It's Not About You, It's For You
I used to think the Exodus was about freeing the Israelite people from Egypt and punishing Pharoah. That is still true, but today I see something more far reaching and important.
All the plagues, all the signs served another purpose: to reveal who God is to the Israelites, Pharoah, the Egyptians, the ancient world and us today since we are still talking about it.
God made this clear, repeating it throughout Exodus:
- Exodus 6:7 “and you will know that I am the LORD your God”.
- Exodus 7:5 “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD”.
- Exodus 7:17 “Thus says the LORD, ‘By this you shall know that I am the LORD..’”
- Exodus 8:22 “..that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth..”
- Exodus 9:14 “..so othat you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.”
- Exodus 9:16 “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
- Exodus 10:2 “I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”
God wanted Pharoah, the Egyptians, the Israelites, and us to acknowledge and know that He is God — YHWH. It’s about Him, revealing Himself to them and to us. It’s about Him rescuing His people and foreshadowing His greater plan of salvation — passing over us through the covering of His blood, the blood of a lamb with unbroken bones.
Exodus 12:48-50 is the most beautiful to me.
The Israelites were joined by other people—those who witnessed the plagues. While God knew Pharoah and many Egyptians would never acknowledge Him, what if the signs and plagues were also meant to convince these outsiders? The nameless people who would follow the Israelites out of Egypt—He wanted them too. All this is for them as well.
Exodus 12:50 confirms this: “there shall be one law for the native and for the strangers who sojourns among you”. One law. One standard. He is for me, and for you.
Are you challenged by Jesus to accept He has done great things for you?