God took the Israelites out of Egypt to take them to the land of Milk and Honey, Right? That’s what I always thought. But read this carefully:
Exodus 6:2 And God continued, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, though I did not reveal my name, the LORD to them. And I entered into a solemn covenant with them. Under its terms, I swore to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living. You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are not slaves to the Egyptians. I have remembered my covenant with them.
“Therefore say to the Israelites: I am the LORD, and I will free you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with mighty power and great acts of judgment. I will make you my own special people and I will be your God. And you will know that I am the LORD your God who has rescued you from your Slavery in Egypt. I will bring you into the land I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “
The Israelites had been praying and calling out to God for a long time… and then he did something about it. He did it to honor his promise to their ancestors, because that’s his nature to stay true to his word. He took them out to worship Him, to glorify him, and then he would take them to the promised land.
Do you see what I see?
God was keeping his word to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
So many times we forget that it’s not about us. We envision God as a heavenly Santa Clause who just created us as to sit and be “fat and happy”. And he just sits up in heaven thinking about how to give us stuff all day long. Maybe we don’t think about it exactly that way, but we act as though we do.
And as a result, we have the tendency to ignore the parts of scripture that challenge us, or accept the twisted scripture that tickles our ears.
We’ll say, “I know it says ABC, but God understands, -I’m only human.” Or “Yes, I know that part…but God forgives sin, and he makes all things new… After all doesn’t God want me to be happy.”
Actually…no. We’re not called to be “happy.” We’re called to be holy.
He did not create us because he had nothing else to do. He created us with a purpose: to worship him, and glorify his nature, and fulfill the plans he’s created for us. The blessings come as a flow from being obedient in this.
Again and again God sent Moses back to Pharaoh to tell him, “Let the Israelites go three days out into the wilderness to worship the Lord.” He never once said, “Let them go because he wants to give them the land of milk and honey. Let them go, you’re too mean and he wants them to be happy.”
When Pharaoh refused, Moses would tell him about the plague that was coming and its results,- and none of it was about the people. It was about God.
“And you are going to know that I am the LORD” 7:17
“It will be as you have said. Then you will know that no one is as powerful as the LORD our God.” 8:10
“Then you will know that I am the LORD and that I have power even in the heart of your land.” 8:22
“I will prove to you that there is no other God on earth. I could have killed you all by now. I could have attacked you with a plague that would have wiped you from the face of the earth. But I have let you live for this reason,- that you might see my power and my fame might spread throughout the earth.” 9:14-15
“This will prove to you the earth belongs to the LORD.”9:29
(to Moses) “I can continue to display my power by performing my miraculous signs among them. You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing among the Egyptians to prove that I am the LORD.” 10: 1-2
And on and on and on and on.
Not once is he doing this to make his people “happy”. Every single thing he did was to honor his word, and be glorified. Yes the people had been crying out to him in their suffering, and God made it clear he’d heard them (3:7). But we see when they rebelled in the wilderness (grumbling and complaining, making an idol,) they were rebuked and/or killed off (chapter 32). If God was this Santa Clause- God we envision he would have just patted them on the head and said, “There there. I understand you’re only human. It’s okay. Here, I’ll give you Canaan so you will be happy.”
No. Instead, not one of those rescued from Egypt set foot on the promised- land, only their descendants. God still kept his word to Abraham, but would not bless those Israelites in all of their disobedience. They were only trying to get themselves happy, not holy.
Yes, God is merciful. He knows we won’t hit the mark every time. He forgives when we apologize to him. But his mercy cannot be an excuse to live sloppy lives. He cannot, and will not bless intentional disobedience.
We say, “I know I should… but…” (Hey, I’m not judging, I’m in here with too. Do any of these ring a bell?)
I know I should come clean, but I’m afraid I’ll get in trouble.
I know the bible says I should forgive, but I’m just so angry at her.
I know I’m supposed to tithe, but I just have too many bills. I have to think of my children’s future.
I know I shouldn’t gossip, but she’s just telling it to me, I’m not spreading it.
I know I shouldn’t leave him, but he just drives me crazy, I can’t take it anymore.
Do you have a big but? I know I do.
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