Chapter 5
The Rescue
The Reading: Exodus 14:1-31
The Problem:
After ten powerful plagues had come upon Egypt, Pharaoh finally decided to release the Israelites from slavery and allow them to go free. But his officials were concerned about Egypt's economy and afraid that now they would be forced to do all the work themselves. It was almost as if they were so lazy and unwilling to work that they would rather continue facing plagues than to put their own noses to the grindstone. They surely didn't want to lose this strong economic force. And so, after consulting with his officials, God hardened Pharaoh's heart to the point that he changed his mind and decided to bring his former slaves back by force.
Now Pharaoh had the best of military resources, and chariots were the ultimate fighting weapons of that time. Infantry stood little chance fighting against chariots. Although Israel had 600,000 men, keep in mind that these were not men of war. They had never fought, had never been trained to fight, didn't have weapons, and wouldn't have been organized. They also wouldn't have had horses or chariots. Tactically, they were unfamiliar with the ground and they were burdened with women and children to care for. If they were attacked, it wouldn't have been a battle at all, but a slaughter.
When Moses obeyed God and settled the Israelites down by the sea to camp for the night, it appeared that God had led Israel right into a trap. It made sense for the people to be afraid. They could see Pharaoh’s armies on one side and the Red Sea on the other. It appeared they had no chance for escape.
At this point, Moses had no idea how God would help them in the situation. He could see they were in such a bad situation, there was no way out unless God intervened. But he also knew, without any doubt, that God would help them.
The Turning Point:
At this point, the Israelites did cry out to the Lord, which is to their credit. But right after they turned to the Lord, they started complaining to Moses and expecting to die. They didn’t have that quiet confidence in the Lord.
This is the first of many times that they would complain to Moses and express their desire to return to Egypt. And yet, if they knew God's character, they would have realized God would never have performed all of those miracles to get them released from slavery, only to allow them be annihilated by the Egyptian army a few days later.
In Moses’ response, we see Moses' continued growth and maturity. When he was younger, Moses might have joined the chorus right along with the people questioning God. But now there was no hesitation. There was no fear. There was no doubt and no questioning. Moses was able to calmly reassure the people and tell them, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)
And note that Moses reassured the people before even talking this new situation over with the Lord and hearing directly from Him about how He would save the people. But Moses could speak with confidence because he knew God's character. He knew who God was. He knew God would not allow them to die. He was sure that God would save them. He knew through experience. And he knew all this because He had an intimate relationship with God.
The Miracle That Followed:
God told Moses, “Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand, and he obeyed. Miraculously, God used the wind to not only part the waters, but also to dry the ground. The ground needed to be dry because otherwise there would have been thick mud, almost impossible for one person to walk through, much less 2 million people, plus many animals.
After the people had passed through, again obeying God’s command, Moses lifted up his rod and stretched out his hand, and the waters came back together and the Egyptian army was completely destroyed. These were simple instructions from God, but connected to a mighty miracle. Likewise, the greatest miracle of salvation comes by following one simple instruction from God. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross.
The Bottom Line:
If there was ever an account written to encourage us in the trials or the seemingly impossible situations we face all too often, it is this one. The Israelites were standing in front of the Red Sea and couldn’t go forward. Behind them were the armies of Egypt. They could move neither forward nor backward.
Have you ever been there? Perhaps you have experienced this as a parent or spouse, maybe in your job, in your finances, or in your health. You were standing helpless, in the middle, with no apparent choices. You may have decided to draw your sword and fight to the death. But there is another way … a better way.
Whenever you feel penned in, between a rock and a hard place, remember that God is the God of the unexpected. Know that God always has a plan for your rescue, and it may be just as creative as His plan was for the Israelites. Moses told the people, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). Turn your problem over to God, and be still. Wait on Him and see what He will do.
