GO FORWARD


A. "AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, WHEREFORE CRIEST THOU UNTO ME? SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THAT THEY GO FORWARD." Ex. 14:15
  1. Israel was in a tight place:
    1. The overflowing Red Sea before them.
    2. The towering mountains about them.
    3. The Egyptians followed them.
  2. Israel was inexperienced:
    1. In the ways of the Lord.
    2. Unprepared to cross the Red Sea, and not organized to fight off the enemy - Ex. 14:14-18
B. "GO FORWARD"
  1. Was the Lord's answer to Moses' cry:
    1. The captain of the host of Israel had taken command of the army of the Lord - Josh. 5:14, 15; Heb. 2:10
    2. "The Lord shall fight for you" - Ex. 14:14
  2. Forward!
    1. Has ever been God's command -
      1. Was the order in creation: light came first.
      2. All other creative acts by God followed - Gen. 1; 2
    2. That is God's order in the new creation -
      1. Christ, the light of the world broke up the darkness - Isa. 60:1, 2; John 1:1-6; 14:6
      2. Believers in the world are the lesser lights, breaking through the darkness in the world - Matt. 5:14, 15
  3. The great gospel truth of a risen Saviour is on the forward move today:
    1. Said the captain of the army of the Lord, "Go" - Matt. 28:19
    2. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations"
    3. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world" - Matt. 24:14
  4. That means that the army of the Lord:
    1. Must not look backward - Luke 9:62
    2. Must not become entangled with the cares of this world, as Israel did in the wilderness - Acts 7:39
  5. Go forward:
    1. In faith - 1 John 5:4
    2. With full confidence - 2 Tim. 1:12 EXAMPLES -
      1. Joshua and Caleb - Num. 13:30
      2. David fighting Goliath - 1 Sam. 17:45-51
      3. Paul and the gospel - Acts 27:21-25
C. A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR OPENING TEXT
  1. When God tells His people to go forward:
    1. He assumes full responsibility for the success of the move! EXAMPLES -
      1. He told Israel to go forward and He divided the waters of the Red Sea so that Israel crossed it, walking on dry ground - Ex. 14:21-31
      2. He told the disciples to make about 5000 people to sit down; and He saw to it that all had enough to eat, and more. John 6:5-13
      3. The Lord told Peter to go and catch a fish; and He saw to it that Peter caught the right fish - Matt. 17:24-27
  2. Jesus Christ has never changed:
    1. He is the same today that He was when He created the world - Heb. 13:8
    2. It was He who directed ancient Israel to go forward - Isa. 63:9
    3. It is the Lord of glory that is directing His people to go forward today.
  3. It is wonderful to note that:
    1. To go forward indicates progress, from glory to glory - 2 Cor. 3:18
    2. It means that God's people have nothing to fear but fear itself.
    3. Said Moses to Israel, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord" - Ex. 14:13
  4. Blessing of going forward:
    1. We will see the manifestation of the great power of God in the hearts of souls for whom Christ died.
    2. We shall praise God, as ancient Israel did in days of old.
    3. Let us, therefore, obey our marching orders and go forward in faith.


Design © John Bryant 2011