Daily Devotions
“I am the LORD”
Title: “I am the LORD”
Reading for January 21: Exodus 10-12
For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.
Exodus 12:12
The phrase "you shall know that I am the LORD" is found no less than nine times in the book of Exodus. It's a central theme in the book. It is said that the Israelites would know this (6:7; 16:12; 29:46), the Egyptians would know this (7:5; 14:4, 18), Pharaoh would know this (7:17), and succeeding generations would know that their God is the LORD (10:2).
How did God make himself known? He did it by humbling Pharaoh and the Egyptians with the ten plagues (7:5, 17; 10:2); by preventing the plagues in Egypt from touching his people (8:22); by hardening Pharaoh's heart (14:4); by swallowing up Pharaoh's chariots in the Red sea (14:18); by giving his people something to eat (16:12); and, most importantly, by delivering them out of bondage (6:7; 29:46).
What about us? Do we have a problem seeing that the LORD is God?
Of course we do! The Lord God must continue to humble our frail "gods" before our eyes so we might learn not to trust in them. He must continue to defeat our enemies and protect us from plagues and deliver us from things that enslave us.
So acknowledge God is the Lord or else he will humble you as he did Pharaoh!
Father, forgive us of our pride and our foolish idolatry. Discipline us and help us to see that you alone are God!
