Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush… And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them… (Exo 3:1,2,7,8 ~KJV)
What did God tell Moses in the passage above?
- I have seen the affliction of My people!
- I have heard the cries of My people!
- I know the sorrows of My people!
- I AM come to deliver My people!
- You—Moses, son of Amram and Jochebed, fugitive from Egyptian justice, are My man. You are My chosen vessel by whom I’ll deliver My people out of their affliction, misery and bondage!
Mark that down.
At no time has God ever looked passively at abuse. Never! Human history is replete with horrendous accounts of oppression as demonically charged folks endeavor to subjugate helpless masses. The list is long and noxious.
Cain slew his brother Abel. Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, plotted to exterminate Abraham’s descendants from the face of the earth. Goliath, the towering philistine giant, intimidated the Jewish military as the knees of their commander in chief smote against each other in cowardice. Soul sought to kill David, the God trusting juvenile giant slayer, to eliminate what he saw as a threat to his throne.
Adolf Hitler slew over six million Jews from across Europe to establish a delusional elite human race. With a superstitious swastika symbol, (a corrupted form of a cross) he energized the Nazi party to carry out atrocities of unparalleled proportions, all in an attempt to thwart the plan of God. The list is endless. The bloodthirsty spirit of the ancient serpent keeps popping up all over the place. You see it in Congo and many parts of Africa, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Russia, China, South America, United States, literally everywhere in varying degrees!
If you look at God’s chief rivals throughout history, you’ll realize only a few presented themselves as enemies. Majority of them, indeed the most effective foes, were prominent internal players, part and parcel of the system—priests, prophets, kings, scribes, doctors of law, preachers, ‘men of God’ internal enemies of God’s purposes! Jesus had this to say to some of them, “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” Luke 11:52
God Seeks a Man
…I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none (Ezek 22:30)
In every generation, God seeks an available vessel, a selfless person He can use to replicate heaven’s values on earth. He found Samuel, a child whose mother dedicated to God before he was conceived in the womb. He found David, a neglected youth watching sheep out in the jungles and made him a shepherd and worship guide to His Israeli flocks. He found Jeremiah, a freighted young boy who’d suffer greatly for pointing out God’s path to escape Babylonian captivity. He found Esther, an orphan girl whom He’d use to prevent a genocide. Then He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Who handpicked twelve illiterate adolescents and made them world changers! We have abundant examples of what the Kingdom of God looks like. We have a good picture of the enemy’s resistance. It’s a duo concert.
Stephen was the first New Testament martyr. As he gave his final discourse before an irate mob that’d stone him to death, he recited God’s charge to Moses, “I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.” (Acts 7:34). As the religious mob went about killing a righteousness witness, they were too engrossed to notice the angelic transformation on the young man’s face. If there were any in that mob who clearly knew what God would have them say, or do, they were not willing to rock the boat because preserving their social statuses was a higher priority.
Church in Scandalous Times
The me-too-movement has exposed the filthiest laundries of prominent social figures in our times. Not only is the church not spared the shame of involvement and complacency, but the body that Christ called to be ‘salt and light to the world’ has chosen partisan stance for political expediency. How shall conscience be restored to the world now? Who shall speak for the weak and afflicted? Who will show the way out of God’s wrath as nation after world nation institutes the errors of Sodom and Gomorrah?
Every intervention that prevented catastrophes in history required great sacrifice. Esther put her life on the line at Mordecai’s words. “…if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place… Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:4 ~NKJV)
Church is a house of prayer where reliance on God is learned. It’s a hospital for the wounded, a home for the homeless. It’s a safe haven for those pursued by satanic bloodhounds. It’s a school where character, values and proper worldview are nurtured. Church has never been, and will never be a net for profiteers. The ancient paths (Jer 16:16, 18:15, etc) must be rediscovered. The bride of Christ must be adorned with clean and holy garments. This task belongs to you!
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32). The key word is CONTINUE. Salvation is an entry level, not a destination. There are lessons to be learned. There is growth and maturity to be attained. There are territorial demons to overthrow and evacuate. There are many souls to deliver from satanic strongholds.
Get ready for war; the Promised Land is a land of giants!