Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Does Jesus Care?

Does Jesus Care?

Please read Exodus 14 for the context.

Exodus 14:23-25 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

I was reading this chapter a couple of days ago and was curious what the definition of “looked” in verse 24 was.

Strong’s defines it as: to lean out (of a window), i.e. (by implication) peep or gaze (passively, be a spectacle).

The idea is the Lord leaned over and looked down to earth to see how the nation of Israel and the Egyptians were doing. The verse gives the picture of the Lord leaning through the pillar of fire and pillar of cloud to watch over His people and to deal with their enemies. Now we know the Lord is not physically leaning over in heaven and peering down at us (He is omnipresent, after all), but the word the Holy Spirit used here shows His care in a comforting, picturesque way. The word is used 22 times in the Old Testament, and multiple times it is used of God in relation to His chosen people.

Consider these passages:

Deuteronomy 26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Psalms 102:18-22 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

Lamentations 3:48-50 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.

The Lord Jesus Christ cares about whatever trials and troubles you are going through. He is not sitting afar off, disinterested in what is happening to you, but is leaning over in Heaven, watching over you, and reaching down with His almighty arm and helping His people and troubling or hindering their enemies.

The next time you peer out a window to look at the people passing by, consider that the Lord is doing the same to you - He always has you in His sight.

Does Jesus care? Yes, He cares!

September 6th, 2021
Jerry Bouey

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