Setback or setup

Exodus 14:1-4

Exodus 14:1-4, Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ 4 Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honour over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” And they did so. Story of Israel journey from Egypt to Red Sea. 1. Setbacks ordained by God. Israel left Egypt arrived between the Pi Hahiroth and Midgol and Baal Zephaon.

It is not they did not hear God. God brought them here.

Wherever you are it is God who brought you there. Moses went to Pharaoh asked the people to let go but he refused. 10 plagues. Passover is the final nail. Now Pharaoh pleading Moses to leave!

Exodus 12:31-33, Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the Lord as you have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.” 33 And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” Not only they sent them but with gold and silver.

Exodus 12:35-36, Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

Remember Zacchaeus?

Luke 19:8-9, Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; Salvation is free!

Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

There must be an evidence of your salvation reconciliation!

2. Long route to get there!

Why God took them through long route? Moses did not choose this route. Moses did not act on his own either. Moses was guided by the God of Israel every step of the way.

What we see?

While we strain to see over the next horizon, God sees the map from above—and so knows the best way to proceed. So, the Lord often leads us according to the needs of our heart, not always according to its desires. The shortest route would have taken the Israelites through hostile Philistine country.

Exodus 13:17-18, Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.

Moses left Egypt with an army of mostly broken souls who had spent the last eight to ten generations as slaves in Egypt. To reach Canaan, they would have to fight the Moabites, the Amalekites, and several other nations before having to confront the cities and tribes of Canaan itself. The Hebrew tribes were in no condition at that time to undertake such a challenge.

God sometimes brings us the long way because we are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually unprepared to face what awaits us along the short route or at the end of our journey. Do not look for short cut! God did not want to waste all the things He had worked with the people of Israel.

Do not look for quick and easy route. Long way prepares them to the place they should be able to handle the things God has it. God need to develop some character in you rather than using your gift. Your gifts and skills can take you higher but what sustains you where you should be your character.

God does not want you to mess up.

Proverbs 18:16, A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.

We can easily mess it up if we reach a place with a character then we will not be able to stand there. God loves you so much, so He wants you to develop a character. The promotion you are not getting. The job you are not getting.

The marriage you are having. The child you are not having. The house you have not bought. The ministry you have not got. Some of you may be able to say now thank you Lord that I did not get that!! Trust God with the process!

3. Sets you up hard place. They were between the two mountains. Red Sea before them. The enemy is behind them.

What would be your first reaction when God set you up like that? Rebuke the devil!! Some time you are not there in that hard place because of devil but God.

Why did God let the Israel that way? God is going to get glory! Note it is not from Israel but from Egypt.

Exodus 14:4, Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honour over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

The Egyptians will know the true God. The Israel knew God. With Israel going through this divine encounter, they are going to learn to trust God.

• Egypt is going to know the Lord.
• Israel is going to knew What kind of God.

The hard place you are in is the perfect place for you to be in!

4. God protects you while developing your

character.

Exodus 14:5-9, Pharaoh hardened his heart and wanted to pursue the Israelites. He travels with ⁶⁰⁰ chariots and almost 250,000 people to pursue them.

Exodus 14:10, And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.

They could see the enemies. Their hearts were broken. Fear gripped them completely. When you are filled with fear you do not what you speak. Exactly that is what the Israelites did. They did not know how God had protected them.

Exodus 13:21-22, And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take

away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. So, it was bright for Israel, but it was dark for the Egyptians.

Exodus 14:19-20, And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night. Did God not bring you to here for you to finish poorly? Why would God do all those miracles to finish fall short of your destiny? Think for a moment in your life!

What the Lord had done?

What the Lord is doing?

Do you still be afraid about the future? Common my dear brothers and sisters learn! Interestingly you see what is between the Israelites and Egyptians? God!

Who is between you and the enemy?

God. So if the enemy wants to touch you he has to first pass God then only he can touch you.

What did Moses tell them?

Exodus 14:13-14, And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Stand still!

It is not about you! It Is all about God. When you come to end of yourself just rely on God. Do not give up! God will fight for you! It is God who brought you up so far! When God finish with Egyptians the Israelites will see them no more forever!

While Israel was trying to move forward from their slavery the Egyptians were trying to catch them, but God says no more forever. It is always their past was trying to catch up with them. Jesus paid the price for all your sins, and you have been delivered from all your past sins. There is no balance to be paid in your account.

Past threatens to paralyse your problems. Always your past sins will try catch up with you and try to bind you. It has been paid and paid in full!

Hebrews 10:14, For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. You are not perfect! You are forgiven! I have a past, but I am forgiven! Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future!

5. Pastors do not have the answers.

Exodus 14:15, And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. Moses spoke to the children of Israel be of courage. Standstill and see the salvation of the Lord.

But God says stop crying to Me.

What do we understand from this? God did not tell Moses how God is going to deliver them. God did not give him the whole plan. God told Moses what He is going to do but did not tell him how? God gave the plan but not the process!

God give information only on need based. So do not look to the pastors for the answers! But what the Lord ask Moses another vital question.

Exodus 14:16, But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. Moses had the rod of God.

What do your pastor has in his hand? Word of God. Now you know why we diligently teach the word of God so much?

Conclusion

God wanted His children to know that there is no turning back.

Numbers 11:5, “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.” In the dry place between bondage and the land of milk and honey, the Israelites would be tempted to grumble about their present circumstances and see their past through rose- coloured glasses, misremembering and idealizing their enslavement.

They desperately needed to have an encounter with God at Mount Sinai where they would receive instructions for a new way of life—on how to follow God through His written statutes and appointed leaders. When Believers are brought into a place of new life in the Messiah but are not yet living as a new creation, we need to learn to depend on the LORD daily and resist the temptation to fondly reminisce about former lives lived in sin.

God sometimes brings us through Red Sea experiences so that we will not turn back to our lives enslaved to the forces of the world. God parted the Red Sea supernaturally! Once you have come to know who and what kind of God now God wants you to act in Faith.

Read Sea experience enabled them built up in faith. When they come river Jordan, God wanted them to exercise their faith to trust God.

Joshua 3:12-14, Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth,

shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.” 14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, Grow in Faith in God!