In Exodus we find an event that would become the journey out of bondage for Israel, but a spiritual journey for all of us to escape the clutches of evil. It is a paradox that Egypt has become bondage for Israel, when previously it was a place of refuge from the famine. Some 460 years have passed since God gave Abraham the promise of a Promised Land. I do not know what the meaning for the wait to come back out of Egypt was all about. It could be that Israel had to get to the point of willing to leave. This can and has been us in our own journey. In times of famine all of us have embraced the “things of this world” to overcome the hardships of life. But if we find our comfort in these “devices” as a believer it can become paralyzing. We do know also that the fulfillment of the Canaanites was not yet accomplished – Gen 15. Just as we know that God has not sent Jesus back for His Church because the fulfillment of the “times of the Gentiles” has not been completed. Romans 11:25. In this 460 years Israel has grown from a mere family to a multitude of approximately 1.6 – 2.3 million people. This would be quite an undertaking to move that many people.
Enter into the saga Moses. The scripture tells us that a King or Pharaoh who knew not Joseph rises to power. We read about the fear of Egypt concerning the growth of Israel and the fear that Israel will side with Egypt’s enemies should the time come. Too many Israelites! SO commands were given to kill all male babies. This is ironic for in China today the opposite is held true. There they only want male children. Obvious for their own work force. The evil here is exterminate anyone that might threaten the Pharaoh. We have the same thing when Herod tries to destroy any possible King of Israel in Matthew 2. Please capture this principle early in this book – Egypt is Evil; Egypt is Sin and Egypt is Satan. For the man without God, Satan/sin desires to keep him incarcerated and shackled by sin and guilt. The forces of Evil/Egypt will not willing let people go. Satan does not want to lose his imps; yet he does not want man to overpower him either. Sin and Satan wants to keep us in chains to do his evil bidding. For a person to come to freedom, he must be set free through the deliverance of God. The ten plagues are reflective of the great length that God went to to defeat Satan. It is quite interesting that Israel always seems to find itself back in Egypt. The Patriarchs seemed to travel there routinely. The Believer once he or she has been set free from the bondage of the taskmaster, often finds that they are re-shackled by sin and guilt. Satan and sin are readily waiting for all returning slaves! Do not be one!
The deliverer – Moses had to be secretly saved from the cruel edict of Pharaoh, ironically, Pharaohs daughter “saves” the deliverer from the Nile. This begins the training period of Moses. He is taught all the tactics of war and educated in every imaginable art and science. Yet the bible tells us that he elected not to enjoin the comforts of Egypt, but chose to identify with his people. Preparation time is a lonely time. Yet, the timing by Moses in killing the Egyptian and then another 40 years on the backside of the desert herding sheep were for the event of the Exodus. We should not hurry or begrudge the preparation time of our Lord. He knows what tools and skills we need to do the job He needs us to do.
In chapter three, the many and varied excuses offered by Moses just doesn’t matter to the Father. He chose Moses, prepared and developed Moses, now it was time for Moses to do what God had prepared him to do. We are all incapable of doing the work, but God will prepare and develop us for His task. Moses would need to know all the arts and tactics of Egypt – know your enemy; but also know how to shepherd stiff-necked people, hence the sheep training. God doesn’t waste anything in our development. Hey Moses what is that in your hand?
preachbetweenthelines 