Let God lead
Exodus 13:17-22; 6/21/2026; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang
Introduction
The world that comes from Adam—its traditions, customs, habitual ways of thinking, and patterns of thought—is contrary to God’s will. Before people come to prayer, the thoughts and intentions they carry are often worldly and far from what God desires. At the same time, deep within their hearts, there is a tendency to resist God’s leading. Now, let us look at the first point.
Without God’s guidance
This should not surprise us. In fact, all of us have been trapped by a world that lives without God’s guidance, and it is not easy to break free. After bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, God began to establish His order among them. He gave them instructions, explained His purposes, and taught them how to live and conduct themselves. Now the time had come to leave Goshen for good. But the question was: Where should they go next? First, choosing the easy way and avoiding risk. Taking shortcuts seems to be part of our human nature, doesn’t it? After all, who would choose to take the longer road? It is one thing to travel a longer distance, but if people then mock you for being foolish, that only makes it worse. From a human point of view, choosing the road through the land of the Philistines seemed to be the most reasonable option. Why? The answer is simple—it was the shortest way. I can imagine Moses bringing this thought before the Lord. In fact, it was probably the opinion of all the Israelites as well. “Lord, can we just take the shorter route?” Moses may have sought God’s guidance through prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. Humanly speaking, that seems entirely reasonable. Besides, if they did not take the Philistine highway, what lay ahead was the Arabian wilderness—desert in every direction and mountains on the horizon. The risks and hardships of such a journey were obvious. They hardly needed any explanation.
Second, facing strong enemies and wanting to turn back. Everyone knew about the Philistines. Their mastery of iron weapons made them a dominant power in the region, feared and respected far and wide. The painful memories recorded later in Israel’s history testify to just how formidable the Philistines were. In fact, the Way of the Philistines was the coastal route running from present-day Gaza to Egypt. For thousands of years, this road served as a major military highway. Armies from Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt all marched along this route in times of war. Whenever these great powers clashed, Israel often became the battlefield caught in between. That is why God said to Moses, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” And history proved Him right. Time and again, the Israelites complained against God. Some even longed for the days when they were slaves in Egypt. Their unbelief and complaints grieved the heart of God deeply.
Finally, choosing the coastal road and following a greedy heart. You may ask, “How does taking the coastal road relate to greed?” In at least three ways. First, there is the desire for the shortest path. Second, there is the desire for quick results. Third, there is the desire for comfort and ease. God did not lead His people along the coastal route for several reasons. First, they simply did not have the courage to travel the Philistine highway. Second, God had determined to train and discipline Israel in the wilderness, as we read in Deuteronomy 8:2–5. Third, God intended to fulfill the promise He had given to Moses—that he would bring the Israelites to worship God at Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:12). Fourth, God desired to gain glory over the Egyptians. When people depart from God’s guidance, they inevitably go astray. Like sheep wandering from the shepherd, they lose their direction. The purpose of life is to learn to discern what is God’s will and what is not. Now, let us move on to the second point.
Yet God leads by a detour
God leading people by a detour can itself be a source of confusion and even disorientation. Do you agree? Even Jesus said, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said” (John 1:23).
First, concepts are formed by tradition. We assume that the straight path is the right path. Therefore, sayings like “the way of the righteous is straight, and the way of the wicked is crooked” become deeply embedded in our minds, forming traditional assumptions that are very difficult to shake. For example, there was the belief that anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. Or we insist, “No work should be done on the Sabbath.” Yet throughout His life, Jesus redefined and revealed the true meaning of these boundaries of truth. In today’s passage, Moses says, “So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.” In fact, the original Hebrew term for the “Red Sea” can also be understood as the “Sea of Reeds.” This helps explain why, after crossing the sea, the Israelites moved southeastward—because along the coast there were reeds used for feeding livestock, and they continued on that route until they reached Mount Sinai.
Second, an oath is a form of memory. When Israel came out of Egypt, they did not only carry traditions in their minds, but also carried the collective memory of their descent into Egypt. About 450 years earlier, it was Joseph who first came down to Egypt. Then, about twenty years later, Jacob arrived in Egypt with his family of seventy people. At every key moment in history, God preserved these events as part of Israel’s memory. Before Joseph died, he made the Israelites swear an oath to carry his bones back to the land of Canaan. Even today, in Jerusalem, there is a tomb associated with Jacob, a reminder of this inherited memory. All of these events are essentially historical records of God’s guidance of Israel. As Jacob himself promised, “God will surely visit you, and you must carry my bones up from here with you.”
Finally, time and space as a form of guidance. When the Israelites arrived at or set out from Succoth, it shows that they had made the right decision. As they continued forward and came to Etham and Ezion-Geber, these places stirred up Moses’ memory of time and space. When Moses fled from Egypt forty years earlier, he may have passed through these very regions. Then, forty years later, when he returned to Egypt after receiving his calling, he may have passed through Etham and Ezion-Geber again. Now, once again, Moses finds himself passing through them—but this time, the journey is very different. He is no longer heading toward Midian. Instead, he is moving northward through the wilderness of Sinai, toward Mount Nebo. Moses’ entire life journey in time and space bears witness to God’s guidance. What about you? Does your own journey through time and space bear the imprint of God’s leading? The V-shaped route of the Sinai wilderness, surrounded by the Red Sea, became a living testimony of Moses’ walk with God. Now, let us move on to the third point.
The pillar of cloud and fire as God’s guidance
God’s way of leading people is often marked by an unexpected peace. Isn’t that right? Therefore, we can be free from anxiety. Of course, we still have the responsibility to pray, to make our requests known, and to give thanks. First, the pillar of cloud leads by day. To this day, I have never actually seen a pillar of cloud. So what exactly is it? It sounds like a column-shaped cloud coming down from heaven and resting upon the earth. In the daytime, the people walked within the cloud, as if they were walking in the light. The Bible says that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. In this way, God allowed Israel to experience walking with Him in the light even before Christ came, and it is through the blood of Jesus Christ that all our sins are cleansed. The pillar of cloud also protected and covered God’s people. In the wilderness of Sinai, the sun during the day was scorching and oppressive, making travel extremely difficult. So the pillar of cloud not only guided them, but also served as a covering, shielding them from the intense heat and protecting His people.
Second, the pillar of fire lights the way at night. If the pillar of cloud still left some room for uncertainty or confusion, then the pillar of fire became an undeniable sign and testimony. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire are two sides of the same reality. Their purpose was to serve as God’s visible sign among His people—something for them to look upon, to reflect on, to learn from, to pray about, to seek after, and to experience God through. By day, even though God’s people were walking through a scorching wilderness under the blazing sun, they still had strength and refreshment in their spirit. By night, when the pillar of fire appeared, the people no longer felt threatened by darkness. It was as if night had become like day. In the pillar of fire, God’s people could perceive His holiness and His glory.
Finally, God’s presence is everlasting. In fact, the practical purpose of the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire was to enable Israel to continue their journey through the wilderness, whether by day or by night. The Bible says, “The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.” What does this mean? It means that God’s presence is inseparably connected to His faithfulness. Whenever the Israelites saw the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire, they were reassured and filled with peace. What about you? Have you seen the “pillar of cloud” and the “pillar of fire” between you and God? After Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas said, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And indeed, the risen Lord appeared to him and invited him to touch His wounds. Thomas then fell down and said, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters, as we walk with the Lord each day, where is your pillar of cloud and your pillar of fire? What is the bond of faith between you and God?
What is the driving force of your life? In other words, are you allowing God to lead your life? Or are you still living according to your own will, doing whatever you please? Have you truly sought the will of God? Is there support from God’s Word, the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and clear, objective confirmation?
Let us pray together……
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”
18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.”
20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.
21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
