Up Against the Sea for the Glory of God
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
I said last week that God won’t intentionally lead His people into destruction and that is true. There is one modification I do need to make, God will not lead His people along a path of spiritual destruction and separation from Him. There are in fact times when the Lord will lead us into dangerous, even life threatening territory. Joseph’s path to prime minister came through enslavement and threats of death (cf Gen. 37:18;20;24;36;39:18). David’s road to the throne included a murderous king. The three Hebrew faced literal death for refusing to bow to the statue and Daniel faced lions for praying to God alone. Some had died for their faithful obedience to the Lord. Isaiah, according to Jewish tradition and the book of Hebrews, was sawed in two (Heb. 11:37). John the Baptist was killed because of his faithful service to the Lord and calling out of Herod for his sin (Mk 6:27). Stephen was put to death for his great sermon and condemnation of the Jewish leaders (Acts 7:58 - 60). There is a common tread that runs through all of these: the glory of God.
In all the examples above God was glorified both in the life and death of his servants. He was lifted up in and through the words He spoke and the acts He wrought through them. If you read the various accounts referenced, except Isaiah, you will notice that none of Yahweh’s servants knew the end from the beginning. Neither Daniel nor the three Hebrew boys knew they would be in their situations nor the ultimate outcome. They followed and trusted in their God and were not ashamed. Israel didn’t trust but it wasn’t going to be ashamed and her God was about to be glorified
Background
Background
In terms of geography, we aren’t sure of the location of the three places mentioned here. All we know for certain is that Israel was marching away from Egypt when the LORD turns his people toward the Red Sea to their front and Egypt to their back.
Exposition
Exposition
Verses 1 - 4: The LORD told Moses back in Ex. 3:14 that the sign that of His promise would being fulfilled would be the people worshipping Him at Mt Sinai. Yet we see here that Yahweh doesn’t lead the people directly there. He tells them to double back. He doesn’t want Israel too far from Egypt. He is not finished with Egypt and her Pharaoh just yet. Yahweh plans to bring more glory to Himself and remove any doubt that He is the LORD of all creation. This will come by means of destruction of the Egyptian army. Egypt, already reeling, would now be rocked militarily. This would complete the humiliation of Egypt before the nations and strengthen belief in Yahweh ability to give them their currently occupied inheritance. This will happen via the LORD’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. That all of this is for the glory of God is repeated directly or alluded to throughout the entire chapter. Indeed the text is clear that Yahweh is behind all of this, primarily to glorify Himself and secondarily to save His people. Matthew Henry, in commenting on verse 4, makes two points that bear on this:
All men being made for the honour of their Maker, those whom he is not honoured by he will be honoured upon.
What seems to tend to the church’s ruin is often overruled to the ruin of the church’s enemies, whose pride and malice are fed by Providence, that they may be ripened for destruction.[1]
Verses 5 - 9: The Egyptians wouldn’t have seen it this way, that is, that God was intentionally leading the Israelites this way. In the ANE the gods could easily change their minds, lose interest in their human servants, or otherwise be capricious.[2] In the mind of Pharaoh the Israelites and their God don’t know what they are doing. From the perspective of Pharaoh his advisors the thought was it was foolish to release Israel. They need to correct their error. This would also be an opportunity for Pharaoh to save face and regain stature in Egypt. In this way Pharaoh is an archetype of the Satan and the kingdom of darkness. As Charles Spurgeon puts it: “...the great tyrant has not forgotten you, and he designs in his heart your capture and re-enslavement. He and his are continually looking for opportunities by which they may bring you again into the thraldom of evil, fasten the manacles of habit upon your hands, and fit the fetters of despair upon your feet. By the grace of God I hope that the Prince of evil, and his helpers, will be disappointed; but they will leave no stone unturned to effect their purposes.”[3] No wonder we have the admonition of Peter in his first letter (1 Pt 5:8). In this case, Pharaoh brings his army out in force. He is the one leading it. The mightest military on earth was being mobilized for the glory and redemption of Egypt. Their best chariots and finest commanders were marshalled to pursue and deal with these troublesome former slaves. Israel had dared to go out like an army. Now she would see what a true fighting force looked it. Oh the power of deception and how great does sin blind its captive! The truth is Yahweh was working behind the scenes to do something great. There would be glory and redemption, but not for Egypt. The sovereign God was preparing a national mortal blow, one that would end the battle with Egypt and shout His praise to the nations.
Notice the two key actions stressed by Moses in this passage, the LORD’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, resulting in the whole army of Egypt going after Israel, and His glory which will be achieved through it. This is the sovereign God at work. What is happening here is by the hand of God, is proof that Pharaoh never had a genuine conversion, again demonstrates the people’s need for salvation, and exalt Yahweh in heaven and earth. It is not different now. The LORD is still enthroned in heaven (Ps 113:5-6, 123:1). He is no less powerful and is still working for the praise of his glorious grace (Eph. 1:6). All things are still under His control (Acts. 2:23, 4:28) and all things still work together for the good of his people (Romans 8:28).
Verses 10 - 12: Unfortunately, Israel had not yet accepted these great truths. Instead they saw only their present circumstance. The mightest army in the world was coming full force after them and there was nothing they could do. They had no way to escape the situation and knew they had no hope of surviving the coming onslaught, at least not by themselves. Israel did have one thing going for her, the mighty God that just delivered them out of Egypt. Yet they seemed to forget this fact. It was as if the ten signs didn’t happen. Yes, they cried out to God but what were those cries motivated by trust? Given their compliant against Moses, these were likely laments about their perceived coming death and re-enslavement.
The people focused solely on their current situation and effectively ignored the God that was literally in their midst. They say it would have been better to stay in bondage and chains. We see this type of situation throughout the scripture, especially in the psalms (psalm 73). This is a recipe for disaster. The people couldn’t see the big picture. The psalmist, later looking back, describes this a rebellion (Ps 106:7). They couldn’t trust and see that God was working for His glory and their good and therefore disregarded His knowledge, power, presence, and care for them. How could the Lord let them die in the wilderness if He was going to fulfill His promises? That wasn’t they thought process. Instead they were like the seeds thrown upon thorns.
Verses 13 - 14: Moses could have easily thrown his hands up and cried out to the LORD again, as he did after his first encounter with Pharaoh. Instead he trusted in his God in whom he believed. The great Jewish historian Josephus, writing in his antiquities, describes it beautifully this way: “But Moses, though the multitude looked fiercely at him, did not, however, give over the care of them, but despised all dangers, out of his trust in God, who, as he had afforded them the several steps already taken for the recovery of their liberty, which he had foretold them, would not now suffer them to be subdued by their enemies, to be either made slaves or be slain by them;”[4] Was Moses simply ignoring or denying the reality of what was coming their way? Absolutely Not! He was trusting in the same power that wielded creation itself as a weapon against Egypt. His cry is to the people. Be quiet and see what the LORD is going to do. This is the last time you will see the Egyptians. Why are you afraid? The creator of the universe is at your side. He will save you and you will be in awe.
As it was with Moses and Israel, so it is with Christ and His church. We can and do often despair our circumstances yet God is working even in the midst of these to bring glory to His name and us closer to Him. Let us trust in the LORD.
Practical Application
Practical Application
We don’t and won’t always, or perhaps often, understand the why and / or how of God’s leading of our lives. Things aren’t going to always make sense. When this happens, we must look up and focus on Him and not our circumstances. Permit me another quote from Charles Spurgeon, from his sermon entitled “Direction in Dilemma”: “and this is the reason, the true secret, why God bringeth his people ofttimes into straits and difficulties, that, being brought to their wits’ end, and made conscious of their own folly and weakness, they may be fitted to behold the majesty of God when he comes forth to work their deliverance.”[5] God’s working for His own infinite glory shall ultimately result in good for His children. It can’t be any our way. In light of this let us be like Moses, seeing the situation in front while trusting in the God in control of it. Glory to the name of the Lord.
[1] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 114). Peabody: Hendrickson.
[2] Stuart, D. K. (2006). Exodus (Vol. 2, p. 330). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Spurgeon, C. H. (1891). Entangled in the Land. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 37, p. 74). London: Passmore & Alabaster.
[4] Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (p. 75). Peabody: Hendrickson.”
[5] Spurgeon, C. H. (1863). Direction in Dilemma. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 9, p. 649). London: Passmore & Alabaster.