Bible Reading: Exodus 8; Job 25-26; Luke 11; 1 Corinthians 12
Exodus 8:22-23 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. 23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.
When God brought the third plague on the Egyptians the magicians of Pharaoh's court tried to copy the lice, but they could not. Exodus 8:18-19 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. 19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. With the promise of the fourth plague, Pharaoh was told that God would make a distinction between his people and Pharaoh's people. The land of Goshen where the Israelites lived would not be touched by the flies. God was sending a strong message to Pharaoh that the Israelites belonged to him and that he was looking upon them with blessing.
God makes a distinction between his people and the people of the world. We have many great and precious promises in the Word of God that apply to those in Christ. God draws the distinction and he wants for us to draw the distinction as well. Just as he was preparing to bring the children of Israel out of the land of bondage, he is calling us to come out from among the lost world and be separate.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
As sons and daughters of God we are to be separated from the unclean things of this world. It is amazing but the Egyptians hated the ways of God. Pharaoh told Moses the Israelites could sacrifice to their God in Egypt, but Moses said no.
Exodus 8:26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
Egyptians had several sacred animals that they saw it an abomination to kill. The children of Israel would be offering cattle in sacrifice to the Lord and the Egyptians would see that as sac religious. What God commands his people to do, the world hates. Not much has changed. Are you ready to come out from among them and be separate? Will you follow Jesus and live for him no matter what the lost world thinks?
In Christ,
Rody
