WHEN GOD IS MOVING BEHIND THE SCENES

Message Title: When God Is Moving Behind the Scenes

Series Title: Between Egypt and the Sea

Text: Exodus 1:9–2:10

Today, we begin a brand-new series entitled “Between Egypt and the Seas.” It is the story of God bringing His people out of bondage and leading them toward the promise He had prepared for them.

But between Egypt and the Promised Land, there were obstacles they could not overcome, enemies they could not defeat, and moments they could not understand. Yet through every step, God was working—even when they could not see Him.

And that is where many of us live. We’re no longer where we used to be, but we haven’t arrived where God is taking us. We find ourselves somewhere between Egypt and the seas—learning that when we cannot see the way forward, we can still trust the God who is leading the way.

Opening Illustration:  Several years ago, I watched a documentary about crews that move entire houses from one location to another. I had always imagined that moving a house meant simply putting something underneath it, hooking up a truck, and pulling it down the road.

But I discovered that most of the important work happens before the house ever moves.

For days, sometimes weeks, workers crawl underneath the structure where nobody can see them. They disconnect pipes. They separate the house from its foundation. They dig underneath it. They carefully position massive steel beams beneath the floor joists. Then hydraulic jacks are placed at strategic points throughout the structure.  [1]

If you happened to drive by during those first few days, you might think nothing was happening.

The house still looked exactly where it had always been.

The windows hadn't moved.

The doors hadn't moved.

The roofline hadn't changed.

From the street, everything looked the same.

But underneath that house, an entire operation was taking place.

Then comes the moment when the hydraulic system begins to work.

Slowly—sometimes almost imperceptibly—the house begins to rise.

Not because something suddenly started happening, but because something had been happening underneath it all along.

And I thought about how much that resembles the way God sometimes works in our lives.

We look around and say, "Lord, nothing is changing."

The problem is still there.

The pressure is still there.

The enemy is still there.

The circumstances look exactly like they did yesterday.

But just because you cannot see God moving does not mean God is standing still.

Sometimes the greatest work of God is taking place underneath everything you can see.

That is exactly what we discover in Exodus 1 and 2.

Israel could see Pharaoh.

They could see slavery.

They could see taskmasters.

They could see suffering.

They could see Hebrew babies being threatened with death.

But what they could not see was that underneath all of it, God was already positioning the beams.

A mother was being given courage.

A basket was being prepared.

A sister was standing beside a river.

A princess was about to take a walk.

A baby was about to cry at exactly the right moment.

And the future deliverer of Israel was about to be carried directly into Pharaoh's own household.

Israel couldn't see it yet.

Pharaoh certainly couldn't see it.

But God was moving behind the scenes.

And maybe somebody came to church today looking at circumstances that haven't moved an inch.

You've prayed, but the house still looks the same.

You've trusted, but the situation still looks the same.

You've waited, but nothing seems to be changing.

Exodus 1 and 2 reminds us:

Just because nothing appears to be moving doesn't mean God isn't already underneath your situation preparing to lift what you thought could never move.

Life Application: Even when God seems silent, He is actively orchestrating His sovereign plan behind the scenes for our deliverance and His glory.

There are seasons in life when it feels like we are stuck—caught between what was and what will be… between Egypt and the sea. We are not yet delivered, but we are no longer where we used to be. These are confusing moments. Painful moments. Silent moments.

In those times, it is easy to assume that God is absent.

But the truth of Scripture teaches us otherwise.

Long before the Red Sea ever parted, God was already preparing the way. Before Moses ever stretched out his rod, God had already stretched out His providential hand. Before Israel ever walked through on dry ground, God was already working behind the scenes.

Our text in Exodus 1:9–2:10 reveals a powerful truth: when it looks like God is doing nothing, He is actually doing everything.

I. A Hostile Plot (Exodus 1:9–16)

The passage begins with a change in leadership and a shift in attitude. Verse 8 tells us that “there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” Now in verse 9, this Pharaoh looks at the people of Israel and says, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.”

Fear grips his heart. And fear always leads to foolish decisions.

Pharaoh begins to scheme. In verse 10 he says, “Come on, let us deal wisely with them.” But his “wisdom” is really wickedness. He fears that Israel will grow stronger, join their enemies, and escape his control.

So he devises a plan of oppression.

Verse 11 says they set over them taskmasters to afflict them with burdens. The children of Israel are enslaved, beaten down, and burdened. But notice something powerful in verse 12:

“But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.”

Isn’t that just like God?

The enemy tries to suppress, but God causes increase. The world pushes down, but God lifts up. Pharaoh thought he was stopping them, but God was strengthening them.

When oppression didn’t work, Pharaoh escalates his plan. In verse 15–16, he commands the Hebrew midwives to  every male child at birth.

This is not just political pressure—it is demonic opposition. The enemy is trying to destroy the next generation. He is trying to stop God’s plan before it ever unfolds.

But notice verse 17: “But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them.”

Even in a hostile environment, God always has His people.

Even in dark places, God always has a remnant.

Pharaoh plots, but God prevails.

What we see here is a hostile plot—an enemy working against God’s people. But what Pharaoh does not realize is that his plan cannot override God’s purpose.

And friend, the same is true in your life.

You may be facing opposition. You may feel the pressure of circumstances, people, or even spiritual attack. But understand this: no enemy can cancel what God has already ordained.

Behind every hostile plot is a higher plan.

Joke: I read where a man became convinced that one of his coworkers was plotting against him. Every time he walked into the break room, the conversation stopped. Every time he passed somebody in the hallway, they whispered. One afternoon, he saw three coworkers gathered behind a closed door, so he thought, “I knew it! They’re planning something against me!” Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore. He burst through the door and shouted, “All right! I know you’ve been plotting behind my back. Just tell me what you’re planning!” Everybody froze. Then one of them slowly pointed toward the table and said, “Well... we WERE planning your surprise birthday party.” [2]

Application: Sometimes what we think is a plot against us isn't nearly as bad as we imagine.

But Israel didn't have that problem.

When we come to Exodus 1, Pharaoh really was plotting against them.

Exodus 1:9–16 shows us a king who looked at the growing Hebrew population and became afraid. His fear turned into suspicion, his suspicion turned into oppression, and his oppression eventually turned into a plan of death.

Pharaoh had a hostile plot.

But here's what Pharaoh didn't understand:

While Pharaoh was plotting against God's people, God was already working out His plan for God's people.

Pharaoh had a plan—but God had a purpose.

Pharaoh had a strategy—but God was sovereign.

Pharaoh was working in the palace—but God was moving behind the scenes.

And that's something we need to remember when it feels like circumstances, people, or even the enemy are working against us:

No plot formed against God's purpose is greater than the providence of the God who is working behind the scenes.

II. A Hidden Providence (Exodus 2:1–9)

As chapter 2 opens, the focus shifts from a nation to a family. A man and woman from the house of Levi have a child. This child is no ordinary baby—this is Moses, the future deliverer of Israel.

But at this moment, he is just a helpless infant born under a death sentence.

Verse 2 says, “And when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.”

Imagine the tension. Every cry could expose him. Every moment is filled with fear. But it is also filled with faith.

When she can no longer hide him, she does something remarkable. Verse 3 tells us she makes an ark of bulrushes, places the child inside, and lays it in the flags by the river’s brink.

She places him in the Nile—the very place where Hebrew babies were supposed to die.

But what looks like surrender is actually strategy.

She is not giving up her child—she is giving him to God.

Verse 4 tells us that his sister stood afar off to see what would happen. There is anticipation. There is uncertainty. But there is also trust.

Then, in a beautiful display of divine orchestration, verse 5 says, “And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river.”

Out of all the places in Egypt, at just the right moment, Pharaoh’s daughter comes to that very spot.

That is not coincidence—that is providence.

She sees the ark. She sends her maid to fetch it. She opens it. And the baby cries.

And in that moment, compassion overcomes command.

Verse 6 says, “she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.”

Think about this: the very house that ordered his death is now moved to save his life.

God is working behind the scenes.

Then, in another remarkable turn, Moses’ own mother is brought in to nurse him. Verse 9 says Pharaoh’s daughter tells her, “Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.”

She gets her son back. She gets paid to raise him. And she does it under the protection of Pharaoh’s household.

Only God can do that.

This is hidden providence.

No miracles in the sky. No parted seas. No dramatic displays. Just quiet, precise, sovereign movements.

God is aligning people, places, and moments to accomplish His purpose.

And many times, that is how God works in our lives.

We want the spectacular, but God often moves in the subtle.

We look for the obvious, but God operates in the unseen.

While you are worrying, God is weaving.

While you are waiting, God is working.

While you are uncertain, God is unfolding His plan.

Joke: A man was running late for an important appointment and couldn't find a parking space. Finally, he prayed, “Lord, if You'll give me a parking spot, I promise I'll start going to church every Sunday.” Just then, a car pulled out directly in front of him. The man looked toward heaven and said, “Never mind, Lord—I found one!” [3]

Isn't that just like us?

We pray for God to work, and then when something happens, we call it a coincidence!

That's what makes God's providence so remarkable. Providence doesn't always come with thunder, lightning, or a voice from heaven. Sometimes God simply puts the right person in the right place at exactly the right time.

That's what we see in Exodus 2.

A baby is placed in a basket. A princess comes to the river. She discovers the child. His sister happens to be nearby. And Moses' own mother ends up being paid to care for the very child Pharaoh wanted dead.

Someone might look at all of that and say, “What a coincidence!”

But faith looks at it and says, “What a God!”

God's providence is often hidden in ordinary circumstances until we look back and realize He was moving behind the scenes the entire time.

III. A Hopeful Preparation (Exodus 2:10)

Verse 10 brings us to a turning point: “And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses.”

This baby, once marked for death, is now living in the palace.

This child, born in slavery, is now raised in royalty.

This boy, hidden in a basket, is now being prepared for a calling.

His name, Moses, means “drawn out”—because he was drawn out of the water. But one day, he will draw a nation out of bondage.

God is not just preserving Moses—He is preparing him.

Every detail matters. His upbringing in Pharaoh’s house will give him education, influence, and understanding of Egyptian culture. His early years with his mother will give him identity and faith.

God is shaping a deliverer.

And here’s the truth: God’s preparation often happens long before His promotion.

Moses is not ready yet. There are still years ahead—years in the wilderness, years of refining, years of growth. But the process has already begun.

God is laying the foundation.

And when you are between Egypt and the sea, God is doing the same in your life.

You may feel hidden. You may feel overlooked. You may feel like nothing significant is happening.

But God is preparing you.

He is developing your character.

He is deepening your faith.

He is directing your steps.

Because when the moment comes—when the sea is in front of you and the enemy is behind you—you will need everything God has been building in you.

Closing Illustration:  Remember that house we talked about at the beginning?

For days, nothing seemed to move.

Someone standing across the street could have watched those workers and wondered, "Are they ever going to get this thing moved?"

But that person could only see what was happening above ground.

The workers knew what was happening underneath.

And eventually, something remarkable happened.

The house began to rise.

Here's what I want you to take out the door today:

The house didn't begin moving when you could see it moving.

The movement started long before that.

Every beam positioned underneath it was part of the movement.

Every connection that was prepared was part of the movement.

Every jack put into position was part of the movement.

What eventually became visible had been developing invisibly for days.

And when we reach Exodus 2, Moses is not yet standing before Pharaoh saying, "Let my people go."

The Red Sea has not opened.

The plagues have not fallen.

Israel has not been delivered.

From Israel's perspective, the house hasn't moved yet.

But look underneath the story.

Moses has been born.

That's a beam.

His mother refuses to surrender him.

That's a beam.

A basket is prepared.

That's a beam.

The Nile carries him to exactly the right place.

That's a beam.

Pharaoh's daughter finds him.

That's a beam.

Miriam steps forward at exactly the right moment.

That's a beam.

Moses' own mother is paid to nurse the child Pharaoh wanted dead.

That's a beam.

Moses is brought into Pharaoh's house and raised as royalty.

That's another beam.

And all the while, God is quietly positioning everything necessary for the day when the whole situation is going to move.

Pharaoh thought he was controlling the story.

He wasn't.

Egypt thought Israel's future was being destroyed.

It wasn't.

Israel may have wondered whether God had forgotten them.

He hadn't.

God was moving behind the scenes.

And perhaps that is where you are today.

You don't see your Red Sea opening yet.

You don't see Pharaoh defeated yet.

You don't see the prayer answered yet.

You don't see the relationship restored yet.

You don't see the door opening yet.

You don't see how God is going to work this situation for good.

But don't confuse "I can't see anything happening" with "God isn't doing anything."

There may already be beams underneath your situation that you know nothing about.

There may already be conversations taking place that you haven't heard.

There may already be people God is positioning that you haven't met.

There may already be doors God is preparing that haven't opened.

There may already be circumstances God is arranging that don't make sense yet.

Because our God does some of His greatest work where nobody can see it.

So when you cannot see His hand, trust His heart.

When you cannot trace His movement, trust His providence.

When heaven seems silent, keep believing.

When nothing appears to be changing, keep praying.

When the house still looks exactly where it was yesterday, keep trusting.

Because one day you may look around and suddenly realize:

It's moving.

And when it does, you'll discover that God didn't just start working that morning.

He had been underneath it all along.

That's the message of Moses in the basket.

That's the message of Exodus 1 and 2.

And maybe that's God's message for somebody today:

You may not see what God is doing—but you can trust that God is moving behind the scenes.

This passage does not end with a miracle at the Red Sea. It ends with a baby in a palace.

But make no mistake—that baby is the beginning of the miracle.

Because when God is moving behind the scenes, He is setting the stage for something greater than you can see.

Pharaoh plotted, but God prevailed.

A mother trusted, and God provided.

A child was preserved, and God prepared.

And the same God who worked then is still working now.

You may be in a season where nothing makes sense.

You may feel stuck between Egypt and the sea.

You may wonder if God has forgotten you.

But He hasn’t.

He is working in ways you cannot see.

He is arranging what you cannot control.

He is preparing what you cannot yet understand.

So don’t lose heart.

Because when God is moving behind the scenes…

the story is not over—it's just getting started.

Illustration References:

[1] This Old House, “Nashville Brick Cottage | Moving Day,” Season 46, Episode 2, PBS, June 19, 2025.

[2] Shane Lawson, Sermon Archives, unpublished sermon and teaching notes.

[3] Shane Lawson, Sermon Archives, unpublished sermon and teaching notes.