Catechism: Powerful & Faithful DelivererSample

Have you ever heard of Othniel? He isn’t a well known Bible character, but his story is important.

The people of Israel had turned away from God and worshiped other gods and idols, ending up in bondage to the King of Mesopotamia. After eight years, the people cried out to the Lord, and God raised up Othniel to deliver the Israelites and set them free!

Bondage, repentance, deliverance: that’s the ongoing pattern of the Old Testament. People rebelled against God and ended up in bondage to other kings and false gods. After a time, they would repent, turn from their wickedness, and call out to the Lord for deliverance. God is a mighty deliverer and would rescue his people from their situation!

But this pattern of bondage kept happening because the real problem was inside the human heart. The people loved their sin more than they loved God and the keeping of his commandments. God’s ultimate plan wasn’t to free people from other kings but to rescue and deliver them from their bondage to sin, breaking the pattern forever. How would he do it?

Isaiah 59 revealed that the Lord wasn’t going to use a judge like Othniel to deliver the people. Verse 16 declares that God himself would come down to deliver his people from their sins, and give them his Holy Spirit forever! And a few hundred years later, a baby born in a manger in Bethlehem was the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Jesus’ name means the Lord is salvation, and that was the plan all along! God had come to save and deliver his people from sin. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we are delivered from everything that tried to enslave us, and God has given us his Holy Spirit forever.

Consider: Have you seen the pattern of bondage, repentance, and deliverance in your life?

Reflect: Take a moment to pray and thank God for the deliverance he offers us through Jesus and let gratitude fill your heart.