2nd Day: Confusion in the Cavern

Then the Lord gave these instructions to Moses: “Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon. Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharoah and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told.  - Exodus 14:1-4

On this day on the Biblical calendar, the Israelites were continuing their journey out of Egypt, obeying God’s instructions, and making their way to Pi-hahiroth, which sits on the shore of the Sinai Peninsula. It was not the most direct route to the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they followed God’s presence in the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. The Israelites had already seen how God had proved Himself stronger than Pharaoh and all the gods of Egypt through plague after plague that God had poured out each time Pharaoh refused to let them go. Even though God could have destroyed Pharaoh completely from the beginning, God used Pharoah’s hard heart to glorify Himself in the sight of the nations. In fact, it was the reason God appointed Pharaoh to his position of authority in the earth.

Exodus 9:16 ESV - 16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.

By the second day since they had departed from Egypt on Passover night, things did not look better but appeared to be getting worse. By human logic, it seemed that they had taken a wrong turn and were lost in the wilderness and to add to this, their location at Pi-hahiroth, which means “mouth of the cavern”, was across from a notorious place for demon-worship of Baal-Zephon, the lord of the underworld. Pharaoh thought to take advantage of this and recapture his slave labor, so he pursued them with his renowned army and chariots, the most powerful weapons of war in the world at that time. The Israelites were hemmed in. It was an impossible situation. But this was the way that God would gain glory for His name in the sight of all the nations of the earth.

Many years later, it was on this same day on the Biblical calendar that Jesus’ body lay in the tomb, in the mouth of a different kind of cavern. By human logic, this did not seem to be the way that the Messiah would bring His Kingdom or assert His power and authority over all nations and in fact, it seemed that Jesus’ ministry and influence were over forever. Jesus had already performed numerous signs and wonders as evidence of God’s presence and power with Him and God’s power, but the world, and even His own people, had hardened their hearts to Him, and crucified Him on a cross. While the world rejoiced at their apparent victory, even Jesus’ disciples denied Him and fled when it appeared that He was not who He claimed to be. But Jesus had obeyed God and willingly gave Himself over to death so that now, He was in the grave, the domain darkness and the evil one. It was an impossible situation. But this was the way that God would gain glory for His name and prove His power over death.

In the days to come, as it was in the days of the early church, there will be mass persecution against those who follow Jesus and there will be many martyrs for God’s Kingdom. We must endure to the end to receive the fullness of the salvation that Jesus purchased for us on the cross, meaning that we must obey God and remain faithful to Him and to His ways, even in the face of opposition, oppression, persecution, and death. We must forsake ourselves and the ways of this world to stand for Jesus and the ways of His Kingdom. We must fix our eyes are on the prize of the resurrection and eternity in the world to come rather than any particular outcome in this world.

So today, consider the ways of God and consider the strength and integrity of your faith. God may lead us into seemingly impossible situations which appear to contradict the way of logic, reason, and even good sense. But if He is leading us, we can be assured that wherever He leads, even in death, it is for His glory, and He will show Himself mighty on our behalf, even if it is at the resurrection. So, even if you are in the mouth of a demonic cavern, take to heart the words the Lord spoke to Moses at the bank of the sea, “The Lord is fighting for you, you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). It is only the second day…the third day is yet to come.

2^nd Day Scriptures

The 2^nd Day of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt: Exodus 14

Jesus Buried in the Tomb: Matthew 27:45-66, Mark 15:33-47, Luke 23:44-56, John 19:28-42