The act of deliverance usually makes people happy and gives them hope. Whether it is delivering a package in the mail, or delivering a baby, deliverance is a vital part of our lives. As Christians, we have hope in deliverance through Jesus Christ. A hope that will last for eternity. The Psalmist says that the Lord will deliver us (Psalm 34:17). But now Christ delivers us from our sins (Romans 6:23). In this study, we are going to look at deliverance from the Old Testament and the New Testament, to see just how important deliverance is to us. So let us begin our study of extraordinary deliverance’s.   

There are many examples of deliverance in the Old Testament. The first one we are going to look at is in Genesis. Specifically, Noah and the flood. The Scripture references to this account are Genesis 6:9-8:18. The story goes that Noah and his family, by the instruction of the Lord, built an ark. An ark large enough to house his family and the animals with him. God sent rain on the earth, and it flooded the earth completely. Man was completely destroyed, leaving only Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives on the earth. In Genesis 8:18 it says, “ So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives.” So we can see that Noah and his family survived the flood. But it was only because of the Lord’s instruction and most importantly, Noah’s faith that they were saved.

Another example of faith in the Old Testament is the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery. This is such an interesting story, as it begins the journey for Israel as their own nation. In Exodus 6:6 God says, “Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.” As the story goes they escape, but the Egyptians follow them. The Israelites come to the Red Sea in which they could not cross. All hope seemed lost. With the Egyptians drawing ever closer to them, God through Moses, parted the sea. In Exodus 14:26-31 the story goes as follows: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.”Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen-the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” So as we can see, God once again delivers his people.

We could continue to look at all of the examples of deliverance in the Old Testament. We could look at Joseph and his deliverance from his brothers (Genesis 45:6-7). We could also look at the deliverance of Jerusalem from the hand of Assyria (Isaiah 37:6-7). The Psalms also speak quite frequently about deliverance (Psalm 17:13, Psalm 105, Psalm 107:20). But the New Testament also has some things to say about deliverance. It also tells of the most important deliverer of all, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Acts 4:11-12 says this, “Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Peter tells us that Jesus and only Jesus, can save us. He is our redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). But just how de we have redemption through Christ? It was because of his sacrifice on the cross. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “”He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”” If it wasn’t for the crucifixion, we would not have redemption.

We are also redeemed through his blood that was shed on the cross. Ephesians 1:7 declares, “ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Romans 5:9 says we have been “justified by his blood.” His blood cleanses us of all our iniquities. His blood and his sacrifice makes forgiveness of sins possible.

We also have hope of eternal life because of his sacrifice. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” When we sin, the result of that sin is eternal death. But God has delivered us from that spiritual death by sending his son to die on the cross. Eternal life is the gift of God, but it was only made possible by Jesus Christ.

 
So as we come to a conclusion, we know that God delivers. He delivers us physically and he delivers us spiritually. God delivers us from spiritual death and brings us to eternal life. But it is only possible through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).