Entangled means to cause to become twisted together or caught in. Figuratively, to involve someone in difficulties or complicated circumstances from which it is difficult to escape. An exasperating financial situation, a knotty life or career problem that is confusing, or a complex, perplexing relationship. We don’t know what to do, where to turn or how to get out or even if we should. Could God be using this hard situation or person to develop or sift out a character issue in us?
After 400 years of bondage and 10 plagues that rocked Egypt, Pharaoh had finally agreed to God’s command through Moses to let Israel go free. The Lord told Moses He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and he would continue to pursue with his armies. “Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.” (Exodus 14:3) They’re confused and wandering about aimlessly. They’re hemmed in, so we’re going to get our slaves back! This is the goal of the devil…to get his captives back! to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10), and to erase any progress we’ve made. The Israelites were terrified
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and blamed Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?” (vs. 11) They were immature in their faith in God and their trust of His leader. They weren’t convinced by the Word of the Lord that they would be freed or that Moses was their deliverer. The 10 plagues, the saving of their first born sons in the Passover, the pillar of cloud and fire didn’t assure them. Their emotions took over and they were willing to throw away their freedom for their fear! They weren’t really in danger or hopeless…it just looked and felt that way. God’s love and intent was the same.
The Lord’s expressed objective was to ‘get Himself honor’ through Pharaoh and this difficult situation, so that the Egyptians and the Israelites would know for certain that He was the Lord. (vs. 4) HE had led them into that helpless and trapped position, so that when HE
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got them out…they would believe. He directly addressed their emotions, “Do not be afraid, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord with you. The Egyptians that you see to day you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” (vs.13-14) He asked Moses, “Why are you crying unto me? Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward.” When we feel entangled and there seems to be no escape, the last thing we think we can do is keep going forward to see how GOD is going to work things out. Now we know that just at the point when they felt trapped, Moses lifted up his rod, and a miracle happened. So fight your fears and doubts and keep going forward.
