Together - Daily DevotionalSample

Captivity to Conquerors

Reading: Exodus 12:1-17

Key Verse: “This month is to be the first month, the first month of your year”

Exodus is the book of the Bible which tells the story of Israelite slaves becoming Canaanite conquerors. Jacob and his sons had migrated to Egypt to escape the ravages of a famine. There his son Joseph had forseen the food crisis and organised a system of saving, storing and distributing grain to preserve the lives of the Egyptians and surrounding nations. A grateful Pharaoh had welcomed the Israelites but over time their contribution was forgotten and under a new Pharaoh they had become hard pressed slaves held captive by their harsh Egyptian taskmasters.

But God wanted to release them from captivity and return them to their own Promised Land in the area of Canaan. The story of their escape begins in the first month of the year with feasting on a lamb whose blood protected them from God’s judgement as He passed over the land. The annual feast of Passover has been celebrated ever since including by Jesus who is the fulfilment of the Old Testament symbolism. Jesus is the Lamb of God who has set us free from captivity to sin and made us more than conquerors as with His help we overcome every enemy (Rom.8:37).

Prayer: Thank You that you have set me free from everything that would entrap me and instead You give me wonderful promises