Throughნიმუში

God’s greatest power is revealed when we trust his plans and not our own.

The following two extracts from the Old Testament show this in action. In the first, we read of the Israelites who had escaped from Egypt after the plagues had forced Pharaoh’s hand. But he then regretted his decision, so he sent his army after them. As the dust of the pursuing army stirred up in the distance, the Israelites realised that they were pinned between the soldiers and the vastness of the Red Sea ahead of them.

Yet despite the threat, God reassured his servant, Moses: “I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

Then we’re told:

“As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, “Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians”? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’

Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’”

The second extract comes after the Israelites had spent forty years wandering in the wilderness. God’s faithfulness to lead his people into the Promised Land was about to come to fruition, and they witnessed him block the waters of the River Jordan, so they were able to cross on dry ground – a reminder of his parting the Red Sea, all those years before. The provision of manna ceased. They were about to move into a new phase of their walk with the Lord.

However, they were then confronted with the imposing city of Jericho, one of the oldest cities on earth. The people of Jericho had heard of the miracles that the God of the Israelites had performed, so they’d barricaded themselves in the city. Its walls were seemingly impregnable, so the city stood as a stubborn obstacle to God’s instruction to his people to “possess the land”. Joshua gave very specific instructions to the Israelites:

“When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time, the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the army, ‘Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!’”

Imagine what the Israelites must have thought. If we were instructed to walk with a bunch of our friends and family and ordered to do what they were told, what would our response be? We’d probably speak, gossip, laugh, doubt, and ridicule. We’re very good at that, especially when faced with a seemingly impossible task.

Yet we read that the solid walls of Jericho came crashing down, and the city was conquered by the Israelites. There are parallels in these two extracts, which are like bookends of the starting point of their time in the wilderness and its ending. We see how God tested their obedience. If he’d wanted to, he could have rained down burning sulphur on the city and destroyed it, just as he did with Sodom and Gomorrah. But he chose this option to see whether the Israelites had grown in their trust of him during all the years of wandering in the wilderness.

There are two sentences which stand out in these extracts. In the first, Moses says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”Then, in the second, Joshua says, “do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout.” These aren’t casual comments made in passing. They’re specific orders to be followed as exactly as any other command. Do not speak. Remain silent. The Lord will fight for you. You will see his glory.

When we walk through the wilderness, it becomes all too easy to speak negativity over ourselves. Doubt and fear come at us every day, and when our friends and family console us, we’re often tempted to speak those doubts and fears over ourselves. But each time we do so, we perpetuate the panic that perhaps God won’t heal us, or provide for us, or deliver us. When we read the historical record of what happened with the Israelites, we may question how their faith could be so frail, especially after having seen the miracles of plagues which punished the Egyptians, the Red Sea and River Jordan being held back so they could cross, and the provision of all they needed in the desert. Yet, is our faith any stronger as we go through our own wasteland?

Words have great power.

They have power over our own lives, and they have power over the lives of those who listen to what we say. Remember what God said to Moses: “I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” It’s all about God’s glory. It’s not about our glory, or our strength, or our ability to walk successfully through whatever we’re facing. By remaining silent and trusting God, we honour him and allow him to receive the glory.

A few thoughts to ponder:

• Do you find yourself speaking negatively about your current situation to others?
• How can you be more aware of the words you use about your situation when speaking with others or even in your internal 'voice' speaking to yourself?