5th June 2024

5th June 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 14:15-31 focus v21-25)


Message (Alan Burke)


The Lord was at work in the Exodus for his own glory. His people in the midst of it though I doubt understood that and the passage makes it clear that they didn’t see it like that but the Lord was at work in all that was unfolding for his glory. He was with them in the pillar of cloud and fire, his presence never left his people. Moses does what he was commanded by the Lord, stretches out his hand over the sea and the Lord drove back the sea with a strong east wind. There is nothing here to suggest anything other than a miracle of the Lord God as he maintains walls of water on either side of the escape route. 


The Israelites walked through the red see with walls of water, they would have been able to see the fish through the water, the light from the pillar of cloud shining forth. The Israelites crossed the red sea to escape from the Egyptians, looking back, looking forward, hearing the people, the noise, seeing the fish even travel along side you as they went, this was like nothing that has been seen since and the Lord was with them in the midst of it all. The Israelites moved forward through the sea and the pillar of cloud and fire was at their rear, the Lord gave light to his people and darkness to the Egyptians who pursued. Although why would they pursue, after all they had seen the plagues first hand and these walls off water along with the cloud of darkness where you couldn’t even see the enemy you were pursuing I’d be a deserter, I’d be shooting myself in the foot so I couldn’t walk but then again the problem with sin is just how deceptive it is. 


Sin is such that things that might be very clear for us to see those who find themselves in the midst of it can’t see what they are doing, the danger, the danger that it brings. For all of us sin is deceptive, the baby lion might look lovely when it is little, but when it grows up it’s is still a lion and would eat you for breakfast given half the chance. Sin is so deceptive, it likes you to think it’s ok but when it can destroy you in an instant. 


They Egyptians pursue them but by the last watch of the night somewhere between 2am and 6am the Lord brings his judgement upon the Egyptians. First comes confusion, then the wheels come of the chariots, they were stuck at the bottom of the Red Sea with walls of water on either side, unable to go forward, unable to go back. They finally realise what has been happening all along, as they say v25 “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”


The Lord was Saviour to his people and Judge to the Egyptians, The Lord Is Saviour And The Lord Is Judge. This is one of those things that we all need to hear, know and understand. The Lord is saviour and the Lord is judge. We will either know the Lord as our saviour as the Israelites that day knew him or you will know him as your judge, there is no middle ground, we are either one of his people or we are among his enemies. What is necessary is faith in his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, to escape the judgement that comes, let us look to him and how he has redeemed us not from slavery to Egyptian masters but sin which is so deceptive. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q57 Which is the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it.
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