Have We Forgotten?
“Then the LORD said to Moses,
(Exodus 14: 15 NASB)
“Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.”
- Could there be a story that we’ve heard our whole lives, one we thought was true when we were young and attending church as a small child, youngster, and teenager, but really was not true?
- Could there be a Bible narrative that is just not true?!!!
Now, if we are an unbeliever, we may exclaim, “Yes, of course.”
However, if we are a believer, could it be that inside the deepest parts of our hearts, we wonder, “God, is this really true?”
- The Red Sea is a real body of water—the world maps prove it so!
- The Red Sea is a true narrative—National Geographic archeologists found chariot wheels and bridles on the bottom of the Red Sea!
- The Red Sea is a real Bible narrative (and not a story of fiction)—the Crossing—on the dusty, dry floor of the sea REALLY DID OCCUR & IT CERTAINLY REVEALED THE POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD!
The ten plagues were emblazoned on their memories (the Israelites), and the devastation of the tenth plague of death was the doorway God used for their exit as they walked away from Egyptian captivity. The Israelites saw hope on the horizon. They had eaten their Passover meal
- With sandals on their feet (rather than leaving their shoes beside the door),
- With their staffs held in the hands (rather than leaning them on the outside of the house as was custom),
- With their bread filled with leaven (because there had been no time to prepare the bread) &
- With the bodies standing inside the house (rather than the traditional posture of sitting).
All of these details were fresh on their minds as they took their first step toward God’s promised freedom, but now with the wilderness surrounding them & with the Red Sea raging in front of them, & with the fury of the army thundering toward them at Pharoah’s command—THEY HAD FORGOTTEN THE POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD!
“Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying,
(Exodus 14: 12 NASB)
‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’?
“For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness!”
- Do we ever see our problems, our struggles, our life-storms—More than we See the Power of God?
- Do we ever look over our shoulder and peer at where we once were—Forgetting Just How Far the LORD Has Brought Us?
- Do we ever become so afraid at what we see just ahead—FORGETTING THE POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD!
The children of God had known hardships for generations while living in slavery; they knew what it meant to really suffer. The Israelites had believed Moses when he quieted their fearful hearts and reassured them of God’s guidance to make it safely to the Promise Land. Nevertheless, when they followed Moses out of Egypt after the tenth plague of death, they soon faced the wilderness, the raging Red Sea, and the sound of Pharoah’s gigantic army of soldiers in chariots coming straight for them—as the Israelites walked with their babies, elderly, and possessions strapped to their backs.
They were terrified!
They feared defeat!
They saw only pain, captivity, and possibly death!
There is a melody that contains this lyric: “I don’t know how you make a way but I know YOU will.”
“Know You Will” by Hillsong UNITED
What I find most beautiful is that (just like the Israelites), once we belong to God, we never fight our battles alone. THAT’S RIGHT!
- GOD FIGHTS FOR US!
Let us never forget! NEVER!
“But Moses said to the people,
(Exodus 14: 13-14 NASB)
“Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will perform for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again, ever.
The LORD will fight for you, while you keep silent.”
- Do we sometimes doubt that—ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD!
- Do we sometimes doubt that—GOD CANNOT FAIL!
HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THE POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD?
- FAITH is simply believing that GOD—WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO!!!
Trusting the LORD is a firmer foundation than relying upon ourselves.
Trusting the LORD is a surer place of FAITH than relying upon what is possible through us.
Trusting the LORD is a next step of FAITH and not looking back!
“Then the LORD said to Moses,
(Exodus 14: 15-16 & 21-31 NASB)
“Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.
As for you, lift up your staff and reach out with your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the se on dry land. . . .”
“Then Moses reached out with his hand over the sea; and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
So the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.
Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharoah’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.
But at the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.
He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians each said,
“Let me flee from Israel, for the LORD is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”
Then the LORD said to Moses,
“Reach out with your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”
“So Moses reached out with his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, Pharoah’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.
But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.
So the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians,
and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.”
- The Israelites did not realize it at the time, but they would face the battle of Jericho—SOON!
- The Israelites left Egypt with some of their household goods, with the gold Pharoah gave them, and with their staffs held in their hands.
- Then the LORD provided the Israelites with Pharoah’s army’s swords, shields, and battle gear they would need to fight their next battle!
- HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THE POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD?
- May we not stand in fear, but may we walk on in the LORD’S MIGHT!
- May we not quake in our fear, but may we TRUST GOD & KNOW HIS STRENGTH!
- When we focus on God rather than on our situation—that’s when OUR FAITH GROWS!