You have seen

4‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.

– Exodus 19:4
(NASB® © 2020)

Shortly after leaving Egypt—it was the third month (Exodus 19:1)—God reminded His people of what He had done for them. They had witnessed how He had shown His power against the Egyptians to free them from slavery in Egypt, and how He had carried them on eagles’ wings and brought them to Himself. They were to always remain aware of what the Lord had done for them.

This also applies to us. We, too, should always be aware of what the Lord has done for us to this day. That is why these words also have something to say to us.

You have seen

The Israelites had seen—not just heard or read about, but witnessed firsthand—what the Lord had done to the Egyptians. They had also seen what had been necessary to save their firstborn sons. All of this had certainly not left them unscathed.

It is not enough for us, either, to have only heard or read about salvation in the Lord Jesus. No, we must have personally experienced and witnessed salvation from God’s judgment and deliverance from Satan’s bondage. Anything else will be of no use to us.

What I have done

The Israelites had witnessed the great salvation that the Lord had brought about for them. They had been eyewitnesses to the ten plagues that He had brought upon the land of Egypt, and had finally seen Pharaoh’s army perish in the waters of the Red Sea.

We, too, can remember at this point what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross of Calvary. There He settled the question of our sins and sin itself once and for all and won a great and final victory over Satan. Are we always aware of the high price the Lord paid for us?

How I have carried you

The Lord had not only freed the people from slavery in Egypt, but had also carried them on eagle’s wings to the Sinai desert (Exodus 19:2, 4). He had not only led them through the desert or helped them in certain situations—no, He had carried them all the way.

What was true for the Israelites back then is also true for us in a figurative sense: The Lord did not save us from eternal judgment and deliver us from the power of Satan only to then leave us to our own devices. No, He carries us on eagle’s wings through this world and cares for us tirelessly. Do we thank Him for this every day?

How I brought you to me

The Israelites had seen how the Lord had delivered them from Egypt, carried them through the desert, and finally brought them to Himself (to Mount Sinai): they were to be His own possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6).

While the Lord had only brought the Israelites into His presence outwardly at that time, this applies to us in an even deeper sense: we who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13). We are children of God and may have unclouded fellowship with Him (1 John 3:1). And the moment is not far off when He will bring us to Himself in the Father’s house, where we will be in His immediate presence for all eternity. How unspeakably glorious that will be!

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