Exodus 13:17 - 15:21

My wife and I have had our share of health problems. When we were younger and ill, we would bounce back in no time and think of the illness as just a bump in the road. Juanita was a Christian when we married and I was saved soon after I returned from WWII. We are just sinners—saved by grace and have never been perfect for one day, but we have never lost our faith in Jesus Christ. Recently, when she was very ill, she ask me why God would not just take her on to Glory. I was torn with sorrow, and only knew to tell her that He was not through with her yet. I truly believe that one of the reasons she is feeling well today, and almost back to normal is so that I can use our experiences as an example of what PERSEVERING FAITH really is. One might reason that more problems would only lead to a loss of faith. However, the truth is, each of our recoveries has been so miraculous that it has strengthened our faith in God.

At Griffithville, back in 1939 we pledged to tithe our income, and we have tried to keep that promise made to God. At times, when times were tough, it was difficult for us to pay a tithe when the remainder of our income would not pay our bills, but somehow things always worked out and we have never gone bankrupt. Our faith grew during those many years, but admittedly never reached the point that prevented some doubts from creeping in.

Then just recently when she is 84 and I am 85 and she is gaining consensuses after 18 days in intensive care, we held hands and knew in our hearts that God could and would still use us if we would simply let our FAITH PERSEVER. Dear Christian friends, after over two months of worry, and neglect of my promise to you and Him to teach the bible through one more time, I had a good excuse! I could have given up and said that this is it. I am through. I want you to know that I have PERSEVERING FAITH that believes that these lessons will reach some soul that will be saved. If it is just one…just one…do you realize what that will mean when I meet YOU in Heaven?

True faith is a deep belief that good things will occur when all visible
evidence of their happening is completely missing. Believers are never completely immune from doubts, and I would be untruthful if said that I had never doubted. Doubt and faith are two opposites and cannot abide in the same heart at the same time. In order to prevent the doubt from winning, one must believe God’s word, and study it often, hiding in our heart God’s promises to be with us always. When the problems arise, it is necessary for you to know God’s promises by heart, and be able to look and see how satisfactory solutions can overcome your adversary. By grace we are saved, spiritually and physically and only by faith can salvation and preservation be ours to claim.

The Background study being used here for this lesson can be found in the Adult Commentary, “Explore The Bible”, by Lifeway. It is used here by permission for teaching purposes only.

The Israelites lived in Goshen, located in the eastern region of the Nile Delta. Goshen is in the northeastern part of Egypt. Should there be problems with Mesopotamia or the area that is now modern Turkey, their armies would have to pass through Goshen in order to reach the more populated areas of Egypt and for this reason the territory surrounding Goshen was of strategic importance in their national defense.

Pharaoh had mixed opinions about the large population of Israelites that inhabited this area. His greatest fear was that, in case of an attack the Israelites might unite with the enemies and give them a stronghold in the northern area. On the other hand they provided an unlimited slave labor force that could construct strong defensive fortifications along this frontier. They were being used to make the mud brick and build the housing and fortifications that gave Egypt a stronghold of defense.

Pharaoh’s greatest mistake was that he believed that he was a god, and that it was his responsibility to maintain balance in the world. This responsibility included maintaining the people’s right to worship the many deities of Egypt, the greatest of which was Pharaoh. Since he was the greatest of all deities he was tolerant toward the Israelites who worshipped their God, which to him was just another deity.

The brick mills and construction work was so important to Pharaoh that he became overly impressive and God’s people had reached a point where life was unbearable any longer—so they in faith cried out to God for help.

Moses was born in Egypt. His life was saved by hiding him in a floating basket in the Nile. He was rescued and became Pharaoh’s daughter’s child to raise. When he was forty years old he murdered an Egyptian and fled the country. It is now forty years later and he returned to Egypt as a deliverer sent by God. At first he was not successful, and as a result the Pharaoh became more sever in his punishment of the Jewish slaves. God sent a series of plagues on the Egyptians but they refused to recant until finally God issued his sentence of death to all Egyptian baby boys. With the tenth and final plague, death struck down the firstborn child of every home that did not follow the Lord’s instructions to apply blood from a lamb on the door frame of the house. The Passover was established to protect the Jewish children, and Pharaoh finally acknowledged God’s awesome power and he relented, allowing freedom to God’s people. The emancipated Israelites left Goshen and marched toward the rising sun of the Promised Land.

Their problems were not over, because the Promised Land was hundreds of miles north and east and the completion of the journey would require persevering faith. You may have wondered why God chose to send his people the longer route around by the Red Sea. You will find the answer in the 17th and 18th verses of chapter 13. “God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country though that was shorter. For God said, ‘if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. They went up out of Egypt armed for battle.” The Philistines had always been the enemies of the Jewish people, and thy still are today.

Even today, God does not always work in the way that seems best to us. Instead of guiding Moses along the direct route from Egypt to the Promised Land, he took him and his people the longer route to avoid war with the Philistines. If our Lord does not lead us along the shortest path to our goal, we should never complain, loose confidence, or let our faith fade—but instead we should follow Him willingly and trust him to lead us safely through obstacles that we do not see. He alone can see the end from the beginning and He knows the safest and best route.

In order to surprise the Egyptians—for God knew they would change their mind and pursue His people—God directed Moses to first go south toward Mt. Sinai, before turning back north and east. When Pharaoh saw where they were headed, he directed his army to follow them knowing that he could overtake them and hem them in against the mountains on one side and the Red Sea ahead of them, because he thought there was no way they could cross the sea. He sent six hundred war chariots and twelve hundred armored men to overtake the Israelites. This would be comparable to six hundred light tanks in today’s wars. Ask yourself why God would allow Pharaoh to have this advantage. You can find the answer in 14: 17-18. “I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so they will go after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord….”

Sometimes in our darkest hours we will look up and see that God’s hand is on the wheel and he is guiding us the way we must go. It takes times like these for us to be able to grow stronger in our little faith. It surely happened to the Israelites when God parted the Sea for their safe crossing. Verse 31 says, “And when the Israelites saw the great power of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their TRUST [FAITH] in him and Moses his servant.”

Allow me to ask you a personal question. Have you ever—or do you now face obstacles in your life that seem impossible for you to bear? Is your experience greater than the one faced by the Israelites at the Red Sea? If God save them, why can you not trust Him to protect you? It is simply a matter of FAITH. Do you have a PERSEVERING FAITH? If you do, brighter days are just ahead!

Amazing Deliverance - Exodus 11:1 - 13:16

Have you ever been lost in a wilderness of any kind, like a vast expanse of bottom land that was unlevel and back water cut you off from any direction you chose to go? Three friends and I have. It was in the Raft Creek Bottoms north of Des Arc, which is a huge area of creeks, slews, and ridges with no direct way out. I had been in Gum Pond duck hunting most of the day and did not realize that the route into the area was being cut off by rising water. I had been there many times before and thought I knew the way out: but the rising water cut me off from my known directions and as the sun went down, darkness destroyed my sense of direction. Being lost is a miserable feeling. Friends came with a boat and lights and we enjoyed an AMAZING DELIVERANCE.

Can you imagine what it was like when the Israelite people realized they were in a strange land where the government changed to new rule under a depressive kingship? They had lived there four hundred years under friendly rule. They had grown into a huge nation of their own; they had prospered and were happy people and suddenly the new Pharaoh placed them in bondage. This political flood blocked every passage they knew that would lead to freedom. Conditions were so horrible that God had to intervene. God’s deliverance from this unbearable condition is what we are studying today. The results are nothing less than an AMAZING DELIVERANCE.

I wonder how many of you that will read this lesson today are in some kind of bondage. Have you foolishly overspent and now find that you are unable to recover from your debits? Are you trapped in a job that you hate but feel compelled to continue because of the restricted job market today? Do not despair because God will not forsake you. Trust him for deliverance, and I promise you that you will experience AMACING DELIVERANCE.

Chapters 12 and 13 represent a significant change in the book of Exodus. God through Moses has presented nine different plagues to Pharaoh which he has refused to submit to. Pharaoh continues to break his promise of freedom to God’s people. One more plague is promised. It is the death of all of the firstborn among the Egyptians; however through the providence and love of God, the Passover was initiated. The Passover became a picture of the salvation that God offered to all mankind, regardless of race or creed. Any family that would place their home under the blood that covered their doors would not suffer the loss of their children. Even today, any person that places his life under the blood of Christ will be spared. Pharaoh refused this last chance to save his people and the rest of the story is well known to all who have studied the bible. The Jews followed Moses’ instructions; the Egyptians did not and as a result all of their first born children were destroyed. If they had no children, the first born of their livestock was destroyed so that no family escaped the penalty God had set.

While the Egyptians buried their dead, the Hebrew slaves organized the exodus from that land; they were free at last. The Pharaoh urged Moses and Aaron to take their people and leave and go worship the Lord as they had requested. The Egyptians surrendered and gave their silver and gold and other wealth to the Israelites who departed the land under the leadership of Moses and Aaron after 430 years in slavery. THIS WAS THE MOST AMAZING DELIVERANCE.

Satin has never given up easily and in this case he soon convinced the Pharaoh that he had made a mistake, and led him to peruse the children of God whom he overtook at the Red Sea. This incident was planned by God in order to teach us the lesson of complete surrender and dependence on God for our deliverance. Many, maybe all the Israelites let their faith fail them and accused Moses of making a mistake; but Moses never faltered, and believe God and the next AMAZING DELIVERANCE came when the sea parted allowing the children of God to cross safely, only to close in on the enemies and bring their total destruction.

The people involved, both the Israelites and Egyptians were amazed at the final results of this AMAZING DELIVERANCE. You may be amazed at the results of this story, but according to God’s Word, it did happen just as recorded in Exodus. There were two reasons. First, God rescued his people who were in slavery because he heard their prayers regarding their persecutions, and he has promised to always hear the sincere prayers of his people. Secondly, he acted on behalf of his people in this incident to give us an example of just how far he will go to protect us from harms way.

Is there any chance that the Christians of America will ever face circumstances that are similar or equal to those faced by Moses and the people he was chosen to lead? If so, there is only one way for us to realize an AMAZING DELIVERANCE, and that is for us to humble ourselves, seek the face of God, repent of our sins and pray for God to DELIVER US.

Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever and will never forsake us or leave us regardless of the circumstances we are in. It makes no difference whether it is just you, one individual, or this nation of several million, He will hear and answer all sincere prayers. We must remember that this entire and very incredible story started when God’s people were in trouble; but only when they prayed for deliverance. He heard their prayers. He will hear our prayers when they come from a contrite spirit and a broken heart.

In these days of troubled times we talk about the need for bipartisan agreement in Washington, and I suppose there would be some relief if this could be accomplished. However, my thinking is that we would realize a greater accomplishment if we could experience a bipartisan return to the teachings that are so prevalent in God’s word; some of which are so basic and emphatic. Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not steal. Treat your neighbor as yourself. Do not commit adultery. Take sin out of a life and you have a Christian—one like Christ. Take sin out of our government and you will have peace, prosperity, and happy people.

Our God is not interested in personal, selfish motives and has instructed us to do unto others as we would have them do to us. In the elections ahead, we should not be interested in the positions candidates hold, the degrees he has acquired, and the church he attends, the positions he has held, but only that he is an honest God fearing person. We need to search and find a modern day Moses or Aaron to lead our nation and then expect to reach the Promised Land that God has promised.

In all of God’s teachings you will not find any emphasis on whether or not a man is concretive or liberal, a Democrat, Republican, or Independent but the emphasis is always on whether he is a despot like Pharaoh or a leader like Moses.

It will never be too late to choose God’s plan for an AMAZING DELIVERANCE. Trust and obey, for there is no other way!