Don’t even think about it, Acts 7:39-43

“39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’  41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. 42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:  “‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek
and the star of your god Rephan,
the idols you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile’ beyond Babylon.” NIV

Keith Green made a gospel album entitled ‘So you wanna go back to Egypt?’

There is a telling phrase in verse 39: ‘’…in their hearts…’’ they ‘’turned back to Egypt.’’ Probably many of us will relate to this, even if we’ve only fondly looked back for a moment. Sooner or later we will discover that we were wrong. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife when she turned her gaze back towards Sodom. And consider the words of Jesus that anyone who puts his hand to the plough, and looks back, is not fit for the Kingdom.

Although it was obvious that God was with Moses; when he was up the mountain receiving the law, the people asked Aaron to make them an idol, and they worshiped it! There is a warning in these words to anyone who even momentarily fondles the idea of backsliding – of returning to ‘Egypt’. Here it is: if you give God up for idols, He will give you up to the fruits of your choice (see also Romans 1:18ff) When you turn away from God to other gods there is always a ‘’Therefore…’’ (43b).

So if you find yourself similarly tempted, don’t even think about it!

Prayer: Help me Lord to keep my eyes looking forward, fixed on you. You have brought me out of the land of slavery. Enable me to firmly set my eyes on the prize. ‘I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.’