“I AM THE LORD!”

Exodus 14:4-9                               (ESV)

“4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I WILL GET GLORY over Pharaoh and all his host, and the EGYPTIANS SHALL KNOW that “I AM THE LORD”." And they did so.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, THE MIND OF PHARAOH AND HIS SERVANTS WAS CHANGED toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"

6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him,

7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.

8 And the LORD HARDENED THE HEART of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and HE PURSUED THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL while the people of Israel were going out defiantly.

9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and OVERTOOK THEM ENCAMPED at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.”

GOD permits people who are unbelievers in HIMSELF to have terror inflicted upon them in an effort to draw people closer to HIM.  Saul/Paul in New Testament.  Joseph in the Old Testament.  And Pharaoh and the Egyptian army, they wanted the Israelites gone so quickly and so badly that Pharaoh told them in Exodus 12:31-32 Scripture records “Then he (Pharaoh) summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, AND BLESS ME ALSO!"

However, in Exodus 14 Pharaoh’s heart was ONCE AGAIN changed and he ordered his army to PURSUE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, in effect chasing GOD defiantly!  GOD had just delivered TEN PLAGUES on Egypt and the gods worshipped there, but ALMIGHTY GOD wasn’t through displaying that “I WILL GET GLORY” over Pharaoh.  Because Abraham (in Genesis 17:5) BELIEVED THE LORD (Genesis 15:6) and GOD “counted it to HIM as righteousness”, Abraham’s offspring (others who trusted GOD) were used to Glorify HIM.  

Now to my knowledge, I’m not of Jewish descent, but I KNOW GOD and I TRUST that HE can,and does, deliver me from the enemy whenever I am being pursued by him.  Our enemy has been defeated, but he still operates TO GIVE GOD GLORY!  Exodus 34:14 says “for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, WHOSE name is Jealous, is a jealous GOD”!  

Remembering who we are (GOD’S CHOSEN) is very important on our sojourn through this world.  However, remembering that “I AM THE LORD” is something that we don’t ever want to forget.  Not only is HE IN CONTROL, HE even works ALL THINGS for good, for those who are CALLED according to HIS purpose (Romans 8:28)!  “I AM THE LORD” requires no added assistance.  It wasn’t GOD and ANYTHING that divided the Red Sea!  HE is sufficient, period!  HE LIVES IN ME!  Does HE live in you???