Exodus 14 Boxed in by God

Intro: Taking a Break today from our Study in Rev. – because of the technical nature of the section we are covering / not suitable for this type of setting – Pick up next week

  1. But in our study of Rev. we have been reminded that this world is not our Home !!!! – We are Pilgrims / Sojourners – Passing through
  1. We are Waiting for that Glorious day – when the Lord sounds the trumpet & we are caught up to meet the Lord in the Air !!!
  1. What a great day – that is going to be !!!
  1. But in the Mean time – We are Pilgrims – We are on a Journey

So w/ that in mind today I want us to turn to Exodus 14 – Been studying on Wed. nights

3 million people DELIVERED from Egypt Dressed like Backpackers

  1. Described in Ch.12 as having their Loins girded /walking shorts

  2. Walking Sticks in hand / Sandals on their feet / On their backs were their cooking stuff / Kneading Bowls – their Dough

  1. THEY WOULD LOOK LIKE BACKBACKERS – PEOPLE PREPARED FOR A JOURNEY

  1. That is exactly what they were doing – heading off on a Journey to the land of Promise !!!! Pilgrims & Sojourners

 

ELEVEN DAY JOURNEY : -

  1. If they would have went straight from Egypt to the Promised land – it would have only taken 11 days

  2. But the Lord intended that the Journey would take one full yr. – because there were 7 different stops / 7 campsites / including 3months @ Sinai

  1. At each one there was a Lesson to be Learned / Stretching & a work to be done !!!! Things he wanted to teach them!!!!

  1. See it was one thing for the Lord to get His people out of Egypt – that was Easy – ( few Plagues Etc. )

  1. Easy thing to get His People out of Egypt ( WORLD) / but it was another thing to get Egypt out of His People

  1. That was going to take some time – that was going to be a Process/ –

1) Same is True for us !!!!

  1. John 14 I go to prepare a place for you. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

  2. Now that is what He has done – gone to prepare a place for us

  1. But presently He is preparing us for that Place !!!!

  1. That is a great thing for us to Understand - / that is a fundamental truth / this life is a Journey ( Pilgrims & on this journey – lessons )

  1. refining - / fine tuning – all the while The Lord is Preparing us for Eternity !!!!

  1. Fail to see that this life is going to be Confusing & Depressing & every Challenge that Happens every Obstacle we face(wondering where is God)

  1. But if I understand this I can view everything that happens through that Lens of – this is happening to Prepare me for Eternity !!!

This morning I want to take a Brief look at the 3rd campsite / the 3rd stop on their tour -

  1. Now we are going to look at this story in full on Wed. night – but I want to focus on the Highlights today

    2. READ V.1-3

  2. What we see here in this 3rd Stop – Is that God led the Children of Israel into a Boxed in Situation – TRAPPED
  1. Mt. Pi-ha-hiroth on one side / Mt. Migdol on the other side & their back to the Red Sea/ NO way out except for the way that they came in
  1. And When the Pharaoh heard that they had turned into this valley he

basically LAUGHED at their predicament: Saying

1) The earth has swallowed them up/ The land has shut them in

D) So he immediately ordered his armies to move in upon them

1) And When the Israelites saw the enemy closing in upon them

They realized that they were TRAPPED

E) They got real vocal - real fast v.11,12

Moses why have you done this – it would have been better had we died in Egypt

The Account of Israel being trapped by God is out Tremendous Value to the Christian Life today

  1. When we see how God Revealed Himself to them it improves our

    2. FORE SIGHT

  2. Ever heard of the Phrase that Hindsight is 20/20 ? The Reason that is true is after you have really messed everything up
  1. You can then look & see what You should have done
  1. Well we can look back on Israel’s life & learn from their Victories & their Failures – See what we Should & shouldn’t do
  1. And we get to see How God revealed Himself to them in Situations that we Perhaps haven’t experienced Yet !!!
  1. Now sometimes it is our own sin that puts us into these Boxed in Situations – there we learn that We reap what we sow
  1. That there are Consequences to sin !!!

But there are other times when God will lead us into a Situation that might look bleak – He does that so He can work in our Lives

  1. So he can reveal Himself to us in a Way that we have not experienced before

B) This Morning I want us to Prayerfully Consider 6 things that we can learn about God – from this Particular time in Israel’s History

#1 We see God’s Power

  1. How many saw the Ten Commandments – ( God led them to this Body of Water – ( Part the Sea – Incredible sight (Great Display of God’s Power )
  2. Now the Skeptics & Critics who have such a Hard time dealing w/ the Supernatural Are always trying to explain away – Miracles
  1. They seek to do so w/ this One by suggesting that what really happened was at the Reed Sea – ( Foot deep)
  1. For the sake of Conversation I will Concede w/ them on this point – Because it presents another great Miracle
  1. How God Drowned the entire Egyptian army in a foot of Water !!!

 

Here God Displayed His Incredible Power : Result

  1. The place in which they were TRAPPED became the place that Israel would come to KNOW just who God is
  1. so that they would learn to TRUST Him for ANYTHING
  1. That even though they couldn’t see the Possible solutions God is mighty enough to solve their Problems ( More God – than I can imagine )

    2. 1) See God wants to bring His people into a place where they will trust Him COMPLETELY even though they can't see any possible solutions

  2. So That they might realize that God can make a way even when there is

NOT a way/ God is not limited by man’s Resources / Capacities

    1. BIG GODDER

D) The same thing is true of us God will lead us into boxed in Situations so that we can see His Power & Ability to do the Unthinkable

 

2nd Teaches us about God is seen in God’s Protection for His Children

A) The place in which they were TRAPPED was the very place where they would learn just how much God VALUES His children

B) That if God is for them who can be against them

    1. The Lord declares concerning His Own - that whoever touches you touches the Apple of His Eye

C)God Led them to this place to show them that their Arch Enemy Pharaoh

who had enslaved them for so many yrs

    1. would be nothing to them when their lives were committed to following God

13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.

D) So they learned this lesson of how valuable they were to at this Place of being – Boxed in / trapped

3rd – We see God’s Perspective in our Circumstances - He sees things so differently from us –

  1. Oh how we need to be reminded of that from time to time !!!!!

B) The place in which they were TRAPPED is the place where Israel learned that things aren't always as they seem

1)The Israelites said: "We've had it"/ Moses said: "NO - They've had it"

C) The Israelites said: "We're trapped"../ Moses said: "NO - They're trapped"

    1. The armies of Pharaoh looked like the SURE victors –but it was the Israelites who lived & the Egyptians Who PERISHED
  1. Oh how we need to see things from God’s Perspective / often so blinded by the way we perceive our circumstances

1) Elisha – Surrounding by the Syrians

"LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

 

4th – We learn is of God’s Place in the life of His Children v.19,20

19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.

  1. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
  1. Note that : the Angel of the Lord went before them / Cloud was Behind them – between them & the Egyptians
  1. we are going to talk more about this Wed. God led his people by cloud by day / pillar fire by night
  1. Great thing to keep in mind that at every turn the Lord is between you &

the Enemy !!!! / He will protect us from the enemy

C) In the heat of the most fiery trial He will shield us

    1. In the midst of our darkest and coldest trials He will light our

way, and He will warm us!!!!!!

D) He will go BEFORE us/ He will make a way through the Red Sea

1) Interesting: He didn't REMOVE it... He made a way THROUGH it

  1. So often we say God get this away from me – Remove this from my life

Take me out of this Trial –

1) But He doesn’t Remove it but He does Help us Through it !!

5th thing we Learn about God – We see the PRACTICES of God in dealing with His people

  1. Before the Lord showed forth his power there were several things that He required of His people /
  2. Now He doesn’t always work in this way – but He often does – deals w/ our poor perception / Lack of faith / our Bad attitudes before he works
  3. Note In v. 10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid
  4. PROBLEM : They lifted their eyes - But not High enough – Saw the enemy but they didn’t see the Lord !!!!
  1. So first thing was they needed to get their eyes off the circumstances on to who it was who was w/ them
  1. Same is true for us – we can be engulfed by the circumstances – but we need to See the Lord in spite of the Circumstances
  1. How do we do that ? 4 THINGS

13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.

14 "The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."

15 And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 "But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

1ST V.13 Do not be afraid – Fear is the greatest enemy of your Faith- Fear is not from the Lord

2 Tim. 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

  1. Fear has a way of Crippling us / put us into a frenzy – get so worked up that we are just going in circles
  1. Lot of motion & commotion / purely dictated by our emotions
  1. We need to put away fear & replace it w/ FAITH – by focusing on the Promises of God !!!!

 

So the 2nd thing Moses says is Stand Still- Stop !!!!! Freeze –

  1. Stop all of the Activity & take inventory / Size up the situation factoring God into the equation
  2. Be Still & Know that I am God !!!!!! - Joshua at Jericho

 

3rd Interesting Stand still is also translated here – Be Quiet – Stop talking Murmuring & Complaining

  1. Get off the Phone / E-mail – (guys - AMEN) Quit talking to everyone else & LOOK TO ME !!!! Get off the Little Pity parities

4TH – Move FORWARD V.15 - Take that step of Faith & You will see the SALVATION OF YOUR GOD !!!

B) So Lift up Your Eyes –See who is on your side / Don’t be Afraid –

because He is w/ You / Stand Still – Be Quiet Rest / STEP OUT

    1. Then You will see the Salvation of your God !!!!

6th Thing we Learn In this we see God’s Plan & Purpose

A) The Israelites were TRAPPED BY GOD because God wanted to be GLORIFIED in their circumstance

  1. At the end of this ordeal their hearts will by filled with the praises of Him

who delivered them- See in Ch. 15

C) And At the end of this ordeal the whole world would come to know how mighty their God is by making a way through the Red Sea for them

1) So What's the Purpose then of being TRAPPED BY GOD?

D) It is simply this - That in that place God might be glorified in your life

1) You are TRAPPED BY GOD so that God can blow peoples minds with what He does in and through you while you are in that place

E)World is not that impressed by our Successes – Awards – ( But boy do

they watch when we are going through Difficulties

1) LETS SEE IF THEY PTL –NOW

 

Maybe you have a new Job – you sought the Lord – You prayed –felt like the Lord was giving you a green light

  1. But what You thought was going to be your Dream Job has turned into your WORST NIGHT MARE !!!!

B) You are feeling like this is an Impossible SITUATION !!!!

    1. Maybe some of you have felt trapped in an OLD JOB !!!!!
  1. I've got a rotten boss on one side/ I've got a go-nowhere-trade on the other side/ I've got the Red Sea of bills to pay before me
  1. The IRS is Behind me Barreling in on me !!!! "I'm trapped and I'm gonna die here"

 

Maybe You have recently gotten married

  1. You prayed / green light – few months have gone by & you feel trapped
  2. All of a sudden there are things that you never knew about that person that you have DISCOVERED
  1. Change the Way that I do weddings – After say I do / ask do you know what you are saying / because they don’t / but they will!!!!

Maybe some of you have felt trapped in an OLD MARRIAGE

A) You have husband that is selfish and doesn't love me on one side"

And a mountain of dirty laundry & housework on the other side"

  1. "And in front of You is a Red Sea of screaming kids who demand all of

    2. Your time and energy

    1) "I'm trapped here and I'm gonna die here"

  2. Maybe some of you have felt trapped in a physical condition/ prayed & wondered when is God going to Change my Situation

1) WHEN will God part my Red Sea?

D) It might be TODAY........ It might be NEXT WEEK

It might be NEXT YEAR...... or in 20 YEARS

1) You MIGHT be between Piha-hiroth & Migdol until the day you die

"So what's the point then?"

 

It is simply this: You are in that Place so that God might glorified in your life

A) You are TRAPPED BY GOD so that God can blow peoples minds with what He does in and through you while you are in that place

B)EXAMPLE: Joni Erickson Tada – Quadriplegic ( Draws & paints –

Instrument in her mouth )

  1. "Will you let me keep you trapped in that wheel-chair?"

C)"Others say you should be healed –

  1. But I want you in that place because from between the Pi-ha-hiroth and Migdol of your wheel chair you will reach millions"

To that unhappy wife - "Will you be willing to live between the

Pi-ha-hiroth and Migdol of your marriage & Not Run away or complain A) So that I can show myself strong on your behalf and BE GLORIFIED

through you- in that Situation ( TESTIMONY TO OTHER Women)

B)You I that Dead end Job will you shine for me by enduring that

difficult situation / until I Change it or move You !!!!

1) So that I can be Glorified in Your Difficulty

C) NOTE: We often times have a very wrong perception of life

We think that God exist for Us / God does NOT exist for us

  1. But we think that / We think that He exists for us to make MY life

fulfilled, MY life more pleasurable, MY life more happy

  1. That is so WRONG – ( Not what we are about )
  1. Now don’t get me Wrong God does Desire to Bless us / Search the Scriptures/ it will Blow your mind all that God wants to do for You
  1. BUT - He does NOT exist for me... I exist for Him / for His Pleasure we were Created !!!

 

That means that if I need to be TRAPPED by God while Pharaoh and his troops are closing in on my life

A) IF God says: " ROB I want to glorify Myself in your life in this way through this circumstance that I am going to lead you into"

B)If God says : " ROB You're going to go through one hard thing after

another because I will show Myself strong in your life/ be glorified

  1. I need to respond "Lord, I have decided to follow you"

C) "Lord You said: If any man come after Me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.... So here I am"

 

Listen The Red Sea will one day open up to you/TODAY / In this life, or in eternity

  1. But in all of it God will be glorified and you will be found in the mist of

    2. that circumstance singing Praises to God !!!!

  2. And The world will see you TRAPPED and wonder how You can know SUCH JOY & how you have such strength
  1. and in that God will be glorified

 

Application for Us :

A) WHAT are we going to do when we find ourselves between

Pi-ha-hiroth / Will we say:

Lord: I'm TRAPPED in this physical condition... you better heal it

Lord: I'm TRAPPED in a SOUR marriage, You better sweeten it

Lord: My business isn't going well, You better prosper it

Lord I don’t want to be TRAPPED !!!!!

B) Or Will we say : Lord I want you to do whatever You want to do so that Pharaoh & all of Egypt will know that You are the Lord

  1. Will we say Lord I wish you would have left me in Egypt / Life was better before I was saved ( Short memories) Bondage the kick backs
  1. When say that we are saying Lord I wish that you would have left me in Bondage to burn in Hell !!!!!

Listen the Lord Knows exactly where you are today – He knows what You are up against & He has you there for a REASON

  1. So often – we do what Israel did – lift our eyes / but not High enough

    2. We see only that which Scares us / Instead Him who loves us !!!!
  2. The Lord says – I have led you into this place to show you who I am !!!

I want to do something that is going to astonish You

  1. what could have been more ATAONISHING THAN PARTING THE RED SEA
  1. Listen do Yourself a favor when God puts you in a trap don’t try to Escape
  1. When He puts you in a Fix – don’t try to fix the fix !!!!
  1. See If You try to fix the fix God is going to put you in another Fix to fix the fix that he Originally put you in to FIX YOU
  1. ( Thinking Eternity) Wants to make us like His Son / Rom.8:29
  1. Some people Run from Fix to Fix / Never Being Fixed – Because they never Stand Still / never stay Put & let God work

 

So we learned six things here today about God & why He leads us into Boxed in Situations

  1. So the next time that you find yourself in that Kind of spot – don’t complain / don’t rebel –
  2. INSTEAD SAY : Lord show me what I can learn about you in this Situation !!!!

Watch How He seeks to TEACH YOU in that Situation : About His

Power – His Ability to do the Astonishing Unthinkable ( Parting Sea)

HIS PROTECTION : He is for You …. Against You

HIS PERSPECTIVE : He sees what You don’t

HIS PLACE: Behind & Before You

HIS PRACTICES : He wants to deal w/ Your Attitudes / He wants to increase Your Faith !!!!

HIS PURPOSE : He wants to be Glorified in Your Life / Your Life to be a Platform !!!

Maybe you are in such a situation / and you have been grumbling & complaining – ( Doubting – getting Depressed – Stop – refocus today

 

Closing: Perhaps You are here today & You are trapped –but You are alone in this one because You don’t Know Christ / walked away!!

  1. You find yourself in trapped in Drugs / Alcohol / or in Bondage to some Kind of Vice
  2. Something that has been caused by your own rebellion /& rejection of Christ & God’s Plan for Your Life
  1. Know this the Bible says that Sin will Snare You / It will Trap You & there is no way out Accept THRU JESUS !!!
  1. When Moses lifted up His Rod – the Peoples attention was Drawn to that Piece of wood – the People wondered what is going to Happen
  1. God said : Watch & see Your Salvation !!!
  1. Jesus was Lifted up on a Piece of wood for you & Me!!! A Wooden cross
  1. Jesus said if I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself !!!
  1. Jesus was lifted up so we could see God’s Means of Salvation!!!

1) Destroy the Power of Satan in Your Life !!!!

 

 

 

 

28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."