“The Greatest Show” (Exodus 13,14)
Published 11 September 2025
Scroll down for “Lessons Learned…”
Designed for Personal Bible Study or for Bible Teaching
⚠️ The 5 Greatest Mistakes
- 1️⃣ Treating readiness as optional when God time-stamps obedience (Ex. 12:3–11).
- 2️⃣ Failing to see “Who and What God is” in the plunder — worship fuel, not mere wealth (Ex. 12:36; 35–36).
- 3️⃣ Spectating miracles instead of stepping into faith-actions (13:14; 12:7,11).
- 4️⃣ Forgetting to record God’s dates and deeds “to the very day” (12:40–41).
- 5️⃣ Letting doubt or rebellion stall the column when the cloud moves (13:21–22).
💥 The 5 Greatest Failures
- 1️⃣ Pharaoh’s refusal despite public, repeated proofs (14:17–18 background arc).
- 2️⃣ Religious bravado crumbling before real authority (contrast 7–10 → 14:31 response).
- 3️⃣ Families under-prepared until leadership insists on specifics (12:3–11).
- 4️⃣ Nations that “remember” poorly, repeat ruin (14:30–31 vs. later wanderings).
- 5️⃣ Neglecting sacred cargo — legacy lost when history isn’t carried (13:19–20).
🚫 The 5 Greatest Sins
- 1️⃣ Mental—pride hardened by partial relief (Egypt’s rhythm through the plagues).
- 2️⃣ Mental—idolatry of systems (sun/state/sea) over the Lord of them all.
- 3️⃣ Verbal—threats to silence truth (“never appear again,” Ex. 10:28–29 implied backdrop).
- 4️⃣ Overt—oppressing people God has marked for freedom (12–14 arc).
- 5️⃣ Overt—refusing the blood sign and pathway of deliverance (12:7,13 contrast).
🌱 Great Spiritual Growth Applied
- 1️⃣ Live under “cloud and fire” — practice daily awareness of guidance (13:21–22).
- 2️⃣ Start a testimony calendar — mark God’s deliverances “to the very day” (12:40–41).
- 3️⃣ Turn legacy into luggage — carry Joseph’s bones (13:19–20).
- 4️⃣ Move from audience to actors — belts on, sandals laced, staff in hand (12:11).
- 5️⃣ Seal trust with praise on the far shore (14:31).
🧭 Great Leadership Principles Gleaned
- 1️⃣ State the purpose behind the pain: “that you may know…tell your children” (13:14; 10:2 echo).
- 2️⃣ Lead readiness with specifics — time, tools, tasks (12:3–11).
- 3️⃣ Guard the people and the story — distinction and sacred cargo (13:19–22).
- 4️⃣ Walk first through the sea — model courage in impossible corridors (14:21–29).
- 5️⃣ Institutionalize remembrance — build rhythms that keep trust alive (14:31; future feasts).