The Difference

The Difference But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel Exodus 11 v 7 The Lord promises His children that neither dog nor beast nor man can move or lift their tongue against any of them. He discerns between those who fear and serve Him and those who do not. Those who fear and serve Him belong to the spiritual nation of Israel. Those who do not belong to the nation of darkness- Egypt. The Lord is not partial but He is discerning. He places a difference between the obedient and humble and the disobedient and arrogant. Those who live in darkness when they see the difference operating in the lives of the children of Israel, they too will be drawn or attracted to serve the Lord. In other words, it is the testimony of God to all people if they are willing to open their spiritual eyes and discern the difference. Even in the very first family, that of Adam’s the Lord made a distinction between Cain and Abel. Though both made sacrifices to the Lord, Cain had a grudging attitude of not offering his best or what is valuable to the Lord. He reserved the best for his own self. But not so Abel who offered his best and of his best, a lamb without blemish. Abel became a model or a pattern or example for God Himself to prove His covenant relationship with man, His creature. Abel had done that which God Himself was going to do in time in order to redeem the created and fallen and raise them to be eternal and lifted up or blessed. Yet God allowed Cain to slay his innocent brother Abel not that He could not have prevented it. It is not a violation of this uni-verse that He would not allow a dog or beast or man to raise the tongue against the children of Israel. Abel was ordained to be a martyr, the first martyr and the forerunner of Zachariah the priest who was slain before the altar in the temple, the forerunner of Stephen and James the martyr whose blood intercedes through the generations along with the blood of the chosen Messiah for the children of Israel. On Cain, the Lord placed the mark of the minus sign, the curse that would last through all generations. All those who kill and destroy in human history are the spiritual descendants of Cain. On Abel and his spiritual descendants, the Lord placed the cross- the cancellation from above of the minus sign making it the plus sign, the mark of blessing, favour and grace. The Lord puts a fencing around us that neither serpent nor fox-symbols of subtle or cunning or deceitful attacks nor bear or lion –symbols of open, violent attacks- can use their weapons of darkness against us. Divine favour or grace is not a gesture of partiality but it is necessary to prove that we are in a special, covenanted and personal relationship with God. Even the people of the symbolic Egypt or those who do not know and serve God are His creation but unless they enter the covenanted personal relationship with God, they do not become His children who are entitled to His care, blessing, guidance, favour, protection, provision and promotion. Prateep V Philip