The Enemies Of God Will Turn And Run

Once out of Egypt, Moses followed the Lord’s instructions by leading the Israelites towards the promised land. God assured them they didn’t need to fear enemies who tried to stop them.

I will send my terror ahead of you and create panic among all the people whose lands you invade. I will make all your enemies turn and run. Exodus 23:27

Exactly two months after the Israelites left Egypt, they arrived at the base of Mount Sinai. Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God and receive the Lord’s instructions.

He received the Lord’s decrees and regulations there, including the Ten Commandments. God also told him that an angel would join them.

See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. Exodus 23:20

We don’t know much about this angel, but the Israelite people were responsible to listen to and obey him.

Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion. Exodus 23:21

Theologians have speculated that this angel could have been Jesus before His incarnation. And when you stop to think about it, an angel from heaven could not forgive anyone’s rebellion.

In describing Him, one translation says, “For my name is in him.” The next verse says their obedience to Him meant their enemies would also become enemies of God.

But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you. Exodus 23:22

Israel and Terrorist Groups

How do you feel about some of the things written in the Old Testament? At the time of this writing, a terrorist group had recently attacked Israel, killing many and taking hostages.

In retaliation, the Israeli army has made it their mission to kill these terrorists. A problem has developed because groups around the world have begun protesting Israel’s actions.

The book of Exodus records God’s instructions of what He will do when they inhabit the promised land. If God did today what He told them to do, He would have plenty of enemies.

For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them completely. Exodus 23:23

Of course, God does not fear those who decide to become one of His enemies. He does, however, expect His chosen people to worship Him and obey only Him.

You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars. You must serve only the Lord your God. Exodus 23:24-25

As the Lord continued, He told them how He would bless and protect them if they obeyed Him.

Parallels Between Now and Then

I see some parallels between what God told the Israelites and today. First, instead of calling the one He sent us an angel, He identified Him as His Son. Whom we must also obey.

Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. John 14:21

In Exodus, an angel represented God. Today, He has sent His Holy Spirit to protect us on our journey. His Spirit also leads us safely to the place He has prepared for us.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. John 16:13

Our scripture for today says that God’s angel went before them. As long as we pay close attention to Jesus and obey his instructions, He will return for us.

I have saved the best part for last. When our enemies come against us, our faith and dependence on God will protect us. Remember Peter, who almost fell to one of Satan’s schemes. He said;

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

To stay alert means for believers to be wary because Satan is at work. In other words, even though Christians know he is there, they can have poise and self-control in any situation.

Do You Allow God to Deal with Your Enemies?

Think about Peter’s illustration. Imagine yourself alone in a den with a lion prowling around you. How much poise and self-control could you have in that situation?

Let me answer that for you! Absolutely none! The next verse tells us to put our total trust in the Lord. When we do that, we’ll be like Daniel, who spent an entire night in a lion’s den.

Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. 1 Peter 5:9

In the rest of that verse, Peter continued by encouraging his readers with the following words.

Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. 1 Peter 5:9

James also wrote about handling ourselves when it comes to the devil.

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

In the next verse, he explained how to humble ourselves before God while dealing with our enemies.

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. James 4:8

I hope you have noticed the similarity of what we read in both the Old and New Testament texts. No matter what happens in our lives, we must focus on God, not our enemies.