In this offertory message, David Grabbe, referring to Deuteronomy 16:9-12, states that the offering was to be given on the basis of Israel's appreciation of how God had blessed them, including being released from physical bondage. We, as the Israel of God, have far more reason to rejoice, having been released from the spiritual bondage of sin. Egypt serves as a type of sin with the bondage and toil depicting striving for vanity. We have been given the means to discern the difference between the truly valuable and eternal as opposed to the temporal and passing away. God has been very generous in His gifts to us, backing up His blessings with an absolute guarantee for those who have made the New Covenant with Him. With the means of God's Holy Spirit, we move in the direction of becoming like Him. At this time, we need to take stock of God's generosity toward us.

Bondage Egypt as symbolic of hard labor or servitude God of this world Holy Spirit Liberation Persecution Pharaoh Slaves Spiritual liberation