Back of the Desert Part 1

Exodus 3:1-12

Prayer

Message

Wouldn’t it be awesome that life was always easy peezy? Unfortunately, life has its valleys. There are times that life can be like a vacuum and it sucks life out of you.

King David in the 23rd Psalm of verse 4 describes life as “walking through the valley of the shadow of death.”

Could your life be described as a desert? You feel physically, mentally, and spiritual parched? Maybe the feeling is loneliness?

We read of a situation in God’s Word today that was worse than that, the person was at the “back of the desert” when the Lord met him.

Jane and I watched a movie last night on Hulu called “Artic.”

The difficulty, the emotion, the isolation of atttempting to survive under such harsh conditions.

To be on a desert by one’s self is tough, but to be at the back of the desert is the most extreme of isolation, loneliness and despair.

We will look at a man, we will study a nation of people today that felt they were at the back of the desert. The situation looked hopeless. But may I offer you hope? God is in the back of deserts in your journey. He is in every nook and cranny of this life and is totally aware of your estate. We will discover that today.

Turn in your Bibles this morning to Exodus 3:1-12.

Exodus 3:1–12 NKJV

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Prayer

Message

People make this statement all the time; “who would have ever thought my life would have turned out this way?” Isn’t it interesting the turn of events that come about in life? Who would have ever imagined the lasting affect of COVID, not on a nation, but the world.

Each one here today could say I never fully anticipated life turning out this way. The truth is that our own personal pilgrimages change constantly.

I have quoted this phrase many times, but by God’s great mercy this is not a true statement.

The one constant in life is change. Thank our precious Savior that is not a true statement. There are two constants in life. Change and Christ. He is always with us. Amen?

Through the changes we experience in life, we can rely on the Lord. Amen,

From Exodus Chapter 1, the people of Israel experienced great change. Joseph, God’s sent him providentially through a down turn of events in Joseph’s life, God made him a deliverer during times of famine for the people of Israel.

Genesis 50:20 “20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”

Joseph’s life reminds us that we never fully understand what God’s ultimate plan is for us. Listen church, its not over until its over.

Joseph rose to the number two leader in Egypt under Pharoah. The Pharoah that served during the time of Joseph’s period served the people of Israel with fairness. The Israelites enjoyed a good life, they were provided for, their needs were being met and they were happy under the circumstances.

Joseph died and things began to change. A new Pharoah came into leadership and he was concerned over the size that Israel had grown to. He was fearful of a takeover.

Scriptures states:

Exodus 1:7-11 “But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.”

Pharoah instructed the midwives to kill the male babies being born to gain some controls on the population increase among the Israelites. But God prevailed and the midwives did not follow the orders and the midwives were spared, God provided for them and they “were provided households” to retreat. God spared Israel and God spared the midwives.

The story is not over.

Exodus 1:22 “22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.””

Chapter 1 is a macro story of the overall condition of Israel. Chapter 2 drills down on a baby by the name of Moses. Moses, on both sides of his linage was a true Israelite born of the Levites.

At three month’s old, Moses was placed in the Nile river and he floated down and hung up in the bulrushes along the Nile in an ark that was made for him to float in. Interesting that it was an ark. Pharaoh's daughter discovered the child. Moses’ sister and even though she is not named, we can assume Miriam, was on the scene and asked Pharaoh's daughter if she wanted the baby to be nursed by her biological mother. God’s hand is at work at every turn.

You know the rest of the story. Moses was raised and grew up as an Egyptian prince in line for the throne of Pharoah over all Egypt.

Read along with me In Exodus 2:11-14 “11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?” 14 Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!””

God was providentially at work at each stage in the life of Moses.

Blood is thick and Moses stood and had feelings for his fellow Israelites. Moses never forgot from where he came. Now, he was adapted by Pharaoh's daughter at a very young age. How did he remember his people?

I want to think that when Moses looked upon the scene of an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, he must have asked the question, “Lord, why am I here? Lord, why this turn of events in my life?

In defense of the Hebrew, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Moses thought as he looked both ways and thought no one saw him, but others saw him, most importantly, God saw Him. His actions became known and he feared that Pharoah would kill him and he fled to Midian. This is where our story takes up today.

God is in the Remote Confines of your Life VV. 1-3

Exodus 3:1-3 “1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.””

I want to ask you the question again. Do you ever ask God, “why has my life turned out like this?” How in the world did this turn of events happen? God I know by my upbringing and the teachings of your Word that you do not make mistakes, but I sure have. Lord, are you sure you know what you are doing in my life? Be honest this morning. Be brutally honest. Have you ever hit such a low ebb? Maybe you are there right now.

To appreciate where Moses is in this scene you must understand where he was. Yes, I have to imagine that Moses asked the question on more than one occasion, how in the world did I end up raised as an Egyptian? Joseph must have asked that same question numerous times. But God, yes I lived among pagans, but you were gracious and provided me a great life. I was educated. I was handsome. I was strong and mighty. I flourished with every want I ever needed. I enjoyed everything this life offers. Why am I here now?

I am eighty years old. I have traveled not days, but months to find grass for these dirty old sheep and they are not even my sheep. I was a prince and now I am a pauper. I am working as a hired hand and at one time I was over 100’s if not 1000’s of people. I enjoyed people waiting on me at my beckoned call.

Egypt was the strongest world power of the day and the future role of Pharoah was the highest potentate in the land. Egypt had extreme prejudices against shepherds. An Egyptian’s worst dream would be to have to fulfill the role of shepherd and here Moses finds himself sustaining livelihood by being a shepherd.

I do not in anyway want to insinuate that God was totally merciless in Moses’ life. The Lord guided him to Midian. He married into a godly family. His father in law, Jethro was a Midianite priest. He was blessed with a family and children, but you have to think that Moses wondered why at eighty years of age that he was still grinding out a living for another man’s estate.

Remember something very important. When God goes to work in your life, He is working for something beyond yourself. Our aim is to find where He is at work.

Church listen, when God begins to work in your life and bless you, you are not to hoard those blessings of life, but share those with the world. God has something bigger at stake.

Well, as the story goes, Moses came upon the Mountain of God, Horeb. And he witnessed a bush burning. Moses understood bushes burning because he had only burned 100’s to stay warm each and every night. A desert can be hot in the day, but can be extremely cold at night. Let’s think of this bush as a tumbleweed that would normally be consumed with fire in less than seconds.

I truly believe that the angel of God intervened in the life of Moses on one of the coldest nights in his life. The coldness, the stillness, the soberness of the reality of where his life was at that moment.

Brother Luke, you are drilling down on the life of Moses when the story is about a people and their God. When God begins to work in your life and you desire that He bring change to your life, note it will be for His good and the greater good of others.

“the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush.” Read this very closely, what I am getting ready to share is paramount to you understanding the sovereignty of God vs. free will. You cannot read the first part of the scripture without reading the whole scripture.

Exodus 3:2-3 “2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.””

God loves you. God desires to bring change in your life. God will woo and even coerce you into following His will for your life, but He will not force His will on you. God knew that Moses had common sense. He knew that Moses was perceptive of his surroundings, but God did not force the encounter.

Notice that the text states that “I will turn aside and see.”

The reason many times we do not find change in the Lord is we do not heed His voice, we do not respond to His signals, we do not respond to the Angels of God in our lives that share a word from Him. Dearly beloved, do not ever let it be said that my life is not be guided by God when you do not heed the voice of God when He speaks.

When studying the Hebrew form of the “angel of the Lord”, there is a great discovery. We know the word angel is Malak and we know Lord to be Yahweh. Angel usually meaning a messenger, but in this case the scene is a theophany, a representation of God.

Let’s be very clear here in understanding that Moses had an encounter with God Himself. Why is this important to understand? Moses was not encountering someone with super human powers, He was not dealing with the greatest of humanity, but He was in direct confrontation of deity.

I believe we are guilty so many times and maybe, because of the humanity of Jesus, He was God and man, but we see Him in His humility, we forget He is God. When you think that the place you find yourself is surmountable, not to be overcome, it may be because you think there is no superhuman capacity going to overcome your dilemma. Dearly beloved, we are talking about God. God is deity. He is not limited by space, He is not limited by time, He is not limited by power, He is not limited by Knowledge. God is unlimited, unchanging, He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, Holy, righteous and a loving and aware God to your place in this life right now.

God is Resilient in Bringing Change to your Life VV. 4-11

The Lord called Moses by name. He called His name twice. He called with emphasis. There was an explanation mark on the end of His name. When God calls you from the depths of despair, you will know He is calling.

You might ask the question. How does the change begin? What are my first steps to bring about the change God wants to do in my life? How do I get off on the right foot?

Moses said, “Here I am.”

What better way for Moses to have responded? Interesting the response Moses chose to state.

“Here I am”. Later in a few verses, Moses asked God His name and God stated, “I am.”

How do we begin to allow God to make change? Respond by saying, Here God. I am here and accounted for. I am going to succumb to Your will. I can’t do this in my power, but your power in me, by your grace, I will follow you.

Moses began by “turning aside to look”. Moses bodily change of direction is symbolic of the change of direction we must be willing to take to follow the Lord. We call that word “repentance”.

Exodus 3:5 “5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.””

We learn visually the great separation of a holy God and sinful man in this scene. Holy God will not enter into a relationship with sinful man unless something happens.

“take your sandals off, you are entering holy ground.”

Firstly, we are entering the abode of God. To come into His presence, His house, we are His guest and we must approach His being in the hospitable way. Eastern culture calls for taking your shoes off at the door. When we enter someone’s home that we take our shoes off it means we are comfortable, we are intimate and transparent, and we are to be trusted.

Furthermore, the taking off the shoes is a peeling back. You are on holy ground. A heathen style of living does not find home to holiness. They do not mix. They do not coagulate.

God is holy and He will have no part with sin. Dearly beloved, Christ is that scapegoat of coming clean before a holy God. Christ died as your ransom. He was the atonement for your sins. His blood on Calvary’s cross washed away your sin and made you holy and righteous before a holy God.

A beginning place with God is to come clean. You must admit that your life you find yourself in right now, at the back of the desert, in despair is that God, I love you. Thank you for pursuing a love relationship with me. Thank you for finding me today in a desert. Lord, I want to begin by confessing that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. Lord, I want to heed Your will for my life. I want to begin by coming clean in holiness in Your Son Jesus that can bring me into right relationship with you. Oh Lord, I want to say unequivocally this morning, Here I am.

Let’s pray.

God’s Reward is Conforming to His Will and seeing Change take Place V. 12