Exodus 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
Pharaoh put the order out that male babies were to be killed at birth. He needed a certain amount of males to work as slaves but not too many as to overtake the land. The devil’s crowd wants to keep the number of Christian’s small but no matter what kind of desert we’re in, God is greater than any god of this world.
God saw the affliction of his people in Egypt. Many boys were being killed, but he stirred the heart of one boy’s parents. They made an ark and put the baby boy in the river. They put him in God’s hands. Remember God takes care of us. We’ve saved because others sought God for us. They put us in the basket. No matter the suffering, God’s brings his people through.
This little boy was named Moses. He was raised in the house of Pharaoh by his daughter. She sought out someone to help and Moses’ real mother was chosen to be his caretaker. He was raised there but deep down he was loyal to his God. Moses saw an Egyptian mistreating one of his people and killed him. He thought no one saw but was called on it later on. Don’t ever think that God is not around. Even though Moses received his formal training in Egypt, his mother saw to it that he knew about God. In the middle of the devil’s palace is God’s hand and it was on Moses. God and one made the majority. One the backside of the desert is the mountain of God. He would find it. God will see us through.
Moses ran and fled to the land of Midian. It’s a rough place, desert and bleak. All they saw were scrubs and bushes. It was a hard life for the sheep and cattle, but God directed Moses here. He became a shepherd and married Zipporah, daughter of the priest of Midian. We’re in a desert. It’s hard to find green pasture. The predators are at every corner. Midian had little to offer but God has given us enough. He blesses us. It may look like scrubs but what God provides works. He has an oasis not too far from us. We will make it. Moses used his staff to protect the animals. Our stick is the Word of God. When Moses wasn’t thinking a whole lot about God, he was thinking of him. If we’ll keep trusting God, we can find out what’s on the backside of the mountain.
If this dollar bill wasn’t printed on both sides it would be worth even less than it is. I read about a counterfeiter who forgot to print the backside of the bills; he’s still in jail. Look on the backside of what the devil offers. It’s not the real thing. The book of Hebrews says that Moses chose the suffering of his people over the prosperity of Egypt. We are faced with a choice. Be like Moses and be a person of God. Make the right choice, the one for God.
When Moses got to the backside of the mountain he saw what was really there: the mountain of God. At the hottest part of the desert he found it. He wondered what the mountain was. Hang in there. Keep your heart and life right. God will bring you to his mountain. It is forever settled. When we visited there it was in the worst part. It was different from places around it and right there was Mount Horeb. The rocks of the mountain were a blessing for the caravans who traveled there providing them shelter. Moses went there and heard a voice. He saw a little ordinary bush and it was on fire. Sometimes God speaks from the most scraggly looking things. It blazed but was not consumed. God wants to set our bush on fire. Moses turned aside to see it better. The voice called his name. He said draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. God’s presence on that mountain made it holy ground. His presence makes the worst of situations holy ground. It’s where God speaks and works.
We’re in a desert. The devil is blowing down on us. It’s hot and dry. The hounds of hell are unleashed. Do like Moses; go to the mountain. That’s where God is. Take off your shoes in God’s territory. Things were about to change for Moses and the people of Israel. God was going to use Moses to change history. It may seem like the end but do what God says. Moses said the people would ask who sent him. God said tell them I Am That I Am sent him.
Climb. You’ll see the burning bush of God. You’ll be on holy ground. It will help you face the devil. Push on. Climb the mountain. See how God works in your life. He turned Israel around. He’ll do the same for you.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 