Move Land and Sea

Introduction

I would move Heaven and Earth for you

The psalmist was reenacting for his audience the well-known story of the exodus, reminding the people of supernatural events by giving nature personal reactions.

The LORD moves heaven and earth when he forms his people.

Want to make sure we are ready to read this Psalm about the Exodus before we read it!

Old Testament emphasis on the Exodus

What are your favorite songs about redemption?

When I survey the Wondrous Cross.

Great emphasis on the Cross

Tell me if you recognize these song.

The Song of the Sea

Exodus 15:1-18 “1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 2 The Lord is my strength and song, And he is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; My father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. 5 The depths have covered them: They sank into the bottom as a stone. 6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. 7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: Thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

Miriam’s Song

Exodus 15:20–21 (KJV 1900)

20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Much attention is given to the Exodus

Between Abraham and the cross is 2000 of God teaching us and preparing us to understand

Study of this time in history helps enable us to grasp most fully the meaning of the incarnation of God's Son, his substitutionary atonement, and justification by faith apart from works of the law.

The events of Israel's history are treated as types or examples to help us grasp and follow the way of salvation 1 Cor 10:6 “6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” Romans 15:4 “4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

God always had a view of the world even in His dealings with Israel. Romans 3:19 “19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law (Jews): that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

NEVER BELIEVE THE EXODUS EVENT WAS NOT FOR OUR BENEFIT!

Motives for the Exodus

What was the motivation that moved God to call Moses, pour out ten plagues on Egypt, and finally deliver his people by a spectacular miracle, the dividing of the Red Sea?

Three motives

1. God will be glorified.

Israel

For this cause Exodus 9:16 “16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”

God will create this nation for His glory. Isaiah 43:7 “7 Even every one that is called by my name: For I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”

He will receive glory as they declare His praise. Isaiah 43:21 “21 This people have I formed for myself; They shall shew forth my praise.”

All the events of this land and people are for his glory. Isaiah 60:21 “21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: They shall inherit the land for ever, The branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.”

We often sing it and I pray we as often mean it.

Oh let Your will be done in me In Your love I will abide Oh I long for nothing else as long As You are glorified

Egypt

God's purpose in delivering Israel the way he did goes beyond Israel: he aims to win the Egyptians to worship. Exodus 14:3-4 “3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.”

Side Note: One of the great wake up calls to this world is when God’s people stop serving it!. Exodus 14:5 “5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”

Greatest earthly resource for evangelism is not the veteran missionary or seasoned pastor or Sunday School teacher but the new convert.

Whole world

Passed the homes of Israelites and borders of Egypt. Exodus 9:15-16 “15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. 16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”

We see this again in the NT Romans 9:17 “17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.”

We learn of harlot, that lived in Canaan 40 years after the Exodus. Hebrews 11:31 “31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.”

Why did she do this? Joshua 2:9-10 “9 And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.”

If you asked Rahab her favorite song. I expect it would have been about the Exodus.

The tracts of those days would have had the Red Sea parted on the front. The Word spread. With not command of with all the ways we have to publish the Word.

Consider what obedience in evangelism should look like in your life. Greg is providing resources and ideas on the wall. SCAVENGER HUT FOR FAMILIES>

2. Evidence that God keeps His Word.

No one will glorify a God who can't keep his word.

God is demonstrating He is a promise keeper against all odds.

Deuteronomy 7:6–8 (KJV 1900)

6 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

7 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

8 But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God had made this promise to His people. Genesis 15:14 “14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.” Even though it looked like it was impossible.

3. Blessing based upon His love.

7 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8 But because the Lord loved you,

Important that we remember this and keep this in its proper order.

God was going is going to free his people with such amazing display of power and authority that all the successive generations in Israel would give Him glory as the only true God.

Bible Reading

Psalm 114 (KJV 1900)

1 When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language;

2 Judah was his sanctuary, And Israel his dominion.

3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams, And the little hills like lambs.

5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? Thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?

6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; And ye little hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob;

8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, The flint into a fountain of waters.

Nothing can prevail against God’s plan for His people

When God delivered his people from bondage they became his sanctuary and dominion

Psalm 114:1-2 “1 When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language; 2 Judah was his sanctuary, And Israel his dominion.”

Because we have read so many Psalms we have seen a pattern this one does not fit.

Other psalms might say, “When God brought Israel out of Egypt,” here it says, “When Israel went out of Egypt.”

God’s name isn’t said until v.7

Delay mention of His name builds anticipation

They knew Who this was the Psalmist is speaking of Exodus 20:2 “2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

Land of a strange language

For over 500 years they kept their distinctiveness.

They were aliens in a strange land, and this would have deepened their feeling of isolation and hopelessness.

Remember: Only 70 people went into the land and 400 years later some 2 million are coming out. They are still a distinctive. They have their own language, culture, and most importantly their own Gods. This is a miracle.

Sanctuary and Dominion

The Israelites were to be both a religious people (sanctuary) and nation (dominion)

NT teaches about the greater Exodus from bondage.

We have been delivered into his dominion (Kingdom) we are not a temple/sanctuary.

This truth should bring us to our knees. Eph 3:14-19 “14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

One day the Lord will redeem/rapture his people from the bondage of the world, accompanied by staggering supernatural events in nature that will shape the world, and in that new creation the people will enjoy the promises of God Almighty

Do you remember your redemption? Thirty years ago on June 7th. I will have been saved for 30 years.

When God made the people his sanctuary the waters fled and the mountains quaked to prepare for the new creation

Psalm 114:3-4 “3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, And the little hills like lambs.”

Interview with the Sea

Psalm 114:5 “5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? Thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?”

They saw, and they fled away.

The sea was driven back by the reality of the creation of a new order by the deliverance of Israel from bondage in the world.

Interview with the Mountains

Psalm 114:6 “6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; And ye little hills, like lambs?”

The questions were designed to help the reader come to an understanding of the way nature responds to the presence of the LORD

One author said it appears to be “trash talk” Mountain what are you afraid of what are you running from?

When the Lord God supernaturally changes nature in making his people his sanctuary all the world should tremble

We can all think of events that led to a form of fear in our lives. Stephanie and the pantry.

Psalm 114:7 “7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob;”

God is looking for those who tremble at His Word. Isaiah 66:2 “2 For all those things hath mine hand made, And all those things have been, saith the Lord: But to this man will I look, Even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, And trembleth at my word.”

We rejoice in our trembling. Psalm 2:11 “11 Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling.”

Sorrowful yet rejoicing. 2 Cor 6:10 “10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”

Help others tremble

In our music we experience the joy of standing in fear and awe of a holy God.

We need to help our kids tremble with joy in the presence of God

We need to help people tremble by helping them know that they are under the wrath of God because of their sin.

May God find us a trembling and rejoicing people tonight.

Nothing can prevail against God’s provision for His people.

Psalm 114:8 “8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, The flint into a fountain of waters.”

This powerful God who makes the earth to tremble, provides for His people.

Trembling from the largeness of the Exodus and His provision from the Rock.

“The psalm ends like its predecessor on the note of God's quiet creativity and care. He is powerful, but His power is directed to the point of need, transforming what is least promising into a place of plenty and a source of joy.” Kidner

Conclusion

Rejoice in the awesome Power of God.

It should also inspire believers to greater faith as they learn that God is able to change all of creation to make room for his program.

Do you believe that? There may be things that you so desperately need supplied and you’re beginning to wonder whether they will be supplied, do you believe that He has the power and the purpose to provide for you?

So many things that I want to see in this world and I am completely unable to get water from a rock. But tonight I rejoice in the power of God provision.

He will move heaven and earth to accomplish His will in our lives.

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