YAHWEH'S MOUTHPIECE

True to His words, the Lord brought forth the children of Israel from Egypt and they journey to the promised land.

The LORD of hosts went before them leading the people to the land. The Israelites had never been to that land and none of them knew the way there so, the Lord led them. We may have received promises from God of an end, but by ourselves, we cannot get there. 

Part of God’s leading is His shielding us from temptations and troubles which we have not received grace to go through. A line of the Lord’s prayer says, “Lead us not into temptation”. It is fascinating to realize that though there was a shorter way to the land of promise, God didn’t lead them through it because He knew it was a temptation too great for them. “God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you’re able; but will with the temptation make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). It is recorded that “God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt” (Exodus 13:7). 

In war, the shield is always before; and even where there is one bearing the shield, he goes before the warrior. We see this been told of Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:41. “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3). How will the LORD be a shield for you when He is not before you? David said, I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Psalm 16:8)

When Yahweh leads the way, we can’t go astray, so long as we follow Him. If you attempt to lead yourself, you’ll either get stranded or arrive at a dead end. We journey at our peril if the LORD doesn’t go before us.

He leads the way and also lights the way. “The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light; to go by day and night” (Exodus 13:21). With thee is fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light. The lamp with which you see light is always before and never behind you.

We save ourselves a lot of stress when the Lord goes before us in our journeyings. His promise is “I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron” (Isaiah 45:2). For Israel, God promised to drive out the nations from before them. So, they had less stress in possessing the land because the LORD went before them true to His name, JEHOVAH NISSI; conquering the nations before them. The only time they experienced defeat was when they went to battle without the LORD for there was filth in their camp.

“The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD is on the head of them.” (Micah 2:13)

As you journey this year and every of your journeyings – for the way we do not know, let your King be before you. That is the sure way to victory because the One who doesn’t lose any battle is on the head of you.

May the LORD go before us, be our guide, light our path, and take us to the destination He has promised us in Jesus’ name. Amen.