The Concept of a Destiny Ensured by God
Meaning
Because of God’s love for His people Israel, and the destiny set before them, God ensured that the destiny of His special people would be fulfilled. This means, that post the exodus from Egypt, the covenant given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would still stand, in order to bring about the sovereign will of God and the coming of the Messiah. As God worked with the nation of Israel, He brought about several factors to help ensure the destiny. However, it’s important for us to remember these ensuring factors were a means to an end and they related to the infancy stage of Israel’s history.
These ensuring factors were not meant to be carried into the future after the arrival of the Messiah who is Christ Jesus our Lord. These ensuring factors included divine intervention to build confidence and trust. Institution of civil and moral laws to prevent chaos and destruction. Development of visual aids to remind and help the people remember their separation unto God and their required obedience to His will and His laws designed to show them their need for a Savior. God also mandated memorial feasts to remind the people of the past, present and future, which was part of their destiny.
God also gave the people ultimatums concerning the conquest of the land, because of the sin and idolatry of the surrounding nations. In addition, God gave the people, leaders with proper godly credentials chosen directly by God. In addition, God gave the people the Tabernacle, which was later replaced by the Temple. Both the Tabernacle and the Temple would serve as a very real reminder of God’s constant presence among the people. It’s important to remember all of these ensuring factors were brought about by the divine sovereignty and intervention of God and served as a means to an end. That end was to help ensure the destiny and coming of the Messiah, who is Jesus Christ our Lord.
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Reach out your hand and take it by the tail’ (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.'” (Exodus 4:4-5)
“And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.'” (Joshua 3:7)
“So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.” (Exodus 12:14)
“And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’ So the people bowed their heads and worshiped.” (Exodus 12:26-27)