Awesome Hands – part 59: “Why Have We Done This”

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Awesome Hands – part 59

“Why have we done this

July 2, 2014

Exo 14:5  And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

Why do we do anything that we do? As Bereans in spirit, and diggers in the Word of God, we know that the Lord works all things after the counsel of His own will.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

As we wrap up this chapter, I hope it will be given to us to see ourselves as both the Pharaoh and Egyptians in our time, as well as the Israelites who in their time, also doubt.

By realizing this, we will gain knowledge and wisdom in how the Lord works in our lives each and every day.

“All the chariots of Egypt”

 

Exo 14:5  And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
Exo 14:6  And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
Exo 14:7  And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
Exo 14:8  And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
Exo 14:9  But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

We are no strangers to the Truth that the Lord does everything He does with an exalted hand, just as He does with Israel in this story.

What is revealing is that both the Egyptians and Israelites are caused to doubt except they experience it from different sides of the equation. Doubt is the opposite of Faith, so it is not a stretch to say that both parties were caused to sin in that they doubted.

Rom 14:23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
The Pharaoh and Egyptians were not different in thinking it was their own thoughts which they were having in that they doubted why they had done what they had done.

The Egyptians doubted “why” they had let Israel go, and this was after all the plagues which caused their livelihoods and firstborn sons to be destroyed.

The Israelites saw the same miracles (plagues) happen and they TOO doubted even though they were on the receiving end of deliverance.

Exo 14:10  And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
Exo 14:11  And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
Exo 14:12  Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

This is due to the witness we are given that the Lord is working it all. The witness’ are the 600 chariots (6 x 10 x 10), the number of man, being mentioned as to what has happened in the hearts and minds of both groups of people.

The first thing the Israelites do is cry out unto the Lord (in doubt this time even after seeing all they have seen thus far), and then they turn on the very ones who were sent and used to awaken them out of bondage and lead them to freedom.

Look at how the Lord responds to both the Israelites that cry out unto the Lord and to Moses who also petitions the Lord on behalf of the Israelites.

Exo 14:13  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Exo 14:14  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
Exo 14:15  And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

The Lord wants to know why we still cry out to Him in doubt. The word doubt is not mentioned directly but it is not going above what is written to conclude that this is exactly what was happening to the Israelites as they were seeing the Egyptians bear down on them.

Of course, the Lord is asking this question to SHOW Moses and the Isralites where they are and how they are acting with this state of mind, in the same way He knew exactly where Adam was hiding but asked “where are thou”.

Gen 3:9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Gen 3:10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

It is when we are in distress that we call out unto the Lord, but by the time we get to the point where we doubt there is a way out, is the same point the Lord will answer us and tell us we are lacking Faith.

Luk 5:4  Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luk 5:5  And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luk 5:6  And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
Luk 5:7  And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
Luk 5:8  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Luk 5:9  For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

It is when we doubt that we sin just as Peter realized he had done. The beautiful work of even the DOUBT the Lord causes in us is that He wants to show us who we are without Him so that He can tell us, so that He can whisper in our ears, hearts and minds;  fear not.

Luk 5:10  And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Luk 5:11  And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Fear not thou body of Christ the church of the Living God.

Nonetheless, it takes a long time for us to build up the exercising of our hearts and minds to continually “know the times” we are in, but let us also realize that fear is one strong tool the Lord uses for us to cry out unto Him.

“Lift up thy Rod”

 

Exo 14:16  But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
Exo 14:17  And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
Exo 14:18  And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

It is amazing how the Lord works in His timing. Within our own body, we have been discussing the topic of fear and many things have been said for our consideration on this topic.

It is now at this point in time that I am able to speak wrap up this chapter about the parting of the Red Sea and what it meant for all parties involved.

I’ve been prevented thus far from wrapping this chapter up due to circumstances in my life, but it is now that it comes out at a time when we are dealing with this very topic. It has taken several years to build up to this point in this series; yet, here we are discussing this very topic within the scope of this series and at a time when we are also discussing it within our fellowship.

The Lord tells us to lift up our rod over the sea and divide it. This is very instructional for us so that we can know what we are to do when we face something in our life of which has been brought before us AND in which there seems no escape from a perceived outcome.

Israel thought they were doomed for sure. They feared, yet they feared the Egyptians. They cried out to the Lord and the Lord asks them why they yet cry out in doubt.

The answer of the Lord is to lift up your hand, of which has the ROD OF HIS POWER in it, and DIVIDE the sea.

We are to divide the doubt that sits in our hearts and minds from the belief that the Lord will deliver us, and we are to divide the fear of the Egyptians from the fear of God.

These fears are two separate types of fear, YET they are both brought to us due to what the Lord has worked in our lives.

For Israel’s part, they are currently fearful due to the incoming Egyptians, but the fear they will be brought to is a fear caused by BELIEF.

Exo 14:19  And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
Exo 14:20  And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Exo 14:21  And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Exo 14:22  And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Exo 14:23  And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

The “angel of God” goes first in front in this process and then goes behind the Israelites. From a physical perspective this makes perfect sense because we know that the Egyptians were in pursuit of the Israelites.

From a spiritual perspective, it takes someone who has already gone before in similar circumstances to be able to then look back and guide those who are “going into” this process in their due time.

It is in SLEEP/DEATH/NIGHT that we are at this stage of deliverance.

In other words, the life which is in the breath, the wind in the case of this story, works it’s deliverance in the NIGHT when all seems lost.

The deliverance is very revealing in that the Lord creates a very NARROW way for the Israelites to follow.

In fact, the Lord instructs us that the sea is on the left and the right as we traverse this narrow way and it is on the left side and the right side that destruction will come.

Exo 14:24  And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
Exo 14:25  And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

There are indeed few that find that narrow way and the Life that it provides.

Num 22:24  But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
Num 22:25  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
Num 22:26  And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

In fact, if we are being admonished at all with this story then we will realize that the Egyptians DID NOT have the “narrow way” of escape prepared for THEM.

The Lord “troubled” the whole host of the Egyptians so that they could not successfully follow the narrow way which was prepared for the Israelites.

It may seem like I am being elitist or speaking above what is written but the Truth is that the Lord is only working with a select called, chosen and Faithful few in this age preparing them to be His people so that they can later be used to usher in the rest of humanity.

Exo 14:26  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
Exo 14:27  And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
Exo 14:28  And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
Exo 14:29  But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

It is very few indeed that will be given BELIEF unto the end of this age, who endure all that is thrown their way in the form of temptation and trials, who then go on unto perfection.

Doubt was thrust upon both groups, but it is with one group that the Lord gives dominion of the sea and tells them to divide the waters so that they can see salvation.

It was fear that lead the Israelites to once again cry out to the Lord in doubt, and His answer led to their deliverance. The conclusion is a different aspect on the topic of fear.

Exo 14:30  Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
Exo 14:31  And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

The result of the salvation and deliverance of the Israelites is that they FEARED and BELIEVED the Lord.

Belief and doubt are the opposite of one another, and has been brought out in this study, doubt is sin because whatsoever is not of Faith is sin.

So the conclusion of the matter as it pertains to this story of the parting of the Red Sea in our lives is that mercy will be shown to all because it was first shown to us.

That mercy is due to BELIEF given to us by a healthy dose of godly fear in what the Lord has brought us to in our lives and then delivered us from. He controls the reigns, and He even controls the very WHEELS that drive our chariots i.e. the walk we walk in our spiritual lives.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

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