“However, he is not to acquire many horses for himself or have the people return to Egypt to obtain more horses, in as much as Adonai told you never to go back that way again.”-Deuteronomy 17:16
There is much resident wisdom packed into the Lord’s instructions directed toward all future kings of Israel that they are NEVER to return to Egypt.
The Lord knows that if Israel ever turns back to their former masters for help or sustenance, there is the grave danger that God’s people might unwittingly find themselves in an alliance with them.
And that would be a big no-no.
It would be an unequal yoking or an illicit mixture.
What have the chosen people of the Lord got to do with Egypt?
The Lord’s answer is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
I’m not saying Israel is to deliberately go out of their way to wage war with the Egyptians.
I’m saying they are never to enter into a relationship with them ever again.
There are two key takeaways we can get from this.
First, God’s redeemed are not to enter into a relationship with God’s enemies out of convenience or personal benefit.
Unfortunately we see this happen all the time when Israel trades with its sworn enemies and even gives them political concessions.
Buddying up to Islam in so-called love and peace is a direct violation of this command, especially when one of the fundamental tenets of the Muslim religion seeks the annihilation of the Jewish people.
Again, I’m not saying that Israel is to go out of their way to kill Muslims or necessarily avoid them.
I’m just saying whatever relations Israel has with their neighbors should NOT entail any compromise that would force Israel to give up any portion of their unique and chosen relationship with HASHEM or the land of Israel for the sake of geopolitical peace.
If you have learned anything at all from studying the Torah over the past couple of years, you should know by now that our God is a God of SEPARATION, DIVISION, and ELECTION.
His Ways are diametrically opposed to the world’s ways which seeks to erase Godly distinctions that have been established since the time of creation.
The Lord knows that if Israel’s kings ever consider going back to the same people who will view them as nothing more than escaped slaves for friendship or a potential source of military or economic resources, it will lead to compromising or possibly even abandoning God’s principles.
There is an important lesson for us personally as well.
How many of us have returned to an abusive relationship or past situation that we never should have went back to out of fear, insecurity, loneliness or whatever?
Just as God told Israel they are NEVER to go back to Egypt, so He is telling you to not go back to whatever past situation He pulled you out of…
…even if your current circumstances may seem difficult at the moment and you are tempted to compromise by doing what God has clearly told you you are not to do.
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