To The Promise



Exo 5:22  Moses went back to GOD and said, "My Master, why are you treating this people so badly? 
	
	And why did you ever send me? 

Exo 5:23  From the moment I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, things have only gotten worse 	
	
	for this people. And rescue? Does this look like rescue to you?" 


	It seems that there is an enduring that goes on before the actual entrance to the land of 

promise. The very thing that their first leader, Joseph, had begun in using the drought to 

initiate slavery was now coming back to haunt them. While they were quite gifted in the skills 

with which they performed, they were despised for them and pressured to the point of inability to 

fulfill them. Since this was taking place as a result of something that was presented as a "God" 

thing, it was looking quite badly for God. Sometimes when God moves it shakes up what has been 

going on to the point that there is no comfort in the status quo anymore. There is no reason to 

rely upon anything that has taken place thus far and so it is all despised and rejected. While 

this is a reaction to what God has initiated, it is not God ordained and cannot be directly His 

fault, although it did become an essential element in the actual preparation of the exodus. For 

the people to be motivated and driven to the point of actually mobilizing and departing from the 

land, there required this pressure and the pushing. 

	It is also interesting that deliverance from Egypt was not all that was needed in their 

lives. They also desperately needed a place to which they might go. It became very critical that 

they react correctly to the difficulties that appeared on their road in order to arrive at that 

prepared destination. Doubting God and His ability to equip them against their enemies became the 

biggest hindrance to their progress and success. Because of their prior slavery and because of 

the inferiority it formed in them they could not believe that God would actually make them able 

to conquer the land. Up to this point everything had taken place apparently solely by the power 

and the ability of God. Incredible signs and wonders had been performed by the hand of God. Now, 

though, they were trying to envision themselves actually fighting against these awesome giants 

and gaining the victory of which they were promised. Somehow, for them, there was a difference. 

Although they had seen God do things for them and actually deliver them from the hand of their 

enemies in Egypt, they still felt somehow that it would have to be by their own strength and 

ability that they would conquer further enemies, not completely confident of God's faithfulness. 

Because of this inability, they were definitely delivered from Egypt, but were never able to step 

into the land that they were promised. 
	
	There is quite often this period of time in a deliverance before the actual departure in 

which there is very little evidence of God's delivering power and the pain can be very great. 

Inferiority presses in as there is its development in the atmosphere of slavery and denegration.  

Then, after the actual departure, there is a period in which it appears to be quite impossible 

for standing on one's own feet, with or without the strength promised. This is the most critical 

of times. This is the time when the choice is made between the wilderness and the promised land. 

There was no choice to be made as long as they were still in Egypt, other than whether or not to 

follow Moses, and this choice was pressed upon them. On their own, though, and out from beneath 

the pressure, there was a choice to be made that was totally up to them and their relationship 

with God. The promise held apparent risk as there could be loss of life and freedom again. To 

press past these barriers was only possible through a developed relationship with their God. Only 

through a passionate love for and complete trust in Him could there be the confidence acquired to 

face up to the challenges of the promised land. Only seeing Him in worship would equip them with 

the confidence and the boldness to press past the deliverance to the promise. 
	
	As we are set free in our lives from circumstances, from bondage and slavery to sin, and 

from strongholds in our mind and flesh, there is waiting for us a promised land of abundance that 

we will only be able to occupy as we obtain confidence and strength abiding in the presence of 

our Father. 



2/2/04