{"id":4370,"date":"2014-03-25T00:16:05","date_gmt":"2014-03-25T00:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firstofallpray.com\/?p=4370"},"modified":"2014-03-25T00:16:05","modified_gmt":"2014-03-25T00:16:05","slug":"the-simplicity-of-the-lords-test-the-test-within-a-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.firstofallpray.com\/?p=4370","title":{"rendered":"The simplicity of the Lord’s test\u2014the test within a test"},"content":{"rendered":"

Then the <\/i>Lord<\/i> said to Moses, \u201cWhy are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.<\/i> As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.<\/i> Exodus 14:15-16<\/p>\n

Pharaoh had finally insisted that Israel depart Egypt following a series of ten plagues which fell upon the land, one after another.<\/p>\n

Yet soon after Moses and God’s people left, this happened: \u201cWhen the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, \u2018What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?<\/b>\u2019<\/i>\u201d (Exodus 14:5.)<\/p>\n

Sometimes God will grant you a great deliverance\u2014you are born again; perhaps you get healed from sickness or are delivered from an awful addiction\u2014and the devil smacks the side of his head in fury, stomps his feet, and determines this: I can\u2019t let him go! I\u2019ve gotta recapture her!<\/i> You see, you submitted to God; He delivered you with His mighty hand; now the devil is enraged and wants you back\u2014or at least to re-bind you so you’ll be hindered from inflicting further damage upon his kingdom.<\/p>\n

This is what happened to Israel after they exited Egypt. Pharaoh and his troops set out after the exiles to drag them back to Egypt and resume their servitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the <\/i>Lord<\/i>\u201d (Exodus 14:10).<\/p>\n

A massive attack against the people of God was looming\u2014just upon the doorstep\u2014and the people spoke harshly against Moses in their panic (see verses 11-12).<\/p>\n

But Moses, every bit as vulnerable as the people, spoke with confidence in the living God. \u201cDo not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the <\/i>Lord<\/i> which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The <\/i>Lord<\/i> will fight for you while you keep silent<\/i>\u201d (verses 13-14).<\/p>\n

I believe that Moses had no idea<\/em> how they would be delivered at this point; he merely spoke from the place of trust in God\u2019s purpose, power, and loving connection. And I believe that God\u2019s response\u2014a test in the midst of the test\u2014was an act of drawing near to Moses who had chosen to draw near to and honor Him in the face of sure annihilation. Here\u2019s what God said:<\/p>\n

\u201cTell the sons of Israel to go forward.<\/i> As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land<\/i>\u201d (verses 15b-16).<\/p>\n

Moses heard<\/em> the words God spoke and he acted<\/em> upon them. The rest is history\u2014the Red Sea parted, the Israelites crossed over on dry ground unscathed, the Egyptian army pursued through the walls of water, and were subsequently crushed under the sheer force of the sea falling back into place.<\/p>\n

After that amazing deliverance, Israel rejoiced in exuberant song and dance. But soon they found themselves in the wilderness for three days without water\u2014and they complained bitterly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah.<\/i> So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, \u2018What shall we drink?\u2019<\/i>\u201d <\/i>(Exodus 15:23-24).<\/p>\n

Again, circumstances turned south and the people were under attack\u2014this time in severe need of water. And once again, just after victoriously worshiping God for His miraculous intervention, they complained bitterly.<\/p>\n

And yet again, Moses held himself steady and turned to God.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen he cried out to the <\/i>Lord<\/i>, and the <\/i>Lord<\/i> showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet<\/i>\u201d <\/i>(verse 25a).<\/i><\/p>\n

Yet again, God responded with a test within the test: throw the tree I\u2019m showing you into the water<\/i>. Moses heard<\/i> the word of the Lord and acted<\/i> upon it, and God followed through with miraculous intervention.<\/p>\n

Are you picking up on a pattern? Here’s what I’m seeing:<\/p>\n