31st May 2024

31st May 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 13:17-14:14 focus 14:1-14)


Message (Alan Burke)


While the Israelites had went out with their heads held high after leaving Egypt but the looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them. You can imagine the scene, the pillar of cloud and fire ever before them, the Lord was visibly with them but off in the distance they see the sand rise, before they hear a noise, and soon they see the fighting force come towards them, like the locusts coming for the crops in Egypt, this would have been a frightful sight. We are given some of the details of the force that Pharaoh took, six hundred of the best chariots along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over them all. In a sense this doesn’t sound like a big number, after all what are we talking about here, 600 of the best chariots, well on the back you’d have the horse man and a couple of archers, often with javelins and spears as well. But there were many others too, the 600 was like the elite fighting force, sending the SAS into a battle against untrained civilians in Jackal reconnaissance vehicles like the British Army have, that are fast, agile, have a weapons platform and have 360 degree sweep of fire. There were other chariots and troops on foot. 


The Lord was putting his people effectively in harms way, they were going through the valley of the shadow of death’s they were being put in a situation that their backs were against the wall and, or rather their backs were against the sea, the Lord was making it so his people were hemmed in. But the Lord knew what he was doing, his way is best, he hadn’t left his people, he was still with them and he was using them for his glory, he was bringing glory to himself in all that was unfolding. What comes next though is a sad reflection of the spiritual health of the Israelites, because yes they cried out to the Lord but they turn on Moses, v11 ““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?”. 


The Lord was with them, in the pillar of cloud and fire and they are so overwhelmed by their fear of man that they allowed to see their present situation seem bigger than God, to them what they faced seemed bigger than God. They should have known and been secure that the Lord was with them but the first sign of trouble they would prefer to go back to their slavery than trust in the Lord and suffer for him. To them life was easier before God came along and now it seemed that God wasn’t living up to what they expected of him, they were freed but God wasn’t doing them any favours so they start their gurning after all the Lord had done. 


In a sense this is exactly where God wanted his people, to have their backs against the sea, with no where to go, so that they would learn once and for all that this was his salvation, the salvation that he brought them, that he would deliver them once more. In all of this their salvation was a gift from God, from beginning to end there was nothing that the Israelites contributed to their salvation and likewise there is nothing that we contribute to our salvation. What we need to do in the midst of what we face seems bigger than God is to know that his way is the best way, he never leaves us, he brings himself glory in us and delivers us from the punishment that is due to us for our sin through Jesus Christ.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q53 Which is the third commandment?
The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Exod. 20:7)