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“And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.” A time in the wilderness with no water is common after a moment of great victory. Elijah experienced it after he climbed the mountain to face the prophets of Baal in I Kings 18. The power of God had been evident in the lack of rain before the event, the fire from heaven during, and the repentance of the people afterward. The magnificence of God’s power in that situation certainly rivals this one, and in both a moment of strong trial came immediately. The lives of God’s servants were potentially endangered in both instances; one from dehydration and the other from murder. A classic tactic of the enemy is displayed in each story: strike when the people of God breath a sigh of relief. Sadly, sin was committed by both parties in these examples, but their defeat can be our triumph if we will only learn from their stories. Even in victory, we must know that there is no time for letting down our guard. The enemy lurks just around the corner and is always ready to strike. Our task is reliance upon Christ moment by moment, day by day. Take a lesson from Israel and be prepared for praising followed by almost instantaneous thirst.

“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.” This is a fascinating a joyous verse of scripture! After a great victory the children of God regularly desire to sing a song of praise. This portion is very specific, mentioning the very thing that made the victory great; the washing away of the armies of Egypt in the Red Sea. Getting specific in speech and song is a very good thing both for the listener and the speaker or singer. Men need to hear and be reminded that God works out every detail in our lives. It is wonderful to simply say “praise God”, but even better to recite line by line his blessings, noting even His smallest favors. If you have a journal, write His blessings down. If you are musically inclined, compose Him a song. Either way, be sure to mention the particulars. The horse and the rider were a real threat to the people of Israel, if it weren’t for the Lord’s intervention in the parting of the waters and the washing away of the troops, the story would have been tragic. Let’s praise God with Israel for His mighty work in their day, and in our day.

“And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?” The children of Israel had been eye-witness to the tremendous power and glory of the Lord just a few days before. They had been miraculously delivered with many signs and wonders from the hand of a tyrant, only to find themselves at the point of doubt and fear at this moment. It’s difficult to be fair with the Hebrews as we observe their sin. Our first reaction is to judge them harshly for lacking faith after such a tremendous deliverance by their God. They were wrong to question the Lord and lash out at Moses, and their behavior here and in future trials is easy to criticize. Believers in Christ have seen even greater deliverance from bondage to sin. We have been partakers of the gift of salvation through the sacrifice of God’s only son on the cross. Our experience is one of miraculous, life-changing transformation not unlike this departure of Israel from its slavery. Why then should we choose to simply throw rocks at these people rather than learn from their failure in our moments of fear? If pursued in the wilderness by the powers of darkness, will we become bitter or remember the faithfulness of our God and turn to Him?

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.” One of the chief foundations of scriptural understanding is the uniqueness and singularity of God. The Bible makes it obvious there is only one Lord. Still, people throughout history have worshiped all manner of beings, non-beings, animals, phenomenons and inanimate objects. These Egyptians, with their plethora of idols, superstitions and demigods were no different. They fashioned deity’s in their own likeness, worshiping the mere men they anointed king. God chose to address their problem for His own glory within this passage. He promises to execute judgment against their gods and provide revelation of Himself. It was not for the benefit of the Hebrew people that God chose to offer deliverance. In taking action against the mighty nation of Egypt and their gods, the True God would receive honor and glory. His name would be lifted up among the heathen, and the gods of Egypt, whether they were Pharaohs or monuments of gold, would be crushed. Our one God is longsuffering and abundant in mercy. He is also jealous, not willing to share His glory with sinful creation.

“And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.” This is a dramatic physical representation of a spiritual reality. Egypt can be seen as a lost generation that has rejected God’s gift of redemption, while Israel represents a people trusting their souls to Christ. Egypt hovers in darkness, only seeing flickers of distant, external light, while Israel’s light springs from within, as their homes shine with hope and joy in belief. These two peoples were (and are) dwelling in the same land, yet one resides in black nothingness and the other enjoys radiant vision. Faith in God and His word is the differentiating factor both then and now. Simple trust in the Lord’s command could have delivered Egypt from their darkness, just as a child-like faith today can deliver any sinner. Jesus is the light of the world. No other person and no other thing can bring a man into the light of life through the forgiveness of sin. Israel’s ancient dwellings of earth are not unlike our bodies, made from dust; heavenly light can shine within, if we will simply believe!

“He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.” A simple principle of scripture says that one’s actions reveal one’s heart. If we believe God’s word and have regard for His commands, we take action in accordance with our belief. These people may have obeyed God partially because of the plagues they had endured. The truth Moses had spoken to Pharaoh was verified in blood, frogs, lice and flies, just as it is verified to us in fulfilled prophecy, answered prayer and changed lives. Pharaoh’s subjects could have ignored the evidence for God’s reliability, suffering even more heartache and pain. Lost men of today are not lacking proof for the claims of Christ. His resurrection is supported by many infallible proofs, details of His life and death were foretold hundreds of years before, and His word continues to endure, despite fierce scrutiny from the world. When men reject the gospel, they often do so being fully informed, as even the creation testifies of His eternal power and Godhead, so that men are without excuse. Praise the Lord for His mercy in the revelation of truth to men that generally overlook, sneer at and disdain it.

“But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.” Lost men often consider turning to God in the difficult times. When circumstances apply pressure, men begin to consider turning to their Creator for respite. I have spoken with people in the grip of immense turmoil and seen them genuinely struggling with issues of obedience and disobedience to God. By in large, those who have rejected this prompting of the Spirit have done so in a period of momentary relief. They saw a faint light of rest at the end of their tunnel and chose to continue unaided. As a result, future difficulties brought fewer thoughts of God, fewer thoughts of obedience, and continued reliance upon earthly strength. God gave a moment of relief to Pharaoh, knowing His own plan, and acting in accordance to His own merciful character. The king’s life was free from the curse of the frogs for a fleeting moment, giving him opportunity to either thank God or wipe his brow in relief and press on. In choosing the latter he brought upon himself greater suffering and ultimate destruction. Let’s remember these thoughts as we encounter lost men grappling with God in the midst of trial.

“And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” When we struggle against the evil forces of our day we are sometimes left shaking our heads. We are confused by their lack of understanding, bewildered by their lies and deception, and dismayed by their lack of care for that which is Godly. If we would allow ourselves a moment to reflect on the state of their souls, we might begin to see with more clarity their position. The vast majority of our elected officials and government leaders could give the same answer Pharaoh gave. They do not know, and are not persuaded to obey Jehovah. Moses and Aaron were asking this Egyptian to do something totally foreign. How could a man that had no respect for God, suddenly choose to endanger the social and economic health of his nation to obey His word? From a worldly and political point of view, this was folly. Only the direct action of God could change Egypt’s policy on the release of slaves. All the petitions, political action committees, and concerned citizens in the world would have failed miserably. God has provided a means for radical, nation-altering change in the truth of the gospel. If men come to know Christ, they will also be compelled to obey His word.

“And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.” Pharaoh was likely the most powerful man in the world at this period in history. The Egyptians had a dominate empire that stretched far and wide, bringing many a foreign nation under his authority. If any man’s “hand” was considered “mighty”, it was this one. The genius of this passage is the contrast it reveals between the efforts of a mighty man and those of an almighty God. The meager power of the king, with his legions of warriors, seems almost silly when set against the power of God. Still, today we see laws change and cultures shift toward greater evil and wonder how we can have any impact at all. Left to ourselves we cannot, just as Moses had no personal abilities to persuade the king. His only hope remains our only hope; God must take action. In this case He would humble a prideful king and release a people He had chosen for great things. When the powers of today choose evil instead of good, let’s remember the author of power and might controls all things.

I have written two articles within the past few days that I feel may require more commentary. Never Means Never encouraged us to consider the futility of the political process in moving society toward Godliness, while Good for Alaska! congratulated a politician I consider to be a good candidate and an agent for quality change within government. One distinction should be made clear: neither this candidate nor any other can cure the ills of society through legislation or ideology. Only a moving of God’s Holy Spirit, through the preaching of the gospel can transform the hearts of men and alter the course of nations.

I generally like Sarah Palin. I think her life story, ideas and record of accomplishment are good. Do I believe she and John McCain are the answer to the problems of American society? Absolutely, positively and most unequivocally not! In fact, higher taxes (which could undermine an already precarious economy), more regulation (which could strangle new business development) and a positively evil social agenda (continued murder of the unborn, etc.) could potentially and sadly bring about net-positives. Just as the persecution of Christians often refines and strengthens the church abroad, I believe a dose of hardship could awaken a slumbering, sinful and materialistic American church.

Before you start throwing rocks let me say with unmistakable emphasis that I have no intention of advocating, or voting for “change we can believe - will be a failure”. On the other hand, I will not lie awake at night in fear if Americans choose wrongly. God built our nation around principles of representative government, and His authority will never be in jeopardy; no matter who holds high office.

Certainly moments after the announcement our governor would be the vice presidential nominee, nearly every reporter in America began digging for dirt. Even with a candidate such as Governor Palin, it is possible they will find some. Let us not become so tied to this candidate, her party or her running mate that we have no choice but defense in the face of valid criticism. Believers in Christ should not be the mouthpiece of any politician or political movement. In fact, there are few things more pathetic than a Christian found defending the sinful actions of their favorite office holder.

We certainly may like, advocate for, and generally agree with men and woman running for office, but we must also be so passionately committed to righteousness that everyone we encounter understands the identity of our true Master. Let us do our reasonable service, committing every breath of life to Christ, not to the Republican or Democratic party.