“But for this purpose, I have raised you up to show you my power so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
– Exodus 9:16
This verse gives a powerful glimpse into the heart and the purpose of God when he says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for this purpose so that my power will be clear and through the way I show myself strong on behalf of my people. Who are slaves in your land and the result of what I do among you will cause my name to be proclaimed in all the earth.”
God raises up workers for the spread of His renown to the ends of the earth.
This is so key, especially when we think about the word missions. I’m guessing you think, okay, missionary. You think, yeah, people who move to other countries for the spread of the gospel. And you almost start to think, okay, that’s not me so missions is not for me. When missions in this sense is the heart of the purpose of God. Do you hear it here in Exodus 9:16? Like I’m not just making this up. God says, “My purpose in what I’m doing in delivering my people out of slavery in Egypt, is to show my power so that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Exodus 9:16 Reveals God’s Will
This is how Jesus taught us to pray. Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name in all the earth. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. God, all throughout the scriptures, not just isolated here or there. God all throughout scripture is zealous for His name to be known and proclaimed. His power and love, grace and might to be seen in all the earth.
So this should drive our praying. What we should be praying continually for is the name of God to be proclaimed in all the earth. And so, I want to lead us specifically to pray today for the Fulani in Mali. Over a million of them comprise the largest nomadic society in the world. So, nomads wander here and there. And basically just as they wander these tribes, their identity is tied up with Islam. So to follow Jesus as a Fulani would be basically to risk cutting yourself off from your entire community. Family, friends, and sustenance.
The Threat Converts Face
And where do you go? You’re with these nomadic people and you trust in Christ. These Sunni Muslim people will often reject you, cut you off, and have nothing to do with you. As a result, it’s been very hard to get the gospel to the Fulani. To see disciples made in churches, planted, or multiplied. This is an unreached people group. Most Fulani Muslims in Mali have little to no knowledge of the gospel as they move around from place to place. And God desires for the nomadic Fulani people to know His name. And so we’re going to pray for that right now.
Prayer for the Fulani People
God, we pray that you would cause all people to know your name as good and loving and righteous. As well as the savior and king among the Fulani people of Mali. Please Oh, God, please cause Christians nearby, missionaries, to cross-cultural, geographic, and linguistic barriers. Not even nearby, from far away just as you taught us to pray Lord Jesus. Raise up workers for the harvest field who will take the gospel to the Fulani. Maybe even raise them, somebody just pray this right now. God, I pray for that. Would you cause the Fulani to be somebody’s heart to keep praying. Look for an opportunity, to go to the Fulani. God please cause the gospel to go to them. Cause your name to be proclaimed among Fulani tribes God as they travel may they intersect with the gospel.
Exodus 9:16: Let All the Earth Know God’s Name
Please Oh God may they intersect with the good news of your love in Christ. May Fulani believers come about. May we make disciples there and may they then gather together in the churches that are proclaiming your gospel as they travel from place to place. Oh God we pray for this. We know we are asking right now according to your word. We know you have a purpose for all people in the earth to know your name, including among the Fulani of Mali. So we ask that you do according to our word. Just like you did with Moses we pray right now, please do according to what we’re asking right now among the Fulani people of Mali. We pray this for your glory in that tribe. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
