Exodus 14:12 ( Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptian? For it has been better for us to serve the Egyptian than that we should die in the wilderness)
Israelites Journey From Egypt
The journey of the Israelites to promise land started in Egypt when they were delivered from the hand of Pharaoh, their task master.
God brought them out with a mighty hand, because it’s not an easy thing to escape from captivity—not by a mighty hand, but by the hand of God.
They passed through the red sea and walked on dry ground in the middle of the sea, with the wonders that God showed in Egypt against Pharaoh and his host.
But immediately they passed through; they started complaining because of little hardship that’s not to be compared with what they faced in Egypt; they preferred going back to Egypt than to face another hardship on the way.
What Going Back To Egypt Means For Christians Today
- This is an example of Christian life. God saves us from Satan, sin, and the world; he brought us through fire and waters. He has promised to see us through to our journey end. Even if the road seems more strenuous than what we think of, His grace is enough to carry us through if we believe.
- Most redeemed Christians still have secret affection for the former life of sin; they still long for garlic and cucumber of the strange land, which makes them not concentrate on the promise of God and it’s fulfilment.
God need to pass us through wilderness of life; He did it to His only begotten son as example to whoever want to become like Him Every believer must pass through the test of water and of fire for confirmation of his faith and obedience to the law of God.
- Most Christians still enjoyed their fellowship with sinners; this denied them the right to associate with the people of God; they kept intact their strange idols from Egypt; this is what is bringing them back to the life of sin.
- Most Christians have it as a second choice to go back to their former lives should God fail. That’s why God destroyed most of the Israelites on the way because of Egypt, which was still hiding in their souls.
Even if they had gotten to promise land, their is a tendency for them to still go back to Egypt and bring mockery to the name of God.
Christians that always remember and ruminate on their former life of sin any time there are trials and challenges are yet to relinquish the life of slavery that’s hidden in their soul.
They preferred the gain of sin to the new life promise by God since they’re yet to see it; they won’t believe.
This kind of behavior makes the journey longer and turns the journey of forty days to forty years; it’s until we are fully committed that we won’t enjoy the fullness of His goodness.
Half commitments bring incomplete testimony and make one remain as mediocre all through his Christian journey.
Most Christian ladies still go back to their friends in fornication because of hardship, believing they will come back and repent.
This kind of longing indicates that there is still a stronghold that needs to be pulled down in our souls. Not being able to forget the life of sin is a weakness that will bring our downfall when we reach our promised land; that’s why God won’t take us there until everything is buried at Calvary.
That is the purpose for passing us through the wilderness journey to stripe us of every idol of Egypt and the love; to cleanse and purify from all uncleanness and make us suitable for the Lord’s service.
Wilderness Experience; The Journey Out of Egypt as Christians.
- Wilderness experiences make one closer to promise land, which is destiny fulfillment; when they’re tried, they will come out as gold, ready to be displayed to the glory of the one who called them.
- The difference between Egypt and the wilderness is as wide as the day and the night; there is no freedom in Egypt, and neither do we have our will; the will is buried in the will of our task master, which is Satan.
- Even though we eat to the fullest, we are there to render it for His service by forced labour.
- Every sinner is working for Satan directly or indirectly; even their offspring are under the mercy of the task masters.
- A thin freeborn is better than a fat slave; all the offspring of a slave belong to his master, and he does to them as he will. Wilderness experience is for the people of God: we are redeemed and our life is change, so also our way, from the world to the way of God.
- Slight discomfort we experience is for our good; to give us expected ends, those who run back have it in their minds as a second option before coming to Christ.
Characteristics of People Desiring The Lifestyle of Egypt
God destroyed many people in the wilderness so they wouldn’t infect others with a plague of unbelievers.
Punishment for those who fall back in very great; it would have been better if they hadn’t tasted the heavenly gifts and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and who tasted the good word of God and the power of the world to come (Heb 6:4,5).
They chose to trample on the blood of the son of God and nailed him to cross the second time; they lost faith in that power that delivered them from bondage and put on back the yoke of darkness that they were delivered from.
Consequence of Living A Lifestyle of Egypt As A Christian
- Whoever died in Egypt lost the purpose for which he was created and became a wasted vessel in the program of heaven. They’re not fit to enter into His presence; that’s why they were all destroyed in the wilderness.
- A sinner that died in sin wasted his life and missed the purpose he was created for and will give account on the day of judgement.
- It’s better to press forward in the race because His grace is sufficient enough to see us through; forward ever and backward never is the slogan of those who want to dine with Him at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Prayer: Father, Lord, give me the grace to endure to the end, in Jesus name, amen
