THURSDAY 10th
Exodus 14 & 15
NIV (v4 & v 18) ‘And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD. So the Israelites did this. . . . ‘The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.’
ESV (v4 & v18) ‘And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. And they did so. . . . And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.’
We will spend a couple of days in these two chapters, we see how God, after the people of Israel had started their Exodus from out of Egypt, causes events to happen to bring glory to himself. The Pharaoh needed to learn a lesson, he obviously thought he was in control, but after everything that had already happened he still hadn’t learned, so once again God hardened his heart so that he would pursue after the people of Israel, not realizing he and his army were running headlong into destruction.
As I read through these chapters, there were a few words that cropped up in my mind which I will build the couple of devotions around. (Beginning with the letter D)
The first is DELIVERANCE. The people of Israel had already seen the powerful hand of God at work in the DEMONSTRATION of his power through the plagues in Egypt and as a result of the final plague that God wrought upon the Egyptians, the slaying of the firstborn, the Pharaoh agreed for Moses to take them out of Egypt and so the exodus began, as God delivered them from their bondage and slavery, but the joy they must have felt soon turned into DISTRESS, for as a result of God hardening the heart of Pharaoh he had a change of heart and regretted letting them go and was DETERMINED to go after them, but what was about to happen was to bring glory to God.
Thank God, that after we have come to the Cross, as a result of the sacrifice our Passover Lamb made on our behalf, and been DELIVERED from our sin and from the DOMAIN of Satan our hearts are full of joy, we DELIGHT in the ways, and the purpose and plan of God for our lives. Our whole future before us, new creations, being brought into the abundance of all that God through Christ has available for us, with our promised land ahead of us. But, while we are rejoicing in our great salvation, the enemy of our souls is growling through gritted teeth, because his kingdom has been plundered, he has lost and Christ has won, so he becomes DETERMINED to come after us. As we read in 1 Peter 5:8 ‘Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.’ As the chasing Egyptian army caused DISTRESS in the hearts of the fleeing Israelites, so the devil would love to do all he can to bring distress into our hearts and lives, but we need to constantly remind ourselves that he is on a leash, he can only do what God allows him to do, and whatever happens in our lives we need to constantly remind ourselves, as the Israelites needed reminding, God is in control. He had just delivered them from out of Egypt, he was not going to allow anything, regardless of how big the Egyptian army was to prevent them from getting through to the other side of the sea. The same verses in 1 Peter continue with ‘Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the DOMINION forever and ever. Amen.’ (vv9-11) In the verses I highlighted at the beginning, it talks of God receiving the glory as a result of what was to happen in this chapter, the verses from Peters epistle, also remind us that in and through everything that happens to us, it is that God will receive the glory.
The devil might be growling, he may also start to gloat when he sees us beginning to feel DISTRESSED in the middle of DIFFICULT circumstances, but always remember, the One who DELIVERED us from out of the kingdom of darkness is also able to keep us from falling, and the devils grin will soon return back to a growl when he sees God getting the glory. Read also what it says in Peter’s epistle ‘Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
Here is a little reminder again. Romans 8:28 ‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.’
And Jude 1:24-25 ‘Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.’