‘I know suffering and have come to deliver’
The central saving act of God in the Hebrew Bible is the deliverance of Abraham’s children from slavery in Egypt—the Exodus. In scripture’s prelude to this mighty act is one of the tenderest, most assuring texts of the entire Bible: Then the LORD said, “I have seen the affliction of my people, and have heard their cry; I know their sufferings, and I have come…” (Exodus 3) I recently recognized a charity known as #Stand-UpToJewishHate. You may have seen their symbol on sites such as Instagram. It is a simple blue square. The website notes: “The Jewish population makes up only 2.4% of the U.S. population, yet Jews face 55% of all religious hate crimes, according to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.” Is this something that should draw our attention?
