Exodus 14 "Red Sea Miracle"

Exodus 14:21-22 "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. And the children of Israel went into the midst the sea upon the dry ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left."

Outline
*v1 God instructeth the Israelites in their journey
*v5 Pharaoh pursueth after them
*v10 The Israelis murmur
*v13 Moses comforteth them
*v15 God instructeth Moses
*V19 The cloud removeth behind the camp
*v21 The Israelites pass through the Red sea
*v23 which drowneth the Egyptians

*outline courtesy Topical Reference Bible

Pharaoh rushed the children of Israel out of Egypt after the plague of the firstborn but got to thinking about it and decided to pursue the Israelites and bring them back. The route they took brought them to the Red Sea. The Lord in the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night led the Israelites out of Egypt. Now, with the Egyptians pursuing them the Israelites became nervous and the Lord moved the cloud between the Israelites and the Egyptians.

Exodus 14:20 "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 night."

Moses has told the Israelites to v13 Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord... Note the three steps 1)fear not 2) stand still 3) see . We can see the application in Ephesians 6:12-14a "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore...."

We are not told a lot about the spiritual warfare that took place during Israel's escape from Egypt. We, as Israel, saw the physical miracles that took place. Egypt and the Pharaohs worshipped strange gods as shown in history. Satan, even then, must have strove to end the nation Israel before it got out of Egypt. In Ephesians, however, we have the door opened to our minds and hearts and can see that the physical things of this world are often a manifestation of a much broader spiritual struggle. The evil spiritual powers of this world have an interest in how things turn out. We as Christians must remember that we are not of this world and so are the object of evil intent. If Pharaoh could stop Israel, then the promise God made to Abraham would be stopped. That was not going to happen.

Exodus 14:27 "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."

v31 "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."

Wonderful story and lesson that when things look their worst, often, God does the most amazing things in our lives.

Psalm 28:5 "Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up."