Joseph took his wife and child and they went to Africa
To escape the rage of a deadly king
There along the banks of the Nile Jesus listened to the song
That the captive children used to sing… they were singing
My Deliverer is coming… My Deliverer is standing byMy Deliverer Is Coming
Rich Mullins
I’ve been amazed by the words and the imagery of this song ever since I first heard it so many years ago.
Jesus entered a world that was full of expectation, especially among the Jews. Centuries of political domination had not quenched the belief that they were God’s chosen people, but it had created a situation of desperation. God’s had faithfully acted on his promises in the past: promises to Abraham and Sarah, promises to Moses and the nation, promises to David and his royal line. What about now?
Many awaited a strong-armed deliverer who would rip Palestine from the grip of Rome. Their expectation for the Messiah was someone in the pattern of David, a warrior, a military genius. Many hoped for God’s presence in the restored (though not in full grandeur) temple – something missed since the time of Ezekiel. They longed for God’s voice to be heard through the prophets. Many just longed for the necessities of life, food, shelter and peace to go about daily business – and this was never guaranteed in Jesus’ day. They longed for a Messiah who would provide for the needs of all.
The gospels record that Jesus was taken to Egypt for his own safety (Matthew 2). There he was, hearing the songs of hope from the children around him. My Deliverer is coming. The cry of the Hebrews under Egyptian slavery. The longing of the Jews who fled to Egypt when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. The song of a people displaced, longing for restoration.
For that is deliverance. Not just freedom from oppression, the ability to conduct one’s business without hindrance. No, the people longed to be God’s special possession again. For generations, they had treated this gift as something of little value. Now they longed for it. They did not understood all that was coming, all that God would do on their behalf. But they expected God to do something. And he did, with Jesus immersed in the experience of his people.
In what way is Jesus a deliverer? Do you still think of him as your deliverer, or is that just something in the past?
Jesus, thank you for coming to restore my relationship with You. And thank you for giving us you spirit, that we might overcome the power of sin and live holy lives that please you. Father, thank you for so many gifts that are freely given from your hand.
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