PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Jeremiah 41-42
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Remnant of Judah, the Lord has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’” (Jeremiah 42:19)
When God rescued Abraham’s family from Egypt, they were not to go back there.
Egypt represented both worldly wealth (Nile fertility) and worldly bondage (slavery).
Moses warned the people against gong back to Egypt for any reason (Deuteronomy 17:16).
They would not see Egypt again (Exodus 14:13) except as punishment (Deuteronomy 28:68).
Now the remnant of Abraham’s family is afraid, and thinking of escape in Egypt.
Like the tribes in the wilderness, their current fears were making them forget.
They were imagining it was better in Egypt, but Jeremiah warns them against it.
Sometimes I wonder whether life would be easier if I did not follow Jesus.
Jesus asks hard things, and the world around us makes it even harder to do them.
But is the ‘Egypt’ of life without Jesus really better, even if life with Jesus is hard?
Following Jesus is challenging, but it is still better than going my own way.
Like the prodigal son, life in a distant country might seem better, but it is not.
The Spirit of Jesus is not pointing us to the easier way, but to the better way.
He is lovingly warning me that ‘going back’ will not help me, but it will hurt me.
PRAYER
Lord, your way is the better way, even if it is the harder way. Help me to see that following you towards love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. is better by far than all the pleasures that ‘Egypt’ might offer me.
I may fear for my safety and take action to protect myself – which I should. But there is no safer place than to be under the shadow of Jesus my Lord and saviour. I’ve been in danger but the Lord kept me safe through it all – There have been too many close calls in my life – things could have been so different. The leaders who came to Jeremiah were told not to go to Egypt and seek refuge there from the anger and retribution of Babylon – but God promises to keep them safe, however they thought they would be safer in Egypt.. I need to remind myself to make choices with prayer – asking the Lord to affirm or guide me in the right choice. Being under the spirit’s leading will lead me to the choice that is blest by the Lord – even when it is the ‘tougher’ choice or as my Mom would say the ‘not-easy’ choice.
Do this and live is what the Lord God tells us. Live and do this. God is with His people if they but obey His word, even though it may be difficult to that word. Listen to His voice saying, do this and live. In all things God needs to be first. Not my will but His be done. Always.
I serve a risen Savior
He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy;
I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him
He’s always near.
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.