House of Bondage

Egypt became the house of bondage for the Israelites after Joseph died when they multiplied into a nation.  After that they became slaves and were treated very cruelly so God used Moses and Joshua to bring them out.  The night before they left Egypt they celebrated the Passover.  It is hard to imagine how happy they must have felt being free finally of their bondage.  They saw the ten plagues and how God made a distinction between them and the Egyptians and how He came against all the idols of Egypt showing them that He was the only true God and would have no idols before Him.  

But it wasn’t long and they ran into another problem namely the Red Sea.  They might have felt that they were between a rock and a hard place as we would say it in our day and became very frightened and began to complain to God, saying this in Exodus 14:10-12, “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, ‘Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.’”

Their faith in God was dwindling and they began to grumble and complain against God.  It is easy for us to read this account and think what was wrong with them, did they forget the miracles God performed for them to get them where they were, but we do the same thing today.  We have been set free of our sins and delivered from its bondage and blessed so many times but when things start going wrong many of us start to complain and grumble also so we are just as guilty as they were.  We all need a Moses in our lives to encourage us in moments like these.  

Read what Moses said to the people in verses 13-14, “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.’”

Moses, in one of their greatest times of need, came through for them by encouraging them to stand still and fear not and see the salvation of the Lord.  In this situation the Israelites needed another great miracle quickly and God came through for them saying this in verses 15-18, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.’”

Sometimes we may feel like the Israelites, overwhelmed and frightened.  Can you imagine their dilemma?  There they were with the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptians behind them thinking they were doomed, apparently forgetting about the power of God and the reason they were there in the first place.  It was because God heard their complaints and saw the treatment they were being subjected to and had compassion for them because He loved them and chose to deliver them.  God was truly their only hope and it is the same for us today, God is our only hope.

If you are facing some of your greatest challenges and you have sought God’s help but it still seems like you are losing more battles than you are winning, examine yourself and see if there are any sins you have not confessed in your life, that you haven’t repented of.  If there are, confess them to the Lord and repent, then do what you can to help yourself.  Maybe you will have to change some things and let go of some things in your life that may be hindering you and leave the rest to the Lord and trust Him to come through for you.  But, the main thing is, never give up.

Remember Jacob, he wrestled with the Lord and would not give up until He blessed him and he did get blessed.  Just like Jacob didn’t give up, we shouldn’t either.  Read what happened in Genesis 32:24-29, “Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, ‘Let Me go, for the day breaks.’ But he said, ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me!’ So He said to him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Jacob.’ And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.’ Then Jacob asked, saying, ‘Tell me Your name, I pray.’ And He said, ‘Why is it that you ask about My name?’ And He blessed him there.”

Let us learn from history and do as Jacob did.  I have given you something to think about.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!