Crossing the Red Sea

One of the more famous miracles in Scripture is the parting of the Red Sea. Chills go up and down your back as you think of Moses raising his rod and the water divides. This is a marvelous story of God's physical salvation of His people, the children of Israel. He led them to freedom from bondage in Egypt. More importantly, it illustrates a great spiritual truth as well: the freedom that comes only as we walk forward by faith in the living God. The opposite of freedom is bondage -- this futility comes as one tries to live in rebellion against God. It can also happen as we lose our focus on Christ our Deliverer.

The Israelites were backed into a corner in which they had two choices:

Turn around and die at the hand of Pharaoh's army.

March forward by faith in the living God.

Though God often builds our faith through difficult circumstances, focusing on desperate human circumstances will not help a person grow in faith. Freedom is not found in a human-centered focus. True freedom, salvation and growth are found only in a Christ-centered focus. That is what the Israelites needed -- and that is what you and I need also.

Scripture: Exodus 14:1-15:21

Main Thought: When you set your focus on human circumstances, you will suffer from duplicity and despair; when you set your focus on Christ, you will find courage, confidence, and salvation.

A self-centered focus results in a duplicity which promotes evil. (Exodus 14:5-9)
A human-centered focus results in a despair which halts your progress. (Exodus 14:10-12)
A Christ-centered focus results in the courage to continue. (Exodus 14:13-18)
A Christ-centered focus results in confident faith and salvation. (Exodus 14:19-31)

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?" So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. Also he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. …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. (Exodus 14:5-7,9, NKJV)

1. A self-centered focus results in a duplicity which promotes evil.

Pharaoh had the wrong focus. Pharaoh's heart was indeed hard toward God and His people, the children of Israel. He had rebelled against God so long that he had lost all integrity.

First of all, Pharaoh lied to himself -- "Why have we done this?" (v.5) he said, "Why have we let Israel go from serving us?" (v.5) he lamented -- as if Pharaoh was in total control of this situation! A heart that centers on self plunges into secularism the view:

that man is the center of his own universe

that man makes all decisions regarding his life, and

that man is the final judge of his own truth.

In this self-centered view, Pharaoh felt no shame over what he had done to the Israelites in their years of cruel bondage. He had no accountability to anyone for his sin -- secularism has no concept of sin, just choices with different consequences. Pharaoh's "choices" had totally ruined his country and the lives of the citizens. Yet, here was a man still in control of his life and his destiny. He knew what was best -- so he thought.

Second, Pharaoh lied to Israel. In chapter twelve, we see him calling for Moses with a command to "Rise, go out from among my people…and go, serve the LORD" (Exo. 12:31). Pharaoh insisted that the Israelites go out on the terms Moses had set, "as you have said…be gone" (Exo. 12:32). Now, he goes back on his word to them with apparent impunity -- he sees nothing wrong with backing out of his own decision to release them.

Third and most importantly, Pharaoh lied to God. Evidently, the ten plagues were not enough to turn his rebellious heart around. Though Pharaoh had seen firsthand the mighty power of God to bring judgment for his rebellion, Pharaoh still thought he could win. In fact, he demonstrated remorse for obeying God. This is the pit of secularism, or a self-centered view: the only bad decision is the one to obey God!

When you and I give in to a self-centered focus on life, we too will plunge into duplicity that calls good evil, and evil good. To justify our selfishness, we will go to great lengths to cover it up, redefine it, or blame others. Heaven forbid someone should have the unmitigated gall to actually judge our behavior as sinful! But Scripture entreats believers to "fix our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2, NIV). If you focus on the Holy One of Israel, you will not be able to stand firm in selfishness. Your heart must break and melt before the One who gave His own perfect life for yours. The cure for selfishness is to focus on Christ our Deliverer!

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. 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? 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." (Exodus 14:10-12, NKJV)

2. A human-centered focus results in a despair which halts your progress. (Exodus 14:10-12)

Israel had lost her focus. Israel looked to the army of Pharaoh behind them, the sea in front of them, and the mountains around them. Such was their own human-centered focus. They looked every direction but up! The Bible says:

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. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. (Exodus 13:21-22, NKJV)

Verse 19 reveals that God's word to them previously was still true. "And the Angel of God who went before the camp of Israel" (v.19). So where was God in the midst of their troubles? Right where He had been all along -- right there with them. The cloud was none less than the pre-incarnate Christ Himself, the LORD of Hosts, captain of the LORD's army. His presence was in the cloud that they might have that assurance.

Yet the people turned away from their focus on God, who was with them, to Pharaoh, who challenged them. They even blamed Moses for what God had done in freeing them from bondage. The most damning statement made by the Israelites is their "I told you so!" in verse 12. They actually wanted to go back to Egypt, back into slavery! At this point, it did not even look like this was a possibility. So the people despaired of life.

A life of bondage is better than no life at all, when there is no hope. A human-centered focus brings no hope to anyone. A familiar saying in the workplace is, "You're born, you work hard all your life, and then you die". This kind of despair is inevitable when Christ is not in focus.

He is to be the center of your life, the foundation on which you stand and live this life. Uncertain, even desperate, times will surely happen -- but God remains strong in any situation. The Israelites despaired because they forgot about God. As Moses would sing later, "The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation" (Exodus 15:2, NKJV). God has ordained that life is to be built on a firm foundation -- the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The cure for despair in desperate times is to focus on Christ, our Deliverer.

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. The LORD will fight for you and you shall hold your peace. (Exodus 14:13-14, NKJV)

3. A Christ-centered focus results in the courage to continue. (Exodus 14:13-18)

The situation was grim. The Israelites had no place to go -- they were "trapped like mice, rats!" (from The Wizard of Oz). Pharaoh pressed in with his army. And what was Moses telling the people to do but look up? "See the salvation of the LORD" (v. 13) whom they needed to fear rather than seeing the Egyptians whom they did fear. A Christ-centered focus activates our spiritual sight. It allows us to see, by faith, what we cannot see by sight. As the Apostle Paul said, "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV).

When the Hubble space telescope was put in orbit, scientists eagerly awaited the amazing discoveries they would find. Alas, the telescope was "fuzzy" -- it could not focus. The scientists could have packed up and went home after spending billions of dollars to build this telescope. But a creative scientist came up with a clever way to fix it: make a "contact lens" to correct its fuzzy vision. Strange as it seems, it worked. The telescope now has a sharp focus. Amazing discoveries have indeed been found through its clear focus.

Walking by faith does not mean that we live life without focus, in blind ignorance, ignoring the grim reality around us. Rather,

We fix our hope on the reality of God who promises and always delivers.

We trust in God who gave us His word and never fails.

We believe and obey God even when the situation is out of our control.

With such a focus, one will not be overcome by hopeless circumstances. Instead, one will move forward with courage. The Israelites were told to stand and see what will be -- not what is. They had already seen how the LORD delivered on all His promised judgments of Pharaoh, when Pharaoh refused to obey God. Now they were told to be courageous and "go forward" (v.15).

Courage is what happens inside you as you shift your thinking -- from what you cannot do to what God can do. The feeling of fear is a natural human response. But in order to live in God's kingdom and serve Him, we must have courage to move forward. The answer, again, is to focus on Christ, our Deliverer. He is the One who, on the cross, "disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2:15, NKJV). He is the One you can always look to even when situations seem hopeless. Find your courage in the One who gave His life for you and stands with you in any situation. Focus on Christ our Deliverer who said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5, NKJV).

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. 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. And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. …Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch our your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen." …So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 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 14:21-23,26,30-31, NKJV)

4. A Christ-centered focus results in confident faith and salvation. (Exodus 14:19-31)

The courage to proceed results in confident faith in God. For the believer will surely see the mighty work of God. The only response to such miraculous power in one's life is to believe and fear (honor, revere, worship) the LORD. He declared that He would go with them and save them from Pharaoh's army. He did this by making a way through the sea. There is no doubt that this was a miracle of our Creator for no natural explanation can be given for:

Crossing on dry ground:

"…nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37, NIV)

A wide divide: It had to have been terrifying to take that first step through the waters that rose above them on the left and on the right. How wide was the part in the water? A margin note by the translators of the King James Version indicates that the Israelites were marching by fives (Exodus 13:18). This would mean the part could have been very narrow. Yet commentators have noted correctly that with 600,000 men marching in ranks of five, the line of Israelites would have extended over 60 miles. This means that the front of the line would enter the Promised Land of Canaan as the last of them crossed over the Red Sea! To move the people across the sea quickly required that God make a wide part in the water (some have suggested as much as a mile) so the people could move across at once.

Congealed water: The waters which parted, the Bible says, "stood upright like a heap; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea" (Exodus 15:8, NKJV). Wind can certainly move waters. An earthquake could have caused a temporary part in the waters. But nothing in nature would cause the water to temporarily congeal like Jello. The waters "became firm" (Exodus 15:8, margin note) -- until the unbelieving Egyptians attempted to cross. Suddenly the water relaxed and covered them.

This was a miracle of God in bringing salvation to His children. It is the LORD God who saves. He saved the Israelites from the physical harm they faced at the hand of the Egyptians (v.29). He saved them from the spiritual harm of unbelief by His many convincing proofs (v.31). And they worshiped Him in response to His work in their lives (v. 31). When they had a Christ-centered focus, the Bible says:

"By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so [not by faith], were drowned" (Hebrews 11:29, NKJV)

Reflect on YOUR life: Is your own life messed up by: duplicity, despair, inconsistency, and fear? Sinful pride and selfishness? The awful consequences of living for your will rather than God's will?

God loves you and wants the best for you and your family. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross at Calvary to save you from your sins. He did far more than pay the penalty for your sins. He died and rose from the dead to give you new life forever.

He wants to give you courage and confidence in this life.

He wants to bring wisdom to your every decision.

He wants to point the way when the way seems unclear or impossible.

He lives to intercede with the Father on your behalf.

He lives to save you each day from unprofitable decisions, both small and great.

When you respond to the LORD Christ by faith, you are saved also -- but YOU must respond. After your initial response of faith, you have the glorious privilege of focusing on Christ each day in your attitude, priorities, and relationships -- all of life. Jesus Christ is LORD of all your life. Such faith propels you forward in all of life's situations. No matter how bleak or uncertain things may seem, God is always there telling you to "go forward" (Exodus 14:15, NKJV).