Redemption has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I would hold new cards and wonder “what is the story behind this picture?”, or as the game began to advance “why does this card have this special ability?”. These questions always pointed me back to the Word of God and gave me a rich connection to the stories in the Bible. Sometimes my reading would make me think of a card, other times a card would prompt me to open my Bible.
In this series of articles, I will draw attention to some “stats” on a Redemption card. Most of the time it will be the special ability, but there are times (like today’s card) where the very structure or brigades of the card will help us tell a story!
The first thing we notice is that this two sided card has an identifier explaining that it comes into play as the green Site “Banks of the Nile”. Why? Let’s dig in! This card comes to us from the book of Exodus. Due to Pharaoh’s Murderous Order, the Hebrew people in the land of Egypt lived in fear that their male children would be drowned. A Hebrew woman named Jochebed gave birth to a son during this time. She had an older son Aaron and a daughter we’ll discuss more in a moment. Let’s see what the Bible says about what Jochebed did next:
“But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.” – Exodus 2:3-4.
The sister we’re reading about it is none other than Miriam the green brigade Hero. In Redemption, Miriam used to strike fear into evil gold users as they built their decks haunted by this thought: “If my opponent uses green, or splashes Miriam in, they could walk through my Egyptians all day!” Why does she have this ability?
“Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said. Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” – Exodus 2:5-7
Miriam “ignored” the Egyptian boundaries and “walked right in for the win”. As she was Helping Pharaoh’s Daughter, she was also secretly reconnecting her little brother to their mother, and ultimately setting up God’s plan for deliverance!
Let’s visit the ghost of Redemption past for a moment. We’re transporting back to around the year 2006. Gold brigade usually contributed a powerful 4 card portion of even the smallest defenses: King of Tyrus, King Elah, Evil Spirit, and The Priest set had just given us Wonders Forgotten. Bigger defenses included Swift Horses, Failed Objected, Enslaved By Egypt, Potipher’s Wife and more. Add this information to the fact that everyone was already running Provisions and Search in their deck and you better believe Miriam looked like a pretty useful hero! For committed gold players the direct counter to Miriam during this time was Pharaoh’s Throne Room, which required you to draw the Fortress in time and to have a Pharaoh in play. During Booster draft at the 2008 National Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, I remember opening my first Rock of Ages tin to see another great option against Miriam!
Back to our story. This baby drawn out of the Nile grew up, and his name was Moses. He was raised by the Egyptians, and trained in Pharaoh’s Court. Moses‘ separation from family is even noticable on cards in the fact that while both Miriam and Aaron are green Heroes, Moses is a gold Hero. Moses‘ family members are all denied access to the Site by brigade, but his sister is denied by the “site twist” most of all. When the Site is occupied, Miriam is no longer able to “ignore” the borders and “walk in freely”. Moses was a man. A noble in Egypt. No more would he be taken care of by his family.
Fast forward. Moses would then be humbled through a hard season of his life, trading the comfort of Egypt for shepherd work in the plains of Midian. But by God’s power this Moses would again “gain access” to Pharaoh’s Court and seek an audience with the Pharaoh. This time not as a refugee, but as a RESCUER! God saved Moses so that he might save others. “Let My People Go!”
Thank you for reading, I pray The Story Behind The Stats articles give you a little insight into some of the awesome ways Redemption brings the Bible to life over the years!
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