What Is Our Priority?

As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the LORD, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” [Exodus 14.10-14]

I want to look at this sentence: It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!

My question is this: is the sentence noted above true or false?

It is important how one answers this question! This question reveals priority.

I am going to alter the sentence in question here just a bit: It's better to be alive and out of God's will than to be dead having obeyed God.

Now, let's ask the question again: is the sentence (in its modified form) true or false?

It is false. However, most people today view life in disobedience better than death in obedience. I would tend to agree with this erroneous statement if the truth of God's Word did not refute it in every possible way.

Obedience to God is all that truly matters. In the New Testament, faith is referred to as an obedience:

But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. [Romans 16.26]

Look how it is written in the New King James Version:

but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—  [Romans 16.26 NKJV]

The whole point of the Bible is the story of God's love for, and redemption of, man from sin and its curse of death. Obedience to God, only recognized by God in the obedience of faith, is mandatory to escape the death-curse of sin.

So, how does the paragraph above tie in with Exodus 14.10-14? First, we must acknowledge that death of the body is only a fractional part of the death-curse of sin. The overriding power of the death-curse of sin is eternal separation from God - ultimate torture - hell. Exodus 14.10-14 offers contrast between the priority of (the "fractional") death on earth and (the "overriding") eternal death sentence upon those found disobedient to faith (trusting God). 

To preserve temporal life at the expense of eternal life is catastrophically shortsighted.

What is our priority?

Father, help us to have our priorities about life on earth and life hereafter correct. May we be found in faith - even if it costs us our life on earth.