Exodus 14:1-31 (NKJV)
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.'
4 Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so.
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.'
4 Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so.
Note: Oddly enough, the Lord directed Moses and Israel to
back themselves into a corner. They had
numerous routes into the Sinai Peninsula without having the cross the Red
Sea. The Lord wanted them to be vulnerable,
apparently to draw out Pharaoh, whose heart was hardened yet again. We know that this ultimately led to one of
the greatest miracles of the Bible and the ruin of Pharaoh's army, but there's
something about glorifying the Lord that required Israel to be vulnerable,
maybe not so secure.
I've learned that "spiritualizing" everything that
happens in the Old Testament in order to make personal application can be
overdone, but perhaps there is a connection to this strange maneuver and the
words of St. Paul:
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NKJV)
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The purpose of our lives is to glorify the Lord, but that could mean a
lack of comfort and security, two conditions of which I am very fond. In response to these words, however, maybe I
need to pray that the Lord be glorified in my life and to know the power of
Christ, even though it is a risky prayer.
It also makes me look at my life with a different perspective. I have nothing that compares to the
vulnerable position of Israel at this point in the episode, or the trials of
St. Paul for that matter, but I still have parts of my life that are
uncomfortable, that I wish were safer and more secure. Maybe I need to re-think about the importance
of comfort and security in life. Maybe I
need to ask myself if those uncomfortable parts are opportunities for the Lord
to be glorified, and if so, how?
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