So let's start here:
Exodus 2:23-25 (NLT) - "Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act."
Let's not think about the years to come, wandering around in the desert... let's not think about before, when the Israelites were brought into Egypt by Joseph in order to save their lives... let's just focus on THIS SINGULAR MOMENT, right here.
The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for around 400 years. And God got them out.
The Israelites had been crying out to God, God heard them, and decided to act in order to get them out of Egypt, out of slavery, and on their way to the land He had promised them years and years ago.
Three points here:
1. God hears.
The above passage says, "God heard their groan." God's ears are well-attuned to our voices.
God is consistent in His character, and is ALWAYS listening. He is never too busy or distracted to hear what we say.
Ps. 34:17 The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.
Ps. 18:6 In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
Psalm 77:1 (NAS) My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud; My voice rises to God, and He will hear me.
2. God keeps His promises.
Here is the promise to which this passage refers:
Genesis 12:2-3
And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
Joshua 21:45 - Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.
Numbers 23:19 - "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
1 Thessalonians5:24 - Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
God speaks not one empty word. God will always, always deliver.
God speaks not one empty word. God will always, always deliver.
3. God has perfect timing.
"Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me completely."
We don't know all of the "why"'s right now. We are not promised immediate understanding of God's reasons. BUT! We are promised that we DEFINITELY will understand it all one day.
So... why so long to get the Israelites out of Egypt? We can list hundreds of guesses, but the truth is we just don't know for sure... yet.
But, scripture speaks for itself to shed light on God's reasoning:
1 Corinthians 2:11 - For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8, 9
Lamentations 3:22-23 - "The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."
Check out this clip. We will understand it better... BY AND BY
God is FAITHFUL! Hold on! And know God has heard your prayer, He WILL come through for you, and He will do it in His perfect timing.
And keep reading the Bible. Anytime you need your hope refreshed, you will find that refresher in God's word.
Alright! Later, folks!!
