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!