The Judgment and Delieverance of God

God’s Judgment and Deliverance
Exodus 11-15
“Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”
Exodus 11-15 is one of the pivotal passages of the Old Testament, for it perfectly balances God's justice and judgment and His grace and salvation. We often separate the two as if they are mutually exclusive, but they are not. A God who is just and holy is a God who both forgives and judges. In the Song of Praise, in chapter 15, we see a hymn of praise that exalts God for His justice and grace.
The section begins with a pronouncement of judgment upon the Egyptians.  Their judgment was not just that they had mistreated the Jews; their judgment was a result of their refusal to accept God and His sovereign reign.   We see this specifically stated in 12:12, “And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments- I am the Lord.”  As pointed out yesterday, God is a holy God who does not tolerate false worship. Throughout the plagues, God demonstrated that He is holy and just and will bring judgment upon those who refuse to obey Him or accept His position as the only God and ruler of the universe.  In the judgment of God, we see His majestic power and holiness exalted.
However, even as we see His judgment, we also see His grace.  Providing the Passover lamb was more than just a way to distinguish between Israel and the Egyptians.  It served to be an object lesson of God’s grace.  For grace to be realized, sin has to be forgiven.  However, sin cannot be forgiven without the justice being satisfied.  Sin has consequences, and sin requires punishment.  Grace does not ignore justice. However, grace provides a means by which the justice is satisfied so that we are now free from the penalty of sin.  This is the point of the sacrificial lamb.  The purpose of the blood upon the doorposts was to visibly demonstrate that the people inside the house had their sins atoned for by the lamb's blood.  But this event was only a foreshadowing of a future event.  It was meant to point to the necessity of the atonement of sin and the fact that there would be a final lamb whose blood would provide the complete forgiveness of sin by satisfying the just requirements of a holy God.  This pointed forward to Christ, the “lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).  
Yet the grace of God was not only seen in the provision for the substitutionary sacrifice of the lamb but also the protective care and the provision for the needs of the people even after they were delivered from their slavery.  We see this first in God’s recognition of the people’s lack of readiness for the battles they would face.  In 13:17-18, we find God did not lead them directly to the promised land.  Instead, he took them on a longer journey.  The reason was that God knew they were not ready.  God always knows the limits of our faith and only allows circumstances to come into our lives to strengthen our faith rather than threaten our faith (1 Cor. 10:13).
Second, we see God’s grace demonstrated in His protection of people from the physical threat of Pharaoh's armies. When the armies came in hot pursuit, God positioned Himself between the soldiers of Egypt and the people of Israel. God’s protective care is not just watching over us; He positions Himself around us to protect us from the threats we face. The greater our trials, the greater God’s presence protects us from harm.
Last, even when the people grumbled and complained, God was still patient with them and provided for them. When they ran out of water and grumbled against Him, God graciously provided water for them. Even when we disobey God, He always remains faithful to us.
Today, as you face the circumstances and trials of life, take time to thank God for His grace and care. Even when we waver in our faith, He remains faithful to be gracious to us, forgive our sins, and provide for our needs.