EGYPT YESTERDAY AND TODAY

1 Thessalonians 4:17

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Adonai ….

After over two hundred years in Egypt, the people of Jacob who had come in for refuge from the famine were very influenced by Egyptian ways and culture. Through the plagues, in plain sight of the Egyptians and of Israel God took on each one of the main gods of Egypt to show the world His ultimate superiority over all that is called 'god'. This was a shock to Pharaoh, and a reminder to the people of Israel of the story they had heard about El-Shaddai,  the God of their ancestors.

A parallel lesson unfolds for God’s people in the fifth century B.C.E. Israel had already been invaded by Babylonian Emperor Nebuchadnezzar and the poor that were left in the Land were governed by Gedaliah’s provisional government. A plot from Amon caused Gedalliah to be killed so the people feared Babylon’s reprisals. Against Jeremiah’s strong counsel from God, the people decided to flee to Egypt for refuge. Once there, they sought Pharaoh’s protection and prayed to Egyptian gods. Nebuchadnezzar was now coming after them in Egypt, which he was going to also destroy. In the forty-sixth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah, God shows that through Nebuchadnezzar, His Mighty Hand was again going to destroy the Egypt in which His children had trusted. He takes aim and mocks the futility of the gods of Egypt who are unable to do stand up and protect. He says, 'Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour around you.' Why are your mighty ones (Egypt’s idols) face down? They do not stand because Adonai thrust them down. He made many stumble, and they fell, and they said one to another, 'Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.' Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt (and self-proclaimed god), 'Noisy one' (he is noisy but is powerless) who lets the hour go by (he is not there in time of need)' (Jeremiah 46:13-17) .

And what shall we learn from these? It seems that the Father is on a constant crusade against our hankering for the false gods of this world. No matter what He seems to do to show us His great power, we always seem to fall to the lure of the sensual and indulging gods of this world. As it was then, so it is today. 

Today again He is calling us to leave ‘Egypt’ and to never return. He is calling us away from the gods of this world, but how can we enter the ‘Land’ with an unregenerate heart?

 At a future time, the mighty El-Shaddai will return. This time He will destroy ‘Babylon’ (Revelation 17-18). He will also show His great power not only to His children but to the whole world. He will expose the vanity of mankind and bring His people from all over the world unto Him. May we be ready at that time. Let us take off from our ears the ear buds that fill us with the sounds of this generation that we may hear His call. May we then be clean from our idols, a bride without blemish consecrated unto Messiah.

THE SECOND EXODUS

Luke 1:54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy. Through Moses, Hashem instituted that His people should remember the Passover, the great Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land. In those days the Creator of the universe revealed Himself to His people in the form of a burning, but non-consuming bush; this was His He chose to show His people His great love, care, and power to redeem. At that time Hashem wrought great miracles, miracles we still talk about today, miracles which are even documented with evidence from land and sea. One of those great miracles was that as God redeemed His people, a great multitude of Gentiles cast their lot with Moses and Israel, following them to find refuge from tyrannical, doomed, and destroyed Egypt, and in the God of Israel. During His last Seder, the Master enjoined His disciples to also remember Him at the time of the Passover. For in His days the 'Consuming Fire' (Deuteronomy 4:24), also revealed Himself to His people in a 'non-consuming' manner in order to show them His great love, care, and power to redeem them not only from Rome, but from the ‘world’, from the ungodliness that is in them since the Fall. At that time Hashem wrought great miracles, miracles we still talk about today and are even documented with evidence from land and sea. One of those great miracles was that as God renewed His covenant with His people, a great multitude of Gentiles cast their lot with Yeshua and the disciples, following them to find refuge from tyrannical, doomed, and destroyed Rome, and in the God of Israel. Since the time when Rome expulsed Israel from the country God had given them, Israel sought refuge in those nations that came to know the Messiah of Israel. These nations, for the most important part oppressed them. But even before the days of the Master the prophet Jeremiah uttered the following words, "Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares Adonai, when it shall no longer be said, 'As Adonai lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' but 'As Adonai lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.' For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers (Jeremiah 16:14-15). This will be the second great Exodus, one Yeshua initiated 2,000 years ago. In those days the Creator of the universe will reveal Himself to His people through His Mashiach in order to show them His great love, care and power to redeem them from the nations that will surround them in an attempt to annihilate them. In those days, Hashem will valiantly perform again great miracles, miracles that will be documented and spoken about forever and ever over land and sea. One of those great miracles will be that as God redeems His people, a great multitude of Gentiles will also be redeemed joining Israel in finding refuge in the great Kingdom of God to come. May it be soon Abba, even in our days!