Joshua 24:16-18
‘The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we would abandon the LORD to serve other gods; for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves, and did these great signs in our sight and watched over us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed. The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.”’
This is a great answer. Joshua must have been pleased. They were grateful. They were reciting the good things the Lord has done for them. Any christian who has walked with the Lord should be able to say the same things.
They were delivered from Egypt. As christians we’ve been delivered from the world. That’s the system that promotes sin, selfishness, partiality, opportunism and a hatred for God and all His ways. Hebrews 11:24-26 has Moses at the most privleged level of the world, but he denies it. “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.”
Jesus contrasted the kingdom of heaven with the world in the beatitudes. God favors the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those persecuted for faith in God. He builds character in us that values all of these. The world’s values are opposite. They breed fear, anxiety and so on. We’ve been delivered from the world.
Believers have been freed from slavery. The vices are the obvious ones: fornication, alcoholism, gambling, pornography and so on. There are other forms of slavery. Thought patterns, anxiety, depression and more. Jesus broke those chains and freed us. I can recall praying in desperation for deliverance. Here I am decades later and still free. Thank You, Lord.
He did great signs. Those done in Egypt were the greatest ones. However, He has done signs for us, little s. His handprints is all over our lives. Our testimony of deliverance, guidance, and fulness of joy is a great one.
He watches over us. Isaiah 40:11 says, “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.” What a comfort and blessing this is. Like a loving parent, but one who sees all and intercedes.
He guides us through past the bullies and makes them powerless. As they entered the promised land those people were strongly entrenched. One by one, the Lord empowered His people and sent them running. Our enemies are usually spiritual forces, but could be people. He makes a way for us. He binds the power of the evil one and provides a safe space for us.
Petra’s song, The Road to Zion has a great lyric, “Sometimes it’s good to look back down, we’ve come so far, gained much ground. But hope is not where we’ve been. Hope is who waiting at the end.” He walks with us and will continue to do so into eternity. Thank You, Lord.