When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. Exodus 13:17-18
I love these verses.
I don’t really like to drive. Never have. Probably never will. I don’t like driving too fast, too close to other cars, or in the dark or the rain. Sometimes I choose to take a longer, safer route because I don’t like the interstate at 5:00. This annoys Casey a bit because it takes me 25 minutes to get somewhere instead of 12. But I do it because the cars are crazy coming on and off the interstate and it scares me a little. I’d rather take the longer route and not have a mini heart attack.
Essentially, God sensed the danger on behalf of the Israelites. When he led them out of Egypt, into their freedom, he didn’t take them the short route. See, the shortest and most common route from Egypt to Canaan was the coastal route. It would make the most sense to go that way, especially with two million people in tow. But God wouldn’t let them take the shortcut. Why?
Because that’s where Egypt’s military outposts were located. And if the people of Israel had gone that way, they would have found themselves in a battle. A battle they weren’t ready for. God knew that if the Israelites were faced with that battle, they’d turn their tails around and go right back to Egypt, right back into slavery. So he took them the long route.
Here’s the thing: the Bible doesn’t tell us whether or not God informed Israel why He was taking them the long way. I’d like to think He didn’t tell them, because that totally seems like a thing He’d do. Why do I say that? Because I’ve been there. There have been times where I’ve wondered why God is taking His sweet time to do something in my life. And He’s shown me, several times, that it’s because I wasn’t ready for what He had for me.
God wants what’s best for me. He doesn’t want to give me a gift that I can’t handle, He doesn’t want me to be in a place I’m not prepared for. So sometimes He takes me on the long route so I can become what he needs me to be. So I can be ready for what He has for me.
But all I can see in the moment is that I’m taking the long way. And I complain. And I get annoyed. Because this is all taking far too long.
But God knows. He knows what He’s doing and He knows it’s what’s best for me, no matter how much I complain.
I’m so grateful for His protection when I didn’t even know I needed it.
We know that the Israelites certainly wouldn’t have been able to handle it, because it’s only a few verses later that we see their lack of faith in God.
God let Moses in on His plan to ambush the Egyptians… but the two of them left everyone else in the dark. The plan was on a need-to-know basis and they didn’t need to know.
So God’s plan is going according to… well, God’s plan. And the Egyptians come chasing after the Israelites in 600 fancy chariots–the most high-tech military technology at the time. And, understandably, the Israelites start freaking out because the bad guys were catching up to them!
You’d think they’d be like, “If it was God’s plan to get us out of Egypt, He’ll get us through this too.” But the Israelites aren’t exactly known for their great faith.
And you’d think they’d have high faith, because literally verses before God gave them a pillar of cloud to guide them in the day (and be their shade from the sun) and a pillar of fire to guide them at night (and give them light). They had this super obvious proof that God was with them. “And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.” (Exodus 13:22) But despite the fact that God’s pillar was literally RIGHT there, they doubted him.
So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
Y’all. The Israelites were so afraid that they wished they were back in Egypt, being slaves. SLAVES. And the Egyptian slave drivers had not treated them nicely at all. It was real bad. But suddenly, their current situation seemed worse than slavery. Because they didn’t trust God’s promise. Sure, they couldn’t see that He was setting up a trap for the Egyptians. All they could see was the Egyptians quickly approaching, and no way out. They hadn’t been free for a week and they already had a distorted approach of the bondage they’d come out of. They glamorized slavery because it seemed better than being chased by the enemy. Slavery was familiar. They knew what to expect every day. They knew it was gonna suck every day.
But freedom was unknown. And it seemed scary. Taking chances are. Even when we know God is with us. We’re merely human, after all.
And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13-14
Moses tries to encourage the people, and man, those are encouraging words. I love that he still doesn’t let them in on God’s plan. Again, they didn’t need to know. In fact, Moses knew that God was setting an ambush, but God didn’t reveal to him how He was gonna get them out of there.
They needed to trust God and believe He’d protect them like He said He would.
And he did.
Because right after that, He opened a door to freedom in a miraculous way. He parted a sea for them to walk through.
God wants to provide your escape from the chains of sin. He’ll provide a miraculous way out too. But it may not feel like it. He has plans that are need-to-know and you don’t need to know. It may feel like you’re in a worse place than before as you try to flee the grip of Satan. Jesus provided a miraculous way out of sin. He went to the cross for you. The miracle is right in front of you, and to be free of sin, you’ve just got to ask. God wants to reveal His glory through you, just like he did with the Israelites.
“My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!” Exodus 14: 17-18
