Today’s Reading:
Psalm 114
When the Israelites escaped from Egypt– when the family of Jacob left that foreign land- the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary, and Israel became His kingdom (dominion). The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way (fled!). The water of the Jordan River turned away (back). The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! What is wrong (ails you), Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River that you turned away? Why, mountains, did you skip like rams. O little hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of water.” (Ps. 114 NKJV)
This psalm displayed the Hebrew’s power of poetry which, in truly short verses told the story of the exodus. It was sung at their Passover, in appreciation of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt ‘with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders’ (Deut. 26:8). The language of the psalmist personified inanimate objects. He described the parting of the Red Sea as seeing Israel coming and fleeing. And when they entered the promised land, the Jordan River went back further north of the Jordan Valley to allow the people to cross it (v.3). The mountain around Sinai also quaked at the presence of God when he came to meet His people.
We will notice that it was when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, ‘the strange language’, that His presence started to dwell among them and ruled over them (v.2). In essence, this psalm is telling everyone living on the face of the earth today especially Christians, to continue to tremble before God as ‘the earth trembled at the presence of the God of Jacob’ (v.7), because of God’s awesome power in taking care of His people Israel. The fact that He turned the rock into standing water, and flint into a fountain of water is proof of God’s unlimited omnipotence and of the grace which converts death into life (v. 8).
All creation reverence and tremble before God, why would human beings that He created in His image and who share of His nature, more so, those He redeemed by the precious blood of His dear Son Jesus Christ, not obey His commands. We are over-familiar with God that we trivialize issues about God. God reminded the Israelites: “I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other God before me, …. 11) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Deut. 5:6-11). Some of us believe that apart from our belief in God, we must seek the help of other gods to succeed and be victorious in life. We talk carelessly about the name of God and Jesus, even we mention the names anyhow in our jokes. This is one of the many ways the enemy today is making believers do things that are not pleasing to God. Reading through the dealings of God with His chosen people, Israel should instil the fear and reverence of God in us.
Should we amend the Law of God to soothe our lawlessness or bend the word of God in the name of love and peace, that only God bestows? We should ask ourselves this question: Is there genuine love and peace in the world? Whereas the Word of God is not ordinary words: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The more we disobey God, the further we will be from true love and peace of God which passes human understanding.
For some time now, the nations of the world have been experiencing unrest, a plague that has been named COVID 19, whether we like to hear it or not is as a result of sin. History of the Israelites repeatedly repeating itself. Let us think seriously about the shameful and painful death Jesus died on the cross. Personally, the taste of the power of God and resolve to change our ways and ask the Holy Spirit to help us. But if we have not surrendered our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit cannot help us, and we cannot partake of the many benefits and spiritual blessings in Christ.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
Father, thank you for deep, great, and mighty deliverance in my life and family, in Jesus name.
Let double destruction from the Lord, fall upon the pursuers of my destiny from the strongholds, in Jesus name.
Every unfavourable and non-beneficial decision from the stronghold of household witchcraft, be nullified by the covenant blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.
Let Your heat, O Lord, consume my will, in Jesus name.
O Lord, revive Your Church for end-time harvesting, in Jesus name.
Every evil cloud over our nation, clear away, in Jesus name.
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