Exodus 14:1–9
Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.
Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness. So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
Sun Tzu, in his classic The Art of War, teaches that an army with its back to the sea will fight courageously. http://suntzusaid.com/book/11 (Paragraphs 23-25)
But the Israelite caravan is no army, and that isn’t God’s plan here anyway. The Israelites will be chickens; God will rescue them and get glory over Pharaoh and all his host.
Wait. What? Of course the creator of time, dimension, matter and energy has the power to drown Pharaoh’s army. What’s so glorifying about that? Gaining honor over Pharaoh is small potatoes.
This is really all about the grand design of God’s plan of salvation. God will patiently lead a fallen people: rescuing them, teaching them, warning them, encouraging them, rebuking them, winnowing them down to a remnant—and finally redeeming them.
Now that is glorious.
We live on the other side of that redemption. The glory of that plan has been revealed.
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” — John 17:1
So, what’s left? How can we contribute to this magnificent enterprise? How can we glorify God?
By cooperating with how He glorifies Himself.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” — John 14:12–13
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. — John 15:8
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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community
The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
