Baptist Catechism 1 & 2

Q. 1. Who is the first and chiefest being?

A. God is the first and chiefest being. (Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 8:1; 97:9)

Q. 2. Ought everyone to believe there is a God?

A. Everyone ought to believe there is a God; and it is their great sin and folly who do not. (Hebrews 11:6, Psalm 14:1)

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 44:6–8

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.’” (Isaiah 44:6–8, ESV)

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Introduction

You notice that we have now come full circle back to the beginning of our catechism. Our catechism provides us with a faithful summary of the core tenets of the Christian faith that are found in the pages of Holy Scripture. It should be no surprise to find that our catechism begins with the most foundational tenets of the Chritsian faith.  

When learning to read one must start with the A-B-C’s. When learning math one must learn how to count and how to add. And when learning the great doctrines of the Christian faith one must begin with the most foundational principles of religion. And that is where our catechism begins, with the most foundational questions possible.  

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Who Is The First And Chiefest Being?

Question 1 asks, who is the first and chiefest being? The answer is brief: God is the first and chiefest being.

When we say that God is the first being, what do we mean? Many things!

God is the first of all beings because he was before all others. “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” (Isaiah 44:6, ESV)

God is also the first cause of all beings. All other beings were brought into existence by him and for him. “Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Corinthians 8:6, ESV)

God is the first in providence. He is the one who upholds the world. “In him we live and move and have our being… For we are indeed his offspring.” (Acts 17:28, ESV)

God is first in the world of grace. He is the source of every blessing that is ours in Christ Jesus. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself…” (2 Corinthians 5:18, ESV)

God is the first to love. “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, ESV)

God is the first to give. “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” (Romans 11:35, ESV)

What is meant by “chiefest”?

So this little statement that God is the first being is very profound. When we think of the world and all that is we must remember that there is a being who is first before all. He is the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all things. He is the source. 

And what about this statement that God is the chiefest being? What do we mean by that? 

When we say that God is chiefest we mean that no one out ranks God.

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11, ESV)

God is above all so-called god.

“For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” (Psalm 95:3, ESV)

God is chief in heaven.

“For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you?” (Psalm 89:6–8, ESV)

God is chief on earth. 

“For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth…” (Psalm 97:9, ESV)

God alone is chief – he shares his supremacy with no one. 

“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” (Psalm 57:2, ESV)

God will forever maintain his supremacy. 

“The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O Lord, are on high forever.” (Psalm 92:6–8, ESV)

These are helpful observations, aren’t they? I believe I took these from a little commentary on the baptist catechism by a man named Benjamin Beddome. 

Where should we begin when talking about the Christian faith? By acknowledging that God is the first being and the chiefest being. 

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Ought Everyone To Believe There Is A God?

Question two then asks, ought everyone to believe there is a God? Answer: Everyone ought to believe there is a God; and it is their great sin and folly who do not. 

Of course, our catechism, just like the Scriptures, will have a lot more to say regarding what men should believe about God. Also, our catechism will teach that men must put their faith in Jesus if they wish to know God truly, now that we have fallen into sin. But we start here with the declaration that men ought to believe that God exists. In fact, our catechism adds “it is their great sin and folly who do not.”  It is a great sin to disbelieve that God exists, and it is great folly.

The scriptures say this. 

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God…’” (Psalm 14:1a, ESV)

In order to please God it is first required to believe that he exists. 

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)

Disbelief in the existence of God opens the door to all manner of immorality. 

“They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.” (Psalm 14:1b, ESV)

Belief in the existence of God is foundational to all practical religion. 

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? (Romans 10:14, ESV)

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Conclusion

It should be clear to all that these questions and answers are the most foundational questions that one can ask. 

What we say in response to these questions will have a tremendous impact upon the trajectory of our life here on earth. 

And what we say in response to these questions will have a tremendous impact on our eternal destiny.  

These fundamental questions might seem like they are below those who have been in the faith for a while, but I would challenge you to think otherwise. I believe it is good even for the seasoned believer to ask, am I living as if their is God? Am I honoring him as the first and cheifest being? I belive he exists, and know that he is the first and chiefest, but am I honoring him as such?

Brothers and sisters, is the Lord first in your thoughts and first in your esteem? 

Have you given yourself first unto him? Is the Lord chiefly loved by you and chiefly feared? 

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12, ESV). 

Happy are those who worship God supremely, for he worthy and it is right.

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QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AT HOME OR IN GOSPEL COMMUNITY GROUPS

Sermon manuscript available at emmausrbc.org

• Why does the Lord not take us immediately to glory after we believe upon Christ? Why must we endure this time of difficulty in this world?
• What is sanctification? 
• How does God sanctify his people? 
• Why is it so important for us to maintain the perspective that we are sojourners?

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New Testament Reading: Revelation 21:1–8

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.’” (Revelation 21:1–8, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 15:22-27

“Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’ And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, ‘If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.’ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.” (Exodus 15:22–27, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

In this sermon series, I have tried to convince you that the Exodus event along with the wilderness wandering that followed it and the eventual conquest of Cannan by the Hebrews is to be viewed in a multidimensional way. 

One, we must view this story as historical. The book of Exodus is a historical book. It tells us about what God did for the Hebrews in the days of Moses to deliver them. It tells us about how the LORD went with his people to provide for them and to guide them in the wilderness. These things happened, that is my point. We must approach the book of Exodus as history. 

Two, we must see that the person of Christ and the work of Christ were revealed ahead of time in the Exodus event. In other words, the redemption that the LORD accomplished for the Hebrews was a type or a foretaste of the greater act of redemption that the Messiah would accomplish. The Hebrews were delivered from Egypt through the blood of the Passover lamb. They passed through the waters of divine judgment and emerged safely on the other side of the sea. The LORD was present with them, and he would continue to be. In fact, he would dwell in the midst of his people as he led them towards the promised land. And I am saying that person of Christ and the work of Christ was pictured or prefigured in an earthly way in these historical events. Remember that Jesus the Christ was introduced as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He was hidden in Egypt for a time and was brought out as an infant. Just as the LORD demonstrated his power over nature and the so-called gods of Egypt, so too the Christ demonstrated his power over the same through the working of mighty deeds. Christ also passed through the waters of divine judgment – not the waters of the sea, but the waters of death – and he was brought safely through to the other side in his resurrection (Christian baptism is a  picture of this, among other things). After rising from the dead and after ascending Christ gave the Spirit to indwell his people as they sojourn towards the promised land. Here I am simply reminding you of what I have said before. The Exodus was not just another common event in a long succession of events in the history of the world. No, it was special, for in it something of the person and work of Christ was revealed. This truth may be observed in the Exodus story itself, but it is made especially clear by the teaching of the New Testament. 

Three, we must see that there is a correlation between the experience of Israel in the Exodus event and the experience of all who have faith in Christ. When I say that there is a correlation I mean that in some ways Old Covenant Israel’s experience matches the experience of all who have faith in the Messiah even to this present day. Of course, in many ways, the experience of the Hebrews who lived in the days of Moses was utterly unique. Only they were brought out of Egypt. Only they were led into the wilderness toward Sinai, etc. But at the same time, their experiences established a kind of pattern – a pattern familiar to all of God’s faithful. Think of it. In Christ, we too have been redeemed from bondage. In Christ, we too are sojourners (we live in this world, but this is not our home). In Christ, we too will enter the promised land – not Canaan, but the new heavens and earth, the heavenly and eternal city of Jerusalem. I’m saying that Israel’s experience in the Exodus mirrors ours. Theirs was earthly, ours is spiritual. So there is much for us to learn. I’ll remind you of what Paul the Apostle wrote regarding this correlation between Israel’s experience and ours. Speaking of Exodus events he wrote, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11, ESV). Stated simply, things that happened to Old Covenant Israel are meant to instruct even those of us who live now under the New Covenant. 

So let us consider our passage for today with these things in mind. 

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Those Who Are Redeemed Must Sojourn

We have come now to the portion of the book of Exodus that is about Israel’s sojourning in the wilderness. To sojourn is to dwell temporarily in a place that is not your home. We may refer to the Hebrew’s stay in Egypt as a time of sojourning. In fact, the scriptures do this. In Deuteronomy 10:19 we find this law given to Israel: “Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” So yes, Israel sojourned in Egypt. They lived there for a long time, but they were strangers there. And after the LORD delivered Israel from bondage, he led them, not immediately into  Canaan, which was the land that was promised to them, but into the wilderness to sojourn there for a time.

In Exodus 15:22 we read, “Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur…” (Exodus 15:22, ESV). The wilderness of Shur is to the East of Egypt in the northern part of the Sinai in what is today northern Saudi Arabia. This wilderness is vast, rugged, and in the days of Moses, it was very sparsely populated. From there Israel would go south. Canaan was to the north! But the LORD led Israel to the south to wander in the wilderness for a time. 

And this is the first thing that I wish to draw your attention to this morning regarding our text. The LORD did not immediately lead his people into the promised land of Canaan, but into the wilderness. Israel would sojourn in that thirsty land. In fact, we know they would remain there for 40 years because of their disbelief. But even before that, it was the will of the LORD to lead them, not directly to Canaan, but into the wilderness to sojourn there. We are to see that Israel went into the wilderness, not because they were lost, but because the LORD led them there in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. 

So here a pattern is established for us: those who are redeemed must sojourn. Stated negatively, the pattern is not from redemption to glory, but from redemption to sojourning to glory. 

Here is how Old Covenant Israel experienced this pattern: they were redeemed from Egypt, they sojourned in the wilderness for a time, and then they entered Canaan, which was the land that was promised to them. 

And here is how New Covenant Israel experiences this pattern: we have been redeemed by the shed blood of the Messiah from the domain of darkness, bondage to sin, and the fear of death. The new heavens and earth is our home. Our inheritance is the heavenly city of Jerusalem. But we are not there yet, are we? We are sojourners. We live here in this world, but we confess that this is not our home. We long for the world to come. We must view ourselves as sojourners, brothers and sisters. The pattern is this: from redemption to sojourning to glory. We are sojourners now.

This is what Peter calls us. He writes to Christians saying, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11–12, ESV).

The writer to the Hebrews speaks of our sojourning when he says, “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14, ESV).

So just as Israel was to be ever mindful of the fact that they were not at home while in the wilderness, but were sojourners, so too we must be ever mindful of the fact that we are not at home, but are sojourners in this world. We are just passing through. 

Does it sound strange for me to talk this way? After all, this is our hometown, isn’t it? After corporate worship, we will all go home. It must have been obvious to Israel in the wilderness that they were sojourners. There was nothing permanent about their situation. But you and I live relatively settled lives. In fact, we enjoy a great deal of stability and comfort. But there is a danger in these blessings. We may forget that we are sojourners. The homes we live in are not our homes. This city is not a lasting city. This world is not the world that will be for all eternity, for when Christ returns he will make all things new. This world will be renewed, filled with the glory of God, and established in glory forever and ever. If you are in Christ united to him by faith, that is your home. Presently, you are a sojourner. 

Tell me brothers and sisters, do you have the mindset of a sojourner? Sojourners must still be concerned with the details of their day-to-day life. They must eat and drink, raise their children, and seek to serve the Lord in the land that they find themselves in. But the sojourner will also live with a degree of detachment from the land of their sojourning. As the sojourner goes about their business they will be ever mindful of the fact that this is not home. This will affect their priorities and investments. Though they may love and appreciate the land of their sojourning, their longing will be for home. This is why Jesus speaks to sojourners saying, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19–21, ESV)

Those who are redeemed must sojourn, and we are sojourners now. 

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One Purpose Of Our Sojourning Is Sanctification

The second thing that I wish to draw your attention to is that one of the purposes of our sojourning is sanctification. 

Perhaps the question has already come to your mind: why didn’t the LORD lead Israel straight to Cannan? Why the wilderness wanderings? That’s a good question, isn’t it? Why did the LORD permit Israel to experience so much trouble in that desolate and dry land? And perhaps you have wondered the same thing concerning the Christian life. Why this life? Why the sufferings of this life? Why not immediate glory for the one who has faith in Christ? Many things can be said about this, but the truth that I wish to emphasize this morning is that one purpose for sojourning is sanctification. 

By sanctification, I mean growth in faith and in godliness. Sanctification is that process wherein God renews us “in the whole man after the image of God, and… [enables us] more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness” (Baptist Catechism 38). And I am saying that one of the primary purposes for sojourning, both for Old Covenant Israel and for us, is sanctification.

God sanctifies his people as they sojourn. And how does he do this?  It is often through testing. You know this to be true. Growth comes when we are tested. This is true of our muscles. This is true of our minds. And it is also true of our faith, hope, and love. Spiritual growth comes through testing. 

In verse 22 we learn that Israel “went three days in the wilderness and found no water.” This was no minor inconvenience, but a serious problem. The Israelites had certainly carried water with them, but now they were about out. This great multitude would soon perish without a substantial source. The people must have felt great anxiety about this. It would be terrifying to be caught in the wilderness with no water.  

In verse 23 we read, “When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah”, which means bitterness. When they found this pool of water they must have felt great relief. But as they tested the water they found that it was undrinkable. Their hope quickly turned to great despair. 

We must see this as a test of faith, brothers and sisters. In fact, verse 25 says that it was. “There he tested them”, the passage says. What would the people do? How would they respond? Would they trust in God? Would they remember what the LORD has done for them not long before? Remember, the LORD had demonstrated his power over nature in the outpouring of the ten plagues. He turned the water of the Nile to blood. And after the plagues, he parted the water of the Red Sea. Now the LORD tested them at Marah. Would the people remember the promises of God? Would they remember his past faithfulness? Would they trust in his sovereign power? Or would they lose it when faced with the threat of thirst in the wilderness? Verse 24 tells us: “And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’”

Notice that the word “grumbled” appears three times in a short span in the Exodus narrative. It appears here in 15:24. It will appear again in 16:2. There the people are hungry and “the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness…”  And the word appears again 17:3 where we read, “But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?’” 

You are probably noticing a theme. This story that we are considering today along with the next two are about testing. After Israel was redeemed from Egypt they began to sojourn in the wilderness. And as they sojourned the LORD tested them three times concerning the provision of water, bread, and water again. By the way, can you think of someone else who was tested in the wilderness three times over? Christ was! He overcame the temptation, didn’t he? But what did Israel do when they were tested? They doubted and they grumbled against the LORD. I take this to mean that most grumbled, but I trust that the faithful ones among them were sanctified as the LORD proved himself over and over and over again. Soon we will see that the LORD provided water from a rock and manna from heaven. Here in the text that is before us today, we learn that the LORD made the bitter waters of Marah sweet.  

Verse 25: “And [Moses] cried to the LORD [notice, he cried, he did not grumble] and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.” You can search for a scientific explanation for this if you’d like. I don’t think you’ll find one. Nor do I believe one is necessary. This entire Exodus story is punctuated by the miraculous works of God. And it is has been common in this story for the LORD to instruct Moses to use a physical item through which he works his miracles – a staff, dust thrown into the air, now a log. 

Here is what we know. The LORD demonstrated his power over the waters of Marah through Moses. He proved himself to be faithful once more. He provided for the thirst of his people. He turned that which was bitter, sweet. This he did for Old Covenant Israel through Moses, and this has done in an even greater way for all of his elect through Christ.  

Christ satisfies the thirst of all who trust in him. Everyone who drank the sweetened water of Marah was thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that Christ gives will never be thirsty again. The water that Christ gives becomes in us a spring of water welling up to eternal life  (see John 4:13–14).

And in Christ, all of the bitterness of life is turned sweet. For “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Even the bitterness of death is turned sweet for the believer, for Christ has removed the sting of death. For the believer, death is the gateway to glory.  

Brothers and sisters, it is imperative for Christian sojourners to remember these things as we are tested by the trials of life. 

Sometimes it feels as if we are sojourning in a dry and desolate place. The circumstances of life may lead us to think, there is no hope! There is no way out! But we must remember that the LORD is faithful. He has been faithful to us in the past, and he will be faithful to us in the future, for he has promised. He will preserve those who are his in Christ Jesus. He will bring his elect safely home. Between now and then, we must be full of faith. 

And at times it may seem as if the LORD has led us to bitter waters. That which we thought would bring satisfaction and refreshment in this life brings disappointment. Will we trust the LORD in our disappointments and despair? Will we believe that the LORD is able to make the bitter waters of this life sweet in Christ Jesus as he brings good from that which is evil and leads us through the waters into life eternal? Brothers and sisters, we must. 

Verses 25 and 26 are important. Starting in the second half of verse 25 we read, “There [at Marah] the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, ‘If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer” (Exodus 15:25–26, ESV).

Notice a few things about this portion of the passage. 

One, here we learn that the LORD sanctified his people not only through the trial of the lack of fresh water in the wilderness but also through his word. Yes, he tested them through a difficult life experience but he also spoke to them. And this is how the LORD sanctifies us. Through experiences and by his word. 

Two, the lesson that he taught them was really quite simple. If Israel would diligently listen to the voice of the LORD their God, and do that which is right in his eyes, they would be blessed. None of the diseases that the LORD put on the Egyptians would be put on them. This implies that if Israel failed to listen to God’s word and to keep his commandments, they, like the Egyptians, would be cursed. Note this principle well. We will return to it in just a moment.  

Three, the LORD reveals himself to Israel here as their “healer”. The word healer can also be translated, “to make fresh”. It refers to the process of being restored to health or being made fertile. When the LORD said, “for I am the LORD, your healer”, he was saying, I am the one who has the power to make you healthy, fruitful, and prosperous. 

So then, here is the lesson that the LORD taught to Israel at Marah as he spoke to them after satisfying their thirst. I am here to bless you, to make you fruitful and prosperous as a people. But here is the condition: you must listen to my voice and keep my commandments. 

As you probably know, this little simple lesson would end up being central to Israel’s existence under the Old Mosaic Covenant. This principle – obey God and be blessed in the land, disobey and be cursed – would be the core element of the covenant that God made with that nation through Moses. If Israel was to be blessed and prosperous they needed to obey the law of God. This work’s principle was stated at Marah and it would prove to be foundational to the Old Mosaic Covenant. 

Christians living under the New Covenant who’ve had it ingrained in them that we are saved from our sins, not by works or through the keeping of God’s law, but by God’s grace alone through faith in Christ alone, might be troubled by the works principle found here. Listen again to the conditional nature of this arrangement: ‘If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer” (Exodus 15:25–26, ESV). The arrangement is certainly conditional. It is an if/then arrangement. But pay very careful attention to what is going on here. The offer is not forgiveness of sins, nor is it life eternal in the new heavens and earth, but blessings and fruitfulness on earth. 

What I have just said is key to understanding the works principle that is clearly present in the Mosaic Covenant. Was the Mosaic Covenant a covenant of works? In other words, did the blessings offered by God to Israel in that Covenant depend upon the obedience of the people of Israel? Yes, certainly! But the blessings offered were earthly blessings. If Israel obeyed the LORD, they would be blessed by the LORD in the land. If they disobeyed, they would be cursed and even vomited out of the land. How then could an Israelite be saved from their sins for all eternity? How could an Israelite inherit blessed eternal life in the new heavens and earth? In the way that you and I receive it! Not by good works. Not by law-keeping (for we have all violated God’s law in thought word and deed). But only by trusting in the promises made to Adam and later to Abraham concerning the Messiah. Do not forget that those same promises were entrusted to Israel in the days of Moses too. Those promises were not annulled or taken away when God entered into that Covenant of works with them through Moses. No, the promises of God remained. And salvation was obtained by the grace of God and through faith in the promised Messiah. But as it pertained to blessings on earth, the nation of Israel would enjoy them only if they were obedient. This is what Paul the Apostle says so clearly in the books of Romans and Galatians (see especially Galatians 3:17ff.)

Though you and I do not live under this works principle that was imposed upon Israel at Marah and later expanded under the Mosaic Covenant at Sinai, we may still learn from it and apply it. Think of it. What was Israel called to do as they sojourned in the wilderness? They were to trust the LORD and they were to obey him.   

Trust and obey… It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Christian sojourners are to trust and obey, trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey! It is simple, but it can also be very difficult for us given our frailty. We are so prone to forget God’s faithfulness, to doubt, to panic, and to even grumble against God as Israel did at Marah. And sometimes we struggle to obey his voice. But truly, this is where abundant life is found. We are blessed in Christ when we trust him and obey his word. As Christ said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:9–11, ESV)

Those who are redeemed must sojourn. One purpose for sojourning is sanctification. The LORD sanctifies us by his word and by testing us through the trials of life. And in this way, the people of God will learn to trust him and obey him with ever-increasing sincerity. 

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Those Who Sojourn Must Know The LORD Will Bring Them Safely Home

The final observation that I wish to make from our passage today is that those who sojourn must know for certain that the LORD will bring them safely home.

I draw this principle from verse 27 which says, “Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water” (Exodus 15:27, ESV). If Marah signifies the trials and the testings of this life, Elim seems to be paradise by contrast. There was an abundance of water there – one spring for each tribe of Israel. And there was an abundance of trees too so that Israel might rest in their shade. After Israel was tried and tested in a dry and thirsty land, they were comforted and refreshed. And so it will be for all who are in Christ Jesus. 

After the sojourning of God’s people is complete Christ will return to make all things new. And all who are in Christ will be refreshed by “ the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, [they will eat of] the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree [will be] for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:1–5, ESV).

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Baptist Catechism 113 & 114

Q. 113. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

A. In the sixth petition, which is, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted. (Matt. 6:13; 26:41; Ps. 19:13; 1 Cor. 10:13; John 17:15)

Q. 114. What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?

A. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen,” teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise Him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to Him; and in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen. (Matt. 6:13; Dan. 9:18,19; 1 Chron. 29:11-13; 1 Cor. 14:16; Phil. 4:6; Rev. 22:20)

Scripture Reading: John 17

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17, ESV)

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Introduction

This is the last Sunday of 2021 and you will notice that we have come now to the end of our catechism. Our custom has been to progress through the Baptist catechism together as a church once every two years. In this way the essentials of the Christian faith are taught to our members, young and old, with some regularity. There has been some talk of teaching through another catechism in this way. The other catechism that could be used by us is called the Orthodox Catechism. It is the Baptist version of a better-known catechism called the Heidelberg catechism. Who knows, we may come to study that catechism in two years’ time. For now, we will stick with the Baptist Catechism. I’d like to preach through the first third of this catechism, which I have not yet done, given that we started this custom of catechetical preaching on the Lord’s Day afternoon about 1 ½ years ago. The first sermon I preached on the catechism was on number 33. And so all of that is to say, we will conclude our journey through the Baptist Catechism today, and we will begin again on the next Lord’s Day, Lord willing. 

Questions 113 and 114 of our catechism deal with the last petition and the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer. By the way, don’t you appreciate the way that our catechism concludes with this emphasis on prayer? Sound biblical doctrine is laid down for us in the first third of the catechism, but the last two-thirds is especially practical (yes, I agree that all doctrine is practical, but you know what I mean). It is question 44 that asks, “What is the duty which God requireth of man? A: “The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will.” And this question does eventually give way to long consideration of the ten commandments. After that, we find material on the ordinary means of grace, the last of those being prayer. We’ve been considering the topic of prayer ever since question 105 which asks, what is Prayer? The answer is, “Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, believing, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies.” What I’m trying to point out is this: our catechism is not only rich in doctrine, it is also practical. It tells us what we ought to believe, and it also tells us how we should live, according to the scriptures. I love it. I think it is a very useful tool for the people of God. 

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What Do We Pray For In The Sixth Petition 

So we have now to the sixth and final petition of the prayer that Christ taught his disciples to pray, which is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer. 

The first petition is “hallowed be your name.”

The second is“your kingdom come.”

The third is “your will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”

The fourth: “give us this day our daily bread.”

The fifth: “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” 

And now the sixth: “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” 

When we pray this prayer we are asking “that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.”

The world is filled with temptation, brothers and sisters. One of the benefits of praying this prayer daily is that we are reminded of this reality. When we pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”, we are reminded of the fact that there is a right way and a wrong way, there is a narrow path that leads to life, and a broad path that leads to destruction. Not only this, we are reminded that we will often be tempted to stray from the right way. 

The world – that is to say, this sinful world and its ways – will tempt us. 

The Evil One will seek to lead us away. This is why Peter says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)

And our own flesh will often work against us. Yes, those in Christ have been renewed by the Spirit, but we do also confess that corruptions remain within us. 

So these are the three ways of temptation: the world, the flesh, and the Devil. When we pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”, we are reminded of the reality of temptation, and we are able to prepare ourselves to walk in a sober, clear-minded, and alert manner.  

But you will notice that this is no mere reminder. No, in the sixth petition we make an appeal to God and we ask him to lead us, not in the wrong way, but in the right way. “

In the sixth petition, we are requesting that God would “keep us from being tempted to sin… or that he would “support and deliver us when we are tempted.”

Why the “or”? Well, sometimes the Lord’s will is that we be tempted and that we be strengthened through the ordeal. 

Can you think of an example in the scriptures where God permitted a man to be tempted? Think of Christ in the wilderness. God did not keep Christ from temptation, but he did keep him through it! 

And we know that God does permit temptation to strengthen, test, and prove those who are his. James speaks to this saying, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:12–14, ESV). Did you hear it?  “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life…” In this context, the trials are temptations. 

So our prayer is that God would either keep us from temptation or keep us through temptation. 

You will notice that this is what Christ himself prayed for in that prayer of John 17 which I read earlier – that his disciples would be kept. He prayed to the Father, saying, “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world… I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours… While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth…” etc. (John 17, ESV)

Jesus himself prayed for us that we would be kept, and when he taught us to pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”, he was teaching us to pray that the Father would keep us.

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What Does The Conclusion Of The Lord’s Prayer Teach Us?

Please allow me to say just a few words about the conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer, which is “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.”

One, this conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer is almost certainly not a part of the original, but was added early in the history of the church as a way of… bringing the Lord’s Prayer to a conclusion. 

Two, though this conclusion is not a part of the original, it is scriptural. Listen to 1 Chronicles 29:11–13:  “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:11–13, ESV). It seems that the traditional ending added to the Lord’s Prayer was drawn from this text. 

Three, though not a part of the original, the traditional ending does teach us to “take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise Him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to Him; and in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.” Amen means, truly, indeed, or let it be so. 

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Conclusion

Q. 113. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

A. In the sixth petition, which is, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted. (Matt. 6:13; 26:41; Ps. 19:13; 1 Cor. 10:13; John 17:15)

Q. 114. What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?

A. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen,” teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise Him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to Him; and in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen. (Matt. 6:13; Dan. 9:18,19; 1 Chron. 29:11-13; 1 Cor. 14:16; Phil. 4:6; Rev. 22:20)

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QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AT HOME OR IN GOSPEL COMMUNITY GROUPS

Sermon manuscript available at emmausrbc.org

• Discuss the fact that humans are able to sing. In what way is singing an even more fitting instrument of praise than speaking?
• Beginning with Exodus 15, what are the songs of praise recorded in scripture about? What should our songs be about?
• In the days of Moses the LORD accomplished Israel’s redemption, he judged the Egyptians, and he led Israel to indwell them. Compare and contrast this with what was accomplished by Christ. Do we have more or less of a reason to praise? Discuss.

Tags: Gospel Community Groups

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New Testament Reading: Revelation 15

“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.’ After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.” (Revelation 15, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 15:1-21

“Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble. At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’ You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. The peoples have heard; they tremble; pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. Terror and dread fall upon them; because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone, till your people, O LORD, pass by, till the people pass by whom you have purchased. You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O LORD, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. The LORD will reign forever and ever.’ For when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them: ‘Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.’” (Exodus 15, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

Our text for today begins with these words: “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD.” Because you and I are so accustomed to singing songs to the LORD, we might not think much of this statement. Again, the text says, “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD.”      

Have you ever reflected on the ability that humans have to sing? It really is a marvelous thing to consider. Humans can sing. We have this ability to utter words in a musical way. No other creature, with the exception of the angels, can do this. We say that birds sing, and indeed that is true. But they do not sing in the way humans do. Humans have this capacity to put words to music, to compose songs, and to communicate complex things to God and to one another in this way. Humans and angels are the only rational creatures created by God. And both angels and humans were created with this ability. 

Why did God make us in this way? Well, I am not saying that this is the only reason, but I am confident that the supreme reason is so that we might give glory to God with our voices. Yes, we are to give glory to God with our words. We are to speak to him in prayer. We are to give thanks to him with our lips. We are to testify to his goodness. But there is something special about singing. Singing joins the heart and the head in a way that speaking cannot. This is why the Psalmist says, “My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!” (Psalm 108:1, ESV). And Paul the Apostle commands that believers “be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:18–21, ESV). 

I think it is right to assume that God’s people have always sung praises to him. By that I mean, I think it is right to assume that God’s people, from the days of Adam to the days of Moses, sang songs of praise to God, though we do not have a record of it. But here is the thing that I want you to notice: the record of the songs sung by God’s people begins here in Exodus 15. This song – the Song of Moses – is the first song recorded in the pages of Holy Scripture. And it is a song sung in response to the great act of deliverance worked by God to deliver the Hebrews from Egyptians.    

Note this: all of the songs of praise uttered by God’s rational creatures, whether of angels or men, are in response to the works and revelation of God in creation and redemption. We sing because God has revealed himself to us. We sing in response to the marvelous things that God has done.  

Did you know that the angels sang praises to God when he created the earth? Genesis chapters 1 and 2 don’t speak to this, but Job 38 does. There the LORD questions Job saying, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4–7, ESV). The point is this: the angels sang together in response to God’s work of creation. 

And throughout the scriptures, God’s people compose songs in response to his works of creation and redemption. 

Here in Exodus 15 Moses and Israel sing in response to the LORD’s work of redemption. 

In Judges 5 we find the song of Deborah and Barak which they sang when the Lord gave them victory over the enemies of God’s people, Jabin and Sisera. 

In 2 Samuel 22 we find a song composed by David composed in response to his deliverance from the hand of Saul and of all his enemies. “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.” (2 Samuel 22:1–3, ESV)

The entire Psalter may be described as a response to the self-revelation of God in creation and redemption.  

And take special notice of the songs of praise sung in heaven and on earth concerning the Christ at his birth, upon the completion of the work of redemption, at his resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand, and concerning his return, the final judgment, and consummation of all things. Read the Gospels to find an account of these praises. Read also the book of Revelation. 

One commentator (Rykan) has noted that the drama of redemption is a musical. I agree! And I will add that this musical comes to a crescendo in the finished work of Christ, his life, death, burial and resurrection, and his eventual return.

The point is this: God created humans with the capacity to sing. The highest use of this capacity is to give glory, honor, and praise to our Maker and our Redeemer. We are to sing praises to our God with all of our being. And the songs that we compose and sing to our God are in response to the revelation of himself in the work of creation and redemption. Here in Exodus chapter 15 we find the first recorded song in Holy Scripture. It functions as a paradigm of sorts for all other songs pertaining to the redemption of God’s elect. 

The song of Moses, as it is called, is divided into five parts. In verses 1-3 praise is offered up to the LORD. In verses 4-10 the defeat of the Egyptians is recounted. In verses 11-13 praise and thanks is again offered up to the LORD. In verses 14-16a something is said about the reaction of the future enemies of Israel – the nations will hear and tremble; dread will come upon the people of Philistia, Edom, and Moab; the people of Cannan will melt away as they hear of what the LORD did to the Egyptians. And then fifthly and finally, in verses 16b-18 a word is said about Israel coming into the land that God had promised to them and how the Lord would dwell in the midst of them in the sanctuary on his holy mountain. Our passage for today then concludes with a remark about Miriam. She was the sister of Aaron and Moses. She was probably the one who followed Moses down the Nile when he was placed in that miniature ark. She was the one who suggested to Pharaoh’s daughter that her mother nurse the child. Miriam, this sister of Moses and Aaron played a very significant role in the leadership of Israel. She is here called a prophetess. She, along with the other women, took tambourines and let Israel in the singing of this song.  “And Miriam sang to them: ‘Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea’” (Exodus 15:21, ESV).

These five parts of the song of Moses may be summarized in three points. We see that in this song which Moses composed on the day when God delivered Israel from the Egyptians through the Red Sea, one, thanks and praise is given to the LORD for his deliverance, two, thanks and praise is given to the LORD for his just judgments, and three, thanks and praise is given to the LORD for his personal presence with his people now and forever. These will be the three points of the sermon for today.

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Give Thanks And Praise To The LORD For His Deliverance

First of all, let us see that the song of Moses moves us to give thanks and praise to the LORD for his deliverance.

Moses’ song begins with praise to the LORD for his deliverance. “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name” (Exodus 15:1–3, ESV).

Notice three things about these verses.  

One, notice the emphasis upon the divine name, the LORD. I have said before that the book of Exodus is really about the revelation of the divine name, YHWH. The meaning of this name was revealed to Moses by the LORD through words as he appeared to him in the bush that was burning yet not consumed. And we are to see that the Exodus event itself was a revelation of the divine name. In other words, not only did God tell Moses and Israel who he is with words, he showed them who is through his actions – through the outpouring of the ten plagues and through the parting of the sea. Here Moses sings about it. He recounts what God has done for us… “the LORD is his name.”

Two, Moses describes the LORD as a man of war. The LORD is likened to a warrior. He is a God of action, a God of power and strength, a God who fights for his people to deliver them from evil. 

Three, this song of praise is in response to the deliverance that the LORD accomplished for Israel. This is also the theme of verses 11-13, which is at the very heart, or center, of this five-part song: there we read, “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode” (Exodus 15:11–13, ESV).

Brothers and sisters, though you and I were not rescued from Egyptian bondage in the way that Old Covenant Israel was, this song of Moses may be sung by us in light of the redemption that Jesus Christ has earned for us. This is what Revelation 15 says. It is not those who were redeemed from Egypt, but those who have been redeemed from sin, Satan, and death, who “sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty!” This is not the song of Moses unaltered,  but the song of Moses advanced in light of the finished work of Christ. If the song of Moses is the seed, the song of the Lamb is the flower. The two songs are related to one another in this way. The song of the Lamb sung by the Saints in heaven is the full-grown and mature version of the other. 

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Give Thanks and Praise To The LORD For His Just Judgements

Secondly, let us see that the song of Moses moves us to give thanks and praise to the LORD  for his just judgments. 

We are more accustomed to giving thanks and praise to God for his deliverance than we are for his just judgments. We love to sing songs about the salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus. And I think it is right that our singing is weighted in this direction. But notice the emphasis upon God’s judgments in the song of Moses. 

The people praised the LORD, saying, “The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble”, etc.

These judgments of the LORD were just judgments. By that I mean, these judgments were right, for “the enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’”

And for this reason, the LORD “blew with [his] wind…” The Hebrew word translated as wind is rûaḥ. It can also mean “spirit”. The same word is translated as “Spirit” in Genesis 1:2: “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” I think it is right to hear an echo of Genesis 1:2 in the words, the LORD “blew with [his] wind…” I continue… “the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.” 

This is a song about the just judgments of God. The people of Israel sang praises to God for the outpouring of his wrath upon the Egyptians. You would do well to notice that many of Psalms are about the outpouring of God’s wrath. And many of the songs found in the book of Revelation also carry this theme. 

What is my point? My point is that from Genesis to Revelation we see that God is a God of grace and he is also a God of wrath. God will be glorified now and for all eternity, not only for his grace but also for his just judgments.  This is what Paul famously says in Romans 9:24ff. “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:22–24, ESV). Paul’s point is that God is right, and not wrong, to show mercy to some and to judge others. He would be right to judge all for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the wages of sin is death (see Romans 3:23 and 6:23). And he is right to show mercy to some. He has this right, for he is God. And we know that he has maintained his justice while justifying sinners by sending Christ to pay for the sins of his elect. This is what Paul says in Romans 3:26.

Here is my question for you: I know that you are eager to give thanks and praise to God for our redemption in Christ Jesus, but do you also praise him for his just judgments? Moses did. Israel did. The Psalms do. The heavenly hosts sing praises to God day and night for his mercy and also his judgments. Consider the opening of the book of Revelation. In 1:7 we read, “Behold, he [Christ] is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen” (Revelation 1:7, ESV). The theme of God being glorified for his wrath is too big to ignore, brothers and sisters. It must be given a proper place in our doctrine and also in our singing.

Is it right that we should grieve over the thought of a sinner being judged? Yes, I think this is right. It is a reflection of the character of God. In Ezekiel 18:32 we hear the LORD say, “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live” (Ezekiel 18:32, ESV). So there is a sense in which it is true that we, like God, should take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But there is another sense in which God’s people must believe and confess that God’s judgments are good because they are perfectly just, right, and true.

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Give Praise To The LORD For His Presence With Us Now And Forever

So then, as we consider the song of Moses we should be moved to thank and praise the LORD for his redemption and for his just judgments in Christ Jesus. Thirdly, we should be moved to give praise to the LORD for his presence with us now and forever. 

In my opinion, these lines in the Song of Moses regarding the LORD’s presence with his people are the most beautiful and insightful. 

Verse 13 says, “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.” 

Verse 17 says, “You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O LORD, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.” 

I say that these verses are the most insightful because they reveal the purpose of the work of redemption that the LORD had accomplished. The LORD rescued Israel from the Egyptians to dwell in the midst of them.  These people were redeemed to be God’s special possession. They would be his people and he would be their God in a special way. He would speak to them, give them his law, enter into covenant with them, and dwell in the midst of them, first in the tabernacle, and later in the temple which would be built on God’s holy mountain. God redeemed Israel to indwell them. 

But God’s indwelling of Old Covenant Israel was earthly and external. Yes, some had true faith in the promises of God. Yes, these enjoyed the internal operations of God’s Spirit just as we do under the New Covenant today. But God indwelt the nation in an external way. His glory filled the tabernacle and the temple, and the people were invited to draw near.

This principle of indwelling comes to a climax in the New Covenant. The members of the new covenant are those who believe. And all who believe truly are indwelled with the promised Holy Spirit. This is why Paul writes to Christians in Corinth saying, “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, [now here are citations drawn from many Old Testament texts, including Leviticus 26:12 and Exodus 29:45] ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty’” (2 Corinthians 6:16–18, ESV).

The LORD rescued Israel from Egypt through Moses to dwell in the midst of them. 

This is even more true of the finished work of Christ. It is by virtue of the finished work of Christ and of the New Covenant, of which he is the mediator, that God dwells in the midst of his people, not externally in a temple of stone, but internally in the heart by his Spirit. 

Stated differently, the Exodus in the days of Moses and the Old Covenant that was transacted with Israel in those days brought about an external indwelling – the glory of God would be manifest in the pillar of cloud, on the mountain, and in the temple. But it is through the cross of Christ that sins were paid for and the Evil One was defeated so that God could dwell in the hearts of his people, making them into the temple of his Holy Spirit. All who had true faith in the Messiah in the Old Covenant and New, enjoyed this internal indwelling. 

The song of Moses was about this indwelling.  Again verse 13 says, “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.” And verse 17 says, “You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O LORD, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.” 

But listen to how this theme of indwelling is greatly advanced at the end of the book of Revelation. Chapter 21 verse 1 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’” (Revelation 21:1–4, ESV).

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Conclusion

Please allow me to conclude now with a few reflections and suggestions for application. 

One, we should take our singing very seriously, brothers and sisters. The New Testament is very clear that singing is to be an element of our worship. We are to “[address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with [our] heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Ephesians 5:19–20, ESV). I think it is right to say that the drama of redemption is a musical. God acts, and his rational creatures, both angels and men, respond to his works with songs of praise. We must sing, brothers and sisters. And when we sing, we must sing truth, from the heart, and in faith. 

Two, if we have not already done so we must make room in our minds and hearts for what the scriptures have to say regarding God’s wrath. Like God himself, we ought not “take pleasure” in the judgment of the wicked, but we must confess that it is good and right. In fact, the thought of God’s just judgments should bring a kind of comfort to the people of God. By that, I mean that God’s people should take comfort in the thought that God will judge with perfect justice and equity at the end of time. In other words, he will set everything straight, while at the same time showing mercy to undeserving sinners like you and me who are found in Christ Jesus. We must give praise to God for his just judgments, for this is right. 

Three, the Hebrews had good reason to sing this song which Moses composed given the marvelous act of redemption the Lord had accomplished for them. You and I have an even greater reason to sing, for Christ has come. He lived for us, died for us, rose for us, and ascended for us. He has promised to return for us, brothers and sisters. And so whenever we come to give God praise, let us sing to him being mindful of all that he has done for us through Jesus Christ. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness, has transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. He indwells us now and will dwell in the midst of us for all eternity. 

To God be the glory

Great things He has done

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son

Who yielded His life an atonement for sin

And opened the life-gate that all may go in…

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Exodus 15:1-21
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Baptist Catechism 112

Q. 112. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?

A. In the fifth petition, which is, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” we pray that God, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are rather encouraged to ask, because by His grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others. (Matt. 6:12; Ps. 51:1,3,7; Mark 11:25; Matt. 18:35)

Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:21–35

“Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.’” (Matthew 18:21–35, ESV)

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Catechetical Sermon

The Lord’s prayer is to be prayed daily. This is made clear by the fourth petition which is, give us this day our daily bread. So daily we are to be concerned with giving thanks to God, the glory of his name, the furtherance of his kingdom, and obedience to his command.  Daily we are to petition God and ask that he, by his grace, would bring these things to pass in and through us. We are also invited to pray for his provision concerning our earthly needs. 

And here is another thing that we are to pray for daily: the forgiveness of sins. 

Some have wondered, if we are forgiven of all our sins the moment we believe upon Jesus, then why must we pray for the forgiveness of sins daily? That is a good question, and there is a good answer. When we believe upon Christ our sins are forgiven. We are justified, which means that we are declared not guilty by God. That can never change. If faith is true, then justification is real and permanent. We did nothing to earn our justification, and we cannot do anything to lose it. Furthermore, we were adopted the moment we believed. That does not change either. Christians are not perpetually justified and then unjustified, adopted and then unadopted every time they sin. No, these gifts are freely given by God and received by faith alone. When we believe upon Christ a great exchange takes place. He bore our sins when he died on the cross, and we come to have his righteousness as our own. Again, that cannot change or be diminished in any way. 

But Christians do continue to struggle with sin, for corruptions remain in us. These sins are real sins and they do grieve the Spirit of God. They make us liable to the discipline of the Father. Notice, I did not say wrath, but discipline. And so it is very important for the Christian to confess those sins to the Lord, to repent, and to ask the Lord for cleansing. This is not cleaning unto salvation, but it is cleansing unto a right relationship with the Lord.   

This is what John was talking about when he wrote to Christians saying, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8–9, ESV)

I believe this is what Jesus was illustrating in that exchange he had with Peter regarding the washing of his feet. Do you remember it? Jesus was washing the feet of his disciples when “Peter said to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘Not all of you are clean’” (John 13:8–11, ESV).

In this illustration, those who have true faith in Christ have been bathed. They’ve been cleansed from their sins, justified, adopted, and sanctified positionally. They need not be bathed over and over again. But as these justified ones walk in this world, their feet get dirty with sin. You know this to be true, just as I do. This is why we must come to the Lord daily, and even momentarily, to confess our sins. To use the language of John 13, we are not saying, Lord, bathe me, but rather, Lord, wash my feet, for I have sinned against you in thought, word and deed.  Again, “If we [Christians] say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we [Christians] confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”, thanks be to God. 

Notice this about the fifth petition: not only does it guide us to confess our sins to God daily, it also guides us to freely forgive daily. The fifth petition is “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The two things – forgiveness from God and the forgiveness of others – are tied together. In fact, it is assumed and expected that if we are going to ask God for forgiveness, we have already forgiven our fellow man from the heart. 

That parable that Christ told regarding the unforgiving servant is powerful, isn’t it? What a terrible thought that a servant who was forgiven so much by his master would be so unwilling to forgive his fellow servant just a little bit. Like I say to my boys, don’t be that guy. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Forgive from the heart. 

Please allow me to make just a few clarifying remarks about forgiveness before concluding. 

One, it is required of us to forgive from the heart even when there is no repentance. In other words, we must not hold on to bitterness or resentment. We must prepare ourselves to extend forgiveness should forgiveness be sought by the one who has wronged us. 

Two, forgiveness can only be extended or transacted when there is repentance. This is how it works with God, and this is how it works with man. Forgiveness cannot be transacted unless the offender says, I have wronged you, please forgive me. If repentance is true and sincere, forgiveness must be extended. 

Three, in Christ we should be willing to forgive one another over and over again. In Matthew 18:21 we read, “Then Peter came up and said to [Jesus], ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” Some translations say, “seventy times seven.” Either way, the point is clear. If repentance is true, forgiveness should be extended over and over again. 

Four, this does not require Christians to subject themselves to manipulators and abusers. Clearly, this is not what Christ was referring to. If your brother sins against you, and if your brother repents truly, then forgive him truly from the heart. Move on. Do not hold the sin against him. But you and I both know that there are people in this world who abuse and manipulate. These will pretend to be repentant but prove by their way of life that they are not. The scriptures do not require Christians to subject themselves to their abuse. Forgive them from the heart? Yes! But if forgiveness is to going to be extended there must be true repentance. 

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Conclusion

Q. 112. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?

A. In the fifth petition, which is, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” we pray that God, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are rather encouraged to ask, because by His grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others. (Matt. 6:12; Ps. 51:1,3,7; Mark 11:25; Matt. 18:35)

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
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New Testament Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 23–29

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation… [verse 23] By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.” (Hebrews 11:1-2, 23–29, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 14:15-31 

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.’ Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.’ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.’ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:15–31, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

Before we jump into the details of our text for today, can we take a moment to, first of all, acknowledge that it must have been terrifying for Israel to leave Egypt? You know, as we consider this story it can be easy to forget that these were real people with real fears and anxieties. The Hebrews were a very weak and vulnerable people. The only life they knew was life in Egyptian bondage. As awful as that life must have been, it was what they were familiar with. On the other side of the border of Egypt was the unknown. Who would the Hebrews encounter there? How strong would their foes be? Which way would they go? What would they eat and drink in that desert region? And what if Pharaoh decided to pursue them with his army? What would they do then? The Hebrews knew that life was bad in Egypt, but at least it was familiar and relatively predictable. Things could be even worse for them if they left! So we should acknowledge that it took great faith for the hebrews to follow the LORD into the wilderness as they did, to break with Egypt, and to establish Israel.  

Clearly, the LORD had proved himself to Israel to move them to do such an extreme thing. It was through the signs and wonders that he worked through Moses and Aaron that the LORD proved himself to be present with them, powerful, and worthy of trust. And this is one of the purposes of signs and wonders. Through them the LORD proves himself to be present with his people, powerful, and worthy of trust. Israel followed the LORD into the wilderness despite all of the dangers and despite the unknowns, because the LORD had proved himself to them through signs and wonders.

Secondly, by way of introduction, it is important for us to again recognize the similarities between what God did through Moses and what God has done through Christ. In the days of Moses and in the days of Christ, God accomplished a great act of deliverance. Through Moses, God delivered Israel from Egyptian slavery, and through Christ, God has delivered his elect from the domain of darkness, from the power of sin, and the sting of death. 

And please make this connection too: both Moses and Christ call God’s people to an exodus. Moses called Israel to make a physical exit from Pharaoh’s kingdom, and Christ calls his elect in every age to make a spiritual exit from Satan’s kingdom. Israel would physically leave Egypt to sojourn towards a physical promised land. There they would establish a new nation. There they would build a physical temple. And all who are in Christ – all who are united to him by faith – have been called to leave Satan’s kingdom, spiritually speaking. We’ve made an exit. By God’s power and grace we’ve been released from bondage to Satan’s domain, ushered into Christ’s spiritual kingdom, and we are now sojourning towards the heavenly promised land. All who are in Christ have made an exodus. Just as the Hebrews could not follow the LORD without walking out of Egypt, so too one cannot follow Christ without making a clean break from Satan’s domain. 

To state the matter differently, no one can serve two masters. Either Christ is Lord, or the Evil One is. Or we might say that no one can live in these two spiritual kingdoms simultaneously. We either belong to the kingdom of light or the kingdom of darkness. By nature, we belong to the kingdom of darkness, and I am saying that to be a citizen of the kingdom of light there must be a break, an exodus from the kingdom of darkness. To put it yet another way, for there to be faith in Christ there must also be repentance. Faith in Christ involves a turning from sin, an exodus, a break from one kingdom and an entrance into another. This is what Paul says that God has done for those in Christ. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son…” (Colossians 1:13, ESV). Those who have faith in Christ must learn to think of their faith in these kingdom terms. Following after Christ in this world involves an exodus from one kingdom and an entrance into another. 

And with that said, I pray that it is easier for you to identify with the experience of the Hebrews. What they experienced physically, those in Christ have experienced spiritually. If you are in Christ, you know what it is to be set free from spiritual bondage. You know what it is to transfer your allegiance from one master to another. You know what it is to be set apart in this world as holy and to have the world look in upon you as strange. In fact, you know that the world does not sit idly by, but does often disapprove of, mock, and even attack those who have broken away from them to be citizens of another kingdom and to have another king. 

This is what Christ spoke about when he said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.” (John 15:18–21, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, Christ has accomplished our redemption. This he did when he died on the cross, rose on the third day, and ascended to the Father. The benefits of this redemption that he has earned come to us when we turn from our sins and to Christ by faith. It is then that, having been set free from the domain of darkness, we are transferred into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. In Christ we have a new King, a new citizenship, a new calling, a new hope, and new way of life. But do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, when the ruler and citizens of your old kingdom disapprove of your departure. Do not be surprised when they pressure you to return, oppose you, and even pursue you to do you harm. 

In our passage for today, we find Israel in the wilderness. Can you picture them there? They have begun their exodus from Egypt. But instead of heading northeast towards the Promised Land, the LORD led them to the southeast into a vast desert wilderness and towards Mount Sinai. There he would enter into covenant with them and give them his law. 

And it was not long into their journey that they found themselves trapped between Pharaoh’s army and a large body of water, which the text refers to as the Red Sea. It is hard to know where exactly this happened. Theories abound. But the storyline is clear. Israel was trapped with the water of the sea on one side and the armies of Pharaoh on the other.  

We should not forget that it was the Lord that led them into this seemingly dire situation. Wrap your heads around that for a moment. More than this, we are told that it was the Lord who hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would pursue Israel with the intent to subdue them again. But we also know that it was the will of the Lord to have the victory over the armies of Pharaoh so that he might show himself to the Hebrews and to nations as God Almighty once again. In this way, God would get the glory. 

We can see all of that clearly as we look back upon this story with 20/20 hindsight, but the Hebrews who lived through it were terrified. We learn of their reaction in 14:10: “they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, ‘Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:10–12, ESV). Moses responded to them with these marvelous words of faith: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:13–14, ESV).

“The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” That is what Moses said to Israel regarding the threat of the Egyptian army. But is this not also what is said to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ?  Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which Christ has worked for you… The LORD has fought for you, and you have only to be silent.

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Go Forward

In verse 15, we find the LORD’s words to Moses. “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.’” 

 “Why do you cry to me?”, the Lord said. Certainly, the Lord is not here rebuking Moses for offering up prayers to him. That was the right thing for him to do – to cry out to the Lord in prayer in the face of this threat. Taken in context, this must mean the time has come to cease from praying and to get up and move. “Tell the people of Israel to go forward”, the Lord said. This means that they were to pack their things to leave.

You know, it is possible to become so fixated on the problems of life and on the threats we face that we grow paralyzed. When the LORD spoke to Israel saying, I “will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:13–14, ESV), he did not mean that they would have nothing to do. No, there is always something to do! The people of Israel were called to walk by faith while the LORD fought for them. “Go forward”, the LORD said. 

I think this is a good word for us today. “Go forward”, brothers and sisters. Cry out to the LORD, yes. Trust that the LORD will fight for you. But also go forward. Do not be paralyzed by fear. Do not be inactive. Walk by faith. Walk, knowing that the LORD will fight for you. 

These are perplexing times that we are living in. We are experiencing very rapid cultural changes. Not only has our culture forgotten God, the culture seems to be at war with God. Being a Christian – a true Christian – in this culture is getting more and more difficult with each passing year. The pressures are very great. The enemy seems to be so strong. It is vital that we trust the LORD. And it is also vital that we go forward. We must walk by faith. 

As I see it there is a ditch on both sides of the road. On the left, there are those who are paralyzed by fear. But on the right, there are those who assume that some new and extraordinary thing must be done by the people of God. No, in fact, the Christian is called to do what the Christian has always been called to do. We are to go forward, walking by faith and not by sight. We are to go forward trusting that the LORD will fight for us. We are to go forward living in obedience to the commands of God. We are to go forward in the worship of God. We are to go forward in the raising of our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We are to work to God’s glory and eat and drink to God’s glory. We are to live lives of faith, hope, and love. We are to give thanks in every circumstance as we entrust ourselves to the care of our gracious Lord. On the one hand, never are we to forget that it is the LORD who fights for us – we must rest in him. On the other hand, never are we to cease from walking. The people of God must always go forward in faith. 

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The LORD Will Provide A Way

And as we go forward we must trust that the LORD will provide a way. 

The Lord provided a way for the people of Israel, and he did so in a most miraculous way. 

The Israelites were boxed in. As they looked upon their situation with their natural eyes they couldn’t see a way out. But God made a way for them where there was no way. He divided the sea so that Israel could pass through on dry land. Not only that, “the angel of God [who we know to be the LORD himself] who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel.” So the LORD opened up a way where there was no way, and he positioned himself to protect Israel. He was a pillar of light to them, but a pillar of darkness to the Egyptians. This kept the Egyptians from overrunning the Hebrews as they went on their way.

Not only was this way miraculously opened up, it was also filled with symbolism. 

Please do not lose sight of the fact that the LORD could have delivered the Hebrews in any way that he chose, but he determined to do it this way – through the outpouring of ten plagues, by means of the Passover, and by leading Israel through the sea. Why did he take them through the sea? Why didn’t he take them in another direction so they would not be entrapped? Why did he move Pharoah to pursue? Why this way? The answer is that he was demonstrating something. He was demonstrating his power. And he was also signifying something, namely, salvation from his wrath, and the creation of something new. 

Do not forget the symbolism of water found in Genesis. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light”, etc (Genesis 1:1–3, ESV). The earth was at first a watery expanse not suitable for human habitation and the Lord formed and fashioned the earth by the power of his word to make a home where man could dwell. 

In the days of Noah, God judged the world that then was with water, but Noah and his family were brought safely through the judgment in the ark. They disembarked into a new world to establish a new humanity. 

Here in the Exodus, we see that the Israelites were brought through the waters of judgment being led by Moses, who was himself drawn out of the waters as an infant. The Lord brought him, and through him, the Hebrews, through the waters of judgment to enter into a covenant with them and to make them into a new nation in a holy land which God had promised to them. 

The theme is unmistakably clear. God has determined to provide a way of salvation for his elect. He would make a way for them to enter into the new creation by shielding them from his just wrath. Noah and his family on the ark, and Israel walking on dry land between the divided waters, were pictures of this. Ultimately, these things were pictures of the Christ who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV).

When I say, “the LORD will provide a way”, I think it is right to apply that to our life as sojourners in this world. The LORD does provide a way for his people. He is ever-present with us. He does give us this day our daily bread. He is faithful to guide us and direct us. He opens up paths for his people where no path was seen before. You have probably experienced this at some point in your walk with Christ. And if you have not, I trust that you will. The LORD leads his people, and he is with them to protect them.  

But the saying, “the LORD will provide a way”, must mean more than this, for the greatest threats to man are not the trials and tribulations of this life, but death and judgment. As the scriptures say,  “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27, ESV). This is the ordeal that Christ came to save us from – death and judgment. He has divided the waters of God’s wrath so that those who have faith in him may pass through on dry ground into the heavenly promised land.

Friends, this is the purpose for which Christ came into the world. He came, not to shield us from every trial and tribulation, but to make a way for us into the new heavens and earth. “[H]e has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:26–28, ESV).

The LORD provided a way for the Hebrews, he provides a way for us as we sojourn in this world, and most importantly, he has provided a way for man to pass safely through the waters of death and judgment. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16–18, ESV).

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The LORD Will Get The Glory

Thirdly and lastly, let us recognize that as the LORD provides a way for his people he will get the glory, both in judgment and in grace. 

In verse 17 we hear the LORD say, And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen” (Exodus 14:17–18, ESV).

As the story unfolds we are told that the Egyptians did follow Israel into the sea. It seems to me that the way of the Hebrews was illuminated by the glory of God, whereas the way of the Egyptians was shrouded in darkness. The LORD was light to his people, and darkness to his enemies.  Verse 24: “And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces [I take this to mean that the LORD revealed the splendor of his glory to them] and [this] threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians” (Exodus 14:24–25, ESV).

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.’ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses” (Exodus 14:26–31, ESV).

The LORD, the God of Israel, was glorified as he graciously provided a way for his people, and as he justly judged the wicked and oppressive Egyptians. These were the Egyptians who decreed that newborn sons of the Hebrews be cast into the waters of the Nile. Now the LORD has cast them into the waters of the sea. 

Just as the salvation that the LORD accomplished for Israel was an earthly picture of the eternal salvation that is our in Christ Jesus, so too the judgment poured out on the Egyptians was an earthly picture of the final and eternal judgment that Christ will administer at the end of time. All who are not united to him by faith will be judged. God will be glorified both for his abundant grace and for his just judgments.  

In Revelation 19:1ff we find a description of the celebration that will take place in heaven when the judgments of God are poured out at the end of time. John writes, “After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’ Once more they cried out, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.’ And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’ And from the throne came a voice saying, ‘Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great” (Revelation 19:1–5, ESV).

As I have said, our God will be glorified at the end of time both for his marvelous grace and his just judgments. As it was at the time of the Exodus, so will it be at the end of time. The one way a small picture and foretaste of the other.  

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Conclusion

I think it would be good to conclude by drawing your attention to what follows this story in Exodus. In chapter 15 we find a song. It is called The Song of Moses, but it was a song that all Israel sang after witnessing the great act of salvation that the LORD had worked for them and the just judgments that the LORD poured out on the Egyptians. After passing through the sea, the people sang! This reminds me very much of the songs of the book of Revelation. After witnessing the salvation of the Lord and the judgments of the Lord, angels in men and heaven burst forth in praise. 

In fact, in Revelation 15 the song of Moses is mentioned so that we might make the connection between the Exodus event, our current experience, and what God will do at the end of time. After the introduction of the seven plagues of Revelation 15, we read, “And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Revelation 15:2–4, ESV).

Brothers and sisters, as we consider the Exodus event, we must not forget that we too have experienced an exodus in Christ Jesus. We’ve been transferred from one kingdom into another, and this has required us to make a clean break with the former. The Evil One pursues us as we sojourn. The world is not pleased when we refuse to align with them in their evil way, so they revile us and even persecute us.  But we must go forward, trusting that the LORD will provide a way, and that he will get the glory. At the end of time, we will praise him for his salvation. We will sing to him, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!” (Revelation 15:3, ESV)

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Exodus 14:15-31
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