Following Our Leader

Just this past week, we have been hit with unexpected news…from our point of view. But nothing surprises God. He is infinitely amazing and endlessly fascinating—altogether unique. He is the LORD God of Israel, the God who hears, listening to the cries of the oppressed. He is the God who speaks, revealing His word to His servants. He is the God who acts, judging His enemies with plagues and rescuing His friends from bondage. The LORD God is the one who ought to command our full attention, the God of our salvation and the God who will guide us to our heavenly home. He knows the way for each of us, the path that we are to walk on as we follow Him because...

1. God always knows which way is best:

Exodus 13:17-18

“had let … go” — “let loose”

God (Elohim) did not lead

by the way of the land of the Philistines = Egypt called it ‘the way of Horus;’ it is the road going by the sea leading to the land of the Philistines — also known as the Via Maris.

This route is a shorter trip to Canaan, but

It also was a regular military route of Egypt, with fortresses and watchtowers.

God (Elohim) said…

In these words we see His insight into the people of Israel that forebodes evil and failure. God knows His people and because of His knowledge, He will choose the best direction for them to take.

“might change their minds” = “regret their decision” when they see war (fighting) and return to Egypt (that is, the results of regretting their decision). The Egyptians would have engaged Israel in battle had they gone that way.

“… God led (“turned”) the people around...” the evidence of divine guidance.

“by the way of the wilderness”

This way was apparently known to the ancients, but it cannot be pinpointed by us today.

This route was the best route to test and develop their character and their morale; of which there are examples:

Exodus 15:25 NASB95

Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.

Exodus 16:4 NASB95

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

“to the Red Sea...”

“yam sup” mistranslated as Red Sea, but the translation “Sea of Reeds” may not be right either...

It has also been translated as “sea at the end,” suggesting that “sup” originated from a Hebrew root meaning “end.” We will look at this more in a future message.

“in martial array” does not mean the marched in line; it just means they traveled in an orderly manner.

2. God is always faithful to help His people:

Exodus 13:19

“Moses took the bones of Joseph with him ...” This was a faithful act by Moses toward Joseph, fulfilling the pledge the sons of Israel made with Joseph.

Genesis 50:24–26 NASB95

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.” So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Joseph prophesied that God would bring the people out of Egypt…God never forgets His covenant. Joseph believed God was faithful.

Hebrews 11:22 NASB95

By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

The removal of the mummified remains of Joseph to Canaan is a witness to the promises that God made to take the people out of Egypt.

God did not let Israel die in Egypt. Israel could trust God to be faithful to His covenant promises. Joseph was to receive the promise of being buried not in the Land of Tombs (Egypt) but in the land God had promised the patriarchs. He would experience the Exodus postmortem by the providence of God.

3. God is always present to guide His people:

Exodus 13:20-22

The details in verse 20 point out that we are talking about a historical event/source in the eyes of the writer of Exodus. With the changes over 3,500 years in this area and with the building and remodeling of the Suez Canal, there is not much certainty about where some of these named places are today—not so then! Having said this,

Succoth is thought to be Egyptian Tjeku, quite likely located NE of the Bitter Lakes, E of Pithom and about one day’s journey SW of Rameses, the location of the royal palace.

Etham has not been located, though it is described as “on the edge of the wilderness (desert)” in verse 20 and also in Numbers 33:7.

The goal was not just to get out of Egypt; they were to go into the wilderness. Now they are camped at the edge of this generation’s comfort zone, soon to take a giant leap into the unknown (for them). But they are not going by themselves...

“The LORD was going before them...” The LORD shows Himself as lord of both day and night. His presence before, at the head of the hosts of Israel. All this was unprecedented in human history...

Deuteronomy 4:32–34 NASB95

“Indeed, ask now concerning the former days which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and inquire from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything been done like this great thing, or has anything been heard like it? “Has any people heard the voice of God speaking from the midst of the fire, as you have heard it, and survived? “Or has a god tried to go to take for himself a nation from within another nation by trials, by signs and wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm and by great terrors, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

His presence in two clear manifestations of the natural world is astounding. Some call it a natural phenomenon…that lasted forty years? God Himself is somehow present in the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire; a clear theophany in which the LORD clothed Himself to protect His people from His glory.

Some wonder if Egypt ever saw this? Here Moses may be revealing what the eye of faith sees. We do know from Scripture that the Egyptians saw Israel fleeing and recognized that the LORD was present in the battle on Israel’s behalf.

In all that the LORD is doing, He is displaying His glory before the sons of Israel, Egypt and the world.

Summary: God’s grand purpose in everything He does is to display His glory:

Exodus 14:1-4

“Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying...” For Moses, the LORD is making His guidance and strategy more explicit. There is a reason for everything God does; however, He does not reveal why He does everything He does. He does not ask for our council. In directing Moses, the LORD also knew of Israel’s ability to remain steadfast…not so much.

“Tell [them] to turn back..camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea…in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea.”

We would have known where Israel traveled if we could locate these places; however progress is being made...

Pi-hahiroth = house of Hathor, but better translation, “mouth of the canal,” which may indicate the mouth of the canal from Pithom to the Red Sea

Migdol = tower or fortress; could be a real fortress, or a name of a prominent hill/mountain overlooking the campsite, where movement could easily be seen.

Baal-zephon = lord of the north; considered by some a high place for Baal worship among the mountain range on the N. side of the sea. Baal-zephon is mentioned in Ugaritic, Egyptian, and Phoenician writings as a sea and storm god. Some scholars have suggested this may have encouraged Pharaoh to go after Israel because “the lord of the north” has blocked their way!

From the standpoint of military strategy, this detour God told the Israelites to take was sheer lunacy. They were there, the wilderness and freedom just ahead then they are ordered by God to turn around, go back, camp between the desert and the sea.

Here they were told to turn around, go back and camp between the desert and the sea. Where they have ended up has made them completely vulnerable. They are hemmed in (v. 3).

But do not forget…the LORD Himself has led them here for a purpose: for His glory!

The LORD demonstrates His glory and ability to care for His people in ways to teach them to trust Him, so they may endure their arduous travel in the wilderness to the promised land.

We will see that the LORD will deliver and rescue His people from Pharaoh, the water of the sea, the wilderness…and themselves.

The LORD is in control; He who knows the hearts of the sons of Israel also knows the heart of Pharaoh and what he intends to do, the Lord will strengthen his resolve to do so (“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart”). It is then that the LORD will deliver now with power and might: (vs. 4) “I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”