Year of Realization - Day 66: Be willing to intercede for those still in harm’s way.

“For how can I endure to see the tragedy that will happen to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”

‭‭Esther‬ ‭8‬:‭6‬ ‭AMP‬‬

You’re probably familiar with the story of how Moses was used by God to bring the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Interestingly, after the Lord had first spoken to Moses, and he had gathered his family and left for Egypt, along the way, a rather odd occurrence happened.

“Now it happened at the lodging place, that the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him [making him deathly ill because he had not circumcised one of his sons]. Then Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off the foreskin of her son and threw it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Indeed you are a husband of blood to me!” So He let Moses alone [to recover]. At that time Zipporah said, “You are a husband of blood”—because of the circumcision.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Moses—having just been called by God to deliver His people—came very near to being killed by the Lord due to the fact that he had not honored God’s covenant.

“This is [the sign of] My covenant, which you shall keep and faithfully obey, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be the sign (symbol, memorial) of the covenant between Me and you. And the male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭17‬:‭10‬-‭11‬, ‭14‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Zipporah apparently understood about the covenant and why God was angry. Her actions kept the Lord from killing Moses.

The Lord in His great mercy does not punish or destroy without giving an opportunity for repentance.

“The people of the land have practiced oppression and extortion and have committed robbery; they have wronged the poor and needy and they have oppressed the stranger without justice. I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for [the sake of] the land, that I would not destroy it, but I found no one [not even one]. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; I have repaid their way [by bringing it] upon their own heads,” says the Lord God.”

‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭22‬:‭29‬-‭31‬ ‭AMP‬‬

But, when there is no repentance or intercession before God for the sin, destruction becomes inevitable.

In our opening scripture we see that Esther once again pleads for the lives of her people. As we have discussed before, it didn’t suffice for her to know that she and her family were assured safety. So, she becomes the one to stand up for those who remained in harm’s way.

Now, the people were not facing destruction because of their own sin, but because of the plot of Haman. Someone must stand up for them and she is doing it.

Having sold ourselves into the bondage of sin, we needed an advocate, someone to stand up for us. Please understand, God does not want to punish us; but sin must be punished. How wonderful it is that He Himself became our Advocate through Jesus Christ

“My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God’s law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father’s will in every way—purpose, thought, and action]. And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭AMP‬‬

As we thank the Lord for the work of Jesus Christ as our Advocate, our Intercessor, we must not forget that it is also our responsibility to intercede in prayer before the Lord for those who remain in harm’s way.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

#yearofrealization