The Lord Provides

"The Lord Provides"

By Sterling Franklin

Provide -> Pro = before, in advance; Vide = from Latin videre, to see.

So, basically...Provide comes from the basis of ’seeing in advance’. Tonight we will be discussing how He provided for Moses and Abraham in the past and how the Lord has provided and provides for us today.

I. Red Sea Parting - the Lord Provides for Moses

First off, you all probably have heard about the story of the Parting of the Red Sea before at some point in your life. :)

Because Pharaoh kept holding the Israelites captive and didn’t let them go, the Lord put a final plague upon Egypt, where a family’s firstborn son would be killed if the family didn’t have the blood of the Passover lamb upon the top and sides of the outside door.

Pharaoh, after losing his son to the plague, finally told Moses that his people could be free, FINALLY - after all the years of bondage they had suffered.

Exodus 13:21-22: "21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

So, they were led by the Lord - in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Exodus 14:4-6: "4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so. 5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:"

The Lord said that he would harden Pharaoh’s heart, and He did, and it ended up for His Glory. Pharaoh, after telling Moses that he could be free with his people (the Israelites), Pharaoh changes his mind and gets ready to take them prisoner again.

Exodus 14:10-12: "10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness."

The Israelites panicked when they saw the Egyptians coming, so what does Moses do? Does he freak out like a chicken with its head cut off?

NOPE!

He keeps his cool

He stays in school!

well......maybe not the school part.

Exodus 14:13-14: "13 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."

He had total faith and trust in God’s Protection in this situation.

Exodus 14:15-20: "15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night."