Red Sea Road

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Exodus 14:19-31

19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before 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 water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

 
 

Finally, the trap the Lord has set is sprung, and Pharaoh and all his army are destroyed through their own arrogance and hubris. Egypt will never again enslave God’s people.

What I find beautiful are the ways the biblical author wants us to see parallels between the Red Sea parting and the creation of the word. Just as the Lord caused dry ground to appear in Genesis 1:9, so do the people of Israel walk through on dry ground at the Red Sea (v. 22). Just as it is the Spirit-breath-wind of God that moves over the waters of creation and brings forth life, so here it is the Spirit-breath-wind of God that drives back the waters and makes life possible for the Israelites. And, just as each night ends with a morning in Genesis 1, so here the night of the Red Sea crossing ends with a new dawn:

So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. [14:27]

All along, the Lord has been shaping His people. The result of the astounding miracle of the Red Sea Road is that Israel has been saved from Egypt and acknowledges the Lord and His servant Moses.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. [14:30-31]

What if one of the ways that the Lord uses difficulties in our lives is to get our attention so we will acknowledge him?