"Tell the children of Israel to go forward."
Exodus 14:15, NKJV
Francine Autry-Scott
The Israelites had become… well, dare I say… “Wimps”. The first generation of the children of Israel took refuge in Egypt because of a famine in their homeland. As a result of the King’s love for Joseph, this generation was well provided for, and enjoyed comfortable living. This first generation, however, died off, and their descendents continued to multiply and became a concern for a new king.
This new king was determined to suppress any thoughts they may have had of aligning themselves with enemy nations by oppressing them spiritually. One would think that this great multitude would be a force to reckon with based on numbers alone. Egypt, however, was all this new generation had known. They settled for the known, rather than pursuing the unknown – they had become fearful, passive, and apathetic. It appears that they did not possess the courage to fight back, or to move on to a new place. Unfortunately, when people become spiritually passive, numbers mean absolutely nothing.
God understood their spiritual state when He brought them out of Egypt. He also knew that they would need to develop fortitude to take possession of the land He promised to them. To claim their destiny, they would need to leave the familiarity of the present. They would also need to learn that focusing on the fears of the past breeds fainthearted motionlessness; while looking toward the future promotes aggressive movement forward. God strategically positioned them between a place of passiveness and assertiveness – between the king’s army and the Red Sea.
Moses had initially told the people to stand still and see the deliverance of the Lord on their behalf (vs. 13, 14). Apparently, what Moses did not understand is that they would only be able to view this deliverance from the other side of their fear. The pursuing army was not strong enough to take them captive, since the Israelites obviously outnumbered them. It was their own fear that held them captive, and that large body of water in front of them represented the sum of all their fears – but move through it, they did.
Individually, and collectively, the lesson to be learned was that your past cannot hold you, unless you allow it. Has God brought you out of something to bring you to a place he has purposed you for? If your answer is ‘yes’, what’s holding you back? Move forward, or as the New Living Translation reads… “[...] Get Moving!” You may have to move on right through your fears, but keep moving!
Let’s pray:
Dear God, I know that you have purposed me for something greater than what I am settling for. Help me to develop the courage to move forward with consistency despite my fears.
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Good Job! Well thought out and nicely laid out!
I really enjoyed reading your article and it makes perfect sense!
It was a long time in the Desert and God took time to hone them in....
Thank you for shring your thought, God Bless you!
