Intro - The Exodus Series

Go to where God is, worship Him, and you will find provisions and growth.

The theme of Exodus is not that Israel was not supposed to be in Egypt to begin with, but that it was time for them to move to a different place. Incidentally that is not the Promised Land.

You’ll remember that at the burning bush, God tells Moses that He will bring Israel “...to a land flowing with milk and honey.”

But, what did Moses tell Pharaoh?:

“Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.”

~ Exodus 5:1b ESV

From Egypt, the Promised Land was northeast; Mount Sinai was southeast. Moses didn’t take a wrong turn. Israel was meant to go to Sinai to worship God. As a good friend of mine said,

“It’s not our rebuking that keeps us safe, it’s God’s presence.”

~ Artem

You will remember what God told Elijah after the beginning of the drought:

“Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

~ 1 Kings 17:3-4 ESV

If Elijah had gone to Hebron or to Bethel instead, would he be any less blessed?

Nerr!

God already commanded the ravens to feed Elijah (past tense). But the ravens were going to one specific spot. Elijah had to go there. That is where his provision was.

So, how does this look in New Covenant / Modern times?

Most benefits of the New Covenant don’t leave us if we Christians are not where God told us to be. After all, even under the Old Covenant…

“Most assuredly and beyond a shadow of a doubt, God’s blessings, provision, favor, grace, love, mercy and forgiveness will find us as skillfully as my pinky toe found that table leg that one time (which was pretty sure, let me tell ya!).”

~ Psalm 23v6 JDT

[That’s Jeremy’s Dramatized Translation for those of you who are new here]

So if I have all these blessings in the New Covenant, what is there left to lose if I am not where God planned?

Well, let’s look at an example. Y’all remember Peter? I heard a pastor once describe Peter as “the disciple with the mouth in the shape of a foot”, which all of us were used to seeing in the mirror at some point in our lives.

But anywho, Peter, when it truly mattered, folded, lied, cursed, swore, and denied Jesus.

Now, was Peter any less loved? Was he any lesser of an Apostle? Did God’s jaw drop in shock? Did Moses break the second set of Ten Commandments?

Nerr!

So what did Peter lose? And what is it that we could lose if we are not where God wants us to be?

Well, let’s paint the picture:

What was Peter’s last memory of the night the most important person in his life died?

Do you think it was when his best friend was being beaten and mocked by 70 angry men? Or maybe when he was swearing and cursing that girl out for thinking that he was associated with the sweetest, most lovely person he’s ever known? Maybe he was just plagued by the thought that he would never be able to say sorry for letting his most trusted friend.

Peter lost his peace, and he picked up guilt and I’m sure his self image took quite a beating that night.

Not a good look.

So how does one stay where God wants you?

Well, that’s another big question that I’m sure we’ll find some answers to in this Series!

But for now, I shall leave you with the first part of an answer…

“Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan, and Naphtali, Gad and Asher”

~ Exodus 1:2-4 ESV

Roughly translated, these names spell out a beautiful truth:

Behold, a Son! Hear Him. Join in Celebration, for He will bring a reward. Dwell with the Son at the right hand of the Father. He will Calm your Wrestling heart and you will be Crowned with Joy!

Maybe we’ve already found our answer! Haha and we only just started chapter 1!