Has anybody besides me heard a parent say to a crying child, “I’ll give you something to cry about!”? And did the irony strike you then or not until later? Clearly that child already has something to cry about and an overabundance of cause won’t improve his disposition! The situation in Exodus 14 reminds me of this because when we left the Hebrews last week, they were crying out to God with the Egyptians on their tails and the Red Sea looming ahead of them. But God’s ways are not our ways, and He does not react the way an angry parent would when a child is crying. This week we will see the powerful and amazing way God responds to His children to bring them closer to His ultimate plan for them.
Last week’s lesson looked at the meaning behind the words “be still”. Here are the key verses we looked at:
13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”
In this chapter of Exodus, Moses reassures the frightened Hebrews that God will do something; they just need to stop complaining. Moses knows that he isn’t the one who’s going to provide an answer to their dilemma, and I have no doubt that he was uttering a few prayers to God in his head, too. And now that we know that “be still” really refers to a lack of verbiage more than a lack of motion, verse 15 makes more sense. God can tell the Hebrews to move on because He knows that He is about to do an amazing work before them by parting the Red Sea so they can move on! But then we are faced with another dilemma: if Moses tells the people to be still and let God fight for them, why does God seem so irritated that they are crying out in the first place? This word is used several times in the Old Testament to describe people appealing to God for help, summoning Him to rescue them. Doesn’t God want us to do that? The Psalms and other places seem to encourage us to be real and honest with God about our emotions. So why is God rebuking the Hebrews for doing just that here?
I believe that what God is really saying to the Hebrews is, “Why are you still crying out to me when I’ve provided the answer to your prayer?” Here is deliverance. And it is not to the left or to the right, but straight ahead. Is it what the Hebrews expected? Maybe. But probably not.
There is a time to pour out our hearts to God and there is a time for us to take action. This is the pattern here and it’s a pattern in the New Testament, too. In John 11, Jesus comes to raise Lazarus from the dead. He arrives in Bethany to weeping women who are mourning the loss of their brother. They are crying out to God – for comfort, for peace. God wants to show them His love and His power over death so Jesus, feeling compassion for these women he loves, moves in God’s power and timing to raise Lazarus from the grave. But the stone is not miraculously removed. Jesus asks those present to move the stone (verse 39). That done, all that remained was for God to do what only God could do – “Lazarus, come out!” God will raise the dead; you just move the stone.
After Jesus’ resurrection, he appears to some of the disciples as they are fishing (John 21). They’ve been out all night with no luck. Had they been crying out to God in that time? If not audibly, I’m guessing in other ways. Their rabbi and leader had just been killed and resurrected, but their idea of His Kingdom still seemed far from materializing. And here they were, back to fishing like they’d always done, except this time there are no fish. What had it all meant? What were they supposed to do now? And Jesus appears, telling them to let down the nets on the right side of the boat to find some fish. Was there a moment when Peter and his companions were thinking, “Oh, the right side! Why didn’t we think of that? Thanks a lot, mister!” (They didn’t recognize Jesus at this point, or I’m sure they wouldn’t have called Him “mister”.) And what happens? There are so many fish the disciples can hardly bring them in. God will bring the fish; you just cast the net.
The expression to move on in this chapter of Exodus is found other places in Scripture as well. It means to go elsewhere, do something else, progress, get going to the next thing, uproot, advance. God says in Exodus 14:15, “Tell the Israelites to move on.” This is not the end of the plan I have for you; it’s only the beginning. God’s glory is about to move from leading them in front of the group to protecting them from behind (Exodus 14:19-20). He has done the communicating; Moses has his instructions. He has done the leading; there is no direction to move except forward. He has covered their rears; there’s a huge pillar of fire protecting them from the enemy Egyptians. What’s left to do? Move on! God will part the sea; you just take the first step.
How about a 21st century example? You are reading this study because God has been teaching me this very lesson. I started Cuppa Joe Bible Minute because I sensed God saying, “I’ve given you unique life experiences and a passion for making the Bible clear to women. I’ve freed up your schedule and given you friends and family to encourage you and give you feedback. Why are you crying out to me? Move on.” And I wrote the first lesson. Scary first step? You bet. Was there a risk that I hadn’t heard God right and this was just me making things up? Yep. But how would I know unless I moved? That’s how God can build our faith. He’ll bring the fish (finances, job, mate) if I cast the net. He’ll raise the dead (dreams, relationships) if I move the stone. He’ll part the sea (circumstances, obstacles, temptations) if I take a step.
What’s God asking you to do in response to what only He can do? He may be saying, “I’ll repair the marriage; you work on being kind, compassionate, and forgiving.” Or maybe, “I’ll take care of your financial future; you keep doing your best at work for My Glory.” It might sound like this, “I will change this person’s heart; you speak the truth in love.” Sometimes it just comes down to this: I have to shut up, look up, then get up!
• What area of life are you asking God to change? Finances? Job? Relationships? Temptation?
• How can you incorporate the process – shut up, look up, and get up – into your prayers and life?
“And now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
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