The children of Israel were not only saved and redeemed from the
bondage of the Egyptians, but they were also _delivered_, that they
should not be led back again into bondage. Many are afraid; they think
they are not able to hold on, and therefore shrink from making a
profession. But Christ is able to keep you from falling; He is able to
deliver you in the dark hour of trial and temptation, from every evil
device of Satan, and from the snare of the fowler.
In Isaiah xlix. 24, we read: "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty,
or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, Even the
captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the
terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that
contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children." I will save him;
I will deliver him. The children of Israel were _saved_ from the cruel
bondage of Egypt, they were led out of the land of Goschen; but still
they were not fully _delivered_. The great host of the Egyptians was
thundering behind them. It was not till they had passed safely through
the Red Sea, which closing behind them, swallowed up the host of the
enemy--it was not till then that they were free, that they were
delivered.
And similarly in our times of danger we shall find it to be true of
Christ, "He delivered my soul"; and again in Job xxxiii. 24, "Then He
is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the
pit: I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be fresher than a child's:
he shall return to the days of his youth! he shall pray unto God, and
He will be favourable unto him: and he shall see His face with joy:
for He will render unto man His righteousness. He will deliver his
soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light."
Here we have the saving, the redeeming, the deliverance from the pit.
Man is fallen into the deep pit, he is kept there a lawful captive by
one who is mighty. If he is to be brought back from the darkness of
the pit to see the light, then we must have a ransom. Here God comes
forward, and says, "I have found a ransom." Christ is the ransom, and
He will deliver us. Sound out the cry, "Christ is our deliverer." He
is mighty to save, He is able to deliver.