Hope for Today

Have you ever experienced the provision of the LORD in the ordinary things of life like clothing, food, and water? Some people never think about thanking the LORD for these ordinary things. Yet life is made up of common things. Most of us do not have spectacular happenings in our lives. We are not where the great things happen. We are just where the routine, ordinary, mundane things of life happen.

But we know that God cares about the ordinary things of life. The Bible tells us that in God, we live and move and have our being. In other words, if God withdrew His hand of blessing, everything would go to pieces. So, we can say with confidence, GOD LEADS IN THE COMMON THINGS. One very good illustration of God meeting the common needs of His people is found in Exodus 15:22-27.

22. So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

23. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore, the name of it was called Marah.

24. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”      

25. And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

26. And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

27. And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

From this text, I will show you the WAYS in which God leads in the common things of life. They are just little phrases taken right out of the Scripture.

First, Moses Brought Israel from the Red Sea.

The people of Israel were moving from Egypt to Canaan. They were on the way, and God was leading them. God couldn’t have led them if they weren’t moving. Moses was God’s man for that hour and for this move. God had put Moses in charge. So, Moses was leading the people of Israel as they moved from Egypt to Canaan.

They went on a three-day journey into the wilderness. Remember how Moses had asked Pharaoh to let them go three days journey into the wilderness to worship God? They had gone on a three-day journey into the wilderness, and they faced a predicament; they were not able to find any water to drink. That’s pretty serious. You are traveling through an arid, semi-desert area, and there is no water that is suitable for drinking.

The route they were taking was unknown to them. They had never gone this way before. They didn’t know where the wells or the oases were. Yet God was leading them as He had promised He would. The pillar of cloud was guiding them in the daytime, and the pillar of fire at night was a light to them. God was keeping His promises that He made to them for this journey.

So, the LORD led them from the Red Sea three days into the wilderness, and there was no water. That must have been distressing because water is the second element for survival. The elements of survival are air, water, and then food. Under normal conditions, you can survive about 3 days without water. But without water, they wouldn’t survive very long in the heat of the Sinai Desert, especially if it were summertime.

I have found that God leads in the common things of life in this 22nd verse. He leads when you are ready and moving, not before. God never forces anyone to follow His will. But if you are moving, God will lead you. There is no way He can lead you if you are standing still. So, Moses brought the children of Israel from the Red Sea. They were on the move from Egypt to Canaan; therefore, God could lead them, using the common things of life like water.

The second way in which the LORD leads in the common things in life is told in verse 25,

Moses Cried unto the Lord

Here’s the point I want you to remember: God was close enough to hear. Moses could cry unto the LORD, and the LORD heard him. Well, I don’t know how loud Moses cried. Maybe he didn’t cry very loud at all. I believe the Hebrew word chahal means to speak, to call, but not necessarily to shout. But Moses cried to the LORD.

I remember the words of a song that speak of God’s ability to hear. The songwriter wrote, “He’s as close as the mention of His name.” You don’t have to shout or scream to get God’s attention. He’s not sleeping, or hard of hearing, He’s not inattentive to your needs. You don’t even have to speak aloud. You can just call out to Him in your heart and mind. He’ll hear you!

Because the water was bitter, the people complained. They had walked three days into the wilderness and hadn’t found any water. Now the water they found was bitter. It was water they couldn’t drink. So, they said, “What shall we drink?” I’m sure that when they tasted that water and realized it was undrinkable, that was extremely frustrating to them.

God provided an answer for Moses. When Moses cried to the LORD, the LORD led him to a tree. He told Moses to cut down that tree and put it into the water. Miraculously, the tree sweetened the water and made it drinkable.

Many times, the answer to our prayers is close by, even though we may not see it. Many times, right beside us is the way God is leading. He doesn’t necessarily lead us in spectacular ways. He just leads us by using the common, everyday things of life.

So, Moses cried unto the LORD, the LORD heard him and showed him the tree. He put the tree in the water, and the water became sweet. Then the LORD made a proposal to the people of Israel with a special relationship. I want you to pay very close attention to what He said in verse 26: “If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God and will do that which is right in his sight and will listen to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you which I have brought upon the Egyptians.”

Here is a proposal, here is a covenant that God is entering into with the people of Israel. He is simply asking them to listen, to pay attention, to do, and to keep. To keep His statutes, to observe to do them. To walk in love before Him in loving obedience. In response, God would show His love by keeping them healthy. “I am the LORD that heals you.

Well, He had healed the water, and He said I am the One Who heals you. That is beautiful, isn’t it? The healing ministry of the LORD. Because we live in a world that is affected by sin, even those who follow the true God get sick. But when we live life in obedience to God’s commands, we are spared some of the diseases that come to those who violate His commands. For example, I don’t worry about getting sexually transmitted diseases because I understand that God’s commands regarding moral purity are for my protection. There is safety in obedience.

I want you to notice something more. God’s love flows out when we respond in love to Him, in loving obedience to Him. You see, we can’t expect to experience the LORD to lead or direct us if we are rebellious, if we do not want to listen; if we do not want to follow; if we do not want to walk in the way where He leads.           

So, when Moses cried unto the LORD, the LORD heard him and then said, “I am going to talk with you, and I want you to listen to me.” It’s that kind of mutual relationship that makes life so meaningful when you are walking with the LORD, when you know Him as your own personal God. This experience illustrates the way God leads in the common things of life. Moses brought the children of Israel from the Red Sea, and Moses cried unto the LORD, and the LORD heard him.

Then in verse 27, there are these three common but interesting words:

And They Came

They were led by the LORD, and so we would expect them to go from one place to another. This is exactly what happened. They first of all went three days journey into the wilderness and came to Marah, where the water was bitter. First, there was no water, and then there was bitter water. Now they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and three score and ten palm trees. Here was good water. So, no water, bitter water, and then, plenty of water.

You know, the LORD often deals like that with us. He takes us to the place of extremity so that He might be able to provide for our needs. This is what He did with the people of Israel. No water, bitter water, and then plenty of water. Now if they had not followed the LORD, they would never have come to the place of abundant water.

So, God leads in the common things of life, providing you will follow Him. That is the important part you must catch. I can say all I want to about God’s leading, but then if He doesn’t have any followers, He can’t be a leader, can He?

God will lead you in the common things, but you must be willing to follow Him. You must be willing to acknowledge Him that He is leading and directing. Thank God, He does lead in the common ordinary things of life. God does lead and provide when we cry unto Him. He is close enough to hear us, and He will answer. He will show us what to do like He showed Moses.

Thanks, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus. The Bible is incredible, and each generation can learn from all that is written in this wonderful book. For example, people everywhere want to be free. In Exodus, the children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians. You know the story Moses led them to “freedom.” But were they really free? Why did they want to go back to Egypt? What does it mean to actually be free?

The common answer to that question is doing what I want to do when I want to do it. This is a nice thought, but is this what it means to be free? We have the freedom to make many choices, despite the fact that there are many people who are not living freely. They are not slaves to the government or to other people, but they are slaves.

II Peter 2:19 calls us slaves to what has mastered us. You see, instead of being in slavery like the children of Israel, many people are slaves to their own desires. With their free choice, a small choice was made. That one small choice grew into an addiction.

Thankfully this does not have to be the end of the story. Jesus tells us that if “He sets us free, then we will be free indeed.” This, my friend, is real freedom.

If you would like today’s program or if you have any questions, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our mailing address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please click on the listen tab and listen to our other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program, thanks again for being with us. We look forward to being with you next week. I will leave you with the words of Jesus from John 8. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Go and live in that freedom.

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 15:22-27 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Various people groups around the world worship different gods. Which one is the right one, which one is the true God? Is your God personal? Does He love you and help you? There are many religions in the world. I was just reading in the encyclopedia about some of them. Each claims to be superior in one way or another. So how can we know which is the right one with so many different religions? I believe there is only one true God. I believe He can be known.

The most outstanding facts in Christianity are the claims the Bible makes about God. The Bible says He is above all other gods. He has revealed Himself to us by a written record which we call the Bible. Although the acts in which He engaged are recorded as historical acts, they are, at the same time, acts of revelation. And in those acts of history, He tells us who He is and what His person is like. This teaching will answer the question, WHO IS LIKE GOD?

In Exodus 15:1-19 we have a song of victory. It is probably the first recorded song. In it, we will find the answer to our question, who is like God?

1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

3. The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name

4. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

5. The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

6. Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

7. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

8. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

10. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11. Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful praises, doing wonders?

12. Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

13. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

14. The people shall hear and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestine.

15. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

16. Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.          

17. Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.

18. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.

19. For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

Moses and the children of Israel sang this song at the time of their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. In it, I have discovered several basic QUALITIES about God which set Him apart as the one above all others.

My first discovery reveals a basic quality of God in

His Glorious Triumph

In the very beginning of the song, they said, “I will sing unto the LORD for he has triumphed gloriously.” What the LORD did for the children of Israel at the Red Sea was a tremendous victory. It looked as though they were going to be captured by Pharaoh and his army. They were trapped between the mountains and the Red Sea, but God opened the sea, and His people went through. The water stood up on either side, and the people went through between the walls of water.

When Pharaoh attempted to follow them with his army, he was caught in the middle by a triumphant, glorious act of God. The song brings this to our attention: “The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

In their song, there are more ideas regarding the glorious triumph of the LORD: “He is my strength and my song, and he is become my salvation,” Ye-ho-shua, the Hebrew for my salvation. He has become my strength and my song. Because of this, they said, “I will prepare him a habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” Because of His glorious triumph, He is worthy of exaltation.

Imagine being one of the people of Israel at this time when it seemed as though they would need to give up and go back into the bondage of slavery, and then the LORD delivered them in such a glorious, triumphant fashion. No wonder they would say, “He triumphed gloriously.” This is the God Who transcends all others. I am sure that Pharaoh and his army expected to be successful in their pursuit of Israel. Most likely, they had invoked the blessing of their gods. The God, Who is above all other gods, triumphed gloriously by throwing the horse and his rider into the sea.

The second quality which I discover in this song is found in verse 6, “Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power.” Let us meditate on

His Glorious Power

Six different expressions are listed in the next few verses that show us how God exercises His power against the enemy. He is described as a man of war. “The LORD is a man of war” against Pharaoh, for the LORD dashed in pieces the enemy. He overthrew them. They became as stubble burned with the consuming fire of His wrath. He consumed them as stubble.

He gathered the waters together with the blast of His nostrils. The wind blew, and the waters returning covered those who were pursuing after them. They sank as lead to the bottom of the waters.

God’s glorious power had control of the elements: the wind and the water, as expressed in these various descriptive words. God’s glorious power has control of men. God, in His power, always opposes evil: He never sides with evil. This is important for us to remember. He is glorious in power, but His power is always against evil, and in this particular case, it was against Pharaoh and his army. God’s glorious power puts Him above all other gods.

Then the third quality I discover in this song is found in verse 11, “Who is like thee, glorious in holiness.”

His Glorious Holiness

That thought is difficult for us to understand because we have so little with which we can compare holiness. The Bible makes it very clear that no man is holy. No, we are all polluted by sin and unclean, and our righteous acts are as filthy rags said the Prophet Isaiah.

But the glorious holiness of God is expressed in two different ways and revealed in two different areas. In the first area of mercy, the song describes how God redeemed His people. “In mercy you led forth the people which you have redeemed.” They further say He is going to plant them in the mountain of His inheritance: “In the place, O LORD, which you made for you to dwell in, in the Sanctuary.” They conclude that God the LORD shall reign forever and ever. His glorious holiness expresses itself in the area of mercy toward them whom He has redeemed.

It also expresses itself in the area of justice to those who do not respond to the LORD. They will fear, but it will be different. Fear and dread will fall upon those who do not know the LORD. Particular geographical areas are named: Palestine, Edom, Moab, and the inhabitants of Canaan. Fear shall grip those who do not know the God of holiness and mercy. They will have no strength left in them. They will be as still as a stone. They will not be able to move until the LORD’s own people are passed by – the ones whom He purchased.

Egypt was greatly distressed because the horses of Pharaoh went down in the sea while the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea. God’s glorious holiness expresses itself on the one hand in mercy and on the other hand in justice. None of us can escape this glorious holiness, for we are either in one area or the other. We need to respect the mercy and justice of our gloriously holy God. We dare not override or presume upon His mercy, for then the only result can be His justice.

These qualities place God above all other gods, and we may rightly ask the question, who is like God? The answer is no one is like God. There is no other god like Him. This is so beautifully expressed in this song.

 The personal question comes like this to you, do you know Him as that superior God? Do you know Him in a personal way? Can you speak with Him? Do you understand when He speaks to you by His Word? You can know Him in a personal way. He is seeking to show in and through you His glorious triumph, power, and holiness to answer the question, “who is like God?”

Thanks, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus. The Bible is incredible, and each generation can learn from all that is written in this wonderful book. For example, people everywhere want to be free. In Exodus, the children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians. You know the story Moses led them to “freedom.” But were they really free? Why did they want to go back to Egypt? What does it mean to actually be free?

Jesus tells us that if “He sets us free, then we will be free indeed.” This, my friend, is real freedom. Praise Jesus, this freedom knows no boundaries, it does not matter which country you are in, or who you are working for, this freedom is for everyone. 

If you would like today’s program or if you have any questions, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our mailing address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please click on the listen tab and listen to our other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program, thanks again for being with us. We look forward to being with you next week. I will leave you with the words of Jesus from John 8. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Go and live in that freedom.

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 15:1-19 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thanks for joining us on Hope for Today. This program is brought to you by Heralds of Hope; we are a small radio ministry serving a great big God. Let’s go with Bible teacher J. Mark to Exodus for today’s teaching.

In the difficult experiences of life, we sometimes wonder, is there any way out? For those who trust only in themselves, the situation is hopeless because mankind does not have enough inner strength to get himself out of trouble. But for those who trust in the Lord, there is hope and help because God can deliver, and He is faithful to those who call upon Him. His knowledge of the situation is total, and His resources to help are unlimited.

Sometimes you may face a situation where the future seems totally impossible. In fact, even the present seems so terribly difficult that there is no way out. I want to tell you GOD CAN DELIVER. He delights in doing the impossible and getting glory to Himself in the process. This assurance comes as we study the account of the deliverance of the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt many, many years ago. The account is given in Exodus 14:13-31.

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 forever.

14. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

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.

17. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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,

25. And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

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.

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.

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.

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.

30. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.

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.

From this experience of Israel, I want to lift out several brief statements which demonstrate the ACTIONS God employed to deliver His distressed people.

The first action statement is in verse 14: “The Lord shall fight for you.”

He Defended His Own

In their experience there was no other help available. There was no other way. They were hemmed in. The sea was ahead, the mountains on each side, and Pharaoh’s army was rapidly approaching them from behind. Their doom seemed certain. There wasn’t any help available except the LORD. And He defended His own.

Few people have such difficulties as Israel had in this experience, but no matter what kind of trouble you have, even as difficult as this, God can deliver you, for He will defend His own. This statement you can apply to your life. The LORD shall fight for you, providing you are one of His.

The second statement comes in verse 21: “the LORD caused the sea to go back.”

He Divided the Sea

The statement tells us the LORD was active with respect to His people. There was no other way for them except to go forward. In fact, that is what the LORD told them to do. He told Moses to tell them to go forward. But the sea was in front of them, so the LORD opened the way through the sea. Not over it but through it, so they could escape.

Now I believe this was a miracle of God. The LORD caused a strong east wind to blow all night. It divided the Red Sea, piled up the water on both sides, and the people of Israel walked through on dry land. It was a miracle. God performed this miracle to divide the sea. Some will scoff, claiming this is wishful thinking, a made-up fairy tale. But really, is it hard for the Creator to control His creation in ways that benefit His people? The answer is obvious.

It may easily be that in our difficult situations, we do not see the hand of God. Perhaps we don’t have eyes or faith to see Him, or we ignore Him. We too often don’t give God credit for helping us out of our difficult places, we wrongly take the credit for ourselves. But God can open a way for you, too. It may not be like the Red Sea, but whatever your difficulty is, the LORD can deliver. For Israel, He divided the sea.

A third action of God is in verse 24: “The LORD looked upon the host of the Egyptians.”

He Destroyed the Enemy

He did this from the pillar of fire and cloud. He looked upon the host of the Egyptians because He had designed to destroy them. Earlier in this record, the LORD announced He was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart and cause him to pursue after the children of Israel into the Red Sea so that He might teach Egypt that He is God.

The LORD must oppose the enemy of His people. If He does not, He is not God. In this case, it was Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He distressed them severely. He took the wheels off their chariots and made them drag heavily in the soft seabed. God looked upon the hosts of the Egyptians as His enemies because they had set themselves against Him.

It is a great comfort to know that the enemy is never greater than God. No matter how much he may bring together in terms of his army and resources, he is never bigger than God. So, the LORD looked upon the hosts of the Egyptians and destroyed the enemy.

The fourth action statement in this passage is in verse 30: “The LORD saved Israel.”

He Delivered His People

Once in a while, some listener will ask, “Why did the LORD treat the Jews like He did?” ‘Why did He choose the Jews?” Well, the answer is very simple. He chose the Jews because He wanted to use them to bring the Messiah into the world and to demonstrate to all people of the world what it means to be the people of God.

You must always remember that the LORD is not accountable to us. He does not need to tell us why He does things a certain way. He operates within the choice of His sovereignty. So, your understanding of why God chose the Jews instead of some other people is not that important. It is important to acknowledge that what He does is according to His own sovereign right. So, the LORD saved Israel.

After Pharaoh and his chariots and horsemen were all in the sea, Moses was instructed by the LORD to stretch out his hand over the waters, and they were completely destroyed, and God saved Israel. He acted on behalf of His people. He delivered His people.

      If you are one of God’s children, it will be that way with you. But you can’t go against what God has said and expect Him to deliver you. You must do what He has said in full and honest obedience if you want the deliverance God has for you. I urge you to trust in the LORD at all times because GOD CAN DELIVER!

Thanks, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus. The Bible is incredible, and each generation can learn from all that is written in this wonderful book. For example, people everywhere want to be free. In Exodus, the children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians. You know the story Moses led them to “freedom.” But were they really free? What does it mean to actually be free?

The common answer to that question is, doing what I want to do when I want to do it. This is a nice thought, but is this what it means to be free? We have the freedom to make many choices, despite the fact that there are many people who are not living free. They are not slaves to the government or to other people, but they are slaves.

II Peter 2:19 calls us slaves to what has mastered us. You see, instead of being in slavery like the children of Israel, many people are slaves to their own desires. With their free choice, a small choice was made. That one small choice grew into an addiction. They would like to quit, and many try, but too many times, a life of freedom leads to a life of slavery.

Thankfully this does not have to be the end of the story. Jesus tells us that if “He sets us free, then we will be free indeed.” This, my friend, is real freedom. Praise Jesus, this freedom knows no boundaries, it does not matter which country you are in, or who you are working for, this freedom is for everyone. 

If you would like today’s program or if you have any questions, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our mailing address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please click on the listen tab and listen to our other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program, thanks again for being with us. We look forward to being with you next week. I will leave you with the words of Jesus from John 8. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Go and live in that freedom. 

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 14:13-31 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

From our experiences in life, we know that we all need help to keep our hope alive and vibrant. And faith and hope are closely linked together.

The Bible puts it this way in I Corinthians 13, “Now these three remain, faith, hope, and love.” In life, faith is the foundation of hope; we rest our hope on our faith. All of us have uncertainties which put us into places similar to Israel’s situation, and at those times, we must work to KEEP FAITH IN GOD.

In Exodus 14:1-12 Israel faced a test of faith.

1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

2. 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.

3. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, they are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

4. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

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?

6. And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:

7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

In this text, three WORDS stand out, which all of us need to keep our faith in God alive.

First is the word,

Precaution

A precaution is a warning beforehand. The LORD told Moses that certain things were going to happen. He based His precaution on His foreknowledge. The LORD knew what was going to happen before it happened. The information He gave Moses enabled him to prepare the people. We don’t know exactly how God spoke to Moses, but we see in this account that Moses understood God. He was instructed by the LORD exactly what to do. It was a precaution.

God wanted Moses and the people to know beforehand what was going to happen, so He instructed Moses where to camp, and He told them what to expect. He told them that Pharaoh was going to chase after them and try to overcome them. But the LORD said to Moses that He was going to be victorious over Pharaoh and over all his hosts. He was going to show His power over Pharaoh. Pharaoh did not know his plan was not going to work. He thought he had an easy victory ahead of him. But by this word of precaution from the LORD, Israel was prepared. Pharaoh’s actions did not come as a surprise.

There are four words at the end of verse 4 which are of highest importance: “And they did so.” What God told them to do, they did. God gave them a forewarning of what was going to happen. He told them how to get ready for it. They got ready exactly the way the LORD told them. This precaution came to them, and they accepted it. We know they accepted it because they acted upon God’s command. That’s how you know if someone really believes; it moves to action.

My friend, the LORD has told us also in His Word what is going to happen in time to come. He has warned us to look for certain signs that will signal the end of time as we know it. He has told us beforehand what is going to happen to alert us to prepare. You can keep your faith in God if you will accept that word of precaution.

The second word is,

Pursuit

Pharaoh did exactly what the LORD said he would do, even though his pursuit was based on false information. The people told the king that Israel had fled when in fact, as we can read earlier in Exodus, he and his people had told them to “get out!” They did not want them to stay any longer after the firstborn in all the Egyptian homes had met death. But now, apparently, the urgency of the moment had vanished. Pharaoh began to reflect upon what had happened. His servants came to him and said, “Why have we done this that we have let Israel go from serving us?” They questioned their wisdom in releasing their workforce.

So, Pharaoh gathered together his best men, six hundred chosen chariots, all the chariots of Egypt, and the captains over them. He gathered together his best army to overtake the children of Israel. I can see it in my mind. I can almost see Pharaoh’s army glisten with golden shields and the horses’ plumes waving in the wind while the charioteers crack their whips as they approach the children of Israel. It must have been a fearful and awe-inspiring sight.

How did these children look who were departing? Certainly not like an army. They were a large crowd. Carrying their dough troughs, walking along having perhaps a few wagons to carry the heavier goods. Men, women, and children of all ages were walking in an orderly march. But there wasn’t one weapon among them. And Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is pursuing them with a large well-ordered and well-equipped army.

In life, we all come to difficult places, too, when the future is unsure, and the opposition is closing in. The question is, what are we to do under those circumstances? The descriptive word is pursuit. Pharaoh was in pursuit of the enemy. The children of Israel were in pursuit of God’s promise. Through faith in God, we don’t need to fear the pursuit of the oppressor.

The third word is,

Protest

The protest was based on fear. When the children of Israel looked back and saw Pharaoh’s army approaching with the chariots, there was nothing they could do. They foresaw being captured and taken back to their slavery. So, they cried out to God. Well, that’s a good thing to do when you are in trouble. Cry out to the LORD. Lift your heart and voice in prayer to Him. He is there to hear and to help.

But then they complained to Moses. They cried to God and complained to Moses. They said, “Were there no graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die in the wilderness? Why didn’t you let us alone that we could serve the Egyptians?” But you know, God had something else in mind for these people of Israel. He had another purpose for them. They said they would have served the Egyptians, but God wanted them to serve Him. So, this is the word of protest.

When times are hard, we are inclined to cry out to God and then blame someone else. It is part of our human nature to look for others to blame when we are in trouble. But the LORD is working out His purposes, His own purposes, and we can’t always see those purposes because we have made up our own minds. Well, the word is protest. It wasn’t all in vain. When they cried unto God, the LORD heard them.

Out of this very difficult condition, God was developing faith in Israel. Out of your very difficult condition, faith can develop. In fact, it will develop if you keep looking to God. I urge you to hold fast when there seems to be no way out. It’s ok to protest, but be assured, God knows what He’s doing.

You know, these three words we looked at can help keep your faith alive too. Precaution: God warns us that following His plan will not always be easy. Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Pursuit: if you pursue a relationship with God and learn to rely on Him, then you will have courage when you are facing pursuit by your enemies. You will have the assurance that God has some bigger plan in mind than you can see at the moment.

Protest: fear is a natural reaction to unexpected circumstances. But we must not let our fear control us. We can cry out to God in protest, He understands and will show us what to do.

All of these will help you keep your faith in God alive!

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God, Who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know why this is happening or why You are allowing this, but I trust You and pray that Your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 14:1-12 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

There are many voices in the world today, so many that we are sometimes confused. Maybe you feel that way. So many voices, and they all claim to be true. Let me assure you that there is only one source for truth. True truth is found in the Book of God. It is important that we pay attention to God. In order to get to our eternal home, the promised land of the soul, we must GO WHERE GOD LEADS.            

Many years ago, the founder of Heralds of Hope, Dr. J. Otis Yoder, told me a story about when he was traveling through Turkey with his wife. They came to a place on their way to Isparta when they weren’t sure which way to go. They had been traveling through mountainous country when they came out to an intersection, and they did not know which way to turn. So, he said to his wife, Isabelle, “Let’s stop and pray.” So, they prayed and asked the LORD to give them some kind of direction. After they prayed, he said, “I believe we ought to go left.” They turned left and soon came to their Isparta. Then they praised the LORD for His guidance. They went the way He led them.

If you’ve ever been lost, you know it’s not a very pleasant experience. It is much nicer if you have directions that show you where you’re going. Directions are so helpful, and especially those mileposts and signposts along the road to guide you.

God knew His people would need someone to lead them. Several generations had never been out of Egypt. In Exodus 13:17-22, God begins to lead His people on an untried way.

17. 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:

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

21. 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:

22. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

In this text, I find certain DIRECTIVES to help them, and us, go where God leads.

The first directive, which is very important, is to

Follow in His Path

God knew His people needed to be led, and He knew the best way for them to go. He did not take them the closest way, the nearer way to the land He had promised them. The shortest route would’ve only been about 200 kilometers or 125 miles. Even with children and animals, that would’ve taken less than a month. But God had a different path.

He did not lead them through the land of the Philistines because He was sure that they would give up and go back to Egypt. He knew the Philistines were fierce warriors and the people of Israel had no experience in warfare. The sight of such an army would fill them with fear. So, He chose a different path, a different route.

It made a difference which way they went because only one way was God’s best way, and the other way would have been less than the best. It was very important for them to follow in His path because needed His help. They needed His directive. God determined the way. It was much farther to go by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, but God knew that was the best way.

Sometimes, you and I think we know better than God knows. We want to choose our own way. I can tell you from experience, I’ve tried that. Perhaps you have too. But then we find out that our way isn’t as good as God’s way. That’s because we can’t see everything like He does. So, if we really want to arrive at the place God has promised to us, then we’ll need to follow in His path and let Him choose because He knows best.

Another important directive is to

Carry Out His Prophecy

This is reflected in Joseph’s faith because we are told here that Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. In Genesis 50:24 and 25, we see what kind of faith Joseph had when he was about to die. “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am dying, and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.”

What faith Joseph had to be rewarded so many, many years later. Joseph’s faith had prophesied about the time when the people of Israel would be leaving Egypt, so they were charged under oath to take his bones with them to bury in this new land. Actually, it was the land of his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God’s faithfulness is shown here, too, because Joseph had said, “God will surely visit you,” and He did. He had finally released them, emancipated them from the bondage of Egypt. He had brought them out, and so it was important that the faith of Joseph be honored by the faithfulness of God. Moses carried out the prophecy and took the bones of Joseph along. Today you can visit the tomb of Joseph in Israel near Shechem. Moses carried out the prophecy.   

If you want to go where God leads, then you will need to carry out this directive. In other words, when you do what God wants you to do, you honor His promises.

The third directive brings joy and security,

Delight in His Presence

These are beautiful words. They set forth a beautiful symbol. “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.”

Those beautiful symbols assured them of the presence of God. His presence was their delight. He went before them. He did not thrust them out like Pharaoh did. Instead, He led them out, and He always does that. The Psalmist David said, “He leads me beside the still waters.”

Further, David wrote these words in Psalm 1. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law, he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

A pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, so by day and night they could be assured of and delight in the presence of God. It was a constant presence because He never took away the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire. They were always there, always reminding the people that the presence of God was right there with them. They could be confident in His presence because He was there by day and by night.

You, too, can delight in His presence. He will be with you. He will be by your side. He will go before you. Praise the LORD!

If you sincerely want to go where God leads, then here are the directives: follow in His path, He has a way for you to go; carry out His prophecy, what you know to be His Word and will; delight in His presence and make Him your chief joy.

If you really want to go where He leads, you will find His presence your delight.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God, Who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.

Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know why this is happening or why You are allowing this, but I trust You and pray that Your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.

Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.

This brings us to the end of today’s program; thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”

*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 13:17-22 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.