Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Introduction-

Good morning,

How you ever heard some of these familiar terms?

Caught in the middle

In a jam

Painted in a corner

Up the creek without a paddle

These phrases let us know that someone is in ‘over their head.” In a mess they will have a hard time getting out of. We have all been there.

Some things we know we have created

Some things because of something someone else has done to us and we had no control over it.

This morning our text is about the whole nation of Israel that has gotten themselves in a jam that for over 400 years all they did about it was complain to God and blame everyone else for their troubles.

Sermon title-

“Between a rock and a hard place” No matter what you do or where you go does not seem like a good option.

How did the nation of Israel get themselves in the mess they were in?

Disobedience to God. How do we get ourselves in some messes were in? Disobedience to God.

After 400 years of captivity- prophesied by God to Abraham years before, The Lord raises up His Servant Moses to set the captives free and offer to bring His people back to a better life.

Most of us know the story of Israel crossing the Red Sea- right?

Charlton Heston portrays Moses and we see him raise his staff and miraculously two million people cross the Red Sea and we watch the Egyptians swallowed up by the waters crashing in on them.

Most only see it as a movie

Fewer grasp the magnitude of God’s power and His ability to be a saving God.

Select few put their trust in a God that is able to do miracles and take us out of the situations we find ourselves in.

Few see that blatant sin is keeping us from receiving some of the blessings God wants for us.

Illustration

A nine year old boy was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School. He said, well, Mom our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea he had his engineers big a big bridge and all the people walked across the Red Sea. He then uses his walkie-talkie to radio in to get a B52 bomber to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved and all the Egyptians were destroyed. His mom said now Billy is that really what your teacher taught you? He said well actually no mom but if I told it the way she did you’d never believe me.

What can we learn and take away from the Red Sea experience? Anything?

I have always watched the portrayal on TV and what I have read in God’s Word of this great exit as a miracle- that is what that is- a miracle when you try to imagine 2 million people leaving a country and trying to cross over into a promise land that God has said He would provide.

I picture 2 million ways this could have went wrong because 2 million people were involved.

God had a plan but trying to get people to listen and work the plan is where I see trouble.

So let’s get an overview of this scripture and talk about it for a moment.

God speaks to Moses and let him know that He wants to use him. Burning Bush

God promises Israel deliverance from Egypt. Longtime prophecy coming to past.

The Plagues He brought to get Egypt’s attention.

Boils

Hail

Locust

Darkness for three straight days- that will get your attention.

Ultimate plague of the first born-

Exodus12-

“During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up, leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go.”

Exodus 13:17-

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

God rarely goes the shortest way

God knows us better than we know ourselves.

God has a plan- He always has a plan! His plan was to deliver Israel out of bondage-

Israelites moaned and complained the whole time they were in captivity.

God knew that if He didn’t send them this way, not the shorter way, that when they faced war and obstacles… they would return to what the Lord was taking them from. They would return to Egypt. Back to their problems and circumstances.

The Pharaoh and Egypt changed their mind because God had hardened their hearts and selfishness and power would prevail in a heart not right with God-