Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction: Did you ever get into it with a classmate or friend and start the whole “my dad can beat up your dad?”
The Exodus story is a clear and repeated theme throughout the Scriptures that God is the one who battles, the God who saves, and God who deserves the glory for it alone.
He is on His mission to crush the head of the Serpent and deliver enslaved humanity from sin and lead them to a Promised Land.
CTS: See the salvation of the Lord and may it increase your love for Him.
The Pursuit of the Enemy (1-9)
The setup (1-4)
God brings his people to not the most ideal of spots.
As a matter of fact, it is a terrible spot tactically in military sense.
It traps God’s people along the water.
But that will be the point.
This is the setup for God to get the glory.
The pursuit (5-9)
What we see here already is God’s concern for His own glory.
Every bit of what has happened has not been out of God’s control.
Every plague, every hardening of Pharaoh’s heart has led to this final confrontation between Pharaoh and God.
The Serpent vs. God.
The theme of the Bible played out, another reminder that this is a cosmic battle that is being waged.
Yet as the pieces are played out, we come to the realization that God is in control of every piece, knowing and enacting his plan so that there can be no doubt that God gets the glory.
And what we see is this continued theme.
Verse 4 makes it clear.
I will get glory over Pharaoh (the Enemy) so that the Egyptians will know that He alone is God.
God will defeat the Enemy so that it will be seen that he is weak and feeble, deserves no glory, and that He alone deserves the worship.
The intention of God is that He would be known across the world as the true God.
Application: This reminds us that the church, that God’s salvation, is for the express purpose that He may be known to the world.
God’s plan of salvation is not for us to be honored, for us to get the lockdown on knowing Him, but that every intention of God is that His creation would come to know Him and worship Him.
Glory is shown in greatest form when those that are far from God, across this world, know God and worship Him.
Everything in our salvation is designed by God to magnify the glory of God.
John Piper
So, it is God’s primary intention that He would receive glory.
This may seem selfish, but we were created with this in mind.
The most fulfilling life that we can live is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us.
And we see that in the rest of the text.
The setup is clear, and God will continue to be the focus of the Exodus and salvation
I. Salvation by God Alone (10-29)
The Fear of God’s People (10-14)
Very clearly, we see again that God’s people are facing the adversity, the prospect of any sort of conflict, and fear grips them.
This is a reminder to us as we read that these people are not by any means the ones who battle or deliver themselves.
When the going gets tough, they often resort to complaining.
This complaining doubts God’s promises.
Remember what we just read over the last few chapters.
We have seen in miraculous and powerful signs of the plagues show the power of God.
It should have been obvious that God was going to make sure they were going to get out of their bondage, but when the conflict came to their backs, it was over.
This would become a preview for God’s people throughout their Exodus journey.
We will see that this will not be the last time that God’s people doubt God and His chosen leader.
And we see that in this, Moses responds clearly to the people.
With great confidence in the Lord, he rebukes the people.
He wants them to do three things that will help them see the truth that they are about to witness.
Fear not
Stand firm
See the salvation of the Lord
All of these things show one truth.
God will fight for you.
Moses then rebukes very clearly with verse 14 that they are to be silent.
The ESV is a little better than some other translations in regards to saying “be still,” but the full force is still lacking.
Eugene Peterson in his Message paraphrase says it like this:
The Lord Fights (15-25)
In the fulfillment of the text, God rebukes Moses and the people and tells them to go forward.
Why do you not trust me?
Go, and I’m going to do exactly as I said I would.
The Lord protects His people
The differentiation is clear.
The presence of God does two different things.
One is to guide the people, giving them light.
The other is to confuse the enemy, keeping them off the back of His people.
The start reminder is that God will protect His people, His possession.
The Enemy cannot defeat God or His people.
The Lord makes a way for His people
So well known is this act, but a couple of things need to be highlighted.
The miraculous nature of this event is often questioned, but the same God who created the world by mere words can also cause a sea to part.
The way this sea is parted is by a strong east wind that opens up the water overnight.
Contrary to how popular media has portrayed this, the water was walled up over time.
But what we see theologically is again, God makes a way for His people to be delivered.
God saves and does all of the work.
Yes, Moses is the agent of this miracle, as he holds out his staff over the water, but it is purely God’s power that causes this.
He doesn’t give the Israelites swords and armor to fight back.
No, he has a plan to wipe them out himself and save His people.
They would cross over for their deliverance.
The Lord stops the Enemy
Pharaoh and the Egyptian army pursue, but God’s presence comes down on them and clogs the wheels.
A realization is had by the Egyptians.
Let us flee.
God fights for them!
A clear promise realized.
This whole endeavor was to show who God is and that He is the only true God.
He has defeated the god of Egypt, Pharaoh himself.
His paltry army is nothing compared to His powerful hand.
The Lord delivers (26-30)
Moses and God’s people are on the other side of the sea, God commands Moses to outstretch his hand and make the water come back to where it was.
The water envelopes Pharaoh and his army, drowning them in the sea.
The pride of Egypt, one of the gods of Egypt, dead and defeated.
The Enemy is defeated in full.
Yahweh is God.
Judgement has been incurred because of their rebellion, their enslavement, and attempts to kill God’s people.
God’s people have been saved.
And God did all of it.
He fought for His people.
There is no other explanation.
We have been saved from the dragon, the Enemy, Satan himself.
And salvation is found in God alone for us.
We don’t ask the question here of “how does the Exodus apply to my hardships today.”
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