graves – Praying Pint

42.h. “Let My People Go” – 10.e. Exodus – we’re trapped

Exodus 14:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so. When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

God Instructs the Israelites as to Their Journey.God commands the Israelites to encamp at Pi-hahiroth,

Pharaoh and his servants repent for letting the people go

Pharaoh pursues and overtakes the Israelites

The Israelites are afraid and murmur against Moses

Moses encourages the people with a promise of deliverance

God encouraging Moses, bids the people go forward

God defends the Israelites with a pillar of cloud

Egypt will know “I am God over all”

God led the people in such a way that it seemed as though they were wandering without purpose or lost or both. When this was communicated to Pharaoh both he and his servants hardened their hearts toward Israel and were filled with anger, purpose, revenge, and obviously no thoughts about the previous 10 plagues displayed by God. Pharaoh and all the Egyptians, with urgency, fueled by the report and their want to deliver revenge, immediately prepare and held out to do just that. I can imagine their thoughts; Their God destroyed all of our crops, killed our livestock, caused us to break out with boils and sores, frightened us with utter darkness, killed our firstborn both of human and livestock, and we willingly gave them all of our gold, silver, and jewels – Are we just going to let them go???? Shouldn’t they be required to pay severely for what their God has done to us? What can they do to us, they have no weapons and no means to fight against our greatness. The more these thoughts ruminated in their minds the more confident and committed they were to their purpose. They were of one mind to exact revenge and bring them back into slavery, at least those they allowed to live.

God led the Israelites on a path with no escape. They could go neither to the left nor the right and the Red Sea was before them and Pharaoh’s army closed in fast behind them. It would be encouraging to have heard that the Israelites stood firm in their faith and were not afraid, but this was not the case. Though they had seen the miracles, signs, and wonders that God had performed, not to mention the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night “God-Guiding” them in their escape, they immediately lost all hope. We are surely going to die. Why didn’t you listen to us before and let us remain servant slaves to the Egyptians? The Israelites witnessed what God had done with His All-Powerful hand and at the first sign of trouble were afraid, worried, discouraged, and hopeless.

We look back at this historical event and marvel at the lack of faith they had. I presume we even harbor thoughts that we would not have acted like this. We would have been strong and courageous trusting in God. When things are going in our favor and life is easy we certainly have a seemingly strong faith and convince ourselves that we are firm and steadfast. Let us not be fooled by these thoughts and think we are stronger than we think. Nothing tests the hearts and minds like that of trials, troubles, sickness, death, poverty, chaos, disasters, etc….. We associate a flat tire, broken appliance, lost internet connection, natural disaster, or any other inconvenience as a major trial that tests our faith. Oh great day, what foolishness is this? How shallow is our thinking to think that this is a faith-testing trial?

Would our faith build an ark for a rain promised to come in 100 years?

Would our faith place our firstborn son on an altar?

Would our faith place blood on our doorposts?

Would our faith part the Red Sea?

Would our faith heal the sick?

Would our faith stand strong being nailed to a cross?

Would our faith call down fire?

Would our faith believe in rain during a drought?

Would our faith stand firm in the threat of being thrown into a fiery furnace?

Would our faith face a giant warrior with only a sling and a stone?

Would our faith face an army of thousands with only 300 men?

Would our faith walk around Jericho for 7 days?

Would our faith stand strong in any of these?

Listen carefully. Unless you are growing in your understanding of God’s grace, mercy, and love through an intentional commitment to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all you think, say, and do. With a soul-deep hunger and thirst for God’s Word to direct you in this purpose, you will not mature in faith, trust, or reliance.

Faith grows deep and wide when God’s grace, mercy, love, and holiness expose the sinfulness of our sins in our hearts. Oh, that you would see the importance and urgency for honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ more than the shallowness of faith that snares so many.

“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”

Exodus 14:10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

Isaiah 7:2     When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.

Matthew 8:26    And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

1 John 4:18     There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

It is hard to deny fear coming into our lives. Sudden fear at an impending outcome takes over and that is all we can think about. All of the negative outcomes. All of the worst possible scenarios. All the bad and troubling things we think are awaiting our downfall.

The Israelites looked up and saw a massive well armed army approaching, they were hemmed in by the sea and no way of retreat. The first thing they did was fear, then they cried out to the Lord, then they lost all hope. They then spoke to Moses “What have you done?” “Didn’t we tell you to leave us alone?”

It is important to note human nature in responses to this crisis immediately after they had witnessed many miraculous wonders, signs and power of God over many days. Staff into a snake, river into blood, frogs, gnats, flies, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and firstborn deaths were all witnessed by the people. It was not at the word of one to another, they all saw the Mighty work of God. And, yet, they still fell into fear, doom, gloom, blaming, and hopelessness.

Think back in your life. Are you any different? Do you give up on seeing the Mighty hand of God work? Do you even want to be in a situation where you see it? Having any easy life does not do us any favors when it comes to serving God. In fact it actually takes you down a path that sees no need for God in everyday life. It places God on a back burner for sometime in the future when needed.

Our lives are to be set apart to seek and desire to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, praise, follow, and obey Him. It is sad to say, but fully true “We are weak and pitiful followers. We lack intentional commitment, earnest desire, and the want to be in His presence.” It seems as though we not only want, but expect, Him to be watching over us and bubble wrapping our lives from trials and trouble, without giving Him a second thought throughout the day.

If you do not have an ever present desire to seek to honor Him, how is it that you will know of His promises, power, might, strength, peace, joy, and hope when trials and trouble come?

We never know when God’s plans and purposes for our life will include trials and trouble. We do well to be intentionally walking closely to Him, always seeking and desiring to hear His whispers and see His might work in our life.

Oh to be walking so closely to Him that in the face of trails and almost certain major unfavorable outcome we can speak like :Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”

When doubts and fear cloud your day, remember to continually say over and over again; “My God is able to do more than the trial and trouble before me. If He chooses to not show His mighty hand, I still will not fear. I can rest in His loving hands and know I am in His perfect plan.”

Lost without hope and understanding

“For this is a people without discernment; therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them; he who formed them will show them no favor.”

“They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood!”

“If they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!”

Psalms 94:8 Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge— the LORD—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.

Jeremiah 8:6-8 I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly; no man relents of his evil, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turns to his own course, like a horse plunging headlong into battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the LORD. “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.

Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

Psalms 49:10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah

Proverbs 1:22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

Proverbs 8:5 O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.

Romans 1:21-22 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

The end is clear for those who choose to walk their own path in this world. We hear it said “they did it their way” or “he is self made” and give head nod to their accomplishment. This is the way of the world- proud, boasting, always seeking and wanting more, taking paths in life that seem right but do not include God, seeking approval of man rather than God, believing lies to condone their actions, greedy. Scripture says these people are foolish and stupid. Scripture also says For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. We were no different but somehow through God’s grace, mercy, and opening our heart and mind to the truth through Jesus Christ we were made new. We were forgiven. We were changed. No longer having the passions and seeking pleasures of this world we found purpose, safety, hope, love, joy, peace, and comfort through Jesus Christ. We were lost but now we are found in Him. Never forget the path from which you were saved. That path of destruction and eternal hell. Never forget that we too were once foolish and disobedient. Keep speaking Christ into the lives of both the lost and saved. God’s word does not return void – it will accomplish what He has planned. What does it matter if a person rejects the message of Christ 100 times. Might they not receive Him on 101?