Protective Leadership

Protective Leadership

Exodus 14: ¹⁹ And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. ²⁰ So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

 

============

 

Stuck at the Red Sea with no way out, the children of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. The Angel of the LORD moved from leading them to protecting them from the Egyptians.

 

My Observations:

• JESUS was leading the children of Israel and moved behind them to protect them.
• The cloud that contained the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT, also moved behind them.
• The Egyptians remembered the eerie darkness they experienced during the plagues and refused to sneak through to the children of Israel’s camp.

 

GOD could have easily wiped out the Egyptians in Egypt before they left. BUT HE had another plan. HE was addressing a mindset withing the Egyptians and the children of Israel. The mindset that appalled GOD was that of a human being considered to be a god. HE led the children of Israel to a place where HIS power could be shown.

 

HE had to protect the children of Israel as HE prepared to rescue them in a very memorable way that would be spoken about for centuries. GOD allows you and me to have free will. Unfortunately, free will can be taken too far. GOD had to address the mindset that humans can abuse other humans for their own gain. GOD protected the children of Israel as part of HIS leadership.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS protection?
• Has GOD stood between you and danger before?
• How can you mimic the LORD’s leadership by protecting those HE has given you?

Response to Darkness – Hard Heart

Response to Darkness – Hard Heart

Exodus 10: ²⁴ Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.”

 

²⁵ But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. ²⁶ Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.”

 

²⁷ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. ²⁸ Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”

 

²⁹ So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”

 

============

 

After the supernatural darkness was lifted, Pharaoh called for Moses to tell him that he would let the people go, but the flocks and herds had to stay. Moses told Pharaoh that the livestock had to go as well. Pharaoh hardened his heart and said “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh was trying to steal the remainder of the livestock he had not already stolen.
• Pharaoh thought he was in control after the plague was over.
• Pharoah threatened Moses, proving that he would never open his heart up and never would bow down to GOD.

 

The limiting belief of thinking he was a god would be Pharaoh’s downfall. He was leading his nation into total spiritual disaster, all while thinking his abuse of power was justified. GOD was dismantling the limiting belief that any human can be looked at as a god.

 

We treat celebrities, politicians and religious leaders as people who we should temporarily worship. Our limiting beliefs give them power or make us look at ourselves as powerless. BUT GOD says something very different. HE took an eighty year old man with a stick and placed him in front of the most powerful man in the land, namely Pharaoh. HE methodically dismantled Egyptian limiting beliefs, one by one. GOD was not finished.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s threat?
• What limiting beliefs do you have about age, power, or titles?
• Is your secret pursuit of power worth battling GOD for HIS deserved spot?

Ninth Plague: Darkness / Ninth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Ninth Plague: Darkness / Ninth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 10: ²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, ^[b]darkness which may even be felt.” ²² So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. ²³ They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

 

============

 

GOD was at Warning, Action and Response (WAR) with Pharaoh. But this time HE gave no warning. In fact, GOD had given HIS final warning and would only perform actions, or HIS plagues. This time HE made darkness that could be felt.

 

My Observations:

• GOD caused physical darkness that felt like something was touching everyone.
• The Egyptians experienced physical darkness for three days.
• The children of Israel experienced light in their homes.

 

A mindset was being dealt with, namely the worship of the sun god Ra as a very high deity. The Egyptians were sun worshipers and placed high values in star worship to drive their decision making. For three days, the Egyptians could do nothing.

 

Meanwhile, the children of Israel experienced light in their homes. GOD’s light shows truth, shows the way and exposes dangers easily. The absences of light creates confusion, fear and depression. Three days sounds familiar. JESUS was in the grave for three days. GOD was dismantling the mindset of limiting beliefs.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the plague of darkness?
• Have you self-examined whether you are operating under limiting beliefs?
• Knowing that GOD has no limits, will you ask HIM to remove any limiting beliefs you may have?