READ: Exodus 3:7-10 [Have entire chapter read earlier].
It would serve us well, by way of introduction this morning, to just quickly recap Israel’s history from the end of Genesis (chapter 50), to this point in Exodus chapter 3.
You’ll remember, I’m sure, the story of how Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, and was taken down (all in the purposes of God) to the land of Egypt. And, to cut a long story short, how he came to prominence in the land and how Pharoah made him prime minister. Then, through a miraculous sequence of events, you’ll recall that he was reunited with his family and they were all brought to Egypt to live with Joseph. And the book of Genesis closes with the whole people of Israel (around 70 people in all at this stage) comfortably settled in Egypt.
By the time we get to Exodus chapter 3, however, the picture is very different. A period of 430 years saw the children of Israel grow (like rabbits!) from a family of 70 to a swarm of over 600,000 men over the age of twenty, plus the tribe of Levi, plus all the women and children (some estimates up to around 3 MILLION people!).
And the Bible says that "...there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph". And this new pharaoh was intimidated by this people of Israel dwelling in his land, and set out to cut them back down to size. So he took action:
He enslaved the Israelites - forced them to cut straw and make bricks and labour on his public works program (the pyramids?).
BUT the more he afflicted the Israelites the more they grew. So he instructed all the Hebrew midwives that when they attended the birth of a boy in Israel they were to put him to death only girls were to live. But thank God for God-fearing women. It says these midwives feared the Lord and they would not comply with Pharaoh’s command.
So Pharaoh continued to turn up the heat more and more on Israel.
And this is the situation that Israel is in when we come to Exodus chapter 3.
From the few verses I read in particular, tonight, (7-10), I’d like us to see something of the heart of God toward His people in bondage. Firstly, note with me that:
1. God Hears The Cry Of His People.
[read v 7]
If you go back to Exodus 1:14 it says that "...they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, WAS WITH RIGOUR". Do you know what the Hebrew word there translated "rigour" means? It means they made them serve "TO THE BREAKING POINT"!
The Israelites worked from sun-up to sundown; MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN. Anything the Egyptians didn’t want to do was given to Israel, and it was backbreaking work under the scorching desert sun. There was no honouring of the Sabbath they laboured seven days a week without rest. And if one faltered under the strain of their load they would be beaten with horsewhip or if one (through total fatigue) overslept, they would dragged from their homes by force, beaten, and sent to work. ALL WAS DESIGNED TO BREAK THE ISRAELI SPIRIT ... and it worked!
Israel was, to all intents and purposes, a defeated people, but in their misery they cried out to the Lord AND HE HEARD THEM OUT OF HIS HOLY HILL! He said: [read Exodus 3:7 again].
And you know, I believe that God is hearing the anguished cry of His people today! I’m NOT talking about the cry of the Church oh yes, He hears us BUT I’M TALKING ABOUT THE CRY OF HIS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!
You see, Egypt in the Bible is a picture of the world - coming out of Egypt is a picture of salvation.
You and I look out at the world outside and all we see is the mass of sinful humanity. God’s vision is a higher one. Oh yes, He sees sin, but when God looks out at the world He sees His people those who WILL come to Him but have not yet and are lost. He hears them weeping and crying in the night, and He yearns that they might come to find their deliverance.
Turn with me to Acts 18:9-10. Here Paul is in Corinth, and the Lord encouraged him in a vision saying that no harm would come to him ... "FOR (the Lord says) I HAVE MUCH PEOPLE IN THIS CITY." God looked on that immoral city of Corinth and He saw the souls that were going to come to Christ. He didn’t just say to Paul "I WILL HAVE much people in this city", NO. He said "I HAVE" (present tense). GOD LIVES IN THE ETERNAL "NOW"!
You see here’s a problem:
* We always see today - God sees tomorrow.
* We see this family of believers - God sees a MULTITUDE more.
The key is to begin to see as God sees. To have His vision. By that I don’t mean that we should deny reality - NO! God is a God of reality. But while we’re not denying present reality NEITHER SHOULD WE DENY GOD’S FUTURE REALITY! That which has been recorded in the annals of time as the destiny of God’s people in this place. We need to begin to see what God sees for our community. (That is "faith" - the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen. i.e. we may not see these things right now, but we know they are ours ... why? Because we have the EVIDENCE of their existence: GOD’S FAITH IN OUR HEARTS!
Yes, God looks out on Devonport and I hear by faith His voice ringing clearly this morning "I have much people in this place". And their cry of despair ascends to His throne as they labour under the weight of sin driven by cruel taskmasters and He yearns for them.
God HEARS the cry of His people. Then, secondly:
2. God Comes To The Cry Of His People.
[read v 8]
God says "I AM COME DOWN". What a blessed declaration that is! God does not hear the desperate cry of His people and then leave them in their misery as He sits remote in the Heavens NO! He is the God of "coming down". The picture that this statement gives us is that God says : "I’m rolling up my sleeves and I’m getting involved on your behalf". Hallelujah! "I am come down" says the Lord.
Note with me, firstly:
a) He Comes With a Plan of Deliverance.
"I am come down TO DELIVER THEM OUT OF THE HAND OF THE EGYPTIANS".
That word "deliver" means "to snatch away, to pluck out of". God stepped into the course of Israel’s history and SNATCHED HIS PEOPLE OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE EGYPTIANS. He delivered them!
God has "come down" in these New Testament days in the Person of His Son Jesus to bring deliverance to a lost and dying world. Thank God: "He did not wait for me to draw near to Him, but He clothed Himself with frail humanity and I’m forever grateful!" Jesus did not consider leaving the ivory palaces of glory too great a cost to pay for our lives, but He left His Father’s side and ran to our rescue giving His whole life for us TO SNATCH US FROM THE CLUTCHES OF SIN.
And He comes with a plan of deliverance for His people out there in Devonport whom He has purchased with His own blood. WHO CAN STAND AGAINST HIM?!
Secondly, it’s not only a plan of deliverance, but:
b) He Comes With A Plan of Destiny.
"I am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land UNTO A GOOD LAND AND A LARGE, UNTO A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY".
Isn’t that where He has brought us in Christ? Into an inheritance!
The church sings "I have a destiny" ... GREAT! BUT, there are a lot of people in Devonport today that I believe God has a destiny for as well, BUT THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW IT! Who will tell them?
Paul writes in Romans 10:14-15: "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?"
And this bring me to my final point this morning:
3. God’s Plan Involves God’s Man.
"How shall they hear without a preacher?" Church, don’t switch off now and say, "Oh, that’s for pastors/evangelists". NO. Why is it that every time we hear the words "minister/ministry/preaching" we immediately see a little pulpit?" Standing up here is not the be-all-and-end-all of preaching WE ARE ALL CALLED TO PREACH! The word "preach" in the New Testament simply means "to proclaim". We’re all called to proclaim the gospel.
Read verse 10.
In order to bring His plan of deliverance and destiny, GOD TOOK UP A MAN! MOSES. Now note that this man did not appear to have a lot going for him. By men’s standards he was a bit of a failure. A man who had once had a vision to see his people delivered, but in his enthusiasm seems to have taken things into his own hands he slew an Egyptian and had to flee Egypt. And now he was living out in the back side of the desert tending another man’s sheep. For 40 years he was out there that’s enough to drain anyone of their vision isn’t it? Enough to disillusion anyone!
But after 40 years of tending sheep, God said "How would you like to look after my flock? About three million people to be precise!" He said "Come now, therefore, and I will send thee". "You tried once before in your own strength NOW GO IN MY STRENGTH. When they ask ’who sent you’, you can tell them ’I am that I am’ sent me".
You may not feel very strong in God ... in fact you may feel weak. You may feel a bit of a failure perhaps even disillusioned because of things that have happened in the past. (You may even feel like your out of God’s will). If you will just make yourself available to God He can do great things through you for His glory.
CONCLUSION:
Folks, God has much people in Devonport and it’s not just you, and I. God has a destiny for many out there, but they are lost right at the moment. And God yearns for them His heart is breaking over them. He hears the cries of their hearts; many of them don’t even know what they’re crying for but God hears their despair, and He has come down to deliver them. He has plans to prosper them, to give them a hope and a future.
But He’s looking for believing people who will take the message of deliverance to them. Men and women who will declare to the world LET MY PEOPLE GO! And He has a whole house full of such men and women right here, but we must be obedient to the call.
C.T.Studd, the great missionary pioneer, once wrote:
"Some wish to live within the sound
Of Church or Chapel Bell.
I want to run a rescue shop
Within a yard of Hell."
