God's Best...When Things Couldn't Be Worse

I know you Moses the hell was not related to your strength. The answer is my strength. I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians underline these as we go along. I will deliver you from bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgment redeem their word reclaim used in the beautiful story of Boaz and Ruth were Boaz reclaims or redeems his bride.

God is saying, I will reclaim my pride, my nation, I will do it because I am the Lord. Verse seven I will take you for my people. I will be testament. We have the account of demanded in the name of God that Pharaoh must let God's people go free. Pharaoh's response was predictable.

He said who is this God in defiance. Pharaoh placed God's people under an even harsher burden working a look at that account today as we do. Working against some practical insight for our lives. This is wisdom for the heart Stephen baby is working through one of our vintage wisdom series called out of Egypt is called this message God's best.

When things couldn't be worse. We find are places this morning. In Exodus chapter 4 sermon entitled God's best. When things couldn't be worse. One of the things I've enjoyed about studying the life of Moses thus far as I can so easily identify with him and especially this morning as things seem to cave in on him in the bottom seems to drop out.

Exodus chapter 4 which we studied last session led us to the conclusion that God wanted Moses to be independent of his own abilities and very dependent upon who God was, and God will in a sense stress that very same lesson. These next few verses, but will pick it up where we left off last time. It's in verse 27 God tells Aaron in chapter 4 verse 27 go to meet Moses in the wilderness so we went and here's a beautiful reunion he met him at the mountain of God, and he kissed them. You need to understand they been separated now for 40 years. Aaron is Moses older brother Aaron is three years older than Moses is, and we know that Miriam is perhaps 7 to 9 years older than Moses and also meet as well and they embraced out there in the desert where they were in the Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord which we, at which he had sent him and all the signs which he commanded them to do it.

I just imagine if Moses was like me he said hey hey little brother big brother like this trek and he probably threw the stick on the ground and they both were amazed all Moses would say that's no problem and he reached down and grabbed by the tape and after he showed them the other side of leprosy and perhaps told him about the sign of the water than Moses and Aaron.

Verse 29 went and there was a great reception they assembled all of the elders of the sons of Israel and Aaron is the voice for Moses spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses and he then performed Moses that is performed the signs in the sight of the people. Note this, so the people believed you remember there were five reasons why Moses didn't want to serve God and at the heart of most of them was the thought that people may not believe me they may not follow me. I'm really too insignificant and unqualified and ignorant all of those things that you really want me to do that God would say yes I do.

I love the thought that Moses perhaps with sweaty palms performed the signs, but the text tells us so the people believed when they heard that the Lord was concerned about the sons of Israel and that they had seen the reflection that there wasn't a great meeting somehow. This is probably gone from slave HUD display fight in the news had been whispered abroad until finally all the people heard what God was going to do for Israel and you know the result it says in the valve below and they worshiped. I think there was a revival because for nearly 400 years they had been impressed by all of the gods of the Egyptian pantheon. They had seen the marvelous things that supposedly the gods of the Egyptians had done, and perhaps their faith was at its lowest. But now Moses comes in and performs the sign says God, Yahweh is concerned about you and the response worship their faith now reaches new heights and I think coming in on the crest of that conference. The results of that revival. Moses is now confident that God is going to do great things with him. In chapter 5, verse one tells us what happens in afterward Moses and Aaron came and said this is a declaration not a request, thus says the Lord God of Israel, let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast to me in the wilderness there is Moses with the confidence that God is on his side like you and I when we go perhaps knowing that God wants us to speak a word to our neighbor or to our friend or two are relative to do something that we know would honor him. We go with that confidence expecting results thinking that if I obey God. God will make everything work out just fine and Pharaoh said in verse two words that struck the heart of Moses is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go. I do not know the Lord. This Yahweh.

This God of a parcel of slaves. Besides, I will not let Israel go. Moses doesn't quick thinking, he restates now it's a request verse three. The cod of the Hebrews is met with us, please let us go every day's journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice the Lord our God must he fall upon us with pestilence or with sword, but the king of Egypt said to them, Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people literally translated the peasants away from their work. Get back to your labors because Pharaoh is automatically going to be incensed, you are telling me the king of this great land of the contour of other lands that your God, who I've never met. I could care less about who must not care much for you because your slave is telling me what to do. I don't know this God interesting.

Most archaeologists and biblical criminologists believe that this was Ramses to Ramses the second time seems to match that well.

We have found by way of the spade of the archaeologists them.

Interesting insights into the ego of this very man that Moses stood before there is a mortuary temple that was built in Western themes in this man's honor and they have discovered this and I quote this is Ramses the second, King of Kings MRI. If anyone would know how great I am, let him surpass one of my works very humble man.

Moses goes in and confronts him with the demands of Yahweh that he could care very little for an Moses is, I think shocked at his response. And so he rephrases, but it really gets worse than that because Pharaoh will add to their labors for six the same day.

That's the same day Moses and Aaron came to him, he commanded the task masters over the people in the form and say you are you are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously let them go and gather straw for themselves was the custom in this data mix water and mud and laid that in wooden mold and allow the sun to dry it and then they would use that in fact the Egyptian word brick is the word we get Adobe in our English language. So this was a practice of the day, but they would always use a straw or grass to mix in with that mortar to give it firmness and to give it the tenacity and without it pricks would crumble without it they would have to carefully gingerly create those bricks because they didn't have the straw to keep it together but he says without the straw you keep up your quota. And if you want straw you go get it for yourself the quota of bricks.

Verse eight what you were making previously imposed on them you wanted to reduce any of it because they are lazy. Therefore they dry out what is going sacrifice our God. In other words, they have time to think about going and worshiping the dog this insignificant.I never heard they must not have enough work. We will crush the spirit of their worship to the taskmasters verse 10 of the people and their foreman went out and spoke to the people saying this is Pharaoh I am not going to give you any straw you go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced so the people scattered. They scattered like frightened animals throw the land of Egypt together stubble for straw in the taskmasters press them saying complete your work quota your daily amount. Just as when you had straw there is the result of what Moses would think would lead to the deliverance of the Israelites. Have you ever had your hopes completely – perhaps it was something like a financial investment that you know would work out in you lost every penny. Perhaps in something much smaller and yet at the moment begging you plan a picnic for the family and on that day it rained your hopes you have felt that feeling perhaps where you are living right now in the situation where you are right now you're having difficulty keeping your hopes up, and in your heart. There comes questions we've all had our hopes and our expectations changed fact of my wife and I laugh about the day I proposed to her.

I had that thing planned out to the T.

I had practiced my proposal many times, like most of you men probably all of you men that are married in front of the mirror you had all mapped out and boy I had this thing planned. I was in an ask her to marry me on Thanksgiving day. As a college student, I would work on jobs and I was saving money because II wanted to put that ring on her finger and I wanted to not have any debt on that thing and so I was feverishly working. It was in the fall. Obviously, and I can still remember the last amount of money I needed to raise would be raised by raking this man's yard. The only problem is we were leaving the next day and that particular day was pouring down rain so I was raking leaves in a downpour and I can still remember this Manny, look at the window.

He's paid laugh and he tell his wife something you know that limits I got to regulate but I had to have that money for the final payment made. It got that ring stuck it in my pocket we headed to Atlanta to spend Thanksgiving with her parents. I can imagine her throwing her arms around my neck and just, you know, jumping up and down with glee and say yes 100 times in I just eat it all. Well, finally I got her alone and when got that proposal and it all just came out just perfectly and it ended with the words, will you marry me and her face turned pale and she got this look in her eyes and she said I don't know know you know to this day I'm convinced I talked her into marrying me because I said during this audit on oh man, we have so many illustrations in our lives where we think we got everything mapped out and then someone doesn't respond.

I can imagine Moses walking in the courtroom with his chest full of confidence and he looks up at that Pharaoh and he says to Pharaoh, let my people go God says and Pharaoh says who is your and makes their bondage. Even worse, I want you to notice the reaction first affair of the foreman of the sons of Israel. Verse 15 came and cried out to Pharaoh saying why do you deal this way with your servants. There's no straw given to us, but you keep saying make bricks hold your servants are being beaten, but it is the fault of your own people. He said to them you are lazy your lazy therefore you say let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. So go now and work seafarers offended that they would worship someone other than him. That's the whole problem you go and work and you'll be given no straw verse 18.

Yet, you must deliver the quota of bricks when they left. Verse 20.

Pharaoh's presence. They met Moses and Aaron as they were waiting for them.

Can you imagine this, the text indicates that Moses and Aaron were stationed somewhere, perhaps down the corridor there in the palace and they were waiting to hear the response of the foreman before Pharaoh and they come storming down this hallway and they turned the corner and they won't face-to-face.

They walk right into Moses and Aaron and they unleash incredibly painful words on them. Verse 21 they say to them. May the Lord look upon you and judge you for you have made us literally stink in Pharaoh's site and the site of his servants to put a sword in their hand to kill us Moses and Aaron. You have made our bondage wires make God judge you put yourself in his shoes. Here he is doing what God is told him to do there. You are living in a way that God has commanded you to live and what you get, the dashing of expectations. The pain of rejection, misfortune you would say to God exactly what Moses is about to say. In fact, if you're following along in your note you need to jot down to words because he is going to ask two questions basically one word each. The first question is why.

Why verse 22 then Moses returned to the Lord and said, oh Lord, underline, why have you brought harm to this people. Why did you ever send me he's going back to the burning bush. In effect he saying God, why did you ever send me. I told you at the burning bush that I was not the man for the job. Why did you ever talk me into it. Why did you ever send me. I don't believe that there is a question posed to the throne of God any more than the question why God's answer for him is the same answer for you. If you're at a point now where you are asking God why it is an incredibly profound answer verse one of chapter 6 then the Lord said to Moses, now you shall see what I will do Moses I brought you to an end of yourself into an end of your ministry so you will see now what I will. This is a going to be won by a trick with the rod of the staff pouring the water out into blood will not really accomplish what needs to be accomplished. It will be done by me says Yahweh.

But I want to give Moses the benefit of one thing. In fact, I think you will underline this in your text. Verse 22 of chapter 5, I missed it but I want to go back. The first phrase then Moses returned to the Lord and I like that because Moses was giving God an opportunity to answer him. Men and women.

Without a doubt Christianity is filled with the ruins of very bitter people who have difficult things land on their doorstep and they chuck it all.

They never go back to the Lord and even asked why they simply respond with well God if if that's what's going to happen when I give you the reins of my life and I do what I think you want me to do that. It God but Moses did go back in God's answer than comes to him in the form of six.

I am get your pen out of what you underline these six times God will say I am the Lord. Verse two God spoke further to Moses and said to him, I am the Lord, you want to know the answer to the question why it is the answer of who just know that I am a sovereign God I am Yahweh verse six say to the sons of Israel. I am the Lord. Verse seven and you shall know that I am the Lord.

Verse eight last part of the verse.

I am the Lord.

Verse 29. I am the Lord.

Chapter 7 verse five. I am the Lord, I believe that answer is fundamental in our theology and our lifestyles.

It is an understanding of who God is, if you went out on the street today and you ask 10 people do you believe in God. 8/10 would say yes but if you went out on the street and you ask 10 people who is God, you would get 10 different answers. I really believe that the crack in the foundation. The thing that makes the church stumble. The thing that creates confusion and ineffectiveness is that it's very basic root, a lack of understanding of who God is a W toes are rights that the first step downward in any church, is when it surrenders its high opinion of God is God, a God of justice.

Then he would demand in us lives of honesty and integrity is God, a God of grace. If that is who God is and he demands lives of love motivated by grace.

If God is a God of holiness. Then he would demand his children to be holy and pure and that's why I'll go back to the thought that the problem in our lives. Ladies and gentlemen is that we really have surrendered our high opinion of of who God is, because we have surrendered our high opinion of God in our Christian world. We not only as individuals struggle with the day-to-day trials, but the church is losing ground. It goes back to our view of who God is. We have a light view of him. And so when we hear of him and when we hear his word. We are convicted, but we are not changed. We are challenged but we are really not converted because when we take a low opinion of God we take a low opinion of God's words and so in our society today.

This book is being questioned and debated and dissected and disobeyed why ultimately we do not know who God's isn't it interesting that you would think that God would give to Moses a better program. A more effective plan, but he doesn't. The church is far too long been impressed with growth rather than truth with programs rather than purity.

Why because we have read the generation that knows very little about God and we are. We ought to be concerned. Men and women that we like Peter become the bastion for the truth is a church that we present to our young to the next generation up your truth. Theology that is who God really is in his character what God is doing is giving Moses a lesson in theology proper. He is saying I am Yahweh. Moses asks a second question. This is typical. We asked the same thing.

God tells Moses in verse 10. Look verse 11. Go tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out of this land and I think Moses is probably wondering the Lord will you there.

The last time I was in the courtroom. Did you forget that what Pharaoh said you wanted to say the very same thing again. Moses spoke before the Lord. Verse 12 saying the whole luck, the sons of Israel have not listen to me how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am unskilled in speech. That's the second question and God's answer will come back at least 10 times.

He will say these words I will verse six chapter 6, I will bring you out, not you. Moses, the house was not related to your strength. The answer is my strength. I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians underline these as we go along. I will deliver you from bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments, the word redeem. There is the word reclaim use in the beautiful story of Boaz and Ruth where Boaz reclaims or redeems his bride. God is saying, I will reclaim my bride my nation.

I will do it because I am the Lord. Verse seven I will take you for my people.

I will be your God. Verse eight I will bring you to the land which I swore to get to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I will give you a possession for I am the Lord. Chapter 7 verse three.

I will harden Pharaoh's heart, I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt, then Pharaoh will not listen to you, for I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring you out a bring out my hosts, my people, the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt by great judgments in the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, because I will stretch out my hand on Egypt.

There is no better answer.

If you question why, how God says I am who I am because I am who I am.

I can do what is best for you see, ladies and gentlemen, you need to understand that I don't want you to miss if you get anything else get this because I believe this is at the root of the problem when we question God, God's reputation is at stake if he said he will he he will and if he doesn't, he has far greater Toulouse than you do, because he has broken his word. God is telling Moses, I will bring you out of Egypt. Bank on it. Trust me. My word is true and I have the power and the strength to back it up. I'm going to do it. What a beautiful place to be and is a minister of Christ as a person who is trying to impact your community and your courtroom for God you bank on the fact that God will do what he wants and what he will. He is powerful enough for the job. Moses, I am the Lord, because I am Yahweh, because I am who I am. I can do what I say I will do. Let me give you one point my wave application. Very simple affliction produces wisdom.

Affliction produces wisdom and intern wisdom then understands the value of affliction.

Wisdom recognizes the invisible hand of an all powerful God and in that afflicted state.

When we returned, like Moses to God. He gives us a lesson of his character and there is the greatest wisdom, the fear of the Lord. Solomon said, is the beginning of wisdom.

The reverential trust and understanding of who he is will allow you and me to face the hardships of life without growing better because of who I am. I will do what's best for you. William Cowper in a time of great discouragement and despondency got so deep in discouragement."

He tried to put an end of his life by drinking poison. God graciously led someone to find him and relieve him and he was delivered. Evidently his stomach was pumped out, and as soon as you recovered and got back home. He ordered a coach to take him down to the teams River where he planned the jump. The driver of the coach held him back.

Frustrated that evening he went home and fell on a knife and the blade broke can even die. So he put up a rope in the basement and he put his neck in the news and he jumped and a friend came in before he strangled to death, and took him down.

Finally, Cowper got his Bible and he flipped it open to Romans chapter 8 and in the depths of the sorrow.

John met him there and he went to his knees later is a is a man of God. He wrote these words that you will recognize God moves in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the deep and unfathomable minds of never failing skill he treasures up his break design and works so the storm in the chaos there in the midst of your affliction and troubled heart. He is young, he is all and because he is all-powerful, he is bound and capable of carrying out his work when he said he would do nothing for you. Other than that which would bring about spiritual West why he introduces himself West how he introduces is obeying God ever brought you trouble an opposition is doing the right thing ever resulted in your life becoming more difficult.

That was certainly the case with Moses and I trust that looking at the example of Moses encouraged you today during the month of July.

We have a free resource to equip you to think biblically about politics it's an excerpt from Stephen's book. I pledge allegiance go to wisdom online God board for information is a link on the homepage that's going to direct you to this free resource for glad you're with us, please be sure and come back next time. As we bring you more wisdom for the hearts