Act III: People

The third act in the story of God is all about his response to people. It covers hundreds of years of history and focuses specifically on how God advanced his plan to redeem people from sin during these years. Yesterday, we learned that sin entered the world when Adam and Eve first disobeyed God. From that moment in the garden, people struggled mightily to follow God. But God did not abandon them. Just the opposite; God got even more involved with people.

Genesis 12 through Genesis 50 is the story of how the Israelites became a nation. It all began with God’s promise to one man, Abram. “I will make you into a great nation . . . all peoples on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:2-3 NIV). By Genesis 50, the Israelites are living in Egypt and their numbers were swelling far beyond the pharaoh’s comfort zone.

As we learned yesterday, the ancient Egyptians brutally enslaved the Israelites. The famous story of Moses is about how God freed his people from slavery. Though generations had passed, God had not forgotten his promise to Abram or his promise to Eve that a savior would come, and so he set the Israelites on a course to a new homeland.

Along the way, God gave the Israelites what we know as the Ten Commandments. These rules were not a prerequisite for God’s love and faithfulness. The Israelites had already experienced God’s faithfulness and his miraculous power to save them. The Ten Commandments are about how to love God and love others. Abiding by these commands, as well as the rest of the law, enabled the nation of Israel to live in harmony with God and bless all people on earth, just as God promised Abram.

Why does all this history matter? Because God hasn’t changed. He’s still a promise-keeper. He’s still forgiving people and setting them free from what binds them. He’s still incensed by injustice, and he’s still powerful. This is the God that created you and loves you. God loves people—including you.

Reflection

• What were you taught about the Ten Commandments in the past?
• What do you think about the Ten Commandments being about loving God and loving others? What do you think about them in light of Matthew 22:36-40?
• Is there a commandment that is especially challenging for you? Would you pray about that today?

Prayer

Thank you, God, for loving people, including me. Thank you for being upset by injustice and for using your power to free enslaved people. Help me, please, by your power, to love you and to love people as much as you love me. Amen.