KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, February 03, 2019
Chapters: Exodus 13-15
Message: Stand Still And See Salvation
Hello My Friend,
Sometimes it seems as though we face one challenge after another, that as soon as we get through one hurdle here comes another. While sometimes the devil does try to hinder us by placing affliction upon us, many times this comes from God, and no, He is not tempting us like the devil does, He will never tempt us to do evil things, but He is proving us by testing our faith, to see whether or not we going to trust Him or forsake Him. No, He does not do it all the time, but He does do it when we ourselves are having issues with our faith. Challenges, are well, challenging, but if we stand still and trust God, He will not only rekindle our faith, He will see us through them. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” – I Peter 4:12-13.
I am not going to lie to you, I tire of all these challenges, whether they are from the devil or God, but let me tell you, some of these challenges were my fault they could have been avoided had I just listened to God on the first place. When God promised that He would save us through our faith in Christ alone He did not promise that it was going to be a cushy walk on the clouds, in fact, He wants to be more than the God our our salvation, He wants to be the God of our life, which is why we He proves us. If we had it easy all the time we would not understand the depths of what Jesus went through to save us from hell nor would we depend on Him for all things. Now, Israel is set free, and they were about to head toward the promised land, God appoints the Passover.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month Abib. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.” – Exodus 13:1-5,8-9.
“that thou shalt keep this service in this month.” Abib or Nisan it is called today is near the end of March and beginning of April, God declared this the first month of the year for the Jews, and this is when they will observe the Passover every year. This is similar to what we call Easter or resurrection, which is why the Passover is around the same time. We are to never forget when God sent His own lamb to hang on the cross, to shed His blood and to die to redeem us all from our sin, but Jesus made this permanent, and removed the sin permanently. Now, God goes on to explain what He meant by all the first born belonging to Him. God required all first born males be set apart for Him, but redeemed all of the firstborn of His own.
“That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.” – Exodus 13:12-15.
“therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix,” Matrix; in the womb. Jesus sacrificed His life for all, and for those who say there is no life in the womb, shame on you, life begins at conception. The Israelites were to do this in remembrance of the death the first-born in Egypt, which set them free. It often takes death to set us free, which is why Jesus, God’s firstborn, gave His life for all mankind. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” – Romans 1:16-17.
So, here they are, after being slaves to Egypt for four hundred and thirty years, Israel is now free and headed for the promised land. While God could have led them down the cushy path that was easy, He decided to lead them down a path that would be challenging, to say the least.
“And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:” – Exodus 13:17-21.
“to go by day and night:” They saw the pillar continually, it was God, right in front of them, leading them. You would have thought that they would have complete faith and trust in Him, but many did not. The first challenge arrived, God sent the Pharaoh, and all his army after Israel, and there was no where to turn, but the Red Sea.
“And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.” – Exodus 14:8-13.
“hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?” My goodness, the first test of their faith, and they failed miserably. Could they not see that God was right in front of them? Now, I know I have had my doubts, and my faith tried, but so quickly. “stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD,” God knows our faith, and let me tell you, He is more merciful and gracious than we think. If we just stand still, and not get so anxious when challenges come we will see that God is right there, and He will find a way. God knew their faith, and questioned them, but instructed Moses to lift up his rod and open the sea.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.” – Exodus 14:15-16,19-22.
“And the angel of God,” When life gets dark, and walking by faith, there is Jesus to light the way, He does not walk before us, He gets behind us, shining His light for us to be able to get through it, and He keeps the devil behind Him. Israel not only made it across on dried land in the dark, God had Moses close the seas just at the time that all the Egyptian army was in it, killing over six hundred men. Even the Egyptians knew that God was fighting for the Israel, they headed back for safety, but the waters gave up on them and they all drowned. One thing about Christians, they can quickly forget the challenges God has gotten them through the second another one comes. When you think about it, are they really God’s people, or just pretending to be because they see the power of God? As soon as the Israel saw all the Egyptian guards die in the Red Sea they rejoiced, and even sang and danced in honor of Him, but here comes the next challenge.
“So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.” – Exodus 15:22-26.
“for I am the LORD that healeth thee.” Do you understand what Jesus has healed you from? God does not want to always challenge us, but the truth is, unless we face some challenges we tend to neglect Him. It is amazing that unbelievers know the hand of God more than we do? Perhaps it was not that they did not have faith in God, perhaps it was that they just wanted Him to hand everything to them. Ninety-nine percent of the people who get saved, and walk away from God do so because they expect all their problems to disappear at once. It is time that we stop and think about what God has given us, the miraculous things that He has done for us, not only through our challenges, but when it is easy too. WE NEED NOT FEAR, WE NEED TO STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” – Job 23:8-10. Praise God!
Jesus Christ Magnified: “The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” – Exodus 15:2.
Today’s Prayer: God, You know that life can be a challenge sometimes, and while You are not the one who always brings the challenges, You are the one who always sees us through them when we simply stand still, trust You, and let You guide us through them. We do not have to fear the present nor the future when we place our complete confidence in You and recognize that Your plans prevail. Daily we make our plans, but You have the final say in where we should go. Help us to find comfort in You through the challenges, knowing all the while that You will guide us with Your light to all we need and give us the spiritual support that leads us to victory. I will not fear, I will stand still, and see Your salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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