Forward, March!

[Editor's Note: This message serves as a great call to the church as we face a New Year in His service! Forward March, Indeed!]

Introduction

Your Bibles are open to Exodus chapter 14. And in this chapter we find the children of Israel as they have departed from Egypt, and now they are approaching the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Pharaoh began to regret that he had allowed all of these slave laborers to leave. So he takes his army and his chariots and pursues them. When the children of Israel realized they were being pursued, they became terrified. They got upset with Moses and said in verse 12 of this chapter…

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 14:12)

Moses told them in verse 13 that God would save them. He told them in verse 14 that God would fight for them. But apparently, between verse 14 and verse 15, Moses who had been publicly assuring became privately afraid. Evidently, he was crying to the Lord, so that God said in verse 15…

…Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward. (Exodus 14:15)

I want to draw my sermon title from God’s instruction in verse 15 to “go forward,” and I want to preach a message from this chapter entitled, “FORWARD, MARCH!”

“Forward, March!” is one of those commands that might be given to a formation of soldiers in a military parade or on maneuvers.

The people of God, even in today’s church context, are often likened to an army. And as the army of the living God, we also need to do what God told the children of Israel to do in Exodus 14, and that is: “Go forward!” “Forward, March!”

Sometimes, it may seem like we’re being pursued as the children of Israel were. Sometimes, it may seem like we’re not making any progress, like we’re not getting anywhere.

I read about a unit of soldiers that were on a dusty march across the rolling prairie…

It was a hot blistering day and the men, longing for water and rest, were impatient to reach the next town. A rancher rode past and one of the soldiers called out to him and said, “Hey! How far is it to the next town?” The rancher said, “Oh, about two miles or so, I reckon.” Another long hour dragged by, and they saw another rancher going by. “How far to the next town?” the men asked him eagerly. “Oh, it’s a good two miles,” he said. After another half hour of marching, a third rancher came by, and again the men said, “Hey, how far’s the next town?” “Not far,” was the encouraging answer. “Only about two miles.” And the optimistic sergeant sighed and said, “Well at least we’re holding our own.” -- http://www.ahajokes.com/war062.html

Even when it seems like we’re not making any progress, the Lord’s command is: “FORWARD, MARCH!”

Carrie Breck, who wrote the great song “Face To Face With Christ My Savior,” wrote another song called “Forward!” And the song says…

Christ, our mighty Captain, leads against the foe, We will never falter when He bids us go;

Tho’ His righteous purpose we may never know, Yet we’ll follow all the way.

And the chorus says…

Forward! Forward! ’tis the Lord’s command; Forward! Forward! to the promised land;

Forward! Forward! let the chorus ring: We are sure to win with Christ, our King!

As we think about the Lord’s command to “go forward” in light of this chapter…

I. We First Notice The Problems They Had

(Exodus 14:1–12)

A. They Had A Problem With The Wilderness Around Them

(Exodus 14:3) For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

1. Notice The Language Here

The UBS (United Bible Societies) Old Testament Handbook Series says of this word “entangled”…

They are entangled in the land uses a word found in only two other places (translated “perplexed” in Esther 3:15 and Joel 1:18). Here it probably means to confuse or to agitate, so a variety of interpretations are possible: “finding themselves in difficult country” (REB), “wandering to and fro in the countryside” (NJB), “wandering around in the land in confusion” (NIV), “wandering aimlessly in the land” (NRSV), or simply “wandering around” (CEV).

The Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament says that…

Pharaoh would say of the Israelites, They have lost their way; they are wandering about in confusion; the desert has shut them in, as in a prison upon which the door is shut

The UBS (United Bible Societies) Old Testament Handbook Series says of the phrase “shut them in”…

The wilderness has shut them in may be expressed as “hemmed in by the wilderness” (REB) or “the wilderness has blocked their exodus” (Durham). Wilderness may be understood as “desert” (TEV). It may be necessary in some languages to say something like “the wilderness prevents them from going to the east.”

Now the Bible says that this would be Pharaoh’s conclusion, but it was also the conclusion of the people as they said in verse 11…

(Exodus 14:11) 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?

2. Notice The Land Here

You’ll notice that God basically told them to go to the very place where they would be shut in…

(Exodus 14:1-2) And the LORD spake 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.

(Exodus 14:9) 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.

They were at the very southern point of the wilderness of Egypt, of what is commonly called the Sinai Peninsula, with the Gulf of Suez to the west, the Gulf of Aqaba to the east, the Red Sea proper to the south, and the Egyptian army behind them to the north, from all appearances, they were trapped. Standing at the Straits of Tiran at Pi-hahiroth (which means “mouth of the gorges”), they were about 11 miles away from Baal-zephon on the other side of the water.

Let’s look at the map…

We feel like that sometimes, like we’re stuck or trapped in the wilderness, like we CAN’T go forward.

Not only was there the problem with the wilderness around them, but…

B. They Also Had A Problem With The World Behind Them

(Exodus 14:5-9) 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.

Egypt is consistently reminding us in the scripture of the flesh life, the carnal life, and the former life of bondage. And as the Egyptians pursue the children of Israel here, we take note of the fact that…

1. They Have Been Owned By Egypt – We See The Slavery In Egypt (vs. 5) “serving us”

J. Ligon Duncan said of this scene that takes place…

Now it’s “meanwhile back at the ranch,” and you go back to the royal court of Egypt, and a discussion is going on. Basically Pharaoh is looking at his trusted officers and he is saying, “What have we done? We have just let six hundred thousand able bodied, totally cheap labor people leave the country. We must have been out of our minds. What are we going to do about this?”

-- http://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons/the-lord-will-fight-for-you

2. They Have Been Overtaken By Egypt – We See The Strength Of Egypt “pursued” and “overtook”

Adam Clarke wrote…

[Six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them – vs. 7] According to the most authentic accounts we have of war-chariots, they were frequently drawn by two or by four horses, and carried three persons: one was charioteer, whose business it was to guide the horses, but he seldom fought; the second chiefly defended the charioteer; and the third alone was properly the combatant. It appears that in this case Pharaoh had collected all the cavalry of Egypt; (see Exodus 14:17;) and though these might not have been very numerous, yet, humanly speaking, they might easily overcome the unarmed and encumbered Israelites, who could not be supposed to be able to make any resistance against cavalry and war-chariots.

Even though we have escaped the slavery and bondage of the former life by the power of Christ our redeemer, there are times when, as Paul said in Galatians 6:1, a man may be “overtaken in a fault.”

C. They Had A Problem With The Worry Within Them

(Exodus 14:10) 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.

1. We See The Indication Of The Multitudes Worrying

They were terrified. They were “sore afraid.” They were crying out for God to help them; they were crying out saying, “Jehovah, save us!” As Matthew Henry said…

We have here the fright that the children of Israel were in when they perceived that Pharaoh pursued them. They knew very well the strength and rage of the enemy, and their own weakness; numerous indeed they were, but all on foot, unarmed, undisciplined, disquieted by long servitude, and (which was worst of all) now penned up by the situation of their camp, so that they could not make their escape.

Again, Adam Clarke wrote…

[The children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.] Had their prayer been accompanied with faith, we should not have found them in the next verses complaining against Moses, or rather against the Lord, through whose goodness they were now brought from under that bondage from which they had often cried for deliverance.

2. We Also Have An Indication Of Moses’ Worrying

Again, apparently, between verse 14 and verse 15, Moses who had been publicly assuring became privately afraid. Evidently, he was crying to the Lord, so that God said in verse 15…

(Exodus 14:15) And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

The Pulpit Commentary says of God’s question, “Wherefore criest thou to me?” that…

It is evident that Moses, while boldly encouraging the people, himself needed the support and consolation of prayer. The Syriac translator shows us that he divined the fact aright, when he without authority intruded the words, “Moses then cried to Jehovah.” The form of the Divine reply to his prayer seems to indicate a certain amount of reproach, as if Moses himself had become unduly anxious.

As we think about the Lord’s command to “go forward” in light of this chapter, we not only notice The Problems They Had, but…

II. We Further Notice The Prompting They Heard

(Exodus 14: 13–16)

A. Moses Spoke To Them About Avoiding Fear

(Exodus 14:13) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

1. There Is A Command Found In Moses’ Statement “Fear ye not”

Again, J. Ligon Duncan said…

They have been slaves for four hundred and thirty years. The only thing they have known in their experience was Pharaoh’s intentions and Pharaoh’s plans. No wonder they are consumed with “What in the world is he going to do to us now.” These people had the mindset of slaves. They had forgotten how to hope. They saw a dark cloud beyond every silver lining. They were confirmed pessimists, and isn’t it glorious that in verses 13 and 14, Moses has nothing but a word of encouragement, and it’s a word in which he directs them to do nothing. I demand, he says, that you stand there and do nothing.

Now, think again my friends, you’ve been slaves for four hundred and thirty years. You’ve been serving a tyrant who has abused you. He has sucked the life out of you, and he has used your labor for his purposes. And now the God who has set you free, He’s redeemed you and He’s more sovereign that Pharaoh ever was says, “Now here’s my command for you today Israel, you must do absolutely nothing, I’m going to take care of this.”

Now, I want you to look at (what) Moses says. First, do not be afraid. Do not fear. How often does God visit and the first words out of His mouth are, do not fear? The Puritans used to put it this way, “Fear God and you have nothing else to fear.” God was going to show them today that He was the only thing worth fearing in this world.

-- http://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons/the-lord-will-fight-for-you

There’s a movie that’s been nominated for an Oscar tonight called “12 Years A Slave.” These people and their ancestors had been slaves for 430 years! But God told them not to be afraid of their former masters.

2. There Is A Confidence Found In Moses’ Statement “stand still and see…”

(Exodus 14:13) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

John Gill said…

stand still; do not stir from the place where you are, do not offer to run away, or to make your escape by flight (and which indeed seemed impossible), keep your place and station, and put yourselves in such a situation as to wait and observe the issue of things:

and see the salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you today; which is expressive of (the) great faith (of) Moses in the midst of this extremity, who firmly believed that God would save them from this numerous and enraged army, and that very quickly, even that day; at least within twenty four hours, within the compass of a day; … that salvation was wrought for them, and their eyes beheld it: and it may be called the salvation of the Lord, for it was his own hand that only effected it, … and was typical of the great salvation which Christ with his own arm, and without the help of his people, has wrought out for them.

The Barnes’ Notes Commentary says of seeing the Egyptians again no more, that…

The true sense is, ye shall never see the Egyptians in the same way, under the same circumstances.

B. Moses Spoke To Them About the Almighty Fighting

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

1. Consider the Almighty’s Identity “the LORD”

LORD – Hebrew 3068. Yehovah, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.

The UBS (United Bible Societies) Old Testament Handbook Series says …

The Lord will fight for you reflects the ancient Israelite concept of “holy war,” in which Yahweh is the divine warrior who defeats Israel’s enemies with supernatural power. (See 15:3.) NJB says it well: “Yahweh will do the fighting for you.”

2. Consider the Almighty’s Intention “shall fight for you”

John Gill said…

The Lord shall fight for you … By commanding the wind of the heavens, and the waves of the sea, and employing them against their enemies, and on their behalf.

The same Lord who was able to command the winds and waves to calm down in the New Testament, saying “Peace, be still!” was able in the Old Testament (Exodus 14:21) to draft them into battle under His command.

The Keil and Delitzsch Commentary says of the statement, “ye shall hold your peace,” that God would take care of the fight, and He expected these worried Israelites to “keep quiet, and not complain any more.”

C. Moses Spoke To Them About Advancing Forward

(Exodus 14:15-16) 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.

1. God’s Instruction Possibly Produced A Hesitation ― But God?

It’s hard to imagine what must have been churning in the heart of Moses; even as he heard the divine word to “go forward.” He might have thought to himself, “But God, there’s nowhere to go!”

J. P. Lange said in his commentary on Exodus…

Moses outwardly was silent; but Jehovah heard how he inwardly cried to Him. The confidence, therefore, which displayed to the people was founded on a fervent inward struggle of spirit. While therefore Jehovah’s word is no reproof, there is something of a contrast in what follows: Speak unto the children of Israel, etc. That is: (let there be) No further continuance of the spiritual struggle; (go) forward into the Red Sea!

‘But God, did you say Divide the sea?’

2. God’s Instruction Plainly Provided A Hope ― But God!

It seemed hopeless! But God had a man, and God had a plan whereby they might be saved and delivered! The plan was to take a piece of wood and lift it up. The plan was to have the man stretch out his hand. The plan was that the delivered people would go forward under the banner of this piece of wood and the outstretched hand of the man. And thus, the impossibility would be eliminated! The hopeless depths would be moved out of the way.

and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea

As we think about the Lord’s command to “go forward” in light of this chapter, we not only notice The Problems They Had, and The Prompting They Heard, but…

III. We Finally Notice The Provision That Helped

(Exodus 14: 17–31)

They couldn’t have gone forward if God had not provided for them these helpful aspects…

A. In The Darkness, God Provided Light To See

(Exodus 14:19-20) 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.

If you’ve ever flown on an airplane, you may have seen an element of darkness below the cloud cover. And then, once you were above the clouds, it was very bright. I imagine if you could tip a cloud bank up into a vertical pillar, it may have appeared in a way similar to that.

1. God Gave A Brightness To His People To Guide Them

“the pillar of the cloud … 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”

John Gill said…

but it gave light by night to these; to the Israelites, so that they could see their way, and walk on in the midst of the sea, as on dry land; and such a light and guide they needed; for it was now the twenty first day of the month, seven days after the full of the moon, when the passover began, and therefore could have no benefit from the moon. … It seems plain from the account, that that side of it which was towards the Egyptians was dark, and that which was towards the Israelites was light, and so an hindrance to the one and a benefit to the other: thus Christ is set for the rising of some, and the fall of others; and His Gospel is to some the savour of death unto death, and to others the savour of life unto life; to the one it is a hidden Gospel, and lies in darkness and obscurity, and to others a great and glorious light.

Speaking of the advent of Christ and the gospel age, the prophet Isaiah said…

(Isaiah 9:2) The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

And then Paul said that the Father has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light…

(Colossians 1:13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

And it is not just in salvation that this light guides us towards deliverance, but it is in our ongoing journey that we have the benefit of God’s light. As the psalmist said…

(Psalms 119:105) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

2. God Gave A Boundary To His People To Guard Them

“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.”

God has not only given us sight through His light, but He has also given us separation. Consider these verses…

(Ephesians 5:11) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

(1 John 1:6-7) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: {7} But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

B. In The Depths, God Provided Land To Step

(Exodus 14:21-22) 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.

1. God’s People Would Be Aware of His Might

J. Ligon Duncan said…

There is nothing like the Exodus in all of the Old Testament. Over and over again this is the point to which the psalmist, the prophets point back to as the quintessential Old Testament representation of God coming to the rescue of His people. And it is precisely the extremity of His people and their inability to help themselves in any natural way that serves to do what? To exalt His grace.

-- http://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons/the-lord-overthrows-the-egyptians

The psalmist seems to point to the crossing of the Red Sea in Psalm 77. And the writer points to other events that accompanied the wind, saying…

(Psalms 77:11-20) I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. {12} I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. {13} Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? {14} Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. {15} Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. {16} The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. {17} The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. {18} The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. {19} Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. {20} Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

2. God’s People Would Be Avoiding the Mire

These people who had cried out to God, these people who had stood still, these people whose feet then stepped (not upon miry clay, but) upon a solid foundation, these people whose path was made clear by the wall of water on either side, these people could utter the words of David who said in Psalm 40…

(Psalms 40:1-2) I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. {2} He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

C. In The Difficulty, God Provided A Look To Scare

1. This Account Ends With God Looking In A Fearful Way At The Persecutors

(Exodus 14:24) 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,

The Pulpit Commentary says…

The description in Psalms 77:17,18, is generally regarded as belonging to this point in the narrative of the Exodus, and may be considered as the traditional exposition of it. “The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound; thine arrows also went abroad; the voice of thy thunder was in the heavens; the lightning lightened the world; the earth trembled and shook.” Josephus says “Showers of rain came down from the sky, and dreadful thunders and lightning, with flashes of fire; thunderbolts also were darted upon them; nor was there anything, wont to be sent by God upon men as indications of his wrath, which did not happen upon this occasion.”

2. This Account Ends With God Looking In A Favorable Way At His People

(Exodus 14:28-31) 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 sea shore. {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.

Conclusion

God instructed His people to “Go Forward!” “Forward, March!” And if that is God’s instruction in our lives, then He will give us the message and the means that we need to go forward.

Our problem too often is that we get settled where we are rather than moving forward. J. Vernon McGee said…

I wonder what God would say to us today as He sees all of our so-called Christian organizations in ceaseless activity but no action—motion but no movement. The burgeoning building program proclaiming astronomical figures in cost and “people reached” is indeed impressive. The mushroom growth of both churches and organizations would seem to indicate a healthy condition. The polls which give such a large percentage of evangelicals would appear to be a sign that we are marching to Zion. But before we sing “Onward Christian Soldiers,” let’s find out how many are marching. We are not even standing on the promises; we are sitting on the premises! We are not stalwart soldiers of the faith. We are paper dolls playing church in our bigger and better sanctuaries. We are seeking entertainment, not instruction or inspiration in our smug complacency. We do not have a vision or concern for a lost world out there that has not even heard the Word of God.

-- Miscellaneous writings of Dr. J. Vernon McGee — 10,000 Sermon Illustrations

May our anthem include the words that Sabine Baring-Gould wrote in 1865…

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before.

Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;

Forward into battle see His banners go!

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before.

May our anthem include the words that Isaac Watts wrote in 1707…

Come, we that love the Lord…

We’re marching to Zion,

beautiful, beautiful Zion;

we’re marching upward to Zion,

the beautiful city of God.

I say to the people of God tonight: “FORWARD, MARCH!”