A Battle Between Gods

Posted

Reading the Bible through with me? Grab your pen and journal, and get ready to write your thoughts as you journey through the Bible.

Read Exodus 7-9 today. Notice that the scripture says that God hardened Pharoah’s heart. Why would God do that? Because with all of the subsequent plagues that He inflicted on the Egyptians, God would discredit the gods and magicians of Pharoah and his people.

God knew that one miracle wouldn’t bring the results He wanted for the Israelites. The Egyptians could claim it was a trick or magic from their idols or gods. So God used a series of plagues so there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind that this was the work of the one true God…Yaweh.

The staff became a snake, water turned to blood, frogs were everywhere, then came the gnats and flies, all Egyptian livestock died, the Egyptians ended up with festering boils all over their bodies, and then came the hail. And still, more was to come because Pharoah wouldn’t believe.

God will always do battle against the idols that come between Him and His children. Even professing Christians sometimes find themselves distracted away from God by modern day idols. It might be the pursuit of wealth or advancement. It might be the pursuit of personal pleasure, an addiction to pornography, alcohol, drugs or food. It might be jealousy or envy. It might even be laziness and entertainment that keeps you from worshipping at church. Hebrews 10:25, NLT: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Luke 4:16, “He [Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.”

Anything that comes between you and your whole-hearted submission to Yahweh El-Shaddai is an idol of the heart.

If you find yourself straying from the narrow, difficult road, God will pursue you as He battles the idols you pursue. But you must be willing to hear Him and obey. That includes getting rid of those idols, submitting to God, going to church as He commanded, and setting a good example for the world to follow.

Pray: Lord, there is no true god other than Yahweh. You are my Refuge, my Help, my Rock and my Redeemer. Lord, discipline me when I am tempted to embrace idols. Remind me often that You created me and have purchased me with the blood of the Lord Jesus so that I might live a life that brings you glory and honor. If I should begin to put someone or something before You, bring swift conviction and correction to my life.