GOD ALWAYS HAS A PLAN!

Exodus 14 is an amazing chapter!  It is clear from the beginning that God has a plan!  God always has a plan! 

As they escape Egypt, God – through Moses – tells the Israelites exactly where to camp next to the sea.  This is apparently a very vulnerable spot that will entice Pharaoh to attack to try to recover his slave nation.  God’s intent is to – one last time – show Pharaoh who is really God!  And that’s what happened.

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Eventually Pharaoh and his people realized what they had done.  They had – in one night – lost their entire force of slave labor!  He ordered up all of his chariots and quickly pursued the Israelites.  God was again working in Pharaoh’s heart, making him stubborn! 

The Egyptians caught up to Israel by the sea.  As the Israelites saw them coming, fear gripped many.  There were two responses to this immediate threat:

Some cried out in terror to God.  Others ran to Moses and complained in bitter sarcasm:  “Weren’t the cemeteries large enough in Egypt so that you had to take us out here in the wilderness to die?  What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt?  Back in Egypt didn’t we tell you this would happen?  Didn’t we tell you, ‘Leave us alone here in Egypt – we’re better off as slaves in Egypt than as corpses in the wilderness?’”  [vs.10-12]

TWO RESPONSES:

1.      Call out to God!

2.      Complain and blame!

There’s value in spending some time trying to determine which group you would have been in.  When the sky grows dark or the devastating news comes, do you call out to God or grumble and sulk?  This is a vital distinction.  The ones who are truly committed to God will know deep in their hearts that GOD ALWAYS HAS A PLAN!  And, they will trust in that plan! 

But notice the grace and mercy of God!  Even in this story, the grumblers are spared!  God is patient and kind and works diligently with His people to get them to believe and trust in Him.  He’s doing that with you – right now! 

Through all this threat, Moses believed!  He told the people, “'Don’t be afraid.  Stand firm and watch GOD do his work of salvation for you today.  Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again.  GOD will fight this battle for you.'  And then with a glance at the nay-sayers, he added, 'And you?  You keep your mouths shut!'”  [vs.13-14]

This is a vital lesson for leaders and pastors to learn.  Those who espouse negativity have to be silenced!  Negativity spreads like wildfire – it must be halted!  Negativity is NOT a faith environment!  Confrontation is awkward and hard!  Most pastors run from it instead of dealing with it!  As a result, the damage grows and the problems increase.  Being close to God and having had a glimpse of His plan allows us to stand strong and face the opposition with righteous zeal.  I learned - over time - that in most cases, the opposition folds in situations like this. 

What happens next is REMARKABLE!  The angel of God that has been leading them moves from in front of the Israelites to their back – along with the pillar of cloud that has been leading them.  Together, they take up this position of protection between the two camps – throwing light on the Israelites and darkness on the Egyptians!  God is unfolding His plan! 

Then, God tells Moses to hold his staff over the sea.  During the course of the night, an east wind dries up the sea and creates a walled walkway through the sea.  This wind is so persistent, that the people are able to cross the sea ON DRY LAND ALONG WITH ALL THEIR FLOCKS!  Once they’re all through, the angel and cloud move and the Egyptians hurry into the pathway through the sea.  But there are two problems:  The dung from all the flocks begins to clog their chariot wheels.  Also, God seems to allow some of the seawater to seep into the pathway.  The Egyptian forces bog down and get stuck!

TERROR STRIKES THEM!  They cry out: “Run from Israel!  GOD is fighting on their side and against Egypt!”  They begin to retreat.

At this moment, GOD instructs Moses to hold his staff over the sea again.  As he does so, the waters immediately break loose and flood the pathway.  Not one Egyptian survived! 

And all Israel stood in utter amazement as they watched the dead bodies of the Egyptians wash up on the shoreline.  They immediately realized the tremendous power that GOD brought against the Egyptians.  They were in reverent awe before GOD and trusted in GOD and his servant Moses. 

Notice that Moses’ stock has increased as a result of this supernatural intervention by GOD!  He had – under GOD’s direction – initiated this escape!  He had confronted Pharaoh repeatedly.  He had led them out of Egypt.  He had obeyed GOD throughout the process.  He had confronted the naysayers.  He had been faithful!