Lent: Expression

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Blessing #31 - Creativity

This week's Community Art Project was based on Exodus 7-12, the 10 Plagues on Egypt.  I got it in my head that I wanted the death of the first-born.  I'm not entirely sure that what I turned in was what they were looking for, but I have this idea of that particular plague extending past the edges of the Israelites' time in Egypt.  Let me show you what I mean:

The first first-born to be called up for death at his parent's hand was Isaac, and, therein, we have the beginning of a pattern: The potential for a child to be the atonement for sin.  At the last minute, G-d stopped Abraham and provided a ram, a foreshadowing of the replacement to come for our own death sentences.

Of course, the next major showing is the death of Pharaoh's son, because of Pharaoh's stubborn heart.  Our stubborn choices don't only affect ourselves, they can lead to the downfall of others around us, too.  G-d warns us that He has our best interests at heart, but we don't listen.  We never listen.

The next isn't pictured, but it is the story of Jephthah foolishly and arrogantly promising G-d that he will sacrifice the first thing that runs out the door to meet him upon his return from war.  Of course, that thing ended up being his young daughter.  I believe that this is a prime example of how we shouldn't try to prove our piety to G-d.  In reality, that proof does nothing to serve G-d; it only serve our own egos.  Jephthah had to learn this the hard way.

The last death that I can think of off-hand is that of Christ.  Throughout the entire Old Testament, He is alluded to as the Sacrificial Lamb to cleanse us of our sins - from the ram that save Isaac, to the cross-shaped markings the Israelites left on their doors to redeem their first-borns, to the words of Christ Himself.

It's awe-inspiring to me to see these patterns unfold throughout the Bible, and so I attempted to capture them into a single drawing under the header "Death of the First-Born."  I hope that in looking at it, you can find some reassurance that your plan for salvation was in place since the dawn of time.

What is your favorite theme in Scripture?