Exodus 3:21-22 "And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians."
It's interesting the way that God works, don't you think? There are seemingly bad things that happen in our lives every day. These "bad" things can range from a flat tire to the sudden loss of a loved one. What is God thinking when this happens? What is His plan?
In the Bible the Israelites end up in quite a situation. Really it started with the tossing of Joseph into a hole by his brothers. From there, Joseph was used by God to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. Those dreams were about a famine that was going to come over the land. From there, the people of Israel ended up selling EVERYTHING they had (including themselves) to Pharaoh, just to stay alive. This put them in a time of bondage and suffering. The people were then given a leader named Moses to bring them out of Egypt and back to God. God told Moses not only to lead the people out of Egypt, but to ask the Egyptians for all of their riches when they went. What kind of crazy thinking is that?
There is a strange and beautiful God revealed through all of this. (I use strange in the most loving way) The people of Israel ended up in a horrible situation because of a mistake made in their past. (selling Joseph into slavery) This resulting slavery wasn't a punishment by God, but merely the consequence of a bad decision! God used what happened to Joseph for good in Joseph's life, and for the protection of Israel against a famine. Pharaoh used what happened to prosper his nation. In time, the people of Israel grew weary and needed to be rescued. God heard their cries and answered. God's intention, however, was never to have the nation of Israel slave to an Egyptian king. When He delivered His people, God told them to "ask" for their possessions and the Egyptians would give them to them (gold, silver, and even clothing). As we all know from the story, that's exactly what happened.
Where does that leave us today? God never intended for us to live in bondage to sin and the Devil. We were created to worship Him in perfect fellowship. It was the decision made in the Garden that brought the consequences upon all of us. All of the things that happen in our lives that cause us to struggle are the result of bad decisions. (maybe ours, maybe someone else's) Just like the Nation of Israel, we have sold ourselves into bondage. It may be to drugs, alcohol, codependency, anger, or sexual abuse; however you look at it we are slaves to our "master". In most cases, this bondage has cost us dearly. It's cost us friendships, family members, and in some cases our physical freedom; but there is Hope! Just like before, God heard our cries and has sent us a deliverer. Jesus Christ came so that you may have life and have it MORE abundantly then before!!! The proof is in His Word. More then just giving you back your freedom, God wants to re-prosper you back to the place you were before entering into bondage. What has been taken from you, God wants you to take back with you when you go! If it weren't so, His Word wouldn't paint the picture!
I like this story because it uses the word plunder! Sin is our Egypt and the Devil our Pharaoh. Jesus is our Moses, He has come and told us that He wants to give us life more abundantly then what we have! (John 10:10) We simply need to take it. Sin and the Devil were defeated at the cross. Death, the ultimate consequence for our actions, was crushed by the Blood of Christ!
I don't know about you, but I'm taking back what the Devil has manipulated from me! Argh! I be a plunderin'!
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