In the movie Prince Caspian, Lucy Pevensie interrupts the battle-planning between Caspian and her brother Peter with what at first seems like an irrelevant comment. She says both Caspian’s plan (to stay put in Aslan’s How and wait out Miraz’s attack) and Peter’s plan (to storm Miraz’s castle) aren’t right, because they are in essence choosing whether they’ll “die here or die there.” Peter responds, “I'm not sure you've really been listening, Lu.” I wondered why she said what she did. Today, I think I understood it.
Earlier today, I was reading about the killing of the firstborn, the Passover and the exodus in Exodus 11, 12 & 13. I’ve read that many times, but as God does so often, He hit me with a new truth in a very familiar passage.
At this point, all but one of the plagues have happened. The final plague has been announced, and still, Pharaoh is unmoved. Furious with Pharaoh’s stubbornness, Moses has just left “hot with anger.”
Right away, God starts giving instructions to Moses about how the Israelites should prepare the Passover meal, put the blood on their doors, and how to commemorate this day – the day that God led them out of Egypt - for generations to come. Think about it! Pharaoh is arrogant beyond belief, hates Moses and the Israelites and their God, and is defiant and unyielding knowing it would cost him the life of his firstborn son... and God has already planned out the victory party.
The Israelites were still under incredible oppression. They were still slaves awaiting deliverance, and in their perspective, nothing Moses had tried had worked. How could Moses instruct them in the commemoration of this miracle when up to this point, Pharaoh had resisted all of God’s other wonders?
First of all, this was not a war with an uncertain outcome. God was the One hardening Pharaoh’s heart in order that the Egyptians and the whole world might see His power. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” God was using Pharaoh to accomplish His purposes, and it was time for Pharaoh to yield.
Secondly, Moses knew that he could (and must) rely on God’s word. God had told Moses everything that was going to happen, and it happened exactly as He had said. Why doubt Him now? As the story goes, God’s victory party happened just as He said, and has continued being celebrated throughout the generations, because He planned it all and He always wins.
So, back to Lucy’s comment. Caspian and Peter were facing the battle similarly to how I (and probably a lot of us) often do – with a “die trying” attitude rather than a victorious mindset. Will we always win every battle? I don't think so. But we can win a lot because of Who is on our side, Who controls our destiny and Who holds our rulers’ hearts in His hands. Lucy had it right. Let’s fight, not counting the cost, willing to spend our lives on the battle if needed. But let’s also plan on victory because it’s not up to us anyway, and Aslan always shows up, right on time.
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