Sometimes I wonder why the Bible has so many “stories.” Jonah and the whale, Daniel in the lion’s den, Samson and Delilah. Out of all the events that took place before Christ, these are the ones God chooses to guide and instruct us with. I have read and heard about the story of Moses ever since I could talk, but during my time in Greece I have looked at these historical events with new lenses. I encourage you to put on these lenses with me, even if they are uncomfortable. Sometimes the Bible has some uncomfortable perspectives to give us, and my desire is simply to invite you into the perspective the Lord has given me over the past couple days.
Most of us know the chain of events that take place in the book of Exodus. Moses is protected as an infant from Pharaoh’s order to kill firstborn baby boys and rises up to be a great leader who leads his people out of slavery in Egypt. Plagues, signs and wonders happen along the way.
Exodus 3:7-9 says,
“The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.”
Now for those lenses I was talking about. Get ready.
“The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in the MIDDLE EAST and NORTH AFRICA. I have heard them crying out because of their OPPRESSORS, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of ISIS and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the AMERICANS, GERMANS, ITALIANS, DUTCH and SPANIARDS. And now the cry of the REFUGEES has reached me, and I have seen the way ISIS is oppressing them.”
He has seen their misery, heard their cries and is concerned for their suffering. Do we see refugees as being heard by God? As being SEEN by God? As people made in the image of God?
I think of the Israelites leaving their home behind, walking and traveling into the unknown with the anticipation of stepping into a more hopeful future. Isn’t that the current situation for millions of people today? I think of the Israelite refugees coming out of Egypt armed for battle; just in case (Exodus 13:18). Are not the present day refugees “armed” and mentally prepared for battle or some type of warfare? I think of Pharaoh coming to the realization he let so many people go and wanting to take them back into captivity. At this very moment, the Turkish Coast Guard is floating along the Aegean Sea on the lookout for boats just waiting to deny them the hope of freedom. I think of how God says He will gain glory through Pharaoh and his army, and the Egyptians will know He is Lord (Exodus 14:4). Do we believe that God will get the glory from our present day Pharaoh?
As I re-read the story of Moses I have to wonder: Is history repeating itself in some sense? Is a powerful story of refugees in the Bible because God knew over 2,000 years later our world would be experiencing a refugee crisis?
I don’t know about you, but I HAVE to believe that King Jesus will gain glory through ISIS and the refugee crisis. The same God who delivered the Israelites has the power to deliver every single refugee. And people will know that He is Lord!
