YEA Lesson Library

The Lesson

“There was a young man in Napoleon’s army who committed a deed so terrible that it was worthy of death. The day before he was scheduled for the firing squad, the young man's mother went to Napoleon to plead for mercy for her son.

"Napoleon replied, 'Woman, your son does not deserve mercy.'

'I know,' she answered, 'If he deserved it then it would not be mercy'" (Stories For The Heart - Understanding Mercy, by Alice Gray).

In today's seminar you will see God's judgment and His mercy. Remember, judgment is the opposite side of mercy. No mercy can be shown if there is not an offense or sin. Sin requires a penalty or judgment because you deserve it. When the person who can exact the penalty or judgment decides not to require it, even though you deserve it, that is mercy. This seminar shows God's great mercy to Israel while showing His judgment upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians because of their offenses.

Pharaoh thought the Israelites were trapped in the wilderness with no way out. Stubborn, determined Pharaoh thought his army could chase them down. Again, his repentance didn't last. He was sorry he had let his slave labor go.

As Pharaoh and his army approached, the Israelites looked up and saw them coming. They were scared to death. Moses spoke to them and told them not to be afraid. "Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again. God will fight the battle for you." This was a reminder that even though Israel was armed for battle and marching out, the victory would be won by God alone.

God told Moses that it was time to get the Israelites moving. "Hold your staff high and stretch your hand out over the sea: Split the sea!" Moses stretched out his rod over the sea and God opened up a path through the Red Sea. A huge foaming wall of water stood on each side.

The angel of the Lord, that had been leading the Israelites, now changed positions and got behind them. The pillar of cloud that had been in front went to the rear as well. That put the cloud between the Israelites and the Egyptians. When this happened, the Egyptians were left in darkness, but the Israelites had light. The two camps didn't come near each other all night long.

Moses stretched his hand over the sea and God provided an east wind all night long that dried the ground. This made it possible for the Israelites to walk through the Red Sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right and one on their left, as they made their way through the sea.

The Egyptians wasted no time in going full speed after the Israelites. God looked down on the Egyptians and began harassing them. This threw them into a real panic. He clogged the wheels of their chariots. They were Stuck in The Mud and their wheels came off in the middle of the Red Sea. Not a very good place to be at this time.

God told Moses to stretch out his hands again over the sea. Moses did. At daybreak the water from both sides came crashing down on the Egyptians and covered their chariots and horsemen in the middle of the Red Sea. Not one of Pharaoh's men survived.

God delivered the Israelites from the oppression of the Egyptians. They looked at the Egyptians' dead bodies that washed up on the sea shore, and began to realize the tremendous power that God had brought against them. After seeing all of this, the people were in reverent awe before God and trusted Him and His servant Moses.

Does it bother you that a merciful God would cause the Egyptian chariots to get Stuck in The Mud and drown? In your last seminar, we discussed the characteristics of The God to Know. You learned that the true God is a God of love - He is long suffering and merciful. Today's memory verse says, "Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is very hard on those who disobey, but very good to you if you continue to love and trust him. But if you don't you too will be cut off."

God wants a righteous people who walk in His law. He wants a people who are not mean-spirited, selfish, and spiteful. He wants a people who are willing to submit themselves to His will and obey Him. God had shown Pharaoh miracle after miracle. Pharaoh experienced the wrath of God time and again. He was a free moral agent who could have chosen to do right at any time, but he didn't. Proverbs 29:1 says, "A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed - without remedy." And Pharaoh was suddenly destroyed!

What about you? How far do you think you can push God with a selfish, self-willed, spiteful spirit? Mercy didn't seem to be in Pharaoh's vocabulary. But it's a good place for us to start. Remember Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Proverbs 21:21 says, "He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour."