He was a slave who had to fight for survival since the first day of his life. Not to be killed by the hand of Pharaoh, who ordered all male babies be executed for fear of growth of the Jewish population, his mother placed him in a basket and sent him downriver. Moses’ fate was now in the hands of the Eternal God.
Moses was raised among all of Egypt’s luxury and science. The greatest civilization of the time was intimidating because of its wealth, magic, knowledge and, above all, power. Especially with the presence of monumental and enigmatic pyramids and sphinxes. But, if on the one hand, Egypt boasted with its ultra-modern cities, on the other, it oppressed. Hebrews slaves, descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, the chosen people of the Most High, were subdued and humiliated by pagans. Moses, who was now a man of Egyptian royalty, the same royalty that afflicted his people with a stiff neck, saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and became so angry that he killed him. This is why he fled.
From here on begins the saga of a righteous man who gives up the kingdom to obey the call of God. But not before spending 40 years in the wilderness and overcoming several battles. Upon receiving the responsibility to free the people from slavery, he resisted, was insecure, fearful, terrified. For at least five times, Moses opposed to fulfill this mission. Before the Lord Himself, he tried to refuse, but when he saw that for every difficulty he presented, God had a solution, he began belittle himself. He said no one would believe him, that he didn’t know how to express himself properly, he was unable to convince someone, and therefore, God would be better off sending someone else. All in an attempt to dodge this great, but very difficult responsibility.
And this is where many of us can identify with Moses. Certainly, the Most High was with him at all times, and never let him down. But as a human being, Moses felt the pressure of this responsibility, the inner conflicts and what he would have to face in front of the people, the concern for having to lead no less than 3 million people and returning to Egypt after so many years. All of this affected Moses emotionally and psychologically, just like it affects many people facing a challenge or a problem that seems unsolvable. Moses is a reflection of those who doubt themselves, their own ability and a future that is often threatening.
Although the problems are different, the challenges are different and the enemies nowadays act differently, the story of Moses, which remains very similar to ours, shows that those who are discouraged and lost in their own desert can become a great deliverer. Even if it’s a deliverer of themselves.
The entire story of Moses, his journey from birth to the people’s entry into the promised land, the great moment when we see the arrogant pharaoh fall down and recognize the sovereignty of the Mighty I AM, the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea with effects produced by those who know the movie the world best – Hollywood –, is told in 150 episodes.
Record TV is investing heavily in an overproduction directed to everyone, without distinction. “The Ten Commandments”, the first soap opera in the world based on a Biblical story, will be an opportunity, not only to learn more about faith, Jewish customs or how people who were dominated by an oppressive empire managed to overcome and form their own nation, but to turn the viewer’s living room into a movie theater, where everyone can come together and identify themselves with the various characters without feeling embarrassed. Unlike many shows, movies and soaps, that instead of bringing unity, destroy families.
“The Ten Commandments” will debut Monday (23) at 8:30pm. Are you going to miss it?