UNITY OF PURPOSE

TEXT: EXODUS 8:16-24.

🔑KEY VERSE “And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, and it shall become lice throughout all the land of Egypt” (EXODUS 8:16).

This particular plague came unannounced and so, the magicians could not prepare their own fruits to counterfeit it. In this case, they had to confess,

“This is the finger of God!” The devil has a limit.

But our focus in this passage is the sweet collaboration that existed between Moses and Aaron.

Aaron was the elder brother of Moses; but God’s anointing was on Moses. It was he who received the call. His elder brother was brought into fellowship by the special favour of God. Since God commanded Moses to go meet Pharaoh with Aaron who would be his prophet, both of them had been working as one man. In the chapter under consideration, Aaron played a prominent role in convincing Pharaoh that God had indeed sent them. There was no schism between them. There is one driving force and overriding purpose for their collaboration. They were seeking deliverance for the captive Israelites and wanted to lead them to the Promised Land. Aaron knew he had to amicably work with Moses to achieve this mission.

Believers need to work in harmony to realise their ambition of going to heaven. They must work with the leadership of the church to bring the good news to sinners and prepare them for the kingdom of God through obedience and submission to His revealed will. As believers, we are saved to work for the salvation of others.

Aaron’s submission to the leadership of Moses, his younger brother, is instructive. We must motivate our ambition and humbly work with those who by divine calling, have been put in leadership. To receive the best from God, we must therefore imbibe the Spirit of humility that enabled Moses and Aaron to jointly elevate God before the Egyptians. We will accomplish more for the Lord if we are united. There is power in unity!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Unity brings progress

BIBLE IN A YEAR: LUKE 3-4.

MEDITATION

You are inexcusable 👉

1. Another privileged revelation that Pharaoh ignored
a. God is a God of gods vv17,18,24. One of the deities of the Egyptians was the god of insects. Their god could not help them and deliver them from the hand of God at the time of need.
b. God is the only Creator that could create living organisms (lice) out of nonliving things (sand) vv17,18. The magicians could not replicate it v18.
Q Does Pharaoh still had any excuse for not accepting the God of the Hebrews as the only living God?
Lord, help me never to waste any of your revealed truth but let it always mix with godly fear and obedience of faith in my heart
2. The effect of privileged revelation on man
a. To the open minded and reflective magicians, there was an acknowledgement that the creative power at work “is the finger of God” v19.
b. To the hardened Pharaoh, there was anger and rejection of the deity of God v19.
c. The same revelation produced 2 different extreme effects depending on the state of the heart of the receivers.
Q What made Pharaoh to harden his heart in the face of clear humbling revelation from God?
Lord, break up every hardness of heart in me and let my heart be receptive and obedient to the totality of your word
3. No man is excusable any more Romans 2: 1
a. God is not partial James 1:17.
b. God gives revelations to every man sufficient enough to make Him accept and submit to the Lordship of Christ whether the man acknowledges it or not.
c. God gives long rope to every man in every area of His demand and it is left to the man to acknowledge or get angry Romans 2:4.
d. In the final analysis, no man will have an excuse to give for not submitting totally to the will of God Romans 2:5,6.
Q Is your heart truly different from that of Pharaoh? Have you repented and accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour or you are ignoring some revelation of the word of God? Are you totally surrendered to every will of God in your life or there are areas you are resisting God? Do you honour the majesty of God of all creations with godly fear?
Oh Lord, knock out every resemblance of the spirit of Pharaoh from all your children in the Church

HYMN How Great Thou Art

1. O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
   Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
   I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
   Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
   Chorus
   Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
   How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
   Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
   How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
2. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
   And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
   When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
   And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
   Chorus
   Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
   How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
   Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
   How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
3. And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
   Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
   That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
   He bled and died to take away my sin.
   Chorus
   Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
   How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
   Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
   How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
4. When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
   And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
   Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
   And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”
   Chorus
   Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
   How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
   Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
   How great Thou art, How great Thou art!