He’s Always Been Who He Says He Is!

Editor’s Note: Summer travels have not always made it accessible for me to post – I’m back at home and back on the computer – here goes a new year!

While reading the scriptures this morning, I had to pause and reflect on a familiar passage, but one that struck me smack dab in the face. God has always been who He says He is – there was always an opportunity for people to come to Him, even those who were not Israelites:

⁷ And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. ¹⁸ When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!” Exodus 14:17-18 (NLT)

In this passage Moses is about to cross the Red Sea. The people have already started to complain that they were going to be buried in the wilderness because the Egyptians were hot on their trail. With the Egyptians behind them and the sea in front of them, they felt they were doomed. When Moses went to God, God let him know that they were about to see His glory; and not only were the Israelites going to see His glory, but all of Egypt would see His glory as well.

For those Egyptians back home, they would still have another opportunity to see the glory of God! They would see a miracle take place, such had never been before, for the Israelites were going to walk across the sea on dry ground, while the Egyptians were going to be buried in the sea! If any Egyptian had any sense of what an awesome feat this was, they surely would fall on their knees before this kind of God.

As if that was not enough, God tried to stop the Egyptian army from trying to pursue the Israelites:

²³ Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of the sea. ²⁴ But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion. ²⁵ He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out of here—away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” Exodus 14:23-25 (NLT)

Here we see that the Lord used the pillar of fire and cloud to throw the Egyptian army into confusion. And if that was not enough, He also “twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive”. Those who recognized that this was not of their own doing, shouted, “the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt”. Unfortunately, the hardness of Pharoah’s heart was greater than the warning – and he ordered the army to continue to pursue. They all met their demise.

What I see here is that the love of God extends itself to everyone, even those who are fighting against Him. I used to say all the time, “when people know to do better, they will do better”. That does not seem to be true for everyone. Yet, for those who have ears to hear – Jesus is calling!

Maria