Oppressed Americans are like Pharaoh's slaves

Have you watched this?

I’m glad you have now. Ms. Jones is right - we should be thankful that the Black community rarely seeks revenge for their oppression. If you’re in a position of privilege, as I am, you should be afraid. But not of the Black community.

The Holy Bible illustrates a story of one people, descended from Abraham, who were routinely oppressed by their neighbors. Their central story is Yahweh’s deliverance from Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and Egypt’s gods. Those nations who oppressed the children of Abraham all come to ruin when Yahweh’s patience ends. Egypt, Babylon, Rome. Conservative American Christians use this fact as evidence that we must, at all costs, defend Israel to preserve ourselves from Yahweh’s retribution. Oh, how misguided we are.

Martin Luther King Jr. paired the cause of Black equality and justice with the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Was this mere rhetoric? Consider the following:

Rosewood, Florida, 1923. A peaceful Black community of 200 was overrun by a white mob well over 500 over one week at the allegation of sexual abuse. Their homes were torched and several were murdered. The rest fled into the Florida swamps. There was no prosecution, and the community never returned.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1921. Greenwood, a peaceful Black suburb, was invaded by over 1,500 white rioters. 75 black men, some WWI veterans, tried in vain to defend their community against the incursion. 1,256 homes were torched over 35 city blocks in less than 24 hours. When the national guard arrived, their contribution was primarily to imprison 6,000 male Greenwood residents. Between 100-300 people were killed, and 8,000 rendered homeless. What sparked the riot? A false rumor of sexual assault.

When Pharaoh began to oppress the children of Israel, he did it for fear that they would depose him. To prevent them from rising, he ordered all of their male children to be killed at birth and ground the people into the dust with forced labor. His fear was misplaced - Yahweh their God brought judgment upon Pharaoh and, in a reversal of Pharaoh’s oppression, killed his firstborn.

The Egyptians did not hold authority, but all of their firstborn were lost, and Yahweh looted them and gave their riches to the children of Israel. Though you and I don’t make the decisions that lead to the oppression of our fellow humans, this does not preclude us from paying for the sins of our nation. What say we pay now, out of a generous and repentant heart, instead of later by the just hand of God?

Thank you Kimberly Jones for your bravery in sharing this video, and for David Jones' decision to release it on Youtube in June instead of waiting for the documentary.