New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1–13

“For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 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. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:1–13, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 13:17–14:14 

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, ‘Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.’ But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.’ And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so. When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and 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.’ And Moses said to the people, ‘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 13:17–14:14, 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

We have come now to a new section of the book of Exodus. 

In 1:1-13:16 Israel was in Egypt. There in that section we heard about the brutal oppression of the Hebrews at the hand of the Egyptians, of the call of Moses to serve as the redeemer of God’s people, and of the deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt through the outpouring of ten plagues. There in that first section of the book of Exodus we considered Israel in Egypt, and we also learned a lot about God. He preserved his people in Egypt. He revealed himself to them through Moses YHWH, the Great I AM, and he saved his people from bondage. Stated succinctly, in that first section of the book of Exodus the LORD is presented to us as the preserver and savior of his people.

Now from 13:17 through 24:11 we will consider Israel in the wilderness on the way to Mount Sinai. And once there, the LORD will reveal himself to Israel on the mountain, just as he revealed hismelf to Moses in the burning bush. He will give Israel the law and establish a covenant with them. So then, if God is presented as preserver and savior in the first portion of Exodus, in the second portion, he is presented as Israel’s companion. Not only is the LORD the saving LORD, he is also the covenant LORD. He saved his people from bondage and oppression, but he also went with them to guide them, to reveal himself to them, and to enter into a covenant with them. 

The last portion of the book of Exodus runs from 24:12 through to the end of the book. And there we will consider Israel around the tabernacle. There in that section the LORD is portrayed as the indweller. 

I mention this general three-part division of the book of Exodus to remind you of the story that is told here. As you can see, this book is not only a story about deliverance. It is also a story about covenantal companionship and indwelling. Can you see the progression? The LORD delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage, and he also went with them as a companion. He revealed himself to Israel on the mountain just as he had revealed himself to Moses in that bush that was burning yet not consumed. He entered into a covenant with them, and eventually, he did come to dwell in the midst of them through the tabernacle. The LORD is not just the savior, he is also the covenantal companion and indweller of his people.

As I say all of this, perhaps you are thinking to yourself, this storyline sounds familiar – redemption, covenantal companionship, indwelling. And you would be right! 

The storyline of Exodus corresponds to the storyline of the gospel. Jesus the Messiah has accomplished our redemption, and he, by the Spirit, does draw men and women into a conventional relationship with himself through faith. And God indwells those who believe in Christ by the Holy Spirit – as Paul says, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, ESV). The storyline of Exodus matches the storyline of our salvation in Christ Jesus. 

And not only is this the storyline of our personal and present salvation in Christ Jesus, it is also the storyline of the overarching history of redemption. God has rescued a people from the domain of darkness, he has transferred us into the kingdom of his Son, and he will one day bring us safely home into the new heavens and earth where he will dwell in the midst of us — all will be his temple then.  

So then, what Israel experienced in an earthly way, all who have faith in the Messiah have experienced in a spiritual way – we have been redeemed, we have entered into a covenantal companionship with Christ, and the Spirit of God indwells us even now. Furthermore, this present experience of ours is but a small foretaste of greater things yet to come. When Christ returns our redemption will be brought to a consummation, we will enjoy full and everlasting communion with God as he dwells in the midst of his people forever and ever in the new heavens and earth which Christ has earned. Again, I am saying that the experience of the Hebrews was an earthly type or model of the spiritual experience of God’s elect in every age. Their earthly journey corresponds to our spiritual journey. 

What can we learn from the sojourning of Israel, therefore?

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The LORD Leads Those He Redeems

Well, if there is one thing to take away from our passage for today, it is this: The LORD leads those he redeems. This was the pattern or the model that was established at the time of the Exodus. Those the LORD redeems, he does also lead. The LORD delivered Israel from brutal Egyptian oppression. He pried them from the death grip of Pharoah. He set them free from Egyptian captivity. They went out from Egypt with great possessions! But the greatest gift they left Egypt with was LORD himself. He went with them as a covenant companion to lead them in the way. The LORD leads those he redeems. 

This was true for Old Covenant Israel, and it is true for New Covenant Israel too. All who have faith in Christ may say, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13–14, ESV). And all who have been thus delivered may take comfort in what Christ said to his disciples as he commissioned them: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, ESV). The LORD leads those he redeems. Not only does he free his people from bondage, he also goes on with them as their companion and their guide. 

This is clearly demonstrated in the Exodus story. When the LORD freed Israel from Egyptian oppression he did not stand on the border of Egypt to send them off into the wilderness alone. No, he went with them to guide and direct them, as a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. The LORD leads those he redeems.

Notice five things about the way the LORD leads his people. 

He Leads His People Personally

First of all, the LORD leads his people personally. 

Consider verse 17. There we read, “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines… [verse 18] But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.” (Exodus 13:17–18, ESV). And consider verse 21: “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night” (Exodus 13:21, ESV).

The thing that I wish to draw your attention to is that the LORD led Israel personally. I suppose we would still say that the LORD led his people if he spoke to Moses instructing him about which way to go. Or perhaps the LORD could have provided Israel with a map, saying, first go this way and then that. I suppose that would still be counted as guidance. But the LORD did not lead Israel in that way. Instead, he led them personally. He went with Israel as a companion and guide. The LORD was present with his people.   

This is what the Psalmist celebrates in Psalm 46:1, saying, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah” (Psalm 46:1–3, ESV). Psalm 145:18 testifies to this too, saying, “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18, ESV). And in Deuteronomy 4:7 Moses reflects upon God’s personal presence when he says to Israel, “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” (Deuteronomy 4:7, ESV). The LORD leads those he redeems, personally. He is present with his people to guide them. 

At the time of the Exodus, the LORD demonstrated to Israel that he was present with them by appearing to them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. These were not two different pillars, but one and the same. In the daylight, the pillar or column appeared as a cloud. At nighttime, the pillar was radiant. This pillar was a manifestation of the glory of the LORD. We know that God is not a pillar of cloud or of fire. He is a most pure spirit. He is not physical. He is invisible. But God has sometimes manifested himself to his people. He showed himself to be personally present with Israel at the time of their exodus from Egypt through a radiant pillar of cloud.  

Don’t you agree that the LORD was gracious to manifest his glory to Israel in this way? I suppose he could have simply spoken to them through Moses, saying, I will be with you always to bring you safely into the land. The LORD could have gone with them invisibly. And this would have required the Hebrews to walk by faith and not by sight regarding God’s presence. But God accommodated himself to their weakness by showing himself to them in this visible way. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, was a visible and constant testimony to God’s presence with them. 

The LORD leads those he redeems. He leads them, not from afar, and not through intermediaries only, but personally. He went with the Hebrews to guide them in the wilderness. And under the New Covenant, the same is true, but even more so. For under the New Covenant we have been brought nearer to God through the blood of Christ. God is our Father, and we are his children. Those who have faith in Christ are united to him spiritually; the Spirit of God indwells them. God was personally present with Old Covenant Israel to guide them as they sojourned, and this is true for the Israel of God under the New Covenant in an even more intimate way.

Do you remember what Christ said regarding his personal presence with us. “‘I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’” (John 14:18–23, ESV). If the LORD has redeemed you, then he is with you personally to lead you by his word and Spirit. 

He Leads His People Compassionately

The second observation that I wish to make is that the LORD leads his people compassionately. 

I suppose I could again point to the way that the LORD showed himself to Israel in the pillar of cloud. That was an act of compassionate condescension. But here I wish to draw your attention the way the concern the LORD had for the people’s weakness. The LORD led them out of Egypt and he took them the long way so as to avoid military conflict, for the people were not ready to handle it. 

You can picture Egypt, can’t you? It is situated at the very northeast corner of the African continent. And the Hebrews were likely enslaved in the northeastern corner of Egypt. There they were engaged in the work of building military storehouse cities for Pharaoh to defend Egypt from a northern invasion. The land promised to Israel – the land on Canaan – was to the north of them, and a little to the east. But when the LORD lead Israel out of Egypt, he led them to the east and to the south. Why did he take them this way? Why did he take them off the beaten path, as it were, and into the wilderness? 

Verses 17 and 18 tell us: “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, ‘Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.’ But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle” (Exodus 13:17–18, ESV).

The LORD works in mysterious ways, doesn’t he? We do not always understand his will for us. Sometimes we may wonder, why has he taken our life on this path? Oftentimes we do not know. By faith, we believe that he has a purpose in all things, but we do not always understand what that purpose is. The Israelites must have wondered why the LORD was taking them the way of the wilderness when there was a much smoother and straighter path available to them. To them, the wilderness path must have seemed like a ridiculous choice, but the LORD led them this way out of compassion. He knew they were not ready for war. He knew that they would shrink back in fear and prefer slavery in Egypt over battles with the fierce Philistines. The LORD compassionately led them into the wilderness to strengthen them there. 

I’m reminded of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 regarding temptation. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV). The phrase that I wish to draw your attention to is, “[God] will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.” We know that God strengthens his people through testing. He strengthens us through trials and tribulations. But here Paul emphasizes the graciousness of God in this: God “will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.” In other words, though he does will that his children be strengthened and refined through trials of various kinds, he will not permit his children to be overrun by temptation. He will give them only what they are able to handle. And of course, they will handle it with the strength he himself provides, to the glory of his name. The LORD leads his people compassionately, being mindful of their strengths and weaknesses, their progress in sanctification or lack thereof. He does not coddle his children. He does not shield them from every trail, tribulation, or temptation, but he is also faithful to never allow them to be tempted beyond their ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

He Leads His People Faithfully

Thirdly, in our text, we see that the LORD leads his people faithfully. I will point to two things to demonstrate this. 

First of all, consider again the LORD’s presence in the cloudy pillar. How did Isreal know that this pillar of cloud was the LORD and not just a cloud? Two things: One, it must have looked unique. It was a cloud, but not an ordinary cloud. It was shaped strangely like a pillar. And at night it was clearly radiant. Two, this pillar of cloud did not dissipate as clouds typically do, but remained permanently with them day and night. And so I say, the LORD leads those he redeems, and he leads them faithfully.   

Secondly, I wish to draw your attention to this little remark about the bones of Joseph. Did you catch that in verse 19? “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here’” (Exodus 13:19, ESV).

You remember Joseph, don’t you? The last part of the book of Genesis was about him. He was the son of Jacob who was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers whom the LORD raised up to be the second most powerful man in all of Egypt. (By the way, you can see that Joseph’s own life foreshadowed on a small and individual scale the experience of the Hebrews on a large corporate scale – enslaved in Egypt, preserved by the LORD, saved and exalted by the LORD.)  

The book of Genesis concluded with these words: “And Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.’ Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.’ So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” (Genesis 50:24–26, ESV)

So you can see that this little remark that is made in Exodus 13:19 regarding the bones (or the remains) of Joseph is very significant to the storyline of scripture. The remark about the bones of Joseph ties the story of Genesis and Exodus together. It is a reminder that this exodus from Egypt happened just as God had promised. And as the Hebrews went to the trouble to collect Joseph’s remains to take them with them back to the promised land, it was a reminder to them of the precious and very great promises that God had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of his faithfulness to keep his word.

Those the LORD redeems, he leads. And he leads his redeemed faithfully. He leads his people faithfully day and night. And he leads his people faithfully from generation to generation, for God keeps all of his promises. To state it differently, God is faithful to his people momentarily, and he is also faithful to his people covenantal. The exodus was a demonstration of both things. 

And so as God’s people we must trust that the LORD will be faithful to give us this day our daily bread, and we must also trust that the LORD will be faithful to preserve us and to bring us safely home into the new heavens and earth which he promised to Abraham and to us, for God is faithful both on a micro and macro scale. 

You know, I can’t help but make this observation. Interpreted typologically (which I have already argued is the proper interpretation of Exodus), this little story regarding the bones of Joseph being taken out of the tomb and back to Canaan is a picture of the resurrection of Christ and of our resurrection in him on the last day. Egypt typifies the domain of darkness. The Exodus event typifies our redemption in Christ Jesus. Israel in the wilderness typifies our sojourning. And Canaan typifies the new heavens and earth (that’s what Hebrews 11 says). And here I am saying that when Joseph’s bones were lifted out of the grave and carried to Canaan, it was an earthly picture of what all who are in Christ will experience on the last day when Christ returns to raise the dead, to judge the ungodly, and to usher his people into the heavenly and eternal land of promise. 

Brothers and sisters, do not fail to see God’s daily faithfulness towards you. He leads you day and night. He provides you with daily bread. But do not lose sight of his generational and covenantal faithfulness. He has been and will be faithful to keep all of his promises regarding the redemption of his elect in the Messiah. Your momentary trials and tribulations must be considered in the light of God’s big picture, covenantal faithfulness, for it is this big picture story of our redemption in Christ, and of our eternal and unshakable hope in him that gives meaning and purpose to our present sufferings. 

The Apostle Paul and his companions knew that God was faithful to lead him to their heavenly inheritance. This is why he could say, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18, ESV)

When the Hebrews carried the bones of Joseph out of Egypt they were remembering the promises that God had made concerning Canaan, and more than that, the new heavens and earth, and they were declaring that he is faithful. 

He Leads His People Clearly 

God leads those he redeems. He leads us personally, compassionately, and faithfully. He also leads us clearly. That is the fourth observation that I wish to make. God leads his people clearly. 

I have already acknowledged that God’s ways are mysterious. The Hebwers must have wondered, why is the LORD leading us this way? And where will he lead us tomorrow? There was much that was mysterious in Israel’s sojurning. But here I am saying that despite the mystery, the LORD did lead Israel clearly. 

We should remember how the LORD spoke to Moses. He spoke clearly to him, and through him to  the people. And we should remember the clear message communicated by the plagues. The meaning was unmistakable. The LORD is God Most High, and the Hebrews were his chosen people. And now we learn that the LORD led his people into the wilderness by a pillar of cloud and of fire day and night.  Why the LORD was leading them in the direction he did was somewhat mysterious. That he was leading them where he did was unmistakable. 

We experience this too, don’t we? Have you ever asked the question, why this way, Lord? I know that you have. It seems like I have been asking that question a lot lately. Why this way? The truth is that we may never know. There is much about life in this world that is mysterious. But at the same time, God has also spoken clearly to us. Why has God decreed that our life take a particular path? Only the LORD knows. But we know how the LORD has commanded us to walk on that path, don’t we?

We are to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We are to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). We are to walk in the light, not the darkness (Proverbs 2:13). We are to walk in the narrow path, not the broad path (Matthew 7:13). And how do we know how we ought to walk? God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). 

Mysteries abound, but God has spoken clearly. We must concern ourselves, not with the mysterious will of God, but with obedience to God’s revealed will, for “[t]he secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29, ESV).

He Leads His People Defensively 

The last observation that I have for today is this: the LORD leads his people defensively. This point is drawn from verses 1 through 14 of chapter 14. 

Here in this text, we learn that Pharoah changed his mind yet again regarding the freedom of the Hebrews. 

Four things prompted this change of mind. 

One, the Egyptians began to feel the loss of the Hebrew slaves economically. In verse 5 we hear them say, ​​“What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”

Two, the Egyptians took note of Israel’s strange and seemingly erratic course into the wilderness. Humanly speaking, they seemed to go in a bad direction. They boxed themselves in and made themselves vulnerable to attack. In reality, the LORD was luring the Egyptians out so that he might have the victory over them. 

Three, the LORD hardened Pharoah’s heart once more. That is what verse 8 says: “And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly.” (Exodus 14:8, ESV)

Four, in keeping with the rest of the story concerning Pharoah’s stubborn pride, we must see that Pharoah was driven to pursue Israel because he was a power-hungry tyrant. These figures will always be present in the world, brothers and sisters. They are Satanic, for they further his kingdom – a kingdom characterized by bondage, oppression, and death. 

How did Israel respond as the enemy approached? They lost faith. To their credit, they did cry out to the LORD. But in verse 11 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 14:11–12, ESV)

This is the response of many who make false professions of faith. They appear to follow Christ for a time, but when the evil one tempts them or attacks them, they conclude that it would have been better to continue in the kingdom of darkness. They forget how miserable and oppressive life in that kingdom was, and so they turn back. 

But the LORD keeps those who are his, just has as he kept Israel from falling. Verse 13: “And Moses said to the people, ‘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 was right that Israel was not ready to face battle. This is why he led them into the way of the wilderness instead of on the direct road to Canaan where the Philistines were. But notice that the very first lesson the LORD taught to Israel was not how to fight with the sword, but how to trust the LORD in battle. “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today”, and “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Israel would be called to fight in the future. God made them into a nation and he would use them to judge other nations once their wickedness was complete. But even when Israel was called to fight, they were to fight while trusting in the LORD, and not in their own strength. 

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Conclusion

The LORD leads those he redeems. He leads us personally, compassionately, faithfully, and clearly. He also leads us defensively. He fights for us. He calls us to fear not, to stand firm, and to see the salvation of the LORD. The LORD fights for us, and often we have only to be silent. “Hear, O Israel… let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread… for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory” (Deuteronomy 20:3–4, ESV).