God sent a message to His ancient peoples through Moses and his brother Aaron. "Therefore say to the children of Israel: "I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God ..." (Exodus 6:6-7).

What is the background to this inspiring promise of commitment to God's people? The ancient Israelites lived in Egypt for more than two centuries. After the patriarch Joseph died, persecution soon set in and the growing family of Jacob (whose name had been changed to Israel) cried out to God for deliverance from their enslavement.

God heard these prayers by preserving and protecting the infant Moses, and then seeing to it that he grew up as a part of Pharaoh's privileged household. Moses needed specialized training for the incredibly challenging task God had in store for him. He was educated in all the worldly wisdom of the Egyptians and "was mighty in words and deeds" (Acts 7:22). Then when Moses was 40, he killed an Egyptian taskmaster who was beating a Hebrew slave and had to flee into the desert.

It would be another 40 years before Moses was sufficiently tried, tested and spiritually qualified to lead the Israelites out of the land of Egypt under severe circumstances and stubborn resistance.

This period of time in the wilderness was an exercise in humility—entirely away from all the previous grandeur and privileges of the Egyptian royal court. It worked very well. Moses became the most humble man on earth (Numbers 12:3). He didn't even feel adequate for the job for which God had painstakingly prepared him.

Nonetheless, this national deliverance from Egyptian slavery prefigured our own personal redemption from sin. Christ is our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). If you would like to understand the vital connection, please request or download our free booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind. GN