Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Exodus chapter 13 and verse 17.
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt. But God led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had straightly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and he shall carry up my bones, hence away with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day, and a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.
To go by day and night, he took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Tiahira, between Migdal and Bethlehem, over against Baal's Ethan before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart that he will follow after them. And I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his hosts, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people. And they said, why have we done this, That we have let Israel go from serving us?
And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him, and he took 600 chosen Chariots, and all the Chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel, and the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
But the Egyptians pursued after them all the horses and Chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them, and camping by the sea beside Pahereth before Belzepha.
And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them, and they were sore afraid. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, Hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?
Wherever hast thou dealt us with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptian? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness?
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today. For the Egyptians whom he have seen today, He shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore cry hast thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward, But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his hosts, upon his Chariots, and upon his horsemen.
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his Chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them. And the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them.
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these, so that the one came not near the other all the night.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by. Our strong E wind all that night made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground, and the waters were a while unto them in their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his Chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass that in the morning watch the Lord looked upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and took off their chariot wheels.
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That they drave them heavily, so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea and the water, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their Chariots, and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared.
And the Egyptians fled against it, And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea, And the waters returned, and covered the Chariots, and the horsemen, and all the hosts of Pharaoh that came in into the sea after them. There remained not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were awhile unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of.
The Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore, and Israel saw that great work which the Lord did at some Egyptians. And the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord. And his servant. Moses just like to read a couple of verses in the next chapter. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and stakes, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him in habitation my Father's God, and I will exalt him.
Well, I think many of us are acquainted with the position that the children of Israel were in, in the land of Egypt, and how it's a picture to us of the position that we were once in, exposed to the judgment of God. For God had announced judgment upon the land of Egypt. He had announced the judgment. There were many warnings beforehand, but at last He was going to bring that solemn judgment of the death of the first born.
In every home that was not under the shelter of the blood.
And so surely this is a picture to us, dear friends, of this world in which we live. Before the Lord Jesus went to the cross, he said, now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out. And this world in which we live is a world that is under the judgment of God.
And it tells us also in the 17th of Acts God has appointed today, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom He hath ordained, wherever he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And so Egypt was under judgment, and this world is under judgment. The day has been set, the judge has been chosen.
But God provided a way of escape for His people when that judgment was announced upon Egypt.
He told them that they were to take the blood of the lamb and sprinkle the blood of the lamb on the lentil and the two side pulse. And God said these lovely words, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. He provided a way of shelter from the judgment. And everyone that was in the home there where the blood was sprinkled could say I'm perfectly safe and oh, I just want to say at the beginning of this meeting.
If there is anyone who is still part of this world that's under judgment, I warn you, the judgment is coming soon. It's absolutely sure, because the judge has been chosen.
And the day has been appointed, but all there is a way of escape. And I beseech you to flee from the Ross to come. I beseech you to take shelter under the precious blood of Christ, God's Lamb. And So what gives assurance to the soul? Is it any good feelings of our own? Did any Israelite have to depend upon his feelings or something that he had done? Oh, God didn't say when I see how good you are. He didn't even say when I.
See that you have good feelings. He looked at the blood.
And even if there were doubts in their mind, if the blood was on the lentil and the two side pulse by the homeless safe. And so isn't it a wonderful thing tonight that you can have peace with God, not because of your feelings? Your feelings may change, but God's word doesn't change. The value of the blood of Christ doesn't change. And that's what we need to rest upon the finished work of Christ, that precious blood. And so they were perfectly safe.
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When they took shelter under the blood, more than this, in those homes there was a feast going on. They could feed upon the roast lamb. And we who have taken shelter under the precious blood of Christ, we have found the feast of joy in the knowledge of Himself and of his love.
But God didn't intend to leave his people there in the land of Egypt. He wanted to bring them out and bring them into the promised land, that land flowing with milk and honey. And heaven is our home. When Christ is our Savior, we can say, as we sometimes sing, heaven is our Fatherland, Heaven is our home.
And I would say that the crossing of the Red Sea brings before us in type how that we are not only sheltered from judgment, but we are brought into an entirely new position.
Any longer seen as being part of this world that is under judgment. But every believer is in Christ before God.
It tells us in Romans chapter 5 how that for the believer there is justification of life. And I wish to say to everyone who has saved that you're not only sheltered from judgment, but God sees you in a position before him where there is no condemnation. He sees you in Christ and there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
US. That's what it means. Justification of light.
Tells us in John's epistle. As he is, so are we in this world.
We don't need to wait till the judgment Day to find out if everything's going to be all right. The Lord Jesus has done the work, and as he is there at the right hand of God, so are we in this world. Can I believe the passage of the children of Israel through the Red Sea is a little picture of the entrance into an entirely new position before God? Let me put it simply, You're not just a forgiven Sinner. You're a new creature in Christ Jesus.
That's what gives peace to the soul, it says.
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. I've illustrated it very simply like this. If I had stolen $100 from you and you forgave me, even though forgive them, I wouldn't be thoroughly at ease in your presence. I would feel a little uneasy and wonder what you really thought about me inside. But wouldn't it be a different thing if when you forgave me, you said, now listen, I have something.
To tell you I'm not only forgiving you, but I'm going to look at you from henceforth, not only as forgiven, but as though you had never done that thing and could not do that thing. I'm going to look at you with all the love and affection of my own child. Oh, how wonderful. That's the position to which the believer is brought, A position where God tells us we are accepted in the beloved.
This is not a very precious thing to know.
Well, the children of Israel were not only delivered from the judgment that fell upon Egypt, but they were taken out of Egypt altogether and put in a position where they could look back and see all their enemies dead upon the seashore. And I wish that every believer here tonight would not only know that your sins are forgiven, but you would just relax and say, God not only looks at me as a forgiven Sinner, but He sees me in all the acceptance of His own beloved.
Son, He sees me in a life that never sinned and that cannot sin. Judgment is passed for me because it was all settled by my precious Savior. Well, may the Lord grant that each one may lay hold of this and be in the enjoyment of it.
But I'd also like to look at this portion in a practical way too, in which we can apply it to ourselves in our lives, because we go through experiences in which God teaches us these things in various ways. And God not only sets the truth before us very clearly in his Word, but he also gives us very vivid pictures in his word, pictures that seem to me to make things much more real to.
My soul, I must say that I learn a great deal from the pictures of God's Word. Sometimes I do little repairs on my car and you know, you get the part and there's not only the written instructions telling you how to do it, but there are also a few pictures and I like to look at the pictures. The pictures seem to really help me. I read the instructions and I look at the pictures. Now God does both in His Word. He sets the truth clearly.
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Before us, But He also gives us pictures to make the truth very vivid to our souls. And here in this portion tonight we have the children of Israel leaving the land of Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and coming up on the other side. And seeing the Lord has triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.
Notice where it begins in this 17th verse of the 13th chapter, that when the Lord was about to take his people out of the land of Egypt, he didn't take them the easiest way. It says here that he didn't take them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, but he took them away. That seemed very difficult and very confusing, I might say to the to the.
Egyptians, they just couldn't understand.
And you know, we must never expect a natural man to understand the truth of God. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can be, it says.
The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, for they are foolishness unto him because they are spiritually discerned. And Pharaoh never understood what God was doing with God's people. And you know, sometimes we who are believers, if we try to look at things from a natural sense instead of looking at the things that they're given to us in God's Word, we get confused too.
And any of us might say, well, why didn't God lead me in any?
Away. Wasn't there a simpler way? You know, God and his wisdom knows exactly what is best for us as it tells us who teacheth like Him. And he passes us through experiences that may seem very, very difficult, but they're all for our good. I remember hearing of a man and as he watched the the butterfly come out of the cocoon, he thought, well, that's difficult for that butterfly to come out of the cocoon.
And so he decided that next time he saw it, he was just going to give a little slip and make it easier. But he found out that by giving that little slit that made it easier for the butterfly to come out, that the butterfly never developed its wings properly. That process that seemed so difficult was necessary so that the blood would be forced through its wings so that it would be able to stretch them out and fly.
And so, you know, God passes us through things.
And sometimes we have to learn things in a difficult way, but it's all His wisdom in teaching us as he sees best. So He didn't lead them the easiest way. He didn't lead them the easiest way through the wilderness. They could have made that a journey in 11 days, but it took 40 years. And we have to learn lessons in the school of God. We have to go through them. We have to learn the two lessons that we spoke of in the meetings.
We need to learn our own hearts and we need to learn the faithfulness of God, and these are things that God teaches us in our wilderness experience.
So what tells us here? That he didn't take them away? That was easiest and shortest. But it says he led the people through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. Margin says 5 in a rank.
We know, I believe five in the scripture is to bring before us our own weakness. We have 5 fingers on our hands and five toes on our feet and God teaches us our own weakness and you know, we have to learn this. That's one of the things that's hard for us to learn.
But we must learn it. We have to learn this lesson. The flesh profiteth nothing. Someone asked Mr. Darby one time, Mr. Darby, you have a wonderful knowledge of the word of God, will you tell me how to study the Bible? And he said, well, study well, find 4 words. The flesh prophetess nothing.
You know, that's the lesson that we have to learn. The scripture says if a man thinketh that he knows.
Anything. He knows nothing yet as he ought to know it. If learning the truth doesn't humble us and make us think more of Christ, we haven't learned it in the right way. So he took them up, harnessed, He took them up five in a rank. He took them up in a way that he didn't look like a mighty army, but it looked like just a procession of weakness, just five and a rank. And you know I say again, the Lord Jesus said to his disciples.
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Without me he can do nothing. Let us learn that lesson well, brethren, many of us have had to learn the hard way. Like Peter, he thought he could trust himself, but he only found his own weakness. He led them five in a rank out of the land of Egypt.
Then it tells us they took the bones of Joseph with them. And why does God mention this fact? Well, I believe there's something very beautiful in this. The work of the Lord Jesus on the cross was not only for those of us who have lived since the cross, but it was the groundwork by which Abraham by which Joseph, by which Moses will be in the glory. There's only one ground of blessing, the theme of the redeemed in heaven, whether they live before.
Or after is all the same Thou art worthy, for thou hast slain, and hast redeemed us to God. But I blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation. Joseph had died long before, but his deliverance was the same as the deliverance of the children of Israel who were living. And it says in the 3rd chapter of Romans, that God not only declares his righteousness for us who believe that he might be just, and the justifier of.
That believeth in Jesus, but he also declares his righteousness in regard to sins that are past through the forbearance of God. God must act on a righteous basis. And so the ground of blessing, whether it be for those before the cross or since the cross is all that mighty work accomplished by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. And so perhaps I could say through the Red Sea went the bones of a man and also many.
Living people. And what a wonderful thing it will be when the whole redeemed company will praise the Lord for that glorious work that was finished at Calvary.
It tells us also here that in the 21St and 22nd verse that he made a provision that made it necessary for them to look up.
That is that the children of Israel wanted to be guided in their journey. Why they must look up. And if it was by night, it was a pillar of fire. If it was a day in the daytime it was a shelter from the heat. And you and I have to be constantly looking up. It tells us continuing instant in prayer, we need to always look up to the Lord.
Morning, evening, at all times when it says pray.
Without ceasing, it means that we should always be in the attitude that we can just look up to the Lord and say, Lord help me, there was the cloud. The people failed often. They rebelled. They did all kinds of things. But he didn't take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. And I want to say to anyone here who's got away from the Lord and is discouraged, the pillar of fire is still there.
The pillar of cloud is still there and you can turn to Him, and when you turn to him, you will find that He hasn't changed. The work of Calvary hasn't lost its value. And the believer who has failed can say He restore us, my soul. He restoreth my soul. Do you need help? He ever lives to make intercession for us. Our failure will never change His faithfulness. So this is brought before us at the beginning.
How their deliverance out of Egypt.
Now the Lord directs them to a place where they come and encamp by the sea. There was, as we have said, an easier way. And in fact, even Pharaoh, when he heard that the children of Israel had taken this way of getting out of the land of Egypt, he says here in the third verse, And Pharaoh will say, of the children of Israel.
They are entangled in the land the wilderness has shut them in.
I say again, the man of the world will never understand God's ways with his people. I'm sure that you've heard people say, well, why is it that Christians have trouble? Why is it that things aren't always easy for them? And that's exactly what Pharaoh said. He said, surely I could have found an easier way to get the people out of the land of Egypt if I was doing it. But to bring them to a place where they're right, a million people standing by the banks of the.
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See, how do they ever expect to get across? Well, this was human wisdom. And have you ever found yourself in a situation like that? You found yourself in a situation where there didn't seem to be any human resource at all, no way out, as you might say. And this is exactly what the children of Israel found themselves in here, and it was the Lord that brought them there.
And why does he bring us to those kind of experiences in our lives so that we would realize.
As we were saying a few moments ago, that our only resource is in the Lord, and it's a full resource. It's a complete resource because He's sufficient for everything. He is able for every situation. When those three Hebrew children found themselves faced with the possibility of being thrown into the fire, they said our God is able to deliver us, but if He doesn't deliver us, we'll trust him just the same.
And His way of delivering them was not to keep them from going into the fire, but to go with them in the fire and to show that He was able to preserve them even in the midst of the fire. And many of us can say, well, in the midst of trouble He has been with us and sustained our hearts and given us a sense of His love and of His presence.
And I might also say here at this point, it's very interesting in the Faith chapter, in the 11TH chapter.
Of Hebrews, that there are two distinct groups that are brought before us in the end of that chapter. It won't take time to turn to it, but maybe it'll be instructive for you to look where it says there that there were some who subdued kingdoms, who wrought righteousness, who quenched the violence of fire. And then there's a little change. And it says others were tortured, not accepting deliverance. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder.
They they just went through all kinds of.
Of difficulties wandering in sheepskins and goatskins and dennings and caves of the earth. In other words, what the Spirit of God is bringing before us is that sometimes God answers prayer in a miraculous way and takes us out of a difficulty. And sometimes he leaves us in the difficulty and says, I want you to learn to trust me even when you don't understand the way. And So what I enjoy about it is that God gives us these.
Groups, the groups that had miraculous deliverances and the groups that didn't seem to have any deliverances at all. And he uses he makes this comment.
These all obtained a good report through faith. The faith that trusts him when he doesn't deliver. He is equally valuable as the faith that cries to him and finds deliverance because it's faith that he values. Without faith, it is impossible to please him.
I suppose we'd all say, oh, I'd like to be in the miraculous class where things work out. I read books about people who had miraculous things happen, but they don't seem to happen to me. Well, shall I say it? Perhaps you're in the other group. Perhaps you're in the other group and the Lord wants you to trust him. As a little hymn says, trust him. When to simply trust him seems the hardest thing of all. And here were the children of Israel with the Red Sea in front of them, No.
At their disposal, a million people.
Babies and everything. How are they going to ever get across the Red Sea? And there they encamped by the Red Sea. And then to add to their horror.
The philosophy Egyptians see their predicament and Pharaoh gathers his armies together and comes up behind them. So there's no retreat, there's no going back. The Egyptians are behind them in the Red Sea, in front of them. And listen to what it says here.
In the 13th verse.
And Moses said unto the people, fearing not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. All this must have been a hard thing. But isn't it good when we just stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, See him work things out in the way that he sees fit and best, not in the way that we would think or plan ourselves, because most of our discouragement and disappointment.
Is because things don't work out the way.
We had planned them, but God's plan is ever best because he's perfect in wisdom, He's perfect in love, and He's perfect in power. But you notice at this point here, they do become discouraged and it tells us in this 11TH verse they said to Moses.
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Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?
Wherefore is this, and wherefore hast thou dealt us with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians, for it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. Here we see this point of discouragement, and I just say this to any here tonight who are discouraged. There's no more dangerous time in your life because you know what the enemy is going to do.
Just exactly what we see here. He's going to tell you, oh, following the Lord is a hard path. It's far easier to go back and go along with the world. You don't need to deny Christ. They didn't suggest that they weren't thankful for that blood that sheltered them from the judgment. They didn't say that they weren't thankful for that roast lamb that they had in their houses. But now it's the path of faith.
Where are they going to go on the path of faith when they were faced with difficulties and problems that to human nature were insurmountable? Or were they in heart going to turn back and say, oh, isn't there an easier path? And we have seen Christians who've come to this point and when they were tempted them, they yield to the enemy and they say, I'm going to try the world for a while.
The path of faith is just a little too hard for me.
It may be that others can do it, but it's just too hard for me. Oh, can I say to you, that's the enemy's work, to try and lead you back into Egypt every time through the wilderness? When the children of Israel got discouraged, you'd hear a similar thing coming up. Why did we leave Egypt? The lakes and the onions and the garlic. Let's make a captain and turn back into Egypt. There's nothing more dangerous than when the Christian becomes discouraged.
How that the world would creep him, but all the pillar of cloud was still there. God is faithful and as someone else has said, the path of the Christian is worthwhile if it were 1000 times harder than it is to live your life in company with the Lord Jesus. Find those who have gone on in the path of faith who have met some of the hardships of the path of faith.
And the best hymns that we have, the sweetest ministry that we have is from people.
Who experienced the Lord near in times of trouble. Many of our beautiful hymns were written by blind people, cripple people, people, people who had calamities in their life and even in the scripture. Some of those beautiful verses we enjoy so well, like rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say rejoice. They were written from within a prison wall.
Oh brethren, may we realize that the path of following Christ.
Is worthwhile, but I will say this, God does not promise you an easy path, but He promises you good company in the past. He promises to be with you, the Lord Jesus before he left his own said.
We must, through much tribulation, enter into the Kingdom of God, Paul said to the young believers.
He said, he told them unto you, it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. The Lord Jesus said in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world and I don't promise you that it's going to be an easy path. Winston Churchill in World War Two, he said to the people, I can't promise you ease. I promise you blood, tears and sweat.
But victory in the end? Well, dear friends, there's something far more glorious ahead for the Christian. World War 2 is over, but we haven't found all the blessings that we had hoped we would find as the result of it. We find the world on the very verge of another war. But oh, how different when we follow Christ. Although the end of the journey is to be in that eternal rest where the Lord will say to his own.
Down now and I'll come forth and serve you. What a gracious savior. What a savior to have. I say it's surely worthwhile.
Well, it tells us here, as we noticed that the Lord said to Moses.
Speak to the people.
Theory not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today. He shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and He shall hold your peace. And often when we find ourselves in a situation like that, that is perhaps the hardest thing for us to do, is to hold our peace, not to complain.
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There's a verse in the 46th Psalm that says be still and know that I'm I am God. And so here was the time of just waiting upon God. They didn't know how it was going to be worked out, but the Lord had said.
Fear not, just stand still and wait.
Usually we find that when the Lord stands, says stand still, that's when we want to push forward. We want to do something. We want to, as it were, say, well, I'm going to try this or that. That's what Jacob did every time he found himself in a difficult spot. He had a scheme and he schemed and schemed and schemed until finally he came to the point where he had to say.
All these things are against me. His scheming didn't work things out for him.
But he saw that God was behind the scenes, and he was the one who was able to turn the sorrows of his life into blessing in the end.
And then tells us here in the 15th verse. And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me, speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. Well, here we notice another thing. There was a time when they were to stand still and just wait. There was a time when they were to go forward.
Isn't it very often true with us that at the time we should go forward we seem to stand still, and at the time we should stand still, then we want to go forward. This is part of ourselves. But we need to have the ear that's opened and listened. And when the Lord says go forward, we can be sure that He has opened up a way. And so we find that He had opened a way.
The 16th verse says, But lift thou up thy rock.
Stretch out thine, hand over the sea and divide it, and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. When God said go forward, it wasn't that they had to make a lot of boats, that they had to swim across the Red Sea, that they had to find some way of their own. No, He was going to undertake the whole situation.
And so when the time came that he said go forward.
He also told Moses how to open up the way for them. And he has a way of opening things up and we can wait on him. And then when he opens up the way, we see that it's all His doing. He could take no credit to themselves for this at all. This was all his doing. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
And here it seems to me and what took place we have a beautiful picture of the cross of Calvary. I like when I read this 16th verse where it says lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it. It always makes me think of what the Lord Jesus endured when the rod was lifted up upon him.
We sing in a little hymn, Jehovah lifted up his rod. O Christ, it fell on thee. Thou was forsaken of thy God. No distance now for me. Think of those hours of darkness. Think of the Lord Jesus as the one who bore the rod of God's judgment. As it says in lamentation, I am the man that have borne affliction by the rod of his wrath. And so that rod was lifted up.
And brought down upon the head of our precious Savior. And every blessing that we will know for time and eternity is founded on Calvary. It's founded upon what the Lord Jesus did there. And so here we find this brought in. The rod is lifted up and brought down, and the waters are divided and all. Doesn't it touch your heart, my friend, to think of what the Lord Jesus has done?
Isn't it good for us to just meditate for a few moments?
And think of what He endured there at the cross of Calvary when He took our place. Now there's no hindrance to the heart of God flowing out in all its fullness of blessing to us. If it came to us on the ground of what we deserved, there would be no blessing. We deserve judgment. We deserve banishment from His presence. But every blessing that we know or will know for time and eternity is because of what the Savior did at the cross.
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And that's why it's brought in here about this rod being lifted up and brought down here so that the waters were divided and the children of Israel went through on dry ground. Isn't that nice? On dry ground? This is certainly most unusual when we think that this was a sea. We know that even.
When the tide goes out along the seashore, why it's not dry ground, but here they went over on dry ground. Oh, and God makes a way. It's a perfect way. It's a way where we don't have to, shall I say, have one bit of that judgment. The Lord Jesus said, all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. And as the children of Israel walked through the Red Sea, the waters were a wall to them on the right hand.
And on the left, but not one drop of the water touched them. Isn't that blessed? And how often we're reminded of what the Lord Jesus endured for us. We God would never have us forget it.
When we gather on Lord's Day morning to remember our precious Savior in His death, we, as it were, stand upon dry ground. But we remember the time when the waves and the billows rolled over our precious Savior, and we see them as it were beside us, a wall protecting us, but not one drop of the judgment upon us. How isn't it blessed for us to know this? Well, this was the deliverance that God wrought for His people and brought them through.
The Red Sea there and brought them right over on the other side.
He didn't want them to go back. He didn't tell them you must fight the Egyptians. No, that wasn't the way he told them that they were just to go on that ground that he had provided.
Then in the 19th verse, until the way was opened, we read something. Here in the 19th verse, the Angel of God, which was before the camp of Israel removed and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud went from before their face and stood behind them. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. And it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to thee.
Saw that the one came not near the other all the night. What a scene this was.
Just think these million Israelites, and as they looked at that cloud, it gave them light, saw that their camp wasn't in darkness that night as God was opening the way for them to take them through the Red Sea, why they weren't in the dark there, they could look up and that cloud was giving them light. The assurance to them the God was for them, that God before us who can be against us.
But what did it look like to the Egyptians? Why it was darkness to them?
Don't expect the world to understand you, it says in first John 3. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not. They don't understand how the Lord guides us. They don't understand when we say, well, I'm going to trust the Lord, They say, oh, you've got to do this and you've got to do that. But when we say, well, I'm going to trust the Lord, Why? It's darkness to them.
But oh how different for us. It gives light to our souls and all.
All hot peace we have often found in the midst of a difficulty that seemed impossible to us. The Lord gave us that peace that passes all understanding in just trusting Him. But to the others it was darkness. And what did it create? It created a separation. A separation between the Egyptians and the children of Israel. A separation of God intends to be maintained.
Because it says we are not of the world.
Even as Christ is not of the world, he tells us not to make yokes with the world be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, because those things that are light to us are darkness to them. Those things that give us joy are no joy to them. And so in that secret of our lives, we can only really enjoy these things in communion with the Lord and with other believers. We can never enjoy them in communion with the world, because the world.
Will never understand God's care, and that which we enjoy of his presence as our portion. So they came not near each other, and brethren, may the Lord keep us a separated people unto Himself, it says. Very early in the church's history, it says.
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It says and being let go, they went to their own company. And it's a great thing for us. We should be a witness to the world of what the Lord has done for us. And the Lord does send us to them to be a testimony and to preach the gospel to them. But as to our personal lives, why, for a people who are separated from this world, we don't have that which we can enjoy in common with them in our portion that we have in Christ.
So it tells us then.
In this 21St verse. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong E wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Now we come to the 23rd verse, and it says the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his Chariots, and his horsemen.
I believe this brings before us how we find so much.
Profession empty profession round about us. There may be those sitting in the very seats in this room. You're sitting alongside those who belong to Christ. You have identified yourself with those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus. But God knows your heart. The scripture says the Lord knoweth them that are his. If you had been there that night, you could have said well passing through that sea, our people who.
Have been sheltered by the blood people who have put their trust in the Lord. But look, all those Egyptians are going through too. Yes, the world is full of false profession.
But there are terrorists among the wheat. They may deceive us, but they don't deceive God. And I just want to say if there's any young person here tonight or older one, and you've made a lip profession of the Lord Jesus, but there's never been a heart transaction. You've never received. The Lord is your Savior. You may be following along with other Christians. That's what it means in the 6th of Hebrews when it talks of those who were partakers of the good word of God and of these.
Things and you may even be a partaker of many of the good things that Christians enjoy. You may be able to enter in in some measure to the warmth that is felt among them. But remember, if you haven't got living faith, it's going to be manifested someday. It's going to be brought to light. And it wasn't very long until God made it manifest.
Who were really crossing that Red Sea in faith as those who had been under the shelter of the blood.
And those who were only doing it trying to follow along with the others without faith.
It says in the 11TH chapter of Hebrews by faith the children of Israel pass through the Red Sea is by dry land, which the Egyptians are saying to do were drowned. Yes, they attempted. Oh I beg of you not to be satisfied with an empty profession if you have never received Christ as your Savior all do it tonight because the next verse says.
The 24th verse it came to pass that in the morning watch the Lord looked.
Under the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud and troubled the host of the Egyptians and took off their chariot wheels that they drove them heavily, so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel to the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
Speaks here about the morning watch and the coming of the Lord Jesus is spoken of as the bright and morning star and it tells us later on in the.
27th Birth. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared, and the Egyptians fled against it. And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. So we see here before this time came, when the morning star appeared, and when the waters returned to their strength.
Why they they started to go back, they said well, the Lord is fighting for.
For Israel and their chariot wheels were taken off and they decided that they'd turn back. That's what we see taking place in Christendom today. We see the breakdown of false profession on every hand. We see people who once professed the truths of Christianity turning to all kinds of things. It amazes one to find in a Christian land like this. People who worship Satan, people who have accepted Eastern religions, they're turning their.
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Back upon the profession of Christianity the wheels of their Chariots have been taken off and they say let's go back it's the apostasy which is already beginning but will not come to its whole bloom until after the church is gone so they they started back they said let's give up all this Christianity let's go back we're not going to go along with all this and so when they saw that the children of Israel were.
Beginning to come up on the other side of the Red Sea, they were going back, and then, it says, when the morning appeared, Moses stretched forth his hand, and the waters returned to their strength.
When the Lord Jesus comes and takes his own to glory, judgment is going to come upon this world, and all those who have the lamp without the oil are going to find themselves on the outside of the door.
Those foolish virgins who had said they were going forth to meet the bridegroom, but they had no oil in their lamps. When the time came, the door was shut. They were on the wrong side of the door. And oh, I just say again to any who are professors, flee from the wrath to come. Take the Lord Jesus as your Savior tonight. Don't go on without Him any longer.
Now it's still a day of grace. You can still be saved.
But it says here, in the end of this chapter, that as far as the children of Israel were concerned, the 29th verse, they walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were awhile unto them, and their right hand, and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians. The 31St verse.
And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians.
And the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses. They saw this mighty deliverance, they rejoiced in it, and they came up on the banks of the Red Sea, looked back, and saw their enemies dead upon the seashore, and their hearts and voices united in a song of praise to the Lord. Well, brethren, as we think of what the Lord has done for us.
I say again, as I said at the beginning, is so blessed to know that.
We're not only sheltered from the judgment, we're not only given to feed upon the roast lamb, but were brought into an entirely new position and allow the children of Israel hadn't yet entered the glory, that is, they hadn't entered the promised land of Canaan. They could look back and rejoice and in this very chapter it says here.
In the 13th verse of the 15th chapter, Thou in thy mercy hath LED forth the people which thou hast redeemed. Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. And it's beautiful why they talk as if the journey was all over. They had a long time still to go, but they said, Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. That is, they knew that this.
One who brought them through the Red Sea was going to bring them through the wilderness. And friends, Christ is the captain of our salvation. He is bringing many sons home the glory. And so they sang as if the wilderness journey was all over. Why? They knew the one who was their strength and their song. They knew the victory. They knew what he had done. And also tells us in the second verse, The Lord is my strength and song and he.
Become my salvation. He is my God. Listen to these words, and I will prepare him and habitation. And we don't have time tonight to talk about what happened in the wilderness, but it's very, very lovely to see that this actually took place in the 25th chapter of Exodus. The Lord said to Moses, make me a Tabernacle that I may dwell among them. And all the instructions were given.
Saw that God provided a way of blessing in their midst so that he could dwell among them, so that He could provide a way of approach into His presence. And I want to say this, if you know the Lord is your Savior, if you know that you've been brought into this place of perfect acceptance before him, it's your privilege to prepare him and habitation. It's your privilege personally to give Him a place in your heart and in your life.
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And it's your privilege too, to be gathered in his appointed way, for that Tabernacle wasn't built according to their plan. It was built according to the plan that God gave. And he said, Make me a Tabernacle, that I may dwell among them. So there was the enjoyment of his presence as the one who was leading them through the wilderness into the land. And there was also that where they could be gathered in their tents with the Lord there in the midst of the company as they passed through the.
Well, may we value the place that we have been brought into through the work of Christ, and may our hearts prepare Him in habitation. May we also give Him His place collectively, as we have that privilege that He has said. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.