Crossing the Red Sea
Chapter 13:17 to 15:21
God did not allow the Israelites to follow the direct route along the Mediterranean coast to Canaan, known as "the way of the Philistines" (that would be a journey of a few weeks). This route was heavily guarded by Egyptian soldiers. The Israelites were peaceful, accustomed to a servile or pastoral life, and they had with them their families and their livestock. It would be easy for them to be discouraged when they saw the opposing armies and to seek to return to the relative tranquillity of Egypt.
If God does not lead us directly to our goal, we must not be discouraged: He knows best what is ahead, we can follow Him and trust in His wisdom.
Having left Rameses and gone to Succoth (40 kms.), they continued going south to Ethan (32 kms.). They then turned north and went to Baal-Zephon (Baal of the North - 40 kms), returning almost on a parallel line to the way they had come, circling near the Red Sea. God did this to confuse Pharaoh, who would think that they were disoriented, lost in the desert.
Despite hundreds of years since the death of Joseph, Moses did not forget the promise he made before he died (Genesis 50:25), and took his bones on this journey. The people went in an orderly and well organized way, each in his place within the crowd.
To lead the people, the LORD went before them, visible as a column of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, illuminating them, so they could walk in the day and in the night. We also have His Word as a lamp that guides us in the way of life, available at any time.
These people had what no other nation has ever had: the Glory, the visible presence of God (Romans 9:4). It was not given even to the church on earth. God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). They have waited for the coming of Christ, but for us this is now a historical event in the past. We do not need the visible presence of God to walk by faith.
It is obvious that this strange manoeuvre of the crowd in the wilderness served to make Pharaoh and his officials reflect on the damage they would suffer for having let their servants go, and to decide to go after them to force them to return. All this was in God's plan: He would definitely show the Egyptians that He is the LORD.
Pharaoh made ready his chariot, six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over each one of them. Each car took two warriors: one to lead it and the other to use the weapons they carried, a kind of primitive tank. It consisted of a frame of wood or leather on two wheels, pulled by horses. It was a powerful force for use against an unarmed people, most of which was composed of women, old men and children. Pharaoh had no doubt about the success of his offensive.
With his fast equipment, Pharaoh and his army easily reached the Israelites, camping by the sea before Baal Zephon. Seeing themselves tight between Pharaoh's army and the Red Sea, the Israelites thought they were going to die in the wilderness and began complaining bitterly to Moses. Sarcastically they mentioned the tombs in Egypt because the Egyptians were notorious for their obsession with tombs.
When they were under servitude in Egypt, the Israelites had been clamouring for deliverance (Exodus 2:23). The LORD had answered their cries and brought them out of bondage. But as soon as they felt they were in danger, they feared death and complained against Moses saying that they preferred servitude. They could do nothing for themselves, and had no hope without divine assistance. It is the situation of all humanity, for the world is a hopeless place: a large cemetery because people think that this is their end (Romans 5:12).
Having witnessed the mighty hand of God in their deliverance, one would expect that they would have enough faith in Him not to despair in this way. This was the first of many occasions in which this people complained against Moses and the LORD for having been taken away from the bondage of Egypt. It is an example for us, so that we learn to trust the power of God: knowing what He has done in the past, we can deal with crises of this life with confidence, without fear and complaints.
The people were enraged and desperate, but Moses encouraged them to wait and see how the LORD would deliver them. Prophetically, Moses announced that this people would never more see the Egyptians after their liberation. Perhaps we are not chased by an army, but sometimes we feel surrounded by evil, with no way out. Let us follow the counsel of Moses: we should not fear, but trust the deliverance the LORD will certainly grant to us.
The LORD told Moses to stop this clamour, and to drive the people forward. Prayer has an important place in our lives, but we must also act with the means at our disposal. Sometimes we know what we need to do, but postpone it with the excuse that we are asking for greater guidance from God.
There seemed nowhere to go but the LORD commanded the people to go on, and promised to open a path for them through the sea. The Angel of the LORD moved with the pillar of cloud from in front to behind them, between them and the Egyptians, giving light to the Israelites through the night, and dense mist and darkness to the Egyptians so they were not able to come near the people.
With the obedience of Moses and the people, the Creator of heaven and earth proved His mastery over what he had created: He made a strong east wind blow that not only opened a way through the sea to the other side, but dried the bottom so that all the Israelites crossed on dry ground.
The Egyptian army eventually discovered what was going on, and went in pursuit as far as the middle of the sea. But in the morning watch (between two in the morning and sunrise) the LORD took off the wheels of their chariots as they drove them with difficulty. When they were giving up the chase the LORD commanded Moses to stretch his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea closed over the Egyptians, returning to its full depth, covering the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh.
At the beginning of their journey to the promised land, Israel saw the power of God, not only redeeming their firstborn by the blood of the lamb, but freeing them from the power of the Egyptians through His power. This tells us that we have redemption from the penalty of sin through the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, and deliverance from the power of sin which is at our reach through His supreme power, by following His path.
Moses and the Israelite men, in their joy, composed the first hymn we find in the Bible and, according to scholars, the first recorded worldwide. They then sang in praise of the LORD to the accompaniment of music and dance by all women (led by Miriam [which translates as Mary], sister of Moses, with her ninety-odd years of age).
R David Jones
Exodus chapter 13
17 Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt."
18 So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you."
20 So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness.
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.
Escodus chapter 14
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 and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea.
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, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so.
5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh 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, 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 them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
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."
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."
15 And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
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.
17 And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor 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 for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."
19 And the Angel of God, 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.
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.
23 And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
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."
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 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.
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.
Exodus chapter 15 v.1 to 21
1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to the LORD, 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 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 have covered them; They sank to the bottom like a stone.
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 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, The sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 You stretched out Your right hand; The earth swallowed them.
13 You in Your mercy have led forth The people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength To Your holy habitation.
14 "The people will hear and be afraid; Sorrow 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.
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.
18 "The LORD shall reign forever and ever."
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.
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!"