Today’s Devotion
Topic: Pharaoh Will Know That I Am God! (Part 2)
Text: Exodus 14: 5- 9
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him.
7 He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon. Amen
Many of us can actually relate to this story. After Jehovah asked Israel to return from the initial path He had allowed them to take, and camp directly opposite the sea and hemmed in by the desert, He also told them He will harden Pharaoh’s heart and make him pursue Israel so that He (Jehovah) can gain glory through Pharaoh. Now He never mentioned that in the pursuance, Pharaoh will OVERTAKE THEM.
You see, stuck at the bank of the Red Sea, Israel appeared trapped. And Pharaoh was fast approaching with his sophisticated chariots and horsemen. It was a psychological OVERTAKING. With the kind of speed these chariots came, coupled with the fact that Israel could not even take one more step ahead because of the sea, Israel felt completely overtaken.
Sometimes life feels this way, right? That after you obeyed to pull back from a situation or career you were sure He led you to, and have heeded to His instruction to divert to another area, then everything breaks loose and the enemy comes so close till you feel defeated and overtaken.
But beloved, don’t give in to that defeatist idea when things appear so. Simply keep in mind all of what Jehovah has said, and you will realise He has not abandoned you at all. He said to Israel, “I will gain glory for Myself through Pharaoh.”
As if to imply that “no matter what you see Pharaoh do in the pursuance, don’t worry; in the end, I will gain glory for myself. Always remember that I’m faithful. I told you Pharaoh will pursue, and he has. I didn’t tell you he will come very close as though to overtake you because that is not important as compared to the fact that I will gain glory through him. Even if he did his worst, he can’t destroy you nor prevail — I will gain glory through him.”
Meditate on this word, Child of God, and begin to pray. Thank God for how and where He’s led you. It doesn’t matter if Pharaoh is there pursuing you to overtake you or possibly enslave you again. Thank Him because His Word reveals that He has a plan. Also, pray that the Holy Spirit reminds you of God’s Word concerning such storms. So that you can be still and let the Lord have His way.
The battle belongs to the Lord, not you. He must gain glory for Himself through Pharaoh. Never fear; only trust and obey!
Stuck at the banks of the sea and completely defenceless, tomorrow we will discuss how Israel reacted to Pharaoh’s pursuance. Please make a date.
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