Êxodo 14
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
Êxodo 14
MacArthur comments - These twin commands to not panic and to recognize His sovereignty are probably directed to both His nation for comfort and all other nations for warning. (MSB) With Loins Girded - Ye Shall Hold Your Peace Exodus 14:14 Certainly inexcusable, yet also very understandable was the fear that took hold of the Children of Israel when they noticed that the Pharaoh was pursuing them with a large host, and they saw themselves enclosed on the one side by that host and on the other side by the Red Sea. Only, it was a pity that they allowed themselves to be enticed by fear to a provocative unbelief, and approached Moses with bitter reproaches. This man of God stood amongst the murmuring people as the only one who did not distrust the God of Israel, and by the power of his faith he tried to conquer the fear of the people: they had to stand still, and behold the salvation of the Lord that He would presently perform, and he promised that this would be the last time that the Egyptians would affrighten them: they would not see them again in all eternity, because, he added to it: “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” To hold our peace, knowing that the Lord shall fight for us, this is what is asked of us as well, when we are in need and see no deliverance, and when our way is hedged up from all sides. We often find ourselves in situations that make us involuntarily remember the situation of Israel at the banks of the sea. Already in material situations it can be so hard. The breadbasket and the baking tray can sometimes be hopelessly empty; work may lack; we stand in the market because no one hires us; and at home empty mouths have to be filled. Oh, to hold our peace at such a time and to build calmly upon God’s omnipotence and omniscience! To not join at such a time the murmuring complaints of the Children of Israel, but to stand still and to know, that soon, in whatever way it may be, we shall see the salvation of the Lord, even if He had to make us a way through the waters,—behold, that is faith! To hold our peace, knowing that the Lord shall fight for us,—behold, that is what we need also in a spiritual sense concerning the life of our soul. There are enemies to spare, who, if it were possible, would drag us back to that unsanctified Egypt. To stand there defenceless and unarmed like Israel! To feel the evil spirits around us, to hear their insinuations in our soul, to be invited back by their flattering voices, and to be unable to withstand them in our own strength,—that is a great temptation. Then we should hold our peace and keep the stillness of the soul, instead of starting to cry or complain hopelessly, to confess in this holding of the peace our own impotence, but also our trust upon Him who shall fight for us. Then the divine ear shall hear in it the psalm of faith: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Exodus 14:15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. Ex 17:4 Jos 7:10 Ezr 10:4,5 Ne 9:9 Exodus 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries STOP PRAYING! START PROCEEDING! Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward - Tell is a command to Moses and in the Septuagint go forward is also a command. Israel was to go forward that she might see a way to go, a way that she had never seen before! But think about this for a moment. Then Moses may have been thinking to himself "But which way LORD? Into the waves of water or into the waves of soldiers?" As always God is one step ahead of us and He answers the question in Ex 14:16. So while Moses it ordering the Israelites to go forward, Yahweh is seemingly immediately telling him to lift his staff (Ex 14:16). Word Study Comment - Go forward (nasa) means to set out, to put out, to pull up (like when one pulls out tent pegs to break camp as in Isa 33:20 "stakes will never be pulled up"). A similar use describes Samson's escape of the trap set for him by the Gazite Philistines, when Samson pulled up (nasa) the gates of the city and carried them away (Jdg. 16:3). The word nasa became a technical term for "to break camp", e.g., Jacob as he returned to Canaan from Padan-Aram (Ge. 35:1-15), movements of Joseph's brothers as he searched for them (Ge 37:17), the journey of the nomadic Israelites as they traveled to the Promised Land (Nu 10:18; 33:3), march of soldiers (Ex 14:10). This latter use of "the Egyptians marching (nasa) affer" Israel is ironic for now the same Hebrew verb (nasa) is used to give "marching orders" (so to speak) to the Israelites "Go forward." Finally, nasa has a third use in Exodus 14 describing the movement of the Angel of God and the pillar of cloud "moved (nasa) and went behind" the Israelites. (Ex 14:19). Once the Egyptian army caught up with the Israelites, all seemed lost. They were trapped between a wall of soldiers and a sea of water. In panic, they cried out to both Moses and God. Both of them responded with instructions. Moses said, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” (Ex 14:13). And God told them, “Go forward” (Ex 14:15). While that may seem to be contradictory advice, both commands were from God and right. First, the people had to “stand still” or “firm” long enough to get instructions from God. What if they had rushed headlong into the Red Sea without consulting the Lord? But in standing still, they heard God’s instructions, which included both what they were to do—move on, and what Moses was to do—stretch out his hand over the sea in obedience and God would part the waters. Do circumstances have you trapped? Stand still. Take time to consult God and His Word. Then, using His instructions, move ahead and let God guide you. (see devotional) It matters not how dark the way, How thick the clouds from day to day, God will direct in all we do If we take time to pray it through. —Mead John Trapp on Moses' crying out - With inward groanings, without any audible voice....There is something more to be done than to pray. We must not only crave God’s help, but be forward in the course whereby to make way for God’s help.
Êxodo 14
MacArthur adds "From the human side, the first requirement for salvation is faith. Hearing the gospel is essential, but it is not enough. The ancient Israelites heard God’s good news of rest, but it did them no good since they did not accept it. They did not trust in the God who gave them the good news. It does no good to hear if we do not believe. That is the point here. Hearing the good news of the rest of God is of no benefit, no profit, to any person at any time unless the hearing is united by faith.It is tragic that hell is going to be populated with people who will say, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” To which Jesus will reply, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt. 7:22–23; cf. Luke 13:26–27). Their knowledge and their work was not united with faith. Jews prided themselves on the fact that they had God’s law and God’s ordinances and God’s rituals. They were especially proud to be descendants of Abraham. But Jesus warned that true children of Abraham believe and act as Abraham did (John 8:39). Paul reminded his fellow Jews that “He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God” (Rom. 2:29). Spiritually, an unbelieving Jew is a contradiction in terms." (MNTC-Hebrews) NET Note says "S. R. Driver says that the belief intended here is not simply a crediting of a testimony concerning a person or a thing, but a laying firm hold morally on a person or a thing (Exodus, 122). Others take the Hiphil sense to be declarative, and that would indicate a considering of the object of faith trustworthy or dependable, and therefore to be acted on. In this passage it does not mean that here they came to faith, but that they became convinced that he would save them in the future." His servant Moses (He is called the servant of God some 38 times in both Old and New Testaments = Nu 11:11, Nu 12:7-8, Dt 34:5, Josh 1:1, Josh 1:2, Josh 1:7, Josh 1:13, 15, Josh 8:31, Josh 8:33, Josh 9:24, Josh 11:12, 15, 12:6, 13:8, 14:7, 18:7, 22:2, 4, 5, 1 Ki 8:53, 56, 2 Ki 18:12, 21:8, 1 Chr 6:49, 2 Chr 1:3, 24:6, 9, Neh 1:7, 8, 9:14, Neh 10:29, Ps 105:26, Da 9:11, Mal 4:4, Heb 3:5, Rev 15:3) - The Septuagint translates servant with the noun therapon (related to therapeúo = to voluntarily serve) denotes a faithful friend to a superior, who solicitously regards the superior’s interest or looks after his affairs, not a common or domestic servant (oiketes). Therapon is one who serves willingly regardless of whether he is a free man (eleútheros see in depth analysis of related verb eleutheroo) impelled by love or a slave (see either doulos or doulos) bound by duty. Thus the services of a therapon (Ex 14:31) were voluntary and higher than those of an ordinary doulos or slave. And so therapon denotes the willing service rendered as well as the relationship between the one serving and the one he serves. It also emphasizes an office which was honorable and dignified. NET Note on Moses God's servant - Here the title of “servant” is given to Moses. This is the highest title a mortal can have in the OT—the “servant of Yahweh.” It signifies more than a believer; it describes the individual as acting on behalf of God. For example, when Moses stretched out his hand, God used it as his own (Isa 63:12). Moses was God’s personal representative. The chapter records both a message of salvation and of judgment. Like the earlier account of deliverance at the Passover, this chapter can be a lesson on deliverance from present troubles—if God could do this for Israel, there is no trouble too great for him to overcome. The passage can also be understood as a picture (at least) of the deliverance at the final judgment on the world. But the Israelites used this account for a paradigm of the power of God: namely, God is able to deliver his people from danger because he is the sovereign Lord of creation. His people must learn to trust him, even in desperate situations; they must fear him and not the situation. God can bring any threat to an end by bringing his power to bear in judgment on the wicked.