God’s Wrath will Come
Call upon HIS name and find favor
Judgment sure to come
DBF, Sunday Sermon, 9/29/02
I heard recently that a small midwestern community stated they really weren’t affected by the attack of September 11, 2001.
I was amazed and somewhat concerned for the state of heart of that community and its members.
When we in Dillingham, Alaska and all of the villages in Alaska felt the tragedy for the people of New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.
We identified with the senseless loss of life having lost several community members in their prime within the past year.
We suffered in many senses more that other communities with road systems in that our transportation lifeline was cut off for a significant amount of time, and when it was reinstated the regulations and requirements were a strain on our communities.
It did concern me, but then I started to consider all of the people today who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, yet face tomorrow…or not.
The false impression of safety, of levity, of being in a place that is different or distinct from others that Satan brings into the lives of people who follow after him is alarming. They follow as sheep to the slaughter, because the Day of Judgment approaches with certainty and on that day there will only be two directions in which we may go. Either our names will be found in the Lambs “Book of Life” or we will be cast into the fiery pit for eternity.
Be vigilant, be ready, be aware…these are the only choices available to you and I…there will not be a door Number 3.
Many feel falsely as the Egyptians did in our study today, there will always be tomorrow to rectify our situations and get things right but a great plague will be visited upon them requiring all the firstborn of the land be killed. Many thought they would have tomorrow that day, many in New York and Washington felt they surely had tomorrow, and many today feel that there tomorrow is assured. Be vigilant, only God knows who and what tomorrow may bring…life or death eternal.
Call upon HIS name and find favor
Exodus 11:1-10 (KJV)
And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. [2] Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. [3] And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people. [4] And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: [5] And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. [6] And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. [7] But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. [8] And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. [9] And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. [10] And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.
We all have limits that we can tolerate, what is yours?
Here God says HE will bring a greater plague than any yet visited upon Egypt that will cause Pharaoh to push the nation out.
It was probably hard for the nation of Israel to imagine something worse that what had already occurred in the mighty acts of God. It may have even been difficult for the Egyptians to think of something that might be worse than what had already been visited upon them…yet God’s word is true and a worse plague was coming.
What do you do when you come to the end of your endurance?
What do you do when you feel you can bare something no more?
We all get to this point in our lives and we have only two options. One is to turn to the world and seek comfort in people and things that’s only end is self-interest and self- motivation. The other option is to turn to God and HIS perfect plan for our lives as his word tells us in I Corinthians 10:13;
1 Cor. 10:13 (KJV)
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
God, in and through HIS word assures me that I will be able to bear up to anything that comes my way if I truly am given fully to HIM.
People who turn away at the slightest thing have not really accepted HIM and sought after HIM. God’s word is plain and true and tells us that there will be difficult times which we will face…HE alone is able to give us the grace to bear all things that will come our way. Praise God and turn to the ONE who is able.
Some may be thinking, “But pastor, how can I find favor in a negative situation in my life?”
Most times the most difficult time that we bare becomes a blessing to others and ourselves. You see, as we are going through the difficult time, we cannot fathom a future in which this experience could benefit other brothers and sisters in Christ…Praise God, HE does.
God’s word tells us that we are to edify, lift up, exhort onto good works all brothers and sisters in Christ. We would have a very difficult time doing so if we did not come to an understanding in our walk that we have a requirement to sanctify ourselves daily and the manner in which we do this is through coming to know HIS word.
John 17:17 (KJV)
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
You see we have a calling to continue this process of sanctification that process requires us to be daily and continually instructed in God’s word, which becomes the truth we live by daily. In doing so you will find great favor in God and in your life.
[2] Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. [3] And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.
This work of God amazes me, each time I think of it. Can you imagine going over to your neighbors house and saying “I hear you have a 2 carat diamond ring, would you let me have it?”
You probably would only come back from even a close friend today with nothing more than a tongue-lashing. Yet through God’s providence, this nation of slaves is directed to go to their neighbors and borrow from this nation that has held them in captivity for 400 years.
You see if I depend on something I would rather depend upon the certainty of God than the uncertainty of man. I personally find that very favorable.
On whose name do you call today?
Are you finding favor today? If not, why? God clearly shows us how even in the worst situation we can be in HIS favor.
Judgment sure to come
Some would ask, “Why should I be in God’s favor?”
The only answer that I can give that someone in the world would understand is that God has shown us that Judgment is sure to come…to you and I…just as it is about to come to a great number of Egypt’s first born or man and animal alike.
[4] And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: [5] And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
What was the significance of the last plague?
It was against the things most revered in society at this time.
From the beginning the office of the priesthood in each family belonged to the firstborn son.
In a short time when God gives HIS law to Moses HE will ordain that the first-born of man and of unclean animals should henceforth be redeemed (Num. 18:15).
The laws concerning this redemption of the first-born of man are recorded in Ex. 13:12-15; 22:29; 34:20; Num. 3:45; 8:17; 18:16; Lev. 12:2, 4.
The first-born male of every clean animal was to be given up to the priest for sacrifice.
A peculiar sanctity was attached to the first-born both of man and of cattle. God claimed that the first-born males of man and of animals should be consecrated to him, the one as a priest (Ex. 19:22, 24), representing the family to which he belonged, and the other to be offered up in sacrifice.
So it is plain that when God moved against the first born of Egypt man and animal he was showing HIS preference for Israel over Egypt.
Is there any exception in Egypt? No, just as there will be no exceptions for those who do not call upon the name of the Lord, there were no exceptions to the firstborn of Egypt.
It is the same with people who do not call upon the blessed name of Jesus and ask him to become Lord and savior of their lives. There are no exceptions…they will be condemned that are not found in the Lambs “Book of Life.” And the only way to be in the Lambs “Book of Life” is to accept Jesus Christ, “God’s faithful promise” as your Lord and Savior, no exceptions.
[6] And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
Upon the deaths of the firstborn there was great mourning and weeping, just as we weep today over a lost loved one.
You know there was a lot of weeping over the terrorist acts in our country, and it can certainly be said that it has been some time since there was crying like it.
There probably was similar crying during Vietnam, Korea, and certainly during the Civil War when brothers and friends fought, wounded and killed each other.
I imagine during these conflicts people standing up and holding their fists up to the sky and saying “How could you do this God, how could you take so many people that we love?”
The answer is the same as was already stated. No one is guaranteed tomorrow, no not one. God alone knows the dates and times for all things under the sun, all things are under HIS perfect timing and we as believers must know that HE controls all things and that all things occur to bring about God’s good and perfect will. So next time you are crying pray that God’s good and perfect will be obtained through it…in all things seek first HIS face and will.
[7] But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
Praise God for HIS providence and protection though, for in very difficult times it is HE whom provides our protection and sustenance. With all the tragedies about to come upon the nation of Egypt, God will provide a way out for the nation of Israel just as we studied earlier HE seeks to do in our daily lives.
Do you realize today that God puts a difference between you and the people of the world?
Does the world recognize you as different unto God?
You see we cannot start to be different until we first accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Under any other circumstance we can only have limited understanding of God’s perfect truths.
We must start by admitting to God that we are sinners, deserving as the Egyptians only of Death and fire and brimstone on our own. But Praise God, HE loved us while we were yet sinners and made a way for us to come before HIM. We are to believe that Jesus Christ is God’s only son and believe on HIM. Finally, we are to commit our lives to the Lord above and ask HIM to fill us up with God’s love. In these step we become new creations if we truly believe.
If you would like to start to walk in newness of life today, if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, if you are weary, sick or bed ridden, Jesus is calling.
If you would like someone to pray with you, we ask that you let us know we would love to pray the “sinners prayer” with you or to just ask Christ’s direction into your life.
If you have been walking with a hardened heart and need Jesus to tenderize it, come forward HE will do it.
If you or your loved ones have any specific prayer needs we ask that you let us know, we would love to pray for you.
Closing prayer.
