Exodus: Will We Learn?

Seventy go down to Egypt to escape the famine.

Seventy relatives of the sons of Jacob make their way to Egypt only to find that Joseph, the brother they thought was dead, now had power over their very lives.

God, in his wisdom, had brought about through all the pain, the heartache, the sorrow, a wonderful ending to the story. Family reunited and taken care of by the one who should harbor the most resentment, bitterness and anger...Joseph. But he didn't!

It would have been great if the story ended right there but, like life, things have a funny way of turning and changing. You could even say, "Hey! We didn't see this one coming."

We read in Exodus 1: 7 reads But their descendants had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so quickly that they soon filled the land. In other words, the Israelites became prosperous and wealthy. They filled the land to the point that they became a threat to the powers that be. One other thing that is not mentioned to much when it comes to the Israelites........they adopted the customs of the land. They worshipped the Egyptian gods. In other words, they became pseudo-Egyptians in habit and custom.

God, when he led them from Egypt using Moses, took them into the desert to get them out of Egypt. Once there, God began the process of getting Egypt out of them. We see the people's heart when Moses went up on the mountain to be with God. After being gone for 40 days, the people assumed that Moses was dead so they entertained Aaron, Moses' brother with a proposition. "Make us a golden calf so that we may worship it!" Where do you suppose that idea came from? From their time in Egypt.

One thing that we have got to guard against is becoming prosperous in our society to the point that it draws us into the customs and worship of this world. Wealth has a way of changing people and enticing them to partake and participate in things they normally would not. It is the customs, the rituals, the subtle worship of this age that is so dangerous to people. It draws and woos our senses, making these outlandish promises if we partake. We will look better, our lives will have more purpose, we will become a part of a select group. Every bit of that draws our own flesh (sin nature). God clearly states that when we become a follower of Jesus, the world hates us and we should have nothing to do with the world. By saying "have nothing to do with the world," it means that 1.) we have to live here 2.) we don't have to indulge in what the world considers to be of great value.

Prosperity is not a bad thing.

But when that mindset and lifestyle become the driving force and reason for your existence, then you have crossed over into some dangerous territory.

Let God guide you in your financial decisions.
Give as God commands you to give. Give generously. Give joyfully but give.

Don't be enticed by the lure of a lifestyle that you would trade the eternal things of God for the temporary things of this life.

God on you.........

mb