Hope springs eternal

The Prince of Egypt is an adaptation of the Exodus story.

The Exodus retold in glorious animation leads to some surprising revelations which we might normally miss.

First to be depicted in The Prince of Egypt is the slavery of the Hebrews. Who can really know the hardship that the Hebrews went through in the hands of the Egyptian Pharaoh? We will never know no matter how hard we try because we were never there. The cracking of whips on the backs of the slaves, old men, women and children carrying pails of water, bundles of straw, sacks of mud, and slabs of stones. There’s also the murder of Hebrew children as ordered by the Pharaoh. Also depicted here is how Moses, as a baby, is miraculously delivered by the Pharaoh’s daughter. All these are shown in the film with a backdrop of prayer for deliverance. It was a very difficult time.

Another aspect that might have slipped our observation is the relationship between Moses and Rameses, the Pharaoh (who Moses had to oppose). The chariot races and pranks done together by the young Rameses and Moses shown in the movie are imaginatively done. But when I thought about it, the idea didn’t seem as crazy as it may seem. Moses had been an Egyptian prince respected and accepted by the Egyptians as one of their own. Rameses and Moses may have been close, even the best of friends. They may have looked out for each other, covered for each other’s mistakes. So imagine how it would feel to stand up against someone on whose side you were once on. Someone whom you once trusted your life with. Someone who trusted you with his life. Someone you once called "brother."

Realizing how Moses had been revered as a prince, think about his reintroduction to Hebrew culture after he realizes who he really is. He was once cruel to these people, so he cannot expect a grand welcome from them. He must have been ridiculed, even scoffed at. How can they trust him for he once was cruel to them. He had to go through all that to gain the acceptance of the people he is destined to lead.

The script contains many messages of hope. Such lines as "a single thread in the tapestry can be left unnoticed in a grand design," and "look at your life through heaven’s eyes." My favorite is Moses telling the people, "The Pharaoh can take away your own life, but there is one thing he can’t take away from you – your faith. Believe and you will see God’s wonders." This is the theme of the film, as its theme song also goes: "Many nights we pray, with no proof anyone could hear. In our hearts a song of hope we barely understood. Now we are not afraid, although we know there’s much to fear. We were moving mountains long before we knew we could. There can be miracles, when you believe..."

I’m 28, single, and I’m living in a difficult time when there is rampant corruption, employment is scarce and wars are being fought. Everywhere I look, there seems to be a protest going on and our battered nation has an air of hopelessness. Watching the story of the Exodus on film in a way we can easily understand may give us the hope we are about to lose.

There is a God who hears our cries. A God who fights our battles for us. A God who delivers. He has done it once, so there is no reason He can’t do it again. This time, for us. Idealistic? I don’t think so. Let’s not forget that the Exodus is not just a myth or a tale. It truly happened. It happened only be by the power of a living God.

All we need to do is to stand firm on our faith. To patiently wait for God’s opportune time. At this point when "hope is frail," I’m holding on to Exodus. I’m making it a cornerstone of my faith. I have nothing to lose.