Time for slavery to end. Time for pressure and anxiety to dissolve into celebration. Time for weariness to transform into a new beginning. Time for fear to be replaced with faith. Time for God to show His power and faithfulness in such a glorious display that it will become a pivotal, never-to-be-forgotten marker in Israel’s history.
Such a moment calls for eyes fixed on God, that all may see that salvation is indeed of the Lord. So how does this come to pass? What should we do while God displays His power and glory in salvation? And how should we respond?
Obedience
Throughout the biblical account found in Exodus 12-15, we see that God had a very deliberate plan to liberate His people from bondage. From the Passover supper, with its very specific instructions and requirements, to the route they travelled and the place they camped – God had everything completely mapped out according to His will. He knew exactly what He was going to do, and exactly how it would unfold. And though He did not need any help, He was looking for cooperation. He was asking for obedience and faith at every turn. The condition was that they follow His lead. He would take care of everything else.
So they obeyed.
They followed His direction for the night of the Passover, and though “in Egypt . . . there was not a house without someone dead”, “he [did] not permit the destroyer to enter [their] houses and strike [them] down” (12:30,23 NIV). The protecting was all down to Him. The destroying was all down to Him. These were things the Israelites could not do, even if they wanted to. All they could do was obey His orders and leave the rest to Him.
As they left Egypt, we are told that God led them, but “not . . . through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.” No, He “led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea” (13:17,18 NIV). He didn’t want them returning to Egypt because of war, “so the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night” (v.21 NIV). Their job was to follow and go His way.
But why, after all that, did He turn them back to encamp by the sea? The beginning of Exodus 14 gives us the answer: He intended to lure Pharaoh after them. Really! Why include what seems like two steps backward in His plan? Again, chapter 14 gives us the answer: “to gain glory for [Himself]” (v.4 NIV).
And so they did as He said.
In effect, God chose, this way, not that way, with a little intrigue in the mix – all with a view to put His glory on display.
And then, after obeying His direction, and following His guidance, “the Israelites looked up and there were the Egyptians, marching after them” (14:10 NIV). Yet even in this terrifying position God gave firm direction: “Do not be afraid . . . The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still . . . move on [when the waters are divided]” (vv.13-15 NIV).
And they did as the Lord said.
His angel and His cloud gave light to the Israelites, and darkness to the Egyptians, separating them throughout that long night while the east wind blew and the sea parted (vv.19-21). Again, the protecting was all down to Him. The parting was all down to Him. All they could do was obey His orders and leave the rest to Him.
Faith
So we see that, even with obedience intact, God’s plan can still include terrifying elements. It is at this juncture that God tells us to reject fear and trust that He will fight for us; to only be still.
These two commands require hard obedience. It is hard to not be afraid with the enemy bearing down on you – especially after you thought you were free. It is hard to be still when the urgency of the situation seems to demand a quick fix.
Why is fear the knee-jerk response in situations like this? We know our God is bigger and He is able, but fear comes from wondering if He will actually come through for us. What if He doesn’t? This often leads us to actions that try to manufacture our own salvation and get what we want – somehow, with or without Him.
There is a temptation to live our spiritual lives with the wilfulness of a toddler – an “I want what I want, and I want it now” mentality. Peter addresses this when he says: “Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want” (1 Peter 4:1-2 MSG). God is always asking us to abandon this wilful way of life. This is why He says: “Do not be afraid . . . [I] will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:13,14 NIV).
You don’t have to be afraid of not getting what you want. Does Jesus not tell us in Matthew chapter 6 that God will give you what you need? And you don’t have to manufacture your own salvation. Are we not reminded again and again throughout the Bible, in places like Psalm 3:8, Jonah 2:9 and Revelation 7:10, that salvation belongs to the Lord? Be still, and God will deliver you in such a way that His glory is put on display. A bumpy road, a long road, or an unexpected road, is not the end of the road when God is your guide. Trust that He will fight for you.
The reality is that impossible situations are ripe for faith and stillness. It is when we know we cannot manufacture our own salvation that we are most likely to be still and surrender to God. So don’t give up when things seem impossible, and don’t try to do it yourself when it seems like you could.
Patience . . . again
But does being still and seeing the salvation of the Lord mean that deliverance is instant? No, not necessarily. This issue of timing seems to be a perennial problem in every phase of our lives and, when freedom is on the horizon, impatience is hard to quell.
The Lord brought them out of Egypt after “430 years, to the very day” (12:41 NIV). God knew the exact day deliverance would come. And as they stood still between the Red Sea and the tyrant’s army, they were in for a long, windy night of watching God work.
But all that long night, and into the next day as they made their way through the sea, we are told that they were hemmed in – by an angel, a pillar of cloud, and the waters of the Red Sea (14:19-22). They were surrounded by God’s presence and power and protection. Rather than feeling trapped, knowing God was all around them must have filled them with assurance.
Not so, however, for the Egyptians. The wheels literally fell off their wagons when they found themselves engulfed by what our mighty God can do. Walls of water became a watery grave, as they found that the God of Israel was fighting against them.
How could the same place be experienced so differently by two groups of people? It all comes down to whether God is for you or against you. This is the difference between surrendering to His protecting and providing hand, or fighting against it.
Thanksgiving and Remembrance
And there it was! Freedom! Relief! Joy! Celebration!
As the Israelites “saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore”, they “saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him” (14:30,31).
They sang, they danced, and they declared His might acts! This was something worth sharing – together, and with the generations to come! God’s plan to glorify His name had come to pass! And these were the people who would make it known.
But how? God had told them right at the very beginning how this marvellous event would be memorialized: a Passover meal, a storytelling session with curious children, celebrating and remembering at regular intervals, and giving thanks. This newfound faith and loyalty to God – their great Rescuer, Protector, and Saviour – would be something rehearsed and rekindled as the generations came and went, because they followed God’s lead: obeying, believing, waiting, and rejoicing. Indeed, His fame has spread to the ends of the earth.
As Miriam put it: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea” (15:21 NIV). Her spirit of song and thanksgiving was a natural and appropriate response to the powerful saving hand of her mighty and glorious Deliverer. Similarly, when we recognize that we have been set free by the Lord Himself, we will find our spirits lifted in thanksgiving and praise to our mighty Deliverer!
