Moses and Liberation of the Human Spirit

We know the story of Moses.  He was a Hebrew child adopted by an Egyptian princess and raised in wealth and privilege while his brothers and sisters worked under Egyptian oppression.  At a young age he recognizes the oppression of his people and in a fit of rage murders an Egyptian task master, then runs away to hide in the wilderness.  While there he meets his future wife, marries and settles down to life as a shepherd.  But God has plans for Moses.  Moses is to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt to a land God has promised them.

On the surface it is a hero story - the story of an unlikely man rising to the call of God and doing great things.  Its an epic story - its foundational in the Hebrew faith.  It has inspired revolution in South and Central America and played a role in the abolition of slavery.  But it is also a very human story.

At the heart of the story of Moses is the story of the liberation of the human spirit.

Standing between Moses and his freedom was Pharaoh - a self absorbed, self centred, self aggrandizing, bullying force with the power to enslave.

We all have Pharaohs in our lives - things that trap and enslave us.  A diagnosis of critical illness.  The end of a relationship. People who have power over us, either at work or school.   Loss, of a job, of independence, of self dignity.  Grief.  Physical pain from illness or injury.  All of these things trap and enslave us.  They keep us captive through fear.  What is going to happen to me, we wonder.  We cannot see a future beyond our captivity.

In the story of Moses we can find some answers.

The first clue arises when Moses meets God on the mountain.  He says to God "Why me, God.  Who am I to speak to Pharaoh?"  He is terrified of Pharaoh, and rightfully so, because Pharaoh literally holds his life in his hands.  Moses feels powerless.  But God says to him  "I will be with you".  And this is enough.  Moses goes and faces his captor head on.  "Let my people go."  He says.

My people...When we are held captive by forces beyond our control in our lives, its not just us that suffers.  Statistics say that for each person who suffers, there is, on average, nine other people who suffer as well.  Family, friends, co-workers.  People around us are affected by our suffering in a multitude of ways.  When we face those things that hold us captive, we are not alone.  Everyone around us is in this with us.  Freedom for us means freedom for the people around us.

Now in Moses' story, predictably, Pharaoh ignores Moses request to be set free.  He ignores him.  He thinks himself too big to fail.  Too important to be questioned.  But Moses doesn't give up.  He pummels him time and time again, over and over until finally Pharaoh softens, relents and opens the gates.

This is where we think that the happy ending comes. Hooray, we've been set free, the worst is over!  Have you watched the movie the Ten Commandments?  Its 220 minutes long!  That's over 3 1/2 hours!  And the scene where Pharaoh lets the people go is half way through.  There's lots of story left to tell.