How should believers respond when witnessing God's power and judgment in the world? Setting the Scene: Blood in the Nile “ ‘The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. There was blood throughout the land of Egypt.’ ” (Exodus 7:21) Pharaoh had scoffed at God’s command. One strike of Aaron’s staff and Egypt’s life-source turned to death. The first plague made two truths unmistakable: God’s power is unstoppable, and His judgments are righteous. Witnessing Divine Power and Judgment Today • Natural disasters, geopolitical upheavals, economic meltdowns—each can remind us that the Lord still rules history (Isaiah 45:7). • Romans 1:18 tells us His wrath is revealed against ungodliness, while Psalm 19:1 says the heavens declare His glory. Power and judgment often appear side-by-side. • Revelation 16 mirrors Exodus 7: bloody waters return when the end-time bowls are poured out. Yesterday’s plagues foreshadow tomorrow’s. Right Responses for Believers 1. Stand in Awe • Psalm 33:8 – “Let all the earth fear the LORD.” • Worship, don’t rationalize. Instead of explaining God away, exalt Him. 2. Examine the Heart • Luke 13:1-5 – Jesus redirected headlines of tragedy toward personal repentance. • Ask, “Is there any Pharaoh-like stubbornness in me?” (Hebrews 3:12-13). 3. Trust God’s Protection and Purposes • In Goshen the Israelites’ water remained pure (Exodus 8:22-23; 9:4). • Psalm 91:1-8 assures the faithful of refuge even when judgment falls around them. 4. Intercede for Others • Moses pleaded for Pharaoh’s land despite Pharaoh’s hardness (Exodus 8:12-13). • 1 Timothy 2:1 urges prayers “for all people,” including leaders who oppose God. 5. Proclaim the Gospel • Acts 17:30-31 – God now commands all people to repent because He has fixed a day of judgment. • Use moments of crisis to point friends to the blood that saves, not condemns—Christ’s blood (Ephesians 1:7). Warnings to Avoid • Cold Detachment: shrugging off suffering because “they had it coming” (Proverbs 24:17-18). • Fatalism: acting as if events are random and God is uninvolved (Amos 3:6). • Panic: forgetting that the Judge is also our Father (Romans 8:15). Anchoring Our Hearts in Scripture • Remember past deliverances: Red Sea (Exodus 14), Jericho (Joshua 6), the Cross (Colossians 2:14-15). • Anticipate future justice: “In righteousness He judges and wages war” (Revelation 19:11). • Hold the tension: mercy and judgment meet at the same throne (Hebrews 4:16, Revelation 20:11-12). Living It Out Daily • Begin each day with Psalm 46—“Be still and know that I am God.” • When headlines scream calamity, pause and pray, “Lord, search me, steady me, send me.” • Look for tangible ways to serve—donate, volunteer, comfort (James 2:15-17). • Keep proclaiming the hope that “the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Witnessing God’s power and judgment is never meant to paralyze; it is meant to purify, propel, and prepare us for the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. |
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