In this passage we see Israel marching out of Egypt. Moses was careful to take the bones of Joseph with Israel according to Joseph’s request from many years before. The Lord guides them by a pillar of clouds during the day, and a pillar of clouds with fire in it by night. He leads them away from the shortest route to the Promised Land because the Philistines were a war-like people.
Rather, he leads them on a southeastern direction to the edge of the wilderness. Then he directs them to back track to a position next to the Red Sea, a position that leaves them no escape route should an enemy attack. The story shifts back to Egypt and the information coming to Pharaoh about the apparent ineptness of Israel’s movements.
He and Egypt change their minds about letting Israel go. They see a vulnerable people who have made a strategic error and are still close enough to Egypt to be recaptured. So apparently Pharaoh decides to slaughter some of Israel and bring the rest back to resume their slave labors for Egypt. He gathers his army and catches up with Israel.
When the Israelites see the Egyptian army approaching they are filled with fear and unbelief. They berate Moses for bringing them out of Egypt just to die in the wilderness. Moses instructs them to be still and witness the salvation of the Lord, which we will look at in the next passage. I want to look at God’s providence in this passage.
By providence I mean God ordering the events of history for his glory and the good of his people. Paul tells us in Romans 8 that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his pu
rposes. Obviously, this implies that God’s providential hand works these things out for good.
Nevertheless, God’s providence is mysterious. Some very faithful Christians die young. In the book of Acts we see Stephen and James both martyred early in their lives as Christians. John lived to be old, but was in prison. Peter, tradition says, was crucified upside down. Paul had numerous severe trials. Many Christians were slaves; others were rich and instructed to help others. Even though all their lives were different, the word of God says all things worked for their good.
Joseph’s bones are instructive here. Think of what his bones went through. When they were alive, he was betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, imprisoned, and later elevated to a position in Egypt that enabled him to save his family. Joseph was committed to the Lord in all circumstances.
When they were dead, the bones lay in Egypt for 400 years while Joseph’s people were subject to harsh slavery and misery. Then they were brought out of Egypt when God did what he promised in delivering Israel, and eventually we see Joseph’s bones buried in the Promised Land (Joshua 24). Joseph committed himself body and soul to the Lord, believing God’s promise, and you see where he ended up. No grave will hold his body down forever. He will be raised and be with the Lord forever.
We also see God lead Israel away from one threat (the Philistines) into what seems a much worse threat (Egypt’s army). Egypt was their worst enemy and a deadly one. He leads them into that fiery furnace to show them he destroys their worst enemy. The worst is destroyed forever. No matter what else they have to face, those who believe are to reckon the love of God has destroyed their worst enemy and they can be assured of his promise.
This is why the gospel is good news. God says in Christ he has destroyed death, the last enemy. By taking sin upon himself and suffering the penalty of death for it, Christ has taken away the sting of sin which is death. The worst enemy is finished. Christ says he who believes in me will live, even though he dies. A Christian looks at his life and the present world from this perspective.
Whatever a believer has to endure in this world; sickness, betrayal, tribulation, poverty, countless other hardships that can happen, he has an incorruptible inheritance. God’s providence has brought him to into that inheritance and the whole world is not to be compared to that prize. There is nothing of more value than friendship with God, and in Christ, those who believe have it.
