God wants to save everyone

2/3/2013

S: Exodus 11:3 Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike.

Exodus 12:38 A rabble of non-Israelites went with them, along with great flocks and herds of livestock.

Ezekiel 33:11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?

1 Timothy 2:4 ...who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth..

O: There was an American mini-series telling stories from the Bible back in the '90s. Some of the shows were very good, for example, the one on Joseph. But the one on Moses, while it supposedly followed the Biblical account, portrayed God as this vindictive evil dude who just didn't care about people and victimized innocent Egyptians (and even broke up Moses' family) for no other reason than to glorify Himself. It portrayed an uncaring, unloving God who destroyed people just because He chose to, and for His own benefit.

But God actually isn't like that. God loves us and wants everyone to be saved, as we see in Ezekiel 33:11 and 1 Timothy 2:4. While He did foresee that the Pharaoh would resist Him¹, He also was calling Egyptians to follow Him. As a result, many Egyptians also joined the Exodus, as noted in Exodus 12:38. In fact, Jewish extra-biblical sources like the Targum Yonassan says that 2,400,000 Egyptians went with them.

A: Let us therefore join in God's great invitation, and extend His love to everyone we come across. Let us do what we can to help people to come closer to our loving Heavenly Father.

P: Father, when someone victimizes me, help me to see him with Your eyes. Help to remember that You take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but want them to be saved. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Footnote
1 For a discussion about God's hardening of Pharaoh's heart, see this article.

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Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)