Download... April 18, 2010. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
God was with His people, both when they left the land of their captivity, and before they came to the Red Sea. Sometimes we find ourselves on a "journey" in life,.. that God is leading us through.
TEXT: Exodus 13:17-22
17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
The spiritual "type" of the land of Egypt is as spiritually being in bondage to sin, and a need to be delivered as did the Israelites, from that taskmaster and it's whip. The Israelites had had a hard way of suffering. It was a time of feeling the pain of the whip,(as sin is), when God had something better.
Sin is a hard taskmaster, even though sometimes you might enjoy it, you are bound also to feel the sting of it. God has something so much better! God will stop that hand of the enemy from consuming us in sin and bondage if we will follow Him, just as He led the Israelites out of Egypt. The enemy of our souls wants to beat us with the guilt of the past. He wants you to feel that you can never be free from sin's bondage. At times the enemy will lay off the "whip" to keep you deceived, but you never know when he will strike again. Without coming out of Egypt (the land of sin), there is no protection from that beating. For that bondage comes from a heart of sin. God is faithful, as He was to the Israelites, asking each of us "Won't you allow me to deliver you from sin's hard task master?" We need to stop long enough to listen.
Too often people have a "story" or "tape" going on in their head of their own ways and thoughts, their problems, drowning out that still small voice of God's help. God help us to turn that "tape" off, so we can be freed by God's mercy and power! Sometimes that "tape" in our head is telling us that God's way is too hard and severe, or maybe that it is "not what God requires." It is often something you have grown up with without escape, or that "voice" in your head saying things are bigger than you can handle. STOP the "tape!" Too many voices of opposition and worries. Jesus told Martha, You are too careful or busy about many things (those "voices" in her head), but Mary had chosen the good part. Luke 10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. "Sit down" and Stop the "tape!" God desires to stop the severe task master who is detracting us from The deliverer. We find in Proverbs the seventh chapter an example of the voice of the harlot who lied in wait, to "entrap" a man void of understanding, or "innocent and foolish." She was loud, stubborn, not abiding at home. She caused him to yield with the flattering of her lips.
Proverbs 7:10-12, 21
10 And, behold, there met him a woman [with] the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
11 (She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 Now [is she] without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
So is the voice of the enemy loud, stubborn, and with flattering words to entice and keep a soul in the bondage of sin. In our text, God commanded His people to leave this land of bondage. "Pack your bags and be ready to go." Likewise, now God is merciful to instruct all those in bondage to be ready to leave the place of your captivity in sin. Be ready to go! It is time to leave the life of sin that you have been living! There are many that suffer the bondage of alcohol, drugs, sinful relationships, etc. God wants them to leave that place of spiritual Egypt (sin). There He will "part the waters" for escape. Never to return. God did not rescue His people, just to allow them to be taken captive again. God didn't lead the people out of their dwelling in Goshen just to go to another place in Egypt. He commanded them to get out of there!
As we consider Exodus 13:17-22 we will follow this account and see what happened. The land of Goshen was fertile, but it was still a part of Egypt. Likewise the enemy wants souls to feel good about where their place of sin is, or make it attractive to them, for mainly two reasons. First he wants to keep souls from ever leaving Egypt(sin) in the first place, Second, if you ever leave and are delivered, he wants to remind you how good it used to be so you will return. The enemy wants a saved soul to believe that when you used to be (sin), is better than where they are now, (delivered.) A false argument. So was the dilemma the enemy placed upon the Israelites here. Today it has also affected our current manner of passing on heritages. It was so in past times that the elder generation was able to pass on to the younger, valuable stories of their life's journeys that kept society grounded in life's sustaining truths. Things that the next generation could connect with true prosperity. "Story telling" that would carry on valuable traditions, that would keep descendants grounded in that which is morally profitable.
Conversely today the media's sitcoms, dramas, etc. for the most part have no relation to reality or valuable truths. A good example are the women portrayed in body type, fashion, etc. have very little to do with the reality of general society. The men portrayed involved with these women are also of not real life in the mainstream populations. "Stories" being told to the next generation that are broken from reality and values. False. That is how the enemy wants to portray Egypt (sin). This generation is the first to be known primarily to have only heard of "stories" that are broken from reality, consequently a greater breaking of society, families, etc. Mercifully God has in spite of this, a deliverance from a spiritual Egypt of sin. God has the wisdom that will show the way of freedom from this bondage.
If we follow this biblical account and historical study of the Israelites departing from Egypt, we would find there was a straight path from Egypt to Canaan through the land of the Philistines. Approximately 250 miles. It is estimated with the multitude in mind needing to travel, it potentially would have taken two months to their destination to Canaan. God though, did not choose for them to go that shorter route. He knew when they would face the battles with the Philistines, that they would become too easily discouraged, and turn back. For although they had been oppressed in Goshen, the land had also been attractive because of it's fertility. Just as with sin being oppressive, there are also the attractions for the flesh. But,.. there is a cost of the flesh, which outweighs it's attraction. That short term "high" of sin, is too great of a cost, spiritually. After God has been allowed to deliver a soul, He has a plan for them to follow,.. to stay delivered. It is His way, and not our own. God continued to lead His people through the wilderness, after coming through the Red Sea. It was "by design" far enough away from Egypt, that made it too difficult for them to turn back. Likewise when God delivers a soul from sin, He will also show them the way He wants them to go, which will be farther away from their old life. It is not always an easy or quick way, but it will be spiritually beneficial.
Goshen is known today as the Nile delta, a town in the hill country of Judah, a place where God's people resided at that time. It was a place of the richest fertile soil, being more well irrigated for that part of the world. This had been where God's people had lived, in spite of their hard life and labors under their taskmasters. The previous Pharaoh that had respected Moses, was long gone,... still God chose this time to have Moses lead His people out of their land of bondage. Verse 18, God led the people. The Israelites had not yet crossed the Red Sea. It was not clear at all where they were going. So God led them in the day by the cloud, and at night by a pillar of fire,(verse 21). This was the sole substance of any "map" they had, and their witness of God's leading. He wanted them to be willing to go where they have never gone before. Too often after a soul has been saved, they start to put up restrictions on God on where they are willing for Him to take them in their life.
The path through where the Red Sea parted, was sometimes profoundly deep, potentially some places as much as a mile. A location ordained by God to swallow up the army of Egyptians entirely. They got to the right place at the right time, only by following God's cloud by day, and the pillar of fire at night. God will only fully deliver you if you follow His way and direction entirely. Any other way is too deep, steep, and difficult for victory. So our cry needs to be "Lord, I need these waters parted!"
So the relevant question after God has saved you is,.. will you allow God to lead the way? There will come a "Red Sea" in your life that needs parting. The way that seems best by your own understanding, is not what God will choose. His ways are above our understanding. God chose Moses to lead, to avoid "too many leaders" with the multitude of opinions and fleshly wisdom from confusing directions, which leads to division. At God's command through Moses there was only time for God's people to quickly get out, and be led far enough away, to be safe from the seductive temptations to go back. A way that was not familiar, but of faith. In this life you will not be able to cross your "Red Sea" without following only God's directions. Spiritual Egypt or sin, is not a nurturing, fruitful place for our journey in this life.
Exodus 14:14, 9 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. God's promise to His people. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses [and] chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. The scenario of Pharaoh pursuing God's people. There was no way back, and seemingly no way forward, so the people being discouraged complained and desired their fertile home of Goshen in Egypt.
Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. God assured His people that these Egyptians chasing you, ...you will not ever see again.
Exodus 14: 15 God compelled them forward in spite of their fearful cries.
Sometimes in our own life, we need God to part the waters of seemingly impossible trial, when we have done our best while not choosing the easy route. God will send His angels then to "part our waters," to deliver. Exodus 14:16 God could have parted the waters and led through it before the Egyptians got closer. But God wanted to take them through the dry land, and to see the Egyptians and Pharaoh go through, so God could destroy the enemy before His people's eyes,.. to encourage them. In this God would show Himself mighty and with honor. Today a soul "enemies" are often attitudes, contrary spirits, etc., that shows a need of deliverance from these hindrances. God is able to destroy all these fleshly oppositions that separate us from Him. God doesn't destroy our enemy for it to be still nearby.
Exodus 14:19 God led them by the cloud, then left it behind to cloud the vision of the Egyptian enemy.
Exodus 14:26,27 When the Israelites had passed over, God had Moses put his rod over the parted waters, to destroy the Egyptian enemy behind, by drowning them within the sea.
When God "parts the waters" for His people, they will see it happen! God's leading is the relief of the torment of attitudes,etc so we can see our deliverance! God's deliverance of His people was of a way not ever known previously,.. and by faith. Far enough away from the old, to never want to go back. Pastor Bro D Goble testified of going through different wildernesses of trials, and God led him always through with victory. Before you ever arrive in God's land of promises, you have to get out of Egypt to be cleansed and parted from the fleshly way of sin and self. Who here is still in spiritual Egypt this morning? You need to be willing to get out!
