Given enough time and experience, we all arrive in Egypt…chariots, hieroglyphics and all. Ok, I’m talking about metaphorical Egypt of course. And we can all think of those 1-2 people throughout our lives that we might have, at one time or another, referred to as tyrants or dictators or pharaohs (not naming names…). It might have even been a school or company that you felt was evil or downright oppressive (and perhaps you were right).
Or perhaps you are one of the blessed few to have evaded these extreme examples, and perhaps you have worked and lived in mostly normal environments. Regardless, you can imagine that this is not the norm.
The norm in this life and this world is living in Egypt. This is our de facto condition. And I’m not necessarily referring to the actual modern country known as Egypt, or even a specific geography. I’m talking about the spiritual Egypt, where we all serve taskmasters and are surrounded by false gods.
Like everything we discuss here, there are levels to this. The Pharaoh of Egypt doesn’t have to be (but can be) a government leader, just as easy as it can be a boss or someone else that controls some aspect of our life. And as we speak, we all have a Pharaoh to answer to for our worldly endeavors. Some are like the Pharaoh of Joseph’s days. Others are the Pharaoh of Moses. The one that hardened his heart despite nearly a dozen plagues and signs, and the death of his firstborn child.
Some Pharaohs even believe they are a god. They are not. But they believe since they seemingly have control, riches, and can copy godly signs and wonders, that they are like a god and should be treated like one.
Regardless of the situation and magnitude of Pharaoh that you deal with, we all need to learn how to navigate Egypt and the Pharaoh that we inevitably serve.
I pray these lessons below provide you with some helpful hints and strategies not just for surviving but for thriving. Remember that all of the answers can be found in the Word of God! And our living and breathing savior, Messiah Yeshua.
Lesson #1: Eventually We All WILL Want to Exit
Keeping this end in mind, we should not tolerate terrible conditions for so long. Terrible macro conditions outside of our control are inevitable (e.g. weather, economy, etc.). But believe it or not, Egypt is a micro condition within our control in most cases, and definitely within God’s control. We serve the God who rescued His people from Egypt and will do it every day if necessary. So if you are in a terrible Egypt, serving a terrible Pharaoh, plan your exit strategy NOW. Don’t wait. Life is too short to be miserable. Don’t be a whiner, be a winner! God loves a faithful and obedient action-taker!
This might seem like common sense, but we all fall into common traps as well. One is the loyalty trap, where we build a false sense of a need for loyalty. The fact is that your terrible Pharaoh is not loyal to you. Egypt only cares about worldly things.
Another trap is the excuse that “things will change.” But the only way things change is if you drive it to change. Inertia is real. Things do not happen to you, they happen because of you, and because of your relationship with God. Get with the program, and tune your perspective.
We cannot be victims to Egypt, we must pray to God to remember His covenant and deliver us from our personal Egypts.
When you pray, God will answer. He will give you an exit strategy, but just like Moses, it takes work from both you and Him. Do the work and you will leave Egypt with riches and resources!
“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, as El Shaddai. Yet by My Name, Adonai, I made Myself known to them. I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage where they journeyed. Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of Bnei-Yisrael, whom the Egyptians are keeping in bondage. So I have remembered My covenant.”
Exodus 6:3-5 TLV
“So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders that I will do in the midst of it. After that, he will let you go. “Then I shall grant these people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. So it will happen that when you go, you will not leave empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house for silver and gold jewelry and clothing. You will put them on your sons and your daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians.””
Exodus 3:20-22 TLV
Lesson #2: It is NEVER about the money
Hopefully your focus is not on the riches that will come when you leave Egypt. Money and riches will never make you happy or solve your problems. The only thing that will make you happy is having “enough”. And enough is not a number, it is a state of mind.
The sages have even remarked:
“Who is rich? One who rejoices in their portion.”
(Pirkei Avot 4:1)
Point being, compensation is at times a tool used by Pharaohs to justify extraction of labor productivity or general injustice. We must be aware that the likelihood of this increases when the Pharaohs themselves believe that money is the end all, be all. Take note in these cases.
But remember, it is never about the money. No amount of money replaces family time. No amount of money will make up for lost time that you could have spent with loved ones. And no amount of money will help you feel worthy or improve your self worth.
In fact, money tends to lead to more problems, if I can quote the late, great rapper Notorious B.I.G. “Mo money, mo problems!” And likewise, the Talmud teaches us that money has inverse effects in many cases!
“Excessive possessions lead to excessive worry.”
(Avot 2:7)
It should come as no surprise that worldly promises typically lead to the opposite – think about some pharmaceuticals or get rich quick schemes. On the contrary, God’s promises are always true and lead to true happiness.
We must replace our love for money and fear of Pharaoh with a glorious love and fear of God. Don’t get ensnared by worldly promises or riches. Store up your treasures in heaven. Serve the one true God!
““Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick by one and look down on the other. You cannot serve God and money.””
Matthew 6:19-24 TLV
Lesson #3: Do not Fear Pharaoh but only Fear the One True God
We may think that our earthly Pharaohs control our fate and destiny. And sure, it may seem like at times that there is no escape. But let me remind you that we serve an infinitely wise and infinitely powerful creator that will hear us when we cry out. He will remember His covenant with His people. And He will deliver us from evil and that includes any Pharaoh we encounter.
One of the stories that still sticks with me from the Torah portions and the Exodus story is the plague of darkness. It’s not the plague itself, but it’s the fact that the Israelites were not impacted, even by this plague. They had light when others had darkness. That seems logically and scientifically impossible.
“Moshe reached out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. People couldn’t see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the people of Isra’el had light in their homes. (iii)”
Sh’mot (Exo) 10:22-23 CJB
Our God is one that protects and even separates us from the punishment of others. And although darkness is something that seems hardest to separate, He finds a way. There is deep meaning and subtext here if you seek it out.
The fact remains that we may not even see the plagues or trials that our God is putting on our Pharaoh. It may appear as light in our camp but be deep darkness in Pharaoh’s palace. Do not fear Pharaoh. Even when Pharaoh issues decrees that are perhaps a retribution for God’s punishments, God will prevail. He always has, and He always will. For He is the God who is, who was, and always will be. It is embedded in His name…
We may not always realize what part of the story we are in, but we must always focus our faith and fear on God, knowing that He is the ultimate creator of the story. He knows the end from the beginning and He knew us from the womb. He sees the bigger picture and HE is the one and only in control – despite how it may or may not appear in your corner of the earth or via news media.
Remember, your Egypt does not define you.
Your relationship with God, your awesome and all-powerful Creator, should shape your reality and your way!
“If I say, “Let darkness surround me, let the light around me be night,” even darkness like this is not too dark for you; rather, night is as clear as day, darkness and light are the same. For you fashioned my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you because I am awesomely made, wonderfully; your works are wonders — I know this very well.”
Tehillim (Psa) 139:11-14 CJB
““Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I separated you for myself. I have appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.””
Yirmeyahu (Jer) 1:5 CJB
Takeaways to make a way (Practical Advice)
- Choose who you will serve today.
- We all live in different Egypts with different Pharaohs. But that is something we all have in common. Think and act on that.
- Your actions are a reflection of your plan (or lack there of). Cry out to God if you are lacking or in trouble. He will answer.
- Think about the tools your Pharaoh uses to keep you in bondage. Use the toolkit God gives you to combat them.
- Everything worldly is temporal and fades away. This applies both to tyrants and treasures.
- Use the stories of the Bible to drive you and others to action. Your heart only changes when you act.
- Where your treasure is, that’s where your heart will be.
Further Study with your Buddy
If it’s more mindset techniques you are after, learn how to develop a Seek First Mindset: God’s Plan Part 2: SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God
For more spiritual fundamentals, read Supercharge your Spiritual Strategies (5 ways to to use NLP for godly purposes)
For more discussion on habits, read The Chukat Concept: Engraving wisdom to form godly habits that change your life
Questions for Reflection…
- What is your personal Egypt? Who is your Pharaoh?
- Have you already left your Egypt, or are you in a different one now?
- Where do you spend most of your time?
- And do you spend more time with Pharaoh or God?
- How can you leverage your awareness and your knowledge of history, Torah, the Bible, and your Creator to your advantage?
- What are your escape strategies from Egypt?
- Where do you place your fear? And your trust? How about your treasures?
godlyyy 
There is such peace when you are content. This blog reminds me of the words of Paul “Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content.” Thank you for the reminder that we need to be content and to cry out to Our God who hears and answers. Psa 18:7 In my distress I called on Adonai, and cried to my God for help. From His Temple He heard my voice, my cry before Him came into His ears.
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