ENTERING THE WILDERNESS

INTRODUCTION

• ILLUSTRATION: Discuss detours.

• Detours are inevitable, aren’t they? We see them on the road, in the airport, and in our daily lives.

• Have you ever taken a detour in life? You think you’re right on track, but then you realize you’re a few hundred miles in the wrong direction.

• Life seldom follows our exact specifications, so detours happen. I know you’ve been on a life detour because you’re human. It’s both expected and inevitable.

• This was especially evident in the lives of the Israelites early in their history.

INTRODUCING THE SERIES

• Israel’s detour story unfolds in the book of Exodus.

• The book’s title literally translates to a mass exit. Who is exiting?

• The nation of Israel was escaping a dreadful era. Moses, the author, opened his historical book with a shocking scene: God’s people were in slavery.

• For centuries, they were promised a glorious land that had everything they needed to be happy and never go hungry.

• They dreamt of this perfect place with rolling hills, a thriving

environment for crops, flowing streams for swimming, and an amazing school system.

• Eager Israelites woke up from their dreams of a promised land to a living nightmare in Egypt. The powerful Egyptian nation enslaved God’s people and forced them to work nonstop in the scorching heat.

• If they struggled, the Egyptians whipped them.

• If they complained, the Egyptians cursed at them.

• If they rebelled, the Egyptians killed them.

• It was a disgusting existence. Fortunately for them, it was temporary.

• God appointed a man named Moses to set them free.

• Raised as Egyptian royalty, he rebelled against the kingdom that initially claimed him.

• After Moses realized he was Hebrew, God called him to rescue his own people from the abusive grip of Egypt.

• Moses stood up to Pharaoh and demanded his people be set free. After a lot of fighting and a dozen plagues, Moses set Israel free.

• As Egypt disappeared into the background, God’s people fled for

their lives.

• They could smell the flowers and taste the honey of the promised land. Freedom and prosperity were on the horizon.

TENSION

• However, their thrilling journey was met with a detour called the Red Sea.

• Running from the Egyptian army, they found themselves on the shore of the sea with waves lapping beneath their leather-strapped shoes.

• They didn’t have a boat or a bridge, so what were they going to do?

• Would their freedom only last a day? Let’s see what happens.

CONTEXTUALIZING THIS PASSAGE •

When Moses delivered Israel’s emancipation proclamation, the people found themselves on the fast track to freedom.

• At least that’s what they imagined. All of their problems should have disappeared when they left the work camp.

• They were no longer slaves.

•They were no longer enduring daily beatings.

• They were free people.

• However, freedom from slavery didn’t mean freedom from difficult situations.

• As they fled Pharaoh, the caravan came to a screeching halt.

• The Red Sea roared before them. It was a massive barricade, especially with an entire army of Egyptians clamoring behind them.

• They could hear the waves crashing and Egypt’s chariots approaching. What were they going to do?

• Moses looked up to heaven with a sigh and a shrug. God encouraged him to not be afraid and simply lift his hands towards the sky.

• With his trusty rod firmly gripped, Moses extended his arms like a referee after a field goal.

• The earth shook, the waves convulsed, and a clear path appeared right through the middle. With walls of water on both sides of God’s people, they journeyed through the sea on dry land.

• That night, over a million people crossed the Red Sea without a boat or lifejacket. God performed a miracle, ensuring His people were free at last.

• As we explore the journey of ancient Israel, we can learn three lessons from this story. Each should act as a source of encouragement when life sends you on a detour the long way through the wilderness.

• There were three different routes out of Egypt. The one Israel took was the longest by far. • Furthermore, the Red Sea sprawled just after the starting line. Why didn’t they take the shorter route that didn’t require them to cross a massive body of water?

• The other strategies would have taken them right through enemy territory, which would have been an accidental act of war.

• Israel was in their infancy. They were weak, wounded, and weary from nine generations in captivity.

• They never learned to fight; they simply learned to submit.

• Israel didn’t have the strength to stand up to a sophisticated army, so God told Moses to take them the long way through the wilderness.

• God protected them by rerouting them.

• Our Father does the same for us. God often takes us the long way because we are not ready to take the short way.

• He knows if you’re not emotionally, mentally, or spiritually strong enough to face the battles ahead.

• That means He may take you on a detour to prevent your downfall.

• Let God protect you by rerouting you.

• The shortest way may not be the best way because it may send you towards enemy territory. • It may take more time, but it’s for your good.

• It may also be hard, which brings us to our next point.

• Crossing the Red Sea was among the greatest miracles Israel had ever seen. • They spent centuries stuck and struggling in slavery, but God set them free.

• You’d assume it would be smooth sailing, right? • Wrong. A trial was on the other side of their triumph.

• Here’s the kicker. God actually orchestrated this obstacle.

• He sent them on this journey, and He knew the Red Sea was in the way.

• Why would He set them up for a trial so soon? God wanted His people to fully rely on Him.

• That’s why he allows trials in the first place.

• They help us grow in resilience and reliance.

• There was no way for Israel to cross without God’s miracle.

• They had to trust God’s plan. • Does the journey seem impassable or impossible?

• Does your next step seem shrouded in mystery?

• Are you struggling to work up the strength to move forward?

• That’s good news because God turns obstacles into opportunities.

• He wants to remind you that He ultimately owns the outcome.

• Praise God for the obstacles in your way.

• They’ll help you grow in faith and surrender.

• What you see as an obstacle, Jehovah sees as an opportunity.

• Trust God in trying times—a miracle is in the works.

• Have you ever felt like the Israelites? You thought things were looking up, but now you’re face-to-face with an obstacle the size of a sea as an army advances in the distance?

• You’re feeling trapped, directionless, and stuck. It’s a bad feeling, but the perfect place to be. Why?

• Because it means God can turn your trial into a miracle.

• It’s hard, though. We focus on the crashing waves and the roaring army while losing sight of our destiny. 

• Don’t focus on the army behind you; focus on the path God has provided ahead of you.

• God’s timing is perfect, and His track record is flawless.

• He will send help at the exact time you need it.

• Our Deliverer meets our needs miraculously and consistently.

• While it may seem like there is no way, God will make a way.  

• What’s the Red Sea situation in front of you?

• Do you have a loved one struggling with addiction?

• Do you need strength to carry on after a tragedy in your family?

• Do you have no idea how to make the right decision?

• Do you need healing after a dreadful breakup?

• Whatever it is, it’s normal to feel like there’s no way out.

• Fortunately for you and the Hebrews, God is in the business of parting the Red Sea.

• Even if it’s impossible or inconceivable, God will give you a path right through whatever predicament you face.

• Trust in His character, dependability, and power. He will make a way out.

• Landing: Israel ultimately crossed the sea and watched as the walls of water swallowed up their enemies.

• You’d think this was the end of their story. They were free. God had performed a miracle.

• The sealing of the sea showed them that turning back was not an option.

• While things were looking up, they were still far from the Promised Land.

• They were about to journey through the wilderness for a few years.

• Actually, they would be out there for forty years.

• God took them from captivity in Egypt to uncertainty in the wilderness.

• Fortunately, their time in the wilderness proved to be exactly what they needed.

• That’s where we’ll pick up next time.

TALK IT OUT 

Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff. Ice Breaker: Go around your circle and share this week’s highs and lows. What was the best part of your week, and what was the lowest part of your week?

Q1: Tell us about a time you got lost. How did it make you feel?

Q2: What stuck out to you from the message?

Q3:What do you think it metaphorically means to find yourself in a “wilderness”?

Q4: Have you ever seen God turn someone’s obstacle into an opportunity? Tell us about it.

Q5: What is a “Red Sea” situation in front of you right now?

READING PLAN

READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY

Exodus 1-2

Exodus 3-4

Exodus 5-6

Exodus 7-8

Exodus 9-10

Exodus 11-12

Exodus 13-14

Do the following with each passage: 

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.