Do you often struggle trying to understand God’s ways? Have you been frustrated thinking that God failed to act? Have you been tempted to tell God, “If I were you Lord, I would ….”
We’re moving into Exodus 1-3 and our writer is in a hurry. He lumps about 400 years of precious history into one sentence (i’m exaggerating of course). He just says, the years of political and economic favour are gone, it’s a new day, marked by intense persecution, injustice, suffering, poverty, oppression, but it’s a new day for God and his people. Because of their hardship, they started crying out to God for mercy. They are sending him multiple SOS, begging, praying, turning to God.
Is this mysterious to you? Let me help unpack some of the mystery so we can see what’s really happening here.
Exodus seeks to fulfil what God earlier promised to Jacob that his people will indeed go to Egypt, all 70 children will go. There they will become a great nation (population explosion and a nation of laws and efficient systems of governance), before God brings them back to their home, the Promised Land. God also revealed this so much earlier to Abraham (Genesis 15. God said he will bring judgment to their tormentors, and they will come out rich with great possessions.
Note that Abraham and his children were already in the promised land? Why did they leave? Why did they have to wait for 400 years before going back to claim the land God has given them? Well if you read closely Genesis 15:14-16, God informs Abraham the reason for this centuries of waiting – “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” This statement shows God’s righteous dealing with nations. We see divine patience and justice here. God gives the Amorites and the rest of the inhabitants of that Promised Land enough time to repent and mend their ways. Sadly as studies of that period (Ancient Near East) will show the inhabitants will become some of the most vicious, cruel, unjust and dangerous societies of the world. Israel is not a land grabber as some accuse them. Because of their sin and abuses, God has taken these previous tenants of his land, and given them to another tenant.
I know Israel is a sensitive issue. First of all, this comments are mine, not reflecting my church family’s official position concerning Israel. Some read the Old Testament and think that Israel has absolute right over the Promised Land. I don’t. Actually we have biblical history to show that Israel’s occupancy of the land is not absolute, but conditional and purposeful. They were planted by God to show God’s mercy and greatness to those around them. Israel was to become a nation for Yahweh. When they failed God took them out of the land. They went into exile. God brought them back to start a new nation with the same condition and purpose – they were to be Yahweh’s people, his covenant people living out his laws of justice and care for others. Sadly, they continued to reject God. They crucified Jesus Christ, and so they lost their beloved temple again.
Are they God’s people? Absolutely. But they have greatly failed to live as one. Do I love and support Israel? Yes, but I don’t support cruelty and injustice. I support their turning to God. I support justice and righteousness. I support their right to have a place of abode, just as I support the right of any nation and people to have one. In the meantime, I pray as often as I could that they return to Yahweh, that they live for him, that they become a nation and a people for him, for the sake of the world and the glory of Yahweh’s name.
Daniel & Emma Villa 