61_My refuge and my fortress

Ps 78:4-8 We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.

5 He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
6 that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be like their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Ps 78:72 With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skillful hand.

In the desert, shade is life. A traveler caught in the scorching sun finds relief under the wide branches of a tree. The tree doesn’t move the sun away, but it provides a refuge from its burning rays. When God took the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness of Sinai, he didn’t take away the harsh realities. But he was their shelter and protection.

When the children of Israel came to Egypt, their men were only 72 in number. At the time of their departure, their number had risen to 600,000. This was also the fulfillment of God’s promises to their fathers. Gen 17:2 God told Abraham, “I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” To Isaac he said, Gen 26:4, “And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” To Jacob Gen 35:11, the promise came: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.”

Pharaoh did everything in his power to keep the Israelites down, but to no avail. Hostility and opposition and downright persecution all failed to thwart God’s plan or prevent the power of his blessing. Balaam realized that too late. Numbers 23:8 “But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned?” Knowing the power of God, and our calling to his blessing, we should live without fear. We have been given the spirit of love, power and a sound mind by the living God who does whatever is pleasing to him, in heaven and on earth. We need only to serve him faithfully in love, growing in our knowledge of him through obedience, without being dismayed by our outward circumstances.

Joseph sent wagons to carry his father Jacob and his family into Egypt. But at their departure, the great multitude went out on foot. Ex 12:37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. Though they wandered long years in the wilderness, Moses says, Deut 8:4, “Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years.”

For many decades they were enslaved in Egypt. But when God delivered them, he changed their name. They are no longer the Hebrew slaves. They are “the hosts of the Lord”. They belong to the Lord, who is called the “The Lord of hosts”.

God led them with skill and tender care on their journey to Canaan. Ex 13:17 tells us, “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.” He led them by a roundabout route so that they would not be discouraged by having to fight, raw recruits as they were. They were not ready, and God shielded them from battle till they were ready to go to war. He anticipated that the sights and sounds of battle at this early stage would produce fear and the desire to give up their journey and return to slavery. A tender and wise father protects and trains his children before they face the battles of the world.

The Israelites took the bones of Joseph with them as they left Egypt, as he had commanded their fathers. Of all the events in Joseph’s life, the Holy Spirit chose to remind us of this one, a mark of his ultimate faith in God. Heb 11:22 “By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.” In his final words Gen. 50:24, “Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” The casket containing his bones constantly reminded the people to have faith in God and expect their departure from Egypt, to enter the land of promise, “the land that he swore to Abraham.” Through dark years, the story of Joseph and his shining faith that God would always keep his word could have revived the hopes of the suffering people. What is said about Abel is also true of Joseph, “And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

The Sinai Peninsula is one of the most hostile regions in the world. It is no small feat for such a large group of refugees, including the elderly, children, women, and babies, with livestock, to cross this terrain on foot. Think of the logistics, food, water, emergencies, and the need for clothing and sandals. They faced the burning desert heat by day, and the intense cold at night. But God foresaw and addressed these challenges.

Ex 13: 21 “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.” The Lord not only guided them but protected them from the harsh climate and their enemies.

God made sure that they remained clothed and shod throughout the wilderness years. When we are unable to support ourselves, God cares for us. Deut 8:4 “Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years.” We have no reason to doubt or complain in times of want, for he is our provider.

This is a picture of how the Lord deals with his children in their pilgrim walk. From beginning to end he is their God. He is the author and finisher of their faith. He is their deliverer from the slavery of the world. He provides for their physical needs. He guides them on their wilderness journey. He is their shelter from their hostile surroundings. He is their protector against their enemies. He has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. Our part is to rest in that salvation. We enter his rest when we believe that he knows and does what is best for us. In that faith we accept his providence gratefully and move forward joyfully in every situation. In that faith we admire and obey his instructions. This was where the Israelites failed.

Ps 91:1,2 says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say[a] to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

Let us trust in Him completely because he is our refuge and our fortress. God bless.