Moses Walked with God in Impossibility

 Temple Baptist Church - 7-9-2023

Exodus 3:1-11

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Over the past few weeks, I have been preaching about “Walking with God.”  We need people who are willing to pay the price required to walk with God.  The price begins with going to Him “without the camp.”  My introduction to this message will be short because most of us are familiar with the life of Moses.

 

B.  Moses was one of the greatest men, spiritually, who ever lived.  Moses would not have been a man of our choosing if we were to pick out a deliverer from the children of Israel.  What makes Moses such a notable example of “walking with God” was the impossibility of his circumstances. 

 

1.  God is the God of Impossibilities.

 

2.  What you ain’t, God is.  What you think you cannot do (notice I used the words “think you cannot do”), God can!

 

3.  From birth as supposedly the son of Pharoah’s daughter to the age of 40, Moses was being readied to deliver the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.

 

4.  Educated in all the wisdom of Egypt and privileged with the royalty and power of Egypt. 

 

Acts 7:22-25  And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 

 

5.  The Greatness of Moses’ Choice.  Hebrews 11:24-27  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;  (25)  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;  (26)  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.  (27)  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.  (It is unimaginable to us!  He left the riches, comfort, and power of Egypt—the most powerful nation on earth to suffer the reproach of Christ with a nation of slaves.  We give up so little to gain so much and this man gave up to, in the eyes of the world, to gain so little.)

 

a)  Moses had the spiritual fortitude to turn his back on all that the world had to offer while suffering the wrath of the most powerful man in the world to bear the reproach of Christ.

 

b)  If there was ever a good example of going without the camp, it was a man named Moses. 

 

c)  Saved from death by his parents when he was born, he became the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and heir to the throne of Egypt. 

 

d)  Nursed and raised by his mother, he put his faith in the coming of the Messiah.  He gave up all that a man could ever dream of for the love of Christ and the privilege to bear His shame and reproach.  It is impossible to walk with God while holding hands with the world! 

 

6.  Moses tried to do the right thing at the wrong time with failure instead of success. 

 

Acts 7:22-25  And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.  (23)  And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.  (24)  And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:  (25)  For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 

 

7.  Moses thought that he could deliver Israel by his own strength.  Moses was not up to the task.

 

8.  It took Moses another 40 years on the backside of the desert to finish his preparation for delivering Israel.  Before God could use Moses, he had to become humble.

 

a)  God had to change Moses from Might to Meekness.

 

b)  God had to change Moses from Learned to Learner. 

 

c)  God had to change Moses from a Superior to a Shepherd.  He needed to learn to be a shepherd to a flock of sheep and goats so as to shepherd the “sheep and goats” of Israel.

 

d)  God had to change Moses from the Possible before he could do the Impossible!

 

C.  On the backside of Sinai, he met Jehovah God in the Person of a Burning Bush that was not consumed.  There, God showed Moses the purpose for which he was born.

 

D.  The word “impossible” is only found 9 times in the Bible with every reference being found in the New Testament.  In both the First and Last Mention of impossible, it times impossible with faith and faithlessness.

 

1.  The First Mention is in Faith - Matthew 17:20  And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

 

2.  The Last Mention is in Faithlessness - Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

E.  I want to look at 4 instances of such impossibility found in this man’s life that made his faithfulness in walking with God such a great measure of faith and resolve.  What will stand out in this message is that the impossible places in the life of Moses set an example for us to follow in the impossible places of our lives.

 

1.  The impossibility of God’s Choice.  Numbers 12:3  (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)  (I would have picked a warrior, a champion, the most physical man that I could find to face the most powerful man in the world.  Moses was humble, lowly, poor in spirit.  I have known some extremely shy, what we would call backward people, but not the meekest man in the earth!)

 

a.  God chose Moses.  Hebrews 11:23  By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.  (If God choses you to serve Him, it is He that will equip you.)

 

b.  God sent Moses.  Exodus 3:10-12  Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.  (11)  And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?  (12)  And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.  (If God sends you, He will go with you.)

 

c.  God used Moses.  Deuteronomy 34:10  And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,  (IF God uses you, He will be glorified through you.)

 

d.  Who am I?  Moses felt inadequate to deliver the people of God, but he was the man of God’s choosing.  God would give him the ability that he lacked.  The meekest man in all the earth would lead the millions of Jews out of bondage and to the Promised Land.  When it is impossible with us, it is possible with God.

 

e.  Will you and I walk with God when we come to the end of self?  What you are not, God is!

 

2.  The impossibility of Moses’ Foe.  Exodus 3:10-11  Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.  (11)  And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?  (God sent a man who could and would get the job done!  The task was already done in God’s eyes before He ever sent Moses.) 

 

a.  God raised Pharaoh up.  Romans 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh (Exodus 9:16), Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.  (God placed him upon the throne of Egypt because he was a God hater and a cruel taskmaster.)

 

b.  God hardened his heart.  Exodus 10:27-28  But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.  (28)  And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.  (Pharaoh had already hardened his own heart and God finished the job!)

 

c.  Will you and I walk with God when facing an impossible foe?  What you can’t do, God can!

 

3.  The impossibility of Moses’ Journey.  Exodus 3:12  And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. (God had already promised complete deliverance before He ever sent Moses!)

 

a.  The impossibility of the Red Sea!  The Gulf of Aqaba.  With mountains on either side, Pharaoh’s army bearing down upon them, and the Red Sea before the—God said, “Go forward?”  The impossibility of impossibilities!  (The Red Sea!  A man standing on the shore can only see app. 3 miles because of the curvature of the earth so all that Israel saw was water.  They may as well have been standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean as far as their view was concerned.)

 

b.  The impossibility of the Command!  “Go forward.” Exodus 14:14-16  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.  (15)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:  (16)  But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. (Can you imagine?  Nothing but water ahead with no visible path to cross and God commanded Moses to tell Israel to “go forward.”  There will be times in your life that you will see only the impossible lying before you, but God gives you no option but to move ahead.)

 

c.  The impossibility of the Crossing!  “Dry ground!”  Exodus 15:8  And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.  (God divided that great body of water with the blast of His nostrils.  They went through a path of dry ground with over a mile of water standing on either side.)

 

Matthew 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

 

d.  Will you and I walk with God when facing our “Red Sea?”

 

4.  The Impossibility of Feeding and Watering the Nation of Israel in the Desert!

 

a.  Manna From Heaven.  Exodus 16:35  And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

 

b.  Water From the Rock.  Exodus 17:6  Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

 

c.  Will you and I walk with God when the hard times come both financially and physically?

 

5.  Moses was a chosen man for a chosen purpose and, where God guides, God always provides.  God chose an impossible man for an impossible task to glorify a God of Impossibility!

 

Conclusion:  Will you and I walk with God when faced with impossibility?

Israel: The Faith’s Triumph

Temple Baptist Church - 5-6-2020

Hebrews 11:29; Exodus 14;8-14

Introduction:

A.  God did some wonderful things for Israel.

1.  God sent His deliverer, Moses.

2.  God plagued Egypt until Pharaoh let Israel go.

3.  God spoiled the Egyptians, making Israel immensely rich.

4.  God instituted the Passover, the fourteenth day of a New Year: Nissan.

5.  God brought Israel out with a High Hand.

6.  God promised to both take them and take them in!

B.  Israel is excited because Canaan is eleven days away.  A land flowing with milk and honey!  Home!

C.  Now God does the incomprehensible!  God led Israel by a Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night.  There was no mistaking God’s deliverance or God’s direction.

Exodus 13:21-22  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:  (22)  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Exodus 14:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

D.  Though Moses did not understand nor did the Nation of Israel, they followed Him!

1.  God knew that Israel was not ready to defeat the Canaanites.

Exodus 13:17  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:

2.  God knew that Pharaoh would never leave Israel alone. 

Exodus 14:5  And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

3.  God had told Moses that he would serve Him upon Mt. Sinai.  There Moses would be given the Moral Law, Ceremonial Law, Civil Law, along with the pattern of the Tabernacle and Priesthood.

Exodus 3:12  And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

4.  God knew that this generation of Israelites would reject God’s promise of delivering Canaan into their hand and would have to die in the wilderness.

Numbers 14:2, 4  And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness ...  And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Deuteronomy 1:35  Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,

E.  One man put the story this way:

1. Egyptians were pursuing. (Verses 8-9)

2. Israelites were petrified and pouting. (Verses 10-12)

3. Moses was patient and peaceful. (verses 13-14)

1.  The Lord’s Direction.  (Verses 1-2)

a.  The Way was unexpected.  By “The Way of the Sea,” which is probably the route that Jacob took when traveling to Egypt was app. 220 miles and would have taken from 7-11 days to travel. 

b.  The Place was impossible.  God led Israel to the south along the west bank of the Gulf of Suez to a place between two mountains.  There, they face the Gulf of Suez, an impassible route as there were not enough ships in Egypt to carry them and all that they had over.

c.  The Possibility was incomprehensible.  15 miles wide and 1850 meters (6070 feet) deep

2.  The Lord’s Desire.  (Verses 3-8)

a.  God knew that Pharaoh had to be destroyed or they would never give up and let Israel go.

b.  God knew that He had to fight for Israel because they could not stand against Pharaoh’s army.

3.  Israel’s Dilemma.  (Verses 9-12)

a.  Israel’s Fearfulness.  (Verse 10)

b.  Israel’s Faithlessness.  (Verses 11-12)

4.  Moses’ Demand.  (Verses 13-14)

a.  Fear Ye Not.

b.  Stand Still.

c.  See The Salvation of The LORD.

5.  The Lord’s Deliverance.  (Verses 15-22)

a.  The Direction Given.  (Verse 15)

b.  The Divided Waters.  (Verse 16)  God told Moses to do this. 

c.  The Dry Ground Appeared.

6.  The Lord’s Defense.  (Verses 19-20)

a.  God’s Presence.  Moved from before to behind.

b.  Man’s Perception.  Darkness to Egyptians and Light to the Israelites.

7.  The Lord’s Demonstration.  (Verses 23-31)

a.  The Egyptians Drawn.  (Verse 23)

b.  The Egyptians Defeated.  (Verses 24-25) 

b.  The Egyptians Drowned.  (Verses 26-28)

8.  Israel’s Delight.  (Verses 30-31)

a.  The Israelites Beheld.  (Verse 30)

b.  The Israelites Believed.  (Verse 31)

Moses: The Testing of Faith

Temple Baptist Church - 4-22-2020

Hebrews 11:27

Introduction:

A.  Last week, we took a biblical look at the first 40 years of the life of Moses, one of the greatest men in the Bible.

Acts 7:20-23  In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:  (21)  And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.  (22)  And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds.  (23)  And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

B.  1 Corinthians 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

C.  Moses was all three of the above:

1.  Moses was a wise man.  “Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians”

2.  Moses was a mighty man.  “and was mighty in words and in deeds”

3.  Moses was a noble man.  “Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son”

D.  Now we come to the middle 40 years of the life of Moses.  A period of testing his faith.  I knew who he was; he was no doubt a man of faith; he knew what the Lord wanted him to accomplish; But he was rejected and fled from the face of Pharaoh.

Exodus 2:15  Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

E.  It was not God’s way (killing the Egyptian-Moses was a man of renown and could have stopped the smiting without killing him) nor God’s time.  What did Moses learn in his time of testing?

F.  Moses endured 40 years of God’s silence because he “saw” Him who was invisible!  My thoughts ran to these verses in the New Testament:

John 20:28-29  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.  (29)  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.  (There are times when we do not “hear from God,” and we certainly do not see God but know who He is, what He can do, and that He is always there with and for us!)

G.  God’s “Bible College” is often found in difficulties or on the “backside of the desert!”  Here is what Moses’ “education taught him.”

1.  Moses learned Affiliation – Exodus 2:11a  And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens:

Moses gave up his position and possessions for his people.  From wise, mighty, noble, and rich beyond our imagination to affiliate with God’s people who were slaves.

2.  Moses learned Persecution – Exodus 2:11b-15  And he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.  (12)  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.  (13)  And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?  (14)  And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.  (15)  Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

Moses learned that he would be persecuted by both his own people as well as the world.

3.  Moses learned Waiting – Exodus 2:15  Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

Moses knew that God would use him to deliver Israel from Egypt but would now spend the next 40 years waiting.  He learned that God would do these things in His time, not when Moses though it was right.

4.  Moses learned Subjection – Exodus 2:21a  And Moses was content to dwell with the man:

Moses became subject to the priest of Midian for period of 40 years.  Before Moses could lead, he had to learn to follow.

5.  Moses learned Family – Exodus 2:21b  And he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

Moses married the daughter of the priest of Midian and she bore 2 children for him.  The New Testament “shepherd,” the Bishop or Pastor, had to be married and had to have his children in subjection.

6.  Moses learned Shepherding – Exodus 3:1a Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian.

Moses was placed in a position of care for Jethro’s flock of sheep, a menial task but a very important one.  Shepherding sheep prepared Moses for shepherding God’s “sheep,” Israel!  Those who are faithful over small things can generally be trusted with large things.

7.  Moses learned Communion – Exodus 3:1-5  Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.  (2)  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.  (3)  And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.  (4)  And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.  (5)  And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

I believe that it would be safe to say that Moses spent time communing with God in the solitude of the “backside of the desert,” much after the manner of David’s writing the 23rd Psalm while tending his father’s sheep.  Moses knew God before he came to Midian and there was nothing to entertain one’s thoughts on the “backside of the desert.”  No TV, no radio, no cell phones, just solitude where a man had time to think and ponder the things of God.  It was there that God appeared to Moses and we find the first recorded time that God actually spoke to him.

8.  Moses learned Obedience – Exodus 3:10, 4:20  Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt ... And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

When God met with Moses, Moses became obedient to God’s command to face Pharaoh, possibly the same Pharaoh that he fled from 40 years previously, and deliver the people of Israel.

9.  Moses learned Trust – Exodus 3:11-12  And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?  (12)  And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

Moses offered up excuses to God but learned to trust God and follow the command given to him.  This man, Moses, was the one to deliver Israel out of the hand of Pharaoh and Egypt!

10.  The first 40 year period of the life of Moses was one of Testimony while the second 40 year period of his life was one of Testing.