One Year Bible, Tuesday February 1st - God Leads Israel into the Wilderness
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Click Here to Read Exodus 13:17-15:18
Israel's Wilderness Detour
As they left Egypt, we see God's guidance and protection. Instead of going in a direction that would bring them into contact with the contentious Philistines, God led them in a roundabout way toward the Red Sea. Since the Egyptians were chasing them, they needed to make haste. God provided direction for them with a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, so they could travel day and night. Moses took Joseph's bones with him, as Joseph had asked him to do.
"In a great act of faith Joseph asked that his bones be taken from Egypt (Genesis 50:25). He did this because he knew that Egypt was not their final resting place, but that God had a Promised Land for them." (Guzik)
Then God had them turn into a different direction to confuse the Egyptians into thinking they were trapped in the wilderness. Once again God was planning to show his glory to the Egyptians when Pharaoh hardened his heart.
"I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told." Exodus 14:4
God's plan was not only protect and provide for the Israelites, as they prepared to enter into the Promised Land. He also wanted the Egyptians to know He was God.
The Egyptians Pursue Israel
Sure enough Pharaoh reconsidered his decision to let Israel go with all of the slaves they took from him. So he ordered his best chariots, his best commanders, and his armies to chase after the Israelites. When the Israelites saw the armies and chariots approaching, it threw them into a panic. They turned to Moses angrily and asked him why he had brought them out to the wilderness to die. They reasoned its better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness.
Then Moses says something amazing as their leader. It shows his faith and trust in God.
"Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Exodus 14:13-14
What a great verse to remember when we feel our enemy approaching us, ready to destroy us.
Escape through the Red Sea
Now we come to the famous scene, which we all remember in the movie "The Ten Commandments", with Charlton Heston as Moses, and Yul Brenner as Pharaoh. God says to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me."
He tells Moses to lift up his staff over the waters. The Red Sea will part, and the Israelites will go on through it. When the Egyptians came into after them, the Lord threw the armies and chariots into confusion. He twisted the chariot's wheels so they tumbled over. Once again they realized it was the Lord who was against them. It wasn't as if anything new were happening. Then, Moses raised his hand over the sea so that,
"Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived." 14:28
In the end when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of God, they put their trust in him and his servant Moses. But this would not be the last time the Israelites doubted their leader.
"When we see that our only help is God, we are more likely to trust Him. Sometimes it is the little things – the things we think we can do in our own strength – that get us down, not the big things that we know only God can do." (Guzik)
A Song of Deliverance
Then the people raised their voices in a song to celebrate the victory the Lord had given them.
“Your right hand, O Lord,
is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lord,
smashes the enemy.
7 In the greatness of your majesty,
you overthrow those who rise against you.
You unleash your blazing fury;
it consumes them like straw.
8 At the blast of your breath,
the waters piled up!
The surging waters stood straight like a wall;
in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard." 15:6-8
"This remarkable song is assumed to have come spontaneously as Moses led the nation into the wilderness on the other side of the Red Sea. They sang this song when their salvation was real to them. They sang it when the power and the presence of God were real to them." Guzik
Click Here to Read Matthew 21:23-46
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
The Pharisees tried to challenge Jesus' authority, but were instead met with a question about the authority of John the Baptist. "Where did it come from?", Jesus asked them. They were in a pickle. If they said from God, they would have to admit all the things John the Baptist said about Jesus. If they denied the authority of the John the Baptist, they would have a riot on their hands.
"They answered only after carefully calculating the political consequences of either answer. They didn’t seem interested in answering the question honestly, only cleverly. This showed they were more interested in the opinions of the multitude rather than the will of God, so Jesus didn’t answer their question to Him." (Guzik)
The Parable of the Two Sons
Once again Jesus teaches by his favorite method parables. Jesus tells a story about two sons who were told to go out into the vineyard. One said he would go and didn't. The other said he wouldn't go and did.
We have often heard the statement, "Actions speak louder than words!" If this is true with man, how much more with God! The word :repentance" means to turn around from going in one direction to another. Repentance is at the heart of what it means to follow God. Repentance is turning from our to sin to God.
Though the first son walked away from the father and the work he asked to do, he changed his mind and obeyed his father. The second son represented the Pharisees, who said they were following God, but actually were just following themselves. They claimed to know God, but did not recognize God when he showed up in the flesh.
"The point of this parable is clear. What matters is living for God, not saying the right words. The religious leaders were good at talking righteous talk, but their stubbornly unrepentant hearts showed that repentant sinners would enter the kingdom before them." (Guzik)
Parable of the Evil Farmers
This parable is a different story but a similar meaning. The owner of a vineyard built a wall to contain the vineyard, a pit for pressing out the grapes, and a lookout tower. Then, he leased it out to tenant farmers, though he still owned the land and what he had built. When the time came for collecting the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But they beat one, stoned one and killed another. He sent more servants only to have the same result. Finally, he sent his only son. The farmers schemed, "Let's kill the son, so we can receive the inheritance!" So they took the son out and murdered him.
Jesus is referring to himself and the treatment he will receive from the Pharisees. When they realized the parable was talking about them, they plotted to arrest him, but knew it wasn't yet time.
Jesus quotes a passage from Psalm 118:22-23 to describe what is happening,
"The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see."'
Jesus quoted this from Psalm 118 to remind them that their rejection of Him said more about their guilt and coming judgment than it said about Jesus Himself. Though they reject Him, He is still the chief cornerstone, fulfilling the great Messianic (Guzik)
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