Our Oppression and God’s Deliverance

Mankind’s oppressor is Satan, the " . . . god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4), and " . . . the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). Just as pharaoh would not acknowledge Joseph as Egypt’s benefactor, Satan would not acknowledge the authority of Jesus Christ, and he sought to displace Jesus and set himself up as lord of all.

Satan despises those who are made in the image of God, and we are told by Jesus that Satan was " . . . a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44). How was he a murderer? He was a murderer because in the Garden of Eden it was through the lies of Satan that sin was brought forth and death followed to all of mankind.

As Israel was in bondage to Egypt, we, too, are in bondage to sin. We are slaves to sin until Christ frees us. Paul wrote, "But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were servants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto you were delivered; and being made free from sin, you became servants of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18) The Hebrews writer wrote, "Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, He also Himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death He might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:14-15) So we see that sin is a bondage that brings death. And since " . . . all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), we are all subject to death.

It was not in God’s plan for mankind to remain outside His fold, for " . . . He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love: having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. . . ." (Ephesians 1:4-5) Because of our Savior’s great love for us, Jesus suffered death and carried our sins with Him to the cross of Calvary, defeating Satan and death in the process and securing for us the hope of reconciliation back to the Father: "For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him should all the fullness dwell; and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross. . . . " (Colossians 1:19-20) It is only through Jesus Christ that one can proclaim victory over death: "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: but thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

May the Lord bless you!