We live in a society that has a very foggy view of God.
When the prophet Isaiah saw his vision of God in Heaven,
he saw a God who was glorious in holiness. Around His throne, angels cry out
with never ending worship, "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the
whole earth is full of His glory."
God could have chosen any part of His character and
nature to show everyone. He could have commanded the angels to cry out words
like "Love, love, love" or "Righteous." But He has
especially created angels to declare that God is completely HOLY.
To understand that God is holy means that we understand
how far His righteousness is above our own. Anyone who truly understands how
exalted God is can only fall on their face and beg for mercy.
Isaiah understood that the way we do things and the way
we think cannot come close to the way God thinks and acts. As a result of this,
things get misunderstood. Some people think God has to do things for us; that
God should agree with every decision we make.
Not true my friends. It’s actually the other way around.
In the Book of Exodus God has a plan. But He was hitting
some roadblocks with people. But look at
what God did.
In Exodus Chapter 4 God moves Moses out of the way.
In Exodus Chapter 5 God moves Pharaoh out of the way.
(Verses 1-2)
Also in Exodus Chapter 5 God moves HIS OWN PEOPLE out of
the way. (Verse 20)
Exodus 6:1 God basically says to Moses, “Get out of the
way. You have tried and not done so well. So now watch me and see what real
power looks like.” God says that when He is finished, Pharaoh will be begging
the people to leave.
WOW.
God then goes on and tells Moses seven (Yes, Seven)
things He is going to do that Moses cannot do by Himself.
1. First, God says, “I will bring you out from
under the yoke of the Egyptians.” They had been slaves for 400 years. Now God
says they are going to be freed.
2. God says, “I will
free you from being slaves to them.” Freedom? What’s that?
3. God says, “I will
redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.” God is
bringing redemption and deliverance.
4. God
says, God
says, I will take you as my own people.” God loves them. God provides whatever
they need. God will bring them home.
5. Then God says, “I
will be your God.” God gives Himself to us. We give ourselves to God.
6. God
then says, “I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to
Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” He gave them a home, a place to call their
own. God brought them to it after raising them up as a nation, and after seeing
them almost destroy themselves. God did exactly what He said He would do.
7. Finally,
God said, “I will give it to you.” It’s yours. It’s done. It’s signed, sealed,
and delivered. It’s just for you. Jesus said, If it isn’t true, I wouldn’t tell
you.
That is God’s “Exodus plan.” We join His work. We look
for the places He is working. He brings us together in the Holy Name of His
Son, for the purpose of going into the world in the Holy name of His Son, for
the purpose of showing EVERYONE HIS POWER and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
What Moses
learned, and what we also need to learn, is that there is nothing safe or easy
about following God’s call. When we respond to God’s call, and if He chooses to
do things the hard way, which he seems to usually do, He will also give us all of
His strength and wisdom to accomplish what He wants us to do. In the end, following
God in His “Exodus Plan” can certainly be tough – but it is well worth it.
