…At least in Egypt, we ate all the food we wanted!
In this blog edition, I am reflecting on a song, Burn The Ships, by King and Country; click HERE to see the video below.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I read a story about the immigrants that attempted to escape the religious tyranny of Europe a few centuries back. I do not know if this is a true story, but I did enjoy what it was trying to teach us. The story says that when the immigrants arrived in the new land, they felt a sense of relief in America for a short time. However, once reality started to sink in, the immigrants began to miss their old life back in Europe and complained to the leaders. To avoid chaos and protect them, the leaders decided to burn all the ships they used to get to America. This action forced the immigrants to work together and forge a new community free of tyranny.
Sometimes change is challenging but also necessary. We resist change and lust for the easy stuff, the pleasures we had, not realizing how it was killing us. Thank God some leaders know better and lead us for our good. We also have a Father in heaven who wants to lead us into blessings if we let Him.
Observation
Egypt enslaved the nation of Israel grossly and mistreated them. God decided to lead them to a new land with all His blessings. Yet, even after witnessing the incredible power of God in their deliverance, they started to complain to Moses. They wanted to go back to Egypt, even if that meant slavery again:
Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” Numbers 11:4-6 NKJV
Interpretation
I love the Word of God! It is perfect to me, the way everything fits together. God always uses a type, a shadow, to portray a heavenly or earthly reality. In this case, He uses Egypt to represent our sin condition, our fallen state. God uses Moses as a deliverer to the new land, free from that sin (Egypt). Can you think about who he is portraying? Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Lord Jesus paid the price at the cross to set us free from the bondage of sin and its punishment. He gave us the Holy Spirit to comfort us and empower us to remain free from the influence of sin and its corruption. Now, Jesus lives to intercede for us and is sitting at the right hand of the Father, full of Glory and power. He will return one day to remove the presence of sin once and for all.
With this in mind, we who call Him Lord, do we act like we are free from slavery?
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:34-36 NKJ
Most of us want to go back to Egypt and enjoy our pleasures there.
Application
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 NIV
We need to forget what is behind us! What is behind? Which ships do we need to burn?
No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:8-11 NKJV
God washed us when we were like that, yet we sometimes miss some of those times in our past and fall for the devil’s lies. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, we forget what God has done for us through His Son’s sacrifice, and we dishonor His name. When we go back to our old ways, we are not displaying a spirit of thanksgiving for what He has done for us. We forget to give Him praise daily and worship Him as if we were just about to meet Him.
Let us consider Esau, who gave up his eternal rights, for a bowl of soup, as a warning.
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done. Hebrews 12:15-17 NIV
My friends, let us consider what is short-term and what is eternal. The flesh and its pleasures are short-term. Let us not lose the eternal for the short term. Yes, we are saved by grace, through faith, but be careful; only God knows who is His. We must run the race; that is our part.
…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, Hebrews 12:1
If we are sons and daughters of the Most High, then we are free. We must believe this in our minds and hearts and act like it (run the race). Others will come to the truth and be saved by seeing the Christians running the race and focusing on Jesus. Setting the example is the best way to witness.
Like the video says, flush the pills, face your fears, step into a new day, and let us dance upon a heartache. Dance, love again, wake up, and say good morning to God every day. The Holy Spirit is the power that enables us to burn the ships and step into a new day full of blessings in Christ.
Abba Father,
We come to give you thanks for our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our leader, our Master, and we sometimes complain, and we sometimes get enticed to return to our old ways. Father, give us the Holy Spirit daily, so He can empower us to live for you and make our bodies the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Let us bring honor to Your name.
In Jesus’ name, we pray!
Amen!
PS
I could not forget that it applies to me first in writing this blog. Often, I returned to Egypt and forgot my God and what He had done for me. I bathed in my pride and arrogance. My wife, my home, my animals, my property, and my health suffered the most. Thanks be to God; he gave me a praying wife. God pursued me and brought me home again. My goal now is to praise my God on the rising sun and the setting of the same. I will trust in the Holy Spirit for the power needed daily. I will continue to run the race by the grace of God. Let us do this, brothers and sisters!
To God, be the glory!
Everything was created By Him, For Him!
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-25
Disclaimer
I write my blogs as I get inspired by God. Consider this writing as a Bible study. Like the Bereans In Acts 17:11, search the Scriptures to determine whether what I write is so. Always consult with your church ministers about biblical matters. I am also not a professional writer, so some grammar or spelling errors may be. I try my best to write as efficiently as possible. Your brother, In-Christ, Ricardo
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