Read Exodus 13:20 -14:4
The story so far
Having gathered everyone, the Hebrews are given a huge gift. Gods presence in a cloudy pillar by day and a pillar of fire by night. Always in front of them, they merely have to follow this clear and unmissable sign. The importance of an external sign for a people largely estranged from their God can’t be ignored.
What then must they have thought to then be turning around, heading back the way they came ? Did this shake the already tenuous faith they had in Yahweh and in Moses? Can you imagine the furrowed brows and the whispered questioning amongst them?
The reason wouldn’t have been revealed for a short time, another little exercise in trust, another little test to stretch their hearts and understanding of how the God of Israel works.
The purpose was explained to Moses, we are going to fool Pharaoh into thinking you are all lost and vulnerable. Pharaoh will assume that Yahweh wasn’t so powerful after all, that He had led these people a merry dance, brought them out of Egypt to abandon them.
If the Hebrews had thought this too, their fears were anticipated by the cloud or fire pillar, reminding them of Gods continuous presence.
What’s happening in Moses?
Moses is given a gentle lesson in humility and accepted that right now he would have to look foolish, like he’d backed the wrong horse. It’s hugely helpful if you know what the Lord is about, looking foolish for following God is far more palatable when you know you will very soon be vindicated. The Lord needs Moses to stride full of confidence behind him for the others to follow too. This was too important for a faith testing lesson that could potentially fail. Even with the plan in mind Moses still had to choose Gods plan to look dumb and stupid, he still had to go with it knowing how he would look to the whole of Egypt, the place that had once raised him as a prince.
Moses is prewarned there is a battle coming, I wonder if it was here in this time of prayer that he knew they only had to be still when it came, I wonder if those words were on repeat in Moses’ head as they walked back from Etham. ‘You need only be still…you need only be still’
What’s happening to the Israelites?
I’m not sure if the Israelites would have been told the plan, there would have been spies amongst them, perhaps the others we are told about in Exodus 12:38
Moses would have told only those few he could definitely trust, so for the rest it would have looked exactly as it was meant to, a group of people wandering backwards and forwards, confused, lost and vulnerable.
I am reminded of Peter at this point after he has been told by Jesus that he will eat His flesh and drink His blood, there’s a sense of ‘I’m not happy with this, I don’t understand, but it’s you so I will go with it.’
The arrival of a cloudy pillar and a pillar of fire must have brought huge reassurance as they doubled back. There is always a comfort from an obvious presence of God, not having to rely on your own discernment takes away some of the worry of taking the wrong path, especially when you have no real understanding of where you are being taken and why.
I think their hearts would have been wracked with doubt and worry but the miraculous presence of the Lord in this way would have given enough confidence to keep walking, even with some reluctance. The lack of other options no doubt a bonus too.
What are we learning about God?
The Lord can see into even those hearts closed off to Him. Yahweh knew that Pharaoh wouldn’t be able to resist pursuing the Israelites if they looked weak, even after all the plagues that convinced him they were just too costly. Why does the Lord harden his heart ? I think Gods incredible wisdom knew that it’s not enough to walk away from slavery, it needs to be killed off, weeded out from the source. The connection needs to be severed irrevocably otherwise there is always a gate open for a swift return when the journey to freedom gets tough. His knowing of us inside and out means that He works with our imperfections and failings to bring about the good He desires for us.
What are we learning?
Some roads look pointless and it’s easy to feel discouraged. Perhaps you too look a little foolish and lost to those looking on, the Lord will be teaching those people too through you. Keep walking in which ever direction He is leading you, you too won’t see the purpose of the route until you arrive. Can you imagine the realisation coming over Pharaohs face at the thought they were going to be begging to come back and work for him?
There’s a lesson here in our need for efficiency, that this can be to our cost, efficiency can often come at the price of mercy or discernment, or spirit led moves. It can make us chose the rational and expedient over what should be the our real motivation, Gods will. Efficiency works Sundays, efficiency doesn’t permit a sabbath or family time. Efficiency demands an untimely harvest, much like Pharaoh did. God wasn’t interested in the shortest and quickest route in this journey, He knew that good fruit takes time, takes patience and nurturing, God is the antithesis of Pharaoh.
“God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful.”
― Mother Teresa
What is the spiritual relevance?
How often have I felt that I’m making no progress in my spiritual life and that I’m actually backsliding rather than forging forward in sanctity? Many times. I’m sure you have too.
Take heart here, the Israelites turn back only a small way in relation to how far they’ve come, God will take you the route needed to get you home. If your focus is on Him and you are following you have no need to fear.
It’s not unusual for the zeal of that first encounter to feel a little quashed as you begin to face the reality of the huge amount of work to be done in you. When we stand in front of the felt presence of God our own darkness is startling in contrast to His light.
The humbling that comes from seeing how much work is needed in you, how far you are from being that light is painful. It can make you wonder why you started the journey at all, but there’s that compelling presence in front of you, whilst He keeps moving, well the only sensible thing is to keep following.
How concerned are you how people see you? It’s a tough question to be honest about. Others opinions can help and hinder, its great to have a community to be held accountable too, maybe its that keeping you on the straight and narrow. But in a secular environment the judgement can keep you on the sidelines or fearing to step out into your God given purpose.
