EXODUS 13:18. “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.” GOD LED THE PEOPLE. God led the way - no better guide could show His own the way From the darkness of the Egyptian night, to the promise of new day. The evil in the world where I live today is like it was back then, Those men who lead try to bring God down – promoting “up with men.”
God calls His own out from the world to follow where He leads – To trust Him alone to show the way; trust Him to meet their needs. All they need to know God’s there, is to follow in His light. He was there in the comforting cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night.
From way back then to here today, God still leads us along The road He alone can see leads to His heavenly home. If we look back there are pleasures there that end in awful death; But following light that God provides, confirms we’re truly blessed.
As God leads us through life each day, some places seem too hard. Admittedly we couldn’t make it through without the Lord. When these times pass and light still shines, we then can understand – God knew some change was needed, before reaching the promised land.
We may not realize just now why God leads us where He does. What seems to us unnecessary, will someday display God’s love To us when we were tempted to take our self-centered way. God knew all along when He was leading us, we would understand some day.
“Gracious Father, who guided us for so many years and in so many ways to this place we are now, I gratefully thank Thee for giving us Thy word to show us Thy mind, and sending the Holy Spirit to guide into Thy truth. For us to travel this way of life with Thy leadership and knowledge assures us of safety even though some parts of the journey may be difficult. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
EXODUS 13:21, 22. “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them in 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.” LEADERS. MOSES His parents saw he was a proper child to raise: His mother was allowed to nurse her son in spite of Pharaoh. He would have learned who he was and to whom he really belonged when he was a small child.
A distant shepherd to learn: God had arranged that one of the few true believers outside of Israel would be the one to teach him the fundamental necessities of leading. There is no better place to learn to lead than to lead sheep day after day in every kind of weather and in every place.
A chosen messenger to speak for God: God does not always choose the one who wants to be chosen. He had gotten used to the quiet desert and his simple life with the sheep. God can use a person who is willing to labor, and make that person into one who He can give responsibility to. Moses had been a laborer; now God was going to make him a leader.
A spokesman for the people: It is not easy to go before kings and those in authority, especially if they are evil despots. A man who had been trained in the ways of Egypt, knew how to go about the work God had given him. God can use what we have if we are willing to do what He says.
A leader of the people: There are times when leadership seems to be a burden that one would like to walk away from. People have their own expectations and if it doesn’t work out that way, they are quick to complain. There is a time to talk to the people, and there is a time to talk to God on their behalf.
THE ANGEL OF THE LORD A Strong Deliverer: The deliverance from Egypt by the blood of the Passover, would never be forgotten. The children were to be reminded by this service that it was God who had stepped in, not only to deliver them from slavery and from Egypt’s domination of their national and spiritual lives (they had served the gods of Egypt), but He was delivering them to the land of promise. He was going to be with them all the way there. He does not abandon those who walk with Him.
A Wise Guide: He went before them in the pillar of cloud by day and the fire by night. Neither the cloud nor the fire was taken away. If they needed shelter from the heat, the cloud was there. If they needed light to travel by night the fire was there lighting up the way. As the Guide led them, they went harnessed, by five in a rank. Even though they didn’t realize it perhaps at the time, they moved together in rows as directed by the Guide. We can sense the presence of God when things come together in an orderly way.
A Comforting Presence: He was in the cloud and fire. They couldn’t see God but they could see evidence of God with them. They knew when to move and when to stop because of an awareness of His presence with them. Whether He was before them to lead and guide or behind them to protect, they were conscious of the presence of God. We too can practice the presence of God.
A Constant Security: A child might wake in the middle of the night in fear, but the light of the fire would calm the child and he would go to sleep again with the light of the fire still on. An enemy might seek to enter the camp, but there was no way to hide from the light. The temperature would rise as the day progressed and normally people, would lie down to rest. But in such a vulnerable condition they would be an easy prey except for the cloud that would keep them from the complacency of too much heat. When protection was needed, the Shielding Presence moved to the rear of the column and the Protection was in place.
A Great Savior: The Lord saved His people from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. The people of God knew they had been miraculously saved by the hand of the Lord. Each one of them was able to personalize the experience for themselves. There was no question in any person’s mind that God had intervened as Savior. In every way and in every situation, the Savior can be relied on.
“O powerful and present God, the Lord of every situation. It is a wonder to me that Thou art willing to take a frail mortal man, and make him into a servant of Thine and give him a role to fill that normally he could never fill. Thanks for giving us the full picture; God is there unseen to fulfill the Divine roles behind the scene and make it all happen. The role of Moses was to be seen as the one through God gave a visible human form. What grace and condescension! To God be all the glory! Amen.”