Text:
Exodus 16:1-6:
1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:
Revelation 21:4:
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Theme:
No More Egypt
Introduction:
- The scripture is extracted from the Book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible and the second book of the Pentateuch, the five books of the law of Judaism.
- The Book of Exodus documents God’s leading o the children of Israel out of their Egyptian captivity, into their 40 year passage through the wilderness, and to the Land of Canaan.
- The main character is Moses whom God chose to lead the people of Israel.
- The Book Of Revelation is the only prophetic book of the New Testament and is written by the Apostle John while he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos.
- The book’s purpose is to reveal what happens during the Apocalypse, or end times, or last days.
- The whole chapter of Exodus 16 gives the complete Old Testament story:
- The children of Israel escaped Egyptian captivity and are in the wilderness
- The folks got hungry and started talking against Moses and Aaron (fussin’).
- God wants them to know that He HAS delivered them from Egypt (V6) (NO MORE EGYPT)
- God gave bread in the morning and meat in the evening
- God gave Manna (sweet, white wafers) in the AM and Quails in the PM
- A bowl of Manna is kept in remembrance (placed in the Ark of the Covenant with the tablets of the Law and Moses’ rod)
- Moses made the people realize that they were speaking against God and not Moses and AaronJ
- God made the children to know that there is “No More Egypt” (verse 6)
Body:
- For us, what is EGYPT?
- Loneliness
- Being all alone even when others are there!
- Old Friends
- Friends who lie, mislead, and are not edifying to the soul or life!
- Vanity
- Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
- Things of this world
- Sinful Nature
- Romans 7:21, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.”
- What we call our “Old Ways”
- ANYTHING NOT OF GOD IS “EGYPT”
- Loneliness
- WHY WOULD WE EVEN WANT TO GO BACK TO “EGYPT”?
- It’s all a HEART CONDITION!
- They turned back IN THEIR HEARTS first!
- As explained in Acts 7:39, “To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,”
- It’s a DISABILITY on our part – We ain’t ready for what God has prepared for us!
- Luke 9:62, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
- If you are looking back, then you are not fit!
- Like Jack Nicholson said in the movie, “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH”
- They turned back IN THEIR HEARTS first!
- It’s all a HEART CONDITION!
- If our hearts were pure, we would not look back
- The heart must be pure
- Psalms 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
- Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
- We allow the mind to contaminate the heart and consequently the entire life!!!
- That is what surfaces the need for the DELIVERANCE that only God can give!
- Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
- Titus 3:3-5, “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
- With a pure heart, we move forward!!
- Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
- The heart must be pure
Conclusion:
- There is a prize!!!
- The old gospel song that Mahalia Jackson made famous says,
Soon I will be done with the troubles of this world
I’m going home to live with God!
——No more weeping and wailing
- Then greatest of all my Bible tells me plainly
- Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Oh I want to see Him look upon His face
There to sing forever of His saving grace
On the streets of Glory let me lift my voice
Cares are past, home at last, ever to rejoice!
- Then in our second text we learn
- “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
- He’s gonna wipe away ALL TEARS!!
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