Joel M Bradshaw

20So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other…23Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground…25“You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”–Genesis 47 (with emphasis)

“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in ^b Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 6:16-18, 23; with emphasis)

The Egyptians offered themselves as slaves to Pharaoh in order to save their lives. Slavery led to salvation in their case. We all were once slaves to our sinful nature and choices. But now offering ourselves as slaves to God once again leads to salvation. The self path keeps you enslaved. The Jesus path is a slavery that actually brings freedom and salvation. One bondage forever enslaves. The other bondage actually frees you from the first. The Egyptian people’s story in our text today gladly took Pharaoh’s bondage to escape the temporary reality of starvation. You and I gladly take the bondage to God to escape the eternal reality of our sins.

In Christ, God set us free from the most powerful bondage, but now expects us to live as joyful, thankful slaves for his glory. We are grateful for the ancient Egyptians for their illustration. Which master has you enslaved? Yourself or God? What is the end result of your bondage?–JMB