Track 1 - Deliverance


Slavery is a distant memory for our culture and one we would like to forget. Yet it is no surprise that the American slaves embraced the images of the Exodus to provide hope and relief during their time of bondage. Sadly, slavery is still with us today but hidden among our neighborhoods and countries throughout the world. Today there are more slaves in the world than at any other time in history. This is not metaphorical slavery but true captivity where people are treated as chattel and property and deprived of any outward freedoms.

Louis Etongwe rescues people from slavery in Virginia and Maryland. This is not slavery from the old south but from modern America. His stories are harrowing, but touching as this modern day Moses delivers people from hidden enslavement. http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/about/slavery/real-stories-from-north-america/

This modern story of slavery leads us directly into the first Biblical ode. Understanding the slaves of the American past and knowing the stories of deliverance among modern slaves, can help us tap into the emotion of the ancient Hebrews as they stepped onto the shores of the Red Sea. Looking back at their former masters swallowed beneath the waves, the reality of their freedom was complete. For many may never have known a time when they were not in bondage, but now they were free. Moses had promised this day but certainly doubts persisted. The crashing of Pharaoh's chariots in the Red Sea confirmed their hopes. Their salve masters would haunt them no more. The relief and deliverance forced up a cry of rejoicing from their hearts and this song of deliverance is the first in our soundtrack for life.

The Ode of Moses in Exodus (Exodus 15:1-19)

15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song to God and spoke, saying: Let us sing to the Lord, for he is very greatly glorified: horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. 2 He was to me a helper and protector for salvation: this is my God and I will glorify him; my father’s God and I will exalt him. 3 The Lord bringing wars to nought, the Lord is his name. 4 He has cast the chariots of Pharaoh and his host into the sea, the chosen mounted captains: they were swallowed up in the Red Sea. 5 He covered them with the sea: they sank to the depth like a stone. 6 Your right hand, O God, has been glorified in strength; your right hand, O God, has broken the enemies. 7 And in the abundance of your glory you have broken the adversaries to pieces: you sent forth your wrath, it devoured them as stubble. 8 And by the breath of your anger the water parted asunder; the waters were congealed as a wall, the waves were congealed in the midst of the sea. 9 The enemy said: I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoils; I will satisfy my soul, I will destroy with my sword, my hand shall have dominion. 10 You sent forth your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty water. 11 Who is like to you among the gods, O Lord? Who is like to you? Glorified in holiness, marvelous in glories, doing wonders. 12 You stretch forth your right hand, the earth swallowed them up. 13 You have guided in your righteousness this your people whom you have redeemed, by your strength you have called them into your holy resting-place. 14 The nations heard and were angry, pangs have seized on the dwellers among the Phylistines. 15 Then the princes of Edom and the chiefs of the Moabites hasted; trembling took hold upon them, all the inhabitants of C’anaan melted away. 16 Let trembling and fear fall upon them; by the greatness of your arm, let them become as stone; till your people pass over, O Lord, till this your people pass over, whom you have purchased. 17. bring them in and plant them in the mountain of their inheritance, in your prepared habitation, which you, O Lord, have prepared; the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have made ready. 18 The Lord reigns unto ages of ages and ever. 19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with the chariots and horsemen into the sea and the Lord brought upon them the water of the sea, but the children of Israel walked through dry land in the midst of the sea.
These songs are primarily sung during Matins and it is to the various canons we can turn for commentary. The overarching theme is God's deliverance from bondage, and His triumph over evil. Thankfully most of us in the West have never experienced literal bondage and slavery, yet bondage is the unfortunate state of mankind after the fall of Man. The power of Exodus points to these spiritual realities that threaten to engulf humanity into a living and eternal darkness were it not for the hand of our Savior.

God's deliverance and triumph is retold in at least four major ways throughout this song.

1. Triumph over the bondage of sin.

2. Triumph over the bondage of affliction.

3. Triumph over death.

4. God is a God of deliverance.

This last point summarizes God's actions in this hymn. He is a God of deliverance. Because we have been delivered by Him, we are called as the Church to join in this ministry of deliverance.

Theron Mathis

Comments

Tfrelek said…
Hey, I really like the image you have on your blog of the man breaking his chains. May I possible use it as artwork for a cd?
3:15 PM
Theron Mathis said…
thanks for stopping by...that image really communicates alot...it is not original to me, I found it through a search when looking for an image for the post. I don't remember the source at this point.
7:02 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is Theistic Evolution Orthodox?

Image
Everyday Theology or Speculative Theology? Eagle River Institute, I’m disappointed.  Your institute has produced consistent edifying lectures for the Orthodox Christian. Yet, you allow someone to present on Evolution as if this is the only sensible position for an Orthodox Christian.  It is not! The presentation is upsetting. Maybe you found the arguments edifying for the average Orthodox Christian, but please qualify it. This is a historical aberration and deserves to be contrasted in the light of the historic Christian position. This article stands as a counterpoint to the theistic evolutionary position held by Dr. Gayle Woloschak in her presentation at the Eagle River Institute in August. There are more episodes to come, and depending on their content, I may put together another response. First of all, I am not judging this person’s Christian faith and commitment to Christ and Orthodoxy.  I am not judging her piety or personal holiness. I am judging her ideas about th
Read more

4 Senses of Scripture

Image
Scripture is a critical element in the life of a Christian, but it does not take much effort to see the abuse and twisting that the Bible has endured at the hands of well meaning and not-so well meaning people over the centuries.   To protect against such error, the Bible should be read within the context of the Church.  This means many things but one aspect of context is a particular approach to reading Scripture.   This approach can be summarized as the Four Senses of Scripture.  From early times times, the faithful approached Scripture this way.  Faithful Jews prior to Christ used this method, and it became incorporated into the life of the Church from the beginning.   Later in history these 4 Senses were listed and categorized with helpful labels by St. John Cassian (360-435).  The labels stuck and have been used ever since.   What are they? Literal:   Another way of stating this is literary.  Obviously not every Scripture is meant literally.  Genre must b
Read more

The Problem of Orthodox Culture

Over the past months several Orthodox writers have taken up the topic of Orthodox culture and whether we can create one in this country.  Much of the writing flows out the pens of artists, so I am sure that this is a desire longing for an ethos where there is a richness of art seen in places like old Russia with majestic architecture, beautiful music and haunting works of literature.  I long for this too. What is the critical mass of people for such a culture to emerge?  Evangelicals have had this mass in America for some time, but only recently is there a serious arts movement bubbling up.  Rather than a culture of high art, I propose we are looking for community, and this is the base where we must start. The magnet that draws Americans into the Evangelical world, robust Catholic life, and even stranger American movements such as Mormonism is not theology, but community.  This is a place where you can enter and every part of your life is infected by it.  For these be
Read more