Sat.’s Devo - Stand, and See the Salvation of the Lord

Read: Exodus 13:17-15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalm 26:1-12; Proverbs 6:16-19 When Pharaoh let Israel go, God led them the long way through the wilderness instead of through the Philistine land. He didn’t want them to face a battle and get discouraged and go back to Egypt. *** Moses took the bones of Joseph with him and camped at Ethan. God shielded them from the sun with a pillar of cloud during the day and provided light with a pillar of fire at night. This allowed them to travel day and night, if need be. God led them to camp at Pi-hahiroth which means “mouth of the defiled,” across from Baal-zephon which means “baal of the north.” God told Moses that Pharaoh would think they were trapped between them and the sea and come after them which was all part of God’s plan. Right in front of their gods, God was going to have the last say. *** It worked, because Pharaoh came with 600 of his best chariots and his troops. When the Israelites saw the Egyptians approaching, they began complaining they should have never left Egypt; being their slaves was better than being dead. *** But, Moses told them to just stand still and watch the Lord rescue them. The Egyptians they saw today, they would never see again. The Lord himself was going to fight for them. *** Then the Lord told Moses to stop praying and start moving. He told Moses to take his staff and raise it over the sea and divide it so the people could walk through the middle. the Egyptians would follow them and see his glory and know that He is the Lord. *** The angel of the Lord went from leading the front of the group, to guarding the back. The pillar of cloud followed and rested between the camp of the Egyptians and the Israelites. It stayed there all night. Moses raised his hand over the sea and God opened up a path through it. The wind blew all night making the seabed dry so that the people could walk through on dry ground. *** The Egyptians followed them but God threw them into total confusion and their wheels twisted. It became so obvious that God was fighting against them the Egyptians wanted to get away from the Israelites. 
 *** When the Israelites got to the other side, God told Moses to stretch forth his hand over the sea and it all went back into place, drowning the Egyptians. Not at single one survived. *** They all sang to the Lord, praising God for what he had just done for them. *** In Matthew, Jesus returned to the Temple to teach. The leading priests came to him and asked how he thought he had the authority to teach the people. Jesus asked them if John’s authority to baptize came from heaven or was it just of himself. They were caught in a dilemma. They couldn’t say it was just of John, because the people believed John was a prophet, so they told Jesus they didn’t know. So since, they wouldn’t answer where John got his authority, he wouldn’t tell them where he got his. *** Jesus told the priests a story about a man who had two sons. He told the oldest one to go and work in the vineyard. The son refused, then changed his mind and went. Then the father told his other son to go and work in the vineyard. He said he would, but didn’t. Jesus asked them which one of the sons obeyed his father. They said the first one. Jesus explained that John was the first son. He came and they didn’t believe at first, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe John and his message, but the priests and teachers of the law refused to believe. They were the second son who said they believed in God, but did nothing to act on this belief. *** Jesus gave them another story about a man who owned a vineyard and put tenant farmers in charge, while he went to another land. At the time of the harvest, the master sent his men to collect his share of the harvest. The tenant farmers beat some, killed some, and stoned some. This happened repeatedly till finally, the owner sent his son, thinking they would have respect for him. They murdered him also. Jesus asked them, what they thought the owner should do with the tenant farmers? They answered that he should kill them and lease his land others who will give him his share of the crop after every harvest. *** Jesus asked them if they had ever read the scripture that said, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful its see.” *** Then Jesus said that the Kingdom of God would be taken away from them and given to someone who would produce proper fruit. He added that that stone would be crushed, but then it would crush anyone it falls on. Then, the priests realized that the story had been about them. They had killed all God’s prophets and refused to be convicted of their murders and sins. They were stuck. They couldn’t arrest Jesus because of the people, who thought Jesus was a prophet. *** Lord, it is time for a change of leadership in the world and in the church. May we be given wise men who will honor your kingdom and fear You. May we do our part and serve where we are. Thank you for Jesus’ example of one who wouldn’t stand down to intimidation and lies. May we have boldness and courage to stand and see your salvation.