14 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
Exodus 14:1-4
Isn’t Exodus a fun book of the Bible? It reads like an story, takes God’s people from slavery to freedom, shows some of the most terrible and shocking miracles in all of history, and highlights the human relationship with the Lord of Hosts. There is the surface story and then so many elements that are only there for the repeat readers and those who learn more about the cultures, the maps, and the God of Israel.
Exodus starts with a quick explanation of how this slavery began. God’s people grew strong and prosperous inside Egypt then were enslaved. Psalm 105 gives us even more insight into how this happened.
23 Then Israel came to Egypt;
Psalm 105:23-25
Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24 And the Lord made his people very fruitful
and made them stronger than their foes.
25 He turned their hearts to hate his people,
to deal craftily with his servants.
For about 400 years they were slaves in Egypt and their lives were truly hard. Still, they grew and grew in number and strength and as they continued to call out to God, He sprang into action at the appointed time. He makes sure the man He chooses for the job is raised in the palace. He gives him a heart for justice and freedom. He calls him at the right time and sends Him to Pharaoh with a set of instructions that will lead to the freedom of His beloved nation, Israel.
Here’s the thing. God told Moses that He was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart so that Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Israelites go. This led to miracle after miracle, plague after plague, and a leader of a nation who was just plain ridiculous and couldn’t learn a lesson. It seemed like Israel’s slavery would go on forever and the slave masters would hate them even more. Extra work and cruelty were piled on during the process. Of course, this process ultimately led to the vindication and freedom of an entire nation that is and was loved, tenderly cared for, and mightily defended. By the end of Exodus 14, everyone knows there is a God more powerful than any other god and that He has chosen Israel.
It’s troublesome though, isn’t it? That God would instigate so many fights with Pharaoh? Add that to the fact that even the initial issue that led to their enslavement 400 years earlier seems to have been God’s doing. Why would He have his people enslaved? Why would He make things worse for Israel after He promised to free them? He even goes so far as to poke at Pharaoh again when Israel is out of Egypt at the Red Sea. He causes the man to jump up out of his throne and pursue the very nation he forced out, and the best part is that he brings his whole army. I know I am not the only one who cringes.
I think I keep wanting to remake God in my American image where the only way He can get His glory is to make sure that I have no problems. I sometimes think that the only way He can show love to me is to make everyone love me and make sure nothing bad ever happens. I want life to be effortless, and successful. I want situational peace, popularity, and prosperity. I hear that the Holy Spirit is my comforter and I imagine a giant fluffy comforter that I throw on when I want to watch a movie and eat candy. (I stole that comforter joke from a friend by the way) I assume that any discomfort is the enemy’s plan, and all the comfort and ease are God’s plan. Exodus shows us a different possibility.
I know that my God is love and that He is perfect and cares for me but I need to remember that He is concerned with more than just giving me an easy life. He wants to give me a victorious life. He wants to use me to put His glory and amazing attributes on display for all the other nations around me. He made me to be a warrior and He trains me for battle with battles that He wins for me.
Does He instigate my enemy to attack me? I don’t know! It’s hard to tell in most situations but I know that if He does instigate then I can trust Him to give me victory. His timing is perfect, just like it was in Exodus, and His will is perfect just like it has always been. I just have to get off the couch, kick off my bunny slippers, and lace up my boots now and again.
Even in the day between writing this post and editing it, I have had some serious spiritual warfare to deal with. I look to my training from last time, I submit to God and resist the devil, I bring godly friends and my husband alongside me, and I get out the deadliest sword you have ever seen. The Word of God.
Many pastors and teachers can explain to you why God did these things and why He timed them this way. I’m not so interested in the exact details today, I just want to recognize this amazing God of Angel Armies, and the way He moves. I want to get in line and learn how to follow. I want to keep going and obeying even when it seems like everything is crashing down around me and Pharaoh’s heart is hardened. This isn’t possible if I need to control the circumstances and the outcome, so I need God to do the opposite for me that He did for Pharaoh. I need Him to soften my heart, open my eyes, and help me hear what’s happening so that I’m ready when it’s time to take the next step, even into the wilderness.
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