God gets His Honor

Exodus 14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so. 5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians. 26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

1. God will get the honor

2. God intentionally sends the nation of Israel on a route where Pharaoh will believe that he can win back what he has lost Exodus 14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

3. God told what Pharaoh would do 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

4. God says that He will harden Pharaoh’s heart 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

5. The purpose in hardening Pharaoh’s heart was for God to be honored

6. Pharaoh had believed that he himself was a god

7. He had denied that God was God

8. He had constantly disregarded God and blatantly ignored the Word of God

9. Now God will prove to Pharaoh and all of Egypt that He is indeed the One and Only true God

10. As the children of Israel get free the great Egyptians rethink having let them go 5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

11. Notice that the people and Pharaoh decide what they will do.

12. Their heart is against the people for all that they have been through

13. They look at the people as the cause of their heartache and decide to retaliate

14. Pharaoh and his men decide to attack 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

15. God steps in and hardens his heart 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

16. God’s people had left defiantly

17. They went out in victory

18. They went out knowing that they had won

19. The Egyptians will see what they are able to do to save some sort of prestige and power from the great fiasco that has happened 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

20. The big lesson in this passage

21. God will be honored on Pharaoh who had mocked him 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

22. Don’t forget the way Pharaoh mocked the one and only true God Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

23. Egypt was full of false gods

24. The magicians had tried to replicate as many plagues as possible to show that Moses and Aaron had nothing on them

25. Pharaoh nor Egypt thought that God was anybody

26. God wanted the Egyptians to that He was God-the Lord, the Supreme One, the God above all gods!

27. God wants the world to know who He is and what He can do and has done

28. The biggest lesson for all of us is that He will be honored!

29. That point is mentioned throughout this chapter

30. How much honor does He get in your life?

31. Do you recognize Him and His power? Do you make Him known? Are you working at making Him known around the world? Making Him famous!

32. Amazingly His own people do not want to honor Him

33. They have watched God do great miracles. They have seen Egypt brought to her knees. They have seen God even kill the firstborn

34. Now as the Egyptians come marching they doubt that God will be able to protect them 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

35. They figure that slavery and its consequences were worth it not to be at risk

36. Living for Jesus is risky. It is a life of faith

37. we trust God with our finances

38. we trust God with our reputation

39. we trust God with our children

40. They felt certain that they were now going to die

41. Moses lets them know that they are victorious 13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

42. God is going to fight for them

43. They are going to see what God can do

44. The Egyptians will no longer be a problem

45. All they had to do was wait and trust and see what God would do

46. God wanted to show Himself strong in their lives just like He does in our lives

47. Lesson learned

48. It is very easy to forget what God has done in the past and so not believe Him in the present

49. It is easy to look at your problems instead of His power

50. While God is allowing us to go through difficult times to show His power we often steal His honor

51. When we should be participating in Him getting honor we may be found trying to rob Him of His honor

52. What is really better—suffering in slavery or serving God even when it requires risk

53. Do we plan on failure even while we are in the midst of failure? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

54. Do you miss seeing what God has for you because of the problems you are facing right now!

55. God will get His honor 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

56. God hungers for people to know who He is

57. Those that have rejected Him and mocked Him especially need to know that He truly is the One and Only God

58. There was no need for God’s people or God’s man to be crying to God for help. He was already working His plan for His honor and glory 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

59. After the great miracle that He is about to work they will all know in Egypt that He is the true God. He will defeat the greatest army in the world 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

60. God separated His people from the world. 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

61. It was to protect them from their enemy

62. It was to give them light, while their enemy stayed in darkness

63. Even in the night before the big day God was giving comfort to His people

64. Lessons to be learned

65. God wants to be honored

66. God will get His honor

67. God will work in your life to show His power

68. How do you honor God?

69. Do you honor Him with your time? Making time to be in church and serving God?

70. Do you honor Him with your treasure? Are you a giver? Do you make certain that you tell money what to do and not the other way around?

71. Do you use your talents to serve God?

72. Never doubt that it is the Lord God doing the great work

73. The Lord caused it to happen 21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

74. It was not Israel’s power, wisdom, intelligence that got the job done but God doing a work. It was the Lord fighting for them 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

75. Israel goes through on dry land—no mud, no water, just a wall of sea beside them

76. The Egyptians followed in thinking that they could make it through also

77. God decides to slow them down. He takes the wheels off of their chariots

78. Even the Egyptians recognize that it is God fighting for Israel

79. They are beginning to recognize Him for who He is though it will be too late

80. Moses simply does little things that apparently don't mean much but God does something big 26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

81. Moses simply lifts his hand over the sea and God closes it over the Egyptians

82. God’s people had walked through on dry ground but Egypt all drowns

83. It was the Lord that overthrew them in the sea

84. It is always God that does the work

85. We are called on to do things that in the grand scheme of things are very small but with our obedience, God will do great things

86. We give our offerings that are so small when you consider the need

87. God takes the little we give and does something big

88. We pray little words with great doubts and yet God answers our prayers in great ways

89. We sing small songs with weak voices and ability but the great God of Heaven is blessed

90. All we do is small but we are dealing with a great God who has no limits and no weaknesses

91. It was the Lord that saved Israel 30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

92. Finally, it seems that Israel knows that their God is great 31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

93. They finally fear Him

94. They believe Him

95. They respect the man of God

96. Lessons learned

97. We serve a great God that is at work in our lives

98. It is not about us and what we do but about Him

99. We need to realize what God is doing in our lives

100. What does it take to make you believe?

101. When will you decide that He is worth serving, honoring, and sacrificing for?

• If you decide to go your own way you can count on the day coming when God will not allow you to turn back

• Pharaoh and Egypt were hardened but it was after they continually denied God and went their own way

• Going our own way and doing our own thing will eventually become such a habit it will be impossible to turn back

• If you decide to mock God He may just work in your life in adverse ways to get honor for Himself

• I must never forget that it is God that is doing the work and not me

• I must realize that all I do is small and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things but they are steps and acts of faith

• Never let financial interests get in the way of trusting God and honoring Him with your life. That goes the same for position, pride, popularity