Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends. The weekend has arrived!
No matter where you live in the world, the weekend is quite different from the rest of the week isn’t it? Do you have a sense of ‘freedom’ when you wake up on Saturday or Sunday morning? If so, that’s just a little taste of what Moses and the fleeing 1 million Hebrew slaves felt the next morning as the sun rose over the sands of Egypt. They’d been walking most of the night and I’m sure they still couldn’t really believe what they were experiencing. Come, let’s rejoin them in their new journey…
The Exodus 13:17 record says, “When Pharaoh let the Hebrews go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea…” If we look at a map of the middle east region, we know Egypt’s north coast is the Mediterranean Sea. The major trade route from northern Africa ran along the coast east from Egypt and then north through Philistine territory then into Canaan and finally further north skirting the Mediterranean, and around the top of the Mediterranean both east toward India and west into Asia. That is not the route God led the escaping Hebrew slaves, even though it would have been well traveled by trade caravans. Do you see why? God knew these people. In their hearts they were far more Egyptian than they were Hebrew. They were only beginning to know the God of their ancestors who had delivered them. So God led them south, away from those who would harm them, but that meant God led them toward the desert! Here’s a map to show you their route:
Now you may be asking, ‘how did God lead 1 million people with all their animals and belongings, running out of slavery in the middle of the night, especially since none of them had ever been outside of Egypt?’ Very good question! Moses explains that in the Exodus record 13:20 he wrote: “After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” If you live in a hot climate or have spent much time in a dry, desert area, or even on a hot sand beach, you understand how quickly the sun and heat can dehydrate you, especially children and the elderly. You also know how heat and sand can quickly get tiresome and irritating. For that reason I assume this huge cloud not only provided these 1 million people guidance as it moved, but as it hovered over them, it provided shade. Thus it would have been quite easy to follow the moving cloud… just stay in the shade!! And at night, a huge pillar of fire in the sky would have been quite easy to follow, do you agree? Both the cloud and the fire are tangible evidence of the miraculous presence of God with these people. Thus while they have no idea where they are headed, I believe their anxiety level was low, at least for the first few days, because the God who delivered them from Egypt by His mighty power as seen in the plagues, was now with them and leading them, as evidenced by the cloud & fire.
May I ask us two important questions?
First... what is guiding you in life? What are you following or pursuing?
Second… what is your sense of the Presence of God with you? What tangible evidence do you have?
Can you imagine the sight of this huge moving crowd of nearly one million people with all their belongings and animals, when daylight came and they could see the vastness of this moving throng? And on one cart, do you see it over there, something very unusual. A large Egyptian coffin, the kind you might see in a museum today. What is that and why is an Egyptian coffin being taken along with these fleeing Hebrew slaves? Moses wrote these words to explain it to us: “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.” (Exodus 13:19)
Do you remember who Joseph was and why his dead body was buried in an ornate Egyptian coffin and why he left those instructions before he died? His story is found in Genesis 37-50. Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son, but sold as a slave by his older brothers. For 13 years he lived in slavery in Egypt, much of that time in prison, falsely accused. But then Pharaoh had some dreams and Joseph interpreted the dreams, warning of a coming famine. Pharaoh elevated him from the prison to the palace and made him Prime Minister of all Egypt responsible for agriculture management. When the famine came, so did people looking for temporary relief in Egypt. Among them was Joseph’s entire family, including those brothers who had sold him and his aged father Jacob.
As old Jacob, who was the grandson of Abraham, neared his death, he realized his failure at not leading his family back to Canaan, the land God had provided to Abraham in the Covenant (Genesis 17), so Jacob asked Joseph to take his body back and bury him with his ancestors in Canaan. When Joseph neared his death, he asked his children to do the same, however his body was embalmed as a royal Egyptian official so they had no need to rush. Years passed and soon they were all enslaved, and thus for nearly 300 years this ornate Egyptian coffin had been kept in the back room of Joseph’s descendants, as a constant reminder that someday the Hebrews would be set free from their bondage in Egypt, and when that day came, that old coffin was to be placed on a cart and taken with them!
Now if you’ve ever moved from one place to another, I urge you to remember. This crowd can only move as fast as the slowest among them, and of course the children are running all around, for them this is a parade with so much to see! Can you imagine the parents trying to keep track of their frolicking kids? And then there are herds of sheep, donkeys, goats, and probably some camels…everywhere, as far as your eyes can see. It looks like mayhem, but then look up, do you see that great big cloud giving us shade in this heat? That’s God’s provision, His presence and His guidance! We’re not lost, we’re following God’s plan and we’re free, no longer slaves in mud pits or to the slave master’s whip! What will the future hold?? Can you imagine the questions the children had for their parents and grandparents? The same questions you used to ask… where are we going, when will we get there, what will we do there?
Can you look forward into this weekend, my friends, and beyond with that sense of calm anticipation that God is leading you into HIS future for you? Can you assure your children and grandchildren of your full trust in God and your anticipation that God yet has some special things ahead for you, regardless of your age? Can you be patient, waiting and trusting God when things may not yet be clear for you? Here’s a simple song to help you live with contentment in God’s guidance, and anticipation for what HE knows is ahead for you. . .
Today’s Scripture is Exodus 13 17-22.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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