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The way out of Egypt is described in this chapter. The people had eaten the Passover Meal, received
treasures from the Egyptian people, and now were packed and ready to go. The shortest route to the Promised Land,
following the Mediterranean coastline, held obstacles though. My commentary said that the Egyptians had
army posts along that route, possibly to prevent the Philistines from
invading. They would not have had time
to receive notice of Pharaoh’s orders freeing the Israelites and might have
caused problems. Additionally, the
Israelites had never had training for war, and they’d be seen as an invading
force by the Philistines. My commentary
said, “If you permit the Lord to
direct your steps, expect to be led occasionally on paths that may seem
unnecessarily long and circuitous.
Remind yourself that God knows
what He is doing, He isn’t in a
hurry, and as long as you follow Him, you’re safe and in the place of His
blessing.”
Freedom was an unknown concept to the Israelites. Eleven or so generations had lived in Egypt
as foreigners – and most of them had been slaves. They’d be depending on Moses, who was
depending on God, and it would be important for them not to squander their
freedom by making poor choices. My
commentary said, “There are two freedoms – the false, where a man is free to do
what he likes; and the true, where a
man is free to do what he ought … It’s
a mark of maturity when we learn that freedom is a tool to build with, not
a toy to play with, and that freedom involves accepting responsibility.”
Father God, please help my sons as they grown into young men
to temper their natural desire for freedom with the knowledge that You will be their leader for a lifetime. Don’t let them be hoodwinked by false
freedom, thinking Your rules are too confining.
Instead, let them see that as men, they are free to do what they ought, accepting responsibility for
themselves and using that freedom to grow in You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
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