Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19941120.htm
THE MAN MOSES: LEARNING HOW TO BE USED BY GOD
Part III: After Ministry Failure, Being Mightily Used By God
F. Step Six - Handling Crises Beyond Human Reasoning Or Power To Handle
(Exodus 12:29-36; 13:17-15:1)
- Introduction
- Facing trouble in the ministry is to be expected. After all, we are in a spiritual conflict.
- But what happens when we face trouble that is so overwhelming that we don't know what to think?
- Moses faced this when backed up against the Red Sea!
- Handling Crises Beyond Human Reasoning Or Power To Handle, Ex. 12:29-36; 13:17-15:1
- In dramatic fashion, God moved events very quickly to release His people from Egyptian bondage:
- God slew the firstborn of man and beast in the land of Egypt where the Hebrew people were saved from this tragedy due to their observance of the Passover Feast, Ex. 12:12-14,29.
- This motivated Pharaoh and all of the Egyptians to urge the Hebrews to leave, taking with them whatever they wanted from the Egyptians, Ex. 12:30-33,35-36.
- Accordingly, Moses took with him Joseph's mummified body for burial in the land of Canaan according to the last will and testament of the patriarch, Joseph, Ex. 12:19 with Gen. 50:24-26.
- God continually led the people by a pillar of cloud that was full of illuminating fire at night, making it clear that He was directing them out of Egypt, Ex. 13:21-22.
- However, an overwhelming crisis developed for which Moses had no human means of reasoning how he was going to handle it, let alone have the human power to do anything about it, Ex. 14:1-12:
- God directed the people through Moses to camp backed right up against the Red Sea, Ex. 14:1-2.
- Then He told Moses that He was going to permit a great crisis to develop to glorify Himself: God would harden Pharaoh's heart to pursue the defenseless Hebrew nation with the world's greatest existing chariot force, Ex. 14:3-4a. God w ould resolve the crisis to His glory, Ex. 14:4b.
- When the crisis developed full bloom, the people cried out to Moses in great alarm. They blamed Moses for creating a life-threatening crisis for the nation, saying that it would have been better for them to have stayed in Egypt as bon dsmen rather than to die in the wilderness, Ex. 14:5-10a,10b-12.
- Though Moses knew that the crisis was the Lord's permissive will, and that God would resolve the life-threat to Israel, he had no way of understanding how, when or where it was going to happen!
- In response, Moses told the people not to fear, but to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, 14:13f.
- God delivered the nation, gaining great glory to Himself, Ex. 14:15-15:1:
- God's word was that now was the time for progress, Ex. 14:15.
- God urged Moses to use his "supernatural gift" -- his rod -- to part the Red Sea for passage, 14:16.
- He did so, making for a passage of dry ground for Israel's flight into the wilderness where God had wanted them to worship Him, Ex. 14:16-18 with 5:1!
- God placed the pillar of fire between the Egyptians and Israel all night long to protect the nation until the east wind had completely blown the Red Sea's bed dry enough for human passage, Ex. 14:20-22!
- After Israel crossed, and the Egyptians pursued them into the seabed, God (a) either clogged up the chariot wheels with mud or broke them, freezing the charioteers in the seabed, and then (b) caused the waters to return over them to destroy them when Moses used his rod to return the waters, 14:23-30.
- In the morning, Israel beheld the work of God upon the Egyptians, and they responded with great respect for God and with great faith in God and in His servant, Moses, Ex. 14:31!
- Moses responded with his joyful, personally victorious song of praise to the Lord, Ex. 15:1-2!
Lesson: When we face a ministry crisis that is overwhelming so we cannot understand even how to resolve it, draw upon these things for help: (a) Resolve to stand still until God gives insight in what to do, Ex. 14:13-14; (b) draw encouragement from the testimony of former great saints (Joseph's mummy, 12:19; Gen. 50:24-26); (c) keep in mind that a crisis is often God's avenue for shaking up the status quo so that we might see real progress, Ex. 14: 15; (d) use your spiritual gift in accord with God's leading, Ex. 14:16,23-30; (e) Remember how God has led you to date as a direction of where He plans to keep you going, Ex. 5:1 with 14:16-18! (f) Then watch God work and praise Him, 14:31-15:1!