Greetings siblings
There was a popular saying during my childhood that challenged disobedience. When faced with the consequences of our disobedience, someone – usually an adult – would say, ‘Who can’t hear, will feel’. It was also uttered as a warning before the disaster struck. It was as if they were preparing for an I told you so, or worse yet, a Don’t come crying to me, when you’d been warned about your actions. I suppose that could have been whispered to Pharaoh and his horsemen before they chased after the Children of Israel. Whether it was or not, they didn’t hear so they did feel. Oh, they certainly did. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Exodus 14:25-26 AFV
[25] And He loosened their chariot wheels, and made them go heavily, so that the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
[26] And the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.”
Direct Consequences
Evidently, Pharaoh’s men were so bent on retrieving their ‘assets’, they forgot that the Children of Israel were actually human. Humans are not to be owned. No one has the right or privilege of owning anyone in servitude. Not at all. But they had ‘gotten away’ with such actions for 400+ years, they probably thought it was their right.
Self-Check
How do you feel about forced labour and Trafficking in Persons? Does your belief translate into your ministry?
Digging Deeper
Siblings, years later, David would tell one of his men, ‘Touch not the Lord’s anointed …’, just before he executed him for killing King Saul. Pharaoh had not yet acknowledged God’s God-ness, so we can safely assume, anointing was far from the Egyptians’ minds when they were pursuing the Children of Israel.
Moreover, we are told that God said God would harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that Pharaoh would opt to pursue the Hebrews. I’m still uncomfortable with the idea that God made Pharaoh change his mind about letting God’s people go, but I’m also aware that I don’t always understand God’s ways. Whether it was God manipulating Pharaoh, or Pharaoh succumbing to his own desires, we agree that Pharaoh’s greed won.
But there were consequences. Deadly consequences.
Even as we celebrate God’s securing the victory, let’s register that the vanquished had the opportunity to behave differently. But they didn’t. They underestimated both the Children of Israel and God. It cost them their lives. Let us guard against greed, against abusive tendencies, and against apathy toward God. For we don’t even have the excuse of not knowing God’s power.
You may note that a few quickly saw their error, and tried to retreat. It was too late. Yes, folks – delay is danger! Y’shua said we must do God’s work while there’s still time. Since we don’t know when our time will come to a close, we must operate in obedience now. While we might not get drowned, the consequences could be equally devastating.
Now I beg you, please don’t misquote me by saying I said all disasters faced by believers and non-believers are retribution. Nor am I saying that God wishes ill for our enemies. But, we do know that even Science says every action has an equal and an opposite reaction. There are always consequences, good or bad, for our actions.
Point to Ponder
When faced with obeying God, what are the variables that make our decision harder?
May God be glorified in our lives, amen.
—
May all we seek be found in Christ
