24. TRUSTING CHANGES FATEGod expects His followers to believe His word, and follow it exactly.
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All of us put our trust in certain things. When we drive our cars we trust that the car manufacturer made the automobile to work correctly. When we walk on a bridge we trust that it is strong and when we put our money in the bank we trust them to protect it. Well how do you know that someone really trusts something? You know because they demonstrate their trust through action. We can say that we trust a car, but it is only when we drive it that we show our trust is real. The same principle can be applied to a bank, bridge, or anything else. It doesn't matter how much we talk about trust, if we won't walk on the bridge or put our money in the bank then we really don't trust either one.
Well what if we apply that principle to our spiritual lives? Who do you trust with your eternal destiny? Who is in control of your fate? Most people would say that they trust God for their salvation and that would be the correct answer. God is the judge of who will and will not attain eternal life. And just like the aforementioned items, we also show our trust in God by doing what He says. It isn't our words that show we trust Him, but rather our actions. Can we trust God with our eternal salvation? Yes we can and that trust will be revealed in what we do.
When God saves those who trust Him, God at the same time reveals those who do not trust Him. So then the day of salvation is also a day of judgment for those who do not believe. Let's look at an illustration of these ideas.
Çetin Bey worked in his father’s construction company for 25 years before his father passed away and left the company to him. Aytekin Construction had built two cooperative projects and over 35 apartment buildings in the city. Everyone at the municipality knew Çetin’s father and his power to get projects done.
Çetin Bey was even more aggressive than his father and wanted to expand the company and make it the biggest in the city. To do so he planned a number of large and expensive projects. He would set his eye on a squatter (gecekondu) neighborhood and through bribes and influence get the municipality to knock down the houses and give land deeds to Çetin Bey. One day he was in a café with his friends and he began to boast.
“I am going to start a summer house village in Çamaltı,” Çetin said.
All his friends were very impressed by this because no one could get permission to build summerhouses on that bay. It was protected land.
“How are you going to build there, no one can touch it,” his friend Yaşar asked. “There are a few villagers who have been living there for years in their old houses. What are you going to do, knock down their houses and take their land?”
“Just sit back and watch. I have lots of power. I will do it!” he said.
So Çetin began to work. At first, he built in the area just outside of the old village houses. But as time went by he got closer and closer to them. The concrete trucks came and the foundations and the columns were poured. These houses were going to be big; the footprint alone was 80 square meters not including balconies. All of them had at least two floors, a view of the bay, parking, a small front garden and a bigger one in the back. In addition, the streets would be lined with palm trees. If that weren't enough, the activity center would have a market, tennis and basketball courts, and a small park with exercise equipment.
When they were just about ready to build the second floors, the villagers complained to the municipality. But because they didn't have any money or influence, the mayor ignored their pleas and the construction continued. Shortly thereafter, the houses were bought by wealthy people and finished according to their desires. Each one was more beautiful than the next.
“Çetin, you were right, you are the most powerful guy in town,” said Yaşar. “Who can stop you now with all the most influential people buying the summer homes. You did it.”
Çetin laughed and said,
“I own this town Yaşar. Everybody does what I want. No one can stand in my way.”
But there was someone who could stand in the way, the Governor. Word finally reached the governor that construction was going on at the bay and he was furious.
“Someone tell Çetin to stop his construction immediately. I will not allow that bay to be filled with concrete. It will remain a nature reserve.”
But Çetin did not believe the governor was powerful or brave enough to stop the construction.
“He can’t stop me now. What is he going to do, knock down the summer homes of very wealthy and influential people? It would be political suicide.”
But the governor wouldn't back down and he sent another message to Çetin Bey. This time he was sending a wrecking crew to knock down the summer homes and clear the land. Again, Çetin Bey would not believe it.
“He will never do it. It is just a bluff,” he said. “Besides, I will call the mayor and he will back me up on this.”
Unbeknownst to Çetin, the governor also sent a message to the villagers. But it was different than the first. He said,
“You are living on protected land and you do not have deeds. But because you were there before the land was formally protected I will give you rights to remain there. The bulldozers will not destroy your homes. If you want this to happen, each of you must come to the governor’s office and sign a request form. You must also provide some evidence of your living there prior to the date the land became protected. If you sign the papers your homes will not be destroyed. If you don’t sign the papers, your fate will be no different than Çetin's homes. After you get written permission from our office you will take a photocopy of the permission and nail it to your doors. The wrecking crews will not knock down the house of anyone who has the permission."
All the villagers flocked to the governor’s building to get permission to keep their houses. The owners of the summerhouses heard what the governor was doing. But none of them went to his office or tried to get permission to stay. They trusted that Çetin Bey and the mayor were powerful enough to stop the governor.
When Çetin Bey heard the news he laughed,
“In all my life I never heard anything so stupid. Who does the governor think he is dealing with, some idiot or a child?
It was the governor against the construction company. Who would win? Who was more powerful? Was the mayor powerful enough to help Çetin Bey stop the governor? The governor gave the order for the bulldozers to roll. Çetin Bey went to the construction site. Everyone was there. The camera crews from every major television station, the wealthy homeowners and of course the villagers were all there. There was a lot of shouting. But their voices were drowned out by the sound of the bulldozers smashing the concrete. Some even threw bottles and sticks and dirt at the bulldozers. But the sticks bounced off the steel. The angry shouts of Çetin Bey were no match for the command of the governor. The mayor did not even call much less show up. When the week was finished, not one summerhouse remained. All you could see were some old village houses with white papers tacked to their doors. The villagers were so happy that they celebrated the victory. They trusted the governor's word for salvation and demonstrated their trust by putting the permissions on the door. For Çetin Bey it was judgment day. But for the villagers it was a day of salvation.
In the Bible there are many stories of proud people who fought with God. Most of us think that it is stupid to try to fight with God because He will win. But that is what pride does. It makes us do stupid things. God had told Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go, but he refused. And after he refused God gave him 9 reasons to obey. The river was turned to blood, frogs, insects and disease infested the land and hail destroyed the crops. But Pharaoh wouldn't listen. He hardened his heart to the Lord and decided to go against him. The battle that was raging was greater than the one we just read about. The shouts of Pharaoh were coming against the command of God. Who would win? Let’s start by reading Exodus chapter 12 verse 12:
12 'For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
God said He would execute judgment against the gods of Egypt. He said He would kill the firstborn of the Egyptians because they refused to obey the Lord and let the Israelites go. It seems crazy doesn’t it? Why didn’t Pharaoh just let the Israelites go? Especially after God demonstrated His power in the 9 previous plagues. Why did Pharaoh continue resisting? Quite simply, Pharaoh trusted in his own strength and in the strength of his gods. Now we can start the story from the beginning by reading Exodus chapter 12 verses 1-13:
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: 'On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. 4 'And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 'Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 'Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7 'And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 'Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 'Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire -- its head with its legs and its entrails. 10 'You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. 11 'And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover. 12 'For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 'Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 'So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.
As the permission slip on each villager’s door was a sign to the bulldozer operators not to destroy the houses, so the blood on the doorposts was a sign to the destroying angel not to kill the firstborn in the home. It must have been a huge animal sacrifice like the sacrificial holiday (kurban bayram) because there was no house without a firstborn. The animals were chosen, laid down and their throats were slit. Some of the blood was collected and put on the doorpost. You can imagine the great interest shown by the first-born!
"Daddy, make sure that there is plenty of blood on the doorpost. We don't want to make any mistakes here. Are you sure this will work?"
"Yes, son, this will work. This is the sign that God has given to us. It is a symbol that we are under his protection and saving grace. It is a symbol that we have believed His Word."
In addition to the sacrifice, they were also told to eat unleavened bread for seven days. In fact they weren't even allowed to have leaven in the house. Even if they did have it, they wouldn't have time to let their bread rise because they would need to leave Egypt in a hurry. From this day forward, they were to commemorate the event by keeping a feast of unleavened bread. Let's continue with verses 28-36:
28 Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 29 And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, "Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said.32 "Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also." 33 And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead." 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35 Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
What do you think that cry was like? None of us want to lose a child, much less as a result of not listening to God. Even after the sun rose, the darkness hanging over the Egyptians' hearts must have been thick. Their will to fight was gone. All that remained was a desire for all of Israel to leave Egypt. Their God was obviously more powerful than they ever imagined. But the Israelites didn't leave empty handed.
Sure they had their cooking supplies and herds. But more importantly they took gold, silver, and clothing. What would a bunch of ex-slaves do with silver, gold and cloth? They probably couldn't imagine, but they knew they were free! Free from slavery! Free from Pharaoh! Free from hopelessness! They had a future. Let's finish the story by reading verses 37- 41:
37 Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. 38 A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds -- a great deal of livestock. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves. 40 Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years -- on that very same day -- it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
As the villagers trusted the word of the governor, so also the Israelites trusted God for salvation. As the power of Çetin Bey had no effect on the governor, so the power of Pharaoh had no effect on God. When Çetin Bey thought the mayor would protect him, the mayor couldn't be found. Likewise, when Pharaoh asked for his gods' help, they remained silent. Judgment day for Pharaoh was the day of salvation and deliverance for the people of God. Let's sum up the lesson's main point with the following story.
A young woman came from Ukraine to find work in Antalya, Turkey. While returning home one evening after looking for a job, she was kidnapped by some men who wanted to use her in a terrible way. They locked her in a hotel room, deprived her of food and water and tried to break her will so that she would do what they wanted. After three days her energy was nearly gone.
When she was on the verge of giving up, one of the men came to the room. In a moment of lapse mindedness, he temporarily left his cell phone on the table while he went to the washroom. The woman took the phone and whispering, called the police. The police asked her,
“What hotel are you in?”
But the woman didn’t know. They said to her,
“Try to hang a piece of white clothing out a window and our cars will search for it.”
The woman quickly put the cell phone back on the table and wondered how she would hang a piece of clothing out the window. It had been closed and locked since the day she arrived. Instinctively, she soaked her red shirt with water. When her captor came out of the washroom, she asked him if he would hang it out the window to dry. Because of that shirt, the police were able to rescue the woman. She was free! The air never seemed so fresh nor the sun so bright. All because of a red shirt and little faith!
The girl believed that the police could save her and she trusted the instructions given to her. She didn't just think that the police could save her. She acted on it. She did something about it. It was a day of salvation for the girl. For the men however, it was the day that the captors became the captives. They were put in jail for a long time. That red shirt had made the difference. What had brought salvation for one was the doom of the other. There is a great judgment day. Those who have shown their trust in God by doing what He says will find salvation. Those who have shown their distrust in God by not obeying His word will find destruction.
Questions for Discussion
1. Why did God refer to the children of Israel as an army when they did not lift a sword or spear and did not kill anyone?
2. We see again that God expects His followers to believe His word. If the Israelites had not put the blood on the doorpost would
the destroying angel have passed over that house or would the first-born have died?
3. Do you think there is some special power in the blood of the animal that resisted an evil spirit?
4. Why did God want them to sacrifice an animal so that they would live? Think back to the Garden of Eden.
5. Do you think there is some symbolism or meaning in the lamb? What could it be?
Well what if we apply that principle to our spiritual lives? Who do you trust with your eternal destiny? Who is in control of your fate? Most people would say that they trust God for their salvation and that would be the correct answer. God is the judge of who will and will not attain eternal life. And just like the aforementioned items, we also show our trust in God by doing what He says. It isn't our words that show we trust Him, but rather our actions. Can we trust God with our eternal salvation? Yes we can and that trust will be revealed in what we do.
When God saves those who trust Him, God at the same time reveals those who do not trust Him. So then the day of salvation is also a day of judgment for those who do not believe. Let's look at an illustration of these ideas.
Çetin Bey worked in his father’s construction company for 25 years before his father passed away and left the company to him. Aytekin Construction had built two cooperative projects and over 35 apartment buildings in the city. Everyone at the municipality knew Çetin’s father and his power to get projects done.
Çetin Bey was even more aggressive than his father and wanted to expand the company and make it the biggest in the city. To do so he planned a number of large and expensive projects. He would set his eye on a squatter (gecekondu) neighborhood and through bribes and influence get the municipality to knock down the houses and give land deeds to Çetin Bey. One day he was in a café with his friends and he began to boast.
“I am going to start a summer house village in Çamaltı,” Çetin said.
All his friends were very impressed by this because no one could get permission to build summerhouses on that bay. It was protected land.
“How are you going to build there, no one can touch it,” his friend Yaşar asked. “There are a few villagers who have been living there for years in their old houses. What are you going to do, knock down their houses and take their land?”
“Just sit back and watch. I have lots of power. I will do it!” he said.
So Çetin began to work. At first, he built in the area just outside of the old village houses. But as time went by he got closer and closer to them. The concrete trucks came and the foundations and the columns were poured. These houses were going to be big; the footprint alone was 80 square meters not including balconies. All of them had at least two floors, a view of the bay, parking, a small front garden and a bigger one in the back. In addition, the streets would be lined with palm trees. If that weren't enough, the activity center would have a market, tennis and basketball courts, and a small park with exercise equipment.
When they were just about ready to build the second floors, the villagers complained to the municipality. But because they didn't have any money or influence, the mayor ignored their pleas and the construction continued. Shortly thereafter, the houses were bought by wealthy people and finished according to their desires. Each one was more beautiful than the next.
“Çetin, you were right, you are the most powerful guy in town,” said Yaşar. “Who can stop you now with all the most influential people buying the summer homes. You did it.”
Çetin laughed and said,
“I own this town Yaşar. Everybody does what I want. No one can stand in my way.”
But there was someone who could stand in the way, the Governor. Word finally reached the governor that construction was going on at the bay and he was furious.
“Someone tell Çetin to stop his construction immediately. I will not allow that bay to be filled with concrete. It will remain a nature reserve.”
But Çetin did not believe the governor was powerful or brave enough to stop the construction.
“He can’t stop me now. What is he going to do, knock down the summer homes of very wealthy and influential people? It would be political suicide.”
But the governor wouldn't back down and he sent another message to Çetin Bey. This time he was sending a wrecking crew to knock down the summer homes and clear the land. Again, Çetin Bey would not believe it.
“He will never do it. It is just a bluff,” he said. “Besides, I will call the mayor and he will back me up on this.”
Unbeknownst to Çetin, the governor also sent a message to the villagers. But it was different than the first. He said,
“You are living on protected land and you do not have deeds. But because you were there before the land was formally protected I will give you rights to remain there. The bulldozers will not destroy your homes. If you want this to happen, each of you must come to the governor’s office and sign a request form. You must also provide some evidence of your living there prior to the date the land became protected. If you sign the papers your homes will not be destroyed. If you don’t sign the papers, your fate will be no different than Çetin's homes. After you get written permission from our office you will take a photocopy of the permission and nail it to your doors. The wrecking crews will not knock down the house of anyone who has the permission."
All the villagers flocked to the governor’s building to get permission to keep their houses. The owners of the summerhouses heard what the governor was doing. But none of them went to his office or tried to get permission to stay. They trusted that Çetin Bey and the mayor were powerful enough to stop the governor.
When Çetin Bey heard the news he laughed,
“In all my life I never heard anything so stupid. Who does the governor think he is dealing with, some idiot or a child?
It was the governor against the construction company. Who would win? Who was more powerful? Was the mayor powerful enough to help Çetin Bey stop the governor? The governor gave the order for the bulldozers to roll. Çetin Bey went to the construction site. Everyone was there. The camera crews from every major television station, the wealthy homeowners and of course the villagers were all there. There was a lot of shouting. But their voices were drowned out by the sound of the bulldozers smashing the concrete. Some even threw bottles and sticks and dirt at the bulldozers. But the sticks bounced off the steel. The angry shouts of Çetin Bey were no match for the command of the governor. The mayor did not even call much less show up. When the week was finished, not one summerhouse remained. All you could see were some old village houses with white papers tacked to their doors. The villagers were so happy that they celebrated the victory. They trusted the governor's word for salvation and demonstrated their trust by putting the permissions on the door. For Çetin Bey it was judgment day. But for the villagers it was a day of salvation.
In the Bible there are many stories of proud people who fought with God. Most of us think that it is stupid to try to fight with God because He will win. But that is what pride does. It makes us do stupid things. God had told Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go, but he refused. And after he refused God gave him 9 reasons to obey. The river was turned to blood, frogs, insects and disease infested the land and hail destroyed the crops. But Pharaoh wouldn't listen. He hardened his heart to the Lord and decided to go against him. The battle that was raging was greater than the one we just read about. The shouts of Pharaoh were coming against the command of God. Who would win? Let’s start by reading Exodus chapter 12 verse 12:
12 'For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
God said He would execute judgment against the gods of Egypt. He said He would kill the firstborn of the Egyptians because they refused to obey the Lord and let the Israelites go. It seems crazy doesn’t it? Why didn’t Pharaoh just let the Israelites go? Especially after God demonstrated His power in the 9 previous plagues. Why did Pharaoh continue resisting? Quite simply, Pharaoh trusted in his own strength and in the strength of his gods. Now we can start the story from the beginning by reading Exodus chapter 12 verses 1-13:
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: 'On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. 4 'And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 'Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 'Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7 'And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 'Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 'Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire -- its head with its legs and its entrails. 10 'You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. 11 'And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover. 12 'For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 'Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 'So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.
As the permission slip on each villager’s door was a sign to the bulldozer operators not to destroy the houses, so the blood on the doorposts was a sign to the destroying angel not to kill the firstborn in the home. It must have been a huge animal sacrifice like the sacrificial holiday (kurban bayram) because there was no house without a firstborn. The animals were chosen, laid down and their throats were slit. Some of the blood was collected and put on the doorpost. You can imagine the great interest shown by the first-born!
"Daddy, make sure that there is plenty of blood on the doorpost. We don't want to make any mistakes here. Are you sure this will work?"
"Yes, son, this will work. This is the sign that God has given to us. It is a symbol that we are under his protection and saving grace. It is a symbol that we have believed His Word."
In addition to the sacrifice, they were also told to eat unleavened bread for seven days. In fact they weren't even allowed to have leaven in the house. Even if they did have it, they wouldn't have time to let their bread rise because they would need to leave Egypt in a hurry. From this day forward, they were to commemorate the event by keeping a feast of unleavened bread. Let's continue with verses 28-36:
28 Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 29 And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, "Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said.32 "Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also." 33 And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead." 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35 Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
What do you think that cry was like? None of us want to lose a child, much less as a result of not listening to God. Even after the sun rose, the darkness hanging over the Egyptians' hearts must have been thick. Their will to fight was gone. All that remained was a desire for all of Israel to leave Egypt. Their God was obviously more powerful than they ever imagined. But the Israelites didn't leave empty handed.
Sure they had their cooking supplies and herds. But more importantly they took gold, silver, and clothing. What would a bunch of ex-slaves do with silver, gold and cloth? They probably couldn't imagine, but they knew they were free! Free from slavery! Free from Pharaoh! Free from hopelessness! They had a future. Let's finish the story by reading verses 37- 41:
37 Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. 38 A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds -- a great deal of livestock. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves. 40 Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years -- on that very same day -- it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
As the villagers trusted the word of the governor, so also the Israelites trusted God for salvation. As the power of Çetin Bey had no effect on the governor, so the power of Pharaoh had no effect on God. When Çetin Bey thought the mayor would protect him, the mayor couldn't be found. Likewise, when Pharaoh asked for his gods' help, they remained silent. Judgment day for Pharaoh was the day of salvation and deliverance for the people of God. Let's sum up the lesson's main point with the following story.
A young woman came from Ukraine to find work in Antalya, Turkey. While returning home one evening after looking for a job, she was kidnapped by some men who wanted to use her in a terrible way. They locked her in a hotel room, deprived her of food and water and tried to break her will so that she would do what they wanted. After three days her energy was nearly gone.
When she was on the verge of giving up, one of the men came to the room. In a moment of lapse mindedness, he temporarily left his cell phone on the table while he went to the washroom. The woman took the phone and whispering, called the police. The police asked her,
“What hotel are you in?”
But the woman didn’t know. They said to her,
“Try to hang a piece of white clothing out a window and our cars will search for it.”
The woman quickly put the cell phone back on the table and wondered how she would hang a piece of clothing out the window. It had been closed and locked since the day she arrived. Instinctively, she soaked her red shirt with water. When her captor came out of the washroom, she asked him if he would hang it out the window to dry. Because of that shirt, the police were able to rescue the woman. She was free! The air never seemed so fresh nor the sun so bright. All because of a red shirt and little faith!
The girl believed that the police could save her and she trusted the instructions given to her. She didn't just think that the police could save her. She acted on it. She did something about it. It was a day of salvation for the girl. For the men however, it was the day that the captors became the captives. They were put in jail for a long time. That red shirt had made the difference. What had brought salvation for one was the doom of the other. There is a great judgment day. Those who have shown their trust in God by doing what He says will find salvation. Those who have shown their distrust in God by not obeying His word will find destruction.
Questions for Discussion
1. Why did God refer to the children of Israel as an army when they did not lift a sword or spear and did not kill anyone?
2. We see again that God expects His followers to believe His word. If the Israelites had not put the blood on the doorpost would
the destroying angel have passed over that house or would the first-born have died?
3. Do you think there is some special power in the blood of the animal that resisted an evil spirit?
4. Why did God want them to sacrifice an animal so that they would live? Think back to the Garden of Eden.
5. Do you think there is some symbolism or meaning in the lamb? What could it be?