“YOU SHALL ENCAMP!”

 Exodus 14:1-4                    (ESV)

Crossing the Red Sea

“[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. [3] For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ [4] And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And THEY DID SO.”

“Beelsepphon; (Exodus 14:2, Numbers 33:7): The name means "Lord of the North," and the place was opposite the Hebrew camp, which was between Migdol and the sea. IT MAY HAVE BEEN the shrine of a Semitic deity, but the position is unknown (see EXODUS).”

The paragraph above is from an article written on the internet regarding Exodus 14:2.  Finding out WHY ALMIGHTY GOD instructed Moses “YOU SHALL ENCAMP” in front of Baal-zephon when it apparently was something that GOD intended HIS CHILDREN NOT to associate with???   Why else would HE WRITE for HIS CHILDREN to camp IN FRONT of it, and facing it, right by the sea???  Maybe the reasoning behind this was to display that these characteristics and traits were BEHIND them???

Most BELIEVERS are left on earth with a monumental task, to demonstrate that GOD can, and will, go to EXTREME measures to DRAW the unbelievers into HIS KINGDOM!  These CHILDREN OF ISRAEL might have been tasked with encamping on the banks of the Red Sea to demonstrate to THE WORLD that they were being protected by ALMIGHTY GOD?  Messing with them was CERTAINLY not an advisable endeavor!  Of course, the Egyptians, led by Pharaoh, soon found out what they should have already known!  

The CHILDREN OF ISRAEL were not the ones to demonstrate tremendous FAITH while they were camping (see Exodus 14:10)!  What would I have done if I were WAITING ON THE LORD with the Israelites??? Similar to the Israelites, the Brain Hemorrhage of 2007 is STILL fresh on my mind, but I STILL have fears and doubts in life.  There is NO DOUBT that GOD delivered me through “the valley of the shadow of death”, but I STILL want to know what is coming in my life???  Hebrews 11:6 very plainly states “And WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to please HIM, for whoever would draw near to GOD must BELIEVE that HE exists and that HE rewards those who seek HIM.”!!!

GOD instructed Moses to have the nation of Israel to TURN BACK AND ENCAMP so that anyone and everyone could SEE that they were protected by ALMIGHTY GOD!!!  The MESSAGE was not only for the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, but for the entire world to SEE that “YOU SHALL ENCAMP” was a COMMAND from the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES!!!   GOD could have SUPERNATURALLY caused the Egyptian army to drop dead!  Instead HE displayed HIS SOVEREIGNTY by leaving the remnants of their futile attempt at the bottom of the Red Sea so that even people 3,500 years later can SEE HIS SOVEREIGN POWER!!!  

When GOD instructs me “YOU SHALL ENCAMP”, I pray my response will not be WHY, or HOW LONG, but that I will HUMBLY and OBEDIENTLY await HIS DELIVERANCE from HIS ENEMIES!!!