As I began rereading through the Old Testament again this year, I the repetition of the phrase, “House of Bondage” stuck with me. The phrase is found 10 times beginning with Exodus 13:3 and ending with Judges 6:8. Each time it is used, it refers to Egypt and the slavery and torment the Israelites endured there. This graphic phrase is how the Lord wanted His people to remember exactly what Egypt was for them…a “house of bondage.”
God’s people were in Egypt for over 400 years. What started out as a safe-haven during a 7-year famine in the land, ended up being a 400+ year plight for God’s people. Why did they stay? Why did they not go to the Promised Land? Had they grown content?
In the beginning, thanks to Joseph’s stature and prominence, the Israelites were treated well as beloved guests. Maybe having plenty, and being comfortable, lulled them to sleep. So what if they had not continued into the ‘promised land?’ Did it matter? Had they gotten too comfortable in the land of ‘good enough.’ It would seem as though they forgot God’s promises, God’s covenant with Abraham…and had largely forgotten God.
Yet as we see from these texts, the people began complaining and would do so up until the end of 40 years in the wilderness. Also during these 40 years in the wilderness, all of the adults over the age of 20 when leaving Egypt, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, would die in the wilderness due to their sin and rejection of God. They actually regretted leaving Egypt and following the Lord. They actually begin to reminisce about Egypt, their House of Bondage, as the proverbial ‘good ‘ol days.’
The parallel for us today is that we, as humans, do the same thing. We repeatedly turn back to the ‘house of bondage,’ and the sin that so easily enslaves us. Often times, we too return to what is familiar to us…especially if we do not understand what the Lord is doing. Instead, we need to resolve it in our hearts and minds, that we will only seek the Lord and His grace and mercy, and not desire to the old habits and sinful lifestyle that had us enslaved for so long.