Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Opening Scripture

The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

“I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”

“So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.” Exodus 3:7-8,14-15,20-21

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, You are holy and worthy of praise. You are my Father, and I walk humbly in Your love. You are my Shepherd, who guides and protects me. I make myself available to You to accomplish Your will in me. I surrender every attitude, thought, and action to You. You are my Provider, and I trust You to meet my needs. Forgive me when I disappoint You and fall short. Help me to forgive others, that I might reflect Your forgiveness. Show me my sin, so I can confess it to You. Don’t let my feet stray from the path of righteousness. Protect me from Satan’s temptations, lies, and deceptions. Strengthen my faith and trust in You alone. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Isaiah 43:1-13

But now, this is what the LORD says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed – I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

Reflection  

Isaiah finishes up Chapter 42 by reminding the Israelites of what led to their exile and captivity in Babylon. “It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.” God had given them His divine revelation. God had chosen them to be His servants and messengers, but they were deaf and blind. They had seen God’s wonders but paid no attention. Their ears were open to His Word, but they heard nothing He said. So, God allowed them to become plunder for their captors.

To call God’s people His blind and deaf “servants” so quickly after introducing His perfect Servant is ironic. The Israelites were the ones who needed God’s Servant to rescue them, fulfilling His covenant with His people. That Servant will open the eyes of the blind, free the captives from bondage, and release those who sit in darkness – just what these “servants” needed!

Now, in Chapter 43, God again offers a message of comfort. Remember that when the names Jacob and Israel are used together, it refers to all twelve tribes – the Israelites – the collective descendants of Abraham, who are God’s covenant people. His word to them again is, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; do not be afraid, for I am with you.” God will raise up and cast down nations to accomplish His eternal purpose for His people.

Unlike the pagan nations around them – Egypt, Cush, Seba – the Israelites were chosen and special. “I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. You are precious and honored in my sight. I love you. I will be with you.” What a powerful and personal word from the LORD!

The Hebrew word “yaqar” means costly, rare, esteemed. God is the One who determines the true worth of a thing. He measures value based on His divine perspective. According to God’s economy, His people are precious.

The Hebrew word “kabad” refers to weight (splendid or burdensome), significance, respect, importance. God declares that He views His people as significant and important. Though they have been unfaithful, God still “honors” them.

This comforting word is addressed to people who are far from home. They are still facing the peril of “deep rivers and raging fires,” but they will not drown or be set ablaze. The LORD is not promising to quickly remove the suffering of their punishment. He is promising His presence and protection in the midst of the difficulty, and He is promising eventual deliverance to the faithful remnant.

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

Throughout history, the Exodus from Egypt has been central to Jewish identity. It marks the Israelites liberation from slavery, the establishment of their covenant relationship with Yahweh, and their birth as a nation. That profound experience is commemorated each year at Passover.

The series of plagues against the Egyptians, the drowning of their army, the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, the divine provision of food and water in the wilderness, the building of the tabernacle, the receiving of the Ten Commandments, all were for the purpose of God establishing for Himself a people. He enabled them to drive out the Canaanites, and He settled them in the Promised Land.

After the Golden Age of Israel under David and Solomon, the curse of prosperity overtook the Israelites. Pride, greed, immorality, idolatry, spiritual apostasy, and political instability combined to split the kingdom in two and ultimately led to the conquering of each kingdom.

The Northern Kingdom never recovered from its exile in Assyria. After the people were deported to other regions under Assyrian control, they never returned. They became the “Ten Lost Tribes.” Their land was repopulated with people from those other conquered nations, who eventually became known as Samaritans.

The Southern Kingdom was later conquered and forced into captivity by the Babylonians, but after seventy years, the Babylonians were defeated by the Persians. God raised up Cyrus the Great to liberate His people from exile. That led to the “Second Exodus.”

God promised to “bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters for the ends of the earth.” God brought the exiles back to their homeland from Babylon, which led to the rebuilding of the wall, the temple, and the city of Jerusalem. That a significant number of captives returned to Judah to live again as God’s people was the fulfillment of prophecy and proof of Yahweh’s supremacy!

This week’s collective prayer: Father, help me to be sensitive to your leadership in my everyday life. Amen.

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!