When Doing Right Goes Wrong
Exodus 5 - 6:8
Philip Ryken in his commentary on Exodus states, “Sometimes things don't work out the way we hope. In fact, sometimes we do exactly what we think God wants us to do and it turns out to be a complete disaster. For example, a young couple goes on the mission field, taking their small children with him. Despite constant opposition from their parents, who are not believers, they travel overseas to live in a remote Village. Not long after they arrived, one of the children contracts a rare life-threatening disease and the missionaries are forced to go back home upon their return their parents say, see, we told you not to go. Or consider the employee who discovered corruption at his company. After agonizing over what to do, he decided it was his duty as a Christian to report one of his co-workers for defrauding their customers. But the management wouldn't listen. Not only did they allow the correction to continue, but the man who reported it was branded a troublemaker and was denied his promotion. Then there was the woman who shared the gospel with her neighbor. The two women had been gradually getting to know one another, and eventually the Christian woman had the opportunity to share the gospel and her testimony. Her friend listened politely, but she had no real interest in Christianity and soon changed the subject. Afterward, although they remained acquaintances, they never became close friends. These kinds of things happen all the time. A woman refuses a man who is not a Christian; now she is still waiting for the right man, but no one ever calls, an employee refuses to work on Sundays and gets fired 3 months later. a mother does everything she can to raise your children right and then watches them squander her love by turning away from God. A pastor starts to teach the Bible, but rather than growing his congregation starts to shrink. It happens often: a Christian does what God calls him to do, and it makes things worse! Such developments make us start to wonder if we did the right thing, and maybe even wonder if God cares what happens to us.”
Perhaps you can identify with this author, you have tried to do the right thing and it really seems that everything has gone wrong. The harder you try the worse it gets. I think that our friend Moses could also identify with that. You will recall in Exodus chapter 3 that Moses has an encounter with God in a burning bush and God tells him to return to Egypt and to bring the Hebrews out of Egypt oh, so Moses packs up and heads back to Egypt. There is just one problem, the Pharaoh doesn't want to cooperate. Not only does he not want to cooperate, but he has now made the Hebrew’s life even harder by taking away their straw to make bricks. We find Moses asking,” really is this why you sent me back?”
I. Moses begins with a great IDENTITY
Moses had such a positive identity. He knew he was and what he was supposed to do. He was God's man on a mission to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. Moses exhibits a great deal of boldness here. The Pharaohs considered themselves to be Gods. Some Scholars estimated that Egyptians had at least eighty gods. Moses, however, was not afraid to declare that the God of the Hebrews was his God, and it was the God that he served. Hebrews 11: 27 States, by faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger. there is no doubt that Moses identified that he was God's servant by his face. What about you, have you started that way with a great identity? Have you identified that you believe in God by placing your faith and trust in him. Have you decided to do right and seek his will because you identify as Christian who is seeking God’s will?
Moses faces an INCIDENT of discouragement
Moses had clearly identified that he was God's servant and that he believed in trusted in the god of the Hebrews however when he faces pharaoh with God's message to let the Hebrews go, he is only met with opposition from the pharaoh. now the Israelites must make the same number of bricks, but they have together the straw and the materials together those bricks which they had not had to do before. Farrow has laid on them and impossible task and now they the Hebrews are worse off than before. Not only does it seem that Moses has angered Pharaoh but it seems that the Israelites I'm frustrated with him is well in verses 20 through 21 the Hebrews blame Moses now for this heavy task that has been laid on them Moses was supposed to lead them out but now it seems like their life has been made more difficult by the extra amount of work that they have to do Moses is now blamed for this heavy task and possibly their put their potential death sentence in Egypt. have you ever had an incident and discouragement when you were when you had identified with God, and you had identified with his will only to try to accomplish it and everything goes wrong, and it leaves you discouraged?
Moses grows IMPATIENT with God
Moses asks all the questions of an impatient man. Why have you done this? This is not the way I thought you would have done it. Is this why you sent me? You could almost feel Moses’ frustration with God. In God's plan you can hear Moses impatient with God's timing especially when there were no results when he confronted pharaoh. Perhaps like Moses you have also felt impatient with God when you were doing the right thing, but it seemed like everything was going wrong when you couldn't see God's plan and you couldn't see God's timing happening.
Moses is encouraged and reminded of God’s plan when he listens to God’s Instructions
In Exodus chapter 6 verses 1 through 8 Moses is reminded of God's plan when he listens to God's instructions. inverse one God reminds Moses that he would in fact see what God would do if he would only wait for God's timing God instructs him to wait. in verse to God reminds Moses of his history God reminds Moses that he is the god of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. He is a god of History he is The God Who has a history of keeping his word and taking care of his people. in verse 5. Of reminds Moses that he knows about the Hebrew situation and that Moses can still have hope the gods is the god who knows. in verses 6 through 8 God reminds Moses that he has a plan and he asked him to trust him. We too can be encouraged from the instruction that God gave Moses it reminds us that we 2 sometimes need to wait on God's timing it reminds us that God has a history of keeping his word and caring for his people were reminded that God knows about our situation and because God knows we have hope we're also reminded to trust God because he has a plan.
When we look at the cross, we are reminded of the greatest story of when doing right seemed to go all wrong. Jesus in his earthly ministry did everything right. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, performed miracles and exhibited unconditional love only to branded a criminal and given the death sentence of crucifixion. Jesus had done everything right only for things to go all wrong, but God still had a plan and early on Sunday morning the stone was rolled away and just when everything seemed to be going wrong an empty tomb was revealed and there was in fact victory over sin and death. Be encouraged and keep trusting in in God and doing his will even if everything seems to be going wrong. God is still in control, and he still has a plan!