Reminders on Trusting God in Unfamiliar Times

Unfamiliarity and uncertainty. Moving to Georgia. Change in education or work. Retirement.

The people of Israel have had quite a journey throughout the book of Exodus. Yet, where they are to this point is

It is important that there is an end game here. The people of God know that the Lord has promised them a place of their own someday.

Read Exodus 23:20-33

The Lord Provides Protection in Uncertainty (v. 20)

As I’ve stated in the introduction, the people of God are about to find themselves in uncharted territory. At every step, the Lord has provided them victory for them in an area where they would not have been able to escape otherwise. They were delivered from slavery by the Lord. They have survived the wilderness and hunger by the hand of the Lord. They have been given a means to conquer moral issues and instruction on how to conduct themselves by the power of God. But now, they will soon face battle at the hands of mortal enemies.

In all of these areas, in slavery, the wilderness, and faced with their own unrighteousness, they have been provided for. Now, staring down the barrel of opposing armies, the Lord tells them through Moses that He will once again provide for them by way of an angel who will guard them to the place that they have been promised. This physical protection from physical force has not been an area of need up to this point but the people will not be blindsided.

While we typically assume some sort of heavenly being when we read the word angel, it is important to keep in mind that the word here for angel simply implies some sort of messenger. There are some scholars who would go as far as to say that this is a reference to either Moses or Aaron. Regardless, we learn here that the Lord is sending an angel ahead of the people of Israel with the intention of clearing the way to the promised land.

The next reminder has to do with what that angel will instruct them to do.

Careful Attention and Obedience to God’s Instruction is Vital (v. 21-22)

As is always the case, when the Lord provides instructions to His people it should be obeyed. But there is a process outlined in these two verses that we all ought to follow.

It begins with paying careful attention to this messenger and His voice. This means we need to place a certain trust in the voices that God has placed in our lives. We need to know for certain that they are representatives of the Almighty and not someone that desires to lead us astray. From there, it is vital that we not only pay close attention to the instruction that is given to us but also that we obey what it is that we have heard from the Lord.

Our obedience will be a strength for us as we strive not to take on an attitude of rebellion against the Lord. We will cling to Him and love His instruction.

And with obedience comes the protection introduced in verse 20: the almighty God of the universe will be an enemy to those who are enemies of His people. He will torment those who oppose His covenant people. Praise God that we have Him on our side rather than against us!

The next reminder that we are in need of in times of unfamiliarity is that

The Power of the Lord Encounters all that Poses Opposition to Our Devotion to God (v. 23, 31)

Verse 23 tells us that the Lord will blot out the Amorites and Hittites and Perizzites and Canaanites and Hivites and Jebusites. But the idea of “blot out” is not one of utter destruction as we might think. Yes, the people of Israel do defeat them but the idea is more that He will make them disappear. The battle is simple enough that it is as though the armies are not even present.

The Lord goes on to describe a specific area of land that all of those who were inhabiting in this time would be cleared out so that the people might dwell there unhindered.

We get so stuck in the moment that we fail to remember that the Lord is already clearing the way for us as we journey through this life. The will of God is not just in the moment. It is already working in time to accomplish what the Lord would have to take place. This is certainly in His power and He works against all of those who desire that we would fail to serve Him.

However, engaging with enemies has its dangers beyond just physical safety.

Engaging with Enemies Brings the Temptation to Engage in Their Wicked Actions (v. 24, 32-33)

One significant theme here and throughout the Old Testament has much to do with engaging those who do not believe in God. There are warnings in this reminder here in verse 24 as well as verses 32 and 33 that Israel is not to bow down to the gods of these people. The latter verses are extreme enough to discourage allowing them to live in the land of Israel out of caution that they might cause them to sin.

As we live in a time where the Lord has called us to live amongst those who do not believe, how do we reconcile this truth? We must be aware of the temptation to worship the gods of culture. We must avoid these habits and the temptation to serve their gods. Other wise, the Lord will not pardon our transgression, as explained in verse 21.

We must instead, cling to the Lord and hold His ways above the ways of all others. The promise is still true that He will overtake these nations and defeat them. Yet, the truth remains that they should remain at an arms distance. The next point highlights what ought to take place instead of giving in to what the enemies of God are doing.

Next,

Service to God Brings Many Benefits (v. 25-26)

That’s right, we must throw our entire beings into serving the Lord. I won’t touch long on what service to the Lord looks like because you know it deep inside of you. You know what faithful service to God looks like whether or not you are doing it.

Instead, I want to highlight the blessings that come from serving Him. He will bless the bread and water. He will heal any ailments of the people in Israel. He will establish them in number by having care of those who are pregnant. The number of their days will be fulfilled. In other words, long lives of service will be lived out if we will simply serve Him with everything that we’ve got.

This seems to be a simple task but if it was, more people would faithfully serve Him!

We’ve understood that the Lord will defeat His enemies. But how?

The Methods By Which God Uses to Defeat His Enemies Vary (v. 27-28)

The Lord uses all sorts of methods to defeat these peoples. For instance, He uses plagues of many sorts to defeat the people of Egypt. (Blood into water, hail, boils, livestock, frogs, etc.)

The methods that are mentioned here are just a few but in some cases He will stir up confusion in their midst so that they never see the attack coming. In other cases, He says that hornets will be sent their way that will drive them out of the land. We must remember that the power of God knows no bounds! He can confuse them, kill their children, or use the insects of the land to accomplish His purposes.

Finally, we see

God’s Timing is Calculated (v. 29-30)

We are an impatient people. We are even more impatient when we face uncertain times. In the cases described in these passages, the Lord has determined when and how these people will be driven out for the Good of His people. There is a reason why God gives victory when He does.

Do you trust in His timing? Do you trust that He will provide for us, His people?

If you are facing uncertain times today, it is my prayer that these reminders will bring you to a point of peace.

Are you trusting that God is going to provide in the unfamiliar circumstance you find yourself in?