Dr.
Jeremy Westbrook
Living
Hope Church, Marysville, Ohio
Emotional
To Devotional: Frustration: “Finding
God’s Sovereign Screen Play”
Exodus 13:17-22
New Living Translation (NLT)
Israel’s Wilderness Detour
17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them
along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that
was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced
with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So
God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.[a]
Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.[b]
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the
sons of Israel swear to do this. He said, “God will certainly come to help you.
When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”
20 The Israelites left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the
wilderness. 21 The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during
the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of
fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. 22 And the
Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front
of the people.
Footnotes:
13:18a Hebrew sea of reeds.
13:18b Greek version reads left Egypt in
the fifth generation.
This is the
longest sentence in the Greek New Testament. It’s like Paul just keeps going.
For English majors, it’s a nightmare. There is no punctuation. Paul get’s
excited about the Glory of God and His greatness.
Exodus 14:1-14
New Living Translation (NLT)
14 Then the Lord gave these instructions to
Moses: 2 “Order the
Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea.
Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon. 3 Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They
are trapped in the wilderness!’ 4 And
once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you.[a] I have planned this in order to
display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians
will know that I am the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were
told.
The Egyptians Pursue Israel
5 When word reached the king of Egypt that the
Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have
we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked. 6 So Pharaoh harnessed his
chariot and called up his troops. 7 He
took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots
of Egypt, each with its commander. 8 The
Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the
people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance. 9 The Egyptians chased after them
with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army—all his horses and chariots, his
charioteers, and his troops. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel
as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon.
10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel
looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried
out to the Lord, 11 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? 12 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!’”
13 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. 14 The
Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
Footnotes:
14:4 Hebrew after them.
Exodus 14:21-31
New Living Translation (NLT)
21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and
the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind
blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the
sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!
23 Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses,
chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of the sea. 24 But just before dawn the Lord
looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he
threw their forces into total confusion. 25 He twisted[a]
their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out
of here—away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is
fighting for them against Egypt!”
26 When all the Israelites had reached the other
side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the
waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and
charioteers.” 27 So as the
sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed
back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept
them into the sea. 28 Then
the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire
army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the
sea, not a single one survived.
29 But the people of Israel had walked through
the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both
sides. 30 That is how the
Lord rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites
saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. 31 When the people of Israel saw
the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were
filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant
Moses.
Footnotes:
14:25 As in Greek version, Samaritan
Pentateuch, and Syriac version; Hebrew reads He removed.
1 Corinthians 10:11:
New Living
Translation (NLT)
11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were
written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
The Plan. (Exodus 13:17-22)
God knows the plan, but we get caught up in
not knowing the plan.
He knows what’s best.
God know that the Nation of Israel should not
go into the land of the Philistines yet. Yes, it was the shortest distance, but
that isn’t always the best way. The best way may be the hardest way.
How many of you like roundabouts?
Personally
I hate them. But God led the Israelites in a roundabout way. But He knew the
way.
“There really is no blessing without the
battle.”
The Lord wants to lead you. Who is leading
you?
The Pursuit. (Exodus 14:1-9)
Desperation
leads to dependence.
I am
going to lead you in the wilderness. –God.
“This
is what happens they blame the leader.” –Jeremy.
Start
going into a complaining and critizing mode. They turn against their leader.
They turn him from a hero to zero quick.
Quotes:
“Prone
to wonder, prone to leave the God we love.” –Come Thou Fount.
“There
is no panic in heaven, only God’s master plan.” Corrie Ten Boom.
“Fear
not is used 365 times in the bible. One for everyday.” –Unknown.
“Man’s
extremity is God’s opportunity.” –Spergeon.
“Many
people will mark their bibles but their bibles will not mark them.” – Unknown.
“The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just
stay calm.” Exodus 14.
The Power. (Exodus 14:21-31)
“You
will never realize Christ is all you need until you realize Christ is all you
have.”
Psalm 77:
For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of
Asaph.
1 I cry out to God; yes, I shout.
Oh,
that God would listen to me!
2 When I was in deep trouble,
I
searched for the Lord.
All
night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven,
but
my soul was not comforted.
3 I think of God, and I moan,
overwhelmed
with longing for his help. Interlude
4 You don’t let me sleep.
I
am too distressed even to pray!
5 I think of the good old days,
long
since ended,
6 when my nights were filled with joyful songs.
I
search my soul and ponder the difference now.
7 Has the Lord rejected me forever?
Will
he never again be kind to me?
8 Is his unfailing love gone forever?
Have
his promises permanently failed?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has
he slammed the door on his compassion?
Interlude
10 And I said, “This is my fate;
the
Most High has turned his hand against me.”
11 But then I recall all you have done, O Lord;
I
remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
12 They are constantly in my thoughts.
I
cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
13 O God, your ways are holy.
Is
there any god as mighty as you?
14 You are the God of great wonders!
You
demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.
15 By your strong arm, you redeemed your people,
the
descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Interlude
16 When the Red Sea[a] saw you, O God,
its
waters looked and trembled!
The
sea quaked to its very depths.
17 The clouds poured down rain;
the
thunder rumbled in the sky.
Your
arrows of lightning flashed.
18 Your thunder roared from the whirlwind;
the
lightning lit up the world!
The
earth trembled and shook.
19 Your road led through the sea,
your
pathway through the mighty waters—
a
pathway no one knew was there!
20 You led your people along that road like a
flock of sheep,
with
Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.
Footnotes:
77:16
Hebrew the waters.
Are you putting your faith in a person, a
plan, a place, a purpose?
This is the sermon Jeremy preached. However this morning, I got this text from someone in Memphis, TN. 10 hours away, God still unify's hearts to show you what you need to hear.
We must trust our God. We must trust His sovereign plan. The people didn't need to trust Moses, they need to trust God. We have God's Word. And it teaches us his lessons, and teaches us His way. Jesus, is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Him. We use to have Moses, but now, under the New Covenant. We have Jesus. Do you trust Him? Does the Holy Spirit inside you trust Him? Do you even have the Holy Spirit inside you? Do you know what that means even? Trust in the Great God who made the expanse in the sky and gave it a plan.
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