Exodus 6:6-7 Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
I’ll be doing a series on the “Arm of God,” beginning with this first message — The Arm that Redeems. The Hebrew Z’roah (זְרוֹעַ) means “arm” or “strength,” and in ancient Hebrew culture, the arm symbolizes active power in motion — strength applied for a purpose. In the Exodus account, God tells Moses He will redeem Israel “with an outstretched arm” (bizroa netuyah). This was not poetic metaphor; it was God’s declaration of decisive intervention. The Z’roah is the covenant-keeping arm that moves history, enforces promises, and breaks oppression. Every Pesach (Passover), during the seder — the festive meal of remembrance — the roasted lamb shank bone, the Z’roah, rests on the plate as a silent yet powerful witness to God’s mighty deliverance.
Israel was powerless under Pharaoh’s grip. The people could not free themselves, and their cries seemed swallowed by the weight of slavery. But God’s arm was not shortened; He reached into the darkness, crushed Egypt’s false gods, and led His people out. The Exodus was not won by Israel’s might but by God’s own decisive action — the Z’roah moving in history.
Prophetically, the Z’roah is twofold: it brings judgment to the oppressor and salvation to the oppressed. Egypt was struck while Israel was shielded. This dual action foreshadowed the cross, where God’s judgment against sin and His mercy toward His people met in one act. The blood of the lamb on the doorposts and the outstretched arm of God are inseparable.
In Messianic fulfillment, Yeshua is the Z’roah revealed in human form. He is the arm by which God’s eternal plan was executed. On the cross, His arms were stretched wide — not in defeat, but in victory. His blood marked the doorway of our souls, and His resurrection became our Exodus from death.
For us today, redemption is not a distant memory but a present power. The same Z’roah that shattered Egypt’s grip still moves with unstoppable strength to break every chain and silence every enemy. Each Pesach, the shank bone proclaims without a voice: You are here because His arm reached for you; you live because the Lamb was slain for you. This is not mere history — it is the living story of the Arm that redeems, the blood that speaks, and the Shepherd who still carries His people toward the final rest. So stand in faith, lift your head, and walk in freedom — for His Arm still fights for you, and His embrace will never let you go.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]There are two kinds of birds that roam the desert: vultures and hummingbirds. The vulture thrives on a diet of rotting meat. He flies overhead searching for traces of leftover carcasses from slow-footed critters eaten by wild animals who’ve already had their fill.
In Biblical Hebrew, the verb tenses are not like our “past”, “present”, and “future” – there are only two: “perfect” and “imperfect”. The “imperfect” tense is that which is not yet, not done, or not completed. The “perfect” is that which is done, complete and finished.
In 2nd Samuel Chapter 9 we read of the story of King David and Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of the first king of Israel, King Saul. After Jonathan’s death, David went forth to show kindness to Saul’s house. Mephibosheth had become lame at the young age of five — he had lived his entire life as a cripple.
The burglar froze in place, allowing the woman to call the police and report the burglary calmly. When the police arrived and detained the man, the officer curiously asked him, “Why did you stop when she cited scripture?” The burglar, still shaken, replied, “Scripture? I thought she said she had an ax and two .38s!”
We’ve been serving in full-time ministry for over 25 years now, and throughout that journey, we’ve certainly experienced our share of trials and tribulations. Sometimes in life, we ask, “Lord, will this ever end?” And if you haven’t noticed, the challenges often don’t stop. But here’s the encouraging part: with every faith-testing moment, our spiritual endurance grows, our character is refined, and our trust in God deepens.
Epraphras is not a name you hear much of. He was a member of the church in Colosse, and obviously a dear saint in the Lord. We know that he suffered imprisonment with Paul at one time. But the thing that really impresses me about this saint is what Paul wrote about him– he always wrestled in prayer!
We often develop strategies, game-plans, life-plans – and then, at some obstacle or critical point, we say – “Just stick to the plan!” It’s usually good advice.
Life is always sending unexpected surprises, but praise God, nothing takes Him by surprise. He’s the master planner. Our family might turn against us, our friends let us down, illness, afflictions, problems and “situations” on every side…God still has a plan, for you, and for me.