The Bigger Picture - Exodus, Jesus, and the God of the Oppressed | Lent Devotional Day 34

Exploring the Meaning of Jesus’ Death
March 23, 2026
Written by: Ryan Hebel
 
The Bigger Picture -  Exodus, Jesus, and the God of the Oppressed

Scripture:
Then the LORD said, "I've clearly seen my people oppressed in Egypt. I've heard their cry of injustice because of their slave masters. I know about their pain.  I've come down to rescue them from the Egyptians in order to take them out of that land and bring them to a good and broad land, a land that's full of milk and honey….  
(Exodus 3:7-8)

Reflection:
The Black Theological perspective on atonement is deeply anchored in the broader Biblical narrative of the Exodus.  Considered a central and persistent underlying narrative in scripture, the Exodus centers God’s consistent concern for and presence with the oppressed, along with God’s desire to bring forth the rescue, redemption, and prosperity of people who are suffering injustice.  The experiences of the Hebrew people as conquered and exiled slaves in Egypt, followed by their bold and miraculous journey to freedom, connect deeply across time and geography with the black experience in America.  In addition to hope, Exodus offers bedrock evidence of God’s faithfulness in the midst of a powerless societal position and dehumanizing loss of cultural orientation imposed by brutal empirical overlords.  God’s concern for, some would say a preference for the poor and the oppressed, becomes a prominent biblical theme that is cemented by the Exodus narrative, and continues to weave its way as a powerful thread throughout the whole of scripture. This understanding legitimizes Jesus’ role as the ultimate liberator and bringer of freedom and justice in the black theological tradition.  

It is important to emphasize that Black Theology highlights Jesus’ victory over oppression and injustice as one who lived it himself, one who truly knows the depths of that suffering, and as a person of color.  In simpler terms, God is understood to be even more fully present with God’s people in their suffering through the savior’s incarnation. Jesus does not appear as an unrelatable white savior showing up from the outside to be the hero.  Instead, his suffering makes his subsequent resurrection and final victory over the suffering and oppression of God’s people even more miraculous and powerful within the black theological framework.
 
Celebrating Jesus’ triumph is expressed through a vibrant tradition of powerful and spirit-filled worship that is at the heart of the black church in America.  Now more than ever, this tradition resonates with, shapes, and influences understanding of the atonement and the worship life of the broader Church in America.  This evolution aligns with a living and breathing theological perspective that is anything but final, allowing space for Black Theology and the related atonement theory to continue to shift and grow in parallel with the current African-American experience.  

Prayer: 
God of the oppressed, of Moses, of the biblical Hebrews, and of all your people, help us to remember that where we can often experience your presence most vividly is with the poor and the oppressed.  May we, like you, actively bring comfort, hope, and liberation to those in our local communities and around the world who are most in need, by the power of Jesus’ death on the cross and the victory of his resurrection.  Amen.

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