Exodus 14:1-15:21

Escape from Egypt/Through the Sea

Last week we saw the children of Israel begin the journey out of Egypt, and how the Lord led them

Exodus 13:21–22 “21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.”

we also read how he led them out of harms way,

away from the obvious route out of Egypt, along the Mediterranean, because it would lead them to change their minds and to return to Egypt.

So he took them another way.

I think what we should gather from tonight is that God is in control and at work in others even if He is leading us into some impossible situations, and what may seem like we are going no where. That if we follow his leading we would see his hand at work all around.

Even in that the Lord changes the direction again… lets read.

Exodus 14:1–31 (NKJV) 1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol (Tower or fort) and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea (possibly Lake Balah). 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ 4 Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart (1), so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor (1) over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

The Lord directs Moses to turn the people around from the direction they were heading, to head to an area with an tower or fort by the sea.

The Lord did this for a reason,

When Pharaoh sees the people coming back around, they will look confused, they don’t know where they are going, being stuck with the sea before them and the desert all about

So he will take the opportunity to chase them down.

But this is God’s plan and will use even this God will be honored by the Egyptians,

In other words, they will see what happens to Pharaoh and his army, and recognize that YHWH the God of the Hebrews has protected them from Pharoah.

5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh (2) and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. 7 Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. 8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt (3), and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness. 9 So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook (Egypt and Israel could see each other) them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.

Pharaoh and his officials recognize the loss they've just incurred by letting Israel go.

Calls the army up and goes after the people.

Major forces are call to pursue Israel,

a defenceless people, women and children, present.

We see this move of Pharaoh what the result of the Lord hardening Pharaoh’s heart, that is what God had done made Pharaoh’s heart even more resolute to go after Israel.

The NET Bible

Heb

10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”

Between the mighty acts of God, all the plagues, and leaving from Pharaohs rule, the people have already began to doubt God’s word, that he was bringing them out to worship him in the wilderness, and to lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey.

when their old rulers begin to approach and they see them afar off, they begin to freak out,

one that they were going to be killed by them,

two that this was some failure on Moses’ part, to lead them to this spot, the sea before them and Egypt's armies behind,

They for get the power of God and blame Moses for their troubles.

we should have remained their slaves rather than to die, they say to Moses.

This makes me think of inner voices we can battle with,

God has brought us out from bondage to sin,

and trials and difficulties arise,

and we find ourselves wrestling with the tempation to go back to those sins because this thing i am going through is just too difficult.

When the reality is that God is at work and we have an opportunity to trust him, and see Him lead us through, strengthened and built up in faith.

Trials and difficult situations will draw this out of us.

We either say it was so much better when I wasn’t out here trying to follow God, I’d rather just go back to what I used to do.

Or we say, God I don’t quite understand, but you’ve brought me this far, and promised me so much more, if I only follow you.

TO think this way we have to know our God, we have to remind ourselves of His great works, He need to know his character.

13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Moses reassures the people, that God will work on their behalf,

Tells them

do not be afraid — stop your fearing

stand still — station yourself, do not think about fleeing.

see the salvation of YHWH, which he will accomplish

Why?

YHWH will fight for you,

you only stay silent, hold your peace.

the Egyptians you can now see, will be gone forever

have a eternal perspective of the situation.

15 And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.

Now is not the time to pray a lengthy prayer but to move. Go forward!

He has already shown he believes God will fight for them, he needs at this time to lead the people forward.

but all that is before them is water…

16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

God instruct Moses to lift up the rod, the staff that he has been using to perform all the Lord told him to do,

and by stretching out his hand over the sea it would divide and the children of Israel would be able to cross over on dry ground.

the Creation language is present here where God causes the cry land to arise out of the water.

The dry lang was conducive for the land animal to live on,

God in going to makes a way where there was no way.

17 And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians (4), and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor (2) over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor (3) for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

The hearts of the Egyptians were hard so they followed them, it was if they were blinded by anger or hate, so that they walked right into a trap.

like an animal motivated by instinct to eat enters a trap and is caught.

this is the second an third time that God says He will gained the honor over Pharaoh and his whole army,

How is God honored in this?

Pharaoh had rejected YHWH and His command to let his people go, He refused to heed the message of the plagues, costing himself and his kingdom dearly, now they are chasing down YHWH’s people, as if they are able to take them back or kill them.

God will be honored in that, the Egyptians and the other nations who will hear about this, will understands why God should be obeyed, and that He is the one in control.

God will also be honored by the Israelites as they grow to trust him.

God now sets up a rear guard if you will …

19 And the Angel of God (a theophany or angelic messenger), who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Theophany

Theophany.

God stood between Egypt and Israel

guarding and lighting the way for them.

He was darkness to the one and light to the other.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

I mean what a miraculous sight!

We learn that the Lord use a natural means in an unnatural way to split the sea.

HE is the creator and has the command over all his creation.

So deep was the sea that the waters were gathered up as wall to their left and right.

What was a way of escape for Israel will become a trap for the Egyptians.

23 And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

I read this and it really highlights the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart, to pursue with out hesitation, Israel into the midst of such a sight.

This was truly an unnatural sight.

24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. 25 And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”

It seems that the crossing occured over night,

In the morning, sometime between 3 am and dawn, the Lord troubled the Egyptians and caused their pursuit of Israel to become difficult.

at this point they were concerned that YHWH was fighting for Israel and called for a retreat.

Yet they wouldn’t escape.

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the Lord overthrew (shake off, to throw downward) the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. 29 But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

verses 22 and 29, the sea waters were a wall for Israel (bookends)

but for Egypt they were thrown down on Egypt.

Israel traveled through on dry ground,

Egypt drove through with great difficulty.

30 So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.

Here is the fulfillment of what Moses said to terrified and fearful Israel…

Exodus 14:13 “13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.”

Was this event easy for Israel? no.

the road ahead would be filled with these types of difficulties.

Did it require them to trust in God? yes.

Did God fail them? No.

the mark of their relationship with him is for them to trust in his word, to live by his word, they must continue to follow him and his instruction.

God’s word never fails.

The problem we find as the story goes on is that Israel fluctuates between trust and complaining, and between belief and unbelief.

But this moment, this mighty act carried out by God, this great deliverance by him was a time to rejoice and sing, to lift up praise!

This is what is referred to as Moses’ song (1-18) and Miriams song (19-21).

Exodus 15:1–21 (NKJV)

Section 1

1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying:

“I will sing to the Lord (YHWH), For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! 2 The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. 3 The Lord is a man of war (the divine warrior who fights for Israel); The Lord is His name. 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 The depths (tehom - same word in Gen 1:2 “face of the deep”) have covered them; They sank to the bottom like a stone.

Moses poetically reflects on God’s great power behind creation, and His power over all other gods,

6 “Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.

7 And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath; It consumed them like stubble. 8 And with the blast of Your nostrils The waters were gathered together; The floods stood upright like a heap; The depths congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy (Pharaoh) said,

‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, My hand shall destroy them.’ 10 You blew with Your wind (wind imagined as God’s breath), The sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Section 2 - YHWH is Incomparable - Deliverer and Provider

11 “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

God is completely unique even among other spiritual beings.

12 You stretched out Your right hand; The earth swallowed them.

Sovereign over creation

13 You in Your mercy (chesed - loyal love) have led forth The people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength To Your holy habitation.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 15

chesed

Moses sings of God’s faithfulness to bring the people out of Egypt to the place where they will worship, he is leading them to mount Sinai.

14 “The people (nations) will hear and be afraid; Sorrow (birth pangs) will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia. 15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, Trembling will take hold of them; All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away. 16 Fear and dread will fall on them; By the greatness of Your arm They will be as still as a stone, Till Your people pass over, O Lord, Till the people pass over Whom You have purchased.

Moses describes how the nations will stand by in fear as Israel makes its way through the wilderness.

They are the possession of the Lord,

17 You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O Lord, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

Moses looks forward to when Israel is established in the land of promise where Israel will dwell and worship the Lord in the place that he choses.

18 “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”

Miriams Song

19 For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

This is a summary of the events that preceded the song.

20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them: “Sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!”

Miriam lead the woman to praise.

often women were the ones who would go before the returning armies playing small hand drums and praising God for His victory in battle.

Here they worship God for the victory he has accomplished.

It is the first time we learn Moses’ sisters name but she has played a major role in his life.

She was there watching over him as a baby, and interceded for him with Pharaoh’s daughter, to provide his mother to nurse him,

She has a perspective unique to her that motivates her praise.

She is also called a prophetess, actually the first woman to be called such,

Who else is called a prophet so far?

Aaron.

Prophets aren’t so much those that speak concerning future events but rather communicate the word of God.

Miriam was no doubt a leader or recognized as one; here she is seen leading the women.

Micah 6:4 “4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.”

Miriam could be in her 90s at this time.

God has brought them through safely, triumphant over their enemies, such a reason to worship!