I. RESCUE: The Promise and the Problem

The second most significant rescue in history is the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. What can we learn about God from this rescue? How did He guide the Israelites in responding to His deliverance? 

The promise of rescue was made to Abraham, long before Moses (Genesis 15:5, 12-14). Even though the Israelites faced many challenges, God never left them. His promises are everlasting (Exodus 1:13-14, 2:23-25). He remembers His promises and has a perfect timing for their fulfillment. But the problem is that we forget and turn away when His timing does not align with our expectations. In times when we need to wait, God is fortifying our character and faith. 

In the Old Testament, God’s grace is evident; He chose Israel because He loved them (Deuteronomy 7:7-8). The Ten Plagues, which led to Israel’s rescue, were judgments against the Egyptian deities (Exodus 12:12). However, the Israelites also fell into idolatry (Ezekiel 20:6-8). As God’s people, we too can have idols — wealth, fame, success, political ideologies, theological biases, and more. Hence, like the Israelites, we also need rescue. God provided the Israelites with precise instructions for their deliverance (Exodus 12:1-3,5-7,11-13). They had to follow these directives in faith, and any family that did not comply risked losing their firstborn to the final plague. God’s grace was evident in providing an escape route. He fulfilled His promise to Abraham that his descendants will not leave empty-handed (Exodus 12:35-37, 40-41). 

In the New Testament, Jesus’ death on the cross was divinely orchestrated and the Scriptures show us that Jesus is the Passover Lamb sacrificed to rescue us from our sins (Matthew 26:1-2)

II. THE RESPONSE: Our Purity and Pursuit  

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the most profound rescue mission in the history of mankind. In response, Jesus asks us to remember His sacrifice with bread and wine until He returns (Luke 22:17-20). We can also express our gratitude and praise through worship, which is an appropriate response to our salvation. 

The Bible often uses yeast as a symbol for sin. God issued a strict command to the Israelites about avoiding leaven during Passover (Exodus 12:14-15, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8). Since Jesus, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed, we should live without the “leaven” or sin, leading holy lives to honor our Savior (1 Peter 1:14-16). David encourages us to seek personal purity in various aspects of our lives (Psalm 139:1-3, 23-24). 

God guided the Israelites day and night in the wilderness, teaching them to follow His lead (Exodus 13:21-22, 40:36-38). “When I move, you move; when I stay, you stay. Trust Me, and I will care for you.” Similarly, in the New Testament, Jesus assures His followers that they won’t walk in darkness if they follow Him (John 8:12). Christ’s love should motivate us throughout life (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). If we pursue anything other than Jesus, we are going the wrong way. Let us step out in faith, trust in Jesus’ saving blood, and embrace a relationship with the loving God who desires to know us today.