Do you struggle with trusting God today? Have you doubted his goodness in your life, his wisdom in your struggles? Have you wondered why did God let this happen to me? Our struggles are real, and they do hurt, and many times, we are left questioning where is God, what can he be doing in this circumstance. Today’s passage seeks to assure us of God’s commitment to his people.
(A) A God who knows us perfectly and works for our good (Exo 13:17-18)
Our passage today marks the start of their exit from Egypt. Prior to this, the LORD had struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, and Pharaoh has chased them out, and they left after plundering the Egyptians. We spoke about how God gave them favour in the sight of the Egyptians, and thus providing for them. We have read in Exo 12:37 that the people have journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, and this is where we will pick up the narrative.
The Israelites were headed to Canaan, northeast of where they were in Succoth (Exo 6:2-4). From the image, we see that the shortest route to the Promised Land was through the land of the Philistines, and this was a route that took 2 weeks. But in Exo 13:17-18, we are told that God took them via another route, "lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt”. Instead, God led them by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. They went out in formation.
What does this reasoning by God show us about the Israelites (Exo 13:17)? Remember that these are the people who have just witnessed God’s power in the 10 plagues. They saw that he is able to defeat Pharaoh and bring them out of their bitter lives of slavery. And these are the very same people whom God says are prone to change their minds when they see war, when they face some form of hardship. Perhaps they also did not trust that God will bring them to where He promised. They would even consider returning to Egypt. Egypt is the place where they groaned, and suffered, and were slaves, would they consider returning to it? They even took unleavened bread in their haste to leave to signify the discontinuity of their lives when they left. How can they turn back to Egypt?
Does that sound like you and me? If you are Christian today, do you feel tempted to return to Egypt? Before we start thinking how naïve these Israelites are, aren’t we just the same? When you and I placed our faith in Christ, when we repented and left our Egypt/sin behind, how many times have you looked back and thought life could be better apart from God? You see, this is the folly of sinners, they are tempted to sin and to return to slavery after they have been freed.
This also shows us God's nature and character. This is a God who God knows his people perfectly. He knows them exactly as they are that they are people who will be tempted to return to Egypt, to return to sin. And yet, do you see how much God loves them? Can you imagine a God who cares about whether we return to Egypt? It is almost as if God was wooing his people. I picture a boyfriend who is trying to impress his girlfriend, making sure his hair is nice, making sure that he does all the things a gentleman would do opening doors, sending her home, bringing her to a nice restaurant. God pursues his people here, he leads them to best places, away from danger, away from temptation. Heb 4:14-15 tells us that Jesus Christ is the high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, who in every respect has been tempted as we are, and yet he did not sin. This is how well God knows us, he even knows the temptation we face, and he knows that the Israelites were not ready for war having just come out of slavery. 1 Cor 10:13 tells us that God will not let us be tempted beyond our abilities. Num 14:4 tells us they did want to return having seen their enemies in Canaan, they do this throughout their journey in the wilderness (and even in Ex 14).
You might start to wonder: but God led them away from the promised land in this case (in the direct opposite direction), what was he thinking? Have you ever felt that God’s way was tirelessly long? Have you felt like God is leading you in circles in your life? As if he is taking you in the completely opposite direction? No one may know the answer, and we may never get the answer. It can be frustrating, but God’s word is clear in its commitment for His people.
Today, maybe you're wondering why Jesus can't come back now to make all things right? Perhaps you're also done with this broken world full of broken relationships, struggles with bosses, others in school, parents, siblings, physical ailments, people in church, etc. Or maybe you are okay and doing fine, and all you find that the comforts here are not fulfilling. Rom 8:28 tells us that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” This is a God who knows us perfectly well, he created us, and when we place our faith in Christ, we know that God is working for our good according to his purpose, even if that means that he is taking us in the opposite direction.
(B) A God who is Faithful to His Word, and is Worthy of our Trust (Exo 13:19)
When the Israelites left, Moses was carrying the bones of Joseph (Exo 13:19). Isn’t it odd that Moses, of all the things to be carrying on this journey out, was carrying the bones of Joseph? They are possibly many better things to be carried.
The reason given was because Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Jacob/Israel, had made them swear to carry up his bones with them when he leaves. Why is this man making such a big deal of his bones? To understand this, we need to go back to Genesis and also move ahead to the NT to understand Joseph's eagerness to have His bones carried out. It started with Abraham buying a tomb in the promised land (Canaan) for Sarah (Gen 23:17-20). Abraham's grandson, Jacob also buys land in Canaan (Gen 33:18-20). At the end of his life, Joseph makes the sons of Israel swear to bring his bones out (Gen 50:24).
Canaan is the common thread in these 3 accounts. Heb 11: 22 tells us that it was “by faith, Joseph made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones”. To use his own words, Joseph said in Gen 50:24 that God swore to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob a land, and he trusted that. He knew that God will keep his promise and that they were not meant to stay in Egypt forever, he wanted to be part of the fulfillment of God’s promise.
Heb 11: 13-16 tells us that people like Joseph died in faith, not having received the things promised, but they recognised that this world is not for them. They were desiring something more, a “better country, a heavenly one”. We know from Joshua 24 that eventually they did bury him there. In fact, if you were with us in Genesis, you would know that Jacob himself bought a tomb in Canaan the promised land, claiming God’s promises for himself.
Abraham, Jacob and Joseph were investing in the promised land! They were investing their hearts in the promised land and lived as if the promised land was true. Joseph was certain that God will fulfill His promises and he wanted to be a part of it when it eventually came true. He demonstrated a trust in God’s word in life, and even in death. He took God’s promises and lived his life based on it. How can we do that today? Are we like Joseph who trusted in what God has said and promised? Do we believe that God will do what He says He will do? In fact, do you know what God is doing that you can trust it? What do you find most real today? On what would you lean/trust/bank on for this life? When God has said it, we can trust it. So do we know what we are trusting in?
If you are Christian today, can you say that you are trusting in what God has said? How can we trust that God is working for our good today as in Romans 8 despite the troubles we face? How about Ephesians 1 that tells us that in Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places?
(C) A God who is Present to Lead and Save us to Himself (Exo 13:20-22)
We read in Exo 13:20-22 also that the LORD goes before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. God is present with them immediately after they left the land of Egypt. This is important. They left Egypt and were now in the wilderness without a clue of where to go. God would also lead and guide them to where He would lead them.
The pillars of cloud and fire signified the presence of the God in the lives of the Israelites. We remember that the Israelites were saved to serve the LORD, they were not saved to nothingness. Can you imagine if these pillars were not there, they would be entirely lost. They are on the edge of a desert, where were they to go?
The Bible is intentional in giving us 2 details:
They might travel day and night
The pillars did not depart from the people
You have to imagine this, these pillars were not small pillars, and the strong presence of the LORD is not something small (see Exo 19:16). These are huge pillars leading them, giving them the ability to travel any time of the day, and it never left them. God’s presence is visible and real. This means that God never left them. This is the God we worship, he never leaves his people. What a great truth this is. He leads them all the time, any time, day and night, and never leaves them. Wouldn’t that be great if it was the same for us? Wouldn’t it be nice if God could use a pillar to let me know what school I should go to, what job I should take, whom I should marry, which church should I go to, etc. God hasn’t left us alone today either.
In Matthew 28, Jesus tells us “I am with you always to the end of the age”. And in the Gospel of John 14:17 Jesus tells his disciples that they will receive another Helper to be with them forever. This is the Holy Spirit, whom he says dwells with us and will be in us. He is to guide us into all the truth (John 16:13). This is the presence of God with us today, His Spirit is ever with us.
This is the Spirit that enables us to fight sin and produces fruit in our lives as Galatians 5 would tell us. And just as God doesn’t leave the Israelites alone in the wilderness, he doesn’t leave us alone today. He will save us to himself as Philippians 1:6 tells us that God who began working in our lives will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. We can be sure of it. Can we trust what God says? Can we stake our lives in it? Is it true for you today? How is it true for you then?
We started this study with a question, asking if we have doubts about God’s goodness in our lives, and if we find it hard to trust him in the midst of our struggles. I don’t know what you’re fighting today, and what you need assurance in. Perhaps you, like me, hold on to your job. People in this passage seem to invest and hold on to God’s Word and His promises. What are you and I trusting in?
Today’s passage shows us a God who knows us perfectly, who is for our good. He gives us promises in his word that will be fulfilled because he is faithful. He is present with us today in His Spirit, and is able to save us completely to Himself. This is a God whom you and I can trust, when we trust in Him on his promises. All these promises come to us through Christ (2 Cor 1:20). He will surely deliver, and we can sure of it, we can stake our lives today on God and his promises. This is not a God who saves us and leaves us all alone. The Spirit of truth will guide us in truth, to become more and more like Him!