God Watching To Bring You Out

It is an unlikely verse that I believe has the power to change your view of life.

You could easily read right past the verse, either in the sweeping excitement of the exodus narrative, or, because since some translations interpret a key word in the verse differently.

The word is “watch” or “watching.”

I want you to feel the mounting sense of urgency of the moment the people of God are in.

It was the night of Israel’s final release after 430 years of slavery and captivity in Egypt. Finally, and after a painstaking series of plagues devastate the region, freedom is in sight. 430 years of bondage and the slave master’s whip will soon become history. Pharaoh and all the Egyptians have just suffered the final plague of God’s judgment; the death of their first born. The nation is in chaos.

And it is night!

There is a sense that something life-changing is about to happen.

The people of God are all packed and ready to go…the blood of the lamb over their doorposts, a signal that the death angel, stalking his way through Egypt, will pass over their homes. Their first born sons and daughters will be safe.

The enemy would need to be held at bay long enough for over one million Jews to make their escape from what had literally been their tormenting prison for over four generations.

They were heading to the Promised Land.

The word of the Lord to Abraham, 430 years earlier, was that the sin of the Canaanites would eventually rise to a level where God’s would use His people to bring judgment on the occupying pagan nations. The land God had promised Abraham would finally be theirs. That promise was now ready to be fulfilled. God’s deadline had arrived.

Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, had gone to Egypt during the famine 430 years earlier with around 75 members of his household. That one family had grown to over one million, and now it was time for their deliverance. Slavery behind them. The Promised Land ahead of them.

The yoke of oppression was about to be broken off.

The exodus was about to begin!

It would all be set in motion THAT NIGHT!

So, here comes the verse that rises in me like a tidal wave of excitement and faith.

“It was a night of watching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:42 RSV).

The Hebrew word translated, watching, means…

* …keeping alert to protect

* …vigilant to save during the time of an action

* …exercising great care over a possession

It is the same word the Psalmist uses in, “Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1 RSV)

Here is what strikes me as significant from the Exodus passage. With everything already set in motion for the deliverance of God’s people…Moses’ call from the desert, plagues, confrontations with Pharaoh, instructions re: the blood of the lamb, packing and preparations, including eating the last meal in captivity with their clothes on ready to roll…God takes NOTHING for granted.

God takes His position on the watchtower of heaven to be alert, to stand vigil, to guard His people and guarantee their safe passage out of slavery…and He does it during the time of His action on their behalf, their exodus and the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land.

He leaves nothing to chance.

He allows no enemy incursion to disrupt His plan.

God is watching over His people to complete what He had begun in them.

It is what He did then and what He does NOW!

“I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day that Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6).

HE IS WATCHING OVER YOU!

Imagine how differently you would go about your daily activities if you were confident God was watching over you?

You would live more boldly into His promises for you…that He thinks so much of His plans for you that He is standing guard over them in you!

You would live with a sense of expectancy re: His purposes and activity in the simplest events of your day.

You would want to be in daily communication with Him to get any of His updates or directives for you!

You would be confident your life today is going somewhere.

Slavery behind you. Promised land ahead. And God watching over you for the fulfillment of His plans in and through you!