What Will They See in Us?
The Israelites had been living under Egyptian bondage for 400+ years when God sent a deliverer in the form of an 80-year-old man named Moses.
Moses, along with his brother Aaron, began a series of back-and-forth encounters with the Egyptian Pharaoh. God’s simple request spoken by the brothers to the king was this: “Let My people go.” Pharaoh contemptuously and repeatedly refused this request, scoffing at the God of the Israelites and saying he didn’t know the Lord.
But that was about to change.
With each request to leave Egypt came Pharaoh’s hard-hearted “No!” After each refusal, God sent a plague to vex Pharaoh and the citizens of the land.
The initial plagues were able to be emulated by Pharaoh’s sorcerers and magicians, but as time passed and more plagues fell, their magic arts were no match for the works of God. There was also a clear distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites that became apparent. As the plagues intensified, God allowed them to only affect the Egyptians. His own people were kept safe and free from harm.
Finally came the night of the Passover. God instructed His people to take the blood of an unblemished lamb and to paint the doorframes of their homes with the blood. Then they were to remain inside until morning. The Lord went through the land during the night, striking down the firstborn in each household that was unmarked by the blood.
Suddenly, Pharaoh could no longer deny that he did, in fact, know the Lord. He learned the hard way that God jealously protects and fights for His children. In the midst of the sorrowful wailing of the grieving, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron.
“Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go…” (Exodus 12:31b-32a)
The story of the exodus from Egypt focuses primarily on two groups of people – the stubborn Egyptians and the enslaved Israelites. But in verse 12:38, we find a third group.
These were Egyptians who had seen God bring and remove plague after plague. While Pharaoh dug in his heels, these people quietly observed and listened. They watched the Lord’s work, saw His power, and noticed His offer of mercy if only Pharaoh would repent. Their hearts gradually pulled away from the idolatrous gods of Egypt. Instead, when God gathered His people and made a way of escape, this third group gave its allegiance to the God of the Israelites. They were prepared, and when the time came, they were counted among “the many other people” (Exodus 12:38) who left Egypt among the hundreds of thousands of Israelites.
At this point in current history, God isn’t sending plagues to get His message across. He’s sending His people. He’s enlisted us as His royal ambassadors to represent His character and Word to a watching world.
Similar to the days of Pharaoh, Moses, and Aaron, some will be blatantly opposed to the gospel, some will be indifferent…and some will be quietly observing and listening.
Will they see in us the pure character and love of Jesus?
There is a Day on the Father’s calendar that only He knows. On that Day, the Lord Jesus will return, and God’s people will experience an exodus beyond our wildest imaginations as we leave the corruption and brokenness of this world to be in His presence forever.
Let’s not forget those who are quietly observing and listening, looking to us to confirm the validity of the Christian life, and themselves embracing their great Deliverer! May “many other people” join us in our journey to be at the Lord’s side.
(You can read the full story of that Passover night in Exodus 12.)
