Salavation

It is my joy to have time to read and meditate upon the holy scriptures. I have been contemplating the idea of salvation as it relates to the exodus story. Adonai saves the Hebrews from a life of slavery in Egypt. Adonai saves his people from assimilation into a society that won't last, and delivers them into a society and community that will be eternal. How does HaShem accomplish that salvation? First of all he physically removes his people from the land of Egypt and removes the physical threat of enslavement by Egypt's armies. Second, Adonai, teaches them a new way to live. Forty years in the wilderness of personal instruction, of daily manna, of water from the rock, of victory over enemies, to demonstrate the faithfulness of Adonai, to give Israel his instruction, his Torah. HaShem was creating an eternal people, and both parts were needed. Deliverance; salvation, was not only passing through parted waters and escaping soldiers, it was learning to gather only what was needed, memorizing instruction, learning to rest one day in seven, developing self control so as to refrain from complaint, and learning to worship Adonai alone.

Thus is the pattern for salvation. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and the saving power of his resurrection gets us through the churning waters of the red sea, (guilt of sin) but that is only part one. To participate in the eternal community of God's kingdom, to be saved, we need two parts. We need part two. We need instruction. Jesus provided that instruction by endorsing Torah when he said that he came not to remove the law, but to demonstrate the law. (fulfill) As followers of Jesus should we not be intensely interested in how Jesus demonstrated Torah by his life and his teachings?

Ray VanderLaan has taught that the Kingdom of God concept is rooted in the exodus story. God acts with power, his people sing his praises, and his will is done. Doing the will of God concerns my next two posts.