After his encounter with God on what would be referred to as the mountain of God, Moses goes down to his father-in-law and asks for permission to take his family back to Egypt. As Moses heads out, he gets some key instructions from God.
“When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go. Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son. I commanded you, “Let my son go, so he can worship me.” But since you have refused, I will now kill your firstborn son!’” (Exodus 4:21-23)
That conversation on the mountain shouldn’t be overlooked in considering what God says here. The conversation was an intriguing one in terms of what this already amazing and miraculous God did to get through to a man who saw the wonder and still questioned the call.
Now he’s taking the first step of the journey and it’s intriguing how God instructs him for what is to come to help Moses see the bigger picture of how things have to end up for those who are enslaving the people of Israel. The issue is not just a matter of injustice, this is a matter of God getting back what belongs to Him as a personal issue. This is God’s son. This is the called out of God. They don’t belong to slave masters. They shouldn’t be kept from their purpose of flourishing as the offspring of the one they’re covenanted to.
Wrapped up in this instruction is reinforcing something God has forewarned Moses about. Egypt won’t simply allow their feared and treasured commodity to leave them just because some guy says some God is calling them. They have to know the hard way that they’re not the masters of the universe, they’re not the greatest authority on the earth. They will have to discover the penalty for assuming such a position as God hears the cries of His people.
That’s to say there’s the element of instruction and foresight in the call to be faithful in following. We’re not just going out for a walk. We’re not in pursuit of self-actualisation. This is not a mission to establish a personal empire extolling the wonders and brilliance of our accomplishments. We’re called out by God to follow Him. We’re called out to display His wonders to the world as a sign of the condition they’re in and the need to leave a kingdom marked by darkness to experience what He created us to enjoy – His marvellous kingdom of light. The journey is from that old dark place to the new place of light.
That journey depends on hearing the instruction of the One who calls us out. The success of the journey is intricately linked to being aware that it’s not going to be easy. Opposition and resistance should be expected as well as the inevitable outcome of God being glorified by those who trust and obey and keep on keeping on in the journey.
There are times of great frustration in the journey. The sense of misunderstanding and the lack of support. The times when it appears as though progress is limited and sight is restricted through a number of issues that mount up. It’s exactly in those times that referring back to the instruction is vital. Refreshing the vision in the light of both the nature of the call and that glorious wonder of the One who called you is essential.
The One who called us is faithful in letting us know from the beginning the reality of obstacles, as well as the greater reality of success in the journey being found in trust and obedience.
For His Name’s Sake
C. L. J. Dryden
Shalom
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