God Makes A Way
(Exodus 14:1-31)
1. One of the most interesting phenomenon of our day is the coversion of Muslims through dreams.
2. "A Californian magazine ran a survey of over 600 ex-Muslims who now follow Jesus, and concludes: "Although dreams appear to play a minor role in the conversion of Westerners, over 25% of these ex-Muslims affirmed that dreams and visions played a vital role in their conversions…" [source: http://www.joelnews.org/news-en/jn429.htm#1]
3. Here is one example testimony of dream evangelism: "In this first dream I was surprised to see clouds gathering on top of a mountain. After the clouds gathered two angels dressed in white robes stood on top of the mountain. Jesus was standing between the angels. He left the angels and came to where I stood watching. As he approached me, I knelt down and he laid his hands on my head…I told no one for fear of what my family may do to me. I remained silent for that year, telling no one what I had experienced.
"A year later in 1988 I had another dream. Again Jesus was standing in between two angels at the mountain, but this time as he came toward me he was trying to go past me. I begged him not to pass by me, and again I knelt down and repented. He did not lay his hands upon me, and after I awoke I again remained silent because of my fear.
"The third time came a year after the second (in 1989). As I looked upon the face of Jesus at the top of the mountain, he was full of compassion and was smiling down upon me. The two angels were absent this time, but instead a vast multitude of people was present. We were going to where Jesus was, full of peace and joy. The next morning I sat down to meditate upon this most recent dream. After these three years, I finally made an important decision to follow this Jesus who appeared to me these three times in such overwhelming love.
"I again chose to remain silent about these events, but did begin to look for opportunities whereby I could get to know this Christ better. Ironically enough, the Gideons were distributing free bibles at my school to every interested student. I received a bible, the first one I had ever carried in my hands. Each student was encouraged to read it every day. The Lord spoke to me during that time as I read in the gospel of John:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." (John 14:6, NIV) [source: http://www.isaalmasih.net/isa/dream-ibrahim1.html]
This verse provided a bridge between myself and Jesus, and I placed my full trust in Him.
Main Idea: God has a track record of working in impossible situations.
I. The Egyptians Decide to Bring BACK the Hebrews (1-9)
A. God ORCHESTRATES this (1-3, 8a, 17)
• Note vs. 3 -- this was to trick the Pharaoh
B. The OFFICIALS are for the plan, too (5)
C. All 600 CHARIOTS plus (7)
Application: God can be tricky. But do not forget this lesson: God can use lost people to accomplish His purposes…
God has a track record of working in impossible situations.
II. The Israelites Became ANGRY at Moses (10-14)
A. The were TRAPPED
B. They preferred the PREDICTABILITY of slavery (12)
• some people value ’uncertainty avoidance" over freedom
• this is why the Middle East is such a challenge & why much of the world does not, in fact, value freedom…
• when this mentality is passed down to the next generation, we call this co-dependency…a gravitation toward recreating the familiar
C. They had seen God work MIRACLES, but were untrusting
D. They repeatedly reverted to SARCASM, cynicism, pessimism and whining (11)
• note vs. 11 -- typical of Jewish humor…"for this I came to church?"
Application: What did Moses do wrong? Nothing.
1. It is better to have people angry at you for doing the right thing than the wrong; in fact, the people were really angry at God.
2. If you want to serve God, you will have to accept that sometimes this will make people angry…part of the price of discipleship
God has a track record of working in impossible situations.
III. Israel Crosses the Sea on DRY Land (15-22)
A. God EXPLAINS the plan to Moses (15-18)
1. He gives Moses a verbal slap in the face to calm him down
2. He says, "Get the people moving."
3. Raise your staff and get ready to march…
B. The ANGEL of the Lord moves the pillar (19-20)
1. The cloud and fire now serve as a barrier
2. God’s revealed will makes His direction clear and separates us from those who do not choose to follow Him…
3. The two-sided barrier reveals two sides of God’s nature"
"But when the presence of God "withdrew" ( ns` ), he went behind them to protect Israel’s rear guard. What was light for Israel became darkness for the Egyptians (v. 20). Thus the double nature of the glory of God in salvation and judgment, which later appears so frequently in Scripture, could not have been more graphically depicted." Walter Kaiser
C. Israel crosses on DRY ground (21-22)
1. About 10 miles across
2. Perhaps ½ mile wide?
Depth gets to about 270 feet. Optimistic grade averages somewhere between 4 and 6%., pessimistic between 12 and 15%. The American Disabilities Act accepts a grade of up to 12.5%. (source: The Exodus Case, p. 190).
God has a track record of working in impossible situations.
IV. The Egyptian Army DROWNS (23-31)
A. God SABOTAGES their Chariots (23-25)
B. God CLOSES up the Red Sea upon them (26-31)
C. Was this really in the Red Sea?
[Note: the term "Yam Suph" can mean, "Sea of Reeds," "Sea’s End," or even "End of the West." That this term refers to what we call the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba is clear from I Kings 9:26 which reads, " King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea." The town of Eilat in on the Gulf of Aqaba, so the Gulf of Aqaba, by Biblical definition, is included in the term "Yam Suph"
D. The Israelites see the dead Egyptians -- and probably take their armor and weapons to add to their meager supply
God has a track record of working in impossible situations.
CONCLUSION
1. Are you facing impossible situations? God can work in them.
2. Will He? That I can’t say. God did not work among the Hebrews for 400 years, then when He worked, He REALLY worked…
3. But He will pull off His plans…and nothing and no one will stand in His way…
4. The way to be a winner, align yourself with THE WINNER through His Son, Jesus Christ!
