Obeying In Faith
80 year old Moses was in uncharted territory. The massive assignments God gave him had no dry run or years of practice. There was no guarantee from experience that they would be effective, while potentially putting Moses at risk from Pharaoh, the Egyptians and the Israelites. But he went back to Egypt because he decided to believe God and obey. Moses’ faith rested on God's Word about a series of unique instructions.
There had never been a Passover before, and yet Moses broadcast the message from God that He was about to kill the firstborn in Egypt, but that a Passover sacrifice, and its life-blood painted onto the door supports of every Israelite home, would protect the inhabitants from the avenging angel. Moses believed God and confidently announced His instructions to the elders of Israel (Exodus 12:21-23). The people also believed. While the Egyptian families mourned that night, God's people were ready for their wilderness journey (Exodus 12:29-32).
Around 3 million people including women and children and many animals followed Moses towards the Red Sea. It was God's instruction to entice the Egyptian army into pursuing the emigrants – trapping them against the water. God let Moses into the plan (Exodus 14:1-4). As dust-clouds were stirred by horses and chariots, God's people were afraid but Moses was confident. At the critical moment, as the army was about to strike, a path opened in the sea so that all the Israelites escaped. But as the Egyptians tried to follow the water returned and they were all drowned.
This series of miracles is familiar to most believers in Christ. God did amazing things. But He also gave Moses the faith to trust Him, even though logic might have dissuaded him, or lack of any comparable experience caused doubt. Faith was seen in obedience. And so it is for us. We are also called to obey God's Word in the absence of logic or experience. Like the men at the wedding feast, who responded to Mary's instruction, 'Whatever He tells you to do, do it' (John 2:5), we need to understand that God is looking for people who will dare to trust and obey – even though they cannot see the end from the beginning, or how God will achieve the impossible.