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God Protects and Provides - The Book of Exodus · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in
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  Speaker 1: the midst of the sea, and the waters were a
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  Speaker 1: wall unto them on their right hand and on their left.
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  Speaker 1: Exodus 14.29 Dear God, as I greet my new day,
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  Speaker 1: I thank you that, like the cloud by day and
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  Speaker 1: the pillar of fire at night in Exodus, you are
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  Speaker 1: guiding and leading me into my promised land. As I
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  Speaker 1: move forward, I will not succumb to the spirit of fear,
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  Speaker 1: for I know that you did not bring me this
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  Speaker 1: far to become a slave to fear. When I feel overwhelmed,
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  Speaker 1: I will remain silent and hold fast to the promise
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  Speaker 1: that you will fight for me in the face of adversity.
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  Speaker 1: So let my faith represent the staff of Moses as
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  Speaker 1: I place it in the sea of adversity. I will
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  Speaker 1: stand firm, because I know you will part the sea
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  Speaker 1: and allow me to walk through on dry ground. I
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  Speaker 1: will not worry about the haters in my life, for
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  Speaker 1: I know that you will silence them, that I can
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  Speaker 1: continue to take the ground that you have promised me,
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  Speaker 1: my promised land. I declare that no weapon formed against
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  Speaker 1: me shall prosper, because I am yours and you are mine.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for being my champion. Now, and forevermore. I
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  Speaker 1: declare that I am closer to my promise than I realize.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you that you satisfy my needs in abundance and
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  Speaker 1: with nourishment. I will be grateful for my daily bread
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  Speaker 1: because I know that you are the God that protects
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  Speaker 1: and provides, and I know this full well. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To
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  Speaker 1: hear the Bible come to life, stay tuned for The
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  Speaker 1: Bible in a Year. Brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: God protects and provides. In our last story, we learned
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  Speaker 2: about how far God would go to set His people free.
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  Speaker 2: As Pharaoh's heart grew harder and more cruel, God's resolve
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  Speaker 2: to redeem his people remained steadfast. God's people were freed
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  Speaker 2: from 430 years of slavery and oppression. In this story,
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  Speaker 2: we will learn about Israel's journey through redemption and how
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  Speaker 2: the path to the promised land is not straight and narrow.
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  Speaker 2: As inspired by the book of Exodus.
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  Speaker 4: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of The
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  Speaker 4: Bible in a Year. In our previous episode, we saw
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  Speaker 4: that God brought one final devastating plague upon Egypt. This
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  Speaker 4: was a terrible judgment. Pharaoh is now broken. He has
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  Speaker 4: lost his own son because of his own hard heart.
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  Speaker 4: And so now he finally lets the children of Israel go.
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  Speaker 4: Great rejoicing rose up among the Israelites as they left Egypt.
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  Speaker 4: and left behind the shackles of slavery after 430 years
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  Speaker 4: of oppression. But as we're going to see in today's story,
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  Speaker 4: their joy would meet abrupt roadblocks and obstacles in the
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  Speaker 4: form of the Red Sea, in the form of grumbling
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  Speaker 4: and dissension. Listen to the words of the Israelites as
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  Speaker 4: they feared death and forgot the power of their God
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  Speaker 4: who just brought them out of Egypt. Once again, we'll
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  Speaker 4: see how God remains faithful and true as He has promised.
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  Speaker 4: and show the world his great unmatched power as he
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  Speaker 4: rescues his people. Let's listen now to today's story.
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  Speaker 3: They would never forget that day.
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  Speaker 2: The angel of the Lord passed through Egypt like a
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  Speaker 2: thief in the night, and in an instant his people
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  Speaker 2: were free. God told Moses to remember and celebrate that
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  Speaker 2: day for generations. Thus the Passover feast was established, a
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  Speaker 2: day to celebrate the God's mighty hand breaking the shackles
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  Speaker 2: that once bound.
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  Speaker 3: All of Israel. So Israel fled to the wilderness.
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  Speaker 2: A roar of applause and laughter could be heard from
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  Speaker 2: miles away as thousands of Hebrews left their torturous home
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  Speaker 2: in pursuit of a new beginning. They ventured forth towards
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  Speaker 2: the Red Sea, avoiding the land of the Philistines, lest
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  Speaker 2: they fall into battle and.
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  Speaker 3: Have to retreat back to Egypt.
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  Speaker 2: Although Moses was in front of them, God was their leader.
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  Speaker 2: By day, a pillar of smoke could be seen in
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  Speaker 2: the distance.
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  Speaker 3: To guide them.
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  Speaker 2: At night, a pillar of fire lit up the horizon
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  Speaker 2: as the sun, and it did not depart from the people.
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  Speaker 2: After a few days of travel, the Israelites came to
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  Speaker 2: the coast of the Red Sea to camp. The waters
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  Speaker 2: were vast, and the sea crashed on the shore like thunders.
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  Speaker 2: God pulled Moses in close and spoke to him, saying,
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh will pursue you, but I will get glory from
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh and all his people. All of Egypt shall know
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  Speaker 2: that I am the Lord. I am the protector of
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  Speaker 2: my people, and nobody will harm you. Moses gulped as
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  Speaker 2: he looked upon the vastness of the Red Sea. If
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh really was going to pursue them, they were trapped.
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  Speaker 2: Miles away, Pharaoh soaked in his own anger. He, his servants,
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  Speaker 2: and all his people had suffered a loss unlike any
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  Speaker 2: nation before them, and now they were unable to rebuild
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  Speaker 2: because their 600,000 slaves had all departed at once. He
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  Speaker 2: would be written in history as the king who was
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  Speaker 2: defeated by the god of slaves. Pharaoh's mind raced, and
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  Speaker 2: his counsel shared in his anger.
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  Speaker 3: How could I have let this happen? he whispered to himself.
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  Speaker 2: His eyes glared forward towards the doors Moses had once
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  Speaker 2: stepped through. He arose from his throne and called for
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  Speaker 2: his chariot. Six hundred chariots rode into the wilderness like
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  Speaker 2: a hurricane. They ran through the night violently, leaving a
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  Speaker 2: cloud of dust and sand behind them.
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  Speaker 3: Pharaoh would not be made a fool of.
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  Speaker 2: Like lightning they rode, ready to capture back their slaves
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  Speaker 2: and kill any who opposed them. In his mind and heart,
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh was going through his own battle with God and
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  Speaker 2: his heart grew even harder than before. They ascended the
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  Speaker 2: hills that descended on the other side to the shore
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  Speaker 2: and Pharaoh with his army sought to overtake the Hebrews.
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh was fast approaching and the people of Israel could
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  Speaker 2: see his army in the distance. Fear caused a panic
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  Speaker 2: among the people and a roar of terror fell upon
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  Speaker 2: the entire group. They cried out to God and turned
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  Speaker 2: to Moses in a frightened frenzy.
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  Speaker 3: We have no graves in Egypt. Is that why you
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  Speaker 3: took us out here to die in the wilderness?
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  Speaker 2: They said. Didn't we ask you to just leave us
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  Speaker 2: alone to be slaves?
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  Speaker 3: Now we are going to die here.
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  Speaker 2: They were panicking, and fear was beginning to consume them
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  Speaker 2: like fire to paper. Moses stood up for everyone to see,
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  Speaker 2: God had gotten them this far, and he was not
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  Speaker 2: about to succumb to the slavery of fear. Fear not,
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  Speaker 2: Moses shouted. The salvation of the Lord will work for
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  Speaker 2: you this day, Moses spoke, as if a general in
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  Speaker 2: an army. He pointed towards the fast-approaching Egyptian horde and shouted,
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  Speaker 2: These Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.
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  Speaker 2: The Lord will fight for you. Be silent and watch
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  Speaker 2: his glory unfold. As Moses was still speaking, God spoke.
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  Speaker 3: To him, saying, Why do you cry to me?
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  Speaker 2: Go and tell people to move forward. Lift up your
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  Speaker 2: staff and stretch out your hand towards the sea. After
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  Speaker 2: speaking to Moses, the angel of God descended violently in
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  Speaker 2: the distance, and the pillar of smoke that guided Israel.
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  Speaker 3: Rushed towards the army.
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  Speaker 2: The cloud shrouded them in darkness and came between the
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  Speaker 2: armies of Egypt and and the captives of Israel. As
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  Speaker 2: the night drew close, the cloud lit up with fire.
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  Speaker 2: Moses did as God commanded. People watched curiously as Moses
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  Speaker 2: walked towards the waters. Silence fell upon the crowd as
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  Speaker 2: Moses inhaled deeply and looked to the sky. He remembered
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  Speaker 2: the words of God on Mount Sinai. Take this staff,
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  Speaker 2: and with it you will do my wonders, God had
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  Speaker 2: once told him. Moving his gaze towards the sea, Moses
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  Speaker 2: outstretched his arms with the staff in his right hand.
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  Speaker 2: A cold wind blew violently from the east around him,
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  Speaker 2: and the seas began to rush to and fro. The
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  Speaker 2: wind howled at night, and the waters danced as the
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  Speaker 2: seas began to split in half. Moses' hands were lifted
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  Speaker 2: in the air, and all of Israel stood.
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  Speaker 3: In awe of the wonders of their Lord.
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  Speaker 2: All of Israel went into the midst of the sea
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  Speaker 2: and walked through on dry ground. The waters surrounded them
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  Speaker 2: like two walls on the right and the left. Thousands
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  Speaker 2: of God's redeemed people stumbled through the alleyways of the
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  Speaker 2: divided seas, and Pharaoh's army began descending to capture them.
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh's army, chariots and horsemen, pursued them into the square, seas.
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  Speaker 2: As they closed the gap between them and Israel, God's
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  Speaker 2: pillar of fire and cloud threw.
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  Speaker 3: Them into a panic. Their horses fell and their chariots crumbled.
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  Speaker 2: The army looked up and the waters began to sway
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  Speaker 2: back and forth above them. The waters fell like a
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  Speaker 2: crumbling wall, and the Egyptians were swallowed up by the
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  Speaker 2: raging waters. Not one of them remained, and Pharaoh's hardened
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  Speaker 2: heart dissolved in the darkness.
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  Speaker 3: Of the deep sea.
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  Speaker 2: The people of Israel looked upon the seas on the
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  Speaker 2: other side, safe, not one of them being harmed. Egyptian
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  Speaker 2: bodies began to wash up on the shore. The Lord
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  Speaker 2: had been their champion once again. and saved them from
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  Speaker 2: the hand of the Egyptians. A reverent, thankful, and healthy
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  Speaker 2: fear of God came upon them, and they truly believed
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  Speaker 2: he was their redeemer and leader. They sang, danced, and
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  Speaker 2: celebrated God and Moses.
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  Speaker 3: Then they departed into the wilderness, hopeful for greater things.
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  Speaker 2: Three days had passed, and the heat of the eastern
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  Speaker 2: sun beat down on the men, women, and children of Israel.
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  Speaker 2: They groaned under the sun, for they had ran out
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  Speaker 2: of drinking water. When they had come to Marah, there
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  Speaker 2: was a vast reservoir big enough to satisfy the entire group. However,
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  Speaker 2: the water was bitter and poisonous. What shall we drink,
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  Speaker 2: they mumbled to Moses, like children looking to their father.
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  Speaker 2: Moses turned to the Lord, also thirsty and feeling helpless
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  Speaker 2: to satisfy the people's needs. God showed Moses a dead
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  Speaker 2: tree to be thrown into the water. The sap from
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  Speaker 2: the log drew the mineral content down to the bottom
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  Speaker 2: of the pools, leaving good water for the people to drink.
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  Speaker 2: God had saved them from slavery and now satisfied their needs.
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  Speaker 2: Not long after, the Israelites ran out of food to eat.
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  Speaker 2: Hungry and growing more and more angry, they grumbled again
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  Speaker 2: to Moses, saying, At least in Egypt we had food.
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  Speaker 2: God heard their complaints, and instead of resenting them, He
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  Speaker 2: provided for them. God spoke to Moses, telling him that
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  Speaker 2: he was going to provide them food, but the food
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  Speaker 2: would come with instructions. For God did not want his
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  Speaker 2: people to be gluttonous and entitled to blessings. He knew
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  Speaker 2: that if he provided them food without any parameters, they
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  Speaker 2: would grow fat and lazy. I will send bread down
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  Speaker 2: from heaven. I will provide enough for everyone to eat,
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  Speaker 2: but they shall only take what is needed and no more.
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  Speaker 2: If they take too much, the food will spoil. And
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  Speaker 2: on the sixth day I will provide a double portion
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  Speaker 2: to be saved for the Sabbath. Moses told the people,
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  Speaker 2: although he was annoyed at their constant complaining. So the
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  Speaker 2: people waited. At twilight, a flock of quail came towards
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  Speaker 2: their camp. And at night they feasted on meat. They
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  Speaker 2: slept well fed and happy. In the morning they awoke
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  Speaker 2: to a flake-like substance laced on the ground like frost.
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  Speaker 2: It was thin and unknown to the people of Israel.
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  Speaker 3: What is it? they asked.
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  Speaker 2: So they named it manna, which means what. As God instructed,
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  Speaker 2: most people gathered only what they needed.
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  Speaker 3: While others took more and watched it spoil.
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  Speaker 2: So began the providing relationship between God and his people.
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  Speaker 2: The days would be long. and the weeks would be longer.
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  Speaker 2: Yet God continued to take care of his children.
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  Speaker 4: Picture the scene. 600,000 slaves are marching in the wilderness,
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  Speaker 4: Moses ahead of them, God leading the way. A great
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  Speaker 4: pillar of clouds by day and burning fire in the
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  Speaker 4: sky at night was present. So far we've seen in
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  Speaker 4: the Bible that when there is fire in the sky,
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  Speaker 4: it usually meant judgment. It signified God's wrath and punishment.
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  Speaker 4: But now this fire in the sky has a very
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  Speaker 4: different meaning, a meaning that will carry throughout the Bible,
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  Speaker 4: God's presence with his people, a meaning that we will
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  Speaker 4: see throughout the Bible, which is God's presence with his people.
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  Speaker 4: They traveled the way of the Red Sea, but when
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  Speaker 4: they came to his bank, they couldn't pass. So they
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  Speaker 4: set up camp just as God instructed them. Back in Egypt,
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  Speaker 4: Pharaoh realized his desperate situation and regretted releasing the slaves.
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  Speaker 4: So he gathered his troops and gave pursuit. He lashes
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  Speaker 4: out in one final attempt to subvert the will of God,
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  Speaker 4: the power of God, but he is defeated. With Pharaoh
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  Speaker 4: bearing down, the Israelites tremble with fear. They despaired, thinking
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  Speaker 4: that somehow God's awesome power was not now enough. They
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  Speaker 4: go to Moses to voice their complaint and their fears.
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  Speaker 4: We might be quick to judge their quick turn to
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  Speaker 4: fear and distrust, but how often do we in the
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  Speaker 4: face of trouble give up and go back to our
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  Speaker 4: old ways of thinking, to our old ways of being
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  Speaker 4: trapped and oppressed without freedom, not remembering that God has
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  Speaker 4: rescued us, that he has saved us. In those times,
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  Speaker 4: we must remember God's mighty power and his grace and
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  Speaker 4: all that he has already done, that he has taken
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  Speaker 4: care of us in the past and he will be
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  Speaker 4: faithful in the future. Moses spoke to his people and
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  Speaker 4: told them not to fear, but to watch what God
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  Speaker 4: is about to do, to stand still and to see
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  Speaker 4: the power of God. God instructs Moses to lead the
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  Speaker 4: people right into the waters, lifting up his staff. God
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  Speaker 4: will then miraculously divide the waters. As the people of
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  Speaker 4: God obey, they cross safely on dry ground through walls
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  Speaker 4: of rushing, powerful water. When Pharaoh's army rushed into the
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  Speaker 4: divided sea, the columns of water tumbled onto their heads,
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  Speaker 4: wiping them out right before the eyes of the Hebrew people.
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  Speaker 4: It was a supernatural display of God's power. Was that
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  Speaker 4: enough to convince the Israelites not to despair when trouble
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  Speaker 4: came again? Well, unfortunately not. Just a few days later,
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  Speaker 4: they started to grumble again, complain again, begging for water.
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  Speaker 4: And they were saying to Moses and really saying to God,
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  Speaker 4: What have you done for me lately? God faithfully provided
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  Speaker 4: water from a tree and quenched their thirst, showing them
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  Speaker 4: he would satisfy their every need, every step of the
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  Speaker 4: way on their journey. When they grew hungry, they again complained,
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  Speaker 4: and God provided food with manna from the skies, a
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  Speaker 4: supernatural bread that God would provide to meet their physical needs.
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  Speaker 4: They only needed to trust God and to feed on
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  Speaker 4: his faithfulness. Even as they grumble and complain and fail
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  Speaker 4: to obey, God is as always faithful. And he leads
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  Speaker 4: his people through the wilderness to a land of promise
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  Speaker 4: that he is preparing for them. Dear God, we thank
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  Speaker 4: you for what we've seen and heard in the scriptures today.
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  Speaker 4: And we thank you that we can rest in your
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  Speaker 4: faithfulness to us, to feed us and to supply our
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  Speaker 4: every need according to your riches and glory in Jesus Christ.
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  Speaker 4: Help us always to trust in you and not complain. Lord,
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  Speaker 4: fill us with gratitude for the many blessings that you
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  Speaker 4: pour down upon us each day. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 4: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com
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  Speaker 4: to tap into God's power for successful Christian living, be
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  Speaker 4: sure to visit JackGraham.org. God bless.
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  Speaker 3: This episode is sponsored by MediShare, an innovative healthcare solution
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