But our text is in Exodus 14, the first 18 verses. About 2 million people, men, women and children were on the move at the border of Egypt. It was about the year 1447. These were the Israelites who had left the bondage of Egypt. They had started their journey from Rameses heading in a south-east direction. They paused briefly at Sukkoth then they continued south-east toward Itam in the edge of the wilderness. We see that in chapter 13 in verse 20. But from there quite remarkably the Lord instructed the people to turn and encamp before Pi-Hahiroth verse 1 of our text. Now no one really knows where Pai-Hahiroth is today. Apparently at the time when Moses wrote this account he could still describe where he was precisely by locating it between the sea and Migdor and Baal-Zephon. But the location of these places are also lost to us today. So we don't really know. exactly which direction the Israelites turned. Many commentators believe that they turned in a north-west direction. It's all likelihood. They did. They turned. They were going in a south-east direction. Now they've gone the other direction, north-west. Or rather, north-east direction. Whatever the case might be, One thing that is clear is that the Israelites would appear to be wandering quite aimlessly in a vulnerable situation. It appears that they were hemmed in by the wilderness and the sea. And they didn't seem to know where they were going. They were supposed to be going to Canaan, but they were going up and down, it seems. Well, if we are in such a situation, we'll no doubt begin to feel a sense of desperation, isn't it? How are we going to get out of this situation? We seem to be wandering. And what will Pharaoh do when he hears about us wandering in this situation where we are in such a vulnerable situation with the sea on one side, the wilderness on the other side. We have nowhere to run if he comes to chase after us. But this was exactly what the Lord intended to happen as part of his plan to train his people and to magnify his own name in the eyes of the hidden. Notice what the Lord says in verses 3 and 4. In verse 2, He instructs Moses to get the people to turn and to go in a different direction. This instruction would apparently cause some confusion and vulnerability on the part of the Israelites. But what did the Lord give for a reason for their instruction? Verse 3, 4, Because Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, they are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them. And I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his hosts, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord." You see, it was in God's plan that Pharaoh would change his mind about letting the people go and so decide to pursue after the Israelites. In this way, God would have a vocation to demonstrate His care of the people and His power over Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Now remember, that when Moses requested for Pharaoh to let the people go, the request was that they be allowed to go into the wilderness to worship the Lord. Three days journey. Though we are not told specifically, it is very likely that Pharaoh suspected that the people were intending to leave Egypt altogether. That's why he didn't want to let them go, you see, in the first place. But, as the conflict progressed, by the way that Pharaoh treated the people, by the time he decided to let them go, he would be quite clear in his mind that the people were going to go and not come back. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let them go. Nevertheless, the Lord had so ordered the journey of the Israelites that He would make them look a bit vulnerable, a bit confused, so that when the news of the Israelites' journey, they are turning around, they are being hammed in by the water and the wilderness, rich Pharaoh, Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he began to regret his decision to let the Israelites go. Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? He and his people asked. And so Pharaoh gathered up his 600 chosen chariots and others around Egypt at his disposal. It's interesting that in those days, in the 18th Egyptian dynasty, during the days when Amenhotep, the pharaoh of the Exodus reign, chariots were standardized military equipment. And apparently two of those chariots are still preserved up to the present day. One of them is in the Florence Museum in Italy. And so we know what kind of chariots they are. Apparently the chariots It's made of metal frame, it has an open rear end, and it comprises of a semi-secular standing board, like a D-shaped kind of board. At the front of it is a kind of barricade of two and a half feet, and then there were two wheels, and it was drawn by two small horses, usually manned by two men, One is a charioteer, the man who drives the chariot and the other is a warrior. It's likely that in our text reference to the horseman is reference actually to the charioteer, the person who controls the horse. Well in any case, with this army of trained soldiers, Pharaoh with his heart hardened left his palace in pursuit of Israel. Israel had left with a high hand. What does it mean to leave with a high hand? It means they left with confidence of triumph and victory. But now, Pharaoh and his army was hot in pursuit of them. And they caught up with them as they camped by the sea beside Pi-Hahiroth, verse 9. The children of Israel must have heard the noise of the chariots coming and as the chariots drew nearer they lift up their eyes and you can imagine the chariots start coming up a mountain in the distance and they saw the multitude of the chariots coming towards them. How would they have felt? Their heart must have melted. They must have been in confusion. Terror must have filled their heart. You see that in verse 10. What did the people do? Their first reaction was to cry unto the Lord, which is very good. See that recorded for us in verse 10. But sadly, panic coupled with a lack of faith soon gave way to murmuring and blaming. They began to blame Moses for the trouble they were in. Verse 11, because there were no graves in Egypt. Hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? See how the tinge of sarcasm is in their voice. Not enough grace, that's why you take us out. Is not this the word which we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. That is totally unfair to Moses, isn't it? The people have forgotten how terribly they were being treated in Egypt. Before they left Egypt, they were raring to go. When they had left Egypt at the slightest inconvenience, the slightest sight of possible trouble, they wanted to go back and they began to blame Moses, whom they ought to be glad had let them out. And Moses, being their leader, essentially had to listen to all their complaints directed against him but Moses being one of the meekest man on earth did not react in anger or indignation instead he said to the people verse 11 verse 13 rather fear ye not stands to and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show to you today." Moses will go on to explain that God would fight for them, that He would destroy the Egyptian army pursuing after them, that He would not see them anymore. And as we read the chapter, we'll see how the Lord would help the people. The people were trapped. On the one side, the Egyptians pursuing after them. On the other side, the Red Sea. Now commentators believe that they were not directly at the tongue of the Red Sea. Now you know the Red Sea. If you have a map, you can check it. In your mind, you can think there's a tongue, like a fork. There are two different parts. One part is the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. I think on your reverse for you. Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba. Egypt is here. Now commentators do not think that they were actually at the the Gulf itself. They think that it's possibly higher up at a place called Bitter Lakes. Many have suggested that the Bitter Lakes were connected really to the Red Sea. Perhaps there's a whole channel across. In those days, the water level has dropped tremendously in the last thousand of years. Others have suggested that the Israelites actually crossed not at the northern part of the Gulf of Suez but at the Gulf of Aqaba which then put Mount Sinai in Arabia not where we often put it. In any case, God instructed Moses to stretch his rod over the water and the water would part so that the people would go across on dry land and then the Egyptians would follow across in the hardness of their heart and then God would cause the water to collapse over them and drown the entire army. and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen, says the Lord." The Lord willing, we will say more about the crossing of the Red Sea next Sabbath, but this evening for the remainder of our time, it's good for us to apply this passage to us by looking at the three impurities that Moses gave to the people. We should apply it especially in times when we are perplexed and we are tempted to murmur and complain. But we are to learn these things so that when a situation arises in our life we may have the word brought to our minds by the Spirit to help us in our struggles. The words that Moses said is in verse 13, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today. Not apart from crying unto the Lord for help, which is very good, which the Israelites did. What should be the first things that we should do when we are confronted with a fearful situation like the situation that the Israelites were in? Well, the first thing would be to remind ourselves, fear not. Fear ye not. It's natural for us to be afraid when we are confronted with a situation, when we feel helpless, when we feel that we are about to be overwhelmed. The Israelites were so afraid, verse 10, they were very, very frightened. Fear, we must remember, is actually a good emotion. As Dr. J. Adams put it, fear keeps us from falling off the cliff, etc. But fear can also be abused and perverted. And there are occasions when fear would keep us from doing and thinking correctly. When this happens, we must cease to fear. Or at least we must overcome fear. And fear, we must remember, is an emotion that can be conquered by the will. If it cannot be conquered by the will, then what Moses is saying will make little sense. Indeed, the Holy Spirit would remind us over and over again in the Scriptures that we can do as Moses commands us. Fear ye not. How many times does the phrase fear ye not or fear not or fear thou not occur in the Bible? How many times? by 74 times. 74 times if you search the Scriptures. There are too many to quote. But here are a few. God said to Abraham, Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shew and thy exceeding great reward. Or in Joshua chapter 10, Joshua said to the people, Fear not, nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage, For thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. In Isaiah 41, the Lord said to the people, For I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee. In Luke chapter 1, verse 30, the angel Gabriel said unto Mary, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. In Luke chapter 5, the Lord said unto Simon Peter, Fear not, for henceforth thou shalt catch men. In Acts 27 verse 24, the Lord said to Paul, Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar, and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. I won't elaborate much on how you ought to fear not when you are afraid. For almost all the 74 occasions when the call to fear not occurs in the scripture, it is simply stated as fear not, fear not, fear you not, fear thou not. But what does it mean to fear not? What I do not think that what the Lord is saying is that we should just switch off the fear. You see, emotions are notorious for being difficult to control. It's possible, I think. But I don't think the Lord is telling us if you fear, you continue to fear that you are in sin. It's not easy to switch off the emotion. If you fear snakes and spiders, you cannot simply snap out of fearing snakes and spiders. Ask those who fear snakes and spiders, ask them why they fear. They can't tell you the reason. It's just that fear is irrational in the heart. You can't switch it off. However, you can overcome fear. And this I believe is what the Lord is saying, what the Lord is saying through all the scriptures and what Moses is saying. You can't choose not to allow fear cripple you. You can, in other words, overcome fear. I believe when Moses says, fear not, he's not saying erase that fear. He is saying rather, do not allow fear to overwhelm you. Be courageous. Courage we must remember is not the absence of fear. Courage is going forward as the Lord tells Moses to tell the people to go forward. To go forward despite fear, despite trembling. Courage is to pick up a snake though you are afraid of snakes. If you are a snake charmer and you are not afraid of snakes, you pick up the snake, what courage is there? There is no courage. It is just doing what you ordinarily do. So we don't say that a snake charmer is very courageous when you pick up the snake, isn't it? We ask one of our young ladies here to pick up a snake and the lady picks it up. And you know that she doesn't love snakes. You know that it is courageous. Right? So Moses and indeed the Holy Spirit all over the scripture is teaching us that we can overcome fear. We can go from fear to courage and peace to do what the Lord would have us do. The psalmist says, What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee. I will go forward despite that fear in my heart. How to overcome fear and to trust in the Lord despite the feeling of fear? One of the ways that the scripture teaches us is to remind ourselves of God's love. The Apostle John says in 1 John chapter 4, there is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. When we are afraid, let us remind ourselves that we serve a God who loves us who is working all things together for our good. Therefore, beloved brethren and children, when you feel your heart overwhelmed by fear, go forward in the strength of the Lord and continue to bear forth a good testimony out of love for the Lord. Do not let the feeling of fear overwhelm you. Let your love for the Lord overcome your fear. The mother who fears snakes will not hesitate to snatch a snake out of the crater out of her love for the baby in the crater. Love can overcome fear. So beloved brethren, if you are confronted with an Egyptian army, fear not! Do not allow fear to cripple you so that you begin to react in panic and to bring dishonor to the Lord by faithless behavior. Remind yourself, brother, of the Lord's love for you, and respond to His love by maintaining a good Christian witness, doing what He commands you to do consistently, faithfully, so that honor is brought to the name of God. and therefore secondly, stand still. Stand still, this is the second imperative. The Israelites were panicking. They were probably saying words of anguish without thinking, some of which is recorded for us. They were running about as if they were like headless chickens, not knowing what to do. Moses tells them, stand still. In a situation of panic, it's not uncommon for us to rush about hither and thither to do things to help ourselves without thinking through. Often when this happens, we make the situation worse by saying the wrong thing, making the wrong decision. We think of biblical examples. We think of the situation years later when the Israelites were confronted by the Philistines during the reign of Saul. It was a perplexing and confusing situation. And Saul, who was the first king of the Israelites, had the opportunity to lead the people to fight against the Philistines under the guidance of Jehovah. But instead, he allowed the situation to get out of control by doing things in a knee-jerk manner. First, instead of waiting for Samuel to offer a sacrifice, he decided to do it himself because he thought that the people were going to scatter from him. It was a knee-jerk reaction, you see. Secondly, he made a foolish vow that the people would not eat anything until the evening. Then when God would not fight for them because one man broke the vow, he sought to find out who. And when he discovered that it was Jonathan, what did he do? He wanted to kill Jonathan. And were it not that the people intervened, he would have killed his own son. Again, he was just doing things in a knee-jerk fashion. this is the situation Soa must do, running around essentially without thinking. So when Goliath challenged the army of Israel, Soa was clueless as to what to do. He was overwhelmed by fear. He allowed his soldiers to be intimidated day by day while giving the impression that they were helpless against Goliath. What else would the people think when the king who stood a head taller than the rest was afraid to fight him? And not only that, but says, anyone who fights him and wins him, I will give my daughter in marriage. Well, the fact that God intervened by bringing David to fight Goliath did not change the fact that Saul had made a foolish military decision in a knee jerk fashion. Saul could have done better by being still. But what does it mean to be still? No doubt Moses meant for the people to keep still and to rest in the Lord. The Lord says in Psalm 46 verse 10, Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the hidden. I will be exalted in the earth. No doubt for a believer to be still is to cease from relying on his own wisdom and strength and to rest in the Lord, to depend on Him. It is to continue on flying like an eagle with wings outspread when underneath are the everlasting arms, rather than to be like a sparrow flapping about, turning hither and thither and not knowing where to go. To be still. is to wait upon the Lord, to seek His guidance, to seek His word, rather than acting rashly. Solomon says, trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy path. The moments of panic, remember them. Don't just go according to impulse and just do. and flap around, running around like a headless chicken. Our beloved brethren and children, remember to be still every time you encounter a perplexing situation. The Egyptians are upon you! Be still! Stop panicking! Stop speaking without thinking! Stop the blame game! You receive an email strongly criticizing your handling of a problem at work. Be still. Do not react immediately. Seek the Lord's wisdom. An accident happened. A loved one is hurt. Be still. Pray for wisdom. Don't start running about. Don't start panicking. Your boss calls you up and tells you that you have been dismissed because of a lie that someone spread about you. Be still. Do not panic. Do not react in anger. Someone spilled coffee on your laptop. Be still. Don't start yelling. Beloved brethren and children, learn to be still. In all perplexing situations, be still and know that the Lord is in control. nothing happens outside of God's sovereign control. Finally, see the salvation of the Lord. The Israelites were filled with fear that the Egyptians were going to kill them. They were reacting in panic and helplessness. But Moses would have them not to fear but to be still and to see the salvation of the Lord. Now it's instructive to note That when Moses says, see the salvation of the Lord, the word see is in the imperative in the Hebrew. It is a command. It is not the future tense as some translations have it. It's not as if Moses is saying, be still or fear not and be still and you shall see the salvation of the Lord. Some modern translation have it translated that way. But no, Moses was imploring the people to open their eyes, to behold their eyes of faith, the salvation of the Lord, even though he had not yet heaven. Now the term salvation is not necessarily about salvation from sin. It is often used in the Bible to refer to deliverance from disasters. And it's clear from the present context that Moses is referring to deliverance from the Egyptian army. Moses is telling the people not to be afraid but to be still and to see the Lord's work of deliverance for them. Now this is amazing, is it not? All their senses tell them that disaster was awaiting them. They hear the Egyptians, they see them coming, they know that they did not have training or the equipment or weapons to fight against the Egyptians though they greatly outnumbered the Egyptians. But Moses is telling them, Behold the deliverance of the Lord. Can you see how Moses is essentially telling them to exercise faith? Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, says the Apostle to the Hebrews. Moses is telling the people, though you do not see the Lord, believe Him. Though you can't see how He's going to deliver you in the present situation, trust Him. Beloved brethren and children, this is what we must do whenever we come under a situation of helplessness like what the Israelites were facing. We need to see with eyes of faith the deliverance of the Lord rather than to allow ourselves to react according to our senses We need to walk by faith, not by sight. Only in this way will you have peace in the midst of the storm, courage in uncertainty, strength in weakness, hope in hopelessness. Faith is not something we have naturally. But the sons and daughters of God have been born again and given faith through the work of the Holy Spirit. Let us therefore seek to exercise faith Let us believe that as God has given us Christ to lead, suffer and die for us, He will give us all things we need for our joy, peace and comfort both today and forevermore. In our life's journey, God will send many trials for our training, just as He did for the Israelites. Remember how the Lord sent them turning back so that they end up in a situation looking confused so that Pharaoh would pursue after them? God appointed all that so that His name might be greatly magnified in the eyes of the hidden when they see the mighty hand of God delivering Israel. God will do the same for us. Only let us remember to do the three things that Moses reminds us to do. Whenever the Lord sends us hard knocks in the school of suffering, let us remember, fear not, be still and see the salvation of the Lord. Fear not, fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today." Now, beloved brethren and children, what a great privilege you have as the sons and daughters of God. Israel of old could fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. You are the Israel of God, and you may do the same. only with a confidence and assurance that far exceeds what Israel of old could have. Because the Lord Jesus has risen from the dead. He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God as the King of kings and Lord of lords, ruling over you, ruling over the entire universe for your good. And the Holy Spirit has been given in great measure in your heart so that you know that God working all things for your good. Let us therefore humble ourselves under God's mighty hand. Beloved, count it all joy when you fall under diverse trials in your life. Seek to magnify the Lord under all the circumstances of trial. Remember, fear not. Do not allow fear to overcome Don't let fear overwhelm you, but overcome fear. Be still, wait upon the Lord, and see with eyes of faith the deliverance of the Lord in what way the Lord chooses. It may not be the way that you think it will be, but the Lord will surely deliver in His ways for the good of His people, for the cultivation of their faith, for the glory of His name. But if you are here tonight, and you do not know the Lord Jesus, may I urge you to turn and see what great danger is attending your soul. The army of Satan is, as it were, pursuing you. If you are not a Christian and you are here tonight, think for a moment. The army of Satan is pursuing you. Satan hates it when he sees any of his slaves seeking to leave his country. See, by nature, if you know not the Lord, you are still a slave of Satan. Satan hates it. When he sees anyone going out, stepping out of the boundary, you see, when you come to hear the Gospel, you are stepping out of the boundary of Egypt. Satan will not be happy. He will pursue you. He will want to bring you back. Do what he can. to pluck off the word that you hear, so that you will not follow after the Lord Jesus Christ. But fear not, be still, and see the salvation of the Lord. Know that the Lord, He is God, and He will deliver. Look and see that the Lord is good. Forsake your sin and sinful way of life. Do not yearn to go back to the way of Egypt. Look to the Lord. Believe in Him. and know that there is life abundant and free in Him. Believe in Him and you will no longer need to be a slave to sin and Satan. Believe in Christ and you will be a son or daughter of God with peace and joy today and forevermore. Only turn no more back to the way of sin. Turn away from your sin. believe and love the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Shall we look to the Lord in prayer? O Lord, our gracious Heavenly Father, we thank Thee so much for the great blessings Thou hast given us, not only by Thy Word, but by Thy Spirit working in our heart, so that we may indeed do as Moses taught the children of Israel to do in that situation of dire stress. Help us, Lord, we pray. Remind us to fear not, to be still and to believe, to see Thy salvation in the moments of our trial. Grant, we pray, if there be anyone now missed this evening who do not yet know Thee, that such a person may know the dire situation he or she is in and to realise that they can have victory in Christ, that they will turn away from sin, to rest in Christ, to believe in Him, to follow after Him. Indeed, Lord, how we pray, even our children, may truly come to see the Lord Jesus Christ and love Him, and to know that there is life abundant and free in Him, that life can have no meaning when we are serving Satan as his slave. Help, O Lord, that all of us may desire to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation, and so lead us in a way of life everlasting. For we would pray these things in and through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. Psalm 46 is our closing psalm. Verse 8 to 11 to Stroudwater. Come and behold what wondrous works have by the Lord been wrought. Command me, O Lord, on the cross, and I, the Lord, will go on. I'll see what else the legends beyond the earth have known. Until the end of all the earth was it to be divine, the Holy Grail thus here divine, in God the terrible. Be still and know that I am God. Among the heathen I will be exalted. I alone will be exalted high. ♪ A God who willed the Lord of hosts ♪ ♪ Is still upon our side ♪ ♪ The God and King of all that lives ♪ ♪ Forever ever alive ♪ Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all now and for evermore. Amen.