Under The Coverage Of The Most High

One of the most difficult things that people find to do is to trust. To trust is something that we find very difficult because through our life all of us have been disappointed or betrayed by people that we have trusted. Due to this our heart has hardened in a certain way, which causes us to stop trusting or does not allow us to trust God. These disappointments or betrayals cause us to doubt God’s power, which in turn leads us to stray from the path that He would like us to follow, or to stop growing spiritually. In other words, we allow the things of this world to blind us to the reality that we live in God’s kingdom, under His coverage and power. This is why today I want us to examine a small portion of history about this theme, that will help discover God’s power in our life. Let us now turn to the Word of God.

Exodus 13:17-22 - Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt. 19And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.” 20So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. 21And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Like I always say, in order to have a better understanding of the message that God has for us today, it will be necessary to conduct a brief history review. As we all know, Abraham’s descendants came to live in Egypt after Joseph was appointed governor, as we find in Genesis 41:40-43 when we read “You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt.” This authority allowed Joseph to establish his family in the land of Egypt; this is something that is clearly stated in Genesis 47:11 when we read “And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.”

During this time God’s people grew to a large number as we find in Exodus 1:7 when we read “But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.” Now, although God’s people were initially welcomed into Egypt, after the death of the pharaoh and Joseph, the Egyptians began fearing them because of their growth and strength, and this fear led the new pharaoh to enslave theses people. Look at how this is something that is clearly stated in Exodus 1:12-14 when we read “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. 13So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. 14And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.” At first glance all of this could appear as if God had forgotten His people, but in reality, this is not the case. Look at how this is something that is very well reflected in Exodus 3:7-8 when we read “And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.” Although these people did suffer at the Egyptians hands, God never abandoned them. Tell the person sitting next to you, God does not abandon us.