Big Question - Who do you trust? Care - Provision, Protection
Choose the wrong one and you will be sorry
Protect the wrong thing and you will be sorry
Matt. 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Protect the soul - prosper the soul - it will last forever
House illustration - protect a throw rug from leaky roof letting the house rot
Protect the body and neglect the soul? Big mistake
Link provision to the story of Luann or Linda from Birthright -
also Christy to quit Sylvian - Shelley to quit Progressive
Logistics story See how God provides
3 to 3 ½ million Israelites in the desert:
1) 1,500 tons of for each day,
2) 4,000 tons of wood for cooking each day
3) 11,000,000 gallons of water for drinking and washing every day
4) a camping area of 750 square miles
Review the Deliverance Story
God protects Israel from the Philistines
EX 13:17-18 Pharaoh let the people go. The shortest road from Goshen to Canaan went through the Philistine country. But God didn’t lead them that way. God said, if they have to go into battle, they might change their minds. They might return to Egypt. 18 So God led the people toward the Red Sea by taking them on a road through the desert. The Israelites were prepared for battle when they went up out of Egypt.
Pillar of Cloud and Fire to lead - need to see
Ex. 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud. It guided them on their way. At night he led them with a pillar of fire. It gave them light. So they could travel by day or at night. 22 The pillar of cloud didn’t leave its place in front of the people during the day. And the pillar of fire didn’t leave its place at night.
Summarize Ex. 14:1-8
Why did God play cat and mouse with Pharaoh?
Decisive battle Deliverance by blood and water
Short sightedness leads to fear and belly aching
EX 14:10-14 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up. There were the Egyptians marching after them! The Israelites were terrified. They cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, "Why did you bring us to the desert to die? Weren’t there any graves in Egypt? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 We told you in Egypt, Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die here in the dessert 13 Moses answered the people. He said, Don’t be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the LORD will save you today. Do you see those Egyptians? You will never see them again. 14 The LORD will fight for you. Just be still.
Summarize Ex. 14:15-29
God caused a East wind to blow all night - pile up water - Israel crossed in safety
SS story
A boy returns from Sunday School and his mom asked him what he had learned that morning. ’Well we learned that Moses went behind the enemy lines and freed the Israelites. Then he took the army engineers and built a pontoon bridge across the Red Sea. Then when the Egyptians tank division started to cross over the bridge he called in the dive bombers and blew them to bits.’ His mother was outraged and said, ’IS THAT WHAT YOUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER IS TEACHING YOU?’ The little boy looked down for a moment and finally said, ’Well - no Mom, but if I told you what she taught us this morning there’s no way you would believe it!’
To cross the Red Sea double file would require 35 days and nights, the line 800 miles long, Instead the space must have been 1 mile (1000 people) wide 4 miles long.
Summary Ex. 15:22-27
Water Solution Camp at Elim - 12 Springs Water Softener
Food Solution - Manna
EX 16:2 In the desert the whole community told Moses and Aaron they weren’t happy with them. 3 The Israelites said to them, We wish the LORD had put us to death in Egypt. There we sat around pots of meat. We ate all of the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert. You must want this entire community to die of hunger. 4 Then the LORD spoke to Moses. He said, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people must go out each day. Have them gather enough bread for that day. Here is how I will put them to the test. I will see if they will follow my directions. 5 On the sixth day they must prepare what they bring in. On that day they must gather twice as much as on the other days.
EX 16:17-20 The people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, and some gathered a little. 18 When they measured it out, those who gathered a lot didn’t have too much. And those who gathered a little had enough. All of them gathered only what they needed. 19 Then Moses said to them, Don’t keep any of it until morning. 20 Some of them didn’t pay any attention to Moses. They kept part of it until morning. But it was full of maggots and began to stink. So Moses became angry with them.
God provides day of Rest Restores the Sabbath
EX 16:22-30 On the sixth day, the people gathered twice as much. It amounted to four quarts for each person. The leaders of the community came and reported that to Moses. 23 He said to them, Here is what the LORD commanded. He said, Tomorrow will be a day of rest. It will be a holy Sabbath day. It will be set apart for the LORD. So bake what you want to bake. Boil what you want to boil. Save what is left. Keep it until morning 24 So they saved it until morning, just as Moses commanded. It didn’t stink or get maggots in it. 25 Eat it today, Moses said. Today is a Sabbath day in the Lord’s honor. You won’t find any flakes on the ground today. 26 Gather them for six days. But on the seventh day there won’t be any. It’s the Sabbath 27 In spite of what Moses said, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather the flakes. But they didn’t find any. 28 Then the LORD spoke to Moses. He said, How long will all of you refuse to obey my commands and my teachings? 29 Keep in mind that I have given you the Sabbath day. That is why on the sixth day I give you bread for two days. All of you must stay where you are on the seventh day. No one can go out. 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
When the Lord says to remember the Sabbath - it means not just to celebrate it once a month, but to remember it throughout the week, don’t get caught up in anything that might make you disgrace or forget the Sabbath.
God took care of them one day at a time for a lifetime
Ex. 16:35 The people of Israel ate manna for 40 years. They ate it until they came to a land that was settled. They ate it until they reached the border of Canaan.
God made their clothes and shoes last
Do you think that Moses led the Israelites through the desert for forty years because God was testing him, or because he wanted them to really appreciate the Promised Land when they finally got there, or because Moses refused to ask for directions?
So you want go back to Egypt?
1 Cor. 10:2-6 Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know about our people who lived long ago. They were all led by the cloud. They all walked through the Red Sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same supernatural food. 4 They all drank the same supernatural water. They drank from the supernatural rock that went with them. That rock was Christ. 5 But God was not pleased with most of them. Their bodies were scattered all over the desert. 6 Now those things happened as examples for us. They are supposed to keep us from longing for evil things, as the people of Israel did.
Not so easy to leave Egypt
Not ready to inhabit the promised land - not as easy to get Egypt out of Israel
God needs to mold you just like He needed to mold Israel into a new nation.
A new culture Tribes were transformed into a nation
New order - daily faith
New religious year - complete with feasts Sabbaths, sacrifices - priesthood - tabernacle
God wants to be everything to you - because anything less than God is less than the best
God took Israel out of Egypt and That needs to happen to you and me
Crucial decision to every believer -who will you trust to provide for you
Trust in God’s Provision
One practical way is to give generously - to tithe and then some.
Another way is to refuse to buy things with credit
Accept that God is involved in your circumstances
What about complaint? Wishes don’t come true?
If God gave you everything you ever wished for you’d be dead
Numbers chapter 11 Have your wish! KFC until you are sick (KFQ)
Next week begin 1 year with Jesus
