Go Forward

Go forward.

"And it came to pass,
when Pharaoh had let the people go,
that God led them not through the way
of the land of the Philistines,
although that was near;
for God said,
Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war,
and they return to Egypt:
But God led the people about,
through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea:
and the children of Israel went up harnessed
out of the land of Egypt.
And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him:
for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying,
God will surely visit you;
and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you."
(Exodus 13:17-19)

Go forward.

"And they took their journey from Succoth,
and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud,
to lead them the way;
and by night in a pillar of fire,
to give them light;
to go by day and night:
He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day,
nor the pillar of fire by night,
from before the people."
(Exodus 13:20-22)

The "journey from Succoth" - have you been there too? Succoth doesn't sound like a place you want to spend a lot of time in - it's a place you want to be traveling from, not to.

The Israelites were traveling from Succoth, and the Lord's direction was unmistakable - there was no doubt as to the path forward.

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel,
that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth,
between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon:
before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel,
They are entangled in the land,
the wilderness hath shut them in.
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart,
that he shall follow after them;
and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh,
and upon all his host;
that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.
And they did so."
(Exodus 14:1-4)

God speaks through His servant Moses - the people obeyed and did as they were told.

And then.......the unexpected happens - the people doubt, and are afraid:

"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?
And he made ready his chariot,
and took his people with him:
And he took six hundred chosen chariots,
and all the chariots of Egypt,
and captains over every one of them.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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."
(Exodus 14:5-12)

How defeated the Israelites must have felt to see the entire Egyptian army advancing toward them as they were encamped by the Red Sea.......unable to go forward - unable to go back. They couldn't see a way out, and lost hope.

Enter the "seer", Moses:

"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.
The LORD shall fight for you,
and ye shall hold your peace."
(Exodus 14:13-14)

And fight He does:

"And the LORD said unto Moses,
Wherefore criest thou unto Me?
speak unto the children of Israel,
that they go forward:
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day
out of the hand of the Egyptians;
and Israel saw the Egyptians dead
upon the sea shore."
(Exodus 14:15-30)

And the people believed:

"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."
(Exodus 14:31)

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It's the same pattern with us in our walk with Him. We may falter, but He remains faithful.......always has, always will!

Remember Who it is that fights for you, and follow Him - GO FORWARD!

"The LORD shall fight for you,
and ye shall hold your peace."
(Exodus 14:14)