Topical Bible: Israel: The Day of Their Deliverance to be a Memorial

◄ Israel: The Day of Their Deliverance to be a Memorial ►

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The deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage stands as a pivotal event in biblical history, marking the birth of the nation of Israel as a free people under the covenantal care of Yahweh. This event is not only a historical milestone but also a theological cornerstone, serving as a perpetual memorial for the Israelites and a symbol of God's redemptive power.

The Exodus Event

The narrative of Israel's deliverance is primarily found in the Book of Exodus. The Israelites, having been enslaved in Egypt for centuries, cried out to God for deliverance. God raised up Moses as a leader to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of His people. After a series of plagues that demonstrated God's supremacy over the Egyptian gods, Pharaoh finally relented, allowing the Israelites to leave. The climactic moment of deliverance occurred at the Red Sea, where God parted the waters, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground while the pursuing Egyptian army was drowned (Exodus 14:21-28).

Institution of the Passover

Central to the commemoration of Israel's deliverance is the institution of the Passover. On the night before their departure, the Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood. This act of faith spared them from the final plague—the death of the firstborn—which struck Egypt (Exodus 12:1-13). The Passover was established as an annual feast, a lasting ordinance for generations to come, to remember the Lord's deliverance: "This day is to be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD. You are to celebrate it as a perpetual statute for the generations to come" (Exodus 12:14).

Theological Significance

The deliverance from Egypt is a profound demonstration of God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. It underscores His power to save and His commitment to His chosen people. The event is frequently recalled throughout Scripture as a testament to God's mighty acts and as a call to obedience and faithfulness (Deuteronomy 6:20-25; Psalm 78:12-16).

A Memorial of Redemption

The Exodus serves as a typological foreshadowing of the ultimate deliverance through Jesus Christ. Just as the Passover lamb was sacrificed to spare the Israelites, so Christ, our Passover lamb, was sacrificed to deliver humanity from the bondage of sin (1 Corinthians 5:7). The memorial of Israel's deliverance thus finds its fulfillment in the New Covenant, where believers are called to remember Christ's sacrifice through the observance of the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:19-20).

Continued Observance

The observance of the Passover and the remembrance of the Exodus continue to hold significance for Jewish communities today, serving as a reminder of God's enduring faithfulness and the identity of Israel as a people redeemed by God. For Christians, the themes of deliverance and redemption resonate deeply, pointing to the greater exodus accomplished through Christ's death and resurrection.

In summary, the day of Israel's deliverance is a foundational event that is to be remembered and celebrated as a testament to God's saving power and covenantal faithfulness. It serves as a perpetual reminder of the identity and calling of God's people, both in the past and in the present.

Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 12:42
It is a night to be much observed to the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 13:3-16
And Moses said to the people, Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
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Library

The Passover: an Expiation and a Feast, a Memorial and a Prophecy
... celebrate that deliverance, so tragically unlike their homeless present ... here; next
year, in the land of Israel. ... So this Passover, like Guy Fawkes' Day in England ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the passover an expiation and.htm

'The Waters Saw Thee; they were Afraid'
... The first stage of their deliverance and the second are begun with analogous ... have
heard, so have we seen,' might have been Israel's song that day, as it ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the waters saw thee they.htm

"Thy King Cometh"
... Israel had been a favored people; God had made their temple ... of the Jews, as evinced
in their rejection of ... Before the day is done, another testimony is borne to ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 63 thy king cometh.htm

Meditations of the True Manner of Practising Piety on the Sabbath ...
... added, augments the dignity of it; as the name Israel, added to ... Testament, did foresee
and know that our Lord's day was shadowed by their eighth day ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/meditations of the true manner.htm

The Dedication
... the doorposts had saved the first-born of Israel, so the ... Day after day he went through
the routine of his ... were poor; and when they came with their child, the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 5 the dedication.htm

"In Remembrance of Me"
... of their deliverance from Egypt, the children of Israel ate the ... fruit of the vine,
until that day when I ... you in My Father's kingdom." In their tribulation they ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 72 in remembrance of.htm

The Fifth Day in Passion-Week - Make Ready the Passover!'
... escape what the Lord had all that day been telling them about, and which was now
filling their minds and ... It was a gathering of universal Israel, that of the ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ix the fifth day.htm

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be ...
... And God threatened to visit Israel for keeping the ... bodily labour, both remembering
them of their full deliverance ... slavery of Egypt, upon that day (Deuteronomy 5 ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/ten reasons demonstrating the commandment.htm

Hope for the Heathen
... for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather ... The day of
deliverance is at hand ... Their souls are unsatisfied; long have they fed on ashes ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 31 hope for the.htm

Light through Darkness
... that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with ... of Judah: not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 38 light through darkness.htm