I've entitled this evening's
message, Gershom and Eliezer. Those are the names of Moses's
two boys, Gershom and Eliezer. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law,
had heard about all that the Lord had done for Israel and
Moses. Now let's pick up reading once
again in verses 1 and 2. When Jethro the priest of Midian,
Moses' father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and
for Israel, his people, and that the Lord had brought out Israel
out of Egypt, then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah,
Moses' wife, after he had sent her back. Evidently, Moses got
pretty mad at Zipporah over what took place in Exodus chapter
four. Let's go back there and refresh our memory. Verse 24. And it came to pass by the way
in the end that the Lord met him, Moses, and sought to kill
him. He made him very sick. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone
and cut off the foreskin of her son and casted his feet and said,
surely a bloody husband art thou to me. So he, God, let him go. He delivered him from death.
Then she said, a bloody husband thou art because of the circumcision. Now, evidently, after this event
took place, the Lord impressed Moses to send her back to her
father and her children. Now, after everything that took
place during the Exodus and the crossing of the Red Sea, the
plague, she didn't see any of that. But after all that this
took place, evidently, Jethro sends her back. And he sends
her back with their two sons. Now, during Moses' stay in Midian,
he had two boys. Now, he lived here for 40 years.
You remember, he spent 40 years in Egypt. And after that, he
spent 40 years in the land of Midian, the backside of the desert,
the backside of the wilderness. And during this time, he had
two sons. One's name was Gershom. He had
that at the first of the 40 years. And then the next boy he had,
his name was Eliezer. And he had him right at the end,
after the 40 years had expired, and he was getting ready to go
back into Israel. Now Gershon means something. Gershon means I am a stranger
in a strange land. I'm an alien in a strange land. And Eliezer means something also.
Eliezer means God is my help. Now, in the name of those two
boys, we have the life of faith. This describes the life of faith
to a T. I'm a stranger in a strange land. I'm just passing through. This
really is not my home. This is not the place I feel
comfortable. This is not the place I want to be. I'm a stranger
in a strange land. That's the life of faith, isn't
it? And God is my help. Gershom. I am an alien. I'm a stranger. I'm a sojourner
in a strange foreign land. Now Moses felt that way about
the land of Midian during his 40 years there. You remember
he was raised in Egypt and he had to flee for his life. He
slew the Egyptian who was mistreating the Israelite. And so he had
to get out of Egypt and he went into the land of Midian and it
was a strange place to him. It was a foreign place. It wasn't
his home. And so when he had this first
boy, Gershom, he said, I'm living In a strange land, I'm an alien
in a strange land. Now that describes the life of
the believer. We are aliens, strangers, sojourners
merely passing through this world truly. We pass through this world
as aliens, foreigners. in a strange foreign land. I identify with this so much
because this world is a foreign place to me. It's hostile toward
my homeland and I'm just passing through looking forward to getting
out of here. Now we realize that the world
we're in belongs to the Lord, don't we? We realize that it's
not the devil's world. It's not man's world. It's the
Lord's world. The earth is the Lord's and the
fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell there in Psalm
24 one. I love the hymn we sing. This
is my father's world. As a matter of fact, I wanted
to read the words to this hymn. I love to sing this hymn. Dwayne
asked me what songs to sing. I said, well, don't sing this
is my father's world because I want to quote it. This is my father's world. And to my listening ears, all
nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my father's world. I
rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas. His hand, the wonders wrought.
This is my father's world. The birds, their carols raise. The morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker's praise. This is my father's world. He
shines in all that's fair. In the rustling grass, I hear
him pass. He speaks to me everywhere. This is my father's world. This
is my favorite verse. This is my father's world. Oh,
let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems all so strong,
God is the ruler yet. This is my father's world. The
battle's not done. Jesus who died shall be satisfied. And earth and heaven be one. Aren't you glad this is our father's
world? This world's a wonderful place. This is my father's world. But I also realize that fallen
humanity What is called in scripture, the world, the world, that's
what's meant by fallen humanity, the world. Listen to this scripture
from first John chapter two, all that is of the world, the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
is not of the father, but of the world. That's why we're commanded
love, not the world. That's a command. Love not the
world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man
loved the world, the love of the father is not in him. You see, this world is at enmity
with God. This world we live in, the people
you see when you go outside of this door. are at enmity with
God. They're enemies of God. As a
matter of fact, the scripture says the carnal mind, the fleshly
mind, Romans 8, 6, the mind that we're born with, the way we are
by nature, the carnal mind is enmity. It's enmity itself against
God. It's not subject to the law of
God. Neither indeed can be. So then
they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Now, this is the
world I'm talking about that I do not feel comfortable with. This is not my home because the
God I love this world does not love. As a matter of fact, the
God I love this world absolutely hates and I love him. I love
Him just as He's revealed in His Word. I love the way He is.
I love the way He saves. And I'm living in a world and
you're living in a world that does not love our God, that does
not love our Redeemer. So this world is not my home. I am a stranger in a strange
land. Now, every believer can identify
with that. I'm a stranger. You don't feel
at home here, do you? You don't feel comfortable with the men
of this world? You don't really even enjoy being around them.
I mean, some are nicer than others. I realize that. But knowing that
they don't love your God, we don't feel comfortable. This
is their home. It's not our home. We walk through
this world as strangers and as pilgrims. And let me give you
three things that are true if you're a stranger in a foreign
land. When you're in a foreign land,
you're in a place where you were not born. That's simple enough,
isn't it? When you're in a foreign land,
you are in a place where you were not born. Would you turn
with me for a moment to Psalm 87? Let's read this short psalm together.
His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loveth the
gates of Zion. That's the church of the living
God, more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are
spoken of the city of God. See love. Think about this. I
will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me.
Behold, Felicity and Tyre with Ethiopia. This man was born there. He was born in Zion. And of Zion,
it should be said, this and that man was born in her. And the
highest himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count when
he writeth up the people that this man was born there. Selah. As well the singers as
the players on instruments shall be there, all my springs are
in thee. Now what this is a reference
to is being born of God. John chapter one, verses 12 and
13 says, but as many as received him. To them gave he the power,
the right, the privilege to become the sons of God, even to them
which believe on his name, which were born. They were born, they
were birthed by God, which were born not of the will of God. not of blood, not of the will
of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. And because you've been born
of God, you have a nature that loves this very same God that
the world hates. That's why you feel like a stranger
here. You've got a nature that this world does not share in.
And they have no love for the God you believe. They have no
love for the gospel you believe. You've got a nature that's altogether
different from theirs. So you just can't be comfortable
here. You're a whole lot like a lot. Turn with me to 2 Peter
2. I love this passage of scripture.
I can identify with it so much. 2 Peter 2. Verse 7. It was said that God
delivered just Lot. I love this description of Lot.
If it wasn't recorded, In the New Testament, that Lot was a
just man, what would you think about him? You know, most people
think he wasn't even saved. I mean, the way he acted, the
way he conducted himself, but yet when the New Testament talks
about him, what does the New Testament have to say? Just Lot. You see, the New Testament, the
New Covenant, it takes away all of our sins. This is the only
way God recognizes His people. The Old Testament exposes our
sins, doesn't it? But the New Testament, just Lot. Now, look
how Just Lot is described. He's a true believer. Now, look
how he's described. Just Lot was vexed with the filthy
conversation of the wicked. For that righteous man dwelling
among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from
day to day with their unlawful deeds. And every believer in
here knows exactly what that means. You're vexed from day
to day with the conversation of the wicked because you've
got to Holy nature. You've got a new nature that
God has given you. So when you're, when you're in
a foreign land, that means you're in a place where you weren't
born. We were born in Zion. We were born of God. And therefore
we have a nature that just does not feel comfortable with this
world. Now, secondly, when you're in
a foreign land, you're in a place that speaks a different language. Now you understand their language,
but they don't understand yours. They do not understand the language
of grace. They do not understand the language
of the gospel. You understand their language.
You know how to speak it. You were born speaking their language.
But now you have another language. It's the language of grace. It's
the language of God that only God's people have. You speak
a language that they cannot understand. This religious world has its
systems of beliefs. They've got their free will.
They've even got their Calvinism and so on. But the natural man
cannot understand the language of grace. They don't understand
our gospel. It's foreign language to them.
And they won't understand it unless God reveals it. We're
in a foreign land that speaks a different language than us.
And here's the third thing about living in a foreign land. When
you live in a foreign land, you're living in a land that doesn't
have the laws and the values of your homeland. I got one scripture
that'll point this out. Turn to Galatians chapter six. Galatians chapter six. Verse 14. But God forbid that this is Paul
the Apostle speaking. God forbid that I should glory. That I should rejoice in that
I should find any confidence in God forbid that I should glory
save in the cross. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. By
whom? the world. is crucified unto
me. In light of the cross of Christ,
I see this world as a crucified thing. It just doesn't have any
value. It doesn't have the attraction
that it once did in light of the cross. And the world thinks
the same thing about me. They have no love for the gospel
I believe. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision avails anything,
nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as many as walk
according to this rule. Now here's the rule of heaven.
God forbid that I should glorify the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That's the rule of heaven. In Christ Jesus, circumcision
doesn't avail anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. This is the
rule of heaven. And as many as walk according
to this rule, peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of
God. Now, the world has no understanding of this rule. It's not enough. They need something else. God
getting all the glory is not an issue to them. That's why
they can't understand our doctrine. They see no beauty in Christ,
and they can't understand our devotion to him. Truly, we are
strangers in this world. We have different laws, don't
we? We have different principles that they know nothing of. Now, we're strangers, and every
believer can identify with what I'm saying right now. You know,
a lot of times when things aren't going my way, I want to die.
Oh, just get me out of here. But that's not right. That's
not a right attitude. We're going to be alive as long
as the Lord is putting us here, and that's fine. That's the attitude
we ought to have. But it's also true that we do
feel ourselves to be strangers in a strange land, and we're
just passing through. Now, when you're just passing
through a place, you don't invest much in it. Now, from time to
time, when I'm out of town, Go to hotels, many of you do. Stay
in hotels. You know something I don't do
when I'm in those hotels? I don't buy me real expensive rugs to
put down on the floor at the hotel I'm at. I don't get me
a big expensive comforter to put over the bed. I don't buy
pictures to put up. I'm just passing through. I'm
just passing through. I'm not going to invest my time
and my energy, and my heart, and my soul, and my money, and
everything else in something that's just, I'm just here for
a little while, just for a bit. Now, this world is a temporary
place. Now, I know it's my father's
world, and we're thankful for that, but the world I'm talking
about, this world that hates the Lord Jesus Christ, it's gonna
pass away, and the lust thereof, and we're just passing through.
Don't invest too much in this place. Give yourself to Him. Give yourself to Him lock, stock
and barrel. And don't put your time and your
energy and your strength in this place that God's going to burn
up anyway. It's a blessing to just be a
pilgrim, isn't it? You're not going to get so upset. You know,
the stuff that God's going to burn it all up anyway. You're
not going to get so involved in it. You're not going to get so upset
by what goes on here. You know, politics. If I let myself think
about politics, I'll get so upset. What's the point? What's the
point? God's in control of it. And there's
nothing I can do to change anything anyway. Now, are you talking
about living irresponsibly? No, I'm not talking about that.
But I'm just saying, I'm just not going to get up so upset about
what happens here. It's a place that God's going to burn soon
enough. Truly, we're passing through, going to an infinitely
better place. Here's our relationship with
the world. Turn to John chapter 17. Look what the Lord says, verse
nine, he says, I pray for them talking about his elect. I pray
not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for
they are thine. Verse 11, and now I'm no more
in the world, but these are in the world. And I come to thee,
holy father, keep through thine own name, those whom thou has
given me that they may be one as we are. While I was with them
in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest
me, I've kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition,
that the scriptures might be fulfilled. And now come out of
thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they might
have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I've 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. Turn over to Hebrews chapter
11. I love this passage of scripture. Verse 13. These all died. In faith. Not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and
embrace them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims. On the earth. For they that say
such things declare plainly that they seek a country. We're seeking
a better country, aren't we? This world's not our home. And
truly, if they had been mindful of the country from whence they
came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. You go back
to the world if you want. That's what you want, but is
that what you want? Not at all. But now they desire a better
country. That is in heavenly, wherefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he had prepared
for them a city. Look at this description of this
city in Hebrews chapter 12 beginning in verse 22. But you are coming. and to Mount Zion, and to the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven, to God, the judge of all, and
to the spirit of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator
of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh
better things than that of Abel. That's the city we're headed
toward. And this is the city we're looking forward to entering. Gersim. Are you Gersim? I'm an
alien. I'm an alien in a strange place. I'm just passing through. And
Moses had another son and his name was Eliezer. Look back in
our text in Exodus chapter 18. Verse 4, and the name of the
other was Eliezer. For the God of my father, saith
he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh. Now, here's the other aspect,
if I could use that kind of language, of the life of faith. Well, I'm
a stranger in a strange world. That's what faith does. It walks
through this world as a stranger. But also, God is mine help. God is my help. Now, just what did Moses mean
by God being his help? Well, if you were noticing in
that passage of scripture I read in Exodus chapter 18, five times
we read this phrase, God delivered, God delivered, God delivered,
God delivered, God delivered. That was Moses summary, that
was Jethro's summary of what the Lord did when he helped Israel.
Look at Moses summary in verse eight. And Moses told his father-in-law
of all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh. Now look at the
simplicity of that language. He told him what? What the Lord
had done. That's what he told him, what the Lord had done.
He didn't say anything else. He just talked about what the Lord had done.
He told him all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh for Israel's
sake and all the travail that had come upon them, by the way,
and how the Lord delivered them. Here's Jethro's response to this.
And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done
to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. Now just what does Moses mean
by God being his help well we see it means he delivered him
well here's the here's the best way i know how to describe god's
help if i ask you to help me move something what do you do
you help me move it i don't have the strength or i don't have
the it's too awkward for me you get one end i get the other and
we'll pull it through you help me and we'll get it done now
that's that's man's help and i'm thankful for man's help but
vain is the help of man in the things of god Here's what God's
help is. God's help is when he does it
all. He doesn't help you do anything.
He does it all. Now let me quote a passage of
scripture to you. Romans chapter 8 verse 28 says and we know that
all things work together for good to them that love God to
them who are the called according to his purpose for whom he did
foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren
moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called And whom
He called, them He also justified. And whom He justified, them He
also glorified. All those things are spoken of
in the past tense. How much do we have to do with
those things? Did we help out any? No. Paul says, If God be for us,
who can be against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? God justified him. Who is he
that can condemn? It's Christ that died. Yea, rather
that's risen again, who's even at the right hand of God. Do
you see how our works don't enter into this equation? This is his
work and his work alone. And even in our experience, He
does it all. Listen to this scripture from
Philippians chapter 2 verses 12 and 13 says, work out your
own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in
you both to will and to do is good pleasure. Now that's the
help of Christ. Now notice once again in verse
8 of Exodus chapter 12. And Moses told his father-in-law
all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians
for Israel's sake. And he talked about something
else. He talked about all the travail. that had come upon them
by the way and how the Lord delivered them. Now he talks about some
different deliverances. He talks about the deliverance from Egypt.
God did it all. But he also talked about all
the travail, all the trouble that came to them along the way
once they got out of Egypt. We have plenty of that, don't
we? Travail, trouble, trouble. Man that's born of woman is born
to trouble as the sparks fly upward. We got plenty of trouble.
But you know what? We have this promise. The Lord
delivers us out of all of it. all the trouble along the way
doesn't matter what it is he doth deliver all the time under
every well here's a scripture that will describe what i'm saying
in second corinthians chapter 1 verse 10 it says who delivered
us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust
he will yet deliver." Now there's full deliverance. I was delivered.
I was delivered. I mean, I've already been delivered
by what Christ did. I've been delivered. I mean,
it's nothing less than that. But He's delivering me right
now. And one of these days, I shall be delivered when I awake in
the very presence of Christ, perfectly conformed to His image. God is my help. Let your conversation. The writer
to the Hebrew said in Hebrews chapter 13, let your conversation,
let your conduct be without covetousness. Not desiring other things. If
you know Christ, you have nothing to covet, do you? Let your conversation
be without covetousness and be content with such things as you
have. What do you have? I've got Christ.
I've got perfect justification. I have the forgiveness of sins.
I have the promise of God's providence protecting me. I've got the certain
assurance of eternal glory because Christ is my Redeemer. Now, be
content with such things as you have. Be satisfied. For He has
said, I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee. You know, your
Lord's not going to leave me. He's not going to forsake me.
So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. The Lord's
my helper. I'm not going to fear what any
man can do to me. God is my help. I'd like to punctuate
this by looking at Psalm 103. This is where we're going to
end up. Psalm 103. I read this, uh, this
week and it was such a blessing to me. Psalm 103. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
all that's within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the
Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Now his benefits
is his help. This is his help. The Lord is
my help. Well, here's how he helps me.
If you wanna know what the Lord's benefits, what his help is, here
we have it. He says in verse three, who forgiveth all thy
iniquities. I've got plenty of them too.
I got a whole lot more than I have any idea that I have, but you
know what? They're all forgiven. He heals all thy diseases. You know, sin is a disease to
a believer. It's a disease. But he heals
all our diseases. Every single one of them. Verse
four, here's his help. Who redeems thy life from destruction. There's no condemnation to them
that are in Christ Jesus. Christ redeemed me. His blood
put away my sin. He crowns us with loving kindness
and tender mercies. He makes us kings and priests
to our God. He crowns us. Now that's powerful
language, isn't it? He puts a crown on my head. He
makes me a king and a priest to God. Do I feel like I deserve
to wear a crown? Of course not. But every believer
is a kingdom of priests. Every single one of them. He
crowns us with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies
thy mouth with good things. I am satisfied. I'm not looking for anything
else. I'm satisfied to be saved by Christ. Are you? Are you actually
satisfied to be saved in a way that gives Him all the glory
and none to you? You're satisfied with it. Aren't you satisfied
to be made like him? I mean, you're going to spend
eternity in the very presence of Christ, perfectly conformed
to his image. I'm satisfied. I'm not looking
for anything else. Somebody, I don't know how many
times I've, I've heard people respond to the gospel. There's
got to be something else you just haven't seen. If you've
seen, you're not looking for anything else. You're satisfied
to be saved by Christ. He satisfies thy mouth with good
things so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles. How many times
have you been renewed? You go dead, you go down, and
Christ renews you. He renews you. He brings you
back. Verse six, the Lord executes righteousness and judgment for
all that are oppressed. You know, I'm oppressed by, I'm
one of those oppressed people. I'm oppressed by my sin. My sin oppresses me.
It knocks me down, but you know, he executes righteousness. His
righteousness is mine. And that's the deliverance from
my oppression. He executes righteousness for
all that are oppressed. He made known His ways unto Moses,
His acts unto the children of Israel. That's revelation. He
made known His ways. You know the reason you know
His ways? Because He made them known. Isn't it amazing that
the Lord was pleased to make Himself known to you? He made
Himself, the God of glory, made Himself known to you. You know
Him. Verse 8. The Lord is merciful
and gracious. slow to anger and plenteous in
mercy he'll not always chide neither will he keep his anger
forever he have not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded
us according to our iniquities boy of course it's the truth
but ain't that the truth aren't you thankful verse 11 for us
the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward
them that fear him Here's his help, as far as the East is from
the West. Now that's a light a long way.
As far as the East is from the West, so far hath he removed
our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his
children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, for he knows
our frame. He remembers that we're dust. As for man, his days are as grass.
As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth for the wind passes
over it, it's gone. And the place thereof shall know
it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting.
It never had a beginning to everlasting. It will never end. upon them
that fear him and his righteousness unto children's children, to
such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his commandments
to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne
in heavens and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye
his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening
unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his
hosts, ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord,
all his works at all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord. Oh, my soul. What help we have. We may boldly say the Lord's
my helper. I'm not going to fear what any
man can do to me. So truly, these names represent
the life of faith in this world. Gershon. I'm a stranger in a
strange place. I'm just passing through. Eliezer. God is my help. And if God be for me, who can
be against me? Let's pray.