Red Sea Part Two

Recap

Last week we began to look at Exodus 14

Moses and the Israelites have left Egypt

After Passover night Pharaoh has let the Israelites go

But now as the Israelites make their way toward the wilderness the hearts of the Egyptians have changed

God has hardened the heart of Pharoah to display His glory and His honor

Now we find ourselves where the Israelites are trapped between the Red Sea and the armies of Egypt

Pharaoh believes this is his opportunity to wipe out the Israelites from the face of the earth

But God has set the stage to display His glory

Exodus 14:13-31

Exodus 14:13–31 (NASB95)

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.

“The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.

“As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.

“As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.

“Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”

The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.

So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.

The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.

At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.

He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”

So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.

But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.

Stand Still and See The Salvation of The Lord

Moses commands the people to stand by and see the salvation of the Lord

That where by means to take one’s stand, to present one’s self

Moses is telling the people to stand in the strength of the Lord

To stand and trust the Lord

God is their deliverer

He has demonstrated through ten previous wonders His power and glory

They had a very short memory

Psalm 46:10 ““Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.””

The Lord says to cease striving

To let go fully of our strength, ability, power, and wisdom

To trust the Lord

To be still

God has made it very clear that He is the one who fights our battles

It is the Lord who Fights our Battles

Exodus 14:14 ““The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.””

Proverbs 21:31 “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the Lord.”

True victory is found in the Lord alone

It is God who gives us the victory

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

No matter the army arrayed against us God is greater

The key to victory is not leaning and trusting our own understanding

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

The Israelites were crying out in fear because they were walking according to their own understanding

When we walk according to our own understanding we will falter and walk in defeat and fear

But Moses saw the situation through the eyes of God almighty

When we lean not on our own understanding we will stand and wait upon the Lord

We will stand still because we know the Lord is always working

It is God who commands Moses to stretch forth his staff

It is God who will harden the heart of Pharaoh

God ultimately is in control of everything

The true battle that exist is whether we will indeed trust God at His word

For when faith is combined with the word of God, the power of God is released

Jesus is our Salvation

Exodus 14:19 “The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.”

In the Old Testament whenever we see The Angel of God or in other translations, The Angel of the Lord it speaks of Jesus Christ

It is His preincarnate form

He had been going before Israel led them through the darkness

He had intentionally led them to the Red Sea

Pharoah in His limited understanding believed Israel was trapped

But God had other plans

It is important for us to remember

Isaiah 55:8-9 ““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

The Angel of the Lord now moves between the armies of Egypt and the Israelites

To the Egyptians it is pitch black, they can’t see where Israel is

To Israel all that is around them and before them is illuminated

God is leading them in the darkness

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

The Lord will always lead and guide us through the darkness

Exodus 14:21-27 “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion. He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord boverthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

Moses responds in faith to the word of the Lord

He stretches forth His staff and His hand

By the power of God the waters are parted

The land before Israel becomes dry

This is not because of the power of Moses, but the power of God

2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;”

It is believed that at the deepest parts of the Red Sea where the Israelites crossed it was over 9000 feet deep

Imagine 2 million people walking through when massive walls of water on both sides stood still held back by the power of God

But imagine how terrifying it was for the Egyptians as the Lord made it difficult for the Egyptians to travel

Removing their wheels and bringing them to a stand still

But as the Israelites crossed to safety The Lord commanded Moses To once again stretch out His hand

the water came crashing down upon the Egyptians

In a single moment the army of Egypt and Pharaoh was no more

God had truly demonstrated that He alone is God

But ultimately this is a picture of our salvation through Jesus Christ

Moses staff was made out of wood

The cross was made out of wood

Before Jesus the cross was seen as an instrument of torture and destruction

After Jesus death and resurrection the cross is a symbol of hope, restoration, healing and salvation

No matter what we face Jesus is greater

No matter what Red Sea we are facing today, Jesus is greater

He is calling us to trust Him

He is calling us to stand still and see our salvation

We like the Israelites can feel like the armies of Egypt are pursuing us

We can feel like we are trapped and our destruction is on the horizon

But we must remember Jesus said that anything is possible to him who believes.

Our God is in control and every day as we move towards the destiny God has for us there will always be Satanic Opposition

But let us move forward in the power and strength of the Lord