Don’t Live in Egypt

Jeremiah‬ ‭42:12-16‬ - And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land. But if you say, “We will not dwell in this land,” disobeying the voice of the LORD your God, saying, “No, but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread, and there we will dwell”—then hear now the word of the LORD...thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “If you wholly set your faces to enter Egypt, and go to dwell there, then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there you shall die.”

Strong words of warning. The Old Testament of the Bible is filled with allegories that can be applied to today.  All of God’s Word in some way has just as much meaning for us today as it did in the days and circumstances of then. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1Corinthians‬ ‭10:11‬)

Egypt in the Bible is another name for the world. The world we live in has its own way of doing things. If we are true Christians who are devoted to God, Jesus and the Word of God we are no longer part of this world. We are strangers as the Bible tells us. The world offers us very little of value as compared to what Jesus can give us. No amount of prestige, success or money is greater than what God has to give. 

In Jeremiah the words spoken above were for the people of Judah. They turned their backs on their God, repeatedly. However, it can apply to us also. It can prevent us, as God was implying to His people, that they would not enter into the land He had intended for them. They were intent on living as the world around them. 

So look at the verses again. God will be merciful to us if we choose to follow Him. Before the Fall in the Eden everything was perfect. Man had a relationship with God. He lived, walked and communicated with them. Life was perfect with no work, no hatred, no wars, no need. Everything necessary was provided by God. 

But we now live with the effects of that fall. We are separated from God...until we come into relationship again with Jesus Christ. It is through Him alone that our separation from God has ended. When we do, that land He has promised will be attainable. It will not be without trials until He returns, but we have the hope  of that future.

But if you say, “We will not dwell in this land...but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread...” This world cannot offer the hope of peace on its own. We cannot put our trust in man, government or self. If we do we are ultimately in disobedience to God. Our only hope is in one Man, Jesus Christ, as I repeatedly say and which message Jesus tries to convey. I am reminded of another scripture:

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.‭‭ (1Thessalonians‬ ‭5:2-4‬) I know peace and safety will not come in this world. I know about this day. I am not in darkness. So, then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt...and you shall die.

People, this is a part of what a relationship with God is about. Eternal life. This world cannot give eternal life. One day, hopefully soon, Jesus will return. He will bring real peace but it will only apply to those in this relationship in Him. Don’t be fooled into thinking you are safe and secure because you’re a good person or do good works. ...share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus... (2Timothy‬ ‭1:8-9‬)

It’s also not about a denomination but that relationship. He offers it to anyone who is willing to choose it. There is only one Way and His name is Jesus. There are not many ways to receive eternal life. 

I don’t write this to anger or scare anyone but to warn. Jesus warned, God warned...for a reason. My words, which are not really mine but the Bible’s, I’m sure I will sound like those old time evangelists who shouted, “Repent, for the day of the Lord is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2) Not one of us without this relationship with Jesus and have experienced a change of heart, will enter into that promised land. But God is patient. He is holding off His return so that more will seek Him. All it takes is humbling yourself and realizing that you may not know the truth and desire to. An open heart will do this. 

I once was blind, big time, and now I see. Those words to  mean so much more these days. I pray they will for anyone of you who reads this and seeks to know the God of all truth...and hope and peace. 

Mark‬ ‭1:14-15‬ ‭- Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

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Everlasting Ordinance

Exodus‬ ‭12:14‬ ‭- So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.

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I'm sure I've written about this before. This is about Israel just before God delivered them out of Egypt. They were instructed by God, through Moses and Aaron, to do some things. Although it speaks of a celebration, the Passover, the everlasting ordinance that would be between God and His people, it is clear that it is the everlasting ordinance between God and "whosoever will" believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved and have everlasting life. 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ‭‭(John‬ ‭3:14-15‬)

Ordinance: An action prescribed, statute.

This ordinance speaks of a feast, which the Jewish people still celebrate, in remembrance of that day thousands of years ago. I'm sure you know the story. Each family was to kill a spotless lamb, apply the blood to the doorposts and lintels of their home, then roast the meat and eat all of it...or if there was any remaining, burn it. The angel of the Lord would come later and kill all the firstborn of every Egyptian household, both man and beast. It would be brutal. But none of the people of Israel would be touched because of that blood on the doorposts of the homes of the Jews. It was an everlasting ordinance between God and His people.

They would be set free from their captivity in Egypt. They would then be led to the land which God had already set aside for them. 

Our salvation is like this. We receive Christ, through the blood of our spotless Lamb of God, and through Him alone we are set free from the slavery of the world's clutches (Egypt). Through this sacrifice of His life for ours...and then ours for Him...we have entered into a new birth, new life, new land that God has promised to those who believe. 

However, if one has not applied that blood to the doorposts of their heart, it will not happen. It is a heart matter. It is not an intellectual knowing of who Jesus is, but a heart knowing of Him. We recognize and regret our sins, repent of them and thank Him for His wonderful act of love on that cross for each of those "whosoever will" receive Him.

We can proclaim each day the salvation that saved us from the evil one who wishes to daily take control of our lives. We become part of the very same everlasting ordinance. We claim the right to say we are the children of God, not by the good things we do but by the very sacrifice of that spotless Lamb of God. Not our plan for salvation, but God's plan for mankind's salvation.

Is that blood of the Lamb over your heart? Have you decided to give your life to the One who gave His? It's the only way it can be done. Remember...it can be an everlasting ordinance, something God requires. Yet His requirements are for our good...for our life everlasting. Won't you consider it. Won't you share the idea with your friends and family? 

Exodus 12:23-24 - For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever.

And Then

Numbers 11:20b - "'...because you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying,  “Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?”’”

Oh, Egypt. Israel was in captivity there for many years before Moses arrived and demanded Pharaoh let God's people go, not without a struggle.

Israel saw the miracles, experienced God's hand of protection upon them and were grateful for their release from slavery to the Egyptians. For awhile, anyway.

Israel, God's people. Egypt, the world. I've written many times about this. Us and them! How is it we, like Israel, forget so easily all that God has done for us...from Genesis to Revelation?

Here we have Israel being led by Moses, who is being led by the LORD, from a land of slavery to a land of promise and their freedom. The thought of that alone should have been exciting. Their journey an adventure knowing that the cloud that protected them during the day and the pillar of fire at night was their God. His presence was with them 24/7. But that excitement and knowledge seemed to have waned after a time. They arose and went when God's presence moved and they stopped when He stopped.

Some time into their journey came the dissatisfaction. They were no longer content with the routine of not knowing their next step and collecting manna each day. Their whining showed how they, might I use the same strong language as in Numbers, detested or abhorred God. ...because you have despised the Lord who is among you... Among you...

This was a true test in trusting God and following Him. Not knowing what each day held. For us it is the self-sufficiency of which we must let go. This is difficult sometimes. We as humans think we always know what is best, giving no thought to what God might think. Don't we believe He knows what's best? We are a rebellious lot...we cling to our Egypt and remember the good old days when we thought we had it better.

Israel whined about the good food they had despite their being slaves. Somehow they forgot about the treatment they received and could only think about their physical hunger and physical needs.

This past week as we listened to Jeremy Prochazka preach at The Church in Wisconsin on The Yoke Shall Be Destroyed Because of the Anointing, he brought up an "and then" statement. It was referring to Elijah's mantle of prophet being given to Elisha. It happens to us also. We are asked by God to do something, first to follow, then act. It must happen at the proper time. Elisha said to Elijah in 1Kings 19:20: And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said,  “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.”

Like some, Elisha didn't hesitate. The anointing of God was upon him. He immediately turned from Elijah and sought to do as he said, which included giving up all that was seemingly important, and then returned to follow. It reminds me of times when men wanted to follow Jesus but only after they had said their goodbyes to family. Elisha did as he had said he would. Others go back to family and never return because the comfort level was greater there.

Elisha had twelve yoke of oxen. He was a prosperous man and he was being asked to leave it all behind because an anointing was upon his life. We have to free ourselves from any yoke that is upon us that interferes with God's will for us. The yoke is always a worldly thing, whether physical, mental or emotional. We know that each of us is part of the body of Christ, each with a gift that God has given us. I look at that as His anointing, whether great or small.

If God has asked you to move to another level in Him, to seek Him over the things of Egypt, He has also provided the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome...but sometimes you must make the first move...which is to just let everything go and follow. Is our Egypt too great; does it have too much to offer, so we think? Are the things we hold so dear just that, too dear? Might we ask ourselves why we left Egypt?

If we have been called to follow we will be called to make sacrifices, to let things go. It might not always be easy but what is on the other side of obedience will be. As Jeremy stated: the anointing will change us but it will also empower us to make changes. We must be willing to change, to let go of the yoke that holds us captive.

Jesus' yoke, He exerted, was easy and His burden light. He is the one who gives peace that passes all understanding. He is the one who makes us lie in green pastures. He is the tower we run into when our strength fails us. He is the cleft in the rock where we seek refuge in times of trouble. It is His hands which hold us, which have us engraved in them.

Which yoke do we want, the world's or His? Do we want to carry the burdensome yoke or allow His to carry us?

Isaiah 10:27 - It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.