Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:30-31

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.

Today’s verses find the Israelites safe on the other side of the sea, and the Egyptians dead, their bodies strewn across the shore. This image of the Israelites safe above the waterline and the Egyptians having been drowned in its depths has a strong similarly to that of Noah and his family safe above the water in the ark while all the world was smothered down below. The Israelites and the Egyptians had just carried out a sort of reenactment of that scene, reinforcing its lessons. Lessons that too much of the world, especially Egypt, had forgotten.

I also want to note how verse 31 stresses the faith and trust that the people had in the Lord and Moses at this moment. Just a few verses before we had heard of their despair and doubt when the Egyptian horde came charging into view, but now they have a moment of perfect belief, trusting not only in the Lord, but also in His prophet and mouthpiece, Moses.

I believe that sometimes we are saved by God, not because of who we are, but because of what He knows we can become. Pharaoh had proven that in spite of miracles he would still not believe, and so he had been destroyed. The Israelites, though they had disbelieved before the miracle, would believe after it, and so they were preserved. We will see how the Lord would continue to test the Israelites with future hardships, and they would not see the Promised Land until they showed that they were ready to start believing before the miracle.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:29

29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Verse 29 describes a most awe-inspiring situation for the Israelites. “The waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.” Thus, they went forward with the potential for absolute destruction raised on either side of them! It must have taken great faith to put themselves in such a situation. Of course, faith in a safe crossing would be strengthened by the fact that God had already proved He could part the sea in the first place, so He should be able to keep it parted for as long as needed to reach the other side. The God who brings us into the path by a miracle will also be able to sustain the path by continual miracles.

Recently, I observed how some of the symbolic expressions in the Judeo-Christian theology were literally manifested among the ancient Israelites. There is another example of this in today’s verses, too. Here, in the image of the Israelites walking down the parted sea we have the literal manifestation of the straight and narrow way “which leadeth unto life,” a way that is marked by God and provided to us by His grace and power. Meanwhile, on either side of the narrow path stood the broad expanse of the sea that led unto destruction.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:26-28

26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as done of them.

Now the Egyptians were bogged down in the middle of the channel and the Israelites were clear on the other side. There was no need to keep the passage open any longer, and God commanded Moses to seal the way shut. Notice how in a single action, the closing of the sea, God both saved His people and destroyed His enemies. The same act can be both salvation and damnation.

Verse 27 once again makes reference to the time of day, stating that the sea returned to its proper place “when the morning appeared.” Pharaoh’s army, it would seem, first came into the view of the Israelites in the evening, causing them to despair as the sun set on them, literally and figuratively . But then, in the night, when they were their most powerless, God worked a miracle for their salvation, and in the rising of the sun their future was made hopeful once more. A new dawn, once again both literal and figurative.

And so the sea’s walls cascaded together in a sudden, dramatic flood. The Egyptians, we are told, tried to flee, but they could not outrun the rush of water. All the army was covered. The chariots, the horsemen, the host, none of them survived.

Note that verse 28 specifies that “all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea” were destroyed. The phrase “that came into the sea” might suggest that not all of Pharaoh’s army charged between the waves and that some of them could have been spared. This is what fuels hypotheses that Pharaoh might have actually survived that day. Given the arc of his story, and his stubbornness thus far, and God’s prior comments about gaining honor upon Pharaoh specifically, and verse 23’s declaration that “all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen” charged into the sea, I am inclined to believe that Pharaoh did not survive. Indeed, I find it most likely that verse 28 is merely saying that the Lord destroyed “all Pharaoh’s army, which army came into the sea,” and thus there were no survivors whatsoever.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:23-25

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

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

Eventually the Egyptians were able to get around the fiery, cloudy pillar and gave chase to the Israelites. Verse 24 makes it clear that the pillar did not vanish, but perhaps by the light of rising sun, during “the morning watch,” they were able to see well enough to navigate around it and follow their quarry into the sea.

Meanwhile, God watched all of the Egyptians’ doings from within the pillar. He watched as they stubbornly continued in their efforts to molest His people, and so He took away their chief advantage: their chariots. It says that He “took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily.” This might mean that the wheels became sloughed down in the wet sand or mud that had been saturated by the Red Sea. No matter how hard they drove their horses, the dragging sludge was apparently too great, even to the point of breaking the wheels under the stress.

Now, at last, a panic fell upon the Egyptians. They were on foot, deprived of their speed, and caught between two great walls of water. Perhaps the Israelites had still been finishing their journey through the channel, and they had judged that they would be able to catch them before they were all out, thus God would not be able to close the channel without destroying His own people. But then, by getting partway through before losing their chariot wheels, they may have suddenly found themselves not able to reach one side or the other before the Israelites would fully vacate the chasm and God could close the channel with no friendly casualties.

They had stepped willfully into the trap, practically daring the Lord to destroy them, and finally they could see with their own eyes the manner of their destruction. They attempted to flee, acknowledging that God, Himself, was at war with them. It was, however, too late.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:21-22

21 And 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 dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Here is the last wonder that the Egyptians would see, though not at all the last for the Israelites. Moses stretched out his hand, and a powerful wind blew from the east, the direction of Israel’s Promised Land, parting the sea. Notice that the parting of the Red Sea was not an instantaneous effect, though, but rather that it occurred over “all that night.” This was why the pillar of fire-on-one-side-and-cloud-on-the-other had been necessary. The Egyptians needed to be held in place for hours as the parting was accomplished.

Interestingly, the story becomes all the more incredulous by its the usage of natural phenomenon. When all the Egyptian firstborn were slain there was not any reference to a natural cause, and so we assume that an unseen heavenly figure from another plane of existence must have been responsible. But with the parting of the Red Sea, we are told it was effected by something as basic and familiar as the wind. The wind we are perfectly familiar with, and its behavior in this instance defies our typical experience.

Of course, in our everyday experience wind does move water, but enough to carve a channel through it? That might seem a stretch, though it does occur to me that we are never told the layout of the sea at that point. It seems like the most far-fetched thing would be if the wind was carving a channel through a large, convex shape, like an oval, but what if the sea in that area was bent and twisted, passing in front of the Israelites in a narrow channel? To me it seems like it might be possible that a strong enough wind could create a temporary bubble through that sort of narrow body, with the water pressed down on either side of the sustained air pressure.

Or perhaps there is some other physical phenomenon that can make such a thing possible, or perhaps there actually was a supernatural element to the parting. In either case, the way had been opened for the Israelites’ escape, though it would certainly require a step of faith and courage to take it!

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:19-20

19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

The Lord had been leading Israel in a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. That pillar was still present when Pharaoh and his army arrived, and it moved to stand between the Israelites and the Egyptians. In later years, Isaiah would assure the Israelites that “the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward” (Isaiah 52:12). Here we see that these words were not only figurative, for in this moment God had literally been both a guide ahead of Israel and a guard behind. Every promise of the Lord is fulfilled in many figurative ways, but I believe that there is always a literal realization of them as well.

Note, also, that the pillar now shifted to take on two distinct faces at the same time. It was a cloud of darkness to the Egyptians, which obscured their way forward and forced them to hold until the new day. Meanwhile, to the Israelites it was a burning fire, illuminating the way ahead as Moses worked God’s miracle upon the Red Sea and the Israelites made their escape.

Thus, once again, God was able to make a division, showing one wonder to the Egyptians and another to the Israelites. One wonder of darkness, one of light. One to hinder, one to push forward. The same God will judge, divide, and separate, like a sword cleaving good from evil.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:17-18

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

The Egyptians had already come to commit a slaughter, so why would their hearts have to be further hardened to continue with what they already intended to do? Perhaps because God was about to work another miracle in their sight, one that would pose an obvious danger. To venture into the maw of the parted sea would require a hatred or an arrogance sufficient to override the most extreme sense of self-preservation!

Only this time it was not Pharaoh’s heart alone that would harden, but that of the entire army. God meant to slay the entire horde and that could only happen if they did not mutiny and leave Pharaoh to his own devices. They all needed to charge forward as one.

This is the last instance of God being said to harden the heart of Pharaoh and his people. Frankly, it wouldn’t even concern me if in this instance He really did. At this point, Pharaoh had already shown himself willing to commit a horrible genocide, even after being given so many reasons to stand down. He was already more than worthy of death, and the God who rules over every life would be justified in guiding Pharaoh and his men to their death sentence.

Of course, there has been some speculation as to whether Pharaoh himself died in the depths of the sea. Did he lead the charge after the Israelites, or did he command from the rear, ordering his men ahead while he remained on the banks of the sea? The fact that God specifically mentions that He would “get me honour upon Pharaoh” strongly suggests that the ruler received the exact same fate as his soldiers. I think it is pretty explicit language that Pharaoh did, indeed, die in this wonder.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:13-16

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

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

Moses appears to have been unperturbed by the Israelites mocking, frantic questions. He assured the Israelites that they would not have to trade blows with the Egyptians, for God would battle for them. After all, hadn’t God battled for them with His plagues in the midst of Egypt? The Israelites had sat idly by while the Lord worked His wonders there, and Moses was confident that it would be the same here.

But notice that Moses first told the Israelites to “stand still,” and then the Lord corrected him, saying “Whererfore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.” Moses had been incorrect in suggesting that the Israelites should remain motionless, when actually God needed them to start moving. This suggests that until God detailed the parting of the sea in verse 16, Moses had no idea what God’s plan to save the Israelites actually was. He was sure that God would save his people, though, even if he didn’t know in what way. This reveals great faith on Moses’s part. It shows the confidence he had in the character of God, and how he rested in the certainty that the Lord would surely save them somehow.

The somehow, God revealed, was going to require more of the Israelites than standing on the banks of the sea. Back in Egypt, He had worked many wonders that required no involvement from the Israelites, but He had also worked some wonders where something was required of them, such as painting the lamb’s blood on their door posts. This next miracle was going to be of the latter category.

Moses was absolutely correct when he told the Israelites that God would fight for them and destroy their enemies, but first they had to get themselves to the place appointed for their salvation.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:11-12

11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

When the Israelites saw the Egyptian army approaching they first begged the Lord to save them, but then they complained to Moses. Their conduct towards him was entirely inappropriate, and shows that they did not honor the station that he held as God representative. The people gave Moses three accusatory questions, and each reveals a different form of insincerity and disrespect.

  1. Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?
    In their first question the people utilized great sarcasm and irony. At face value, the question wondered whether Moses thought Egypt was too inadequate of a place to die, and so had he thought it better to instead bring them here for their demise? Obviously that question wasn’t genuine, though. It was a rhetorical question, meant only to mock Moses for his lack of foresight.
  2. Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
    This question had the Israelites dodging any personal responsibility for this situation. The way it was phrased suggested that they had no choice in the matter, that Moses made them pack up their belongings and leave the land. Yes, Moses had told them to do it, but of course they could have refused. They didn’t refuse, though, they chose to leave, presumably with gladness because they thought they would make a clean getaway. Now that the tables have turned, though, they behaved as if they were being compelled against their will all along.
  3. Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?
    They doubled down on the idea that Moses was short-sighted. This time, though, the accusation was genuine. When Moses first demanded the release of Israel, Pharaoh had doubled the burden on their backs. Then the people had complained to Moses, stating that they were better off before. It is this moment that they are referring back to with this final question. They are, in essence, saying, “We told you that it was better to leave us be! Now just look what you’ve done!”

It is understandable that the people would have felt hurt by the sudden turn of events. Because of their infantile faith, it is understandable that they would have even felt betrayed. But the way that they manifested these pains and fears was completely inappropriate and dishonest. They had chosen to throw their lot with Moses when things looked promising, but then they turned against him when things looked bad. They pretended to have not been complicit in the making of this situation.

The fact is, they had been complicit for many years, even before Moses came to them. For generations they had begged God to free them. They had requested some sort of divine intervention millions of times over in their prayers. Probably they hadn’t anticipated that their deliverance would transpire in this particular way, but that just shows that they weren’t as converted to the idea of freedom as they thought.

This was an important lesson to the Israelites, and also to us all. Do we really want the deliverance that we ask God for if we don’t get to control the form that deliverance takes? Are we praying for substantial changes in our lives, but imagine it happening by magic with no involvement and no risk on our part? When we pray for what we want, do we really want it no matter the cost? If we are going to petition the Lord to get involved in our lives, then we need to be compliant with whatever “mysterious ways” He uses to grant our request.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 14:8-10

8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.

The expression “with a high hand” means to go with a confident and bold air. It would seem that the Israelites had an attitude of now being home free, certain that all their woes had been left behind them. Thus, it must have been quite the whiplash when they suddenly saw Pharaoh in pursuit.

Verse 10 tells us that the Israelites were “sore afraid,” and it seems that they saw no hope in having a battle with the Egyptians. As mentioned yesterday, there were certainly more in the Israelite camp than there were of the Egyptian soldiers, even there were more Israelite men able to bear arms than there were of their enemy. The problem, presumably, was that they did not have any arms to bear. The Israelites would be raising fists against spears and bows. It would be a slaughter. And with the sea at their backs and no option to retreat, the Israelites were absolutely powerless.

Note, then, their immediate reaction of crying to the Lord. This was the only course that remained to them, the only avenue of hope. God had worked miracles for them before, but the stakes were higher now than ever before. This was the first time where they needed a miracle simply as a matter of basic survival. This was the first time that if God didn’t come through for them, it would be an immediate death sentence!