The story of the Bible is not just about the story itself but each story teaches us something about our own spiritual condition. The family line of Abraham was stuck in slavery. This story is not just about them but it is also about us. Have you ever felt stuck, trapped, addicted or held in slavery to something? Then this story is about you.

Jesus said that there really is a fallen angelic being called Lucifer or the Devil that is against us and who wants to “steal, kill and destroy.” Jesus called Him a “liar and the father of lies.” Why do you think all great human stories include a central plot of good overcoming evil? Because that is the story of the world we live in. There is good and there is evil. God uses stories like the story of the Exodus to show us that slavery is not good, that oppression and the stealing of others freedom is bad. Bad is best defined as that which robs humans of the dignity God created them to display.

Broken relationships, strife and division are all forms of this. But He is also teaching us that independence from God is what leads to spiritual bondage. When a people forsake their maker they will find themselves facing desires that will enslave them. Jesus taught that “anyone who sins is a slave of sin.” Sin is not just bad, it is foolish. Remember that the proper definition of sin is missing the mark. But what is the mark? Relationship with God that leads us to reflect and represent Him well to others. This is why Jesus summarizes the entire teaching of the Hebrew Scriptures when He said the greatest command was to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. Then He said and the second is like it “you must love your neighbor as yourself.”

This He said was the fulfillment of all of the teaching of the Law and Prophets. So why not end the book here and say just go love people? Because we humans have a proven track record of being terrible at love. We have desires that war around inside us and keep us preoccupied with ourselves. This is slavery and spiritually pictured in the story of Exodus and the condition of Abraham’s descendants who have now found themselves enslaved in Egypt.