This picture, like redemption, is about freedom from slavery or captivity. The image comes from the battlefield. A stronger warrior or army overpowers the current slave owner(s) by force. The slaves are not part of the freedom fight. They are the prize for winning the battle.
Often in real life, the conquering force simply assumes ownership of the slaves and adds them to their free work force. But, in abolition, the goal of the fight is to liberate the slaves and allow them to be free.
The gospel story of deliverance can be seen in the Exodus from Egypt. The redemption part of the freedom is focused on the Passover Lamb who was a substitutionary payment of the debt of sin against God. (All Israel is claimed by God as his firstborn.)
The deliverance part was the defeat of Egypt, Pharaoh, and his officials and soldiers through the plagues and the Red Sea.
God’s Power over Nature
God can use conventional warfare to accomplish his purposes, but most of the time he uses supernatural ways. Moses tried to help his people from his adopted position in Pharaoh’s palace. It resulted in killing one of the Egyptian taskmasters. He later learned that God had more powerful ways to free his people from slavery.
Egypt as an empire relied on the natural resources of the Nile river, the desert around them, and their army with horses and chariots. God showed his power over his own creation. He changed the water, the wildlife, the sun and the wind, storms, and germs. Ultimately, in the final plague, he merely stopped giving the next breath to living people.
Read the summary in Psalm 136:10-16. It gives a powerful picture of God’s powerful deliverance. It also reminds the reader that his steadfast love motivated it. God wants his people to be free.
God’s Transformation of Free People
For 40 years after leaving their Egyptian slavery, the Israelites continued to think and act like slaves. They often thought of returning to the life of bondage, instead of trusting God for their free future. In slavery they were forced to do mindless labor for their taskmasters. They were unable to plan their own lives. No slave wakes up in the morning and says, “I know what I want to do today.”
As slaves they were not free to do anything except complain. In new-found freedom, they transferred their complaining from their Egyptian bosses to Moses and the Lord. They needed renewing of their minds to live in liberty as true humans. So the Lord taught them principles of right and wrong, demonstrated his holiness, gave them the tools for right living, and called them to trust him.
The Greater Deliverance
Exodus from Egypt is the model and backdrop for our freedom from sin through the work of Jesus Christ. The cross is the fulfillment of the final request in the Lord’s Prayer, “Deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). Or, as 1 John 3:8 puts it, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
The gospel sets us free from our slavery to sin. Colossians 2:13-15 declares, “You, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. [This is the Redemption part.] He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. [This is the Deliverance part.]”
The evil powers that had controlled us through lies, intimidation, rebellious habits, and the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-16) were put to open shame. Kinda like Pharaoh and his officials. And we are now free.
Surprise Conquering Strategy
As in Egypt, so at the cross God does not follow the rules of conventional warfare. God’s way is not through murder and betrayal. He does not simply overpower by having a stronger army. Instead, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Satan acted in a way that seemed wise to him. He put Jesus to death. He worked through the rulers and powers of this age and conspired to bring about the crucifixion. He gloated over his “victory.” Yet, the result was his own head being crushed.
Whenever Jesus’ followers follow Jesus’ example of entering into suffering and giving up their lives for him, Satan is again blind-sided. He still can’t believe the truth. But we can learn that God works through our weakness to accomplish his eternal purposes.
Losing the Slave Mindset
Believers in Christ, now set free from captivity to the evil one, can easily continue to drudge for their defeated former bosses. The gospel wants us to realize and live in our freedom.
The instructions for ministry in 2 Timothy 2:24-26 include a gentle teaching and urging to help each other escape from the snare of lies that keep us thinking like the slaves we used to be. Romans 6:16-19 presents us with two options: use your life to continue serving the old slave owner who no longer has any authority; or give your mind and body to serve the Lord in freedom.
“Oh, yeah. I can make real choices. I am free in Christ.” We have received the overflow of grace and the free gift of righteousness. Instead of continuing in bondage, we can reign in life through Christ.