Last week, we looked at the first of the four cups of Passover. This week we turn our attention to the second cup, deliverance.
Exodus 6:6-8 CJB “Therefore, say to the people of Isra’el: ‘I am Adonai. I will free you from the forced labor of the Egyptians, rescue you from their oppression, and redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am Adonai your God, who freed you from the forced labor of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya’akov — I will give it to you as your inheritance. I am Adonai.'”
When all this began in Moses’ life, God said, “I have seen how my people are being oppressed in Egypt and heard their cry for release from their slavemasters, because I know their pain. 8 I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that country to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the place of the Kena’ani, Hitti, Emori, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi.1” (Canaanite, Hittite, Amorite, Perizzite, Hivite, and the Jebusite).
The word rescue means to defend, deliver, pluck out, preserve, and rescue2. God did that through Moses and a series of plagues in Exodus 7:14-11:10. Each plague was a judgment on an Egyptian god, the last judging Pharoh himself, proving that the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob is the only true God.
The plagues did not just bring judgment; they also showed God’s care for His people.
Exodus 8:22-23 CJB “18 (22) But I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live — no swarms of insects will be there — so that you can realize that I am Adonai, right here in the land. 19 (23) Yes, I will distinguish between my people and your people, and this sign will happen by tomorrow.” ‘”
Exodus 9:4-6 CJB “But Adonai will distinguish between Egypt’s and Isra’el’s livestock — nothing belonging to the people of Isra’el will die.” ‘” 5 Adonai determined the exact time by saying, “Tomorrow Adonai will do this in the land.” 6 The following day, Adonai did it — all the livestock of Egypt died; but not one of the animals belonging to the people of Isra’el died.”
Exodus 9:19-20, 26 CJB “Therefore, send and hurry to bring indoors all your livestock and everything else you have in the field. For hail will fall on every human being and animal left in the field that hasn’t been brought home, and they will die.” ‘” 20 Whoever among Pharaoh’s servants feared what Adonai had said had his slaves and livestock escape into the houses; 26 But in the land of Goshen, where the people of Isra’el were, there was no hail.”
Notice that some of the Egyptians heeded the warning given by Moses. These were likely in the mixed multitude that left Egypt. Every plague proved the gods of Egypt had no power. Job 38:22 tells us that God has a storehouse of snow and hail. God is God. He is God over the weather, God over sickness, God over the economy; He is God over all.
At the end of Job, we see him receiving back double what the enemy was allowed to take3. When the Hebrews left Egypt, they departed with the wealth of Egypt4. Let’s call that backpay with interest for all the years of slavery. God restored Job. God not only delivered the Hebrews, but He also restored loss to them.
There were other plagues in which God distinguished between the land of Goshen and Egypt5, and this is the second cup. Jesus doesn’t just redeem us; He delivers us.
Isaiah 53:4-5 CJB “In fact, it was our diseases he bore, our pains from which he suffered; yet we regarded him as punished, stricken and afflicted by God. 5 But he was wounded because of our crimes, crushed because of our sins; the disciplining that makes us whole fell on him, and by his bruises we are healed.”
The Classic Amplified says, “Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.”
Just as Israel was delivered from the plagues, so are we from the curse of sickness and disease. Acts 10:38 tells us that Jesus went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil. At this point, you may have a “what about” question coming to mind. We may have experienced or seen situations that cause us to doubt deliverance, healing, prosperity, family restoration, or God meeting any number of requests we may have. We may not understand things in life on this side of eternity, but we do not want to let that put us in the mindset of Job’s friends.
Passover is a time to let faith rise in us. It’s a time to examine ourselves and get the leaven (sin) out of our lives, not just the sin; let’s lay aside weights. Let’s use this appointed time to deal with doubt and unload from unbelief. Return to the Scriptures and build your faith. Read Exodus and notice the names of God, read the gospels and say, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief. The same Jesus that saved us wants to walk through dark times with us.
Ephesians 3:20 AMP “Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us,”
Look to Jesus, your Savior, Deliverer, Healer, and Redeemer this Passover, Resurrection season. Look to Jesus, who will finish the good work He began in you.
* The Complete Jewish Bible contains verses such as 18 (22). The first number is the Hebrew Bible verse number and the second is the verse number in the Christian Old Testament.
- Exodus 3:7-8 CJB
- Strong’s Concordance H#5337
- Job 42:10-17
- Exodus 3:21-22, 12:35-36
- Exodus 8:22-23; 9:4-6, 26; 10:23, 11:7
Casey D. Bell 