SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
Scripture: Exodus 11:1-7

Exodus 11:1-7 states, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.’ And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. Then Moses said, ‘Thus says the Lord: “About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.”’” How strong is God’s covenant? God’s covenant is so strong that He is willing to kill in order to save us. Unless we get that part of Who God is, we will not be ready for the last days. There are many people who would say, ‘How could you even think that?’ But if Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever, how can we not think that? Looking at what God did to Egypt, we see that He killed every firstborn in order to set His own people free. It was not until that judgment touched every house of every Egyptian that they were willing to set the Israelites free. When judgment became personal, freedom came to Israel. Until it became personal to every Egyptian family, there was no freedom. Verse 7 is clear about the difference, “But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” You and I know that the Lord makes a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. Does God make a difference between those who serve Him and those who do not? He most assuredly does! That difference is His covenant and His willingness to enter into judgment with those who afflict His church. Why would God kill the firstborn of all the Egyptians? Eighty years previous Pharaoh declared that every son born to an Israelite family would be drowned in the Nile. God’s judgment is always just. What could a nation expect who has allowed 55 million innocent babies be aborted? There was a purpose and there was a plan. And the fruit of that plan is freedom for the Israelites, freedom for the covenant-believers. As a covenant-believer are we walking in freedom? If not, what is it going to take to birth that freedom in our circumstances and in our situation. Are we willing to represent a God Who kills? Moses had to do it! At that level, are we willing to represent God in the process of gaining justice? What people do to us, God does to them! Will we be the end-time church or will we limit the Holy One of Israel?