Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Exodus 13:17-22

Exodus 13:17-22    "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." 

God always leads us in the path that is best for us. It may not always be the most direct path. However, it will be the path where we can learn the most about Him. It will be a path where we can grow in out trust and confidence in Him.

God knew that the Philistines were a warring people. War was not something that the Israelites had ever engaged in up to that point as far as the scripture records. God was not going to lead the Israelites into a situation that would tempt them to return to Egypt. God will never lead His people in the way of temptation (James 1:13-14).

Instead, God led them through the way of wilderness. He directed them on a path where they would be solely leaning on Him. He directed them toward the Red Sea where He would show them again that He alone was the LORD of the Hebrews. They were formed into ranks (harnessed) as though they were able bodied soldiers, which was something God would enable them to be.

God went before them on this journey as a pillar of could by day and a pillar of fire by night. The LORD was very visible to the children of Israel. We would be tempted to think that God was painting a target on them by such a display. This just shows again that God is able to comfort us with His presence, and by that same presence confound our enemies.  

Beloved, God lead His people then, and He leads His people now. He makes His presence obvious to us in our journey. He makes a path where there is none. And He always leads us in the way that is best for us. Rely on Him!

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: An Important Question

In one of the great Psalms of thanksgiving, the writer asked a most pertinent question. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all of His benefits toward me” (Psalm 116:12) ? We may observe two elements in this question. The psalmist acknowledges having received many benefits, or blessings, at the hand of the Lord. For the believer, to be the receiver of blessings from the Lord is a fact beyond question. That is one facet of a proper perception of reality. However, for the unbeliever, or even for the nominal believer, such things come in the course of nature, or as a matter of deserving them. But to fail to see that such benefits and blessings come from the Lord is to lose touch with reality. The other element of the question is that the writer expresses a sense of obligation to the Lord and reveals a desire to do something in response to the amazing goodness of God to him. It is the reflex of the godly heart to desire to do something in response to the perceived go...

Daily Devotion: Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15   "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." In this verse we see the first prophecy concerning the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The work of Jesus Christ is in opposition to the work of the serpent (Satan). (Romans 8:6-8 )   "For to be carnally minded  is  death; but to be spiritually minded  is  life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind  is  enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8 ) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." The carnal mind with which we all have to contend is the offspring of the transgression in the Garden. After their sin, carnality became a constant and daily battle. It was because of sin that Jesus came to this earth. "... "For to be carnally minded  is  death..." The spiritual mind is the offspring of the wo...

Sermon (Video): A Shelter In The Time Of Storm - Psalm 46:1-11