BIBLE BITS: Exodus 12-14

When the Lord had sent plagues against the Egyptians, he made a distinction between Egypt and Israel after the third plague.  This was to show that the plagues were not random acts of nature.  God's people were special and set apart from the rest of the world.  God was not impressed with the superpower status of Egypt.  He was disgusted that they worshiped made up gods rather than pay heed to his words.  The plagues were a judgment upon Egypt--both for their mistreatment of God's people and against their false gods.  

After the Israelites left Egypt, the Egyptians regretted letting their free labor go.  So, Pharaoh and his army chased them down.  Israel was pinned between the Red Sea and the most formidable army on the face of the earth.  Perhaps you can appreciate the panic of the Israelites when they saw their predicament.  On the other hand, how quickly they had forgotten the Lord's favor and mercy in regard to the plagues which had just taken place in the previous weeks.

The Lord's mercy upon Israel continued.  Exodus 14 records how God protected the people of Israel from the Egyptians: "Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night" (Exodus 14:19-20).

It was not a different God who stood between Israel and Egypt, a gracious God and a wrathful God.  It was the same God.  What was the difference?  The people of Israel lived under God's favor and the people of Egypt were outside the covenant.  So, Israel received the light from the Lord and Egypt remained in darkness.

So it is today.  Those who believe and are baptized are under God's favor.  Those who do not believe stand condemned.  It is not that there is a different God; God is unchanging.  God's favor comes only through Jesus Christ.  Only those who believe in Christ benefit from his saving work and receive God's favor.