The word Church means, “called-out assembly.” God’s people have been called out of the world and called to assemble themselves together to worship and follow God. The word “church” is mentioned 115 times in the New Testament and over 100 of those times scripture speaks of a specific location were believers assemble. In the Old Testament, the words “congregation,” “assembly” and “assemble” are mentioned over four hundred times. God’s people, Old Testament and New, have met together for the purpose of worshipping and following God.
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. (Exodus 5:1)
The Children of Israel were “the church in the wilderness.”(Acts 7:38). They were called out of Egypt, baptized unto Moses, and separated unto the Rock that was Christ (I Cor. 10:2-3). Before their departure from Egypt, God commanded Pharaoh eleven times: “Let my people go that they may serve me!”
In an age-old picture of Satan, Pharaoh resisted the children of Israel in two ways: first by denying God’s power (“Who is the LORD?”) and secondly by deifying themselves. Pharaoh attempted to prove that he could do whatever God could do. In the spirit of Pharaoh our own governor in the State of New York proclaimed, “God did not flatten the (Corona Virus) curve. We did!” Essentially, he was saying, “Who is the Lord?” “My magicians (team) can duplicate what God can do!”
After plague three, Pharaoh realized he couldn’t replace God. He would try to compromise with God’s people.
Beware of Satan’s deals, his compromises, his “new normals!”
Deal 1# Worship God right here in Egypt
And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. (Exodus 8:25)
Pharaoh tempted the people by offering to them the opportunity to stay at home and worship God instead of going three days journey to worship.
Likewise, Jeroboam the wicked king of the northern ten tribes would do this same thing when he tempted Israel saying, “It is too much for your to go up to Jerusalem to worship.” (I Kings 12:28). He made high places in Dan, Bethel, and all throughout the land. “Stay at home and worship” says Jeroboam.
The false and dead faith that Pharaoh offers you will not change you inside or out (James 2:14-26). You will remain in Egypt untransformed (II Cor. 5:17), unseparated (II Cor. 6:14-18), and be left unsanctified (Eph. 5:27). The behaviour of the church in the Book of Acts is in direct opposition to the mandates of Pharaoh. Prayer meetings, preaching events, and continuation of assembly on a continuing bases were the norms for New Testament Saints (Acts 2:41-47).
Consider that in the nation of South Korea there are over 50,000 Christian churches and right across the 38th parallel in North Korea there are only five. The North Korean government would tell you that their people are free to believe whatever they want in their mind they just cannot practice their faith publicly. The difference between North and South is government regulation.
Pharaoh is against God’s people getting together for worship.
Deal 2# Go worship God, but don’t go very far out of Egypt.
And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me. (Exodus 8:28)
When Jesus walked this earth, it was said of Him, “the zeal of God’s house hath eaten me up.” (John 2:17) His was so zealous that his family accused him of being crazy (“he is beside himself.”) (Mark 3:21) This same thing was said of the Apostle Paul (Acts 26:24). Apathy never won anyone to Christ or any crowns in heaven. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Rev. 3:19). Salt and light Christians leave Egypt and worship God in the promise land.
Deal 3# Go worship God, but don’t take your family with you.
And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD. (Exodus 10:9) Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. (Exodus 10:11)
Pharaoh wants your children! He says, “Don’t push religion on your children; let them choose for themselves.”
We make our kids go to school, eat vegetables, brush their teeth, and get a good night’s sleep. However, when it comes to their eternal souls the devil tempts parents by saying, “let the kids make their own spiritual decisions.”
This is an opposite philosophy of what God intended. Moses instructs Israel to be “diligent” at all the times in instructing their children.
Deuteronomy 6:7-9 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
God commended Abraham because he would “command” his house in God’s ways.
Genesis 18:19 For I know him (Abraham), that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Deal 4# Go worship but leave your possessions in Egypt.
And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. (Exodus 10:24)
“Keep God out of your personal finances!” says Pharaoh. He must have understood the verse in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Demas lost his testimony by forsaking the ministry for his treasure back in Thessalonica. In this temptation, Ananias and Sapphira lost their lives.
God taught Israel that all possessions were ultimately His. How could they offer a sacrifice without their possessions? The Sabbath day, the Sabbath year, the seven feasts during the year, and all the tithes — taught the children of Israel a valuable lesson: “your possessions are safer in the hands of the Lord than in the hands of Pharaoh.”
The Children of Israel were obedient to God they did not allow Pharaoh to dictate how they would worship. Instead they followed God’s mandates. Because of their obedience God delivered His people by mighty wonders and an outstretched hand. Israel would be able to talk about the miracles that God performed for generation upon generation. May God do the same thing in our day as we obey Him!