Exodus: Going With God #3 - Stranger in a Strange Land
Text: Exodus 2
Key Verse: Exodus 2:22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
Introduction:
This morning we will look at Moses, who with Abraham are the only two men called a friend of God. James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Exodus 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.
Moses is infinitely important to the Jewish faith, history, identity and survival as a people. God chose him to deliver the entire nation of Israel. Nothing like that has ever been done before or since. Between 1 to 2 million people led across the most inhospitable wilderness and wasteland. And he was called to do this when he was already 80 years old. Moses recorded the first five books of the Bible. He probably wrote down the book of Job based on older sources and oral histories. His influence and work is still with us today. As attested by the very sermon series I’ve been preaching this spring.
But Moses despite his influence and leadership was a man shaped by his aloneness, his isolation from those around him. He had to make hard, impossible choices that affected not just his own his life but the lives of millions of people in the Hebrew nation. Those choices would make him a friend of God, but also a stranger in a strange land throughout his life.
Stranger In Pharoah’s Palace - Exodus 2:1-10
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
A Prince Yet A Stranger
Moses is born, hidden by his mother and then saved by his parents by placing him in a small boat and floated in a calm place among the reeds in the river. There he is rescued when a princess of Egypt, one of Pharaoh’s daughters, sees the child and rescues him. His sister Miriam who was set to watch over her little brother, runs to the princess and tell her she knows a nursemaid who can care for the child. Miriam goes and gets Moses’ own mother and she nurses her child in the courts of Pharaoh. There as time passes by she would also teaches him who he really was and most importantly who his God is.
He is raised in the Egyptian courts as a prince of Egypt but taught by his Mother, a Hebrew slave. Because of this he knew that the Pharaoh’s palace was not his real home.
Despite being adopted into the luxury, ease, and the privilege of royal life, Moses still knew he was a stranger in the courts of Pharoah’s palace.
In The World But Not Of The World
Do you see a parallel, an application, in Moses in Pharoah’s palace and us as Christians in this world. Both have been taken in, both have been accepted, both have access to what their new environment offers but both Moses and Christians are strangers in our surroundings and really can never be home here.
Moses’ mother taught him and he accepted the truth and was a believer in the one true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Egpyt could never be his home. Someone shared the Gospel with us and we become believers in God’s Son, Jesus who died for us on Calvary. From that point on we were no longer a part of this world.
Jesus when He prayed in the Garden, prayed that we would be sanctified through His word, set apart from the world and set for God’s service. John 17:14-20 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Jesus is prayed for us, stating that we are not part of this world, we are may have been born here but we are not of here. After salvation this world is a stranger to me and I am a stranger to it.
It would have been far easier for Moses to remain a prince of Egypt, but he knew who he really was. He was a child of God, a Hebrew, a wanderer, looking for the home God had promised his people and that promised place was not a palace in Egypt.
We as Christians must understand who we are and the home we are destined for. We must never forget that we are on this earth for a very short time and that our real home, our own heavenly promised land, is not of this world.
Illustration: (Song) This world is not my home
We sang “This World Is Not My Home” this morning. It was a song my grandma, Ali Hue Minefee, told me her father used to sing when he was getting older and approaching death. I would play it for her on my harmonica, sitting on the front steps or her house in Miami, Arizona. When she passed away, I played that song at her graveside.
This World Is Not My Home
This world is not my home I'm just a passing through
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue
The angels beckon me from heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore
Oh lord you know I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home then lord what will I do
The angels beckon me from heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.
That’s how Moses felt and that is how a faithful child of God feels. I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
Moses’ aloneness was not just in Pharoah’s palace though. He was also a stranger among his own people.
Stranger Among His People - Exodus 2:11-15
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
Rejected by His People
One day, Moses made a conscious choice to reject the false gods of Egypt for the one true God or Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He rejects the palace for the promises of God. That choice comes to a physical action here in Ex. 2:11. It is seen in the action he takes in defending one of his brethren.
Exodus 2:11-12 he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
The word “smiting” means to severely beat someone, to the point of killing them or nearly killing them. Moses looks around to make sure he is not seen and then he kills the aggressor. Now you can question Moses’ timing or means but I don’t think the Bible questions his motives.
The great faith chapter of Hebrews 11 lists the heroes of faith and when we come to Moses, he ranks 6 verses.
Hebrews 11: 24-26 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Do you ever hear it preached or taught that Moses was a murderer? I see it all the time on the internet. You know the meme, “Noah was a drunk, Moses was a murderer” and it goes on, but this really isn’t murder is it. He stepped in to save a man’s life. We may question if he acted before God was ready or in a way that created problems instead of solutions, but you cannot question that he acted. He acted to save a life and to protect one of God’s chosen people.
The Bible doesn’t condemn him for choosing to help his people. He may have thought that this action was the start of the deliverance of the Hebrews, though again the Bible makes no such revelation. Whatever Moses thought would happen after he saved a man’s life, what did happen on the second day was a shock.
Exodus 2:13-14 two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?
Can you imagine anything more painful, more shocking? After having made the choice to stand for God’s people to now be rejected and threatened by them?
Moses hearing this accusation knows he is in great danger, and then when Pharoah hears of the killing. Moses flees for his life to the land of Midian.
Rejected by Our Own
Don’t you wish that what happened to Moses was an isolated event? That never again or at least very rarely do God’s people reject and hurt one another. But if you’ve been a Christian even a short time you know it is not really that uncommon at all.
The reality is that God’s people are not infallible, they are not sinless and they can and often do hurt us. They still live in a sinful world and are subject to sin’s influence. This doesn’t excuse the sin of hurting others, or rejecting a brother or sister in Christ, but it should help us to understand why it happens. People make mistakes, people are selfish, people are just sinners and surprise, surprise, there is a bunch of those ol’ sinners sitting right in middle of every church you’ve ever attended.
You see the next lesson we should learn from this passage is that not only is this world not my home, but that even God’s people in this world can fail me. I can’t put all my hope and trust in people, even my people. I must understand that only God will never fail me.
People will fail you; family will fail you, not because they don’t love you, or aren’t saved but because they are people with all the weaknesses and failings of people.
Moses learned and we must learn that our only sure place of absolute trust and faith is in Jesus Christ. When I truly learn this, then the disappointment of others will not drive me further from Him but will drive me closer to Him.
Jesus knew this and among His own apostles, those closest to him, there were contentions, arguments, disagreements, and betrayal. On His last night before the crucifixion, He instituted the Lord’s supper and He taught the most important life lessons to the apostles. One of those vital lessons is found in..
John 13:33-35 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
This was so important that Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment.” A commandment that supersedes the other commandments because it is the most essential.
John, in his letter to the churches, emphasizes this in 1 John 3:23 23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
First, John says, have faith in Jesus and second love one another. That is how important it the new commandment is.
I know it isn’t easy. We want to retaliate, to hurt the one who has hurt us. Reject them because it feels as if they have rejected you.
What then must we do when we are so hurt, so rejected by those we believed would never let us down? Look at what David did.
David, who was betrayed by the commander of his army and by his own son Absalom. He wrote this prayer in
Psalm 27:7-14 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
When others reject us, fail us, break us, then do what David did. Look to the Lord. “The Lord will take me up!”
Look to the one who never fails you and you’ll find the faith to forgive those who hurt you.
So Moses flees Goshen the land where the Hebrews had dwelt and now finds himself in Midian and there, he starts over, he builds a family, has a new life, yet even there he is a stranger in a strange land.
Stranger In A Strange Place- Exodus 2:16-22
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. And when they came to Reuel (aka Jethro) their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
Moses In Midian but It Is Not Home.
Moses marries Zipporah, one of the seven daughters of Jethro. Then at the birth of his son he names him Gershom. The name literally means foreigner. The KJV gives this beautiful phrase that has passed into our vernacular, “a stranger in a strange land.”
Moses was learning a hard but necessary truth, he was a stranger in a stranger land and he would remain that way. If Moses was to lead God’s people to their true home, if he was to bring them to the land of Canaan that God had promised to Abraham, then he could never settle for any country other than the Promised land.
It was only after the birth of his son and realizing who he was, a stranger in a strange land, that God then could use him to one day deliver his people from Egypt. Moses had lost all that Pharaoh had to offer, he lost all that his own people had to offer but it was at that point that he found all that only God could offer.
Hebrews 11:27-29 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land…
None of those great deeds and accomplishments could Moses do until he had learned where to place his hope and faith. Until he learned that Egypt and the rest of this world was not his home, that In Midian he was still a stranger in a strange land but that one day he would know what it was to truly go home. There in an eternal home he would no longer be a stranger but the beloved friend and child of God.
Christians In The World
It is a lesson every child of God needs to learn. We also are strangers in a strange land. And believe me it is getting stranger with ever passing day. This world is not my home. I am just a poor wayfaring stranger and I’m looking for that city whose builder and maker is God, eternal in the heavens.
Listen to what the Bible says about Abraham the other named friend of God. Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Abraham looked for a city whose builder and maker was God. I believe that is what Moses did. What John did. What Paul did. What Peter and all the apostles and disciples did. Isn’t this what all the great heroes of the faith did?
And isn’t this what we are called to do? Looking for that city whose builder and maker is God.
Illustration: Looking for A City
In this land of dangers
going here and there
trusting in the blessed Savior's love
Though we may be strangers
in this world of care
(We're always) looking for a city built above
We dare not get comfortable in this world. We dare not put all our trust in those around us. We can’t allow ourselves to get used to the sin, the sorrow or the suffering of this world. I can’t feel at home in this sin-sick, pain-filled, hope-crushing world anymore. We are on our way to that city with unshakeable foundations built by God. That is our home, that is where we are headed, that is where we can finally fully find rest.
Listen to what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
And In 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
If we, like Moses, understand that we are all just strangers here. If we believe what God’s word promises about heaven and that celestial city, then we should be willing to sacrifice for it, we should invest in it, and we should be willing to go wherever God may send us and do whatever our Lord may command us because we are looking for that city.
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount made it so plain. In Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Missionaries return to find no one waiting for them.
Years ago, around the turn of the last century, the story is told of an aged missionary couple who had been working in Africa for years and were returning to New York to retire. They had no pension; their health was broken and as far as they knew no where to go when they got back. They felt defeated, discouraged, and afraid.
According to the story, they discovered they were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big-game hunting expeditions.
When they disembarked from the ship, no one paid any attention to them. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of the President's arrival, but no one noticed this old couple. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President's entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the great man, a band playing and the most important people of the city coming out to greet the Ex-president.
As they waited in line to go through customs the old man said to his wife, "Something is wrong. Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody cares about us."
"Dear, you shouldn't feel that way," his wife said.
"I can't help it; it doesn't seem right." That night the man's spirit completely broke. He said to his wife, "I’m so hurt. I know I shouldn’t be angry, but this just isn’t right."
His wife replied, "Why don't we pray and talk to the Lord about it.?"
They prayed and when they finished pouring out their heart before the Lord. They looked at each other and the man’s face and demeanor were completely changed. His wife asked him, "Dear, what has happened?"
"Well, the Lord just settled it," he said. "I prayed and told him how bitter I was that the President should receive such a tremendous homecoming, but no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put his hand on my shoulder and simply said, 'My child, you're not home yet!'"
Conclusion: We’re not home Yet
Listen to me. You’re not home yet either. If you are a child of God, a follower of Jesus then none of us are You’re not home yet either. If you are a child of God, a follower of Jesus then none of us are home yet. Don’t settle for a place in this world, it won’t last. Don’t put your trust in others instead of in the Lord, they will fail you. Instead look for that city whose builder and maker is God. Yes, we are “Strangers in a Strange Land.” But with the Lord’s guidance and strength we can bear that. And when the time comes and we leave this land that we have been pilgrims in, we will go to that city, and we will have the greatest homecoming that you could ever imagine.
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