Are You In the Story of the Glory?

• Have you ever put yourself in a place that proclaims God’s greatness to the lost?
• Do you think God would ever push you into an uncomfortable place, for you to be an example of His Glory?
• What are you willing to allow God to do in your life for Him to be glorified?

God spoke of the Exodus and said, “The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the Israelites from among them” (Exodus 7:5). God had two purposes in the Exodus. To free His people, and to proclaim His omnipotence to the world.

To show His Glory, after the Israelites had left the cities of Egypt toward the desert, He spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites to turn around and camp in front of the sea. Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in. I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” (Exodus 14:1-4)

Pharoah and his army thought they had the Israelites trapped right where they wanted them, but it was God who had Pharoah and his army where He wanted them! The Israelites saw the Egyptians coming after them and were terrified (Ex 14:10). Notice the wrong group was afraid! God said, “As for me, I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh, all his army, and his chariots and horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” (Ex 14:17-18)

Of course, we know the end of the story. The Egyptians went into the sea after the Israelites. God threw the Egyptian forces into confusion. “Let’s get away from Israel,” the Egyptians said, “because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” But Moses raised his staff, the water returned, and none of the Egyptian army survived. (Ex 14:21-28)

Who else heard of God’s great works?

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro (on the other side of the desert), the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. (Exodus 18:1)

The story of the Exodus was still creating awe forty years later. Rahab said (to the spies she was hiding in Jerico), “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt. When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.” (Joshua 2:9-11)

Are you willing to make bold testimony for God even when things look terrible in your life? Are we victims? Absolutely. Are we victors? Even more so. When do we start acting like victors instead of victims? If we had faith, we would proclaim our victory regardless of the way the world sees our circumstances.

Blessings, Pastor E