“The Charge of the Light Brigade: When the Enthusiasm Dies”
Exodus 5:1-6:1
The team has prepared all season for this game. In fact, the season all boils down to this moment. Win and you’re the champions – lose and you go home. You’re confident, because you’ve worked hard, won all the big games to get here, and you have the best talent and a great game plan. Then the coach gives the best motivational talk you’ve ever heard and the team rushes out of the locker room certain of victory. But there was another team playing – they, too, were ready. They fire the opening salvo, get on top, and never look back. The final score wasn’t even close. The disappointment is even greater because the expectations were so high. You’re angry with yourself, your teammates, your coaches, and even God. You promise yourself that you will never let yourself get so motivated and enthusiastic again – you just don’t want to feel the pain.
Have you ever felt that way? Perhaps not in a sporting event, but in some other experience. Your great expectations only led to great disappointment. We’ve all been there. The question is, “What do we do when our enthusiasm comes to a screeching halt?” Let’s join Moses and the Israelites to see what we can learn.
First, we acknowledge that GOD’S PEOPLE ARE often FILLED WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS (4:27-5:3). That’s what chapter 3-5 in Exodus are all about. Even in slavery, GOD FILLED ISRAEL WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Remember that Moses had met with God through a burning bush that did not burn up. God promised Moses that He would do miraculous wonders through him - miracles that would force Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free. So Moses immediately met with all the Elders and shared his experience with and message from God. Aaron, Moses’ brother and spokesperson, related how God had proved himself to them by turning Moses’ rod into a serpent and then back again, by turning Moses’ hand leprous and then back again, by turning water into blood and then back again. Even though it was hard to believe, the Elders were excited – for the first time in a long time they dared to hope. As they dispersed from their meeting with Moses the good news spread from hut to hut; it was whispered from slave to slave; all the message grapevines were activated. Hope was high, the excitement exhilarating, and all the people exuded enthusiasm. They began to dream. With pulsating hearts, Moses and Aaron were primed to meet with Pharaoh; victory was within their grasp. So chapter 4 ends with these words: “…and when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.”
God has always filled His people with great expectations. He told Abraham he would father a great nation and be a blessing to the world. He told David he would be the king of an eternal dynasty. He told the prophets to declare that One was coming who would save Israel and make her the nation among all the nations – a light to the world. On Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit filled the new community of Christians, Peter quoted the prophets by saying that sons and daughters would prophesy, young men would see visions, and old men would dream dreams. Paul wrote that through the resurrection power within us God would do immeasurably more than we could ever dare to ask or think.
The good news is that GOD STILL FILLS HIS PEOPLE WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Christians enter into marriage relationships with pledges of everlasting commitment and love. They build businesses with visions of having a successful witness in the business community. Christians graduate and enter the job market with dreams of making a difference for Christ in the world. They enter into coaching or teaching or ministry with every expectation of impacting young lives. Hope Church launched into a building program in response to much prayer and discernment. We have a mission-driven vision of escorting people into the presence of Christ, to be a community of refuge and healing - a body of people who will share Christ’s love, shine Christ’s light, and shape Christ’s people. And you can add your expectations. God continually fills his people with great expectations.
Yet the reality is that often GREAT EXPECTATIONS OFTEN CRASH INTO DISAPPOINTMENT (5:4-23). Christian marriages break down and fall apart. Christian businesses fail and shut down. Young Christian graduates fail to find jobs or never seem to advance their dreams. Coaches, teachers, and ministers find that impacting lives doesn’t often happen easily, and that criticism comes far too easily. After launching the building program the economy turns sour. And how many church visions have turned into dust and ashes? Great expectations often crash into disappointment.
It was certainly the case for Moses, Aaron, and Israel. As Moses obediently approached Pharaoh with the request to free the people all Pharaoh did was tighten the screws and crack the whip more sharply. Just because God promises something does not mean it will be an easy road. As we see, expectations crash, first of all, because THERE IS EVIL OPPOSITION. Moses and Aaron asked Pharaoh to let the Israelites go to hold a festival to God in the desert. His response? “"Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go." He hung out the flag of defiance – he had no desire to know God, to value Him, nor
fear Him. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THOSE WHO DO NOT DESIRE TO KNOW THE LORD. We will always, therefore, face opposition. That’s why we battle the pornography industry, the sex promoters of illicit immoral sex, the drug traffickers, the cold-blooded killers of all ages, and the anti-church/anti-Christian sentiments throughout our nation and the world. That’s why we pray for “the persecuted church.” There are those who simply refuse to know the Lord. And there always will be.
So for Israel, the end result was (6-10): “That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, `Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.'" Moses had done what God had said and now the people were suffering even more – because there is always evil opposition to God’s activities. But we need to realize that THEY OPPOSE AND HATE GOD, NOT US. We must not respond in rage or retaliation, but in patience and love. After all, it’s not us they really hate – it’s God.
Expectations also crash because THERE IS COMMUNITY RESENTMENT. Because of the harsh conditions and the lack of visible progress in fulfilling the dreams and realizing their hopes, the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and complained about their conditions and treatment. Pharaoh let them know that Moses and Aaron had already tried to get them freed – in other words, he told them to blame their beloved leaders! So they did (20-21): “When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us." LOSS OF FOCUS DIVIDES GOD’S PEOPLE. They concentrated on their suffering rather than focus on the promises of their faithful God. It would be an oft-repeated pattern in Israel’s history. Even after they were freed and headed towards the Promised Land, as soon as things turned difficult, the people again grumbled and complained and said they’d rather go back and be slaves in Egypt than head for the Promised Land.
The point is SELF-CENTEREDNESS LEADS TO GRUMBLING AND FINGER POINTING. As soon as we lose our focus on God and begin to interject our feelings and situations into our circumstances, we turn bitter. And when we are bitter we always lash out at someone – and it’s usually at those in charge. “Don’t confuse me with the facts – I’m mad. It’s not working. And it’s your fault!” The Pharaohs had a favorite and effective strategy to keep people in bondage: keep them fighting among themselves – divide and conquer. It has historically always been a strategy of the rulers and parties in power.
The third reason expectations crash is that THERE IS PERSONAL IMPATIENCE. Listen again to Moses (22-23): “Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." In our day of instant telecommunications and fast food, instant credit and fast travel, we expect everything to happen right now, on our schedule. We want the business and the team and the marriage and the economy turned around over night. We want the dreams fulfilled today and the goals reached tomorrow. We want the vision for Hope Church to become reality sooner than later – this year or this month would be great! WE FIND IT HARD TO WAIT. Moses was the same way; he was understandably confused and hurt and embarrassed. He was sure all of his complaints and objections he offered to God at the burning bush were now proving accurate; He was not the man for the job. As F. B. Meyer wrote: “When we see our hopes blasted, our plans miscarry, our efforts do more harm than good, while we are discredited and blamed, pursued with taunts and hate of those for whom we are willing to lay down our lives, we may preserve an outward calm; but there will be a heartbreak underneath, and the noblest part in us will whither.”
And it’s all because WE ARE SHORTSIGHTED. We fail to take God into account. We find it difficult to look beyond ourselves; we find it easy to mistrust God and worry about the future. Our glasses are not made to see the distant shore. As we stand on the shore of Lake Michigan, for example, it is easy to assume there is no land on the other side of the Lake. We find it hard to believe in what we cannot see. So we become impatient.
But once again we are reminded that God is good, because GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT LEADS TO GREAT DELIVERANCE (6:1-13). Look at 6:1: “Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country." God’s mighty hand – His hand of authority and power and judgment – will deliver! His mighty hand will cause Pharaoh’s hand to let the Israelites go. THE SOVEREIGN GOD DELIVERS WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. Moses, Aaron, and the people had to see that it was not in their power to obtain freedom. They needed to believe that DELAY DOES NOT MEAN DEFEAT. It only means God is working out the details. They had to be weaned from seeing enthusiasm and loyalty as guarantees of success. They needed to learn to lean on God, to depend on Him alone. After all, God alone knows the afterward; God alone knows the end; therefore God alone can determine when and how to act. Our task is just to be faithful to the vision and call. As you pursue your visions, as Hope Church pursues her vision, anticipate and expect delays – but remember delay does not mean defeat. It just means God has taken charge.
In fact, the Israelites learned that GOD DELIVERS US FROM DEFEAT. Moses, Aaron, and the people had to die to themselves. It is not easy to forego our plans, let our reputation be smeared and our integrity questioned – yet, as Jesus said, OUT OF DEATH ARISES LIFE (Jn. 12:24): “…unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” God will not let us die – He only wants us in a position through which He can give life. God must bring us down before He can raise us up. Emptying must precede filling. We must get to an end of ourselves before He can begin in us.
In fact, the Bible is very clear in teaching that OUR EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP CHARACTER. As Chuck Swindoll wrote, “Circumstances that turn against us force dependence; circumstances that force dependence teach us patience; circumstances that teach us patience make us wise.” If we wait on God and walk with God, He will – with His mighty hand – mold and shape us. We may go through fire but it’s the fire that produces pure gold. We may wander in the desert, but just beyond the desert lies the Promised Land.
And that raises the third deliverance: God not only delivers us from defeat, but GOD DELIVERS US INTO FREEDOM. In 6:1-8, God reiterates seven promises – “I wills” –, which His mighty hand will carry out. He lists the first five this way: God will bring them out, free them, redeem them, take them as His people, and be their God. And why will He be so faithful to them? Verse 7: “Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” God allows our great expectations to crash into great disappointment so He can deliver us to Himself! Because of, and through our disappointments WE WILL KNOW THE LORD!
Then God lists the other two “I wills”: He will bring them to the Promised Land and will give it to them as their possession. In other words, once we know the Lord, WE WILL ENTER THE PROMISED LAND. The visions and dreams will become reality. We will arrive at our appointed places of service in the Kingdom. God always saves us not only from, but also to. So when we crash into disappointment, keep marching on – for God is only bringing us from ourselves to Himself, from death to life, from vision to fulfillment – all because of His mighty hand.
All State insurance has, for years worked with a slogan about hands. One phrase is “You’re in good hands will All-State,” and another is “All-State, the good hands people.” It’s their way of communicating confidence and security. Moses could have painted the same picture, only placing Israel in God’s hands. For in His mighty hands we are secure. That’s why we place our children in His hands. It’s why we have placed our dreams in His hands. It’s why Hope Church continues to place our vision in His hands. You see, it’s not our hands, but His, that matter. And because of His mighty hands, we are free. Jesus put it best when He said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
