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 one and two. When Jethro the priest of Midian,
Moses' father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and
for Israel and 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. Now, evidently, Moses
got pretty mad at Zipporah over what took place in Exodus chapter
4. 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 her 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 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'll remember
he was raised in Egypt and he had to flee for his life. He
flew the Egyptian who was mistreating the Israelites. 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 nearly passing through
this world. 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 therein. Psalm 24 1. 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. Duane 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 hate the wonders wrought.
This is my father's world, the birds, their carols raised, 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 will 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
1 John, Chapter 2. 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 ill city of God, Siloam. Think about this. I will
make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me. Behold,
Philistine, 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
rises 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 1 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, 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 in your 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 like
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 a lot. Now, look
how just a lot is described. He's a true believer. Now, look
how he's described. Just a 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 a holy nature. You've got a new nature that
God has given you. So 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 6, verse 14. But God forbid, now 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 lower and say to 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, I don't buy pictures. 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 going
to pass away. And the lusts thereof. And we're
just passing through. Don't invest too much in this
place. Give yourself to him. Give yourself
to him, Lord. 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 is 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. But 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 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 said, verse
9. He said, 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 hast
given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with him
in the world, I kept him 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 I to
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. Hebrews chapter 11. Verse 13. These all died in faith. Not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and
embraced 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've been mindful of the country from which they
came out they might have had opportunity to return you go back to the
world if you want that's what you want 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
unto Mount Zion unto 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, to the spirit of just men made perfect
and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood
of sprinkling, which maketh better things than that of Abel. That's
the city we're headed for. And this is the city we're looking
forward to entering. Gershom. Are you Gershom? 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 Hey, 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 my 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 8. 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 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 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 would have called according to His purpose
for whom He did foreknow. He also did predestine. 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, Let 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 question? This is His
work and His work alone. And even in our experience, he
does it all. Listen to this scripture from
Philippians chapter two, 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
eight 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. And 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've
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 does deliver. All of the time,
under every... Here's a scripture that will
describe what I'm saying. In 2 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 good. But he delivered 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. Eliezer, God is my help. Let your conversation, the writer
to the Hebrews 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 covetous. 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. 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 is my helper. I'm not
going to fear what any man can do to me. God is my helper. 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 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. blessed
the lord oh my soul and forget not all his benefits and benefits
is his help this is his help the lord is my help well here's
how he helps me if you want to 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 are 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 4, here's His help. Who
redeems thy life from destruction. There's no combination with Him
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 that. 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. I don't know how many times 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 executed righteousness and judgment for
all that are oppressed. You know, I'm oppressed. 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 as well. You know the reason you know
His ways? Because He made them known. Isn't that 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 hath not dealt with us after
our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquity. Boy, of course
it's the truth, but ain't that the truth? Aren't you thankful? Verse 11, for as 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 long way. As far as the east is from the
west, so far has 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,
O 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 helper. And if God be for me, That's important.