By Elizabeth Peak

God tells Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.  And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions ." (Genesis

 15:13-14)

This prophecy is mentioned again in Exodus 3:22 when God tells Moses: "Every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians." At this time, the Israelites were in Egypt under bondage of the Egyptians. God is sending Moses back to Egypt to Pharaoh in order to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

God also instructs Moses, "Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold ." (Exodus 11:2)

This was done before the last plague God brought upon the Egyptians. After the last plague, the death of the first-born, the prophecy is fulfilled. ( Exodus 11 - Exodus 12:1-32) The Egyptians urged the Israelites to leave the land of Egypt. God's people left the land of Egypt with the articles of gold, silver, and clothing that the Egyptians had freely given to them. One commentator wrote: "The Israelites recovered a part of their property — their wages of which they had been most unjustly been deprived of by the Egyptians. Plunder means to loot or take by force. As far as I can tell from studying these verses, the Egyptians freely gave to the Israelites the items they requested. By accepting the items of gold, silver, and clothing, the Israelites were able to plunder the Egyptians. Can you imagine how the people looked as they left Egypt loaded down with extra clothing and articles of gold and silver?

In further study of Exodus, God instructs Moses to raise a contribution from every man whose heart moved him to give gold, silver, bronze, materials of blue, purple, and scarlet, fine linen, goat's hair, ram's skins dyed red, onyx stones, setting stones and other materials. ( Exodus 25 :1-8 ) These articles were to be used in the building of the tabernacle, the ark of covenant, the table of showbread, and the golden lampstand. Some of these materials were to be used for the priest's garments. It is very possible that this contribution would have come from the plunder of the Egyptians. God used the plundered items to be used to His glory!

Today we are admonished to "be clothed with humility." (I Peter 5:5)

We are to wear the "full armor of God."  ( Ephesians 6 :13-17)

Jesus told the church at Sardis, "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels ." (Revelation 3:5) We have to study God's Word, obey God's plan of salvation, and live faithful lives. If we overcome the evil one, we will be assured of eternal life in Heaven with God. Jesus also said, " Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2:10)