LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Thursday 23rd October 2025
AN OUTSTRETCHED HAND
Scripture Reading: Exodus 7
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” *Exodus 7:5
A significant part of what the Lord set out to do in the epic battle for Israel was to establish His Lordship over Egypt. God’s miraculous acts brought judgment on the Egyptians, the wonders also gave testimony to God, to His power and to His love for His people. The wonders, though terrible to behold, were also an invitation for people to believe.
The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. God wanted to use Pharaoh’s hardened heart and His judgment to reveal Himself to the Egyptians – the larger population of the people of Egypt. How would God do that?
Break the spiritual powers controlling Egypt. The contest here was not so much with Pharaoh himself as with the spiritual forces that ruled through him. The evil that had held sway over Egypt, manipulating the people and bringing Israel into servitude had to be broken. The miracles and plagues in Egypt were meant to dethrone those evil powers.
Claim Israel as God’s heritage. God chose Israel for Himself through a covenant with Abraham. God’s children had to be delivered from the evil system that sought to pollute their faith and worship. He set out to redeem Israel as His prized possession, and He did so with great determination. Pharaoh had seized Abraham’s descendants and it was time to take them back from him.
Turn the Egyptians to God. God sought to bring repentance and conviction to the hearts of the Egyptians. To the Egyptians, the acts of God were designed to settle the controversy over who was “The Lord”. This was a prime opportunity to turn away from their false gods to the One True Creator of the Universe.
God’s powerful works are not just a show off nor are they a malicious pursuit to visit vengeance on the wicked. His real intent is to bring both deliverance and redemption; deliverance for His people who are held captive and redemption for their captors. The battles we face are opportunities to manifest His glory and save people who are lost.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, let the nations of the world know that you are Lord; that the people may turn to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
