Memorial of Deliverance

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

— Tom Ruggirello

Just as God delivered Israel from physical slavery in Egypt, a cornerstone event remembered in the Passover, He offers an even greater spiritual liberation to all humanity through Jesus Christ. The timeless principles of God will culminate in the ultimate freedom from sin and death, revealing the profound and joyful reality of being made “free indeed” by the Son.

Israel’s annual Passover observance is a time to remember its deliverance from slavery. Being forced to make bricks for their Egyptian masters must have been humiliating. Having their human rights denied and being viewed as an inferior race was also dehumanizing. In due time, God said it was enough and sent a great deliverer. Through ten grueling plagues, their oppressors were reluctantly convinced to release them from bondage. For Israel, the Passover was meant to be a celebration of freedom, a truly joyous event.

The annual observation was also a time to remember their shared bond of deliverance and promote unity. It was intended to deepen the worship of God and reveal a loving Father. As people age, they often need reminders of things that are so precious, as time has a way of pushing them to the background and causing one’s passion to cool.

Tell the Children

Another reason for keeping the Passover was to provide the Israelites an opportunity to share the story of God’s guiding hand with each new generation.

“And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, ‘What mean ye by this service?’ That ye shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.’ And the people bowed the head and worshipped” (Exodus 12:26, 27).

Sharing the story of God’s deliverance is important for several reasons. It first recognizes and honors the goodness of God and His care for His people. It also informs younger generations of their own history and the great benefits they have received from following God. This helps to establish a beneficial course in life for young people who recognize the value of seeking after God.

Underlying Principles of the Memorial

Deliverance is not just a message for Israel. Followers of Christ have an even greater reason to remember God’s hand. The prospect of our deliverance from death is a cause for rejoicing and for giving thanks to God and Jesus. As God’s plan unfolds and we see the principles behind His attributes, the qualities that guide Him, we stand in awe at the wonder and beauty of His heart.

These principles are embodied in the four attributes of God (Psalm 89:14, Revelation 4:7).

Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Our Lord’s sacrifice stemmed from God’s love for His human creation. His heartfelt desire is to grant the privilege of eternal life to all the willing and obedient.

“[God] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God’s wisdom determined that before any individual can be accounted worthy of eternal life, it must be warranted based on their own merit. To receive eternal life, they will eventually be required to attain perfection of character. Any other approach would fail to maintain a sinless, harmonious, and well‑adjusted society. Perfection, then, means that all those granted eternal life must be developed in perfect love. How different this world will be when it begins to reflect the heart of God.

Justice

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things … But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:18‑20).

Before mankind can be brought to perfection, Adamic condemnation must be addressed. Providing the ransom “before the foundation of the world” reveals that sin was not unexpected by God. As an essential principle, justice must be satisfied before eternal life can be granted. If God’s justice were random and unpredictable, the understanding of sin would be confused, and the standard of perfection would be unclear. A perfect society could never function under such conditions. Therefore, a precise knowledge of right and wrong is essential. The process of being cleansed from sin and filled with good is the path that Jesus has opened. God’s justice will be clear and shown to be consistent, and righteousness will become universal.

“And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding‑place” (Isaiah 28:17 RVIC). “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent” (Zephaniah 3:9).

Wisdom

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).

Rather than preventing sin from entering the human family, God determined that the experience would have a more beneficial effect. Through mistakes, poor decisions, and personal suffering, mankind will learn the countless blessings that come from loyalty to godly principles. The elements of wisdom described by James will serve as the building blocks for every heart, just as they do for the saints during this Gospel Age. As difficult as life can be, the experience will provide a meaningful contrast for humanity in God’s kingdom. People will finally appreciate the Lord’s statement when he said, “Wisdom is justified of all her children” (Luke 7:35).

A standard definition of wisdom is “the ability to make sound judgments and decisions based on knowledge, experience, and understanding. It encompasses not just the accumulation of facts but also the insight to apply that knowledge effectively in various situations.”

Solomon described the purpose of life as “to know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give … to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels” (Proverbs 1:2‑5).

Through the Divine Plan, God is laying the foundation for wisdom to take root. Man will one day echo the words of Ecclesiastes 2:13. “Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.” Living in darkness leads to fear and distrust. Wisdom, however, creates light which aids decision‑making and enables one to see which course in life brings the most blessings.

Power

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth’” (Matthew 28:18).

The recovery of humanity is a difficult and complicated task, and the Divine Plan could never make it a reality without divine authority and power. Having provided the atoning sacrifice and being raised to the immortality inherent in the divine nature, our Lord now possesses both the authority and power to accomplish man’s recovery from sin. There is no opposing force that can prevent, or even delay, what God has decreed for our race. His plan will one day bring freedom from every form of oppression.

The Meaning of Freedom

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Freedom is not the right to do whatever one pleases. True freedom is limited to doing good for others and living according to righteous standards. In ancient Israel, God provided an opportunity for the people to bring their free‑will offerings. According to the Law of the People’s Burnt Offering (Leviticus 1), individuals were encouraged to bring either a young pigeon, a goat, a ram, or even a bull. These varied according to one’s ability and level of appreciation.

But whatever offering was presented, it was considered “a sweet savor unto the LORD.” It was not the size or value of the sacrifice that pleased God, but the fact that it was freely offered. This principle is at the heart of the Divine Plan. Mankind will one day come to understand that obedience and devotion to God will not deprive them of anything good or worthwhile. Instead, just the opposite is true. Devotion to God leads to a joyful life, filled with every blessing the heart could rightfully desire. This is echoed in James 1:17. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Blessing obedient children will always be the desire of God’s heart.

When humanity focuses on the example of devotion that Jesus exemplified, they will learn the meaning of true freedom. The scope of God’s plan will one day lead to freedom from, the many burdens that once enslaved this world.

“For the creation was made subject to frailty … in hope that even the creation itself will be emancipated from the slavery of corruption, into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:20, 21, Diaglott).

The echoes of Israel’s Passover celebration, a powerful reminder of their release from earthly bondage, find their ultimate fulfillment in the spiritual freedom offered through Jesus Christ. This is no fleeting liberty, but a profound deliverance anchored in the very character of God — His perfect love, unwavering justice, infinite wisdom, and unstoppable power. True freedom, as Christ defines it, is not the right to do as we please, but the glorious power to do what is right, good, and true. By embracing the path He has opened, we step out of the slavery of sin and fear and into a life of joyful purpose, confident in the ultimate hope that all creation will one day share in the magnificent “freedom of the glory of the children of God.”