For Those Who Are Fearful
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO US BY TAKING US OUT OF EGYPT?”
In the book of Exodus, when Israel was fleeing from the Egyptians, they found themselves trapped, with nowhere to go. The Red Sea in front of them, and the Egyptians quickly approaching from behind, they called out to Moses in fear, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?
What have you done to us by taking us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, `Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
How quickly they forgot God’s promises to protect them, and His assurances that there was no need for fear! God will never ignore our cries, look away, or fail to help when His children are in trouble.
We all know the “rest of the story”.
God spread the very waters of the sea, allowing the Israelites to escape. Behind them, the pursuing Egyptians drowned. They realized too late, that God will not forsake His people, and that military might means nothing compared to the might of God.
“GOD WILL PROTECT HIS CHILDREN”
We are told in Ezekiel 38 and 39 of a similar battle, which has not yet occurred. The nations will rise against Israel, and once again, He will destroy her enemies in a miraculous fashion.
Like the ancient Israelites, we must recognize that God will protect His children, and spare us from the wrath which is to come (Revelation 3:10). Jesus gave us many, many assurances that we must not be afraid in the final days, but rather we are to place our trust in Him (Luke 21:9, Luke 21:28, John 14:1, John 14:27).
“GOD REMINDED THEM THAT HE IS IN CONTROL”
There are dozens of other examples.
Jericho, Gibeon, Goliath and the Philistines, the people of Mideon, against whom Gideon led them to victory, as delivered by the hand of God.
Time and time again, the people of Israel showed fear in the face of their enemies, and time-and-time again, God reminded them that He is in control. Are we any different today?
None of us know with any certainty how close we may be to the ‘Blessed Event’ known as the Rapture (John 14:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). None of us can know with certainty how close to the tribulation we will be allowed to tip-toe before we are caught up into the sky with our Savior. One thing is certain though, WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN. Grafted into His family, we are His children, so long as we remain faithful to Him!
“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you. You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith.
So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off. And even the others, if they do not persist in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.
For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree. Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob” (Romans 11:17-26)
It seems that we may be rapidly approaching the end of the “age of the Gentiles”. At that time, we will be removed from danger, just as Noah (Genesis 7) and Lot (Genesis 19:15) were spared when the wrath came. Soon, God will once again show His face to His people, and then the end will come (Revelation 6-19). (Or rather the beginning, for us who are saved!)
But we MUST HOLD FIRM IN OUR FAITH. We must not be as the Israelites, who forgot God in the midst of their fear. Paul makes it clear in the verses above that it is our faith which holds together as disciples of Jesus.
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