Preschool
This do in remembrance of me (Luke 22:19).
Deliverance from Evil
Memory Verses
Primary
This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me (Luke 22:19).
Junior
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me (Luke 22:19).
Background Scripture: Exodus 11-15:21
Lesson Scripture: Exodus 15:1-13
Introduction
Egypt is a term used in the Scriptures to indicate our earthly life in the flesh. Canaan is likened to the life of spiritual freedom we are promised if we obey God. As these two metaphorical terms become established in our minds, the story of the exodus comes alive with meaning. We all are born in Egypt, but God knows our plight. He has engineered the most remarkable plan of all time to deliver us by his Son, Jesus Christ. If we prepare a dwelling place for Him in our hearts, He guides us into his holy habitation.
The song of deliverance sung by the children of Israel should resonate with those who know what it means to be delivered. Is anyone still in bondage? May this same enthusiasm for salvation and deliverance entice them to grasp in faith the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey.
Key Verse
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ (2 Cor. 2:9-10).
Lesson Scripture
Exodus 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying,
2 I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
3 The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3 The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
Studying the Lesson
In the light of a new day, the children of Israel stood on the Red Sea’s opposite shore and beheld the victory the Lord had provided them. Hours earlier they had stood trembling, awaiting certain death. Now their hearts swelled with thanksgiving and praise as they saw evidence of certain victory along the seashore! As water flows from an artesian well, a song of praise sprang from their grateful hearts.
Moses and all the people rejoiced in the victory God had wrought, and their minds surely must have gone over the recent events. Plague after plague had left the land of Egypt in shambles, and yet the heart of Pharaoh had remained unyielding to the plea “Let my people go!” In preparation for the Passover, the fathers among God’s people had painted their doorposts with the blood of a perfect lamb.
The death of a loved one often changes our perspective, and so it was with the mighty ruler. Losing his firstborn had crushed his proud spirit and broken his final resolve, at least for a time. He had given command for the entire nation of Israelite slaves to leave as they wished. They left with a high hand, spoiling the Egyptian people as they went.
But alas, joy soon turned to murmuring. They had become trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s mighty army. The Israelites nearly despaired, but God was faithful and provided a way of escape. This way not only saved his people but also destroyed the entire army of pursuers. With humbled hearts brimming over in exultation, God’s people sang a new song.
This song is an echo of the one we will sing in glory. There we will see our Savior face to face and catch the first full glimpse of the tremendous deliverance his power wrought in our lives.
Practical Truths for Today
We, like Abraham’s descendants in Egypt, are born into slavery. When we become convicted and struggle under the weight of our own sins, we realize how much our fleshly desires control us. Just as the children of Israel, we sigh under our burden and yearn for release. We cry out to God for deliverance and try to believe He hears our prayer. Sometimes our selfish nature fiercely resists crucifixion, and we may be tempted to lose hope. Satan draws near in our times of weakness and tempts us with an attractive array of forbidden fruit. “Selfishness is at the heart of every sin. Indeed, selfishness and sin are synonymous because self-interests are the motivation of disobedience.” 1
Our battles can overwhelm us. It matters not if we are a young person seeking peace or an experienced soldier of the King. God never fails to recognize when our cry takes on the note of surrender. Giving up our natural desires and giving in to the will of God always results in a way of escape. Many times the escape route lies in obedience and doing the next right thing. This taxes our resolve, but ultimate victory awaits those who persevere.
One of the many unfathomable attributes of God is his ability to have a personal relationship with every human being on earth. He knows me personally. He knows my every action—when I sit down and when I get up—and He knows my thoughts before I even think them (see Psalm 139:2). There is no question in his mind if the doorposts of our hearts bear the blood of his perfect Lamb. God is not squinting through the gloom attempting to discern if we are following his will. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Deliverance from our old life brings wonderful rest and security as we put our flesh on the cross. Feeling his love alive in our hearts makes us rejoice in gladness as we know Christ in a real and personal way. There is deliverance in having nothing to hide and dealing with God in honesty of heart.
The Christian’s goal for today is to leave the Egypt of our sinful nature and walk in the way of deliverance. Our goal for the future is to leave the sojourn of Egypt in this earth and gather around the throne of grace with the white-robed throng. There we will lift our thankful hearts in praise to our Redeemer. Jesus’s blood on the doorposts of our hearts delivers us from evil in this life. Most importantly, we can be delivered forever in the life hereafter. Deliverance, victory, and eternal life are words that strike an appealing chord in our hearts, and how they soothe our care-worn souls. The essence of God’s goodness is ours for the claiming.
In our quest for deliverance, God always asks us to do a small part. For the fleeing Israelites, it was to walk between walls of water on a dry sea bed. For us it may be letting go of a long-held offense or becoming willing to make a life change. Perhaps it is simply learning to be content with who I am or the situation I find myself in. Our part always involves surrendering our will to God. After we surrender, God’s power goes to work, and we get to stand with Moses on the shores of victory and see the debris of our selfish life floating in the destroying flood. We can sing of deliverance as we see Jesus become our salvation, strength, and song.
By grace we can say, “He is my God. I will prepare Him a dwelling place in my heart. I will exalt Him. I will serve Him the rest of my life for the marvelous deliverance He has worked in my heart.”
Questions
- Trials and tests of faith are common to Christian life. Why is it so hard to believe in God’s deliverance when I am in the middle of a spiritual struggle?
- Is there anything wrong with occasionally remembering the pleasures of the old life? (Numbers 11:5).
- Discuss: Everyone would like a miracle, but not many are willing for what it takes to receive one.
- Is there one stage in life that is more challenging than others?
- 1 Bible Doctrine and Practice, p. 99
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).