God our Law Giver and Fighter

Reading through the culmination of Israel's deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12-15), I appreciated how God became Israel's Law Giver and Fighter. These roles that God took upon Himself is also true to us as believers in Christ:

God as the Law Giver
Some of us would think today that the laws that God gave Israel were too long, too detailed, or even weird.
But if you think about it, Israel were slaves back in Egypt for 430 years (That's more than our 300 years of colonization from Spain). Israel lived under Egyptian law where they were viewed as slaves--dispensable and without dignity. And now that the Lord is bringing them out of that world, they wouldn't have a clue of what it means to live in freedom. God had to give them new system for living that not only gave them order, but gave them dignity as a human being. Exodus 12 & 13, provided new laws and ordinances for them to observe as they begin to exist as a free nation (more will be added to them in the succeeding chapters).

This makes me appreciate God as our Law Giver. We were also slaves once, operating under the law of sin and death, but when we found freedom in Christ, we now operate under the law of the Spirit. This freedom doesn't mean that we can sin all we want, but it is a true kind of freedom that enables us to say no to ungodliness and live holy lives. I am reminded of David in the Psalms when he said that "the law of the law is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple." (1) To operate under a kingdom system where the law-giver is God who is transcendent, and not just another human being, defines a firm and unchanging picture of what is morally right and wrong. To deny a divine Law Giver discredits the moral laws of our society. (2) God's commands when followed will give us dignity as a human being and children of God. God knows what's best for us.

The Lord says to the Israelites in Exodus 15:26, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you." To ignore God's good law removes us from His blessing and protection. As we face this new year, let's commit to follow the Lord, honor Him and obey His commands, so that we can experience the abundant life that He has promised us (John 10:10).

God as our Fighter
In these chapters we also see God as the fighter of the Israelites. As they drew near to the culmination of their deliverance, God gives a one final blow, to show once and for all who is the true and all-powerful God. (1) As they Israelites journey out of Egypt, God provided a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night to guide them (13:21-22). (2) And as the Egyptian hoard continued to pursue the Israelites until the Read Sea, they finally come to their senses realizing that "the Lord is fighting for [the Israelites] against Egypt" (14:12). ( (3) In a celebratory song, the Israelites declared that "the Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name" (15:3). The Lord truly fights for His people!

It encourages me to know that I have a God who fights for my salvation and deliverance. Romans 8:28 says, "The Lord works for the good of those who love him." He is not a God who is hard on His children, but He is a Father who protects us, fights for us, and wants to see us succeed and be victorious in life. Let God, be God. At that moment when the Israelites thought that they are caught between the Read Sea and the murderous Egyptian army, Moses refocuses them on God, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today ... The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still" (Exodus 14:13-14).

I have seen in 2014 how God has delivered me and saved me. This gives me a renewed appreciation of how Jesus is truly my Savior. He fought, and He fought hard, in order to redeem us, save us, so that we can be reconciled, be in fellowship with our Creator, and experience His bountiful blessings. And I wouldn't know how much more dangers and destruction He has saved me from in the past (perhaps only when I get to heaven). But as we face 2015, let us be reminded that we have a Fighter that fights in our behalf, He is the true Hero of our story. So take the challenge of Moses: Do not be afraid, stand firm, and be still.

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Bonus: Check-out this video series about the significance of the Ten Commandments by Prager University - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIBtb_NuIJ1y0fPzddUfOqYMav-gp1JNM