Exodus-The LORD rules over the “lord of the flies”

Despite the plague of gnats Pharaoh hardened his heart, once again refusing to the let the Israelites leave Egypt. The LORD instructed Moses to approach Pharaoh yet again, this time promising to unleash a plague that would make a clear distinction between the people of Pharaoh and the LORD’s own people. God had adopted the enslaved nation of Israel as His very own people, just as He had promised in Exodus 6:7 when He said: “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” As a sign of His favour upon the Israelites, God Himself promised to ensure that none of the future plagues upon Egypt would touch the Israelites.

The fourth plague, although described in most Biblical translations as a plague of swarms of flies, could also have been swarms of scarab beetles. The Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts do not specify what insects the swarms comprised, and the words “of flies” were added in most modern translations of the Bible. The scarab beetle was revered in ancient Egypt. One of the leading gods in the Egyptian pantheon, Amon Ra, was sometimes depicted with the head of a scarab beetle and the body of a man. The Egyptians believed that Ra (their sun-god), son of Amon Ra, pushed the “sun-disc” across the sky like a scarab beetle pushes rolled dung across the ground. Amulets shaped like scarab beetles were often worn around the neck to ward off evil. Other Biblical scholars think the fourth plague may have been swarms of dog-flies. Dog-flies attack dogs by biting their ears, causing wounds where they lay their eggs. The wounds often become infected if not treated, and maggots emerge from under the broken, dead skin. Dogs were also revered in Egypt through their worship of Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead so the dog-flies would have caused great consternation among the Egyptian people, possibly causing them to believe that their own gods were turning against each other! Either way, the flies must have been an annoyance to the Egyptians, possibly even causing contamination of food and resulting in illness.

The fly (or scarab) god of the Egyptians remained silent as they endured the ordeal and the LORD showed the Egyptians that He is LORD over every creature; their lord of the flies was no lord at all! Pharaoh tried to compromise with the Israelites, saying they could worship God in the land of Egypt but Moses stood his ground. He pointed out that the Egyptians would be offended by their sacrifices of livestock, since they were already offended by the Israelites’ livelihood as shepherds. One can imagine that this occupation must have been an affront to the Egyptian goddess, Hathor (the cow goddess). However, the primary reason that Moses did not agree to this compromise was because God had declared how He should be worshiped and in order for their worship to be true worship, the Israelites must worship in the way God had commanded. Pharaoh, pretending to relent, pleaded with Moses to intercede for the nation of Egypt. Moses prayed and the plague ceased; however, Pharaoh once again hardened his heart and refused to let the people of Israel go.

We may learn many lessons from the Biblical account of the fourth plague. God desires to make a distinction between His people and those who stubbornly choose to reject His authority. He knows His own and He has their best interests at heart. The times of reckoning are fast approaching. Whose side will you be on when Jesus Christ comes in glory?

Scripture refs: Exodus 8:20-32, Genesis 46:33-34, Rev 14:6-12

Abiding and Asking: John 15:1-11, John 17, John 14, James 4:3, Matt 6:19-34, Eph 3:20, Is 5:1-7

Shortly before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus talked with his disciples and described Himself as the True Vine. He described his disciples as branches of the Vine, deeply connected to Him. Of their accord and in their own strength they could not be fruitful; their fruitfulness in things of eternal value, represented by His saving mission to the unbelieving world, would depend wholly upon their connection to Him. In this area, some would be found wanting, their profession of faith and their connection to Him not being found genuine but nominal at best (John 15:1-11, Is 5:1-7).

Those who genuinely had a personal saving relationship with Him would be given the privilege of asking anything in His Name and having it granted. “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you,” were Jesus’ words to them.

Many people, Christians included, have misinterpreted this statement to mean that God is a genie who will grant us whatever we pray for. Our prayers therefore often represent our shallow, selfish desires for the temporal things of this world. We pray for bigger houses, flashier cars and all the trimmings and trappings of what we consider prosperity to be, not realising that true success and prosperity is much more than outward appearances. We are sourly disappointed when our prayers are not answered, sometimes for our own good. James 4:3 states that we ask amiss, that we may indulge our selfish lusts. What kind of prayer did Jesus have in mind in John 15 when He said we should ask anything in His Name and He would grant it?

In order to understand what Jesus meant, it is essential to read the chapters of Scripture before and after John 15 where this promise was made. In this way, we can correctly comprehend what Jesus was saying to His disciples and to us today. In John 14, Jesus told His disciples that He would soon be leaving the world to go back to His Father. However, He promised that He would send His Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Helper, who would dwell within every genuine believer. In this way, God would tabernacle with His people, convicting them of sin, comforting them and empowering them for the Great Commission that lay ahead of them. Every believer who asks for the Holy Spirit will have his request granted, for it is God’s Will that His Spirit abide in every believer (Luke 11: 5-13). Jesus then asked His disciples to “abide in Him” just as He abides in His Father. The “abiding in me” is the condition for the fulfilment of the “asking”. This means that our prayers will only be granted if we “abide in Christ.” “Abiding” means to have a close personal, saving relationship with Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life. Now, the question remains. What do the prayers of someone close to Christ look or sound like?

The answer is found in the same chapter of John 15 in Jesus’ expectation of spiritual fruitfulness in His disciples as well as texts like John 17, aptly titled the “The High Priestly Prayer of Christ.” Jesus always prayed for the Father to be glorified. He prayed for His disciples and for later generations of believers. He prayed for the salvation of the world. Throughout His ministry, He prayed for the healing of the sick and those facing temptation. It is clear therefore that the prayers of those who are in a saving relationship with Christ will be prayers that reflect the character of Christ and the desire of Christ i.e. that the whole world come to know and believe in Him and none perish. This, together with adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication for our needs [not greed], should be our primary aim in prayer. Even the pleasures that God in His grace grants us in this temporal world are to be for His ultimate glory and the advance of His Kingdom. The hearts of those surrendered to the Saviour beat in tune with His Great Heart, seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness. God will delight in their prayers and grant them the desires of their hearts, above and beyond what they could ever imagine (Matt 6:19-21, 24-34; Eph 3:20).

 

Into the Sea of Forgetfulness

Further than East is from the West,
Much further than North to South;
Into the Sea of Forgetfulness,
The Lord my sins did cast…

Oh happy day, Oh Day of Days;
My Accuser no long taunts!
Oil and water never did mix,
But Justice and Mercy kissed…

The Cross of Christ on which He died
Has long suffered corruption and decay,
But my Redeemer lives, has paid for my sins;
I trust in Him each day…

The Sea of Forgetfulness wide extends,
Its mysterious depths so vast;
Glory to God in the Highest!
He has buried my sins in my past…

Scripture references:

“He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities and cast our sins into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:19

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12

No one is like the LORD; He is Sovereign

Despite the many warnings and the first two plagues, Pharaoh continued his stubborn refusal to let the Israelites go. Perhaps his excuse was that his court magicians could replicate these signs. If so, the LORD planned to give him enough evidence of His authority and sovereignty over the magicians and the false “gods” of Egypt. The third plague would be a turning point in the process of deliverance of Israel; from this point on the magicians of Egypt would no longer be able to replicate any of the plagues that the LORD would bring upon Egypt. In fact, many of the plagues that were to follow would make a clear distinction between the people of Pharaoh and the people of the LORD.

The Biblical narrative on the third plague is not very extensive when compared to that of the first two plagues. In Genesis, God had formed man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into him the breath of life. In Exodus 8 God, out of the very same dust, created gnats to invade the land of Egypt as punishment upon the sons of disobedience. From the very same dust God, in His infinite power, was able to create man-the pinnacle of His creation-as well as gnats, the lowliest of creation. There are many types of gnats found in the natural environment; some are harmless while others have the ability to bite or sting.  The gnats clung to man and beast and were a great source of torment, hence one can reasonably assume that the gnats that invaded Egypt were of the biting or stinging variety.

The magicians of Egypt, try as they might, were neither able to reproduce the sign nor were they able to reverse it. “This is the Finger of God!” they exclaimed to Pharaoh. However, Pharaoh once again hardened his heart against the sign and Egypt was left to suffer once more.

Scripture refs: Exodus 8:16-19

Exodus-The LORD is the lifeblood and source, part 2

When Pharaoh refused to heed the sign of the first plague, the LORD instructed Moses and Aaron to confront him again. The LORD would have Pharaoh know that He planned to deliver His people regardless of Pharaoh’s actions. Pharaoh could have saved himself and his people a lot of suffering by listening to the word of the LORD as delivered to him by God’s prophets, Moses and Aaron. The LORD desired that Pharaoh should know Him as Creator and Sustainer of all things. If Pharaoh refused to let Israel go the Nile, considered Egypt’s lifeblood, would become a source of death. Frogs would spawn in the river and invade the entire land, even the private chambers of the Egyptians, their ovens and kneading troughs.

In Ancient Egypt Heket, the frog goddess was worshipped as protector and guardian of pregnant women.  It was no coincidence that God chose that the frogs should come out of the Nile, the very river into which the cruel monarch had decreed the Hebrew baby boys be thrown and left to drown. The Egyptians, though they worshipped Heket, had shown no compassion for the Hebrew mothers and their newborn sons. God intended to show that He alone is guardian and protector of every person. Not even the cravings of Egypt’s pregnant women would be satisfied when they found frogs in their ovens!

The magicians were able to reproduce the sign, making more frogs come upon the land, but they were powerless to reverse it. Pharaoh acknowledged their powerlessness by requesting Moses to plead with the LORD to remove the frogs from the land. Moses, not wanting Pharaoh to attribute the cessation of the plague to coincidence, set a specific time when he would pray and the plague would cease. However, when the plague abated after Moses’ prayer, Pharaoh hardened his heart and broke his promise to let the Israelites leave Egypt.

The frogs died in the houses, ovens, courtyards and fields of Egypt and the disgusting odour lingered over Egypt. Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to let Israel go was affecting not only himself, but also his people. His hardheartedness was the cause of great suffering to his own people; they were slaves to the consequences of his poor decision-making and leadership. The Egyptians, no doubt, must have been questioning their king’s leadership as their suffering increased and they were literally the ones left to “clean up the mess” in Egypt.

The LORD once again proved to Pharaoh that He is the sovereign ruler of all things, even the Nile and the lowliest creatures that inhabited it. The LORD alone could decide the fate of kings and nations, raising them up or bringing them to ruin. He alone is the lifeblood and source of all things.

Scripture references: Exodus 8:1-15 

 

 

 

Exodus-The LORD is the Lifeblood and Source

Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh to request the freedom of the people of Israel, as the LORD had commanded them. They performed the initial sign that should have been proof enough to Pharaoh that the LORD had sent them to deliver Israel. However Pharaoh hardened his heart, just as God had predicted, and he refused to let Israel leave Egypt.

It was the LORD’s intention that Egypt, as well as His chosen people Israel, would know that He alone reigned supreme over creation and every god conceived by the heart of mankind. The LORD clearly identified Himself with His chosen people even though they were a nation enslaved by Pharaoh. God wanted to show Pharaoh that His authority was not diminished by the weakened state that Israel found themselves in; His authority was in fact so great that He would deliver His people and show the nations His unmatched authority.

In Ancient Egypt, the Nile River was the source of life and fertility. Its annual flooding resulted in nutrient-rich mineral deposits along its banks, enabling the Egyptians to plant and irrigate their crops to obtain an abundant harvest. The Nile was also the main source of drinking water for the Egyptians and their livestock. Egypt was often described as a “fertile crescent” because of the Nile River. As a result of the Egyptians’ dependence on the Nile, various cults developed and many Egyptians worshipped the Nile god, Hapi. Hapi was depicted as a man with long hair, a protruding belly and the pendulous breasts of an old woman. The large belly and breasts signified the fertility of the Nile, the lifeblood of Egypt. An old Egyptian hymn states that if Hapi were to fail in granting the Egyptians the annual inundation of the Nile, all the gods would fall to the earth and mankind would perish. Hapi was often regarded as the father of the gods. Hatmehyt was fish-goddess of Egypt and was believed to reside in the river.

Pharaoh’s hardened heart resulted in the LORD’s first physical judgment on Egypt. When Aaron struck the Nile with his rod at God’s command, all the water in Egypt turned to blood and the Nile began to stink. The fish in the river died. This signified that the LORD reigned supreme over the Egyptian god of the Nile, Hapi, as well as their fish-goddess, Hatmehyt. Even the water in vessels of wood and stone turned to blood, signifying that this act could not be ascribed to any natural cause. However, because the Egyptians dug along the Nile for drinking water and their magicians were able to perform the same sign, Pharaoh once again hardened his heart and refused to let Israel go. It was significant that the magicians were able only to copy the signs the LORD performed, but not reverse them. The deities of Egypt and Pharaoh himself were powerless. The LORD showed Egypt that He is the lifeblood of mankind. He is the Creator and source of all things, even the Nile River on which they so depended.

 

Scripture references: Exodus 7:14-25

Exodus-Pharaoh's sovereignty challenged

Can you imagine standing before an arrogant king with just a staff in your hand? The LORD has tasked you with the awesome mission of being His agent to deliver His people out of slavery. In case the king demands a sign to prove you are sent by God, He has shown you that when you throw down your staff, it will turn into a serpent. The king, angry at your intrusion into his royal chamber, demands that you prove that God sent you to him. You throw down your rod and it turns into a serpent. You feel vindicated! God is at last showing up to deliver His people. Then, horror of horrors, the king’s magicians throw down their staffs and they become serpents too! The angry monarch glares at you petulantly. Your mind races and there is a lump in your throat. It seems like time is standing still. “What now?” you think.

 One could only imagine the trepidation that Aaron and Moses felt as they stood before Pharaoh. It must have taken every fibre of their faith to remain standing in the presence of the king of Egypt after what looked like the beginnings of a colossal failure. They were reluctant missionaries on a seemingly ridiculous errand. However, God had a plan! Just as hope seemed to fade away, the serpent that had come from Aaron’s staff swallowed up the magicians’ serpents! God had come through for them; they must have breathed a sigh of relief as their hearts gave silent prayers of thanks to Him.

Historical records reveal that the Pharoahs often wore Uraei on their crowns. The Uraeus, in the stylized form of a rearing cobra, was an ornament that adorned the Pharaoh’s crown. It symbolized his divine authority and sovereign rule and was also symbolic of the goddess Wadjet, one of the earliest Egyptian deities, who was often depicted as a cobra. It therefore seemed a fitting sign to Pharoah when the serpent created by the LORD’s power swallowed those conjured up by Pharaoh’s magicians. This signified that Pharaoh’s sovereignty and rule was being challenged by the LORD and none of his gods could protect him or his kingdom from the one true God’s coming judgments.

 The LORD’s mission in Egypt was not just to deliver His people from Egyptian slavery. He planned to expose the idols of Egypt for what they really were; they were not gods for against the great God of the Universe, they were powerless. Pharaoh, though he was revered as a god by his people, was a mere man. This miracle, though dismissed by hard-hearted Pharaoh, was an omen of the coming destruction that Egypt and its king would face if they disregarded the Word of the Sovereign LORD by refusing to let Israel go.

Scripture references: Exodus 7:1-13 

Earnestly I'll Seek Your Face

My Saviour, My Redeemer
Earnestly, I’ll seek Your Face
Leaning on Your perfect Grace...

Strong forever,

Failing never;
You’ll lead me to the Promised Land,
Guiding with Your mighty Hand…

Strong Deliverer;

Break the pride of  my power
And make me completely Yours,
Yours forever…

My Shepherd, My Teacher

Tune my heart to ever be
Your ardent seeker…

I want to serve You;

I want to know You;
I want to love You
All the days of my life…

Champion of Heaven,

Light in the darkness;
Earnestly, I’ll seek Your Face,
Your glory never fades...

My Saviour, My Redeemer

Earnestly, I’ll seek Your Face
Leaning on Your perfect Grace

Earnestly, I’ll seek Your Face

Forever...

Exodus-The Question of Pharaoh's Hard Heart

Reading through the book of Exodus, have you ever wondered about God’s role in hardening the heart of Pharaoh?  In Ex 4:21 the LORD, in commissioning Moses, stated that He would harden the heart of Pharaoh so that he would not grant Moses’ request to let the people of Israel leave Egypt. This statement about God hardening Pharaoh’s heart is repeated in Ex 7:3-4 and practically demonstrated in his taking no heed of God’s power evidenced by the first miracles performed through Moses and Aaron i.e. Aaron’s rod turning into a serpent and the Nile turning into blood.

However, by reading Ex 3:19 we get a clearer understanding of this important aspect of Scripture. Ex 3:19 reveals God’s omniscience; He knew beforehand the extent of Pharaoh’s obstinacy.  Pharaoh was the proud monarch of Egypt, the greatest nation in the world - a veritable superpower in its day. Pharaoh was revered by his people as a god. Historical references reveal that the Pharaohs were believed to be the sons of Ra, supreme god of the Egyptian pantheon. He was probably the son of the Pharaoh that had commanded that all Hebrew baby boys be drowned in the Nile! Pharaoh’s heart must already have been hardened for him to continue the brutal slavery of the Israelites. His deeds were evidence of his already hardened heart, devoid of compassion.

Pharaoh also lied to Moses and Aaron that he would let the people go if they prayed for the plague of frogs to be reversed. After the frogs were removed, he reneged on his promise, refusing to let the people go. This could not be God’s doing, for God cannot coerce people into disobedience to His commands; He is not a liar, neither does He advocate men should lie. Pharaoh made his own choice to further harden his heart (Ex 8:1-15).  Ex 8:15 clearly confirms this.

In Ex 8:20-31, Pharaoh again lied to Moses and Aaron that he would relent if they prayed that the next plague, i.e. flies, would cease. However, verse 32 confirms that he once again chose to harden his own heart and break his promise. When God struck Egypt with the plague of hail and thunder Pharaoh again lied, pretending to acknowledge his sin against God and supposedly repenting. However, no sooner had the plague ceased, than he declared his stubborn refusal to let the people go, revealing that his was not a genuine repentance. God, in His great forbearance and patience, let the hail cease so that Pharaoh would know that the earth belonged to Him. Pharaoh, however, did not yet know the LORD or accept His sovereignty (Ex 9:23-34).

The Scriptures reveal a pattern. Pharaoh’s heart was already hard. God knew his heart, as He knows the thoughts and hearts of every man. When Pharaoh hardened his own heart, God let him continue in his obstinacy in order to use what Pharaoh intended for evil, for His own glory. As a result of Pharaoh’s obstinate refusal to let the people go, many Egyptians would come to know the LORD and a “mixed multitude” would leave Egypt when Pharaoh finally let them go. God used Pharaoh’s proud, stubborn, rebellious heart to showcase his glory and might among the nations of the world (Ex 12:38).

God does not take away anyone’s freedom of choice. That is precisely why he gave Adam and Eve a choice in the beginning; they could choose to obey or disobey.  However, their obedience or disobedience didn’t change who God is for in His great mercy, He wrought for all mankind a plan of salvation. The promised Seed of the Woman would crush the head of the serpent and restore humankind to fellowship with God (Gen 3:15-16).

 

 

 

Reverence-what is it, really?

Reverence-we often hear the word in church circles. The youth, often incorrectly, associate it with older people and church tradition. What is reverence, really? This series seeks to explore the concept of reverence for the Lord, putting aside previously established notions of what reverence is , but rather examining it by the light of the Scriptures.

The dictionary defines “reverence” as a “feeling or attitude of deep respect, tinged with awe, the outward manifestation of this feeling, to venerate.’ It can therefore be established that reverence comes from within, and results in an appropriate outward manifestation.

Often though, we put the cart before the horse, seeking to calibrate the outward manifestation so it aligns with our definition of what reverence should entail. Sometimes, as a result, we end up accusing others of “a lack of reverence” resulting in offence, schisms and division in the church. Very often, the subject of reverence becomes the topic of idle Sabbath afternoon gossip, the accusers failing to realize that by engaging in such activity, they are reverencing neither the Lord, nor His Holy Day.

Some walk out of church services, out of the presence of the Lord, because they’re upset about a pastor or fellow brother in Christ who is not wearing a blazer or tie. They deny that their own conduct is an insult to God’s Holy Name and, in itself, a reflection of irreverence. There are those, who during prayer times, when eyes should be closed and knees bowed in reverence are instead roving through the congregation seeking to accuse others of irreverence.

We would do well to consider Jesus reference to the Pharisees in Matt 23:1-8, 27-28. Their dressing was impeccable, the epitome of the image of the religious teachers of that era. Their long robes flowed elegantly about them with the long, blue tassels that were meant to remind them of God’s Royal, Holy Law-the very Law that they themselves were transgressing. The sandals of discipleship graced their feet.  However, Jesus said of them that they sought the praise of men more than they sought God Himself. He referred to them as hypocrites and white-washed sepulchers, beautiful on the outside but rotten on the inside. Their condemnation and constant policing of others, without regard for their own faults, did not sit well with the Master. This was not true reverence, but pride.

Reverence is not just about arriving at church on time, dressed according to the prescribed tradition. It’s so much more than that! True reverence comes from the heart, and proper conduct will inevitably follow. Don’t accuse people of irreverence without first searching your own heart, lest you fall into the trap of hypocrisy and pride, failing to seek forgiveness for your own sins and failing to see your need of the Saviour’s grace. Instead, pray for a changed heart and a renewed spirit, for discernment to know whether true irreverence is present that requires Christian correction in love or whether the arch deceiver is just using you as “an accuser of the brethren.” Proper Christian correction and teaching can only come from a heart that is transformed by God and overflowing with His Love; the result of this will be conversion and not offence-a much more desirable outcome (Ps 51:10-13).

He Came from Glory, Glory Above

The ocean, vast and shimmering blue,

Speaks of the Lord’s great Love for you;

He came from glory, glory above

To show you just how much He loves…      1

He came from glory, glory above!

Oh, wonderful story, story of love!

Story that never, ever will end,

Story of our Saviour… (Refrain)               

The King saw His people in distress,

By sin and sorrow, in slavery pressed;

He came from glory, glory above

To show them just how much He loves…    2

His royal vesture, in splendid array,

He graciously cast them all away!

He came from glory, glory above

To show us just how much He loves…        3

He left the streets of gold behind,

Walked in the dust of humankind;

He came from glory, glory above

To show the poor how much He loves…     4

Creator of all became carpenter’s son,

Veiled in fleshed was the Holy One;

He came from glory, glory above

To show the world how much He loves…   5

He came to Calvary’s lonely Hill

Outside the gates of Jerusalem;

He suffered, died, was crucified;

From sin’s weight, He did not hide…

He came from glory, glory above

The Universe saw His Love…                  6                 

He’s coming again from glory above!

He’ll take us to His Kingdom of Love

Story that never, ever will end;

Story of our Saviour… (end with this )       7                

Jesus Christ: Fountain of Grace

Jesus Christ, Fountain of Grace

Freely flowing in the desert place;

You have freed me from my sins,

From the walls that shut me in!

I will praise Your Name forever!

Jesus Christ, Fountain of Grace;

How I long to see your glorious face!

You have freed me from my sins,

From the walls that shut me in!

Now my life will blossom like the rose for You

And my deeds will speak of my love for You,

Fountain of Grace!

Jesus Christ, Fountain of Grace

Your streams of Love envelope the world;

You have saved them from their sins,

From the walls that shut them in!

Let the sons of Abraham come together

To drink from the Spring of Living Water

That they may never die, but live forever

Oh, Fountain of Grace!

Let them seek, let them find You

When they search with all their hearts!

Let them know You, let me tell them

Of the Fountain I have found!

Jesus Christ, Fountain of Grace!

You have freed from their sins,

From the walls that shut them in!

All nations are blessed in You oh Lord...

Jesus...

Son of David...

Fountain of Grace...

Everlasting Saviour!

Fountain of Grace, Everlasting Saviour...

Encouragement For Leaders in Exodus 6

Moses, deeply troubled, sought solace in consultation with God. The children of Israel refused to believe  the message that God had seen their distress and planned to deliver them from the tyranny of Pharaoh.  At first excited by the news, they had expected instant deliverance which, when it did not materialise, resulted in utter despair. They began to rationalise and blamed Moses and Aaron for  making their situation worse. They were content to be Pharaoh’s “servants”, yet God declared that they were  His “people” (Ex 5:1, Ex 5:15-16).

God instructed Moses to tell Pharoah to relent from his enslavement of Israel. Moses, discouraged and dejected from his first encounter with the proud monarch of Egypt, replies (paraphrase): “Israel itself won’t listen to me; why should Pharoah listen to me. I can’t even speak properly.”

Sometimes the ministers of God are faced with the same dilemma. The very people to whom they bring glad tidings of freedom in Christ are the ones who reject the message. They have become accustomed to the slavery of sin, or are just in a comfort zone from which they refuse to move.

After years of being told what to do, and how to do it, slaves understandably fear freedom and the opportunity it brings. The open prison door is a step into the unknown for a prisoner who has been held captive for years. It is not unheard of that prisoners sometimes commit petty offences to get back into prison, just to experience the familiarity of the routine it affords them. Sometimes they commit suicide in advance of their impending pardon and release. “Stockholm syndrome”, a term coined after a major bank robbery in Stockholm, is a psychological phenomenon where captives bond with their captors, developing feelings of familiarity and sympathy for them. Elements of this can also be observed in victims of abuse, who sometimes defend their abusers or refuse to move away from them.

Moses was the perfect candidate for God to use to deliver Israel from Egypt. He was educated in Pharaoh’s own house, yet also identified with the people of Israel. When Moses was told to go back to Egypt by God, he was told that the men who sought to kill him were dead. However, there may have been people in Pharaoh’s royal court who did not seek to kill him, but were acquainted with his upbringing as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses may have been to them an item of mockery and ridicule. After all, who in their right mind would relinquish a place in the royal house of Egypt, choosing instead to be the spokesman of an enslaved nation suffering from Stockholm Syndrome? So it is with ministers of Christ who relinquish wealthy lifestyles or worldly living to proclaim the Gospel of freedom. They may be mocked and      ridiculed by those closest to them, yet God approves for them the honour of employment in His service.

It was God’s arm that would pluck the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery, yet He would accomplish this through the rod of Moses. By the time Israel left Egypt, that humble rod would be more feared than the scepter of Pharaoh himself. God would refer to Jesus Christ our King, Saviour, Great Prophet and Good Shepherd as “a prophet like Moses”. (Deut 18:18, Ex 7:1-5, Jn 6:14, Acts 3:22-23)

Exodus 6-You will be My people and I will be your God

Moses, deeply troubled, sought solace in consultation with God. The children of Israel refused to believe  the message that God had seen their distress and planned to deliver them from the tyranny of Pharaoh.  At first excited by the news, they had expected instant deliverance, which when it did not materialise, resulted in utter despair. They began to rationalise and blamed Moses and Aaron for  making their situation worse. They were content to be Pharaoh’s “servants”, yet God declared that they were  His “people” (Ex 5:1, Ex 5:15-16).

Neither Moses, nor the children of Israel knew the time-frame of the plan that God had set in motion. He planned not only to deliver Israel from Egypt, but also to answer Pharaoh’s defiance and   arrogance, showcasing His glory to all Egypt. Moses and Aaron had approached Pharaoh in Ex 5:1with a “Thus saith the LORD.”   Pharaoh regarded himself as the supreme authority, for he        responded in Ex 5:10 with a “Thus saith Pharaoh” when denying the Israelites straw to make bricks. His arrogant cry in Exodus 5:2 was as follows: “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and, moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

God was about to answer Pharaoh’s arrogance. In Ex 6, He declares  “I am the LORD.” Neither the Israelites, nor the Egyptians knew the significance of His Name. The Patriarchs knew it at face value, but it’s significance they did not appreciate. God had revealed Himself to them as a God of Promise, a God of Covenant. Now, God planned to make it personal. His personal Name, Yahweh (translated LORD) was mentioned in Gen 2:4 for the first time, after the creation was completed; before then He was referred to just as “God”. God was about to reveal Himself to His people as the God of completion, the God of momentum, the God of deliverance, the God who doesn’t just make promises but keeps them! As for Pharaoh,  he would know the supremacy of God when he would personally be forced to let Israel go because of God’s great acts of judgment on Egypt (Ex 6:1-2).

God had a reason for extending his timeline of deliverance. It was in grace to the Egyptians that He did so, so that they would truly also get the opportunity to know Him. God desires that all people would know Him and experience the joy of being His people. He does not turn away anyone who chooses to come to Him. God wants to be your God, and you to be His people. Israel was to be a showcase to the nations, that they would leave behind their idols and follow the true God (Is 49:6).

Today, God through Jesus Christ His Son, is still calling in Matt 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” God wants to show you personally what His Name means. He wants you to be free from the things that enslave you.  He desires to grant you eternal life and a new name. People may have labeled you and written you off, but God wants to claim you as His own. Satan wants to keep you his slave; God wants to make you His son/daughter. It’s your decision.

Will you answer God’s call today? (Rev 21:7, Rev 2:17).

Your Way, oh God, is in Your Sanctuary

I think of Your sanctuary

While journeying in the desert place;

It feels like an oasis in the vastness of the open space...

In the day the sun beats down on me

And in the night, the tempests roll;

The thought of Your Sanctuary keeps me warm in the cold...

Your way Oh God, is in Your Sanctuary!

Scene of everlasting Grace!

At the altar of sacrifice, where the Lamb took my place...

In your Sanctuary I am accepted, just as I am

Yet I am changed forever!

Washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb...

You have brought me to your Table

In the presence of my foes;

Bread of Heaven, your sufficiency I will know...

You put a light in my heart that cannot be quenched

Fuelled by your Spirit,  seven times perfect!

By Your unending Love, I know I am sent

To tell of Your Grace  in the Sanctuary above

Where Your Prayers are ascending

In the incense of Love,

Where Your Blood is the plea of mercy for me

Where the curtain is torn,  the obstructing veil gone!

Where You have freed me to approach the Throne NOW

With my cries of  anguish and my tears of joy

With a sense of wonder, basking in Your Glory;

Your Law stands forever, it’s the foundation of  Your Throne!

Your Way, oh God, is in Your  Sanctuary...

Scripture ref:  Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?  (Psalm 77:13)