OVERTURE
The term “out-cry” is an important theme in biblical salvation theology. It culminates in the Exodus story of the Old Testament which connects Israel to its historical identity and origin. “Out-cry” is very significant especially when it comes from an oppressed people. To understand the importance of “Out-Cry” in Israel’s salvation history, one must first and foremost understand the Exodus story and its theology as it relates to the people of Israel, the chosen people of God. As a reality, “Out-Cry” of an oppressed people is significant to the Name of God who is Omni-Presence and Omniscience. Thus, he who is “Omni-presence- I AM, I AM” (Exodus 3:14) of the Old Testament is still the “Emmanuel- God is with us” of the New Testament. God is always present in the live of his people especially the oppressed, marginalized, orphans and those who have no one to care for them. This implies that whenever God will always manifests his power in the history of His people especially against oppressive system that caused His people to “Cry-Out”. God hears the “Out-Cry” of his people as it reveals His true name and identity as being in the history of his people.
THE EXODUS STORY
The Exodus story is the heart of Jewish religion and all who follow the Jewish religion. Whatever Israel came to know of God and their history is embelished in the encounter with God and Moses in Egypt. Thus, the Exodus story is a story of Israel’s salvation, liberation and redemption. It is the story that made Israel a people; their very first experience of God as a liberator and savior. It connects Israel to its historical past as slaves in Egypt; slaves of Pharaoh. As slaves, Israel has no identity, no origin, no history and no name. Israel did not know anything about God, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses questioning of God to tell him who he was or who is sending him shows a glimpse of the fact that Israel has lost the history of who they were. This is typical of a slave in the ancient times. In the ancient times, slaves were led through a process of memory lose to become completely the property of their master. Slaves have no name as they bear the name of their master. They bear marks, seal or wear an object of the master to show they are a property of the master. With this indelible mark, a slave cannot escape from the master and that is why he is a slave forever. Israel was slave of Pharaoh in Egypt. In fact Israel belongs to Pharaoh who was a great master and was also worshipped as a god. Pharaoh as a god in Egypt determined whether Israel will live or not. The story of Exodus began when a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph came to power. He became threatened by the geometrical increase of the population of the Israelites. The Egyptians became afraid that one day these people (Israel) will team up with invaders and fight them. This fear has an antecedent ranging to the historical story of the “Hyksos” (who were labourers) from Palestine who came into Egypt and after a long number of years, they entered the government and through that form, overtook the government of Egypt and ruled for more than 300years). The Egyptians did not want history to repeat itself and so they undertook a certain measures to checkmate its growing population. The measures include; killing of male children and hard labour. These made Israel to “Cry-out” and God heard their cry and send Moses to rescue them.
HE IS TRUE TO HIS NAME!
One thing significant about “Out-cry” is that it addressed God by His proper name and calls on him to look with pity on His people in difficutly and irregular situations. For His love endures forever and He is true to His name! On hearing the “out-cry” of the Israelites, God revealed himself to Moses as an Omni-present God, “I AM, I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Before giving Moses his mission of liberating his people, he took Moses down the memory lane of the Patriarchs of Israel; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This he did in order to reinstate Israel’s identity and origin as his people following the promise he made to Abraham and his descendants forever. He gave them a land and made them his people. He made Moses perform so many signs and wonders before Pharaoh just to claim ownership of his people. With these, they no longer belong to the might of Pharaoh as slaves but freemen in God who is mightier than Pharaoh. The theological import of “Out-Cry” culminates in Exodus 3:7 when God says “I have heard the out-cry of my people”. This shows that God is concerned with the situation of human beings. He is the God against every oppressive system.
“OUT-CRY AND THE REST OF US”
From the above, we have seen that God is always involved in the history of humanity no matter the situation. He is ever-present among us espeially in difficult time. So, whenever we find ourselves in any oppressive system, let us not loose sight of the presence of God. Let us not lose patience of God’s ever abiding presence in any oppressive situation and turn to serve the god of our oppressors. He is God of the oppressed and always true to His name in an oppressive system. He will vindicate the just when the time comes! We ought always to pray and keep watch so that we don’t sing God’s song on alien soil by being on the side of our oppressor. Fear God, fear judgment!
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