God has a Plan, He isn't just in reactionary mode - Part 2
Part 2: In the Night
In Part 1, we established that God has an eternal Master Plan. It is a mystery to most, but throughout the centuries He has been revealing it to His prophets. He sent His Son to pay the price so that God’s dream for us to be forever in His glorious presence would become a reality. We also saw that looking at the death of Jesus without understanding The Plan, to the enemy it appeared that he had won. To the leaders of earth, that they had succeeded in stopping Jesus. And to the disciples, that all their hopes of Jesus being their promised Messiah were dashed.
In Part 2, let's look at a part of God’s Mysterious Master Plan that we find in the story of The Exodus.
Let’s think for a few moments about the Israelites enslaved in Egypt and God’s plan to deliver them. It was an epic plan that was far greater than just freeing his people from slavery. His plan also involved executing judgements on the Egyptians and their gods. Hence the plagues. But in the land of Goshen, God’s people were kept safe. They saw devastation all around them, but it did not harm them. You know the story: Finally they are out of Egypt and in the wilderness with the Red Sea in front of them. Led there by God himself with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. But not only was there a sea in front of them, there was a very angry Pharaoh and his army in hot pursuit of them. Yikes!!! Was this God’s plan? Why did God put them into such a stressful and seemingly very dangerous situation?
They were scared stiff and couldn’t for the life of them figure out why that Moses fellow had led them out of Egypt, only to die a violent death in the wilderness.
They didn’t yet realize that God has a Master Plan. And it really is a good one! God revealed to Moses a piece of the plan at that moment. He told Moses that He had hardened Pharaoh’s heart and consequently Pharaoh and his army were en route, in hot pursuit of them, so Moses should position the people in front of the Red Sea. Not sure how good that part of the plan sounded to Moses. But the next part sounded great!
“I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” Exodus 14:4 NLT
God was executing his deliverance plan for His people AND simultaneously his judgement plans on the Egyptians and their gods. But He had no intention of bringing His people into harm’s way. He actually wanted to draw them into a relationship with HIm; to show them how much he loved them. Remember that dream of God’s heart that we talked about in Part 1?
God said He was going to put His glory on display. But how was He going to do that? When He told Moses to position the people in front of the Red Sea, He did not give Moses the details of how it was all going to work out. He required blind obedience.
Friends, we are once again in a Red Sea moment where we are pressed in on every side. God's prophets have said clearly throughout the centuries that “the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea.” (Numbers 14:21, Isaiah 12,9, Habakkuk 2:14) And we are asking the same question as the Israelites did back then. How will that be? It seems impossible! But we know the God of the Bible. We have read the stories of the Israelites' great deliverance and of Jesus triumphing over Satan through his death and resurrection. God ALWAYS triumphs and ultimately leads us into victory over our enemies. Satan and his minions always ultimately lose. (2 Corinthians 2:14, Revelations, Daniel 7:13.14)
God has not changed or abandoned us. His plans are still good: “not to harm us, but to give us a future and hope”.(Jeremiah 29:11) And God is still revealing his secrets, his plans, and his mysteries to his friends. (Psalm 25:14) Amos tells us that “the Lord God does nothing without revealing His secret plan to His servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7 AMP
God’s prophets and friends are echoing the words of the prophet Moses that he decreed to the frightened multitude who could only see the very negative and threatening circumstances hemming them in: “Then Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid! Take your stand [be firm and confident and undismayed] and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for those Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm.”” Exodus 14:13-14 AMP
When it all looks hopeless, nothing is going right, we hear disappointing and troubling news, and impending troubles of every kind, the Lord is saying to us, just like He said to the Israelites in their dark scary night by the Red Sea; Don’t be afraid, my dear children. I have this! In fact, I have a plan to work a great deliverance for you in the midst of these adverse circumstances and to reveal my glory to the world. I will deal with the wickedness and I will deal with those that have been perpetrating it. I will fight for you. Take your stand on my promises, believe Me and rest easy. Stay calm. Don’t give in to fear, doubt or unbelief. I am working.
“For from days of old no one has heard, nor has ear perceived, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You**, Who works and acts on behalf of the one who [gladly] waits for Him**.” Isaiah 64:4 AMP
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—” 1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV