Warning: This is frustrating to watch and could dangerously raise your blood pressure. Shield your eyes if needed. There is a sped up version of this, but I think it makes my point better to watch it in real time.

POINT: Exits are never as simple as they look. Changing or leading people to change usually takes much longer than what we anticipate. The same is true with the Hebrews Exit from Egypt. It took time and real patience on the part of Moses. 

Read Exodus 4:29 – 14:14. 

When you read these chapters straight through it feels like the parking lot video…a lot of maneuvering but not much progress. Why did the rescue take so much time? What was God doing? 

1. Building the Leadership Muscles of Moses:

• Exodus 4:29-31: This looks like a good start. Moses & Aaron show up, speak to the people, did the signs and the people “believed and worshiped the LORD.” Moses- Ok, great start! 
• Exodus 5:1-2: Opposition & Oppression: Make bricks without Pharoah supplying straw! UH-OH…might be harder than I thought 
• Exodus 5:19-23 & 6:10-12: Disillusionment: This isn’t working like I thought it would! I guess I am not the leader who will rescue Israel… It is so, so easy to get stuck here! Lots of people get stuck or lost or give up here! 
• Exodus 8:28-31: Do you see this muscle being built…Moses has greater confidence in his relationship with God and less fear of Pharoah! 
• Exodus 14:10-14: Moses was not afraid of Pharoah’s army. Moses was not afraid of the Israelites complaints. Moses was unconcerned about his limitations & completely sold out to the LORD — He will fight, God is in control. 

POINT: Change takes time. It takes repetition for Moses to get to the point where he is no longer afraid. It takes time for Moses to digest. It’s not about Him, it’s not about the People, it’s not about Pharoah – IT IS ABOUT GOD! 

So, maybe you are in a place of making a lot of turns, but it doesn’t appear you are making much progress. Perhaps, you are in a place where God is building your leadership muscle– a place for you to digest. It’s not about you. It’s not about other people, it’s not about the powerful people in the world. It’s all about God. 

2. Helping the Hebrews detach from Slavery (…and proving to Pharoah who is the real God) 

There are 10 plagues and each plague was not simply a display of God’s power and control, but proof that the Egyptian gods amounted to NOTHING! Each plague directly corresponds to a god in the Egyptian Worldview. 

Plagues: Nile, Frogs, Gnats, Flies, Death of Livestock, Boils, Hail, Locust, (9th) – Darkness….Finally 10th – Death of the 1st Born. 

Egyptian gods

               

                

Let’s remember the Hebrews had made their home in Egypt for 400 years! No doubt they had begun to buy into the Egyptian system of worship. We know this because of Exodus 32:1-4 

So Moses has to visually display the defeat of the Egyptian gods not just to Pharoah but to the Israelites….they had spent too much time next to false gods and began to buy in…Can you imagine? 

Leadership is leading people – from HERE to THERE… And the first thing you must do is convince the people – YOU CAN’T STAY HERE!  Moses was using the plagues to help the Israelites realize the impotence of the Egyptian gods. That we can’t stay here. We must trust the LORD instead. 

POINT: People don’t easily let go of the gods they have grown up with. Pharoah never lets go and the Israelites struggle to let go. Letting go will take a lot of turns in the parking lot even when you have escaped there will be a great temptation to return- to return to Egypt or to return to false gods who might supply more immediate satisfaction.

3. Taking the “roundabout way” 

Exodus 13:17-18a – “When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.

The shortest route was not the best route.

Apparently, (and we shouldn’t be surprised) God saw something ahead that the Israelites could not see. Even though they might have preferred a more direct route to their dream, it was actually a great kindness that God prevented them from encountering more than they were ready to handle. 

“Although we may feel invincible (based on our earlier triumphs), God knows that we are not. He knows that if we were to experience any real dangers, toils and snares, we wouldn’t be ready for them. One of the main lessons we learn during this stage of the spiritual journey is that God is not in any particular hurry to get us to the Promised Land. He is much more concerned about the transforming work he is doing in us to prepare us for greater responsibilities of freedom living. Onlookers may observe our journey and, like Pharaoh, think we are just wandering around aimlessly, but God knows what he is doing; he is concerned about strengthening our faith so that we are prepared when there are real challenges to be faced.” – Barton

POINT: God is not in a particular hurry to get you to the Promised Land…instead he is more concerned about your transformation. He is using the “roundabout way” to build up your ability to withstand greater spiritual challenges which lay ahead. 

Questions: 

1. What’s your level of patience when dealing with people who need to change? What about patience in dealing with the change you want to see in yourself? 

2. How might the LORD be using your current circumstances to build your leadership muscle? 

3. List three of the most powerful false gods in our current culture. Why is it so hard to break away from them? 

4. Have you experienced God leading you in a “roundabout way” – When? How might you need to lead people in a “roundabout way” rather than by the shortest route? 

 

Iron Leadership Materials:

• The Daily Office
• IL Handout