“Now I want to remind you, though you know everything once and for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.” — Jude 5 NASB
Warnings are not welcome to those who constantly listen to the prosperity preachers. But remember the warning of Jude 5 about how God later destroyed those who did not believe! That means your beginning well is not enough. Your finishing strong is more important. Will you qualify?
Yes the Bible is full of warnings. Jude the brother of Jesus Christ speaks about how God delivered his people out of Egypt but destroyed them all because of unbelief.
See what a sad thing it was. They were delivered from their bondage by the protection and the passing over by the blood of the Passover lambs.
They were strengthened for their journey ahead by feeding on the Passover lambs roasted over fire.
They got all the provisions they needed for their journey and to construct a tabernacle to worship God by plundering the Egyptians even as they journeyed from their land of slavery.
God who had told Jacob not to be afraid and that he will go down to Egypt with him and would surely bring him back (see Genesis 46:2–4) journeyed with them in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (Exodus 13:22).
God made the Red sea part and a dry pathway was created in the midst of the waters for the huge Israelite population to cross over. What a miracle it was in addition to the ten awesome judgements of God they had witnessed in the land of Egypt!
What more should God had done to make them really believe and trust him? But sadly the people had left Egypt but Egypt was still in their hearts.
They were so near the promised land but had to wander around in the desert for forty years and perish. Only those who were under twenty years at the time of the Exodus survived. Yes God later destroyed those who did not believe!
See, what bitter results their unbelief brought on them.
Remember the awesome lessons this brings to you:
One, look to God always. He is the God of the impossible and the improbable.
Two, the Israelites longed to go back to their bondage. You should learn to value the freedom in Jesus to which God has called you (John 8:36, Galatians 5:1).
Three, many of them perished because of murmuring against God or rebellion against him or giving way to immoral acts. Watch out against discontentment, impatience, and impurity in your hearts (see 1 Corinthians 10:1–13).
Finally remember to treat the blood of Jesus as precious. An attitude of continual humbling before God and seeking a continual cleansing from this fountain of blood is needed (Zechariah 13:1).
Instead if you trample down the Son of God and treat the blood of Jesus as an unholy thing and insult the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29) only a fearful expectation of judgement remains. And if judgement begins at the house of God, then what will become of those outside of it.
The wrath of the Lamb of God is coming on this world soon (Revelation 6:16, 17). Can Jesus be angry? Oh yes! He showed mercy to sinners but he overturned the tables of those who made business out of his Father’s house!
So let you not be found among those who God later destroyed those who did not beleive!
Read more posts in Living Streams
The Secret of Prayer Posts List