Dr. Gerald W. Nash Jr., D.Min.
Foothills Baptist Church
7-15-01, PM
Sermon # 473
When The Situation Seems Impossible
Exodus 14:1-2, 13-15
Exodus 14:1-2, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Speak unto the children of Israel, that
they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon:
before it shall ye encamp by the sea.”
Exodus 14:13-15, “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation
of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall
see them again no more for ever. [14] The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
[15] And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of
Israel, that they go forward:”
Introduction:
A college student wrote the following letter to her parents:
Dear Mom and Dad:
"I am writing this letter on school paper because my stationary got burned in the fire. I got out of the
hospital, and have moved in with my new boyfriend, Bill. He got me a job where he works--I’m a
waitress at the Red Dog Saloon. Your new grand baby is due next fall."
The next page continued...
"Mom, Dad, none of the above really happened. However, I made a "C" in French and I’m failing
History.
Love,
Your Daughter."
Sometimes even some bad news is better than some other news. I wonder how many times in my life I have said “Things could be worse” or “Now what!” Can you image this scene described in our text? After a tremendous ordeal of just getting out of Egypt, the sea lies before the people and Pharaoh’s army rapidly approaching from behind. Everyone could see the cloud of dust coming. There are no boats to ferry the people across. There is no arsenal to distribute to the people so they could fight. No one had to tell the Hebrew people that the situation was
basically “impossible.”
It did not take the Hebrew people long to start complaining. This proved to be a running motif throughout their wilderness wanderings. Listen to their words:
"The people began to panic, and they cried out to the LORD for help. Then they turned against Moses and complained, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? Didn’t we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt? Our Egyptian slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!" (Exodus 10b-12, NLT.)
The people knew that Egypt specialized in graves. One third of Egypt’s land was devoted to graves. They could have a more decent burial in Egypt. They saw the situation as hopeless. Moses responds to the people:
But Moses told the people, "Don’t be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the LORD rescue you. The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. You won’t have to lift a finger in your defense!" (Exodus 14:13-14, NLT).
Basically Moses told the people to stand there, do nothing and let God take care of it. It is evident that God wanted them to do more than just what Him do something. Notice what God said:
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Exodus 14:15).
We must not make light of their situation. There is an uncross able sea before them. Even if they had boats,they could not easy transport the all the people before Pharaoh’s army got there. Scholars tells us that extra-biblical material reveals there were approximately two million Jews that left Egypt. This would explain the big problem that was behind them.
The Scriptures say that Pharaoh sent 600 hundred of his best chariots, all the chariots of Egypt, and their officers. The Hebrew word used for “officers” is “salisim” which was used to describe three-man chariots. There were about 1800 men to man the best chariots. There was be probably that many and much more for the rest of the chariots of Egypt. This is not even including the horseman described in verse 19. This was a huge army.
There is a spiritual principle to be understood here. Moses told the people just to stand still and let God take care of it. But God countered, “Get the people moving forward.” The Christian life is not a static or passive life
it is dynamic or active life. This principle doesn’t change when an obstacle is placed in our path. This principle doesn’t change because road gets a little bumpy. This principle doesn’t change because there is a sea in front of us and no boats can be found. This principle doesn’t change because the enemy is on the attack and its look much bigger than our abilities. God requires us to keep moving forward regardless. How do we do this?
I. We Must Have a Personal Confidence In God (14:13-14)
When those seemingly impossible situations arise, we must have confidence in God.
A. Our Confidence In God Must Be Freely Extended
Because our confidence in God is personal, it must be freely given. It cannot be coerced. Our confidence must be extended to God freely. I learned a long time ago that you cannot make someone trust you. You may convince them to say they trust you but actually trusting you may be another story. You may say you trust and have confidence in God. But God knows the motivation of our hearts. Paul would remind Timothy:
“For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” (1 Tim. 4:10)
Here Paul is telling Timothy that their trust in God has prepared them for their laboring and their suffering. Their laboring and suffering for Christ has not forced them to trust him. It is exactly the opposite. We too must freely rely on God on we really haven’t relied on God.
B. Our Confidence in God Must Be Firmly Expressed
Trust or reliance is not a loosely applied principle. Any deviation is “not trusting.” It seems that we allow so many things to cause us not to trust. It is easy to come to church and give testimonies about trusting God for all your needs. It get a little more difficult to trust when:
1. You are diagnosis with a terminal illness.
2. Too much month left at the end of the pay check.
3. You have a prodigal in your family.
4. You have a rebellious child and constant family problems.
5. You get a call from the local jail.
6. Your spouse calls from another state and he or she is not coming back.
7. You loose all your material possessions.
8. Everything seems to be falling in on you.
9. You loose you job.
10. Nothing ever seems to go right. Etc.
We need to remember the words of our Lord:
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
We need to firmly trust in the One who gives us the victory. We should be able to proclaim with Paul:
"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57)
C. Our Confidence In God Must Be Fully Experienced
When we fully rely on God, we are proving God. I have experienced in my life and have examined in the lives of others that our rigorous self effort will make our situation more difficult. We allow our anxieties and restlessness to hinder the work that God is trying to do through us and obscure the glory He is trying to receive. We can have full confidence in God and experience the result because God is “able” to help us in our situations. Remember the Apostle Paul’s words:
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
Moses told the people to “Fear ye not, stand still, and see.” Although it was incomplete, it was good advice. Moses wanted the people to have confidence in the ability of God. With that in mind, we know we can freely, firmly, and fully have confidence in God for the seemly impossible situations in our daily lives.
II. We Must Practice Obedience to God (14:15)
When God makes His will known, the only option is “obedience.” A person said this to me, “I keep the Ten Commandments in principle!” Well, I had two problems with the statement. First, there are more than ten commandment in God’s Word. Secondly, “in principle” can mean whatever one subjectively wants it to be. There must be a practical obedience to God’ commands. Obedience follows confidence.
A. Our Obedience Should Be Unwavering (14:15)
To go forward meant going right into the sea. The lesson here is that God doesn’t want us to waver. If we truly have confidence in God, an unwavering obedience is a natural response of our faith. This is the idea the writer of Hebrews had in mind when he said:
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
(Hebrews 10:23)
James says it like this:
"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
with the wind and tossed." (James 1:6)
B. Our Obedience Should Be Guided by Authority (14:21)
The rod of Moses was the symbol of divine authority, power and discipline. The rod pointed the way. The people needed to follow. Today the Word of God points in the direction we are to go. Often times people will say that God wants them to do this or that. However, their saying this is often based on emotion and not God’s holy Word. Our obedience needs to be guided by the authority for the Christian life: “God’s Word.”
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
C. Our Obedience Should Be Divisive (14:27-29)
Moving forward causing a separation. The Israelites were not only being saved from Pharaoh’s army. They were separating from their old lives. They were seeing the mighty hand of God work in their midst. If the Israelites had not moved forward they would have had to face Pharaoh’s army, Pharaoh’s wrath, and either slavery or death. Our obedience to the Lord should always be divisive.
"And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for
the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)
III. We Must Have A Purposeful Experience of God (15:1)
The experience the Israelites had of God was real and dynamic. It was not just something that happen. It had purpose! Let’s look at some things from God’s side of the experience:
A. Their Experience Happened in God’s Timing (15:1)
Moses’ song referred to a point in time. Each experience you and I have with the Lord will point to a
definite period in time in which God is working purposefully with and through us.
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
B. Their Experience Happened at God’s Place (15:4)
The place the Israelites found themselves was a real place. It was the place ordained for the people to make a divisive move. They either had to go back to Egypt with Pharaoh or move forward through the Sea with God. There are places God is taking us. It is at that place that God is going to allow us to experience Him working in and on our behalf. We might call this spiritual geography. There are places where God is leading us so that we can fulfill the purpose He has for each one of us. This is exact experience that Abraham had:
"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from
thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:" (Genesis 12:1)
God had definite a definite plan and purpose for Abraham. He also has a definite plan and purpose for each one of us.
C. Their Experience Happened as God Aimed
The question is “What was God’s aim in this experience?” It was at least threefold:
1. There was the experience of “wonder!” (15:11)
As Moses and the people continued their song of praise, they sing of the wonders God has performed. The word “wonders” (Heb., “pele’”) means “the extraordinary, a miracle or something marvelous.” God was doing marvelous things and the Israelites were personally and purposefully experiencing it.
2. There was the experience of “worship!” (15:1)
Notice in verse 1 it says “sang.... this song unto the Lord.” This was the experience of worship. In our worship, there needs to be a time when we just praise God for what He has done in our lives.
3. There was the experience of “witness!” (15:14-15)
What the Lord had done for the Hebrew people would soon get out. The mighty works of God should be
shouted from sea to sea. There needs to be a verbal witness about what God is doing in our lives. Listen to what Jesus told the demoniac:
"Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great
things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." (Mark 5:19).
Our experience with God has a purpose.
Conclusion: Gladys Aylward, missionary to China more than fifty years ago, was forced to flee
when the Japanese invaded Yangcheng. But she could not leave her work behind. With only one
assistant, she led more than a hundred orphans over the mountains toward Free China.
In their book "The Hidden Price of Greatness," Ray Besson and Ranelda Mack Hunsicker tell what
happened:
"During Glady’s harrowing journey out of war-torn Yangcheng ... she grappled with despair as never
before. After passing a sleepless night, she faced the morning with no hope of reaching safety. A
13-year-old girl in the group reminded her of their much-loved story of Moses and the Israelites
crossing the Red Sea.
"But I am not Moses," Gladys cried in desperation.
"Of course you aren’t," the girl said, "but Jehovah is still God."
When Gladys and the orphans made it through, they proved once again that no matter how inadequate we feel, God is still God, and we can trust in him.
When the situation seem impossible, just remember to have a personal confidence in God, practice
obedience to God, and understand that God has a purpose in all the experiences we have with Him.
