“Into the Wilderness”

A Sermon Series in the Book of Exodus

“The Wilderness Teaches God’s People What They Need”

Exodus 16

Introduction

The Israelites were freed from slavery in a miraculous way – they saw the ten plagues, they saw how God allowed them to plunder the Egyptians of fine clothing, gold jewelry, etc. They walked through the Red Sea as it was split open. They watched as their great enemy and oppressor was swallowed up by the sea, and how they washed up on shore the next day. They were free. But in spite of all those miracles and might acts of God – they are still rebellious. But instead of rebelling against their enemy, they rebel against the God who freed them. Why would they do that?

For God’s people, the wilderness, wandering around in the desert, became a place where they showed what was truly in their heart. Now looking ahead some, their sandals don’t wear out, their clothes don’t wear out. God’s presence, in the form of a cloud and fire, guided them through the wilderness – but this could also protected them from the scorching heat and sun. No enemy bothered them, no disease touched them.

So when God’s people grumble and complain – what’s the problem? What we are going to see in example after example is that it is not the situation they are truly grumbling against – but who controls of their lives. They want salvation, freedom, we want the cravings of their flesh to be satisfied, they want it all (they don’t mind if God blesses them), and they want to be the god of our universe. They don’t like it when God says, “I am God.”

What God’s people ultimately are grumbling against is being led into a place where their hearts are exposed. We don’t like it when God tests us and we are found wanting. It forces me to grow, to dig deeper, to stop being superficial in my relationship with Him. God points to our weaknesses, he exposes it, and says, “I will walk beside you but you have to change.”

 Prayer

The Wilderness Exposes the Hearts of His People (vv. 1-3)

They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Elim was a place of sprawling palm trees, plenty of drinking water and a place of rest after the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 15:27). But they couldn’t stay at the oasis, they had to once again move into the wilderness. There were things, as God’s people, that they needed to learn. This was not the Promised Land, so they needed to move.

Psalm 78:18, 30 helps us to understand what is going on in Exodus 16, “They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved . . . But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths,” They were not starving, there were animals that could have been butchered, they had the milk from the animals to drink or make cheese, etc. The psalm shows it that they were craving a certain kind of food, not that they had no food at all. They wanted, “meat pots and bread.”

 They confused what they wanted with what they needed.[1]

 What do we ultimately need? Why does our hearts desire the things it does? In a time when Jesus really was hungry at the beginning of His ministry, Matthew 4:2 “And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” What we want is to have our cravings fulfilled our way, but what we need is a relationship with God. There is a question, “who will the Israelites serve, pharaoh or God?” Here they are saying again, we would rather be a slave to Pharoah.

God’s Provision For His People (vv. 4-8)

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.”

This is the fourth time that God’s people have grumbled 1) when they had to get their own straw for making bricks, 2) when they were at the Red Sea, 3) at Marah for water (15:24) and again 4) here. When we look at the pattern of the people – every time things appear to be difficult, they grumble against the Lord.

The word grumble means more in Hebrew than just unhappiness about the menu selections – it was more on the line of open rebellion. There were times when they threatened the lives of Moses and Aaron. To which they respond, “Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.”

In their rebellions they are saying we want to go back and serve pharaoh – we want to go back to being slaves. This is God’s plan of salvation for His people, we don’t want your plan for our salvation. When we complain and grumble, it is ultimately God that we are complaining against. In spite of the grumbling, the text says four times that God heard their complaints (16:7, 8,9, 12) and He gives them what they asked for:

God’s Answer to Their Grumbling (vv. 9-30)

9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11 And the LORD said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ 13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. 16 This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

Remember what they said in their grumbling was that in Egypt they “sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full,” – So in the morning they would gather bread on the ground, and in the evening they would gather quail (both are miracles). No matter where they traveled to in the wilderness, there was always bread in the morning, and meat at night. Enough to feed more than a million people. In God’s provision for his people, they were satisfied, (v. 16) “Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat, (v. 18) “Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.”

 With God’s provision there were instructions. They were to gather only what they needed for that day (bread and meat), and before they went to bed get rid of anything left over. The next day, they would start fresh.

 God Wants to Teach His People Something Very Important – Don’t Miss It.

22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”

This is the third miracle they experienced once a week. The mana that rotted the other five days, on the sixth day of the week didn’t rot, “and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it,”

God sets the example at the beginning of time, to rest, Genesis 2:2-3 “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” There is a rhythm built into the fabric of creation, six days work, seventh day rest. The Creator sets the example for His creation.

Even before the law was given (Ex. 20), God’s people are commanded to keep a Sabbath, “Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD” – Gather your food on the sixth day, prepare the food for day seven as you preparing day six, and on the seventh day there were no quail and there was no manna. On that day there was to be rest.

27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

(v. 27) “On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather” – These were probably the same people who tried to gather too much and it rotted on them. These are people who don’t pay attention to, or believe God’s Word. He told them there would be no manna on the seventh day, and there was none – but they go out looking for some anyway, and they probably didn’t plan ahead on the sixth day – they are just too busy to pay attention. Yeah, but I’m a busy person! I’ve got important stuff to do, I’ll pay attention and listen to God later (well now you hungry until morning).

The response to the people grumbling is to tell them to take a day and rest. Over the chapters of Exodus, the people grumble about leadership decisions, being thirsty, being hungry, having things happen in their lives that they don’t like, etc. and God’s response to their grumbling, rebellion, and restlessness is a Sabbath.

Nothing seems to make them happy, nothing seems to satisfy their cravings. So God’s solution to the craving of their soul is a Sabbath. The word Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word that means “to stop.” Stop working, stop worrying, just stop.

As human beings we all have cravings of our soul – you are bombarded with advertising to buy this, try this, be this. If you buy this, try this, do this, then it will stop the craving – you will finally be happy. The Sabbath day gives us a chance to reestablish was is truly important – that is hard to establish priorities and have a proper perspective if we are frazzled and exhausted. You have the same twenty-four hours in the day, but it’s how you think about the time and what you do with that time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1snh0xl0hM

Restfulness v. Relentlessness[2]

Margin ____ Busyness, Slowness ______Hurry, Quiet _____ Noise, Deep relationships ________Isolation, Time alone ______ Crowds, Delight _______ Distraction, Enjoyment ______ Envy, Trust _____ Worry, Peace _____ Anxiety

“The Sabbath is to a spirit of restfulness what a soccer practice is to a match or band practice is to a performance. It’s how we practice, how we prepare our minds and bodies for the moments that matter most.”[3]

God’s people were showing a symptom (grumbling) of a deeper problem (their connection and dependance upon God). God in His love for His people gives them a way to fix this problem.

Notice with the Sabbath – it needs to be thought through, (v. 23) “‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil,” The Sabbath just doesn’t happen, it has to be prepared for, put it on the calendar (we call it Sunday), guard it, protect it, and plan to rest, work hard to not work too hard. “People who keep the sabbath live all seven days differently.”

Jesus was once criticized when His disciples were picking grain and eating on the Sabbath, and Jesus’ response was Mark 2:27 “And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” This day was made for you as a gift from God. You were designed to need one day of seven to rest. It’s up to you if you take advantage of the gift or not. When Jesus says, “not man for the Sabbath,” he is saying, God is not adding another rule for you follow – this is not about another thing you have to do – it’s a gift given to you, to help you. If you take a sabbath every seventh day you will be blessed.

Remember the Sabbath (vv. 31-36)

31 Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD to be kept throughout your generations.” 34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. 35 The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)

They take an omer container full of manna and place it before the people to serve as a reminder. They didn’t need to be reminded of the manna or quail – they had that for forty years – what they needed to be reminded of what was attached to the provision — the Sabbath (how you were to live before God as His people; resting in Him on the seventh day).

Eventually in Exodus 20:9-10 God commands it, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. . . . Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

(v. 23) “Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD” This word holy is used several times to describe the Sabbath. Holy means “set apart, different.” God sets aside the day for a specific purpose. You can also make the day holy, as you set it aside as a separate day from all the others. The manna and quail teach the people a pattern for life.

How will you spend your Sabbath today? Earlier we said that God’s people “confused what they wanted with what they needed.” A day set aside to spend time with God will help you align your wants with God’s wants, and to truly understand how He has provided for your needs.

_____________________

[1] Philip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word, Exodus (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2015) 391.

[2] John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (Colorado Springs, Colorado; Yates & Yates Publishing, 2019) 149.

[3] Comer, 150.

“Into the Wilderness”

A Sermon Series in the Book of Exodus

“A Rebellion by the Sea;

Principles For Living Out God’s Plan For Your Life”

Exodus 14

Introduction

As the Israelite people are leaving Egypt they plunder the Egyptians by asking for gold and jewelry as they are leaving. Exodus 13:17 “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” Their first response to having to fight for their freedom would be to run back to Egypt.

So God purposefully led them into the wilderness. And God led them 13:21 “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.” The pillar of smoke and fire was the presence of God leading His people (and he did so for forty years).

The most direct route from Egypt to Canaan (the Promised Land) was a route that would have taken them about two weeks to make the journey.[1] But God did not take them most direct route – in fact they went in the opposite direction, he took them into the wilderness. It was not the most direct route, it was not the easiest route, and it was not the most logical route – but it was the best route because it was God’s route for His people.

Prayer

Principle #1: God’s Plans May Not Make Sense To Us (vv. 1-4)

Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “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. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 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.

God’s people were on their way to freedom, they were headed in a direction that made sense – but then God says, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back” – The direction he led them and told them to turn back was military lunacy – It placed them between the desert and the Red Sea. They were to set up camp in front of the Red Sea. Egypt had been watching, and they noticed how they were wandering in the desert and now had placed themselves in a very vulnerable position – this drew the enemy out to attack. God made His people appear weak to draw the attack of the enemy.

Later in history Jesus would be arrested, beaten, and crucified. It would seem that He was in a very vulnerable position – but this was actually his victory. Colossians 2:13-15 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Jesus triumphed by providing the means of forgiveness by cancelling the debt that we owed against God because of our sin. It appeared to the world and even His disciples that Satan had won – but then Jesus rose from the grave.

Principle #2: God’s Plan Puts Us In A Place To Show His Glory (vv. 5-9)

5 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?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, 7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 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. 9 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.

The pharaoh changes his mind – “who is going to make the bricks?” but if he is going to get the slaves back, he would have to hurry. “So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him” There are some key words to point out, “took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt,” and “all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army,” Pharoah took every soldier and horse at his disposal. In one sweep all of Egypt’s strength would be shown, “that I am the LORD.”

The army caught up with God’s people, “and overtook them encamped at the sea.” The people are encamped – not moving. God has set his people up to wait for the chariots to arrive. But this never occurs to Pharoah – that in this battle he is the weak on who will lose the battle. Pharaoh had the three signs God gave Moses (staff to snake, leprous hand restored, and water to blood) He had experienced 10 plagues, even the death of his own first born child – each time he said ok, I’ll follow God’s plan – only to change his mind. Here again, he lets the Egyptians go, and then changed his mind.

“Pharoah’s change of heart shows that he never really truly repented of his sin. He had been given every opportunity to set his captives free. Time after time Moses had told him to let God’s people go. First, he refused. Then the plagues started to come, be began to negotiate. He bargained and bickered, he asked for prayer even begging Moses to give him God’s blessing. But he never let go. When finally, he said that he would do what God wanted, he immediately changed his mind and went back to his sins. Pharoah’s rebellion is a warning to anyone who never quite gets around to doing what God requires.”[2]

1 Corinthians 10:6 says, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.” These things were given as examples of an unrepentant heart – a heart that says they want to turn from sin and submit to God, only to change our mind again and again. And when it is all said and done, they never do anything of any consequence for the Lord.

Principle #3: God’s Plan Requires Us to Show Trust Him. How Do We Show Trust?

We Show Trust By Being Quiet (vv. 10-14)

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. 11 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? 12 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.” 13 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. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

As we move through Exodus we are asking the question, “Will God’s people place their faith in God and follow Him?” When they were forced to make brinks without straw they said, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” (Exodus 5:21) They did not trust God or his prophet. Here they say, “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? 12 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.” “I told you so – we never should have tried, we never should have taken this risk, now look, I was right and now everything is going fail!

“We are all going to die, you are doing something evil to us, leave us alone, we want to stay the same, we want to be slaves, we know what is better for us than God or His Deliverer.” At this Moses says, be quiet. Stop talking foolishly and saying things that have no element of faith. Stop it. Jesus warns that when God’s Word lands in a person’s heart, Satan will be right there to yank it back out, “the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in their hearts” (Matthew 13:19).

In response he tells the people to do three things, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD,” – 1) Don’t be afraid, trust that God has a plan, 2) stay where you are, don’t move – if we run every time things get hard, we will never see God work, and 3) watch – stand still and watch God do a mighty thing.

 We Show Trust By Moving Forward (vv. 15-22)

15 The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 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. 17 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. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” 19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

As Moses raises his staff the Red Sea slits open and there is a strong wind that dries out the bottom of the sea. The Angel of God and the pillar of cloud was in the front of them, then moves behind them and blocks the Egyptians from being able to attack them.

Hebrews 11:29a “By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land,” (v. 22) The act of faith was to go into the ocean that was split open as a wall on each side. “And the people of Israel went into the midst” Every journey with the Lord begins with a step of faith into something you have never known. You can’t stand on the shore, God has split open the sea, now it is time to move forward, take a step and then another.

“Notice the order here: God did not wait for His people to trust him before he would save them. If he had waited for that to happen, they never would have been saved! Instead God took the initiative. First the people saw their salvation (just as Moses had promised, 14:13); then they feared and believed. This is the pattern and the purpose of salvation. First God delivers us from danger, saving us when we cannot save ourselves. Then we respond in faith, trusting God and worshipping him.”[3]

We Show Trust By Changing How We Think (vv. 23-29)

23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” 26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

When the waters settled, all that remained was the sea, and as the hours went by bodies began to wash up on the beach. Thousands of dead soldiers. How many of Israel’s sons had they cast into the Nile, now it is they who are washing up. On the western side of the Red Sea they were runaway slaves. When they arrive on the eastern shore of the Red Sea, they were a liberated people. Their enemy was completely destroyed.

They were not slaves any more – they were something new. Isaiah 43:16-19 “Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, 17 who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: 18 “Remember not the former things, or consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” The one who destroys our enemy, tells us to forget the slavery days, “I am doing a new thing,” He is making a way before us. “do you not perceive it?” We must stop thinking like a slave and begin to think like a child of God – who has a purpose and plan set before us!

We Show Trust By Watching What God Does and Believing in Him (vv. 30-31)

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

1 Corinthians 10:1-2 “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,” Paul describes this moment in history where God’s people were baptized into Moses – to baptize means to “dip under” So to be baptized into Moses means to immerse in Moses. When we are baptized we are not just being dipped under the water – there is a deeper meaning.

“Moses is called to lead Israel (3:10). The Israelites, by following Moses’ leadership and by passing behind Moses through the Sea which separates them forever from Egypt, have thus joined to him forever and are compelled to follow him hench forth. . . The whole nation shared in the gifts of God which he in Moses gave to His people.”[4] When we are baptized into Christ we are forsaking sin, and covenanting together with Christ – I am associating myself with Jesus. He has saved me, therefore I will follow Him. Moses, as God’s given deliverer, leads his people to freedom, so they should follow him. Jesus has given us salvation, so we obey Him and connect ourselves to Him and His ways.

Later in Psalm 106:6-7, the psalmist says regarding God’s people “Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. 7 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.” Our response to this text is to remember the steadfast love of God and to trust Him in all our ways.

______________________

[1] Philip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word, Exodus (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2015) 348.

[2] Ryken, 352.

[3] Ryken, 365.

[4] F. W. Grosheide, Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1953) 220.