If you have done any study on the Exodus of Israel, you probably already know that it’s an allegory for salvation. The Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt and led through the wilderness to the Promised Land. In the same way, God took us out of the bondage of sin in the world and put us on the narrow road to Heaven. But just like he did with the Israelites, Satan loves to bring his whispers to us. He offers worldly comfort and scoffs at our heavenly goal. This week, I experienced a new attack of a very old spirit, the spirit of Egypt. I didn’t know what it was until God showed me, and then, amazingly enough, I saw it next in a popular song on the radio today.
Exodus in a Nutshell
The story of Exodus begins with the enslavement of the Jewish people by the new king of Egypt. He was afraid of the massive number of Israelites in comparison to the few Egyptians and feared that they would one day fight against them in war and prevail. Through a series of events, a Hebrew child name Moses was raised in the Pharaoh’s house but then called by God to bring His people out of Egypt.
While on their way to the land “flowing with milk and honey” that God promised to give His people (Canaan), they encountered miracle after miracle showing that God was with them and for them. They also experienced tests of their loyalty and obedience that many of them failed.
The Israelites’ Mistakes
Instead of being grateful to God for their freedom and trusting Him for provision, the Israelites murmured and complained against God. They cried for water, and He gave them water. They cried for food, and God gave them manna from Heaven which they made into bread. But they just couldn’t forget the dainties of Egypt. Numbers 11:5 says, “We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.”
And later when they got close enough to the Promised Land for Moses to send in twelve spies, most of the people did not believe that they would be able to defeat the giants currently living in the land. Their lack of faith caused God to send them back into the wilderness to wander. A trip that should have taken a few weeks took forty years, just the amount of time it took for that first generation (all except Caleb and Joshua) to die.
But where did the Israelites get the idea that Egypt would be better? Why did they think it would be up to them to fight the giants alone? I believe it was an attack of the enemy. Satan whispered his lies, and at least some of them believed.
At Attack by the Spirit of Egypt
This week, I experienced a similar attack. I didn’t really understand what was happening at the time. All I knew was that I was being bombarded with three messages. 1. The narrow road is hard, 2. I’m never going to make it all the way into Heaven anyway, so 3. I might as well get a little worldly comfort while I can. At the time, it was like sitting still while someone took a mental mallet and hit me repeatedly. The lies came in, but by the grace of God, I stood my ground.
Egypt: “The narrow road is hard.”
Me: “Yes, but God is good.”
Egypt: “Aren’t you tired of dying to self?”
Me: “The Bible says, ‘Die to self but live for God.’”
Egypt: “You know you aren’t good enough to make it to Heaven anyway.”
Me: “Of course not! That’s why Jesus had to die in my place. My hope is in Jesus, not myself.”
Egypt: “But you still have to be perfect like all those other Christians who do it right all the time – not like you.”
Me: “My hope is in Jesus, not myself.”
Egypt: “Aren’t you tired of having to say ‘no’ to yourself all the time?”
Me: “God knows what is best for me.”
Egypt: “You might as well do whatever you want now. You will never be good enough for Heaven.”
Me “Worldly comforts never satisfy like you think they will. Anyway, my hope is in Jesus, not myself.”
The Parallel with Egypt
The next morning during my prayer time, God shined a light on the whole attack. I saw the Israelites who were ready to give up their spiritual inheritance for a few worldly comforts. They were tired of the journey. They just wanted to eat leeks and garlic and worry about themselves instead of following closely after God and His will. How many Christians today are tired of fighting the fight? The world offers so much physical comfort and so many avenues to numb the mind against the reality of the end times. The enemy will whisper that all we have to do is turn around and go back to the world and everything will feel better right now.
Then I saw the ten of the twelve spies who came back from Canaan with the report that the giants were just too big for the Israelites to conquer. They were afraid that everything they had gone through would be for nothing, and that they would never be able to fight and win. They forgot that it was God who brought them out of Egypt, and it would be God who would take them into the Promised Land. The enemy’s lies got to them, and they fell in the wilderness.
How many Christians today have the idea that it is up to us to make it into Heaven? The enemy will tell us that we have to figure out how to get there and how to fight the demonic hordes on the way. He loves to remind us that we aren’t smart enough or strong enough or good enough. But Jesus says we know the way; He is the Way. God says He will fight for us and will never leave us nor forsake us. We didn’t bring ourselves out of the world, and it won’t be by ourselves that we make it into Heaven.
And Then I Heard the Song
This whole issue might have been a blog on its own, but amazingly enough, God wasn’t finished showing me just how prevalent this attack will be in these end times. That same day when I learned of the spirit of Egypt in the morning, I heard a new song by Toby Mac on the radio that afternoon (that’s one of the bands with the Eye of Horus on their album covers). I left work and turned on the radio in my truck. The song started just that second. I couldn’t believe the words. The entire attack was right there in the song called “Promised Land.” It was just disguised as Christian music.
- The narrow road is hard with lots of rules (the message that following God is drudgery and something to be endured but that there is another choice – the choice to quit):
“Always tryin’ to do what’s right
Straight and narrow, it’s gettin’ tight
Don’t know how much longer I can stand…”
2. I’m never going to make it to Heaven anyway (the message that it’s up to US to earn our salvation):
“I’ve long laid tell my grand illusions…One day, I’ll stand before the throne
With nothin’ left but hope and these two hands.”
3. Might as well get some comfort while we can (the message that we are owed something for the times we have followed God with a sacrifice).
“And I’m wonderin’
Yeah, I’m wonderin’
Where’s my promised land?”
The song never praises God or speaks any biblical truth. At the end, it finishes by reminding people how hard life is and says the singer will keep believing because “You’re my promised land.” (By the way, this is the second so-called Christian song I have encountered lately with a message/spirit that is harmful to the child of God. I explain the other one in the blog Is It Examining Yourself or Morbid Introspection?)
Beware of the Spirit of Egypt
It’s an old spirit but one that is making a comeback in these last days. Christians are tired of all the darkness around us. We’re weary with holding standards by ourselves and doing what’s right in the face of so much wrong. For many of us, God has spoken to us about putting aside our own hobbies and interests because time is getting short. The devil will try to offer us worldly pleasures and self-medication without mentioning that the price is traveling away from God and back into the slavery of Egypt. He will try to tell us that we’re never going to be able to fight our way into Heaven because we just don’t have the strength to do it.
But it isn’t up to us to be “good enough” for Heaven or strong enough to get there. God is the hero of this story. He provided what the Israelites needed and led them to the Promised Land. He never expected them to fight the giants on their own. God is our hero too. Our job is to listen, obey, and trust. He will be with us the whole time and never let us go. We just have to keep our eyes on Him.
Enjoy blogs about spiritual warfare? Check out Spiritual Warfare: A Defeated Foe. In it, God uses a housefly to teach me about the way I should view the enemy. Or, try In Our Spiritual Battle, the Devil Has Cookies. Please subscribe in the upper right corner (or at the bottom on a phone). Also, check out my YouTube Channel. There, I read my blogs out loud and have a playlist of hymns.
