“Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2).
Did you know that when Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews go free from slavery that he had a good reason? It’s in Exodus 5, when Moses spoke to Pharaoh on God’s behalf. Pharaoh replied, “I do not know the Lord.”
When Moses complained about Pharaoh’s response look at what the Lord said to Moses. Three times the Lord said, “I am the Lord,” then he preceded to explain who he was. He was the one who appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was the one who heard Israel’s cries. He was the one who promised Israel a new land and freedom. He was the one who charged Moses and Aaron to speak to Pharaoh and lead Israel out of bondage. (Exodus 6:2-13). But, interestingly, God’s response to Pharaoh was given to Israel, but not to Pharaoh. Why?
Because Israel was to be an object of God’s love and Pharaoh was to be an object of God’s wrath.
Now, in Christ, we are not only objects of God’s love, but we are to be conduits through which God demonstrates that love so that the lost can turn from being objects of God’s wrath to objects of God’s love. This is how God wants to use you today. Scripture says that, “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one,” Satan (I John 5:19). This is just like Pharaoh who held all the power of Egypt over the lives of the Israelites. And just as Moses came to save them, so too, scripture says, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8). And in Christ you are tasked with the same thing. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
If you know Christ then you are an object of God’s love. If you do not know Christ then you reside in wrath, just like Pharaoh. But you can make the choice to repent of your sin and become an object of God’s love.
Memory Verse
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8).
Application
Demonstrating we are objects of God’s love happens when we demonstrate God’s love to others, as well as telling people about Jesus. What practical things can you do today to show others they can experience God’s love through Christ?
