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Behold Our God: Exodus #16

This exposition of Exodus 8:20-32, by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 5, 2018.

Intro:

I shouldn’t do it. I know that I shouldn’t. I say, “I’m not going to do that anymore”…then I do it again. On some level I must enjoy it or else I wouldn’t do it. I get some perverse joy out of it. It’s like I’m addicted.

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I keep reading comment threads on blog posts or news stories or Facebook. I never do it without getting mad. I’m constantly shaking my head in disbelief. I find myself talking to my computer, iPhone or iPad saying, “What’s wrong with you people?” Most infuriating are those who claim to be Christian and yet their reasoning or their entire post is blatantly unchristian! I was following a post the other day. The original post called into question the practice of some churches of relying on entertainment to draw a crowd at church. Understand the issue was not having competent musicians or quality music. Specifically concerns were voiced about unbelievers leading worship, a circus atmosphere, the use of secular music and the lack of sound biblical, doctrinal preaching. Those who voiced such concerns were labeled as hateful, narrow-minded and accused of causing division with the body of Christ. The final straw seemed to be when some “neanderthal” posted a passage of Scripture. Not a word or phrase but an entire passage, in context, related to the discussion and that too was dismissed as divisive. Is it any wonder the church is losing ground? Is it really a mystery that the church has lost its influence? Gone are the days when the Word of God thundered from the pulpit. Gone is the call for the people of God to come out from among the peoples of the earth and be separate, distinct, and holy. Gone is the time for trembling before the Almighty and more is the pity. The God preached in most churches today is a far cry from the God who walks the pages of Exodus. A God of unrelenting wrath and judgment, a God who makes demands of those who would follow him, a God who demands kings and nations bow before him. But that God is the true and living God. The God of Exodus is the only true God and you would do well to sit up and take notice of him. Our text this morning is found in the 8th chapter of Exodus.

Text: Exodus 8:20-32

Judgment comes blow after blow to the stubborn king and his people.
The Hebrews are not Pharaoh’s people they are the people of God.
And God says, “Let my people go that they may serve me.”
But Pharaoh stubbornly refuses.
Water to blood, an invasion of frogs, man and beast covered with lice still he will not yield.

So, early in the morning, down on the banks of the Nile Moses comes yet with another judgment…

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Big picture: God is sovereignly at work, saving a special people, for his own glory.

The stated goal of these judgments is that all Israel and all of Egypt would know that the LORD is God: I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them. (7:4-5)

As we work our way through this text we are going to see that…

Thesis: The fourth plague reveals the terror of God’s holy righteousness and the comfort of his mercy and grace.

Earlier Pharaoh responded to God’s demand, “I don’t know this God of yours, why should I listen to him?” By the time God is through with him, he’s going to know the God of the Hebrews and hopefully you will know him too. I’m convinced this is the great need of our day in the culture at large and within the church! The Scriptures are the revelation of God. I don’t just mean they are God-given. I mean he is the message of the Scriptures. The Scriptures reveal who God is.

I want to point out 4 things in our text.

  1. The righteousness of God comes with relentless fury against persistent unbelief. (8:20-21, 24)
  2. The mercy of God makes a clear distinction between those who belong to Him and those who do not. (8:22-23)
  3. The holiness of God rules out the possibility of compromise with His righteous demands. (8:25-28)
  4. Only the grace of God can transform the hardened heart of the obstinate unbeliever. (8:29-31)

Conclusion:
How foolish, how arrogant and yet how many of you have “negotiated” with God. “O Lord get me out of this and I promise you I will…” Once relieved you forgot all about your promise. You need to understand, God will not be mocked and he cannot be deceived (he knows and sees all things).

Our God draws a line of distinction between those who belong to him and those who do not. Jesus Christ is that dividing line. Do you know him? Have you trusted in him and in him alone?Or better yet, does he know you?

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