".....AND ENCAMP!"

Exodus 14:1-2                                        (ESV)
"1 Then the LORD said to Moses,
2 "Tell the people of Israel to turn back "AND ENCAMP" in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea."



Exodus 14 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.  GOD displays HIS sovereignty, HIS deliverance, HIS power, HIS holiness, and HIS steadfastness for ALL of mankind (not just the Israelites and Egyptians) to observe, IF THEY WOULD ONLY CHOOSE TO SEE HIM!  We could observe similar HOLY TRAITS if we would just SLOW DOWN and recognize the Spiritual battle that is taking place in our midst (Ephesians 6:12)!!

When the Israelites were leaving Egypt they were "encouraged" to leave in a considerable hurry!  Exodus 12:33 tells us "The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead."  The Egyptians wanted them gone, and the Israelites WANTED to be gone, but GOD wanted to be glorified (Exodus 14:4), and HE had a PLAN to make that happen.

When "the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the people of Israel to turn back "AND ENCAMP", another way of putting what HIS instructions were could have been "to WAIT ON THE LORD" (Psalms 27:14)!  Now I'm not sure that I could've heard GOD's directives as I tend to be one who moves with great abandonment when "I think" I know what GOD's PLAN IS, but sometimes GOD's PLAN is different than mine and HE has to SLOW me down to be on HIS pace!  GOD needed for the Egyptians to catch up with the Israelites at just the right timing so they would chase them into the Red Sea and HE could get glory over them!  It wasn't by chance or circumstance, it was DIVINE PROVIDENCE that GOD BE GLORIFIED!  GOD directed the children of Israel to the exact place where HIS PLAN would be carried out, at the precise timing to make sure Pharaoh's heart was hardened (Exodus 14:4), and that Moses was listening to HIM for guidance!

You must be certain you are hearing (Exodus 14:1) from GOD.  The great deceiver tries to emulate GOD, but GOD IS PEACE, and nothing can be mistaken for the PEACE of GOD!  Moses and the children of Israel had a Pillar of Cloud to lead them by day, and a Pillar of Fire to lead them by night to be able to escape Egypt, but GOD directed Moses to turn back "AND ENCAMP" on the banks of the Red Sea!  Why would GOD make them WAIT ON THE LORD when the Egyptians were rapidly gaining on them?  GOD's Divine Plan may not be known to us, but if we TRUST IN HIM we can turn back "AND ENCAMP" and let our foes advance upon us with NO FEAR because we KNOW WHO wins in the end!!!