Follow Me!

What if God told you that He had arranged for hordes of people-- angry, well-armed, combat-trained hoards to chase you so that they could know Him? All throughout Scripture, God tells Israel they are to be a light, an example to the nations of the world: Genesis 12:2,3; Genesis 18:18; Isaiah 49:3, 6; Isaiah 60:1-3; Ezekiel 37:27-28; Zechariah 8:20-23 Other nations would know the character of God by the way He has treated them, by the way they worship and obey Him, and those nations would follow them into serving God as well. But there is this place where the people of Israel are told the army of another nation is going to follow them and know their God. Perhaps you've heard of it before. The account is found in Exodus 14, at the shores of the Red Sea:

Adonai asked Moshe, “Why are you crying to me? Tell the people of Isra’el to go forward! Lift your staff, reach out with your hand over the sea, and divide it in two. The people of Isra’el will advance into the sea on dry ground. As for me, I will make the Egyptians hardhearted; and they will march in after them; thus I will win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, chariots and cavalry. Then the Egyptians will realize that I am Adonai, when I have won myself glory at the expense of Pharaoh, his chariots and his cavalry.”

What struck me as I studied this, was the idea that everyone had a role, something they were to do, so I began making a list:

Moses: instruct, lift his staff, reach out with his hand, divide the sea
Israel: hear, obey; advance in faith 
God: harden the hearts of the Egyptians
Egyptians: follow Israel; know God

The Egyptians were meant to follow Israel and know God. God hardened their hearts; God planned it that way. When the nations --in this case, Egypt-- follow Israel, they will know who God is. What an image! Israel was to be a light to the nations, spiritually; but here we have this picture of Egypt following Israel-- even to a natural death --that they would know God. Do you think they got the message?

Verses 24 and 25 tell us:

Just before dawn, Adonai looked out on the Egyptian army through the column of fire and cloud and threw them into a panic. He caused the wheels of their chariots to break off, so that they could move only with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Adonai is fighting for Isra’el against the Egyptians! Let’s get away from them!”

Oh, they knew! "Adonai is fighting for Israel." But it was too late. As Miriam, Moses' sister sang:

Sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted!
The horse and its rider he threw in the sea!

Who is following you today? I hope, not angry hordes; but chances are there are people watching your life. Will they find Jesus if they follow? 

Or are you following someone? Are you watching someone's life, wondering why they are so committed to following their King? What is it about Jesus that makes them so confident, so passionate? Ask before it's too late.