Fleeing With a Purpose
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Fleeing With A Purpose
Fleeing With A Purpose
17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
God was leading the nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage
Purpose was to strengthen the nations trust and dependence on God.
unseen hand of God
My wife, Bonnie, our four children, and I had just moved into a new home in Elkhart, Indiana. My “to do” list was long, and I was busy serving the Lord as a Christian school superintendent.
On my list of things to do was to nail shut the spring-loaded trapdoor to a laundry chute. The trapdoor was set in the floor of the bathroom near our children’s bedrooms. One morning, Bonnie was busy in that bathroom helping our older children get ready for school.
Aubrey, our youngest daughter, was crawling on the bathroom floor. Suddenly my wife heard the sound of the trapdoor snapping shut. Aubrey was gone … and in an instant Bonnie realized what had happened. Aubrey had fallen headfirst down the laundry chute to the concrete floored basement below. Fearing the worst, Bonnie raced down the stairs.
So for the rest of the story: Bonnie raced downstairs; sure enough, Aubrey had fallen headfirst to the basement below.
With tear-filled eyes, Bonnie discovered that the unseen hand of God had moved a basket of laundry directly beneath the chute. Bonnie found Aubrey with her head buried in the basket of clothes and her legs racing wildly above her head. As Bonnie picked her up in her arms, Aubrey smiled at her with an expression that seemed to communicate, “That was fun, Mommy. Let’s do it again!”
The nation of Israel would go the long way around
They would be forced to step into the water and cross the red sea
They would get water from a rock
They would get manna from the sky
Meat for the air would drop into their lives
Their shoes would not wear out
But it would not be a easy trip - But God had a purpose in it all
In his book The Joy of Fearing God, Jerry Bridges defines God’s providence as “His constant care for and His absolute rule over all His creation, directing all things to their appointed end for His own glory.… and for the good of His people” (92). The familiar Westminster Shorter Catechism states that the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. We glorify God when we ascribe to Him the worship He alone is worthy to receive and when we display His attributes in our lives for others to see.
God is the Creator, and we are mere creatures. He is the Potter, and we are the clay. We have been designed on purpose for a purpose, and ultimately that purpose is to glorify God in every area of our lives ().
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1 cor 10.31
One of the scriptural principles that helps me as a follower of Christ keep things in proper perspective is to realize that God owns everything and that I am His steward (). As a steward of God’s possessions, I have been given the charge to hold His possessions in trust for Him. This trust that has been given to me by God includes all the things I manage for my Master, but I believe the principle goes much deeper than that. My relationships in life are also a sacred trust.
They fled with booty :
36 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
exodus 12.
They just experienced the plagues:
Plague 1 — water turned into blood; fish died. ...
Plague 2 — frogs. ...
Plagues 3 and 4 — biting insects and wild animals. ...
Plagues 5 and 6 — livestock disease and boils. ...
Plague 7 — fiery hail. ...
Plague 8 — locusts. ...
Plague 9 — darkness. ...
Plague 10 — death of the firstborn.
No they are fleeing
At times it did not make since
At times it appeared they were going the wrong way
At times the timing must be off
But in the end looking back God had a plan that can be looked at later at see His hand in all of it.
Illustration - my background, my trials, my job etc....
I Fleeing the Enemy
I Fleeing the Enemy
17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
ex 17.
17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
The shortest route to the land of Caanan was through the territory of the Philistines in the direction of Beersheba and the Negeb. It led along the Mediterranean Sea, the military road of the Egyptians. But the route chosen by God was southeastward toward the Sinai to avoid possible military confrontations with Egyptian guards who might encourage the people to return to Egypt[1]
insert map here
God knew the Philistines would trouble them and to avoid the shortest route.
They might be frightened and flee back to Egypt.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Illustration here
There were two reasons why God did not lead the Israelites directly to Canaan.
One is stated directly and the other is implied.
First, the Israelites had just come out of slavery, and they were not prepared for warfare. The shortest way for them to get to the Promised Land of Canaan was up the seacoast.
The Israelites coming out of Egyptian slavery had no weapons to fight with.
So for the most part, God graciously delayed the fight and took them through the wilderness.
It was a longer route, but they would not have to face an enemy (except against the Amalekites in 17:8-13), until they entered Canaan under Joshua. It took them forty years to get through the wilderness into Canaan, but by then they would have an army and be equipped to fight.
Secondly, God had much to teach them before He would have them enter the Land to stand before the nations of the world as His particular treasure, a model for other nations.
Israel would eventually become the channel through which His blessing would flow out to the entire world.
If they were to fulfill their calling, it would take time for the LORD to reveal His will to them and for them to get to know Him.
They were to sit at God’s feet, listen to His instruction, and understand His plan and His methods for accomplishing that plan.
Above all, they had to learn how He wanted them to conduct themselves toward God and man.
They had to be willing to obey His commands. God needed to spend time with them to teach them and the long wilder-ness journey afforded it.247
II Fulfilling the Promise
II Fulfilling the Promise
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
ex 13.
It is significant that the move forward out of Egypt does not commence without a look backward because Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. God had told Joseph that his descendants would leave Egypt and return to Canaan ().
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
gen 15.23
This was an encouragement that you will return to Canaan.
Take Joseph’s Bones is going to happen....
By taking Joseph’s bones it was telling all those following that we plan on making itto safety in Canaan.
God said so ...
Before he died, Joseph said: God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place (13:19).
Therefore, Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath (). They would carry his bones around for the next forty years until they finally entered Canaan.
Promises fulfilled - what an encouragement
You are going to make it ......
III Following the Cloud
III Following the Cloud
20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
exodus 13.
God leads
The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night guided the Israelites during their exodus from Egyptian bondage.
This allowed them to travel by day and by night. explains that God gave them the pillar of cloud by day to lead them in the way He wanted them to go and the pillar of fire by night to give light.
The pillar was not just symbolism but a real phenomenon.
We have no way of knowing how God made the pillar, but it was obviously a miraculous event that God used to lead them for their forty years in the wilderness. During the day the pillar guided their journey. During the night it gave light and, no doubt, comfort.
In addition to guidance for the Hebrews, the pillar was a testimony to other nations concerning God’s involvement with and protection of His people Israel.
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
In God troubled the Egyptians through the cloud, a
14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
In God troubled the Egyptians through the cloud, and Moses used this in in his plea to God to not destroy the Hebrews because of their sin. God’s provision of the pillar was remembered in the prayer of the Jewish leaders in as an instance of God’s care and provision for His people.
God’s provision of the pillar was remembered in the prayer of the Jewish leaders in as an instance of God’s care and provision for His people.
says, “Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
The pillar is a picture of God’s faithfulness and a lesson to us that God never leaves nor forsakes His people.
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Guidance and protection
Just like a child needs protection we are comforted by the guidance of the Lord ...
Do you follow God even thought you do not see the ultimate purpose?
Do you see His hand by sending you the long way?
