One of my favorite epic dramas that I can read over and over again is the story of Israel and their deliverance from Egypt and into the Promised Land. The saga continues as they live through the judges, the kings, and the prophets.
In the book of Judges we find that Israel is in a tight spot…again.
They have been disobedient to God, and are living near Midian. They are actually living in the mountains in the clefts and crevices that they can find. We are told that every crop they plant is seized by the Midianites, Amalekites, and any other country that is nearby. Israel was experiencing poverty at the hand of the Midianites.
Israel cries out to God to save them, to help them in their time of trouble once again. And God responds to His people with His everlasting patience and authority.
And when they cried to the Lord because of Midian, The Lord sent a prophet to the Israelites, who said to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt and brought you forth out of the house of bondage. And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you and gave you their land. And I said to you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not obeyed My voice.
Judges 6:7-10, AMP
What is God telling the Israelites? He reminds them of the where they have been, and what they have experienced through Him, times that that were much more difficult that their current situation, times that He did not fail them.
He reminds the children of Israel just exactly who He is. ‘I am the Lord your God’ (vs. 10). This refers back to His initial conversation with Moses, where He declared ‘I am that I am’ (Exodus 3:14). There is no question about who He is – God simply is.
The next statement; ‘fear not the gods in whose land you dwell’ is one of encouragement. God is aware that sometimes when we are dead smack in the middle of a situation, the gods (circumstances, finances, relationships, jobs, etc.) we are living under seem so much greater than our God. God seems to be removed from our situation, our struggles; but He reminds us that HE IS GOD.
Yes, we are living in the land of another god. Yes, we are living on the earth where another god (Satan) rules, but God is bigger and greater than any city, bigger than any country, any job, any circumstance, and any oppressor. He is the God of all creation, not just the events or circumstance that is encompassing every part of our being for the moment.
God wants us to remember, He wants us to know that no matter what the circumstance, no matter how oppressing the situation seems to be, remember HE IS GOD, and we still need to obey His commands.
He calls us to love Him ‘with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves’ (Luke 10:27). We are called to seek God despite what we are experiencing and give Him the honor and glory for everything.
So, next time you are feeling oppressed, or in a situation that has grasped you to the very core of your being, take a minute and remember the I AM THAT I AM, the Lord that has delivered us, and the promise that He has set before us.
Fear not, He is the Lord, your God.
More From Dawn
Another awesome post that has touched me. It feels like life is closing in around me right now. It’s one thing after the other and instead of having faith and believing that God is here to help me through the rough times I pull farther and farther away from him…feeling more lost than ever. I feel like this post was wrote especially for me.