Leadership: The Lord fights for His People
‘And the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.”’ (Exodus 14:25)
Warm greetings to you in the Name of Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord!
In the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea in Exodus 14, we find three types of leaders: The leader who fights against God, the leader who gives up along the way, and the leader who works with God. Each of these has many followers, and this shows in part that ‘all humanity inherently have a need for leadership - either to lead or be led (or both)’. As you answer the call to leadership, it is important to remember that this is delegated authority from the ultimate Leader, God himself. Let us look at these three leaders:
The leader fights against God is represented by Pharaoh – leading his army to recapture slaves that have escaped, almost miraculously. He has much more military might, and he needs the labour to continue building his great empire. Pharaoh and his servants said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” (v.5) Although he has been warned several times by God through many symbolic plagues, he is still obstinate and wants to prove his power above all that would challenge him. He will soon discover that his stubborn insistence will only end in self-destruction and destruction of his immediate followers!
The second type is the leader who gives up along the way because of hardships. This is represented by the ring leaders who represented the Israelites as they complained to Moses in sharp criticism. Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? (v.10-12) Such leaders lose the vision as soon as they are faced with difficulties; they remove their eyes from their goal and focus on the problems; they even implant their fear in others and get support to turn back!
But the leader who works with God turns to God to listen carefully in the face of a crisis, and that is what Moses did. The God who determined to deliver his people also had a plan for them when they face challenges. In the current matter, He split the sea and His people walked right through it. In your matter it may be a different experience, but the point is that God has a plan for you along the way; He will never abandon you to perish before getting to the Promised Land – the vision He has given. Again here we find emphasis to a very important discipline for leaders: Listening to God.
The first two types of leaders must repent and turn from the wickedness of selfish leadership and misleading others. Today’s key verse bears an important and everlasting truth, yet it came (too late) from the dying Egyptians under Pharaoh: “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” It is still true today, the Lord fights for His people.
God bless you all.