Although the results were murderous, Moses identified early on with his people.  He leaves the palace of Egypt and goes to his brethren to exact justice on behalf of the oppressed.  After fleeing Egypt, the outcry of the descendants of Abraham rose up to the Lord. The missional call starts with God’s love and compassion for those who are enduring oppression–whether that oppression is by the hands of human masters or that slave master called sin. Looking with compassion on those who may be the “least of these” is part of what it means to be incarnational. God heard the cry of the Israelites and then called Moses and sent him back to Egypt. Moses’ identification with his brethren previews the incarnation of Christ and our Lord’s identification with humanity. Hebrews 2:14 says, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil–and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”  Moses previews Christ the Liberator.

In an undeniable presentation of power, Moses represents YHWH and triumphs over Egypt’s gods. The strength of Egypt has been broken and the descendants of Abraham have been freed. On the cross Jesus breaks the power of the devil publicly and with that those who turn to God are free. The biblical parallels are examples of what it means to be missionally engaged. Our commitment to identify with those who are oppressed and then going as representatives of Christ (the Great Liberator) is part of what it means to be godly. Our compassion for the world and obedience to God should provide us with the impetus to love without restraint. God was on mission when He sent Moses to Egypt  and God was on mission when He came in the flesh and God is still on mission when He sends the church to a lost and dying world. When we take the liberating message of the gospel to a lost world we, the church of Jesus Christ, find ourselves in good company.