim the gospel's "Word of liberty," the opposition will stiffen. Within Christian circles it is not uncommon to take the bite out of the gospel by "interpreting" the oppressors and the oppressed, the prisons and the captives, as merely "spiritual" values and issues. But that is unfair to the text and an overreaction to those who believe only in a "social gospel."

The liberating work God began through Moses he now continues through those who represent Christ in the world. By the gospel of the kingdom, God opposes every form of tyranny and establishes a whole new order.

REFLECTIONS

Pray for Christians you know who are actively involved in, say, ministries to prisoners or ministries that seek justice for the poor.

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.