Plunder

DEVOTION

EXODUS

PLUNDER

Ex 12:31-36

31 During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me." 33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" 34 So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 35 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.

NIV

After this terrifying experience of having all the firstborn of Egypt die, the Pharaoh was more the willing to let the people go, along with all their livestock, everything that belonged to them. He did not want anything of the Israelites left in his country. God had brought this mighty man to his knees. In addition as this narrative tells us, the Israelites asked and received gold and silver, willingly, from all the Egyptians. We are told they plundered them. God brought this mighty country to its knees, taking all its power and wealth and giving it to his people. Will this ever be repeated? Are there people who are in bondage to a supposed powerful ruler? We know the answer to the question. All who do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ are in fact in bondage to the rule of Satan. But he will be brought to his knees and all those in his country will as well. The scripture tells us the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous.

Prov 13:22

22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.

NIV

First we need to know this inheritance is not wealth, but rather the kingdom of God. A good man makes sure his children’s children know about this kingdom of God. The inheritance of eternal life is the only good thing a man can leave for his family. What good is all the wealth of the world if a man loses his soul?

Matt 16:24-26

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

NIV

Yet here we have all of Israel taking all the wealth of Egypt with them and still having the salvation of the Lord. But they are not to put their trust in this wealth, yet knowing want is to come, they do just that, making for themselves a golden calf to worship. But we get way ahead of ourselves. There is much more to happen in their lives before they get to that point of misplaced trust. For now they simply are full of rejoicing for their misery is over, they are leaving this place of hardship, and evil rule. This is the type of rejoicing we experienced the day we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We were taken out from under the evil domain of Satan, who ruled over us. As we left his domain we too plundered it. We came with all our God given talents, our God given abilities that once served the purpose of Satan, and now serve the purpose of God. In addition he has given us even more abilities through the power of the Spirit. We were the wealth of the wicked, and we have been stored up for God. But there is also truth in the simple wealth such as gold and silver. Here the Israelites received the wealth of the wicked as they left that land. The question is what will we plunder when we leave this world? Gold and silver have no value to God. The only thing he considers of value is his people, his creation. Will we be able to plunder the land of Satan? Will we be able to take more people from his land? Will we be able to plunder more souls for Jesus? Sure the Spirit convicts men, but who will go and tell them the truth? Who will tell them the message? Throughout the ages God has sent men to tell others the truth. Are we willing to plunder this domain of Satan? We have been set free so let us take all we can with us.