Buy: Conclusion

Doesn’t it seem as if we have strayed far from where we started? We began with the word, buy, where we were reminded of truth, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot.  1 Peter 1: 18 – 19. We were then shown the children of God plundering the Egyptians, a thing most impossible. Actions, under ordinary conditions, which will never happen, where slave owners are handing over silver and gold to their slaves, as if they were giving them to their own children.

But where is our curious word, buy? It has been faithfully present, moving with us in covert, unrecognizable ways. It’s like the star which led the men from the East to the place where Jesus was. They saw it at the beginning and it was there all the time, it never went away and left them, although their eyes could not see it. Nevertheless, in the end, they were able to see it again. And behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. Matthew 2: 9b.  To what am I alluding? I’m referring to the word, buy, as it now, at the end, takes noticeable prominence again.

Let’s listen to these words and see if the word, buy, does not shine forth, jump out and engage us.

And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, We shall all be dead. So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. Exodus 12: 33 – 36.

Was there not buying taking place here?

Look at the Egyptians. And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, We shall all be dead. Were they not buying life and peace from the Israelites? If to buy, in simple terms, is to exchange what you have for what you want, then check this. The Egyptians so wanted normalcy back in Egypt, and to get the God of the Israelites off their backs, so to speak, they bought their peace and deliverance from the Israelites, with their silver and gold.

Think long and hard about that! When I thought of it, I remembered Peter and Simon in Samaria. Simon was a practising sorcerer who amazed Samaritans, in so much so, they referred to him as, the Great Power of God. Nevertheless, when Peter went to Samaria, and the Holy Spirit was being given to believers, Simon wanted to buy that gift from Peter and the others. So appalled was Peter that he immediately brought heavy woes upon Simon.  May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! Acts 8: 20. NIV

The Egyptians so wanted the Israelites out of their country, out of their lives for good, so that they would know life and no more death, they bought life. With the generous and amicable giving over of articles of silver and gold and even some of their clothing, don't you see how they bought life? Indeed, they bought with clothing also, beautiful, richly ornate garments, which marked them, not the Israelites; yet I wondered about the Israelites having their enemy’s clothes.

Consider it! When I considered it, my mind was taken to Jesus and His garment and how His enemies, the soldiers who crucified Him on the cross, divided His garments among them, but bartered or cast lots for His robe. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be. John 19: 23b - 24a. I wondered about the enemy and why they might want Jesus’ tunic.

What about the Israelites? Was there any buying taking place with them? Were they bartering or exchanging anything? What deeper revelations are there for us in this starkly vivid image of the Israelites? If we accept that the Egyptians were anxious to have the Israelites leave, to ensure, peace, normalcy, and no more deaths at the hand of Jehovah, Israel’s God; if we can see how they bought all this and more with their resources; if we can believe that the price the Egyptians paid was not too much for the saving of their lives, then we can see and understand more about ourselves.

God told His people to ask and they asked. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. Do you really think that they asked for a little, for modest, tiny amounts? Of course not! I can assure you they asked for abundant riches. It was a total plundering of these God-weakened Egyptians.

What about you and me? How do we see and understand more about ourselves? God, in Christ Jesus, has given us the freedom and command to take, to buy back as it were, from sin, our enemy, all the vast riches that it has taken from us. Peace, power and joy, are but some of those riches. God has already conquered sin, hell, the grave and death, so that they must yield to us what we ask for. The Powerful, Efficacious Blood of Jesus has weakened Satan, the enemy along with all his people.

Can this be said of you and me, the Church?  The children of God plundered Satan and his people.