Page 39 - Living Light Autumn 23

Wednesday October 11 - The divine sweeper
...the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered...
the entire army of Pharaoh... Not one of them survived. Exodus 14:27-28
What happened next is told in stark terms. In simple, bold sentences we learn of the Egyptians’ rush towards unexpected disaster; of God's unstoppable power, sweeping them into the sea as if brushing up dust; of the waters engulfing the Egyptian army; and of their survival rate – zero!
This catastrophic judgment of the Egyptians offends many today. Would God really move in such a violent and cruel manner against an entire army? In response we should remember several things. The Egyptians had a history of cruelty and oppression against the Israelites. Had they been successful here they wouldn’t have hesitated to engage in mass slaughter. They were receiving the medicine they’d dished out to others. And such incidents look very different when you’re reading about them while living in a peaceful society, than if you’re reading about them while on the receiving end of enemy action in war. If you’re unjustly being pounded by enemy bombs, your communities and buildings are being destroyed, people are killed and women raped, wouldn’t you be crying out to God to step in and deliver you? Wouldn’t you want justice?
And that’s it. This demonstrates, dramatically, that Israel’s God is a just God, who defends the oppressed and judges those who bring death and destruction to bear on his creation and creatures. Rather than doubting him, thank him that he is a God of righteous justice!
Just God, thank you for acting on behalf of the sinned-against. Bring in your righteous kingdom fully, soon! Amen.
Thursday October 12 - God opens and God closes Not one of them survived. Exodus 14:28
When I was a child, our neighbour was one of those who sailed his small boat across the English Channel to rescue British soldiers from Dunkirk in June 1940. What Churchill feared might be a massive military disaster turned instead into a miracle of evacuation. 338,000 troops were rescued with only 70,000 left behind, to be buried or captured. What a miracle!
Pharaoh's experience at the Red Sea was altogether different. His whole army was wiped out. God had opened up the sea for Israel to cross safely and, just as dramatically, he closed it up again to protect them from the pursuing Egyptians. Why did none survive? Well, it’s not easy to reverse, or even halt, a whole column of troops determinedly set on going in one direction. Their chariots (a great asset on dry ground) would soon have got bogged down in the muddy sea bed, making retreat impossible. In addition, some think few troops were likely to be swimmers. So, the whole army was annihilated.
Pharaoh would no doubt have set up an inquiry to establish the causes of the disaster. But the Bible provides a straightforward explanation. God opened the sea and God closed it. Empires, armies and enemies rise and fall at his command, succeed and are then defeated according to his will. So, whatever enemies we face today, small or large, remember God is sovereign over them all!
Sovereign Lord, help me not to fear my enemies but to look to you for your care and deliverance. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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