The Shining Light

It is so amazing to me to see different people in the world reject the needs they have. People come into the Salvation Army for financial support because they have lost their jobs, but when we give them a couple of employers that are hiring, they seem to back away. When we get into some sort of tangle, we tend to try to get out of it ourselves before we ask for help. Why are humans so stubborn? Is it because we are comfortable? Not ready to step out of our comfort zone? You know, it’s been like this for a long time.

The Israelites were comfortable being slaves to the Egyptians. As you might know, God called upon Moses and his brother Aaron to try and set these Israelites free, God’s people. As they tried, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt kept telling them no. God sent many plagues to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but nothing happened to the Israelites. Yet the Israelites kept trying to stay in their comfort zone, Egypt. Finally God got His people out of there and the journey to freedom was starting to get a little uneasy. God’s path isn’t always the straight and narrow, but when we’re on His path He will guide and protect us as He did for the Israelites when Egypt was in pursuit. We learn from this exact account three encouraging things God does for us when the enemy is closing in on us.

1. When the enemy plans God comes before (Exodus 14:1–18).

God comes in to take control. God sees all things. He is omnipotent, all-powerful, and always present. He sees what the enemy is about to do before we even experience it. You see, God isn’t just our counselor. He isn’t just our Savior. God is also our protector. He is our deliverer. God protects us without us even knowing. Now when I say he protects us, I’m talking about His people. The people that have given God full control of their lives. They have given Him their all. Not just their hearts and souls, but their lives. God is there to protect His people. Are you one of His people today?

God saw what Pharaoh was planning. As a matter of fact verses 4 and 8 says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. This means He encouraged or strengthened (Vines) Pharaoh to plan and attack. Pharaoh’s plan was to recapture the Israelites. He thought this was going to be an easy task because he had the upper hand. One, the Israelites was afraid of him and his army. Two, the Israelites were headed toward the sea, and even if they headed the other way they would run into mountain ranges, so they were blocked in. Three, the Israelites had no weapons. So, Pharaoh thought he had the advantage. And rightfully so, he did…except one thing, God was against him. You see, it doesn’t matter how prepared and how organized or how powerful you are. If God is not for you, you will not win! You will lose the battle. Is God for you today?

Now it seems Pharaoh still did not realize that God was against him. He either didn’t grip the reality of everything that was happening, or he just simply did not care. When all his planning was finished he had assembled his army with 600 hundred of his best chariots along with his other chariots and he started the pursuit. Of course it didn’t take him long to catch up with the Israelites since they were at a stand still having a camp out by the sea. Verse 10 and 11 says, “As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ’Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” They were no longer having fun. They were scared out of their minds. Who cares about all the miracles they witnessed. Who cares about God protecting them before. All that is irrelevant at this time. Does this sound familiar? Is this how you and I act every time we get into a “bind”? Where is our faith in times of peril? Why do we have to be so childish?

So the Israelites were afraid, but Moses stays calm and tells them what? Verses 13 and 14 say, “Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Praise the Lord! Let me tell you brother’s and sister’s that when you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you! And the next time the enemy attacks, God will deliver you! You only need to be still! “You mean I don’t have to fight against the enemy?” No. You still need to fight by being faithful to God and asking for God’s help! Not just when incidents happen, but daily. If you are faithful and you ask for God’s help daily, God will then take control. It’s up to you to give Him that control. Are you giving God control today? Once you give Him control, God will fight on your behalf. This brings us to my second point.