DO NOT GO BACK TO EGYPT

“The grass withers and the flowers fade but the Word of the Lord endures forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (NIV).

And when the Word made flesh was just twelve years old, He walked into His Father’s House.
His elders were astonished at His wisdom, without Him having to announce
That He, in fact, was the Father’s own Son,
None could have known what this young boy would grow to become.
How could they have known that they sat in the very presence of the Saviour,
How could they have known this was the one John the Baptist would pave the way for,
This is the King who would lay down His life for me.
This is the Lamb of God whose blood would set all of us free.
While we were slaves in Egypt. When we were dead in our sin,
Our Champion purchased our freedom and called us His kin.
For it was by His sacrifice that we are now Holy-Spirit equipped.
So do not lose heart. Do not go back to Egypt.

When twelve-year-old Jesus wandered off to the temple, His family was in Jerusalem celebrating the Passover.
In case you aren’t familiar, the Passover was a celebration of what God did in Egypt many years ago. God’s people, the children of Israel, had been in slavery to the Egyptians for over 400 years. They cried out for deliverance and God sent Moses. Through Moses, God performed signs and wonders to cause the Egyptians to let His people go. The last of these was the angel of Death, whom God sent to kill the firstborn son of every household. God told the Israelites that to be spared this terrible plague, they must kill a blameless lamb and smear its blood on their doorposts.

So they did. And when the angel of Death came to their house, he passed over because that house had been covered by the blood. But for the Egyptians, there was a great cry throughout the land, for there was not one house where someone was not dead. And with that, Pharaoh let God’s people go.

After generations of being born & dying in slavery – the LORD lead them out.
But with each step that God led them out of their bondage, the desire to go back grew.
After 400 years of being abused and mistreated. After 400 years of clinging to God’s promises to Abraham. And after 400 years of crying out for deliverance – they wanted to go back to the bondage from which they had just been freed.
When they found bitter water when they were hungry when they were thirsty when Moses had been on the mountain a little too long and they didn’t think he was coming back they returned to their bondage.
But despite their unfaithfulness, Yahweh was faithful.
But because they kept looking back at where they came from, they couldn’t quite get to where they were going.

So church, don’t look back.
And don’t lose heart.
For the giants, you are facing today.
The bondage you are trapped in today.
The Egyptians you see today you will never see again when you fix your eyes upon Jesus. The pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross. (Exodus 14:13 & Hebrews 12:2)
For without the shedding of blood there would be no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:22) Without the shedding of blood there would be no liberty for the captives.
And that blood covers me.
So, when the righteous wrath of God comes to my doorstep, it passes over me.
Some put their trust in horses & chariots, but I put my trust in the name of the LORD. (Psalm 20:7)

I put my faith in the Rock of the Ages.
Because if He did it for them, He’ll do it for me. And if He’s done it for me, then He’ll do it for you.
Because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the blood will never lose its power.
So when the Egyptians are looking for me, telling me I’m not really free – they can find me under the blood.
When the accuser comes for me, reminding me of where I came from – I’m covered by the blood.
Because my God made a way.
Because my God rose again.
Because the Word was with God at the Beginning and the root of David sits on the throne in the end.
Heaven and earth will pass away but His Word will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

So is the word that goes forth from His mouth:
It will not return to Him empty but will accomplish what He desires
And will achieve the purpose for which He sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

And when the Word made flesh was just twelve years old, He walked into His Father’s House.
His elders were astonished at His wisdom, without Him having to announce
That He, in fact, was the Father’s own Son,
None could have known what this young boy would grow to become.
How could they have known that they sat in the very presence of the Saviour,
How could they have known this was the one John the Baptist would pave the way for,
This is the King who would lay down His life for me,
This is the Lamb of God whose blood would set all of us free.
While we were slaves in Egypt. When we were dead in our sin.
Our Champion purchased our freedom and called us His kin.
For it was by His sacrifice that we were Holy-Spirit equipped.
So do not lose heart.

Do not go back to Egypt.

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