February 5 - Exodus 13:1-15:27

Good morning everyone,

So, Pharaoh has told Moses to get all of the Hebrews out of Egypt and while the most direct route to the  Promised Land would be but a mere ten day journey, the Lord had it in mind for them to take a year to get there. Why? They were use to being slaves, not thinking for themselves, not thinking in a Godly manner. Kind of like, “You can take the boy our of the country but it is harder to take the country out of the boy.” They had a few things to learn about living like a Herew. Plus, to go the shortest route would lead them through the land of the Philistines and they were not ready to do battle. God will never lead you where you are not ready to be. Right?

The first place they stopped was Succoth, There everyone would dedicate their first born to the Lord. God’s intent was that every firstborn would be in ministry. Sadly, that plan  would fail when later they fall prey to idolatry. 

In Succoth, they too, began the the tradition of the Festival of Unleavened Bread where on the seventh day of the celebration they were to explain to their children they are  celebrating what the Lord did for them when they left Egypt. Make sense?

I love that as they traveled the Lord was right there with them. In the day time God covered them in a pillar of cloud, creating kind of an inversion layer of sorts, I imagine, protecting them from the intense rays of the desert sun. Then at night, likewise protecting them with a pillar of fire because once the sun goes down the deserts could get super cold. Our God is so good. 

It says in chapter fourteen that God told Moses to have the Israelites change their direction to appear confused in their travels and to have them camp by the sea near Pi Hahiroth. By this time, Pharaoh has had a change of heart and he is headed after them. Imagine the thunder six hundred plus chariots would make racing across the desert floor. It would be terrifying, especially if you are stuck between a rock and a sea. In their horror the Israelites lashed out at Moses, saying, “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” Oh . . . ye of such little faith. If only they would have calmed themselves just long enough to remember God’s Word. He had promised them He would deliver them to a new land, flowing with milk and honey. They needed only to believe in that promise and then wait to see how God solved the problem. They would have saved themselves a whole lot of anxiety. 

We’re told the angel of God went behind the people and protected them through the night while Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. All that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. Did you get that friends, all night. That had to be a mass amount of water. While the sea was divided, the estimated three million Israelites made the half mile trek through the walls of water to the other side. Okay, please see that in your mind. Awesome!! We’re told that at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were making chase toward it, and the Lord swept the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. 

It begs the question, what chases you? What has you terrified? No matter what it is, may I suggest to you that when you, that when we, find ourselves caught in a desperate situation, a problem that seems to have no solution, no way out that we not panic. God can open up a way. You absolutely and i absolutely have to believe that. Don’t put God in a box. If our God can hold the entire universe in the span of his hand, and He can, then He most certainly can see you through any situation no matter how seemingly hopeless. It may not be the answer you are looking for, but it will be a way out and the perfect plan of God. Psalm 46:1 tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Believe it!

Then Moses and the people sang a song to the Lord. Singing was an expression of love and thanks. We too should be singing songs of joy and thanks to our Abba, even in our hardest of times because it is those days that He is the closest, seeing us through. God loves us. Holy, holy, holy is his name. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all.