Source: Hortensius F. Mandaru, SSL

Editor: Vince Ellysabeth

 

Independence is good news for those living in bondage. Indonesia’s experience as a nation that was once under colonial rule and subsequently achieved independence through struggle illustrates that freedom is not something to be taken lightly. Similarly, the story of Israel in the Bible depicts a nation that lived in slavery in Egypt and was delivered by God. However, when discussing the story of the Exodus, the Bible does not primarily use the term ‘independence’ as is common in the modern world. The dominant terms are ‘to free’, ‘to release’ and ‘to bring out’ from Egypt.

 

Therefore, a close examination of the Exodus narrative helps us to see that freedom, from a biblical perspective, is not merely a change in political status. Liberation is a process carried out by God to bring His people out of bondage, to shape them into a new people, and to teach them how that freedom is to be lived out. Thus, the crucial question is not merely whether a person has been set free, but for what purpose they have been set free and how that freedom is realised in communal life.

 

God, the Principal Agent of Liberation

In the narrative of the Exodus, God appears as the principal protagonist. From His encounter with Moses, God has introduced Himself as the One who sees the affliction of His people, hears their cries, knows their suffering, and has come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians (Exodus 3:7–8).

 

This picture becomes significant when placed within the context of Egyptian social structure, which is depicted as a pyramid. Pharaoh is at the top, followed by the nobility and the common people, whilst the slaves occupy the lowest tier. The enslaved Israelites found themselves in the most vulnerable position within this hierarchy. This structure was not merely regarded as a social system, but also possessed religious legitimacy. Therefore, when God delivered the Israelites, He was not merely moving a group of slaves from one place to another. He shook to the core an order that was considered solid and even ‘sacred’, but which was in fact built upon oppression.

 

This explains why the plagues in the Exodus narrative need not be read solely as punishments. Within the narrative arc of Exodus 1–15, the plagues also function as a process of revelation: Pharaoh and the Egyptians are introduced to who the God of Israel truly is. The question “Who is God?” becomes one of the central questions in the narrative. Thus, the story of the Exodus simultaneously juxtaposes two forms of power: the power of Pharaoh and the power of God. The question of whom Israel should serve becomes the defining issue of their identity.

 

The Exodus from Egypt: Breaking with the Past

God did not choose simply to reform the Egyptian system or replace its rulers. In the narrative of the Exodus, the path to liberation offered by God was to lead Israel out. “Let my people go” became the crux of Moses’ demand to Pharaoh. To go meant severing ties with the old life and leaving behind the structures of slavery.

 

However, leaving Egypt proved to be no easy task. Ironically, the Israelites, who had been set free, found themselves longing for their old life time and again. When they saw the Egyptian army in pursuit, they even said that it would be better for them to work as slaves in Egypt than to die in the desert (Exodus 14:11–12). As their journey continued, hunger, thirst and discomfort caused them to look back on Egypt as a safer and more promising place.

 

It is here that the narrative of Exodus reveals that liberation does not merely mean removing someone from a place of oppression. Chains may remain within a person who has been outwardly set free. Israel had to be freed not only from Pharaoh, but also from the slave mentality that made them afraid of freedom. For this reason, the crossing of the Red Sea became a significant symbol. In the darkness of the night, the Israelites left their past behind; as they emerged from the sea at dawn, they entered a new life.

 

Thus, liberation is a transformation of identity. Israel entered as fearful slaves and emerged as a people who trusted in the Lord. They moved from fear of Pharaoh to reverence for the Lord. They no longer lived under the authority of their former master, but learnt to entrust their lives to the God who had set them free.

 

The Desert: A Place to Learn Freedom and Solidarity

If the crossing of the Sea of Teberau symbolised a break with the past, the experience in the wilderness marked the next stage in the formation of a new people. The desert is a space devoid of Egyptian social structures. There, the Israelites no longer lived in a hierarchical society that distinguished between masters and slaves. All experienced the same hunger, thirst, exhaustion and dependence on God.

 

Therefore, the wilderness can be described as both a school of faith and a school of solidarity. The Israelites learnt that their lives depended on God’s providence. Manna, for example, was not intended to be hoarded or controlled by a select few. Each family received what they needed. In this way, the experience of the desert shaped a community that shared a common fate and bore one another’s burdens.

 

At the same time, Israel must learn to cast off not only the mentality of a slave, but also the mentality of Pharaoh. Whilst the slave mentality is characterised by fear and dependence on the ruler, the Pharaoh’s mentality is characterised by a desire to control, dominate and oppress others. The freedom granted by God will be meaningless if Israel, which was once a victim, goes on to create new victims.

 

Therefore, freedom requires law. The Torah was given in the wilderness, not after Israel had established a territory under its control. This confirms that the law of the covenant is not a tool for upholding the interests of a ruler or a group of landowners. The law was given to shape communal life in accordance with God’s will. Interestingly, liberation precedes the law: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” In other words, grace precedes demands; love precedes the law. God first sets people free, then gives the law to preserve and guarantee that freedom.

 

A People Set Free to Set Others Free

Liberation did not end when Israel reached the Promised Land. On the contrary, even after settling there, they were constantly reminded that they had once been slaves whom the Lord had set free. This remembrance formed the ethical foundation of their lives: the people who had been set free were called to set others free.

 

This principle is clearly evident in the laws of the Sabbatical Year and the Year of Jubilee. Every seven years the land must be allowed to rest. The land must not be continuously exploited, but must be given the opportunity to “rest”. What grows spontaneously may be enjoyed by everyone, including the poor, strangers, slaves and even livestock. Thus, freedom does not only concern human beings, but also relates to the way humans treat creation.

 

The Sabbatical Year is also linked to the liberation of those trapped in debt and slavery. People who, due to poverty, have been forced into slavery must not be left in that condition forever. Indeed, according to the Deuteronomic tradition, those who are set free must not be sent away empty-handed, but must be provided with the basic necessities to enable them to continue their lives.

 

The same principle takes on a broader form in the Jubilee Year. After seven times seven years, land that had been sold or lost due to debt must be returned to its original owner. The basis for this is the belief that land is not the absolute property of human beings. Land belongs to God and is given to the people for their use. Therefore, no one has the right to control land in such a way as to deprive another family of their future.

 

Underlying these laws is a concern for the two pillars of Israeli society: the family and the land. Both are not merely economic resources, but are linked to identity, history, the continuity of generations, and communal life. Therefore, the Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Year encompass social, economic, humanitarian and ecological dimensions simultaneously. The land is freed from exploitation, families are spared the loss of their right to life, and society is reminded once again that no one should accumulate unlimited power.

 

Freedom That Is Constantly Renewed

The story of the Exodus ultimately invites us to understand freedom more deeply. Freedom is not merely an event of the past, but a calling that must continually be lived out. Israel needs to be continually ‘restarted’ so as not to forget its identity as a liberated people. The Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Year are concrete expressions of this remembrance: the community is continually directed back to the principle that life must not be built upon oppression and exploitation.

 

In the context of contemporary life, the experience of Israel serves as a mirror for people of faith. A nation may have achieved political independence, yet its people may still be subject to various forms of bondage: fear, injustice, poverty, exploitation, inequality, or the domination of one group over another. Similarly, an individual may feel outwardly free, yet still live with a “slave mentality” — afraid of losing their comforts, afraid to take the risks that come with freedom, or even tempted to become a “Pharaoh” to their fellow human beings.

 

Therefore, the question of faith is not merely, “Are we free?” The more fundamental question is, “Are we truly living as people who have been set free?&” and “Who shares in this freedom through our lives?” The story of the Exodus affirms that God is a God who hears the cries of the oppressed and acts to set them free. Therefore, the people who have received this liberation are not called to enjoy freedom in an individualistic way. They are called to be part of the work of liberation for their fellow human beings.

 

Ultimately, freedom from a faith-based perspective is not merely freedom from something, but freedom to build a life that is just, characterised by solidarity, and pleasing to God. Israel was freed from Egypt so that it might become God’s people; likewise, believers receive freedom so that their lives may become a space for the freedom of others. This is the deepest meaning of the Exodus: God frees His people, and those who have been freed are called to continue bringing about liberation in the midst of the world.

 

This article is adapted from a Bible Seminar. Watch the full video version on LAI’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/wkB9h5zxZk4?si=arSl_K2MzoJX5rRW