The Book of Exodus, Part 6: Is the LORD Among Us, or Not? (S23-080)
The Book of Exodus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Intro
Intro
Text - Exodus 17.4-7
4 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What am I to do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!”
5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7 Then he named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us, or not?”
Title - God’s Abiding Presence
Series - Part 6, The Book of Exodus
Background
Background
Main events
Exodus 14 - the Red Sea is divided
Exodus 15 - Israel celebrates victory
Exodus 15 - bitter water is made sweet
Exodus 16 - manna is given
Exodus 17 - water from the rock is provided
Exodus 17 - victory over Amalek
Exodus 18 - Jethro visits Moses
Wilderness journey is in 3 stages
stage 1 - from Egypt to Mt Sinai
stage 2 - from Mt Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea
stage 4 - from Kadesh-Barnea to Jordan River
Stage 1 of the journey
after the Red Sea, Israel passed through 3 wildernesses
wilderness of Shur
wilderness of Sin
wilderness of Sinai
Egypt to Red Sea - 1 day
Red to Marah - 3 days
Exo 15.22 “22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.”
Egypt to wilderness of Sin - 1 month
Exodus 16.1 “1 Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt.”
Egypt to wilderness of Sinai - 3 months
Exo 19.1 “1 In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.”
Israel’s condition during this part of their journey
Israel is like a new born baby
totally dependent on God
Israel is like a new born Christian
not used to a life out of bondage
not used to a life without idols
not used to a life of faith in God’s promise
3 months into their journey, Israel was already questioning the presence of God among them!
Is God among us or not?
Is this a question of reassurance or of doubt?
How did God prove He was among them?
God leads the way into the wilderness
God leads the way into the wilderness
God takes them to the wilderness route - Exodus 13.17-18
17 Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”
18 Therefore God led the people around by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in battle formation from the land of Egypt.
there is an easy way between Egypt and Canaan
easy entry into Canaan might also mean easy way out and back to Egypt
the short route will not be enough to test their resolve to claim the promise of God
The way that leads to eternal life is NOT EASY! - Matthew 7.13-14
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Luke says - “Strive to enter...” Luke 13.23
The LORD led the way - Exodus 13.21-22
21 And the Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.
22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from the presence of the people.
the pillar of cloud and fire went before them by day and night
God completely destroyed their enemy
God completely destroyed their enemy
God instructed them to turn back - Exodus 14.1-2
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea.
to give the idea that Israel is lost in the wilderness
so that Pharaoh will pursue Israel
God led them to the Red Sea so that God can bury their enemies forever! - Exodus 14.13
13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will perform for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again, ever.
by burying pharaoh and his army in the sea, Israel won’t have to look behind their back anymore!
28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.
29 But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.
30 So the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31 When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.
Believers of the Gospel are baptized so that their old sinful life is forever dead and buried!
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.
Micah 7.19 - God casts our sins into the depths of the sea!
God provided for their needs
God provided for their needs
In Marah, God sweetened the bitter water - Exodus 15.22-25
22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter; for that reason it was named Marah.
24 So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25 Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.
In the wildernes of sin, God provided food - Exodus 16.1-4
1 Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt.
2 But the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
3 The sons of Israel said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread until we were full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this entire assembly with hunger!”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.
In Rephidim, God provided water from a rock - Exodus 17.1-3
1 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.
2 So the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water so that we may drink!” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”
3 But the people were thirsty for water there; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why is it that you have brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7 Then he named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us, or not?”
Lessons on God’s provisions
God turns our sorrows into joys
God provides out of nowhere
God sustains us even in the hardest situations or trials
God defended them from a new enemy
God defended them from a new enemy
God fought for Israel - Exo 17.11-13
Your enemy will be God’s enemy!
Those who curse you will be cursed!
God gave them their first lessons
God gave them their first lessons
No 1 - lesson on silence - Exo 14.13-14
13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will perform for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again, ever.
14 The Lord will fight for you, while you keep silent.”
Salvation is purely the work of God!
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has inflicted horrific events on the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”
No 2 - lesson on listening - Exo 15.26
26 And He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and listen to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
Listening is virtue worth acquiring
1 Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil.
18 So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
Mary chose to listen - Luke 10.41-42
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things;
42 but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
No 3 - lesson on obeying instructions
gather manna just enough for the day -
19 Moses said to them, “No one is to leave any of it until morning.”
20 But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank; and Moses was angry with them.
don’t collect on the Sabbath
26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”
27 Yet it came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.
28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions?
Obedience is faith in action
22 Samuel said, “Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice, And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
23 “For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as reprehensible as false religion and idolatry. Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”
disobedience is sin
disobedience leads to defeat
disobedience is insubordination
GOD IS PRESENT NOT ONLY TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR NEEDS
GOD IS PRESENT BECAUSE HE WANTS TO TEACH YOU THINGS THAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE IT TO THE PROMISED LAND!
LET GOD DO HIS WORK
ALWAYS LISTEN WHEN GOD SPEAKS
BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS
God gave them 4 things that will indicate His abiding presence!
God gave them 4 things that will indicate His abiding presence!
These 4 things remained with them all those 40 years in the wilderness!
the staff - symbol of authority
the pillar of cloud and fire - protection by day and night; guide into the wilderness
manna - nourishment
the rock - strength sustainer
Israel assured of God’s presence by the things that God gave them - manna, water, etc.
But the ultimate proof of God’s presence are not the provisions
the ultimate proof is the words that we receive from Him
through the Bible
through the Spirit speaking to us - Rev 2-3
Conclusion
Conclusion
Song -
Sovereign Over Us