DIVINE DELIVERANCE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen." Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt." Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen." Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant." Exodus 14:10-31

The Israelites thought it was all over. They had fled Egypt and followed Moses who was leading them to the Promised Land with God’s direction. With Pharoah and his army bearing down on them, the people of Israel felt Moses had led them to their execution, complaining about what he had done. Notice one key thing here. The people were criticizing Moses, not God. They still didn’t acknowledge that God was the One responsible for their every movement. They were soon to see Him involved in a big way through His power and might. For we read that Moses follows God’s orders as he "stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left."

What a sight that must have been. Imagine for a moment that you were one of the Israelites that had just been complaining about Moses leading you to your death and now witnessed him raise his staff and part the Red Sea for you to walk through to the other side on dry land. You suddenly remember the words he spoke, ""Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Suddenly, it all starts to make sense. God is with you and wants to deliver you and the rest of Israel…and He’s willing to do something spectacular to show it…something that would draw everyone into a fear of His power.

In the meantime, Pharoah and his army enter the same dry river bed in pursuit of the Israelites. Scripture tells us "the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, ‘Let's get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.’" Egypt realized quickly whose side God was on. And at this moment, they realized that they were in grave danger…so much so that the wanted to get away but it was too late.

The Lord has Moses once again raise his staff and the water walls of the Red Sea come crashing down on Pharoah and his chariot army. Scripture states, "The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived." Conversely, all of Israel lived and this prompted quite a response from them as they "saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians". They then "feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant." The exodus was ready to continue toward the Holy Land with the Israelite people fully trusting God and His appointed leader Moses.

Question: While in the midst of difficult life circumstances, have you ever questioned whether God was really with you? Have you been upset that He might have allowed you to go through tough times, wondering if He truly loved and cared for you like He said He did? Have you ever wondered if you will ever be delivered from hardship?

If so, then I think today’s scripture should help reveal God’s true character to you, lest you think He really cares. For He truly does love all of us and He wants to deliver us from our hardship, but only in accordance with His will and perfect timing. We need to trust that He knows what’s best for us and persevering through hardship is actually good for us as we learn to rely on our faith and trust in God. We learn that we don’t have the strength and power to escape life’s difficulties but through God, we can make it through anything. The Israelites saw a sea divided in two for them to cross safely to the other side. No human power was capable of doing that…only God. They also saw how that same sea came crashing down on the enemies they feared most. And they realized they were fearing men when they should have been fearing God.

How about you? Have you not seen the amazing works of power that God has done in this world? Have you not seen His awesome might in action through the scriptures? Does this not lead you to believe that anything is possible with God…that nothing is beyond the works of His almighty Hands?

If we’re honest, we will say yes to these questions and find ourselves in the spirit of the Israelites as they learned to "fear the Lord and put their trust in him." For the bible says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." (Psalm 111:10) Be wise…fear and respect God…follow His precepts so you gain good understanding…have faith and trust in what He can do through His might and power…and in doing so, know He loves you and will deliver you. These are God’s blessed truths given for us, His beloved children. Thanks be to God.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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