The Song Says Let My People Go Over and Over Again. What Is That Line Important to the Slave S

24-hour interval 42

Freedom

Wisdom Psalm 20:1-9

New Testament Matthew 26:69-27:10

Erstwhile Testament Exodus 9:ane-10:29

Introduction

Steve McQueen's flick Twelve Years a Slave is based on the memoirs of Solomon Northup, born free in New York land but kidnapped in Washington DC in 1841, sold into slavery and kept in bondage for twelve years in Louisiana. He describes at length the horrors of slavery on the cotton and sugar plantations.

Eventually, in 1853, he was rescued from slavery and reunited with his family. He wrote, 'They embraced me, and with tears flowing down their cheeks, hung upon my neck. But I draw a veil over a scene that can better be imagined than described... I take been restored to happiness and liberty.'

Slavery, in any form, is a horrific evil. Liberty is a wonderful blessing.

Moses is the liberator of God'south people in the Erstwhile Attestation. He foreshadows Jesus – the supreme liberator. Every bit Moses set God's people free from slavery, so Jesus sets you lot complimentary from slavery to sin.

'Freedom' is probably the best contemporary discussion to define what the Bible means by 'salvation'. The whole Bible could exist summed upwardly as the 'history of salvation'. Information technology is the story of God's desire and purpose to free his people. You are prepare free.

Psalm 20:one-9

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ May the Lord respond you when you are in distress;
||may the name of the God of Jacob protect you lot.
² May he send you help from the sanctuary
||and grant y'all support from Zion.
^three May he retrieve all your sacrifices
||and have your burnt offerings.
⁴ May he give yous the desire of your heart
||and make all your plans succeed.
⁵ May we shout for joy over your victory
||and lift up our banners in the proper name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

⁶ Now this I know:
||The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
||with the victorious power of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
||but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
^viii They are brought to their knees and autumn,
||but we rise up and stand firm.
^nine Lord, requite victory to the king!
||Answer united states when nosotros telephone call!

Commentary

Enjoy the liberty that comes through organized religion

Are you in a time of trouble, distress or difficulty? David was in such a time, about likely connected to an impending battle. He called out to God for help. The first line of the psalm is a request for God to 'reply you when yous are in distress' (v.1a) and the last line of the psalm is a request for God to 'answer us when we call' (five.9b). God answers prayer.

When y'all take 'days of distress', call out to God in prayer, asking him to bring conservancy and liberty in the midst of struggle (vv.half-dozen–8). It is not a matter of foolhardy optimism, but rather one of realistic faith.

David recognises God's 'saving ability' – his power to bring freedom (v.6c). He says, 'Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed' (v.6a). He speaks of six things that yous can ask for yourself, your family unit, your friends and your community:

one. Protection

'May the Lord... protect you' (5.1). 'Put y'all out of harm's reach' (5.1b, MSG)

2. Assist

'May he send you lot help from the sanctuary' (v.2a)

3. Support

'May he... grant you support from Zion' (v.2b)

iv. Acceptance

'May he remember... and take' (five.3)

5. Success

'May he give you lot the want of your centre and make all your plans succeed' (v.four)

6. Victory

'When you win, we plan to raise the roof... May all your wishes come up truthful!' (v.5, MSG).

Success, victory and freedom practise not come from trusting in 'chariots' and 'horses' (v.7a). Rather, they come through organized religion – we 'trust in the name of the Lord our God' (5.7b).

Prayer

Lord, cheers that you set me free. I put my trust in your proper name. Today I bring to you lot my plans and lay earlier you the desires of my eye...

Matthew 26:69-27:10

Peter Disowns Jesus

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You besides were with Jesus of Galilee," she said.

⁷⁰ Only he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you lot're talking about," he said.

⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where some other retainer girl saw him and said to the people there, "This young man was with Jesus of Nazareth."

⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the homo!"

⁷³ After a little while, those standing in that location went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are ane of them; your accent gives y'all away."

⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"

Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the give-and-take Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went exterior and wept bitterly.

Judas Hangs Himself

27Early in the morning, all the primary priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to accept Jesus executed. ² So they bound him, led him abroad and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

³ When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the xxx pieces of silverish to the chief priests and the elders. ⁴ "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."

"What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibleness."

^v Then Judas threw the coin into the temple and left. And so he went abroad and hanged himself.

^{half dozen} The main priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since information technology is blood money." ^vii So they decided to utilize the coin to purchase the potter'due south field as a burial place for foreigners. ⁸ That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this twenty-four hour period. ^nine Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the 30 pieces of silverish, the price assail him by the people of Israel, ¹⁰ and they used them to buy the potter's field, every bit the Lord commanded me."

Commentary

Marvel at how your freedom was accomplished

Jesus is the supreme liberator. Salvation history reaches its climax in the life, expiry and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We encounter here a glimpse of how much that cost Jesus: he is denied by ane of his closest friends (26:69–75); he is betrayed by one of his disciples (27:i–10); he is handed over to the Roman authorities (v.two) and condemned (v.3a). Withal, Matthew sees that all this was to fulfil God's plan (v.9).

Jesus was taken captive in society that you might go free. He was bound (v.ii) to set you complimentary from the things that bind you. Jesus came to ready you free from your sin, guilt, shame, addictions and fears.

Have you ever really messed up in your Christian life? Have you ever felt a failure and that y'all have badly allow the Lord down? Have you always 'wept bitterly' (26:75) as a issue? I certainly have.

2 of Jesus' closest friends let him down badly. Sadly, we will all permit Jesus down at points in our lives. These two examples assist u.s. learn how we should respond to such failures and disappointments.

There are many similarities between Judas and Peter. Both were disciples of Jesus. Both were told they would allow him down (vv.24–25,34). Both fulfilled Old Testament prophecies through their actions (26:31; 27:9). Both securely regret their actions (27:5; 26:75).

Nonetheless there are also crucial differences between the two men. Peter responded to failure in the right style. Judas did not. As St Paul writes, 'Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death' (ii Corinthians 7:10).

Judas is an example of 'worldly sorrow'. He went to the religious leaders and confessed his sin, merely they just weighed him downwardly with more guilt (Matthew 27.4). He was seized with remorse but sadly he was not able to throw himself on God'south mercy and receive his forgiveness.

On the other hand, Peter is an example of 'godly sorrow'.

Peter must have been so frightened to deny and disown Jesus three times. Perhaps, understandably, he feared beingness crucified with Jesus or mayhap he had doubts before this about whether Jesus really was who he claimed to exist. But the cock crowing must have removed all his doubts. It left him feeling distraught: 'He went exterior and wept bitterly' (26:75).

There is no more terrible feeling than the knowledge that we accept let Jesus down. Thankfully, this is not the cease of the story for Peter (see John 21). 'Godly sorrow' brought 'repentance', and his relationship with Jesus was restored. He was freed from his guilt and shame, and went on to become a great, holy, powerful and anointed leader of Jesus' church building.

You do not demand to go effectually weighed down by guilt or shame about by sins and mistakes. Those whom Jesus sets free are gratuitous indeed (John 8:36). Yet much yous accept messed upwards and failed, it is never likewise tardily. Respond equally Peter did and you can take a great hereafter ahead of you in the service of Jesus.

Prayer

Lord, give thanks yous that yous were bound in order to liberate me from my sins. When I neglect, assist me always to turn dorsum to y'all in 'godly sorrow… that leads to salvation and leaves no regret'.

Exodus 9:1-ten:29

The Plague on Livestock

9Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me." ⁱⁱ If you lot refuse to allow them become and proceed to hold them dorsum, ⁱⁱⁱ the hand of the Lord volition bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats. ⁴ Simply the Lord will make a distinction betwixt the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, and so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will dice.'"

^v The Lord set a time and said, "Tomorrow the Lord volition do this in the land." ⁶ And the next day the Lord did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. ^vii Pharaoh investigated and establish that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his center was unyielding and he would not let the people go.

The Plague of Boils

⁸ And then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and take Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. ^nine It volition become fine grit over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on people and animals throughout the country."

¹⁰ So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals. ¹¹ The magicians could non stand up before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians. ¹² But the Lord hardened Pharaoh'due south heart and he would not mind to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.

The Plague of Hail

^thirteen Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning time, confront Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, ¹⁴ or this time I will transport the full strength of my plagues confronting you and confronting your officials and your people, so you may know that in that location is no one similar me in all the globe. ^xv For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the globe. ^xvi But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might evidence you my power and that my proper name might be proclaimed in all the earth. ¹⁷ You still set yourself against my people and volition not let them go. ¹⁸ Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will transport the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day information technology was founded till now. ¹⁹ Give an order at present to bring your livestock and everything y'all have in the field to a place of shelter, considering the hail volition autumn on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will dice.'"

²⁰ Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the give-and-take of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock within. ²¹ But those who ignored the give-and-take of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.

²² So the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your paw toward the heaven so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt." ²³ When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. And then the Lord rained hail on the land of Arab republic of egypt; ²⁴ hail savage and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the state of Egypt since it had become a nation. ²⁵ Throughout Arab republic of egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; information technology beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. ²⁶ The merely place information technology did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.

²⁷ Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said to them. "The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. ²⁸ Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you lot don't have to stay any longer."

²⁹ Moses replied, "When I take gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so yous may know that the world is the Lord's. ³⁰ Just I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God."

³¹ (The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in flower. ³² The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen subsequently.)

³³ So Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the metropolis. He spread out his hands toward the Lord; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the country. ³⁴ When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned over again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. ³⁵ Then Pharaoh's center was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, only as the Lord had said through Moses.

The Plague of Locusts

xThen the Lord said to Moses, "Become to Pharaoh, for I accept hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them ² that y'all may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you lot may know that I am the Lord."

³ Then Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, "This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'How long will y'all refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. ^four If you pass up to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow. ^five They will cover the face up of the ground and then that information technology cannot exist seen. They will devour what trivial you have left after the hail, including every tree that is growing in your fields. ^six They volition fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians—something neither your parents nor your ancestors have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till at present.'" And so Moses turned and left Pharaoh.

⁷ Pharaoh's officials said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people become, and then that they may worship the Lord their God. Do you lot not all the same realize that Egypt is ruined?"

^viii Then Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "Get, worship the Lord your God," he said. "But tell me who will be going."

^ix Moses answered, "We volition go with our immature and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, considering nosotros are to celebrate a festival to the Lord."

¹⁰ Pharaoh said, "The Lord be with y'all—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. ¹¹ No! Take only the men go and worship the Lord, since that's what you lot accept been asking for." Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh'southward presence.

¹² And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over Arab republic of egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left past the hail."

^thirteen And so Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the Lord made an east air current blow beyond the land all that mean solar day and all that night. By morning the air current had brought the locusts; ¹⁴ they invaded all Egypt and settled downwardly in every area of the country in corking numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there always be again. ¹⁵ They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left later the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Null green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Arab republic of egypt.

¹⁶ Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the Lord your God and confronting you lot. ¹⁷ At present forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this mortiferous plague away from me."

^eighteen Moses so left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. ¹⁹ And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught upwardly the locusts and carried them into the Carmine Bounding main. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. ²⁰ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh'south heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

The Plague of Darkness

²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your mitt toward the heaven so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt." ²² Then Moses stretched out his manus toward the sky, and full darkness covered all Arab republic of egypt for three days. ²³ No 1 could see anyone else or move about for iii days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

²⁴ So Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; simply leave your flocks and herds backside."

²⁵ But Moses said, "You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the Lord our God. ²⁶ Our livestock likewise must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there nosotros will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord."

²⁷ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh'due south eye, and he was not willing to let them go. ²⁸ Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my sight! Make sure you lot do non appear before me once more! The day you see my face up you will die."

²⁹ "Just as you say," Moses replied. "I will never appear before you again."

Commentary

Use your freedom to worship God

In the service of God we observe perfect liberty. Yous were created to worship and serve God. This is your purpose.

Pope Benedict Xvi (when he was still Cardinal Ratzinger) wrote, 'The only goal of the Exodus is shown to be worship… The state is given to the people to exist a identify for worship of the true God… the freedom to give right worship to God, appears, in the run across with Pharaoh, to be the sole purpose of the Exodus, indeed, its very essence.'

In one case again, in the history of the people of Israel, we see God'southward conservancy plan foreshadowed. Nosotros run into his plan to gratis his people from slavery through Moses. Time and again God says words along these lines to Moses: 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, "This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me"' (ix:1).

He gives Pharaoh and so many opportunities. Again and over again Moses speaks the words of God to him: 'Let my people become, and so that they may worship me' (nine:13; x:three,7). 'Release my people so that they can worship me' (MSG).

The globe may understand your 'good works' simply does not see the importance of your worship. Pharaoh accuses them of being lazy and sees worship as an alternative to work (v:17–18). Merely worship is your supreme purpose and piece of work – in fact, the Hebrew word for 'worship' in this passage ('avad'), can be translated as both worship and piece of work.

God loves you. He does not want anyone to perish, simply everyone to come to repentance (ii Peter 3:9). The just fashion we will perish is if, like Pharaoh, we harden our hearts and ignore all the warning signs that God puts in the way. Pride was at the root of Pharaoh's sin. The more he refused, the harder it became to modify his listen without losing face up.

Be prepared to admit to making mistakes rather than going on in the incorrect direction regardless. No thing how long yous have travelled in the wrong direction, you can always plow around.

God'southward want is for his people to be set free to worship him throughout the whole of life. He wants to set up you free from guilt, shame, sin, addiction and fear. He wants to set you free to love, serve and worship him.

Prayer

Lord, give thanks yous that you lot said, 'if the Son sets you free, you will be complimentary indeed' (John viii:36). May I use my freedom to worship and serve you lot.

Pippa adds

Exodus ix:20

'Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside.'

People can exist very difficult-hearted and no matter how many signs are shown to them, they even so won't believe. Simply even in the well-nigh unlikely places, in that location are people who do answer to God. You tin can't write off a whole nation.

Verse of the Twenty-four hour period

Psalm 20:four

'May he give y'all the desire of your heart and brand all your plans succeed'

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References

The One Year® is a registered trademark of Tyndale Firm Publishers. Used by permission.

Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave, (London: Sampson Low, Son & Visitor, 1853)

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette U.k. visitor. All rights reserved. 'NIV' is a registered trademark of Biblica. United kingdom trademark number 1448790.

Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Bulletin. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Grouping.

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Source: https://bibleinoneyear.org/en/classic/42

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