Exodus 14

Moses response to the whining, frightened band of refugees is good advice for us when we face our fears. Sounds to me like he just got a Holy Spirit download. ¹³ And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

Moses was encouraging them to have faith in God, not to fear man, and stand firm and see God’s salvation. This is exactly what we need to tell ourselves and remind one another when the trials of life overwhelm us. Don’t fear man or the situation. God is on the throne of heaven. Worry and fear won’t help. Perfect love casts out fear. (1John 4:18[notes1] ) Hold your ground in faith. Believe God, and wait and watch for Him to act. They had been redeemed from Israel by the hand of God. Now they must realize that their wilderness journey is just as dependent on God. Your salvation was all of God. Your journey is by the grace of God as well!

But there was one more word of advice from God. ¹⁴ The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Let God do the fighting. Ask Him to defeat the enemy. When you don’t know what to say, be silent. If you are tempted to blurt out all your complaints and blame someone, just be silent. (2Chronicles 20:17[notes2] ) Watch God work.

¹⁵ The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. ¹⁶ Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. “What are you crying about Moses, get the people moving! Part the sea!” And then God promised the Egyptians would follow them and be drowned. Twice in the chapter we are told that they will know that “I am the LORD.”

People complain that God doesn’t make Himself plainer, more easily seen. When He does they just excuse it and rebel against Him, which makes them even more accountable on Judgment Day. (Matthew 12:36-37[notes3] )

The wind blew and the former slaves began to pass through the sea. When they saw God at work again, their fear left. Another amazing thing helped them to have faith. (Hebrews 11:29[notes4] ) The cloud that had led them went around behind them and separated them from the Egyptians. It was utter darkness again for the Egyptians, while it lit their way through the Red Sea. (NIV interpretation of the wording) This Angel who is in the cloud, and who is the Presence of the LORD, is in my opinion none other than Jesus. (Colossians 1:15[notes5] ) He is our light and our salvation. Whom shall we fear! (Psalm 27:1-2[notes6] )

The last of them arrived on the far shore at dawn. The cloud lifted and let the Egyptians pursue them. What is utterly amazing is that they were belligerent enough to go between those walls of water! (Psalm 78:13[notes7] ) ²³ The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. It reminds me of a quote from Solomon. ³ This is an evil in all that is done under the sun… the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. Ecclesiastes 9:3 (ESV) Madness was surely in the heart of Pharaoh. There is no other explanation. He was going to recapture them or die. Man versus God. Pharaoh was telling God, “They are mine! And You can’t have them!”

God knew this was Pharaoh’s heart from the beginning. God raised him up for this very event, to show through him the stubbornness of man and the greatness of God. (Romans 9:17[notes8] )

²⁴ And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, ²⁵ clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” Something happened as they got out in the middle of that sea. The wheels began to freeze up (LXX) or fall off (Hebrew). They realized that of the two options, catch the Israelites or die, the latter was becoming more likely. By then it was too late.

God told Moses to again stretch out his hand over the sea. ²⁸ The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. The army of man followed Pharaoh, and the army of God followed Moses.

⁶ At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned. ⁷ But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused? ⁸ From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still, ⁹ when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. Selah ¹⁰ Surely the wrath of man shall praise you… Psalms 76:6-10a (ESV)

What an incredible night! It was the baptism of Israel. (1Corinthians 10:2[notes9] ) It was another opportunity to believe and allow their heart to be changed. ³¹ Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

[notes2] 2 Chronicles 20:17 (ESV)

17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you.”

[notes3] Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV)

36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,

37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

[notes4] Hebrews 11:29 (ESV)

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

[notes5] Colossians 1:15 (ESV)

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

[notes6] Psalms 27:1-2 (ESV)

1 OF DAVID. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

[notes7] Psalms 78:13 (ESV)

13 He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap.

[notes8] Romans 9:17 (ESV)

17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

[notes9] 1 Corinthians 10:2 (ESV)

2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

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