Friendship with the world is enmity with God. We are in the world but not of it. Compromise is the hallmark of the spirit of this age. The plagues were all a result of a series of compromises offered to God's people. Had Moses accepted any of them, God's people would never have made it out of Egypt.
I believe the compromises offered by Pharoah are a type of Satan's strategy with God's people today, at the end of the age. His strategy hasn't changed much in all this time. I believe each time Satan offers another compromise, some of the people accept it and BOOM! - another denomination is born. Yes, denominations are a result of compromise with Satan but a faithful remnant will march triumphant through the sea - untouched.
"Seas" in Scripture represent fallen, unsaved, unredeemed humanity, so the passage of God's people thru the Red Sea unharmed is a picture of our journey through this world - in it but not of it - untouched by the wickedness all around us. The remnant in our day, those who have not bowed the knee (of their heart) to Baal (self, pleasure) must endure our own "desert wandering", for the Desert is a barren place, void of anything of man - man's thoughts, man's ways. We must all be stripped and purged of Egypt's way of thinking (or in our case, Babylon's), which is - "man is in charge of man" - man must be submitted to man.
After being infected by, and affected by the spirit of religion - which enthrones man (flesh) over God's people (and in their hearts) God's people need their own desert experience where they each must encounter God as Moses did (burning bush) and as the Israelites did ( pillar of fire) - all of us must come to know God as a God of Fire "I will baptize you with the Holy Ghost AND FIRE" and "Our God is an all consuming FIRE"! The fire of the Holy Spirit must be allowed to rage out of control in our souls - burning and cleansing us of all that is of this world, with it's pernicious ways, corrupt beyond redemption. And too, we must also encounter and come to know God as a cloud, for in a cloud we are blinded and cannot rely on ourselves, i.e. our own senses - we are blinded to the world around us, with it's wickedness and it's hatred for God and all that is holy. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us in the cloud where we, like the priests of old, cannot stand to minister.
We are humbled in the cloud and in the fire - outwardly and inwardly - we become unable to trust and rely on the wisdom and strength of men, especially the man ( or woman) that is us - Hallelujah! We fall on His grace and His mercy in the wilderness - we learn to survive on what He provides us, not what we or any man can provide. We develop a taste for Manna - The Bread of Life, come down from Heaven that we might live. Give us this day, Father, our daily Manna, Jesus Himself, and, when we've been cleansed of man's ways and thoughts, of all reliance on man, including ourselves, lead us into our "Promised land", not into temptation and deliver us from the evil within us, as well as without us.
Apostles and Prophets today must sound a clarion call in these dark days - a clear witness of God's heart and intent by rightly dividing the Word of Truth and by obeying the Holy Spirit's will and His words - we are calling the Body of Christ to purity and maturity, not mixture and compromise as so many are doing today. Many pastors and musicians with a national platform are given great influence, not by God but by satan for they are serving his agends. When people like Ellen Degeneras invite Christians on their program and are comfortable with them, having no conviction or remorse for their sin - it's a stain on the gospel of CHRIST who's central theme was "repent or perish" not "God loves you as you are". Beware when all men speak well of you (or lesbians, Lauren). The more popular we become with the world, the less popular we become with God.
So i thank God for anyone who is awakening God's people and leading them out of Babylon and into the New Jerusalem, where they belong. Let us build up God's house (people) with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other! Building up people while tearing down Satan. Let's finish this journey we're on with a flourish, for Heaven awaits all who choose not to compromise but follow the Holy Spirit and Him alone, no matter how difficult the path gets. He will make a way where there is no way. We will pass through the sea of humanity untouched, unscathed, for we are called to abide in a holy place in the midst of an unholy place. As well, we are called to the Desert - where a massive amount of people (some say the Israelites were upwards of three million strong) is called to exist where it is impossible to exist without God.
Apostle Chris
