Go Forward!
Go Forward!
Blessings Folk!
Ever felt as if your back is against the wall?
Or, perhaps you coming face to face with a brick wall?
No options.
No choices.
No solutions.
Give heed to this.
The Lord had led the children of Israel out of Egypt...Moses was leading.
Some time after they left, Pharoah “reconsidered” his decision and pursued Israel to return them to slavery.
God was directing Israel…
Exodus 14
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’
4 Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
The Lord was leading the sons of Israel into what the world would call a “trap”.
The Lord knew otherwise.
He was leading them toward the impossible...toward freedom…
Exodus 14
10 As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord.
11 Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?
12 Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
Pharaoh was approaching.
The sons of Israel were frightened...they had no way out...enemy behind, water in front.
They cried out to the Lord. Good!
They then immediately blamed Moses. Bad!
Yet, the Lord was about to bring great glory to Himself.
Hear the great words of Moses…
Exodus 14
13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.
14 The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”
Strong words of encouragement.
Do not fear!
Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord.
The Lord will accomplish this for you today.
You will never see the Egyptians again.
The Lord will fight for you...while you keep silent!
Moses was convinced.
He knew the Lord would fight and rescue.
Yet, he did not know exactly how.
He sought the Lord…watch what the Lord said.
Exodus 14
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.
6 As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.
17 As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.
18 Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”
The Lord asked Moses “why are you crying to Me?”
What a curious thing.
Are we not to cry to the Lord?
Are we not to call upon Him?
Yes. Yes.
But, once we know the will of the Lord we must do what the Lord said - “go forward.”
The sons of Israel were facing an impossible situation.
“Forward” meant walking straight into the sea.
“Forward” meant straight to the destination.
The Lord told Moses what to do...lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, divide it.
Cry out no more.
Walk through the impossible.
Are you still “crying out” when perhaps the Lord has already spoken?
Are you using “crying out” as a cover for disobedience?
Believe the Lord.
Press on.
Go forward.
Blessings!