Christian Fellowship Church is a Christ centred community dedicated to impacting Belfast, Ireland and the nations with the love of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Christian Fellowship Church (CFC) is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland: NIC101476
Christian Fellowship Church
10 Belmont Road
Belfast
BT4 2AN
Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.” That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people:”
— Exodus 5:5-6
How many times we do what the Lord wants us to do but the situation goes the opposite way than what we expected. What do we do in situations like that.
Trust in His promise
Keep looking to move forward.
Continue obeying God and not give up midway.
Your promised land could be just round the corner.
I just couldn’t leave this at the end of Chapter 5. God always has something to say, and something in mind even when circumstances are hard, and seem to be getting worse.
“Then the Lord told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!” And God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh—‘the Lord.’”
Exodus 6:1-2 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/exo.6.1-2.NLT
As I read the first 5 chapters of Exodus, it hits me afresh just how densely packed the story really is. Full of supernatural signs and wonders as God intervenes in human history. Who could imagine that He could rescue an enslaved people of over a million people from such a despotic and corrupt regime, taking them an impossible route through the Red Sea and an extended wilderness journey before eventually reaching the Promised Land?
And the prophetic scope of the story is stark. I am sure the 8 weeks of preaching will draw out the amazing parallels with the life and work of Jesus, and how this applies to us.
For today, some are yet to come out of Egypt, and many others are in the wilderness, where we progressively get 'Egypt' out of us as we head towards the Promised Land of Jesus's return.
I was also struck by the thought that Exodus means Way Out (I did Ancient Greek O-level so long ago it wasn't that ancient!), "ex" meaning out of, and "hodos" meaning road. So I'm expecting Way-Out teaching for the next 8 weeks! Punning aside, isn't it actually such as strange and wonderful story that it not only describes the physical and spiritual exodus of a people, but also is so radical and different that it is way out, well beyond everyday experience. In this story, and even today, God is pursuing us, His Chosen, with amazing power and wisdom. Egypt hasn't a chance!