Out From Egypt: From Slavery to Freedomናሙና

Out from Egypt: From Slavery to Freedom

A Man Who Called Himself a God

In Exodus 7:1, Yahweh tells Moses that he will “make you as God to Pharaoh.” So not only was Moses a messenger; but also a direct representation of Yahweh, a picture of his holiness, power, and majesty to a man who called himself a god. The Pharaohs were not just earthly kings in the minds of the ancient Egyptians, they were actual descendants of the gods and therefore worshipped as deity.

Moses came back, most likely to the very palace he was raised in. No longer a royal prince of Egypt with every luxury afforded him or as a heralded warrior on a white horse, Moses returned as a lowly shepherd. Instead of soft kid-skin sandals, his were dirty and worn. Instead of fine, white linen at his hips and the Gold of Valor around his neck, he wore a rough woolen tunic and the staff of a desert nomad.

What a beautiful picture of our Messiah, Yeshua. He gave up the unfathomable riches of the eternal Kingdom to come to earth the first time, not as the Conquering Hero, but as the Good Shepherd. He was raised a lowly carpenter’s son. He wore cheap sandals and rough woolen tunics. And he was Yahweh. A perfect, sinless portrait of the Almighty Father.

And just like Yeshua, Moses was given the privilege of being a picture of Yahweh to Pharaoh, a king who watched his people suffer through a week of desperate thirst and blood-induced horror, with “no concern” (Exodus 7:23).

We, too, are called to be representatives of Yahweh to a hard-hearted world, a culture that openly mocks and curses the maker of the universe. And yet, like Moses, we are still called to be a portrait of the Creator who designed us. We are called to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that, like Yeshua, our every action and word will point to the greatness, the love, the majesty, and the fathomless grace of our God. Our new identity as bearers of his image is a weighty calling, but also a measureless honor. It is a mark of Yahweh’s abundant love for his people who, in spite of our humanness, are given the privilege of being carriers of his shekinah glory in a dark world.

Questions to Consider:

How are you representing God’s image in your current sphere of influence?

Where might God be calling you to be a light in the dark?

In what areas do you think others see a picture of Christ in you? Where might you need to invite God's transformation?