Dale Ridge church of Christ

Having encamped on the shore of the Red Sea following their deliverance from Egypt and looking back seeing Pharaoh and his army “marching after them,” the  Israelites “were terrified and cried out to the Lord.” (Exodus 14:10)  They submitted this question   to Moses, ”What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?” (verse 11)  “Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?’ It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert,” they said. (verse 12)

Have they so soon forgotten God’s power manifested in the plagues, including the fact that the Land of Goshen had been exempt from the first nine plagues?  Even in the tenth and final plague which fell equally upon the Israelites in Goshen, there was salvation provided through the Passover lamb.  By the power of God through an implemented substitute the Israelites escaped the death of the firstborn.  What a wonderful miracle that was!  Have they completely forgotten God’s deliverance? What about God’s presence and guidance through the cloud by day and the fire by night?  Where is their faith and trust in God to fulfill all He had promised to them and to their forefathers earlier?  Will all these promises perish with them in the waters of the Red Sea?  Inexcusable indeed!

God is leading His spiritual “Israel” (Galatians 6: 16), the church, on to a glorious and prosperous future.  He is leading us to victory over a far deadlier enemy than old Pharaoh, the devil and his forces of evil. “For we are God’s fellow workers,” Paul informs us. (I Corinthians 3:9)  Just like ancient Israel.  Never forget how God has blessed our efforts in the past and His wonderful promises for the future.  There will be obstacles to face, for sure!  There will be doubts and reservations at times!  There will always be challenges calling for greater faith and trust.  Naysayers will tell us it cannot be done.  Fears and uncertainties will creep in.  Perhaps Franklin Roosevelt had something when he said, “We have nothing to fear except fear itself.”  The Lord’s work calls for an undying faith and trust in God’s presence and promises that will cause us to launch out toward new horizons.

Moses answered the Israelites, “Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” (verse 13) You know the rest of the story. Moses is instructed by God to stretch forth his rod, the waters recede allowing the Israelites to go through on dry land; then the waters flow back drowning the pursuing army.  “And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses, His servant.” (verse 31)

The people were jubilant and, along with Moses sang a “song to the Lord.”(Ex. 15: 1-2)

“I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted.
The lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”

It was the right song, but the wrong side!  Would it not have been much better to have had this trust in God on the other side instead of all those doubts, fears and rebellion?

What a lesson here for all of us today!                                                                              
 

                                                                                       Charles Cash

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Filed under: Charles Cash on February 13th, 2010