Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 14:1-14.
“1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; 7 and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly. 9 Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
10 As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.” Exodus 14:1-14.
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The verses of assurance in today’s Scripture are not only for the sons of Israel; they are for us today. The LORD’s salvation does not only extend to an earthly deliverance of the sons of Israel from the Egyptians through the Red Sea; the LORD’s salvation extends to a spiritual deliverance from our sins.
“Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you”.
“even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:5-9.
The summary of this Scripture and are Scripture is found in “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.
We were even more susceptible to destruction than the sons of Israel were to the pursuing Egyptians. We were dead in sin which is summarized by “Total Depravity”, the first point of “TULIP”.
All the sons of Israel could do, and all that we can do, is “Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you”.
So, put down your vain boasting. Your works are not going to save you. Your alleged inherent goodness is not going to save you. Your alleged free-will is not going to save you. “Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you”.
We may bristle at predestination which is also called “Unconditional Election”, the second point of “TULIP”, but remember that because we were dead in sin, it is our only chance of salvation. We do not and cannot provide any contribution (whether it be works or something provided by free-will) which motivates God to save us. We were dead in sin. “Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you”.
God sent His only begotten son to die on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins (to take away the sins) of His elect. Christ did not die for everyone. If Christ died for everyone, then everyone would be saved. This is “Limited Atonement”, the third point of “TULIP”. “Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you”.
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:44. This is “Irresistible Grace”, the fourth point of “TULIP”. “Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you”.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29. This is “Preservation of the Saints”, the fifth point of “TULIP”. “Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you”.
In summary, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:28-30. “Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you”.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 