Today we are continuing to focus on the first “Commandment”
or for Israelites call them the first of the Ten Statements. Exodus 20:2 opens
with the statement:
2 “I
am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out
of the abode of slavery. (CJB)
This is key to understanding God and His relationship with
mankind that God’s number one desire for us is freedom. Immediately I will get
attacked because many say the Bible promotes or allows slavery. They will point
to Leviticus 25:44-46 and say there that condones slavery. While I do agree
this argument is valid since there are many places that address slavery, if you
look closely it’s more an “indentured servitude” since sections like Deuteronomy
15:12-18 shows that after 7 years a slave must be freed.
I am digressing here, but with freedom this applies to
everything, including how God deals with us. This is where freewill comes into
play since God has given us freedom to live on the earth. The idea of “predestination”
where we are more God’s puppets than His children is way out of whack.
Follow me here, those of us who have children know when they
were born we had big plans for them. As we quickly learn our will for their
lives does not always match what actually happens. I know my father did not
expect me to be cleaning toilets when I was in my 50’s. God is the same way, he
has a desire and a will for our lives and we MAY be predestined to be a
president or a king, but it’s OUR choice to follow His path for our lives.
I know personally God has nudged me, humbled me and
sometimes whack me on the head with a 2×4 to get me moving in His direction.
Often I wonder if that is something I can control or is it something that just
happens. So while we may be “predestined” to be a king like David, it doesn’t
mean we will become king or like David do it right all the time.
We must understand that Jesus died on the cross for
redemption of our sin. The Hebraic Law said blood must be spilt for the forgiveness
of sin, we actually a sacrifice or the first born or fruits. You give up
something of importance to prove you have repented of your sin. In Jesus’ case
God gave His first born son for redemption of our sins. All we must do is
freely accept this, confess our sins before Jesus and believe in His story. It’s
that simply, but it requires you to freely choose which path to take.